FINALLY!

Happy Halloween!!! Did you spend your weekend sewing your guts out over costumes this weekend like me? Or did you binge watching Stranger Things Season 2? How about watching Quilt Market unfold on Instagram? These are busy times!

I'm relieved Halloween is here and the costumes ALL have been sewn. AND finally I can show you my secret sewing! I've been sitting on these projects since August and I'm so relieved I can finally show them to you. PHEW! 

Mid August Camelot Fabrics approached me commissioning a quilt for this Fall's Quilt Market. They had a video game collection called GAME ON by Elizabeth Silver and thought we might be a good fit ( I especially love her panels that I used for the backing!). I sent off of some drafts and was able to sneak in a new design I was working on. The GAME ON quilt. I'm thinking I'll developing this as an entire alphabet. Oh and did I mention it was English paper pieced? Yep! Every letter. Oh big, BIG thanks to Bev Funk who quilted these for me!

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR PLAYLIST: From the Stranger Things 2 soundtrack DEVO! WHIP IT... grab that whip! 

Have the BEST time making HAPPY, safe and SPOOK-tack-U-lar HALLOWEEN memories today! 

 

AS MY FRIEND CAROL BROWNE ALWAYS SAYS "HIPPO BIRDIES TWO EWES!"

Between my last newsletter and this one, I had a birthday! What made it really special were a few packages that arrived on my door step. Last year I joined a Maker's Club, a secret birthday swap. And really, as a maker, is there ANYTHING better than receiving something handmade? We know the time, effort and care that goes into such things. Plus these Maker Club ladies really take it to a new level. They're very attentive to their partners likes, not to mention they take wrapping to a whole new level... check out #themakersclubswap on Instagram. You'll see.

As I picked up one of the parcels from my step I discovered Lindsey from @lostandfawned was my secret partner! What you need to know about Lindsey is she has twins, two adorable little boys. She gets an incredible amount of creative work done while raising them. Plus, she does it with such elegance. I was shocked and delighted at everything she made and sent!

PHOTO 1) I opened the package to discover a one hour basket made from essex metallic linen hugging a bunch of presents!

PHOTO 2) After taking out all the presents I discovered it had been also filled with pom-poms! And you know I LOVE pom-poms!

PHOTO 3) See the bird on the knit cloth?! It matches perfectly with the fabric inside the basket and the shopping bag. Ooo and the local handmade bath bombs smell SOOO good.

PHOTO 4) SOCKS! I've never had hand knit socks before. Ooo they feel like soft pillowy clouds on my feet. They are heaven. Check out Lindsey's sock project on Raverly HERE. She used her vanilla sock recipe with a true afterthought heel and a twisted rib for the cuff. The sock yarn is Felici (Saltwater Taffy colourway). The contrast colour is Stroll (Ash), both are from Knit Picks. I don't knit so I have no idea what any of that means but if you do and you want to make someone feel really loved, please knit them these socks. They will LOVE you forever!

PHOTO 4) Lindsey sent every present with the cutest little tags. This ones says, let's get organized *set some priorities*. I cannot tell you how much I adore Washi tape, note books, sticky notes, and sticky note book markers. Oh and the buttons. Swoon!

PHOTO 5) Meet Jimmy! This is what I have named this sweet little bear cup holder. I named him after Jim Croce. Get it?! His last name sounds like Crochet. Ba-ha,ha! Isn't Jimmy just the loveliest fellow? Lindsey mentioned he was made from vintage wool yarn, which makes me love him even more. If you're so inclined (Christmas is just around the corner) watch this video on how to make him from Flying Mio.

... AND if that wasn't enough Catherine @kittingcatherine from the Makers Club send me hand knit socks too!!! (I love how they don't match each other!) A makers pin (which I will wear with pride!) and the most beautiful mason jar cookie. Yes, it was as yummy as it looked!

