x stitchin'

thanks to a bloggy friend, amanda, i have fallen back in love with x stitchin'. serious love.

 

believe it or not, i actually first started x stitchin' when i was 5 (anyone want to see pictures??). my mom was put on bed rest during her pregnancy with my sister, L., and she claims she needed something to keep me in one place. i can't imagine why? :) i  distinctly remember being curled up on the couch with my mom, in my little mermaid pjs, cross stitching together. eating sliced green apples. isn't it funny how those memories stick with us?

anyway eighteen years later, i'm back at it. it's fun to have a little project to work on in the evenings, when i just don't want to be behind the sewing machine (gasp!).

 

the pattern is from the frosted pumpkin stitchery. aren't those little candy corns adorable?!? and who knows, you might see more x stitchin' around these parts. :)

what's everyone working on this weekend??

 

xo, Megan

the tumbler quilt [a quilty finish!]

It's a quilty finish! Woot, woot! 
 

 

Way back in July, my Go! Baby landed on my doorstep just days before a trip to the lake. So I packed an assortment of Kona cottons and my Go! Baby + tumbler die and headed North for a week long of sewing and fishing fun.  One week later, the quilt top was complete. And then it sat...and sat...and sat. Pretty much par for the course. :)

 

Until this past weekend.  Like I said, Sewing Summit nerves are translating into some serious sewing mojo and the urge to finish up some old WiPs. So I pieced a back, basted and quilted this all in one day!
 

 

I decided to go with a wavy organic quilting (my new fav!) and follow the direction of the tumbler pattern. If you haven't given this method of quilting a try, I highly recommend it! Similar to straight line quilting, your walking foot makes it easy-peasy. 
 

There's something so great about a quilt fresh out of the wash. So crinkly and yummy!
 

Quilts Stats

Name: Tumbler Quilt

Size: 42" x 44"

Fabric: Assorted Kona cottons

Pieced: by me

Quilted:  by me

Oh, hey! If you want to make a tumbler quilt of your own and win a Go! Baby, check out my giveaway! Today is the last day to enter!

xo, Megan


ETA: Linking up to Fabric Tuesday!

{Sew} Modern Monday #36

It's time for {Sew} Modern Monday...
 
...the short and sweet version!
 
Yesterday (Sunday), the BF and I met up with Jeni, Vanessa, and Deedrie and their families for the most amazing backyard BBQ!  The food was fabulous and so was the company!  We chatted about all sorts of things, which makes me even more excited for TSS (if that's even possible!).  Anyway, we (ok, well maybe just I) had plans to stop at a random park/gravel road and have a little quilty photo shoot for my tumbler quilt I finished over the weekend.  And...it rained the entire 2.5 hours back to our hometown.  Go figure!  So with no photos (boo!), I have nothing to share this week.  Lame-ness.
 
So, I guess it's up to you all this week! :)

this weekend.

well, it's official. my sewing summit nerves have resulted in some serious sewing mojo. it seems the only way i can distract myself from a pile of nerves/excitement is sitting behind my machine. but hey, i'm not complaining!

remember this tumbler quilt i pieced together this summer at the lake?? yep, f.i.n.i.s.h.e.d. i just pulled it out of the dryer this morning, all crinkly and yummy.(: 

so what's on deck for the rest of the weekend?

-a quilty photo shoot for this tumbler quilt.

-still need to take pictures of my finished weekender bag, too!

-work on a FTLOS angel swappy package

-pre-sewing summit meet-up!! :) the bf and i will be heading a few hours south this weekend for a lunch date with deedrie of mybricole, jeni of in color order, and vanessa of v & co. can't.wait.

so, what are you all up to this weekend??

xo, Megan

mug rug madness [a tutorial]

 
Have you all been following Mug Rug Madness: Holiday Edition over on Erin's blog, Two More Seconds?? It's be two weeks jam packed with fun mug rug tutorials and today it's my turn! :)

 

When Erin first asked me to be a part of Mug Rug Madness I have to admit I was a little nervous. Why is that?? Because I had never made a mug rug before!! Yep, that's right. Over 10 years of sewing and quilting and this is my first time in the mug rug department. Can you believe it?!?!

