cathedral windows

This last week-end I started on some cathedral windows.    Learning to make them had been on my list for years and am so excited I finally got the courage to try.   I read at least 10 different tutorials and took parts from about 4 or 5 of them, and they were not nearly as bad as I thought they'd be.

One of the tutorials even mentioned that she wasn't sure if she'd ever make them again.  Yikes!!  That scared me a bit.    I think reading so many and taking tips from several of them really helped.  I even did a couple extra things that I think made my method fun and stress free.

I fussy cut some of the squares and think those are my favorite ones!   I have one more set to make to do a pillow and am thinking this may be for my Pillow Talk Swap. 
 

I'm considering that maybe I'll post a tutorial if you'd like to see the way I did mine.  What do you think?   Can there be too many cathedral window tutorials out there?

On Saturday I found this sweet vintage Little Deer book at a vintage market, and then when I cam home I had this sweet ornament in the mail from Erin, of Why not Sew?   Aren't they so sweet!!

 

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!!

Hugs, 

trim the tree

One of my favorite things to make are handmade ornaments.  They are one of those projects you can do in an hour or two and they add such sweetness to your home during the holidays.   

When I came across the group The Trim the Tree Swap, I had to join in.  Too much fun to pass up.   You make four handmade ornaments for four different partners and then you receive four ornaments in return.

My first two I made were the little gnomie girl and boy.  The pattern is by Noialand.  I adore all her sweet adorable felt patterns.  I have a few others I purchased and have been itching to stitch those too.  :)

Little gnomie girl~

Little gnomie girl and boy.  I love the cute little mushroom on the boy and the sweet ribbon on the girl.  Such sweet little details.

Then I came across a lovely tutorial and pattern by Ellis & Higgs.  I thought it would be fun to make it scrappy with lots of strips.  It was pretty simple and love the way it turned out. 

The sweet little ornaments all together.    Now to make a set for my tree.   My kiddos were very concerned that I was sending them off and wouldn't make some for us.   I surely don't want to disappoint them so better get to it.  :)

I hope everyone has had a lovey week so far!!  

Hugs,

a scrappy modern maples pillow

Last week I was able to finish up my scrappy modern maples pillow.  I really love how it turned out, and am loving the touch of autumn it brings to my living room!

I gave it a bit of a woodland theme by adding woodland creatures to most all the centers.

As you can see, I decided to keep in the purple and am so glad I did.  Thanks for all your encouraging words in my last post!!

For the binding I used the lovely leaves in red, and I added a 1 1/2 inch border of floral in white to make it a 20 inch pillow.  That is my favorite size of pillow!

This week I was a busy bee getting my kiddos Halloween costumes ready.  I did an Alice in Wonderland theme and had so much fun!!  Most the costumes I found online and then added to them to give them that extra special touch.  I think this is my favorite theme I've done so far. 

Now to get busy on getting orders shipped out.  A holiday week always puts me behind.    I hope you've had a lovely week too!!

scrappy modern maples

Have you seen all the maple blocks being made lately?  On instagram I've been seeing them a ton!!  I couldn't resist, and started to make some of my own.    I am in need of a fall pillow so made them 6 1/2 inches and made 9 of them.  I wanted to add some of the deep rich colors of fall to my normal color palette and still am debating on the plum block.   It is the first time I have ever made a purple block.   Even the orange was a first.  :)

What do you think, should I replace the plum block with a red block?    Maybe it will look like a rainbow maple pillow??

My first 3 blocks!!  They are so simple and fun to make!!  Quite addicting, I tell you!  :)

Then there were seven

 A little bit of a close-up.  I fussy cut some woodland friends and added them to the center of most all the blocks!!  Perfect for fall!!

Yesterday we started sign-ups for the Pillow Talk Swap and are doing a holiday edition this round.  Doesn't that sound like fun!?!  If you've been part of a swap before you are welcome to come and join in on the fun. Sign-ups close on Saturday.

