Sister's Choice Quilts

I Finished It!

Trace, a Little Bites pattern by Miss Rosies' Quilt Company.  I used High Street, a fabric collection by Lily Ashbury for Moda.  It went together fast, and I love the bright cheerful colors for summer.

The quilt measures about 22 1/2" square.  I am probably sewing the binding on it as you read this!  I love the small size for a table topper, but wouldn't a full size be amazing as well?  Larger blocks of course.  Carrie, how about a Little Bites Times Two book?

I got the blocks sewn together yesterday, and even quilted it myself.  All I have to say about that is--I suck at free motion quilting.  I practiced first, and am fairly good at straight line quilting, but when it comes to stippling or loops...Oh dear.  Not pretty.  But seriously, who would send out a 22 1/2 inch top for quilting?  Most quilters have a minimum charge of at least $45 for a job, so that is way pricey for an itty bitty top the size of a placemat.  I guess practice is the answer,and getting better at doing these small projects myself.  There is a gal named Leah Day who has a whole big series of YouTube videos instructing bone heads like me (or probably not as bone headed as me) how to free motion quilt.  She is amazing, you really need to check her out. I want to start at Video #1 and go step by step all the way to the end!

Throw Back Thursday

I've been working this week and don't have a current sewing related project to share, so I thought I would go back in time to May 2010 and share what was going on then.  Above, you see one of my all time favorite photos of Ozzie.  I can say that he is slightly less pesky now than he was then, but not much.  My goodness that dog craves attention.  He is still constantly in my face.

I had made the quilt above for Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company to take to Quilt Market in 2010.  It is called Shortline and is one of two versions of the quilt available in the pattern.  Fabrics used were Rouenneries from French General for Moda. The Chevron design is still very much au courant, and this pattern would be so lovely done in some of the bright modern prints available right now.  If I were to make it again, I would be tempted to experiment with one of the new linen fabrics for the lighter background.  Maybe a pale grey linen next to some brighter cottons for the zig zags.

This is the second version of the quilt, made with the one and half inch strips of a honey bun (or maybe two, I can't remember).  The fabric collection was Happy Camper by American Jane for Moda.  I had fun making both these quilts, and learned a lesson that going with smaller pieces truly does often give a wonderful effect. 

This quilt has the most amazing quilting, done by Diane Tricka.  Every white zig zag was quilting differently. 

Trace

How cute is this fabric line and pattern?  It all went together pretty quickly, but as you can see, I still need to sew the blocks together.   Pattern is a Little Bites by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company, and the fabric is High Street by Lily Ashbury.  I totally copied one of the versions of the pattern, right down to the fabric line.  It is so perfect for using on my table right now! 

The plan is to sew the blocks together, put on a narrow white border and do the quilting myself.  I will go with straight line diagonal stitching for the quilting I think.  Those colors just make me smile they are so cheerful!

You will have to search online to find any precuts of this line, but it can be done!  You can try eBay also.

Champagne and a Dancing Child

Champagne and a dancing child.  It doesn't get much better than this!

My weekend was lovely, and I sure hope yours was as well.  We had such a nice celebration on Saturday.  Several readers have inquired as to the nature of the happy occasion.  Irish wedding bells?  No, not that.  My sister had been laid off from a company she has worked for for 20 years, and we were celebrating the fact that she landed a great new position. 

Our meal, which consisted of a smoked turkey, a trio of stuffed vegetables, and a leek and goat cheese tart was excellent.  My sister brought dessert, which was a plum tart.  My sisters always make me wish I could bake, but my strengths lie elsewhere.

 

 

 

Trace and High Street

I just could not help myself.  With all the new Miss Rosie Little Bites patterns just released and the pile up of newly ordered charm packs coming to the door, I just had to start a new project.  The pattern I am using is Trace and the fabric collection is High Street by Lily Ashbury for Moda.  Aren't those colors yummy?  Thelma and Sinta just recently finished quilts using this fabric group, you should check it out, they are so pretty.

The pattern calls for 72 half square triangle units, and to spare myself the ordeal of drawing lines through all those squares, I chose to use the Angler 2.  Gosh, that is the best tool.  It saves so much time when you can just sew and not have to fool around drawing a gazillion lines.  I tried to take a photo of me making the units on my machine, but the lighting would not cooperate.  You get the idea of how it is done if you look at the package.  I find this method works best with smallish squares, although the packaage says it works with squares up to 7 3/4".

