POP!

 A new skirt pattern on the way!!!!

xo Abi

an afghan pillow.

I had just finished making an afghan for my sister and had just a little bit of yarn left.

I decided that I'd go ahead and whip up a baby size afghan with the left over yarn. 

However.

This happened. 

Another sister asked if I'd mind making a pillow size afghan and using it as the front for a pillow.

Very clever, Sister!

That got my wheels to turning.

Then I ran out of yarn and the baby afghan was too much of a baby size even for a baby.

So. I swallowed. 

And cut into my tiny finished afghan to fit a pillow form. 

I actually love how it turned out!

I sewed tassels in each corner and put in my first ever zipper-like-this. 

It matches the sister's afghan and she likes it. 

Yay! 

Now another sister wants one.

I think I'll be doing this a lot.

xo Abi

a knit maxi dress for Her.

Do you ever see something that you really love, 

but just can't bring yourself to spend the money on it?

Yeah, us too.

Well, for a long time now, we've admired this gorgeous maxi dress from Boden.

My sisters and I were talking and I remembered this dress pattern I'd picked up one year at Quilt Market from Kay Whitt of Sew Serendipity. I'd made the dress previously out of rayon and loved it.

Sew!

Why wouldn't it work made out of knit, substitute the pleat in the front and back of the dress for gathers, forget the sleeves and zipper and have your own Boden dream dress without the price?!

Achaia and I started cutting into a watery floral print we had on hand and I started sewing.

Achaia was super happy with how her dress turned out!

After all, that's all that matters. 

xo Abi

it's hot out!

It's that time of year...

Keep cool.

xo Abi

happy day.

My super sweet sister carries around her KittyJo bag with her all over Texas. 

What can I say? 

Maybe... she's the best?! 

Yeppers. She is that!

Love you, Phi!

xoxo Abs

achaiavictoria on Etsy!!

Pride is not something I usually struggle with, but I've got to say, I'm SO PROUD of this girl!!!!

 My sister, Achaia, has opened up her Etsy shop, now full with beautifully hand embroidered pillows!!!!  They are A+amazing!!!  Her work is gorgeous and she uses
high quality everything - from the fabric she stitches on to her floss. 

She hand writes on each pillow. Can you imagine?? 

If that isn't enough, she finishes off each pillow with a darling handmade tassel attached to the zipper.  
You've got to go check out her shop NOW!!!! 

If you know someone who's looking for fabulously cool pillows 

for their home, send them over there to take a look. 

I know y'all will find something you need.

(Because, in all seriousness, I find myself wanting the one she makes 

and the next one she makes and the next one she makes......)

If she asks who sent you, tell her it's that humble sister of hers. Ahem.

xo Abi

My Grandma Quilt

 My great-grandma Kingery had made a stack of hexagon patches in the 1970s. 

Grandma had made the patches using leftover fabrics from the clothes and quilts 

that she'd made for her ever-growing family.

Nanny brought them down the last time she came. We laid them out on the counter and we girls took turns picking out our favorite patches. 

We all agreed that having little quilts with a little bit of Grandma's work would be more 

enjoyable than trying to piece one big quilt that only one sister could use and love on. 

For our quilt top backgrounds, we used a vintage white flat sheet. 

A few of us found vintage sheets on Etsy and used them for our quilt backs.

I hand quilted around each hexagon patch with Perle cotton thread.

I love how my Grandma quilt turned out! 

Working on it made me think of past stories I've heard of Grandma. 

The way she'd make her melt-in-your-mouth biscuits, the way she'd call up the stairs to let my Paps and his little family that he'd brought back for visits know that breakfast was on the table, the way she always wore her hair in a bun, the way she loved her children, the way that she worked hard. 

Yep. I love my Grandma quilt!

xo Abi

x stitch.

 My sister, Achaia, is master when it comes to handwork. 

Of course, she probably takes after our Nan who makes everything come 

out of her needle just beautifully. 

She also holds her needle like our Aunt Teresa, who happens to make everything

look gorgeous when it comes out of her needle. 

So. Well. I come along and can't seem to hold my needle right for 

anything!

However, after watching Achaia stitch for so long, my fingers begin to itch and I have

to try some kind of needlework... any kind of needlework!

