projects

the quilt

the inspiration (storm over the Palouse)

the project from this book

the significance

We were considering moving across the country. We were both excited about this possibility…for awhile. As we weighed our options, I worked on this quilt. Only when it was almost done did I realize: It is an ode to the landscape I’ve looked at (and loved) for 20 years.

For the minute, we’re staying put.

the nuts and bolts

Dimensions: about 68 inches by about 64 inches (the one in the book is smaller)

Range of solids bought here

the process

choose some fabrics

cut strips

put strips in bag

choose two without looking

sew them together

repeat

cut up the pieces you have, put them back in the bag, choose two (see where this is going?)

assemble the middle

add a border

add backing/batting
quilt layers
add binding

attach label

Right now it would be Tunica. Tunicia?

I leaped into some spring-ish sewing of…tunics, it turns out.

I used New Look pattern No. 6725. My idea was a tunic-like thing I could wear over pants-and-undershirt in the spring and fall, kind of a bridge between the seasons. I’m not quite sure how to feel about them now that they’re done.

Shorter, wider version (it’s going over pants, so all is well)

1. Start with a good idea, like this one for fabric gift tags from the Purl Bee.

2. Gather some materials:

a) fabric (just one, or two if you want to use a different fabric for the back of the ornament), I also think that wool felt would be a smashing idea
b) twine, rick-rack, ribbon, buttons, beads, applique shapes, or whatever you like for decoration on the front of your ornament
c) twine, rick-rack, ribbon, or string for an ornament hanger
d) thread or embroidery floss for sewing the outside
e) filler (I used cloves, but any kind of good-smelling filler would do nicely)

3. Cut out your shapes. I did circles (I put a jar on the fabric, traced around it, and then used pinking shears to cut).
You’ll need a front and a back for each ornament (unless you’re being tricky and cutting on a fold…and then you’re on your own, but well done you).

4. Decorate the front of your ornament: Embroider shapes (mittens, holly, snowmen, etc.), attach buttons, sew down rick-rack and ribbon, applique, etc.

5. Attach your thread hanger to the wrong side (back) of your ornament front (either pin or baste stitch). I did have a bit of trouble with the twine slipping through the machine stitches. I made the stitch length smaller and went over the twine a few times. So far, so good, but just keep that in mind.

6. Leaving an open space (you’ll need this to put in your filler), pin the ornament back to the ornament front, with their wrong sides together.

Sew partially around the perimeter (again, leave yourself enough room to put in your filler). I used my machine to sew it, but a hand-sewn edge would be neat, too. Maybe a blanket stitch around the edge?

7. Put in your filler. I love the smell of cloves, and they work well because they are small. Lavender? Small potpourri?

8. Sew the opening shut (either on your machine, or by hand). If this is tricky using your machine, stop and scoot the filler to one side. You can re-adjust it later, and it will be easier to get your presser foot down.

(I had a walking foot on my machine from attaching a binding a few days ago, and I was too lazy to take it off. But there isn’t any special trick…I would have used my regular foot if that had been on the machine.)

9. Trim any loose threads or decoration, etc.

1) I finished a new quilt and put it up yesterday (click on the photo to see it bigger).

I wanted it to look like a (big) antique label. I like the way it looks slightly like rick-rack. I really love rick-rack.

Also, I quilted it using a long-arm quilting machine (I rented time on the machine at this business, after I took a class). For my first attempt at long-arm quilting, I’m happy with the results.

2) B sent me this link about a clever way to make plush toys. Really amazing technology.

3) B is in *huge* trouble in this household for mentioning that he couldn’t get this song out of his head. Well, guess who can’t get it out of her head now? Oh yes. Big trouble.

Fabric is Echino, I found mine at Superbuzzy.

…little of that. The afternoon light is weak but welcome in the living room.

I made some draft snakes (B calls them draught snakes). I saw one as I was browsing Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing book, but because I didn’t buy the book was left to my own devices for the dimensions.

