Starting Small

So a while back I shared my grandiose plans of quilt after quilt, knowing that everyday life, children, work, and general creative distractions might be a challenge for their completion. While today is not the big reveal of those started quilts, I have been working with various quilt patterns and techniques in the meantime. In fact I have two other quilt projects in the process in addition to my first two! I know, I know, not the best way to start out, but I have made significant progress with all of them.

This pattern is from fabric and quilt designer, Camille Roskelley. If you are looking to start quilting, let me highly recommend her patterns... simple and straight to the point without a lot of unnecessary text. 

So, the original Spools pattern, as you might guess, is a lot bigger and obviously has more spools, but I liked the idea of a quick little mini quilt.... getting to know the process and more practice before I tackle the big ones.

  What a cute little mini wall decoration, right?

Recognize this sweet little fawn nestled in a bed of flowers?

Fabrics: Sweet as Honey by Bonnie Christine.

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Zakka Style

According to Wikipedia, "Zakka has been described as "the art of seeing the savvy in the ordinary and mundane". Or as fabric designer and founding member of Cotton & Steel, Rashida Coleman-Hale defines it in her "Zakka Style" book, "it has grown to mean a style that embodies a kind of simple charm and uniqueness - something handmade that is useful yet pleasing".

However the style is defined, what I see repeating in Zakka style projects are a combination of a simple basics combined with unexpected pops of color and often what some might consider"kitschy" novelty bits and pieces.

I've been having fun with these new Zakka trims, which aren't just for sewing projects. Perhaps 
birthday presents with cute little accents…. 

... add a little pizzaz to a simple storage contaier with wrap-a-round cozy...

 ... and of course, thank you cards.

So, what about you... do you make Zakka style projects too? Anything in the making?

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Freezer Paper Applique

I've hinted a few times towards a couple techniques that I've been working with a lot recently. Freezer paper applique has long been used by quilters, but I just can't seem to get enough of it, and not just for quilting either. Combining fabric and paper really is a love of mine, and I've not been able to get enough FPA lately. (yeah, kinda sounds like PDA, but better!) So, here's an easy little project with the how to:
Ich habe ja schon ein paar Andeutungen über einige Techniken gemacht, mit denen ich in letzter Zeit häufig gearbeitet habe. Die "Freezer Paper Appliqué" - Technik ist in der Quilting-Szene eigentlich schon lange bekannt, aber seit ich so richtig weiß, wie's geht, kann ich gar nicht mehr genug davon bekommen - und zwar nicht nur zum Quilten! Hier ist also ein kleines Projekt zum Selbermachen - super einfach. Probiert's aus!

Trace template onto paper side of freezer paper. Cut out. With a dry iron, iron wax side down onto the wrong side of the fabric.
Schneide die Appliqué-Form in Originalgröße aus Freezer-Paper aus und bügle es mit mittlerer Hitze auf das entsprechende Stoffstück auf. 

Cut approximately 1 /4 inch ( cm) from the edge of the design.
Schneide das Applique nun aus und lasse dabei einen ca. 5mm breiten Rand um das Freezer-Paper stehen.

 

Using a glue stick, lightly apply a small amount close to the edge of the paper.
Bestreiche den überstehenden Stoffrand um das Freezer-Paper herum leicht mit einem normalen Klebestift .

With scissors, or other turning device, fold paper over the glue line and finger press in place.
Faltet nun den überstehenden Rand nach Innen auf das Freezer-Paper, so dass es dort anklebt. Mit der Kante einer Schere geht das z.B. sehr gut.

Do this also with any corners and overlap as needed. (note: for a curved template such as a circle or leaf, etc. fabric should be clipped as if clipping on a curve)
Die Ecken können bei einer eckigen Form einfach überlappen. Bei einer runden Form müsstest Du den überstehenden Rand in regelmässigen Abständen einschneiden, damit er sich gut umfalten lässt.

