Enjoy the Process | Ombre Love

 

So I've been working on something new.

And I'm kind of in love with it.

Talk soon!

xo, megan. 

PS. The ombre fabrics are Simply Color by V & Co for Moda!

{Sew} Modern Monday | x and + Quilt

Good morning & welcome to {Sew} Modern Monday! With the holidays upon us and the New Year around the corner, I'm on a mission to finish up some projects that have been sitting around this year. We all have a few of those projects, right? 

I'd finished up this x and + quilt top back in January of this year (and even made a mini quilt with the left-over half square triangles!), but for one reason or another just hadn't gotten around to the quilting and binding. The blocks were made by my lovely {Sew} Beautiful Bee-mates (thank you Lee, Elizabeth, Cara, Katie, AnneMarie, Katie, Cherie, Brooke, Angela, and Emily! ). I asked the ladies to make 12" blocks following this tutorial from badskirt.

Simple straight-line quilting using a neutral 50 wt. Aurifil thread seemed like the perfect match to the vibrant Anna Maria Horner fabrics. I really like the subtle modern feel the quilting gives to the overall design -- not to mention the awesome texture! Surprisingly, the rich chocolate binding is actually my favorite part about the entire quilt. I just might have to start sneaking more browns into my projects!

Quilt Stats

Name: x and + Quilt

Size: 60" x 60"

Pieced by: myself and the lovely ladies of the {Sew} Beautiful Bee

Quilted by: myself, using 50 wt. Aurifil thread

So here's to finishing up an un-finished project and onto the next one! If you'd like to join me on my mission to finish up a few projects before the New Year, use #finishit2012 on Instagram & Twitter -- I'd love to see your progress! 

Happy Sewing!
xo, megan. 

Now it's time for your {Sew} Modern Monday link-ups! Here's how it works:

[1] Link-up a blog post (or fickr picture!) featuring a finished project. Modern home decor, quilts, bags, garments are all welcome! Please be sure to add a link back to this post, too -- or just grab the button over on the sidebar. 

[2] Visit & comment on other {Sew} Modern Monday link-ups! 

Handmade Holidays | His & Her Christmas Stockings

After a Thanksgiving day full of family + food + new memories, I've got one thing on my mind -- the holiday season. And a handmade one, of course! My "to-sew" list is quite lengthy including new stockings, a tree skirt, and handmade presents, too. So with less than 5 weeks (yikes!) until Christmas, I'm on a handmade holiday mission!

First up are those "his & her" Christmas stockings. Rather than stick with the traditional red and green color palate, ours are a fresh combo of lime green + hot pink + grays! I'm using the quilt as you go (QAYG) technique that I seem to be hooked on lately. You can never have too much of a good thing, right?! I'm hoping the finish up my stocking this weekend -- that will be the hot pink + gray one! 


If your interested in trying your hand at a little QAYG, I highly recommend this tutorial from Elizabeth Hartman. It's a great place to start & I followed the same basics for my Christmas stocking.

Will you be celebrating a handmade holiday this season? What projects do you have planned? 

Have a wonderful weekend!
xo, megan. 

{Sew} Modern Monday | Bee Block Catch-up

Good morning & welcome to {Sew} Modern Monday! I spent this past weekend catching up on a few bee blocks from the last few months. It really feels great to check a few things off the "to-sew" list & it's also little bitter sweet knowing these three blocks wrap up the {Sew} Beautiful Bee for 2012. 



//Septemeber// For her month, AnneMarie asked for a combination of improv piecing & hexagons. This is my take on the combo -- I especially like those two little hexi mushrooms on the right! 




//October// Katie asked for a block using Anna Maria Horner's Feather Bed Quilt tutorial (it's free!). I've been crushing on these feathers ever since Spring Quilt Market, so it was great to finally give them a try. Katie chose a super saturated + jewel tone color palate -- this is going to be one awesome quilt!



//Novemebr// Lee from Freshly Pieced asked for a half square triangle block inspired by this Chicopee quilt from Red Pepper Quilts. She chose a fabulous selection of solids paired with a crisp, clean white. So bright and fresh -- this quilt is sure to be a beauty!

Now it's time for your {Sew} Modern Monday link-ups! Here's how it works:

[1] Link-up a blog post (or fickr picture!) featuring a finished project. Modern home decor, quilts, bags, garments are all welcome! Please be sure to add a link back to this post, too -- or just grab the button over on the sidebar. 

[2] Visit & comment on other {Sew} Modern Monday link-ups! 

Have a great week!

xo, megan. 

{Sew} Modern Monday

Good morning & welcome to {Sew} Modern Monday -- a place where modern sewing comes together each week! Here's how it works:

[1] Link-up a blog post (or fickr picture!) featuring a finished project. Modern home decor, quilts, bags, garments are all welcome! Please be sure to add a link back to this post, too -- or just grab the button over on the sidebar. 

