Archive for the ‘Leaf Dance’ Category

Mod Stockings

Thursday, December 15th, 2016

It is blistering cold here on this sunny December day! And we are counting down the days until Christmas, a mere ten days to go. So what better way to chase the cold away and get into the holiday spirit than with some bright color! Obviously, muted hues are not in my decorating lexicon, as our house is done in a vibrant color scheme. So, of course, that applies to seasonal decorations, too. These contemporary Christmas stockings are made with a mix of some of my most recent FreeSpirit fabric collections… Leaf Dance, Cool Breeze and the latest, Scandia, which will arrive in stores in a few weeks. These stockings should please the hippest Santas.

The elves have been hard at work!! Each sock has been lovingly crafted and the details are delightful. They are machine quilted with Superior’s 12 weight Sew Sassy threads and further enhanced with some hand embroidery.

We are very fond of felt beads and ball fringe in the Sassaman studio and could not resist a little woolly bling to send these stockings over the top. Sassy socks!

Even the linings are specially chosen for a little extra visual surprise. Like quilts, they are bound to become favorite holiday heirlooms, just like Grandma Ellen’s Santas that she made for every grandchild. These are Oliver and Willow’s beloved Christmas treasures and some of the very few real decorating necessities every year.

Sewing can make memories!

Autumn Ambience

Monday, November 21st, 2016

Sassaman pillowcase-leaf-dance-2

Colder weather is upon us after an unbelievably mild introduction to autumn. There are just a few more days to enjoy the fall season before Thanksgiving ushers in the spirit of winter. So we are celebrating these last quiet days before the holidays begin with another seasonal Leaf Dance project.

Sassaman pillowcase-leaf-dance

Personally, I LOVE the combination of fabrics in this pillowcase! I always include some geometric designs in my FreeSpirit fabric collections because they are such good foils for all the flowers and leaves. This is a wonderful example of contrasting patterns complimenting one another. I’m also very pleased with the rich and crisp color combination. We used my Pint Size Pillowcase pattern to make these, as always. And you can find the free pattern for making the Leaf Dance quilt here.

Sassaman pillowcase-leaf-dance-3

Sleeping-over at my house is a pretty colorful affair. After 16 years of fabric design our pillowcase collection is monumental! And luckily, I find ironing pillowcases very therapeutic.

Wishing you all a cozy and colorful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Table

Monday, November 14th, 2016

Sassaman Leaf Dance Tablecloth

With little more than a week until Thanksgiving Day you may be looking for an easy way to jazz up your routine holiday table. Napkins are a quick way to add some spice to conventional seasonal place settings.

Sassaman Leaf Dance Napkin-1

We have simply cut 21″ squares of my FreeSpirit fabrics, mostly from the Leaf Dance collection, and sewn a line of topstitching thread a half inch from the the edge. Then the edges are frayed by hand.

Sassaman Leaf Dance Napkin-2

So you probably have a collection of Autumnish fabrics or some that matches your festive dinnerware in your stash already. It’s a great excuse to fondle some fabric over the busy week ahead!

Sassaman Leaf Dance Napkin

Happy holiday to all!

Sassaman Leaf Dance Napkin

Awesome Autumn

Monday, October 31st, 2016

autumn-leaves

It has been a spectacular autumn this year. The colors have been grand and seem to get more dramatic every day. So my next few posts will be a celebration of this wonderful time of year with the assistance of some of my FreeSpirit fabrics.

Sassaman Pocket Purse

Leaf Dance is a collection that was designed for this season and inspired by the nature that surrounds me. This area of Illinois is noted for its Oak Savannas. These powerful clusters of magnificent trees are sprinkled generously throughout my daily routes. Our own property has several kinds of oaks, but mostly red oak, which is the basis of this leafy fabric design.

Sassaman Pocket Purse

Our Pretty Perfect Pocket Purse is the featured pattern. I must have made a dozen of these practical purses over the years for different collections and it is the bag that I use everyday. Sometimes we trim them with rick rack, sometimes with felt beads, but for this version we added a crocheted ball trim. It mimicked  the turquoise bees nicely.

Sassaman Pocket Purse

I always line my bags with a light bright color so it is easier to find things inside. Triple Dots, Triangles and Color Bars are also from the Leaf Dance collection, Golden colorway. I love the mix of patterns. And, of course, the topstitching is done with Sew Sassy thread!

Sassaman Pocket Purse

We have more Leaf Dance projects to share, so stay tuned!