Treasured Tuesday

Take a journey down treasury lane with me. Here are some of the treasuries my shops have been included in recently, and a bit about their curators.

Holly Renee Becker of HollyTamales is a wife and mother who lives in New Mexico. She is inspired by nature, and loves to take pictures. Her shop carries sewn items like these cute hot pepper kitchen towels.

Here is the travel themed treasury she created.

Frances Clements says she named her shop after herself so that it would be easy to remember. She is also a wife and mother, and lives in Texas. She likes to try new things, one of which is the things that can take shape in her mind when she looks at an ink blot like the "What Grows in Your Heart" art pictured.

She curated a lovely treasury about flowers.

StumblingOnSainthood is a girly-girl at heart. She offers a variety of handmade hair accessories and jewelry for those that are looking for something pretty and feminine. The pretty pink flower ring is an example of her work.

And here is the treasury she made.


My final featured guest today is Sue Perino from California. She made the bright and beautiful treasury you see here.

For Sue, it is all about the journey. She loves transforming natural materials (especially wool, as pictured in the swoop brim felt hat here) into vibrant and unique functional pieces.

I am so thankful to have an item from my shops included in these wonderful treasuries.

Shhhhhhh!

It's a surprise!

I got this gorgeous yarn bowl for my daughter-in-law's birthday later this month.  It was custom made by my cousin Stephanie, who has a pottery shop in Naples, New York.

Shhhh!  Don't tell!

Thankful Sunday

Today I am thankful for our new bed.  A few years back we bought a pillow top mattress from Sam's Club.  It looked SO comfy, but in reality was not. 

So, our Christmas gift to ourselves this year was one of those dual sided air beds.  He likes his side softer than I like mine.  We also bought a heated mattress pad with dual controls.  Now we look forward to a good night's rest at night.

You could say, we sleep like a baby.

You can find this Princess and the Pea wooden doll bed and mattress photo prop at QuietudeQuilts

What are you thankful for today?

Exchange Program - Free Fabric for Tutorials

My Sister Blog, Totally Tutorials, has an exciting  Exchange Program - Free Supplies For Tutorials?

If you love fabric, here is an opportunity for you to receive some free, as well as drive traffic to your online website and blog!

I am offering a panel of the Malka Dubrawsky fabric, or a 1/2 yard of one of the other fabrics pictured (my choice) to up to five people who would like to create a unique piece utilizing the material. The recipients of the fabric would then share how their project was done by posting a tutorial on their blogs.

The fabric (including shipping) will be free to those who are chosen to create the tutorials.  All artists in the world are welcome to apply! Please feel free to use the crafting style of your choice to work with this material.

Malka Dubrawsky Stitch in Color

Lauren Wisbrun Modern Whimsy

Anthology Sweet Dreams

I will link your finished tutorial here on the FabricFascination blog.  In return you will link your online website and your blog to me. The tutorial will also appear on the Totally Tutorials blog   which is facilitating the Exchange Program. For further details please check out Totally Tutorials.

If you are interested in creating a unique piece with this fabric, please post a comment here with the  URL to your blog or website. You may also convo me through Etsy at FabricFascination. The ideal candidate will be someone comfortable working with fabric. I'm looking for creative ideas. The ideal candidate will also have a blog and the ability to take nice photos.  I will randomly choose several people from those candidates.

Applications will be accepted through Saturday, February 4th.  I will contact those chosen for the exchange on Monday, February 6th.  You will then have a month to complete your tutorial.

Happy Crafting ♥

12 Months

Welcome to the January linky party for the 12 Month Challenge.

I don't know about you, but I have been busy this month.  I've sewn some new blocks for the Block of the Month project, designed a Birthday Placemat, and taken and posted skywatch photos daily.

I've been very busy getting used to running my new blog - Totally Tutorials.  There has been advertising to figure out (since I've never done it before), setting up Pinterest and Twitter accounts, making a new banner, and posting four new tutorials each day.

Then there is the inchie block I contributed to Karen Griska's Group Quilt, setting up a Fabric/Tutorial Exchange (more details on Friday) and started a new baby quilt with a quilting friend.