 

The lovely folks at Fat Quarter Shop are actually sponsoring this lovely Holiday edition of Mug Rug Madness and my fabric is called Countdown to Christmas by Sweetwater. It's a fabulous collection, with some adorable fabrics in traditional holiday colors. And while it's not my normal style, I LOVE it!  

 

Because this fabric line leans more on the traditional side of things (as far as fabric lines are concerned) I began brainstorming what I wanted my mug rug to look like. Now, keep in mind...this was my first ever! :) So because I was working with traditional Christmas themed fabric, I wanted to keep my design pretty traditional. The answer??? A snowball block!  And thus, the Snowball Mug Rug. 
 

Snowball Mug Rug

6 1/2" x 10 1/2"

 
You will need (use your scraps!):
 

 

3 -- 3 1/2" squares

12 -- 1 1/2" squares

3 -- 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
scraps for a 1 1/4" border
~40" of binding
8" x 12" scrap for backing
 

 

Sewing!

 

1.) Pair 4 of your little (1 1/2" squares) with one of your 3 1/2" squares.  Following the picture below, place fabrics right sides together.

 

 

2.) Sew from corner to corner on each little square.  Press and trim corners.

 

 

3.) Repeat with the other two 3 1/2" squares.

 

4.) Lay out your mug rug and sew together using a 1/4" seam allowance. 

 

 

5.) Add border (I cut mine 1 1/4"), quilt, bind and DONE! :)

 

Thanks, Erin, for letting me play along! :) I had a blast making this mug rug and I see why making these little guys can be addicting!

xo, Megan

the count down is on. plus a weekender bag.

there's only a few short weeks between now and sewing summit. and to be honest, i'm starting to feel a bit nervous. it's definitely not a bad nervous. more like the first day at a new school nervous. sharing my creations and blogging in my sweatpants is one thing, but actually meeting all of you face-to-face has me a bit scared.  please tell me i'm not the only one. :) 
 
it all comes down to the "will i fit in" business. 

 

but then i remember, here in the online sewing/quilting community we all have lots in common, right? i mean, we sit behind our laptops/iPads/cellphones/whatever for hours on end searching through sites like flickr and pinterest. we drag our families/husbands/boyfriends along to countless fabric stores searching for a that one new fabric line. we lug quilts out into the front yard and have our own little photo shoots while the neighbors look on in confusion.

 

yep, we have lots in common!

 

and that's the part i'm looking forward to most. being in a room, surrounded by some of my sewing and quilting heros, chatting about lord knows what, and enjoying every minute of it because we all just get "it"! there's no need to explain yourself or your sewing addiction--because we are all the same!

so to all of you that will be in SLC for the sewing summit, be sure to say hi! especially if you see this weekender bag. (yep, it's finished! more pictures soon!) i don't care if it's in the airport, on the street, or during class--be sure to introduce yourself! i can't wait to meet you all!

xo, Megan

oh and if you are feeling lucky, check out this go! baby giveaway! :)

go! baby [giveaway]

guess what, peeps?? i've gotten the go-ahead from the folks at accuquilt and it's time for my go! baby giveaway! waahoooo!

you've seen what i made with my go! baby and now it's your turn to give it a try!

that's right, one lucky winner (chosen by Mr Random!) will win their very own go! baby along with 3 dies of their choice!

all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me which accuquilt die you are most excited about!

for a bonus entry, leave a seperate comment telling me your favorite thing about fall!  :)  easy peasy.

that's two entries per person. the giveaway will be open until 11:59 pm CST Tuesday, September 27 and the winner will be announced Wednesday, September 28th!

please be sure that there is an e-mail associated with your comment!

good luck!

{Sew} Modern Monday #35

Hey, everyone!

Looking for some modern sewing linky party fun?? Then you have come to the right place! :)

 

Remember when Elizabeth and I started our own Flickr swap--For the Love of Solids [a modern swap]? Well the shipping and receiving has begun and we are almost finished with Round 1! Over the last few weeks there has be some seriously awesome modern sewing popping up in the Flickr group and last week I received my package! 

