::Still on the List::

I’m still on the list.  Two class sample value quilts to quilt before I can manage the Split Decision Quilt.  I’m going to need those basting pins.

I did diverge for a small project required for travel.

A needle case, pretty much using this tutorial by Sew She Sews.  Handy for Hexis that I never made it to.

Love covered buttons!

I’d been eyeing the safety pin fabric and really had no reason to purchase any, so I made up an excuse.

Have scissors, will travel.

Onto quilting!

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Improvisational Patchwork Piecing class on Thursday.

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::What’s an Artist to do?::

A repost as promised for my Improv and Value Class students. Hope you all enjoy!

Little update to this post, the design wall with the grid is a Fons and Porter Design wall.

Surely none of you are like me and start another grand idea before the previous twenty are finished.  Design walls are as essential as fabric in my mind for designing a quilt.  Wall space is a limited commodity in this house and I needed a multiple design wall solution.  I finally got around to a simple fix.

Sew doubled up ribbon to the top of one design wall that has a laminate backing.  Place your project…work on it.  When you get bored with it, roll up that design wall and tie it with some pretty bows…

and easy-peazy move onto the project on the design wall beneath.  The laminate keeps everything from becoming muddled.

A laminate table cloth works great too and you can use Blair’s technique to make your own with gromments.  Jacquie has a tutorial for mounting gromets if that sounds intimidating.

How many of these do you think I can layer in the Livudio before my husband thinks I’ve totally lost it?

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::Blogger’s Pillow Party::

I was late to the party last month, so here I am drink in hand.

There were projects made for the book that simply wouldn’t fit, or the technique wasn’t quite right.  The Opposing Triangle Pillow was one of those.

The colorway took some time, like everything in your closet tried on and thrown on the bed.

I love the quilting, it was like adding makeup and jewelry.

This pillow might be considered a bit of a wallflower compared to the other party dress pillows I’ve seen, but I would notice this one in a room full of pillows for sure.

Daisy Janie was so sweet and sent me the Shades of Grey fabric before it even hit the stores for the companion pillows and I think they dress it up a bit.  Kinda like a good looking date on your arm.

Invisible Zippers in all of them of course!  Consider invisible zippers your go to LBD (little black dress) to wear to the party, no envelope closure flip flops here.  Go dress yourself up for the pillow party with my add zip to your pillow invisible zipper tutorial and check out what all the other pillows are wearing.

A quilt like it is next.

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::Value Quilt Class::

Just a friendly reminder and some shameless self-promotion for my Seeing Value Class next Wednesday.  Sure to add some juice to your brain when it comes to designing quilts.

I finished quilting my niece Ella’s value quilt (first photo) yesterday.  I settled on a random cross hatch.  I wasn’t sure at first whether I was happy with the quilting, but knew I didn’t want to follow the lines of the diamond.  It’s great and super soft!

Binding is going to be a plunge for me with Alexander Henry Heath in black to match the back (and hopefully the front).  It’s cut and I’m committed.

It turned out great.  Ella’s quilt back is designed in the same layout as her brother Ethan’s quilt.

Can’t wait to get pictures of both of them together.

I noticed that the value class is being taught elsewhere with half square triangles now, so my brain is starting to think of a new block.  This might be the last time I’ll teach it with this block.  The universe is telling me it’s time to come up with something new.

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::Cross the Border Quilt::

First of all my kitchen floors have been cleaned three times in two weeks to baste quilts.  Certainly to be noted as a great achievement in my life.

Secondly,  I raced all morning Thursday to finish quilting and binding my nephew Ethan’s zig zag quilt so I could sew the binding down on our drive between Seattle and Vancouver.  Pure joy in my mind.

I was so content as I settled into the back seat and clipped down the binding.  I took out my needle and…damn…forgot the thread.  Nice move slick, and since I spent all morning planning for my ‘bind down’ and paying no attention to packing real necessities (obviously including thread) I might as well just gone naked with heels to Vancouver.

But I’m fortunate you see, because I married a man that well knows how to navigate Vancouver AND was aware he was actually going to the Vancouver Whitecaps game AND I was watching from the comfort of our hotel, so I NEEDED thread.

The binding is fabulous, the same Alexander Henry Indigo Skulls as the backing.

This was one of those fabrics that I wanted instantly for a quilt back.

In fact, I bought it again.  Take a guess why?

