Three Kitchen Fairies

Getting ready for Halloween and Día de muertos.

One of the things I like about living here is that people nowadays accept the foreing concepts of Halloween and they add it to their own traditions here in Mexico. I think is kind of funny to see papel picado hanging from the houses mixed with ghost, pumpking decorations, and plastic graves. The neighborhood even has a Día de Muertos celebrations that is basically for the kids to go trick or treating.

Last weekend we visited downtown and to our surprise there was a "Zombie parade" scheduled for that afternoon. It is supposed to be a manifestation of the interest of the Mexican youth to participate in politics. I bet more than half the paraders thought it was a Halloween parade of so. At the same time there were "Concheros" dancing next to one of the many churches around downtown in commemoration of Día de muertos. The Zombies paraded right next to the Concheros, it was a bizarre scene... I thought of posting pictures but those zombies were gruesome.

On a more crafty note, I just unpacked my Halloween bunting. I thought it was a good idea to re-post it since the day is almost here and this bunting is so easy and quick to make.

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I actually made two tutorials: one in English and one in Spanish, both of them include the template for the flags of the bunting. 

You can find the English version of this tutorial here and the Spanish version here.

A note from a 3KF hexie buyer...

 

A couple of weeks ago, I got another lovely review of my "product." She actually is my temporary neighbor. I mean "temporary" because she lived for a few months here, and now she's back in MI but she'll come back to spend some more time around here. My friends name is Jennifer and she has a blog where she tells about here adventures here in Queretaro. 

The hexies flowers in the picture are the ones she made during summer, aren't they lovely?? And here's what she wrote about her 3KF hexie experience:

Dear Paloma,

I wanted to write to let you know how much I love your 1" paper hexagons.  After basting my first pack of 100, I purchased 400 more, sewed them into flowers for a grandmother's garden quilt, and just began working on  the 1500 more I purchased from you.  As you can tell, I am hooked!  I am new to hand sewing, and I am so glad that I began my journey with your product. The weight of your paper is absolutely perfect!  I am not sure I would have continued so enthusiastically were I working with something heavier and therefore more hard on my fingers.  Though they are light weight, your hexies stood up to the test of my clumsy beginner stitching.  Thanks for a great product, cute packaging, and friendly customer service!   

Jennifer

 

Thank you Jennifer for sharing!! I hope to see you back soon!!

For those who haven't try yet my hexagon templates, there are still some 1" 100 hexagon paper templates packs left at my etsy store ;)

Hi there!!

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Quilty things are still happening around here. Couple of weeks ago, I mounted a big piece of flannel on my studio wall. I worked really hard organizing all the little peels (or leaves.) The next morning, the whole thing was on the floor; I wished I pinned one and each of the leaves to the flannel.

I picked it up and put it away. Last weekend I printed out the picture I took of the quilt while working on it with my phone, and I started putting it back together.

I love how it looks. Hopefully, I'll be able to work a bit more on it this week. I mean "hopefully" because this lovely press is getting most of my attention at the moment.

Lay out + cat.

I made more of these birds on the air blocks. I wanted to try different lay outs but this individual keeps getting in the way.

Yes mister, please move out of the way.

The blocks: birds in the air.

The block size: 8"

The fabrics: Timber and Leaf by Sarah Watts

The cat: Chilli Gordo

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

A couple of weeks ago, I asked some of my etsy customers how far were they with their hexies projects. I got a lovely e-mail from SonJa who happens to be my very first hexagon paper templates customer. I found it so interesting to read what she's up to, and what she's making with her hexagons beside de fact that she also sent me a picture of the massive amount of hexagones she has so far!! I love how the look all together!!

I want to share some of the e-mail with you. Maybe you relate in some way to what SonJa has to say, or you can help her with some hand stitching tips. 

"Paloma,

Here are some pictures of my hexies.  As you can see, I'm quite addicted to making them!  I've only been at it about 2 months and am new to hand sewing anything!"

