New Year - New Projects!

Yes, it is almost 2010. A New Year means New Projects and New Supplies! Check out Team ESST's thread for great deals on the supplies you need.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6364895

Finally Getting Caught Up!

The last few weeks new fabric has been trickling in. I have been meaning to take pictures and update my Etsy shop (www.fernridgefabrics.etsy.com) but there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day!

Today I finally took some pictures. I love Jenean Morrison's Mingle in Beetroot - shown above - and need a project to use it in in. Ideas?

Need Supplies?

Check out the November Team ESST promotion thread for lots of great deals on supplies. It is time to get started on creating those holdiay gifts!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6335128

Happy crafting!

Veteran's Day

I wanted to take a moment to thank all Veterans. Your service is truly appreciated.

In loving memory of my brother, LCPL Dale G. Peterson, KIA 4.23.07

It has been too long since I last updated my blog. The school year is in full swing (I teach a 5th/6th grade class) and I am finding very little time for sewing these days. Looking at the calendar the other day I realized that I had better get sewing if I want to have Christmas gifts ready in time!

Today my project is Reversible Fabric - Covered Headbands. The headband form I used fits an adult but picture is of my 2-year old wearing it, lots of flexibility without being tight. I love it but the pattern needs a bit of adjustment.

I am off to try another!

Back to the Blog and New Fabric to talk about

After a busy first month of school - I feel as though I am ready to focus some of my attention back to my sewing and fabric shop. Over the last two weeks, new fabrics have been trickling in. Some of my favorites are from the Apple Collection as well as the Earth Animal Party Collection. Both collections are full of nice rich colors that are perfect for fall and winter.

I have a couple of projects in mind already for these lovely fabrics!

Time Out Mat

After a wonderful first week back at school I am enjoying my weekend and planning a few sewing projects. My first one is going to be a Time Out mat for my two year old - she is a lovely child but lets face it, she is two. I am hoping to cut the letters out using my new Cricut Expressions machine.

Wish me luck!

Back to School

This last week I have been completely overwhelmed with planning for the new school year. This week teachers came back to get classrooms in order and to do some planning. Last year I taught middle school math 1/2 time which was lovely because I was able to pick up my little one before lunch and enjoy the afternoon at home with her. This year I will be teaching a 5th grade/6th grade blend and it will be full time.

I don't think I even glanced at my sewing machine this week. I am hoping after a couple of weeks I will be adjusted to my new schedule and will be able to fit in some sewing here and there.

Other news - I am anxiously awaiting two shipments of fantastic fabric! I'll post a link when it arrives.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

New little dress

The other day while shopping at a lovely little quilt store I came across a wonderful pattern by Vanilla House Designs. I decided to give it a try - I have been looking for a simple dress pattern for my daughter who is a little over two years old.

One thing I especially loved about this dress is that it comes together quickly and the pieces are all rectagles.

The next time I make this dress I will adjust the neck hole - it just seems a little small.

Reusable Snack Bag

I LOVE shopping on Etsy! One of my lastest finds was this reusable snack bag I purchased from Birdy's Boutique at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7034922. Birdy's Boutique is full of eco friendly bags and gifts - I really enjoy her fabric choices. The snack bag I purchased featured Michael Miller's Henna Garden in Pink.

If you are anything like me, you feel a pang of guilt when you through away plastic bags after lunch. These reusable snack bags are a great solution.

I originally purchased this for my daughter because I thought it would be handy to through in her diaper bag but once it arrived I fell in love with it and am thinking about using it myself. I guess that means I will have to buy another!

Thank you UPS!

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Today when I went to get my mail there was a box full of catalogs from a new distributor I am going to order from. Then when I got home there was a box on my porch that the UPS man had delivered and it had some fabric and patterns that I was anxiously waiting for.

I will be listing them in my shop late this weekend - I am leaving for a camping trip in a few hours and won't be able to post them before I leave. So...take a look sometime Sunday for new listings in my shop at www.fernridgefabrics.com

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Another project finished:)

I am so glad that I finally made the decision to sew a rag quilt for my bed. I rarely make things for myself and this was something I had been thinking about for quite awhile. With school just around the corner I have a new classroom to set up so I knew I had either jump in and sew my blanket or wait until Christmas break. I am anticipating a very busy school year since I am making the move from teaching middle school math to teaching a 5/6 blend at an elementary school.

I used fabrics from Amy Butlers' Lotus Collection in shades of blue, green, and gray. Most of the fabrics I used for this rag quilt have been discontinued - a few will be available again in November.

After finishing the rag quilt I decided matching pillow cases were a must! (Picture is a little dark, had to use the camera on my cell phone...)