It has been a productive month.

How about you?  Feel free to link up a project that you have finished this month, or several if you like.  I am looking forward to seeing what you have been working on.  You have from now until February 28th to post your links.

Treasury Tuesday

Treasured Tuesday is a treat because I get to visit the shops of some generous Etsians who have included me in one of their treasuries recently. I always learn interesting things from their profiles, and find something special to feature.

Gilliauna from her shop by the same name, strives to add a bit of extra color to your life and make each of your days a little brighter with a variety of colorful, quality pieces. She offers unique handmade artisan jewelry rich in color and quality like the frosted earrings pictured.

Her treasury is a beautiful study in blue.

Diane Gilliam from DishClothsGalore  started making dishcloths after an encounter with two lovely grandmotherly types in the yarn aisle at Woolworths. She was young and buying baby yarn, when one of the grandmothers asked, "Do you ever make those old-timey dishrags? They work up real fast, you just add on stitch on each end till they're big as you want, then cast off. Lots of people like them, they're good for scrubbing." She has been making them ever since.   Here is the cozy treasury she curated.

Lynn from MidnightCoiler features birdhouses, pottery, beads, coiled baskets, toothpick cases and gourds. working with gathered and grown materials from nature. Her specialties are carving gourds (which she grows herself) by hand and coiled and twined basketry.  I love the french bread basket shown here. 


And this is the pretty peach treasury she made.

Erin Moss from MoonbirdSisters offers a variety of vintage items, including the cross stitch pictured. And here is the black and white treasury she curated.

Thank you to all the featured treasury makers. 

It's Your Birthday Placemat

This Happy Birthday placemat was made for my daughter's upcoming birthday.  I figured she could use it for family members birthdays in the future.

I need to tweak the pattern a bit, but I like the whimsical look of this.

Happy Sewing ♥

P.S. - The New Challenge is up for Project Quilting - take a look.

Thankful Sunday

Today I am thankful for gentleness.  I love watching my husband being tender with our grandchildren.  He is so sweet and loving.  We have had the pleasure of spending time with some of our granddaughters this weekend.  I so enjoy their innocence and joy.

This Art Print is Available at Cinnamonink

What are you thankful for today?

Project Quilting Results

Reflection Refraction by Pam Geisel

The first challenge of the season is completed.  Here are a few of my favorites in this round.  Read about the architectural inspiration behind each piece by following these links:

Architectural Elements Part I

Architectural Elements Part II
Architectural Elements Part III
Architectural Elements Part IV
Architectural Elements Part V 

A View from Lake Michigan by Dashasel Sews

Trapezoid by DottyJane

The next challenge starts tomorrow. Find out how to enter, and the fabulous prizes that will be given away, on Kim's Crafty Apple blog.  I am one of the sponsors of this event.  This week I sent out this fabric bundle to one of the winners.

Happy Sewing♥ 

Block of the Month #1

As promised, here is the first block in the Block of Month series.

Here are just three of the quilts that can be made using this block:

Get a PDF file of cutting and sewing
directions for this block here.

I offer this block as a pre-cut kit in my shop. These three colorways are available. Or you can custom order the block in any fabric you like.

Next week, I will show a project you can do with this block.

Happy Sewing ♥

Pin It

Treasury Tuesday

Treasury Tuesday! Check out some fabulous treasuries, plus meet their curators and get an introduction to the shops they own. First up is Diana McKay from McKayzoo Vintage. Diana carries affordable vintage items including costume jewelry, clothing, and accessories like the bandana style beaded fringe scarf below.

And here is the watercolor treasury she curated:


Andrea of HappyCloudCreations curated this warm and cozy quilt treasury:

Andrea loves being creative. She enjoys sewing, knitting, cross-stitching, painting, and drawing. Her shop carries quilts, burp cloths, decorative pillows, and kitchen items like the pot holder and knitted dish cloth set pictured.