1. holiday wips, 2. more paper and bows, 3. Christmas Gift Tags block for Amber - Ringo Pie Bee, 4. Follow Me, 5. little house ornament, 6. patchwork block ~ Vintage Holiday quilt, 7. Savvy Seasons Mini Quilt finished, 8. paper numbers... cheesy?, 9. Christmas in Paris and a Give Away, 10. to: Olivia, 11. a shinzi katoh christmas, 12. leaves and berries, 13. Christmas Cookies Block for Melinda, 14. merry and bright, 15. clamshell pillow, 16. Christmas truck - '12 days of Christmas' Sampler QAL., 17. 12-09-10, 18. love these ornaments, 19. christmas pillow, 20. you can't catch me!, 21. Scandinavian Christmas Tree Pillow/Cushion, 22. The Christmas Quilt,( sew, vote, swap round 8), 23. Vintage Holiday quilt ~ 2012, 24. pillow 007, 25. airmail mini quilt

I hope everyone is having a lovely week!!  Happy Thursday, my friends!!

sweet strawberry pincushions

Who doesn't just love strawberries?  Even with it Fall you can't resist them.   Though the season may be over it still can bring that brightness into your day even when the weather is a bit cooler.  Lately, I've been busy making strawberry pincushions thanks to my sweet friend, Erin who invited me to the Strawberry Pincushion Swap.

I made my partner a prettified pincushion but changed the top with adding a pretty mini hexie flower with some of my favorite strawberry fabrics.    I loved making this version of Ayumi's pincushion.  I then made a mini strawberry pincushion and attached it to some cute birdie embroidery scissors for my partner.

I packaged up a few extra plush strawberries with the pincushions in a lovely strawberry basket and added some strawberry ribbon.   And it is winging its way to my partner and should hopefully be arriving soon.  I hope she likes her package.

Then yesterday I received the most amazing package from Amy of Nanacompany.  Even the box was as cute as can be!!

So much strawberry goodness I tell you!!  I just love the amazing large felt leaves with wool strawberries adorned to a fabulous pincushion jar!  Then a sweet plush strawberry pincushion and an adorable strawberry needle book.   I have been truly spoiled!

Aren't these the most fabulous leaves and wool strawberries!!  I love how creative Amy is!!   She is so talented!!

I can't wait to put the plush strawberry pincushion and needle book to use!!  They are perfect!!

For shop news, I added some lovely new Atsuko fabrics.  I have this larger bundle listed, and then I have them separated into smaller bundles too.   Aren't they so sweet!?!

See you soon, my friends!!

Hugs,

Kerri

a sweet surprise!

I had the best mail day when this fabulous pocket mail organizer arrived from Kylie of Three Honeybees.    I adore everything in Ayumi's book Patchwork, Please! and this sweet pockets wall quilt was on my to-do list.  I'm so excited that Kylie made one just for me!!  I really absolutely adore it.  It is perfect in everyway!

All the fabrics and colors are prefect.  I also love the mix of linen with color.  So pretty!!

Kylie personalized one of the envelopes with my shop name and even added a sweet little deer stamp.  Isn't that the sweetest touch!?!

Thanks so much Kylie!!  I couldn't me more happy with it!!

Kylie also surprised me with  a sweet hexagon needle book, an adorable wooden deer peg wall hanging, some cute ribbon, and some lovely red & aqua wrapping paper and matching napkins!!  I was completely spoiled!!  Thanks so much for your kindness and thoughtfulness!!  I love everything!!

The lovely needle book!!  It really is the sweetest ever!!!

After all these years, I still love swaps and get excited to join a new one!!  The joy that comes from making something for someone else, and then receiving a special package in the mail that has been so thoughtfully made just for you is so fun!  I also love how it makes you think outside the box and really explore your creativity to make just the perfect thing for your partner. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

Hugs,

hexagon mini quilt!

It has been way too long since I've posted on my blog.  I'm so sorry.  Life has sure been crazy lately.  I do post almost daily on Instagram if you ever want to see what I'm up to.  I'm sewdeerlyloved on Instagram.  :)

I'm a bit late with my hexagon mini quilt but am so excited that it is now done and on its way.   I really love how it turned out, and I sure hope my partner loves it too.

I  hand stitched 7 grandmothers flower gardens together and then stitched on an outer layer of hexagons to keep the original shape.

I love how it really catches each flower.

For the quilting I went back and forth for awhile on what I wanted to do.  I've never stippled over hexagons but thought it would give a lovely affect.  I  really do love how it turned out with the quilting.

The background fabric is a Lecien small gingham and the Binding is the floral from The Simple Life.

I also made a Prettified Pincushion from Ayumi's book Patchwork, Please!   I love making them!  They are so cute.   I also sent along some other pretty goodies.

The navy pincushion is an extra one I made since they are so fun.  I can see lots of these in my future.  :)

 Here are the buttons I made, so I still have some extras.

I recently added Flower Sugar to my shop.  This is such a beautiful collection.  I think it is my favorite Flower Sugar so far!  I love how there is polka dots and gingham mixed in!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week!