Ruby Star Wrap-Along: Chinese Takeout Box

As you can see by the button on the right side of my blog, I've joined the Ruby Star Wrap along!  There are so many crafty bloggers taking a part of this wrap-along - I'm so excited to see each of their interpretations of the wrapping projects.

The Book.  

The Ruby Star Wrap-Along is based on the book Ruby Star Wrapping by Melody Miller and Allison Tannery.  In a nutshell, the book highlights numerous ways to creatively package gifts in a way that can be used again in some manner.  Even some of the wrapping projects are used from items that have been previous loved!

Here is the project that I completed for the first week: the Chinese takeout Box!

This project was very simple - just a little bit of fabric, fusible interfacing, hot glue, a ribbon, and TADAA!

If you'd like to get in on the wrap-along action, there's still plenty of time to join (and tons of sweet prizes available)!  Visit Sukie's blog and pick up the book online.

~Karina

Bunting Quilt

Do you ever feel like the project you're working on isn't going to turn out?  I have the tendency to think this about almost ALL of the projects that I work on, and for me it leads to, "hmm...maybe I'll start something else and come back to this later."  I do it all the time!

So, when I felt that familiar feeling coming back I fought the urge to give up and pressed on!  I'm loving the result...

Fabrics - Denyse Schmidt ~ Flower & Dot in Turquoise Flower & Dot in Green,
Michael Miller ~ Groovy Guitar in Lime
Inspiration from Knotty Bits

The quilt backing is a fleece gingham that is ever-so-soft and hug-able...I have to admit, I almost took a nap on it!  :)

yup...that's two pairs of legs behind that quilt!  :)
finished dimensions: 40"x 49.5"

Once the quilt top was completed I felt like it needed some more warm colours - red/orange/yellow.  I didn't have quite enough of Denyse Schmidt's Seedpod in Turquoise so I supplemented with the Turquoise Dots and Stripes from Piece O' Cake Designs for Robert Kaufman.  

quilt binding Seedpod Stripe in Turquoise and Turquoise Dots and Stripes 

I knew from the beginning that I wanted to straight-line quilt this baby, and I really love the result.  There's something about straight lines that registers with me...maybe I have a little bidda ocd?  Thank you, painters tape!

My spool got dangerously thin while I was quilting this one...oh dear!

 I decided to machine bind this quilt using the zigzag binding method even though the first time I attempted this method the results were not even close to acceptable!  This time I took my time (that's the key, folks!) and it turned out wonderfully! It was much faster than hand-binding and I love the result.  If you're interested in trying it out for yourself, check out this tutorial!

zigzag binding - quilt front

zigzag binding - quilt back

 I gifted this one on Saturday to a friend who's having her first baby in a few weeks.  To be honest, it was hard to part with but the side of me that LOVES giving things away won that war!  :)

~Karina

::A Little Dose of Nostalgia::

I found this gorgeous wrapping paper while thrifting the other day:

I'm not sure what I love about it the most...the texture, the sense of nostalgia that it brings, or the fact that it reminds me of a quilt.  Anybody out there know who manufactured this?

Bear Carrier

I forgot about this one!  Here's the Oliver + S Bear Carrier (from Little Things to Sew) that I made for Arlyn for her 2nd birthday.  To be honest, she hasn't really grasped on to the whole 'I want to carry my lion around in a carrier' thing quite yet, but she's the kind of girl that definitely will (I think it's a little bit old for her at the moment).

 I love this sequence of photos...

busy workin'...

gotta figure this out...

huh?...

gotta go!

Mommy and Arlyn

~Karina

Oliver + S Messenger bag

I finished up the Oliver + S Messenger Bag a few weeks ago and sent it off to my niece for her birthday last week!  Yet another project completed for Liesl Gibson's Little Things to Sew book.

I used a heavier weight cotton for the exterior fabric that was reinforced with interfacing - after dealing with the stiff seams and 'crunchy material, if I were to make it again I think I would try a different type of interfacing - the iron-on kind wasn't my fav for this project.

My favourite part of the bag is the inverted pleat for the front pockets...why didn't I think of that!  ;)

I hope you like your new bag, Dayna!  

~Karina 

Minoru Jacket

Want to see what kept me busy over the summer (well, other than kids, enjoying the sunshine, vacation etc.)?  The Minoru Jacket from Sewaholic.

Easy to read instructions and a helpful sew-along that takes you step-by-step through the process if needed!

I extended the length of the bodice and the arms by one inch and it fits like a charm.  I'm always having problems finding shirts/sweaters/jackets that are long enough for me, so being able to adjust this pattern was a real treat. I seriously cannot even express how awesome it is to put this jacket on.  IT FITS!

I added pockets to the front because I hate having to bring my purse everywhere and really wanted to just be able to carry a card (or two) and my keys in my coat.  The pattern is designed with a pocket on the inside of the jacket, but I decided on the easier-access kind; keys in front pocket = quick.

Thanks Tasia for creating such a beautiful pattern - so proud that you're Canadian!  :)

~Karina

Champs Elysees Baby Quilt

A simple little quilt made for a sweet little baby girl.

front

Isn't this material the cutest?  Aux Chanps Elysees in Pink

back

free-motion quilted

Add caption

binding

I can't wait to get this quilt all wrapped up!

~Karina