Sister's Choice Quilts

Something to Feel Good About

I had a productive weekend!  Maybe not so much as Lisa, who has been on her annual Quilting Retreat, but still, I did all right.  What you see in the picture above is the center part of the Flowers for Clara quilt, a pattern by Bonnie Blue.  I love this.  LOVE this.  This is a quilt that I will use and be proud of for years and years.  It positively dances. 

It isn't finished yet though.  I plan to add a narrow black containment border, and then an 8 inch wide appliqued border of flowers on the tan background fabric.  I have reviewed a fabulous machine applique tutorial by Barbara Brandenburg, and cannot wait to get going on this border.  If you are leary of machine applique, please check out Barbara's tutorial.  She makes it look so simple.

 

Thanks to all of you who urged me to bite the bullet and get those rumply borders re-cut and re-attached.  It wasn't that horrible of a project.  I took the borders off one evening when I was watching tv, and then trimmed them down to fit better.  I remeasured my quilt top without stretching it one single smidge, and ended up with a border measurement that was 1 1/2 inches less than what I had sewn on in the first place.  Let my error be a lesson to you all:  when measuring a quilt top with half square triangles (or any other type of bias edges) DO NOT STRETCH the fabric at all.  If you do, you will end up with borders that are too long, and therefore wavy and rumply and practically unquiltable.

I will have to really watch it when putting the borders on Flowers for Clara.  If you notice, we have many half square triangle bias edges.

 

I've got all my red strips cut for the Red and White Snowball challenge, and most of my lights.  I have decided to use a different method for making my 2 1/2 inch half square triangles that allows me to use 2 1/2 inch wide strips instead of the 3" square method used in the pattern instructions.  (See yesterday's post).

I'd love to get started on my November Schnibbles as well, but I am feeling like I have a few irons in the fire hear!  I will be lucky to finish my October Schnibbles!

Old Quilts

My sister Andrea was given the old quilt pictured above.  She has been blogging about her dilemma concerning this quilt on her blog Under A Blue Moon, and has asked me to post a picture of it and raise the questions that have been on her mind.

You see, this quilt is in not such great shape.  It has a large tear about six inches long, which goes right through to the back of the quilt; the fabric seems to be fraying on the seam lines; and the backing was in such bad shape that it is splitting in several places.  Also, this quilt was a tied quilt, not a quilted one.

Her dilemma was should she try to salvage and repair this old quilt?  Or should she cut up the good bits and use them for some other purpose, such as making pillows or bags etc?  She has made the decision to try to salvage the quilt top, and repair the tears.  She snipped away all the yarn ties, separated the quilt top from the batting (which she said was disgusting), and has been gently soaking the quilt top for a couple of days in her bathtub to get rid of the filth.

My question to you more experienced quilt historians out there is ----Is her effort to restore this quilt worth the bother?  I  mean, if the fabric is so delicate that it is tearing along the seam lines, will she be left with anything usable if she does the repairs, puts on a new backing and has the quilt quilted properly?  Does all this tearing indicate that the fabric is too fragile (or rotten) to be used?

And most important question--would it be worth the time and expense to have it quilted once the repairs are made, and a new batting and backing found?  Or should it be re-tied to fit in with the quilter's original intent?

Then we get back to the central question--does she try to rescue the entire quilt or just use some of the better sections in other projects?

If any of you have any thoughts or experience along these lines, your input would be most appreciated!

Opening Day Quilted

Thanks for all the offers of sympathy after my bikini waxing incident.  I have decided that once one reaches a certain age, a bit of hair on the upper thigh is not going to be noticed.  By anyone. 

And the glass of wine in the picture was for medicinal purposes AFTER I caused myself the injury.  Just so you know.   Mmmm hmmm.

The quilt you see in the photo above is Opening Day, a pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  A fabulous pattern, that deserves to be made more than once.  I used a not-so-Christmassy looking Christmas fabric called Roman Holiday by 3 Sisters for Moda.  What a dynamite combination:  a Miss Rosie pattern and any fabric designed by 3 Sisters.  I have another quilt in the pipeline to be quilted that is that same magic combination---Summerwind by Miss Rosie using Wuthering Heights by 3 Sisters.

The quilting on Opening Day was done by the awesome Debbie of Prairiequeens.  This quilt is going on my bed for the entire month of December!  Sure wish I had used my Fit to be Geese ruler by Monique of Open Gate when I made this quilt!

Sophie and I start our second week on our own in the house.  Last week went just fine, with us girls striking up a rhythm of meals, exercise, sleeping, and snuggling.  No more home beauty treatments for awhile though.  I succumbed to eating junk food quite a bit, which has got to change this week.  I plan to make a pot of some kind of yummy soup to eat in the evenings, along with a little salad.  It is amazing how easy it is to resort to fast food or something pre-made instead of taking the time to thoughtfully prepare a proper meal for oneself when alone.  Hey, I'm worth it!

