Flea Market Mix Showcase for Moda Fabrics - Ephemera Travel Journal

Hi friends! I hope you had a lovely Easter spent with loved ones, although spent in quarantine for the first time ever. These are historic times for us, and I hope you find comfort in things you love. For me, that would be creating - sewing (my first love) and journaling with ephemera. 

Flea Market Mix by Cathe Holden for Moda Fabrics beautifully marries these two. Cathe is a talented designer whom I greatly admire. Her style is the epitome of nostalgic ephemera. Flea Market Mix has a stunning mixture of ephemera images, prints of handwritten recipe cards, vintage buttons, and beautiful florals to tie it all together. There are so many projects you can create with collection, and I hope you join me this week here on the blog and Instagram to see my showcase of projects.

For this project, I created a travel journal cover using Flea Market Mix Ephemera print. The size of the journal fits A5 notebooks or journals. I also added my favorite vintage laces from one of my favorite shops - Blue Linen Cottage Shop. If you are looking for lovely antique trims and lace (these go so perfectly with Flea Market mix), please check out this shop. The journal is held together with elastic and I added a charm to complete the look. I also added a vintage ribbon on the top right of the front cover to hold your pens. The inside of the journal is made with another lovely print and clear vinyl with an added zipper pocket. The other side also has another pocket where you slip your A5 notebooks or journals. 

Stay tuned tomorrow if you want to see the inside journal flip through. 

Here is the Journal:

Handmade Journal using Flea Market Mix Fabric by Cath Holden for Moda Fabrics

Beautiful Ephemera images prints.

Back of the journal

Vintage Lace elements for the spine

Inside of the journal and the handmade journal insert

Inside of the journal. I used vintage ribbon for the zippered clear vinyl pocket

Handmade journal 

 

Flea Market Mix will arrive in May, so please check online or your favorite quilt shops to see if they carry it.

I hope to you will drop in again this week to see the rest of the projects I made with this line. Check my Instagram for more details.

Thanks!

Karen

Tilda Club USA - Opening Spots!

Hi Friends!

Just a quick update if you're interested in joining Tilda Club USA. The club has opened for new members, however it closes midnight TONIGHT! So, if you have been waiting for it to open, now is your chance. 

Here is what you get:

- box of 6 Tilda fat quarters with coordinating notions and extras
- a digital Block of the Month pattern
- digital patterns for small, Zakka-style projects (some from me!)
- a members-only forum and Facebook group
- weekly live Q&A chat sessions

If you want all this click here - Tilda Club USA to join now!

Sewing Cover Mat and Tutorial - Sew Chatty for Riley Blake Designs

Hi Friends,

I hope you are all well and taking care of your family and selves. I decided to do my first tutorial for you all since we are all home caring for our kiddos (and husbands ha!), cooking, cleaning, teaching, and I hope you are squeezing in some sewing/crafting time for your souls too. 

Sew Chatty by Kelli Fannin for Riley Blake Designs is stinking cute and is a must have for our fabric collection friends! Perfect fabric for sewing rooms or sewing gifts! Kelli designs the cutest, Kawaii quilt patterns and she has translated that work into Sew Chatty. Check out her blog too, it's absolutely adorable!

When I first saw Sew Chatty, I knew I had to make a sewing mat. It was screaming at me "make me into a mat please". So, I obliged and turned it into a mat but of course I had to add my twist to it and make it into a cover as well, making it serve double duty! This is a pretty easy project and will give you some well needed hand sewing time with the hexie panel.

Here's what I made:

Sew Chatty is out now, so check out your favorite quilt shop or online to see if they stock it. 

Okay, let's get started with the tutorial! 

** Note: I based the measurements of the sewing mat on my machine - Bernina B350. You can adjust the measurements for your own sewing machines to your liking. Use a 1/4 inch stitch unless noted otherwise. Basting stitch uses a a 3/16 inch stitch (or the farthest to the right of your sewing machine). Also, sorry for the bad lighting. It's been crazy raining here in SoCal. 


