Before I ever worked up the courage to sit at the sewing machine, I fell in love with fabric. I would stay up way past my bedtime scrolling through Sew Mama Sew and Fat Quarter Shop's selection like a kid drooling in a candy store. Anna Maria Horner's line was the first complete bundle I ever bought. I plunked my "egg money" down on it after seeing this throw. I'm pretty sure it was the yellow square patches that caught my eye in those photos. That bundle sat on my shelf for me to look at for over a year before I was brave enough to finally cut into them. What you see in the picture is the top of the throw that I made LAST year during Holy Week. Then my little Singer revolted and refused to work properly so the throw was put away. I only just recently took it out to finish it. I had plans to back it with yellow Kona cotton but I would need over 4 yards of it, and I wasn't sure how to piece the backing together, so I went to Target instead and got a cream colored, full size, 100% cotton sheet for ten dollars to use instead. I'm going to finish it pillow case style.
For some reason, I was kind of in a reading slump this past week but in order to participate in Needle And ThREAD, I picked up Building Emotional Intelligence. I'm only halfway into the 1st chapter so I can't really tell you how I feel about it. If you're interested in teaching children how to have a high E.Q. (emotional quotient) then I recommend the book I just finished reading, Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child. Both authors insist that emotional intelligence is just as important to focus on as teaching children to read and write. The latter book teaches parents how to be their children's Emotion Coach. I learned a lot.
Before I end my post (I know I'm like the lonely hostess who won't let her guest leave her house) I wanted to direct anyone interested in taking an online sewing course to Stitched In Color. I love this blog. She loves Anna Maria Horner too and she's got some great tutorials. That's probably the reason I haven't picked up any book reading this week...too busy reading her blog. Rachael will be doing a Handstitched Camp this June. Go check it out!
For some reason, I was kind of in a reading slump this past week but in order to participate in Needle And ThREAD, I picked up Building Emotional Intelligence. I'm only halfway into the 1st chapter so I can't really tell you how I feel about it. If you're interested in teaching children how to have a high E.Q. (emotional quotient) then I recommend the book I just finished reading, Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child. Both authors insist that emotional intelligence is just as important to focus on as teaching children to read and write. The latter book teaches parents how to be their children's Emotion Coach. I learned a lot.
Before I end my post (I know I'm like the lonely hostess who won't let her guest leave her house) I wanted to direct anyone interested in taking an online sewing course to Stitched In Color. I love this blog. She loves Anna Maria Horner too and she's got some great tutorials. That's probably the reason I haven't picked up any book reading this week...too busy reading her blog. Rachael will be doing a Handstitched Camp this June. Go check it out!
What are your favorite fabric lines? What are your favorite sewing blogs for inspiration? Thank you so much for stopping by!
I will look at that blog. I tend to like Mikeal Miller a lot, but my favorite fabric are always those I find in thrift stores!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to find more fabric at the thrift shops. Maybe I'm looking at all the wrong stores or something but it seems I walk away empty-handed a lot. I'm especially on the look out for thrifted vintage bedsheets but I never seem to come away with the great stuff I see on the internet.
DeleteI like Michael Miller too. :-)
Beautiful throw--I bet by now it is a well loved friend <3 I followed you here from needle and thREAD. My project this week: http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2012/04/crafting-on-with-needle-and-thread.html
ReplyDeleteHopefully I can finish my throw this weekend and it will become a well loved friend. I know that every time I pull it out to work on my kids get all giddy and start laughing, dancing and rolling all over it and play peek a boo. Maybe that's the real reason it's taken me that long to finish, it rarely lays flat. :-)
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh, boy, Elizabeth. I LOVE it! (and the baby fingers holding the book! Gah! Too precious!)
ReplyDeleteAs I've mentioned, I try not to get too into designers because I try to sew affordably...BUT, I happened to be at Purl Patchwork the second that line arrived. Yes, THE Purl, because that's the metropolitan area in which I live, and my husband and I were having a youngest-child-is-no-longer-a-baby afternoon in the city by ourselves, and I almost had a conniption in the shop because 1) I was already busy pinching myself that I was at Purl, and 2) I had only seen Anna Maria preview the patterns on her website! So, like a good husband, he understood that I am not a diamond earring type, and bought me some Anna Maria souvenirs!
I really enjoy visiting here. I get very gabby with you. I was supposed to get off the computer 8 minutes ago. 'Bye!
http://jeannine-graceandpeace.blogspot.com
YOU GOT TO GO VISIT PURL SOHO?!!! Their blog is one of my personal favorites! It must be soooo cool to live so close to that awesome place. Daniel and I have this conversation starter, "What would you do if you won the Mega Ball (we have yet to play it, but it's still fun). I always tell him, "I'd buy a bit of acreage and have my brother design our 1,000 square foot home, pay off student loans, Plan a trip to New York to visit Purl Soho, give the rest to charity, family and friends. :-)
DeleteWhat did you make with your souvenirs? :-) Maybe you can blog about it..."Post! Post! Post!" :-)
Yes! I know! It was two separate shops then, Purl and Purl Patchwork. I haven't been to the one big Purl Soho.
DeleteIf you ever don't win the lottery and still take a trip to New York, you must go! And tell me so I can meet you there!
Embarrassed to say I made beanbags. Really. I have some more yardage, though. Must do something good with it...
See you tomorrow at the other Elizabeth's?
Hello Jeannine! I'm wanting to head over to Elizabeth's but alas, no real sewing has been done lately. :-(. I've been reading though and maybe I should post about why no sewing has been done. Thank you so much for checking in on me. It really means a lot. Things have been quiet around my blog as I try to find balance. I generally try to be on the computer in the early mornings before the kids wake up or in the evening when they go to sleep. But lately, we've all been going to bed late and sleeping in until 7 so I haven't been able to blog or even visit blogs. I pray that I can find balance so that I can continue to blog; because I enjoy it. LOl! That's funny about the bean bags. I've been reserving the two pieces of Little Folks voile that I bought for something special. And what do I end up making with? A comet ball bean bag! :-)
Deletewhat a lovely quilt! And thanks for the link to the sewing class.....and tutorials! being a new sewer I am always looking for these!! Happy sewing!!
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt! And great idea for using a sheet - I am all about the simplest solution whenever I can :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog recommendation. I'll be checking that out!
I would've really liked to have a Mustard yellow backing but when I did the math on how much that would cost me to use the Kona AND the cost in time to piece the backing together, it became a no brainer. I would rather save Kona cotton backing for the quilts that have more piecing to them. This is just supposed to be a simple throw!
DeleteThank you fo stopping by!