Mine Shaft - A New Quilt Pattern

Hey all! I'm so excited to be sharing a new quilt pattern with you today! Mine Shaft is my first independent release PDF quilt pattern and I am really hoping that you love it!

Mine Shaft was dreamed up last year because I really wanted to use this Tula Pink Parisville fabric I had; in the process I decided that you might like a pattern too!

This pattern includes instructions for making five different sizes of my original Mine Shaft quilt - these sizes are 48x48", 48x60", 64x84", 80x96", and 96x108"! Mine Shaft is a fun and modern pattern - it is fat quarter friendly, utilizes larger prints well, and includes good negative space for decorative quilting. This pattern includes diagrams as well as to-the-point instructions.

The PDF pattern can be purchased from either my Etsy or Craftsy shops and, of course, I'm here to answer any questions you might have!

Since this quilt has only been shown in one picture here before (in my Quilts at the Creek post) I think I'll show a few more pictures; since I've taken lots of pictures of it, it is now going into the rotation for Alex and I!

Quilt on the grass in the park near our house...

A little close-up...

The back using some Parisville, Kona Medium Grey, and Kona Snow...

And here is the special Parisville label that Tula herself sent me when I told her I was making this quilt! Isn't it great? Love my Tula hairspray can!

I really, really hope that y'all like this pattern! If you have any suggestions or corrections please let me know! And if you do make this quilt, it'd be really super-fun if you'd add it to the Flickr group! You can find the PDF pattern in the Craftsy shop here and in the Etsy shop here!

Midnight Owl Mug Rug + a Giveaway!

So, I've been keeping secrets again! You know me and my secrets...

That's right, I've got a project in the Fall 2012 issue of Stitch Craft Create magazine, woot! This is the Midnight Owl Mug Rug and I am in love with it (I am allowed to say that when it's my own project? Oh well)!

This cute little guy combines both patchwork and cross stitch into a quick and fun seasonal project. The colours used here are more modern-Halloween inspired but you could easily change them to reflect another season or decor-style. The pattern includes the instructions (um, ya, obviously Kaye) as well as the cross stitch chart and floss key.

I used a mix of solids and prints from various collections; I think both the blue and green solids are Free Spirit and the grey is Kona (Medium Grey, I believe). There are a couple of Kate Spain prints, some Tula Pink, Laurie Wisbrun, Sandi Henderson, and a bat print from one of the older incarnations of The Ghastlies.

I just had to show the backing because I love the way that it works with the colours in the front! It's a print from Nel Whatmore's Sleeping Beauty that I had leftover from the Flying North block tutorial. The thread colour I used here for quilting is one of my absolute favourites - it's Gutermann #860 is a really lovely shade of golden orange-yellow.

This issue is available on newsstands now and features lots of really rocking projects! But wait!! Maybe you'd like to win your very own copy instead?! Well, one lucky person will since I have an extra copy just hanging about here (there were actually three copies but my mum scooped one and obviously one is mine)! Here's what you gotta do:

1. Leave a comment letting my know what your most favourite thing about Fall is.

Fall is my favourite season so I'd like to hear what you think! 

(If you don't have Fall where you live just come up with something fun to tell me!!)

2. Leave another comment if you are a follower of my blog.

That's it! Two easy-peasy ways to enter! I will close the comments in a week (on September 4th) and announce the winner here on the blog. International entries are, as always, welcome! Also, please remember that I have comment moderation enabled so if you don't see your comment right away it just means that I haven't had the chance to approve it yet (duplicate comments will be deleted).

*the giveaway is now closed*

Be happy. It's one way of being wise. -Colette

A couple of weekends ago Alex and I headed up to the blue mountain for our friends' wedding - we had a grand time and it was a really lovely celebration. I decided to make myself a clutch for the occasion since I didn't own a small purse that matched my dress.

I used Anna's Envelope Clutch pattern and made the small version with a pointed flap. I didn't have a swivel clasp on hand (and no time to head to the fabric store) so I inserted the wrist strap directly to the pouch while sewing it together. I used Essex linen/cotton in natural for the body and some Liberty of London tana lawn in Caesar for the flap. The Liberty was a gift from the super-awesome Jo and is actually available in her Etsy shop right now!

