Sewing Cafe-Retirement Pillow Project

 Judy A(student of sewing cafe) came up with this brilliant gift idea.

A Pillow made from men's ties.

Her brother retired recently after 40 years of teaching.  What was the first thing on his retirement agenda but to get rid of all of his ties.  Judy scooped them up to make this memorable gift.  

She opened them all up and then crazy quilted them on to a muslin backing.

Once she had the front complete I went through my fabric stash to find these complimentary cording and backing pieces. So masculine right?

Easy project, Great gift!

Beach Quilt Completed

Perhaps you have forgotten about my quilting/home decor project?

There were certainly times this winter when I had, but I am determined to finish some of my current projects, before adding any more to the list.  

Like most projects it started with a dream, a dream to have a summer quilt that reflected  the coastlines from which Chuck and I hail from....Florida and California respectively.

It began with this pattern.

I am a sucker for stars, diamonds, and lots and lots, of small pieces

I collected fabrics for over a year.  Batiks that reflected the sea and sand.

It all finally culminated in this....

It reminds me of beach glass

I did the top quilting myself with a simple orange peel pattern.
The large overlapping circles reminds me of drops on water.
I marked the pattern with a frixion pen and stitched it using my walking foot on my Bernina

I love the backing, a warm cream with swirls of sand on it.

What inspires your quilting?
A place?
A pattern?
A fabric?
A friends quilt? 

Charity Quilt #1 - Half Square Triangle Overload

Thrilled does not even begin to describe my feelings about this quilt and the ladies who participated in its creation.  

I am impressed by the quality of stitching in every block.  

Peg and I had no difficulty in assembling the blocks into this soothing quilt because each block was properly squared...no small feat for half square triangle units.

Now that its assembled it will be sent off to Tina who will be quilting it for us on her new long arm machine.  I cannot wait to see what she decides to with it.  

It reminds me of ocean waves, which I hope will provide some comfort to the family that receives it.

Thanks to all the helping hands.  I am already looking forward to our next one:D

For information on the pattern we used see this post

Denim Floor Mats

Today I made a bra for my mother....which I cannot share with you....because that just seems a little weird, but once that was done I completed a project that has been kicking around in the back of my head for years....literally.  

Do you have projects like that?  

This one began with an article in Martha Stewart Living magazine.  Before the regular use of the internet I would clip articles out of magazines and file them...yes I know...file them under subject.  

This article went into my home dec. file and was for making a rug using strips of denim from old jeans and was described like this :

 "This fluffy rug, so welcoming to bare feet, is made from hundreds of strips of denim. The frayed edges in shades of blue, gray and white create subtle modulations in color"

Denim Fringe Floor Mat from recycled jeans

Not being sure if I would like it enough to sew "hundreds" of denim strips to make an entire floor rug, I opted to try it out on a few floor mats for the back of our jeep.

My floor mats measure 18 x 20 and required 3 pant legs each. 

Torn denim strips

These are so easy to make and so worth the mindless sewing.  Put some good music on, invite a friend over or watch an old movie while you stitch denim strips...for that matter do all three.  

Denim floor mat in situ:)

We are in total rug love here in the studio.....seriously Chuck wants them in our bathroom because it is "welcoming to bare feet"  Peg is ripping jeans as I type( no doubt) to make some as gifts for the kids, and I am mesmerized by the " subtle color modulation" 

Do you "file" projects or "pin" ?

Have you completed any stalled projects lately? 

Craftsy Block of the Month - May

I am all caught up with my Craftsy blocks of the month now...Hurray!

I can't believe I have 10 completed blocks and they are all very bright and colorful.  Its been fun working with these colors and exploring some new techniques. 

 I really recommend this class if you would like to expand your sewing skills, learn to quilt, or play with color. 

This block is called "Modern Log Cabin"  Sewn in the traditional manner of a log cabin block but adding the background fabric between the color strips as well as changing the width as you move around the block.

Reminds me of the Polariod blocks that Rachel did over at Stitched in Color....which I really like and hope to get to do one day.

