A Little Happy Tutorial ~ WoolFelt Little House Pincushion

Many moons ago, I decided to make a pin cushion out of WoolFelt® in the shape of a little house.  The sort of house that you imagine tucked away at the end of a country lane, with creamy white walls, a faded terracotta pan tiled roof and with roses, lavender and a wisteria growing up the walls...

I made a pinky promise that I would share the pattern... it's taken a while, but today is that day!

The pin cushion in entirely hand sewn...my favourite.... and I used gorgeous WoolFelt® in pretty pastel shades, with all the hand stitches made in Aurifil Lana Wool thread...a dream combination!

The construction is very simple.... the little house has, as you would expect... 4 four walls, a base and a roof...

Each of the walls is then decorated.  I first position and sew on the windows, door and chimney breast and then free hand add the flowers.  The only thing that you need to bare in mind is to allow and aprox 1/4" seam allowance from all the edges, when adding the decoration.  Obviously you could draw on to the felt using an erasable pen, but it goes without saying do a little test to make sure you can remove any unsightly pen marks once you've finished.  Another alternative, is to trace your embellishments on to tissue paper, pin on top of your felt and embroider.  Once the embroidery is completed, you can then carefully tear away the tissue.... a pair of tweezers come in very handy!

I used a mixed of stitches, Blanket Stitch (a little happy tutorial can be found HERE), Back Stitch  (a little happy tutorial can be found HERE), Cross Stitch,  Lazy Daisy Stitch and French Knots (a little happy tutorial can be found HERE).

The eagle eyed will have spotted on the second version of the Little House...the one with the purple door, I added a little fan window on the front door and ridge tiles on the roof (well... a rectangle of felt, but to me it's ridge tiles!!)  

Whilst making Little House number two, I then got thinking about other types of houses in particular a Gingerbread House.....well of course it had to be done.....

This one is made from just two colours of  WoolFelt® I was channelling 'grown up' gingerbread house thoughts...with the decoration being white royal icing...but just think of the fun you could have adding sweeties (buttons) to the roof and candy canes around the door..... I just know I will have to make one!!!  The embroidery was very similar to the original, I just switched the flowers for a mix of nordic inspired designs.

The roof on the Gingerbread house was very easy, I simply added some scallops, sewing them in position with a row of back stitches, hidden underneath the next layer and added little cross stitches to secure the scallop......

The construction of the cottage is the same regardless of the design.  First sew the four walls to the base using Blanket Stitch.  They are effectively stitched wrong side to wrong side so that that Blanket Stitch is on display.....

Then stitch the four walls together at each corner.  For stability pop a piece of card in to the base...I use cereal box cardboard and cut it a smidge smaller that the base template.  Then start to sew on the roof.  This is a bit fiddly, particularly with the Gingerbread House, but persevere..it's worth it.  Once you have sewn two of the walls to the roof, secure your thread and then add your choice of stuffing and maybe a little homemade sachet of dried lavender may be nice... or Christmas spices. Then sew up the remainder of the seam.

If you would like to make a Little House Pin Cushion you can download the pattern for the original cottage HERE.  (Make sure your paper orientation is set to landscape.)

That's it...I can not tell you how much fun they are to make.  I've had requests for a Halloween version also...sorry folks I ran out of time for this year, but who knows what seasonal variations I may come up with next year!

Don't forget if you decide to make a little house...please do remember to use the hashtags

#PrettyFabricsandTrims / #ALittleHappyTutorial / #littlehousepincushion

Happy Stitches!

La Conner Blog Tour ~ Floral Wreath Mini Quilt ~ Free Applique Templates

Today is my turn on the La Conner Blog Tour.  La Conner is Jera Brandvig's second collection for Lecien fabrics and oh my what a beautiful collection it is!  As a quilt shop owner I get to see a lot of fabrics and I love it when there is a story behind a collection...or a collection has a meaning to its designer.......  Jera does just that and seems to design from the heart...she talks about La Conner on her blog HERE.  When Jera contacted me and asked me to be part of the blog tour to celebrate her fabric release I was absolutely thrilled...and said yes without hesitation.  