OP Quilt Quilted

I just got my OP (Orange Project) Quilt Challenge quilt back from the quilter's, and I really really love it.  Sophie does too, as you can see from the photo.  She is claiming it as her own, which she does with most things new to our home.  It is as if she feels she needs to endorse anything novel, so we all realize that she has given it her approval and it is therefore safe.  She is such a protective little thing.

She did the weirdest thing this week.  I was chopping garlic and ginger with one of those Zyliss chopping things that fits over the food you are chopping and minces everything super small.  I love it for chopping things like ginger and garlic because it gets the job done in no time flat without a big mess.

 

The thing is, when you use this thing, you have to press the plunger down rapidly, and with some force.  The plunger has blades at the bottom, which does the chopping job.  It makes quite a pounding noise, which could prove to be alarming to any smaller creatures in the house, such as over-protective dogs.  Sophie had warned me in the past, that my use of this object was deeply disturbing to her.  She will growl when I take the device out of the cupboard and then bark and bark when I begin the chopping.  It is sort of amusing actually.

Or so I thought.  This week, when I got the thing out of the cupboard, she was suspiciously silent.  "Look", I said to my husband and son.  "She should start barking any second.  It is so funny to see her".  No response from Sophie.  Hmmm, I thought, guess she is over it.  However, when I commenced my loud chopping/pounding she sprang at me quite unexpectedly and bit me on the butt.

Not hard, but hard enough to startle the dickens out of me and make me stop the pounding. A good nip to get my attention.  Ah Sophie, thank you for once again directing my behavior in the right direction.  Ouch.  My husband and son collapsed on the floor in hysterics of course, and will laugh til they have tears in their eyes if you remind them of the incident.  It is so fun to have Mom look like a fool.

Back to the subject of the Orange Project quilt that Pat Sloan sponsored back in February.  Here is a better picture.  Actually, none of my pictures are coming out very clearly today.  Must be the light.  The fabric collection is Sonnet by April Cornell for Moda.

Here is a close up of the quilting, courtesy of Debbie Thornton at Prairiequeens.  Nice, huh?

The colors of this quilt are so putting me in the mood for fall.  Like my sister Andrea, I tend to rush the seasons, tiring of the one I am in towards the end and wanting to get on with the one coming up.  With any luck, I will get the binding attached and sewn on this weekend.  I am anxious to use this quilt on one of the brown leather chairs in the family room.

Whoop-dee-doo!  I have half a day off today, the ENTIRE day off tomorrow, and half a day off on Sunday!  Sara and Ryan are coming down with Remy and I expect to be in a state of bliss to be able to have the whole family together under my roof.

Have a great weekend Friends.

Prairie Paisley DAL (Done At Last)

Technically this quilt top is DONE.  However, I do plan to add a floral border at some point.  I have the fabric, and could do it any time.  However, I am going to put this quilt away for now.  I don't know why it felt like such an albatross to me, but it did.  Maybe because it is the sort of thing that normally I could whip out in no time.  Presently, time is something I seem to be short on, so the quilt sat unfinished for many many long weeks.  It whined, and that is such an unattractive quality in a quilt.

I am not a huge red white and blue fan, but this combination of light and dark blues with a touch of red is rather pleasing, I have to say.  Can't you just see this quilt draped over the back of a white wicker love seat on the front porch of some adorable little bungalow?  Next to a pot of red geraniums?

What's next?  Hmmm.  I think I will get back to work on Sweet Escape, (a Miss Rosie's Quilt Company pattern).  I am using a wonderfully whimsical fabric group called Neptune by Tula Pink for Moda.  Think inky indigo blue, coral, and aqua.  Such a different color palette.   After that, I am leaning towards Birdseye (anther Miss Rosie pattern) using a fabulous collection of rust and brown and sagey green Civil War fabrics I have picked up here and there.

Don't forget my Spanx giveaway on Friday!  You still have time to comment on last Friday's post "My Old Eyes".

Plodding Along

I realize that watching this quilt top come together has been a bit like watching paint dry.

But hey.  I do what I can.  I am half finished with what is supposed to be the last border.  However, I have decided it is the penultimate border.  Don't you love that word?  Penultimate.  Means next to the last.  I have decided to add an additional outer border in the large navy floral print from this group.  As it is, the quilt will finish at 56 inches square or something close to that, and what the heck do you do with a quilt that size?  It needs to be bigger.

See the middle block in the center of the upper row?  The center of that block is the large floral print that will be my final border.

I had three wonderful hours to work on it today.  I will have three hours tomorrow as well, so let's just see what I can do.  I sure did miss the Charming Girls Quilt Club deadline.  Honestly, I need to stop committing to things for awhile.

