Sister's Choice Quilts

Happy Halloween!

 
We had our family Halloween Party last night. That shiny individual above is me, standing with my blind Ref cousin Paul. 

We had a fun time, as always, but this is what it's all about.

 
More pics tomorrow!

Don't Be Afraid to Experiment

This stunning quilt was made by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  I got to see it in person while I was in Illinois in September taking a class from her.  The quilt is a pattern called Brown Eyed Girl, made with the 3 Sisters collection Aster Manor.  Great quilt, great color choice with the browns, reds, and pinks.  In fact, I loved it so much I wanted to make it exactly as Carrie had done.  Me?  Shy about being a copy cat?  Nah.  This quilt moved to the top ten on my To Do List.

Well, then I went to PIQF (my region's biggest quilt festival) and saw something in the Prairie Queen's booth that took my breath away.  April at Prairie Queens made this same exact pattern and came up with an entirely new look, just as breathtaking as Carrie's original.  Take a look at April's version.

I can just hear you all out there gasping.  Isn't this awesome?

Carrie's gorgeous version:

April's gorgeous version:

The point I want to make  is that we need to keep an open mind about what color ways to use with quilt patterns.  It is very tempting to play it safe and copy a design exactly.  There is nothing wrong with this, and this can work out beautifully.  You end up with just the quilt you fell in love with, and live happily ever after.

Or, you can use your imagination and try something totally different and just see what evolves.  April is an extremely talented, prize winning quilter who has been sewing for many years.  Of course she comes up with fabulous ideas, she's a pro.  But we can do it too.  Just think how great this quilt would look in red, caramel and cream.  Fabulous as well.  How about lovely autumnal rusts, tans and greens?  I'm there.  Or, how about doing a sensational Christmas quilt using red, green, gold and white?  Incredible.

But, like I said, sometimes we fall in love and have to have it just the way we saw someone else do it.  Believe me, I do it all the time.  Remember my Elizabeth quilt made out of Rouenneries?  I shamelessly copied  Wendy because I thought her quilt was the most gorgeous quilt I have ever seen.  Wendy thought outside the box and I imitated her genius.  

If you would like to imitate April's version of Brown Eyed Girl, Prairie Queens has kits made up, using the fabrics shown in the blue and tan version pictured above.

The kits include the border fabric, all the blues, tans, caramels, lights, and the pattern as well.  Give the girls at Prairie Queens a call at (408) 559-6735 and order one for yourself before they all sell out.  Or, take the plunge and imagine your own color way for Brown Eyed Girl.  Either way, you will end up with a quilt you will love!

PS:  Thanks for all your words of encouragement with my Route 44 quilt.  I wish I could answer each and every one of your comments.  Please know I appreciate your feedback more than I can say.

 

Awestruck

 

Gasp.  Look at the label on the package that was delivered to my door.

I got a package from MODA?  Me?

It was a sweet something from Moda Lissa (Lissa Alexander) who has our dream job, Director of Marketing for United Notions (Moda).  Lissa is a fabulous quilter, and if you don't have her blog bookmarked...well you should.  Not only are her own projects awesome, but she has all sorts of insights into the world of quilting.  Plus,   She Knows People.  Check out her blog for links to all the Moda Designers websites and blogs, plus links to fun bloggers that will provide you with hours of entertainment and inspiration.

Oh, you'd like to see what was in the box? 

 
A super sweet note, a little box of those "Candy Bar" precuts, and three Layer Cake Rolls!  The Layer Cake Rolls (that's what I call them anyway) are of three fabric collections that are going to be released at Quilt Market this weekend! 

"Faith", the new Howard Marcus offering for Collection for A Cause, "Antique Fair", the new collection by Blackbird Designs, AND "Oasis", the upcoming fabric line from 3 Sisters!!!

I am beyond excited and honored to have received this gift.  Wait until you see the fabulous colors in each of these new fabric groups.  I can tell you that pink is going to be a strong color this coming Spring.

 
Faith

 
Antique Fair

 
Oasis

Oh my, Friends, what shall we make with these?

 

Tai Chi Borders

 
Woo hoo!!!!!  Four down, one to go.  It took almost five hours to achieve those three borders on the outside.  Two one inch strips of light and the two inch pieced strip.  THAT is how it is supposed to look. 

I have a border print from the Old Primrose Inn line of fabric that I had planned to use as my outer border, but I have changed my mind.  The border fabric is an extremely wide floral, and now that the quilt top has been assembled, I can see that a better look would be to use the dark brown with tiny stars that I have used in the blocks.  I need to order away for the fabric, so I am at a stopping point for now.

But I achieved my goal.  It wasn't going well, and I did more unsewing with this quilt than any I have made in a very long while.  I stuck with it though, and I love the results.  Sometimes you just have to give up, say "Uncle" and throw in the towel.  Not this time.  I knew I could do it. 

Do you all feel seeing me make this quilt is like watching paint dry? 

