Camp Sur and Camp Modern Collections Featured!

Two of my favorite collections came out late last Fall supplied by Birch Fabrics and continue to captivate the fabric world. Camp Modern and Camp Sur are separate but coordinating collections, and you can find them here and here in my shop. They are earthy, modern and a fresh twist on the moose centered cabin theme. The designer, Jay-Cyn, was thoughtful of not only how the prints would translate into the quilting world but made it possible for each print to easily stand alone.

Featured here in the January/February issue of Quilt it…Today magazine is “Camp Modern,” a quilt designed by Ann Baxter using a log cabin pattern. So pretty with that off-white background! Makes the designs really shine.

You can find out more about this magazine (as well as order the issue to get this log cabin pattern!) here.

Here is another quilt featuring the Camp Sur fabrics from the April/May issue of the magazine Sew It…Today, “Happy Trails.” Designed by Melissa Lunden, this is a clever variation of a current popular design, the chevron.  I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Melissa lately and you can definitely feel her passion for the craft!

Find the magazine (which includes the chevron pattern) here.

What would you sew with the Camp Sur and Camp Modern prints?

Ombré quilt

The V and Co. ‘Simply Color’ collection arrived in the shop a while back and included were these lovely ombre solids.

When I came across this tutorial on Pinterest I was inspired!

It was pretty simple, even for a novice quilter like me.  Along with the duties of running the house, the shop and helping out at my daughter’s school, I was still able to sneak in enough time to cut and finish the top over the course of one day.

I wanted to make mine in the grey because Vanessa did not show that color in her presentation.  I knew immediately that this lovely Solid in Mustard would be the pop of color it needed for the binding to make it truly interesting.

My favorite part was how easy it was using one fabric to create the ombré effect instead of searching for the proper gradients and thus needing to make sure they all blended perfectly.

The only thing I adjusted on this tutorial was the size.  She suggested nine rows of nine squares.  I did nine rows of eight squares.  Um, not really on purpose…   But hey, now it’s unique, right?

I ended up hand stitching the binding which took about two and a half hours.  I used this tutorial for a quick refresher on the technique. I just downloaded a movie after the kiddo was in bed, grabbed a glass of Chardonnay and was done in seemingly no time.  This happens to be my first time and though it went faster than expected, my hands were sore when it was all said and done. Perhaps breaking it up over two sessions would have been more prudent.

(Don’t you love the chevrons on the back?!)

I was intrigued by this one as well.  Might see it as the March sew along!  My daughter would love one in orange!

Which color ombre is your favorite?

Jodi

iPad or Kindle cover!

Hello all!

I finally have some time to get some “new project” sewing done so I went through my Pinterest pile of projects to try out (and subsequently pinned a bunch more….) when  I came across this tutorial and thought in would give it a try.  Anna Joy Pham has four options for you to select from for Ipad/Kindle sleeves.  I selected “The Ruby” design.

The tutorial calls for three prints but this gorgeous linen print just arrived in the studio today and I couldn’t help but make it feel welcome by putting it to good use right away.

So I cut the fabric two different directions to give it a bit of interest.  I cut the two OUTSIDE piece at 3″ by 13.5″ as she suggested but I opted to cut the inside strip at 2.25″ by 13.5″.

I LOVE making fabric covered buttons and any excuse to do so is more than welcome!

Other than that I followed the tutorial closely and it was pretty darned easy.  I always need to do  yoga breathing when I’m turning the item through those little tiny holes by that’s just me.  Next time I will make the suggested 2 inch hole in the inside liner more like four inches….  That’s just me….easier is better.

Look how cute the stripes look as a surprise inside!

Anyway the options are endless.  Any techie friend (and aren’t they all) would appreciate one of these little goodies.

Oh and it took me about 2 hours but I was interrupted about a gazillion times.  The next one shouldn’t take longer than an hour.  I think WAY too hard the first time I make anything.  I’m sure that is what why I can’t just make one of something.  The third or fourth time around the project is so much more fun and I can take liberty with it!

Any how.  Make one (or two or three)!!  You can do it.