When I turned my camera on today I discovered that another member of my family has been using it!  My son Ahren took a picture of a very pooped Ozzie with his face on the book I am reading.  (Trying to read).  Isn't he cute????  Poor sleepy Ozzie.

Evil mom that I am, I am going to post a picture of Ahren too.  Isn't he cute???  Any single girls out there looking for a great guy?  Aren't his dimples adorable?  He is so going to kill me.

What We Accomplished On Our Quilting Weekend

Not so much really.  Traffic was GHASTLY getting up to Granite Bay and once arrived, we just collapsed in sweaty heaps in Andrea's kitchen.  So, on Friday we drank margaritas, sipped gazpacho and ate cherry clafouti.  Total heaven, but no sewing.

Andrea is the most awesome hostess.   Her house is so welcoming and tranquil, and her cooking is fabulous.  We could have just sat in her kitchen sipping iced tea (or better yet, margaritas) all weekend and been happy as clams.  Go check out her last few posts to see some pictures of her house and her account of our visit.  It was like going to a resort.  A very hot resort.  Did I mention the temperature was over 100?  

As I mentioned, Friday night was kind of active for Sara and I, who had to get up a number of times with Remy, who was having some diarrhea issues.  Saturday morning we arose and got out our sewing machines and set them up at the kitchen table.  A bit of panic that one of the machines didn't have its power cord, but that proved unfounded.  We got to work on our projects.

Kate was finishing up a Posh Baskets quilt and had stacks of yummy blocks already made.  She had to finish a few more, and then would be on to constructing her rows.

 

Andrea was working on a Valentine's table topper she started around three years ago.  Of course now she wants matching border fabric, and do you think any can be found?  If you have either of these fabrics, let her know!  She was in full strip piecing mode.  I should have gotten some pictures of her finished block, which is a triple Irish chain.

 

I was planning on finishing up my Prairie Paisley blocks for my last border.  Only twenty four uneven nine patch blocks.  Easy peasy.  You would think I could have cranked those out in half a day.  But I didn't.

 

Sara was working on a fabulous pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company, a Schnibbles pattern called McGuffey, which has to be one of the fastest and cutest patterns out there.  Her fabric choice was Twiggy by Sanae for Moda.  Extremely lovely fabric.  Get some if you haven't already.  You will be sorry if you don't.

 

And then..... Remy got really sick.  He couldn't walk.  Here he is, looking at Sara, as if to say,
"Mommy, it really really hurts.  Can't you fix it?"

 

Andrea was on the phone to her vet in a hot second, and before we knew it, she and Sara and Remy were roaring down the driveway to take Remy to the veterinary clinic.

Then hours went by.  It was so hard to concentrate.  Kate and I got some sewing done, but my mind wasn't totally focused on it.  I called Andrea once to see what was going on, but Kate stopped me from calling her every fifteen minutes.  Sara's husband Ryan, who was out in the wilderness on a camping trip, kept texting and phoning every five minutes for updates.  That little Remy sure does have some devoted family.

After three hours of waiting, finally the girls were home with the patient, who was looking fairly mopey after all he had been through.  He had two prescriptions and a strict bland diet.  Sara hand fed him and we all hovered around looking for any sign of improvement.  Not much sewing got done once we had our puppy home safe with us again.

We fortified ourselves with more margaritas, and helped Andrea get her gourmet dinner going.  She made shrimp tacos with a fabulous green sauce, and something called "corn fritters" that were out of this world.  This recipe is not for sissies.  You could seriously hurt yourself making these babies.  The recipe involves mixing fresh corn with a batter---

 

Then, plopping blobs of it into screaming hot oil----

 

Oh man, Andrea was totally covered up from head to toe except for her neck and where do you suppose the hot oil splashed?  Ouch, ouch, ouch.  She needed goggles and a tarp on the kitchen floor.  This is a great recipe, but the kitchen was demolished.  (Aside:  Look at her birdcage outside the kitchen window.  See what I mean about her being an amazing decorator?  It is touches like that that make a home unique.  She finds the coolest stuff).

 

The results were the most incredible thing any of us had eaten in ages.  Golden brown, crispy corn fritters that were to die for.

 

She made an awesome sauce to go on them, but I swear, you could just squeeze a lemon on them or dollop a bit of sour cream on top and you would be dancing.

 

We skipped dessert that night. 

The next day, Sunday, Remy was 100% improved.  We couldn't bear to mess up the kitchen Rick had cleaned up, so we didn't even get out our sewing machines!  We headed for home (and cooler temperatures) by 10:00 AM. 

So, not much sewing accomplished for a quilting retreat, but I have to say that despite the Remy drama, we all had a fantastic time.  I swear the seat belt in my Honda felt tighter than it used to.

What Do You Do?

