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Archive for the ‘invisible zipper’ Category

Upon the arrival of the bus, Roan and I use to have this routine.  It started with a hug and a kiss, a high five and then a bump. and ended with waving until the bus turned the corner and we could no longer see one another.  All upon the request of a sweet little boy.

With the blink of an eye he changed his tune and I had to adapt to his next growing-up stage.  Now I get a kiss blown to me before anyone sees and a hug before we leave the backyard.  I miss those moments when he would just reach up to hold my hand.  Life’s bitter sweet like that and I’ll take what I can get.

sewkatiedid/ Improv log cabin pillow

If you catch them at the right age it’s not all about Legos and Star Wars or hiding affection bestowed upon your mother.  You can still make them (or their mom really) something sweet and homemade to be loved for a bit.

sewkatiedid/Improv Log Cabin PillowBrother’s with birthdays very close together and just revolving around the sun for their sixth and fourth year are still of that age.

3694646105_c5b6661a15-1I made these two a little bit larger than normal to have a soft cosy feel.

Fourth’s closure is from my invisible zipper tutorial (Class Scheduled).  I wanted the back to have as much surface design as the front.

sewkatiedidI finished off Six with an envelope closure since I decided to apply the age detail to the front.

sewkatiedid/improv log cabin pillow

 

There are some other details added in if you look close.

sewkatiedid/Improv log cabin pillows

I’ve had this corduroy for ages and finally pulled it into a project.  In fact I’ve had all those fabrics for ages.  It’s fun to dig around in the stash.

As usual I lined these with muslin and serged all the edges, perfect for the wash.

 

 

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I know I am not alone in thinking morning till night about quilt design.  If I had a large studio, all walls would be design walls, covered in the latest, or not so recent, but percolating ideas.

I’m not sure if it is good to dream of living in a padded room, but projects wouldn’t get tucked away in whatever space available to become ignored or forgotten.  I would just do a little of each as to not get bored or feel an idea forced.

But I get bored and projects get put away.

Ashley’s herringbone quilting on Swirling Swans, her version of the Swirling Medallion quilt in Quilting Modern, inspired me to shake the wrinkles out of a whole cloth quilt that was already basted, but tucked away.  Even the bindings were produced and rolled along with it.  The fabric had already driven my vision in this direction, but knowing that this type of quilting would take time set the procrastination in.

I obviously had not thought out the binding’s contrast very well.  Placed next to the herringbone fabric it simply disappeared, so I added the faux binding.  It is a simple technique that I teach in my whole cloth quilt class.

It turned out erratic and fun.  I placed the vertical lines first and then used two pieces of masking take horizontally to keep somewhat straight in placing the zig zags.  A fabric marker would do to.

I created a whole cloth quilt flickr group to share.

I’ll be missing my niece Ella when the family leaves back to Northern Ireland Tuesday.  Be still my heart, when she exclaimed as we were cutting squares and placing them on the design wall that she could just play with fabric all day!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law Hallie.  Her pillows match my couch so well it might be hard to let them go!  I added invisible zippers of course.  Tutorial here.

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::Swirling Medallion Quilt:: $85 Saturday, August 25th 10am-2pm at the Quilting Loft in Ballard.

A merging of two blocks!  Come see how this quilt comes together while learning proper technique for cutting, piecing to create sharp points and sewing rows. All level of sewists welcome.   Quilting Modern book required.

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Then I’ve got the class for you!

Invisible zippers are easy to install, but sometimes it’s nice to have someone walk you through the steps.

If you’d like some hand holding I have a class this Thursday at the Quilting Loft from 6-9pm.  I’ll make you a professional invisible zipper installer in a matter of hours!

Here’s the invisible zipper tutorial if you can’t make it.

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Also on the calendar:

Improvisational Triangle Blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coin Quilt Class

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With little time between work, book stuff and teaching I’ve focused on finishing quick projects that are ‘needed’ around the house.

Like an extra curtain, to keep out that extra morning light daylight savings brought us.  Made with fabric from the wonderful Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Fabrics (blog here).  I think I bought all the yardage she had.

The extra yardage from the curtains with some help from Pink Chalk’s sale flannel went into a whole cloth quilt for a very special baby.  I did the double binding again.

I could probably fill my living room floor to ceiling with pillows, but with an invisible zipper pillow class on the 22nd I thought some new samples were in order.  I fell hard for this new Amy Butler when I went to see Keli of Drygoods Design.  She pulled it off the shelf and the next minute I was walking out with it.

And seeing as we finally got around to getting a new cover made for the ottoman it seemed fitting to have something matchie-matchie.  That’s my excuse at least.

Now I need to get that Kaleidoscoping God’s Eye Quilt off the design wall and make this wee man a Unknown Direction quilt of his own.

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First I found the modern block of the month that Handmade by Alissa is doing over at Sew Mama Sew.