For the interior I used the turtle bay print in aqua from Tula Pink's Prince Charming collection; I also used the same print in cream for creating the little accordion pocket (which I think I messed up by the way, but it still works). I included one of my labels that I printed through Spoonflower... ya know, just in case I forget who made it *wink*!

As always, Anna's pattern was well-laid out with lots of pictures and great instructions! I really enjoyed making this clutch and will definitely be making more in the future. I want to make a bigger version with the other flap style for carrying around day-to-day when I don't need my huge purse; I also want to try a version with piping since I've never tried it before!

I also made Tim and Julie a card to go along with their wedding presents. I absolutely love using small fabric scraps for making cards and have made quite a few in the past - it's especially great for using up little bits of fabric that are too small for actual patchwork. As you can see there are some small pieces of original release Flea Market Fancy in there that I've been keeping; I keep all of my teeny pieces in a sandwich sized zipper bag so that they're easy to access when I'm card making.

If you stay posted to my little space here you just might see some more cards coming in the near future... just sayin' *double wink*!!

Quilts at the Creek

A couple of weeks ago I participated in Quilts at the Creek where I showed two of my quilts. Quilts at the Creek was put on by the York Heritage Quilter's Guild in cooperation with Black Creek Pioneer Village; the YHQG asked my guild (the Toronto Modern Quilt Guild) to participate in the show with them and so I decided to put in two quilts that were finished somewhat recently.

Black Creek Pioneer Village is very cool and most of the quilts were hung up outside in various places throughout the village. I've heard a rumour that the show did so well that Black Creek has already decided they want to do the show again next year. Both my mum and Sheila drove into Toronto and the three of us spent the day at the show together; we walked around and visited all of the quilts, went into most of the buildings, watched a weaving demonstration (I recently found out that we somehow missed a hand quilting demonstration), and went to the fabric marketplace about five times as well as the actual giftshop.

Before we get into a few pictures, can I just say that I'm a complete moron and didn't actually take pictures of any of the quilts. The only reason I have any pictures of my own quilts in the show is because Sheila and my mum both took pictures of them. Yep, I totally rock.

This photo was taken by Sheila (using my phone) and that's me standing in between my two quilts. The one on the right is The Geese Have Landed which has been shown on this blog before, however the one of the left is Mineshaft which I haven't shared. Mineshaft has actually been done for a little while now, but is one that I'm currently writing a pattern for (hopefully it will be done and for sale very soon). I originally intended to put another quilt into the show but it didn't fit the width dimensions that they wanted as it's destined to be a wall hanging. And yes, both of those quilts contain a whole heck of a lot of Tula Pink - you know I love her!

A little anecdote: When I originally ventured out to find my quilts at the show I was dismayed to find that Mineshaft had been hung sideways - as in with the long side across the clothesline (despite the fact that the quilt back is pieced and that it has TWO labels on it that). Luckily a staff member wondered by as I was saying all of this to my mum and got it fixed! I wish they hadn't folded the top over like that (especially since it's crooked which you can really see in the next picture).

These are the backs of my quilts! You'll see better pictures of the Mineshaft back when I release the pattern but I must say that I love it! This is where I was standing taking pictures (not this picture obviously) when I heard two older women dissing my Mineshaft quilt - not cool!! Needless to say I didn't go near my quilts again for the rest of the day.

Here are a couple of goodies that I picked up both at the Marketplace and in the gift shop. The six fat quarters on the side (as well as a Moda scrap bag that isn't in the picture) are from Log Cabin Yardage which is a Canadian online shop. The hand dyed fabric pieces are from Good Lines Decor - they were made using pre-loved cotton and dyed with vegetable dyes - I think the colours are seriously awesome! The yarn is from the gift shop at Black Creek - it was hand spun at the village using wool from their Border-Leicester's (who I saw - cute sheep!) and hand dyed using indigo and osage. The little tag on it even has the name of the girl who made - her name is Kelly. I also bought a set of handmade leather buttons in the gift shop but they're not in the picture either.

