Sister's Choice Quilts

Sneak Peak at Stunt Sewing Project

This is the quilting design that the fabulous Debbie Thornton at Prairie Queens chose for the quilt I made for my favorite quilt celebrity Rock Star.  Don't you love the design of high heeled pumps on the fabric Objects of Desire?  OMG, this quilt is seriously adorable.  I can't say too much more about it now, but this is going to be part of a very Hot Project for a major quilt publishing company.  Great things are worth waiting for!  Trust me on this one girls.

I finished my other stunt sewing project for Fig Tree and got the top Priority Mailed yesterday.  Very tight deadline on that one, whew!  Precision Piecing.  Now the quilter has the tight deadline, not me!  This fabric line, Mill House Inn, designed by Joanna Figuera will be out sometime late this summer I am guessing.  It has some wonderful tones of bittersweet, coral, brown, cool greens and soft blues.  You will love this group, every single piece of it, so start saving your pennies so you can buy a bundle!  Check out her blog, she has some peeks of it.

Shingles are almost gone, you have to look hard to see where they were.  I win the prize for the mildest case ever (vaccine induced).  But thank goodness for cover up.  I look like a fairly normal person, if you don't notice the crazed look in my eyes.  Which was largely brought on by major glitches with PayPal yesterday.  They were mainly self-induced I guess, but what a mess I made of things.  First off, I neglected to check Inventory Control, which meant that folks were not told if an item had sold when they placed their order.  I managed to sell Vintage Reserve twice and Red Hats three times.  My face is sure red over that one.  How embarrassing.  There goes my cred as a good merchant.  I thought I had that figured out after some tinkering, but then when anyone went to buy something they were told it was sold out, even if it wasn't.  Good grief.  Nothing was selling, so I marked down all the prices.  (big laugh on me).  Some good souls alerted me to the fact that things were amiss, and I was able to correct things and get it all sold.  Thank you for your patronage and for your patience.  I promise next week will be smoother and I will have more good stuff!

Hey, guess what?  I am leaving for a retreat tomorrow!!!!  We are going up to the monastery again, where they treat us like we are super special.  (Which we are, just not everyone sees that right off the bat).  Gettin' away from the stress and the dogs and the responsibilities of stunt sewing.   I should have wonderful photos of all the gal's projects on Monday! 

Working From Home

I was not able to go to work today.  On Friday I had an appointment with my doctor for my annual check up.  I am doing pretty well--weight is acceptable, blood pressure a teensy bit high, and cholesterol needs attention.  Nothing major.  Lucky me.  At the end of the appointment, my doctor said "You know, Nicole, they have come out with a vaccination for shingles.  I am recommending it to all my patients of a certain age.  Would you like to have one today?"  Well, as a person who has had major issues with cold sores all her life, I was very excited to think that I may be spared the gruesome effects of shingles, which is a related virus.  I agreed to the shot and that was that.

Until Saturday.  When I developed a patch of shingles on my face.  Now, it is very mild, hasn't spread, and is now just a little red patch, with no active blisters.  Just a little reaction to the vaccine.  I took my acycolvir, which probably totally counteracted the effect of the vaccine, but at least the patch hasn't spread and was lessened considerably in its severity.

Herein lies the problem.  Shingles is related to chicken pox as well as the common cold sore virus.  A person with shingles can't give shingles to someone else, and the virus is not spread by sneezing, coughing, saliva etc.  But, and this is a major BUT, a person with shingles (no matter how mild a case) can give chicken pox to someone who has not had that disease. They would have to get pretty intimate with the shingles blisters, but it could happen.  Weird, I know, but no joke.

So, in all good conscience, I fessed up to the folks at work and said I had a mild case of shingles and had to stay home for a couple of days.  It is now Wednesday (five days after the vaccine) and my doctor says I am no longer contagious, and am perfectly fine to go back to work.  Three of my colleagues at work have never had chicken pox, and were greatly alarmed that I might give it to them if I came back to work too soon.   They threatened to stay home from work themselves if I set foot in the place, doctor's ok or not.  I caused quite a little stir at the work place with my over cautious co-workers.  Just call me Typhoid Mary.

So, I am missing the entire week of work (and the pay I desperately need) and am stuck at home with a little fading red patch on my face. 

I put the time to good use though, and worked on my Wuthering Heights quilt top.  The pattern is Summerwinds by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  You start with a center medallion and keep adding borders until the quilt is around 76" square.  I have two borders to go:  a border of stars and a border of squares and rectangles.  Watch me, I could finish this up tomorrow if I work hard.

