Pout Pout Fish for Riley Blake

Hello! It's finally December and Christmas present making is in full gear at my house. I just recently introduced my kiddos to Pout Pout Fish Books, so when I was asked to make something with Pout Pout Fish for Riley Blake Designs, I was ecstatic! 

I made an art portfolio with handy storage slots and clear pockets to store art supplies, stickers, paper pad, and even a book! This folio will be for my son Jack Jack. He loves opening zippers and messing with buttons, so this is a perfect gift for him. He's also into drawing (on walls), so hopefully this will keep his drawing contained!

Here's what I made:

Pout Pout Fish Art Folio

Front of Folio

I had the idea of the folio looking like an aquarium, so I used clear vinyl for the front pockets.

Front of Folio

Front of Folio

Back of Folio

Back of Folio

Add caption

Inside of Folio

Inside of Folio

Inside of Folio

Inside of Folio

Inside of Folio

I hope you enjoyed this handmade present in my present making series! Onto the next one!

Karen

Fruitful Pleasures for Riley Blake

One month and two weeks till Christmas guys! Christmas present making is in full swing in my sewing corner (I'm getting my sewing room back in 2 weeks yay, but more on that later!). For this present project, I made a bag. I made a bag! I haven't made a bag in 2 1/2 years because of my twins. I had the opportunity to sew using these bright, pretty florals called Fruitful Pleasures by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs. 

This fabric line is just stunning. I love love love how bright and pretty it is. The fig print is beautifully done and goes so well with the all the floral prints. 

If you follow me (or if you don't), I use to make a ton of bags pre-twinning days. This was and still is my favorite thing to sew if time allows me. I based this bag on a scaled down version of the diaper bag I made a couple of years ago using Strawberry Biscuit fabric. 

Here's what I made:

Fruitful Pleasures handmade handbag

Details

Fruitful Pleasure handmade handbag

Outer pocket details

Zipper and side details

Inside of bag

Back of bag

I used pellon bag interfacing and quilted all the pieces. I have had a huge roll of this for awhile and I love working with this for bag. It gives it a nice shape and make the bag sturdy.

I made the handles myself. I was contemplating using cotton webbing, but my supply is somewhere buried in a box in my garage as I'm in the process of moving. I used the same pellon bag interfacing.
I cut a 2 inch long strip of interfacing and a 2 1/2 wide piece of fabric. I wrapped it around the interfacing and basted the sides.

Then if folded the two sides into the middle and blind stitched it together.

I turned it over and sewed the side edges to give it a finished look. Voila..handmade handles!

Handmade handle

Fruitful Pleasures by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs

Thanks for stopping by! Onto the next present!


Karen

Lemonade Sundae for Riley Blake

Hello! My twins have started preschool this past month, which means more sewing time for mommy! Now that I have some spare time, I'm starting on my handmade Christmas gifts. I gave Rosalie access to my toy collection and of course she picked out one of my faves...my Anniversary old school Cabbage Patch doll Maryanne. 

I bought her a doll bed for Maryann from Ikea, but the blanket it came with was not suitable for Rosalie's taste (mommy's taste hehe). So, I made a quilt and matching pillow using sweet, nostalgic fabric - Lemonade Sundae by Leonie Bateman for Riley Blake Fabrics. Pretty, dainty florals, and nostalgic, it goes perfectly with Rosalie's doll bed. Now I have to hide it from her for 2 months till Christmas. I hope she loves it!

Here's what I made:

Doll quilt with matching pillow

Doll quilt using Lemonade Sundae

I cut out hearts and used the needle turn applique method onto 4x4 squares. For the pillow, I used a larger heart and appliqued to the pillow.

Doll Quilt Lemonade Sundae

Doll Quilt Lemonade Sundae

I used the same backing fabric for the pillow to tie it all together.

Doll Quilt Lemonade Sundae

Beautiful Lemonade Sundae Fabric

I hope you enjoyed my little project. One Christmas present done, 11 more to go!


Best wishes,

Karen

Jubilee for Riley Blake

Happy Fall officially! Everything should be orange, browns, creams, you know fall colors, but I'm sneaking in a punch of summer colors with this project. Jubilee by Cyndi Walker for Riley Blake Designs is bright, beautiful, floral, and fun! I made these fun, basket weave pillows to go with my new, neutral couch.  

