Sister's Choice Quilts

Mercantile Sew Along

Today I'd like to tell you about a new sew-along that Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet is doing. It is called Mercantile and features a new fabric line of Lori's as well as a gazillion of her products and notions. There will be two blocks a week, with tutorials on her blog site. The sew-along starts this week and ends in April. As you see, the quilt is in her typical style: very cute, kind of vintage, with that 30s feed sack vibe she is known for. 

Let's talk about the first block, Birthday Cake, which I think is adorable (Photo from Lori's website). First, you make the cakestand block, then frame it with the background fabric. Next, you cut your block into a circle, using Lori's special circle template, and sew it to Lori's brand of interfacing. Turn the piece inside out and press to form the circle. Last, applique the circle to four print squares you have sewn together. As a final step, you trim the block down to size using Lori's special trim up ruler. That's a lot of steps, right? The resulting quilt is amazing, but for me, it's a bit too busy. And the amount of fabric required is staggering.

Don't get me wrong, I am susceptible to suggestion more than the average person and I considered buying the kit for about five minutes. The kit costs $260 and weighs contains about 30 pounds of fabric. Lori is a marketing genius and has created rulers, trim tools, applique templates, design boards, fabric "clappers", seam guides, thread to match her fabrics, and about a thousand other products that may make your sewing experience more fun and accurate. I have bought a lot of her products and do enjoy many of them. But honestly? If you are going to make this quilt and buy all the suggested products/notions this project will cost you a LOT of money. That being said, the block patterns are free on her website!

So here's my plan. I am going to make the blocks with the fabric and tools I have on hand and see what happens. I am not going to cut my blocks into circles and applique them onto yards of additional fabric. I am thinking of using several different neutral backgrounds and a diagonal setting and perhaps a pieced border.

As you can see, I have purchased plenty of Lori Holt fabric and it is hard to justify buying more when I have so much on hand. 

Are any of you doing this sew-along? The first block came out Jan. 29 and the second one will be on her website this Friday Feb.2. Are you planning to do the project as Lori suggests or are you a rebel like me and plan to switch things up? 

 

Blueberry Delight and Apple Sauce

It seems as if there are an awful lot of food references in quilting, don't you agree? The whole layer cake, honey bun, jelly roll thing, and so many patterns and fabric collections have food names. I wonder why we are so food-obsessed? At any rate, I finished my 8 Courthouse Steps paper pieced blocks for the Petit Four (there we go again) project. The fabric collection I am using is called Blueberry Delight by Bunny Hill.

The paper piecing was super simple and went extremely fast. The whole confusing backwards issue that you find in some paper piecing is not a factor in these blocks at all. The paper pads Fatquartershop makes for foundation piecing make the whole process very simple. They are even shaded so you don't get mixed up where the background or print fabric is supposed to go.

I am also making good progress with my Apple Sauce blocks. This is a pattern by BasicGrey, and I am using three of their collections: Persimmon, Nutmeg, and Cider. Good grief, with the food names. I am stalled with these at the moment because I need more of the teal solid fabric, which is on its way to me in the mail.

I got so many comments from you yesterday! Gosh, who knew I just need to whine about not hearing from people, and look what happens. Seriously though, getting some sort of reaction to a blog post that takes time and effort to produce is very gratifying. I enjoy writing this blog as a journal of my quilting and life, but interacting with readers is what makes it fun and worthwhile. I love hearing from you and do my best to answer your comments. Anyway, it was very nice to hear from so many readers.

Look for a book review post Friday. I must be sewing more than I am reading because I didn't read all that much in September, but I will tell you about what I did enjoy. 

Can't believe it is nearly the weekend again. Where is this month going?

Frustrating Sewing Day

I have a ton of BasicGrey fabric leftover from my Sampler Spree project and wanted a pattern that would use some more of it up. I have a pattern in mind, created by BasicGrey, called Apple Sauce.
I think the block that is featured is really unusual and wanted to test it out before I launch into making 25 of them.


That block is so interesting, don't you think? So I made one up and it came out just awful!

So, this is just unacceptable. Nearly every single point of the dark blue flying geese units is cut off! Then I tried a second block, and a third one, following the cutting and sewing instructions to the letter. Every one of them turned out the same!

I got out my never-fail 501 Rotary Cut Quilt Block book by Judy Hopkins to see if I could find that block or one that was similar. Sure enough, I did. I compared the cutting directions and sure enough again, the measurements to make the block in the 8-inch size were slightly different than in the BasicGrey pattern.  Specifically, the measurements to make the solid flying geese "sky" triangles were different. (Units D/E in the book illustration).

This is basically the same block as Apple Sauce, but you just need to flip the direction of the flying geese unit around and add corner squares to the center unit "B". I made it according to the book's instructions, and my fourth test block came out without cut-off points. 

I didn't bother to square this block up nicely since I won't be using it, but look: all the solid red points are good and won't be lost in the seam allowance.

I sent BasicGrey an email asking for tips or if they had pattern corrections, but who knows if anyone will answer me? 

