Amy Butler inspiration #1

via on Little Bluebell on Flickr

There's an Amy Butler group on Flickr that I was perusing last night.  I decided I need to share some of the things I've found to help you out in case you needed any inspiration!

This is a quilt pattern that I have wanted to do forever!  I saw it during the first round of Dana's Old Red Barn Quiltalong.  Here's a link to the tutorial by Stephanie at Make it... A Wonderful Life.   I'm thinking I might need to do one of these with my LOVE scraps to go with the simple squares I did.

I made a few edits to clarify some questions on the post from last week about the Amy Butler Sew & Tell Challenge. . .

sew & tell - more clutches

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click on the tab above for details on linking up!

It's Friday! If you didn't read yesterday's post about my sew & tell survey go read it! I want your input, for reals!  (plus if you want to go like my Facebook page you can click over from there - or the tab up top...)

OH, and MORE information about the Amy Butler sew & tell here. And just to clarify - you just have to use some element of Amy Butler in your sewing project to link up that day.  There will also be prizes for commenters.  Yes, it's going to be THAT fun.  Get ready!

I hope you have all had a fun week that involved some sewing!  I was able to finish up some clutches that I cut out a few weeks ago when I helped Jessica make her's.

I have a few friends who have really helped me out these past few months, and I wanted to make them something fun, useful and cute.  I hope I succeeded!

To clarify, they are a good size for a diaper clutch if you need one, but they'll also work for throwing your phone, wallet and keys in to as well!  You can find the instructions in Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing.  I modified it a bit (size and one of the techniques), but they sew up so quickly!

The buttons are all re-purposed from old suits.  You know how you get an extra button in a tiny ziploc bag with some clothing?  Well, I had a former boss who was always dressed to the nines (in fact I didn't know what that meant until I worked for her) and she brought me all of her old buttons one day!  How nice was that?!  The pink and the turquoise are both fabric covered and the other is, maybe?, a Chanel button?  It wouldn't surprise me.  But it could just be a knock off.

I love how they turned out and I can't wait to make more.  Maybe even one to keep?  How about I giveaway a pink one on Amy Butler day?

What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please show good bloggy manners and follow the linky rules.  Refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments! Please, don't just link up and leave, we all want to hear from you!
 

sew & tell survey

I'm not really sure what I was thinking, except that maybe I can keep up with shorter updates since I can't always seem to find the time to write a full-fledged post here, buuuuuut, I did it. Go check it out if you want.



I'm not promising anything earth-shattering, but sometimes I want to quickly blab about some sewing related something-or-other and Facebook seems to be a good way to do that.
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It's back-to-school time and I'm getting sew & tell school ready to go!  I taught school in a former life and always liked the fresh start of a new school year!

I'm working on tweaking some of the guidelines for sew & tell and reiterating the existing rules.  We've had so many new people join us over the last few months that I want to make sure we are all on the same page.

In that vein, I would like your input on things you LOVE and about sew & tell and things that could improve it.

My main goal of sew & tell is to motivate each of us (myself included) to finish at least one project during the week.  I know I've always got a million things started and a deadline always seems to help to keep the finishes rolling in.  Consider it your weekly sewing homework, since we're going with a back-to-school theme here.  :)

One thing I love about sew & tell is the making new friends.  It's been so much fun to get to know a lot of you better each week.

One thing I want to improve is to make sure each link is relevant to that goal and that every minute you spend here is worth your while.

I've been toying with the idea of excluding tutorials.  I know we all love a good tutorial, but there are plenty of tutorial linky parties.  What I'm thinking is your sew & tell post can just show the finish and if there is a tutorial to share, it can be linked to in a separate post.

What are your thoughts on this?

Have you heard about this yet? (probably, but I wanted to make sure!)

amy butler sew & tell challenge

My lotus stash.  I bought up a bunch when I heard it was going to be discontinued last year.  Luckily they decided to keep printing it!  I should buy up some more dots and wallflower!

I think I've written about it before.  Maybe a lot, why I love Amy Butler.  She's got some sort of magic, that's for sure!  That light blue Lotus wallflower print brought me back into the sewing world about 3 years ago.  And I'm pretty sure I've swooned over every new product she's come out with.  That's sort of the reason behind this Amy Butler Sew & Tell challenge and giveaway!

There are many things to celebrate right now:

1. my 2nd year of blogging here about my sewing and crafting adventures
2. the 1st anniversary of Sew & Tell
3. almost 500 of you lovely people are following me (you like me, you really like me!)(and I like you too!)