It is coming back!!!!

Just got the news today, part of Amy Butler's Lotus Collection will be returning. Enough of us were upset that it was being discontinued that they decided to bring back 10 prints - I'll be making an order for my shop, http://www.fernridgefabrics.com/, soon so check back often!

Table Runner

The last few weeks have been crazy! We hosted a family reunion on our farm - there was so much to do to prepare. One of the projects that I worked on was a table runner to match the little curtain I made for the window above my kitchen sink.

This table runner features some of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics - Morning Glory in Linen, Wallflower in Cherry, and Full Moon Polka Dot in Cherry - all discontinued unfortunately. It is a basic table runner but I free motion quilted it to add some interest. This is the first thing that I have ever completed using free motion quilting. I took a free motion quilting class about a year ago but just hadn't spent the time practicing until this summer.

I am pleased with how this turned out. The back isn't as nice as I would like it but one of my husband's aunts (who is an amazing quilter) reminded me that I have a bobbin holder specifically designed for free motion quilting and that by using it I will not have the same tension problems that I had with this table runner.

I am so glad I finally did free motion quilting and can't wait to try again on my next project!

First Weekend Shopping Extravaganza...

So excited for the Shopping Extravaganza -

Beginning on Saturday August 1st at 12:00 AM EST, the Etsy Supply Street Team is hosting another "First Weekend Shopping Extravaganza." This months event will run from Saturday, August 1st - Sunday, August 2nd, 2009.

I plan on adding to the Sale/Specials section of my shop for the First Weekend Shopping Extravaganza - be sure to check the event out on www.etsy.com and in my shop at www.fernridgefabrics.etsy.com

Shoe store fun

When I am not teaching, sewing, selling fabric, doing farm chores, or chasing after the little one I work part time at a shoe store - just a day a week during the summers. It is a dangerous place because I LOVE shoes and I get an employee discount.

The shoe store I work at sells European comfort shoes - Danskos, Romikas, and Birkenstocks are a few of my favorites. Last year a couple of students asked how many different pairs of clogs I owned. I actually don't have that many...mostly because I don't have that big of a closet.

Last week when I worked I told myself that I wouldn't buy any shoes - I should have made that same vow when I left the house today. I fell in love with a lovely Mary Jane style shoe by Romika named the Milla. It should be here in a couple weeks - can't wait.

Jumping Cow

This morning I thought I would get up and enjoy a nice iced soy mocha with a touch of almond flavor while I waited for my little one to wake up. I was just taking a glass out of the cabinet when I got a call from my husband who was on his way to work. Apparently he had just received a phone call from one of our neighbors who wanted to let us know one of our cows was out. I knew which cow it was right away - we have one that occasionally jumps the fence to see if there is anything interesting on the other side. Our hope was that as this cow grew he would no longer be able to clear the fence, I really don't know how he does it!

Since my husband commutes about 45 minutes it wasn't possible for him to turn around and come home to deal with the cow. Chasing a cow with a 2 year old isn't the best plan but lucky for me we have GREAT neighbors. They were able to send one of their farm hands to get the cow back in the field.

And the best part...my little one is still sleeping and I can enjoy my coffee!

Amy Butler's Swing Bag - finished!

The other day I blogged about the great deal I found on an Amy Butler Swing Bag Pattern. Today I made it a priority to make one. I decided to use two fabrics from Joel Dewberry's retired Manzanita Collection.

The good - pattern is very easy to follow, only a few pieces, quick to put together, doesn't take much fabric, reversible

The bad - I had a hard time making turns while sewing because of the canvas layer

Next time - Next time I think that I will use an interfacing and see how it turns out. While I like the fact that the canvas layer makes the bag more sturdy feeling, it was a bit difficult to work with (could just be my inexperience with canvas). For this bag I left off the bow but I may make one later tonight because it does add a bit of style to an otherwise simple bag.

Amy Butler Swing Bag

The other day I stopped in the local quilt store. It is a great store but doesn't carry many designer fabrics - which is part of why I opened my own fabric shop on etsy (http://www.fernridgefabrics.etsy.com/). As I was looking around I noticed a lone Amy Butler pattern sitting on the counter - and it was for sale - and for a great price! I have been wanting to purchase an Amy Butler pattern for a purse but every time I am at a quilt store I am trying to stick to a budget and there never seems to be money left for a new pattern by the time I pick out fabrics.

Now the hard part is picking which two fabrics from my stash I want to use. I took a picture of the pattern with two fabrics - a nice Joel Dewberry print from his new collection and Amy Butler's Happy Dots.

