quirky granola girl

My first finished block for the Pastiche Bee

2012-02-19T13:11:00.000-06:00

Marilyn's theme for January was An Ode to John Keats. We chose quotes from separate poems and designed blocks using the poem's imagery. Marilyn plans to stitch lines of the poem directly into the quilt.

This is my portion of "Fancy" by John Keats
Freckled nest-eggs thou shalt see
Hatching in the hawthorn-tree,
When the hen-bird's wing doth rest
Quiet on her mossy nest;

I did a little thread sketching on this one. It took a long time to find the motivation to make it, but I did savor daydreaming about this block. I'm excited to see what Marilyn does with these blocks. You can see some of the other Pastiche Bee creations here.

One day at a time

2012-02-17T11:38:00.000-06:00

Thank you to all that sent supportive messages after my last post. It makes a big difference to get sweet notes on rough days. Thank you.

I'm trying to take a little time each day for some hand stitching. I'm participating in the Rose Star Block Party with the tutorial from selfsewn.

Days 1 and 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

So...even if it feels like I'm getting nowhere with the phone calls and trying to find appointments, I am making some progress every day.

Adjustments

2012-02-10T22:05:00.000-06:00

So, the knitting has been in full force. I finished the shawl last night, but it needs blocking before I get full photos of it.

I've been continuing with some simple block sewing. I'm nearly done with my Sparkling Pond quilt top. I'd love to get it fully finished in time to put on our bed for spring.

But...no block design lately.

I'm still in my funk.

We've had to get Henry tested for developmental delay. He's been lagging behind in some physical skills and now we've noticed a decline in his speech and social skills. He saw some school therapists this week. We'll know more about the plan for treatment in a couple of weeks. But it is a lot to take in and adjust to.

So, for now, I may wrap up in my shawl and get back to knitting the green mittens and watching Jane Austen movies. Thanks for being patient with me.

I need a kick in the pants.

2012-02-02T08:22:00.000-06:00

This is what I've been spending my crafting time on lately.

There are a lot of changes and adjustments in my household lately. Big things.
I still have lots of great sewing ideas and inspiration, but I can't seem to wrap my head around choosing fabrics or the actual sewing of these "great ideas."

I have done a little simple block sewing.

But I can't work on my block design ideas at the moment. I just want to cuddle up with a blankie, watch Downton Abbey, and knit knit knit. I'll come out of this funk in a couple more days. Until then, you know where to find me.

Exciting News!

2012-02-01T14:03:00.000-06:00

I've been invited to participate in a block design project called Sew Out Loud {quilters wordplay}. You'll see the button on my sidebar for the next few months. Each week (starting February 13th) a different blogger will post a tutorial to an original block design with a sewing theme and using text fabrics. I'll be posting on April 16th, week 10. But, I encourage you to attend the kick off event of this sew along by check out Kirie's blog and Julianna's blog. There is a fabulous giveaway for the kick off. Fabulous enough that I wish I could win it.... Don't forget to check it out.

And there is more exciting news! YOU can participate in this project. There will be a competition to be the 12th block designer. The judge for this competition is top top secret. I wish I could tell you. This judge's designs knock me to my knees. So...stay tuned.

All I want to do is...

2012-01-26T10:47:00.000-06:00

I have four challenging blocks in some stage of the sewing process, but I don't want to work on them today.

All I want to do is knit this:

My hands are starting to cramp, my wrists are tired and my left pinky is starting to go numb. I've started and ripped this shawl at least seven times in the last week. You'd think that I could change gears when a project starts to cause me pain. But no. It is just too pretty....

I caught the bug.

2012-01-21T12:50:00.000-06:00

I lost my knitting mojo for a couple of years. The only reason I finished those legwarmers were because I was cleaning and came across my dusty knitting basket and figured I could finish the last 4 rows and a cast off.

But now I've been knitting every day for a week. In fact, I've been itching to get the needles in my hands. Strange, huh? I ripped back this mitten because the decreases at the top were leaving holes that I didn't like. Now I've started again in the same yarn with the Templeton Mittens pattern (ravelry link). I'm knitting with sport yarn on size 0 needles. That makes the mitten extra thick and narrow and squeezy. I love how it is turning out.

But, the real reason that I've caught the knitting bug again is this:

Aren't those colors to die for? I've just found Madelinetosh yarn and I may never buy another yarn again. This Tosh Marino Light is absolutely amazing. It will become a delicious stripey shawl. Rest assured, I'll post photos when I have a good start on the shawl.

Happy winter crafting to you!

All done!

2012-01-19T13:47:00.000-06:00

Here is the last of the three giveaway pincushions promised. This will head out to Sarah very soon.

Paper piecing an "S" may be the hardest block I've ever done.

But, I learned a ton and am glad that I've done it.

The next time I have a giveaway, I promise a quicker turnaround on the prizes.

Thank you for your patience, Sarah!

Two pincushions down, one to go.

2012-01-14T11:14:00.001-06:00

Poor Vanesa has had to wait eons for her "V" pincushion from my giveaway. "V" is an easy letter to paper piece so I spent way too long trying to figure out how to make it more complicated.

Seriously.

I have some issues....

This is the second draft. For the first draft I made the same block to start, then I machine stitched around it to accent, and then I thought I'd try a curved corners triangle shape. Disaster! When I stuffed it, there were puckers all over the place and it was too big and hideous. That was the first paper piecing I've ever done that went straight into the trash.

But this version I'm happy with. I think the hand stitching around the letter suits it just fine. Vanesa asked for blues, so I used a 30's repro print for the letter and a blue Hoopla dot for the back.

(Charise's "C" pincushion is here.)
Sarah, yours is next on the sewing table.
The two curves in opposite directions for an "S" may be my most difficult piecing design yet. I have absolutely no need to further complicate that one.

Teeny, tiny bits of knitting

2012-01-13T22:45:00.000-06:00

I recently was fumbling with sock yarn and size 0 needles...all so Henry's kitties could be cozy.

My friend Britt came over last weekend and we designed the tiniest little sweater I've ever seen. I typed up the pattern on the ravelry project page if you are curious.

These are the mommy and daddy kitties of Henry's kitty family.

When Henry plays kitties, they do a lot of "seeping,"

going to "tubby" or going potty. (Going potty involves the kitty standing and smashing into the toilet. We still have some work to do on potty training the kitties with less violence.)

When I play with the kitties with Henry, they like to hold hands or do a little dance.
Maybe it is a happy sweater dance?

I think this pattern could work for any of the Calico Critters families. They all seem to

have the same body shape. Getting the sweater over the head and ears and the arms in is a

challenge. I can't picture Henry removing these any time soon.

I haven't tackled the sweater pattern for the little boy and girl of the kitty family yet.

I think it can wait. Henry is now more interested in shoving them through the windows

and down the stairs of the house. Fun, fun :)

Block in progress

2012-01-11T13:08:00.000-06:00

I was a sewing madwoman last night. I was tossing scraps around, ironing like a crazy person, and digging in my newly organized stash. All for this block.

This one is for the Pastiche Bee. The theme for February is Alice in Wonderland so I chose painting the roses red. The block still might need some top stitching, but it is exciting to get a bee block together again.

I felt a little rusty before last night. I haven't designed a block from scratch since early November. But, you'll see a lot more designed blocks this year. I'm in the Cocorico Bee, Pastiche Bee and I was invited to join the Ringo Pie Bee. I'm super excited to be surrounded by so many talented sewists. The inspiration in these bees is unparalleled. So far I'm drawing blocks for a John Keats poem and a theme of Pippi Longstocking. I can't wait to see what comes next!

First sewn item of the new year.

2012-01-07T12:41:00.000-06:00

I'm still on my Keyka Lou pattern kick. This is her pocket clutch pattern.

The rest of my craft time is taken over with folding fabric, but I hope to get back to other sewing soon.

What project did you pick to start the new year?

Folding like a fiend

2012-01-06T17:20:00.000-06:00

I've gotten the itch to clean and organize this month. Specifically, my sewing space. I use shoe organizer cubbies to hold my fabric, and my stash has outgrown the two cubby units dedicated to it. (This is in addition to a bin of solids and a suitcase of multicolor fabric.) So, I need a third unit.

My sewing studio is in the basement and it is too cold to spend hours folding and organizing fabric. So, my husband graciously agreed to bring the cubbies upstairs. I've been spending many late nights watching programs and folding fabric.

I love gazing at this:

But this is how I usually get by:

So...I know how I'll be spending the next few nights.

Here's hoping that your new year is off to an organized start.

2011 in Review

2012-01-01T12:54:00.000-06:00

Finished Quilts

1. modern vintage quilt--closer, 2. breeze, 3. extra, mini quilt, 4. Bright Return--back, 5. front, 6. 4 in a row, 7. Oliver's I Spy quilt, 8. front with sun, 9. mittens and mushrooms, 10. Henry's Swimmy Quilt, 11. swimmy quilt for Miles, 12. outside

One look at my finished quilts mosaic and all I can see is right angles in almost every single project. My bee blocks and my quilt designs have gotten so creative over the past year with more angles and curves than I ever knew I could make. But I didn't finish any of those quilts. I could write a resolution to stay away from square angles in 2012, but I like them too much. I see some old projects that finally were pulled out of oblivion and finished. Eight of the quilts above were gifts (two for Henry), four of them are I Spy quilts, the mini tree quilt was for a swap and six of them were sent to charity to warm up new babies. Not one finished quilt for me, although I do nap with Henry's I Spy quilt on occasion.

Finished Small Projects

1. tea cozy front, 2. swap extras, 3. workshop potholder exchange, 4. housewarming potholder, 5. bag side 2,

6. pretty little pouch front, 7. growth chart, 8. hand sewn rattle ball, 9. coasters for swap, 10. potholders for swap,

11. ornaments, 12. C is for Charise pincushion, 13. Bubble Pouch front, 14. Cubs ornament for the hubs,

15. mom's pillow, 16. dr. seuss jammie pants, 17. knitting needle case, 18. Keychain Clutch closed

I did finish a number of small projects this year. I designed the tea cozy, potholders, pouch, knitting needle holder and ornaments. I also finally made another piece of clothing for Henry. And I made my first pillow! I hope to branch out and do more non-quilt sewing in 2012.

Favorite Bee Blocks

1. kelp quilt strip for neshamamama, 2. string block for lucky_charm, 3. simple, square, improv for bix and bee, 4. 3x6 for i like orange, too, 5. book block for Vicky in the Sew Buzzy Bee, 6. caretaker swap, 7. 3x6 for snail girl, 8. June Easy Bee-ing Green Block, 9. house block for innerpiece, 10. block for Vanessa, 11. bee block for knittykaren, 12. angel block,

13. veronique block 1, 14. cocorico bee block, detail, 15. October Orchard Themed Block, 16. November Ski Sweater Block

I made 43 bee blocks in 2011! That seems like a crazy number. I started out the year in four bees and now I'm ending the year in four completely different bees. I may pull out of one because right now I'm signed up to make 60 bee blocks in 2012. Yikes! The bee blocks have helped me grow and learn new skills and make new friends. But it can get to be a bit much....

