If you have been following my blog lately you will have noticed that I have been concentrating on finishing UFO’s.  Yes, these are those unfinished projects that seem to grow and grow and hang around much too long.  Well, I am please to tell you that number two is finished and I am so excited about  how it turned out.

First let me tell you that sometimes I just see a pattern that I go crazy with.  I don’t know what I want to make out of it such as a quilt, pillow, or even frame it.  In this case I am talking about a stitchery pattern by Crabapple Hill’s designs Halloween Thimble Bouquet.  This pattern had to be made the minute I had my hands on it, but what to do with it after that.  I thought about framing it as I don’t have enough pictures for the Halloween season; but…not sure.  Finally it went to that dark place, all alone in the unloved stack of unfinished projects.

It was a couple of months later that I found a new designer Kristyne Czepuryk of Pretty By Hand.  She had designed a pattern called the Farmhouse Parlour Quilt.   That was it. It came to me, out of the dark areas of my brain.  It will be a table topper!

Now with an idea, the topper was rapidly coming together.  I was in full swing stitching away, only to be held up with the need to purchase a couple of pieces of fabric.  After about three days it was done. Finished and I was in love.  I can’t wait for Halloween!!!!

Let me know if you like it, And Sew on….

Mary

I have been following a blog, Red Brolly, written by Bronwyn Hayes for quite some time now.  I first learned about her through reading Australia’s Homespun Magazine.  She is a frequent designer in the magazine, she designs block of the month quilts to small quick projects.   Bronwyn is really great about putting out free patterns and sharing her ideas.  Also I might add totally talented.

Her blog is full of free designs, recipes, and basically neat ideas.  She put out a free Easter design recently and I thought it was so adorable so I whipped it up.  It literally took me two days to do this project.  I used fabric from my stash so basically all I brought was the frame.  I think it took longer to decide which fabrics to use than to embroidery it.  I believe I am going to make it again and put it on a towel, it would be cute in the kitchen.  I hope you check out her blog and enjoy , and sew on..

Mary

What is it about UFOs?  Yes, I’m talking about unfinished objects.  These are the projects that we were so excited about when we started them, only to get pushed to the back burner.  They stack up and they just sit there.  I feel guilty because I usually buy everything upfront then months later, I’m not as excited about the project.  So it just sits there.  Why is it that we never seem to pick them up again?

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While I was out at the mailbox the FedEx man drove up and said “Oh Sew, I have a box for you.”  OK a little footnote regarding him. Once he told me that the shipping labels on the boxes are always an orange colored label.  Which lead him to notice the business name.  Well, he got a kick out of the business name.   He told me that when he gets the orange shipping label,   he knows exactly who to drop off the package with.

Well, inside that package contained the brand new book from  Kristyne Czepuryk designer of Pretty By Hand patterns.  When I found Ms. Czepuryk and started carrying her pattern she told me about her new book debuting in late December.  I was excited to hear her speak about it and now I am excited to give you a review of “S is for Stitch.”

First let me tell you that when I look at a “Craft” books the main criteria I use is;  how many projects does the book have that I would or would want to make.  I was totally impressed that Ms. Czepuryk did not disappoint.  She had several smaller projects and even two alphabet quilts.  It was refreshing to see several designs for boys.  I especially like the ” Traffic Framed Embroidery”  found on page 123.  It is a simple, clean, and not necessarily for a baby.  It is a design that would grow up with the child it was made for.

I was pleased that this book performs as a reference book as well as projects.  She does a wonderful job of introducing and teaching of the basics of embroidery.  As I have taught beginning embroidery myself she has not missed a step.  She even explains the steps involved in embroidering on pre-made knit garments.  I am confident that a beginner could buy this book and make a project.  She has done a great job with the fundamentals here.

I told you earlier that there were two quilts in this book.  They are an alphabet quilt for a boy or a girl.  She gives you two different blocks, one that is in my opinion, a more of an intermediate pieced block.  So you can be more challenged if you have quilted before.  Of course, not all people who embroider sew their pieces into a quilt.  She has gone a step further and has given the reader a tutorial on quilting basics.  Not as in-depth as the embroidery, but a great reference to help the new quilter be more successful in making these quilts.

In conclusion, I believe this book to be a winner and well worth purchasing it.  The projects alone are worth the price, adding in the tutorials in embroidery and quilting is an added bonus.  The directions are clear and well thought out.  You will be able to embellish pre-made garments for gifts for boys and girls, or even make an adorable quilt for that special child in your life.

And Sew On,

Mary

P.S.  Oh Sew Retro is proud to carry Pretty By Hand products at a great price !!

Oh Sew Retro supports Small Business. In that spirit, Oh Sew Retro is offering 10% off everything in the store.

Today was quite simply a beautiful day.  The weather is hot outside.  We reached 98 degrees before noon.  The problem with living in “hot Atlanta” is that  we have months of day after day in the 90’s and above.

I decided to make some lemonade and sit on the back porch and Stitch away.  There is something that brought me back to my Grandma’s house.  The long hot summer days stitching away with her, learning and perfecting my beginning stitches.  Life was simpler then, no cares, just pure enjoyment of being together.  The highlight of the summer would be when she would give me change and I would run down to Main Street to the Five and Dime to but some Aunt Martha design transfers.  I thought I was so grown up.

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What is it about monograms and initials?  We love to put initials on everything from towels to totes.   Today we have gone  crazy, we even are writing with initials now.  If I told you a story about my BF, you would of course know I was talking about my best friend.

Did you realize that monograms can be traced back to 350 BC.  Yes the first monograms were fund on coins.  Printmakers and sculptors used their monograms to sign their work.  Think of the beautiful letters and symbols drawn by calligraphers’ when creating books and even Bibles.

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Over the weekend I was able to find a chunk of time to work on and finish “All My Eggs in One Basket”. I had done the tracing and coloring earlier and did not have time to get the stitching done. It seems like such a complicated design, but I was able to breeze through it in no time at all.
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Well we have gotten the shop up and running. I am still waiting on the postman for several new patterns, so keep stopping by to see what’s new.

I wanted to introduce you to Natalie Lymer from Cinderberry Stitches. I first found her blog several years ago. I loved her designs from the start. As they say in the movies she” had me at hello”. She is from Australia and has a delightful blog is which she shares her life and designs. I have had the pleasure of making several of her quilts. Her designs were one of the reasons I decided to open Oh Sew Retro.com. They were impossible to find in the states, and when I ordered them from Australia there was always the shipping and the exchange rate to deal with.
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