I have read through the pattern and cut out the paper pieces. It seems like a pretty simple pattern. Hope it turns out well!

New wall hanging

About a month ago I saw a great idea in a craft store. Using a canvas, wooden letters, ribbon, fabric, and vinyl saying - I created a wonderful new wall hanging. I can't believe how quickly this project went. I painted the wooden letters the night before and then glued/stapled all the pieces together in about half an hour. (Finished size is 24 in x 12 in)

Now I just need to decide where to hang it!

Cowboy Boot Fabric, hmm...

I grew up in a very rural, very small Eastern Oregon town. A town where there are still real cowboys who work on cattle ranches. Cowboy boots are nothing new to me but because I lived in town I never saw the need for them. When my husband and I moved onto our farm a few years ago I bought a pair of cowboy boots because they make sense.

My daughter turned two last week and one of her grandmothers bought her a pair of wonderful pink and brown cowboy boots - the real thing, no dress up boots in this house! She hasn't taken them off - they are the first thing she puts on in the morning and I have to pry them off at bedtime.

While I have seen cowboy boot fabric I haven't paid that close of attention to it because it just wasn't something that I thought I would need - not really my style I guess. Seeing how much my little one loves her cowboy boots I think that I need to find the perfect Western fabric so that I can make her a little purse or skirt to go with those amazing boots. Wish me luck on my searches!

New Tote - Love It!

A few weeks ago I worked with a wonderful Etsy shop, The Pink Paisley Totes at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5634183, on a custom tote. I sent some of my favorite fabric from Patricia Bravos' Feelings II Collection to have made into a tote for this next school year. The teacher in me loves totes! The tote that I used this last year has seen better days and it wasn't really cute - I actually had a student ask me if I took my tote in public!

I am so impressed with the tote that Lori created for me. The quality is amazing and her turnaround time was quick. I have had lots of great experiences purchasing from shops on Etsy but this was one of my best.

Such a busy week

I just started my blog and am already slacking. It has been a busy week - lots of fun summer activities to distract me from my goals. After the long weekend I plan to dedicate some serious time to organizing my work space, updating my books, and picking some new fabrics for my shop.

Update - I finished the skirt that I started last week with the lovely Lily fabric in red from Joel Dewberry's Manzanita Collection. I ended up giving it as a gift - isn't it great to have friends who wear the same size? I should have taken a picture before giving it away.

Amy Butler Barcelona Skirt

Today's goal is to complete a skirt that I started a couple of weeks ago. Hay season this year is taking forever because the weather is not cooperating so I haven't had a lot of time to sew.

I bought an Amy Butler Barcelona Skirt Pattern a couple of months ago and have made 4 skirts so far. I am usually not big on patterns but I found this one to be so easy to follow and the results have been great. No more buying skirts in the store for me!

For this skirt I chose Joel Dewberry's Lily in Red - this fabric is from the Manzantia Collection that is no longer available. I hate it when one of my favorite fabric collections is discontinued (Amy Butler's Lotus Collection was one of my all time favorites).

I'll post pictures of the finished skirt soon.

Fun on the Farm

While reading through other blogs and contemplating this blog I have decided to share a bit about farm life.

When dogs met skunk....

Last week we were in the barn looking at pigs when our dogs started barking. As my husband went toward them to see what they were so upset about - he quickly turned around. The dogs had cornered a skunk. Not good. We told our two year old that the dogs were smelly and not to pet them. She started calling them "pooey doggies."

This week the dogs smell a little less but my daughter is still telling everyone we meet that the dogs are poo. I don't think that they learned anything but I am hoping for no more skunks for a while.

Farm life is never boring! If I ever design a line of fabric I will be sure to include some skunks, so cute yet such a bad smell.

Welcome to my new Blog!

Greetings ~

Now that summer is here I have decided to create a blog for my shop - Fern Ridge Fabrics (http://www.fernridgefabrics.etsy.com/). It has been about a year since I opened my fabric shop and it is continuing to grow.

I have been sewing and creating gifts for family and friends for years. A couple of years ago I discovered Etsy and began selling some of my baby quilts and learning toys online. It has been a great learning experience and has pushed me to improve my sewing skills. Through Etsy I was introduced to designer fabrics that I don't have access to in the small town in which I live. I fell in love with designers like Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry - after purchasing lots of fabric from sellers on Etsy I decided to open my own fabric shop.

So here I am. My goal for this blog is to keep customers up to date on what is going on in my shop and to share some of the wonderful purchases that I have made on Etsy. I often buy things made with the fabrics that I sell - I will be adding some pictures and descriptions soon. (My latest purchase was a wonderful custom tote for this next school year!)