My biggest plans for 2012 are to continue to work on my block design skills and to make quilts out of all of the blocks I've received in various bees. That should keep me busy!

I'm linking up to Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day. Come check it out!

Last Finished Quilt of 2011

2011-12-31T23:36:00.000-06:00

I worked my butt off on the quilting and binding for this quilt and managed to finish it in time for Henry for Christmas.

This quilt is the last of four I Spy quilts.
It is the last quilt for the year and the last of my parade of handmades.

(Henry's fishy square)

I started his I Spy quilt knowing two things, I wanted to use the Ann Kelle Remix Stripe somewhere in the quilt and that I was willing to cut into anything to get some interesting prints.

When I had finally pulled together the 135 prints for his quilt, it still took months and months before the full design came to me. I'm not a fast designer. Either the idea has come to me, or it hasn't arrived yet. I try to be patient until the right plan comes to mind, but it isn't always easy. The design for this quilt came over months of thinking about it.
One day, I just woke up and I knew I wanted to use more than color for the solid squares. I thought that they would be random....

Then, weeks later, I decided to arrange the squares in a plus sign design.

Then, it took months before I figured out that I wanted the spy fabrics arranged by color
and in pluses also.

The quilt squares took up the whole floor of my dining room for two weeks before I figured out that the pale background spy prints had to go at the bottom of the quilt and offset by the colored solids.

Henry says, "see da gnomes! see da bunnies!"

Even once the top was designed, it still took me ages and ages before I knew how to quilt it. Eventually, I decided on a mix of machine and hand quilting.

Henry says, "bwooberries, cwabbies and bugs"

Here is the recipient inspecting the I Spy squares:

I think he likes it!

Thank you to Rachel, Audrey, and Sandi for helping me to collect fabrics!

And thank you to all readers and commenters on this blog.
It really does help me stay motivated to finish projects throughout the year.

Happy New Year to you!

Mom's Pillow

2011-12-30T22:42:00.001-06:00

Kerry's and Leila's recent posts about making pillows got my mind whirring. Naturally, I thought I'd try to make one for my mom. This was so fun that I might become a pillow addict soon.

I used Kerry's pattern and put my own twist on it with

added angles, quilting, zipper closure and and put a star on top of the tree.

The star is from an IKEA print and I put a little red hand stitching around it.

For this project I put in my first invisible zipper.

My mom is so excited about the pillow, and that made it easier to let go.

Parade of the Handmades

2011-12-30T06:31:00.000-06:00

I made a few other gifts for the holidays....

First up is a felt ornament for Ben. He is a big Cubbies fan and all he wanted for Christmas was tickets to a game this summer. But, I had to make something for him, too. Ben's birding friend, Mike, has a bunch of Packers and Brewers ornaments on the family tree. So, naturally, I had to step in so Ben could root for his team while decorating the tree.

Then I made this little pouch with a pattern by Keyka Lou. This is the Keychain Clutch pattern and is just as cute as can be.

Lastly is another Keyka Lou pattern called the Bubble Pouch. I think it is super cute and simple to sew. And, as an extra bonus, Keyka Lou is is having a sale on patterns she is retiring and this is one of them. The pattern is only $3, but, you have to hurry here before January 1st.

I still have a few more handmades to show, but I have to get some decent photos first. The gloomy winter weather is not cooperating.

The kitties have moved in!

2011-12-28T01:48:00.000-06:00

I finished renovating the house for Henry in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve.

In addition to the painting, three rooms got new wood floors and two received new "tile".

The kitty family moved in on Christmas morning.

Henry's excitement made everything totally worthwhile. The kitties have been very busy trying out the stairs, the potty, the bathtub and the bed (under the covers, of course). And, we've mostly dissuaded Henry from crawling into the house or using it as yet another percussion instrument.

I hope your holidays were joyous.

Renovation

2011-12-23T21:21:00.000-06:00

For three days I've been taking out carpet and wallpaper, priming, painting, sanding, laying flooring, and more painting. All for Henry's gift on Christmas day. The work is not yet finished,

but I thought that I could post a few "before" photos.

This is the dollhouse my dad made for me for Christmas when I was a child. He decorated it with carpet samples and wallpaper scraps that matched my childhood home.

The house was designed with 4 large doors that opened up--two in the front and two in the back.

The doors are held shut with magnets.

The attic is under one side of the roof.

Stay tuned for the new and improved house!

I can't wait to see the look on Henry's face on Christmas morning.

Toddler Gingerbread Houses 2

2011-12-21T10:32:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun decorating gingerbread last year that we just had to do it again. I made a big batch of royal icing, put the sprinkles into shaker containers and bought a few candies to share. The parents brought a gingerbread kit assembled the night before so it could withstand the decorating enthusiasm.

This year, Henry was very busy with eating any candy that I put on the house. His favorites were the cinnamon red hots and the gumdrops. He also loved tucking all sorts of candy in the gingerbread house windows.

Samuel recently turned one. He was most fascinated with playing with the candies in the crinkly wrappers so his daddy helped with the decorating.

Jonas was also a big fan of the candy tasting. He liked placing the gingerbread marshmallows in the yard, too. One of those marshmallows is Jonas, one is Henry, one is his mommy, one is his daddy, etc.

I had a lot of sprinkles and candy to sweep up after all was done.

That has to be the sign of a good toddler craft :)

Before I close here, I have to show one more photo of the candy stuffed into the windows.

I'm pretty sure that Henry wishes our house looked like that inside.

Sun to photograph by

2011-12-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

I swear I haven't seen the sunshine for a week or more. But this morning the sky is clear and blue. Finally, it is a good day for quilt photography!

This was my initial sketch for a quilt for our friend (soon to be one year old!) Miles. I bought some water themed fabrics and tried to include them all in the quilt plan.

Soon after starting my piecing plan, I realized that the prints were too bright and with strong contrast.

They needed more solids to balance the design.

The turtles and the zig zag stripe are from Wendy Slotboom for In the Beginning. The whales are Anne Kelle Urban Zoologie. The octopus/whale/submarine print and the school of fish are from Cosmo Cricket Snorkel. The big bubbles are Jennifer Paganelli Bell Bottoms. The solids are Kona white, Connecting Threads ocean mist and marine (I think marine is discontinued).

The quilt is bound in the marine fabric also.

I made a lot of adjustments and added solids as I went along with the cutting process.

I think it worked out.

I hope a certain one year old likes it!

(Photos of this quilt were brought to you by sunshine and a patient husband

willing to stand and hold up a quilt on a frosty morning.)

(Unofficial) WIP Wednesday #8

2011-12-14T01:51:00.000-06:00

WIP Wednesday is hosted by Lee at Freshly Pieced, but the linky party is on holiday until January. I still need this routine to keep me in line at this time of year.

Last week I was astounded, yet again, that my WIP count is at fifteen!!

Then I finished these legwarmers

and this quilt for a friend's baby (full pictures and write up coming soon).

And....then I added two more holiday crafting projects to the list.

One is a wood and glue and magnets contraption that I'm excited about, but it is a gift so I can't share right now.

The other is a renovation project on the dollhouse that my dad made me when I was a kid. I'm updating the paint and flooring and Henry will receive it under the tree this Christmas....and I have no pictures to share.

Sooooooo, take away two and add two....that means that my final project count is still at fifteen.
There isn't much time before the new year. Do you think it is possible to reach nine WIP's? Please tell me it is possible. Pretty please?

The things I do for art

2011-12-11T12:08:00.000-06:00

I finished the legwarmers this week. It turns out that this project is nearly two years old, not one like I previously stated. But the funniest part of this story is the photo shoot. Ben rarely takes photos, so he needs a lot of direction behind the camera to get a blog-worthy shot. Also, I'd usually wear the legwarmers under jeans. I don't even own a winter skirt. So, I was either standing on a chair next to our tree in the front window of our house--in my underpants. Or, I was not so gracefully getting up and down from the chair to help Ben with the camera--still just in my underpants. Our neighbors across the street are in their seventies so let's all hope that their eyesight isn't very good....

The legwarmers are cute, though.

WIP Wednesday #7

2011-12-07T10:26:00.002-06:00

It has been far too long since I participated in a WIP Wednesday. There isn't a linky party today, but I needed to organize my project list anyway.

(Please remember that WIP Wednesday is brought to you by at Lee at Freshly Pieced.)

Projects Finished!

Dr. Seuss Holiday Jammie Pants for Henry. I finished them last night and now he won't let me take them off of him. Sewing success!!

December blocks for the do. Good Stitches bee--Scrappy postage stamp blocks for girl and boy quilts.

Front Burner: these are the things I'm currently working on.

Two custom pincushions for the giveaway! --no photos, I hope to finish them in the next week.

Tina's Quilt --This Wisconsin block is done and I have a curved piecing tent block in process for this quilt!

This is for a pillow for my mom's birthday. I started with the tutorial from verykerryberry. My mom would prefer the angled branches, so I made adjustments to the pattern. The front of the pillow is done. Now I hope to learn how to install an invisible zipper for the back. Wish me luck :)

Knitting?!?! --these are some leg warmers started nearly a year ago. If I can remember how I did the cast off on the first legwarmer, I could be done with this project today. If...

Farmer's Wife Quiltalong--40 blocks cut out and ready to piece. The group is on holiday, but I may just have to sew up a few of these anyway.

Henry's I Spy Quilt --The top is finished and I think I have my quilting plan all set. I must get over inertia and baste this soon. I really want this done in time for Christmas.

Swimmy Quilt for Miles--I just need to bind and wash it.

Back Burners: All of the following projects have not been touched in weeks or months, so I'll just quickly list them here:

Hexie Insanity --the pile of hexies sewn together is bigger, but I don't have a recent photo.

Sparkling Pond --This quilt is still on vacation for a little while.

Tiny Houses May Moms Quilt

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Dresden Quilt

1st Hexie project

Pink and Red Baby Quilt

Dream On postage stamp quilt along

Summary:

New = 0
Finished = 2
Front Burner = 7
Back Burner = 8
Works in Progress = fifteen! I was really hoping to get this number in the single digits by the new year, but that just doesn't look possible at this point....

random tidbits...

2011-12-04T19:54:00.000-06:00

1. New blog design. I'm learning a lot from Pugly Pixel.

2. I've received some lovely ornaments from Heather, Leila and Wendy in the Trim the Tree Ornament Swap

3. When I'm not working on other sewing projects, I'm still working on matching fabrics and cutting pieces for my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along blocks. I have nearly 40 blocks prepped here.

4. I'm making lots of wool felt acorns. Two for this ornament and 20+ for some acorn garland. Just in time for next year's fall decoration. I'm always a few months behind or even more months ahead...

5. We had a lovely Thanksgiving with just the three of us followed by some visits with dear friends. My parents were also visiting this weekend. During this season of gratitude, I've been thinking of how grateful I am for this space and for all of you. I hope your holidays (and holiday crafting) go smoothly and are filled with joy.

One pincushion down, two to go.

2011-11-22T01:36:00.000-06:00

I got so excited by the number of comments on my custom pincushion giveaway, that I decided to make three of them. Well, I have one finished now. Charise requested a "C" in red, aqua and/or mustard.

