Quit My Job and Sew

Wordless Wednesday - Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve

2011-05-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Lil Twister - Part 2

2011-05-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry to say I have not had much time to sew these past few weeks, life and work have got in the way. I did manage to the get all of the blocks of the Lil Twister quilt sewn together into rows, but that is how it has been left for several weeks now. For some reason, I just can't get a good picture of this, I took several, and they all look kind of drab compared to the real thing.

Hopefully I will have some time this weekend to get the rows sewn together and attach the borders. I think is going to be a cute little quilt.

Wordless Wednesday - Horsethief Canyon Hike

2011-04-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

Lil' Twister

2011-04-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

At the quilt show I recently attended I saw this neat tool for making interlocking pinwheels, Lil' Twister by CS Design ( this may not be new, but it was new to me), they come in 2 sizes, one for use with 5 inch charm packs and 1 for use with 10 inch layer cakes. Some of the quilts being exhibited were really awesome, so when I returned home I ordered one.

Now, if I had just used a charm pack this would have been super easy, but no, I had to dig through my stash and pick out a bunch of fabrics and cut 5" squares so they would match this leftover fabric I wanted to use for the border. I can never do anything the easy way!

The first thing you do is sew the squares together and then add a 3 inch inner border.

Go figure you cut up fabric, sew it together and then cut it up again, so you can sew it back together! Next you line up the tool on the seam lines to get 1/4 of the pinwheel. It was a bit awkward for me, cause I use the dinning room table, but I just carefully moved the mat around and it worked out just fine.

There is alot of waste, but I am sure I will find a use for it...like a mug rug, or maybe use it on the back.

Oh no, I forgot to take a picture of the 1/4 pinwheel, sorry. The next step is, obviously sewing them all together in the same order you cut them apart, I am not done with that yet, so see you later!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

Sugar and Spice

2011-03-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

With the exception of the flannel to back my Tumbler Quilt I have not purchased any fabric so far this year!. Then, last night I was surfing the net, and I came acrross the Sugar and Spice Collection by the Quilted Fish for Riley Blake. I LOVE it! I am trying hard to use the fabric I have, but I am not sure I will be able to pass on this. Don't you just adore the red and aqua paisley?

And the argyle!

What about this red floral!

Of course, I would need a bit of the stripes too for the binding. Oh heck why not just get a bundle from each color pallet. Someone talk me down, before I get the credit card out.......

Edited to add: I don't need any more fabric, really......maybe a charm pack or layer cake or two?

Vacation in Florida and a Quilt Show

2011-03-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

I just got back from spending a week visiting family and friends in Florida, while there I was lucky enough to attend a quilt show. It is always inspiring to see the work of other quilters. The lighting at the show was not the best, so the pictures do not do the quilts justice. Here are a few of my favorites from the show. Enjoy!

I just love this cat! Wish I had studied it longer, I would love to try something like this.

One UFO Done

2011-03-05T22:17:00.000-08:00

I started this AGES ago!

No kidding, here is the post when I completed the top, September 2008! What took me so long? Well for one thing I just could not figure out how I wanted to quilt it. After having it around for so long I finally purchased some gold thread and the black flannel for the back last fall, but still nothing came to me.

Not sure what happened but all of a sudden I thought loops, just do a loopy meander, not too dense though, don't want to take away from the richness of the fabrics.

When I started the quilting it ended up looking like rows of loops, so I meandered around a bit across the rows to make it look less row like and more random. The binding went on faster than usual, I am so pleased with it, wish it had not taken me so long to finish, but I am glad it is finally done.

There are a lot more UFOs where this came from, but first I have another boy appropriate baby quilt planned.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Mug Rug Swap

2011-02-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to share the great mug rugs I received last week from my swap partner. I just LOVE all of the fabrics that she selected.

I have already put these to good use! Thanks so much Carolyn!

This Weeks Featured Artisan

2011-02-22T16:47:00.000-08:00

This weeks featured artisan is Desert Wind Designs. She sells the most amazing handcrafted jewelry and accessories that really remind me of the desert. Most of her designs are from her own handmade polymer clay beads.

Also in her bag of tricks is some free-form bead weaving and some metal work in copper and occasionally sterling silver.

And if all of that was not enough, she also does some painting. Check out her blog to see what she is working on.

You can enter a contest to win this pendant, made by Desert Wind Deigns, by leaving a comment on the guild blog. Hurry, the contest ends on Monday, February 28th.

Mug Rug Swap

2011-02-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

I am participating in the Quilt Gallery Mug Rug Swap. We were asked to make 2 mug rugs for our swap partner. Making mug rugs is such fun! One of the best parts of participating in a swap is the stalking of your partner to find out a little about them so that you can make something to their liking; unfortunately my swap partner does not have a blog, nor does she use Flickr, so I had to wing it!.

I like the way they turned out, I hope my swap partner likes them.

Click on the Mug Rug Swap button on the sidebar to see all of the awesome mug rugs created by this talented group of quilters.

Good Intentions

2011-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

As I am sure I mentioned in this post I really need to finish up some partially completed projects done. So, I resurrected my first UFO, these Wonky Windmill blocks.

Well, they have been up on my design wall for at least a week, and I am just NOT inspired by them. So, I am thinking I can do one of two things; I can use the rest of the squares from the charms packs to make a different quilt and use these blocks on the back. Or, I can make one more block, buy some yardage from the same line and just make a smaller quilt than I had planned, with borders. I am kinda leaning towards the first option, just so I do not have to buy any fabric.

Happy Friday

2011-01-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast the first week of the year went by, I hope the rest of the year does not fly by so fast! I intended to get a lot more done this week, oh well, at least all of the Christmas stuff is put away. I did manage to finish this little quilt top. A fun and fast tumbler block made with PURE by Sweetwater for Moda, these fabrics are so clean and, as named, pure. AND they are boy appropriate!

Why is it so hard to find fabrics to use for boys quilts? I was hoping to have some flannel in my stash to back this, but after spending a bit of time organizing all of my flannel, there was nothing there in the right color or in sufficient quantity. I do however, have A LOT of flannel scraps, I see a flannel quilt in my future.

Have a great weekend!

Shops with Less Than 10 Sales Guild Featured Shop

2011-01-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

VaBeachQuilterDestash is the featured shop this week for the ArtFire Guild, Shops With Less Than 10 Sales.

Kim has a 100+ different fabrics and other destash items listed, including a HUGE selection of novelty fabrics, like this fun flamingo fabric below.

If you're looking for something specific, contact Kim and let her know, she is super friendly and she has hundreds of different fabrics not even listed in her shop yet (though she intends to list more soon).

I saw a few fabrics in her shop I was tempted to buy, but I am trying to work from my stash for a while.

A San Diego Happy New Year

2011-01-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

What did you do the first day of the New Year?

