Treating myself.

Yesterday I decided to have a "Treat Yo Self " The Sewing Edition day.

 

Anyway...maybe you don't have this problem, but sometimes I try and wring out every bit of use from something before I just toss it and move on.   You know, way past what normal people do.  Most people would need a new cover, buy it, and put it on.  Which after a month is what I've finally done.  Phew. 

 

These are my favorite pins.  Back when I was working in the shop and people were first using them I just couldn't believe pins could make such a big difference.  Ha.  These pins changed my life.  And today another hundred will join the last 22 I have from the previous batch. That I have been limping along with.  FOR QUITE SOME TIME. Why didn't I just open them up instead of 'saving' them?  

 

I bet if I looked around I could find another blade for my rotary cutter. That could use changing too. 

 

 Lastly I treated myself to some recorded television.  I just discovered Vera on my local PBS station and loved it.  So I had my lunch with Vera and it was great.  All in all a good day.  I even fit in some sewing. It doesn't get any better than that right?

 

Hope you're having a good week!

 

P. S. how in the world is it the end of September?

Quilting in the Garden-2015

Hi there friends!  Hope you weekend was a happy one!  I had a great time  attending Quilting in the Garden with some friends.  I went with my pal's Deb and Debbie, met up with my online pal Mary Ann for the first time! So much fun meeting in real life.   We ran into Keiko there and had a nice visit with her too!  I ran into my friends Carol and Sharon, who I hadn't seen in a long time.  It was a great day!

This year there seemed to be more quilts and more attendees!  I sat with Alex for a while and got a sneak peek at her new book, All Things Quilting. It's pretty fantastic.   I know often I just think of Alex my friend, but she changed the face of quilting with her show Simply Quilts.

Freddy Moran was the guest artist this year and her colorful quilts were on display all though out the nursery.  We're lucky here in the bay area, we are a quilting epicenter with so many legends living here.

Tracy Souza from Plum Cute Designs was vending a the show.  She's got her now super famous block of the month that was in a gang  shoot out!  You can read about it here on Facebook.

Quilting Legends Diana McClun and Laura Nownes were in attendance.  Their book, Quilts Quilt Quilts was considered the Bible  when it came to learning to quilt when I began quilting. 

 

Sally Collins was also a featured artist, and of course quilting legend. .  Her quilts were in a little conservatory building, as they're smaller in scale and need to be appreciated up close. Sally to me is the most famous for her precision quilting and complex designs.

Her work is amazing.  If you ever have a chance to see her quilts, or hear her speak, or even take a class, do it! 

Even more legends, Sandy Klop was in attendance.  Her big booth under the oaks was chock full of patterns and fabric and goodies.  I am so lucky to have been learning to quilt in an area with so many people who have shaped our industry over the years. 

It was a great weekend and I felt refreshed and inspired and ready to start the week at my sewing machine.  How was your weekend?

Splash of Color Blog Hop!

Good morning!  Hope you're having a happy weekend!  It's my day on Jackie's Splash of Color Blog Hop!   Jackie and I have been friends since way back in the beginning of my blogging days, you may remember her Blogger's Block of the Month  and my visit to her podcast back when my first line of fabric came out!  She's always been a great friend and supporter and I'm thrilled to be able to return the favor and talk about her fantastic book Splash of Color!

 

The first thing you notice about Jackie's quilting is that she doesn't shy away from color, nor does she stop when the piecing gets hard.  She's a Certified Judy Niemeyer   instructor and travels around the country teaching these techniques to others.  In her own book, Jackie has a wide variety of quilts with different piecing methods, from straightforward squares and rectangles  to the more complicated curves and paper foundation piecing.   The book includes templates, and also instructions for cutting with Creative Grids specialty rulers when available. 

 

I really like the rainbow effect of this quilt, Hip to Be Square.  Square and rectangles are good friends of mine! 

Along with just about every quilt, there is an alternate version, and I really liked this on point version of the quilt by Sally Murray. These two quilts are the inspiration I used to create my own Hip to Be Square table runner.  I dug through my stash for some black and white prints to go with some of my colorful Pam Kitty fabric  and in no time I had completed project!

Here are some other quilts from the book, I love this Dreaming of Pyramids quilt. 

And this Jumpin Jax quilt. I appreciate the organizational tips included for all the projects.  There is so much to be learned about how to manage your project in this book, which I appreciate.  There's more to making a quilt than just sewing and Jackie helps you have success with her tips and techniques throughout the book.

If you'd like a chance to win an e-book copy of Splash of Color leave a comment  and I'll pick a winner at the end of the hop!  Be sure and visit all stops along the blog hop to see more about Jackie's book.   Check out the  Facebook group to see more quilts and join in on the fun!