On the Tuesday Sale front, I didn't sell everything yesterday (major PayPal issues), and have reduced the prices on what I have left.  You can still purchase if you are interested.  No foreign buyers please-- postage is a killer.

Welcome To My Sweat Shop, I Mean My World

It was a gorgeous weekend here in Northern California, or so I am told.  I wouldn't know any thing about that because I spent every minute inside sewing on my celebrity stunt sewing gig.  You see, as honored as anyone would be to be asked to sew for a major figure in the quilting world, the assignment usually comes with a very short deadline.  And if you have any sort of life outside of sewing, like work, or dogs, or a family who likes clean laundry and a hot meal at the end of the day, this can be a challenge.

My husband rose to the challenge and promised to plant the two flats of annuals I recently bought, plus to be responsible for all our meals until this project is over.  For the Gratitude Journal:  give thanks for a supportive husband.

The star block above is a unit in the blocks I am assembling for the current project.  The center unit of each block.  The fabrics are a joy to work with and are part of the latest Fig Tree design called Mill House Inn, due to be released sometime after Spring  Quilt Market.  Don't tell me I never gave you any major scoops, friends!  These fabrics are To.Die.For.  Hot off the boat from the Korean fabric mills, where Moda fabric comes from, if you didn't know.

 

The responsibility of sewing a quilt top that may well be seen at Spring Market, is an onerous one.  I am thrilled, but at the same time, scared to death that anyone might find my piecing wanting.  The points need to line up perfectly, not a thread's width off.  Let me just say that my seam ripper and I are very close. 

Better get back to it....

Oh, be sure and check back tomorrow for my Tuesday Sale.  The theme will be Bundles!  Store opens at 8:00 AM Pacific Time.

I Know What I'll Be Doing This Weekend...

I have my fabric all cut out for my top secret sewing mission, and placed into carefully labeled baggies.  Hmmm, there are a lot of pieces here to sort out.  For each block, I need to choose one back ground fabric and three different colored fabrics to form the pattern.  My biggest decision is whether to work on individual block units (stars, flying geese, etc) and get those all done, or just tackle one entire block at a time.  What would you do?

On the Ozzie and Sophie front, things are going well.  They have been playing nicely, even when they "play fight".  They tussle around on the ground, taking turns being on the bottom, play growling, and displaying lots of teeth in a fakey sort of way.  If the game shows any sign of not being fun anymore for either of them, we stop it and separate them.  Sometimes they just lie quietly next to each other and play kissy-face.  I never seem to be able to get a picture of it though!

Have a great weekend everyone!

A New Mission

 

I have been asked to take on another celebrity stunt sewing mission, for someone known for her beautiful fabric designs and creative patterns.  I am not permitted to say too much about the project, but have permission to give you little sneak peeks of my assignment. 

The fabric for my project arrived yesterday and in it, there is a sea foam green colorway that is somewhat of a departure from this artist's usual palette.  My early morning photo doesn't do the fabric total justice, but I think you can see that it is elegant and soothing and ever so beautiful.

This project has a tight deadline, and will require my complete attention for the next 10-14 days.  Yes, I did say 10-14 days.  Gulp.  Now I know how people in the Quilting World feel when they have to do nothing but sew night and day to get ready for Market.  Be careful what you wish for, right?  Just kidding.  This is a dream come true to for me!!!!

Stay tuned for more teensy peeks at what I am working on!

A Bit of Sewing, A Bit of Shopping

It was a perfect weekend, with time for sewing, time for shopping, and time socializing with the family.  I worked on the blocks for the quilt I am making out of the Patisserie jelly roll.  I would have finished them I think, but I made a discovery that bummed me out, so I quit.  Remember me saying that when I was cutting out the fabric it was after work and after half a glass of chardonnay?  And how I cut all my 2 1/2 inch squares instead of leaving them in strips so I could strip piece them?  I discovered that I also cut some of my green block surrounds a quarter inch too short.  I had to order fat quarters of the three that I had ruined so I would have enough green in the quilt top.  Honestly.

Remember in high school in Drivers Ed how they would show movies of people who had had just a teensy bit of alcohol and how it affected their driving?  They would give these poor schmucks one beer and see how they did on an obstacle course.  Even with a minimum of alcohol their coordination and judgment was impaired and they all knocked down the obstacle course cones.  So you think you are just fine after a tiny bit of beer or wine?  Hah. 

It is the same with sewing friends, don't drink and drive your Bernina.  Or even worse, don't drink and use your rotary cutter.  That is a disaster waiting to happen.  I didn't cut myself, but I sure did make a lot more mistakes that I normally do when I am cutting out fabric.  Lesson learned.

