Robert Kaufman's (and my) Swiss Chocolate patterns and another giveaway!

Sherri of "A Quilting Life" has been dreaming up a recipe in Swiss Chocolate that I just can't wait to see.  She should be posting later on today and the best part is that SHE HAS ANOTHER SWISS CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY FOR YOU, so head on over to her site!  Of course, you also still have time to enter Ryan's giveaway on I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts and the Ambrosia giveaway on this site. 

Robert Kaufman asks me to do a complimentary pattern for them for every collection.  Since Swiss Chocolate comes in Roll-Ups and Ten Squares, I designed a pattern that uses both precuts and incorporates all the fabrics.  (Swiss Chocolate Roll-Ups and Ten Squares will be available at Fat Quarter Shop at the end of the month.  They have yardage now, but are waiting on precuts.)

"Swiss Chocolate" for Robert Kaufman

Here is another complimentary pattern for a chocolate pincushion to make with the leftovers.... 

Hope you enjoy!

Amanda

Ambrosia Eggs

We had a lovely trip to the beach this past week. While I wasn't able to bring my sewing machine, I did finish binding my Ambrosia quilt for the complimentary pattern that I am producing for quilt shops in conjunction with Robert Kaufman. (More on that soon...) I also "dyed" some Ambrosia eggs in scraps. Yes, I know I am very late for Easter but I will just be amazingly prepared for next year!

I had brought 16 eggs but one piece of fabric flew off the porch with a sudden gust of wind. So now we have 15 Ambrosia eggs. Save your scraps for spring and "dye" some eggs using this free pattern!

Hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer!

Amanda

Making scrapbooks... literally.

Yesterday I was cutting what seemed like my millionth 2" diamond for a pattern that I am very excited about - it will be making an appearance in a magazine this winter - when I decided I HAD to make a scrapbook. Or maybe two.

My neglected pile of photographs did not inspire me, although they should have, since they are in dire need of organization.

No, the source of my newfound obsession was the scraps on our floor.

So, I picked up a couple of inexpensive 7" x 10" photo albums at Target and pieced together some covers out of Ambrosia. I then quilted them with some scrap batting that I had leftover from another project.  I stitched in the ditches, added some simple vertical striping, put on the embroidery foot, and it was off to the races!

Who knows? Maybe this will inspire me to sort through photos. (Not likely, if there are still more fabric scraps available.)  I will make this pattern available on this site soon, by the time Ambrosia ships - so you can make a scrapbook to record summer memories or give to a friend.

Peltex

Okay, I'll admit it. I am a huge fan of Peltex, to the point where I would go into a massive depression if Pellon ever decided to discontinue it. It is like Duct Tape for the sewing world. For those of you who haven't used it before it basically REALLY heavy interfacing that is fusible on both sides. You can use it in your projects to construct many different three dimensional shapes that wouldn't be possible with fabric alone.
Yesterday we were playing with fabric flowers. (This is for a delicious project for my second fabric release for Robert Kaufman Fabrics, coming out in late fall of this year.) Our favorites were the two below:



Which do you all like better? Both use Peltex in the leaves. The flower on the right uses Peltex in the flower as well, which gives it a more defined look. We can't decide.

These are the things I learned making these flowers:
1. I am a better sewer than hot-gluer.
2. Sometimes you shouldn't skip basting (don't pretend you haven't tried this either!)
3. White hot fabric glue stuck to tips of fingernails doesn't look anything like a French manicure.

What a mess, but I do like the result! Of course, we had to make a matching barrette.



Have a lovely Memorial Day, everyone!

Amanda

Beautiful Bows

We found a stash of silk ribbon that I had bought while visiting New York. Even ballerinas have to accessorize!