sam's notebook

a new project

  
Please forgive me (again) for another unplanned and unannounced absence! After yet another long blogging break, I have decided it's time to wind down sam's notebook. 

I have loved having the blog and I miss it terribly. It's given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, inspiring, creative, kind and generous people, but now it's time for new projects!

And you can see one of the new projects right here! Wish us luck!

Thank you to all of you that have visited and supported sam's notebook over the last few years. Your visits, comments and emails are very much appreciated and will be very much missed. 

 

 

 

flower

 

For a friend whose favourite colours are purple and black. I don't often work with these two colours, so this flower was a fun challenge. The purples I used are more on the pink side, hope she likes it!

The flower was made using a technique learnt at a Julie Arkell workshop.

 

Image by me. 
  

vintage fabrics from rag rescue

 

Some recent vintage fabric purchases from Rag Rescue. To be used for cushions, inspired by the vintage cushion loveliness in this post.

 

 

 

Images from Rag Rescue.

 

a small preview

 

Part of a project I finished recently - will post more about it in the coming days I hope!

 

Image by me.

 

for a friend

 

A belated birthday present for a dear friend, hope she doesn't read this before it gets to her! The bag is made from linen and 1930s fabrics, and I made the flowers using a new technique learnt at a Julie Arkell workshop in September (see previous post).

 

Image by me.

 

another flower

 

Inspired by Joanna, the creator of this wonderful heart, I made this flower on the weekend (using a technique I learnt at a Julie Arkell workshop). I thought Joanna's combination of pale blue floral and red and white ticking was perfect! The petals are made of my two favourite fabrics - the blue floral is a relatively new fabric from Quilt Gate, and the red and white patterned fabric is from a shirt I made just over twenty (!!!!!) years ago when I was still in high school. Sadly, that much-loved shirt is now just a bit too worn to wear. 

 

 

 

Images by me.

 

valentine

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

 

a little bit of sewing

 

There has been a little bit of sewing going on here. Not much, but a few stitches here and there. Sometimes, like today, something actually gets finished!

 

I learnt how to make these flowers at a Julie Arkell workshop, and I can't stop making them! I love choosing the fabrics for each flower and I love that it's a quick project that (with a small baby) only takes me a couple of days to finish. Perfect!

 

suffolk puffs

After the Julie Arkell workshop I attended at the beginning of July, I have a small obsession with suffolk puffs. Or "puffer pots" as C insists on calling them. She can't quite get her tongue around "suffolk puff".

Not sure if these will end up as a cushion or bag. Probably a cushion.

 



 

wip

Apologies for the unexplained and unintentionally long blogging break! Below you can see the major work in progress which, among other things, has conspired to keep me away from my beloved blogland for so long. This particular WIP is due for completion around August 10!

Thank you so much to everyone who commented and sent such lovely emails during my absence, I hope you will all be back as I try to return to regular-ish posting.
 

 

hello petal: and the winner is...

Mady!

Five of you (Mady, Judith, Beth, Sarah and Maria) were only one petal away from the correct answer (81 petals), and Mady's entry was first in - congratulations Mady!

Thank you to everybody that entered!

Mady - just send your address to me at sam.notebook [at] gmail.com, and I'll pop the parcel in the post to you early next week!



 
  

hello petal

Welcome to the first ever giveaway at sam's notebook!

All you have to do is  guess the number of petals in the picture below. The winner will be the first one to guess the correct number.*

What does the winner receive? One of the finished flowers of course, and a few little extra Swedish goodies thrown in for good measure!

Leave a comment on this post with your guess, and I will announce the winner on Friday October 16.
 

* One entry each! If no-one guesses the correct number, the earliest entry that is closest to the correct number will win.

 

work in progress

  
 

 

work in progress

This quilt has languished unfinished in the cupboard for far too long. I hauled it out yesterday with the hope that I can get it finished this time!

The pattern is the beautifully simple Gypsy Quilt from Material Obsession Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.
 

max, clarence and bert

Made for C from the "three faces of steve" pattern in Denyse Schmidt Quilts.