A wedding version of the Sprocket Pillow

Sprocket Pillow: tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew

I recently made a Sprocket Pillow using Cluck Cluck Sew's great tutorial.

Sprocket Pillow: tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew

This bright pillow was actually a wedding present to my cousin and his wife... and there's a story behind that fabric!

You see, my cousin and his lovely bride had DIY centerpieces featuring fabric flowers at their reception. Thanks to this awesome tutorial by my mom, a few family members made a zillion fabric flowers that my dad used to create these beautiful arrangements for the reception tables. Don't you love all the bright colors they selected for their reception? So fun!

I wanted to make my cousin and his wife a wedding present with a bit of meaning behind it. So as my mom made all those lovely fabric flowers, she saved some leftover fabric so I could make my cousins this little pillow.

I've been a fan of the the Sprocket Pillow for some time, and all those juicy prints made for a really cute pillow! I hope that this little cushion can be a memento of my cousins' wedding day, and when they see it I hope it serves as a quick reminder of just how fun and colorful their reception really was!

Sprocket Pillow: tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts' Finish it Up Friday - can't wait to see what else people are making!

WIP: Scrappy squares

I've been a little blue, lately.

WIP scrappy squares: Mitten to Apple original paper piecing

:) Sorry, I couldn't resist! I've been putting together scrappy squares in various shades of navy for a project I have in mind.

WIP scrappy squares: Mitten to Apple original paper piecing

I love the preciseness that paper piecing creates, so I created a few of my own templates on my computer, printed a million, and got to work.

WIP scrappy squares: Mitten to Apple original paper piecing

While I've made 84 blocks so far, according to my idea, I'm only about a third of the way done... so I'll be blue for a while longer!

WIP scrappy squares: Mitten to Apple original paper piecing

 Thanks for stopping by - I'm linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday, so I can't wait to see what everyone is up to these days!!

Kitchen Drying Mat

Kitchen Drying Mat: Mitten to Apple original

As I've lamented before, space is at a premium in my little NYC apartment. So when I was visiting my family recently, and spotted their dish drying mat, I thought it would be the perfect solution for my urban kitchen.

In an effort to make (rather than buy) this little addition to my kitchen, I headed to my stash and got to work. I started with an old dish towel, which I sliced in half to make two layers of terry cloth. Then I pieced a fun little top with Joann Fabric leftover from another project, before adding a few simple lines of quilting to the mat.

Kitchen Drying Mat: Mitten to Apple original

And after I added a quick, machine-stitched binding, my mat was finished.

So far, I'm loving this little creation! I'm especially please, as not only was I able to fashion something using only materials from my stash/home (that miraculously coordinated pretty well)...

Kitchen Drying Mat: Mitten to Apple original

But my new drying mat is efficient, effective, and puts a smile on my face every time I use it!

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts' Finish it Up Friday - thanks for stopping by!!

WIP: Chevrons pillow

Chevrons (pattern from Pillow Pop: Brooke Biette)

I recently picked up a copy of Pillow Pop: 25 Quick-Sew Projects to Brighten Your Space. I've been wanting a few decorative pillows to use with my new quilt; using leftover scraps of Hoffman Fabrics from my quilt (including the batiks I used for the backing and binding), I've started working on the pillow pattern Chevrons (by Brooke Biette). I love the top so far - now I just need to quilt it, add the back, stuff it with a pillow form, and display it proudly on top of my bed!

I'm linking up to Freshly Pieced's Work in Progress Wednesday- can't wait to see everyone else's projects!

Strips and Squares

Strips and Squares: a Mitten to Apple original

I'm slowly (but surely) getting my apartment decorated, and one of the projects on my "to do" list was adding a few accents to my cozy (that's NYer for small) bathroom. I wanted the color scheme in the room to be pretty minimal: the metal finishes in the room are brushed nickel and my towels are a pewter/grey color, so I wanted to add a few things to compliment those hues. Well, when I was wandering through West Elm the other day, I came upon a new bath mat and I fell in love!

With my new mat in place, the only thing missing in the room was a bit of "color," you know? SO, I grabbed a few fabrics from my stash and created a simple wall hanging: Strips and Squares.

Strips and Squares: a Mitten to Apple original

As you can see, I included the fabrics featuring various pewter/grey colors (Next Wave and Ann Kelle Remix) that tie into my towels and new bath mat, and added yellow as a bright punch of color!

Strips and Squares: a Mitten to Apple original

Once I pulled my fabrics, I sliced up some strips and squares, and got to sewing. After piecing the top, I used quarter inch, stitch in the ditch, and pebble quilting to add a little more interest to the piece.

Strips and Squares: a Mitten to Apple original

I'm so thrilled I got a project finished and it is actually hanging on a wall- I think it looks quite sweet in my NYC bathroom, and really pulls together my towels and bathmat!

Strips and Squares: a Mitten to Apple original

*I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts' Finish it up Friday - hope you're having a great day!

WIP: Coral+Turqoise

Coral+Turquoise: Mitten to Apple inspired by In Color Order

 I have a new work in process: Coral+Turquoise.

Coral+Turquoise: Mitten to Apple inspired by In Color Order

I've finished the inner portion of the lap quilt, but I've yet to add the borders and other accents I have in mind.

Coral+Turquoise: Mitten to Apple inspired by In Color Order

So far, I'm loving the look of this little project! I've admired Jeni Baker's In Color Order Arithmetic Quilt for quite some time, and when I received a bunch of eighth yards for my birthday in various tones of coral and turquoise, I immediately wanted to create my own version of her popular design.

Coral+Turquoise: Mitten to Apple inspired by In Color Order

So I paired those beautiful colors with some beautiful Robert Kaufman Quilter's Linen- swoon! Then, using some math (to figure out how best to utilize those eighths) and graph paper, I figured out exactly how many squares I could make out of my gifted fabric, and I filled in the missing "pluses" with the quilter's linen... so simple!

Coral+Turquoise: Mitten to Apple inspired by In Color Order

I can't wait to finish this baby up - won't be long I now (<famous last words, eh?)!

*I'm linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday!!

Farmhouse Hexagon

Farmhouse Hexagon: Mitten to Apple original design

 I was on vacation recently and had the time to make what I've taken to calling my Farmhouse Hexagon. 

Farmhouse Hexagon: Mitten to Apple original design

 I was on vacation in northern Michigan, and picked up these fabrics at Stitches for You in Mio, MI.  I had been dying to use my diamond ruler, and this little chevron was manageable project for this novice quilter. So I used the California Girl: Moda fat quarters I picked up and sliced away. I mirrored some of the seams when quilting and backed this mini-quilt with natural muslin.

Farmhouse Hexagon: Mitten to Apple original design

 Since I finished this cutie when I was still on vacation, I took the opportunity to take the completed photos along the Au Sable River - what a beautiful setting!

Farmhouse Hexagon: Mitten to Apple original design

I'm pretty pleased with this little vacation project - and now this quilt is proudly displayed on my coffee table and adding a splash of color to my living room.

*I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts' Finish it up Friday! If you're stopping by for the first time, welcome!