It's here!!! The birthday celebration!!! yay!!!
For the celebration, I'm going to be sharing some fun stuff with you each day.
I also will have daily giveaways, so read all the way through…and be sure and follow all of the protocols to enter into the giveaways!!!
There will be a grand prize at the end of the week, too!!! So, check back daily!!
So, the Etsy shop is THREE years old!!!
To celebrate, I've lowered some of the quilt prices, so if you've had your eye on a quilt, chances are it's a bit cheaper than it was!! Grab them while they're hot!! ♥
Today's project that I wanted to share with you is a Happy Birthday Banner!!
This is a quick project you can put together very easily!!
Here's how I made it:
I took a piece of Essex Linen (that I got from Julie's shop, the Intrepid Thread) and, using a pencil, I wrote Happy Birthday vertially, leaving a little space up top for an embellishment.
HINT: practice your handwriting and embellished letters on a sketch pad! You will find your writing voice!
Using Cosmo embroidery thread and a backstitch, I embroidered the words.
I have to admit a couple of things:
♥ I created the embroidery before I picked my fabrics, so I matched the fabrics to the embroidery thread colors that I used. You may want to do this the other way around. But sometimes it's fun to do things a little backwards. It leads you to a unique perspective on your finished piece!
♥ I chose to do the embroidery/text on the vertical because I had a piece of leftover fabric that was long and thin! I also thought that a fun birthday banner would be cool!! 🙂 What scraps do you have laying around that you can turn into something? Use what you have!! Don't go out and spend a fortune on new fabrics if you are hoarding! (okay, okay, I know…we are all fabric hoarding!!)
Next, I added 1.5" strips onto the sides of my linen. And then I added a 1.25" strip to each the bottom and the top.
I added a strip of batting (which I have a bunch of strips of batting leftover from other projects, so this was perfect!!) and backing, made my quilt sandwich, pin basted, and quilted…
When I am quilting around my embroidery, I try to do small stippling to make the embroidery pop out! I think it looks pretty neat!! For this one, I didn't add any other quilting on the border strips. I like that, too!!
I cut a flower out of the fabric, added heatnbond adhesive to the back, fused it to the linen at the top and did a hand blanket stitch around the flower. I love the handmade look to that stitch! Then I covered a button with another piece of fabric centering a little bird on it! Super fun!!
HINT: You can do that part (flower) before you quilt, too, but wait to quilt your piece before you add your button!
And it's time to add your binding!! I always use a 2.5" strip binding. It just gives me the comfort of ease of turning it over and hand sewing it on without having to stretch it over the edges. I actually used some leftover black binding strips and added a little bit more of my border fabric to finish it off.
HINT: remember, it's always good to use what you have!!! (wait, I think I've said that before!! :))
another HINT: If you want to add a ribbon for hanging like I did, AFTER you sew your binging onto the front, but BEFORE you hand sew it onto the back, add your ribbon by matching raw edges to the top of the mini quilt. Make a loop and sew right on the seam for your binding over your loop ends. Then hand sew your binding to cover those edges!!
Voila!!! You are done!!
Perfect for celebrating someone!!!
You could also hang it on the back of the chair of the birthday girl or boy!! So fun!!!
Let me know if you use any of this tutorial as inspiration! I'd love to share with everyone on the blog!!! 🙂
Today's giveaway:
A sheepish needle book!!!! Handmade by me!!!
Yep, you get these two needles, too!!!
You can have three chances to win this needle book! Please leave a separate comment for each chance you take!!
1. Leave a comment here!!! Any comment!!!
2. LIKE Sally's Angelworks on FB!!
3. Follow me (use the BLOGLOVIN link on the right sidebar!!!) on the blog!!!
Sooooo fun!!!
Also, for every comment you leave on the blog this week, you'll be entered to win the grand prize on Saturday!! yay!!!
Come back tomorrow for a fun FREE printable embroidery pattern and ideas on how to use it!! ♥
blessings!!!
{the first birthday logo garland graphic designed by Bonnie Christine at Going Home to Roost!!}
Very cute! I like your birthday banner, it would be great to have for the grandchildren.
I also like you on Facebook. :-). Thanks for the chance to win your pretty needle book.
Gorgeous Sally. A big happy birthday to you – you are so gifted 🙂
I follow via Bloglovin
I like you on FB (Deborah Gunthorpe)
Love that little needle book, I’ve always wanted one, but never made one. Sweet!
Congratulations on your blogaversary!!!
I like Sally’s Angelworks on FB now! 🙂
I’m already following you on Bloglovin’ 🙂
I already follow you on facebook.
I am a bloglovin girl too.
Congrats on hitting 3 years. The happy birthday banner is sweet and something that can come out several times a year on those special days. Thank you for a cute giveaway too.
I love the sheepish needle book!!
I follow with Bloglovin’
Embroidery and patchwork are always a great combo! Happy Birthday 🙂
I liked you on facebook 🙂
I am now following you via bloglovin!!
I’m a little late to the party but wanted to say Congrats on your milestone. And I love the Happy Birthday project!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS TO YOU!!!!
Love your crafty Banner, and Needle Book!!! Grrrreat job!!! 🙂
I am a new follower, thru Bloglovin’ too 🙂
What a lovely gift. I know just the person whose spirits would be lifted by it. Thanks much for the chance to enter.
I am following you on Bloglovin.
Happy Birthday fun! I love those cute sheep on the needlebook – very sweet! thank you!