This 2nd block is called "Wonky Log cabin" which uses the same techniques as crazy quilting but you do not use a foundation fabric, you simply sew strips around a center medallion until you have a piece of fabric that is larger than your required block size and than true her up.

Looking forward to seeing what June has to offer 

To the Beach Quilt Stat!

My goal for many years now has been to have seasonal bedding.  In Wisconsin that means winter and summer, and summer is really more like an extended spring, which is why we still need quilts on our beds. 

The first quilt I made for our bed was definitely for winter, but I have yearned to lighten the palette for the spring and summer months, make something that felt resort like. Chuck is from Florida and the thing he misses the most about his home state....the beaches

Now I understand why. 

 This looks warm and inviting whereas in my home state of California we have.....

Rocky beaches with cold dark water and vicious currents.

Feel free to scroll back up to that Floridian beach to help you get over the chill that has just set in before you continue to the actual quilt project.

Charlotte Angotti

This is the pattern I am using as my launching point.  It is called "The Natural" by Charlotte Angotti.

The pattern is for a 60 x 72" quilt but I need it for a queen bed with a very deep mattress.

This change in size required adding a pattern repeat horizontally and vertically.

If  I did my math correctly the quilt will require 265 half square triangle units and 144 four patch units!

It took 2 sessions to get all my strips and squares cut from my batik scraps but don't these colors remind you of the sea?

  

My set up at the machine for sewing the half square triangle units.  After I have sewn a dozen or so, I cut press and square.

My first batch!  Does this say beach to you?  This is the exciting part about quilting, when you see your color choices come together.  Now I am anxious to do more, but for now it's back to capes, cowls and alterations

My plan is to do 30 minutes a day of piecing, which should get me a quilt top in no time:)....no time at all - lol

Craftsy BOM - April

This is me playing blogging catch up....my bad:)

Don't be surprised if you see a flurry of posts, all things I wanted to share with you in April but just couldn't get my blogging mojo going. 

This post features my Block of the Month for April....yes April...and here we are mid May!!

and no I have not even started my May blocks.....but I have started my beach quilt...:D but more on that a little later.

This first block for April is called " Hexi Stripe Block" and it used paper templates.

After printing the template up I made copies out of freezer paper which I than ironed onto my fabric scraps.

I enjoy doing this kind of hand work in the evening don't you?

It's so relaxing.

The 2nd block for this month, was a bit of a free for all using the hexagon.

I did not care for the pattern that our instructor Amy had chosen, so after playing with the templates for a bit I settled on this.  I think it will work better with the rest of the blocks, but time will tell.  In fact it just may be time to attempt a picture of the completed blocks together.  

For those of you taking this free class, are  you keeping up each month, or have you become sidetracked with some other fabulous project? 

UFO Progress report - A Scrappy Short Story

Pleased as punch to have completed another UFO  Yippee!! 

This mini quilt was started in the summer of 2007 while at a horse show in Madison
Wisconsin.  Yes I take my sewing machine just everywhere that I think I will have an opportunity to sew.  My opportunity during this horse show was between the morning and evening classes.  The perfect little project to while away the time.

The pattern is called Short Story by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. from her Schnibbles line of patterns.

The original pattern finishes up at 33" x 33" but mine is smaller because I decided to make a pillow sham out of it.

It's not everyday that you get to see the back of the quilt.

This is my chosen method for pressing the seams to help reduce the bulk.

Quilting my layers together.  

 The Piano key border will become the flange around the pillow.

The finished pillow is now sitting proudly if not a bit lonely in our new guest room.  

You know the room...the one vacated by our daughter a few years back. 

 It has been painted apricot, such a soothing color.

 I have big plans for the bedding/day bed and this is it's first official item:)

I am still looking for the right fabric for the mattress cover but I do have the fabric for the dust ruffle and some thrift store finds to make more pillows with.

