Good morning!  Today I get to share a project with you that I recently finished.  

[Image source: Martingale Publishing]

The pattern is from the book Season to Taste by Jessica Dayon.  Jessica is my good friend and we met through Instagram when Jessica reached out to see if I wanted to collaborate with her for the Willow Quilt Along.  Jessica is one talented designer and has a heart of gold.  She inspires me daily.  I am constantly in awe of how much she accomplishes, her passion for quilting, and her really clever quilt designs!  Season to Taste is a beautiful book filled with 12 stunning projects (3 for each season of the year).  There are several projects in the book I would like to eventually make but I chose to make Harvest to share with you today.

My Harvest quilt looks so different than Jessica's version.

Isn't hers lovely though in browns and yellows?  I think it looks so cozy!

[Image source: Martingale Publishing]

I chose to use 30's reproduction prints because I've only made one 30's quilt in my life 

and I think I sold it somewhere along the way.  It was time to 

make another one because I love 30's fabrics!

One thing I like about Season to Taste is that even though there are 

3 quilt patterns for each season, most of the patterns would be great in any color scheme!  

So there really is a ton of versatility with this book. 

Isn't Harvest a cute pattern?

Mine is super scrappy and I was able to make the entire quilt top

using my stash.  Seems like I've been saying that alot lately...

(Which is a good thing!  For me, the year 2020 seems to be about staying home 

and using what you have!  I'm not mad about it, I love scrap quilts!)

My friend Jen Ostler quilted it with this beautiful Baptist Fan pattern

which I think suits the 30's fabrics really well.  Can you spy the little daisy Jen added in?

She always adds one surprise motif for the owner to find.  It's like a little game of

 hide 'n seek.

I got these great custom quilt labels from Border City Quilts on Etsy.

They're the 2" cotton fold-over tags.

Harvest finishes at 66-1/2" x 86-1/2".  

Here are a couple of the other quilts I would love to make from Jessica's book:

  

  

[Image source for last 3 photos: Martingale Publishing]

Those are just a few of the great patterns in Season to Taste!  

Ask your local quilt shop to get Season to Taste or you can find it HERE on Amazon.

I really encourage you to support your local quilt shops if you can though!

I'm so happy for Jessica and proud of the beautiful book and projects she created!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy holidays my friends.

Sewing Themed (Watercolor) Bottle Brush Trees

 Hey friends!  It's been a while since I've checked in here!  I've missed you guys! 
I've been busy working on some quilts that I hope to share with you soon but today 

I have a festive and easy craft project I want to share with you!

While doing some Christmas shopping recently I spied these cute sewing themed 

bottle brush trees and just had to get them!   Aren't they so cute on the spools of twine?  

I found them at one of my favorite stores called Sunriver Gardens located in Orem, Utah.

Shortly after I found those, I found these knitted sweater trees

at a bakery we have here in Utah called Kneaders.  

I was so inspired by the idea of creating a little Christmas "moment" in my sewing room 

so I got busy looking for more bottle brush trees!  You could buy any bottle brush trees 

that suit your fancy.  They come in so many colors and sizes.  I'm partial to the 

natural sisal bottle brush trees though.  You will also need some twine and wooden spools.  

I happened to have both of those things on hand but I have linked some options 

for all of these supplies at the end of this post.

I put them on top of my spool cubby but something felt off.  There was a lot going on 

and it was a little too busy for my liking.  I wanted a little more cohesiveness 

between all the trees so I made some simple changes.  

 First, I tore off the jute bows that came on the knitted sweater trees.  The jute was 

a little too big and drawing too much attention for my taste.  So off those came!  

Then I wrapped the big empty wooden spool that I had with some red Christmas 

scrapbooking paper.  You could also wrap it with ribbon or baker's twine.

I had seen tutorials for dying bottle brush trees with Rit Dye or Kool Aid 
but I didn't have either of those.  I also didn't have any patience.  So I wondered 

what I could use that I had on hand.  I did have some nice watercolors 

so I tried those out and they were perfect and easy.

All you do is load a paint brush with the color of your choice and paint your 

bottle brush trees with quick, sweeping motions.  I used two different colors of green.  

I added a little yellow to one of the greens to warm it up and then added 

a little black to one of them to tone it down. 

Sometimes the paint would splatter on my arm and face so make sure you cover 

your table and wear a painting smock or an old shirt or apron.  I also found 

a somewhat dry brush didn't splatter paint up as much.

Paint your trees.  Feel free to add a little Mod Podge 

after they dry and sprinkle with glitter!

That could be really cute!

While your trees are drying wrap your wooden spools with baker's twine, ribbon

or cute scrapbooking paper.  Use a little dab of hot glue to secure the ends 

of the twine or ribbon in place.  If using paper, use adhesive dots to secure the ends in place.

Add some hot glue to the base of your bottle brush tree and quickly press it onto the 

top of one of your wooden spools.  

And voila, you're done!  Stand back and admire your work (this part is very important).

Now go create your "Christmas moment", wherever that may be.

So here's my finished "moment".  Which one do you like better?

The before or after?

I've rounded up some of the supplies you'll need to make these sewing themed 

bottle brush trees including the:

Baker's Twine

Wooden Spools

Adhesive Dots

Bottle Brush Trees

HERE in my Amazon Storefront.

I hope you'll tag me on Instagram if you decide to make these trees!

My IG user name is @gigis_thimble.  

Thanks for stopping by today and happy holidays!