Chocolate Pillowcase

Here is another small project FINISHED!I don’t buy much conversational fabrics, so I knew this was slated for a pillowcase.

I really liked the Sweet Dreams pillowcase I made for my mom. This fabric is from the same line and made me smile every time I looked at it.

The problem for me with pillowcases is finding the cuff and trim fabric. While I was tidying up the fabric avalanche, I sorted fabric and found this chocolate dot. I seem to be buying a few chocolate fabrics (I will not say brown) now and again, but not using them. The dot fabric gave me the idea  for using a strip of one of the Pat Bravo solids for the trim and within a few minutes I was on my way to having a new pillowcase.

Chocolate Pillowcase - detail

I read about a Grandma who made a fun pillowcase for her granddaughter every month during the first year she was at college. I can’t commit to that with all of the nieces and nephews who are in college at the moment. I can come up with a pillowcase or two every now and then, though. I think this will be sent off to one of the nieces as a little treat. I have a couple more fabrics for one of the other nieces and just have to find the cuff and trim fabrics. Soon.

Young Man Pillowcases

A la Crafty Garden Mom’s Thursday Thoughts, here is mine:

1. I like to finish a project on New Year’s Day.
2. I think it sets a good tone for the year.
3. Of course, some years it is fruitless.
4. Still, I do it.
5. It has to be a small project.
6. Last year it was a bag.
7. Not the bag I thought it was, but a bag.
8. We all know how that turned out.
9. The photo above is probably one of the worst photos I have taken in the right conditions – well, my normal conditions.
10. Not sure what happened.
11. Still I post it.
12. I would take another photo, but the recipient changed his sheets (shock, horror!) and they are no longer available for your pristine viewing pleasure.
13. Have a great day! You don’t need to call the looney bin.

Projects

I didn’t do a ‘Hey! Make these Projects for Christmas post’ because my theory is that if you haven’t already started by December, it isn’t going to happen. That is the way it works for me. And I actually was invited to parties this year, so I didn’t have much time to sew on the weekends, which is when I get the majority of my sewing done.

As a result, you can start on your gifts for next year. Sue Astroth has a cool chess board posted on her blog. The spray painting makes it a bit too much work for me, but I like the idea.

Quiltin’ Jenny took up the gift bag banner this year. I was a slacker and didn’t harangue about that pet project. Did you make gift bags? Let’s see them!

Quilt World News

The Pantone Color Institute has come out with their signature color for 2012: Tangerine Tango. Read the story on the Always Quilting (Australia) blog.

FunQuilts is becoming Modern Quilt Studio. They have a post about their upcoming schedule on a recent Craft Nectar post. Their new studio will again be in the basement of their home and Weeks has been keeping a diary of the renovations.

Do you know Pinterest? It is a great way to wile away the hours. There is also a great trick to find out who has pinned what pictures from your site. Adrianne over at Little Bluebell posted the tip last week. Check out who has pinned pictures from Artquiltmaker.com/blog!

My Boxing Day Sew-in post was featured on Creating the Hive. I don’t know why, but it is a thrill when they feature one of my posts. I guess I feel like my writing is validated in some way. Not that I need it to be validated, of course.

Quiltin’ Jenny has joined the SeamedUp team. Check out the announcement.

Fabric and Supplies

The week before Christmas felt like hell at work. All the vendors wanted everything done by the end of the year. Management wanted everything done by the end of the year and I wanted to bury my head in the sand. I tried very hard to buy fabric and somehow just couldn’t achieve it. Camille Roskelley kindly posted a picture of her new fabric line. I asked her to send me some…

Wouldn’t these 1920s designs make great fabric for bags and pillowcases?

Do you stock up on thread per pound when you find it? Do you use mystery fiber thread with your 100% cotton LQS quality fabric? I really liked this thread snob essay. Now, don’t get shirty about the word ‘snob.’ It is a perfectly good word in certain cases. Read the essay, tell me what you think.

There is also a review of Aurifil thread on the KikiSews blog. I liked the way she talked about what needle she used and other such details.

I heard about Quilting by Celia from the Katie’s Quilting Corner podcast. I was tempted to go and take a look because of the promise that she had investigated several methods of making half square triangles. Nice blog. She does lots of blocks, which you know I love. I am also amazed at the people doing the Orca Bay mystery challenge. The steps seem daunting – ‘make 350 HSTs’. Yikes! I would read that and run away screaming.

Design

Weeks Ringle posted about negative space on her blog recently. This post probably relates to their new Transparency book (which nobody has seen fit to send me yet.   ) While negative space isn’t, as of yet, officially part of the design series I am doing with Sandy, it is an important concept and I will at least mention this post in the Design Resources section.

