Sister's Choice Quilts

Shopping!

This was one of my absolute favorite shops on the trip.  Life's A Stitch in Janesville, Wisconsin.  Yes indeedy, we shopped out the state of Illinois and had to cross state lines to find more fabric. 

I am going in reverse order of the shops we enjoyed, mainly because this place was such a high point of our trip.  This was the last shop we hit, and it was SO worth our while.  I'd been hearing about this magical place for years whenever I would go visit my sister Mary in Wisconsin.  I would go to the shops near her home in Fitchburg, and whenever I asked folks what shops I should be sure and visit, this place was always mentioned.  Believe me, when I next fly out to see my sister, this shop will get another visit from me!

This is Pat Riley and her wonderful dog Niko.  Sorry for the blurry photo--I was so excited to be there I think my hands were shaking.  Pat could not have been nicer or more accommodating.  Lisa emailed Pat to tell her we were making a Kamikaze trip up to Wisconsin on our way to the Chicago airport (that is a joke--Life's A Stitch was about 150 miles out of our way!).  Pat actually offered to open up the shop an hour early to help us get our shopping in and still make our planes on time!

This shop was simply awesome.  Of course it has been in American Patchwork and Quilting's Quilt Sampler magazine (May 2008).  It is located out in the country, in an old fashioned Victorian farm house in the middle of miles of corn fields.  The outside was just so inviting.  I kept imagining how fun it would be to make a day of it, and pack a picnic to enjoy on the grounds after shopping.

Happy travelers, Lisa on left and Thelma on the right.  Look at how happy they are, and this was BEFORE we got inside to see the fabric!

 

The inside of the shop was amazing.  Talk about inspiring projects!  I wanted to make one of every thing I saw!  This sign pretty much sums up how I felt about this shop.

Here are some of the projects that are now on my "To Do" list:

Ever made a Winding Ways quilt?  I love the secondary circular pattern the blocks make.  Think curved seams are hard?  Nah, piece of cake.

And here is Tumbling Blocks, another template pattern.  It looks so simple--just rows sewn together for such a sensational effect.

And you know what?  If Civil War fabrics aren't your thing, these two quilts would both be amazing made up in more colorful modern fabrics.

All of us bought fabric, and honestly, if I hadn't been down to the last of my spending money for the trip, I would have bought more!

Home Again!

Well, *somebody* was glad to see me come home from my whirlwind quilting trip to Illinois!  Sophie is helping me get those clothes out of the suitcase, so everything gets back to normal.  That girl does not like any disruptions to our routine. 

One totally unexpected thing did happen, and that was--at the last minute Allyson got sick and was unable to join us.  Can you believe it?  She came down with a horrible case of the flu and had to cancel all her plans.  So, we ended up with there just being three of us on the trip.

These are my fabulous travel companions, Thelma from Cupcakes 'n' Daisies, and Lisa from Stashmaster.  If you think they look like they are having a great time, you would be right.  My gosh, did we all have fun on our five day Shop-Hop-Quilt-Workshop-Miss-Rosie-Worshiping vacation!  We found ourselves to be just as compatible in person as we are through blogging and emails.  I had gotten together with Lisa on two previous terrific occasions, but this was my first time meeting Miss Thelma face to face.  Let's just say, they don't come any cuter or more generous than she is!

Our classes with Carrie Nelson were beyond our wildest expectations.  She is funny and wise and so amazingly talented.  Here she is, showing Route 44, one of the class projects we worked on.

 

Here are the girls, working on their projects in class.

No, wait, that isn't the picture I  meant to show you.  Here, this is better.

 

If you think all we did was have cocktails and go to quilting classes, you would be wrong.  We did PLENTY of shopping (photos and shop reviews tomorrow).  And at the end of the day, we would go back to the hotel and relax in front of the tv.  Here is a picture of Thelma, watching one of the football games she is so nuts about.  Doesn't she look super happy?  Her team must be winning!

 

But wait.  She isn't looking at the tv.  She is looking just below it at something else....

 

Sophie and I need to go unpack the rest of my suitcase now, but I'll be back tomorrow with more pictures from class, Carrie's trunk show, and SHOPPING!!!!

Think You Can't Make Friends Through Blogging?

Well, then think again.

