I am not sure what I was thinking several months ago when I started looking at needlepoint kits. Yes, you read that right NEEDLEPOINT. I found a cushion cover design I really liked, mostly because of the turquoise background.
I didn’t buy it right away. I actually waited several months, but kept going back to it and looking it. I finally bought it last week. I haven’t started it yet as I want to finish a knitted scarf on which I am working.
Love my Garden Needlepoint project
I think I have to re-learn how to needlepoint as I have very little idea of what to do to follow the pattern. I am sure YouTube has something.
The kit came with the pattern painted (or printed) on canvas. It also came with a lot of yarn. With cross stitch, I would make a card with holes and labeled with the numbers of the yarn. I would loop the yarns through the holes and have everything well organized. I don’t know if I should do that as I don’t have a chart that tells me which colors go where. I just have the canvas. I think I need to get some advice from someone who does needlepoint.
Love for my Garden Cushion kit – back
I have all of the yarn. It is all separated into these little bundles.
Cross your fingers for me. I’ll let you know when I start it.
After I finished the last batch, which Friend Julie received the day after I sent them (!), I couldn’t help but slap some of the blocks up on the design wall.
I didn’t have my ideas handy, so I just put the blocks up. This will not be the final quilt and it may be that I don’t keep any of the elements in this arrangement. It was fun to put them up on the design wall.
Yes, I am making progress! The top is finished and I am pretty happy with it. I am running out of larger pieces for borders and backings. This does NOT mean I am running out of fabric. It just means the pieces I have left are, mostly, not large enough for the border of a 40 x 40ish quilt. I am not sure what I am going to do about that.
Much of my green, as I may have mentioned, is of the chartreuse and yellow-green variety. I remember buying a lot of chartreuse and icky green as TFQ called it, but I am still surprised I have as much as I do.
The borders I added are some Riley Blake fabrics (I think) that are neither chartreuse or yellow-green or dark green. These are more of a light blue-green…maybe? I don’t know what to call that color. The borders give the quilt a different look overall. Still green, but not as yellow, I think.
There are three big projects on my design wall, but a slew of littler bits and pieces as well.
It looks really messy, but there is a method to the chaos. I am still looking forward to getting some of those projects off the design wall, so the projects that are left have a little breathing space.
Small design wall – June 2024 – numbered
1. That is a lone turquoise and red 4 patch. I really like it and keep trying to think of how to use it or whether I should make a bunch more. I don’t currently cut 2×2 inch squares, so that would be an addition to my cutting chart.
2. That Rock Star block from Sew Kind of Wonderful is made with the Wonder Curve Ruler. Unfortunately, I was not able to find a link on their website to the sampler. I guess they never made it into a pattern. Too bad. I am planning to make a ruler sampler to fulfill part of the BAM President’s Challenge.
3. That is the black improv piece that will be a donation quilt, but I haven’t gotten back to it. It has grown since I last mentioned it in April, but it isn’t finished. I think I will clear out the green bin, then see if I have enough black to get back to this quilt and finish it. I made one small piece that will be added. I actually made it for the grey improv piece (#4), but decided it was too dark and will add it to the black piece.
4. That is the grey improv piece that will eventually be a donation quilt. I haven’t gotten back to it. It has grown since I last mentioned it in April, but it still isn’t finished. I plan to clear out the green bin, then see if I have enough grey to get back to this quilt top and finish it. I made one small piece that was too dark to be added. I like the lightness of the grey piece. It won’t go to waste. I will add it to the black improv piece.
5. Pantone Project blocks. All the blocks are now done and I am about to start putting them on the design to arrange them to make a quilt. I drew some ideas, which I thought were pretty exciting. I can’t wait to see how they translate to a quilt, or IF they translate to a quilt.
6. These are the rest of the green strip blocks that are not currently on the large design wall. I have enough to make another quilt of green strips blocks and then will have 1-2 leftover for the next Rainbow strip donation quilt.
7. Random piece of grey fabric from the Scrappy Celebration quilt. I LOVE this background and wish they still made it. I think this is my last piece.
8. This is the start of some green 16 patch donation blocks. I got sidetracked by the green strip donation blocks. Scraps win over 2.5 inch squares every day.
9. The start of the green improv donation top. It is emerging as I run out of strips and just have small scrap pieces of fabric.
I am making good progress on the Green Strips donation top. It might be a little hard to see, but I am sewing sashing strips to the blocks. I have some of the top sashing cut, but haven’t decided what color to use for the cornerstones. I keep thinking red as that is opposite to green on the color wheel, but I don’t want a Christmas look at all. These blocks remind me of a leafy green tree and I want to keep that feeling. More green, I think. Or a blue tending towards green.
I enjoyed folding the Thanksgiving Mette Ring I talked about a couple of weeks ago, so I made some more with a pack of paper I had purchased….sometime. I might as well use it, right?
I am planning on an installation(?) for the Fair, so I need a few more of these. I am working on a larger one with some larger paper and we will have to see how I can connect these.
The other thing is that I am a little sick of these and may want to make another kind of paper wreath. We’ll see.
On Wikipedia, this holiday is described as “Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.”
