::Grandma Goobin’s Ciggie Pouch::

A few times a year Great Grandma Goobin (don’t ask, just what we call her) requests a new ciggie pouch.  The last one should probably be burned.

So I set to make her one for Christmas.

I love Improvisational Patchwork for so many reasons, but I constantly end up far off from my original mark.  I am not a sketcher, so everything is left to fate.  I started out thinking itty bitty wonky star.  Same fabrics as the Tumbling Blocks Pillow (because I am in LOVE), minus Chambray and add linen (thanks for all the comments btw on this pillow!  I’ll try to get a small instruction together or check out “wee bits quilt” in Last Minute Patchwork and Gifts”  for the technique and stack them).

I don’t think I’ll ever have a machine with out triple stitch on it.

Two Anna Maria Horner’s representing here.  Some of her new flannel and some Drawing Room inside and on the back.

Mostly Hope Valley and some random scrap sent via Fabric Swap with other goodies.

The pillow (that is upside down I see now) went to G.G., Roan’s OTHER Great Grandma.  She’s Norwegian, and a bit less into the Modern scene if you know what I mean?…but such a special lady.  The Heather Bailey is a perfect addition to her sunfilled mellow yellow living room that I spend chatting with her.  I was so happy to see my vision placed on her couch!

Two wonderful people in my life among the others I’m blessed with.

P.S.   This Perfect Box Pouch is next on my list.

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::Tumbling Blocks Pillow::

I was madly trying to finish up Christmas presents prior to our holiday departure, and I had to resist working on this stacked block pillow idea I had that matches not a thing in our home.  None the less, I am really liking a few of Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley and was itching to try them out.  I also have an affinity for any fabric that is purple.  And then Sarah placed a bolt of the new Anna Maria Horner flannel next to the Purple Hope Valley at the shop and I needed some of that too.  The colors are a perfect match.  The solids are both Carolina Chambray.  It’s my favorite solid.  Deep and rich in texture, and so much easier to work with than linen.

I like to call this technique tumbling blocks in my Improv Patchwork Class.  Strip piecing at an angle.  Then do what we all like to do, cut bits of fabric that you have just sewn apart and sew them together again.

It’s a perfect blend of some free cutting and some precise piecing.  Of course you could just not line anything up, and square up later, but I’m too anal for such things.

Here it is tumbling:

I was so excited with how it turned out I didn’t even notice that I had forgotten to do the stitching I had planned.  Darn.

I’ll have to remember to post my inspiration for this, the ad has been pinned to my inspiration board for ages.  Patiently waiting for the perfect fabric I guess.

I have in my mind a whole Tumbling Blocks Quilt.  Just as soon as I finish up the other three that are floating around unfinished.

P.S. invisible zipper tutorial here.

A little note that if you would like to join The Seattle Modern Quilting Guild we would love to hear from you.  The response has been great!  To join the discussion, add yourself to the group here.

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::Keep to the List::

Sick boy today.  So I’m plugging along on the gifts and some more UFOs.

Dug a bit into the Hope Valley as well.  This block will be added to my Flock Quilt.

Added some to this pocket.

I’ve been wanting to make a Kidlet forever, and have all sorts of ideas now for a doorknob type bag.

Found my border fabric for this block.  This is a quilt idea that’s still turning around in my brain.  I have a few other Improv log cabin blocks done.  It already has a name for some reason.  Storybook Quilt will tell some bits of my story mostly through novelty fabric.  That’s me the Aquarius.

Off to craft for a few with bored child.  Then onto Checkbook cover and apron.

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I’m packed, my house if you only take a quick glance looks clean and I have stopped obsessing over the loads of gifts that I had planned on making but never got to.  It will all work out.

I just finished God’s biggest bag.

The Betty Shopper has taken me over a year to make.  I had plans to make it before embarking on our Christmas trip last year.  I sew faster in my head then in real time I guess.  I took the cut out pieces with me to Florida to sew at my Mother’s machine.  Except I didn’t cut the pocket correctly, so it came back with me.  This year I’ve been trying to clear out the unfinished bits and was determined to complete it before our departure.

I was done with the exterior and working on the interior when I discovered it helps to not skip the fourth step under section A.  Sew interfacing to the exterior of the bag.  I added it to the interior and it seems to be fine.  This bag has some serious structure.  I also guess that I missed something about sewing down the seriously LARGE pockets.  They appear a bit floppy.

