I’m talking about the pincushion swap. Was it successful?

I’d like to think so. From everything I’m seeing I think it was a resounding “YES!”

We had 80 participants, and as of right now not a single need for an angel pincushion.

I’ve seen some absolutely amazing pincushions being sent.

I’ve seen wonderful thank you’s posted.

I’ve been chatting with many of you on Instagram and I feel like there’s been quite a bit of community created.

Will I host another swap?

HELLS YEAH!!!!!!

Current swappers should expect a survey soon to help me plan for the next one.

If you want to be in the know, please sign up for my newsletter. Newsletter recipients will get advance notice of my swaps.

I’m feeling pretty dang successful.

Lovingly, Lissa

Welcome to my Pincushion Swap!!

I *LOVE* pincushions and have quite a collection. Quite a few are gifts, a number have been purchased, and many, many, many, were made by me. Sometimes making a pincushion is a quick fix to losing my sew-jo on days when I feel like I am lacking motivation to make anything.

So I thought it would be so much fun to host a swap!!!

Here are the basics – The swap costs $5. All participants will receive my Whirl and Twirl pincushion pattern. You do not need to make that pattern for the swap, it is just a special gift to you for joining! For full Swap info go to my SWAP INFO PAGE.

If you want to make the Pincushion without joining the swap, you totally can!! It’s available in my Etsy Shop.

I’ve gathered up some of my favorite pincushion patterns to help inspire you.

Cassandra Beaver of The Not So Dramatic Life has the CUTEST 4″ paper pieced quilt blocks with her Fortuitous Trinkets pattern that can be turned into amazing pincushions. This is my horseshoe pincushion from those patterns.

I took a smocked pincushion virtual class with Cheryl Sleboda that was absolutely wonderful. Keep an eye on her website for a restock of the pattern or a new class.

The most beautiful pincushions ever are made by Lesley Storts of Stortsmarket. You can keep an eye on her Instagram for her sales or purchase a copy of the pattern to make your own salt cellar pin cushion. I do own quite a few made by Lesley, but here are a few I made myself using her pattern.

Pin Pals: 40 Patchwork Pinnies, Poppets, and Pincushions with Pizzaz by Carrie Nelson is amazing book brimming with ways of using up scraps to create adorable pincushions. These patterns are the best when feeling low on inspiration. Grab your scrap bucket and this book and sew away!! I haven’t made all forty yet, but I’m getting there.

For more 4″ finished block patterns to turn into pincushions, check out the I Spy Book by Kimie Tanner and Missy Winona of On Williams Street. This strawberry block was perfect for me, and with 100 patterns you can really personalize a block for your partner.

Are you inspired? Ready to join in?

Click >here< for the Swap Page I’ve created with all the info and the Google Form to fill out. Sign ups will close by March 28, 2021 or when we hit 250 swappers.

This is the first time I am hosting an online swap so remember to be kind!

It’s gonna be a blast!!

Lovingly,

Lissa

A few years ago during a visit to my in-laws, I found several large trash bags in the kitchen. It turns out my Father in law was cleaning out the linen closet and in these bags were quilts made by my husband’s great grandmother that he was going to toss.

Ummm….no.

Both bags were quickly placed in the back of my car to come home with me. Inside there were three hand made Cathedral Window quilts, in fairly good condition and two more quilts in need of love and care.

This one is the youngest quilt, born in 1959.

I believe the flower petals are all from old clothes. Many are worn through and every single flower center is worn out.

There was definitely enough of the quilt that could still be usable, but how?

A quilted coat!!! That is the answer. I knew it would have to be for my daughter as she slept under this quilt for many years. She and I sat down to make some decisions.

First, I was going to have to replace all the yellow centers and we needed a binding color. She found a light yellow grunge in my stash and we sat down with my Kona color swatches and she chose the Sage Green as a binding.

We chose a short jacket as we weren’t sure just how much of the quilt we could use. The Lilliana pattern from Seamwork is a cute jacket and perfect for both the small amount of quilt I could work with and my daughter’s figure. I laid out the pattern first, centering my daughter’s favorite flower on the back piece and making sure there were flowers on all the other pieces. There were just enough flowers!!!

Taking that first cut into the quilt was terrifying!! It soon became so exciting as I hung each piece on my design wall.

I was even able to cut and save the corner flower were the quilter had embroidered my Mother-in-law’s name and the year it was made.

I began replacing all the yellow centers. Wow, what a difference such a small change made!

Sewing the jacket together was extremely easy. After all there are only 5 pieces to it. I made a ton of bias binding using the Sage green Kona and used it to finish all the raw edge seams inside the jacket. I pressed all the seams open and finished them separately before hand stitching them to the inside lining (formerly known as the quilt back). The shoulder seams were trimmed and finished together. I did not hand stitch those down to the lining.

After that it was just a bit of binding on the outer edges of the jacket.. I machine stitched it 1/4″ from the raw edge and then flipped it to the back and hand stitched it down. Just like a real quilt edge.

It was ready for her on her 18th birthday!!!

The very first thing I did after our photo shoot was text all the images and tell my Mother-in-Law what I had done. I am happy to say that she is quite pleased that the quilt lives on and is still keeping someone warm.

Honestly, so am I.

Lovingly, Lissa

New Year new blog hop!!

A New York Beauty Block has been on my quilty bucket list FOREVER. How could I say no when Cinzia White asked me to participate in a blog hop for her newest book that is ALL NEW YORK BEAUTY BLOCKS!!!!!

The quilt she made was originally a wedding present, what a lucky couple! It is absolutely gorgeous, the interplay of the circles and the radiation of all the segments, the colors and dimension. This is definitely a quilt you would be proud to have in your home.

The directions for a variety of ways to piece the quilt and the templates for all the blocks are quite clear. The blocks are named after Australian animals to keep them orderly. And there is even instruction on how to interchange some of the templates to come up with a personalized block.

I was only asked to create one block, but I couldn’t pick just one, I picked four!!! Starting at the top left and going clockwise you can see Glider Too, Cuttlefish, Fairy Penguin, and Tasmanian Tiger.

I was able to use the templates and a lightboard to help guide with the fussy cutting.

The piece called out for big stitch hand quilting, and I think it really enhanced the beauty of the block designs.

When it was all done, I had a brand new pillow cover for the comfy chair in my studio!!

Isn’t it absolutely perfect? I think so.

Now for some very exciting news! Cinzia, along with CT Publishing, is allowing me to give away 1 copy of the ebook! To enter, please head over to Instagram and find me @lovinglylissa I will have a giveaway post there, just look for the book cover!!!!

There are a number of talented creators working on the blog hop. Please make sure to visit them all.

You can purchase your own copy at CT Publishing

Monday 18th Jen Frost from https://faithandfabricdesign.com/blog
Tuesday 19th Bea Lee from https://www.beaquilter.com/
Wednesday 20th Lissa LaGreca from https://lovinglylissa.com/
Thursday 21st Laura Strickland from https://orangeblossomquilt.com/blog
Friday 22nd Susan Smith from https://www.stitchedbysusan.com/stitchedbysusan.html
Saturday 23rd Tammy Silvers from https://tamarinis.typepad.com
Sunday 24th Laura Piland from http://www.sliceofpiquilts.com
Monday 25th Audrey from http://www.theclothparcel.com/blog/
Tuesday 26th Cinzia from https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYBSampler/

Lovingly, Lissa