I've been in contact with the lovely people at Amy's studio and they offered up some patterns to giveaway to you dear readers!  I gave the stash and dash bags away last Friday and I have 4 more waiting for you: (all images via amybutlerdesign.com)

(just FYI, I'm not receiving anything personally from her studio, just the fun time I'm going to have seeing your AB projects and giving some stuff away!! I was tempted to keep the birdie sling pattern, I've wanted to make that for a while now!)

I thought it would be great fun to have some Amy Butler Fabrics to giveaway with these patterns so I contacted the lovely Nadine from The Material Girls Quilts and she donating 3 yards of fabric to giveaway!

I love Nadine's shop.  She orders FULL LINES AND COLORWAYS, so if you are looking for something she probably has it.  I go there multiple times when I'm visiting my mom.   Thanks, Nadine!

And Cynthia from Fabricworm is donating a $25 gift certificate to her shop! 

Cynthia sells awesome fat quarter bundles and always has the newest and hippest lines in stock as well!  She informed me that Amy's new line "Soul Blossoms" will be in stock later this year.  Yippee!

Now onto the challenge.  I want you to get out that Amy Butler fabric you are hoarding because you don't want to cut into it, or are afraid it might get discontinued and make something beautiful with it!!  Make something from one of her patterns you've been meaning to make all these years.

On September 24th we'll have an all-Amy-all-the-time-Sew & Tell!  As long as your project has some Amy Butler fabric in it or you have used one of her patterns (some free on her site) and it has been completed between now and the 24th - you will be able to link up that day!   
Edited to add:  
1.  The project doesn't have to be ALL AB fabrics and patterns.  It just has to have one element of Amy Butler in it - a pattern and /or fabric.  
2.  You can post about it before the 24th but you won't be able to link up until then.  If you do post soon, please link back to this post until we get the other one up.
3.  You can link to a Flickr picture if you don't have a blog.  I'm totally cool with that.  :) 

I will have these prizes plus a few more to giveaway that day.  You will earn extra entries with your project link ups!

I'm so excited to see what everyone is doing!  I have a goal to show an Amy Butler inspired project every Friday until then - Crib dust ruffle, new bag, pillowcases, accent pillow...  I'd better get going!

Grab the sew & tell challenge button over there on my sidebar and proudly display your participation in this fun event!

What are you planning on making?

friday's giveaway winner!

Thanks everyone for entering! I decided to just start the numbering process from the link ups and then into the comments. So without further ado. . .

27. Tori - leather diaper bag

Congratulations Tori!  This was actually one of my favorite link-ups this week.  You have to go see how she re-purposed an old leather jacket.  I want to do it now too!

Tori - please get me your contact info so I can get your goodies off to you!

Now the rest of you, don't be too sad, I have 4 more patterns + fabric/gift certificates to giveaway in September.  Get going on your Amy Butler projects and I'll be talking more about it soon!
xo

sew & tell - all you need is LOVE

**I've had to delete some links today :(. Check with the requirements for linking on that tab up there!  Thanks!!**

Amy Butler LOVE that is.

Speaking of love.  Do you see that little button with those cute faces on it.  Over there? On the right? At the top?  That is my sister-in-law's sister and husband, Rachel and Ryan.  They are wonderful people hoping to start their family.  Most adoption placements are found word of mouth, so keep them in mind if you hear anything.  You can read about their daily life on their blog here. Or click on the button to go to their adoption profile page.

I did finally finish the quilt, and washed it, and hung it up to photograph!  I love it! No pun intended.

I loved the look I've seen on simple square patchwork quilts where the quilting is done in straight lines on either side of the seams.

 It gives a great window pane look.  I used a varigated green Gutermann thread with a walking foot on my little machine.  I probably could have gone with just a light green, but in the end it doesn't really matter.

What is surprising to me is how I obsess over every little stitch and think it's not straight enough or hidden enough or something-enough, and when you step away - you don't really see any of it.  Sewing is so forgiving.

I prefer to hand stitch my bindings down.  I'm getting better and faster and I really love the way it looks.

I really do love it.  My baby looks so sweet sleeping under it.  I'll get pictures of it on the bed when I have the other projects finished...