Not Quilt Related

I liked this list of things to stop doing. They were all reasonable and doable to me.

This won’t be a review post. If you want to read book reviews, you can click on the link in the idea cloud and read to your heart’s content. Most of the books I am recommending will be quilt books, but I am including a few non-quilt books as well.

Sandy did an amazing job in her list by categorizing and giving ratings in a recent podcast. I am not doing that.

In no particular order, the books I recommend are:

1. ColorPlay by Joen Wolfrom – this book about color begins the process of teaching a quiltmaker to make informed decisions about color and guides the quiltmaker through learning to put colors together.

2. Piecing: Expanding the Basics by Ruth McDowell – this book is out of print, but can be found as an eBook at the C&T site. You need this book if you want to be able to piece any shape to any other shape. This book will nudge you along the road to piecing odd angles and out of the ordinary shapes.

3. Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom – This book could be considered a companion to ColorPlay. While not the most comprehensive book on the subject, a good companion to others for learning about design. The examples in this book which illustrate design points are excellent.

4. The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d edition by Ann Johnston – Johnston writes an excellent resource on design. I like the way it is laid out by principle and element. If used with Adventures in Design, the quiltmaker can get a good picture of design in quiltmaking.

5. Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos – de los Santos’ poetic language makes this a fabulous book to which to listen while sewing.

6. Threading the Needle by Marie Bostwick – another book, from the Cobbled Court series, that stands on its own very well. Recent economic troubles factor prominently in the story. New characters are introduced.

7. Masters: Art Quilts v.2 curated by Martha Sielman – art quilt eye candy. This book is all about inspiration. The photos are wonderful and this book provides a jolt to the creative process.

8. Quilts Made Modern by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr – I like this book because the tone is kind and because the authors weave additional information beyond how to make the included projects their way into the text. The book is infused with advice on color. The authors took the time to show and talk about a few color variations for each project. No, they didn’t make all of the quilts in multiple colorways, but used line drawings. This is not a “my way or the highway” design team. They want the reader to be able to envision the projects in different colors.

9. The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns by Jinny Beyer – This massive block dictionary includes nearly every block known to womankind. If you want to be inspired, this is the book for you. If you want to start learning how to draft blocks, this is the book for you. If you want patterns and projects skip this book. The 4,000+ block line drawings provide endless inspiration for quilts.

10. Sew What Bags: 18 pattern free projects you can customize to fit your needs by Lexie Barnes – this book is more than a bag pattern book; it really gives information about the structure of bags and how to design your own.

Happy Reading!

Lilac Receiving Blanket

Lilac & Wine Receiving Blankets

A woman at work is expecting a new baby. She is so pleasant to work with and so helpful. I have been wanting to make her some receiving blankets. As I have said many times, receiving blankets are so useful as playmats, swaddling cloths, capes, etc. She is about to go out on leave, so I finally made them last weekend and gave them to her on Monday.

Gift Wrapping

I was particularly proud of the wrapping. As many of you know, I am a very poor gift wrapper, so I was thrilled that this came out so well. I didn’t even plan it!

2 Wallets

I started the purple wallet before Christmas last year to give as a gift, but never finished it. I finally got another package of snaps and finished it. I am a little short on handwork right now, so it made sense. It will be a gift, but for whom, I don’t know.

The Skull wallet goes with the Jane Market Tote bag I gave to Lil Sissy. Poor girl. I gave her her gifts over a month rather than all at once, nicely wrapped on the day. All I can say is that I hope the dribs and drabs method made the day last longer.

Skull Wallet Open

That is not one of my new, cool Photoshop Elements backgrounds. That is trying to get rid of the background and running out of time to figure out what I was doing wrong. It looks pretty cool, I think. I tried to center some interesting motifs on the inside, so when she opened it, she would see some skeletons. Hope she likes it.

By the way, this pattern is good for bus passes! I saw one made with a loop and clip on it, which I thought was a good modification.

Fabric Shack Food Fabrics

This quilt is all about the fabric.

I started cutting when I found myself starting to wash and iron food fabrics AND when I started to run short of leaders and enders.

As you know I made an effort to get the Farmer’s Market fabrics put out by RJR. I was able to buy a nice selection in Pennsylvania. I also scrounged a bunch from my mom when she was done with her food quilts.

After that, it was time to do a test. I want to do a Disappearing 9 Patch. I saw Robin doing one at the CQFA 2011 Retreat and she got a lot of bang for her buck. I want something that won’t take forever, but won’t be boring. First, though I wanted to try it out.

