Sewing Nostalgia

A few months ago I got this awesome fabric:


I bought it simply because I loved it, without a specific project in mind. When it arrived, I lovingly admired it, then added it to my stash.  A few days ago I decided it was time to actually use it, so I made a pillow cover.  Nothing fancy, no piecing or quilting.  I thought this print should be showcased, so to speak, and pillow covers are perfect for that. And perfect for using up fabric that you buy for no specific reason! (FYI: This fabric is Sew Retro by The Henley Studio, makower UK.  I purchased mine from Stash Modern Fabric on etsy, one of my favorite sources for irresistible fabrics--great selection and quick shipping.)    

Looking at this print led me to looking through some of the vintage patterns in my collection and then I found a wooden box that had been sitting in the big cupboard in the corner of my studio, just waiting to be used.  I grabbed some Mod Podge and prettied up that box:

Boxes are one of my very favorite things.  Don't ask me why, I've just always liked them.  Especially small ones.  So useful for organizing various random things--and I have a lot of those!  Obviously this box was meant to organize sewing things.  Here's a look inside after I filled it up:

I couldn't resist adding the vintage sewing machine image on the top lid.  (That's a clear stamp by Stampabilities, available at Hobby Lobby; it is part of a small set of stamps of sewing-related images).  Then I filled the box with all my Aurifil thread spools (the small spools are from the Tula Pink collection) and a few other odds and ends.  A fun and easy way to organize, and I like it when things are both pretty and useful.   

Happy crafting!

Summer Projects

It's been nearly two whole months since I've shared anything!  Summer seems to have a way of getting away from me.  I always think of summer as a relaxing time of year, but every year my summers seem to get busier and go by faster.  Between Farmers' Market and t-ball games and visits from faraway friends and swimming lessons, the time just gets away from me.  Here are a couple of projects I've finished up this month:

This is definitely the pinkest quilt I've made!  Very girly, very flowery!  As you can probably tell, it's a handkerchief quilt.  I have quite a few vintage hankies that belonged to my grandmother & great-grandmother; I've had them stowed away for years.  I'm not a really a hanky-user myself.  But these are so pretty that I thought it was a shame to keep them hidden away and so using them in a quilt seemed like the perfect solution.  I stitched the hankies to some voile to stabilize them (my first time ever sewing with voile) and then just made a simple quilt using some of the pink floral yardage that I got last summer at an estate sale.  I added the border with the pink fabric (from Jo-Ann's) and then the floral again for the binding.  The back of the quilt is also the floral print.  So you definitely have to like pink to like this quilt!  It measures 42 inches wide by 66 inches long, a nice-sized throw for me.  Here's a closer look so you can see the prints:

This was pieced and quilted (wavy lines) with white Aurifil.  Oddly enough, this is the first time I've ever used just plain white Aurifil thread....I love all the different color choices Aurifil has, but the prints here are plenty busy, so I figured white was the only way to go for the quilting. 

I spent most of yesterday afternoon working on a large piece to put in my booth at the Downtown Farmers' Market this weekend.  It's got a bit of pink in it as well:

It's hard to see in the picture, but the window frame is a very pale gray--it was originally white, but I gave it a coat of Annie Sloan Chalk paint in Paris Grey.  I've been having a lot of fun with salvaged windows this summer.  To glue on the papers, I've found that I like Martha Stewart's decoupage glue the best.  It spreads easily and dries quickly.  Mod Podge works too.  You'll find this in my booth at the Market this weekend, I'll be on 2nd Avenue just north of Court. 

And NEXT weekend (Aug. 2), I won't have to worry about the weather, because I'll be inside at Market Day!  Looking forward to seeing my Market Day friends and customers again.  It's inside at the Kirkwood, at 4th & Walnut downtown, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.  You can follow Market Day Iowa on facebook or get more info at www.marketdayiowa.com. 

If you want to know where to find me, you can just follow Papercake Creations on facebook.  I'll be at the Downtown Farmers' Market through mid-October. 

Thanks for looking!