I went hiking. Why not start the New Year off doing something you enjoy!! Along with several others from the San Diego Women's 'Hiking Group I got up early and trekked the 1,592 feet up to the summit of Cowles Mountain. Properly pronounced "coals", but everyone I know pronounces it phonetically as "cow-ellz.". No matter how you pronounce it, it is the highest point within the City of San Diego, with a spectacular 360 degree view from the top. The group started the assent from the less popular Mesa Road trail head and we were soon surrounded by chaparral, we had to do a bit of puddle jumping over a few creeks and then as we continued our climb we were rewarded with the spectacular views of San Diego that make this hike so popular. To the west, of course you see the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego bay, which was filled with sailboats on this first day of 2011.

To the southwest you can see the Coronado Islands, Mexico,
to the northwest San Clemente Island is ever present, while looking to the east you can see all of the mountains that separate San Diego from the desert.

It was a great morning and what a fantastic way to start off a New Year!

Transition

2010-12-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I changed my "sewing room" back into a dinning room so that I can have my family here for Christmas dinner. I put away many pieces of fabric, several rulers, spools and bobbins of thread and a plethora of magazines. During the process I was amazed by many things; first and foremost, how far I have come since I started quilting 7 or so years ago and how much I have learned. My first quilt was a simple rail fence using only a few fabrics, I so wish I had a picture of that quilt, it would be interesting to see it now. I am amazed at HOW much fabric I have accomplished to collect, how many patterns I have purchased and not used and how many more quilts I want to make.

I made a quick list of unfinished quilts, there are 7 in the piecing stage (it was a quick list, I really think there are more) and at least another 6 waiting to be quilted. Through all of this there is a quilt that I saw that I am obsessing about and want to make right away...and the way I see the quilt, it would require fabric that I do not have. I REALLY want to finish a few things and use some of my fabrics before I start something new, especially if it requires fabric I do not have, but at times I am obsessed!

Do I need a twelve step program?

Wonky Quilted Table Runner - Finished

2010-12-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to share the quilted and bound quilt. I really love the way it turned out.

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season.

New Christmas Fabric

2010-12-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

The mailman brought me some really fun Christmas fabric, these colors are just great! I am thinking these would make a really cool table runner, but probably not until after Christmas.

This was my first purchase on ArtFire, Gina, the owner of Fabrics I Love, is super friendly and provides GREAT customer service. My fabrics came all nicely wrapped and tied with a pretty bow and a hand written note.

And... some charm squares from Amy Butler's LOVE collection.

Thanks Gina!

Wonky Table Runner

2010-12-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

After my seam matching failure yesterday (see previous post) I decided to change directions a bit. So, I quickly make a back for my wonky table runner and loaded in onto the quilting frame. I tried a new motif, it is a meander, but instead of curved lines, they are all straight lines, lots of angles. None of the lines cross over another line.

I am REALLY pleased with the way it turned out and I think it totally fits the wonkiness of this quilt. I am working on the binding now. I only had enough of the stripped fabric I wanted to use to make the binding two inches wide, I figure I will use a tad less than 1/4" to sew the binding onto the quilt and it should be ok. At least that is what I am hoping!

I Had to Take a Break

2010-12-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

It's a month later and this quilt is still not done! I did take my time with the layout, it was on my design wall for at least a week while I got the lay just the way I wanted it. Sewing each half square triangle together went smoothly. Then I started sewing the rows together and no matter what I do I am having difficulty getting the seams to match.

I just do not get it, ..after sewing the hst's I squared each to the same size, then carefully sewed each into rows using a 1/4 seam, but still I am having problems matching the seams. I had to finally walk away, I was just too frustrated. I really want to put this away and start something else, but instead I will just take a break from it.

On a happier note, here is Veronica all snuggled in, she LOVES quilts, especially the flannel.

No Motivation to Sew

2010-11-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

I just have not felt like sewing for the past week. I loaded this quilt onto the frame at least a week ago and have had to force myself to do any quilting. When I ran out of bobbin thread yesterday, I was happy for an excuse to stop!

My buddy Lauren and I are participating in an online Workshop taught by Jude Hill, I was inspired by one of the other participants to dye some fabrics without using chemical dyes; if it works these fabrics will be great to use for this workshop project.

My first trial was with left over coffee, I did not even bother to take a picture, there was almost no color change. I think I should have used a more concentrated solution, or I should have left the fabric in the solution for a much longer time (longer than overnight).

Wanting to turn my white fabric into a shade of red, I used the ornamental plum tree in front of my house. Boiled the leaves and then added my fabric. I used a shibori technique and wrapped the fabric around a PVC Tube, scrunched the fabric together and secured it with string, then submerged it into the solution. I was actually a little pleased with the results; it is a bit brown, but it is a nice brown and I can see some red. In real life the fabric is quite nice actually.

Still wanting a red fabric, I went in search of rhubarb, still have not found any, but I did find and try using red swiss chard, the results were less than exciting.

Next I tried pomegranate, again alot of brown. I re-wrapped this piece placed it back in the pomegranate solution to see what would happen.

Next I tried turmeric, OMG, it does not take much to get color with turmeric, and it is quite lovely. This was after only 15 minutes in the bath.

I also tried something else with the turmeric, I used an acrylic template to create a resist (itajime shibori).

There is still one more piece of fabric "brewing" and it looks promising... I took a slice of the pomegranate and left it on a wet piece of fabric overnight, then I took a bunch of the seeds and wrapped them up in the fabric, wet the fabric and placed a tile and some bricks over the bundle for weight and left it over night. Today, I wet the fabric again and replaced the weights, after I gave it a really good squeeze. I can't wait to see what it looks like!

Hmm, guess I better get motivated to sew, I have a ton of projects to complete.

Not Much Sewing This Week

2010-11-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

This week went by so fast, I did not get to sew nearly as much as I wanted to. I think this is the final layout for this quilt (sorry the picture is not so great, it really is a bad angle).

I was going to try out some alternates, but I think I just want to make another zigzag, not very adventurous of me, but I really like the way they look. I am not sure if I want to add 2 more rows of half square triangles, or maybe a thin white border, then a pieced border, followed by a wider white border. As I write this I am thinking I should add the 2 more rows, then a white border to make the zig zag "float" in the white. Any ideas?

I did go on a great hike today, almost 8 miles. The sky was so clear you could see all the way to the ocean, still learning how to use the camera, but this is what it looked like about 2200 ft above sea level from Daley Ranch in Escondido. What a beautiful spot!

I hope you had a great weekend!

Happy Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

"Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul."

- Michel de Montaigne

Changing the Plan

2010-11-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

Often when creating a quilt, or anything for that matter, you have to be willing to change the plan. Well, now that I write it, I guess that pretty much applies to everything in life... change is inevitable. The four patches that you previously saw on my design wall have been un-sewn.

They were quickly replaced by half square triangles, easily done when you chain piece.

I have probably said this before, but I just love making half square triangles, I just get into a "place" and before you know it they are done. And it is such a versatile block, endless ways that it can go together. One of my favorite, is to arrange them in a zig zag, as I have started to do here.

I still have a few more blocks to make, and I may try some different arrangements, but I kind of like the way this looks. Although, I think I may place the blue zig zag in between the red and the brown zig zag.

Colorful Christmas Table Toppers

2010-11-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

There are several really cute holiday fabric collections available this year! One of my favorites is Colorful Christmas by My Minds Eye for Riley Blake Designs. This collection is just so sweet; it has the most darling snowmen, penguins and little girls with snow suits.