Have any of you made this BasicGrey Apple Sauce pattern? Is there some trick to not cutting off those points in the block? I have found a workaround for the problem by using the instructions in my Judy Hopkins book, but man, it is frustrating to spend $10-12 on a quilt pattern and have the block instructions not be right.

Etoiles Rouges, and Using Up My French General Stash

I have a couple of new projects to share with you this week. It recently came to my attention that a year-long sew-along started a couple of years ago called Etoiles Rouges. The block-of-the-week program offered 49 blocks, all Ohio Star variations. The program ended but was so popular, it has been offered again. For $25 you can get all the block patterns, work at your own pace, and make this gorgeous quilt.

I spent my $25 and got the whole year's worth of patterns, plus tutorials for making some of the more difficult blocks.

Feel free to enlarge this image to get a better look at the block patterns. Most of the blocks are pretty easy, but some of them are very challenging. That one on the left in my photo above had mitered corners. I mastered them, but I sure did need to take my time! What a striking and unusual block.

I have a great French General stash on hand, and I bet a lot of you do as well. What a wonderful project to use up all that fabric! I am in no rush to finish this quilt, but in spite of that, I made five blocks this weekend! There is a Facebook group where supposedly people share their blocks, but I cannot seem to get the attention of the site administrator to approve my request to join it. 

Let me know in the comments if any of you have made this gorgeous quilt, or if you might like to sew along with me. We can compare notes on some of the trickier blocks and encourage one another!

Here's my girl, after receiving her On A Roll award. It was pajama day at school, that is why she is dressed like that. It was a fun (but long) program honoring the kids who have worked hard to achieve a good grade point average.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

 

Storing Patterns in Binders

A couple of you asked me about how I store my patterns in binders. It all started with the first Sewcialites Sew Along. Fat Quarter Shop offered a Sewcialites binder for storing all the printed free patterns for the project. I loved the idea and bought it.

I've been storing recipes that I print off the internet in binders for years, so I don't know why I didn't think to store my sew-along printouts in them as well. Inside my Sewcialites binder, I have the printed patterns from a couple of other sew alongs. I quickly ran out of room in just one binder. Now I have four binders that I have purchased from Amazon and Staples. With all the free patterns I printed out for the Moda Blockheads sew-alongs, you can believe I filled up several binders quickly.


It is becoming a lot more common these days to purchase PDF files of quilt patterns online and print them out yourself. There is usually no monetary savings in doing that, but at least you have immediate access to the pattern and don't have to wait for it to come in the mail. I had a ton of Pattern Basket patterns that were just sitting in a stack. With a hole punch and a binder, you can organize them in a jiffy.


Which is exactly what I did last weekend when I wanted to make this cute heart table runner I saw somewhere. The pattern "Let's Play Hearts" is by Atkinson Designs. You can purchase it online, print it out, and make the runner in a few hours. Instant gratification.


Binders are a great way to organize your free printouts from sew alongs, as well as PDF files of patterns you purchase online. I can't tell you how many times I have bought a PDF pattern twice because I couldn't find the original one I bought in my computer files. 

How do you organize your printouts and purchased patterns?

 

 

 

 

 

How's It Going? It's Going

We are making some changes in my father's domestic arrangements that we hope will make things more comfortable and accessible for him. We have set up a television in his bedroom for one thing. Along with a comfortable armchair. One of my sisters ordered a smaller "adjustable bed" for him. He can raise the head of the bed up for a more comfortable sitting position, which hopefully will also enable him to sleep better. So far, he doesn't seem super impressed, but we have our fingers crossed that these improvements will help him recover from his recent fall. My other sister is taking him to see his doctor today, and it will be so helpful to have her evaluation. We are thinking we need to hire a caregiver to come in daily to help with hygiene matters and other things.

How about some fun quilt-related content?

This pattern, "Lady Tulip" is by Laundry Basket Quilts. I bought it, not to make the quilt as pictured, but for the block patterns contained in it. I seem to make so many sampler quilts lately, that it is nice to have options for other blocks if I don't care for the ones offered in the sew-along. These blocks are all 6", except for the one in the center, obviously.

I recently bought this new Lori Holt book, "Scrappiness is Happiness", which has 32 ideas for scrappy quilt projects. Who doesn't love a scrappy project?

Lastly, I picked up this book by Anna Dineen called "You've Got a Point", which looked intriguing.

I haven't bought this one yet, but I will, just for the quilt on the cover. It is the latest from Red Crinoline Quilts, "Tucked Away Treasures".

If I ever have a chance to start a new project, there are plenty of ideas here!

Hope you are all having a good week. Wish me luck with my dad. I'm up to care for him this Friday through Sunday.

Sewcialites Block #33, Not.

Last week was the release of the Sewcialites Sew Along Block #33, which was a sewing machine. It was cute I suppose, but to me, it didn't fit in very well with the other blocks. So I decided to substitute in something else that I felt was more in keeping with the style of the other blocks. It was super easy. Nothing but 1 1/2" finished half square triangles (2" unfinished). My block is 6" finished.

I did not make this block in the photo above. This block #33 was on the Fat Quarter Shop blog Jolly Jabber and was made by "Sue". Not by me. It is adorable, just not for me in this quilt.