A) because I have no fabric and loads of money to throw around, or

B) I was irrationally freaked that I wasn’t ever going to be able to possess it again?

I originally went with an erratic zig zag for the quilting and after two swipes across the quilt wasn’t thrilled with all the labor intensive quilt turning, or maybe I’m just lazy.  So, I got friendly with the seam ripper and continued with lines that ran vertically crossing each other randomly.  The result created long skinny triangles along the top and bottom of the quilt and looks mighty fine if I don’t say so myself.

Yeah!  Onto my niece Ella’s quilt.

Basting and clean floors are definitely made a more pleasant experience when your hubby makes you a margarita.  It’s like artificial sunshine this time of year here.

Hope you all have a good week!

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p.s.  I have listed in the shop, a stack of boy charm squares (five yards + total of fabric).  You could make oodles of these.

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::I Told You…::

in my last post, that I couldn’t leave good enough alone.  Some free motion here,

more length there, and all around goodness.

Pattern by Bloom.  A good Sunday Project indeed!

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::Ella’s Sassy Quilt Back::

Alexander Henry “stylish girls” 2003

I was excited to receive this fabric for my niece Ella’s quilt back.  The ladies are fun and stylish and it is a large print.  As I unwrapped the package and unfolded the fabric dryer sheets kept falling out, not a couple…not four, but about 10.

I wasn’t sure if the seller was trying to cover up a smell or if I just was overpowered by the smell of the sheets.  The seller told me that was how she was told to store fabric, in plastic totes none the less.  I washed it once, but the smell was overpowering still.

So this is where google and vinegar become my friend.

Four cups of white vinegar, washer 1/4 full with cold water and soak for a half hour or more.  I hung to dry incase it needed another run, but it seems good and would make a good shower curtain if I were a single girl.

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::Hit the Spot Finished!::

Straight from the dryer in its crinklie goodness is Hit the Spot.

Three must be the lucky number, because that’s how many times I starting quilting it and then spent some time with the seam ripper.

I finally settled on this little square as a starting point and went round and round without worrying about straight lines so much.

The whole quilt is made with leftovers.  Some strip piecing and past binding discards,

and blocks made as samples for a past bee.

The background all pulled from my neutral scrap bin.  I probably should have gone with darker thread.  I had no clue how much the quilting would sink into the flannel bits.  Hit the Spot has linen, Kona, flannel and regular print quilting cottons.  I learned a bit about quilting with such a variety of different textured fabrics…no consistent stitch length.  I’m not winning any shows for sure.

It’s now up as a sample for my Improvisational Quilting Class come March.

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I started my Destash finally.  There are the Boys Squares (see this post) available again and you don’t have to bid!  I have a few sets so let me know if I need to relist.  Things have been moving out already without me even mentioning it here.  I’ll continue through the week.

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::Viewing It Differently::

Do you ever make a quilt that you just love, but it sits waiting for the perfect person to come along and as it ages you start to not like it as much as you previously did?

I resisted the urge to create another quilt for my friend Laura’s baby.  I originally posted the Butter Block quilt earlier in the year.  It was the first ‘on point’ quilt I’d ever created.  I love the colors.  I love the print fabrics, and I of course especially love that it contains flannel (borderline problem).

Now that it is mailed I am appreciating it more and more.

I have just a bit left of some of these favorite fabrics.  Sometimes it’s hard to use the ones you just adore.

I’m so pleased it has a happy home.

 

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::Stockings::

I’ve always LOVED my stocking.  Each one my Grandmother made her grandchildren was unique, with our names of course.  She was an talented knitter.

I love Santa’s nose, likely rosie from too much eggnog.  His fuzzy beard made of Angora and the sequins sewn into his tree as ornaments.  I like that he was preciously made with me in mind.

Roan has been so lucky to have a Great Grandmother craft a stocking especially for him as well.

Needlepoint this time.  His name and a puff ball adorns the bear’s hat.

Maybe next year we could all make some stockings that would make some children feel extra special.  I know my stocking always did that for me.

I’ve been searching a bit for some good stocking tutorials because my husband’s stocking got lost in the family shuffle over the years.

Please add if you know of another.

Happy Happy Everyone!

-Scrap Stocking

-Comfort Stitching Stocking

-Jingle Bell Stockings

-Denyse Schmidt Christmas Stocking

-Nine Patch Star Christmas Stocking

-Noodlehead’s Stocking

-This one’s pretty

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