I used a mix of paper and improvisational piecing. Straight paper piecing will give accurate results and a clean finished project, but I'm often too lazy to go to the copy store to reverse my drawing and also too lazy to wrestle with the paper for the tiny piecing. So, first I start with a detailed drawing.

Then I make at least two regular copies of my drawing (my copier at home can do this much) and I cut out piece 1 like a template and I cut out pieces 1-7 all joined as a second template.

You'll see that pieces 6 and 7 have extra hash marks because the red fabric has to be joined to the aqua background fabric before joining it to piece 1. So, next I prepare pieces 6 and 7 by sewing two small strips of the two colors together. Then I use my template of piece 1 to cut the aqua background fabric adding a 1/4" seam allowance all around. Next I sew pieces 1-7 together and use the 1-7 template to trim off the excess fabric (remembering to add a 1/4" seam allowance). Then I continue piecing 8-16 on. Then I trim that to a square and make it into a pincushion.

I don't know if that clarifies anything, but I thought I'd try to explain my process a little. Someday I'll have to remember to take more pictures when I'm in the midst of this piecing. (I think I turn into a sewing/cutting/ironing whirling dervish when I'm in the middle of making these blocks, so the photos may be awhile.)

I placed some plain white fabric behind the front and back squares of the pincushion before sewing them together. I stuffed this pincushion with crushed walnut shells--otherwise known as "lizard litter" at the pet store. Then I whip stitched the opening closed.

I'm not terrifically comfortable with mustard shades of yellow, so the back has yellow, orange and red peaches on it. (I hope the peachy cuteness factor makes up for not being mustard color.)

Okay! This will be on its way to Charise soon!
I have a "V" and an "S" pincushions left to do for the giveaway, so stay tuned.

For those of you that want to try paper or improv piecing and designing your own blocks, I highly recommend practicing with letters of the alphabet. Especially L, T, H, V, M, A or a squared-off O. Then you can try curved letters C, U, D or a curved O. I'd save a curved S, B, G, Q, R and lowercase e and g for last. I did other posts here and here about my designs for a couple of other letters. Good luck to you!

Quietly Busy

2011-11-17T22:02:00.000-06:00

I've been puttering away in the sewing room, pondering my next big project and trying to finish some of the smaller things on the list. I've been planning for weeks to try to whittle my WIP's down to single digits by the new year. That just isn't happening so far, though. For instance, this past week the holiday workshop had to open up for the Trim the Tree Handmade Ornament Swap.

These are made with linen, some favorite fabric scraps and extra thread for the details.

I'm even working on a Halloween decoration because I found a kit that I just couldn't pass up and couldn't leave until next year. You'll have to wait a bit to see that one, though.

Thankfully, I'm not planning on any turkey-themed projects.

What about you? Are you completely done with Halloween sewing?

Anything for Thanksgiving? Have you started on the gifts yet?

More bee blocks

2011-11-09T21:29:00.000-06:00

I'm trying to get all of my November bee blocks done early because I've got some holiday swaps and then holiday gifts to get working on. I just joined the do. Good Stitches Bee recently and this is my first month. I'm in the Dream circle and we'll be making quilts for Project Night Night. We'll aim for one girl and one boy quilt per month. This month's theme is square-in-square blocks with boy blocks in navy, lime, aqua, white, yellow and gray and girl blocks in plum, teal, orange, gray, white and yellow.

I'm looking forward to seeing how these quilts come together.

Cocorico blocks for October and November

2011-11-07T22:22:00.000-06:00

Yay! We finally have a button for the Cocorico Bee made by the talented Meg at monkey beans.

This button will live in my sidebar and you can use it any time to see what blocks or sketches or inspiration photos are popping up in the flickr pool.

.......................................

I was behind in making blocks for this bee, but I plugged away
at these two over the weekend so I could catch up.

For the month of October, Annabel assigned us a 12x16" block with an orchard theme. When I think of orchards and pick your own fruit, I think of my canner and jars. I love picking my own fruit but my eyes are bigger than our tummies and my time is never as big as our pantry. So I have to limit myself to picking only as much fruit as I'm able to can or freeze in a half of a day.
I came up with this block sketch:

The canning jars intimidated me, so I took my time and pieced
the canner and the bowl of apples first.

I used freezer paper to do the canner lid curve and I embroidered the handle and the lip of the lid. I used fusible web and raw edge applique to do the apples. I don't know the name for the technique I used for the bowl. Can I admit that I feel like a hack when I use a process and I can't even put it into words? But when I learn more about it, I promise to do another post explaining it. okay?

Anyway, I used the mystery applique technique for the jars, too, and then put them on with some white thread. Then I did some thread sketching in blue for the jar details. On a whim I picked out two blue colors for the sketching and I thread them both through my needle and stitched them at the same time. Kooky, I know, but it worked like a dream, so I'm sticking with it.

Here is the finished block. I wish I hadn't let it intimidate me so, but I'm pleased with the results.

.................................

And, now on to the November block. Krista and her family are big skiers, so she requested 10 to 14" blocks with the theme, "Let's hit the slopes!" I don't downhill ski, but I do love cross country skiing. I learned to ski from an old housemate that also taught me how to knit. Both will forever be linked in my mind,
so I had to sew a ski sweater. Here is my sketch:

I started with piecing a snowflake out of the tiniest HST's I've ever done.
Those blue and white squares are only 5/8".

Then it was on to tiny flying geese, a Y-seam at the collar and embroidering a zipper.

Lastly, I had the task of making the sleeves "jaunty" (as Krista put it) but not too silly-looking.

I must admit that these blocks are hard ones to tuck into the mailbox :)

Well, thanks for letting me ramble on and post a ridiculous amount of photos for only two blocks.
I LOVE reading process posts by other quilters because I learn so much. But I'm also a bit shy about showing my sketchbook and partial block photos. I hope you don't mind the peeks into my process.

Late Costume Post

2011-11-07T08:27:00.000-06:00

Henry was Officer Buckle for Halloween (from the wonderful children's book Officer Buckle and Gloria). He's been talking about Officer Buckle for many months now,

so this costume seemed like the way to go.

I bought a boy's size 5 shirt from Goodwill and cut off the sleeves and cut down the sides to fit him and then put it back together. I used the extra fabric for the tabs on the shoulders. Then I got some silver jeans buttons to add some "flair". I made the belt with two compartments and sewed a sewing tape measure in one and a film canister in the other and added a plastic buckle that I had lying around.

The police hat was skipped because there was no way he'd leave it on.

The Saturday before Halloween is the children's costume parade in our town.

Ben took Henry since I was sick that day. Henry's stuffed dog is standing in for Gloria.

They hit the park swings and slide after the parade.

Henry has been enjoying the pumpkins and says, "big pumpkin!" every time he sees one.

Jack o' lanterns are called "funny faces!"

I hope your Halloween was a blast, too.

New Quilt

2011-10-30T22:42:00.000-05:00

I have finally finished Henry's Swimmy Quilt. (Darned binding. I always get stuck at that stage.)

The inspiration for the quilt started with this photo by Kati of from the blue chair.

Her whole quilt is Gorgeous with a capital "G." But it was that one tiny orange square that wiggled it's way into my brain and stayed there for months. Then one night, I realized that I had to just sew it out or that orange square would never get out of my mind. As I swam laps in the pool that night, I thought of my son, Henry. He's a cautious guy on land. (He's now nearly two and a half and he doesn't quite run.) But get that guy around water and he thinks he's a fish. He can't swim, but he thinks he can and spends all of his time attempting to drown himself. I suddenly knew I had to make a water quilt with an orange square for my little goldfish.

This quilt started out as the back of the I-Spy quilt I'm making for him. (Dear regular readers, I still haven't basted that poor thing. I think he may get it for Christmas. Maybe.) Then flickr friends and blog readers convinced me that it was a quilt top. I had no idea. It is a good thing they set me straight.

I quilted it with my walking foot and a bazillion 90 degree turns.

Last week I finished the binding.

I wish I could bring it in to take photos by the pool, but the fall pumpkins will have to do.

Thank you to my readers for your input. Without it, the quilting would have been ruled by

the front of the quilt design (and been full of diagonal lines--not good).

Now it will hang on the wall in my son's room instead.

...........

I'm adding this post to Amy's Quilt Bloggers' Festival today.

Right now there are 400+ quilts posted there. Check it out!

Couch sewing

2011-10-27T18:22:00.000-05:00

We've been sick for a few days over here. I haven't gotten downstairs to the sewing room to work on the apples and canner block. But, I've had plenty of time on the couch for sewing together some hexies.

What do you work on when you are stuck on the couch for days?

Apple season

2011-10-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

First, I'll start with a quote from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. This book is about building a food culture by eating seasonally and locally and challenging the notion that eating seasonally results in deprivation. One phrase from the book has been stuck in my mind today.

"...asparagus seems like a good place to start. And if the object of our

delayed gratification is a suspected aphrodisiac? That's the sublime

paradox of a food culture: restraint equals indulgence."

Well, swap apples for asparagus and you get a glimpse of our last few days. Yesterday we went to the apple orchard and had apple cider, apple pie with cheddar cheese, cider donuts, and later I made pork chops with applesauce. Today we had apple pancakes for breakfast, I canned 14 jars of applesauce and now I'm enjoying some Irish cheddar cheese over apple slices. Yum.

I thought I'd share a few peeks of the process of making applesauce for canning:

(I'm sorry that there aren't photos of the canning. There is just too much scalding water

and steam for me to remember to grab the camera.)

Now I'm relaxing on the couch and reveling in the pop, pop, pop of the jars sealing.
That's the sound of pure bliss after a day of canning.

Later tonight I'll return to my sewing machine.
Next time, you'll see the picture below turned into a quilt block!

Potholder Pass

2011-10-21T16:07:00.000-05:00

If you are interested in joining any sewing swaps, I highly recommend the Potholder Pass swap

run by the talented Amy. This group has been branching out beyond potholders to

occasionally include tea towels, sewn shopping bags, and now coasters.

This round also had a theme of "My House to Yours for the potholders.

I had two separate partners as you can tell by the differing color schemes.

It is nice to sign up for a small project challenge every now and then.

Today we got a ton of apples from a local orchard, so I know what my handmade challenge

will be tomorrow--canning applesauce!

Giveaway Winner(s)!!

2011-10-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

I had such a tremendous response to the initial letter giveaway. 42 comments?! This was so great that it was hard to pick just one. So, I let the random number generator pick three instead.

So, the winners are...

#15--Vanesa

#11--SoSarahSews

and #28--Charise

I'll be working on some fabric picks and block designs just for you. Please be patient as my sewing table is always full of projects. Three pincushions will be on their way soon!

In the meantime...here is a shot of my latest block design/work in progress for the cocorico bee:

Done!