... AND THEN there's Jonna @bespokeoutlaw. Remember... she's the one who made me that makers tote last year. She's so clever. You have to be careful what you say around her tho, she's listening. We were chatting a while back and I was saying how I need to make one of those iron holder totes... yep and that's what I unwrapped. And it matches my makers tote! Of course! And because she's insane in the membrane (in the best possible way) she didn't stop there! There was a chocolate poop emoji, Uppercase fabric charm pack, Wonder Woman paraphernalia, Cotton + Steel fabric and Sulky thread! Plus cassette socks!!! MIND BLOWN. And they were all in a Cassette basket! The cherry on top was a book called "Care Packages" by Michelle Makintosh. Total eye candy. 

Seriously makers are the best!

Lastly, (because it's tradition now!) RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR PLAYLIST: I was thinking Ooo, I should recommend a Jim Crochet song but I can't. I love him because my Dad loved him but... (my dad also loved Sade, remember her?). I just didn't get those easy listening genes. I got these ones. Turn your volume to 11, sit back, put on your hand knit socks on and prepare for THE WAY YOU USED TO DO by Queens of the Stone Age. 

 

 

 

BOOMBOX SEW-A-LONG WEEK 8 - the cassette tape zippy pouch instructions AND!

Lots of exciting things this week! First: the final week of the BOOMBOX sewing machine cover sew-a-long! This last week was my favorite: the cassette tape zippy pouch (that fits inside the sewing machine cover). You can get the instructions HERE. You'll also need this PDF page for the cassette tape bottom.

If you didn't get a chance to do the sew-a-long, fear not! This fall, I'll be compiling all the instructions into a permanent tutorial that will live on my site. It will be here for you whenever you need it! Don't worry, I got your back. 

Second: You know what else is exciting? Cotton + Steel came out with their 2017 Spring Collections Look Book. I've always loved their Look Books AND now I'm IN one of them. SEE!

Third: My CASSINGLE pattern has been released on ETSY and Craftsy! YAY! To celebrate all this excitement, we're going to have ourselves a give away! To enter, leave a comment here telling me your favourite 80's song. I'll add it to my 80's playlist and I'll post the winners name (and favourite song) on the newsletter next week. BUT wait! You have three chances to win. Leave a comment here, on the Lysa Flower Facebook Page or on Instagram (contest and rules will be posted on Facebook and Instagram by noon tomorrow PST). Good luck!

BOOMBOX-SEW-A-LONG: WEEK 7 (don't you love it when it ALL comes together!)

Have you seen what Angelini @suchastitch has been up to? I've LOVED seeing her progress on Instagram (#boomboxsewalong #lysaflowerpatterns). She's posted photos, starting with an inspirational BOOMBOX art wall, to her colouring sheet including her fabric selection and ALL her sewing (especially those teeny tiny pieces). Have a look at what a smarty pants she was! On the tiny pieces on the back of the pattern I noticed she coloured them! BRILLIANT! She also made two cassettes. She wasn't happy with the first one (which I loved) so she made a new one (which I also LOVED). I could never choose between them. Please done ever make me!

This week the sew-a-long is quite exciting! The boombox gets sewn ALL together. Next week is even more exciting because we're going to be making the cassette zippy pouch! Yay! All right. I need to settle down, I'm getting a head of myself. This weeks instructions you can get HERE.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCT: I like spray starch. There I said it. BUT did you know starch is made out of potatoes? You know who likes potatoes? Bugs. The last thing I want are bugs to be interested in my quilts. Or my anything! Here's a solution. Soak! Have you heard of it? This spring I came across their booth at Quilt Market. I also like smelly things. There I said that too. I prefer scents that are fresh and not to flower-y. They have dreamy scents! Their solution to spray starch is called FLATTER. It gives me that extra crispness I'm looking for when I'm paper piecing my heart out. Oh and they also have (soy based) labels designed by Carolyn Friedlander and Deynse Schmidt. Pretty, nice smelling and useful. I'm sold.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR 80's PLAYLIST: Styx-Too Much Time On My Hands. Check out this Jimmy Fallon Split screen - Hilarious! 

PS. Speaking of time, this week I came across this quote: Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes everyday. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientist can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so. time is amazingly fair and forgiving. Not matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. - Denis Waitely - Serious!