Craftsy Block of the Month - February

My Craftsy.com blocks for February are certainly bright and beautiful thanks to a very recent fabric purchase at Marmalade.
This block was made using  Lou Lou Thi by Anna Marie Horner ( the aqua bits) and Tonal Kaleidoscope by Michael Miller ( the orange bits)

I learned a new technique for sewing half square triangles on this Balken Puzzle Block.  It is quick but leaves you with bias edges on all your squares!  Not something I would recommend to beginners as they are more apt to stretch those edges while pressing and sewing.  If you have a lot of experience handling difficult fabrics though I would recommend you try this technique.

My Chunky Chevron Block, which I do love  has 2 prints from my January blocks and the chunky chevron bit also from Marmalade is Lark from Amy Butler.

This block also used half square triangles but a different technique for sewing them up and one I had used before.  Amy Gibson ( our instructor) has you cut the squares 1/2" larger then necessary which gives you plenty of room for squaring them up.  I rather liked that actually.  

These classes do assume that you know how to rotary cut squares and strips, as well as know how to sew an accurate 1/4" seam.  But outside of that I think Amy does a fine job of showing you the steps.  Like most experienced sewers, she makes it look quick and easy....you might want to slow down a bit so you are careful about your accuracy in cutting and sewing.  Several of the 40,000 participants were having difficulty with their finished  Balken Puzzle block size..this relates to that accurate cutting and sewing, it being more difficult to accomplish on all those bias edges.

The UFO Countdown or Git R" Done Girlfriend

As the new year approaches I find myself bogged down by unfinished projects.

  As much as I want to sew for Spring of 2012 I cannot help feeling like it's time to finish what I started in 2011...or before.  

They are all worthy projects and the time is right to bring them out, reevaluate and dig back in.

  So in no particular order I bring you my unfinished projects:

#1

This wall hanging (which I have no place to hang) was started as a class sample.  It is several years old and needs to be quilted....and then what?

#2

Indygo Junction Bed Jacket

This jacket was started in August 2011.  It is a wool/angora blend lined with silk and hand channel quilted throughout the body.  The sleeve cuff is needle felted, appliqued and quilted.  No surprise it was set aside when my work load became to demanding for them both. 

#3

According to my project worksheet this quilt kit ( a first for me)  was purchased in Sept. 2009 .  The piecing was completed in Dec. of that same year.  I quilted the body of the quilt in 2010 and then put it aside because I could not decide how to quilt the border.....
Dare I say applique...to much....any thoughts?

#4

This lovely pile of old lace and silk chiffon will become an even lovelier blouse this year!

The blouse back is pieced together and once again work interrupted.

  The work sheet for this project is dated Jan. 2011 and was intended for my spring wardrobe.....sigh.

It will look just as lovely this spring, maybe even more so because I have been working out this winter:)

#5

In 1997? I moved to a wonderful little town and took a "class" to make this mystery quilt as a means of meeting the local stitchers. For those of you unfamiliar with mystery quilts....you receive a list of supplies but you do not know what the pattern is...thus the mystery:)

To have this quilted will easily cost me $75-150...do I like it enough for that investment?  

What to do, what to do?

#6

Remember this yarn?  It was purchased this summer to make a sweater for my Fall Wardrobe....yup.
All of the components are knit up and I am currently sewing the sections together, so it's well on its way.
My evening sewing / knitting project much of which was accomplished while watching past seasons of the Biggest Loser.


Do you feel pressured or stressed out by your unfinished projects or are they "art in progress" for you?
Anybody want to join me for a UFO sew along?
Do we need a button and a Flickr group?

Happy Spots in my Home and Studio

 Rachel Denbow at Smile and Wave posted a photo challenge recently.  The challenge was to photograph spots in your home that make you happy.  Messy or not.

This Orchid which sits on my front window will along with my terrariums was an anniversary gift from my mother.  It was covered in blooms when I received....all of which proceeded to shrivel and drop off the very next day.  Sad right?  But after much fussing and determination on my part to make it as happy as it had made me it bloomed!  Today it bloomed and this makes me very happy:)

Cameras and I do not play well together but some day I will tame this beast as well, but apparently not today, but be that as it may, here is my living room.  It makes me happy because it tells you at a glance who lives here.  We like art, and dress, and books, and comfort.