I had a lovely email this last weekend from a nice person named Karen, who described herself as a "lurker".  Are you a lurker too?  Don't be a lurker!!!  That is how we make friends, by having a dialog.  I will never get to know you if you don't make comments on my blog!  I love your comments--that is the point of blogging, don't you know?

Anyway, Karen got up her courage to ask me a few questions, which I thought I would answer here in this public forum.  Please feel free to disagree with me.   It would be fun to hear from others as to how you would answer Karen's questions too.
So, here we go.  I am no "expert", but these methods have worked for me.

1) Do you prewash your fabrics and batting?

Nope.  Never ever.  Wash batting?  That sounds like a recipe for disaster! 
I buy the best quality fabric from well known manufacturers such as Moda, Timeless Treasures, RJR, and Marcus  Brothers.  I have never had an issue with fabrics from those companies bleeding or shrinking in the wash.  I think it makes a big old mess to pre-wash fabrics (especially fat quarters) ahead of time.  They get all stringy and you have to iron them, and all the sizing comes out.  I like to jump right in and start sewing with those new crisp fabrics.  Just my humble opinion.  Doesn't mean I am right.

2) Do you store your in-the-works and future projects in the plastic bins for long periods of time and how does it affect the fabrics? (the experts tell us not to store quilts in plastic bags, etc.)

I store all my in-the-works projects in plastic project boxes.  I store my stash in larger plastic bins sorted by the color of the fabrics.  I have not noticed any detrimental effects whatsoever by doing this.  My projects are stored in a closet in the house, but my stash bins are all outside in the garage.  Some of the fabric in the stash bins has been there for going on 10 years.  Believe me, fabric doesn't go bad.  In the bins, it stays dry and protected from dust, bugs and other critters (like mice, which we have had in the garage!).

My finished quilts however, are stored folded on shelves in a large closet in the house--not in plastic bags.  Sometimes I fold them over a hanger and hang them in a closet.  I think it is a good idea to re-fold your stored quilts fairly often so they don't get perma-dents where they have been folded.  I have also heard of some people storing their quilts stacked on top of each other on a bed.  Not folded at all.  Just layers and layers of quilts.  Why not?  If you have a spare bed to do that, go for it.

If I had a delicate hand made antique quilt, I would probably wrap it in white tissue paper and store it that way.

3) Do you wash and dry your quilts in machines? (The experts say to wash by hand with a mild soap in the bathtub and then put them on sheets in the yard to dry.)

I wash all my quilts in the washing machine with Woolite or other mild liquid soap.  I don't use hot water ever.  Then, I toss them in the clothes dryer on medium, where they get all soft and "quilty".  Wash by hand in the bathtub and dry on sheets in the yard?  What?????  My dogs would drag them all over the place, the California sun would fade the colors of the fabric, and birds might poop on them.  No no no, do not even *think* of doing that!  OMG.  I need a breath.  Just considering that makes me twitchy.  Lord, the prairie dogs up the hill from us could walk all over them!  So much for "experts"!  They don't know my yard, climate and animals!  LOL!

However, that being said, if I had a hand quilted quilt, such as the sort that Karen makes, I would take more care with the washing step.  I think the quilt could still go in the machine on the most delicate setting.  I would probably hang this quilt to dry on a clothes line, but I would still be very nervous about the bird poop issue. 

4) How do you use your quilts and do you worry about fading? (could we see photos please?)

I have quilts on all of the beds in my house.  I change them with the seasons or with my decorating whims.  Don't report me to the quilt police, but all my sofas and chairs are currently draped with my quilts too.  The dogs jump up on the furniture you see, and it is easier to wash a soiled quilt than it is to have the upholstery shampooed.  I guess I have quilts on every surface of the house.

Fading is a serious issue.  I never hang my quilts on walls, and I change my quilts out often.  Sunlight fades fabric, there is no getting around that.  I never leave a quilt on a bed or chair for longer than a month or so without changing it or at least shifting it around.

The secret weapon against fading is to make tons of quilts so you can rotate them continuously!!

Here is a little house tour.  What can I say?  I believe in using my quilts...and protecting my furniture....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My First Quilt

Carrie over at La Vie en Rosie and Camille at Simplify have challenged us to set aside any pride we might have and show some pictures of our first quilting effort.  Then, after that little humiliation is complete, to show our most recent quilt.  Deep breath.  Are you ready?

I have always been a multi-tasker (that is the Gemini in me).  I started with not just one quilt, but two quilts that I worked on simultaneously back in 1980.  They have ended up with two completely different fates.

One of my first quilts has been loved to death.  Worn to shreds by my daughter Sara, who embraced it at the age of about six months and is still loving what remains of it to the present day.

I appliqued a big white bunny on the front, and hand quilted the quilt.  After many washings and a lot of lovin' this is what remains.  It is like a spider web.  Obliterated by love. 

