Fabric I Fancy - Logan by Vicki Payne

You all have probably noticed I gravitate toward florals, pinks, etc. But, when I saw Vicki Payne's Logan line on Hawthorne Threads' site, I knew instantly it should be today's feature fabric.

The stark contrast of black and yellow in bold prints is so appealing. Can you just imagine how it would all play together on the right quilt pattern? So pretty...

These would also make pretty home dec items - pillows, curtains, etc.

I'm not sure this line would be right for my house, but it would be perfect in my sister's. Although... the Houndstooth above might be great as curtains in my kitchen, which I've been meaning to replace. Hmmm...

Happy Friday!

Tutorial Round Up: Pillows

As I often read in home dec magazines, nothing freshens up a room like new pillow covers. With their small surface, trying new patterns and techniques is a small commitment - with big impact!

Petal Pillow from Cluck Cluck Sew

String Quilt Pillows from Film in the Fridge

Wonky Half Log Cabin Pillow from Tallgrass Prairie Studio

Hour Glass Pillow from All People Quilt

Mitered Pillows from Weekend Designer

Winner of the Fat Quarter Give Away

Thank you to every one who entered in the fat quarter give away to celebrate the 10th podcast and 100th blog posting!

I put all entries in a list in Excel and used a random number generator to select a row number. The chosen row was #14 - Wooliegirl!

Wooliegirl - please contact me to claim your prize. :-)

I will try to post a tutorial round up tomorrow since it was missed today with the give away. Have a great crafty week, every one!

Top to Bottom

This weekend has been about hats and pants - dressing my family from top to bottom. :-)

I completed my first Christmas gift - a Jacques Cousteau hat out of Cascade 220. Very pleased with this pattern. The knitting is easy but provides just enough interest to keep engaged. Using sz. 7 needles, I used just over 2 skeins of yarn.

And my daughters Portobello Pixie capris. A novice sewist, this pattern was comprehensive enough to fairly easily transition from one step to the next without major problems. The finished project is outstanding, and I can't wait to make more. This time around, I used Alexander Henry Mocca fabric.

Fabric I Fancy - Meadowsweet 2

Everything Sandi Henderson does I adore. She's the genius designer behind the Portobello Pixie pattern line I swoon over and have made a few things from. She has an eye for blending sophisticated with whimsy.

After seeing the popularity of Meadowsweet, it's no wonder she has launched Meadowsweet 2.

Seemingly inspired by nature with print names like Happy Butterfly Maize and Splashy Rose Geranium, the palette is fresh and completely wearable. I would love to make something out of every single print in the collection.

A great blend of supporting and main designs, Sandi has also whipped up some great patterns. Here are some freebie patterns. And here are the patterns for purchase - I want to buy the Claire next!

So, what will you make this weekend? It's going to be a hot one here in the Midwest - maybe it will be a good time to stay in the AC and sew!?

Sewing Room of Progress

I've been pretty good this week about getting up very early to sew, which means I've made quite a bit of progress.

The quilting disaster seems to be over; I'm finished picking the bad stitches out and am back to stippling. There's probably only a 1/2 hour of quilting left before finishing!

I'm using the Moda Bake Shop Dresden Table pattern to make another Christmas gift, this time out of Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley. This one will be more intense than the last because of the half-square triangle border. The squares are cut, and I need to purchase a special ruler to cut the plates as the one I have makes a larger plate than what's called for in the "recipe."

Here is a fat quarter I purchased this weekend at Sew-a-Lot - Alexander Henry Whisper Wing.

Finally, I started a pair of ruffle capris for my daughter, also out of an Alexander Henry fabric, from the Portabello Pixie Ruffle Pants pattern. They are coming together pretty quickly.

Are you having a week of progress in your sewing/knitting/crafting life? Please post pictures to our Flickr group!

Tutorial Round Up: Pin Cushions

In an effort to blog more regularly and provide better content to you, my faithful blog readers, I am launching Tutorial Round Up. Every Monday, I plan to post links to tutorials on a given theme that are out in blog land.

This helps you to have a catalog of great tutorials, and it helps the tutorial writers get traffic back to their blogs. Win-win, no?

This week's theme is Pin Cushions. We each probably each have at least one - but why not make another? Especially when there is this much cuteness to go around.

Pear Shaped by UK Lass in US

Easy Pin Cushion by Twig & Thistle

Tea Cup Pin Cushion by Spin Cushion

Sew, Mama, Sew Pin Cushion by Elizabeth's Fabric Focus Feature

episode 10: celebrations

Today, we're celebrating the 10th Stash Resolution podcast and 100th blog post!

Enter to win 3 Fat Quarters from Robert Kaufman.

Deadline to Enter: Sunday, July 27 @ Midnight

Winner Drawn: Monday, July 28 and announced on blog

Each below will get you 1 entry - up to 3 ways to enter:

1) Post comment to blog

2) Join Stash Resolution Podcast Flickr group

3) Link to my blog from yours

Send me an email to tell me how you entered so I make sure you're counted. Will draw name by random number generator.

