Friday, July 21, 2017

pincushions and dishtowels

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

I've got more pincushions to share today. Man, I love these things!
 Day 15--solid scraps in braid formation
 Day 16--denim scraps with wonky hand stitching
Day 17--diamond quilting on Essex linen. I'd like to make one of these in every single color! I used Essential thread by connecting threads for the quilting. It's nice and thick so the quilting lines really stand out...just what I was after!
Day 18--this iconic pattern is from the book Patchwork Please. I've been wanting to make this one for years, and it didn't disappoint. I literally want to make 100 more of them. I love this one so much!!!
Day 19--this one is called Crosswalk. It's based on a sketch that I did years ago, but I never got around to making the quilt. It was fun to finally make something from this idea! I rather like it in pincushion form.
Day 20--I'm calling this one marmalade on toast. I finally cut into a precious layer cake of marmalade fabric and this is made from some of the scraps. I love using it all! Each of the strips of fabric measure at about 1/4" wide. Crazy but fun!
I was able to go on a quilt retreat last weekend and I'm on another quilt retreat this weekend, so I made a bunch of patchwork dishtowels for gifts for my retreat friends. I think I made 14 dishtowels in all, so I used up a bunch of scraps. Hurray!!! (There is a simple dish towel tutorial here, if you care to make some of your own.) For these, I used rectangles cut 2" wide x 2 1/2" tall, and I pressed the fold down 3/8" on the top seam rather than 1/4". It worked out really well! The patchwork is a little bit smaller than the original tutorial, but as you know, smaller=cuter! I had a lot of fun making the patchwork strips, but I think I'm done with these for awhile! Can you imagine? Ha!

I think that's it for me today! Please link up your finishes for the week. Thanks, as always, for joining me for finish it up Friday!

31 comments:

Melissa Corry said...

I am just loving all of your adorable pincushions!!! They are just incredible ;) And the dish towels are so perfect. Another thing to add to the list to make!

Alison V. said...

These pincushions are adorable! I love the bright ones.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I am especially fond of the crosswalk pin cushion. And after 14 dish towels, I can appreciate that you are done making them for a while. They are so cute, though, but I'm sure they were appreciated by your retreat friends!

Stitchified said...

The dishtowels are adorable!

Brooke said...

always a treat to see you...just not a long enough visit!

brooke@sillymamaquilts.com

Sara said...

Love those dishtowels. They are so simple but look so happy,

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Amanda,
I sure am enjoying the month of pincushions. Each one is better than the last. Those towels are so cute - I am sure everyone loved receiving them. Thanks so much for hosting us. ~smile~ Roseanne

Bernie Kringel said...

I think my favorite for this week is Crosswalk. Very pretty!

Unknown said...

I love the dishtowels, great gift idea!

Paige said...

I just love the denim one! So cute!

Unknown said...

I love seeing all these designs. It's like sketching, only with fabric :)

Where did you get the rainbow clippers in your first image? Those are amazing. Thanks.

Quiltin Jenny said...

I love all the cute ways you use scraps! Dishtowels are on my list of things to make for gifts and to keep.

Lorna McMahon said...

Your pincushions are always so cute! I love the braid.... And the diamond stitching on the linen. And the dishtowels will make beautiful gifts. Wish I was going to that retreat too! Have fun!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Lovely assortment of pin cushions and pretty pretty dish cloths.

Heidi Grohs said...

So cute!!!!!!

Emily said...

So cute, I love them all!

chrisknits said...

Day 18 is just adorable!!! I need to resist, I already have 2 mason jar pin cushion and can't imagine I need more. But the cuteness is hard to resist.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Another AWESOME batch of pincushions, but I absolutely LOVE the scrap-embellished dish towels!! Something to consider for my Quilt Bee holiday gifts...

MissesStitches said...

i love that you used one of your ideas for a pin cushion! why not!?! i have a file of ideas, too, and now I'm thinking of making something much smaller than a quilt to actually get to some of those ideas! and i love the dishtowel embellishment. why did you change the folder from 1/4" to 3/8"? I'm thinking of either making these for friends and/or retreat participants and/or all of us making them for our guild's sale. they are really pretty. oh, and i need some, too!

Di~ said...

I want to take all or your pin cushions and line them up on my window sills and shelves! So stinkin' fun!
I've said this before but your workmanship is perfect! I love your stuff even if it wasn't tho'...:)

Mara said...

I love your crosswalk pincushion, it looks like a film reel!

FlashinScissors said...

Eeeek! I just love all your pincushions!
With your wonky stitching and diamond quilting, and then hitting us with Crosswalk and Marmalade on toast ..... just so wonderful! Oh, wow! And dish towels too ..... I am so envious of your retreat friends!
I bought some scraps ready to make one of your pincushions..... now to start cutting!
Thanks for the inspiration, Amanda!
Barbara xx

pajtr said...

Oh!.. Amanda Jean, I *love* your delightful pin cushions!!
Each is SO wonderful!
(The one for day #15, braid formation, *really* catches my eye...
Love those colors together!)
Pat T.

sansuey said...

I used your tutorial for the towels to make neighbor-gifts this past Christmas. They were well received!
Your picture makes me want to make more!

Debbie said...

Your pincushions are so stinking cute. Love the dishtowel idea. I am going to make some of those.

Ptcquilter said...

Love the monthly pincushions! Where did you find the basic dishtowels you used?

Jayne Honnold said...

I am loving all your pincushions. I follow you here on your blog, but I also get a peek at them on instagram, and you have Carrie Nelson making them, too - how cool. All are so sweet and inspiring!

Rene' said...

Fabulous pincushions! It's hard to pick just one favorite! The dish towels are so lovely, and I thank you for mine!! xoxoxo

Rene' said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Suzanne said...

Sharing gifts with retreat buddies must be so fun. I bet they loved the dishcloths.

Bearpawquilter said...

Love the dish towel idea. I make gifts for my retreat mates, too. Hair towels were a big hit. This year I made fabric covers for composition books containing graph paper. Great for sketching and planning.