I have all ready made two table toppers with it. The first was a simple table runner with 5 inch squares and white sashing. I love the way it looks like all the fabrics have melded together after quilting. This one is all done and available for sale in my ArtFire Shop.

The second is still needs to have the binding sewn on. Another small simple quilt, one large four patch surrounded by smaller four patches, and then a border.

There is a small mistake, for some reason, even thought I did the math and knew exactly the correct size for the squares for the large 4 patch, I cut them right before I sewed them together and then the seams were off by 1/4. Not sure what I was thinking, but if that is not bad enough, I did it a second time as well! Guess it was meant to be.

Want the chance to win one of three shopping sprees on ArtFire, just follow the link on my sidebar to find Santa. ArtFire is the premier handmade market place.

Progress Report

2010-11-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

I have made a little progress completing some of the blocks on my design wall, not quite as much as I had hoped though. The Wonky Stars and Trees top is complete I think the tress are a bit small in comparison to the stars, but at this point, it s what it is. Quilting and binding yet to come. I am not so happy with this picture, I need a lot more practice with my new camera!

And then there is the chicken and egg beater blocks, I originally intended for this to be a table runner, but finally decided it was not going to happen, so I just layered, quilted and binded each block, so now they are Mug Rugs.

Finally, here is what is left hanging up, some four patches made from the Fruitcake collection by basicgrey, while I love this collection, I am not real happy with the way I a using it...there may be some un-sewing going on AGAIN!

One last thing, hurry over to ArtFire to find Santa (the link is on the right) to enter to win a handmade shipping spree!

What's on Your Design Wall?

2010-11-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Currently, my design wall has way too many things hanging up, so my goal for this week is to clean it off. I am going to start by using those stars.

Ever since I saw the Starry Forest Christmas Tree Skirt by Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studio, I knew I wanted to use Wonky Stars made from Christmas fabrics in a quilt. So, first I made the stars, then to go with them I made some wonky trees. Unfortunately, I was not thinking about the orientation when I made the trees, so now I need to make a design decision.

Do I want the blocks oriented like this,

Or this,

Or maybe this?

Well, it kind of depends how the quilt will used, either of the first 2 would probably be ok for a table runner, but for a wall hanging, only the 3rd one will work. My favorite, to my regret is the 3rd...this means I have to unsew! What do you think?

I look forward to showing you an empty design wall, or at least one with new ideas on it.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I just wanted to share a cute wall hanging I made several years ago. This was my first paper piecing project, these Jack-o-lanterns just came out so cute. Check out the candy corn in the corners. The pattern was from a magazine, not sure which one at the moment, but if anyone is interested, I can look through my pile. If you have never tried paper piecing you should give it a try; it is a bit time consuming, but well worth it in the end.

Whatever you do to celebrate the day, stay safe!

Mug Rugs

2010-10-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Do you know the feeling you get when you are creating something and you are just so pleased with the way it is turning out that you are all giddy? You are all smiles and giggles? You can't wait to finish and show someone? Well that is how I have been feeling while I have been making these cute mug rugs. It all started when I finished this quilt using Meadow Sweet 2 by Sandi Henderson, I love the freshness of this fabric collection.

Anyway, I had a few strips leftover so I just sewed them all together, and yes, cut them apart and sewed them back together yet again, layered them and then quilted real densely. The entire time I was smiling it was just so fun and they are so cute! I see more of these in my future!

Sorry about the pics, still using my iPhone, hope to have my new camera tomorrow!

A Hiking Weekend

2010-10-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

I recently joined the San Diego Womans Hiking Group on Meetup a great group of woman and a fantastic way to get outdoors and get a bit of exercise! Yesterday morning a bunch of us hiked Iron Mountain, just east of Poway it is about a 1000ft climb, not too bad. The weather was perfect and the view for the top was amazing!

I took the pictures with my iPhone, so they are not the greatest quality. This morning we hiked at Daley Ranch. The views were just as spectacular, unfortunately I did not get any pictures, but I am sure I will be going back, it was just spectacular!

Hope you are all having a great weekend too!

ArtFire Featured Studio

2010-10-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

This weeks featured studio is ArtBySunfire, a very eclectic collection of hand made goods. She has a nice collection of Temari Balls, I am totally in love with them. You can learn more about this Japanese tradition here.

She also has a great collection of really cute hand made cards. I hope you will stop by ArtBySunfire and look around.

I am working on some Holiday table runners, but I am without a camera, so I can't share any pictures just yet.

Pure Fabric Collection and Liberated Windmills

2010-10-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here it is, binding attached, all washed and snugly. I used a brown stripe for the binding and a flannel brown polka dot for the back. I am really happy with the way it turned out. It is for sale in my new ArtFire Studio.

I already started my next quilt, inspired by Gwen Marsten's book Liberated Quiltmaking II, Liberated, or Wonky Windmills. The fabric is OZ by Sanae for Moda.

The weather in SD is a bit gloomy, so I am in the mood for comfort food. I have meat loaf in the oven and Mac and Cheese, YUM! This is a new meatloaf recipe, I will let you know how it turned out.

What can I say, except I'm back

2010-10-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well… it has been a long time hasn’t it! You should know that with each creation I have made since my last blog I have thought in my head the words I would write in my blog as I progressed through the project. Do you know what I mean?
If you want to see what I have been working on since my last post please visit my flckr photostream, I have been adding pics of all my finished quilts.
Today I finished quilting this cute little boy’s quilt made from the Pure fabric collection by Sweetwater for Moda. I used Kona cotton in white for the background. The Pure fabric collection is exactly that, Pure, I love it and plan to make at least one more quilt using this fabric. It went together very quickly using 2 charm packs. I really like the fresh clean look of this quilt, for some reason I think of clothes hanging on a clothes line when I look at it.

The quilting is a different meandering pattern than I have used before, more of an elongated pattern, rather dense too. I hope it is not so dense that it makes the quilt stiff.

Today I also made soup. my second favorite activity after quilting! It's Chicken with Wild Rice, very delicious!

You can find the recipe here. I have made a few changes, but this really is a great recipe!

Watching Molly

2010-03-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

I have been sewing a bit, but I have spent alot of time watching Molly. In case you have not heard about Molly, she is a barn owl. She is currently sitting on her eggs in an owl box here in San Diego; the eggs are expected to hatch an ytime now. Go check it out, it is an awesome experience.

All Done

2010-03-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it, completed a quilt start to finish without starting another project. I finished the binding last night and washed it up this evening. I forgot to mention in my previous post, the fabric is Neptune by Tula Pink for Moda. The inspiration for the dark grey background fabric came from this quilt.

I do wish I had used the light green and blue fabric for the entire binding, instead of the strip of dark blue, but it is what it is and I can't change it now!

Have a Happy Friday!

My Olympic Quilt

2010-03-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

I am calling this my Olympic quilt because I started it last Thursday night while I was watching the Olympics and this is a a personnel best time for me completing a quilt!