2011-10-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

This project comes from Rashida Coleman-Hale's book, i love patchwork. It is a ball made entirely by English Paper Piecing. I did the hand stitching on it last year--before I knew better. Now I know that 8-10 stitches per inch is enough. At the time, I was constantly worried that it would fall apart, so I did more like 25-35 stitches per inch. This thing is never coming apart. Which is good. I'm sending it to a friend to welcome her second baby. I reclaimed a rattle from another thrifted toy and placed that rattle inside this ball. So baby will play with it, and older sibling might get in on the fun and test those stitches, too.

Cocorico bee block for September

2011-10-07T19:06:00.001-05:00

Lauree asked for "kitchen couture" blocks for her month of the cocorico bee.

I started with a pencil sketch.

Then I used this tutorial to thread sketch the wire whisk attachment.
I also used foundation paper on the back and drawing paper on the front while I stitched it.
I had to use a tweezers to get some of the paper out but it turned out okay.

To make the mixer paddle I used this tutorial to piece the background fabric into the gray and then used it again to piece the gray into the background again. (does that make sense?) I hadn't planned on thread sketching on this portion of the block. But, the gray needed to stand out from the background fabric more and the sketching did secure the piecing better.

I paper pieced the dough hook.

Then I improv pieced the tops of all of the attachments and improvised connecting them all into one block. Lastly, I did some thread sketching on the dough hook to tie it all together.

Sooooo...that was my process for the September block. October's month is "all things orchard". I've got some ideas brewing. Stay tuned...

Initial Giveaway

2011-10-06T18:51:00.001-05:00

I've been busy with paper piecing letters since April. I've also been really touched by getting more readers and more comments lately. I know that a lot of blogs give away patterns or fabric, but I'd like to make a little special something to give away. I'd like to make an initial block just for you.

So, if you'd like to enter, please leave one comment below. Please comment with the letter that you'd like and your favorite color. I'll pull one name and design a letter block and make you a pincushion (or a coaster for non sewists) and send it out to you. I hope this will be a fun way to say thank you.

......

edited to add: I'm obviously not experienced in giveaways. Please be sure that I can get in touch with you. If you are set up as a no-reply blogger, then please include your email address. Also, I'll pick a number and announce next week Friday.

It takes two, baby.

2011-10-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

While sewing templates for block #30 together after midnight and without the

book in front of me, I accidentally created a totally different block.

I happen to love it and I will definitely include it in my quilt.

Below is the original block #30:

I figure that running a farm takes both the farmer and his wife.

So, here is my block called #112 Farming Duo (until I hear otherwise).

If you have a block encyclopedia book or if you've seen this block before and know a name for it, I'm very interested. If you look through your encyclopedia and don't see it, I'm even more interested.

I'd love to learn how to design traditional-type blocks. There are so many that I can't

imagine how you you would come up with something completely new. Although,

left to my own devices, I could probably only do it by accident anyhow.

Have you ever designed a block of your own (by accident or on purpose)?

Bee Finishes

2011-09-27T11:37:00.000-05:00

My first modern quilting bee, Sew Buzzy, ended in June. And now, in the last week, I've made the blocks to finish off three of my other bees.

This is the last month for It's Sew Easy Bee-ing Green Bee. Diane requested blocks about home. She sent some bold colors and patterns in her fabric, so I added some gray, white and the window fabric to make this:

I finished my last quarter for the 3x6 Bee in July, but I volunteered to make an angel block, so this is my last block for that bee. I pulled out my sketchbook and drew a block of quarter square triangles and then drew a few lines and erased a few others and came up with this:

And the May Moms Bee finished last month but I was ~~stalling~~ biding my time before digging into this paper pieced block. I used the paper piecing pattern from this tutorial. I also used freezer paper and cut it 1/4" bigger than the original pattern piece and then precut all of my fabric so i didn't waste as much of it. I have always loved this block, but Veronique sent some amazing fabrics for me to use. I used all of the Japanese fabrics in the first block and added only a couple of red polka dots.

I used all of the brights in the second block and added a few to balance the block to my eye. I love how she chose a lot of white background prints which adds an extra visual layer to this block. My eye has to scan it closer to see that pattern, and I love it.

Now I just need to make the time to finish up some of my bee quilts. That would be quite an accomplishment. :)

Done with 3 out of 4

2011-09-24T19:28:00.003-05:00

Poor Henry.

He always gets short changed with the gifting because he lives here and he doesn't know any better. I've been working on an I Spy quilt for him for almost a year now. His was the first one, but now his is the last of four. Below you'll see photos the third one. It was finished this week.

(Here are links to the first and the second I Spy quilts.)

The fabric is on order to finish Henry's quilt. He does walk past every pile of fabric in the house (and there are many, I'm afraid) and he says, "bwankie." I think it is high time he get his own.

6 of 1, half a dozen of another

2011-09-23T12:04:00.000-05:00

Six more Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks that is.

This project is anything but boring. And without duplicating fabrics, I still have no shortage of options for upcoming blocks. Have you ever made a sampler? Or have you ever tried to mix all of your favorite fabrics in one quilt? I'd love to hear about it :)

Give one, make four.

2011-09-16T18:18:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted some Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks and offered to give one away to someone that might want it. Thank you to all that left comments suggesting that I should keep the block and still use it in the quilt. I appreciate hearing other opinions, but I also feel good about sending it off. I drew names and got Cassie. I'll sending you a message now, Cassie.

I've been sewing more blocks for the sampler--kind of obsessively, actually.

This block makes me think of goldfinches flying on a cloudy day.

The aqua dot print is Daisies and Dots from by Piece O' Cake Designs.

I love this fabric too too much.

I heart the Japanese cherry fabric in this block.

I had intended for the red fabric to be the central one in this block,

but those bright blue dots call out to my eyes first. Oh well :)

Now I'm off to go sew some more! Somebody may have to stop me.

Finally!

2011-09-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

The drawback of giving crafted goods as gifts is that you can't show pictures (or shout from the rooftops) when the gift is done. I'm not known as a patient person. But this time I was very good and waited for the giftee to open her quilt before showing pics. And, she opened the mail today, so I open my blogger account :)

Here it is, the Mommy Love quilt:

You will note that the quilt has no binding in that photo. There is a good reason for that and it all starts more than two and a half years ago. When I was pregnant with Henry, I joined the Knocked Up Knitters forum on ravelry.

(If you knit and you haven't joined ravelry, you must. Now. Seriously, don't read the rest of this post. shoo.)

(If you don't knit, go ask someone patient to teach you. Knitters love converting non-knitters.)

On that group I met a bunch of wonderful women that were due the same month. Once the little ones were born, we started a moms group on ravelry. Since then, we've shared the frustrations and delights of newborns, babies and now toddlers. I love these women and their children as much as any close friend that I've met in person. Last year I talked some of them into joining a quilting bee with me and I've converted a few of them into becoming some great sewists, too. And, when we heard that one mom was having baby #2, we had to plan something.

The blocks of this quilt were made by seven women and sent to my friend, R. She pieced the top and border and sent it to me. I pieced the back and quilted it and sent it to J. J bound the quilt and sent it to our giftee. (That's why my photos have no binding.)

My favorite part about this quilt is the all of the love tucked in every stitch. So, when I took it to use the longarm machine, I put our names in. This is the first time I tried to write words in my quilting, but I think I'll be doing it again.

Who needs a printed label?

The rest of the quilting is just a swirly loop-di-loop that I like.

I think the curves balance the square-ness of the quilt design.

Oh! The quilt design is from a Moda Bakeshop pattern, here.

And, now I feel better. I have so many old projects that never end, so I have to take the

finishes and holler out--"See? I can finish something!"

Now just imagine the brown binding around the edges, okay?

And cultivate your friendships wherever you find them. :)

The good and the ugly.

2011-09-09T17:44:00.001-05:00

I have a new batch of Farmer's Wife blocks. The last time I showed some blocks for this quilt. I talked about how hard I was trying to make new fabric choices that don't match to my usual taste.

Well, this week I had three results that I liked.

...I also made one block that I just can't stand.

it's okay

I love this one!

But I just can't tolerate the block below. There is something about that purple and aqua and the orange tones from the tree fabric that makes the back of my neck itch. I cannot abide this block in my quilt. But one lesson that I've learned from flickr is that everyone has different tastes. If you happen to be a person that would like or use this block, let me know. I'll mail it anywhere just to give it a good home, and I'll probably tuck something else cute in the package. :)

(I've had a couple of people express interest in the block.

I'll put names in a hat and pull a name next week!)

Can you tell me about a block or project where the colors just set your teeth on edge?

Links to a post or photos of the project are welcome :)

Preparation

2011-09-08T20:15:00.000-05:00

I have big plans for a pretty great giveaway in the next week, but before I do that, I'd like you to check out a link from the Pleasant Home blog. In the post here she tells you how to check if you are a no reply blogger. I've been getting more comments lately (thank you!), and I'd like to reply to all of them, but if you are a no reply blogger, I can't write you back. I'd like to be more polite, and I'd like to continue the conversation. So please check out the link and consider changing your profile. That way I can write you back *and* you can have a chance to win a custom, handmade item from me to you.

And, in unrelated news, the cooler fall weather is approaching and I'm loving this guy in his overalls.

WIP Wednesday #6

2011-09-07T17:24:00.001-05:00

A couple of months ago I started a new quilting bee with Lauree. We hand picked a dream team of women. Each one has an amazing stash, crazy talent and lots of creativity, and the cocorico bee was born. Lauree's month is September and she's requested kitchen couture blocks.

Here, again, is my sketch:

And here is 1/3 of it done!

I have to admit that I'm a happy sewist today. :)

(pssst! I'm linking up to Lee's WIP Wednesday.
Go check it out and be amazed by all of the great projects out there.)

Hexie-aholic

2011-09-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

My name is Melinda, and I might have a problem...

...but gosh they are pretty. I'm getting really excited about the back of my Farmer's Wife quilt.

I took a break from sewing to...sew some more.

2011-09-03T20:12:00.000-05:00

I've been a hexie making machine the last four days, but I did take a brief break to make these bee blocks for a friend in the May Moms Bee.

These are the double hourglass blocks from the Cluck Cluck Sew tutorial. Super quick and super satisfying sewing makes me happy!

I've got a bunch of other bee blocks to make, but I think I have to get these hexies out of my system first. I should have more pictures of those to show tomorrow.

I hope you are having a fun holiday weekend!

Fresh Sewing Day #1

2011-09-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

Lynne at Lily's Quilts hosts a lovely blog meetup on the first of every month. I usually miss it, but this time I get to join the party!

In August I was finishing old projects like Henry's growth chart, starting new projects like the wall quilt for Henry's room, continuing with the Farmer's Wife blocks and the hexies for the back of that same quilt.

You can see a lot of other talented crafters and bloggers here.

Lately

2011-08-31T17:28:00.000-05:00

I've been busy with my Farmer's Wife quilt without actually making any squares.

These will go on the back of the quilt.
I love making these hexies, but I'm starting to dread sewing them together....

From back into a front

2011-08-29T23:21:00.000-05:00

After I posted this photo on flickr,

Monica of Happy Zombie wrote: "I would call that a front of a quilt - too beautiful to hide in the back!"

Suddenly the gears in my head started turning and I realized that the quilting pattern I was designing for the front of the quilt would totally ruin the back of the quilt.