 

BOOMBOX-SEW-A-LONG WEEK 6: FEAR NOT THE SUMMER SLUMP

Early June: Woo Hoo! Summer is almost here! As soon as the kids are out of school, I'm going to have SO much extra time. I'm going to finish this and this and...

<insert outrageous, unattainable list here> 

Reality. Present day: Oofft! It's HOT, I feel melt-y. Hey look at this new shiny thing over here! Where do you need to be driven? Sure so and so can come over. Crap, I better clean up! Unfinished projects score: 52 and 3/4. Finished projects score: 1/4. Ah, the summer slump. Oh yeah! I remember now, didn't this happen last year? 

I was chatting with @bespokeoutlaw and @sewhungryhippie on Instagram who've been feeling the summer slump too, which I was INCREDIBLY relieved to hear. Until then I was convinced I was the only one. Phew! This led me to thinking about and digging for solutions to a summer slump.

RECOMMENDED TO BEAT THE SUMMER SLUMP: Marie Forleo and her 3 Steps to Retrain Your Brain So You Can Be More Productive Than Ever episode helped to quenched my thirst! I can do that!

THE JEALOUS CURATORART for your ear SUMMER CAMP. I LOVE, love, loved what she assigned for week 5. How liberating. I've got my guild sew-in's on the calendar and I CAN NOT wait.

But you know what helped me the most? Being trapped in a car for hours. Yes! A good old fashioned road trip. It's like an isolation tank but you end up somewhere! HA! Perfection. Our little family did a quick-y trip down to Portland. Not only did I finally get my binding done on my Katie Peterson Psychedelic Baby workshop quilt (big reveal still to come), I had a chance to visit Fabric Depot (first time) and Modern Domestic (they moved)! I bought my first Row by Row there. Uh-oh! Finished projects score: 1- 1/4. Unfinished projects score: 52 and 3/4 (aw, the number didn't go down). Hence my new mantra, "It will all get done". 

Oh right Week 6 instructions! You can get them HERE. This week we're sewing the Boombox back pockets! Yay! Check out @emsteratx progress on her sewing machine cover! Gah! LOVE! Now don't worry if the summer slump gets a hold of you, all is okay. The sew-a-long instructions will become a tutorial that'll permanently be a part of my site. It'll be here waiting for you when you need it. Say it with me, "It will all get done". And while it all gets done...

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR 80's PLAYLIST: Jenny 867-5309 by Tommy Tutone, My Sharona by the Knack and Kim Wilde's Kids in America (which I thought the Go Go's did-whoops!)

 

 

BOOMBOX SEW-A-LONG! HERE WE GO!...

Y'all want this party started, right? Y'all want this party started quickly, right? Get this weeks BOOMBOX sew-a-long PDF instructions... HERE.

In it you will find the schedule, how to figure out the dimensions for your sewing machine cover, a list of extra supplies, fabric AND instructions for the first block: the radio (the top band). Lots of things to decide this week and a little bit of sewing. Next week there will be more sewing, so if you feel behind, there'll be time to catch up. Oh and if you've never heard of Bosal foam and are wondering what's the difference is, I found this link for you.  

I'd like to add that the Boombox pattern is a leaping off point, either keep it exactly the same or change it up. Don't want to make the equalizer, no problem, make more knobs. See easy! Also, if making the tape open makes your head spin, just sew the front all together as one piece. It's allowed. It'll still look awesome! 

I can't wait to see your fabric selections and progress! Remember to post on Instagram under #lysaflowerpatterns, #boomboxsewalong or #sewinglikeamothertrucker. If you're not on Instagram, feel free to post on the Lysa Flower FACEBOOK page. That's also a great place to post if you have a question. 

RECOMMENDED TOOL: Love it or hate it, hello seam ripper (again)! We spend a lot of time with this tool, don't we? I don't mind ripping any more but I've become quite fussy about which seam ripper I use. My favourite seam ripper is a Seam-Fix by Dritz. I LOVE how skinny the poky thing is (highly technical term). The rubbery ball on the end, I CAN NOT live without it! It's great for pulling out those straggler threads. And yes I decorated them with poop emoji stickers. HA!