I was just going to cut the rectangles that night, and the next thing you know I was sewing them together while watching the action. I finished the borders Saturday morning and quilted it on Sunday. Have spent each evening this week hand sewing the binding (not a process I enjoy, so I do it in small junks). I am not sure if I have ever pieced, quilted and bound a quilt before without starting another before the process was complete. Ok, it is not such a big quilt, only 30" X 45", but still, if all goes on plan it should be completely finished tomorrow.

I used chenille for the back, I have never done that before. The chenille makes the quilting very easy because you cannot see the stitches on the back, but it generates a LOT of LINT!
Hope to have a picture of the bound and washed quilt tomorrow.

Liberated Amish Quilt

2010-02-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

I joined the Lazy Gal Liberated Amish 2010 Get Together. The task is to use one of the quilts from the book Amish Abstractions as inspiration, then to make it in Gwen Marston's Liberated Style. And, we have to use letters in the quilts as well. I have been a fan of Gwen's work ever since I started quilting, as a matter of fact her book Liberated String Quilts was one of the first quilt books in my library. The Amish Abstractions book is fabulous and I am sure it will provide tons of inspiration for years to come.

I chose the Crazy Star Quilt as my inspiration. There were many in the book that interested me, but I kept going back to the Crazy Star.

The first thing I had to do was amass a collection of solid fabrics, as my stash was a little shy in the solids department.

Yesterday afternoon I started cutting these into strips.

It did get quite messy, I had to get out the pasta dryer to organize all of the strips. I was cutting fabric up and sewing it back together over and over until late at night and much of the day today.

It doesn't look like I got very far, but I am having great fun!

It is great soup weather, so I am off to partake in my second favorite activity, making soup!

Quilted and Bound

2010-02-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

I really like the way this turned out. The quilting is a meander, not too dense, but enough to give it a lot of pucker. I used a yellow variegated thread in the border and an off white thread in the middle. These colors make me happy!

The Weekend Can't Be Over

2010-02-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

I still have so much more that I wanted to do this weekend! Oh well, I did practice a bit of balance...exercise, housecleaning, cooking and SEWING. Do you remember this?

The seams were not matching so well, so it was abandoned to work on some holiday quilts. I finally got the seams to match and the borders are attached.

I had a few hour glass blocks left over, so I pieced the back with the same white Egyptian cotton
that I used on the top.

Here it is quilted, I just finished sewing the binding onto the top.

Liking This One

2010-02-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on the quilt I am working on, I am really liking it, but this picture is not so good. It is so hard to take a picture of anything on my design wall. I am thinking that I am going to stagger the vertical rows a bit. And then maybe narrow brown borders on the sides and bottom with a wide top border with a strip of the green I used for two of the blocks.

All Over the Place

2010-01-30T14:38:00.000-08:00

As usual, I am working on several projects all at the same time.
Earlier this week I started making the Windmill block from Gwen Marston's new book Liberated Quiltmaking II. I just LOVE her work!!! I am so glad she came out with a new book, I was getting tired of going to the library to get her old book. I am using some old reproduction fabrics. Not sure what I will do next, maybe some other blocks from the book for a sampler.

I have completed a few more blocks for the Cancer is Sew Done quilts.

Finally, I bought 2 charm packs from Amy Butlers Midwest Modern fabric collection about a year ago and could never decide what I wanted to do with them...then last night, out of the blue, I thought those might look nice with the brown Kona cotton I just purchased on sale. I think the brown is going to contrast nicely with these fabrics.

Tomorrow I need to start working on Donna's block for the virtual quilting bee.

Quilt for Eva

2010-01-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

My friend Christina is expecting a baby girl in March, so I thought a bright and cheerful quilt was in order. A charm pack from Love U by Deb Strain and some white Kona was all it took! I can't believe how quickly this went together.

I used yellow Minky for the back, it is soooo soft!

I wish I had used a darker fabric for the binding, but I was too lazy to shop around for it, and there was not enough time to order on line. It really does not matter, she was so surprised and she really loved it. I hope her and Eva love it for many years to come.

Help for Haiti

2010-01-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

I just can't believe how devastating the earthquake in Haiti was, those poor people. At some level I wish I could go there and help, to really make a difference. But that is not really possible, so I do what I can from here.

I donated my Zig Zag quilt to the Hearts for Haiti Etsy shop, 100% of these proceeds (less etsy and paypal fees) will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. I sure hope someone purchases it!

Jacquie, over at Tallgrass Studio is auctioning off her 3 VERY cute neighborhood quilts to help raise money for those in need in Haiti. All proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross, and she will be making a matching donation, so go check out her neighborhoods, A Neighborhood to Help a Neighborhood.

This weekend I made 2 quilt tops to be donated to an orphanage in Haiti, go on over to Allz I'm Sewing Is to get the details, if your interested in participating. What a great way to use up some of that outdated or scrap fabric. Here is Saturday's quilt, fast and easy some fat quarters and Moda Marbles that I stacked and wacked.

Then on Sunday I took a bunch of nine patches that I made years ago and sewed them together. Donna wants hearts in each of the quilts, so I pieced one in the center. I actually managed to get Sunday's quilt quilted too, all ready for the binding.
I still have a ton more nine patches, so maybe I will make a few more.

Devistation in Haiti

2010-01-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

Looking for a way to help? Here are two that I have found. First, a bunch of Etsians are starting a shop where other Etsians donate their handmade goods for sale, and 100% of the profits are being donated to Doctors without Borders. The shop is not open yet, but stop by Hearts for Haiti, and they will send you an email as soon as it is up and running. Handmade items make such great gifts, so check out the shop, there will be free shipping as well. I will be donating one of the quilts from my Etsy shop.

Then, Sarah is collecting blankets... I just got an e-blast from Beverly's, they are having customer appreciation day tomorrow, 25% off everything. Stop by and purchase some fleece and make a small blanket for a little one in need.

I am sure there are a lot of other great ways to help out there, these are just the first two I came across this morning and wanted to share.
Update
Donna over at Allz I'm Sewing is organizing a group to make quilts with hearts to be sent to Haiti if your interested in helping check out her blog.

My First Finish in Twenty Ten

2010-01-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

I actually finished piecing this during the fall, I put it aside because I thought I would quilt it using straight lines, maybe concentric squares in the middle of the blocks and horizontal and vertical lines on the outer pieces of the blocks. I even purchased a line tamer to help me accomplish the task. Then, I thought maybe I should practice this technique before I actually use in on a quilt. So....in order for it not to be another UFO, I quilted it in a loopy meander using a variegated King Tut thread by Superior Threads and I am happy with the results. I don't really love this quilt as much as I thought I would when I was making it, but I am very pleased with the quilting.

The fabric is Urban Couture, by Basic Grey for Moda, I used a Jelly Roll for the blocks. The back, as usual is flannel.
The pattern is Keyholes by Heather Mulder Peterson.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T16:09:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, I hope everyone had a fantastic and peaceful holiday. I was going to blog last night, but this orange ball of fur was in my chair. Isn't he precious!

Here are my finishes for 2009, some were probably started in 2008, 31 in total, sure seems like I made more than that.

