Happy Okapi Blog

Clinton Modern Creative - Giveaway

3/27/2018

If you haven't already had the pleasure, let me introduce you to Clinton Modern Creative. It's more than an online fabric shop: in addition to fabric, you can find notions, interfacing, patterns, and thread. As the name suggests, Clinton Modern Creative carries a curated selection of modern fabrics. Even though sewing can be very traditional, there's a new community of modern creating, and you'll find the right mix of fabrics for that here!
Let's take a look at some of the goodies to be found here...
(Keep reading for details on the giveaway)

Bundles

Not only are there bundled collections, but there are also curated bundles and even "random choice bundles" - who doesn't love a surprise?! The bundles come in varying sizes from charm packs to half yards and there are so many to choose from. Bonus: you save 10% when you buy most bundles!

Modern Fabric
Oh my goodness, where to start?! All of my fave designers in one place! Alison Glass, Libs Elliott, Cotton + Steel and more!

I'm loving this new Confetti line, and more is coming to the shop soon.

Love me some Libs!

For Cotton + Steel, you'll see there are loads of Basics, which aren't basic at all, and plenty from collections too.

I could go on about all the pretty fabric, but you should go see for yourself.

Interfacing and Stabilizers
A variety of interfacing in stock means you can order everything from one place and and maybe even save on shipping, since you get free shipping with minimum order (see details here). There's even bag making interfacing, like woven fusible and foam!

Notions, Thread and Extras
Take some time to browse the categories to see all the goodies available. You can find spools and cones of Aurifil thread, coloured mesh, clips, rulers, and more.

Do you suffer from FOMO?
I think we all occasionally have fear of missing out when we see beautiful fabric collections coming up. Well, fear not! Clinton Modern Creative has pages of preorders so you can make sure you never miss out on a collection again.

Giveaway Details

Win this stunning bundle of Tula Pink All Stars and coordinating Pom Poms and Stripes! To enter, take a gander at the Clinton Modern Creative site and tell me something about it that you liked. It could be something that surprises you, a favourite designer they carry, a notion you've been looking for...anything really! Leave a comment below and we'll pick a winner at random. For a bonus entry, follow Clinton Modern Creative on Instagram, and let me know by leaving a separate comment. While you're at it, check out the Facebook page and give it a like if you fancy.
Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM PST, April 3, 2018. Open to Canadian and US residents.
Update: Giveaway closed; winner announced soon!

97 Comments

Canada 150 - Speaking (and Sewing) Canadian

6/8/2017

43 Comments

Hi! By now you've probably had a chance to learn about this tour I'm participating in, but if not, feel free to follow along with the schedule at the bottom of this post, including the intro post to find out more. Make sure to check out all the makes so far, I love that all the bags are unapologetically Canadian (is that an oxymoron?) Oh! Don't forget to enter the giveaway too. I also have a separate giveaway, so keep reading to find out the details.

I wanted to combine my love of language and love of Canada in this post and was so happy to find this article (don't click on it just yet!), highlighting the updates to the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. This is an actual book, which now I simply must obtain! Anyway, I thought it would be fun to pepper some of these terms and other Canadianisms throughout my post, and see if you can pick them out as I talk about the projects I did for the Canada 150 - it's in the Bag Tour. So grab some Timmies and snuggle up in your housecoat, and let's go!

For my projects, I wanted to try out a new pattern designer, because I always think it's great to keep learning and trying new things. I chose Carla of Carla's Creations. When I first started sewing, I followed Carla for all her amazing fabric combos and sewing inspiration. She's always come across as very organized and her projects turn out beautifully. The pattern I'm sharing today is the Mini Slimline Wallet, by Carla's Creations; you could win a copy too, just keep reading to find out how.

Mini Slimline Wallet - Carla's Creations | Happy Okapi Blog

I chose Libs Elliott's fabric because Libs is Canadian too, but also because her fabric is completely amazing, I want to fill a whole cube van with it and take it home. In fact, I need to take a little detour here and tell you how skookum Libs is. She not only designs fabric (her 3rd collection is due later this year), but she designs quilt patterns using a unique process. I have to share this video showing the collaboration between Libs and Absolut Vodka to celebrate Canada's 150th.

Is that not the prettiest twenty-sixer you've ever seen?

Back to the pattern: I made 3, but I messed up on one, it was a bit hooped, but it still looks nice when it's closed. The Mini-Slimline has 3 card slots and a small zippered coin section, plus pockets behind. It folds in half and then the flap closes over with a slim magnetic snap. They were pretty quick to sew up, and even though I tend to avoid "production line" sewing, I did with these ones, and they were still quicker than a single larger project, like a bag.

The pattern reads like a tutorial and lists measurements to cut, rather than pattern pieces. My curved flaps were made by using a rounded edge I traced out. I like that the squared flap is a bit more masculine, so it works for a boy too!

Each of my magnets were different finishes: copper, antique brass, and nickel, and were all from Emmaline Bags.

Since the name of this tour includes "In The Bag" I figured I'd better put the wallets in something so I made a bag to match. The Castell Day Bag is the latest pattern from Emmaline Bags and uses the C-frames, also from Emmaline Bags. Look how wide it opens!