I ordered a bit of something from Fatquartershop.com a week ago.  I just couldn't resist these green batiks.  They are the prettiest sagey color with darker brown contrast.  No clue what to do with them, but they are getting a lot of petting while I mull it over.

Hope you will check in tomorrow for my third Tuesday Sale.  I will post at 8:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time.  There might be something there for you!

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?
 

Wine and Friends

Aren't these coral roses just the prettiest color?  I wanted to do something a little different this weekend when we had company.  Coral isn't a color I wear or decorate with, but I think I may have been missing something.  It all started with our kitchen table, which we have had for over 30 years.  It is showing many signs of, shall we say, "good use".  I wanted something to cover up the rings, scratches, and scorch marks, and thought a table cloth might be in order.  I found a pretty coral colored April Cornell table cloth at a local shop and brought it home with me.  While I was at Costco buying groceries I spied the perfect bunch of coral roses.  Two coral colored pillar candles later, and my table scape evolved.

The dinner I made was Italian, with the recipes coming from Giada di Laurentis' cookbooks.  My appetizer was white bean puree (just like hummus) with pita toasts.  I called them toasts, but my family said they were burned.  Harumph.  I made her Chicken Marsala with Marscapone, and served it over fettuccine.  On the side was an Italian version of Caesar salad, but the dressing recipe was strange.  "Never put more than one tablespoon of Dijon mustard into anything" is the lesson I learned there.  Dessert was raspberries over Hagen Das vanilla ice cream.   I think I give myself a grade of B for this effort.  Not my best, but at least the entree was good.  Here is a recipe for the Chicken Marsala.  Just cut back on the mustard.

This is a book I bought recently that I have yet to try any recipes from.  Doesn't the concept look fun though?  Lots of suggestions for just the right wine to serve with your food.  All the recipes come from Cooking Light magazine.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.  I sewed like a sweat shop worker on my secret project.  Got to get it to the quilter ASAP.  It is turning out pretty cute in spite of my worries that the backgrounds were too busy.

Check back tomorrow for my second Tuesday Sale!  I plan to post at 8:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time.  Good stuff!

Sneak Peek and Tentative Truce

Interesting comments to yesterday's post on the low tech way to do laundry.  So many of you have the same memories as I do.  One woman said that we must have had the same grandma, her recollections were so identical to mine.  We always wondered what happened to Uncle Roger, maybe this is a clue?  He disappeared back in the 50's and some folks speculated he ran off and started a new family.  Maybe he secretly turned up and had Grandma watch his new kids?  Actually I believe he ended up in the Detroit River, as a victim of foul play, but that is a story for another day.

Here is a sneak peek at something fun-

I mentioned that I was going to be doing some sewing for a well known Quilt Diva.  Well that moniker was a terrible choice of words, and I do apologize.  This lovely person is FAR from being a temperamental drama queen.  She is more of a Quilting Rock Star, as Lisa calls her.  She is cool, funny, wildly talented, and super nice.  The fabrics above are called Objects of Desire by Sandy Gervais for Moda.  It is so much fun to work with these bright, sunny, cheerful fabrics, and the fact that there is a shoe motif running through the collection is just my thing.  I am on a bit of a deadline for her though, so I have been working on this project and can't show you too much of it just yet.

Here is something I can talk about and that would be my dogs Ozzie and Sophie.

We did speak to the professional trainer, who turned us down.  She said some dogs are hard wired to be a certain way, and were untrainable.  My husband refuses to accept that and has been working with the two dogs constantly since he returned from his trip.  He is determined that this behavior can be modified.  We have not had any repeats of the fight that I experienced while he was gone, but I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.  We never leave the dogs alone together unsupervised and have upped the exercise and play time to tire them out.  For now, we have a sort of truce going on.

I believe that body language tells so much about people, and my theory holds for dogs as well.  That is Sophie on the left with a yellow tee shirt in her mouth.  She had pulled it out of the laundry basket and was capering all around the bedroom with it in her mouth.  Ozzie was running about with her, joining in the game.  But, look at the way he pulls slightly away from her.  He is a bit uneasy.  Wary, if you will.  He also doesn't have his happy face on.  Sophie looks playful, but there is a challenging expression on her face, don't you think?

Well, I have a busy weekend ahead.  Sewing for the QRS and a casual dinner party to plan. If I get a chance, I will even replant some of my big pots with summer annuals.   Hope all the rest of you have a super good one!