And here I was, trying to be diligent in finishing projects on my list and I had an accidental extra quilt in my WIP's. As I added some more strips to the quilt, I pondered. I designed that "backing" for Henry. The red, yellow and orange make up a "fish" in the center. The blues are water (of course) mixed with bubbles (possibly Henry's second love after water). If I turned it into a twin sized quilt, the scale of the center block would be too small. So I held it up on the wall in his room and it is just right as a modern splash of color on his wall.

So, there you have it. Another day or two of concentrated quilting with the walking foot and it'll be ready for a binding.

Though, you'll note that I said "concentrated" quilting. I'm now distracted by hexies again....

A little off balance

2011-08-25T19:07:00.000-05:00

I have set myself a huge challenge for the Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long. I've opened up my entire stash to this project so I can sew with whatever inspires me. I have a lot of difficulty visualizing modern fabrics while I'm looking at the dusky colors in the book, so that is an extra layer of difficulty. I'm also figuring out the math for the block pieces so I don't have to use the templates.

And, lastly, I'm trying to make the color and fabric combinations in my blocks not match. This is hard work! I have to fight my natural impulse to grab the matching fabrics and purposely make myself uncomfortable. I have a mix of text fabric, modern designers, Japanese fabrics and 30's reproduction fabrics. I admire the modern quilters on flickr that put different fabric lines and colors together that I'd never think of. So I'm trying to imitate that by shaking up my own style and pushing my own boundaries. I hope that mixing these styles in lots of different blocks means that the whole top will come together better. We'll see....

Anyway, here is my next batch of Farmer's Wife blocks:

(I wish that reds, oranges and purples photographed better with my camera.)

So, that is the task I have in front of me. How do you like to play with color?

How do you challenge yourself?

I really am curious.

random tidbits...

2011-08-19T20:34:00.000-05:00

The sewing has slowed down, but for a good reason. A dear friend is moving away :( but she has generously given us some great furniture which means that my craft room has two new gorgeous wood tables. This round oak table is so beautiful that I may start taking more photos in my studio. I'm stripping the old finish off of the leaves and stripping the other HUGE table, but still fitting in a little sewing.

Lots of summer play in the backyard. This sandbox trick kept him occupied for a little while....

Even more bike rides in the trailer with Ben. Wouldn't it be fun to have your own chariot to whisk you around town?

Lastly, Henry has gotten pretty good about helping to put his books away. I think it is hilarious how nearly all of the books end up on one shelf. He concentrates so hard to get them all balanced there. Then when he wants to read again, he pulls one of the bottom books out and twenty books spill on the floor all at once.

So, anything random and/or fun happening with you?

WIP Wednesday #5

2011-08-10T15:33:00.000-05:00

Today is another edition of WIP Wednesday hosted at Lee's place.

New Projects

Tina's Quilt

Currently in Progress

cocorico bee--September's block plans

plus 2 other bee blocks.

Farmer's Wife Quiltalong--18 out of 111 blocks done. I've picked out my fabric for 10 more blocks, but no time to sew them. I have made quite a few more hexies for the back of the quilt.

Fandango Cooperative Quilt--I just picked that dot fabric on the left for the backing of this quilt. I think the brown will go in a stripe across the back and maybe be used for the binding.

Henry's I Spy Quilt --The top is finished and I think I have my quilting plan all set. I'm piecing a huge improv log cabin block for the back. Don't ask me why I have to make the quilt back complicated, too. I have no explanation for it.

Sparkling Pond --This quilt is still on vacation for a little while.

Ruby--still on vacation as well.

Languishing on the Sewing Table: All of the following projects have not been touched in weeks or months, so I'll just quickly list them here:

Tiny Houses May Moms Quilt

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Dresden Quilt

Hexie project

I Spy Quilt for a gift

Pink and Red Baby Quilt

Hand Pieced Ball

Dream On postage stamp quilt along

Finished This Week

Mom's Crazy Late Christmas Gift--DONE!!! But still no photos! :( This is the second time that I forgot to take pictures after I gave a gift to a family member in Green Bay. I just can't drive back three hours for a photo...

Henry's Growth Chart--I finally finished this and hung it in his room today. The pattern is from Stitch Magazine, Spring 2010.

Stats:
New Projects: 1
Finished Projects: 2
Bee Blocks: 3

Total Works in Progress (current and old): fifteen!! I really need to pare down this list of WIP's. If only to make these WIP Wednesday posts a lot simpler.

Smaller/Bigger

2011-08-09T22:55:00.000-05:00

Henry has been out paddling in a canoe only 4 times. Twice last year and twice this year. And what a difference that year makes. Last year he got frustrated that he couldn't reach the water to splash. This year his hands are in the water the whole time and he is constantly trying to crawl out of the boat to go into the water headfirst.

Last year he slept stretched out in the boat and he didn't even run into me.

This year he fell asleep on top my feet and my legs went numb and tingly.

Last year he sat in my camping chair to play.

This year he knows how to really stretch out and lounge.

The time sure flies by.

Another New Project

2011-08-08T21:33:00.000-05:00

I'm incorrigible. I look at my WIP's and I want some of them to be finished, but I'd rather go start on a new project or dream about a new block design.

So, for my friend Tina's birthday, I decided to break out my Anna Maria Horner Good Folks and Kona white and start making some word blocks. I'm not completely clear with where this quilt is heading--more words? crazy sampler? paper pieced pictorial blocks? either way, these blocks fit her style and I look forward to what ideas come next.

Summer Adventures

2011-08-07T15:01:00.000-05:00

Whew! I'm back from vacation and back in this space, too. The sewing room was busy before I left and the cutting table has been crowded since I came back, but I did not work on any projects for four whole days while we were out of town. Occasionally worked on some sketches, but mostly it just felt good to be focused on my family.

One of our adventures this last week was a trip to the Wisconsin State Fair with my friend, Tina. We did not try the deep fried butter, but we checked out the pig races,

did some goat petting, and some sheep, pig, cow, rooster and rabbit viewing,

ate a corn roast,

one of us took a too-short nap,

and three of us split one huge cream puff.

I'd never been to the State Fair before, but we had a grand time. Next year I may try to enter something in to the fair to be judged. Maybe a quilt or a knitted item or something from my garden.

What about you? Have you ever been to your state's fair? What was your favorite exhibit? Have you ever entered a craft or vegetable or an animal? I'd love to hear more about it.

Hexies

2011-07-30T00:25:00.002-05:00

hexies, originally uploaded by quirky granola girl.

I have a grand idea for the Farmer's Wife quilt. I'm using all of my favorite stash fabrics without repeating any. I'm challenging myself to some bold color combinations in each block. And now I'm making a 1" hexie with each of the fabrics to sew on the back of the quilt. This quilt will be my opus.

Busy with the farmer

2011-07-21T09:58:00.000-05:00

I took three weeks off of the Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long. I needed a break to work on some other projects. Then, in the last week I have caught up and then some. I'm having a blast coming up with fabric combinations and using some of my favorite fabrics that I've been hoarding for a special occasion. I'm also really enjoying making different blocks every time. Oh! And it turns out that I like figuring out the math in order to rotary cut the pieces. Who knew?

My very favorite block so far is the Swallow block. I love the fabrics, the contrast, the asymmetry. A close second is the Sawtooth block.

Have you fallen under the spell of any of your craft projects? I'd love to hear about it :)

WIP Wednesday #4

2011-07-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

Today is another edition of WIP Wednesday hosted at Lee's place.

I don't play along every week because my lack of progress on WIP's is sometimes too overwhelming. Once or twice a month seems like plenty of humble pie to swallow.

New Projects

cocorico bee--September's block plans

Currently in Progress

Farmer's Wife Quiltalong--18 out of 111 blocks done. I made 10 of these this week. I'm really happy with them and I'll be devoting a post to bigger pictures of the new blocks soon.

Sparkling Pond (new name for my Easy Bee-ing Green Bee Quilt)--In the last two weeks I've added eleven blocks to this quilt. The top is now 72x72". I was going to stop a long time ago, but now I've decided to add one more row of blocks and a border to get the quilt to 80x92" This feels like the neverending project, so after this picture, I'm putting this quilt on vacation for a little while.

Ruby She is gorgeous, but she's leaving machine oil all over my thread, so she's going on vacation for a couple of weeks, too. Maybe in August we can try again.

Languishing on the Sewing Table: All of the following projects have not been touched in weeks or months, so I'll just quickly list them here:

Tiny Houses May Moms Quilt

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Dresden Quilt

Mom's Crazy Late Christmas Gift--**nearly done**, but no photos

Fandango Cooperative Quilt

Henry's I Spy Quilt

Hexie project

Gift Quilt (no peeking)

Pink and Red Baby Quilt

Henry's Growth Chart

Hand Pieced Ball

Dream On postage stamp quilt along

Finished This Week = zippo.

Bee Blocks left to do = 3

Stats:
New Projects: 1
Finished Projects: nada
Bee Blocks: 3

Total Works in Progress (current and old): fifteen!!

More sketchbook

2011-07-19T08:33:00.002-05:00

for Lauree, originally uploaded by quirky granola girl.

I recently started a new quilting bee with a friend. Lauree (locodowo) and I invited a bunch of sewists that we admire for their creativity, design sense, fabric stash, etc. The cocorico bee will focus on original block design, paper, improv, and curved piecing as well as applique and embroidery.

Anyway, the first month is Lauree's and she requested kitchen shelves and kitchen organization. My first idea was scooped up by another member of the bee, so i'm posting this sketch now. KitchenAid implements. I'm going to use thread sketching for the wire whip, paper piecing for the dough hook and I might try reverse applique for the mixer paddle. We'll see how it works out...

Block Design Process

2011-07-10T00:03:00.000-05:00

I don't often do process posts that show my sketchbook because my drawings are very raw and it makes me uncomfortable to let people peek at that part of it all. But, I'm going to be brave today. :)

Here is a second sketch of the strawberries. I darkened the lines so you could see them.

The main purpose for redesigning this block was that I wanted two of the berries to touch. I also wanted to consider putting the strawberries on a tablecloth or shelf or in a bowl, so I wanted a berry block without the outside border on it.

Now I start to draw my seam lines. I draw the first four lines to enclose one little block.

My berry block will be the odd shape on the inside of those lines. Outside those lines will be the

border/sashing/background that I'll worry about later.

Then I continue drawing lines until I'm comfortable with the shape. It still looks a little blocky, but that is going to be the charm of my berry block. Can you see how the straight lines start to approximate the curves, but still leave a little something to the imagination?

Okay, now I'll return to yesterday's drawing after it was cleaned up with a little

eraser and colored pencil...

and I'll cut out my first berry block.

The hardest part I had to learn about paper piecing was putting the numbers on my own blocks.

The trick that worked for me was NOT to look at the portions of paper being numbered.

Instead, I look at the seams or lines between those numbers.

If you look below at my "L" block, and look only at the seams, you can probably figure out

which order to do the seams in to minimize any complicated seams.

Here is the same block with priority of seams. I did this in my head before putting numbers on the block sections, but I thought that this might help you see it better.