July’s block finally gave me a mission for my Flea Market Fancy.

I always wanted to make a simple charm quilt out of it (which I cut for too), but this block seemed fitting.

So guess what I finally did?

That’s right, chopped it all up.  Eekkk…it was a little scary, but the reality is there will always be more fabric I want and this has been sitting for…oh about 7 years.

The quilt will likely loose its modern edge with the more country feel of the line, but I thought that might make it stand out from what others make.

I just need a background color now.  Suggestions?  I was thinking Kona Pond or Ice Frappe for a fresh, but more traditional look.

I’ve been trying to design a quilt based on this above and wasn’t getting results so the timing couldn’t be better.

Deciding on a layout adds to the fun.

On the same day Alissa Haight Carlton and Kirsten Lejiniek’s book Block Party landed on my doorstep.

And then my life became an info commercial, “but wait there’s more!”

I received this mail virtually from the Modern Quilt Guild.

Hop over and check out the guidelines for submissions.

Truthfully, the timing of all this couldn’t be better.  I’ve been feeling rather uninspired lately, struggling with anything coming together on my own.

Well, sometimes you just need a little juice from others to get you moving.

Last night in my improv triangle class the juice kicked in and I came up with an idea.  This morning I did some mock up blocks and think I figured out how to make the vision a reality.  So I think, yeah, I have a potential submission.

Are you joining in?

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I’m so in LOVE with this quilt.  Perfect for my half-square triangle class and value class coming up in a couple weeks.

One of my favorite quilts E-V-E-R for sure.  Maybe a hair behind Split Decision.

I did remove some of my first quilting and went with horizontal lines at 1.25″ apart.

It really allows the design to shine.  And while we are on the subject of design, I’ve been asked about the layout for this quilt.  There was no plan, seriously.  Make your half-square-triangles and then put them up on the design wall.  Don’t over think it.

However, if you want to play with value you could come up with some stellar designs.

I think I’ve found my go-to wedding gift for sure and already have a bevy of color combos nestled on my pin-board.

I was happy I used the Lush print for the back, it added a softness that can disappear with denser line quilting.  I finished it off with binding made from the same purple shot cotton that forms some of the triangles on the front.

Pretty plain Jane and pretty pretty.

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.   Don’t spend all your money on fabric sales.

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destash

quilting and sewing classes

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Brothers, and still young enough to be gifted a pillow, maybe even love it.

That little robot kills me.  He’s so stinkin’ cute.

On the flip side of the pillow, celebrating the 4th revolution around the sun.  I went with some corduroy that I’ve had around and never use.  This one I finished with an invisible zipper (I just redid my tutorial).

I popped this out of print Alexander Henry into my destash with some coordinates for making a pillow too.

For older brother, robots as well.  This print is flannel and I wish I had bought enough for a quilt back, just got scraps.

Big Boys dream in robot too.  Happy 6th revolution…

spinning on this lovely home.

Many smiles to you this year.

I know your Momma will like them too, because she gifted me some of the fabric.

I’m try to fit in some quilting today.

Happy Saturday!

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I wanted to diverge from the traditional half square triangle with one solid and one print for my half square triangle class.

Ara Jane  came along to guild with her hst quilt and I was hooked.

On my last trip to the island I stacked some bolts at Pink Chalk Fabrics.  Most are Kona with one shot cotton thrown in.  Purples, teal, light blue, light green, gray and white.  They play off one another perfectly.

If you are in the market for solids, Kathy Mack is my one stop shop.

I also scored this Lush for backing at half off.

After consulting my quilting expert (hee hee) I have a quilting plan.

I mopped and scheduled in some back/knee injury time,

also known as basting.

After removing the table from the kitchen for the process I’m also realizing that I need to schedule some repaint the baseboards and sew new curtains to replace those that are beyond faded.

One task will go on the honey-do list and the other will give me an excuse to buy fabric.

I hope I love the quilting as much as I adore the top!

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destash

classes

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Our couch and my Add Zip to Your Pillow Invisible Zipper Tutorial both needed a facelift.

I think installing an invisible zipper just got easier than it already was.

Now that my couch is happy, I’m off to mop and baste.

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Destash

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We’re mastering curves in the second half of my improvisational patchwork class this week.  I thought I’d grease the wheel since it’s been a bit since I’ve created anything with a curve.

My friend Meagan was having a birthday and it lent itself the opportunity to create for someone that might possibly appreciate a handmade gift.  Zip pouches are perfect for bits of patchwork and using up those scraps of favorite fabrics.

This could be for scissors and other sewing tools to travel to guild or a home to sew.  I added some hex papers and hardware to make a curvy clutch.

Inside I used the cracked oval I didn’t like so much.

I have a few more quilts on the list and some class samples to finish up and then it might be time to play with some cracked ovals.  I envision some cute kids quilts.

The sun is shining here!

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out of print destash going on!

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