My wish is that people reflect on what it meant to write the Declaration of Independence. It did not mean, in my reading, tell lies and do whatever you want to get people to do your bidding.
Let’s be kind, work together, have robust but civil discussions and respect the choices of others.
I gave the Cane Chain to Mom and got it back fairly quickly as it had failed. I was upset as that was not my intention and she fell once (before not as a result of this fail-whew) trying to retrieve her cane. Fortunately, this fail did not cause any accidents.
Along with the item came instructions. She didn’t like the feel of the webbing and she needed it an inch or so longer.
Now I plan to make another, but use the same hardware, if I can. I plan to make it out of fabric and make the spot where the hardware clamps on thicker so it doesn’t pull out. I may use some Decovil or the thick Pellon interfacing.
I finished work on Friday and spent the weekend on some cleanup projects, one of which was the Pantone blocks.
I finally finished all the blocks for the Pantone Project. I am excited that I can start playing with the layout, especially after I saw what Friend Julie was doing on her design wall!
These have been hanging around my workroom for a few weeks now. Last weekend was really the first time in a few weeks I had uninterrupted time to sew. DH was out and the house was quiet so I could concentrate. Fortunately, except for one fabric, I had picked out all the fabrics previously so all I had to do was cut and sew. I did choose some of the easier blocks, but I tried to choose blocks I thought I could use in the overall quilt design. Now to just get these to Julie at some point soon.
As you know, I don’t quilt much. I really enjoy the collaborative effort of making a top and allowing someone else to quilt it. Thus, the quilts below are mostly tops, but I will include a finished quilt once someone else finishes it for the group.
WIPs are projects on which I am working. This means that I am past the cutting out of pieces stage, some sewing has taken place.
La Passacaglia – I am working on the border, but need to work more and harder.
Cut Out & Stopped
EPPic Bag – I need to make a cover/ main exterior piece for this bag. I was thinking of a Pineapple block, but haven’t gotten back to it yet. I am also kind of scared of this pattern. I know what to expect from Sew sweetness patterns, but this is a new designer to me.
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
I am annoyed that some of these are still UFOs. I have to give myself credit for completing some of them last year.
Rose Petrillo bag – I found the pieces for this bag cut out, but not sewn.
Superbloom tote using Hindsight fabric – not started. I did pull the fabric, supplies and found a photo I plan to use as inspiration that others posted, so I am one step closer.
Handbag Sampler – I found the blocks! I found them in a bin I thought I had thoroughly searched! I also found the fabrics carefully stored together. Hooray!!
Do you want to be ready for anything in quiltmaking? Check out the Quilt Class and Teaching page. And, get in touch if you want to learn a wide variety of techniques. I am hoping to start a class at the end of July.
Carrie sent me a link to using up scraps. It is based on Elizabeth Hartman’s ‘Map of the States’ tutorial. Unfortunately, the content no longer exists on the new elizabethhartman.com site. Yes, I did check. Remember that using scraps is very personal. If you cannot deal with scraps, shove them in a pet bed and move on with your life. Don’t stress because you aren’t using your scraps. I wrote a post recently about using my scraps.
Take a look at this tutorial for making Flying Geese.
Anna Maria Echinacea pattern
Anna Maria is coming out with a pattern called Echinacea. Pink Door has pre-orders now, but it is only for the fabric, it seems. The website says the pattern will be available in November from Free Spirit. There aren’t a lot of details so I am holding off for now.
It’s a beautiful quilt, but that is a lot of applique’ for me.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
The first thing I noticed about the Color Cube is that it was very attractive. Those little squares of color really pulled me in. The Color Cube comes in 2 volumes, each containing 250 color combinations as cards. The idea is that you use them to choose color combinations. The hex codes are on the back, which are great for digital artists, but can’t really be used by quiltmakers as we never know what our favorite designers used for colors. As I have experienced with the Pantone Project, the leap from paper to fabric isn’t always smooth. Still these would be fun to look at or use for inspiration.
I was referred to a template site in hopes I could get some bag templates made. I was thinking of templates like Moni Malene uses in her reels on IG. I am not sure they have that sort of thing.
I read this NYT article about LL Bean tote bags. While we do not have to copy the LL Bean classic tote bag, the same feelings can come from a tote bag you make. Perhaps you have a pattern you love (mine is the Jane Market Tote) and you make often. If you often make it as a gift, people might look forward to getting their own. I do like the sturdiness of the LL Bean tote bags as well as the open wide design. Check your library if you do not have a subscription.
Do you want some awesome inspiration? Check out Christine A. Moore Millinery. Yes! Millinery! Hats! She is the Official Milliner of Breeders’ Cup and makes hats for the Kentucky Derby.
Other Artists
Gustaf Westman is a furniture designer and he has some interesting furniture.
NQR
As mentioned last time, my sister is opening a Sanctuary for dogs who need a place to stay while their people get treatment for various addictions. She has a GoFundMe and I hope you will donate. Even $1 helps.
I worked diligently on the third of my Diagonal 9 patch quilts using the green donation blocks as leaders and enders. The donation blocks kept piling up until I could finally focus on sewing a green donation quilt with these blocks. I haven’t had a lot of time lately, so it is slow going. Also, the smaller the strips, the slower I am to finish blocks.