I still have at least three completed tops born in 2008 and several in various stages of completion from 2009. There are also tons of blocks in my closet that I have abandoned! I have many plans for more quilts this year. I will be sharing them all with you in the months to come.

The Next Generation of Crafters

2009-12-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to help teach a Girl Scout Troop how to make snowmen using felt. It started off a bit badly when it came to threading the needles. I was prepared with the needle threader that I use for cross stitch, great plan, right? Well, the troop leader, also my good friend, purchased needles that were too small for my needle threader. One of the Moms helped out and eventually we got nine needles threaded with 3 strands of floss (in hind sight I should have started this process while the girls were eating cookies, but who would have known). Then mistake #2, I did not make the floss long enough, and the floss kept coming out of the needles. It was a bit challenging teaching so many at girls once, but in the end the girls turned out some great looking snowmen.

I had a great time and I think they did a great job! You can see the rest of the snowmen here.

All Over the Place

2009-12-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

I finished all the rows for this quilt and started to sew them together, but the seams were just not matching up. To make the quilting process easier (by reducing the bulk at the seams) I tried pressing the seams open when I sewed the blocks together. Maybe that is not such a good idea after all. At any rate, instead of fighting it, I moved on to something else.

I loaded a charity quilt onto my frame and started quiting.

Then I made my first block for the Cancer is Sew Done Virtual Quilting Bee. I think it is cute, but wonder how it might fit in with the blocks the others participants will make. I may just have to make a bunch more using the dinosaur fabric!

Finally, a customer who purchased a quilt in my Etsy shop requested I include a gift card with her purchase, so I made this out of some scraps. I like the way it turned out.

All in all it was a great day, even though I did not accomplish what I intended. Some times you just have to go with the flow.

Lazy Weekend

2009-12-13T12:22:00.000-08:00

Boy I have not done much this weekend, as a matter of fact I have not done much all week! I started this quilt last week, with the intention of getting it into my Esty shop before the holiday, but I just do not seem to have the motivation to work on it. Of course I have abandoned the goal of getting it into the shop this year, but I would still like to finish it before I start on something new.

I can't decide what I want to do with the borders. I have lots of leftover fabric from the jelly roll and the layer cake, so I was thinking of piecing a border and maybe surround it with strips of the white fabric. Or I could make a bunch of half square triangles out of the charm pack, or even smaller hour glass blocks. I could also just sew the squares from the charm pack together. My only limitation is the amount of white fabric I have left, and my indecision.

Any opinions or ideas?

Carmel Valley Art Show

2009-12-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the Carmel Valley Art Show, I have been busy preparing all week. I just finished the binding this morning.

I quilted it pretty densely, I am really happy with the way it turned out, although I wish I had made it a bit larger, oh well.

If you are not doing anything tomorrow stop by the Karl Strauss Brewery Gardens and check out all the great creations made by local artists.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T21:05:00.001-08:00

We should count our blessings and give thanks for all that we have on this Thanksgiving.

What is on your design wall? Here's a look at what I am working on, sorry the pictures are not so great, my design wall is in a hallway and it is difficult to get a good picture.

Here is some gorgeous fabric I just received, Eva by basicgrey, I can't wait to start sewing with it

Have a great weekend, don't eat too much. If you feel like a little cyber shopping check out the handmade goods on Etsy, many of the sellers are offering discounts and free shipping. Just click on the link at the top of the page.

Coffee Cozies

2009-11-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

Last year for the Bernardo Winery Arts and Crafts Show I made a bunch of coffee cozies to sell. One of my clients liked them and asked me to make 25 for her. So I spent some time this week working on them, these would make nice gifts for coffee drinkers.

I start by sewing together my scraps. You can either lay them all out on batting using spray adhesive to keep them in place until you sew them together or you can find pieces of similar size and sew them together like a like a string quilt. I have done it both ways.

Add some backing fabric, then you can either quilt your sandwich together or you can add decorative stitches to keep the layers together. This time I quilted the sandwich together and then added some zig zag stitches using a a colorful variegated thread.

Using the cardboard cozy you get when you purchase coffee, cut out your fabric cozy. I made a template and added about 1/4 inch to the length. If you don't want to make a template just add the 1/4 inch when you cut it out.

Now I usually end up adding some decorative stitching, then zig zag around the top and bottom to keep it all together. It adds interest if you vary the stitch length and width and add some different color threads.

Then you stitch the two ends together, I usually secure the two ends using a straight stitch, then go back and zig zag a couple of times, again varying the stitch length and width.

Finally, you embellish. I glued different trim around the top. You could add beads, or buttons, what ever you like.

Of course you could just make these out of one fabric, but I was trying to use up scraps.

A Quilting Bee - Yipee

2009-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

I am so excited, I joined a quilting bee!!! Starting in January, myself and 11 talented quilters will each make a block a month and at the end of the year we will have 12 very unique quilts. I am a bit nervous though, my fabric stash seems a little out of date and I have no idea what block I want to do. I have until May until it is my month, so I have plenty of time to ponder my options.

I also joined a group making blocks for quilts that will be auctioned off to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. What a great cause, just click on the link in my sidebar to join the fun. We are making our blocks based on the tutorials at the Block Party, which is where all of this great fun started.

Have a great week!

Hushabye Quilt all Done

2009-11-14T11:23:00.000-08:00

I really like the way this turned out. I used Minkee on the back. The Minkee is so very soft and quilts really nice, but hand sewing the binding on was a bit difficult. Not sure I will try this again, but I do love the softness. These pictures are a little better that the ones I posted last, but they still do not capture the loveliness of the quilt. I quilted this using a beautiful pink and brown variegated thread using a simple loopy meander.

Happy Veterns Day

2009-11-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all to have served our country so that we can enjoy our freedom.

In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. –Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935

Hushabye Quilt

2009-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

I Love to make half square triangles, I find it kind of relaxing. I usually make them in the evening, I set up my cutting mat on the kitchen counter so there is not too much bending over involved and I can see the TV. This time I have taken it one step further and made quarter square triangles. I am using charm packs from Moda's Hushabye collection by Tula Pink; it really is a gorgeous collection of fabrics. I also purchased some yardage of the tone on tone brown from the collection. First I made half square triangles, then sewed them together to make quarter square triangles. Guess I should have taken more pictures of my progress, I just get so excited by what I am doing sometimes I forget to stop and take pictures. Once the quarter squares triangles were all made, trimmed and pressed I put them up on the design wall. I then randomly placed a few charm squares throughout the quilt. I loved the way it looked, sorry the picture does not do it justice.

The brown fabric was also intended to be the border, so I thought maybe I needed another border to break up the brown a bit. I did not want to purchase any more fabric, so I decided to cut up some of the left over charm squares and sew them together. Initially I thought I would just make 1.5 X 5 inch sections, but I did not like the way that looked, so I ended up making 1.5 x 2.5 inch sections.

Finally, the borders were added, I decided on 5 inch borders. I am thrilled with the final product, again the picture in quite bad, the actual quilt top is much prettier that portrayed here. Once it is quilted I will try to take a better picture.