I definitely think that I'll do Quilts at the Creek again and next year, I promise, I'll actually take pictures of the quilts!

A Little Catch Up

So, it's been a while since I last posted! It's been a rough couple of months - what with not having a job and such, but I'm trying to keep myself busy and not dwell too much on all of the negatives. Let's do a little catch up post here! I've been crafting quite a bit and have a few things to share, so let's do a few now and then some more later in the week!

I finished the first of my Seaweed Socks - woot! The pattern is available for free on Wendy Johnson's site and the yarn is Madelinetosh Sock in Iceburg (which is a discontinued colourway). I'm just about to start working the gusset for the second sock and hopefully I'll have both socks fully done within the next week or so. When they're both done I'll take some better pictures so that you can really see the colour.

I stitched up this little Bob and Doug McKenzie duo as a gift for my mum. The pattern is from Wee Little Stitches on Etsy and was super fun to stitch! Seriously hard to photograph so in case you can't read it the line on the bottom says "take off, you hoser" (you may need to be Canadian to get this one).

I also knitted up three teeny-tiny preemie hats for charity; I'm going to make more since I can probably get five or so hats out of each skein and they really are super-fast. I feel good knowing that such a little thing I've made can bring some serious warmth and comfort to others. The pattern is available for free and there are five different variations on the hat; I'm planning on making one of each version in both pink and blue.

And, a little announcement, Pretty in Patchwork: Holidays is now available for purchase in the print edition!! It came out on August 7th and should be available in all major bookstores as well as online at places like Amazon and Indigo. Also, just in case print isn't your thing or you want to get the book instantly, it is still available as an ebook as well.

In case you don't remember (or weren't around these parts when I first announced it), this is my pattern from the book - the Countdown-to-Christmas Advent Calendar! My pattern mixes English paper piecing, stamping, and a little patchwork to create a fun and easy calendar with pockets just big enough for a small chocolate or toy.

I have a few other things and announcements to share but we'll wait and do that a little bit later! I hope y'all enjoyed catching up with me here. I'll talk to you soon!

Tutorial: Quilt-As-You-Go Hexie Coasters!

Y'all ready for this? I've got a new tutorial for you... may I present the Quilt-As-You-Go Hexie Coasters!

Woot! I actually made this coaster and took all of the pictures for this post about two months ago... I think I may have procrastinated in the posting a little bit *blush*. But I think it turned out pretty darned cute, don't you? Okay, now who wants to get started?! Let's go!!

Materials:

For Hexies:
9 fabric squares measuring 2.5x2.5" each
9 one-inch hexagon templates*
Hand sewing needle
Hand sewing thread

For Coasters:
5x5" piece of muslin or scrap fabric for foundation**
5x5" piece of thin batting
5x5" piece of fabric for backing
Scrap of fabric 1.25x22" for binding

* You can make your own hexagon graph paper here (just be sure to select the 1 inch option and measure one side to be sure after you've printed them out) or order some pre-made templates from here. I've done both.
**This piece of fabric is merely used as a foundation for the hexagons and will not be seen, so go ahead and use something truly ugly!!

Now, I'm going to start off by showing you the method that I use to make hexies. This method works especially well for this type of project, but if you make your hexies a different way - go for it! You may need to be a little more careful when you get to the quilt-as-you-go portion of this tutorial, but I think it'll still work out. If you already know how to make hexies, just skip this portion of the tutorial, but make sure that you have 9 completed hexies before moving on to the next portion.

English Paper-Piecing Directions:

Pin one hexagon template to one 2.5x2.5" fabric square and trim the fabric down, leaving 1/4" around all sides of the hexagon template. Have a length of thread in your needle, knotted, and ready to go!

Fold one edge of the fabric down so that it is snug against the edge of the template.

Fold the adjoining edge down so that it too is snug against the template and so that the fabric overlaps at the corner.

Run your needle and thread through the corner of the fabric, being careful not to pick up any of the paper template in the process. Pull the thread all the way through so that the knot if snug to the fabric.

Run your needle and thread through the corner once more to secure it in place. Pull all of the way though.