Castell Day Bag- Emmaline Bags & Mini Slimline Wallets - Carla's Creations | Happy Okapi Blog

I think of mine as the alldressed version, with its mixed coordinates and tons of bling.

Castell Day Bag - Emmaline Bags | Happy Okapi

I used my very basic backup machine to sew this large, structured bag, while my main machine was getting repaired because it had completely had the biscuit.

The inside pockets are really cool and I'd never done anything like these before, with their gathered bottoms and zippered tops, tons of room!

I have one more bag to share with you. I originally had this one planned for closer to Canada Day, but after seeing all the amazing bags so far on this tour, I felt like a keener and decided to just give'r!

Miss Maggie's Handbag - Emmaline Bags | Happy Okapi

I used the free Emmaline Bags pattern, Miss Maggie's Handbag as my backdrop for a single red maple leaf.

The Edgewena strap anchors allowed the front of the bag to stay blank other than the leaf. I just love this bold red on white. Of course I added a "Made in Canada" label; I chose the back for this sleek addition.

So how did you do? Did you learn some new words? To enter to win a copy of the Mini-Slimline pattern from Carla's Creations, leave a comment telling me a favourite Canadianism, or Canadian food. I'll draw a random winner after June 10, 2017, so make sure to enter your email when you comment, otherwise I won't be able to contact you. Make sure to also enter our big giveaway through rafflecopter at the bottom of the post. Good luck to everyone, and thanks for stopping by, eh?

Each blog has an exclusive giveaway, so be sure to visit them all.

Tour Discounts

10% off! Tangled Blossoms Design is offering 10% off anything in stock for the duration of the tour. Offer expires June 10, 2017. Use discount code HAPPYBIRTHDAYCANADA

15% off! Bringberry Handbag Hardware and Design is offering 15% off anything in stock for the duration of the tour. Offer expires June 10, 2017. Use discount code LOVECANADA150

Tour Stops

(These links will be active on and after the day they are scheduled.)

June 10

Giveaway ends at midnight EDT (North America)

July 1

CANADA DAY 150

Giveaway Prizes

Grand Prize: 2 PDF patterns from Blue Calla Patterns, $50 voucher from Bringberry Handbag Hardware and Design, $40 voucher from Fabric Please
Second Prize: 2 PDF patterns from Blue Calla Patterns, $35 voucher from Emmaline Bags, $25 voucher from MM Cork Supply
Third Prize: $50 voucher from Blackbird Fabrics
$30 voucher to spend on any in stock fabrics from Tangled Blossoms Design, 1 Pattern from Thread Riding Hood
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 Pattern, plus hardware kit from Emmaline Bags
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from Thread Riding Hood
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from FABulous Home Sewn
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from FABulous Home Sewn
$30 voucher from Sitka Fabrics
$25 voucher from MM Cork Supply
Ooh La La Jewellery* bag pattern & hardware kit from Among Brenda’s Quilts (Includes shipping within Canada & USA.)
A selection of items for bag making from Flare Fabrics (Includes shipping within Canada.)
$25 voucher from Stay Home Fabrics
$25 voucher from Funky Monkey Fabrics
Store credit for 1 yard of custom knit from Crookshanks Custom Textiles
Store credit equal to one meter of custom knit plus one meter of solid from Midnight Mountain Fabrics

Canada 150 — In The Bag Giveaway

Please join us in thanking our tour sponsors by visiting their websites.

* Jewellery is the Canadian spelling.

43 Comments

Canada 150 - In The Bag Sponsors

6/5/2017

19 Comments

Our tour to celebrate Canada's 150th has just begun and there's so much to share with you over the next few days, you're going to be dreaming in red and white! Don't worry, you don't need to be Canadian to enjoy the tour; we're all friendly and have enough maple syrup to go around, eh? Check the tour schedule at the bottom of this post to make sure you don't miss anything. Read more about the tour on the Emmaline Blog. There are so many prizes to give away throughout the tour, so make to follow along each day. Us bloggers wanted to thank the sponsors for their generosity, and we wanted to make sure you all know who they are, so today I'm going to introduce you to a few of them.

BringBerry Handbag Hardware and Designs

BringBerry Handbag Hardware and Designs offers luxurious, unique, and most importantly, shiny hardware for our bags. They're offering up a voucher as a part of our Grand Prize (enter below). I remember when Karen first started out, and she would source out unique items she couldn't find readily available. There were group orders to meet minimums, and eventually she started a facebook group just to handle all the orders. Now there's a dedicated website with online ordering and continuing to source out quality hardware. Take advantage of the discount now until June 10th. Details in the schedule at the bottom of the post.

Fabric Please!

Fabric Please! is offering several vouchers for our giveaway, to use on anything in the shop! I wrote about Fabric Please! previously and you can read more about it here. Fabric Please! has several monthly subscriptions, there's sure to be one that suits you. Not only can you find a wide range of designer fabric lines, you can get all your thread, batting and notions as well. Rita, the shop owner, takes great care with each package, and the wrapping delights me! She even includes a small extra with each order, as her way to make your package even more special.

