It’s My Birthday!

Or maybe it’s just time to receive Urban Home Goods swaps?  When I got home last night and read “Pink Punk Boutique” on the return label of a fairly large package at my doorstep, I let out a shout!  I’ve been stalking the swap group page a bit and had already seen what Shelley of Pink Punk Boutique made for her partner.  It was LOVE at first sight.  Just look what I got in the mail!!!

Can you believe it? This is so not fair. I don’t deserve this, not-uh, not-uh.

Well, you can see there that Shelley made a gorgeous “rug mug” and sent along a shiney new yellow mug to keep it company. My kitchen is yellow, orange, pink and red, so she nailed it. That little rug mug is actually keeping me company by my laptop right now. I drink water all day long.

I was really, really hoping for a sewing machine cover, and here it is! Could it be any more fab? Linen with wavy quilting! Be still my beating heart! And all that color too. Sigh, it’s perfect. My machine feels so loved (and my dining room table looks much nicer!) Do you see what else she sent?

It’s just the ultimate pincushion!!!! This pincushion caddy is from Anna Maria Horner’s first book Seams to Me.  I’ve been wanting to make it because my current and only pincushion is rather embarrassing.  But, I’ve heard it’s kind of tricky to make, so I’m guiltily relieved that I don’t have to make it for myself (I know, that’s low, https://stitchedincolor.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpisn’t it).  I would have been thrilled to receive just the sewing machine cover.  That Shelley sent this too cool pincushion made in Anna’s fabrics (swoon) is so beyond amazing!

But that’s not all.  I know!  I know!  She also made me THREE hot pads. Above are pics I took of the backs. I adore those little selvedge tags. Here is Shelley’s pic of the fronts:

So, what can I say?  I love it!  Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to Shelley of Pink Punk Boutique!

P.S.  Actually, it is my birthday weekend.  Tonight I’m starting the celebrations by going out to the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, SC with some girlfriends.  Hopefully, I’ll have some pics for you later.

And, I have a gift for you too… check back on Monday!

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Sewing Machine Cover Finished!

Here’s that finish I so totally needed!  It’s a sewing machine cover for my secret Urban Home Goods swap partner.

I just hope it fits!  This sewing machine cover style allows for wiggle room, but I had a really tough time choosing measurements because of some discrepancies which I shall not disclose for fear of revealing my partner’s identity.

After piecing the top, finishing this machine cover was lots like finishing a quilt.  I wanted to use this half yard of Dolce “Rita” print as the backing, but a half yard was not quite enough.  Stitching a solid aqua border around the backing allowed me to use the half yard and provided a wrap-around aqua binding for the front.

Since I didn’t have matching thread that would hide my stitches, I opted for a zigzag finish on the binding. Zigzag is so forgiving!

Hand-stitched twill ties to the back, and it’s done. This was a nice small canvas for practicing machine quilting. I know there are a few wavy lines, but I hope my partner won’t mind.  I did my very honest best.

This is my first time piecing with white. I know, I know, it’s because I’m such a linen lover! When I originally started the hourglass piecing, I went without solids and paired print with print. While the blocks were pretty alone, they looked just awful as a group. Oops. I did start over with the white, which is what Rita from Red Pepper Quilts used as well.  Soooooo much better.  Happily, one of the rejected hourglasses became an easy pincushion.

See, I just sewed the sides of the square block together with raw edges exposed.  Matching sewing machine cover and pincushion… I like it!  I hope she does too!  And now that my work is done, I’m glad to be anticipating receiving my own surprise package sometime soon.  Yah!

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from Alabama Stitch Book

Isn’t this lovely?  It’s a weighted over-the-arm pincushion and supply caddy from Natalie Chanin’s Alabama Stitch Book.  This is the project I took with me on our trip to Nashville to keep my hands busy in the car and late at night.    Small, manageable pieces requiring lots of time and love. I’m halfway done now. Would you like a sneak peak?

This time I traced the stitch line with a fine permanent black marker.  Rather than stitching with buttonhole thread, as suggested in the book, I’m using doubled regular black thread since I didn’t have time to run to the store before our trip.  Worked fine!  The outer nude jersey is an old T-shirt and the peak-through fabric is a purple woven from Aria’s Christmas Stocking.

Another work-in-progress.  Sigh… I need a finish soon!

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