Work in Progress

It's been a while since I posted anything about my current works in progress. As always, I have quite a few small things going on at the same time that I switch between depending on my mood and the time I have available for sewing. Some of the projects have been planned, some are simply a spur-of-the-moment decisions, just like the project below. I came across that little scrap of Belle and Boo fabric (I keep a small basket on the desk where I put some of the precious scraps). I pulled a few more floral scraps and got lost in playing around with pretty fabrics and buttons. It did not take long for a vague idea to form and I can say that now it's finished. Something quite cute that I will be sad to part with. Pinks, florals and cute buttons. I cannot wait to show it to you.

The two blocks below are waiting to be turned into a set of hot pot holders, a double oven mitt or maybe just a set of trivets. Oh, maybe two mug rugs? I cannot decide at the moment and that's why these blocks are just waiting in a box with some other blocks. They are waiting for me to make my wandering mind up.

The patterns for both of these blocks come from a Japanese quilting book. The blocks are meant to be sewn by hand, but I am turning the patterns into paper pieced ones to save a bit of time. I used "Sweet Orchard" fabric by Sedef Imer of Down Grape Vine Lane and I absolutely love how this tea set for one turned out. I actually would not mind having a cup and pot with such a lovely pattern for my afternoon cup of tea.

As I wrote before, one of the things on my list for this year is to finish most of my unfinished projects that I keep in a special box. To begin with I completed the front of this (yet to be confirmed what) giant mushroom. It seems like I am having trouble finishing this project that I call "Tedious". How could I think that sewing together 1.5" squares would be fun? Probably because I did not do any calculations before I started, I ended up with a piece much bigger than I anticipated. I was hoping to make a small mini or a pillow, but now I am not really sure. If I make a pillow, it will have to be a gigantic one. :-)

Have you heard of the book "Happy Flower Quilt" by Atsuko Matsuyama? Oh, it's the sweetest book ever! Full of petals, strawberries and cherries and truly amazing inspiring projects. I have a copy of this book in Chinese that I can only use by relying on photos because when I bought it, it was not available in English. But recently the book has been translated into English which would make sewing much easier. Anyway, I had two lovely polka dot cherries lying in my WIP box for a while. I made a baby bib earlier and these two were not used. So when I saw them while sorting through the box, they made me think of that book and this block was born. I love the fabric in the middle with the flowers and bees, it makes me think of summer days back in my childhood. The other two prints (with pink lilies of the valley and the blue one) are by Atsuko Matsuyama. I am yet to decide what to make with it.

The next project is this little embroidery that is going to become a pincushion. I found a free pattern online and fell in love with the colours and the delicate petals of it. Even though it seem like a cross-stitch, it actually is a half cross technique that is absolutely new to me. I have to be honest with you, I have restarted this project about three times after I took this photo. I found this technique a bit mind twisting, a bit too fiddly, I should say. I even thought of doing it the traditional way, but decided against it. I have just finished this embroidery and about to start sewing it into a pincushion by hand.

Oh, this heart! Full of sweet apples! No plans, no final destination for this block yet. I just felt like a little bit of love. I suppose the approaching Valentine's Day made me think of this. Again I used my Japanese quilting book as a reference for this simple block. A Valentine Mug Rug? Hmm...

Petals, petals and more petals! Scraps from three different projects came together in this one block and I absolutely love it. The middle part came from a block from The Splendid Sampler project, the four triangles came from the heart block above and the large half triangles came from a mug rug I made earlier. If you gave me a pattern for this block, I would have said it was too complicated and had way too many small pieces for my liking, but having all the leftover triangles cut already and of matching sizes made the job seem so simple and quick. 

You can see that I am a huge fan of Belle and Boo fabrics. These naughty bunnies are the cutest things ever! I have made three circles with bunnies and three with flowers. I was going to make one thing, but now I have changed my mind and I am thinking of something completely different. I just know that it will have plenty of tiny stitches and some cute details.

The latest work in progress is this free motion machine embroidery. This is Molly, an old friend of mine. A little girl who is very shy, she loves flowers, pretty dresses and chasing butterflies. I sketched her about four years ago and embroidered her by hand on a fabric envelope that I gifted to a friend of mine. But this time around I used my machine. I am not sure just yet what to do with her, but I am sure I would find a place for her that she would enjoy among flowers and pretty little things.

I wish I could say that this is all I have going on at the moment, but I still have quite a few more WIPs and an even bigger list with ideas, sketches and notes that is waiting for my attention. I truly wish the days were longer or I needed a bit less sleep or there was a shop that would sell an extra hour or two. (I know that I am repeating myself here :-) ) I am wishing you some spare time to do something that you enjoy. Have a wonderful day! Larisa xox