A Quilt to Make

QUILTING

I've made exactly one quilt in my life. It was a very easy one called Yellow Brick Road that is perfect for beginners and I cut out all the pieces in one afternoon session.

I started with the cherry fabric and used that as my inspiration piece.

But when I say that I 'made' it, I mean that I pieced the quilt top and then sent if off to my Aunt Theresa who had it quilted with a long arm and surprised me by doing the binding as well.

I *loved* making the quilt top and want to make another one. I adore choosing and arranging fabrics. I think about machine quilting though and sort of think, "ugh." Seems like a bit of a pain to get such a large project through the sewing machine and maybe sending it out to get professionally quilted is the way for me to go. (Aunt T, what do you think??) The binding seems more manageable. I know how to make it, sew it on and hand bind it and I want to master that process. So... I stumbled upon this Tiffany Quilt pattern by Rita over at Red Pepper Quilts. It's just so pleasing to the eye! And so is her blog.

Isn't this sweet?

I originally saw it on Jody's Everyday Beautiful blog (another great blog and Etsy seller) and just felt is was the project for me. (The me that has 3 kids, tries to exercise each day, has piles of laundry all over and just.can't.say.NO. to volunteering at school.) So I bought the pattern, ordered some fabrics from Jody's Fabric Shoppe on and pulled some of my own fabric to get started. Here's what I pulled out:

Pretty piled up fabric

More pretty piled fabric

Build Your Fabric Stash from Fabric Shoppe

Messy scrap pile

More messy

I really have no idea what fabric I'm going to use. It's not organized and figured out yet, BUT Rita's pattern includes her suggestions for choosing fabric and getting the "look" of her Tiffany quilt. I will be poring over her detailed guide as I go and I'm just going to start cutting and see how it turns out. Maybe you'll help me as I go?!

I'm also following Jeni over at In Color Order to learn more about making fabric choices. She is so talented and knowledgable about color combinations, values, saturations, etc. Things that I know nothing about! Her series The Art of Choosing is informative. Plus, her pictures are just pure eye candy!

So stay tuned, Peeps! I'm going to be documenting this process as I go; sharing my frustrations and thoughts, my successes and failures and I hope it will inspire you to make your own quilt or another project you've been wanting to try.

New In The Studio: SPRING!

I don't know about you guys, but the Three Sisterz are really looking forward to SPRING! Call it what you want - Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, Snownami, Snowtastic, we are ready for it to be OVER!

Here are some of the spring goodies that we've been working on...

We love love love doing custom orders for number and letter tees & onesies, so contact us and we can talk!

**P.S. Have you entered our most recent giveaway by The Stationery Sisters!?! 

A Very Handmade, Etsy Christmas

We had a really special Christmas this year with all of us and our families together at Courtenay's house in PA. Here is a wrap up all of the handmade and Etsy gifts given this year. Gift sources and tutorial links are at the end of the post.

Gift Sources:

1. Personalized Towel by Spirit of Giving on Etsy
2. Ironing Board Pad and Cover by City Chic Country Mouse on Etsy
3. Padded Laptop Sleeve by Bertie's Closet on Etsy
4. Handmade Doll Bed directions by Ana White
5. Reversible Headbands by Three Sisterz on Etsy
6. Girl Peasant Dress and Matching American Girl Dress by Personalized For You on Etsy
7. Sleigh Bell Door Hanger with Holly Leaves by Raging Wool on Etsy
8. Breast Cancer Bangles by Cripple Creek Wood Work on Etsy
9. Personalized Christmas Ornaments by Said in Stone on Etsy
10. Eighteen Inch Doll costumes (Jessie and Snow White) by Enchanted Designer on Etsy
11. Necktie and Bow Tie for Infants by Baby By Stevie on Etsy
12. Christmas Appliqued Onesies by Three Sisterz on Etsy

Cleverly Inspired

My good friend, Tracie, started a blog and I'm so glad she did. She's handy with a sewing machine AND tools. She has an Etsy shop AND she's a mom to two cute kids AND she's married to her college sweetheart AND she's just so darn pretty and sweet. So go on over and say hello to her, won't you?

CLEVERLY INSPIRED



To celebrate Tracie's new blog... let's have a giveaway!

We will be giving away a beautiful *pink* clutch ('cause it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month) handmade by Tracie!





Isn't it gorgeous? The bright pink interior lining is my favorite!

Go check out her blog and etsy shop then come back and leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite blog post or favorite etsy item of hers!Comments will be accepted until Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 12 noon. Winner will be announced later that day!

Vroom, Vroom

oh, how i wish

i had a sweet baby boy

to put into one of these

shirts

and give him a pile of matchbox cars

and watch him play.

but only princess and dresses and lipstick

live here.

i can't stop making them though.

Tags

new tags

with your purchase

starting this week

be on the look out

complimentary

for you

made by

us.

How sweet are these precious children?





A friend of mine takes the most amazing pictures of her family and friends.


It helps to have children as cute as these.



Notice the girls' outfits? I whipped up 2 pillowcase dresses for these sisters right in time for Valentine's Day. I'm in love with this fabric.



I've only found it in one store and not even online.



I made sure to stock up because it's the most gorgeous heart fabric.

























Seriously, I'm in love with this baby.

And so it begins!

The years and years of collecting school-made and home-made ornaments for the Christmas tree.  Oh how I remember the melted plastic colored with crayon, the houses made of popsicle sticks, and the felt flowers that my mom pulled out year after year, and probably still does!  Here is Eleanor's first and she is so proud.

On that note!

Last year, I had a few of our Christmas cards leftover.   And I had a box of extra wedding invitations that I couldn't bear to throw out.  After some online searching, I found the perfect solution for the extra cards & invitations: Christmas ornaments!  I just love them.  Here is the tutorial I found online.  And here is the finished product!

Wedding invitation ornament:

Christmas card ornament:

I made this last ornament using a bunch of wine corks that I had saved. Some of the corks were from special occasions and some were chosen just because they were pretty!