Flare Fabrics

Flare Fabrics is offering up a selection of bag making items for our giveaway. Flare Fabrics has a whole category on the website for bag making supplies, ranging from all the interfacing we need to magnetic snaps, zippers, and more! Flare Fabrics offers so many printed textured cotton solids (my favourite!) including Quilter's Linen, Painter's Canvas, and Exotic Garden Weave, plus so many staples of bag making, like Essex Linen, and different canvas and heavier wovens. Of course, if you're looking for Batiks, you've found the mother lode! They also offer free Canadian shipping on orders over $150.

Funky Monkey Fabrics

Melissa at Funky Monkey Fabrics is a trailblazer in Canadian fabric shops, offering a one stop shop for all your sewing needs, including all types of fabric, notions, and interfacing. They're offering up a voucher for our giveaway, and it won't be hard to find something to spend it on! Sign up for their newsletter and/or follow them on Facebook to find out about their weekly sales. If you're ever in Varna, Ontario, consider yourself lucky, because you can stop in at the store front and see all the goodies in person!

Tangled Blossoms

Fiona at Tangled Blossoms Design is a new (but proud) Canadian and she makes bags, so she knows the needs of Canadian bagineers very well. She carries a wide range of Free Spirit Fabrics, and that gorgeous Tula Pink Hardware - I know you've had your eye on those shears! Not only is a voucher to Tangled Blossoms Design being offered for the giveaway, but you can also take advantage of the discount available during the tour (see details below).

Thank you so much to all our sponsors, and I really hope you check them out and discover a new favourite!

Each blog has an exclusive giveaway, so be sure to visit them all.

Tour Discounts

10% off! Tangled Blossoms Design is offering 10% off anything in stock for the duration of the tour. Offer expires June 10, 2017. Use discount code HAPPYBIRTHDAYCANADA

15% off! Bringberry Handbag Hardware and Design is offering 15% off anything in stock for the duration of the tour. Offer expires June 10, 2017. Use discount code LOVECANADA150

Tour Stops

(These links will be active on and after the day they are scheduled.)

June 4

Emmaline Bags

June 5

Tangled Blossoms Design ◊ With Love in Every Stitch ◊ Happy Okapi

June 6

Michelle's Creations ◊ Barabooboo ◊ Soca Sewing

June 7

Glitter in my Coffee ◊ Michelle's Creations ◊ Seam of my Pants

June 8

Seam of my Pants ◊ Creative Roots Sewing ◊ Happy Okapi

June 9

Seam of my Pants

June 10

Giveaway ends at midnight EDT (North America)

July 1

CANADA DAY 150

Giveaway Prizes

Grand Prize: 2 PDF patterns from Blue Calla Patterns, $50 voucher from Bringberry Handbag Hardware and Design, $40 voucher from Fabric Please
Second Prize: 2 PDF patterns from Blue Calla Patterns, $35 voucher from Emmaline Bags, $25 voucher from MM Cork Supply
Third Prize: $50 voucher from Blackbird Fabrics
$30 voucher to spend on any in stock fabrics from Tangled Blossoms Design, 1 Pattern from Thread Riding Hood
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 Pattern, plus hardware kit from Emmaline Bags
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from Thread Riding Hood
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from FABulous Home Sewn
$25 voucher from Fabric Please, 1 PDF Pattern from FABulous Home Sewn
$30 voucher from Sitka Fabrics
$25 voucher from MM Cork Supply
Ooh La La Jewellery* bag pattern & hardware kit from Among Brenda’s Quilts (Includes shipping within Canada & USA.)
A selection of items for bag making from Flare Fabrics (Includes shipping within Canada.)
$25 voucher from Stay Home Fabrics
$25 voucher from Funky Monkey Fabrics
Store credit for 1 yard of custom knit from Crookshanks Custom Textiles
Store credit equal to one meter of custom knit plus one meter of solid from Midnight Mountain Fabrics

Canada 150 — In The Bag Giveaway

Please join us in thanking our tour sponsors by visiting their websites.

* Jewellery is the Canadian spelling.

19 Comments

Monthly Sparks

3/8/2017

4 Comments

I love fabric; it makes me feel inspired and sparks my creativity! So when Daryl of Fabric Spark asked me to curate the March bundle for the Monthly Sparks subscription, I gave a very resounding "yes!"

Fabric Spark Monthly Sparks Fabric Bundle

I want to share my process of fabric selection because I really enjoyed it and I'll use it next time I pick fabrics for something. I think if you know you want to make a special project, this could work for you too! I knew I needed a plan to come up with a bundle, otherwise it would just be a hodge podge of 12 of my favourite favourite fabrics, which would still be nice, but maybe not a very cohesive bundle. Since it's the March bundle, and March is the beginning of Spring, I wanted a Spring inspired bundle. I'm not really into pastels though, so needed something more specific to guide my selection. I looked at some pictures from Springs past to gather some colour palettes.

I have a really simple illustrator/graphic program on my computer (and my skills to use it are even more simple, unfortunately), and was able to create a basic colour palette layout with 8 colours. Then I just used the colour grabbing tool to pick my colours until I came up with some palettes I liked. I really loved the freedom of making these. It was so easy to switch out colours and grab more until I came up with something that really spoke to me.
WARNING!! Creating colour palettes from photos is highly addicting! You will want to create colour palettes for EVERYTHING!