 

Have You Ever Plucked a Quilt?

Yes, Friends, it is possible to pluck a quilt.  I am learning all sorts of new techniques as I progress with my Route 44 quilt (AKA My Humility Quilt).  I have to ask myself what on earth else can go wrong with this quilt?  My construction of it has been bass ackwards from the beginning.  I thought now that I had the blocks all sewn together I was on a roll towards a big happy finish.

Not so fast, Nicole.  You managed to sew the borders on wrong.  Whassa matter?  Can't concentrate?

This quilt has five borders.  I got the bright idea to combine three of them into one.  Guess what?  That doesn't work.  I vaguely recall someone saying something about leaving the borders longer at the ends and not sewing them on until later, but did I do that?  Oh no.   This was my misbegotten effort.

Oh geeze.  That is not how it is supposed to look.  It is supposed to look like Thelma's.

What a mess.  I still don't see what good leaving the ends of the border strips unattached until later would do.  My brain just cannot wrap itself around that concept.

So, I added more fabric, I fiddled around with it (for a llllooooonnnnnnggggg time), and then I unsewed.  Hence, the plucking out of all the little straggler threads.

 There was no saving these borders.  After all that mucking about, they were all stretched out and funky.

So I started over again, with my friend Lisa's words in my head:  "Always have more fabric than you think you will need".  At least I got one thing right.  Thank you Lisa.

So, today I try again.  One border at a time.

I feel jinxed.

Some Progress Has Been Made

After a lot of fussing, I got my 49 blocks sewn together for my version of Route 44, a new Miss Rosie pattern.  You know, this quilt had a lot of piecing, but what took me so long (besides all the silly errors I made by not reading the instructions carefully enough) was the pressing.  These are blocks that need to have the seams pressed open.  If you want things to lie nice and flat, with no puckering or funny business, you have got to press those seams open.  All of them.  Even the long seams when you are sewing the blocks into rows.

So.  Whew.  That's done.  Now I have FIVE borders to attach.  

I am on a mission.

I haven't lost my sense of humor though.  Here is Sophie, looking seductive, after her bath.  She wanted to crawl under my quilt to dry off, but I managed to get a nice fluffy towel wrapped around her instead.

 

Cooking Class

I took a cooking class this week.  And boy oh boy, was it fun!  My daughter manages an olive oil/balsamic vinegar shop in Murphys, CA, and once a month, holds a cooking class to promote the products the shop sells.  Check it out:  Marisolio, Olive Tasting Oil Bar.  This month's topic was Soups and Stews, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. 

One of my favorite dishes was called Sunday Night Pasta, a perfect dish for one of those days where you have already eaten plenty of food, or enjoyed so much activity that you don't feel like spending an hour over food prep in the kitchen at the end of your day.  It is a very light dish, and does not require a tremendous amount of effort.  A perfect dish to have in your repetoire.  Not fattening either, since it has no cream and is made using fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs.

In the photo above, you see Cathy, our cooking instructor, who fearlessly led us into previously uncharted culinary territory.  Her recipes were awesome, and featured the wonderful products sold in the shop.  Seriously, try this recipe this weekend.  You will not be disappointed.  And if you don't have the special products on hand,  don't worry, you can improvise.

This was my favorite dish.  I made it for my husband as soon as I got home and he loved it.

Sunday Night Pasta

1 lb. Angel Hair Pasta, cooked according to package directions

10 whole cloves garlic (do not be afraid)

3 T. good Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( a truly good Italian is what this recipe deserves)

3/4 cup chopped basil

2 T. chives

2 T. mint

1 T. fresh marjoram

6 Roma tomoatoes, diced

Parmesan cheese, grated

Flavored balsamic vinegar, your choice of flavors--I used a Lemon flavored oil

Cook pasta according to directions.  Heat olive oil in skillet with olive oil. Cook garlic cloves very slowly, to release the sweetness (15 minutes).  Add herbs to oil to release their flavor.  Drain pasta and toss with sauce and chopped tomatoes.  Grate Parmesan cheese and drizzle on Balsamic Vinegar.  I used a lemon flavored balsamic, which was wonderful.  If you do not have a flavored balsamic, use a good aged one.  Serve immediately.

You can pick out the whole garlic cloves, which will have infused the dish with a fabulous subtle garlic flavor, or leave them in, if you are adventurous.

 

 

Fabulous Giveaway at Open Gate Quilts

Is this little quilt not the sweetest thing you have ever seen?  Wouldn't you like a chance to win a kit to make it?  As well as the brilliant Mini Fit To Be Geese ruler designed by Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts?  Well, you could be the winner!

All you need to do is go to Monique's new blog and make a comment, telling her why you love or hate making flying geese units.  You may think you don't like making flying geese, but I bet you haven't tried making them with her fabulous ruler!   Made with her ruler, flying geese units are fun, fast and leave very little waste.  Easy too.  In fact, Monique even has a video on her blog showing just how to do it.

