Kathreen Ricketson has come out with a phenomenal new quilting book called Little Bits Quilting Bee. All the quilts in the book are made out of charm squares, jelly rolls, layer cakes, and fat quarters. If you think I’m talking about delicious pastries you are not that far off. Although those are all names for packs of fabrics, sewers ooo and ahh over them like kids in a candy store. I know I have drooled over a jelly roll, but had no reason to buy such a delicacy.

The book is beautiful, the designs are young and graphic, and the directions are thorough. That is practically a given when you pair Kathreen + Chronicle books. But lets get to the fun bit: choosing fabrics. I picked a favorite quilt from each of the four categories in the book and then stood staring in front of the giant wall of fabric that is the internet.

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LAYER CAKE: pre-cut 10 in./25 cm squares that usually come in packs of 40

I think the sunny day mat is the perfect project to make for your best friend who is finally having a baby. I would love to do it mostly in navy and white (because she will of course know babies love looking at high contrast colors), then play around with some beautiful blue and white hand printed fabrics for the inner circle and all those prairie points!

1. brushstrokes in teal
2. blue jars fabric
3. huts handprinted fabric
4. organic cotton block printed fabric
5. weave hand screenprinted fabric

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CHARM SQUARES: packs of pre-cut 5 in/12 cm squares

Cloud song is everyone’s favorite quilt from the book. Maybe because it’s gray and cold outside right now, but I think this quilt would be amazing with a blue/gray color scheme. Wouldn’t some liberty of london prints make a lovely sky? Look it there, they sell a charm square pack that is just perfect.

1. blues for you fat quarter stack
2. liberty of london muted palette charm squares
3. kona shades of gray and charcoal scraps

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FAT QUARTERS:  a quarter of a yard measuring about 18 x 22 in/46 x 56 cm

I love the Garnets and Gold quilt in the book mostly because I reminds me of my first quilt, but also because it’s so stinking cheery. Done in vintage floral sheets, you couldn’t help but be happy making it–and sleeping under it!

• pick your own sheet fat quarter bundle

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 JELLY ROLL: pre-cut 2 1/2 in/6cm strips of fabric cut selvage to selvage

I would love to tone down the rainbowness of this bold quilt with some muted, hand dyed fabric. Actually, while I was looking around the internet for fabrics I found it very difficult to find handmade fabrics made up into packs like this–jelly rolls were by far the hardest to find. If there are any screen printers or other fabric makers out there–here is your niche! Quilters are crazy for fabric. Cra. Zy. And I’m betting they would love make a quilt from your hand printed goodness.

1. cool fall leaves hand dyed jelly roll
2. hand dyed cotton jelly roll, AUTUMN

As a little treat I have one book to giveaway! So leave something lovely in the comments and I’ll pick a winner tomorrow evening. Good luck! And follow along on the book tour to see more lovely quilts from Little Bits Quilting Bee.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Wednesday, November 9 – luvinthemommyhood & Elsie Marley
Thursday, November 10 – True Up
Friday, November 11 – House on Hill Road & CraftyPod

Monday, November 14 – Handmade by Alissa & Hello My Name Is Heather
Tuesday, November 15 – West Coast Crafty & Foxy Art Studio
Wednesday, November 16 – Patch Andi & The Last Piece
Thursday, November 17 – In Color Order & Duo Fiberworks
Friday, November 18 – Kristin La Flamme & Camp Follower Bags & Quilts

Monday, November 21 – Quilt Dad
Tuesday, November 22 – Pat Sloan & Pleasant Home

It seems like forever that I have been waiting for a book about sewing clothes for boys and I know there are many of you out there in the same boat. The women behind the successful pattern line, Pattern for Figgy have come to the rescue! Their first book, Sewing for Boys, is full of nicely designed boy’s clothes for every season and a few accessories to boot.

Shelly and Karen have really thought through what boys need and want: the clothes have to be comfortable (even if they are for dressing up), durable, washable, and above all have lots of pockets! And a carrying case for legos and lego dudes is pretty awesome too.

When got the book, I opened it up to the first page and fell in love with the Henry shirt. The shirt is a short sleeve, snap up, collar shirt with pockets–much like a guayabera shirt, or what we used to call “old man casual” shirts (only because my dad used to wear them). But it is just right for little boys too. And it is just right for showing off that bit of cute boy fabric you have been saving. The Henry shirt in the book is made with a beautifully subtle airplane fabric designed by Daniela Caine of Tangerine Samurai.

I thought I had chosen beautiful fabrics as well: a double sided japanese fabric with checks on one side and plaid on the other; and a soft cotton in navy. Well, it turns out when you put them together it looks like my son works at a hot dog cart franchise or as a refrigerator repair man. It is a bad uniform.