The block I did substitute in is called "Whirlpool" and is from the Comfort and Blessings Sew Along sponsored by Pieces from the Past last year. Here it is in my finished quilt block from that fun project.

I have made it a habit to always save the block patterns from sew-alongs I have participated in. You would be surprised how often the occasion arises when you want to switch out a block or need an idea for a block for a project. Those previously made blocks really do come in handy!

Thanks so much for all your kind words yesterday. I really appreciate it. I know I am not the only person who has had a lot on their plate over the past year and a half. There is nothing unique about my situation, and in fact, I realize I am far more fortunate than many others. Still, it has been hard! And so nice of you all to extend your kind thoughts and prayers.

Patterns From The Pattern Basket

The Pattern Basket patterns are always so good.  Have you ever tried any?  The designer, Margot Languedoc is known for her fall pumpkin quilt patterns, which are adorable.  She does birds really well too! Do check out her website to see all the wonderful patterns she has for sale, both in paper and in pdf format.

I recently bought two new ones, one of them is "Maple",which is shown above.  I want to do some kind of table runner in deep rich fall colors.  I have a layer cake that I think would be perfect.  It is an older one by Deb Strain that I have had around for a few years.  It would be so pretty for Thanksgiving.

This is the other pattern I got:

This is "Sunkissed". If you want to see this pattern made up beautifully, check this link to Thelma's blog to see what she did with it.  It is pretty spectacular. The block looks so simple to piece, with no seams to match up.  

That's all I have for today.  104 again, and luckily we kept our power all day.  No rolling blackout, as was threatened.  Homeschool went well.  We bought a globe and are learning the continents and oceans. Hope it is a heck of a lot cooler wherever you are.

More Jelly Roll Books and Patterns

Didn't we have a nice conversation about jelly rolls and sources for patterns and books to instruct us how to use them?  Thank you so much to everyone who chimed in to mention their favorites.

As far as I am concerned, I am flabbergasted that I neglected to mention Kim Brackett and her amazing books that offer extraordinary patterns for using 2 1/2" strips.  I own two of Kim's books and have made at least three quilts from them.  Her designs are innovative and interesting and come with extremely clear instructions.  I love Kim's books and am embarrassed they didn't come to mind first!  

I also own a Moda book called "On A Roll", which I admit I haven't used, but upon further examination has wonderful designs by well known Moda designers who use 2 1/2" strips to make beautiful quilt designs.

This is a new pattern I got recently, and it does call for a jelly roll.  I bought yardage, not a jelly roll, so it remains to be seen if I will be making the entire quilt as shown.  I may shorten it up considerably and make a table runner out of it.  It would be striking at Christmas with a nice floral arrangement in the center section.

The Pattern Basket patterns are excellent for using pre-cuts.  Layer cakes seem to be the pre-cut of choice for many of the patterns, but so many of them do work with jelly rolls.  I did order several for immediate download, but my printer is on the fritz, so I could not print them out to show you.  Check out the website for yourself.

This has been a week and a half, and it is only Tuesday as I write this.  We are getting started with the year's homeschooling materials and routine.  To be honest, I am feeling pretty overwhelmed.  Everything is new and different.  We stopped by the charter school which is monitoring Eva's homeschool progress for the year and came home with a Chromebook (which isn't working) and about 80 pounds of textbooks and teacher manuals.

Eva has to be pre-tested to assess her math level.  We just stuck our toe in and did less than five minutes of the pre-test and had to stop.  Eva knows her addition and subtraction and is pretty good with multiplication and division, but this assessment was a speed test!  Eva had about six seconds to come up with her answer to each simple addition problem and completely froze up when she had to respond.  I felt so sorry for her!  She was a total deer in the headlights.  "8 plus 3"?  "Uhhh..."  It was a disaster.

We stopped the test and I made flashcards and we worked on speed answers.  We will see how it goes!

Anyway, things are kind of hectic around here, and there is definitely no sewing happening.

Thanks for all your wonderful participation in the comments!  You all are carrying the blog for me right now!

New Project Idea for January

I am thinking of doing this project for January.  The pattern, "By Thy Hands January", by Buttermilk Basin is a combination of patchwork and wool applique.  It is a small size, as you can see, and would work wonderfully as a seasonal table topper or candle mat. I am so interested in doing some smaller projects that incorporate handwork, so this might fit the bill.  The pattern appealed to me because it is largely cotton fabric patchwork, but incorporates the handwork of the wool appliqued snowman. It is a great size for a countertop display or small table vignette with the addition of a candle or other seasonal decor item.

My days lately have been filled with such mundane activities, such as dental appointments, child care, and household tasks.  I am so looking forward to some free-for-me time where I can start a project, make a good start on it, and see some progress.

I have a very nice wool collection and have some wonderful patterns.  I can easily get something started.  I spent an hour or so yesterday watching YouTube videos on wool applique and am excited to start something.  Shabby Fabrics has some excellent video instructions.

Do you do wool applique?  Where do you purchase your supplies?  I found myself in need of some white wool for the snowman for the project pictured above and wasn't sure where to begin looking.  One thing that was recommended to me was an applique pressing mat.  Are you familiar with that?  Do you think it is worth it for wool applique?