Now for some serious ugliness.  I am having a hard time swallowing my pride and showing you this crap stuff from my early years.  In my defense, we didn't have a lot of choice in fabrics back in the 80's.  This was to be my opus.  What was I thinking???

It is mostly quilted, but still basted together.  Near the finish line, I admitted to myself that these colors were just hideous.  My workmanship wasn't too bad, once I look at it up close.  But those colors.   Gag.  It lives buried deep in a cedar chest in my bedroom.  I can't bear to throw it away for some reason.  (To see how far I've come in 29 years?)

Now that we have had that little walk of shame, I can say in my favor that I have experienced a lot of growth in my color sense.  And that I have embraced machine quilting with a passion.

Here is my most recently finished quilt top.  (Copied blatantly from Camille Rosskelley ).

Moor Is Moor Finished!

I am just so happy with the way this quilt top turned out!  I used the pattern Summer Wind by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co., and the beautiful fabric collection Wuthering Heights by 3 Sisters for Moda.  I got the idea to use this fabric with that pattern from Camille Roskelley  (Simplify) who made the exact same quilt.  I think the combination is brilliant.  It goes to show you that when you see a pattern made up in all pastels, for example, that it may work extremely well in a darker or brighter palette.  So, be brave, experiment!

The lovely pattern Summer Wind sat for quite a while in my pattern box. For five long years.  I always had it in the back of my mind, but the quilt on the pattern cover was a pretty pastel, and I have to be in a certain mood to do a pastel quilt.  Then, I saw Camille's version of the pattern in these wonderful rich colors and the light bulb went off in my head.  Imagine how fantastic this would look in deep purples, greens, black and tan.  Or how about an autumn color scheme--browns, rusts, dark green, burgundy and cream?  Or a patriotic version in the new Prairie Paisley fabric group?  Navy, medium blue, light blue, red and white?  I may just have to make this quilt again!

I love a medallion style quilt because by the time you add the last border, the quilt is done.  No layout necessary!  This quilt had six borders around the center medallion.  The quilt appears to be more complex than it really is.  If you break a quilt down into individual components- star units, flying geese units, half square triangles and so on, it becomes far less daunting.  Just tackle one element at a time, and before you know it, the quilt top is done.  This one really puts a smile on my face.

This quilt was finished by me working just an hour a day when I got home from work.  I am telling you, that hour a day is very well spent when I look at what I was able to accomplish!  You can do it too.

Backings and Borders and Bindings, Oh My!!!

My intent this weekend was to work on my Prairie Paisley Challenge that Lisa and I have going on.  She probably has her top to the quilters already at the rate I am going. 

I just couldn't buckle down to that project until I got the borders on two quilts that are a-l-m-o-s-t done.  That is Dandelion Girl you see in the picture above.  I attached an additional peach containment border and then the large pale yellow floral.  Now the quilt looks more finished to me, and is also a more usable size.  I have no idea why the border looks so rumply.  I swear I measured it exactly and also did matching pins at the halfway and quarterpoints along the quilt top. My quilter says my quilts lie flat when they are quilted, but that rumpled look really bugs me.  What is the secret?  Do you cut the border fabric a half inch shorter than the side of the top and then "make it work"?

This quilt is one of my all time favorites.  It is a Miss Rosie pattern called Opening Day and I chose Roman Holiday fabric to make it.  I wanted it to be queen sized, so I added the floral border.  It is huge now!  88 inches square I think!  Did I mention that I LOVE it?  This one is next up to go to the quilter.  This pattern would look similar in the new Glace collection by 3 Sisters.

Also on my To Do list are three binding projects and two backings projects.  I have no idea why I procrastinate with bindings the way I do.  I am fast and good at it, but the only time I have to stitch is in the evening and I can't see so well then.

I had a lovely weekend, in spite of having only one day off.  The weather here has been so overcast, foggy and dreary for the past two weeks, and finally it seems that we are going to have some "mostly sunny days".  In fact the weather has been so crummy, a friend invited my husband and I to a Gloom in June party Sunday night.  The idea was to dress up in colorful summery clothes and celebrate as if it were 80 degrees outside.  Well, it sure wasn't anything close to 80 degrees, but I did wear my white jeans and flip flops and a bright green shirt.  Our hostess wore her shorts and to her credit, never once put an afghan or blanket over her knees the entire evening.   We sat inside with the fireplace going, while gazing through the windows at the covered up patio furniture outside.

At the clothing store where I work in Carmel-By-The-Sea, tourists in tank tops keep coming in and asking if we have jackets and turtle necks.  Um, no, this is summer, don't you know?  One girl who at least had her season right came in to see if we carried bathing suits!  Imagine that!  A town located on one of the prettiest beaches in the world, and you can't find a bathing suit within the town limits.  All I could suggest was "Maybe you could go to Santa Cruz or Capitola?"  Pathetic.