La Conner is so pretty...the collection is made up of an array of pretty florals, in shades of cranberry (reds), peony (pinks), sage (light green), evergreen (darker green), blueberry (dark blue),  wicker (grey/beige) and rain (aqua) and gasp...it also has tiny little hints of metallic.  I know metallic...remember those horrible metallics from years ago that made your fabric feel like cardboard..oh how things have changed.  La Conner is beautifully soft and a joy to sew with.

For my project, I knew I wanted it to feature lots of hand sewing....hand sewing works for me right now as , I generally do most of my sewing in the evening, when everyone is fed and watered and happy.  It works...I sew why Andy watches TV and at least I can be a little bit sociable!  Anyway...in my head I envisaged a fabric version of a painted floral wreath... so I set to drawing some applique templates and away I went!

I chose a couple of pretty blenders to compliment the La Conner fabrics...a delicate cream on cream pin dot from Kate Greenaway and a dainty dot in a lush raspberry pink from the Quilters Basics collection..both by Lecien.  For the flowers I used a mix of applique techniques....for the light and dark blue ones, I used the interfacing method...(LIKE THIS) ...for the centre circles I used Sarah Fielke's cardboard and foil applique technique and for the little red flowers and bow I needle turned, using the freezer paper technique that Atsuko Matsuyama recommends in HER BOOK.

Thread wise, I used a mix of Aurifil 50wt and 80wt (80wt is so super fine, your stitches are almost invisible!) #5007 #5020 #1128 #2260 #2311 you can also see my favourite teeny tiny Clover Applique Pins! 

Of course I decided to hand quilt the mini...

Originally I had planned on straight line quilting outside the wreath...the lines were marked using my Hera Marker at 1" spacing and then simply outlining the flowers.  But for days I just kept looking at it..it didn't seem finished....  

I went ahead and added the flange edging....I wanted it to look like a mount inside a frame...and the binding and I still kept looking at it and then earlier this week, I had a light bulb moment and started to add some shadow quilting......

and just get going until the centre of the wreath was full....much better!

I love the texture it's created.

Thank you so much Jera for inviting me to be part of the tour and for the beautiful fabric!  If you haven't already, please do make sure you pop and visit the other talented bloggers who have been making such pretty things with La Conner.....here's the list....

If you feel inspired to make your own pretty floral wreath, you can download the FREE Applique Flower Templates HERE.

See you again tomorrow, for the first instalment of the Advent Calendar A Little Happy Sew Along!

An interview with..... Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble Quilt Patterns

Over the past couple of years I have 'met' some really, really lovely people in the quilting community across the world...through running Pretty Fabrics and Trims and also through social media. Personally, I have found Instagram in particular to be a complete joy.... being able to share a love of sewing and quilting with like minded people is truly wonderful and turns what can be quite an insular hobby in to a very sociable one.  Earlier this year, a thought crossed my mind about how some of these people discovered their love of quilting, so I decided to pluck up the courage and ask the question (and a few other questions whilst I was at it!)..and I thought it would be nice to share this with you.

Today I'm sharing my little interview with Amber Johnson.  Amber is an author, a blogger at A Little Bit Biased and writes and sells quilt patterns in her shop Gigi's Thimbles, you can also find Amber on Instagram HERE, and just to say....she's also extremely lovely!   As I am sure you already know.... the quilting community is extremely generous and I was tickled pink when Amber kindly agreed to not only answer my questions, but also to write a little quilty pattern for my readers, which I'll link to at the bottom of this post....but for now, here some of Amber's beautiful patterns for you to enjoy...

Rustic Pines....Part of  the 5 Fat Quarter Fun series....a FREE pattern on Amber's Blog...this one is made up in a mix of gorgeous wovens from Snowfall, which you can find HERE

Pearl Quilt available as both a Paper Pattern or PDF Pattern in Amber's shop...imagine this one made up in beautiful Sevenberry prints available HERE!

Smooth Sailing Quilt available as both a Paper Pattern or PDF Pattern in Amber's shop..this one would look fabulous made in Ann's Arbor, which you can find HERE

and here's the little interview.......

Who or what inspired you to start quilting?