ARE YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN???
The generous folks at Amy Butler's studio sent me a nice stack of patterns to giveaway!  I am giving one away today!  You get one entry for linking up (follow the rules!  Please only finishes from this week!) and one for leaving a comment - tell me what your favorite Amy Butler fabric/pattern/product is and tell me you love my quilt.  So if you link up AND leave a comment you get 2 entries!

The winner will receive this awesome pattern!

image via Amy Butler Design

Heck, I'll throw in some scraps big enough to make one with too!

As always the linky will expire tomorrow, but comments may be left until Tuesday morning - 24 August!  A winner will be drawn later that day!


And now the challenge!
On September 24, 2010 we will have our first ever Amy Butler exclusive Sew & Tell!  There will be more patterns, fabric, and handmade items to giveaway and you will earn entries similar to today!  Along with Amy's studio, Fabricworm and the Material Girls Quilt are sponsoring the event by donating the prizes!

Get out your Amy Butler patterns and fabrics - only linkies featuring her fabric or patterns for projects completed in the next month will be accepted that day!  It will be loads of fun!  I have lots of her fabric tucked away for different projects.  I'm hoping to get one finished each week until then!

Let's have fun with this!  I'm so excited! Can you tell?!  I've only used 100 exclamation points this post.


What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

$80 CSN winner!!

I'm sorry it took so long to post the winner! Today was a bit crazy and I had to figure out how to number my comments again since I switched blogger templates, but whatever, you don't care about any of that. SO, without further ado...

The winner is:

Ms. Mini said...

56

i'm desperately in need of new pictures for the wall - CSN has quite a selection!

9:55 AM, August 17, 2010

Ms. Mini!! Congratulations!  Get me your email so I can send you your gift code!  Happy Shopping!!

Everyone else, the first Amy Butler giveaway is tomorrow! (today, if you are a few time zones ahead of me :))

hand-dyed fabric care

Looking for the Giveaway Post?

My dear friend Candy, the woman behind the awesome hand-dyed fabrics from which this quilt was made, has a new column on A La Mode Stuff aptly called, "Ask Candy".

 

She is answering my question today:

Dear Candy,

I know you hand dye all of your fabrics. I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions to an amateur quilter like me on how to care for my fabrics (hand-dyed, batiks, or otherwise) so that I don't ruin my precious creations in the first wash. I would hate for some of my brights to run into my white or light colored borders and/or sashing.

Thanks! amylouwho

Go to the post to read her answer!
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In other news...
I'm gearing up for the Amy Butler-fest I am planning!  I got this amazing email yesterday about her new WALLPAPER!  Oh. My. Word.
Can you say gorgeous? (all photo credits Graham and Brown via amybutlerdesign.com)

She's done it again.

And I don't think I would be able to choose just one.
Okay, maybe THIS is my favorite.

I think the backs of my built-in bookshelves might need a little facelift...

who wants $80 for free?!!

I have been a little consumed with getting my house together over the last couple of months since we moved.  One of the things that was haunting me was finding bedroom furniture sets for my kids rooms.  So many options!  Do I go with bunkbeds?

 

 image via CSN stores

And then, what do I do about bedding? How do I coordinate if my son and daughter are sharing a room? Of course I would like to make them something, but realistically, it might just be easier to find something already made. Especially when they are this cute!

image via CSN stores

image via CSN stores

And then there are accessories.

image via CSN stores

But maybe I want that for myself. Or maybe I need some new cookware?

image via CSN stores

So you might have noticed, these images all come from the same place: CSN stores!  They have pretty much anything you are looking for, furniture, home decor, baby gear, cookware, bedding, you get the idea.

The lovely people over at CSN would like to give one of my readers an 80$ gift certificate to use at anyone of their 200 online stores!

To enter all you have to do is leave one comment telling me something you have on your wish list. (Then search for it on CSN stores site and see if they carry it!)  I really would love that turquoise le Creuset pot.  I have one already that I L.O.V.E.  It's just not turquoise. But I digress.

Entries will be taken through Thursday morning 9:00 AM Eastern time.  The winner will be announce later that day!  Good luck!

sew & tell - a little bag

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click on the tab above for details on linking up!

Hello friends!  I have a small little project to share with you today.  After my sewing lesson last week I got in a frenzy and cut out about 4 more clutches and a little bag (like this one) for a little birthday gift for a new little friend.  She had an amazing princess party and I thought, what better than to use some pink Eiffel tower fabric for the bag!

 This is one of my favorite prints of ALL time!  I have it in black and white too and am kicking myself for not buying the turquoise one while it was still being printed...