Chain, Chain, Chain

Excuse me Ozzie!  I am trying to take a picture here.  That's better.

This is Licorice Twist, a pattern by Joe Wood (of ThimbleCreek), made with the Dandelion Girl collection by Joanna Figuera (Fig Tree) for Moda.  I did all the pattern directed, but you know what?  I do not think this quilt is finished.  What it needs is a big blowzy floral border.  I just ordered two and half yards of the Dandelion Girl pale yellow rose print (on sale!) that I think will be the perfect touch.  Besides, this quilt is so darn pretty I want it bigger so I can put it on a bed!

I do love a quilt pattern where the blocks form a chain.  These pinwheel blocks are beautifully set off by the alternate block with the dark brown squares.  When designing a quilt top, keep in mind how a simple alternate block such as a snowball block or the one shown above can form wonderful secondary patterns.

There are a couple of advantages to buying your border fabric after you have the main body of the quilt top completed.  First, sometimes what you originally have in mind for the border isn't the color that "speaks" to you once you have the top together.  Once the top is done, you have a much better idea of what would work best as your border.  This is often the case with scrappy quilts or quilts made from a specific fabric collection.

Second, for me, by the time I get around to using a fabric collection, many many months have typically gone by and none of my local stores have the fabric anymore.  No selection.  You might think that this is a big disadvantage, but I beg to differ.  It has hardly ever happened to me that I have not been able to locate a fabric from a collection that is long gone from the stores.  My secret?  www.quiltshops.com  This fantastic website has hundreds of quilt shops all across the country linked to it.  You do a simple search, using the fabric collection's name is usually all you need, and you are supplied a list of links to shops that have the fabric you are looking for.  And the big bonus is, if the fabric is from an older group, it is often at a bargain price.  If you know of a similar website that is a link to lots of stores, please share in the comments section.

Now, if you know in your heart from the start of making your quilt what exact border you are using, then by all means, buy it at the time you get all your other fabrics.  You sure don't want to risk not being able to get a crucial element to your quilt.   I know many times we plan an entire quilt around the fabrics in a border, and actually that fabric is our starting point.  Just as often though, I don't make up my mind about the border until the quilt top is complete.  In those cases, I wait and see what my quilt wants!  Make sense?

Graduation Girl

Does this look like a graduation quilt?  I think it just might be.  I have a sweet niece who is graduating from high school this next month, and we are all very proud of her.  She is a great student, and has applied herself so well to her studies that she has been accepted into a good college.  I believe her accomplishments and bright future warrant a quilt.  I don't give quilts willy nilly, but am selective about whom I decide to bestow one of my efforts.  And Emily deserves it!

This quilt is feminine, yet has a sophisticated quality I like.  The fabric is Patisserie by Fig Tree for Moda and the pattern is Around the Block from Heather Mulder Petersen's book On A Roll Again.  I have ordered the backing (and got it on sale!) in the print that is a map of France on a pale green background.  I adore the pieced border and how the little pink triangles make a zig zag design.  This was a terrific pattern and I will probably make it again. 

Dandelion Girl and Patisserie

I had two and a half uninterrupted days of sewing this past weekend, and got a couple of projects to the "nearly completed" stage.  This is Dandelion Girl, made with a fabric group of the same name, designed by Fig Tree for Moda.  The colors are so soothing, in a faded vintagey way.  The pattern is called Licorice Twist by the charming Joe Wood of ThimbleCreek.  I still have to finish the pieced border, and plan to get going with that this week.  The dark brown fabric is not part of the Dandelion Girl collection and was chosen specifically for the wonderful contrast it makes with the pastels.  That chain really stands out!

Here is the other project I worked on, Around the Block from Heather Mulder Petersen's book On A Roll Again.  I seem to be on a Fig Tree streak these days, and used the fabric Patisserie for this quilt top.

I wish I had made one more red block in this top.  I think it would be better balanced.  Too late now!  I adore the pieced setting triangles, don't you?  There is a pieced border that is going to be added, which will pull out the red in the quilt top.

Now if I sew on one border each day the top will be finished by the weekend!

My Stars (and Pinwheels)

My stars, that was a bit of a flurry yesterday!  I guess the Grab Bag idea is popular!  I will have more of those, you can count on it.  Next time, maybe purples and greens.  Lots of greens.   Thanks to those of you who are helping me clear the stash out.

I had a chance to sew for a bit today and finished my pinwheel blocks.  Tomorrow I shall endeavor to sew the blocks together with the alternate blocks and work on the pieced border.  Here are my pinwheels:

And here is the layout of the blocks.