This was the first one I came up with. Pretty, right? I thought so too. I picked some fabrics, and basically came up with February's bundle...like 6 of the fabrics were identical. Sylvia of Country Clothesline must be a genius ;) Back to the drawing board for me!

Then I came up with this palette and felt like it had my signature on it. I love bird watching, and wigeons (the duck featured here) are in my top 10 favourite birds to watch.

In addition to these colours for inspiration, I had some other "wants" for this bundle, including at least one each of:

metallic
floral
text
low volume
geometric

The Fabric Spark website is probably the easiest fabric shop to browse - you can browse by colour, collection, designer, theme, or manufacturer. You could also search for terms like "metallic" or "feathers" if you want something specific. I couldn't find the perfect rich brown, so chose that gorgeous fuchsia Blueberry Park instead and I'm loving the pop of colour it adds to the bundle.

Fabric Spark Monthly Sparks | March Bundle curated by Reece at Happy Okapi

Here it is! I'm so happy with it. I normally stick with one collection for projects and rarely mix and match too much, but I'm so glad I went in a completely different direction this time. I think they go together so nicely, without being too matchy-matchy. I was going to show what I'm making with it, but I think I'll save that for another post (very soon).

You can sign up for Monthly Sparks here, or if you just want this March bundle, you can grab it here.

If I've inspired you to create your own colour palettes for your next project or fabric shop, try the palette builder from Play Crafts. My friend found it after she saw all the fun I was having making mine. The tool is really easy to use and you can save the image and even match it to Kona cottons or Aurifil threads!

Disclaimer: I received this fabric bundle in exchange for picking the fabrics and writing this blog post. All opinions expressed here are my own.

4 Comments

Canadian Sewing Blog Hop - On The Go Bags

6/27/2016

7 Comments

Disclosure: Some links in this post are my affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission on purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Welcome back, I hope you're enjoying the blog hop so far. See the schedule near the bottom of this post to make sure you catch up with everyone. Today I'm sharing a project from On The Go Bags, a book co-authored by Canadian Janelle MacKay. Janelle is the creative genius behind Emmaline Bags, where she designs and sells bag patterns and hardware. She also has a Craftsy class that is offered at a 50% discount for the duration of the blog hop. Plus you can enter to win a $25 store credit to Emmaline Bags; the giveaway is at the bottom of the post.

I made the Two-Bottle Tote from the book. I thought it would be a great bag for the summer, when I tend to head to the beach or go to backyard barbecues. I think it makes a great hostess gift too. The bag is generously sized to hold 2 bottles (of your favourite beverage, wine perhaps?) with a centre divider. It's quite clever actually because you can use the divider or fold it out of the way for one large compartment. In fact, each section is big enough that you could use one for a wine bottle and the other for snacks, or even fare for a romantic picnic!

I used a foam stabilizer and I really like the shape of the bag. This was my first time making a decorative belt and I got to put in eyelets too! I got my belt buckle from Emmaline Bags as well. I really enjoyed making the bag and found it quite simple to make by following the instructions in the book.

The book is full of great patterns, 15 in total, plus tips and techniques for a professional look to your sewing. Janelle has 3 patterns in On The Go Bags: Park Blanket, Two-Bottle Tote and Airport Sling. The other patterns in the book are from a mix of my favourites and some new-to-me designers, all coming together for a really great variety of functional bags for life "on the go." The projects range from easy to advanced, making it a great book for beginners and experienced sewists alike. Want to grab a copy for yourself? Right now promo code CANADA will save you 20% off everything at C&T Publishing, so you can get the ebook or the book, or even both (like me) and make some great bags!

Camelot Fabrics

Did you know Canada has our very own fabric company?! I think that is just so cool! So I decided to make my project truly Canadian by using fabric from Camelot Fabrics, a Canadian company. For my Two-Bottle Tote, I chose Mama & Me, a truly adorable collection designed by Andrea Turk from Cinnamon Joe Studio. I love that it has some sophisticated prints, and some fun prints, making it a perfect line for coordinating Mama and kid items. Watch my blog later in the hop, for how I used the kid coordinates. Camelot has also contributed a FQ bundle from this collection as a prize in our giveaway. Make sure to enter every day for another chance to win.

Looking for Canadian shops that carry Camelot Fabrics? Flare Fabrics has Nordic, Bambino, and other select prints in stock; Sitka Fabrics has Heavy Metal, Mixology and several others, including licensed prints; Funky Monkey Fabrics offers a large selection of licensed Camelot prints, plus select others including Mama & Me; Stay Home Fabrics carries the Elixir collection (one of my favourites) and also has some Beyond the Backyard; Fabric Spark has a couple prints in their sale section, and Fabric Please has Elixir, Rise and Shine, and Mixology. The best part is that many of them are also offering a discount to the blog hop readers! Check the Sales Tab for all the sale details.

Canada Day 2016 Blog Hop Schedule

Be sure to visit each of these brilliant blogs this week for more on our outstanding Canadian designers and suppliers:

And, of course, to enter our giveaway for some sweet-like-maple-syrup prizes.