 

My secret swap partner, Jill (madeonmainstreet on flickr), blew my expectations out of the water and I hit the swappy jackpot! Way back in the beginning (August, maybe?), Jill posted this picture in the Flickr group and asked her partner to make a decision. Tough choices, right?

For the Love of Solids, a photo by madeonmainstreet on flickr.

 

My comment was "great colors! love them all, but 3 rocks!" The colors plus the modern design (curves!) was absolutely great! But ladies (and gents!) the real deal was at a whole 'nother level!

 

ftlos-2, a photo by madeonmainstreet on flickr.

 

It is fabulous in so many ways!  The quilting, the colors, the curves, the back....

ftlos-3, a photo by madeonmainstreet on flickr.

 

And if that wasn't enough, she also included this adorable pouch packed full of all sorts of goodies!

FTLOS-Swap-Package, a photo by madeonmainstreet on flickr.

Thanks, Jill for a absolutely wonderful swap package!  I can only hope my partner will love the swappy package I sent as much as I love mine! 

 

Now it's time for the linky fun!  Just a reminder (and I hate to sound like a stickler) but you must include a link back to {Sew} Modern Monday in your blog post.  Also, this is a modern sewing linky party only.  Posts that fail to adhere to these easy peasy rules will mysteriously disappear. :)

 

Time to link up! 

off the drunken path [a go! baby tute]

this post is a tutorial for the mini quilt i shared earlier this week.  i'm calling it "off the drunken path" - - fitting, right? :)  i would also like to thank the folks at accuquilt for giving me the opportunity to try out their go! baby cutter!  i have really enjoyed the drunkard's path die--especially because i would have never tried this block without the go! baby cutter!  thanks!

Off the Drunken Path Mini Quilt

Finished Size: 19.5" x 19.5"

 

 

Fabric Requirements

 

• 10 -- 3 3/4" squares of assorted prints
• 8 -- 3 3/4" squares of a solid print
• 6 -- 6 1/2" x 10" of a solid print
• 8 -- 6 1/2" x 10" of assorted prints

Cutting!

 

 

1.)  Layer 6 1/2" x 10" fabric  pieces (I recommend cutting 4 layers at once) between the Go! Baby drunkard's path die and cutting mat.

 

 

2.) Feed the Go! Baby die, layered fabric, and cutting mat into the Go! Baby cutter and crank, crank, crank! 

 

 

3.) And Ta-Da! You'll have super fast and easy drunkard's path blocks cut in no time at all! :)

 

Now, there is a little bit of fabric waste...

 

 

...but considering how fast I was able to cut these blocks out, it didn't bother me one bit.

 

Sewing!

 

 

1.) Line up your blocks (pair one print with a solid!) using the handy dandy notches made by your Go! Baby cutter.

 

 

2.) Pin, pin, pin.  Then sew using a 1/4" seam allowance and press.  I pressed my seams towards the larger curved piece of the drunkard's path block.

 

 
3.) Next, cut your blocks down to 3 3/4" square.
 

 
4.) Now taking your trimmed drunkard's path blocks and the assorted 3 3/4" squares (of prints and solid).  Piece your mini quilt top together following design above (or create your own!).
 

 
5.) Quilt, bind, and done!

------------------------------------------------------------

Interested in more Accuquilt patterns?

Then head on over and check out these!

You all know what's next, right? :)

xo, Megan

a swappy package!

alright, alright.
i know i said i was going to wait and share my for the love of solids swap package once it had safely arrived in my partners hands.
but...
i'm horrible with surprises.
well that, and the fact i am so stinking excited with how this mini turned out!
 

one thing my partner requested was a mini made with blended neutrals.  if you follow along, this is something very new to me!  but i actually loved working with this color palate (well, and i added a little color!).  it's so fresh and calming.
 

i went with this wonky starburst pattern (again, a stretch for me) and paired it with an organic wavy quilting pattern.  totally a new favorite!  
 

i also made this little matching zippy pouch, because you can never have enough little pouches! :)  inside are some solid goodies--but i won't spoil that surprise.
 

quilt stats

size: 19.5" x 19.5"

fabrics: kona solids!

piece: by me

quilted: by me

 
if you get a chance, go check out some of the other great solid projects that are in the flickr pool.  there's lots of yummy goodies!
 
and partner, this should be on your door step shortly.  i can't wait to hear what you think! :)
 
xo, Megan

{Sew} Modern Monday #34

It's Monday, and you all know what that means....