Using that seam priority, these are the section numbers I came up with. Yours may differ slightly.

Let's look at that strawberry again.

Now choose which seams need to go first or which needs to go last.

You can work forward or backward.

This is a representation of how I see it in my head.

And here is how I numbered it. Your numbers, again, may differ slightly.

For a more complicated example, here is the "e" block I did a few weeks ago.

This one needs to be cut in sections as I number it.

These are the sections that I cut.

On my original drawing, I put hatch marks on the lines that need to be cut and then I numbered the drawing a little differently. Since there are three sections, there are three #1 pieces. Then I numbered ALL of the second priority pieces as #2's. Then I did the same for the third priority pieces. After the #3's are sewn on, then all of the block chunks have to be sewn together before the fourth priority pieces can be sewn on. Lastly, after the #4's, the rest of the numbering continues with one piece at a time.

Here are the cut sections with all of the numbers in place.

Is that clear as mud? I'd suggest you take some time to let this sink in.

I threw three different numbering system options at you.

We numbered the seams by priority.

Then we numbered each piece, one at a time.

And, then we numbered the pieces by priority.

I hope that giving you different options will let you choose the system that makes sense for you.

Let me know how it works.

I'd also be curious if you have a fourth or fifth way of thinking about how to

number your blocks, so comment away. :)

Lastly, If you try any of these blocks, remember that you have to reverse the image before you paper piece them. I design and number my blocks before flipping the image because it is easier for my brain to see how it will come together. I also keep one copy of the pattern (that is not flipped) on my sewing table so I can refer to it as I put the block together. Having the final image as a reference helps me a lot.

Happy sewing and designing and block dreaming to you!

So cute.

2011-07-09T12:49:00.000-05:00

Fancy Block Friday--block design edition

2011-07-08T23:06:00.000-05:00

After seeing this block by Lauree (locodowo on flickr) I knew I wanted some strawberries of my own.

But, I wanted a group of strawberries with a differing amounts of white space in between. So I started with a rough sketch of Lauree's block. (This is a *very* rough sketch that I never would have colored or darkened the lines with pen if I wasn't posting it here. I just had to get the idea down on paper quickly.)

Then I did a rough drawing of three berries, (I don't have this intermediate step pictured because I drew over my first drawing.) and then I turned that into a block design.

I made two photocopies of this drawing. One I left as is, but numbered the berries.

The second copy I turned over and placed it on a window and traced the drawing on the wrong side of the paper. When I paper piece, my image gets flipped, so I want to paper piece on the reverse image. After tracing, I cut out the individual berry blocks.

So, I don't have a finished block to post, but I hope it was helpful to show how I turn a sketch into a pattern to work with.

(Sometime soon, I'll have to show you how I number my block for the order

in which I sew the fabrics on.)

Amanda finished a block for her Fancy Friday. You can see it here.

More string blocks

2011-07-07T11:48:00.000-05:00

I have a bunch of posts stored up in my head and a ton of new sewing ideas to try out, but I'm trying to be disciplined enough to finish something from my sewing table.

So, I'm churning out more blocks for my green bee quilt.

I'd love to chat more, but I must stay on task. Nine more to go and I can put the quilt top together.

Hedgie!

2011-07-02T12:06:00.000-05:00

My fancy block is a day late, but, I had a good excuse. Ruby came back from the repair shop yesterday, so we spent some time getting acquainted. Details soon.

This week I made a block designed by Sonja of Artisania. This is her free pattern called Lil Hedgehog. The pdf file for it is here.

I debated (in my head) about the Joel Dewberry herringbone print a l-o-n-g time, but I absolutely love it. I love the text print, too. There, I admit it, I love this block. I have no idea what I'll do with it, but I love it just the same.

Check out Amanda's circle of geese fancy block and Audrey's mushroom and gnome block. Wanna join us in the Fancy Block challenge on Fridays (or Saturdays)?? Do it! It does get a little easier every week.

WIP Wednesday #3

2011-06-29T12:19:00.000-05:00

I took a couple of weeks off from WIP Wednesday posts. I blame that darn Farmer's Wife Quilt Along (FWQAL). Swearing off new projects and then the next day picking up a project that will take me over a year is counterintuitive to say the least.

In other news, I've found 1 more project that was lazing around the house. I still fear what I'll find when I dig deeper into the studio. But, I don't have to worry about that now that I'm sifting through my stash for the FWQAL blocks. The fabric piles are multiplying like bunnies.

Anyway, today is another edition of WIP Wednesday hosted at Lee's place.

New Projects

Fancy Block Friday--I think I might try my hand at this pattern.

FWQAL--8 out of 111 blocks done.

Ruby

Currently in Progress

Tiny Houses May Mom's Bee Quilt--some sashing done, but no recent photo

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Easy Bee-ing Green Bee Quilt Top--a bunch of 1/4 blocks done this week.

Dresden Quilt

Mom's Crazy Late Christmas Gift--new photos, coming soon.

Fandango Cooperative Quilt--gotta make the back.

Henry's I Spy Quilt--I chose fabrics for the back. Now I just need to find time to make the back.

Finished This Week

Oliver's I Spy Quilt

2 Bee Blocks and an Angel Block!

Bee Blocks left to do = zero (which seems like a crazy number since I'm in 4 bees)

Languishing in the Pile

Hexie project that I just found in my bedroom (of all places).
I think I need to make this into a pillow soon.

Gift Quilt (no peeking)

Pink and Red Baby Quilt

Henry's Growth Chart

Hand Pieced Ball--why does this have to be so lumpy??? Does anyone have hints for how to get this less lumpy?

Dream On postage stamp quilt along--this one seems prettier in the photo than in person.
What does that tell you?

Grand Ideas for sometime soon...

Voile and Bamboo Quilt for me and only me.--I really want to use it this summer. Better start sewing it then, huh?

Baby Miles' Swimmy Quilt

Stats:

New Projects: 2 sewing, 1 machine

Finished Projects: 1

Bee Blocks: 3 done, 0 left

Total Works: 7 (in progress) and 6 (languishing)

.............................................................................
Have you given in to any of the new QAL's out there? Tell me that I'm not alone. But *don't* tell me which ones you joined. My resistance level is poor...

Latest work in progress...

2011-06-28T22:55:00.000-05:00

I found this beauty at an antique store in LaCrosse on my crafting weekend with Melissa (one third of the Knitting Sandwich).

The cords need some attention....

Her name is Ruby, and I adore her.

She doesn't have a foot pedal. She has a knee lever instead, but I don't know how to use it.

I love the big wheel.

I'm particularly in love with the bobbin case shape. It makes sewing look like a dangerous sport.

This work in progress is a beauty, don't you think?

Recent Finishes

2011-06-25T23:03:00.000-05:00

I Spy Quilt #2 (of four). I finally got this quilt out to Henry's buddy, Oliver. He's two and a half, so I doubt he'd have seen a post about it, but it still seemed like bad form to show off a quilt online before he got to open it.

Close up of some of the prints for the front. I used Kona medium gray for the solid squares.

I used an IKEA solid for the back and Connecting Threads solid for the binding.

And the full quilt:

Here is Henry's recent accomplishment. I heard him working hard on this from the other room. When he was sticking the pegs in the holes he said, "almohts," and then, "did it." After awhile I went back in to the room to check out his handiwork.

me: "Tell me more about this, Henry."
Henry: "EYES!!! eye, eye, eyes!"

So true.

Fancy Block Friday

2011-06-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

I'm posting my fancy block on time this week!! (I'm even interrupting my crafting weekend with Melissa to do this post.) I'm so pleased with how this block turned out that I want to shout from the rooftops.

Here is my sketch from Wednesday night:

And here is the block I finished just a half hour ago:

This is a bee block for a friend in the May Moms Bee. She sent me cool colors plus red with the instructions to make a block to represent February. I'm not big on hearts, but paper piecing letters was right up my alley.

Now I'm off to make a potholder for my mom. Must craft as fast as I can before I get home to the toddler tomorrow.

P.S.: Melissa can attest to the amount of mistakes I made last night in trying to remember how to paper piece again. There was quite a bit of mild cursing, also.

P.P.S: Amanda made her block on time, too. I'll have to ask her if there was any cursing on her part.

popping in

2011-06-22T21:29:00.000-05:00

I can't talk much. I'm packing up some fabric selections (and a toothbrush, I guess) to meet up with a friend for two days. I'm bringing Margene and she's bringing her knitting needles and we are meeting halfway between our homes for a crafting getaway.

But, before I decide if I have room with the fabric stash to pack some clean pants, I wanted to post my latest Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks.

Gotta run! I'll be back on Friday or Saturday with my fancy block :)

Fancy Block #2

2011-06-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

Amanda and I are still practicing our paper piecing, improv piecing and block design skills. But, I must admit that I made this block at Penny's workshop back in April. (This week has been all about cleaning the house and preparing for Henry's birthday party. The other night I was up until 2:30am frosting a three layer chocolate cake.) But, back to the block....I drew up a picture for this in my sketchbook. Then I split the design into two sections for paper piecing. Then I added the border and lastly I added the whipped chain stitch embroidery for the chains on the swings. I don't have a plan for this block right now, but making it was a lot of fun. Check out Amanda's fancy block for the week here.

Bewitched

2011-06-16T11:21:00.000-05:00

The Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long has taken ahold of me. Because the blocks are so small and because it was designed as a scrappy sampler, I feel freer when sifting through my stash and scraps. Any fabric that I like is fair game. That freedom is overwhelming at times. It can take me a long time and many trials to pick the right mix of fabrics for a block. But, I'm having a blast. This is my second post for the quilt-a-long and I made one extra block to catch up since I should have 6 finished blocks for week three.

I hope to have 3 more to show you next week so I can be all caught up. Check out the flickr group to see more blocks from a ton of talented quilters.

Resolution Broken

2011-06-12T15:34:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, I pledged for the second week in a row to not join a new bee, swap or quilt-a-long.

Then, the exact same day, I saw the blog posts by Ayumi, Tamiko, and Lynne. I followed their links and learned more about the Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt-a-long group on flickr. Angela and Amanda are hosting the QAL on their blogs and they are running the group on flickr. I was immediately smitten.

It all starts with this book. The author designed a sampler quilt based on letters written by farmers' wives in the 1920's. Forty-two letters are included in the book. There are 111 six-inch blocks in the quilt. I can't say that the colors in the book inspired me, but seeing the new interpretations of these classic blocks really made my head spin.

So...later on Wednesday, some fabric fell into my etsy cart and I placed a hold on the book at the library. By Thursday I couldn't wait for the book a minute longer so I went out and bought it. On Friday I finished some other sewing on my table to make room while checking in with the quilt along flickr group at least eight times that day. And yesterday I finally sat down at my machine to sew some blocks. Whew!

For this quilt I'm just going to pull out all of my favorite yardage and all of my treasured scraps and I'll see how it turns out. Every square inch will be fabric that I love, so it has to turn out great, don't you think? (Like a fabric lover's I Spy?)

The plan is two blocks per week and the quilt along is in it's second week. These little squares can get addictive, though. You may see more than you care to as I plug along.