I made the first one very simple: I just sewed the pieces together and then sewed the long side seam. I secured the end with three snaps (B calls them press studs).

The second one I used Denyse Schmidt’s foundation piecing method (by sewing each piece to a central piece of muslin). I used velcro to secure the end.

They are filled with rice in ziploc bags.

When B first moved to this country, he found pumpkin pie to be yet another crazy invention by nutty Americans. Pumpkin?! For dessert?! It’s squash!!

The first time he ate it (which he did to be polite) he thought it was odd. But then, the next November, he was sort of looking forward to it.

I made one. No special recipe, just the one from the can (I figure they have sorted out the glitches in their test kitchen.)

I also made mashed potatoes in the style of my sister’s mother-in-law (thank you, Mrs. Lofthouse): with cream cheese. I can highly recommend you try it.

Oh, and lastly: I saw Into Great Silence and found it to be a feast. This is the most visually beautiful film. All-around…lovely (I know I use that word a lot, but it fits a lot).

(This photo is one block of the Christmas quilt in progress.)

I’ve been trying to put off the holiday spirit, but it’s creeping in.

I really love the Christmas season: carols, egg nog, cards, wreaths, Christmas lights, snow globes, etc.

This might be odd for a household like this (for a start, we aren’t religious and we don’t exchange gifts). But I really do try to put it off, it tends to take over a bit once I get going. Everything looks normal and three hours later it looks as though a festive tornado has hit.

We used to exchange gifts, but then we found this plan. It’s not for everyone, to be sure, but I’m a, um, convert.

I have been inspired by the Buy Handmade Pledge. I also wish I had known about Etsy back when I exchanged gifts. So many lovely things, made with care. I feel merry just thinking about it.

Have you seen this? Lots of good ideas and links to more good blogs.

Is it too early to break out the Christmas songs?

(This is a quilt I made for the holiday season a few years ago. It is called Red Rosa, in honor of Rosa Parks. On the day she died, I started this quilt. It was a way of grieving and commemorating an amazing life all at once. Thank goodness for crafting.)

I am currently at work on a quilt for the holiday season. It’s a very simple one, but along the way I became enamored with one of the fabrics (the photo above does not do it justice…it is soft and dottie and perfect). I went to Joann to buy some more of it (nothing doing, it’s gone forever). Normally, I’m with Kathy. I have a plan when I go into the store (and, yes, I admit it, a list). But a certain fabric sort of called to me, and two yards later…

As the lady was measuring the fabric, she said, “It has an Asian feel, doesn’t it? With the little doorways.” And I said, “I was thinking it was kind of Scandinavian.” We both re-looked at it, and realized that we were both right. It was a cool moment.

There are people who can walk past $2-per-yard fabric. I am *usually* one of them…

I wanted this one to do this project.

I really liked this one (does it also remind you of wallpaper a bit?).

This one struck me as sort of prairie farm-wife…and it was orange, so it came home.

I have no idea.

Playing in the workshop, these fabrics asked to be friends. The block/mini-quilt/placemat is about 14 by 19 inches, I think.

We use checks about three times a year (and I wish I could personally thank the person who invented debit cards). We do carry the checkbook, though, and the checks were getting smashed up.

So I made this. Wouldn’t you know *after making this* I found a lovely way to do corners…

The front (I ran out of fabric and had to piece it)

The back

Closed

I am close on 30 years old, and I hadn’t ever carved a pumpkin.

No time like the present.

This process took quite a bit longer than I thought it should, er, would. I’ll save you the gory photos of me scraping out the inside of the pumpkin.

The sketch (from a book about the villages of the Loire Valley)

After gutting the pumpkin and scraping, scraping, scraping the sides…cutting out the little bits

The finished pumpkin, with all the lights off

The finished pumpkin in the light

I’m not sure that I really *need* another bag. But this fabric is just too exciting to let it stand still.

