Quilting Inspiration by Denyse Schmidt

A few years ago I rediscovered my love for quilts and all the comforts that they bring. My curiosity and interest came in the form of the book Quilt by Denyse Shmidt. Her modern take on quilt patterns, color pairings, and simplicity really resonated with my love to create something functional, timeless, and authentic. Around the time I picked up this book I also happened to have a collection of tee shirts, in similar neutral colors of cream, white, grey, and tan that I had a feeling would all pair well together. So fueled with inspiration by this book and a season of Project Runway, I set off into my first quilting adventure. I posted about the finished project a few years ago and included some of the lessons I learned in the process. Patience, finding beauty in the flaws just to name a few. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat and I can't wait until inspiration strikes again! Which makes me curious to know, have you ever taken on a long term project that was so worth the wait?


* First Photos & Patterns by: Denyse Shmidt
* What's In Your Toolbox Interview by Design Sponge

Weekend Works

Hello Friday!  You're here and I'm so happy that you are :)  Joe and I have a jam packed weekend, starting with a trip to the pumpkin patch and corn maze with friends tomorrow.  As for the rest of the weekend I will more than likely be spending it behind the sewing machine creating a paper project for an upcoming event for Coach House Pictures (we are shooting are first wedding together in a few weeks, eep!) I'm so excited to be taking on this new photo adventure with my best friend by my side, none the less :) For now we still have lots to plan and will be working like bees up until the day!  I can't wait to share with you highlights of what we capture!  Until then, have an inspirational weekend!

Photography: evphotogal
Photo frame: Pugly Pixel
Font: Fling

After the Gift Wrapping is Done...

I hope to be doing more of this real soon! Happy Friday to you all! I'm taking a half day from work today but just wanted to share with you some inspiring needle work from textile designer Karen Barbe. Her blog is so calming to scroll through, it makes me want to hibernate with my sewing machine for a week. It's been a while, but I feel like this time of the year just brings the sewing out of me. What kind of creative project is stirring in your brain this time of the year?

Photos by Karen Barbe

Show your sew

The always lovely Martha Stewart website is having a great giveaway for a chance to win a copy of her Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric craft book. All you have to do to enter is submit a photo of your favorite sewing project over here. I just dropped by and submitted my T-shirt quilt. Crossing my fingers...I could spend countless hours pouring over this book!

{ Lessons from a Sewing Machine }

Have you ever worked on a project for so long that its extraordinariness seems to fade the more and more you work on it? Why do we do this to ourselves? This is exactly what happened with my journey in making my first quilt. Since diving into this project in early summer of 08, I worked steadily on it for weeks on end only to put it away half completed for 2 months. It wasn't until my cousin saw and excitedly commented on my half finished quilt that inspired me to dust of my sewing machine and get back to sewing. I was inspired after seeing how inspired she was! And that positive energy was just was I needed to complete my cozy and calming quilt. With any project I take under my wing I am grateful for the lessons learned. Here are a few that I can add to my list of lessons:

* Take comfort in the smallest of details
* Measure twice, cut once
* Find your sewing inspiration ( mine was my cousin & Project Runway )
* Patience
* Work on a project only when ready to pick it up again... and again... and again
* Explore greener options (mine included organic bamboo batting and 20+ of my favorite cotton tee's)
* Find beauty in the flaws
* Research your materials, patterns, and techniques before starting (my quilting guide from start to finish)
* Above all have fun in creating a project that will live on ;)

See who else is cozying up in her newly fabulous finished quilt. Congrats to That Girl Designs for her sweet creation. You've made Amy Butler proud ;)

{ Amy Butler Free Patterns }

Since being bit by the sewing bug I've been on the lookout for more sewing projects and excuses to keep me tied to my sewing machine with Project Runway episodes playing in the background (a great source of inspiration, by the way)! I've always loved Amy's sweet and playful patterns and mix of fabrics. I'm excited to have found a few projects that can be completed in a weekend afternoon or two. I love the cute silhouettes paired with vintage wood frames,the hourglass pillow patterns are sure to jazz up any cozy resting place and you'll be excited to tote your business cards with your cute and handy business card keeper! Check out Amy Butler's website to download these and many other free crafty sewing patterns. Ready...Set...Sew!

{Images provided by Amy Butler.com}

{ Quilty Beaver }

Over the years I've grown my collection of T-shirts into...well a collection. Unwilling to part with some of my best memories from high school, college, and charity runs I decided to turn my most beloved cozy cotton tees into a quilt. With much help from designer/quilter Denyse Schmidt and her great, easy to follow book "Quilts", I just finished my last square and most labor intensive stage of the quilting process. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to create a fresh and modern quilt that you will be proud to curl up in and call your own! And to anyone who has never worked with templates or worked from a pattern. Her book does a great job at explaining every detail of how to select your fabric, preparing your pieces before you begin sewing on your machine and assembling the multi layers of your quilt. Her instructions are not overly wordy and the photographs for each project highlight the point she is trying to make for each step. Which is super important for a beginner like me. Quilts comes with instructions and patterns for 30 quilt and patchwork projects as well a great beach tote and throw! I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress. Quilt on!

{Soft nubby cotton pieces in creamy and gray nuetral colors.}

{Sewing in progress.}

{My completed 10 x 10 quilt squares!}



{Quilts by Denyse Schmidt}