I saw this quilt in person at Thimblecreek in Walnut Creek a year or so ago.  The pattern is designed by Joe Wood, owner of Thimblecreek.  His quilt was made of lovely striped shirting fabric and looks so different from this version!   The fabric I used (and shown in the picture) is Dandelion Girl by Fig Tree for Moda.  Don't you love the addition of the dark brown chain to the pastel prints?  The dark brown is definitely not part of the fabric collection, but sets the lighter, more delicate fabrics off so well.

Ok friends, here's a question for you:  What do you do with all your little trimmings, bent pins, and snipped threads while you sew?  Do you toss them over your shoulder like Eleanor Burns?  Do you tape a brown lunch sack to your sewing table and use it as a receptacle?  Share with us!  What do you DO with those wasted bits?

Here's my solution.  I received a souvenir cup from a quilting camp I attended in the Sierras, and it seems just the right vessel for my sewing detritus.  I keep it on my sewing table and when it gets full, it gets dumped in the waste basket.

Have a simply MAHVELOUS weekend Dahlings.

Was That Fun Or What?

Back from the retreat, and I have to say we had a FANTASTIC time!  The monks and their helpers treated us like royalty.  We laughed, ate, stayed up late, ate, sewed up a storm and pretty much ate constantly.  My gosh, my friends had wonderful projects, and of course I will share them with you!

This was Linda's.  Something inspired from the book Circle Play.  She says she takes a circle to work with her every single day and appliques it to a background block on her lunch hour.  Seriously.  She plans a queen sized quilt out of these blocks, and trust me she is well on her way.

This was Diana's project.  She had a focus print of Laurel Burch fabric and had a collection of stripes she had collected over a few year's time.  She got this entire thing pieced together over the weekend.  She just made up the pattern.

Here is another of her tops--this is a girl who isn't afraid of color.

This was a top Isabel finished for her son.  Gorgeous prints, but very masculine feeling over all.

This was another top Isabel completed over the past year in her spare time, which sounded non-existent between a death in the family, buying and renovating a vacation home, and her full time job.  If she can do it, anyone of us can squeeze in some extra sewing time!

My friend Bette is awesome in what she accomplishes.  This is a table runner she made, which I think is just amazing.  Her use of fabric and color is so incredible. 

I ran out of batteries and had to run to my room for a second, and missed my chance to get a shot of the front of this quilt, also by Bette.  I did get a picture of the back though, and check out the quilting job, done by the amazing Toni.  Yes, Friends, this the the *back* of the quilt.

Here's another Bette top.  She did get three mitered borders on it the next day.  She kept saying, "It isn't too Christmassy, is it?"  It's gorgeous Bette.  Just go with it Girlfriend.

You may remember last November I posted about our retreat, and that Toni had picked up some fabric at a shop on the way up to the retreat, and just proceeded to cut it out and sew things together, without a pattern, during the weekend.  This is what she created just off the cuff.

This is another of Toni's pieces.  She is in a league of her own. 

Close up of her thread embroidery.

I have tons more to share, but it will have to wait until Wednesday.  Check back with me tomorrow for my Tuesday Sale.  Lots of goodies!!!!!!  8:00 AM  Pacific Time.

Around the Block

Well, the consensus from yesterday's question:  Do you wash your finished quilts right away to give them that soft quiltier feel?    A resounding YES!!!  As Carrie said, it makes them Nap Worthy.  So true!

While at work this week I have had a persistent, distracting notion that I have not been able to get out of my head.  I keep thinking of the fabric group Patisserie by Fig Tree for Moda.  And how I need to make a quilt out of it.  As with most Fig Tree designs, it is lusciously beautiful.  It doesn't help that the fabrics are named after wonderful pastry concoctions that one would most certainly like to eat.  I haven't been able to get those images out of my head either and broke my diet today to eat a chocolate cupcake with mocha frosting.  I have no regrets.

But I digress.  I have been thinking of Patisserie, and the sad fact that I could only afford a jelly roll when the group came out.  What wonderful thing can I do with a single jelly roll that cost me $33?  What pattern might show off this lovely fabric line, even though I have such a meager amount of it?

What do you think?  This may be my answer!  I made three blocks as an experiment and like what I see.  A little framed nine patch block.  How sweet is that?

My only problem is that I wasn't paying strictly enough attention to the (extremely clear) cutting directions, and now I have to piece the nine patch blocks the old fashioned way--No strip piecing because I forged ahead and cut out all the little 2 1/4" squares.  Lesson learned:  Do not attempt cutting after work when you are half way into a glass of chardonnay.  I know better.

Any way, I love the fabric & love the pattern "Around the Block" from Heather Mulder Peterson's book On a Roll Again.

Garden Fences

A big thank you to all who shopped at my Tuesday Sale this week!  I hope that you love your selections when they arrive.  I've still got plenty more to sell, so check back next week!