"I agree the Aurifil 50wt is great!  I don't like it for freemotion quilting, but for handsewing I do adore it!
Also, I'd like to add for your readers that I LOVE your papers!  I'll admit, I was a little disappointed when they first arrived as thin paper instead of cardstock, but, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO REMOVE THAT CARDSTOCK?  It's nearly impossible! "

"I LOVE the papers you make, sweetly packaged and perfect on all sides.  I've received 12 packs from you and haven't gotten an odd cut yet...NOT EVEN ONE!
I use 2.5" squares for my hexies.  Not patient enough to cut hexie shapes of my fabric.  I turn my fabric to the back and put a lock stitch at each angle through just the fabric on the backside of the hexie....I see you are doing it different...it looks like you stitch thru the paper on the front side?  I'd love an explanation and walk thru of your way!
I'm hoping to gain some experience and some wisdom by following your blog and this nice idea you have to share your users projects.
Oh, and I agree that hexies are great for a large scale print!  Ive got a set going now with big Hawiian flowers...
I hope this is what you were looking for when you contacted me....
I think I may make a small zippered pouch for a first project?  Oh I'm just so nervous about sewing these things together by hand!
Thanks again for a great product!"

Thank you SonJa for sharing your hexie experience with my readers!! I love to hear what people is up to. Sometimes I wish we can seat together and sew and talk... 

If you're a 3KF etsy hexie buyer and you have a hexie idea you want to share with us,or you simply want to tut your own horn, just send me an e-mail at paloma_blog@threekitchenfairies.com

3KF hexagon paper templates are available at my etsy store! 

Hexies everywhere!! Part 2// Hexágonos por todos lados!! 2da. parte.

Welcome back to the second part of my last post. Last time I showed you two posts by some of friends about how they used the hexagon paper templates that I sent to them. Today I want to share two more project.

Bienvenidos de vuelta a la segunda parte de mi post acerca de hexágonos. La última vez les mostré dos post acerca de como dos amigas blogueras usaron los hexágonos de papel que les mandé. Hoy les quiero compartir otras dos post de otras dos amigas super buena onda que usaron mis hexágonos de papel y nos mostraron sus creaciones.

This post is by my Twitter friend Melanie @melaniedramatic, she posted a tutorial. Did you know about this glue method? I didn't. Thank you Melanie for enlighting us!!

Melanie es mi amiga en Twitter [@melaniedramatic]. Ella escribió un tutorial de hexágonos para hacer un posatazas mejor conocidas como “mugrugs” en el mundo del quilt. Sabían este método con pegamento?? Gracias Melanie por compartirnos!!

 

And last but not least, Amy Ellis from Amy's creative side, started a table topper using some 3KF paper templates as well. I love the fabrics that she' using for her table toper, and now I know that those jellyroll precuts are just perfect for 1” hexagons, like the ones available at my etsy. I've never got a jellyroll just because I didn't know what to make out of them...

Amy Ellis de Amy's creative side, empezó un tapete para mesa usando hexágonos de papel de 3KF. Me encantan las telas que uso para su proyecto, ahora se que los jellyrolls van perfectos con los hexágonos de 1” por lado que son los que yo ofrezco en mi etsy. Nunca he comprado un Jellyroll de tela, pero ahora tengo una buena razón.

There you go, there are many ways to put those hexagons to work. Thank you to my bloggy friends for helping me give these packs a bit shout out.

All these projects were made with 1” hexagon paper templates available at my 3KF etsy store.

Las posibilidades son infinitas, hay muchas maneras distintas de poner éstos hexágonos a trabajar. Gracias a mis amigas blogueras por ayudarme a pasar la voz acerca de estos hexágonos de papel.

Todos estos proyectos fueron hechos con hexágonos de papel de 1” por lado y están disponibles en mi tienda etsy.

Hexies everywhere!! // Hexágonos por todos lados!!

Last June I started selling 100 1” hexagon paper template packs on my etsy store. I also shared packs here and there with blog friends who in a few days responded with a post in their personal blogs about what they made with their hexagon templates.

