Three Kitchen Fairies

Mesmerizing

I wish I have time to give everything I'd like a try! In the past weeks I found this amazing hexagon quilt on Pinterest, and I just can take it out of my mind. Yes, I do have a hexagon project going at the moment, I've been slower than ever with it but that's a different story. I feel I get bored if I try to rush it and I start stitching it badly. 

This amazing quilt by Modern handcraft; see what I'm talking about? I want to think that it takes way less time than usual to finish. I also want to think that it's also resistant to regular use and to the washer. 

Nicole has a tutorial for the rest of us who can figure our how to come up with something this cool. Click on the pic to see the tutorial. 

Birds in the air kind of...

I suddenly felt the need to concentrate on this and another quilt that I've never finished. I guess life has being a bit crazy around here that what I was craving is that peaceful rhythm making something [perfect] and by repetition. No, I'm not saying I make perfect quilts, it's more like a "I can control the outcome" kind of thing.

I worked on my quilt in the quiet mornings while the girls were at school. The blocks are mostly "birds in the air." Some are just the whole 8 by 8 in. squares. I used all the little bits of Timber and leaf that I had so some of the blocks are logcabins, and 9 patch blocks. I really don't mind that the blocks are different this time. I love that fox fabric!

I have all the rows sewn, 11 total. Next week, when I'm done with my printmaking, I'll sew my rows together. 

 

It was a long time since I paid attention to this quilt. I'm glad I can pull this kind of projects out when in need. It feels good to have an arsenal of crafty activities, musical instruments, and a nice kitchen for find my cool again. 

 

Talking about repetition, let me show you the stationary I printed the other day...

my very own stationary!! It's an edition of 20 prints on card stock. I printed them one by one with my etching press. 

Related articles

One direction

Hexies update.

For the past couple of weeks, I've dedicated some time to my hexie project. It's a [very long] table runner for my [very long] dinning table.

I'm in the binding part and for that I had to make some research. It's the first time I'm working with hexies, it's a learning process.

I'm using this tutorial from Badskirt.

 

Related articles

Big hexies!!

A note from a 3KF etsy hexie buyer...

Hexies update.

I'm wishing days have more hours and weeks more days. My box of hexies is always by my side or in the car for our various trips to many different classes and appointments. 

I know they do take forever but what's not to love. 

These are made with my 1" hexagon paper templates always available at my etsy ;)

A big thank you to all of you who got their 1" hexie packs at my etsy store. These lovely packs will be listed again by the end of March. 

Hello!!

I was looking around here wandering if I stopped al together in all things "fabric." It turns out that not at all, I'm still into the sewing, quilting, making; it's just that haven't post much about. It's my loss 'cause I do love sharing and talking about the things we make. 

One of the crafty projects that I didn't show here is this purse:

I used the tutorial for the reversible bag with a twist. I measured the 'perfect' square size to make it into a "patchwork" reversible bag. It belongs to one of my daughters, the one that always carries a purse/bag around with a book inside. The owl fabric is from Jo-Ann's, she loves owls and so she picked a bit of it on our last trip to the US. The rest of the fabrics I'm sure you know them by heart ;) The inside of the purse is a shirting fabric I found locally. 

Another project I made during the Holidays is this Christmas tree skirt. I know it has nothing about Christmas on it but believe me it look incredible under my tree. I used my very favorite fabrics from my stash for this project: Liberty of London. I made it on one long afternoon using the quilt-as-you-go technique. I'm sure I'll use this tree skirt every year. 

I guess little by little sewing stuff for our daily life becomes part of the usual; without noticing that a blog post was in order. 

Related articles

Leaves on etsy!!

"Twinkle, twinkle baby quilt." It's a quilt + embroidery project.

Orange peel/ tea leaves tutorial

First finished UFO of the year: Orange peels/Tea leaves

 

It took me forever but it's finally done. I started my orange peels quilt in March 2013 when I was waiting for my sewing machine to arrive. As you may imagine, most of this quilt was sewn by hand; it was also hand quilted after a few attempts to machine quilting. It's not that big, it measures 50” by 50” approx. I want to be a wall hanging, I even added a sleeve for that purpose.

It was a fun quilt to make, not all the leaves there were appliqued. Some leaves were embroidered, some others are just suggested by the quilting. The placing of the peels is also a bit arbitrary compared to a "traditional" quilt. I wonder if my quilt qualifies as "modern"?? Whatever it is, it was fun and demanding at the same time, it took me quite a while to finish it.