Fall Table Runners

2009-10-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

The fabric collection Gobble Gobble by Sandy Gervais is so full of rich fall colors. Using a pattern by Heather Mulder Peterson, a Jelly Roll and a bit of yardage I made this table topper. The back is pieced, so both sides can be used. Can't you just see a bowl of gourds on top of this?

The quilting was done with a variegated orange thread, I love the look of the thread and the fabric together here is the close up .

I made another, but not with the same pattern. For this one I cut a bunch of light fabrics into 2.5 inch squares and the darker fabrics into 4.5 inch rectangles and this is what I came up with. So easy and fast using pre-cut strips.

Catching Up

2009-10-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile, since my last post, I have really been busy lately, but nothing much to show for it. I have several projects in various stages of completion. And I completed one more Holiday quilt for my Etsy Shop. This quilt was made from a kit I purchased many years ago using Thimberries Home for the Holidays fabric.

I also started this quilt.

The fabrics are definitely more spring that fall, but I could not resist the beautiful bright colors which seem ideal for this pattern I found by Heather Mulder Petterson. I am a bit frustrated with this one though, it is not going together as easily as I would like. I sewed two rows together and discovered that the blocks were not the correct size, so I took the rows apart and re-sized the blocks, and now the seams are not matching. I can see this one going into the UFO pile until a rainy day!

Finally, just for fun I put these together.

They are destined to be pot holders/hot pads as soon as I have time to quilt them.

Figgy Pudding - continued

2009-09-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous day in San Diego today, the heat has passed and there is a hint of Fall in the air. Of course this can change at any minute due to off shore winds, but today I opened all the windows and enjoyed the fresh air and the smell of Fall.

I finished quilting and binding the Figgy Pudding Quilt and the quilting for the polygon table topper is complete, I just need to hand stitch the binding to the back. I am thrilled with the way the quilting in these have turned out. For the quilt I freehand quilted stars and loops, look at how nice it turned out.

Here is the table topper, I did a pretty dense meander, not sure how to get it any denser that this, but I know it can be done.

The close up picture of the quilting did not turn out so well, but you get the idea.

Summertime Mini Received

2009-09-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

OMG, look at how lovely my Summer Time Mini is! Black and white, with hand dyed and batik fabrics, it does not get much better than that. I hung it up above my long arm with my other mini quilts this morning, right where I can see it as I quilt. It sure does brighten up the room.

It was made by Dorrie, check out her blog, she is very talented.

Summertime Mini Quilt Swap

2009-09-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well, my summertime mini on it's way to my partner, I hope she likes it. The inspiration for this quilt came from the Women of Gee's Bend, I posted about them earlier this summer.

Table Toppers

2009-09-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I finished sewing the borders onto the hexagon table topper, it is on the quilt frame and ready to be quilted.

I also finished piecing this table runner, but I am thinking it is a bit too skinny. It measures 12.5 inches wide. I may add a border, any opinions?

Re-purposed Kitchen Tool

2009-09-17T18:39:00.001-07:00

I am sure I am not the first to think of this, but just in case you have not seen it before I thought I would share. Many years ago, when cooking was my passion, I was really into making fresh pasta. This pasta drier was a gift, but I lost my interest in making fresh pasta before it was ever used. By the way, fresh pasta does really make a difference in many dishes.

So, now it has a new purpose...holding 2.5 inch strips! These are from Figgy Pudding by basicgrey... again. I have ALOT of this fabric, so be patient. Here is one of the table toppers I am working on.

This pattern is from "Sizzlin' Sixties" by Heather Mulder Peterson, Anka's Treasures. It is easier than it looks, sewing the rows together went smoothly, but assembling the rows was a bit hit and miss and took a bit of un-sewing.

Zigzag Quilt

2009-09-10T08:15:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun making the first Zigzag Quilt, that I decided to make another. This time I used two charm packs from Santorini, by Lila Tueller for Moda. The fabric is beautiful and rich, this collection was inspired by a tiny Greek island in the Aegean Sea, rich with ripening olive groves and lush tropical gardens.

This time I put a narrow white border on the quilt, and again used a stripped fabric for the border, I really like that look. The back is a yellow thinly stripped flannel.

Figgy Pudding by basicgrey

2009-09-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

Every year there is at least one holiday fabric I can't get enough of. Last year it was Merry and Bright by Sandy Gervais, the year before it was Let it Snow, can't remember who the designer was, but I made two almost identical quilts and some pillows from it. The snow men in this fabric make me smile.

This year my favorite is Figgy Pudding by basicgrey for Moda, I started with two charms packs, then added a jelly roll, a layer cake and some yardage.

During the piecing of this top I decided I needed more, so I ordered another layer cake, oh my I think I may have gone a bit over the edge! I have a few ideas though, so I should be able to use it all up.

I also have a bunch of Merry and Bright fabric left, so let's see what I can do with that. I think I will be making ALOT of holiday quilts this year!

A Good Week

2009-08-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

The last week has been great, I finally made my first Etsy sale, and a week later a second quilt sold! I was doing the happy dance. Both quilts were baby quilts ... it is so exciting to think that these quilts may be cherished for many, many years to come.
I also completed and delivered the first Tee Shirt Quilt to it's rightful owner. She was thrilled with the final product. She had a lot of tee shirts, so I still have another quilt to make for her.

Balance

2009-08-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Balance is something I struggle with; I tend to get obsessed with a project or an activity and don't do anything else. For example a couple of years ago in an attempt to loose some weight I worked out 5-6 times a week sometimes for 2.5 to 3 hours. It worked, I lost the weight, but I did not get anything else done. More recently I have spent most of my free time quilting often getting very excited by a quilt in the beginning, only to abandon an unfinished quilt for something new and more exciting.

This week I tried to practice a little balance. I worked out three times, washed my windows, cooked some halfway decent dinners and made progress on three unfinished objects (a Christmas quilt, a strip quilt and a tee shirt quilt that I was commissioned to make), as well as my mini for the Summertime Mini Quilt Swap. Actually I worked on 3 minis, the one I blogged about, one to replace it, in case I decide it is not appropriate for my partner, and a doll quilt for a friend using some leftover charms squares.

I just finished loading this tee shirt quilt top that I completed earlier this week onto my quilting frame.

I hope to continue to maintain some balance and to work on some more UFO's. For now I am going to go for a walk.

Remember to stop and smell the roses.

Summer Time Mini Quilt Swap

2009-08-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

I started working on my mini quilts for the Summer Time Mini Quilt Swap. Inspired by Gwen Marston's book Liberated Quilts I came up with this. Just a warning, these pictures did not turn out so great.

It seemed a bit too dark so I started some pieced borders.

Still needs more color, so I tried making some wonky flying geese.

I am not too happy with the way they turned out, so I made some regular flying geese.

I think it looks OK so far, but after re-visiting my partner's blog I am not sure it suits her. Not to mention it is not very summery. I am not going to abandon this mini, but I may start one a bit more appropriate.

Finishing up a Few Things

2009-07-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Do you all have a bunch of projects in various stages of completion? I frequently become excited by a new project, only to let others fall by the wayside, so I dedicated a couple of days to finish a few things. First my sister's picnic quilt, this was made from 2 packs of charm squares and some yardage.