Here's what I made:

Basket weave pillows using Jubilee fabric.

Basket weave pillows using Jubilee fabric.

Basket weave pillows

Large pillow

Back of large pillow

Smaller pillow

Back of smaller pillow

When I first received the fabric I immediately knew what I was going to make. The leaf pattern was a perfect pattern for a basket weave type pattern. I wanted to do something different than quilting sqaures or hexies together, so I came up with this random pattern using the leaf print as my guide. I hand appliqued each piece, so this was a gratifying make. I made beautiful pillows to go with my new, ginormous couch. 

Jubilee Fabrics by Cyndi Walker for Riley Blake Designs

I cut 2 3/4 strips for the weave.

Basket weave

Process

I hope you enjoyed my project. It was a joy make using this cheerful fabric! On to the next project!

Karen

Autumn Love Block Party

Hello Fall! Finally. I think this was the longest wait ever for fall right? It's starting to cool down here in forever Sunny Southern California. I can't wait to not use air conditioning and just open windows and doors. My husband likes the house delicious at 73 degrees. 

What better way to kick off Autumn with some fall sewing! I'm joining Lori Holt's Autumn Love Block Party and I signed up to make the Scarecrow. I have to say this is the cutest thing I've ever made! I used Calico Crow Fabric by Lauren Nash for Riley Blake Designs because it was fitting for this block! 

I used Lori's Sew Simple Shapes and followed Sew Along Guide. As usual, instructions were detailed, simple, and easy to follow with great tips. 

I made a mini quilt to hang with lovely fall decor! I may just have to make a couple of more blocks into mini quilts as my sister is requesting this one (her favorite season is fall and her house always looks like fall exploded with all her decorations!). 

Here's my project:

Scarecrow Block  Mini quilt - Autumn Love Sew Along

Details 

I used Calico Crow fabric by Lauren Nash for Riley Blake. My absolute favorite print was the crows on gray. I knew when I signed up for the Autumn Block Party, I had to use this fabric. So cute!

Calico Crow Fabric by Lauren Nash for Riley Blake, Sew Simple Shapes by Lori Holt  for Riley Blake

I used a decorative stitch for quilting the mini quilt so it would complement the fabric.

Details

Sew Simple Shapes

Prepping an apple

Apple basket, so cute!

Scarecrow

for visiting! On to the next project. 

Happy Fall!

Karen

Cats, Bats, and Jacks for Riley Blake

Hey you...BOO! Seriously, is it Halloween yet, or a least fall?! In my mind it is. I've already made pumpkin bread and made these cute trick or treat bags for my twins second Halloween! I realized this is the first thing I've sewn for them since they're baby quilts...bad mommy! Really though, I don't have time, and when I do sew anything, it's mainly for myself. So it was a real treat to sew something cute for them with the cutest Halloween fabric called Cat's bats, and Jacks by Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Designs.

Here's what I made:

Trick or Treat Bags 

Cats Bats and Jacks fabric by Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Designs

Jack's Bag

Rosalie's Bag

Back of the bag.

Inside of the bag.

Inside of the bag.

I usually don't use patterns and just measure, cut and sew. Sometimes, I don't even know what the heck I'm making and I design as I go! I cut, measured, and pieced together a design for the bag. I left the middle blank so I can place a pumpkin there. I cut out a pumpkin template and traced it onto the wrong side of the fabric. I then used the zig-zag stitch on the lowest setting and applique sewed it onto the panel.  I quilted the entire panel just using simple, close lines. I made a different panel for the backside of the tote using the Happy Halloween fabric and proceeded to complete the tote with inner lining and handles. 

Pumpkin template

Process

Process

And here is my cute model Rosalie and a little bit of Jack (he would not cooperate lol).  I tried to make the bags their size so they don't get too much candy! 

Rosalie and her treat bag.

Rosalie

Rosalie

Rosalie

Jack Jack with his treat bag.

Twinning

Bye Rosalie!

I hope you enjoyed my project! Now onto Christmas presents!! 


Best wishes,

Karen