I used a simple brown ribbon for the strap.  And who doesn't love polka dot? 

I've been working on some other projects around the house (So I didn't get to the clutches yet).  My amazing friend Heidi (for whose daughter the bag was made) came over and helped me hang pictures and arrange some things to make things more pulled together.  I'm so happy with the results.  I have plans for that black and white Eiffel Tower fabric that I will show you soon!

I finally figured out how to take pictures of my quilt - but haven't been able to get outside and rig up the clothesline yet.  SO, I'm going to post about it next week, AND I have an AMY BUTLER surprise for all of you (maybe a giveaway?)  And another giveaway on Monday!  And maybe even ANOTHER giveaway and Amy Butler-Fest extravaganza in a few more weeks!  I know! It's all so exciting I can hardly stand it!  Just be sure you come back next week for details!

Cliff notes version of this post:
1. I want this bag it's so cute.
2. Giveaway on Monday.
3. Amy Butler Giveaway on Friday.
4. Details on an Amy Butler-fest Sew & Tell next Friday.




What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

sew & tell - sewing lessons

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click on the tab above for details on linking up!

My new friend Jessica confessed to me one day that she had a brand new sewing machine that she has had for several years and had never used it!!  Of course I couldn't let that continue - so I offered to help her learn how to use it.  You know my secret plan to take over the world involves converting unsuspecting women into happy-fabric-loving sewers, right?  Who needs anti-depressants when you can have a fabric fix?  Or the thrill of a finish!?

She wouldn't let me take her picture, but this is what it would have looked like.  Except Jessica has better hair.  And I don't have wood paneled walls. . . but I digress.

image via Wikipedia

I had been wanting to make a simple diaper clutch for myself and thought this would be the perfect project for a newbie to learn how to use her machine!  (If you go to Jessica's blog, you will see why she needs one too!  And you will probably laugh a lot while you are there.  Plus leave her some bloggy love - they are about to go through their first deployment.) 

Jess told me at one point that she had the book Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol - which is a delightful book!  side note: One of the things I love about it is the section in the beginning explaining basic sewing concepts.  Even though I've been sewing for a long time I learned a lot of good things there.  It's where I first read about beeswax!  (Which does make hand sewing so much better.)

When she came with the book I remembered that the clutch I wanted to make was actually in this book.  And then realized it's the one on the cover!!

She picked out my scraps of Park Slope by Erin McMorris,

 and a button from my stash to add a little vintage-y interest.

We changed the measurements a tad,

so that these would fit perfectly.

I love how it turned out!  And look at that sweet bicep.  She did let me take an artsy action shot!

I love this quick little project so much I have 4 cut out and ready to sew up!  You will see them here soon.  And I found the cure for my sewer's block - spend some time sewing with a friend, make a mess on your dining room table and JUST. START. CUTTING.

I have a few fun giveaways up my sleeve for the next little bit.  So please stay tuned!  Hint: I got a nice package from none other than AMY BUTLER'S studio that I'm going to share with you.  So get out your Amy Butler patterns and fabric and get your projects ready to share!


What sewing project did you finish this week?

Please refer to the sew & tell page   if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been  deleted.

1. Link to your specific  post  about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew   & tell in your post and link back to this  post (link or button) so  everyone can join in.
3.  Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

i'm dying over this!

I love Sandi Henderson! It's true.  She may be #2 after Amy Butler.  (Their colorways often coordinate, did you know that?).  I like her Meadowsweet line, but couldn't get totally behind it.  AND THEN. And then she came out with Meadowsweet 2.  You might see why it's my new favorite!

 image via jaybird

See those blues and greens and pinks and yellows!! oh so lovely!!  The problem is, I don't need it.  I really don't.  And I have no time to sew with it because of all the other lovely projects I have in the queue.  But if I WON it, now, that would be okay, right?  You can enter to win a fat quarter bundle too at Jaybird Quilts.  But don't enter unless you REALLY want it.  Cause I really want to win.  :)  But you should check out her blog, if you don't already know about it.  She's cool!

Oh and do you love Tula Pink like I do?  I just saw these on her blog!

image via Tula Pink

AND YOU CAN BUY THEM!! Starting a fund right now.

Do any of you have any motivation techniques to get you going again?  I haven't sewn on my machine since the move.  I have lots of projects just waiting to get going, but I can't seem to make myself start cutting.  I hate those first cuts.  I don't like the pinning and measuring for fear of making a mistake.  Oh the agony!  I need help.