I thought I was done with this and went to put it on the fame for quilting and realized it was too small. Sue wanted a quilt she could stretch out on, so I pieced together a border with the leftover yardage, I hope it is long enough.

Next this table topper that I started probably a year or so ago. I abandoned it when it came time to piece the border, too many small pieces. This was also made from 2 packs of charm squares. I finished piecing it and then quilted it in an all over flower stipple.

Then there is this cute bag, Tag Along Tote, pattern by Terry Atkinson. I think it is pretty cute. Just the right size for phone, wallet, glasses and keys.

I was over at Wanda's blog this morning, Exuberant Color, and she has a great idea, you assign each unfinished project a day, and that day each week is dedicated to that project until it is complete. I may have to try that, because finishing these three projects is not even scratching the surface. Anyway, go check out her blog, she has some really beautiful work.

Oh, one more thing, the brown fabric I ordered on Ebay came in a jiffy, so I was able to completed binding the coin quilt.

How I Ended up at the Library

2009-07-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I some how came across Michele's blog With Heart and Hands .... where she posted some wonderful pictures of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and shared a little history about the Gees Bend Quilters, it was both moving and inspirational. Her next post featured many of the quilts at the show made by Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston. The next thing I knew was Googling the Gees Bend Quilters and Gwen Martson, well I finally headed off to the library hoping to be able to get a peak at Gwen's book "Liberated Quiltmaking". I loved it, sat there and read it for hours.

Gwen and Freddy have a new book, "Freddy and Gwen Collaborate Again: Freewheeling Twists on Traditional Quilt Designs", and Michele is giving away a copy on her blog, so go to Michele's blog, see some beautiful and inspiration quilts and leave a comment to enter to win the book. I hope I win it!

Scraps

2009-07-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Using scraps from this quilt I made a stacked coin quilt. I am happy with the way it turned out, but I wish I had quilted it a bit denser.

I LOVE the lime green backing, or is it chartreuse? I was planning to use the same pink fabric for the binding as I did on the back of the first quilt, but that was before I choose the green backing. Luckily, I was able to find the same brown fabric used in the quilt on Ebay, it should be here is a couple of days.

I need to get working on my mini for the summer swap, some folks have already finished theirs. I am thinking about making houses?

Still Deciding What to Do Next

2009-07-11T22:05:00.001-07:00

I can't decide what I want to do next. I do have a couple of completed tops that need quilting, so one of them may be my next project. I also have some fabulous Amy Butler fabrics I purchased a while back that I would love to see in a quilt. In the mean time I added the border to my most recent mini.

And, since I have accumulated a few mini quilts, I may as well display them, so I hung a thin curtain rod up in my quilting room. I love being able to see them, so bright and cheerful. Sorry the picture isn't better, the room is too small to get far enough away to get a good photo.

Speaking of mini quilts I joined another swap.

Swanky by Chez Moi for Moda Complete

2009-07-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE the way this quilt turned out! I found a thin striped flannel in yellow for the back and then a coordinating stripe for the binding. I quilted an all over meander, fairly dense. After it was washed and dried it wrinkled up nicely.

I am ready to start something new, what will it be?

Christmas in July

2009-07-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

I may have my Holidays a little mixed up. Seriously, when I discovered that I really did not have enough flannel for the back of the ZigZag quilt I decided to quilt a top I made quite a while ago. I may have even made this top before I started blogging. WELL, now that I see it I cannot believe I waited this long to finish it, it is beautiful! Made from Christmas batiks, I think it is one of my all time favorites, my picture does not really do it justice; the colors are really much more vibrant than portrayed in the photograph. As you can see from the clips, I am still working on the binding.

Have a fun and safe Independence Day!

Mini Valorie Wells

2009-06-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Valorie Wells is one of my favorite fabric designers. I have made two quilts with her Flourish line, they both sold very quickly.

With the few scraps I had left I made this mini; the simple grid quilting went quickly. I love the striped binding.

Progress Report Swanky HST Quilt

2009-06-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

I auditioned a few different blocks using the half square triangles made from the Swanky fabric. I liked this a lot, but I think a bit more contrast would make it much more interesting.

In the end I decided on this.

I think i have enough yellow or pink flannel in my stash for the back, I will work on that and then get it onto the frame for quilting.

I had a few half square triangles left over, so I turned them into quarter square triangles and made this mini.

Swanky by Chez Moi for Moda

2009-06-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

I purchased two charm packs of Swanky by Chez Moi a few weeks ago, I could not resist such a lovely fabric, especially when it was on sale.

Originally I was going to use it to make a disappearing nine patch, but I changed my mind. Instead I ,went to my stash, came up with some white fabric and started making half square triangles.

Not sure yet where I am going with this, but we will see.

It's Here

2009-06-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

My Spring Blooms Mini Quilt is here and it is lovely! Thanks Kelli, I love it! I have to move some things on the wall so that I can hang it up. It came with the cutest card too; I feel bad, was in such a hurry to get my quilt in the mail I forgot to include a note.

Aren't these mushrooms adorable?

Mini Quilt Finished

2009-06-20T13:19:00.001-07:00

The mini quilt is all finished and ready to go to my partner. I actually did some of the stitching by hand.

Here is a close up of the butterfly.

New Fabric - Metro Market by Kaufman

2009-06-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

I saw this fabric and knew I had to have it, isn't it fun!

But what would I use it for? I am trying not to buy fabric, just because I like it. The most obvious choice is a table runner, which I may make. Instead I am making a floor mat for the kitchen. The inspiration came from the book Patchwork Style, by Suzuko Koseki.

Almost done, then I will add a couple of more layers of batting and quilt it. I think this will be so cute in the kitchen. The cool thing about this floor mat is that if it gets torn or stained, you just sew more fabric on.

Finished Quilts

2009-06-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

I spent some time today photographing and writing descriptions for two recently completed quilts so that they could be listed for sale on Etsy. I am so pleased with this quilting, a pretty pink variegated thread, using a dense meander pattern.

Here is the quilt.

I don't think I ever showed you this completed quilt. Wonderful fabrics! This was quilted using free motion in a 3 petal flower pattern, using a variegated pink and brown thread.

Happy Birthday Sister

2009-06-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

I will never forget the night you were born, Dad called and told me I had a baby sister, I was so thrilled! I am so grateful to have you for a sister.

I started out making a fabric birthday card and it ended up being more of a wall hanging. I had great fun, this is my first art quilt, and although the picture does not really do it justice, I am quite pleased with the outcome. I used Jan Mullen's technique from her book Free and Easy Circles, added some skinny pieces of fabric with fusible web and then added the beads.

Mini Quilt #2

2009-06-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Progress is a bit slow, as I had other commitments to attend to. I have added the stems and leaves.

Pictures From My Walk

2009-05-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

I am hand stitching the binding to the teachers quilt, must get it done before school lets out for the summer. Here are a few things I saw on my walk today.