For this particular project I trimmed the edge off because I would like the design to run off the edge of my project.
Für dieses spezielle Projekt habe ich eine Seite des gleichschenkligen Sechsecks dann noch etwas eingekürzt, um später einen "Off-Center" - Effekt hinzubekommen.

Trim and finish gluing last edge in place.
Also Freezer-Paper an eingezeichneter Markierung abschneiden und die letzte Kante auch noch einfalten.

Posistion on cardstock and stitch around the entire design as close to the edge as possible. Here I used Kraft paper. This technique can obviously be used on fabric using a blind stitch and invisible thread.
Positioniere das Appliqué auf einer festen Pappe (Bastelladen) und nähe es so nah am Rand wie möglich auf. Die gleiche Technik kann man natürlich auch auf Stoff anwenden, mit einem Blindstich und unsichtbarer Naht.

Mark around the edge of the sewn on design for stitch mark placement. Here I marked ca. 1/16 inch.
Jetzt noch mit Bleistift die Markierungen für die spätere Schmucknaht aufzeichnen...

Using an awl, or other punching device, lightly punch holes in the paper making sure to have padding under the project.
... und diese Markierungen dann mit einem spitzen Gegenstand leicht durchstechen (am besten mit einer weichen Unterlage).

Using a coordinating embroidery thread, stitch around design, tying off at the end.
Mit einem passenden Stickgarn dann um das Appliqué herum nähen.

Clip both top corners at an angle.
Nun noch die beiden oberen Ecken der Karte winkelig abschneiden...

Mark top center for grommet placement and using a hole punch, make a hole.
... und oben in der Mitte ein Loch einstanzen.

Place grommet in the punched hole, and use a grommet press to secure in into place. I used a 7 mm grommet for this project.
In dieses Loch presst man dann mit einer Ösenzange eine passende Öse (in diesem Fall eine 7mm Öse)

... and your finished with your hangtag!
Und fertig ist dieser tolle Anhänger!

 Reynold's orignial freezer paper can be found here:
 Reynold's orignial freezer paper findest Du hier:

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Sweet As Honey Hangtags

I've hinted a time or two about a couple techniques that I've been working with a lot recently. Quilters have been using freezer paper appliqué technique for quite a while now, but I've been having a lot of fun using it in non-quilting projects... and I just can't seem to get enough of it!

I've always loved combining fabric and paper, and I'm really pleased with the way these hangtags turned out... aren't they sweet? They can really add that extra touch to lots of things.

So, curious how I did it?...  I'll show you next week just how easy it is.

Bonnie Christine's "Sweet as Honey" fabrics found here: 

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Hung out to Dry

I recently discovered the world of Tim Holtz, and wow, I have to say that I am totally smitten! Since I am so caught up in what's going on in the fabric world, perhaps what those in the paper world consider being common knowledge, is just now a new discovery for me. Tim's work is beyond amazing, and I would even compare him to what Amy Butler or Anna Maria Horner are in the fabric scene!

I found these super sweet little coat hanger paper clips... and what a great way to combine a few left over fabric snippets and paper to make these cute mini "thank you" cards.

 

Of course, if you want to make your own hanger paper clips, here's a great tutorial that I found on Pinterest on how to do it yourself.

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Der April weiß nicht was er will

"The April doesn't know what it wants" is a very common phrase in Germany... and I know exactly why. Often I find it difficult simply trying to figure out what to wear for the day. Not because I am a fashion diva trying to get just the right look, but because the weather in Germany can go from bright and sunny in one minute to overcast and dark the next, flip to rain, and then back to sun again. Perhaps it's just in Northern Germany that one experiences such indecisive weather, but as it's often said in Hamburg... if you don't like the weather, then just wait fifteen minutes. (sometimes quite true)

But I have to say that I am holding onto the saying:

Bunnies that spring,
Larks that sing,
Will certainly,
the Springtime bring.

Springtime... where are you? April, you look seemingly grey today.

Pillow with free motion quilting technique and Hippity-Hop bunny felt applique.

