::Working the Pile::

I’m still plowing my way through my UFOs via Tallgrass Prairies Challenge. I have a huge wooden bowl that has a nine patch, a flock of birds quilt, and my postage stamp quilt still waiting. Today I’m working on quilting this baby quilt in between school conferences and work. My hope is to be able to stitch the binding down whilst I watch football on Thanksgiving.

Over the weekend and Monday I finally produced some new pjs for my child who has been highwatering it since Summer. I’m a big fan of Joann flannel for the loungers. Most of it is awful, but sometimes you score.

These two lighter weight cotton are for our Florida trip to see the Grandfolks. I love the Coco Jungle by Alexander Henry. Can’t find it anymore.

These two are in my bag for some seam ripping while I sit somewhere yet to be determined. I add a four inch hem that can be let out. I LOVE the owl flannel.

Unless you have an Irish sister-in-law around that irons pajamas (I’ve seen her do it), I would recommend using flannel for the bottom edges. They don’t wrinkle up that way.

The Value Quilt Back is slowly getting some attention. I sat with my friend Noelle the other night. I was able to finish squaring up my blocks. Couldn’t help putting it up. Too many dots, but I’ll add more boy prints in.

God awful photo. but you get the idea.

Yeah to friends that knit. I bought this fabulous yarn and I don’t knit. Thanks Stacia! It’s soooo warm and beautiful! Not to mention it looks awesome with my purse.

::Where’s a Baby When You Need One?::

Yoda will have to do.  My wee model is at school.  Roan still dons the first tuque I made of this style.  Surprisingly I only have the picture of him in it from Christmas’s past.

I seasonally make Ford proud by doing some assembly line production of the hats.

Some sell at Essenza here in Fremont and the rest make great gifts to my friends or a charity donation.

Fabric Crush is peddling these for me at the Magnolia Village Holiday Shop this Friday from 6-9pm.  Come drink some wine and mingle…AND buy some holiday gifts.

Well, I’ve had a bunch cut out, so I unofficially joined Jacquie’s Joy In the New Year UFO Challenge.  I am far from finished, but I did manage these, plus tackling a pile of fabric to produce aprons, napkins, pillowcases and pjs as Christmas gifts.

How come it’s so satisfying to cut fabric to bits and sew it back together?

I like them mostly constructed of Sherpa, but I am really trying to get rid of fabric, not buy more, so some are fleece.  I use Sherpa on the interior of the ear flaps.

The patchwork is a new twist on it from last year.  Up till then I had always done stars.

The Park Slope fabric lends itself so well, it’s the perfect scale print.

Some left overs from this simple quilt make the patchwork on the fleece ones.

My Value Quilt top is going to The Quilting Loft for the week as promotion for my classes and I am happy for the break.  I’m still plugging away at the back.  Are you all caught up?

 

 

 

::Things to Love::

Sarah teased me today when we were working that I needed to post.  I’ve actually been sewing.  It really cuts into your computer time.

Warning, this post is photo heavy.

Things to Love:

Autumn walks with handsome men holding your hands.

Weekends, and high water reminders that it’s time to make more pjs for growing child.

FREE organic bath towels from Amy Butler and a claw foot tub on a cold night.

Scoring yards of old school Amy Butler Flannel on Ebay to back a quilt for warming a special wee man on Christmas…

AND all the blocks for the front pieced.

A touch of sunshine on your sewing space in the late afternoon.

Some new ideas emerging from the stash.

And finally, a few new “must haves.”

::Enjoying the Process::

Somehow thinking of the back of the quilt as a whole new quilt changes the process to an enjoyable one for me.  It also makes me ponder how the quilting I choose will affect the finished design of the front and back.

So let us take some time.  For the next two weeks of the Value Quilt Along we’ll be turning to the back.  We’ve had the crud run through our home and need to take things slow.  It’s stormy, gloomy and the kid is sick.  A true formula for a day of sewing.

I’ve really enjoyed looking through everyone’s quilt backs in the new Flickr Group. Thanks to those of you that joined and the bloggers that spread the word. It is truly quite an impressive collection!

I myself only came up with the few photos here of quilt backs.  Both simple baby blankets for friends with simple backs.  I’m a huge fan of flannel for backing and have a plan for integrating it on my Value Quilt back.

I have a bit done on mine for my Value Quilt and will save it for some sneak peeks when there is a brighter day.