June 24: The Tour Starts HERE at Happy Okapi

June 25: Celine guest posts on Happy Okapi; Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

June 26: Fiona @ Tangled Blossoms Designs; Carla @ Half Dozen Daily

June 27: Sherry @ Thread Riding Hood; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 28: Nicky guest posts on Seam of my Pants

June 29: Daniela @ On the Cutting Floor; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 30: Michelle @ Michelle's Creations

Canada Day--June 31*: Ula @ Lulu & Celeste

July 2: Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

July 3: Keshia @ Sand Dollar Design Studio

July 4: Wrap Up @ Happy Okapi

July 6: Giveaway winners announced

* Yes, we know!

Good luck! Make sure to check in every day for another chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 Comments

Canadian Sewing Blog Hop - Libs Elliott Rebel Quilt

6/25/2016

1 Comment

Hello! This is Celine from Blue Calla Patterns!
I very recently had the opportunity to work with the talented Libs Elliott – Canadian quilt designer/fabric designer - to create sample bags for her Quilt Market booth in her very first collection “True Love”. During one of our meetings I mentioned that I loved her Rebel Quilt pattern as a wall hanging and was thinking of attempting it. She quickly handed me a copy and my first quilting experience began!

Now please be aware, I have never attempted a quilt pattern before so I am truly a beginner. I started by reading through the entire pattern and then selected my fabrics. I noticed a page near the end of the pattern (I had a paper copy) that was a black and white diagram of the quilt with each block given a grid coordinate.

This diagram gave me an idea! I quickly scanned it as a jpg and opened it up in Photoshop. I then used the dropper tool to add colours in the different sections of the diagram until I was happy with my design. I realize not everyone has a scanner or Photoshop but if you do, I highly recommend this step as it allowed me to see what the finished quilt would look like immediately:

In addition to this diagram, the pattern came with charts where you could write your colours and compare to a coloured version of Libs’ Rebel Quilt. This chart is perfect for those who don’t have a scanner and Photoshop like I do:

Since I am not a regular quilter, I don’t have some of the fancy rulers and other tools a quilter will usually have. I didn’t want to invest in so many tools since I had no idea if I’d ever make another quilt so I decided to make myself some block templates for cutting the squares. I went into the recycle bin and pulled out some empty cereal boxes. I then measured and cut out 3 square templates: (1) 8 7/8” template, (1) 4 7/8” template and (1) 4 1⁄2” template. These were perfect for cutting out the squares and cost me nothing!

Since I was not planning on using this quilt as an actual quilt but rather as a wall hanging, I decided to not pre-wash my fabrics. I wanted them to be crisp and the colours to be as vivid as possible. I did however spray starch heavily thanks to a quilting friend’s advice. Since the entire quilt is made up of HSTs (half square triangles - which I will explain shortly), she told me that it would help everything line up better and she was right!

As I just mentioned, the quilt is entirely built from HSTs in various sizes and assembled in various patterns to create a design. It is extremely easy to do which makes this quilt design perfect for beginners. You start by placing 2 squares of different colours RST:

Pin them and then draw a diagonal line on the WS of one of the squares:

You then sew on either side of that diagonal line with a 1⁄4” seam allowance. I’ve used a contrasting thread colour in my photo so you can see it more clearly:

You then cut along the diagonal line that you drew:

You then open up the seams and press your seam allowance open on the WS and you end up with 2 HSTs!

Repeat this a million times and you will have your squares. Ok I do exaggerate here but it did feel like I made a million squares! You will end up with 2 different sizes of HSTs, which you will then assemble in various patterns according to the instructions.
It took me about 2 weeks of evenings to assemble my quilt top. For my quilt backing, I ended up using some of the scraps from the quilt top as well as some leftover HSTs It really didn’t matter to me what it looked liked since I was going to be using the quilt as a wall hanging so I used whatever I could find in my fabric stash.
When I created my quilt sandwich, I used straight pins to keep my layers together. I can see now why it is recommended to use safety pins. I stabbed myself MANY times! Do yourself a favour and get a box of safety pins!
Since I had never quilted before, I was really uncertain how I should tackle it. I decided to do diagonal lines in both directions and follow the diagonal lines of the HSTs. I now realize this was a mistake because it allowed more puckers to form than if I had used horizontal and vertical lines:

Binding my quilt was actually the easiest part! I used a tutorial written by my friend Crystal at The Cloth Albatross and used the darkest fabric in my quilt for contrast.

Although the size of the quilt itself could seem intimidating for a beginner, it really is perfect as a starter quilt because the assembly is incredibly easy, although quite long. It is such a great feeling to put up your work and admire it!

You can find all of Libs Elliott’s quilt patterns on her website, including the Rebel Quilt Pattern at: http://www.libselliott.com
You can also find Libs' new fabric line True Love at Sitka Fabrics, and don't forget to use code BACON10 to save 10%
Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of this quilt pattern.

Celine used fabrics and supplies from Funky Monkey to make this quilt. Use code BLOGHOP to save 10% until July 4th.

Canada Day 2016 Blog Hop Schedule

Be sure to visit each of these brilliant blogs this week for more on our outstanding Canadian designers and suppliers:

And, of course, to enter our giveaway for some sweet-like-maple-syrup prizes.

