Gingercake

Simple HST Quilt in Solids

 

 

Last month my oldest turned 10.  TEN!  Hard to believe ten years have passed since she was a little tiny sweet baby.  She is a great girl and into style and trends and all things bright and beautiful (like most 10 year olds!).  I made this Half Square Triangle quilt for her gift and it is a big hit.  It is similar to this picnic blanket I made last year.

I used this technique to cut my HSTs and I used bella solds from Bloomerie fabrics.  The fabric was wonderful and the colors were so bright and bold.  It was exactly what I wanted.  The fabric colors I used were zen grey, amelia orange, peacock, peony, purple and buttercup.   I ordered a 1/2 a yard of each of the six fabrics and then cut the 1/2 yards into 18'' squares that were cut down into the 8 HSTs.  I used the extra 6'' strips to make squares to mix in and fill empty spots.

Although I shopped and shopped online for the backing and binding, I ended up just going to Joann fabrics so that I could make sure that the colors matched.  I knew that I wanted something with a bold print for the backing and this cute peacock fabric worked great.  Also, the polkadot orange for the binding was fine.  I would have preferred a stripe but I just couldn't find one I liked at Joann's so this had to work!  

Below is my poor attempt at the classic outdoor photo of the quilt floating in the air~

The colors are wierd and the photo quality is poor since my fancy new camera still baffles me sometimes.  But at least you can see how all the squares fit together.  Although it was my intention to put it together randomly, I still paid attention to mixing colors and letting some triangles and squares block together.  I really liked how modern it felt in the end.

Quilts are a challenge!  The biggest challenge for me is how time consuming they are and also the actaully quilting. It's a pain to wrangle all that fabric on my machine.  But this half square triangle type is a simple and fun construction and a twin size is not too hard on your regular home machine.  Making a quilt always makes me admire quilters who create complicated tops and the even more complicated quilting patterns!  

Feeling Springy! Bunnies… in the Gingercakesews shop!

It has been a long time since I actually sewed something to sell in my GingercakeSews shop!  But I am back on it and couldn't resist making bunnies from this super sweet vintage sheet fabric.

 

I had a great time sewing these up last week and remembered how fun it is to sew for your etsy shop.  I couldn't descide which color bow/ ears to make, so I chose to make yellow, orange AND pink.  

My little miss likes their pom pom tails in particular...

Head over to the Gingercakesews shop if you are interested in getting one OR head over to the pattern shop if you want to buy the pattern to make one yourself.  AND, if you are making them to sell in your etsy shop, be sure to email me so I can see your creations!  They always are a hit this time of year.

 

Hello Hoops

For my Handmade Arcade back in December, I made these fun Hello Hoops.  I have been buying hoops from the thrift store for years.  They are irresistable, no?  I am on a thrift store diet currently, but I still have my stock pile of hoops just waiting for something cute.  

I printed out "hello" in a nice font (i think it was little days) and then taped it to the window and put my fabric on top of it to trace it.   For some reason I always just thought of embroidery on white fabric so I liked the freedom on using bright solids instead.  I used my favroite chain stitch to outline the word except on this one below I tried out a rope stitch which was fun too.

 

I wrapped the outside hoop in 1'' strips of colorful fabric.  I ripped the strips and then just applied paste to the hoop before I wrapped them.  This way of finishing the hoops came from here.  I think the fabirc wrapping really finishes the look and brings the colors together.

The "hi" signs were obviously done the same way!  These were a fun addition to my regular bags and pillows in my booth AND I could make them while watching movies and a marathon of The Good Wife with the hubs in the weeks before the show.  After working out the kinks on the first couple, I was able to make them really fast.  I sold them for $15 to $20.  What have you found to do with your stash of hoops?  I know you have some tucked away in your craft room!

Sneak Peek- Owl Bag Fans Mark Your Calendars!

This variation of my Lola Owl Bag will be in Simple Quilts and Sewing Magazine in September 2013.  How exciting to be in such a cute magazine!  The body is more curved and I did the belly, eyes and beak differently.  Instructions to make the bag with 4 fat quarters will be included in the magazine!  I made these with Summerhome by Red Rooster which I chose together with the editor of the magazine.  It was so fun to receive a stack of fat quarters in the mail and turn them into owl bags! 

Today is the last day of the Lunch Bag Sale!  Head over to the shop to get $2 off per pattern is you have not already bought the lunch bag patterns!  Sale ends tonight.

Color Block Triangle Quilt

It always feels great to complete a quilt.  Even the simple versions of quilts that I make!  I love how this one turned out.  Cal was ready to celebrate too...

I made this by using a 1/2 yard of six solid fabrics.  For inspiration I visited this site which is great way to guide you for mixing solids.  I never would have thought to add the navy and it really makes the whole quilt pop.  

Cut the 1/2 yards of fabric in 18" x 18" pieces (each color will make 2 squares for a total of 12 squares).   Match up the pieces with 6 different combinations.  Then use this method to make your HSTs.  Awesome tip!  The only change I made was to increase the size of the squares to 18" x 18".  I like the bigger pieces and it comes together really quickly.  Then just mess around until you have a fun pattern.  

I quilted it by stiching in the ditch (along the seams) along the zig zag and then down the center of the triangles.  I like the fun pattern it made on the back!  The binding is simply more of the solids and then finished using this method by Jeni Baker.  You would have to purchase a little more than 1/2 yard of the solids to make the binding the same way.  

I used Bella Solids by Moda.  They are lovely!  The backing is just pink flannel.  The finished size of the quilt is 47" x 62".  It's not big enough for a bed but more for the baby to play on the floor and for picnics or a cuddle on the couch.

Orangey Inspiration

I am feeling the orange love today.  Outside our fall leaves are almost done since we have had some hard rains.  The rusty and bright oranges are left and making me happy.  It made me think of my previous fall projects and sewing with the color orange.  Here are some pics that may get you in the orange mood too...

Just click on the picture to go to the link!

After my last post you may be happy to know that I am doing some baby nesting too.  I did wash some onsies and sleepers.  I did recover the cushions on my baby glider (I forgot how comfy those are!).  I cleaned up the hand me down infant car seat my sis in law Jenny gave me, and now I am working on making some newborn gowns.  Hopefully I be back later this week to share those!

Hope you enjoyed the orange!