I am flying to Chicago today, to meet up with three women I met through blogging. Lisa of Stashmaster, Thelma of Cupcakes 'n' Daisies, and Allyson of Fat Cat Quilts.  We all four met through blogging, and are going to meet up in person at the O'Hare airport in Chicago, Illinois!  Today!!

Lisa and I are old friends, having met up twice previously, but Thelma and Allyson are new to us.  We have been friends for over a year, through our blogs and mutual sew alongs, but this is the first time we meet face to face.  I am so excited, my words just can't express it.

We are kindred spirits, that I know.  We share a love of the same sort of fabrics, the same type of quilt designs and  a similar world point of view.  We began our friendship by commenting on one another's  blogs, and then through more frequent emails.  Our blossoming friendships have added so much to each of our lives.  If you have certain blogs that you love to read, please don't hesitate to comment frequently.  That is how you get to know each other.  Don't for a minute think that the blogger is on some other plane than you yourself.  She is just like you.  She will love to get your comments.  She may even respond to you, and one thing leads to another, and before you know it, you have a new friend.

Please believe me.  Blogging is the best way to meet people who share your interests and passions.  In the almost four years I have been blogging, I have met some of the loveliest people ever,  including the quilt designer I most admired, Miss Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  Three years ago, Lisa and I, who as I mentioned, met through our blogs, decided to meet up and take a class from Carrie.  That decision proved to be one of the most rewarding either of us ever made.  Not only did we forge a strong bond between the two of us, we also made friends with our Quilting Guru, Carrie Nelson.

Blogging.  Making Comments.  Making Friends.  Try it, you won't be sorry.

I will be back on Wednesday, with lots of stories, pictures and quilt projects!  Check back then, and in the mean time, go make a comment on one of your favorite blogs!

Happy Fall!

According to what I read on the Internet, the official Autumnal Equinox is tomorrow, but it feels like fall today.  I got the binding on my little Roundabout Schnibbles, and it adds a rather festive accent to the kitchen table.  See that bowl in the center?  That came all the way from Ireland.  My son's girl friend carried it every step of her journey the first time she came to California to visit us.  This time she came out, she brought me a silver bracelet, which she laughingly said was far easier to manage.

I finished my stunt sewing project and got it into the hands of my amazing quilter, Debbie from Prairiequeens.  Now that I have ticked that off the TO DO list, I have been working on getting my projects ready for the three (yes THREE) classes I am taking with Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company in Illinois this coming weekend.  Tuesday I finished 100 four patch units for one of the projects.  I feel compelled to get as much prep work done in advance to for two reasons---1) it reduces the bulk of what I have to pack into my suitcase, and 2) it makes more efficient use of my class time. 

Have you ever gone to a quilting class or retreat and had some poor slob in the group be completely unprepared?  They spend the first hour picking out fabrics and the next hour cutting, while everyone else is ready to jump in and start sewing.  I don't want to be that woman.

I bet you are wondering what I am going to be sewing on while in Illinois at these three quilting classes.  Well, I am carrying my Singer Featherweight from 1947 with me on the plane!  My sister Kate travels with her Featherweight often and says she never has any issues with airport security.  One TSA agent had to ask her what the heck it was, but other than that, she breezes right though. 

My machine had not been serviced in some time, so I took it in to a Sewing Center in San Jose for a tune up.  Can you imagine schlepping that thing two thousand miles to use in a Miss Rosie class only to have some dumb mechanical issues?  I got my machine back, all clean and shiny, quiet and even stitching.  But, wait.  WTH?  What is that that THING stuck to the front of my antique sewing machine? 

OMG.  Someone slapped a *sticker* on my sewing machine.  Now, I don't mean to be unreasonably cranky, but don't you think they might have asked me first if I wanted that tacky sticker on my vintage equipment?  I absolutely, definitely would have said "NO!"  So, if you ever go to Ray's Sewing Center in San Jose, California, be sure and state your preference in advance regarding the whole sticker thing.  Honestly, what nerve.

Oh, here is a link you all have got to check out, speaking of outrages.  Just read what happened to Tula Pink, one of my favorite fabric designers.  If you design fabric, I doubt it could get much worse than this.

Getting My Projects Ready for The Trip

I am in the throes of getting myself ready for my trip to Illinois to meet up with Lisa, Allyson, and Thelma.  We four gals are meeting up to take three classes from our Quilting Guru, Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  Now, this adventure is super exciting on a multitude of levels.