June 24: The Tour Starts HERE at Happy Okapi

June 25: Celine guest posts on Happy Okapi; Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

June 26: Fiona @ Tangled Blossoms Designs; Carla @ Half Dozen Daily

June 27: Sherry @ Thread Riding Hood; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 28: Nicky guest posts on Seam of my Pants

June 29: Daniela @ On the Cutting Floor; Reece @ Happy Okapi

June 30: Michelle @ Michelle's Creations

Canada Day--July 1: Ula @ Lulu & Celeste

July 2: Marsha @ Seam of my Pants

July 3: Keshia @ Sand Dollar Design Studio

July 4: Wrap Up @ Happy Okapi

July 6: Giveaway winners announced

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Comment

Mix and Match from Fabric Please!

5/6/2016

3 Comments

Today I get to share a fun project I've been working on! Rita from Fabric Please let me choose my own Fat Quarter Bundle to play with and I challenged myself to do something different (for me) with them. First, I'll tell you about the fabrics I chose, then I'll show what I did with them. Fabric Please is a Canadian online fabric shop that also carries a great selection of Aurifil thread and assorted notions and batting as well.

I started with the Sashiko Birds from the Moody Blues Collection from Cloud 9, and paired it with the Maize from the Wander collection by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit. From there, I grabbed a couple more prints from Wander, and was delighted to find that the Rise & Shine Lattice from Camelot was a perfect match. I needed one more minty turquoise to tie it all in and Rita suggested Deity from the Eden collection by Tula Pink for Free Spirit. I loved the combo, and hope it inspires you to mix and match too!

Around the same time I was selecting my bundle, I saw the release of the North Pond Notebook Cover and figured it would be perfect to display many different fabrics. The small cover fits my Audubon Bird Journal perfectly (you had to know I'm a Bird-Nerd by now).

The PDF pattern from Radiant Home Studio comes in 2 sizes and really is a great way to showcase a few coordinates, or mix and match, as I've done. The cover has interior pockets and you can adjust as needed. The cover keeps closed with a snap and I love the use of hardware here.

For my birthday, I bought myself Patchwork Essentials: The Half-Square Triangle, by Jeni Baker because I'm so intrigued by quilting and I've only done a very small bit of it, so I figured I should start with some basics. This book is so good and inspiring! It discusses color theory and has a few different ways to make HSTs. There are also loads of block and quilt patterns. I decided to give it a go, but I went with something simple to start with. I used the Deity print as my background and mixed in the other prints in a random way. I shared a sneak peek on Instagram and was warned that quilting is addicitve - I think they're right! Instead of batting, I used Insulbright so I can use my mini quilt as a hot pad.

I also made a matching cup cozy and a key fob, because those are always fun ways to use up smaller pieces of fabric.

I really enjoyed these projects. As much as I love making bags, a change of pace is good every so often too! I have a couple more projects ready to go with these fabrics, so keep your eyes peeled for the rest , and head on over to Fabric Please! to get yourself some.

3 Comments

What's New at Flare Fabrics

12/1/2015

34 Comments

I introduced Flare Fabrics earlier this year. Since then, they've expanded their fabric selection to include some gorgeous yarn dyes, like Essex Linens and Kaffe Fassett's Woven Collection, plus many new Batiks! I'll admit, I hadn't had a chance to play with Batiks much, but Marlene sent me a couple to try out and I really like them.

Things I learned:
Batiks don't have a wrong side- how cool is that?!
They have a crisp feel to them - I like it!
They are true works of art; check out this video I found on the Robert Kaufman site.

Marlene also wanted to share with you, my readers, so she's offering up a giveaway of a fun 1/2 yard bundle including 2 Essex Linens and a Batik of your choice for one lucky reader! There's also a discount for everyone, read below for details.

Here are some of my favourites from Flare Fabrics:

While I'm sharing my favourites, check out the selection of yarn dyes:

What I made with them

I chose the Espresso and Nautical Essex Linens and asked Marlene to pick what she thought worked with them, Here's what she sent:

Hoffman - Me + You

Timeless Treasure - City Lights

I love the Autumn colours in the Timeless Treasres one, and I thought the Hoffman one really matched the understated elegance I was going for with the Essex Linens I chose. The pattern I used only called for 3 different 1/2 yards, but I decided to use a bit of each of the 4 fabrics.

Recognize the pattern? It's the Noodlehead 241 Tote! This was the very first PDF pattern I ever bought, and I really love making it. It's suitable for a beginner, but not too simple to bore an experienced bag maker. The best part about this bag is that it's perfect for mixing up different fabrics. I used the subtle colours for the exterior and made the lining a bit more fun with the batiks.

I had some fabric left over, so I used it in another bag. I used Michael Miller's Painter's Canvas from Flare Fabrics for the lining in the new Blue Calla Freesia Foldover. Have you seen the assortment of Painter's Canvas at Flare Fabrics?! Get yourself a rainbow! I love these in place of solids. I think the bright lining with the elegant, muted exterior is a perfect balance.

That half yard of Espresso Linen went pretty far, so I made a Blue Calla Clematis with it too! I paired it with another Painter's Canvas from Flare Fabrics again. The Painter's Canvas works perfectly as a blender in quilting too.

