Category Archives: Finishes

My Favorite Books of 2014

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Sewfrench

Someone once asked me how many books I read per year. I had no idea, I know it seems like a lot. It got me thinking. A book a week? Two books a week? Sometimes it takes me a month to read one … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Finishes | Tagged amazon, Best book of the Year, books, favorite books, Goodreads, reading, reading challenge, top books 2014, year end review | 17 Comments

Wrapping Odd Shaped Gifts part II

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Sewfrench

Pillowcases. That’s what I’m talking about. Who can’t use an extra one? This year, instead of using up a roll of disposable wrapping paper and then having to deal with the trash, I am making pillowcases for some of my bulkier gifts. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Design, fabric, Finishes, Gifts, Sewing | Tagged "earth friendly gift wrap", "How to wrap odd shaped gifts", "magic pillowcase", Christmas, fabric, french seam, gift wrap with fabric, pillowcase, wrapping paper | 3 Comments

Kansas Twister Quilt

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Sewfrench

This quilt has been around a while, too, but is finally finished. It was last spotted here, back in January. Under a year isn’t bad, for me, with so many ideas swirling in my head. I suspect this pattern has been … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 completes, Design, fabric, Finishes, Quilting, Tutorial | Tagged 60 degree triangle, aurifil thread, hand quilting, hexagon, kansas twister, pattern, pinwheel, quilt, quilt back, quilting, scrap, Texas Trellis, traditional quilt, triangles, tutorial, vintage quilt, whirligig, Whirling Triangles in a Hexagon | 8 Comments

Endless Chain quilt

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Sewfrench

Endless Chain’s windmill-looking block is based on a vintage pattern featured in newspapers in 1942 and throughout WWII. It was traditionally done as a paper pieced block. I’m not a paper piecer, can’t seem to get the hang of it, so … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 completes, Design, Finishes, Quilting, Sewing | Tagged citrus color, color values, endless chain, endless chain quilt, quilt, scrap, values quilt, vintage pattern, vintage quilt block, vintage quilt pattern, WWII quilt pattern | 19 Comments

Marcia Derse has it Sew Together

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Sewfrench

I am in love. Still. I should say. Ever since I met her fabulous fabrics a couple of years ago I can’t get enough. I bought this pattern a couple of years ago and just couldn’t decide what fabrics to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crafting, Design, fabric, Finishes, Quilting, Sewing | Tagged bag, cosmetic bag, Marcia Derse, pattern review, quilting bag, Sew Together Bag, sew together pattern review, toiletries bag, zippers | 21 Comments

I Spy…

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Sewfrench

I have no idea why my sister and I chose this, thread catching, fabric to be used in a thread infested sewing room, but I suspect it was because it was what we had on hand, at the time. This is my … Continue reading →

Posted in Crafting, Decorating, Design, fabric, Finishes, Sewing, Upcycle | Tagged crafting, decorating, fabric, project, quilting, selvage, selvedge, sewing, upcycle, upholstery | 19 Comments

“Always in My Heart”

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Sewfrench

For my T-Tapp trainer and dear friend, Michelle. Aptly titled because this is where we carry those who leave this place before what we think of as their time. Quilted with hugs, and filled with love, because sometimes that is the best … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 completes, fabric, Finishes, Gifts, hand quilting, Quilting, Sewing | Tagged "Always in My Heart", applique, charm squares, dear friend, hand quilted, hand quilting, heart, HST, kona purple, low volume, quilt, red, scrap | 7 Comments

The Answer My Friend is…

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Sewfrench

(I have edited this post to add, easy access, voting links.) To vote on the top 25, Viewer’s Choice, click here. To vote for your favorite hand-quilted, click here. To see and vote on all the other categories, click here. … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 completes, Bloggers' Quilt Festival, Crafting, Design, fabric, Finishes, Photography, Quilt stories, Quilting, Sewing, Uncategorized | Tagged 12 Trees, Aurifil 28wt, batiks, BGF, blowin' in the Wind, Blowing in the Wind, charity quilt, free form, hand quilting, hobbs heirloom wool, Oakshott, robert kauffman, shot cotton, stippling | 103 Comments

Seeing the Forest through the trees.

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Sewfrench

Can you feel the breeze blowing through the trees? This is the second, hand-quilted, tree quilt where I used the idea of creating the feel of the breeze blowing through the trees. Freehand quilting is definitely not as easy as … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 completes, A Sttitch in Time, Can I get a Whoop Whoop, Crazy Mom Friday Finishes, Design, fabric, Fabric Tuesday, Family, Finish it Up Fridays, Finishes, Gifts, Linkys, Quilting, Sewing, Show it off Friday, TGIFF | Tagged baby quilt, bright birch trees, crazy mom quilts, Fox Trails, gift, hand quilted, kona cotton, modern, riley blake, scrap, scrappy, what does the fox say | 26 Comments

“Take a Hike” quilt

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Sewfrench

A couple of summer ago, after seeing some of Ann Lovelace’s art quilts, at art fairs, I became fascinated with her style of Landscape quilts. How realistic these fabric scraps could represent a place so familiar is mind-blowing. So way … Continue reading →