 

The tutorial to these blocks is here. You can also get your paper templates at my etsy store.  

Related articles

Orange peel/ tea leaves tutorial

Leaves on etsy!!

Orange peel/ tea leaves tutorial

Orange peel, tea leaves. Based on the fact that google images gives you the very quilt pattern when you enter either name, I can't really decide what to call this tutorial. 

As you can tell from past post like this, this, or this, you can tell that I've been stitching these leaves for quite a while. In my recent moving trips, my hand stitching projects have saved me some peaceful moments  to rest my mind and breath, and to get back on my feet after the whole moving process; for all that I am grateful. As the end of the year approaches, I realize that very little has been posted on this blog, no need to give reasons... still, I have a little list of things I want to post before we say good bye to 2013. Please bear with me,and stay tune for some crafty surprises. 

These tutorial is available as a PDF by clicking here. 

And remember that the leave paper templates are available at my etsy store. 

Edit: This tutorial is noa available at my etsy store. You can get the tutorial only or you can get a combo that includes the tutorial and your first leaves pack for a special price. Thank you for visiting!!

 

Leaves on etsy!!

I wouldn't offer you these leaves paper template packs if I weren't hooked on them. The first time I tried them was to make this mini quilt that I gave away in a swap. I fell in love with the process. 

Since I gave this little quilt away, eight months ago I decided I'll make my own orange peel quilt. Last night I started the hand stitching of the bias, and I'm so happy about how it's turning out. I'll take pictures as soon as I finish the whole thing. 

It was not hard at all to cut all these paper leaves; on the other hand the minimum amount I could cut were 8000 leaves. So why not share the love for the leaves with you via etsy?!?! They're made of 90lb. paper; they're thicker that regular paper and thinner than card stock. These paper leave templates are 4" from end to end to be applique onto 3.5" fabric squares if you are planning a traditional orange peel quilt. You can also try different lay outs with them. Each pack has from 90 to 100 leaves.

I used all the leaves I needed so it's kind of a de-stash deal, that's why they're so inexpensive. It was still fun to pack them and photograph them for my etsy store.

 

Big hexies!!

Today I'm listing my new hexie paper templates in my etsy shop!! I've been meaning to share them with you for few weeks already and at the same time... well, you know, life is happening. First of all I want to thank you so much for the awesome response to my first batch of hexie packs, that first batch is gone now!! I hope you are having a great time sewing your hexie.

This time around I cut the 1" hexies, and a batch of 2" hexies for people who like myself want to see their hexie project grow faster that with smaller hexagons. These new templates are made of 90 lb. paper which means that it's thicker paper than regular paper but thinner than card stock. I'm offering you 30gr. packs that hold between 35 to 40 pieces which means that you can make 5 [big] flowers per pack. 

You can find the 2" hexie paper templates here, and the 1" hexie paper templates here. 

 

 

How do you hexie??

Since I started selling my hexagon paper templates, customers have asked how do I baste my hexies. At first I thought there was only one way to baste hexies but then I realized there are different ways to work hexies into a quilt. 

Making a tutorial at this point is a nonsense since there are many, MANY, hexie tutorials and videos tutorials posted on the web already. What I can do is share with you some tuts that I found interesting and that I actually tried.

The way I like basting my hexies is the way Lynn from The Little Red Hen does it. With this method there's no need to pierce through the paper template, and you can even reuse the templates or at least save them for your next project. I wonder if quilters make the same quilt all over again when done with a one thousand and something hexies quilt...

Another interesting hexagon tutorial I found is from Pretty by hand. This one is new to me in the sense that I did not know you can actually glue your hexagons instead of basting them with needle and thread. I'm sure this will make basting your hexagons a breeze.

This other way of basting hexies by Buttons and Butterflies is really helpful too. This is actually the method  I used when I first starte working on my hexies (minus the holes in the middle.) I did change to Lynn's method when in my four hundred and counting hexie because my finger tips were a bit sore. This method is perfect for getting started with hexies and also for projects that require not that many hexagons. Check out the beautiful hoop project she made with her hexies!

I hope you find the links to these three tutorials useful as I did. Just be aware that hexies are addictive and that you may not stop loving them.  And don't forget that there are still some 100 1" hexagon paper templates available at my etsy store, and soon very soon there will be more and in different sizes too.