With the rest of the Nautical Essex Linen, I think I will turn it into a men's toiletry case. The fabric has such a classic look to it, it could be anything really!

Did you know? Flare Fabrics offers free shipping on Canadian orders of $75 or more, and US orders of $150 or more! It is truly a one stop shop, offering interfacing, notions, bag hardware, and even kits!

Discount Details

Flare Fabrics is offering a generous 15% off your purchase with code OKAPI-15
This discount is valid for the entire month of December!

Attention US readers: with exchange right now, your dollar goes much further at Canadian shops, don't shy away, check out the deals!

Now for the Giveaway!

For your chance to win a 1/2 yard bundle of Nautical Essex Linen, Espresso Essex Linen, and a Batik of your choice, leave a comment below telling me what you'd make with the bundle. Want a bonus entry? Comment again telling me your favourite item offered at Flare Fabrics (leave a separate comment for bonus entry). Contest closes at 11:59 pm PST December 8, 2015.

Contest open to Canadian and US residents only

34 Comments

Marker Review

11/11/2015

4 Comments

When I first dreamed up this post, I decided I would find the ONE marker that would do it all. So I set out looking at all the different markers out there. I use my markers mostly for tracing my pattern pieces onto my fabric, but I also use them for marking my centres and placements of straps, plus various other (often temporary) marks I need to make. I looked at what I already used and liked. I also looked at what I did and didn't like about the ones I already used. I was thrilled when Nulagh from Stitch in the Ditch offered to send me her best selling markers to include in my review!

What I was already using:

I love the Pilot Frixion Colors markers! They have a felt tip and I find they write equally well on fleece, foam and cotton. They erase with a quick iron. The downsides are that I find they dry up really quickly, and they don't erase properly on all fabrics, sometimes leaving behind a white line - yikes! I also use Paper Mate Replay erasable pen, and it writes really well on foam, cotton, and interfacing, but not so great on fleece, as the fine point seems to snag and catch on the fleece. This pen also vanishes with heat, but the white line from the Frixion markers has me leery of heat erasable pens.

I've also tried air erasable markers, and I found they vanished too quickly, or not quickly enough, and they dried out quickly too. I just didn't like the inconsistency and overall unreliability of them.

What I tried:

Nulagh from Stitch in the Ditch sent me: Clover Chaco Liner Pen in yellow, Fons & Porter Fabric Mechanical Pencil, and the Clover White Marking pen. I also picked up a Hera Marker from my local quilt shop. Did you know that a Hera Marker isn't a marker at all? I didn't...and after I couldn't figure out why it wasn't marking anything I spent some time online and discovered it really just makes creases, which makes a lot more sense. I know, you're probably laughing at me, and that's ok, because I laughed at myself too. The package it came in said it leaves a light mark that "vanishes with a quick iron" so maybe you can understand where my confusion came from. Anyway, I tried it and I think it's probably more suitable for quilting and marking quilting lines, but I found in bag making, that the creases or "marks" didn't stay on long on enough through all the handling and I would have to remark my spot or line.

Results

I tried them all out for over a one month period while sewing mostly bags. I wanted to see how they are in a real setting. I thought about setting up sample strips of fabrics and seeing how the marks would hold up, but I thought it would be better if I just started using them, and that way I'd truly see what I liked.

Clover Chaco Liner Pen

I was skeptical about this one - it seemed kind of like a gimmick to me. I must admit though, I liked it right away! Because the chalk sits on top of the fabric, the yellow works on dark fabrics really well, unlike a yellow marker, which wouldn't be seen at all. The applicator has a small wheel at the tip to dispense the powdered chalk, so it writes really well on fleece and foam. The yellow shows up on the lighter coloured fabrics as well, making it pretty well rounded in terms of fabric colour. I did find it sometimes hard to get all the chalk off though, so I'm not sure I'd trust it to mark lines in places of my fabric that will be seen on the finished project. After a month of using it, it's still going strong too, which is more than I can say for my Frixion markers. You can also get refills, making it an affordable option instead of buying a whole new pen all over again.

Fons & Porter Mechanical Fabric Pencil

This pencil surprised me the most! I wasn't expecting to like it and was surprised Nulagh said this one of her best selling markers. It shows up so well though! It writes nicely on fabric, and even vinyl. It actually erases too! The pencil has an eraser at the other end, and you can use it to erase lines you don't need anymore. I expected the eraser to make my fabric loosen its weave, or not erase fully, but it left no trace! The lead in my pencil is white, but you can also get a dark lead for it, which would work on light fabrics. After using this one, I'm thinking I will order one just to have for both light and dark fabrics. I never tried it on my interfacings or stabilizers, because the white wouldn't show up anyway. I would definitely trust this marker for areas that will be visible on a finished project. In addition to erasing, you can wash out the marks. The pencil comes with 10 leads, and in the month I used it, I haven't had to replace the lead yet, so even though this pencil seems pricier than other markers, I think it has a high value.