What I'm Working On

Strawberry Jam Canning

Free Downloadable Jar Labels

Style Vid-Cast

Creative Mom Podcast

new chair from ikea!

new boxes from ikea!

9-Patch Lattice Quilt on Quilt Rack

Dresden Plate

Jacques Cousteau Hat

Eucalan

Moda Bake Shop

Hip Knit Hats

the stash report

Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley

Sew-a-Lot

Alexander Henry

Baseline: 46.5 yards

In: 5.25 yards

Out: 0 yards

Total: 51.75 yards (yikes!)

bad stitches happen to good people

tearful mistakes...

tip: validation!

topic: history of quilt blocks

http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/

http://www.fabrics.net/laurettepatterns.asp

http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/pieced.htm

First Zig, Then Zag

Here are the long-promised pictures of my finished Zig Zag Quilt. LOVED the tutorial by Crazy Mom Quilts for the Bee Square Blog. Print fabric is by Jessica Levitt Timber. Solid is Kona Snow. 

After much agonizing, I pieced the back using large pieces of fabric with lots of white in between. I must say I'm smitten with how it looks. 

Do you see the little stow-away peeking around the quilt? 

The quilting turned out nicely - adore the crinkle-cozy effect. 

Giving this quilt as a birthday gift - sending love and warmth with it to it's new owner. 

This is my 99th post, making the next one the big 100. We should do something special to celebrate. Ideas?

Sweet Summer Song

As promised, here are a few pics from my recent travels to rural midwest towns.

First, this is a yarn shop I vistited in Greenfield, IN. While I didn't get to take a photo inside, you can see that the store is quite charming.

Next up is a hand-stitched Grandma's Flower Garden quilt I saw at an antique store in Waynesville, OH. I would have rescued it from the dusty trunk it was folded on, but the price was a little out of reach. I just believe some good quilter will come along and rescue this beauty.

Third is an image of a lovely vintage placemat and napkin holder set. I found it so unusual and am sure someone out in blogland will find it inspiring.

This is a modern-made pillow that I found charming. Love the combo of embroidery and applique.

And finally, here is a pic of my daughter lounging (with her baby - see it behind the chapter book she is pretending to read?) on a quilt my college BFF gave me when I got married. She and I are actually getting to meet for dinner tomorrow night, which I'm quite happy about. She's one of the loveliest people I know. Meanwhile, my daughter is one of the silliest people.

:-)

Have a great rest of your short week. Back in a day (or two or three) with pics of my latest finished project! and images of my Christmas project organization in progress. I'm a woman on a mission!

Prost Step Four: Binding Your Placemats

Yeah! Last week! We're going to add the binding by machine attaching to the front and hand bind to the back.

first

Using solid (or coordinating color of your choice) folded selvedge to selvedge, cut 2" strips. Trim off selvedge. You should need 2 strips per placemat. Therefore, cut EIGHT strips for FOUR placemats.


second

Attach your strips to make long enough to go around one placemat. Place edges together perpendicular. Draw a line from corner to corner, diagonally. Pin in place and stitch on line.


Cut off excess 1/4" from stitched line. Press open.




third

Press strip in half. Then fold one corner on the diagonal. Press. Then repress end in half.





fourth

Pin along first edge of placemat. Start stitching about 2" from folded binding corner and end about 1/8" from first placemat corner. Mitering the corners, stitch around the placemat 1/4" from edge until you are able to join where you began.


fifth

Hand stitch the binding to the back of the placemats.

That's it! I hope you had as much fun as I did making this project. Looking forward to seeing your completed projects on in our Flickr group!

Episode 9: Christmas in July - Show Notes

what i'm working on

Willowe's Basketry and Yarn Haus

Broad Ripple Indianapolis

Broad Ripple Knits - It looks like it is still open!

Borocco Ultra Alpaca Light

Knit Picks Shine Sport

Jacques Cousteau Hat

Cascade 220

Zig Zag Quilt

9 Patch Lattice Quilt

Rainbow Around the Block

Joseph Block

Waynesville, Ohio

The Fabric Shack

the stash report

42.5 baseline

+4.5 yards

-2.25 yards (charity blocks and Zig Zag Quilt)

=46.5 yards in stash

bad stitches happen to good people

three - count them THREE - crafting horror stories

tips: Start your holiday crafting now.

topic: Christmas in July. Organizing your holiday crafting for a stress-free November and December.

End of the Rainbow

I completed three blocks for the Rainbow Around the Block drive organized by Anna Maria Horner. The block is called Joseph's Block.


There are three deadlines to enter throughout the summer. I decided to just make three blocks and send them all at once.



In other quilty news, I finally loaded a quilt on my quilt rack last night. Project pics to come.

The next podcast will likely come out on Monday instead of Sunday. As you know, it's a holiday weekend, and we - like you - have a lot going on. Happy Independence Day!