Lined with basic muslin. Straps are twill tape.

We’re heading to a wedding this month, and we bought some items for the couple from their registry. Dilemma: Neither of us could find our roll of tree-friendly recycled wrapping paper. And that’s where the issue temporarily settled.

We had to go to Joann for a few zippers (hooray for pouches!) and spotted some very wedding-y fabric (opportunity). You see where I’m going, right? Oh yes, some sort of *fabric* “wrapping.”

I ended up doing a large-ish pouch (about 20 inches on each side) to hold all the stuff we got them. (Secret: it’s all kitchen stuff. The bride went to culinary school…and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know about this blog.) I used a VersaCraft stamp pad for the label, so they can machine-wash the pouch.

Project drawback: We’ll have to carry it like a pizza box, rather than upright, or all the stuff will fall down. The shape is pretty organic, without the clean lines of a box.

The lining (with gifts already inside)

The outside

I made myself an apron (fabric is from Superbuzzy). For a “pattern” I placed my favorite apron on the fabric and cut out around it, basically. I hemmed only part of it. The edging struck me as artful, so I left it.

The strawberries I planted have fruited (that doesn’t sound right). I got the plants from Seeds of Change.

Here’s B examining them (nice slippers, eh?).

I tried some embroidery (might end up as pouches, we’ll see). I was inspired by some Paper Source rubber stamps. There are some variations, obviously. Some are intentional, and some were…surprises.

The name of each one is a link to the Paper Source rubber stamp that inspired it.

Peony

Dandelion

Branch

Wateroak

Flower

These are too fun! I have been coming up with excuses for why I need to make more: birthdays, congratulations, just-because, dental visits, Tuesdays, etc.

Here are the latest additions, in Freshcut by Heather Bailey fabrics.

Great fabric + great pattern = lovely afternoon.

I didn’t follow the pattern exactly (big shock). I left out the Timtex, because I wanted it kind of slouchy (mission accomplished!). I’m considering adding a small tab closure at the top to keep it together. I also skipped the grommets for the straps.

The pattern is the Betty Shopper by Amy Butler. The fabric is Echino by Etsuko Furuya. I bought mine from Reprodepot (or was it PurlSoho?) a few months ago (not sure if they still have it). I lined it with yellow cotton.

Side one

Side two

Lining

Thanks ladies for all of your help! This was really a team effort. You helped and you probably didn’t even know it!

(scroll down for photos)

I could write the following letter:

“Dear K,
I wanted to make something for your sweet new baby, but I wasn’t sure what.

I had a preliminary design. Then I saw some nice fabric in Amisha’s photostream. She told me where she got it. So I made up some blocks, but they weren’t all going together well. I was stumped.

Luckily, Melissa left a lovely little comment. Her words triggered an idea. I then went to Etsy to refine some ideas.

So here you go.

This is a baby-changing mat for the moment. Or maybe a variation on a breastfeeding blanket.

When little P gets a bit older, you can detach the strap (also maybe remove the hooks/eyes…choking hazard?). Then it can be a tea-party blanket. Or a nap time talisman. Or a cape for Adventure Time.

And if you don’t love it, then please pass it along so that someone can get some use out of it. All happiness and good wishes for this new adventure.”

Here it is: finished. Dimensions: 44.5 inches long, 17.5 inches tall. Strap is attached to blanket with hooks/eyes. Strap doubles over on itself and secures with velcro.

Quilted with white thread.

The strap from the bottom (velcro is at far left). I used muslin for the backing. It will soften with washing, perfect for little soft baby backs. My niece had a changing pad that was plastic, which is smart as it was easily washable (she hated it because it was always cold).

Close-up of how the strap attaches to the little blanket.

All rolled up and ready to go!

I was planning on making a baby quilt for my friend K. We knew months ago that she was having a girl, and what the little girl’s name would be. So I knocked together a quilt plan: Lazy log cabin with initials. (Ignore the colors.)

