Happy Saturday! I've got a giveaway for you! Click on through for your chance to win a signed copy of Contain It! English Paper Pieced Accessories by Linda Chaney and Laura Gerth of Prairie Sewn Studios.
Let me stop here and inform you that I was given a free copy of this book for the blog hop, but anything I say is my own opinion, of course.
I'm having a hard time paraphrasing a description for this book, so I'm just gonna' let Amazon.com [affiliate link] take it away:
This mother-daughter duo makes English paper piecing 3-D and ready for gift giving. Create structurally sturdy fabric containers using English paper-piecing methods. This mixed-technique and pattern book appeals to quilters, sewers, and crafters. Make elegant desk sets, candleholders, vases, and heart- and star-shaped containers for your home or for gifts.
How cool is that?! They came up with a new technique and then wrote a book together!
I frequently say that I'm going to start quilting when The Peanut no longer let's me sew her wardrobe. But long-time readers of this blog will know I frequently sew personal and home accessories, so these projects are right in my wheelhouse. Not yet having dipped my toe into the quilting waters, I have never tried paper piecing before. This was fun! The hardest part of this project was choosing the fabric. True story.
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| Fabric: On Pointy Mint, Cloud 9 Fabric; Tweety Tweet Blue, Cloud 9 Fabric; and Green Mini Dots, Jules & Coco |
The book encourages you to start flat and work up to increasingly challenging projects and is smartly organized to that end. I really wanted to jump right to the Convex Vase, but I listened and started with the flat coaster. Adorable. Quick. Makes me smile every time I put my glass of water down. I really should make a set of coasters, but for now this one is all mine and lives in my sewing zone.
The one thing I did different from the book is to create my templates out of freezer paper. As I do with all my patterns, I ironed the template in place, carefully trimmed around it, then pulled it up for use again. It was also a breeze to trace the patterns printed in the book by laying the freezer paper right on the pages.
Next, I moved on to the first three-dimensional project in the book, the cube. As I switch colors of thread while sewing a project, I temporarily put the spools on the windowsill next to my machine. They invariably roll off and unspool in the process. This short, little cube has already been put to use corralling those wayward spools and bobbins. As I was creating it, the inner bottom of the cube felt wobbly and looked wrinkly. But that last, well-fit, outer bottom piece created a tautness and gave the full cube stability. Ingenious construction.
The book offers instructions for hand- or machine-stitching. I like the control of hand-stitching for this project -- plus! it makes for a great couch craft [that which you create with your hands while sitting on the couch in the evening watching, or rather listening, to TV]. Terri of Hexy Lady has compiled a great Flickr album showing the process as she constructed a few different containers. You should check it out!
The book offers instructions for hand- or machine-stitching. I like the control of hand-stitching for this project -- plus! it makes for a great couch craft [that which you create with your hands while sitting on the couch in the evening watching, or rather listening, to TV]. Terri of Hexy Lady has compiled a great Flickr album showing the process as she constructed a few different containers. You should check it out!
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| Fun fact: I did not know the terms "fussy cut" or "bury the thread" until this book -- though I frequently do both. |
There are so many looks and creations you can make from the book.
Check out these other blogs for more samples and more chances to win!
Check out these other blogs for more samples and more chances to win!
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April 13: Daryl of Patchouli Moon Studio
April 14: Mrs. Goodneedle of The Strawberry Patch
April 15: Christa of Christa Quilts
April 16: Andrea of Knitty Bitties
April 17: Terri of Hexy Lady
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And now it's your turn! One winner will be selected from each blog on the tour. Leave a comment below and tell us your favorite sewn personal or home accessory, then be sure to come back to the Rafflecopter to register your entry for your chance to win a signed copy of Contain It! English Paper Pieced Accessories by Linda Chaney and Laura Gerth. The giveaway ends April 24 with the winner from The Inspired Wren announced here (on this post) April 26. Good luck!
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.
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You should really see all that goes into each project!
From my marathon sewing sessions, to all that I do when I #shouldhavebeensewing catch daily updates on Instagram (and Flickr) of works-in-progress. Get that behind the scenes view you’re looking for, and sneak peeks of upcoming tutorials, too.
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