9 Patch Basic Layout

I am thinking I will make the real squares 6.5″. I didn’t want to commit that much fabric to a test, so I made the test group much smaller. The squares for each part of the test 9 Patch are 2.5″ cut. The above shows you the look I am thinking of using: food fabrics in the corners, white on black print on the middle outsides and red in the center. The Young Man gave his seal of approval, though wanted to know where the pizza fabric was, so I’ll have to rethink not including pizza fabric (it isn’t part of Farmer’s Market).

9 Patch Sewn

9 Patch Cut & Rearranged

The blocks look good and I think my idea will work. As I said the real blocks will be on a much larger scale. I think that the rearrangement of the blocks in that kind of infinity pattern will look good as well. Things to which I need to pay attention:

1. not to many green food fabrics in the same block
2. cut up lots of reds and blacks, if I really want to get moving

9 Patch Alternate

This is another way I could arrange the block parts. It has kind of a self sashing thing going. I don’t think I would want to do this unless I added more sashing to the center, which would be a lot more work. I don’t see any reason to cut up the 9 Patch in the Disappearing 9 Patch manner if I am just going to add more sashing to the middle. I might as well cut squares and sash them.

I really should have put a quarter or a dime next to these blocks so you can get an idea of how large they are, but I didn’t think of it before I took the photos. As a result, I don’t know if you will be able to to tell how large the final cut patches are?

First 4 Real Sized Patches

As I iron fabric, I cut these large squares out and set them aside. I was finishing up Stars for San Bruno #2 when I first cut these, so I didn’t cut any black/whites or reds. I’ll get to it.

Stars for San Bruno #1

Yes, I really did it! I made the first quilt in this series and it is finished. I have brought it around to CQFA and BAMQG and shown the contributors in those groups. I want as many people as possible who contributed blocks to see it before I give it to DH’s cousin.

Now I have to call the cousins and arrange to bring the quilt. I am nervous, since I don’t know them that well. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Nota bene: the Block-a-long will return next week.

Simply Pillows class project from 1999

These pillows have been languishing in my fabric closet for so long they weren’t even on my WIP list. They were yelling at me very loudly on Saturday after I finished the Teacher Pillows. I was inclined to work on them since they were taking up valuable floor space in my fabric closet.

The class I took at the Sewing Workshop was called Simply Pillows and Linda Lee taught the class. I took the class in 1999. Most people didn’t piece their pillows, but since I was enamored with quiltmaking I decided to piece my pillows. We learned to do piping and the striped piping on the pillow above was already done when I took the pieces out of the bag on the weekend. I had to sew one seam and I was done. It is pathetic that I let this project languish for so long.

Actually, I was kind of surprised that I took the class in 1999, because I thought for sure I had taken it when I lived closer, but the dates are in my handwriting on the folder. Very strange.

Simply Pillows Class Project #2

The hourglass pillow did not finish as intended. I put on some piping, which was in the bag of supplies. I found out that the back wouldn’t fit, because, apparently, I needed to trim the front of the pillow before adding the piping. I took off the piping and just sewed the back to the front and called it done.

Enough pillows already!

2011 Teacher Pillow Group

This year I had 5 pillows to make, but decided, as I talked about yesterday, to also make a pillow for the Art Teacher, leaving me with a total of 6 pillows to make.

2011 Religion Teacher Pillow

Religion Teacher Back

I made a Greek Cross (pg.72) block for the 8th grade Religion Teacher.

2011 Science Teacher Pillow

2011 Science Teacher Pillow back

The Science Teacher got a Big T (pg.37) block. Do you like the label? It is an exploding test tube. The Young Man’s goal of blowing something up in science class has not yet been achieved.

2011 Art Teacher Pillow

2011 Art Teacher Pillow back

Art will receive a Martha Washington Star (pg.85). I really like the back that the Young Man did for her. Very appropriate, I think.

2011 SS & Reading Teacher Pillow

2011 SS & Reading Teacher Pillow back

The Social Studies and Reading Teacher will also receive a Martha Washington Star. Look familiar? I was feeling uninspired. Now I think I should have  made the block red, white and black, but I am not remaking it. I don’t know what the back means. Perhaps an inside joke?

2011 English/Literature Teacher Pillow

2011 English/Literature Teacher Pillow back

English and Literature received a basket block pillow last year and she will receive the above Grape Basket (pg.71) this year. The fabrics and colors goes with the block I made last year. This basket block was a bit of pain. I have made a number of basket blocks and this one went together very strangely. When I had finished putting it together, I looked at it and thought that I would have done it differently, had I known.

