28 August 2016

Lovely Little Patchwork ~ Cross Stitch Sewing Book


I'm very excited today to be part of  Kerri Horsley’s Lovely Little Patchwork Blog Tour!   You may remember me telling you all about this super book back HERE, when I made the gorgeous 'Back to School Pencil Case'.  There are so many lovely projects inside the book, published by Tuva Publishing, choosing just one was always going to be difficult!

After much deliberation, I plumped for the Cross Stitch Sewing Book, which I'll use for my ' a hexie a day project '.  Don't be fooled in to thinking this is just another needle book (not that one can ever have to many needle books!)...this really is book size and has so many pockets to keep all your notions in when you're sewing on the go!

First of I pulled some pretty fabrics.  I knew as a starting point, I wanted to incorporate one of the bow prints and the polka dot little ladies from the Old New 30's collection plus those super sweet labels from Merry Bon Bon both by Lecien.  I then added in one of our new pretty Sevenberry florals, a sewing related text print by Moda and a host of blender prints to co-ordinate.......this was my initial fabric pull, which did evolve and change slightly as I was making the sewing book.....
As the name suggests, the pattern calls for a cross stitch rose to be embroidered on to gingham, as a show piece on the front cover.   I used the basic 1/8" gingham in aqua by Riley Blake.  One of my chums on Instagram, advised that this form of embroidery is called Chicken Scratch, which if you pop over to Pinterest, you can see some wonderful examples.  I absolutely loved stitching on to the gingham, definitely a technique that I will do again, but to be honest, the last time I followed a cross stitch pattern, I was in my teens and I made a basic mistake.  Rather than starting from the centre of the design, I started from the lower left corner (obviously watching Team GB at the Olympics whilst stitching cross stitch at the same time is beyond me!) which resulted in the rose being off centre!  Rather than unpicking, to rectify I added a few extra artistic stitches (Sorry Kerri!) and all was well! For the cross stitch, I used 3 strands of Aurifloss.
The rest of construction passed without any further hitches, both Kerri's instructions and the pretty diagrams and photographs are very easy to follow.  My only slight deviations from these was the addition of extra low loft wadding to the pockets and sewing the felt down in its entirety, rather than a line of stitching down the centre seam.
I love all the little details Kerri added to the design which is makes it just that extra bit special, such as the binding on the pockets and the 1/2" hexie flower.  Inspired by these I added the hand quilting in 12 wt Aurifil.......


and on the back cover, I made a pretty fabric label, which again I enhanced with some contrast hand stitches and a vintage button from my button tin.
I finished making the sewing book just in time to take on holiday with me.  Mum (Penny) has been home alone in the shop holding the fort and we've just had the most terrific week in Norfolk... no surprise there, you know it's our favourite place to go!  The weather has been absolutely brilliant which made up for a not quite so brilliant holiday cottage, but never mind our spirits can never be dashed when there are glorious beaches and the sun is shining!
One of my favourite quotes by William Morris 'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful ' matches both this sewing book and so many of the projects in Lovely Little Patchwork perfectly and I can highly recommend it!



The Blog Tour started yesterday with Amanda at Jedi Craft Girl and continues until the 25th September, with a whole host of talented bloggers, designers and Kerri herself.
Here's the schedule
27.08.2016Amanda Niederhauser @jedicraftgirljedicraftgirl.com
28.08.2016Sarah Edgar@sarahedgarprettyfabricsalittlehappyplace.blogspot.co.uk
29.08.2016Heidi Staples@fabricmuttfabricmutt.blogspot.com
30.08.2016Megan Jimenez@QuiltStoryMegquiltstory.blogspot.com
02.09.2016Cheri Lehnow@tinkerellentinkerwiththis.blogspot.com
03.09.2016Ange Hamilton@alittlepatchworkalittlepatchwork.wordpress.com
04.09.2016Sedef Imer@downgrapevinelanedowngrapevinelane.com
05.09.2016Kimberly Jolly@fatquartershopfatquartershop.blogspot.com
06.09.2016Samantha Dorn@aqua_paisleyaquapaisleystudio.com
07.09.2016Ayda Algın@cafenohutcafenohut.blogspot.com
08.09.2016LeAnne Ballard@everydaycelebrationseverydaycelebrate.blogspot.com
09.09.2016Sharon Burgess@lilabellelanelilabellelane.blogspot.com
10.09.2016Lauren Wright@mollyandmamamollyandmama.com.au
11.09.2016Kate May@thehomemakerythehomemakery.co.uk/blog/
12.09.2016Debbie Homick@happylittlecottage1happylittlecottage.blogspot.com
13.09.2016Wynn Tan@zakkaartzakkaart.blogspot.com
14.09.2016Kim Kruzich@retro_mamaretro-mama.blogspot.com
15.09.2016Jennie Pickett@cloverandvioletcloverandviolet.com
16.09.2016Veronica AM@VividFelicityvividfelicity.wordpress.com
17.09.2016Nadra Ridgeway@ellisandhiggsellisandhiggs.com
18.09.2016Amanda Woodruff@acraftyfox_amandaacraftyfox.net
19.09.2016Minki Kim@zerianominkikim.com
20.09.2016Sharon Yeager@daisycottagequiltingInstagram
21.09.2016Peta Peace@shequiltsalotshequiltsalot.com
22.09.2016Sarah Scott@piccolostudio_sarahpiccolostudio.com.au
23.09.2016Kristin Cobb@goobadesignsInstagram
24.09.2016Erin Cox@whynotsewquiltswhynotsew.blogspot.com
25.09.2016Kerri Horsley@sewdeerlylovedlovelylittlehandmades.blogspot.com

I can not wait to see what is made each day!

You can also follow the Blog Tour on Instagram by searching the following hashtags

#lovelylittlepatchwork  #lovelylittlepatchworkblogtour

See you again soon...my pile of  'A Hexie A Day' flowers has been growing nicely and I can not wait to share my progress!
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2 comments

  1. I love your little book, and especially the little hexie flower with the fussy cut bows: so cute!! Hugs, H

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vey lovely projects. I like the hexies flower.

    ReplyDelete

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