Warning there are 1/4" pieces in the pattern. Hang in there, you can DO IT!  Oh did I mention I'm a TED TALK junkie?

RECOMMENDED PEP TALK: TED TALK, Grit: the power of passion and perseverance by Angela Lee Duckworth.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR PLAYLIST: NEW 80's sounding DREAMCAR! Dare I call them a super group?! It's a mash up between No Doubt's band and the singer from AFI. Totally RAD!

BOOMBOX PATTERN COMPLETE! WOO HOO!

It's done. Holy smokes! It's done! The Boombox quilt pattern is done!

WOW! A LOT has happened in the past few months. In February Kim Kight, co-founder of Cotton + Steel, invited me to sew for her new Snap to Grid Spring 2017 Collection! There was (again) A LOT of secret sewing going on-whoa doggie! And then there was Quilt Market! That was a check off my bucket list moment! I'm still processing it all. That lovely lady on the left is Kerry Goulder. She did the awesome #HotSkatesQuilt behind us. I can't wait to make it!

I'm thrilled I can finally share everything with you! One project was my Boombox Sewing Machine Cover. Originally, I had a tutorial planned but then I thought, you know what would be even more fun?! A sew-a-long!! It starts next Tuesday, June 6 and will go for eight weeks. 

To get started, it's easy peasy...

Step 1: Subscribe to my newsletter to receive weekly instructions. New subscribers get 10% off my ETSY patterns! BONUS!

Step 2: Pop over to ETSY (or Craftsy, I'm on there too now. YAY!) pick up the Boombox Quilt Pattern and if you want to make the cassette zippy pouch that goes inside the Boombox, you'll need to pick that up too. 

Step 3: Post your weekly progress to my Lysa Flower FACEBOOK page OR on Instagram using the hashtag #lysaflowerpatterns

Post your completed Boombox sewing machine cover by July 30th midnight PST to either site and win a Sulky Snap to Grid thread pack! It's dreamy.

Please note: for the Boombox pattern it's important to have some experience with paper piecing. 

Any keeners out there? I'll have the schedule written up for next week BUT if you want to get your party started early, the fabric requirements in the quilt pattern are the same for the sewing machine cover, up until the "Face of the Boombox and handle". Stop when you get to there. Until then, enjoy the coloring/planning page! This is going to be, to quote Cypress Hill, "insane in the membrane!" fun! I added the fun part (wink).

P.S. Yes that is a cassette book cover. And yes a tutorial is coming for that too!

 

 

 

#putacassettetapeonit

I've been off the grid lately. I've been in the depths of writing my boombox pattern (side note spellcheck is pretty sure when I write "boombox", I mean boob box... interesting). 

While I've been underground I have been enjoying the notifications from Instagram. It seems people are using my cassette tape pattern and putting them on zippy pouches! So clever! I was chatting with my friend Dana (@danahannah310) about how we should, instead of Portlandia's "put a bird on it", we should flip it to "put a cassette on it"!

Which brings me to these photos. This is Sherri (@sherrichalke). She's a ray of sunshine! She tested the Hard-core Mixed Cassette Tape Pattern and  when she was done the mini quilt, she used the cassette pattern pieces and combined them with Sonja Callaghan's (@artisania) bag pattern (second, side note: Sonja taught me how to paper piece!) Sherri and I went to Quiltcon 2016 together and I must say the bag was quite the hit. But I think also because of her sun shiny smile!

 

 

I'm Overwhelmed... but in a good way.

I wasn't 100% sure what making sewing patterns entailed. All I knew is that I wanted to make them. Then Instagram. To my shock and delight upon completing my Mixed Cassette Tape Quilt, requests for a pattern flooded my feed. It gave me momentum, encouragement and the kick in the pants to hurry up and do it already! Then, the same thing happened with my Control Freak quilt (pattern released in December 2016) and recently with my Say Anything quilt (pattern coming 2017). You have no idea how tickled and grateful I am for those requests.