Now, you've all learned that I have no willpower when it comes to pretty quilting blocks. What don't you have willpower against?

Fancy Block a day late

2011-06-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

Remember that workshop I went to in April (that I might have gushed a bit about?). Well, I've been in contact with the members of that retreat ever since and we've decided to start a new sewing challenge. The goal is to use our block design / improv piecing / paper piecing skills on a regular basis. You have to use the skills to keep them fresh in your mind because it is a totally different way of thinking about piecing. Our goal is one block per week. That's a steep order to add to some very busy sewing tables. But, I typed it out loud now, and there is no going back.

For my first week, I made an improv house block for Jenny in the Sew Buzzy Bee. She asked for blocks to represent each of our houses. My actual house has two bay windows in front, so I started with the windows and built up from there. My house has dark green siding on three sides and brick on the front. All of my brick colored fabrics were just too dark, so I went with berry herringbone Joel Dewberry instead. The print certainly has texture, even if it isn't really brick shaped.

In retrospect I should have done more drawing with graph paper to come up with a window size and door size to fit on a 12.5" square. If I had a 15 or 16" square, I could have the windows on either side of the door, and I could have fit the two dormers with windows on the second floor and maybe the chimney. I've done a few house blocks lately, but they've been tiny and lacking detail, so this was definitely a challenge for me. Next time I improv piece for this challenge, I hope to play with more crazy angles or some curves. I also pledge to do a sketch.

Amanda at crazy mom quilts posted her block here. I hope that Tara, Carmen and Audrey will join in soon, too. The plan is to post on Fridays. So, today is a Fancy Block Friday, just a day late.

Now I have to ask, how are you challenging yourself in your craft?

Bzzzzzzzzz Blocks

2011-06-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

You got a sneak peek at a couple of these on my first WIP Wednesday post,

but I just have to post all 6 of the 3x6 bee blocks together.

This pattern came from Erin at Two More Seconds. I love the tutorial for this block.

Easy yet very satisfying results.

Here is my Sew Buzzy block for June. Shayla asked for squished 9 patch blocks.

My last bee block today is my very, very favorite. I'm afraid that the photo doesn't do it justice, but you'll have to trust me that it has the perfect mix of subtlety and "pop." Lael in the Sew Easy Bee-ing Green Bee requested wonky star blocks for her picnic quilt. I started with the idea of a star within a star and then decided that i wanted the outer star to be "chunky" to leave me more room to play with the inner star. I am SO in love with this fabric combination.

You may see something like this pop up on the blog again.

WIP Wednesday #2

2011-06-08T10:17:00.000-05:00

Last week's exercise was very useful in helping me to dig out old projects and put a number on how big my "in progress" pile really was.

Well, now that I'm cleaning out the sewing space, I've found 3 more projects that are lollygagging around. Really, it is like an archeological dig down there--layer, by layer. I fear what some of the deepest projects look like....

Anyway, today is another edition of WIP Wednesday hosted at Lee's place.

New Projects
Super Secret Block (no peeking)

Currently in Progress

Friend One Gift Quilt (no peeking)--and SO CLOSE to being done.

Tiny Houses May Mom's Bee Quilt

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Easy Bee-ing Green Bee Quilt Top

Dresden Quilt

Mom's Crazy Late Christmas Gift (no peeking)

Fandango Cooperative Quilt--forgot this last week

Henry's I Spy Quilt--now in progress again

Finished This Week
5 Bee Blocks!!! -- but you have to wait until tomorrow to see them!

Bee Blocks left to do
1 block for Sew Buzzy Bee
1 block for May Mom's Bee

Languishing in the Pile

Friend Two Gift Quilt (no peeking)

Pink and Red Baby Quilt--new picture

Henry's Growth Chart--new picture

Hand Pieced Ball--totally forgot about this one.

Dream On postage stamp quilt along--another one that I totally forgot about.

Grand Ideas for sometime soon...
Voile and Bamboo Quilt for me and only me.
Baby Miles' Swimmy Quilt

Stats:
New Projects: 1
Finished Projects: 0
Bee Blocks: 5 done, 2 left
Total Works: 8 (in progress) and 5 (languishing)

Eight in progress? I'm crazy. I can see that now. Thankfully, I stuck with my resolution to not sign up for any new swaps, bees or quilt alongs.

What will I uncover next in my piles in the sewing room? Stay tuned to find out....

Tiny House Plans

2011-06-07T23:36:00.000-05:00

My tiny houses are coming in from the May Mom's Bee.

I have big plans for this quilt involving a sweet little neighborhood and some grass

and quilting lines to connect the houses.

Here is the rough drawing that I did in my sketch book a couple of months ago.

(Henry helped me color it a little) I have to blur my eyes and use my imagination a little,

but looking at those blocks above, I do see the image coming together.

In the drawing I was planning on adding a sidewalk and pathways to the houses, but I think I'm going to eliminate that. I also had some freehand quilting ideas that I've now decided to turn into another quilt (because I want to see those drawings in color, not just in the background). I think the sashing is going to be the hardest thing with this quilt. I want these houses to look "sprinkled" into a neighborhood (does that even make sense?). Cohesive yet funky and separate. I guess it is a feeling I'm going for, which makes explaining complicated. I'm still not sure how to extend that feeling into a design for a quilt border, but I'll have to be patient until the image comes to me.

.........

You'll see a new button in my sidebar: "I took the process pledge"

This was started by rOssie as a way to encourage quilt bloggers to talk more about the inspiration behind their quilt designs and to take pictures of the process and not just the finished product. I love process posts on other blogs, but I'm often not brave enough to put that up here. My quilt design process is chaotic and messy and hard to open up for other people to see. It is also hard to put into words. I design and quilt based on a mixture of gut feelings and something I dreamt about but can't quite remember and some inspiration image that I saw months ago but can't recall the source....
But, I'm going to take a stab at trying to describe it anyway. I hope you don't mind the mess.

Ten (!) Years in the Making

2011-06-02T10:57:00.000-05:00

I like new. New fabrics, new ideas, new projects....oooh, shiny! But, every once in awhile, it feels good to pull a quilt out and finish something for once. I'm in that mood right now. So, if my blog has been obnoxious lately with the amount of finished items, please know that all of these have been months in the making.

Or....ten years in the making.

These started as one queen size jeans and corduroy quilt TEN years ago. Then the quilt top loitered in my craft cupboard for 9 years. I pulled it out last year to baste it and attempt to quilt it.

Let's just say that it didn't go well. It was so bulky and so heavy and so painful, that I gave up for another ten months.

Until last week. I pulled it out and hacked it into 4 pieces. I ripped out every stinking quilting stitch that a wrestled with months ago, basted it again, quilted and bound all four baby quilts in three days. And they are heading out to charity as we speak.

And now I have a whole shelf of my craft cupboard that is free and clear and it feels so good!

WIP Wednesday

2011-06-01T16:26:00.001-05:00

This is the first week that I'm joining Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday. (Elizabeth is hosting it today.) For those that don't craft, WIP stands for Works In Progress. Like most crafters, I'm terrible at working on one thing at a time and notorious for coming up with too, too many ideas for my available crafting time. So, without further ado, here is the run down of my crazy crafty mess of projects and ideas.

New Projects
Super Secret Block (no peeking)

Currently in Progress

Friend One Gift Quilt (no peeking)

Sew Buzzy Bee Quilt Top

Easy Bee-ing Green Bee Quilt Top

Tiny Houses May Mom's Bee Quilt

Dresden Quilt

Mom's Crazy Late Christmas Gift (no peeking)

Finished This Week
3 of the 3x6 Bee blocks done!

10 years in the making (Baby) Quilt (x4)!--sneak peek for tomorrow's blog post

Bee Blocks
2 blocks for Sew Buzzy Bee
1 block for Easy Bee-ing Green Bee
3 of the 3x6 Bee blocks left

Languishing in the Pile
Henry's I Spy Quilt--yikes! his birthday is later this week!
Friend Two Gift Quilt
Pink and Red Baby Quilt
Henry's Growth Chart--double yikes! he's growing like a weed!

Grand Ideas for sometime soon...
Voile and Bamboo Quilt for me and only me.
Baby Miles' Swimmy Quilt

Stats:
New Projects: 1
Finished Projects: 1 (one quilt turned into 4, but one project off of the list, though)
Bee Blocks: 3 done, 6 left
Total Works: 6 (in progress) and 4 (languishing)

Whew! Does that make me look crazier than you already knew I was? This list is why I'm not signing up for any new bees or new swaps for awhile. Can I resist? Stay tuned to find out....

Geese on the brain

2011-05-26T01:41:00.001-05:00

I'm finally working on my flying geese quilt again. Most of these blocks came from my month in the Sew Buzzy bee. (Here is another process post about this quilt.)

I asked my bee members to make any size and any number of blocks they wanted. So sashing this quilt has been an undertaking. I also want to balance the colors throughout the quilt so I don't get big patches of yellow poking me in the eye every time I look at the finished product. .

I took the scraps that were sent back and made tiny geese

and tucked them into the sashing, too.

A big part of the reason I started working on this quilt again (and took any photos of it) is that grommet that you see at the top of the next photo. My design wall used to be a tacked up, much-too-large quilt batting in my dark basement sewing studio. These squares were up on that

and the excess batting was spilling on to the floor and the sewing table.

I liked the square placement, but the wall set up was unmanageable. Then Felicity gave me the idea of using a picnic tablecloth as a design space. I bought three tablecloths, installed hooks on the wall and punched grommets into the table cloths. Now I have THREE design walls and they are portable for photography or for sorting colors in daylight. I'm a much happier crafter now :)

And now I don't worry about the batting on the floor. I can focus on geese, geese and more geese.

Are there any studio organization tips that have transformed your crafting lately?

Another Quilt Finish

2011-05-25T00:05:00.002-05:00

I'm especially excited for this one. It is another quilt that will be headed to the Pine Ridge Reservation. This one is made almost entirely of vintage sheet fabrics. I'm just so excited about the springy colors and the improv piecing in the quilt top I had my sheet scraps cut up and I just started throwing them together and making all decisions based on instinct. I felt like a driven woman for two days while I looked up close, then stepped up on a chair to get some distance, while I turned things clockwise and counterclockwise, while I added strips and took some away.

My brain grabbed onto this idea and wouldn't let go.

Once the top was done, I did step away for a short time. Then I rented time on a long arm quilting machine to freehand quilt. I tend to gravitate toward a loopy meandering quilting pattern, so non-crossing, non-loopy meandering was a big challenge for me. A big enough challenge that my curves are HUGE on this, but I don't mind.

I bound this in Hooty Dots from Riley Blake.

The color is just a bit too bright a lime green, but I think I like it that way.

The back is another vintage sheet.

Even on a super gray day, this quilt seems to brighten everything up

The hard part about giving this away is that I wish I could see a baby snuggled up in this one.

I'll just have to use my imagination, though :)

Bright Return

2011-05-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

I was a quilter back in college. My first quilt was one I made from three fabrics and I traced a boxed cake mix to make the "squares." I made another five quilts after that and then I just...stopped. I lost the inspiration and I started focusing on making more pottery and then knitting.