I always make a test block, and here is the first one, in orange.  You do have to trim the half square triangle units down to 2 inches, which takes a bit of time, but it sure does make things go together more accurately.  You don't trim much off, but in the end you have no wonky blocks and are not trying to fudge things into fitting together.  The squares go together like a dream.

 

And yesterday afternoon, I had all my little blocks sewn and pressed and trimmed!  I am making the middle version that you see on the pattern cover.

I am so excited that I am having house guests this weekend, who have a very good reason to celebrate something big in their lives, so today I will be tidying, grocery shopping and doing laundry.  We plan to smoke a turkey outside!  If I can, I will get pictures.  I had hoped to get all the blocks sewn together in the quilt top, but it may have to wait until next week.  Party first, sew second...

Have a grand weekend everyone!

Blah, More Typepad Issues

I am so sorry not to have been able to respond to your comments this week.  That is the whole point and fun of blogging as far as I am concerned.  Ever since Typepad was attacked again on Monday, I am not getting your comments to go to my email so I can respond.  Such a bummer.  I have submitted a help ticket and hopefully a solution will be found.

Meanwhile, check out these new patterns!  They are the new Little Bites patterns from Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  I want to make them all...

 There are some super new things coming out of Quilt Market, and I encourage you to go to YouTube to the Moda site to see some short videos of some of your favorite designer's booths.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee and be prepared to sit awhile!

Canned Pears

For those of you who couldn't see my post from yesterday or leave comments, it was due to a major Typepad issue.  Again.  They were down all day long.  Ever since they were hacked last month it has been one thing after another.  I had better type this and get it posted before it goes down again.

As you see, I have been doing a bit of sewing.  The little pear blocks go together pretty quickly once the units are all assembled.  There are four units that make up each block.  A leaf, a stem, a pear top and a pear bottom.  I have the day pretty free today so I should finish up all the blocks.  The lattice comes next and is such that the pear blocks are set in a staggered pattern.

The fabric collection I am using, Mirabelle, is more pastel than I ussually like.  This is going to be a very understated little quilt. 

Yesterday I went a bit nuts and ordered a ton of charm packs--15 different ones!  I have some cool mini quilts in mind, which I will share with you tomorrow.  Have any of you seen any blog posts or reports of Quilt Market?  There are so many wonderful new collections and patterns coming out.  I did spend some time yesterday watching a YouTube video of Moda's Schoolhouse, which was very fun.  Various designers show samples of some  of their current collections and projects, which is so interesting.  Edyta from Laundry Basket Quilts just blew me away.  Click on the link and check it out for yourself! 

These are examples of Edyta's style (photos I pulled off the internet).  She is known for combining print fabrics and batiks in the same quilt, usually with some applique thrown in as well, which these examples do not have. 

I want to be her when I grow up.

The quilt on the left is a Primitive Gatherings pattern called Pinwheel Garden.  It is only 22" x 28".  The pattern below is Starry Night by Laundry Basket Quilts.

 

Mini Patterns from Fig Tree

 

Over the weekend I downloaded four new mini patterns from Fig Tree Designs.  One is a mini version of the pear quilt I have been working on.  In addition, I got a mini pattern of sewing machines, a flower and cherries.  Each one is cute as can be and is teeny tiny (20 to 24 inches).  I am always looking for a small quilt on which to place a vase of flowers or a candle, and these will be super adorable.  The four patterns are newly released in the past week or so (after being introduced at Quilt Market) and are available for individual sale (pdf download or hard copy) or as a "bundle" for all four.  If you buy all four at once, there is a savings.  Here is the link if you want a closer look:  Mini Pattern Bundle.

You all are probably wondering just when  Nicole might be working on these since it is clear no sewing has been going on at her house lately.  I know, I know.  Things are busy this time of year.  There are all sorts of events happening, plus I made my annual physical and dental check up appointments, plus Eva was sick and I had to take her to the doctor and give her extra TLC, plus there is what I call yard work (planting container baskets on the porches) and a million other things calling to me for attention.  I seem to be working more lately at my part time job as well. 

Well, I will make some of these mini patterns, I swear I will.  Heaven knows I don't really need more full size quilts right now, and these fun little projects fit the bill as far as: 1) buying minimal amounts of fabric collections I am interested in, 2) getting a finished quilt in a very quick amount of time, and 3) I don't know what I was going to say for #3, but  I think minis are wonderful and I am going to make more of them.  Oh, I know, what #3 was:  I can quilt them myself since they are so teensy.  So there you go.

Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company has a slew of Little Bites patterns coming out (that is her version of mini quilts), as well as more Schnibbles patterns and full size patterns.  As soon as I get my hands on them I will share more information with you.  Everyone knows she is my favorite designer!

 

Rusty

Back in the day, I used to sew all my own clothes.  I made just about everything except underwear.  I even tried to make a bikini a couple of times.  (Nothing I could actually wear in public however--my estimate of my pattern size was way off in the swim suit category anyway).   At one point, every garment in my closet was something I had sewn myself, except maybe a pair of jeans.  I used to love garment sewing, and would avidly browse through the pattern books and sewing magazines.  When my son was born, I made little kimonos for him, and when he got older, I even made snap crotch overalls.  I made my sister's wedding gown, some beautiful tailored jackets, bathrobes for everyone in the family, and some very elaborate Halloween costumes.

That was a l.o.n.g. time ago.  I don't know what happened.  Fabric stores that specialized in garment fabrics started closing up, prices got higher and higher, and my life got busier.  Finally, it was more cost and time effective to just buy my own clothes.  I never went back to sewing my own clothing.  The love of sewing never went away, but quilting took the place of garment sewing for me.

So, imagine this---I got a notion to make my grand daughter Eva a little apron.  She loves cooking with me, and when she sees me put on an apron, she wants to wear one too.  I can accomodate that, but of course all my aprons are huge on her.  I've had this pattern for ages, and some very cute cupcake fabric, but for some reason, kept procrastinating about stitching it up.

Until yesterday!  I cut out the fabric and had that little apron finished in about an hour.  But, man, was I rusty!  Can you believe I had a complete brain fade on how to turn a narrow fabric tube inside out?  So silly.  It did come back to me, thank goodness.

Just so you don't worry about me, my schedule is kind of crazy this week, so I may not get to post as often as usual.  Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and have gotten your week off to a good start.

Closet Organizing

Well, this isn't actually my closet, but I did spend all day yesterday organizing my closet for the spring/summer season.  The funny thing about any closet organizing photos you find on the internet, is that whose ever closet it is, it only seems to have maybe 24 clothing items.  That definitely is not the case in my situation.  I have loads of clothes.  I do try to cull out the things I haven't worn in a few years, and toss items that are stained or don't fit. Now things are paired down, and I actually have space between my hangers, and can get a fix on what is in there to wear.

I was very pleased at the end of my effort, as I did compile a nice pile of items for donations, and reorganized the items I do plan to wear this season.  The most fun aspect of closet reorganiztion is rediscovering items that are super cute that you kind of forgot about.

I recently was reminded of a technique to help you decide what to toss at the end of a season.  Put your hangers backward on the rod.

Like that.  Ok, so as the season progresses, if you choose a clothing item to wear, hang it back up with the hanger going in the normal direction.  At the end of the season, any hangers still facing backwards are items that you did not wear and might want to consider donating or tossing.  Brilliant, don't you think?

Do you keep clothes in three different sizes?  Your Fat Clothes, your Thin Clothes, the Clothes that actually Fit Right Now? Yup.  Been there, done that.  I am here to tell you, pack the Fat Clothes, and the Thin Clothes into boxes and either donate them or store them.  Do not let them take up valuable real estate in your closet.  Believe me, and I speak from experience, when you lose weight and go back to wear those Thin Clothes that finally fit again, they will be out of style and funny looking and you won't want to wear them after all.  With a few exceptions.  And if you go back to having to wear your Fat Clothes...well, I do not know what to say, except I am sorry.

In your closet, only keep the clothes that fit, that flatter, and that are on trend right now.  If you cull out the things that don't fit, the things that need repair, the things that are stained, you will be left with a basic collection of things that are appropriate to wear right now.  With things paired down, you can see what you need:  dark wash jeans, more basic cardigans, dressy pants, a new dress... whatever.  Try, it and you'll see!  What I discovered is that I have a ton of lovely "Work Clothes" that would be amazing in an office environment.  In my "Country Style" life now, those work clothes are never going to get worn again.  As beautiful as they are, those jackets, dress pants and silk blouses would be better used if I donated them to an organization like Dress For Success that helps women find employment and self sufficiency.