{Sew} Modern Monday!

 
I am super excited to share this week's modern sewing finish with you all!  Almost two months ago, I was contacted about the Go! Baby giveaway program--you know, the one that has been all over quilty blogland.  And to be honest, I read through the e-mail and decided I didn't want to take part.  At the time I just couldn't fathom ever needing an Accuquilt cutter because to be honest, it sounded like one of those late night infomercials.  Just too good to be true.
 

 
Then one night after chatting with Elizabeth about the program, something changed my mind and I decided to give it a go.  Much to my surprise, it worked way better than I could have ever imagined!  Now, that's not to say there isn't a bit of fabric waste (which I'm not especially happy about) but it is super easy to use.  
 

The drunkards path die cutter was my first pick solely based on the fact, I would never take the time to cut out a block like this.  It is above and beyond my quilty tolerance level!  However, the Go! Baby made it super easy!  
 

Inspired by this mini, I decided to use some fabric from my stash to make a mini quilt of my own!  I will be posting a tutorial later this week (surprise, surprise. right?) and then you all know what happens after that! 


Now it's you turn!  Have a recent modern sewing finish?  Then link it on up!  Just remember to link back to {Sew} Modern Monday in your blog post! 

sewing bee meets fear factor.

Some people are afraid of things like spiders, heights, and public speaking.
Even water, needles, and snakes.
I am afraid of wonky.
...well, in terms of sewing, my friends and family will attest to the fact, I live my life a little wonky! :)
Pssh!
 

Ok, back to sewing. For the month of August, Kati from From the Blue Chair asked each of us {Sew} Beautiful Bee-ers to make a wonky log cabin block. Ok not a huge deal, right? WRONG. I was completely nervous/anxious/flippin' scared! You see I like order, rules, and organization, especially when I sew. And because of this (and my nasty procrastination habits) I have stalled out all month on actually making this block--sorry, Kati! :)

Until last night. Somewhere between my forth and fifth diet coke of the day, I went for it. And I SURVIVED! Don't get me wrong, I was on the verge of an OCD anxiety attack, but I got 'er done! And just like my pal Amy said, sewing bees are great because they push you outside of your comfort zone! Although I am very happy to report next month's block is all about HSTs--more on that tomorrow!
 
xo, Megan

10 for Ten [a bloggy interview]

Hey, everyone!  Kathy from Stitching by Starlight is featuring me today as part of her 10 for Ten Interview Series. Go check it out!

There is even a yummy fabric bundle up for grabs! :)

xo, Megan

{Sew} Modern Monday #33

Hello, everyone!  I sure hope you all are having a wonderful long holiday weekend!  It's time for another weekly dose of modern sewing here at Canoe Ridge Creations!

 
This past week I've been working on my swap package for my For The Love of Solids swap partner.  Like with most swaps, I hold out until the last possible minute to finally make a design decision (I have a problem!) but I'm totally happy with my final outcome.  Here's just a little taste...
 

I can't wait to share the rest of the mini quilt with you once I know it's arrived safely with it's new owner! :)

 
So what's everyone been working on this week?
 
And just a reminder, here are the {Sew} Modern Monday rules:
 
1. Link up a recent sewing project using modern fabrics and/or designs.  Please link to the specific post, not just your blog home page.
2. Link back to the Canoe Ridge Creations blog in your own post.  If you want, grab the {Sew} Modern Monday button over on my side bar and add it to your blog page.  That way you won't have to remember each week!
3. Check out other people's {Sew} Modern Monday links.  What fun is a linky party without comments?  Please take the time to comment on other people's posts.