En Junio empecé a ofrecer hexágonos de papel para EPP en mi tienda etsy. Compartí paquetitos acá y allá con algunas amigas on-line. Unos días más tarde empezaron a compartir sus opiniones acerca de mis hexágonos de papel y también compartieron los proyectos en los que estaban trabajando con ellos.

Nicole (a.k.a. Follow the white bunny,) tried them. I really love the reviews that she writes, so honest and concise; and I quote: “Obviously I had to try Paloma's templates first before telling you about them and they work absolutely fine for me. They have 6 sides of equal length (which may sound obvious, but trust me: it isn't) and the paper is not too thin and not too thick.”

Nicole, mejor conocida por el nombre de su blog “Follow the white bunny” probó mis hexágonos. Me encanta la manera en la que Nicole escribe sus ensayos de opinión; siempre honesta y concisa. Lo traduzco así: “Obviamente tenía que probar los hexágonos de Paloma antes de contarles acerca de ellos; funcionan y están bien para mí. Tienen seis lados de igual tamaño (lo que debe sonar obvio, pero créanme, no siempre es así) y el papel no es ni muy grueso ni nuy delgado”.

 

Lynn from The little red hen, made a lovely tea towel. I would always think that small print fabrics were better for such small templates. Lynn proved me wrong, she used a big print fabric with a lovely result. I added this project in my to-do list already.

Lynn mi amiga de “The little red hen” hizo unas servilletas de té encantadoras. Siempre hubiera pensado que las telas con diseños pequeñitos eran mejores para estos hexágonos chiquitos. Lynn me demostró lo equivocada que estaba, ella usó una tela de flores grandes y su proyecto quedó divino. Ya lo agregué a mi lista de cosas por hacer!

To be continued...

Continuará...

A thank you and a giveaway.

 

These lovelies are giving me tons of entertainment, and even more reasons to procrastinate. Not only that, this addiction is contagious. My next neightbor started sewing her 400 and something hexagons into flowers. Little fairy around here is sneaking into the template box at any given chance. The good thing is that she's actually getting the hang of it.

He estado super entretenida con estos lindos hexágonos. Son la razón perfecta para postergar cualquier obligación y reaponsabilidad; no solo eso, esta adicción contagiosa. Mi vecina ya va en los cuatrocientos y ya esta empezando ha construir sus flores. Mi hadita-hija esta sacándome los hexágonos de papel de su caja todo el tiempo, lo bueno es que efectivamente esta cosiendo sus flores.

To end this blog anniversary celebration week, I want to share some hexie love, and I'm giving away two packs of my paper templates (200 templates.) You know the drill, just leave me a comment and I count you in. The comment section will be open until August 4th.  Thank you for these awesome 5 blogging years!!

Para terminar esta semana de celebración por el aniversario de mi blog, quiero compartir con ustedes dos paquetes de hexágonos de papel (200 hexágonos en total). Ya saben que hacer, solo déjenme un comentario para incluirlas en este sorteo el cual estará abierto hasta el 4 de Agosto. Gracias por estos fantásticos 5 años de blogging!!

 

 

My hexagon paper templates are available at my etsy.

Mis hexágonos de papel están disponibles a la venta en mi tienda etsy.

 

 

A celebration week of 3KF tutorials: Mini anvil

For today I have another tiny block to repost. Can you imagine a big quilt made of hundreds of these tiny blocks?!

Para hoy les tengo otro bloquesito. Se pueden imaginar un quilt grande hecho de cientos de estos bloquecitos?! 

March 30, 2012

Tiny blocks tutorial series: Mini Anvil

 

The third tiny block of the tiny block series is a “mini Anvil.” I'd say that it's a lovely block with an antique flare. What I love about this block besides its look is how fast it can be done. Even when it looks like there was a lot of cutting, piecing it comes together easily.

You can download the English version here.

Tiny Granny is here, and Little buckeye beauty is here.

