More fabric!

I forgot to mention that I won some fabric in a blog giveaway before Christmas. I was lucky enough to score these great fabric prints from Linda Lum DeBono. If you aren't already familiar with her work, be sure to check out her blog or website! She is an accomplished quilter, knitwear designer, fabric designer and author.

Now, what should I do with these fun fabrics? Maybe a new Polka dot apron for this month's "Tie One on" Apron theme?

Something new!

Hello!

Finally a new project to warrant a blog post. The crafting has been few and far between these past few months. I spent the better part of my Christmas holidays making a cover for our new down duvet. I wanted it to "feel" like a quilt which is why I chose to do a patchwork composition for the main top part of the cover. I've been collecting Amy Butler fabrics for almost a year now and I finally had a place to use them all - yes I used every last fat quarter I had for this quilt top!

I really let the design of this duvet evolve organically. In the end it turned out quite different than what I imagined it would be when I started. This was due mostly to the limiting colours of sheets for sale after all the Boxing day madness (which I avoided). By the time I showed up in the stores all the good sheet colours were well picked over. Originally I thought would like blue borders and pillow cases. However I couldn't find any blues that worked with the colours of the prints. In the end I settled for something I like a whole lot more (and might not have even considered) if I had found blue right from the start. The coordinating sheets I picked are white with a small beige geometric print. I decided to go with beige and brown as my two border colours (due to lack of blues) and because browns are really the secondary colours in these prints.

In the end I think the cover turned out looking more modern with the brown accents. I'm glad I was open enough to consider other options - I also had cut out another Amy Butler print initially as the final border but decided it was just too much pattern and opted with the brown....

I tried to plan the quilt and lay out the measurements in Illustrator before I started but in the end resorted to quick pencil sketches and my trusty calculator. I still find this the fastest way to work!

As with any good quilt photo - I asked my cat Weasel to pose for me! She didn't really get into it until I had already started shooting with her stuffed cat toy....because she got jealous!

Apron Giveaway

Carrie of Sommer Designs is having an Apron Giveaway over at the Apronista Blog. If you would like a chance to win an apron (and you get to choose your favorite) leave a comment for them. If you create a link on your own blog you get an extra chance to win.

Check out Carrie's Apron's - they're almost too nice to get all dirty and greasy!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Pictured here are two felt craft projects I designed for the Girl Guides Craft night. This is a group of 20 girls aged 9-12. I was impressed with how well they executed the projects (many of them chose the Bat project which my friend designed - it was much more complicated). They did a great job and fun was had by all. Whew was I tired at the end!

new fabric and a little bit of inspiration

This is another piece of fabric that arrived in the mail for me last week. This time all the way from Melbourne Australia! The fabric was designed by Lara Cameron of Kirin Notebook Blog fame. This is my favorite fabric print of hers to date - but they are all fabulous. If you haven't already checked out her designs and her blog you should!

The other photo is my "inspiration board" It's not a great photo but the best I could muster the other day. I vow to work on my photography skills in the upcoming year. Especially for my jewelry, which is so hard to shoot well. Anyhow the inspiration board is a collection of images and colours that I thought might look great as bags or quilts. In truth I just like having it on my wall because it's colourful and nice to look at!

Dreaming of Prints and Patterns.....in Blue!

This fabric arrived in the mail for me this week. It's some fat quarter bundles of Amy Butlers new Belle fabric collection. I'm designing a new patchwork duvet cover for my worn out down duvet. Our new apartment has icky pale blue walls in the bedroom which do not work with my colour preferences. In hindsight a should have painted the bedroom a warmer colour before we moved in - but I just wasn't up for it at the time. Now, instead I'm going to make a new cover that works with the blue instead of fighting with it like my current duvet cover which is an Indian Block Printed textile of olive green, sage and terra cotta. I can't think of a worse colour combo for icky blue walls. I grate my teeth every time I walk into the bedroom. This is one sewing project that cannot be delayed. My colour sensibilities will tolerate it! Now I just need the Wrought Iron Head Board I've been dreaming of to go with it...

Squash Soup Recipe

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving everyone! I thought I would share this festive harvest soup recipe today. It is very easy, delicious and nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 butternut squash
- 2 leeks (thinly sliced)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 4 small potatoes (cubed)
- 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable stock
- 3 cloves garlic
- salt & pepper to taste

HOW TO PREPARE:

- cut squash in half lengthwise and place face down in a baking dish with enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. (This is to prevent the squash from burning)
- add 3 peeled cloves of garlic to the dish (I find the roasted garlic adds a lot of flavor to the soup).
- Place in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for approx 1 hr. or until soft.
- add more water if necessary while squash and garlic are baking.

- In a large pot saute leeks until soft.
- add carrots and potatoes and a bit of the chicken broth. Cook covered for approx. 10 minutes then add the remaining chicken stock. Cook for another 1/2 hr. until veggies are soft.
- When squash and garlic are ready remove from oven and add to the soup pot.
- Blend with a hand blender or regular blender until smooth.
- garnish with cilantro, paprika, sour cream or yogurt.

- ENJOY!!