Green Strip donation block #53
Green Strip donation block #54
Green Strip donation block #55
Green Strip donation block #56
Green strip donation block #57
Green strip donation blocks #58
The good news is that a green donation quilt is going well and I should be finished with it before I attend the next meeting. I have enough blocks to make a second quilt with green strip blocks. I have also started on an improv donation top with the smaller, non strip scraps. At this point, I don’t know how large it will be. I don’t want a small piece of ‘made’ fabric hanging around like the black improv piece and the grey improv piece seem to be doing.
After I posted about the Encore Purse Insert the other day, I went looking at my patterns to see what other purse inserts I had. I wanted to compare them by size and shape.
Encore Purse Insert
As you saw, I have the Encore Purse Insert, thanks to Sherri D.
This is a large insert at 11.5 x 5.5 x 6 inches. I am guessing it is either 5.5. or 6 inches tall. This is definitely for a larger handbag or tote bag. Since I haven’t made it yet, I can only say that I think it would be super useful in a tote bag.
I am also wondering if it could be used for quilt travel for supplies. One downside is that it is open, so the larger bag would have to be closed. That is also on the plus side, because an open bag means easier access.
Mustang Purse Organizers
I also have the Mustang Purse Organizers. These are part of Minikins Season 3. As you know this is a 12 pattern and video bundle, so you get more than just the Mustang pattern for the price. I made both sizes for my mom in 2021.
The smaller size is 8 inches long x 5.5 inches tall x 3 inches deep. The larger size is 11.5 inches long x 6.75 inches tall x 3.5 inches deep. The sizes are similar to the Encore, which gives me an idea of the size of Encore.* I know my mom transfers her stuff from one purse to the other using the smaller organizer.
Paint Tube Purse Organizer
I also have a pattern from Sotak Handmade called Purse Organizer. I have made two of these, one for Mom and one for Gerre. I haven’t had any complaints, but they are very different from the handbag organizers above.
One of the advantages of the organizers above is that they are open, so you can slip your hand into your handbag and pull out what you need. This is flatter and closed. There are external pockets as well, which means you could take it out of a larger handbag and carry with you or transfer it quickly to your work bag.
Sotak Handmade Multi-pocket Organizer
I also have the Multi Pocket Organizer from Sotak Handmade. I have not made this pattern yet. Now that I see it again, I am eager to make it. It is a combination, it seems of the Mustang and the Sotak Purse organizer. It might be the right size to use in my new handbag. I like her patterns and this one holds quite a bit in an organized manner. It is (wide on bottom x tall x deep): 10” x 6 1/2” x 4”, so in between the large and small sizes of the Mustang.
Handy Purse Organizer
I also have a pattern called Handy Purse Organizer by Caroline Fairbanks-Critchfield. I couldn’t find the finished size on the blog post. There are 13 pockets – 6 mesh, 6 fabric, and one interior zipper pocket, which is useful info.
There are a lot of free patterns on the Sew Can She site. I haven’t made this one, but it is another option for purse organizers.
Am I going to have 35 purse organizers? LOL!
* I know what 11 inches is, but the numbers don’t get into my brain and I need to see a bag to actually understand the size.
I cut out the Hildegarde Notions Trunk at the MARCH Sew Day, then I didn’t touch it again. I still haven’t, but I wanted to look at it so I took a photo.
Obviously, the project bag is not a picture of the pieces, but I am really thrilled that I am using the project bag even though I think the large size (according to the pattern) is more of a medium size. I need a larger project bag for the Hildegarde, but it is working for the moment.
Hildegarde Trunk pieces
I used some Tula Pink Pink Neon Dots for the lining, which I love even more now that I see them again. I am definitely in pink mode right now and I am embracing that. I also used a Heather Bailey pink called Aflutter that I didn’t have quite enough of to be really comfortable. I asked Amy if she had some, but she didn’t so I just thought I would have to make do, but I found some online. I don’t need more fabric, but I like the idea of making this a really great bag. I might want some of this fabric to do that or make another one.
I am still seeking the perfect bag in which to take my tools to sew days and retreats. I’ll give this one away if it doesn’t work for me.
In case you can’t tell this is a Sew Sweetness pattern. It is part of Minikins Season 4 bundle. You can see the various projects I have made from the Minikins patterns on the Minikins page.
Now that the Green & Grey Diagonal 9 Patch is ready for quilting, I started another donation top. This time I am using the green blocks I have been making.
I am planning to use the thin strips between the blocks again, but I haven’t sewn them yet, so we will see.
I also did some math and think 4 x 6 blocks will make a good sized quilt. The rough size will be 35 x38 inches without a border. I don’t want to make another skinny quilt like the recent Black Strip #2.
Green Strips donation top
This is #2 of all time. The first quilt in this series was made with green. I don’t use much green so that really strikes me as weird. It is interesting to see the differences. I didn’t sew smaller pieces into larger to make the strips long enough like I do now. Back in the day, I just used strips that were the right length. Perhaps that is why my scrap drawer got so full so quickly.
