Various & Sundry 2022 #10

Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials

My friend Mary C really likes the projects provided by Jo Westfoot, the Crafty Nomad. Mary C has sewed along with several projects including Glitter Ball. I confused her work with that of GnomeAngel. Still, it is fun to explore new sites, especially when they keep their blogs up to date.  I found that GnomeAngel has a lot of block tutorials. In the course of finding all of these links, I also ran into a site for Jo Avery. I love her voice. Check out the pirate chest pincushion. I would have loved to receive that as a swap gift!

The Crafty Nomad has a recent post describing/explaining a ‘scant quarter inch’. She also has a ‘Quilt Hive’ membership. Each month members receive video content as well as some live sessions. Good option, if you don’t want to work with me live. 😉

If you want to check out Jo’s teaching style, check out the Crafty Nomad tutorials. There are a wide variety, including different types of binding, sewing a variety of bags, cleaning your sewing machine and making holiday decorations.

FreeSpirit posted a video of how they fill bolts. Big machinery, but interesting.

FreeSpirit has a list of projects on their website. Not all of the projects are free, which I thought was odd, but not a deal breaker. There are a few free ones and information on where to buy the non-free ones.

Linda  and Laura Kemshall have an English Paper Piecing series of 2 videos called Millefiore Patchwork. They show one of my favorite blocks, Jack’s Chain, in the example. Only 3 English pounds.

I got an email from Emmaline, which I read too late. It included a 20 bag pattern bundle from Sew Modern Bags. I have never heard of this bag company and they may be a resale type operation as most of the patterns were from a variety of pattern designers. As I said, I missed the sale, so I can’t tell you the cost, but if you sign up for their newsletter (no experience on how annoying) you get notified of future sales. I looked at the bags included and some were really cute. Do I need more bag patterns? No. Were some of them similar to bag patterns I already own? Yes.

Sew Modern Bags has a number of free patterns. Most aren’t that interesting, but all seem to come with videos, so if you haven’t made many bags, they might be useful learning tools. And the holidays are coming.

I have the Aunties Two Poppins Bag pattern. I am still seeking the perfect quilting supplies travel bag. I started reading the directions (shocking, I know) in anticipation of having Colleen quilt the panels for me. I found that they have video tutorials on YouTube. This is a good thing, because I couldn’t understand the directions. The first one, which I watched and is very clear, is about the center and side panels. I’d advise buying all the supplies as a group. I got the stays, the bottom interfacing panel already cut, the Bosal foam and the pattern as a package deal. Aunties Two also has free patterns. You can buy their patterns at Wingspan Crafts.

I was reminded of pattern weights recently when I was updating the gift idea list on the guild blog. I found a pattern for them at Tea Rose Home.

Torie Jayne has a Craft Organizer Bag Pattern with a great shape and style. The pattern is free, but it is not easy to download. She also has a book about home sewing.

Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies

Latifah Saafir has a new  HRT ruler called the Hurty. She is running a special right now with patterns and the ruler. Check the ruler’s webpage. This ruler is not included in the information I provided on making HRTs. I’ll add this ruler to the list when I have a moment. If you want to review the instructions, there is an instructional PDF available.

If you haven’t seen the Gray Muse website, take a look. Rubeena has pins and stickers for crafters and artists and anyone who likes a little ‘making’ humor and support in their jewelry. I went there the other day as the result of an email I received. I like to get things from this site for stocking stuffers. One series of interactive pins I saw was called Bold Affirmations. I wonder what to do with pins beyond giving them as gifts. The site has a blog post called ‘What to do with Pins’! One of the ideas encourages me to put my color wheel pin on my inspiration board so I could see it when I sat at my computer. It will be helpful, too, in class, because I haven’t found my color wheel after the workroom reorganization and that is a real problem.

Take a look at the Kaffe 85+Fabulous fabric collection.

Tula Pink has a new machine embroidery collection, Moon Garden. She talks about it in a recent Tula Talks Tuesday. I love the flowers, but could do without the snake. Find all of her embroidery collections at Scissortail Stitches.

