Secret Garden Quilt and Spring Blues Cross Stitch

I worked with some new fabrics over the Christmas holidays, Sandi Henderson's Secret Garden collection. Very vibrant colors and unique color combinations in the fabrics with large repeats. I found a very easy quilt pattern in an older Quilts and More magazine. Large nine patch squares alternating with 9 1/2" squares. It was very easy and went together quickly.

I had several fat quarters I was working with and ran out of fabric so I had to match some of my other fabrics. I thought it turned out nice. It definitely brightens up a room! I am going to put a very soft backing on it maybe in a soft pink.

I went on a designing spree to for cross stitch patterns and designed three new patterns for spring 2012. This is the first pattern I've started on and I'm thinking of calling it "Spring Blues". I'm using some lovely hand dyed silk from the Thread Gatherer. I love using silk floss, really recommend it if you haven't used it. I hope to have all these patterns ready for the spring Needlework Show in April. Happy New Year!!!

Bluebird Birdhouse Embroidery

This is my latest hand embroidery project and I'm hoping to have them done for January. I felt like doing some bluebirds, such happy little birds.

I tried some different flowers and more satin stitches along with my favorites I put in every pattern. I found some wonderful linen tea towels at a quilt shop not long ago and I will put part of the design on one of those too. Merry Christmas!

Needlecases in Spring Fabrics

I have another stack of fabric samples to play with. I love sewing with fabrics that I designed. If you haven't tried Spoonflower I recommend it, so fun! I used my "Blue Roses and Berries" fabric for this needlecase. I put a little strip of pink ribbon and used a decorative stitch to sew it on. The inside has a couple pockets and a piece of wool felt for sharp things.

I liked the dusty pink shade that printed on this one so I called it "Dusty Pink Rose". Sometimes it is difficult to tell what the color will end up when it is printed. The ink drawing turned out nice and crisp and I was happy about that. I added a little lace trim to this one. It is the same on the inside as the one described above.

This fabric is very bright and cheerful with watercolor flowers. I called it "Spring Flower Garden" and it has little dragonflies buzzing about. A very loose wet-in-wet techinque so the colors blended in an interesting way and printed on the fabric very vibrant.

I like to participate in the weekly fabric design contests on Spoonflower and this was my entry for the "Cameos" contest. I called it "Cameos in Pink" and blended a little flower drawing with some watercolor and added some other swirls and flowers. The Spoonflower folks pick subjects I wouldn't think of myself so I like the challenge to see what I can come up with. I love looking at all the contest entries, so much talent out there. Stop by and see sometime, here's the link for the Spoonflower contest

In the Neighborhood Embroidery and Christmas Art Fair

I finished my new hand embroidery design called "In the Neighborhood" and am planning a sewing project to finish it using Sandi Henderson's new fabrics called "Secret Garden". The greens in the fabric match my green flosses in the embroidery really well.

Last weekend we held our annual Christmas Fair in the old post office in town. It was very nice with so many wonderful arts and crafts for sale. Really nice fragrant handmade candles and soaps that made the whole place smell wonderful. Lots of nice art and cute ornaments.

Pottery, scarfs, cards and jewelry. It was a very fun time and I think it enhanced the Christmas spirit of the season!