I did finish up my second block for my month at Ten Makes Two.  The blocks produced so far are amazing.  Pop over and take a look!

If you haven’t made yourself a mini design wall yet, I highly recommend it.  It’s perfect for piecing blocks like this.

The plan is for two quilts.

One red and turquoise:

One oranges, blues and greens sort of:

Stay Healthy!!

::Turning Back::

Last night I started thinking about the back of my “Mine All Mine Quilt”.  I had originally thought I would buy some fabric and make panels.  I started thinking about all the fabric I have,  how much I love it, and that I really like flannel backings.  Not to mention spending money on something I am not in need of.

So I started pulling novelty fabrics, and some favorites that are somewhat symbolic of what makes me, me.  That’s what I’ll use, with flannel.

But when it came to browsing through ideas for backings, my favorites on Flickr were lacking.  Why not a Flickr Quilt Back Group?  Come have a looksie and add to the fun.  Maybe it will inspire you to pull the finished quilt tops from under the bed.  Or is that just me?

 

::New Directions::

I’ve been wanting to change my blog name for quite some time.  My original name of Metrosupial Designs was so appropriate for making baby slings and living in the city.  Then I experienced sling burnout, and moved onto Willy-Nilly for lack of any other light bulb moments.  Willy-Nilly seemed fitting for my flitty way of moving back and forth between interests in my sewing.  Moving your whole blog to another name provides your mind with ridiculous thoughts like, will anyone move with me and why do I care?

My graphic designer/ wonderful family member George of Warp Graphics provided me with my awesome logo for Metrosupial Designs.  It’s pretty fun to work through this process and George’s first example for my new name, Sew Katie Did made me laugh, so I’m putting it out there.  Too morbid?  Just funny.  It will be interesting to see it’s evolution, and if anyone will join me at my new site.

:: One Down, One to Go::

November is my month for my Ten Make Two Quilting Bee.  Inspiring me was this string block I made for our Little Blue Cottage Quilting Bee.  Please ignore that the white doesn’t line up, I’ll tell you how I avoid that now in a minute.  I had been wanting to try this technique.  It’s simple and fun.

There are a few tutorials online for this.  Film in the Fridge and P.S. I Quilt are the ones I used.

I think by now everyone should have received the natural Carolina Chambray that I mailed out for the middle section of the blocks for some uniformity.  The Raindrops little tidbit that I added doesn’t go in my blocks.  I had hopes that everyone would generously add an extra strip of one of their fabrics that went into my blocks could be sent my way for making some extras and help create some more cohesiveness to the finished quilt.  Please don’t feel obligated!

I couldn’t decide on a colorway, so it works out perfectly that we make two blocks.  I’ll just make two quilts!  I’ll either produce some more blocks with my stash and the extra tidbits sent or come up with a layout that works with ten blocks.

aqua/turquoise and red colorway:

(ignore the raindrops, they don’t go in)

Here’s mine:

And for the second block the fabulous colorway that Tacha used:

I didn’t get to that block today due to the fabulous weather and the need to get out of the house due to the crud.  Here are some of the fabrics I used for Tacha’s blocks as an example (thanks for the inspiration Tacha!):

Hmmmm…so I guess I’d like no other solids,  and that’s about it for limitations.  I don’t mind some light blues in the aqua/red block.  You can pick the size of the paper squares, I used 7 inches.  No larger than 7 inches please, but you can go a bit smaller.  Somewhat wonky lines are ok.

Some tips that have helped me:

-Make your strips between about an inch and two inches.

-Don’t forget to lengthen your stitch back to 2.5 when it comes to sew the 4 squares you produce together.

-Steam is not your friend until you have all strings sewn to the paper square.

-Starch is helpful in laying the strings flat as you go and in the final press.

-I used the basting spray and LOVED it (I complained about the price, but way better than the glue stick).  Tacha brilliantly used wax paper, so you might give that a go.

-Lining up the chambray bit can be tricky and please don’t fret if it doesn’t line up in your final block.  This is what I find helps.  Spray your chambray string and lay it spray side up on your work surface.  Position the paper over it to center it on the diagonal.  Way easier to get it right than laying it on the paper.

-Make sure your first fabrics are seamed 1/4 inch from the chambray and straight, this will help with the points matching when the four blocks are sewn together.  I used a lot of pins to make sure the blocks would sew together square.

-Don’t forget to shorten your stitch or the paper will be difficult to remove.