First, the four of us met through blogging!  All of us have quilting blogs, and have enjoyed following one another's projects over the years.  Lisa and I have met up twice before, and this will be our third time getting together.  I am coming from California, Lisa is coming from the Seattle area, and Allyson is coming all the way from Skagway, Alaska!!  Thelma lives in Illinois, and has the shortest distance to travel.  All four of us share a huge admiration for Carrie, her projects, sense of humor and techniques.  We fly into Chicago this Thursday, and the fun will begin. 

Thelma, who is clearly the most organized of us all, has planned our itinerary, complete with spreadsheet, and has volunteered for the dubious honor of driving us all around.  There will be many quilt shops to visit before we actually get down to the business at hand, which would be the classes we are taking from Carrie.

My task this past weekend has been to try and get my projects ready for these three classes.  One is a pattern called Ashcombe, which I posted on recently.  I had a huge collection of purples in my stash, and was interested in doing a bit of "busting" and maybe use some up.  I had posted a picture of the pattern, and asked you all what version I should make--the larger blocks or the one with blocks that were strip pieced.

As usual, I got some great advice from all you blogging friends.  I decided to go with the more intricate look of the strip pieced blocks, and add some additional larger prints into the mix.  I don't think the pattern picture does the pieced block quilt justice.  I think my purples, with their range of values are going to subtle, but really pretty.  I have a nice creamy tone on tone for the setting triangles and block separater units.

I've finished all the small size units, and hope to make a start on the larger ones before I leave on Thursday.

By the way,  you all are simply amazing.  I learned so much about embroidery from your comments and links to my post yesterday.  This the absolute best thing about blogging--I get to meet such fabulous people and learn something new everyday.  I feel like my blog is truly a dialog with so many of you!  Thank you.  Love you guys!

A New Interest

Can you guess what it is?  Embroidery!

Last week I visited a quilting event where there were numerous vendors.  One of the booths where I found myself lingering was called Bird Brain Designs.  (Love that name).  Bird Brain is about all things embroidery and stitching related.  Robin Kingsley is the bird brain (couldn't resist) behind this company, and she has come up with what I think are some of the best embroidery designs out there. Most stitchery patterns are way too juvenile or "cutesy" for me, but Bird Brain Designs are more whimsical.   Robin also has a blog, which is really fun to check out.  The online store is definitely worth investigating, as there are free patterns provided.  One of the most recent ones, "Beware, the Witch is Coming" is adorable.

Who wouldn't want this on a tea towel????  Check it out, it's FREE!

So, as often happens, I got a bit carried away.  I started to chat with one of the ladies at the booth, who helpfully led me around and showed me all the cute pattern designs the company offers, plus what all I would need to get started with my own embroidery projects.  Before I knew it...

I had a stack of tea towels to embroider, some seriously cute patterns, Perle cotton in a gazillion colors and all of this stuff:

I think the thing that is absolutely irresistible to me is the thread.  All those colors.  Oh my.  So pretty.

So, now I have myself some new projects to work on.  My first step is to get the cute stitching designs transferred onto the tea towels.  I bought a pack of something called Transfer-Eze, which you put through your printer and copy the embroidery design onto.  I forget exactly how it gets put on the tea towel--maybe I iron it on?  Of course I could always go buy a $50 light box and trace the designs myself.  Or, there always is the tape-your-pattern-to-the-window-and-trace method.

My question today is directed to all you embroidery ladies.  How do you transfer your designs onto the surface to be embroidered?  Do you have a favorite pattern company?   Do I need a class to get started, or can anyone with basic (but rusty) embroidery skills just plunge right in?

Maison de Garance

Have you gotten yours yet?  This fabric collection, Maison de Garance is just so pretty.  It is designed by French General for Moda, and I own an entire fat quarter bundle of it!  No idea what I will make of it, but I do know that it "goes" with a lot of other things in my home.

At the moment, I am working on a secret sewing project for a quilting designer who is coming out with a new book in the near future.  She allowed me to choose the fabric collection I wanted to work with, and Maison de Garance is what I chose.  I wish I could show you my project, but that is just going to have to wait!  Here is a sneak peek at some of the browns I am using in my project.