Happy day,

Jodi

Fabric Friday: Sydney

A month or so ago I was looking over the inventory of the home decor fabrics in the shop searching for new inspiration.  When I logged in a few days later to put in an order with my supplier I found these beauties! My imagination went immediately wild!

 

Sydney is a bold, large scale geometric print in home decor weight fabric in a variety of NEW colors from Premier Prints.  All of the fabrics are 100% cotton.

Geometrics hold a special place for me because they allow me to really go wild with ideas.  Curtains, pillows, recover furniture, the possibilities are endless!

 

I whipped up an ironing board color from the Tangelo to brighten up the studio!

 

Here’s a look at the five colors we have in stock.

Sydney Artist Green/Slub**

Sydney Indian Brown/Slub

Sydney Aquarius/Slub

Sydney Storm/Twill

Sydney Tangelo/Slub

Which color is your favorite and what does it inspire you to create?

**What is Slub, you ask??

A soft, thick nub in fabric that is purposely set for a desired effect.

Babies…popping up like tulips!

Seems like spring is when I start to see babies popping up all over like tulips!  I haven’t had a wee one in quite a while which makes me even more eager to sew something up for new arrival.  One of my favorite things to make are little baby booties. They are just almost edible they are so deliciously cute.

You don’t need a lot of fabric and they are relatively quick to make.  I used this tutorial but there are a TON of them out there (here is another link with multiple options). When I gift them I usually pair them up with some burp clothes, bibs or a handful of hand embroidered onesies.

These took me about an hour and a half to complete, from start to finish, but it’s hard to say exactly because I worked on them just a little at a time.  I used these amazing fabricsthat arrived in the shop the other day from Birch Fabrics (here and here).  These are organic so they are easy on even the most sensitive baby skin.

I used a hand sewn snaps even though the tutorial calls for Velcro.  In this case, my button is decorative but you could make a button hole and use that as your closure if you wish.

There is a little bit of hand sewing involved, however it’s on the inside of the booties so no one is really going to see it and, of course, there is always the option of hand sewing the snap fasteners.

DON’T forget (like I did!) to turn the base of the bootie pattern over or you will end up with two left feet.

I’d love to try a few different styles.

Do you have a pattern you’ve made and would recommend?

The oh-so addicting reversible bag

I’m always looking for new and inspirational projects. And when I’m not doing that I am likely looking for new and lovely fabrics. Thank goodness my obsessions coincide!! A while back, I discovered these gorgeous home decor prints from Premier Prints and could not wait to get my hands on them for the fabric store. I ordered them immediately and they are now in stock!

When they arrived I stared at them for a long while…ok days. To be honest I sometimes, in the quiet of night, when the family is all tucked in and cozy, pour myself a glass of wine and stare at fabric. Eventually, I remind myself that I need to stop staring and start sewing. A couple of days later I remembered I had pinned this reversible bag tutorial on Pinterest that would be perfect. So, perhaps, all that staring pays off after all…or at least that is what I tell myself. 🙂

Here is the tutorial, from Very Purple Person.
It was pretty simple and you can make one too! The first bag took me about an hour and a half of leisurely sewing. As I made more I found that they took about an hour each.

You can find the fabrics I used and more here.

I made a slight adjustment to make turning the bag right side out a little less frustrating. On step 3 I sewed three of the straps up to where she indicated in the tutorial and left one strap open just after the turn. Here is about where she suggests you stop. Do this for three straps.

And here is where I stopped on the fourth strap.

Otherwise, it was too difficult for me to pull the bulky fabric through the incredibly small hole. Perhaps it was because I used home decor weight fabric instead of lighter fabric. Or perhaps it is my “I want everything to be easier” attitude…. This adjustment did not make it any more difficult to complete the bag when top stitching but made it SO much easier to turn the bag. I like easier. 🙂

And of course I couldn’t make just one.

 

In fact, I am sure there are more to come.

Half a yard each of coordinating fabrics will be plenty to make a pretty bag. So go ahead and make one. You can do it!