My pattern table is a very happy spot for me and the owls.  I like to make practical things, and doing so makes me happy.  I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful spot to make messes while sewing, designing, and making more practical things.

Thanks Rachel for inspiring me to reflect on my happy spots in my home

Material Girls - Paper madness

Recently on a visit to our local Scrap booking store Nossers I stumbled upon this line of paper called "Material Girls" by Cosmo Cricket.  How could I possibly resist...right?  My brain has simply been spinning thinking of ways to use it.  The above tins are my 1st project, but I have more ideas in the works.  These started out as cocoa tins which I kept because they were a useful size and shape.  They have been sitting on my pattern table having been pressed into service during the last organizing blitz. I have a passion for lovely items that are useful. 

Please check out Cosmo Crickets site and visit Nossers here in Rhinelander.  I try to visit them regularly because they are a great source for lovely ribbons, fabulous tools, such as eyelet setters, scissors etc, and brads, rivets and eyelet's, all of which can be used in your sewing projects.  Not to mention the organizing totes, which although meant for scrap booking work equally well for sewing notions.

You can keep up with the latest Nosser artistry at their blog or their face book page.
You can also follow Cosmo Cricket's blog or their face book page

If you can resist playing with these papers..I don't think I want to hear about it, but if like me you became hooked by the cuteness, please share your thoughts and ideas?

A Recent Bit Of Organizing Foolishness

I am not sure how many of you know this about me but....I have what is refered to as "racing thoughts"  It's fairly obvious actually but this is my excuse (as if I needed one) to my need to be as organized as possible.  At least that is my reasoning on the subject. 

Last week I replaced my ugly and marginally useful dry erase board with this bit of joy you see at left.  The problem with the dry erase, was that I was constantly having to erase and shift projects by order of priority.  Sometimes the project would get moved over to Peg's side of the board, then it would be back on my side, and I still needed to keep track mentally of the next step in the process.  So it struck me...as if by lightning that the solution to my project organization was a card filing system that would allow me to 1) list the steps in the project  and 2) move them around the board.   3) Be cute! and visually pleasing within the context of my studio environment.  When something grabs me visually it takes me out of the moment.  It inturrupts my process...not good. I need all the help focusing I can get.

A close up of the my new filing system reveals a lovely twill cotton stripe by Moda and purchased at Sew Smart(sale corner) SCORE!  Deep pleats create the file pockets and clear plastic rectangles make for excellent name/place holders.  Stability is acheived by using Peltex a fusible stiffner which worked really well for this project.  It is hung in place by applying velcro to the 4 corners and then using those fabulous removable picture hangers by Command.

I am loving my new organizing tool.  Now you may not have this many sewing projects to organize, or maybe you do...but any ideas on what else this filing system could be used for?  You can make it up in a day, reduce clutter in your sewing room, office, kitchen, etc and give yourself something cute to look at.

Stay tuned for the new fall teaching schedule with project pictures:)

A Slipcover to beat all.

This tired tattered chair has been given a new life by my student Lisa.

Lisa is fairly new to sewing and quite honestly when she brought me this project I was frightened for her.  Sewing was a new skill for her when she learned how to take a pattern off of this existing slipcover.  She made a number of pillows, and two roman shades while her sister shopped for a fabric she liked for the new slipcover.

More fear ensued when I saw the chosen fabric.  A heavy upholstery weight which I knew her borrowed domestic kenmore would struggle to sew.  Not to mention my fears that Lisa would lose patience and get discouraged....after all this is a large chair, with a lot of cording....

I had no need to fear though.  Lisa has excellent fine motor skills and a great deal of patience especially for such a young woman.  She perservered with nary a complaint or tear.  Allthough she did buy herself a beautiful new Viking machine which handled the bulk quite well.  I understand though that she did end up having to hand sew the skirt to the body of the slipcover because the bulk would not allow her to stitch close enough to the cording.  Yes you heard me right...she hand sewed the two together through the bulk...her little fingers must be pretty blistered.

I am so impressed and excited for her.  Check out her sisters newly slipcovered chair

Amazing!! 

Please let Lisa know your impressions by commenting below.