Fold down the next corner just as did before and bring your needle across. Repeat the above steps to secure the corner. Pull the thread taut, but not so tightly that the template curls - this will ensure that the edges of the fabric all stay in place.

Repeat the above steps all of the way around the hexagon. At the last corner run your needle through a couple of times as above and secure with a knot. Cut your thread.

And there you have a completed hexie! Repeat the steps above until you have 9 completed hexagons for your coaster.

Quilt-As-You-Go Coaster Directions:

Draw a light line in pencil 1/4" away from the edge all around your muslin foundation piece. Layer your muslin, batting, and backing as shown ensuring that the backing is right side down and that the pencil markings on the muslin are facing up.

Pop the templates out of all of your hexagons. If you used the method that I described above to make your hexagons than they will hold their shape when the templates are removed. If you used another method they may not hold their shape so well and should be handled with care.

Begin by placing one hexagon in the top, right corner so that it's corners and top edge are flush with the 1/4" lines you drew on the muslin. Pin in place and, if you wish, use pins to baste around it to keep the three quilt layers from shifting.

Sew 1/16 to 1/8" from the edge all of the way around your first hexagon. Obviously, for this one (and a few others) the hexagon goes over the edge of the foundation so just stop sewing when you reach the edge. Make sure to smooth out your hexagon and to keep the edges of the hexie flat as you sew.

Align your next hexie so that it's top edge is butting against the bottom edge of the one you've just sewn. Sew all the way around.

Repeat the steps above until you have your entire muslin covered. For the smaller areas of blank space left on the left hand side of the coaster, trim some excess off of a hexagon you've already attached - once all of the hexies are sewn on you will see this excess, just use the edge of the muslin as a guide (so sorry that I forgot to take pictures of this step) - sew this excess onto the small blank spaces. Most of these small spaces will be covered by the binding, but it's always best to fill in as much as possible.

Evenly trim your coaster down to 4.5" square - this would mean trimming your coaster down about 1/4" on all four sides, but be careful since the coaster may have shrunk slightly with the quilting.

Use the binding strip that you have set aside and bind as desired. I did it the "traditional" way by machine sewing the front side, then folding over and hand sewing the back, but you could machine sew the whole thing on if you wanted! And see all of the pretty quilting that shows on the back from sewing around the hexagons - ohhh yaaaa!

Grab yourself a drink and enjoy! Anne of Green Gables mug totally optional of course but I would highly recommend it *wink*!

So what do y'all think? I really hope you liked this tutorial and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Be sure to send me pictures or add them to the Flickr group if you do make a hexie coaster or two using this tutorial!

Flip-Pal Sleeve + the Giveaway Winner

Hey all! How's everyone doing? I've been away for a few days visiting my mum and grandparents, but now I'm back and can finally do this post since I have my computer back and have gotten most everything transferred back on to it - hurray!

One of my big plans while visiting my grandparents was to take my Flip-Pal and scan some of our older family pictures. So, of course, I needed to make it a travel case!

 

The Flip-Pal is larger than most of the tablet/reader cozy patterns available so I made up my own, but was inspired to add the pocket by Ann Kelle's iPad sleeve tutorial.

Aside from the linen that I used for the outer shell, all of the fabrics used are Heather Ross. I thought it would be fun to use some of the hexagons I had lying arund for embellishment - the big ones were made by me and the two teeny one came to me by Jo as part of the Handsome Hexies swap on Flickr.

I also made the 3/4" button for the closure using a little fussy cut mushroom from some of the Heather Ross gnomes munki munki.

The sleeve came out a teensy bit bigger than I meant it to but hey, that's better than being too small! I bound the top of the pocket using some Heather Ross that I fussy cut and also added a little loop for hanging the USB/SD card reader that holds my photo software.

The lining is, yet again, Heather Ross from the West Hill collection (you can see the scallop here that I fussy cut for the pocket binding). I love this - it just make me so super-happy to have pretty things to carry my stuff around it!

So I guess you want to know who won the Generation Q magazine giveaway, right? Well, without further ado the winner is...

Becca of Our Busy Little Bunch

Congratulations Becca! Please email me with with your address and we'll get your magazine out!