It turned out great.  So big I will certainly have a sore shoulder by my serial over packing, but can maim anyone who ticks me off.  Over 12 hours in airports and flying alone with a five year old might push me to the edge.

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::Sunday Stash::

It’s been a long  time since I’ve done a Sunday Stash.  Today is a sew day and a short post is perfect.

I love orange and light blues together.  They are scattered throughout my home.  All are Amy Butler’s except for the wee flowers which are a Japanese print.  Originally I ordered them in purple (because I love purple more than any other color), and found this colorway as well.  There is a pillow in my future.

Happy Sunday!

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::Mmmm Sherbet Done!::

I took this quilt on the train from Seattle to Portland this past weekend to sew down the binding.  My Mother-in-Law named it.  It’s been waiting patiently for more than a year to be finished.  The flannel gives it a rich feel.  I so wish I had made it Katie size.  I’d wrap myself in it right now.

I am having the hardest time getting clear pictures of it.  It’s way brighter than the photos.  It’s freezing here, so the name has a few meanings.

I did wavy stitches similar to the design lines on one of the flannel prints.  It’s a mix of unknown flannels, Amy Butler flannels and quilting weight and a bit of Heather Ross.

The back is mostly this white print flannel with little squares running across.

This is an Improvisational piece really.  I just cut the squares and rectangles and arranged them on the design wall till I liked it.  When I get myself with an Etsy shop I’ll add it.

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::Any Tips on Flannel?::

I had a few questions about working with flannel and cotton print together.  I always back my quilts in flannel.  I LOVE the weight it adds.

This quilt however has a large percentage of flannels pieced into the front.  Until this quilt I’ve never experienced any problems with flannel.  I’m uncertain if it was this quilt, the 35wt thread or my machine that has been uncooperative.

It was looking like this:

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent some time with my seam ripper.  The layers were traveling.  I wasn’t getting any puckering, but I was getting some “waves” to the top.  I was quilting from the back to use the wavy lines printed on the fabric to guide my quilting.

I’ve never been one to use a larger needle for quilting and this was an occasion where it was a necessity.  I also lowered the thread tension and lengthened my stitch.

I do have a few techniques I use with flannel and discovered a few new ones:

-When piecing with flannel I keep my needle down and raise my presser foot A LOT to realign.

I find it goes wonky at first.  When I was piecing this nine patch the other day I pinned beyond the seams that I wanted to match.  I generally don’t do this.

-I baste the Hell out of it.

-I tried a new tip for binding with flannel.

Red Pepper Quilts suggests zig zagging the binding edges together before sewing it to the quilt.  Since I was binding the quilt in flannel too I thought this might help with the “traveling” of temperamental binding.

- Last, I serged the flannel edges of the quilt.

I had to really guide the flannel edge of the quilt while serging it, but I think it paid off.  It was a breeze sewing the binding on, and for the little amount of work it took with these two steps, the final product looked great.  I might always do this, I’m a sucker for a smooth clean look.

I was planning on sewing the binding down tonight, but I’m off to pack for Portland.  What could be better than a train ride and a small quilt to stitch?

I would love to hear any tips you all have for finishing a quilt or working with flannel.

Edited for New Found Tips:

-Pickle Dish wrote in a post about using spray basting too.  I think this would be excellent.

-I generally use my walking foot for piecing in addition to quilting, but I did realize that the Viking at the shop you have to add it, so I hadn’t been using it for the nine patch piecing.  At home mine is built into the machine.

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::Here’s to the Weekend::

Hope all of you in the states enjoyed the holiday.

We ditched the Thanksgiving food tradition a few years ago.  Those of the family around pick a country and come up with a festive easy menu.  We had quite a group.  We decided on Mexico. Everyone contributing an item for our taco bar.  It was quite impressive and mixed well with beer and football.

I spent time getting cozie with my seam ripper, as you can see from the disastrous stitches above.  I am hoping to baste it better and use the proper needle which I thought I had in.

I minded Fabric Crush over the holiday and in between customers (sewers are the nicest lot btw), I worked on a nine patch sample for the class.

I love the flannel and paired it with a mix of girlie prints.  I am particularly fond of the new Cherie and the Chocolate Lollipop cartoon like flowers.

Just to mix it up a bit, some of the centers are different.

Did you do any sewing on the Holiday?  Any wonderful Black Friday finds in fabric?

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::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.

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::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?

 

 

 

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