It didn’t quite turn out the way I planned, though. So now I’m debating between making her a wallhanging using just the initial letters (and not the other blocks) or just buying something. I have asked K if there is anything specific she would like…

Plus, are any of you scared to give something that is matched to your tastes? I’m cautious about sending a wallhanging when I know they have the nursery all set up already. “Here is a gift I have lovingly made but am pretty sure doesn’t match.” Does it matter? Is it the thought that counts? Am I thinking about this just way too much?

I finished my first pouch! It is the baby of two botched projects (the outside was a top and the lining was a jacket).

I was going to make some wraps out of the sari fabric. And I did (out of the blue). But I thought that maybe I’d make a little jacket out of the green.

Oh boy did I.

This turned out so funny, I’m speechless. It went together very quickly (it’s obviously unfinished/unhemmed), so there wasn’t much time down the drain. To be fair, the pattern is made for fleece…

(Sorry for the poor quality of the photos on this blog…I’m still getting the what/how of the new camera.)

I have also been hoping to learn how to make a lined, zippered pouch. I keep seeing them on Amisha’s photostream and they are too cute.

I tried one out and it turned out ok, but it wasn’t really what I was hoping for. The good news is that I found this link, and I think it’s going to be great. I’ll post photos of the finished projects.

You know how you can buy some fabric you really love? And then when you try to use it the project keeps falling flat? How many people finish the stuff and send it off to Goodwill? (I have done this.) And how many of you cut it up and make something else? (I’m going to try to do this…I can’t bear to part with the fabric. I also just can’t bear to look at the project for a few days, at least.)

Here’s the top that (apparently) wasn’t meant to be.

I had this idea a few days ago to make a quilt wall. The basic idea is a large swath of fabric and static (flannel) or pins (cotton) to hold squares. This allows you to see the quilt as it is being built; a forest rather than trees view. (Remember the 10-foot rule from Modern Quilt Workshop?)

I sat down to make mine (hemming two sides of what felt like an acre of muslin). My measurements were a bit off (I didn’t actually do any). No biggie, I’m lazy not picky. So I’m sewing along happily (not noticing that my bobbin ran out about three feet back…another story entirely) and I see two little creatures playing outside. We refer to them as rock chucks, but I’m not sure what they really are (anyone?).

I retrieved the camera, which is when they sat still and didn’t do anything cute (naturally). Start sewing again, keeping one eye on them while trying not to sew over my finger). They start playing again. Stop, pick up camera. They stop. Etc.

Sorry: this is blurry.

This happened for a very specific reason. We recently got a new camera, and it came with a setting called Kids&Pets. “It allows you to capture subjects that move around, such as children and pets, without missing photo opportunities.” I had remarked that we really shouldn’t have to pay for that feature, since we have neither kids nor pets. Needless to say, I skipped that section when I read the how-to manual.

And this is why two little animals began to do some very photo-opportunic (it’s a word…as of right now) things outside my glass door. So that I could eat some words.

It was really worth it, though, they made me smile.

Saw a recipe on a blog.

Thought someone-who-loves-lemon might deserve a treat. He hung the quilt last weekend, after all.

I haven’t yet learned my lesson with the flowers, by the way. Oh dear.

This one is made from crepe paper.

My first sister-in-law got married in March. I wanted to make some chic-but-different hair ornaments for myself. I attempted the beaded flowers in a Martha Stewart magazine.

They didn’t really turn out, despite my (many, many) attempts.

Lesson learned, right?

Second sister-in-law is getting married in July.

Just guess as to my big plan. And then guess as to how well it’s turning out.

In other news, I got the loveliest bag of all time from Lotta Jansdotter’s shop. I wanted to personalize it a bit (applique a big flower? embroider a design?) but keep the integrity of the original.

It didn’t turn out quite what I had imagined, but I’m ok with surprises.

the original

the dyes (used all of the grey, a bit (too much) of the blue)

dyeing in a bucket

the final color