I got a tip about a tabletop power strip. It is by Odom** and, while I haven’t bought one, the idea of not crawling under the table or sewing machine to plug things in is very appealing!

I found a new online fabric store called Hummingbird Lane Fabrics. Lots and lots of modern fabrics from all of the current designers. Fabrics are around $10.40 per yard. They have an interesting variety of notions, including some hard/impossible to find items from Tula Pink, such as her  limited edition black and gold scissor tin. I like that it is very clear what is sold out. The shop has a good selection of bag making supplies including hardware, zippers and pulls, Sew Tites, mesh and Soft & Stable. Products from bagmaking companies such as Tula Pink (webbing), Sallie Tomato, Sew Hungry Hippie, Emmaline and ByAnnie are available. They are located in Arizona.

Articles, Tips and Other Information

The Rainbow of QEII
The Rainbow of QEII

I was saddened to hear of Queen Elizabeth’s death at the beginning of September. At that time, I read a number of articles about her and her legacy, including many about her wardrobe. I know newspapers would never write about prominent male wardrobes and I probably shouldn’t encourage them by reading the articles, but I loved her style. I’d love to dress with a suit, hat and Launer handbag everyday. I’d need a dresser, though, like the Queen had, which isn’t practical for this middle class California girl. I did go look at the Launer website, thinking I would get a Launer handbag next time I visit London. I think others were shopping online, because beyond seeing handbags on one page, I kept getting error messages.

Check out the Fons & Porter Reader’s Choice Award winners. From sewing machine to fabric, cutting tools to furniture, the survey results tell you what tools and products people selected as the best. I think some of it is true, but I think the categories in the Furniture and other section are name recognition mostly.  Perhaps I am just disappointed that my favorites (clearly the best 😉   ) were not selected.

Someone shared a Washington Post article with me called “It’s time to appreciate domestic artistry like sewing and baking”. Finally, I thought, when I read the title. The article points out all the ways the author’s grandmother was artistic. Rather than a general article on ‘women’s work’ it is the observation by one granddaughter of her grandmother’s work. It is a really nice article and might make us think about other’s work, but it is not generally useful for the greater world. Maybe non-quiltmaking people will read it and look around at artworks by people they know, but will it change their views? Will it make them accept and pay higher prices for quilts or knitted sweaters? Will it increase the value the general public have around textile work done at home and not for profit?

Sarah Ann Smith asked about learning embroidery software? One answer was a reminder to me of DesignTV by the Kemshalls. I wrote a review of their Thr3fold Journal a few years ago. They have some modules on using embroidery software as well as some samples.

Global Quilt Connection is a teacher directory. If you are looking for teachers for your guild, check their list.

SFMOMA Bay Quilt
SFMOMA Bay Quilt

I am very disappointed in the SFMOMA, because they have a quilt for sale for $375. This is an amazing applique’ work of art and $375 not only undervalues the hard work of the makers, but undervalues the artistry and work of American quiltmakers. Very disappointing.

I took a class the other week and the teacher mentioned Allie from the Exhausted Octopus. Great name, huh? She has a very visual blog.

The teacher in the class also mentioned Pride and Joy Quilting. The artist creates amazingly complicated foundation paper piecing patterns and quilts.

Aneela Hoey has a rebranded website. She is the author of Stitched Sewing Organizers and has a lot of great patterns. The new website is a little easier to navigate, though her blog is gone.

Every Sunday, Caroline Hadley at Geometri Quilts posts a picture of a quilt she has designed. I like the way she includes different color ways in her designs so you can see how choosing different fabrics than the designer chose is not a bad thing.

Exhibits and Events

Souls Grown Deep is Proud to Sponsor the Inaugural Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival on Saturday October 8, 2022.

I totally missed Quilter’s Take a Moment 2022. It took place September 13-18, 2022. Friend Julie told me about it so I went and looked. The live portion of the event has concluded. New ticket purchasers will receive recordings of each event by September 20, 2022 or within 24 hours of your ticket purchase. There is a Tula Pink interview.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.