I was inspired to start quilting when I was visiting my grandmother one afternoon, about 18 years ago.  She was an avid quilter and I was a newlywed.  My husband travelled a lot for his job, we didn't have children yet and my immediate family lived a few states away.  I needed a hobby and asked her if she would teach me how to quilt.  She was thrilled to have someone else in the family interested in quilting.  I sketched out an idea I had in my mind and she took me shopping for fabric.  We spent several afternoons together going over quilt-making basics and making my first few blocks.  Then I was left to my own accord to finish the quilt top.  It took me 3 years...ha!

You have been writing and selling quilt patterns since 2009 and have also written a gorgeous book 'Vintage Vibe' .  How best would you describe your style?

Thanks for your sweet words about my book, Vintage Vibe: Traditional Quilts, Fresh Fabrics.  I kind of think that title captures my style perfectly (the book title is based off a very vintagy, two-color quilt in the book called, Vintage Vibe).  I have been drawn to old, vintage things for as long as I can remember and an old, vintage quilt that is soft, wrinkly and hand-quilted makes my heart sing!  But I also love combining modern colors and fabrics with classic quilt blocks.  Mixing the old with the new, I guess that's me. 

Vintage Vibe....Amber's gorgeous book!

Do you use specific software for your quilt designs or do you use a pen and graph paper?

I use EQ7 to design my quilts and then write the instructions up in Word.  It's been fun getting more and more familiar with both programs over the years.  I get excited as I learn and improve my skills in that department.  

Which of your patterns would be most suited towards a beginner quilter?

One of my best selling patterns is Square Dance and it's a great one for beginners.  It's charm pack friendly and comes with instructions for 4 different size quilts. 

Square Dance Quilt available as both a Paper Pattern or PDF Pattern in Amber's shop

 Do you have a long list of works in progress (like me!) or are you more disciplined and complete a project before starting on the next?

I usually have a handful of projects going at once but it does kind of drive me nuts if I have much more than that.  There was one time a couple of years ago (I think it was right after I finished my book) that I got really ambitious and finished all of my works-in-progress!  It felt so good for a minute and then suddenly, I felt all the creativity leave my soul!  Whenever I thought about starting a new project I thought, "Is it worth it?"   It was kind-of a sad place to be.  I think there's something to be said for having projects at different stages.  It keeps the creative juices flowing.  

Summer Stars Quilt available as both a Paper Pattern or PDF Pattern in Amber's shop this one is made up in Tasha Noel prints..lovely isn't it!  

What is next on the quilty agenda for you?

What's on the quilty agenda next?  Well, I have a few more quilt patterns bouncing around in my head so I'll try to get those on paper.  I also want to push myself to start gathering ideas for some possible fabric designs.  Not sure if anything will come of it but I really want to push myself to learn and do something new.

As I mentioned earlier, Amber kindly designed a lovely Table Topper called Gather Round.  You can download a FREE copy of it on her blog HERE.  The pattern is charm pack friendly .....perfect if you love that scrappy feel, or you could as I did, use a mix of fat quarters.......

The table topper measures 27" square and was a really lovely project to make up..perfect for beginners as it is a mix of squares and half square triangles.  In fact Poppy, helped me sew the squares together!

I chose to machine quilt, which I did in a crosshatch design....

...and look how gorgeous it would be if you were to make up multiple blocks (with the help of a little photo editing!) and sew them together... isn't Amber clever!!!

I hope that you have enjoyed today's post and learning a bit more about Amber, make sure you pop over to her blog and to see her version of the Gather Round Table Topper. Thank you so much Amber for agreeing to work with me today and for sharing so generously!

See you again very soon.... I have another finish to share!!!  Whoop Whoop I'm on a roll!!

Needles and Thread....and what goes with what

I've been meaning to write this blog post for an age... today is the day!  As you all know my absolute favourite thread to sew with is Aurifil thread....12wt, 40wt, 50wt, 80wt and Lana Wool.....I love it all!  However, one of the most frequent questions I am asked is 'which needle to use with which thread when I'm hand sewing'?