Does this color combination of red, brown, tan and cream remind you of anything?

Remember Chocolat by 3 Sisters for Moda a few years ago?  Gosh, I loved that fabric collection as well.  I made a fun sampler quilt out of it.  Here is a picture of the quilt top prior to being quilted.

 

Love that starred lattice treatment.  This quilt now lives in my living room.  Ozzie and Sophie think it just may be their quilt, but they would be so wrong about that.

EEEEEK!  One week from today I leave for Chicago to meet up with Lisa (Stashmaster), Allyson (Fat Cat Quilts) and Thelma (Cupcakes 'n' Daisies).  I have three projects to get ready for the classes we plan to take with Carrie Nelson.  How am I going to get my projects all ready for the trip, finish this stunt sewing project and pack a suitcase of appropriate clothing?  HELP!  Focus, Nicole.  Focus.

Blissed Out

This is probably the cutest darn fabric collection to come out this whole year.  I know there have been others on my Top Five List (Luna Notte, Park Avenue, Rural Jardin, etc), but this one is right up there.  Bliss by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.  Cute. Cute. Cute.

I was out shopping at my favorite quilt store this week, and picked up a little stack of fat quarters.  I have an idea of what I want to do with them too.  But, shhhhhhh, it is a surprise for the girls in my family.  It isn't too early to get started on my Christmas presents, don't you know.

This is just one of several makeup bag patterns I have come across lately, that I think would be adorable made up in cheerful feminine fabrics such as the Bliss collection.  What do you think? 

Do you have a favorite make up bag pattern?  Would you share a link to it in your comment?

Are there any good tutorials out there on the Internet? Any tips anyone has to share will be welcome.

I will be making a good dozen of these little bags, so I will be sure to share my successes and failures with you all!

No Resolution

Thank you to everyone who commented on Sara's issue with the long arm quilter who switched the backings on her two quilts.  I was amazed at the response from so many of you Long Arm Quilters who said you would do ANYTHING to make the situation right again for your customer, including picking out all the quilting and re-doing both quilts.  I even got a phone call from MY long arm quilter, offering to re-quilt Sara's quilts for free.  (Haven't I been telling you that Debbie is worth her weight in gold?).

Unfortunately, the long arm quilter who did Sara's projects was not so generous. 

She said she was very sorry.

And that was that.

No offer to make it right by re-doing the quilting.  No offer of a refund on the quilting price.   No offer of a reduction on the price of the third, yet to be quilted quilt.  

But she was very sorry.

So, Sara asked her to mail her back the remaining unquilted top and backing.  She expressed her disappointment in the service, in the waste of her time and materials, and by the apparent lack of concern regarding the major error that was committed.  And her shock that no compensation was offered.

Sometimes, "sorry" just isn't enough.

Added later:  Sara has no interest in "outing" this quilter, as many readers have suggested.  She has no vindictive feelings towards the woman and her business.  The quilter lives out in the middle of nowhere, and probably doesn't have many customers as it is.  And now she has one less.   So, what have we learned here?

When you first try a new quilter, ideally, it should be based on the recommendation of others who have used her services, not sight unseen.

Be very clear as to what materials are to be used with each quilt.  Perhaps make an inquiry as to how the quilter stores the customer's materials so they do not become mixed up.

Have a detailed conversation with the quilter regarding thread, quilting design, batting, etc.  If she isn't writing down some notes to keep with the quilt top, encourage her to do so.

To start out, just give the quilter one project and see how that goes.

Family Wedding

This is what a beach wedding looks like.  Our family and the groom's family gathered on the beach near Santa Cruz, California this weekend to celebrate the marriage of my niece and her long time beau.  We were blessed with the most amazing weather.  It simply could not have been more perfect.  The bride's mother, my sister Kate, insists that our mom was pulling some strings up in Heaven. 

In the picture above we are all gathering just prior to the ceremony.  In due time, the bride proceeded down a flight of stairs to the sand where the vows were exchanged.

Her dad doesn't look too proud, does he?  And that is her sweet and beautiful sister on the left, beaming with pride and happiness.  It was the loveliest of occasions.

And here is part of my motley crew, taking it all in.

And here is the whole fam damly.  Yes, and Sara and I are wearing bridal flip flops.  Just so you know, we changed into heels for the reception.

 

How about a cupcake?