Badger Cottage

A little while ago I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a full day workshop with Lynette Anderson . . . and these two projects from the Badger Cottage pattern are what we worked on for the day . . .

A journal cover with the cutest little yo-yos (Suffolk Puffs) and a pencil case with lots of little hexies.

The main fabric for the journal cover is a beautiful brushed cotton (found while scouring the store for fabric with Lynette for the "Stitched By Me" quilt I plan to make).

I really enjoyed working on both of these projects and thoroughly enjoyed having Lynette as a tutor . . . her style really suited me and she was great fun!

I was really in need of a bit of stitching companionship and I'd have to say that this workshop came at just the right time for me. To make the day complete I shared a table with a great group of ladies . . . and we even managed a stitch or two amid all the chatting and eating . . .


Pattern: Badger Cottage
Designer: Lynette Anderson
Publication: http://lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/lynette_anderson_designs/

The Notebook (Journal Cover)

I have a thing for stationery.

And fabric.

And hardware.

For me, if you lined up  a stationery story, a quilting store and a hardware store I'd be pretty much set. Well, you could probably add a confectionery store of some description, just for good measure.

So making this journal cover covers  (1) stationery (the actual notebook), (2) fabric (the actual cover) and well, lets say (3) the fabric I used is as sweet as candy (and I think the buttons are pretty sweet, too). If I had actually needed to go to the hardware store to get a specialty tool for this project, then my life would be complete! I didn't need any special tool, but I think my life's complete anyway . . .

This journal cover was made with fabrics from my stash (previously cut for a log cabin project which never eventuated!!). It was for a gift and I was going for a "pretty look".



I like to use A5 visual art diaries, so that's the size this was made for, but you could use any size book really.



2 strips of each fabric made up the cover . . .



and a very pretty pink floral made up the inside lining and pockets.



This was a very quick project to put together. I've made a few of them now, but usually with one piece of fabric and maybe a stitchery for embellishment. But I think I like the pieced look, and I do have a few (lot) more strips left just waiting to be used . . .

What sorts of things do you make for quick gifts in your world?

Cross Stitch Journal Cover

A while ago I came across this blog (Note: the blog is in Dutch? The link is to an english translation. If you want to view the blog in its original language click here.) which was full of cross-stitch patterns. I was drawn in equally by the patterns and the story of how they came to be there. The patterns were discovered tucked away in an elderly aunt's attic. They were then digitised by a group of women who generously gave their time and finally posted on the web for us all to share. I love that these old patterns will not be forever lost, and that from a time long ago and a place I've never been, as I sat and stitched I felt a connection with other stitchers, a sisterhood that reaches both backwards and forwards, far beyond right here and now. So thank you to all the women who gave of themselves.

Below are some pictures of a journal cover I made using one of the patterns from Aunt's Attic. It is stitched on 27count pre-aged linen, stitched using DMC thread. The fabric for the remainder of the cover is a Julie Wallace (Quilter's Barn) design. It's a piece I bought at a craft show a while back - just because I loved it. I've been waiting for the right project to use it on since then (you know - the fat quarter you pull out of your stash and just feel from time to time - not yet ready to cut just yet). It had just the right coloured raspberry in the design to match the stitching, so I thought it was time to use it. I have added some ric-rac down the side edges. All in all, I'm quite pleased with the results.