So I almost always come back to cross stitch. 

(Because my embroidery is seriously lacking.) 

But I love cross stitch and I think it likes me too. 

So I may not be Achaia, Nanny, or Aunt Teresa, but I'm happy anyway! 

xo Abi

pattern used:  Anna Maria Horner's Fertile Ground Pattern

Just Us.

About Us

We grew up without realizing that some people actually bought curtains and pillows, instead of making them themselves. Almost every woman in our family is or has been an artist or seamstress of some kind! When we were very little girls, we sold our handmade creations to the neighbors (who still have some of our popular potholders). So marie-madeline studio – named after our grandmother and great-grandmother – was launched in December of 2007, with a vision for encouraging and inspiring others into making beautiful things. Our exclusive line of sewing patterns debuted that same year, and our booth at International Quilt Market won first place for merchandising in 2012!  Since then, we’ve sold fabric, notions, custom-made clothes, quilts, and more… until we came full circle back to where it all began.  With sewing patterns.  We girls have grown up a lot since those first years, and now we’re branching off into our own special projects.  Abi’s first book, Modern Prairie Sewing, was published last year and is available for purchase in her Etsy shop!
Most of all, we’re thankful to God for giving us each other and a gift that we can share with you!

XO,

Kristie, Apphia, Achaia, Abigail, & Abiah

“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” Psalm 119:111

who we are… and what we love

---

------------------------------------------------

I'm so thankful for my mom and sisters and the special relationship that we have.

Here's a little bit of our story! 

xoxo Abi 

My Little Corner at marie-madeline studio

Abi

Hello! I’m Abigail, but you can call me Abi. I’m the third oldest girl in our foursome, and it’s been so fun to get to work with my mommy and sisters every day.
If you’ve ordered something custom made from marie-madeline studio in the past, I probably had a hand in sewing it. I love to sew and have learned so much since starting our company back in 2007! I am a fast sewing seamstress who loves to design simple and streamlined sewing patterns for the everyday girl. My style is very “modern prairie”, and I love to see that come through in what I make! Last year, I wrote my first sewing book with C&T Publishing called, Modern Prairie Sewing: 20 Handmade Projects for You & Your Friends. It’s full of fun and fresh looks for bags, women’s clothing, and home goodies. I’ve written quite a few tutorials for our marie-madeline blog, too, including my super popular messenger bag that y’all loved so much (thanks loads!). Now I’m continuing to share my designs on my own blog, The Modern Prairie Girl. I love to make stuffed animals for my littlest friends and chocolate chip cookies for my big friends. I’m an every day girl who loves Jesus Christ. I also love to run barefoot, hug family & friends, hold babies, scream on rollercoasters, go canoeing, laugh, dance, and talk (like, a lot). I just recently opened an Etsy shop, The Modern Prairie Girl. You’ll find lots of pretty things there – from designs sewn right out of my book, Modern Prairie Sewing, to special one-of-a-kind items. I’m so excited to be here and am super happy you’re here too!
xoxo Abi

---

I love…. Jesus, my family, my friends, sewing, singing with my sisters, getting muddy in our friend’s creek, swimming, canoeing, big sunglasses, smiling, cowgirl boots, soft pretzels & flavored cokes, talking, going barefoot, tunics, watching movies with friends, laughing, cooking & baking, cookie dough, giving, cutting hair, running, writing letters to my grandparents, talking on the phone, babies, mystery TV shows, hugging, sneakers, rambling while I’m in bed, going out for Mexican food with a large crowd, pizza, praying, soft sheets, country music, being with my best friends (that includes my sisters), dancing, staying up late, weddings.

**SALE** at The Modern Prairie Girl Etsy & marie-madeline studio has a new look!!!

 My Etsy shop, The Modern Prairie Girl, is 

celebrating something exciting and BIG!

Use the coupon code HAPPYDAY25

and enjoy 25% off your purchase!

  

Why celebrate??!

marie-madeline studio has a fresh look!!!!

Hop over and check it all out!

Read each of our separate and fun stories here!   

Brandy thought it was pretty amazing, so I thought she should 

get to show her cute face here also.
After all, she's one of the girls too. 

xoxo Abi