Breaking the silence...

Yikes! It's been a bit, hasn't it? Regular posting will resume shortly, as I'm prepping for a craft show on December 1st, which means pictures of baskets are on their way!

But for now...how about a little night music?!

Hurricane Sandy...err, rather Superstorm Sandy may have taken my power for a bit, but only a bit!

I'd Stop the World and Melt With You...

It's time for a Quilt Around the World II update!

Prepare to OOOH and AAAAHHHH!

Black & White & Red All Over

I believe it was last Christmas when my sister asked me to make her a Right Round pillow (based on the Sprocket pillow tutorial by Cluck. Cluck. Sew.).

We went out and she picked the fabrics. She wanted the pillow to be a mix of black and white. And only black and white.

I suggested that she add a bit of red for contrast and she finally agreed.

We returned home from visiting our parents in Delaware and the fabric sat on my shelf for months. MONTHS. In July I finally cut the pie slices and pieced the top. Then, I couldn't find the red/black/white fabric that I planned to use for the pillow border.

The pillow pieces once again sat sadly in my workroom. Then, I found the missing fabric! Huzzah!!!! However, the pillow continued to sit in my workroom because I had blocks for swaps and orders from Etsy to complete.

Until this week, when I shook off the dust and finished my sister's pillow.

It's so sweet looking! She did not originally pick the sugar skull toile style fabric, but I happened to have some left over from a bag I made earlier in the year. It's totally her style and it just adds a bit of macabre romanticism to the pillow.

Oooh! Aaah!

The back of the pillow is a zebra print.

It would be "wild" if I could ever get the button thread centered.

It's funny, as I wrote this blog post a certain person came to mind...

Harley Quinn!

Harley Quinn! The Joker's lover from Batman: The Animated Series. She's become popular in Batman circles. Also, my sister loves her. While it wasn't intended, my sister essentially now has a Harley Quinn Right Round Pillow!

Bags You Can Lose Your Head Over!

A few months ago I opened an Etsy Shop on a whim, just to see what would happen. I went in with the mindset that if I made one sale, I would be a success. Well, that happened! Plus some.

Even cooler, I've received a few requests for custom items. I feel like a real designer! I love working with people to find the fabric and then making their requests a reality.

Most recently I received a request for two bags in my Beat Bag style, which is a bit of a cross between the Totes Reversible Tote and Hobo Hipster bags.

My client asked that the first bag be slightly smaller in nature with an interior pocket. She picked a super cool fabric designed by Vina called "Micro Animals2," available on Spoonflower.com.

I paired with this Kona Cotton in Cerise and added an interior pocket.

The second bag would be used for school and would need to support her laptop and some books. She opted for an Alice in Wonderland theme for this bag and picked the "Alice Gets Decked" design by PeacoquetteDesigns and the "Sid and Mander Paws 4" design by Jenithea, both available on Spoonflower.com.

Fit for the looking glass!

This bag features cotton batting in the body and interfacing on the handles to add extra support.

Perfect for potions and keys.

Pockets were a must and this bag features three interior pockets. One split pocket and one larger pocket.

However, the BEST part of the bag is the "secret" pocket!

SECRET POCKET!

While I can't take credit for coming up with the initial idea for the secret pocket, as my client asked if I could something in that vein, the final outcome is..well...wonderful! The pocket is slightly off-centered, but isn't everything in Wonderland?

This is a theme bag right down to those small details!

I ADORE this bag and hope she will too!

Solid as a Rock!

One of the virtual quilting bees I'm participating in is the [3x6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee.

The time frame for this bee is 2.5 months. In that time you make and receive six blocks. For this round I am a member of Hive J: Solid Gold and signed up as a Caretaker for Hive N' E Thing Goes (Sampler)! I feel so legitimate! 

In true Courtastic fashion, I completed the blocks for Hive J and have not started the blocks for the group I'm in charge of. That whole "lead by example" thing just isn't working out. They will be finished and posted before the October 15th deadline. That, I promise.

For now, check out my blocks for Hive J, which required that we use solid fabrics. I used the Modern Log Cabin style for inspiration.

Happy AnniWHOsary!

Apparently there are a lot of Doctor Whovians out there, which I don't mind because I love being able to make items that make people so happy!

One of my best friends from college recently contacted me to help her out with an anniversary gift for her husband.

"We don't take these things too seriously right now," she said. "But I can't tell you how many times I've awakened to strange, scary monsters on the TV."

That conversation led to my first attempt at an iPad cover...or should it be an "iPad Whover"?

TARDIS iPad Whover in fabric from Spoonflower.com

I LOVE this iron on velcro.

I used iron on velcro tabs as a closure. I currently only have the 1" pieces, but a longer strip would also be great.

This iPad cover should meet her requirements as she wanted something that would be fun, but not too ostentatious. Or rather, work appropriate.

These Whosters, however, are definitely home appropriate!

I always feel like, somebody's watching me!

Happy Anniversary!

You Can't Take the Sky From Me

I've been a bit quiet lately due to outside influences...cough *work* cough... but I just wanted to share this non fabric related project I've been working on.

Space Cowpersons. 

It's the Firefly pattern by Wee Little Stitches! I have four more members of the crew to stitch, but I love how this is coming out. 

Once I finish this pattern I have a few other patterns I'd like to stitch up as Christmas gifts. 

Then I will finally work on the patterns that made me learn how to cross stitch....the John Hughes collection.