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Dawanda Shop Spring Sale

12% Rabatt - jetzt in unserem Dawanda Shop! Das Special findet von Donnerstag, den 27.03.2014 bis Sonntag, den 06.04.2014 statt. Jeden Tag werden unterschiedliche DaWanda-Hauptkategorien beworben.

12% discount - now in our Dawanda shop! From Thursday March 27th to Sunday April 6th. Every day different categories on sale!

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Hippity-Hop Restyled

Without a doubt, springtime really is my favorite time of year. Spring green is my favorite shade of my favorite color, and I love all those first signs of life that sneak out of the greys and drabs that winter left behind. So, it would only be fitting for me to be in full swing with spring projects.

I've been working with two quilting techniques a lot lately in non-quilting projects, and I just can't seem to get enough... the first is free motion quilting, and the other I'll show you later. If you've been with me for a while, you may remember this friendly little rabbit from my "Hippity-Hop" projects... so, here he is again, restyled using  fresh new fabrics and my "Freshly Watered" ribbon, all in a cute embroidery hoop that can be used so many places.

For my English readers, "frohe Ostern" is "Happy Easter" in German... enjoy!

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Flip Side of the Pond Friday

Just a short little intro…I thought it might be fun to start a non-sewing related regular post about what it is like to live on this side of the pond. I've often been asked if there is a big difference between the U.S. and Germany. I love the way one can answer this in German... Jein. (combination between Ja/yes and Nein/no) 

Other than the obvious backdrop of old architecture, differences in houses, and landscape, the differences are not as blaring as one might expect. But they are there and they are subtle. With Flip Side of the Pond Friday, I simply want to share an outsider's viewpoint of those small little details that make me realize that this is not the place that I grew up calling home. I'd love it if you join in with your own stories.

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I can still vividly remember the very first trip that I ever made to Germany. My then future husband had made arrangements for various mini-trips, events, and meeting family and friends during my short stay. I can remember one visit with his friends, while still being greeted at the door, we were kindly asked to remove our shoes. Normally I would have been more than happy to oblige them on their kind request, except for the fact that for this trip I had severely under packed and even worse underestimated the weather, thinking in terms of the already spring and summer-like weather I had just left back in sunny North Carolina. I remember not only having cold feet the entire night, but that I had to sit on them the whole evening just to keep them warm.

At first, I just chalked the incident up to the fact that perhaps they were just overly protective about their newly installed wooden floors. But the longer I've lived here, the more encounters I've had with people asking me to take my shoes off upon arrival. Sure, if they are super muddy, soaking wet, or just plain full of dirt it's obvious to me, but this is almost a phenomenon that I had never experienced before.

At my son's kindergarten, greeting all visitors at the front door, one finds oversized, giant wool slippers that might appear to have been left behind by some Jack-and-the-Beanstalk character. For the non-native, they look quite odd. But what one is actually supposed to do with them, is slip them over your existing shoes, and glide from room to room so as not to track dirt throughout the whole building. Any German reading this would probably think, ummm, yeah, sounds logical, so what's the big deal? I suppose it's not really a big deal unless you've never seen anything like this before. I completely understand the logic behind this, but nonetheless it is a spectacle which would leave most Americans not quite knowing what to say.

But since living here, I have learned that while in Rome, do as the Romans do... packing your house shoes/slippers for everywhere you visit is a MUST - friends homes, any children's activities found in a gym, and even church!

As with most comparisons... no wrongs, no rights... just different.

Any stories from your side of the pond?

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"Freshly Watered" a Proper Introduction

Since last year was such a huge whirlwind for me,  I never really had a chance to make a proper introduction for something that was pretty major for me. This past year I was able to add new colors and designs to my exsisting ribbon collection!

So, I continued with the theme "Freshly Watered" and added cute watering cans and swirling tulips to the sweet flower girl and garden friends ribbons.

It really is super fullfilling to see your own sketches and doodlings realized in something tangable. Stay tuned for a couple ribbon projects in the next weeks.

Spring is just around the corner... I can hardly wait, and you?

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