But it is a bad uniform with a stand up collar that I made! The project was definitely above my current sewing skills (it is labeled advanced, but don’t worry there are projects for every level in the book). I was nervous going into it, especially when I didn’t see a picture for every step–I’m more of a visual learner. Turns out it was better that there were fewer diagrams because it made me read the directions more closely. And the directions in this book are clear and very succinct. They taught me how to make this shirt and I didn’t pull out one hair or have to mix up a cocktail to get through it.

Granted, I still managed to sew the yoke on completely upside down and had to unpick the whole thing, but cut me some slack I’ve never made a button up shirt before. Well, almost a button shirt–it doesn’t actually have buttons on it yet.  I’m trying to find some that will make it a little less bad uniform. The pattern calls for snaps, which is perfect for boys, but I think snaps will take this shirt into even worse uniform territory.

The directions are good, the patterns are basic and beautiful, and the pictures are pretty cute too. So really, if you sew and you have boys you need this book.   But hoodies, tee shirts, tunics, girls wear all those things too. Even though this book says it’s for boys, whatever, let’s not get all sexist with our sewing machines now.  Next on my list is the two-in-one reversible jacket–it’s labeled intermediate, so I’m not too nervous.

If you would like to know more about this book or the other craft books published by Wiley, head on over to their site where they have Q & As with the authors and a few free projects too. And you can follow along on the Sewing for Boys book tour:

September 5 Made by Rae
September 6 Sew, Mama, Sew
September 7 The Southern Institute & Film in the Fridge
September 8 Elsie Marley
September 9 Noodlehead & Oh, Fransson!
September 10 I Heart Linen
September 11 Anna Maria Horner
September 12 Craft Buds, Pink Chalk Fabric, Prudent Baby, Sew Much Ado
September 13 Very Purple Person, Quilt Story & Sew Sara
September 14 The Long Thread
September 15 Susan Beal
September 16 True Up
September 17 All Buttoned Up & Bolt Fabric Boutique
September 18 MADE & Wiley Craft

Meg from Sew Liberated asked if I would kick off the book tour for her new book, Growing Up Sew Liberated. How could I say no to a fellow Meg, especially one as talented as Meg McElwee? I loved her first book, so I knew this one, which is devoted to the littles, would be fantastic too.  And it is! Not only is it full of beautiful things to sew, but the projects are organized around a child’s day: waking up, eating, playing inside, going out to play and getting ready for bed.

This shirt I made from the book, the crossover top, is in the “greeting the morning” chapter. It is meant to be a simple top, but is so perfect for jammies that I couldn’t resist. I had some super soft knit squirreled away for something and this was just the something.

This is a very quick and easy project. There was one step that tripped me a up, but I still finished the whole shirt in about an hour and a half. Next time it’ll be under an hour for sure. And there will be a next time, because the boys need summer jammies too. Obviously my heart fabric makes the shirt a little girly, but the pattern itself works for boys as well. And really all the projects in the book are refreshingly unisex.

And quite simple to customize as well. Like these shorts: the pattern was for sleeping johns (what a great name!) but seeing as it’s suddenly 90 degrees here shorts were in order. I added the ribbing detail on the bottom because I had the ribbing out for the shirt–and because it’s cute. Meg has designed clothes and accessories with simple details that are lovely on their own, but also would look fabulous all embellished up!

Many of the projects are just right for gifts as well. We are pretty much past the bib stage in our house, but the all-by-myself bib, which is cleverly based on an envelope style shirt (there’s a pattern for those in the book too!), looks pretty much like the perfect bib. I’m big on giving useful gifts–for babies and older kids–but I want something that is awesome as well as practical. Honestly, pretty much every project in the book fits this description. It’s nice to sew a pretty gift, but unless it’s going to get played with it, it’s not doing anyone any good. A play cape, an art satchel, a sleep sack, a cloth doll, an adjustable messenger bag, I would enjoy making all of them and I know they would all be well received and loved.

Growing up Sew Liberated is a fantastic book, simple as that. Please follow the book tour to see other sneak peeks and beautiful projects from Meg’s new book!

Growing Up Sew Liberated Blog Tour

Join Interweave Books in a celebration of the launch of Meg McElwee’s new book, Growing Up Sew Liberated. The launch kicks off with a 15-day blog tour visiting education blogs, sewing blogs, parenting blogs, personal blogs, eco-living blogs, and some that are simply a combination of all of the above.  You’ll meet some extraordinary women, see stunning photography, hear inspirational stories from Meg and many of her friends, and of course learn more about the book. Perhaps you’ll find some new favorite bloggers to follow along the way? Join us each day as we visit with:

6/6         Elsie Marley

6/7         Made By Rae

6/8         The Artful Parent

6/9         Rhythm of the Home Blog

6/10       Uncommon Grace

6/13      Simple Homeschool

6/14       Burda Style

6/15       Maya Made

6/16       Wise Craft

6/17       JC Handmade

6/20      Frontier Dreams

6/21       Made