2011 Math Teacher Pillow

2011 Math Teacher Pillow back

The Math teacher will receive a Free Trade block (pg.67). see a theme here with the Sawtooth Star variations? Again, I was uninspired. The fabrics go with some I used last year. Hope she likes pink. The back depicts Pi out to a lot of digits.

In years past, I have also given the Resource teacher a pillow, but this year she is getting a quilt.

Nota bene: All the blocks are from a book called Around the Block. It is out of print, but has been been reprinted with v.2 and v.3 in a book called 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks. Very worthwhile purchase. I would have a hard time living without this book.

Art Teacher Pillow

Religion Teacher Pillow

I will be glad when this project is done. I wanted to finish last week, but there was too much going on. I thought I could make some progress this past week in the evenings. No joy there either. Today, I am supposed to be resting, because of this cold that I am trying to have not turn into the flu.

And this is the last year for bulk pillow making. I still have to make the raffle pillows for the Native Sons and I may make a pillow every once in a while for a special teacher, but that is it. If I go back on my word feel free to remind me.

Anyway, the above pillow is for the art teacher. She has been a rock for the Young Man and has really encouraged his creativity and has encouraged his style. The pattern is Martha Washington Star from Around the Block.

The blue and yellow pillow is Greek Cross for the religion teacher. It actually came out really well. I used my last IKEA pillow form and kind of like those forms. I wanted more robust forms, but the ones I bought are REALLY really firm and forced me to make the pillow covers a bit bigger.

Frosted Stars Leftovers - Front

The last time you saw this quilt was after Thanksgiving.

Last night I finished the binding while watching Oceans 12 and now it is ready to go off to its new home. I am not ready for it to go off yet, because I will wait for the end of the school and give it then. I decided I am going to go and get several large gift bags (no, I am not making them, though I probably should) and just start filling them up with quilts and Teacher Pillows. The thought of having a bunch of gifts to wrap at the end of the year makes me crazy.

I have to admit that I have never gotten over the feeling that the quilting will ruin the look of my piecing. It turns out that I am really pleased with the quilting. Colleen did more feathers, which I love. She also paid special attention to the various borders – no all over patterns for me. The other thing that is making the finishing of these various quilts much easier is giving her the binding and having her sew it on. I can just bring it home and start working on the binding right away. Wonderful.

I decided that I should take a photo of the back, so I asked my quilt holder to turn the quilt around. You get a lovely view of the back:

Smart Aleck Back

Frosted Stars Leftovers - Back

I like using the leftover fabric as the back, as I have said before. I prefer to use larger pieces, as I discussed when I was talking about making the back for FOTY 2010. Two panels were included in this group of fabrics. I thought it was a little odd looking, but one of them works for the back.

Michaela's Quilt -Finished!

Here is the full quilt. I only showed part of it before, because it was too large to photograph in the space I had. I am going to make a second version in different fabrics with a few changes.

I wanted to get this one done so I could send it off, but didn’t get it done in time, so it will have to wait for the new owner to get home.

Grama's 2d Grab Bag

I finally finished Grama’s 2d Grab Bag. She lost the first one, perhaps I mentioned it? I am really sad she lost the first one, because I really liked that one. Oh well.

I wrote (sewed??) her name with my stitch letters in the handle, so perhaps the next finder will return it to her. Perhaps I should start the next one?

I used Aurifil thread and two different light fabrics for the inside so she could see what was in there. The leaf fabric is one I have had, but since I hadn’t used it, I thought it would be fine to use for this project.

Hope she likes it.

Black Jane Market Tote

I really like the Martha Negley giant vegetable prints. I am not sure why except that they are really different. This one was a much darker color than I thought when I bought it (online), which I mentioned when I made this pattern back in October. I was a little unsure what I would do with it.

This tote bag pattern is great! It is a good size and it is a useful size. I sew the straps a little differently than the pattern suggests, because I prefer the straps to be inside the seam. Otherwise this is a very clever pattern that goes together relatively easily and quickly.

I also think large scale fabrics show up very well on this pattern design.I finally learned to put the contrast fabric behind the pocket! TFQ likes to use the same fabric for the middle panel, but I like the way I have done it in the picture. I hope I remember to do it that way next time!

I have an idea in my head to make one of these a month all year. We will see: two months down, 2 bags complete.

My next wishlist item for this pattern is to make a bottom out of the fusible Timtex like stuff that Anna Maria Horner uses for the Multi-tasker tote and insert that to give the bag some stability.