Mini Quilt #1

2009-05-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

This is great fun, trying new techniques on a small scale. I am using Jan Mullen's book Free and Easy Circles to make a few colorful flowers, stems and leaves. This was also my first opportunity to use my fusible thread, not sure if I did it right, guess I will know when it is all done.

Then I created a flower box by fusing white fabric strips onto black fabric, I am pleased with the way it turned out. I even made my first yo yo for the center of the yellow flower.

I think this need some purple! Not sure yet if I am going to make another flower, or maybe use purple for the binding. Think I will be adding a butterfly and as time permits a few other bugs.

Quilt for the Teacher

2009-05-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me to make a gift for her nine year old son's teacher. Each student drew a picture on a 6.5" square of fabric and I sewed them together with red and white gingham sashing. Don't look too close, the sashing ended up a tad crocked.

The sashing and the backing are from the Dick and Jane Line, so cute and appropriate.

Now I am off to start my mini quilt!

Catching Up

2009-05-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I have not been a very good blogger lately, I was preparing for the Bernardo Winery Arts and Crafts Show and logged in alot of hours at my "real" job. The show was great fun. Thanks to all of you that stopped by,I really enjoy talking to everyone. Here are a few pictures from the show.

This quilt made from the Flourish line by Valorie Wells went to a new home, where I am certain it will be loved.

Did you notice the banner on the side? I have joined my first quilt swap, I am so excited! Now what can I make into a mini quilt? I have a few ideas, one is using Jan Mullen's reverse applique technique to make some spring flowers. I will keep ypou posted.

Farmers Market

2009-04-28T18:45:00.001-07:00

A Farmers Market opened up in my neighborhood, so Lauren and I went today to check it out. Tons of beautiful fresh fruits, vegetables and other goodies. I can see going there often. Lauren introduced me to Sweet Peas, and treated me to a bunch, they are so colorful (my photography does not do them justice) and my entire home is filled with the fragrance. Thanks Lauren !

The Quillow

2009-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, this year for Ruby's birthday I made a quillow. A quillow is a blanket (quilt) that folds into a pillow. I got the idea from my friend Lauren, whose nephew asked for one. You can find the instructions here. We were in JoAnn's while she was shopping for the materials to make them and I could not resist this fun fleece print.

Unfortunately there was not enough to make the quillow, so I bought a coordinating pink, fussy cut the circle and flowers and appliqued them on the pink fabric. I like the final product, although I did cut the pocket a little big so it is not a very fat pillow.

Happy Easter and Passover

2009-04-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

I did not mean to stay away so long. First I went to Florida, isn't this a gorgeous sunset?

I was home for about a week, and boy was it a busy week, barely had time to do laundry and repack. Then I went up to northern CA. While in Lafayette, CA I visited the nicest quilt shop The Cotton Patch, they have an excellent selection of fabrics. If you are ever in the area I recommend you stop in.

Since I have been home I have been trying to catch up. First and foremost I had to make a birthday gift for my niece, Ruby, she will be 6 on April 21. Usually I make her a quilt for her birthday, but this year I ran out of time, so I made a Quillow, more about this later. gotta finish up the taxes, then I am free.

Ipod Case

2009-03-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

I needed a case for my Ipod...what do you think? I was in a big hurry, so I did not really measure, just laid the Ipod on the fabric. Then I layered some scraps with batting, did some real quick quilting using a straight stitch and then zig zagged around a few time. It ended up a tad too tall, so I added some Velcro to keep the Ipod inside.

Productive Weekend

2009-03-08T22:32:00.000-07:00

What a productive weekend this turned out to be, must be the extra hour of daylight. The pink nine patch is all done, binded, washed and all crinkly. The batting for the pink nine patch is 50% bamboo fiber.

And I finished quilting the 30's reproduction quilt, even got the binding sewn on.
As an added bonus I had time to clean the quilting room. Lizzie sure does generate a ton of lint!

Messing Around With Scraps

2009-03-07T10:46:00.001-08:00

I have leftover batting everywhere! So here is what I am doing. I sprayed quilt basting spray on the batting and then added scraps of batiks randomly. I tried not to put too much thought into the placement. Next I have to stitch all the scraps down. Not sure yet if I am going to use the long arm or decorative stitches with the Bernina.

1930s Reproduction Quilt

2009-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

I started this quilt probably nine months ago, maybe even longer. I thought I was all finished and started sewing the rows together, and when I was done the the quilt was really small!
Well, that was because I had not completed all of the rows. Maybe my first clue should have been that I still had a bunch of cut rectangles and squares leftover. In all honesty the instructions were not well written.

I am forcing my self to finish this top, it really is NOT fun to do. I am not sure why, maybe it is the way the blocks are put together. So to break up the monotony I have been using some of the same fabrics to make a doll quilt. I found the pattern here. Isn't it cute?

I even used templates made from sandpaper, just like they would have done back in the 20s and 30s.

This was great fun.

Remember This 9 Patch

2009-02-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got around to quilting it. I had planned to quilt it in a grid pattern, the nine patch quilt looks nice quilted using grid quilting, but... the idea of quilting this on my sewing machine, rather than the long arm , did not sound very fun. So I am trying to meander as densely as I can, it is a bit challenging as you have to go slow. I have crossed over a few times, but I doubt anyone will notice.

Catching up

2009-02-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, I knew it had been a while since I last posted, but I did not know it had been over a week. I really got hooked on making the Wonky Stars for the people who lost their homes in Australia. I made more that a dozen, they will go in the mail tomorrow. What a fun block and such a great cause.

I also finished a picnic quilt top for my sister; when she was here last Thanksgiving she told me she was using a Christmas Quilt I gave her to take to outdoor functions and asked for a proper picnic quilt. She liked the charm packs I had, (they are so spring time, sorry I can't remember the fabric line) so I made some four patch blocks with the charm squares and added some nine inch coordinating blocks and now Sue will have a picnic quilt.

I have been working on a few other things as well, more next time.

Wonky Stars

2009-02-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

I made these blocks for the Bushfire Quilt Project, for families who lost their homes in the fires in Australia. They are really fun to make, I can see myself making a quilt using this block.

Japanese Fabrics

2009-02-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

I have recently purchased some Japanese fabrics. These fabrics are so fun, Robots, airplanes, pigs, apples and more.

These will go very nicely with the fabrics Lauren brought me when she traveled to Japan.

Together they will make a really cute baby quilt!

Doll Quilt

2009-02-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

I never intended to make a doll quilt, but I kept seeing them on the blogs that I follow, like here, so I had to try one. Amandajean made pillows and pillow cases too, I am not sure I am up for that, but making the doll quit was fun. For the binding I attached it to the back and did a zig zag stitch on the front of the quilt to secure it, it turned out ok.

Very Productive Week

2009-02-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

I have got a lot done so far this week. I sewed the binding onto the red, yellow and black quilt I completed months ago.

I sewed all of the squares together into rows for my most current quilt top, and managed to sew a few rows together. I love these fabrics by Valorie Wells.

Finally, I made the back for the cute dinosaur quilt, got it loaded onto the quilting frame AND quilted it. I used some fun variegated thread, I will show you the whole quilt once the binding is done.