Sew Home...

Welcome to my turn on Erin Bschlosser's book tour!

I first came across the idea of Erin's book when she approached me for using some of my screen printed fabric panels for one of the projects. I was delighted to see this project made the front cover!

Sew Home is a wonderful resource book for creating lovely handmade projects for your entire home, everything from window dressing to wall art and everything practical and decorative in between. 

As well as the book having 30+ projects, Erin has included some interesting and practical advice on choosing and using fabrics, as well as useful techniques.

Each of the 30+ projects are very well written, with easy to follow step instructions, with great accompanying illustrations. Erin has also shown what techniques will be learned/practiced for each project. It is clear Sew Home is a must have sewing book for sewing everything for the home.

When I am doing a book review I really like to make a project to get a feel for it. With my new fabric having just arrived I wanted to make something with it and so I chose the Knife Edge Throw Pillow to use as many of them as possible.

It is a great quick project to add an instant freshen up to your home. The instructions and accompanying diagrams are perfect and simple to follow. One of the techniques Erin is teaching with this project is inserting a concealed zipper. Unfortunately I didn't have one so did my usual envelope finish but I definitely want to try this.

Erin is very kindly offering a reader a copy of her book (digital copy outside US). All you need to do is leave a comment here telling me what item you would wish you could make for your home. Entry is open until Saturday. Good luck!

Go check out the rest of the book tour on these great blogs and perhaps enter their giveaways too!

Tuesday, September 20 - C&T Publishing & Joanna at Kustom Kwilts and Designs

Wednesday, September 21 - Sew 4 Home & Jen Carlton Bailly

Thursday, September 22 - Brenda at Just A Bit Frayed/Pink Castle Fabrics & Nicole at Modern Handcraft

Friday, September 23 - Janome Sewing Machines & Cristy at Purple Daisies Quilting

Monday, September 26 - Windham Fabrics & Rebecca at Bryan House Quilts

Tuesday, September 27 - Generation Q Magazine, Karen Lewis Textiles & Latifah Saafir Studios

Wednesday, September 28 - Dear Stella Fabrics & Mandy at Mandalei Quilts

Thursday, September 29 - Erin at Schlosser Designs

Oh and if you don't have any luck do go purchase a copy anyway here or here!

x

Intentional Piecing...

It is always exciting when a quilty friend brings out a new book and Intentional Piecing by Amy Friend is no exception.

I am a big fan of Foundation Paper Piecing and I have long since admired Amy's work in this  field. I haven't always been a big fan. Like most of us I went through the head confusion of it but once I emerged on the other side I just love it.

Intentional Piecing is full of fantastic illustrations and photos of the steps involved with paper piecing and is a terrific resource to consult.

The projects in the book are just the cutest. Amy has always produced such eye catching designs making you want to drop everything and just get on and make.

This exact thing happened to me when I saw the Teepee Quilt. Ah man it is perfection! I dropped everything so fast, printed out the pattern and sewed a block before I realised I should have enlarged the block. I was just way too keen. I will definitely do this properly next time because this is one quilt I am certainly making.

One really interesting thing that Amy is doing with the book is a Stitched Story Telling Event. Her Tell Me a Story Quilt uses fussy cutting fabrics to tell a story. Maybe you have some precious fabrics in your stash that mean something in particular. Whatever you have you can join in and tell a story of your own by fussy cutting those fabrics. Me, I was telling a little story of handprinted motifs. I have been on an amazing handprinted journey myself and wanted to highlight this in what is now going to be a cushion cover for my new sewing room.

All you need to do to join in is share the top image on your blog or on Instagram to spread the word.  For each block you make and share on Instagram (or each time you share the image at the top) using the hashtags #intentionalpiecingbook and #TellMeAStoryQuilt, you will be entered into a draw.  On June 1st, I will draw a random winner from the IG hashtag #TellMeAStoryQuilt to win a bundle of fabrics from SewMeASong that were selected just for this project so that you can make more blocks and complete your quilt top!

Fun huh!

In the meantime go here to see where you can get a copy of the book because you really want this in your stash.