Splash of Color Blog Hop List:
Wednesday, September 23

Jackie Kunkel - Canton Village Quilt Works
Kate Colleran - Seams Like a Dream
Pat Sloan - Pat Sloan Blog

Thursday, September 24

Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life

Shelly Pagliai - Prairie Moon Quilts

Margaret Solomon Gunn - Quilts Of Love

Friday, September 25

Faith Jones - Fresh Lemons Quilts

Jenny Wilding Cardon - Martingale

Saturday, September 26

Vicki Welsh - Field Trips In Fiber

Pam Vieira- McGinnis - Pam Kitty Morning

Sunday, September 27

Pat Wys - Silver Thimble Quilt Co. 

Sharon McConnell - Color Girl Quilts

Monday, September 28

Julie Sefton - Me and My Quilts - Exploring the Possibilities

Victoria Findlay Wolfe - Bumblebeans/Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts

Tuesday, September 29

Caroline Critchfield - Sew Can She

Amy Ellis - Amy’s Creative Side

Monday

Good morning peeps!  How are you?  I hope you had a good weekend!  Frankie came home to sort though some of her stuff, it still looks like a 'stuff bomb' went off around here, but she's making headway. 

 

Didn't spent much time sewing this week, but I managed to get my 100 Blocks Magazine submission for issue 13 on it's way.  I have my finger's crossed it will be accepted. Wanna see a sneak peek?  You can here!

 

I wanted to make something cute for Frankie's desk at work, so I remembered back to this post where I made a little coaster.  It was not the greatest success, but I hoped that I could improve on my original.  I did some quickie applique on it, and after a too small version that looked like a horrible mistake, I finished this one for her. You can see I still  have some work to do where my ends meet on the rick rack, but I think it turned out pretty cute.  Cute enough to collect condensation from a glass at least.  I was inspired by Chickpea Sewing Studio's little tutorial on the Roller Coaster that sadly I can't find anymore.  It was pretty easy though, well, except that rick rack situation. 

 

Hope you all had a good weekend.  Hop your week is happy! xo

Snapshots Quilty Cat Month 9!

HI there everyone!  It's that time of the month again, time for our Snapshots Quilt Along Blocks! This month it's the Quilty Cat.  And if I have a pink dog, I have to have a pink cat too, right? Of course I'm right! 

 

This fast and easy block was made faster and easier with my patchwork fabric.  What's more Pam KITTY than that?  I'm not going to lie, it was the logical lazy girl choice!

 

I simply skipped ahead to page three, and cut my  patchwork to 9 1/2" x  11 1/2", which is what the instructions say for your stitched together patchwork.  I cut mine on the diagonal, so it's got a lot of bias going on, but you could cut yours on the straight if you wanted.  Or you know, follow the instructions and make your own patchwork!

 

I have sure enjoyed seeing all your blocks on Facebook and Instagram.  I love all the different color combinations.  And people were so clever updating last months bicycle block to hook up all the pieces.  Genius really.  Just check the Facebook group to see some of them. 

 

Ok, as you know you can find the video here and the pdf here!  And please consider donating to the St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital, it's such a great cause.  WHAT??? You didn't know about the quilt along?  You can read all about it here at the Jolly Jabber!

 

 

#fqsfun

#fqssnapshots

Hit and Miss

Good morning! Hope your three day weekend (if indeed you had one) was a nice one!  I barely remember what we did with our time, with the exception of a traffic filled trip to Santa Cruz.  Seriously, the traffic was unbelievable even for me. We would never have left town on a holiday under normal circumstances, but we're helping Frankie with some apartment hunting over at the coast.  I guess the rule of thumb is, don't get in the way of people who want to get to the beach.

 

But back to a kinder gentler world, I got some sewing in.  I have loved variations of this block for years, first in country sunflower colors, and now in my favorite Pam Kitty colors. It's a great block and there are so many variations.  While on Pinterest I saw a vintage quilt that reminded me of the block and I got out my graph paper and went to town. 

 

This kind of piecing, where all those triangles meet, is my area of weakness.  So it will be fun to get some practice in for better matches.    Camille used to have a great pattern, I believe named Red Velvet, that used a very clever technique for making this block. (scroll a little in that post to see the quilt) I don't believe she offers that pattern anymore.  Anyway, it was fun, and hopefully I can get some more blocks made in between a lot of activity we have going on around here. There's been a lot of good sewing tv lately, and that's been fun.

 

Ok, short week!  Hope it's a good one for us all! xo

How now...

How did the week go?  Mine went fast, whoosh and then FRIDAY! I hardly remember the days.  What about for you?

 

Midweek I was so excited, after writing about my desire for a cow like Lori's I had found one on ebay,   bought it, and finally it arrived.  My treasure was wrapped up tight, and I carefully cut the tape and peeled off the bubble wrap.  I  could hardly wait to get a photo, so excited to share my cow. But first.. I thought I need to plan on which fabric I'll use for the pincushion.

 

That's when I realized it.  I'm not always good with details.  Oh well, she's cute, right?

 

Happy weekend friends! Be safe! xo