Karen Griska of KarenGriskaQuilts sells a variety of unique and beautiful quilts, scarves, and miniature doll house cabinets. She is inspired by antique quilts, especially ones that contain improvisational elements in their design or construction. She also enjoys the challenge of upcycling, and wrote the book "Quilts from the Selvage Edge" on that topic. Here is one of the quilts available in her shop:

The aqua inspired treasury she made:


Maria of WiseSewcialTies carries one of a kind gifts made from modern, reclaimed and vintage fabrics. She enjoys making something new or different every time she steps into her studio, learning something new in the process. The adorable girls short set pictured is available in her shop.

This is the cheerful treasury she curated:

Each picture in these treasuries is a clickable link which will take you to the shop where you can buy the item.

Thanks again to these curators for including something of mine in their treasuries.

The Fabric I Keep

As you might guess, I own a fabric store because I love fabric, hence the name - Fabric Fascination.  The first 8 inches of a new bolt of fabric is always mine. First I trim off the selvage edge, and save it in my selvage scrap bag for future projects.  If you like selvages, here is a whole blog about using them.  Next I cut a 3 1/2" piece, and subcut it into  3 1/2" squares.  When I have a big enough stack of them, I sell them in my shop as charm squares.

The remainder of the first cut goes into a large plastic bin of fabric waiting to be used in scrappy projects like this 1000 pyramid quilt.

Happy Sewing ♥

P. S.  Don't Miss the WINTER SALE going on right now in my Fabric Shop!

Thankful Sunday

This week, my husband and I traveled to NYC.  We are not NYC lovers.  In fact, I was a bit nervous about the whole adventure, but we had some appointments to keep and had to go.  And guess what - everything went fine!  I am thankful that the train, taxi, and subway rides we took went smoothly, and that we didn't get lost once.  We even had time for lunch between our appointments. 

Well, we did get quite wet from the drenching rain at one point, but other than that, had a pleasant experience.  I even learned a new expression - blocking the box.  It refers to the box formed in the middle of an intersection of cross roads.  I think it describes it well.  From now on I will know what to say to inconsiderate drivers who block the intersection when the light changes.  In NYC they give fines for that.

What are you thankful for today?

Neglecting My Blog

I have been neglecting my blog this week.  Partially because my husband and I were out of town, and  without internet for a couple of days.  Partly because I have been busy with the Totally Tutorial blog, setting up future posts, some advertising, answering emails, and getting ready for reinstating the exchange program. And partly because of bookkeeping tasks that needed my attention.

I hope to be back on track starting today.

Purchase this image at DPS Photo

Treasured Tuesdays

I find myself looking forward to Treasured Tuesdays. It has been fun to investigate the shops of each featured curator, as well as show the lovely treasuries they have made.

Paula Casill of NYC made this first treasury.

Her shop, Quilts by Paula, has quilts (in many sizes, shapes, and styles), as well as a variety of unique and fun quilted items and gift ideas. Paula says that she turned into a "quilting maniac" after reading a book on basic quilting 12 years ago and trying quilting as a summer hobby. Below is a set of mug rugs from her shop.

The next treasury is by Jesse Anne Designs.

Jesse Anne offers artisan jewelry like the piece pictured below.  But she also considers herself an artist who works primarily in watercolors, as well as dabbling in photography, writing, various mixed mediums, general sculpture, wire sculpture, clay, needlework, block printing, ceramics, tile design, and fabric arts.

LiLaO is a mother daughter team that offers cute handmade miniature sculptures like the adorable one pictured below. They say that they make stuff you never knew you wanted! I  have a set of their clay tags which I sometimes give as gifts to customers.

Here is the treasury they made.

Pat McWhorter has been painting since she was 10 years old. She has studied under other Artists, as well as attended Rowan University and Pratt Institute, majoring in Fine Art, Drawing, and Painting. Primarily a Muralist, Pat has been published in Magazines and a book.

Here is the treasury she made.


And here is an example of her work.

All of the items in these treasuries are clickable links, just click on the picture to take you to a shop.  Thanks again to these curators for including something of mine in their treasuries.