I want to tell you just a little bit about Monique.  She has been making quilts for over 20 years, and started her pattern company, Open Gate Quilts in 2004.  Her quilt patterns are marvelous, and I know you have either made one or at least seen them at your local quilt shops.  Her patterns always have a cool photo of the quilt on the front, often shown with one of her wonderful dogs along side.  This is one her patterns that I have been meaning to make soon.

Monique has just come out with a beautiful line of fabric that she designed for Maywood Studios, called Olde World Style.  It has the most sophisticated and elegant look to it.  You need to check out her website and see some of the amazing quilts she has made from this line.

Is that not an incredible fabric collection?  She was inspired by European tiles, tapestries and textiles.  While I was in Illinois, I saw a quilt made from this line and knew I had to have a bundle of it.  If you agree, and think you need one too, you can get one at Bundles And Bolts.  But leave one for me!

Monique also has a book in the works, which will be published this April, and will feature quilt patterns utilizing fat quarters.  She is a prolific quilter and designer, and is one of the nicest people in the business.  Please go by her new blog and say hi and enter her Giveaway.  Somebody is going to win that sweet kit, and it could be you!

On Vacation

I am on vacation this week, and am having the most relaxing time.  I am staying at Sara's house and can pretty much do as I like.  I have done a bit of sewing--yesterday I made some napkins for her that are sort of fall themed.  Making napkins is really fun for me, and I need to do it more often.  I see a Christmas set in Sara's future.

I've also been working on my four patch blocks for Route 44 and have made some decent progress.  It is my goal to get them all done by the time I go home!

And I simply cannot stay away from Lewis.  He is the sweetest little thing I ever saw.  Here he is on the quilt Sara recently picked up that was quilted with the wrong backing.  As you can see, she is using it and it really does look just fine.

Something else I did this past weekend was to visit my sister Andrea and her husband.  I love staying at their house because there always seems to be something interesting going on.  If you read her blog Under a Blue Moon, you  may know that one of her chickens died last week of one of those mysterious poultry diseases.  In an effort to be sure that the rest of the flock does not come down with the same ailment, all of them need to be dosed a couple of times with a strong medicine.  So, just how do you get a chicken to take it's medicine?  Why you hold its nose til it opens its beak of course.  And, no, they didn't like it.

But they soon forgot and were back to doing chickeny things.  Like following me all over the property.  They liked me since I was not involved in the medicine thing.

Benefit of having chickens:

 

PIQF

Gosh, I went to PIQF (Pacific International Quilt Festival) last week and we haven't talked about it, have we?  I saw some amazing quilts and some fabulous vendor booths while I was there.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay as long as I had hoped because my hip went out on me.  It does that sometimes, and when it does, the only thing that helps is to Take A Pill, which was 70 miles away at home.  So, I had to cut short my visit. 

The best vendor booths were hosted by some of my top favorite quilt shops too.  Our local shops made a fantastic effort.  Prairiequeens knocked it out of the park with at least half a dozen new kits made specially for the quilt festival, one of which I will be discussing with all of you in more detail.  In Between Stitches from Livermore, and ThimbleCreek from Concord were there with many lovely things displayed beautifully.  Eddie's Quilting Bee made such a showing that I wondered if they weren't practically sponsoring the event!  I stopped by Honey Run Quilters from Chico, hoping to see Pam and Debbie, but missed them.  I did buy one of their adorable necklaces though!  And it was a huge treat to have been able to shop at a couple of shops that aren't from my area of the country---I spent a LOT of time at both Bird Brain Designs and Bonnie Blue.  Too many wonderful things I wanted to purchase and I went and spent most of my fabric budget on the trip to Illinois!

So, here are a few of the things that I saw while I was at PIQF.

I sat down to rest for a bit in front of this quilt, which simply fascinated me.  It is some sort of Variable Star (Martha Washington?) combined with a Snails Trail block.  I really enjoyed studying this one.  Notice that each of the large star blocks is slightly different?  Love the fabrics too.  Isn't it cool how they tossed in soem caramel colored lights with the more cream colored ones?  It adds a lot of visual interest.

Can you believe the quilting on this?  That represents many hours of painstaking work.  Here is the quilt in it's entirety.  Isn't that applique extraordinary?

I couldn't get close to the quilt below, but found it to be pretty incredible.  I think it was all embroidery!  Sure wish I could have gotten a better look at it, but it was all roped off.

I was so darn proud when I spotted the quilt in the photo below.  It is a self portrait done by my friend Felicia Horowitz, called "Silly Me".  I stopped in my tracks and laughed out loud I was that tickled.  I would have known her anywhere!  Look at the job she did with her hair, isn't it fabulous?  And WOOHOO, she was awarded a ribbon!  From the looks of it, she is pretty thrilled!

And I do not know what to say about the quilt in the picture below.  I will just let it speak for itself I guess.