Enjoy!!

 

El tercer bloque de esta serie es un “mini ánvil”. Yo diría que es un bloquecito encantador con un aire de diseño antiguo. Algo que me encanta de este bloque aparte de como luce, es que se hace facilísimo a pesar de que pareciera que hay que cortar muchos pedacitos y hacer muchas costuras.

Pueden descargar este tutorial en español acá.

Tiny granny está acá y Little buckeye beauty esta acá. Que lo disfruten!!

 

A celebration week of 3KF tutorials: Broken dishes

My broken dishes tutorial was made as part of the Desperate Housewife's list of quilting tutorials by Quilt Jane. To my surprise, this blocked connected me to a sweet bloggy friend in Australia. After her comment on my Broken dishes post, we kept in touch, we shared our broken dishes stories, and we even made some of the blocks together but in the distance. Last year, I received the blocks Deb made for me.

Mi tutorial de “Broken dishes” es parte de la larga lista de bloques de Quilt Jane llamado Desperate Housewife's. Sorprendentemente, este bloque dió lugar a una linda amistad con una cyber-amiga en Australia. Después de su comentario en mi post del tutorial seguimos escribiéndonos y compartiendo nuestros “platos rotos”, hasta hicimos bloquecitos juntas y en la distancia. El año pasado recibí los bloques que Deb hizo para mí.

Marian, @mgriffin in IG, also used this tutorial to make a lovely baby quilt.

Marian, @mgriffin87 en IG también usó este tutorial para hacer este hermoso quilt tamaño bebé.

December 14, 2011

Broken dishes tutorial/ Tutorial: platos rotos

This week I'm the guest blogger at Quiltjane's blog! I'm participating with at tutorial for her Desperate Housewife's list of quilt blocks. The block that I chose is "Broken dishes," appropriate, right? It's a traditional block. I just figured out how to make it an 8" finished block to match the Jane's list of 50 blocks.

Here we go:

Cut four 5 x 5 in. squares in two different fabric prints...

Now cut the four square pieces diagonally.

Sew your triangles into matching squares, iron press, and trim them into 4.5" squares.

Arrange your squares... and sew them in pairs making sure that the seams match nicely, and press again.

Pin the two rows together, matching the seams again, sew, and press.

Ta-da! and there you have it! a broken dishes block. This is a super easy block that you can make as a beginner's block, or as a quick to piece kind of quilt. I definitely have this block in my list of future quilt projects.

Take a moment to visite Jane for the complete list of blocks, you'll love it.

Now in Spanish!

 

Esta semana estoy de invitada en el blog the Quiltjane en Australia! Estoy participando con un turorial para su lista de bloques llamada "Desperate Housewifes' list of blocks" (la lista de bloques de las amas de casa desesperadas..?) El bloque que escogí hacer se llama "Platos rotos" muy apropiado para la lista de Jane. Es un bloque tradicional, solo que yo lo ajusté en tamaño para que fuera un bloque de 8 pulgadas por 8 pulgadas igual que los otros bloques en la lista de 50 bloques que Jane está recopilando.

Aquí vamos.

Corta cuatro cuadrados de 5" por 5" de dos telas diferentes.

Ahora córtalos diagonalmente.

Cóselos en cuadrados otra vez tomando dos piezas triangulares diferentes. Plánchalos abiertos y asegurate de que sean cuadrados perfectos de  4.5" por lado.

Cose dos los bloquecitos de pares, asegurándote que las costuras embonen y después plancha las nuevas costura.

Con ayuda de alfileres, asegúrate de alinear las costuras de las dos mitades. Cose tu bloque y plancha la nueva costura.

Ahí lo tienes!! tu bloque de "platos rotos"!! Este es un bloque facilísimo que se puede hacer a nivel de principiante o también se puede usar para un quilt que quieras hacer muy rapidito. Definitivamente lo tengo en mi lista de quilts por hacer.

Por favor tómense un momento para visitar la lista de bloques de Jane, les va a encantar.