Clover White Ink Pen

Okay, I'm not even sure how to be diplomatic about this one. "It's not you, it's me" "Can we still be friends?" or "I'm seeing someone else" all come to mind. I tried and tried and tried to like this pen, but I just couldn't. I tried it on dark fabric and I could see that the ink was coming out: it looked like it was leaving a wet line, so I could see the line momentarily, but then it dried, and poof...nothing! I tried scribbling on some scraps, waited a bit, still nothing. I did note the next day that I could see the lines I had scribbled on my scraps - nice fine white lines! Soooo, if you have time to wait the next day for your lines to show up, then this is the marker for you! I really wondered about this, and it bugged me, so back to the internet I went. I discovered I am not the only one with this problem. I will say however, that for every person who hated this pen, was someone else who seemed to love it, although I'm not sure why.

Final Verdict

Well, I've discovered that, for me, there isn't one marker that does it all. I also discovered that I'm alright with that. Once I got used to the markers, I knew which one to grab for each occasion, so I didn't have to waste any time trying the wrong one first. I will say I use the Chaco Liner the most for tracing, but the other 2 I use for accuracy or smoother lines. Now I keep my PaperMate, my Chaco Liner, and my Fons & Porter all within reach. Here's a little chart I made of my results:

Special thanks to Stitch in the Ditch for sending me these to try out and share my experiences with you all. Check out their online shop. The markers I reviewed are on sale right now, and a little birdie told me there's another sale right around the corner!

4 Comments

Elixir Stay Home Giveaway and Swoon Pearl Wallet

10/27/2015

62 Comments

Win this bundle!

I have so much to share with you today! It's been in the works for a while and now I can finally show you. I had a chance to play with this brand new collection: Elixir, from Camelot Fabrics, available now at Stay Home Fabrics. If you love the collection as much as I do, you're in luck, because you have a chance to win a bundle, plus discount details later on in this post. I made a Blue Calla Tansy Zippered Tote, and guest blogged all about it over at Purse Palooza happening on the Sew Sweetness blog.

P.S. You can save 10% on the Tansy with code OKAPI10 at checkout

Blue Calla Tansy Zippered Tote in Elixir Fabrics | Happy Okapi

Swoon Patterns Pearl Wallet Clutch

You probably know by now, I love testing new patterns for designers. I was happy the timing was right when Swoon Sewing Patterns Pearl Wallet Clutch became available to test. Pearl is part of the Vintage Collection, which is such a great value and I highly recommend it. It's so fun each month anticipating the next pattern!

Swoon Pearl in Elixir fabric | Happy Okapi Blog

Pearl really has everything you need: card slots, bill slots, and zippered pocket, plus a detachable wristlet strap. The bill fold is technically detachable, but really only designed that way to make it easier to sew. Here is my test Pearl. You can see where the billfold attaches to the main pouch with a magnetic snap. I used regular magnetic snaps, because that's what I had plenty of, but I would suggest following the pattern, and using thinner snaps. For my next Pearl, I tried using a Kam snap for the hidden magnetic snap, since Kam snaps are so strong, but I couldn't get my pliers to reach that far into my piece, so I just stuck with magnetic snaps.

When I tested this pattern, I didn't have too many pictures of the finished product to go by, so it really was a bit of blind faith in the pattern. Alicia really hit a home run with this one though, and her instructions were flawless again, so I didn't run into any problems. The key to this pattern for me was reading carefully and paying attention to the diagrams. It really came together quickly. That's saying a lot for me, since I'm really slow at sewing.

For this one, I wanted to try using a vinyl tab, because I made this wallet to match the Tansy Zippered Tote, which has quite a bit of vinyl. I failed miserably at just using the stabilizer pattern piece as a template for my vinyl tab and having exposed edges. I just couldn't get my pieces to line up nicely during sewing. So I cut one piece of vinyl and one piece of interfaced cotton, and continued as directed in the pattern. I love how it turned out and suggest that method for others. I think compared to my first Pearl with just the cotton tab, this one looks more professional.

Elixir

Since first seeing sneak peeks of this collection from Camelot, I just knew I had to have it. The colors are really me! These colours combined with the geometric design really make it a winning collection for me. Just look at how funky those Triangles are in the card slots of Pearl! The Broken Herringbone makes for a wonderful binding too!
Here are the items I made with a few prints from Elixir:

Clockwise: Tansy Zippered Tote; Noodlehead Pencil Case; bookmark; key fobs; Pearl Wallet Clutch; Sunny Glasses Case

I had so much fun making this quick pencil case from Anna Graham's new book,Handmade Style. It was easy to follow and I got to use 3 different coordinating prints. Anna of Noodlehead has loaded this book with great projects; check it out!

Hnadmade Style 23 Must Have Basics to Stitch, Use, And Wear, by Anna Graham

Contest and Discount

My sponsor Stay Home Fabrics has generously offered up a FQ bundle of 8 prints from the Elixir line. There are several ways to enter. Contest closes November 2 at midnight PST (so you have until Sunday night to enter). Stay Home is also offering my readers (that's you!) 10% off your order using promo code rpelixir valid through November 3rd at midnight.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

62 Comments

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Now for the Giveaway!

What I was already using:

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Results

Clover Chaco Liner Pen

Fons & Porter Mechanical Fabric Pencil

Clover White Ink Pen

Final Verdict

Win this bundle!

Swoon Patterns Pearl Wallet Clutch

Elixir

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