Anyway, 9 years later I was pregnant with Henry and nesting and I had an intense need to make him a quilt. I designed and pieced about half of the quilt top, and then neglected it in favor of other nesting projects.

This was my return to quilting, and it is the first baby quilt that I'll be sending to charity. It will go to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. If you are on ravelry, there is a group there called Bundles of Joy. They knit blankets, hats, sweaters, booties, and other items for the babies born at the Pine Ridge Hospital OB Ward. I'll be sending this quilt to the same place.

This is the first quilt that I did freehand on the long arm machine.

I had a lot of fun making a meandering loopy pattern.

And here is the pieced back.

This quilt was the gateway to my current sewing madness.

I hope it will keep a new little one warm and happy.

Swaptastic 3

2011-05-18T11:51:00.000-05:00

My last mid-May deadline was for the Pretty Little Pouch swap.

I was inspired by this book and my partner's colors.

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I should have taken a photo of the inside of the pouch. Since both sides are quilted before constructing them into a pouch, the seams on the inside are covered with binding. I found the corners to be difficult to deal with. And hand stitching the binding took some time, but I'm happy with the final result. I do love the quilting and the gusset.

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Swaps are such a great way to stretch your abilities, try new techniques and find new inspiration. But now I'm looking forward to finishing up a couple of my own projects that have been on hold. I hope not to sign up for any new swaps for awhile. We'll see how long that lasts....

Swaptastic 2

2011-05-15T13:03:00.000-05:00

For the seventh round of the Potholder Pass Swap, there was an option to make a shopping bag rather than another set of potholders. I chose the Wrap it up bag pattern from Penny of sewtakeahike. I used a bottom weight brown fabric and home decor weight County Fair from Denyse Schmidt.

Here is a detail of the hand stitching I added to the bag.

(Sidenote: this pattern is great. It calls for quilting weight cottons which are much lighter than the fabrics I chose. I struggled with turning it right side out and with getting the strap to fit to snap it up. That was all because of my fabric choices and not the bag pattern. Word to the wise: do as the pattern says and not as I do.)

Then I wasn't sure what to send as a package extra. My partner did have quite a few tree quilts in her favorites, so I thought I'd try one out. I originally planned on making a mug rug, but it ended up too big for that. At around 7 x 14" it counts as a small wall quilt.

I hope she likes it.

Have you ever participated in a secret swap?

It is a challenge to make something that inspires me but that also fits in the tastes of my partner.

And, having never met my partner in person, am I getting the right "read" on her? Do you ever get nervous when you send out a swap package? Or any other handmade gift for that matter?

Swaptastic

2011-05-14T13:50:00.000-05:00

I had deadlines for three swaps in mid-May. The first one is part of the 3x6 Bee. In that bee, the participants are split up into groups of seven with one caretaker and six others. You then make six of the same block in each person's preferred colors and you receive six different blocks in your colors. The people in that bee get shuffled around each quarter but the caretakers never get blocks from the other caretakers. So, this is the first quarter that the caretakers are making one special block for another caretaker. I pondered the design for a month. And Penny taught me the skills at her workshop in April. So, here it is:

I also sent some fabric scraps in my partner's preferred colors:

And.....you'll have to be patient to see the other two swap packages :)

Cute :)

2011-05-14T00:04:00.002-05:00

The quilt has been well-received in Finland.

If I keep getting smiles like that I might sign up to make even more of them.

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Edited to add:
Blogger ate a bunch of the lovely comments that I received on the last post.

Be sure that I read each and every one of them and appreciate them.

LindieLee, I did make the label myself. I used a Micron pen to write on the fabric, then I pressed the edges under and hand stitched the label onto the quilt.

1 out of 4

2011-05-11T08:50:00.001-05:00

I bookmarked a few "I Spy" quilts when Henry was tiny. I loved the idea of sitting down with him and poring over the pictures in fabric and telling a story about them together. Over the last year, I've been collecting bits of cute, modern prints for the quilt I'd make him. Then, I found the I Spy fabric swap in January and was able to swap to get 200 different prints by trading fabric with other people. I've also found personal swappers to exchange novelty prints with.

Well...somehow.... my original idea of one I Spy quilt has turned in to four.

Henry's still isn't finished yet, but this first one is.

It is for the son of my friend in Finland. I usually like to send books as gifts for little ones, but the pictures in these fabrics are perfectly translatable.

I chose to do solid white checkerboard pattern in between the other blocks so it would look more cohesive and brighter. I did diagonal straight line quilting through the white squares to add texture and interest to the solid and to leave the prints uninterrupted.

Henry was fascinated almost immediately.

Here is the back. You can see the pieced binding in this photo, too.

And here is the label.

I hope you enjoy it Suvi and Jäppinen!

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Also, can anybody tell me that I'm not the only one to take a simple idea and multiply it

into something four times bigger?

What's happening...

2011-05-10T08:40:00.001-05:00

I'm watching spring take over our yard,

teaching the boy how to hug trees,

and starting a project for the Pretty Little Pouch Swap.

So, what is happening with you?

Ten Glorious Laps

2011-05-06T22:27:00.000-05:00

I went for a swim at the gym's pool tonight. I love swimming on Friday nights. I had all seven lanes to myself for ten glorious laps. I watched the prairie sunset through the tall windows and the orange reflection on the still water in front of me. I only heard the sound of my breath in my ears and the bubbles going by. I looked at the lane lines, the square pool tiles, the plus sign design in the tiles, the glass panes of the windows and the ripples of the water and it all made me think of quilt designs. Then I remembered this quilt and that single orange square....

After those ten laps, another gentleman came to swim in the lane next to me. I did the rest of my workout, but it wasn't quite the same. By the time I left the sky was getting dark. I'm already looking forward to next Friday....

My favorite bee block, ever.

2011-05-04T00:31:00.004-05:00

This block was very hard to tuck in an envelope to send away. It is for Vicky in the Sew Buzzy Bee. Months ago, she asked all of us for our favorite children's book, fiction book, cookbook and crafting/quilting book. She then sorted that information into book "shelves" for her quilt. Vicky assigned me to craft books. I was given her favorite sewing book titles and those of other quilters in the two bees that are helping her make this quilt. I chose Patchwork Style as one of my favorites. You'll see a selvage and my initials at the bottom of the book spine. I hand embroidered some of the other titles, authors and initials and I freehand machine stitched the "i heart patchwork" piece.

I've never spent so much time on a bee block before (my embroidery is so slow) and I've never been so sad to see a block go. The fabrics she chose are impeccable. The concept is fantastic. You might just see my interpretation of a bookshelf quilt sometime soon.

Another Bee Block

2011-05-03T01:46:00.002-05:00

right angles block for Maydela, originally uploaded by quirky granola girl.

This is a block of right angles for Shannon in the It's Sew Easy Bee-ing Green Bee. She's having a baby soon and will make a baby quilt from her blocks.

I have to admit that I never got into the Castle Peeps collection. Especially the Peeps print with the brown background. But when you sew a bee block with other people's fabric choices, it really opens your eyes to the possibilities.

Modern Vintage Quilt

2011-05-02T00:36:00.000-05:00

I made this quilt top in July of last year. I designed it as a baby quilt, but I liked the colors and the fabric combination SO much that I was afraid to finish it.

(A quilt this pretty might make a girl want to have a second baby before she's ready!)

So, I left it as a lonely little quilt top for a l-o-n-g time. Then in February, I practiced using a long arm quilting machine. (By the way, I do not recommend a long arm machine for doing straight line quilting. The axis locks do not coincide as closely as you want them to. Trust me.
I should have asked for advice before attempting.)

Anyway, I chose to quilt lines on either side of the horizontal seams
and then diagonal quilt lines on every other row.

I pieced my binding from leftovers of the blues and aqua and turquoise.

This quilt gets its name from the mix of fabrics used. I adore the vintage sheets featured in this quilt. I collected some of them for this picnic blanket, then I received one through the Vintage Swap (that print on the back) and lastly, I added some scraps given by a friend.

The modern fabrics I chose are also some of my very favorites--solids, shot cotton, polka dots, stripes, a 30's reproduction and one print from Wild Thyme.

Mixing the modern and the vintage blended the very best of both worlds to me.

Not long ago, Ben and I decided that our family was just the right size as it is. Almost immediately after that, I heard that a close friend was pregnant with her second. I've been so excited to pass this quilt on to their new addition. I didn't know if their baby would be a boy or a girl, but I knew that this quilt fit the personality of the baby's parents. They are a special couple that I admire especially for how they live with old fashioned intentions in a modern world.

So, Grace Eliza, welcome to the world. You are a lucky girl surrounded by much, much love.

Blocks Received

2011-04-29T08:03:00.000-05:00

I just got my last block from 1st quarter of the 3x6 Bee. Pretty great, huh?

Egg hunt bushwacking

2011-04-27T00:40:00.000-05:00

This may be my favorite Henry video ever. It showcases his problem solving skills, his physical maneuvering, and, best of all, four commentators.

Housewarming Potholder

2011-04-26T22:48:00.000-05:00

I used the tiny house block from my last tutorial to make this potholder for some friends that just bought a house. Their house doesn't have floral siding or roof, unfortunately.

Penny helped me pick out the binding fabric at the workshop. I can safely say that I never would have chosen the aqua without her help. I used a layer of cotton batting and a chunk of felted sweater again. This is the first time that I tried to do a standard binding with the felted wool.

It was harder to sew, but I like the result.

So, if you could pick one fabric for the outside of your house, what would it be?

Workshop weekend

2011-04-21T07:48:00.000-05:00

So, I told you that I went to a workshop in Colorado to learn mad sewing skillz from my quilty idol, Penny from sewtakeahike. I don't want to sound all star-crazed, but her creations rock. my. world. Check these out. (go ahead, click each word, I'll wait here.)

Well, the coolest thing about meeting Penny, is that she couldn't be sweeter in person. She was invested in teaching us what she taught herself to do over the past couple of years. And she helped us create the blocks that we pictured in our heads. How cool is that?

Also, how cute is her teacher-ly sewing apron?

This workshop of six people (including the hostess, the amazing Tara of tinkerfrog--that's Tara at the counter behind Penny), was the perfect size for a sewing homebody like me. Amanda of crazy mom quilts was there as the other half of the Wisconsin contingent. And Audrey of audreypawdrey and Carmen of seaschell rounded out the group.

I didn't bring Margene out for the trip. Instead, I got to borrow this little beauty for the weekend.

(Those fabulous bags in the background were our goodie bags

for attending the workshop. Seriously, Tara rocks.)

Practice paper piecing.

Paper pieced initial blocks turned into pincushions. (Mine is the "M", of course.)

I've been telling Ben so many stories from the weekend complete with funny quotes only a quilter would understand ("No scrap left behind," "You had me at scrappy," and "I think sewing curves is sexy.") that he has started imitating me with, "This one time, at quilting camp...."

I don't care if I sound silly. I had a fabulous time and I owe it all to these women (left to right, Amanda, Tara, Carmen, Audrey and Penny).

I have more block photos from the weekend but you'll have to wait until next time.