[2] Visit & comment on other {Sew} Modern Monday link-ups! 

This week I'm sharing my Lone Starburst Mini quilt -- you can read more about it here. 

Let's get this party started!
xo, megan. 

{Sew} Beautiful Bee | Lone Starburst Mini Quilt + Planning

I love mini quilts. Seriously love them. They are so tiny, cute, and a quick finish! The best part is that they're a great way to test out quilting options & plan out a larger quilt finish. 

This mini quilt was made from a extra block I'd made for my month of an online sewing bee called {Sew} Beautiful Bee. It was a smidgen smaller than the other blocks so rather than stash it away I opted to turn it into a new mini quilt. 

I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to finish + quilt my larger quilt (which will be made up of 10 of these Lone Starburst blocks) so this mini quilt project was very helpful in the planning process. Take the quilting for example, I learned that it's best to avoid quilting over the center of each block -- where all those seams meet. And the binding, I really like this strip as a binding & especially with this quilt!

Now I'm really excited to get started on the bigger bee quilt! 

Happy Saturday!

xo, megan. 

Weekend Bundle Sale at Pink Castle Fabrics

 

Happy Friday, everyone!  Just popping in to pass on this awesome fabric sale happening this weekend only at Pink Castle Fabrics -- 15% off all pre-cuts, scrap packs, and fabric bundles! From stash builder bundles, designer scrap packs, and complete fabric collections, Pink Castle Fabrics has lots of great bundles to choose from. 

Get a jump start on your holiday sewing with this red + green fabric bundle.

 

Have you had your eye on V & Co.'s first fabric line, Simply Color? Here's your chance to pick up a fat quarter bundle at a great price!

 



And my personal favorite, this fat quarter bundle of Remix Oval!

 

So head on over to Pink Castle Fabrics and check out their fabric bundle selection. Don't forget to use code: BUNDLES15 to get 15% off all pre-cuts, scrap packs, and fabric bundles now through Sunday!

 

Have a great weekend!

xo, megan. 

IG Update

Hi there -- happy Thursday! Phew, it has been a few crazy weeks -- it seems like life has been in fast forward ever since Sewing Summit. From sewing deadlines, pneumonia, celebrating a birthday, a best friend's wedding, and everything in between, it looks like things should be slowing down for a few days! I thought I'd share a few Instagram (IG) pictures here on the blog to keep you all updated. Oh, and here's something really cool -- you can now access IG accounts through your web browser! Here's my profile: @canoercreations.

 

I started a new quilt -- just for me! I'm using some of my favorite fall colors and a simple patchwork + triangle design.

 

 

Right before Fall Quilt Market I received this little package + note in the mail. Eeeee, Kate Spain! :)



I'd been feeling under the weather for a while & after a few trips to the doctor + urgent care last week, it turns out I had pneumonia -- boo! As if that wasn't bad enough, 4 days later I stood up in a high school friend's wedding. :) This is me heading to the rehearsal dinner -- it's amazing how much a spray tan & make-up can do!

The wedding + couple were absolutely beautiful. All of us bridesmaids wore cowboy boots with our dresses to the reception & dance -- so much fun!

 

I did squeeze a *little* sewing into my sick days off from work -- mostly because I can't sit still. Can you blame me?!

 

Tuesday was a big day all around the country, but election day hits a little closer to home in our neck of the woods. We spent Tuesday night at the county courthouse because my father is an elected official (county sheriff to be exact). Which means election day brings a certain amount of stress + anxiety. Thankfully he was re-elected (yay!) and life can go back to "normal" for a while.

 

Late Tuesday night we celebrated with drinks & cupcakes! Not only because my father was re-elected but because it was also my 25th birthday. :)

I hope you are all having a great week!
xo, megan.

{Sew} Modern Monday | A New 241 Tote

Hello, everyone! Have any of you tried the "quilt as you go" technique? It's a super fun method of sewing + quilting that adds interesting quilted texture to an otherwise ordinary patchwork pattern. I have been wanting to give it a try for a while now, so one night I grabbed some fabric scraps & some fusible fleece. 

When I first started I really didn't have a project in mind, I just wanted to get the hang of things. Slowly but surely, my quilt as you go "piece" continued to get bigger & bigger. And honestly, it was so.much.fun! 

Somewhere along the line I decided to turn my "quilt as you go" project into a 241 Tote and I'm super happy with the results. Using a neutral Essex Linen for the side panels + strap really works well with the patchwork. I'm happy to say this new 241 Tote is quickly becoming one of my favorite bags! 

Oh, and I may have been bitten by the "quilt as you go" bug. I've already started on a few holiday sewing projects using this technique -- can't wait to share more with you!

xo, Megan 

Now it's time for {Sew} Modern Monday!