Over the years I've tried many different needles and I think you only realise the difference it makes to your work is when you actually do find that perfect needle.  Back in late Spring, I decided to order in a whole load of needles by Clover, the Japanese company who make many of my favourite sewing tools, the ones that I use time and time again ......  my Hera Marker, my teeny Applique Pins, my 1/4" Bias Maker to name but a few.  Since then, I've quietly been trying them out on my sewing projects over the summer and guess what.....  I finally had that eureka moment and I can happily say that I now have my go to favourites.

First up, what needle is best with Aurifil 12wt?

Personally I like a firm needle that isn't to bendy and for 12wt, it needs to have a decent size eye..... who knew 10 years ago I would even consider that to be important factor!  My needle of choice for these reasons is now a Clover Gold Eye Embroidery needle.  They come in packet of 16 needles ranging in length from 34.9mm through to 44.5mm.  I find that I naturally have a larger stitch when I'm quilting with 12 wt and so I like to have a slightly longer needle, so that I can get two or three stitches on my needle in one go.  They glide through the fabric and wadding sandwich with ease, have just the right amount of tension and are super sharp....yes....definitely sharp!

On my Advent Calendar, I used this combination of needle and 12 wt cotton thread for the hand quilting and also the embroidery......

and again on the bonus Quilt Label I included with the last month of the 'A Little Happy Year' Block of the Month......

For the hand quilting on The Potager Medallion quilt and the Popsy Doodle Dandy quilt (more about that soon!)

I also have been using them with the Aurifil Lana Wool 12wt for my Little House Pincushion.  (Another Little Happy Tutorial for which is coming soon!  Exciting hey!)

Should you prefer an even longer needle, the Clover Gold Eye Milliners needles are a fabulous alternative and have all the same advantages, but a slightly smaller eye, but big enough to get 12 wt through, no problem.

What needle is best with Aurifil 40wt, 50wt or 80wt?

For finer threads, such as the Aurifil 40wt, 50wt and 80wt my needles of choice have for a long time been Clover Black Gold needles.  If I'm totally honest, sometimes a rogue needle makes it's way in to my pin cushion and I use it.. and wonder why my stitches are not so neat.  The moment I switch back to my Black Gold's it is so noticeable.  I still remember the very first time I used them, I phoned mum up to tell her how fabulous they were!!! They seem to glide effortlessly through the fabric...possibly due the polished axis.  They are very fine, but extremely strong and and do not bend easily.  You can choose from Quilting Needles (be warned some of these needles are very short!) or Appliques/Sharps.  My personal favourite are the Applique/Sharps.  They come in a mixed size pack, but because I prefer a longer needle I use size 9's or 10's.  (Did you know the lower the hand needle size number, the longer the needle.) The only downside to these needles that I can think of, is that the eye is small....but I would imagine that you'll only be using 40wt, 50wt or 80wt thread with them and you can always use a needle threader if push comes to shove.  Just for the record, I have squeezed 12wt in before... obviously that was before I needed varifocals!

Over the summer, I've used them on various projects including those below.

I've used a combination of both 50wt and 80wt thread with the Applique/Sharps needles on this recent applique project (I'll be sharing this later this month as part of the La Conner Bog Tour).  

I've also been using them for all my English Paper Piecing and I've seen an improvement in the size of my stitches.  Just to say, I personally use 50wt for my EPP as I tend to pull my thread quite hard and I love the balance of fineness combined with strength that this thread gives me.  I know however from talking with some of you that you have had fabulous results with 80wt and almost invisible stitches!

Finally, I used them again with 50wt to hand applique the numbers on the Advent Calendar and to sew down the binding...

Scrummy Supplies

You can find all our pins & needles (and thimbles...an essential when quilting!) and our wonderful selection of Aurifil thread in Haberdashery Section on the website HERE

If you would like to read about my other favourite Quilting Tools and Notions, take a peek HERE.  Did you also notice the lovely appliqued Tilda Pincushion and Bonnie and Camille Pincushion...these were gifted to me by two of our lovely customers/friends..... you know who you are.....thank you so much I LOVE them very much!!!!

I hope that you have found this post helpful.  

Happy Stitches!