Zakka Style Week #23 - Message Board

Here we are at the next-to-the-last project

in the Zakka Style Sew Along!

{This fun event has been hosted by Lindsey at LRStitched.}

This week's project was one I've been looking forward to making,

ever since the first time I thumbed through the Zakka Style book...

It's delightful, and it's called the Happy Garland Message Board!

The contributor is Katrien Van Deuren of the blog

A Bit of Pilli Pilli.

I've been aware of Katrien's work for a while now.

I favorited some of her Flickr photos a long time ago,

which featured bright bits of applique on a linen background,

framed in a hoop, like the one shown below.

And now she's shown us how to make our own versions in the book!

The hardest part about this project was gathering all the sweet little accessories that were necessary to make it so adorable.

Luckily I found a spool of green and white twine

and lots of teeny tiny clothespins one day at my local craft store!

I rummaged around and came up with 

an embroidery hoop in the right size, too!

I decided to use Heat N Bond to fuse my little flags in place,

then stitch them all together into two swags.

I was done stitching in no time!

My little hoop will be used to hold fabric swatches,

inspiring me to make projects from certain lines or colors.

I can't WAIT to dig into my layer cake of Simply Color

by V and Co. for Moda!

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Zakka Style Itty Bitty Quilt Block Magnets

Are you still sewing along with Zakka Style?

I am...can't believe I'm keeping up

with this pace, but it's so much fun!

{Come along with us...details are at LRStitched!}

This week I made something that I'm keeping

for myself!

{All of my other Zakka Style projects have been listed for sale in my shop on Etsy, eamylove.}

They really ARE Itty Bitty Quilt Block Magnets! 

They finish at only 1 1/2" square!

This chapter's contributor is Nova Flitter,

who blogs at acuppaandacatchup.com.

Go and say hello to her lovely posts!

Adrienne of Little Bluebell  - another beautiful blog - 

has her own version posted this week for the Sew Along.

She has some great tips for this project!

{I'm going to give you my tips, too!}

One of the coolest things about this project is 

that you barely need any linen at all.  

Here is the scrap I used.  

I actually had enough to make all 6 magnets from this little bit!

{I actually considered...briefly...throwing this irregular bit away!  OMGosh!!!}

I cut all my linen pieces out first.

I used my favorite...100% European linen in Oatmeal.

{CONFESSION:  I cut my pieces for the triangles a tiny bit larger than the directions, 

rounding up to the nearest 1/4".  

That allowed me to cut the HST's to the perfect size when I squared them up.}

Next I cut all of my prints...

I kept them organized, in little stacks,

one for each block.

{I used coordinates from my Winter Dresden Quilts project...still a WIP, but coming along.

The gingham is from Strawberry Fields by Fig Tree Quilts.  The floral is from Martinique by 3 Sisters, and on the back I used one of my Winter scraps from Minick and Simpson for Moda.}

The BEST tip from both Nova and Adrienne was to shorten the stitch length.

It made it so much easier to stitch without the wee blocks shooting through my sewing machine.  

I squared up my pieces everytime I could...

BEFORE finishing each block, and AFTER.

{I LOVE this tiny block!}

Here they are, all done.

They were actually pretty perfect!

I was having fun now!!!

{They are not quite flat in this photo.}

You know me...I use Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece by the bolt.

I diverged a bit from the instructions and used that, instead of regular batting.

I thought the blocks looked very sweet the way they were, 

so I did not do the quilting, as the book suggested.

{I can't believe I'm admitting this...I thought about leaving this block out, 

because I didn't feel like  printing out a paper-piecing template.  

Turns out you don't need one!

And this one is now my very favorite one of all.

And it was THE MOST FUN to stitch!}

When it was time to turn the teeny blocks

right side out, I was sooooo glad I'd used the fusible fleece!

It helped to hold my little stitches in place

during this stressful process.

I used Darice Super Strong Ceramic Magnets

inside my blocks.  I found them at a local crafts store.

{I listened to the good advice to make sure the magnets were positioned correctly, 

so they would stick to the refrigerator!}

I love them so much...

{They are as sweet as a dessert!}

Go ahead...try them!

{But these ones are mine!}

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Easter Grass Wreath Project

I was inspired by this blog posting, from Capture the Details, 

to make a spring wreath.

I picked up the supplies I needed (at JoAnn and Walmart) and got to work.  

I used EXACTLY one skein of Fun Fur in lime green.  

My wreath form was white, not green, so I was careful to wrap the yarn tightly.  No white showed through.

I found some little lace flowers, but mine had yellow centers, not pink. 

That's okay...my pins were yellow, too.

I put my flowers into little tufts of three.

I chose a pretty pale blue ribbon 

and learned how to tie it from Martha Stewart's website.

I love it! 

I put it on Craftsy for their Spring Fling contest.

"Heart" it if you love it, too!

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