-Hold the end of you strip and perhaps give it a bit of a pull to realign it when sewing, they tend to migrate.  This might have to do with the short stitch length, or maybe it’s just my built in walking foot.

Can’t wait to see what you all do!

::Escapism::

My home is a disaster.  Everyone is sick.  So I sat down and put together my quilt top for some sanity.  I’m hoping this fabulous Halloween weather will hold so I can get some photos outside tomorrow.

I ended up adding a row to make it square.  This will actually be the first quilt I’ve ever made for myself.  I’m looking forward to cuddling up on the couch with it.  Mine all Mine!

So this week it’s time to stitch the rows together to finish the whole quilt top!

I pin the intersection of the blocks only when I piece the rows.  I pull a bit if needed to help them through and line them up.  I’m going to be lame and not reinvent the wheel with a tutorial of stitching the rows together, there’s plenty of info out there and I need to get ready for Trick-or-Treating with my little SQUID MAN!

Be thinking of your quilt backing, that comes next week.  I’m thinking some of the new Amy Butler, this one is perfect.

Happy Halloween!

::Bits of the Weekend::

Where does the weekend go?  I’d make a great old lady shut-in…but I’d just sit, sew and drink tea rather than have bad drawn curtains and smoke stains.  Hell, if I live to 87 I think I’ll start smoking for kicks.  It will only be about $30 a pack by then.

My little bits blocks for the talented Aleena of Comfort Stitching are coming along (if you get a chance go check out her fabric designs!)  I won’t hide it, I’ve always despised making house blocks, but I think I’ve finally figured them out.  My problem all along is that I was over thinking them.

I went improv with bits from the red and blue scraps bins.

This is when I really enjoy having my bulletin board wrapped in flannel for a mini design wall.

And then we ate:

We’ve had a weekend of fun with Pumpkin Prowl at the Zoo and a very exciting Sounder’s game, but everyone isn’t feeling 100% around here today.  We were in desperate need of some comfort food.  I re-adapted this favorite cauliflower recipe tonight and changed the original post to its modification.  I generally cut the whole head of cauliflower in bits and put half in the freezer to make cauliflower augratin.

Not only did I clean my scary bathroom this weekend bu I got my rows together for my Value Quilt.  Tomorrow I have my standing “sew date” with my friend Noelle and will sew together my rows.  I love how it’s turning out.

::Next::

Hope everyone had some time in the week for a little catch up and to muck about with their designs.  I left my camera at work, so we’ll have to make do without photos of this step, but I think it will be easy enough to envision.

We’ll sew our squares into rows this week.  I sew my squares across, you may prefer up and down, it makes no difference.

If I had my camera I could show you how much the design POPS when the rows are sewn.  I was seriously impressed, as I was a bit uncertain about this newer to me design.

What is important (to me at least) is matching the ends of your squares so that your points look crisp and your rows line up.  Some people pin, I simply match up my squares (right sides together of course) and start my stitching.  After about five stitches I make sure my bottom corners are still lined up and I hold them together till I get to the end of the square with my stitching.

If they don’t seem to be lining up (which they should if they were cut the same size), then I lift my presser foot with the needle down and pull the corners of the squares together.  Now holding the corners together I continue to sew.

Once at the end I press.  If I plan on quilting stitch in the ditch I press my seams to the side to offer more material layers for the stitching.  I actually quite like this type of quilt stitched this way.  I believe stitch in the ditch is rather under rated.  It really allows the design itself to shine.  However, if I choose to free motion ( I mean, pay someone else to kill their back), then I press my seams open.

I’ll leave the arguments of ironing seams open or to the side to people who care.  I find either way fine and easy enough to match seams.

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I got some other things brewing that are on my camera, especially samples we’ve been producing at Fabric Crush, that I’ll share later.

We did receive a Thank You card from our little friend Darma for her birthday gift.  Had I know she was having ponies at the party I would have whipped up some Heather Ross, but I went with Fairies.

I love this line for making pillows. I’ve made it before in this colorway:

The details are sweet.

Wee man had to get into the scene.  Christmas in October highwaters…I suppose I should get around to sewing some new pjs for the kid.

I had been wanting to get a picture of our sunflowers this year and never got around to it.  They were as tall as the house.  Here they are in the background, heavy with seed.  Our resident squirrel, Hazel is very fat this year.

Happy Saturday!