Materials

• Duck Cloth (or heavy weight cotton in a neutral color)
• Quilt Batting (I ran out and only had insul brite batting, that's why it's silver)
• Sew Chatty Fabric (or fabric you have on hand)
• Clear Vinyl
• Bias Tape - 4 yards (or a package and a half)
• Hexie Paper

Measurements

• Cut the duck cloth, quilt batting, and cotton fabric to 19 x  29 1/2 inches
• Cut the vinyl fabric to 19 x 8 inches
• Cut one strip of bias tape to 20 1/2 inches
• 2-inch hexagon template, for a total of 24 hexagon shapes

Instructions

1. Create 24 hexagons and sew them into two long columns. When  finished piecing, take the papers out, and pin to the right side of the duck cloth, using a 3 1/2 gap from the right. Sew in place and trim any excess hexagons. Set aside. 

2. Using baste spray, baste the cotton fabric to the quilt batting. Create 1-inch quilt lines and quilt entire panel.

3. To create the vinyl pocket, attach the bias tape to the top edge of the vinyl. Sew in place. 

Attach the binded vinyl to the bottom of the quilted cotton panel. Clip in place and baste. Mark the center of the panel and sew down the center of the clear vinyl to create a pocket. From the center, space 4 1/2 inches to the left and sew a vertical line along the vinyl. Repeat for the right side. If you want, you can place the pockets wherever you feel your tools and notions will be placed.

• Tip - Place a piece of paper underneath the vinyl  (but not directly underneath the sewing area or you will sew the paper in place) just to left edge of your sewing foot. This will prevent the vinyl from sticking. You can also use a vinyl sewing foot if you have one.

4. Now, take the quilted panel and face it down (with the under side facing up). Place the duck cloth panel facing up on top. So both right sides are facing out. Clip in place and baste around the edges. At this point, you can trim the piece if it's a bit wonky.

5. Clip the binding to the edges and sew in place. You are done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I will be making more soon, so please follow me on Instagram or check back sometime! Take care!

Karen

First Pattern for Tilda Club USA

Hi Friends! Exciting news today. Here is a first look at my first pattern with Tilda Club USA subscription box by Julie over at Intrepid Thread - Tilda Petite Tote! 

This box will be coming soon, so if you are a subscriber, this is one of the patterns in store for you! If your interested in signing up for future subscriptions, please head over to Intrepid Thread for more information! Here's what you get when you subscribe:

 - box of 6 Tilda Fat quarters with coordinating notions and extras
 - a digital Block of the Month pattern
 - digital patterns for small, zakka style projects (some from me!)
 - a members-only forum and Facebook group
 - weekly live Q&A chat sessions

What a great way to sew with pretty Tilda fabric and have a wonderful community of makers right?! The club membership opens three times per year for new members. I believe the next opening is in May, so please check Intrepid Thread for more info!

Thanks!

Karen

Essential Handbag - Singing in the Rain for Riley Blake Designs

Greetings friends! It's been gloomy and rainy here in Southern California, which means springtime flowers will start bursting with pretty colors soon. I'm prepared with my new Essential Handbag using Singing in the Rain by Beverly McCullough of the blog Flamingo Toes for Riley Blake Designs. This new line is so pretty. Beverly always creates fabric with a bright palette with a touch of nostalgia an beautiful florals and prints. I'm in love with the tiny umbrellas mixed with ditsy florals. This is definitely a collection to hoard! 

The Essential Handbag is great for when you are on the go for your essential things and of course, I made it reversible. I've been on a multi-functional kick with my creations lately and I feel like I have to design everything reversible. It's a lovely way to show the fabric variations. I added Dresdens to complete a whimsy look. Hope you like it!

Singing in the will be arriving soon, so check your favorite quilt shop / fabric store.

Thanks!

Karen

Reversible Everyday Tote - Moments Fabric for Riley Blake Designs

Hello and Happy March to you! I'm so excited to share this project with you! One of my favorite designers (and sweet friend) Minki Kim has made another dreamy fabric line called Moments for Riley Blake Designs. Minki's designs are always pretty, whimsical illustrations, and best of all there usually is my favorite - cheater hexie fabric! Her choice of colors are so beautiful yet cohesive. Moment's Fabric will inspire you to create pretty things! 

For this project I made an Everyday Reversible Tote Bag. This design is one of my favorites - Granny Style, and really easy to make. I chose to create a random patchwork design using the prettiest prints. I think the star of the bag is the reversible side in the Cheater Fabric print. I added a large zippered pocket as well so you can hold your phone and keys. The handles are made with natural linen. This bag will be in my queue of patterns that I'm designing, so stay tuned! 

Here's what I made:

I hope you enjoyed this project. Moments fabric is out now, so check your favorite fabric shop to see if they stock it! 

Thanks!

Karen