What I wasn't prepared for... I don't even know how to put it into words. All I know, it's BY FAR my favourite part of being a sewing pattern designer. See the look on Laura's (@lbaker537) husbands face Christmas morning! When I saw that photo I realized this pattern is out in the wild! People are making it! This project has become part of their daily lives. 200%! that's how much Sara (@sewsweetness) blew up the pattern to make a snugly quilt for her son! (Photo not shown but seriously go check it out!) Amazing! Rebecca (@hugsarefun) also made a pillow for her husband and so did Ann (@stitchsupplyco), again for her son. All were made to be opened Christmas morning... I'm a little verklempt! Thank you for welcoming these patterns into your life. It gives me the warm fuzzies all over! 

 

1989 called and they want their Boombox back.

Holy moly! Talk about sewing like a mother trucker. That was a whirlwind of a project. I posted it's making on Instagram. Are you on Instagram? Love Instagram. If you are on Instagram think of this as an instant replay. 

From start to finish this took about a month. You'd think a month would be oodles of time... but it's not. It's really not. I'd been sitting on this idea for a while now but when the idea did come to me it was as though I was struck by lighting. After my Mixed Cassette tape quilt I had been searching for something to new to do with it. Then BAM! Memories flooded me with my first boombox... and they ended with John Cusack holding a Boombox over his head in the 1989 movie, Say Anything. *Spoiler alert* I called this quilt, "Say Anything"

Okay, that's all I got, I'm going to go have a nap. I'm pooped!

 

CIRCA 15 FABRIC STUDIO... We're all going to be okay.

As he walked to the car, I could see the weight of the world on my son's shoulders. He slumped down in the front seat and stared straight ahead. Then he asked, ”Have you seen “Humans Need Not Apply?”

I hadn't at the time. I have since though.

"We watched it in Socials" ... ahh, good old Socials. When did Socials go from interesting facts to complete doom and gloom?

"Basically", he continued, "by the time I have kids everything will be automated and nobody will have jobs."

I felt 100% relief in my bones. I knew he was wrong simply because I sew. After watching the show I still feel the same way.

Now don't get me wrong... I know many jobs will become automated. I accept that as a given. I believe the key is the pendulum. Take fashion: one season short skirts are all the rage, a few seasons later it’s all about the long skirts. Perhaps that's too fluffy of an example. Here's another one: Obama. Trump.

We all lead busy lives. Technology hasn't saved us as much time as promised. It’s made life faster. Which in this case, the pendulum is our saving grace. It gives momentum for movements like Carolyn Friedlander’s Slow Sewing Studio, Sublime Stitching and Embroidery… and don’t we all gasp when we realize someone has hand stitched an entire quilt... hello Sherri Lynn Wood! (Plus, did you know, mending is on trend right now in Britain?! Mending!!!)

With that "slow movement" pendulum, it includes trends to buy local and buying whole food. I suspect these “trends”, aren’t going anywhere. If anything the more things become automated, the more we see self checkouts, the more people will seek out handmade products, sold by the people who make them or grow them. Made by hand will be more sought out and become more precious. There’s a personality in these products that simply can’t be mass or auto produced. It’s simply impossible.

Another force behind that pendulum, with automation you loose connection to people. Connecting is something we sew-ers, sewists, quilters, crafters, create-ers, DIY-ers are really good at. We create connections through guilds, sew-ins, swaps, quilt bees, workshops, trunk shows, coffee klatches, in person and online (thank you technology for creating a smaller world and a bigger space for connection)!

Then (and I think even millennials would agree) nothing replaces walking into a beautiful store. Recently I popped by Circa 15 Fabric Studio, in fact I popped in again a week later because the first visit was so fantastic. I love the atmosphere, the FABRIC and of course the "in person", warm, friendly, knowledgeable service. Online is great and honestly I don’t know how you can have a brick and mortar fabric shop these days and not have an online store (Circa 15 has one). I do enjoy a little note with my name spelled correctly when I receive my online orders, still, I would never fully abandon the experience of walking into a beautiful fabric shop. It’s like a breath of fresh air and one that leaves me knowing, we’re all going to be okay.