Happy sewing,

Jodi

Crayon Caddies

When it seems like winter is never going to end and kids start getting stir crazy, I like to whip up a bunch of these crayon caddies for my daughter’s friends. She loves to pick the fabrics and the past couple of years she was able to help with the sewing, which makes it more fun for us both! There are a gazillion tutorials out there. Here is how I make mine.

You will need:

Two coordinating fabrics cut 10 inches by 12 inches. (I found mine here by my fabric designer crush, Monaluna.)

Ribbon

Cord Stop

Disappearing Ink Pen

Ruler

Put your two cut pieces right sides together, pin and sew up two shorts sides and one of the long sides. (Usually prints that can go any direction are best.) Clip the corners where you have sewn to make it lay flat when you turn it. Turn inside out and poke those little corners. I use my super fancy rouge chop stick, everyone should have one! Press. On the open side fold it in about a half an inch. I eye ball this because children are not all that concerned about the evenness. However, if you would like, you can use the disappearing ink pen and mark a straight line to make sure it is even before folding in. Press.

Open side to the right (or to the left if you made it all upside down… which I have done TOO many times to mention) fold over the bottom about 3-3.5 inches to create the pocket. Slip the ribbon, folded over, into the open side and pin. Sew both long sides up.

Now mark the outside of the flap in one inch intervals with your ruler and disappearing ink pen.

Sew those up and you are all DONE! Should take about 30 minutes or so.

These are darling class gifts or birthday party favors, and they’re perfect for all those little scraps hanging around! Can be made for markers, pencils, etc. Once you make one, you can adjust it as needed.

My daughter is not satisfied with just six color choices so I make her bigger ones. Just cut your fabrics 10 inches by 20 inches, sew up TWO long sides and one short side with the right sides together and mark the crayon pocket lines with the pen at 1.5 inches instead.

You can do that for sure! Easy Peasy!

Happy sewing!

Jodi

Apron in an hour!

Need a hostess gift or a little something to perk up your time baking cookies? This tutorial for an apron in an hour is fun and quite easy. She’s done a wonderful job explaining each step!

Here is one I whipped up recently from these new fabrics in the shop from the Bella by designer Lotta Jansdotter.

All you need it one fat quarter, for the body of the apron and one half yard for the waistband, hem and ties.

My favorite part about this apron is the extra long ties. The can be simply wrapped like above or with a fancy bow!

You can make one too! As Jona Giammalva’s blog says…Stop Staring and Start Sewing! Brilliant!

Happy sewing,

Jodi

LOVE, Gumdrops and Kisses

A few days before Valentine’s Day, my daughter asked if she could have a special outfit for her party at school.  I recalled that she really loved the Havana collection by Monaluna, my favorite designer.

When it arrived she proclaimed what she wanted each of the fabrics to made into of as we gleefully unpacked all of the bolts.  ” I want a skirt of out this one, PJ’s out of this one, OHHH and a pillow out of THIS one.” … and so on!

I did a little appliqué for the shirt I purchased at Target out of ‘Weave in Red.’ Here’s a useful tutorial on appliqué techniques.

 

For a skirt, I gave her the choice  of the ‘Gum Drops’ fabric or ‘Blooms in Red’ seen here.

She selected ‘Gum Drops’ and I whipped up this little guy to accompany the shirt.

 

The pocket I added on at the last minute to hold a couple of Hersey Kisses she wanted to share with her BFF.

If you haven’t made a skirt they are generally REALLY simple to make. This tutorial is a good one to help with the basics.  Give it a try!

Anyway, here she is off to her party, happy as a lark and ready to hand out all of her little love notes.

 

What did you make for your sweeties?

Hello!

Welcome to Sew Fine Fabric, the blog.

The tag line for the shop is  “Obsessively Selected” because each high-quality fabric offered is researched, looked at and thought over in an obsessive manner before it makes the cut.

Here on the blog you will fine what’s new (and on sale!) in the shop,  favorite fabrics, project inspirations, shared tutorials, and offer a look into the day-to-day life of a fabric-lover-turned-online-fabric-shop-owner.

Be sure to visit the Sew Fine Fabric, the shop to see what’s new!  Then following me on Pinterest to see what inspires!

Thanks for stopping in!

Jodi