The quilt above is the one I recently got out of hock from my favorite quilter.  It is an old pattern from Fig Tree called Garden Fences.  It is also in a book by Fig Tree called Hearth and Home Quilts.  The "fence" part is the teensy checkerboard squares that surround each block.  Thank goodness for strip piecing.  That would have been a lot of 1 1/2" squares!  The fabric was all from my stash.  I was proud of my machine applique effort (the circles).  If you are trying to teach yourself machine applique, those circles are a gentle introduction.

Now I need to get the binding on and give the quilt a wash.  Let's hope all my machine appliqued circles don't fall off!  lol 

Tell me, do you wash your quilts right away when they are finished?  Or do you prefer the flat newish look?  In the past, I have preferred the newness aspect, but recently was told that the "quiltier" look a quilt acquires after washing is the preference of many others.

The quilt top I have been working on for a certain Quilting Rock Star must be washed upon completion, it turns out.  The reason being that washing a quilt gives it a much more interesting look in photoshoots.  Also the quilting design shows up better after washing and makes for a more attractive appearance.  Isn't that fascinating?  Who knew?  What is your opinion?
 

Focus On What You Love

Those are 6 1/2 inch star blocks for a quilt I am making out of some Allspice Tapestry fabric by Fig Tree for Moda.  I started this project months ago and it has been sitting in a box all this time.  It's a shame too, because I really like this fabric and the pattern.  It makes me happy and deserves to be finished.  Why did I set it aside?  Because I got distracted by the latest new fabric groups and buying a gazillion jelly rolls and layer cakes.  Because I can't seem to concentrate on finishing something I have started, and set it aside to start three new projects.  The number of quilts in progress in my possession is frightening.  Lately they have been multiplying exponentially.

I have decided to focus more on the patterns and fabrics that really move me.  No more purchases made on a whim, no more trying to use fabric and patterns up just because they are sitting around.  I want to spend my money and my time on things that make me full of joy.  My buying is going to be a lot more circumspect and thoughtful from now on.  Impulse buying is a thing of the past.   I can hear my sister Kate laughing right now.  "Sure Nicki, I'll believe that when I see it".  But seriously, I am going to try.

This weekend, I organized my sewing room, partly because it was a total mess, and partly because I wanted to get a sense of what all is IN there taking up shelf space.  The main inspiration for this major tidying is because I am going to embark on a piecing project for a well known Quilting Diva, but I can't tell you too much about that just yet.  I had to clear the clutter, stow the books, box up the unfinished projects and fabric being auditioned for even more projects, and get ready to Concentrate.  This is a big deal to me and I want no distractions interfering with my stunt sewing.

After a number of hours poking around in the closet, drawers and bins, my discovery was that I own an awful lot of very nice fabric, bundles, BOMs, and kits that I won't be able to use if I do nothing but sew for the next 50 years.  Some of it I have lost the love for, but other things I just know in my heart that I won't get to. 

So here's the thing.  Every Tuesday for the next little while is going to be Shopping Day at Sister's Choice Quilts.   I will be offering kits, bundles, jelly rolls, fat quarter collections and more.  I will give good prices and hope that some of you friends out there may find something you love or that you can't find in the stores any more.  

I'm looking forward to providing some things that may stir your heart, and simplifying my quilting life at the same time. 

Weekend Table Runners

Did you have a good weekend?  Get any sewing done?  The weather was damp and dreary here, and it seemed like a much better idea to stay inside and sew rather than clean up the yard.  Spending time organizing my closets and tossing out some old clothes would have probably been more productive, but I am procrastinating on that particular chore.  My husband will be delighted when I finish that, because our bedroom is strewn with clothing that I can't decide to keep or set free.  It is such a good feeling when the seasons change to sort through things and eliminate the stuff you don't really need anymore.

And that goes for fabric too!

I had a jelly roll of Northern Sanctuary by Holly Taylor for Moda sitting around gathering dust, so I thought I would take action and make something out of it.  The fabric strips were brown, burgundy, green, blue, yellow, pink and cream.  I probably had enough to make three table runners, but I contented myself with two.  I used the yellow in one and the cream in the other.  Never did use the pink. 

The activity was productive in one sense--I got to practice my machine quilting.  I am so lousy at it.  I never do progress beyond "stitch in the ditch" and even that is clumsy looking.  With my income drastically reduced such as it is, I have to sharpen my machine quilting skills in order to economize somehow.  I used invisible thread on top and thread that matched the backing underneath.  My friend Lisa told me about a thread called King Tut, that she likes for machine quilting, but I don't know about it.  What do you all use?

I plan to give one runner to my dad and the other to a family friend to whom I owe a belated birthday gift.  The pattern is Heather Mulder Petersen's "Box Lunch" from her book, On A Roll Again. 

Maybe the closets didn't get sorted out, but I found a use for this fabric!