On a good day, my cutting table is small. Tim laughs at the size of my cutting table. His is twice the size. My small cutting table is the reason I do so much cutting at Sew Day. Having space to lay out large pieces of fabric and use big rulers is a luxury. When half of it is covered with scraps and patterns, there is really only a small amount of space to cut.
Scraps and patterns that were on the cutting table
It only looks this good, because the two giant piles, one of scraps and one of patterns, I had to the right of the tool caddy fell off yesterday. They are still laying on the floor, because something has to change.
This happens, if not frequently, then regularly. I keep walking past the mess and thinking about what to do. I think what I need to do is throw scraps into some kind of bin and then deal with them when the bin gets full.
SueG made me some small bins which I use for thread scraps. A larger size would be great. A One Hour Basket or the Desktop Cube from Minikins Season 1 are both options. The large size of the Desktop Cube is 5-1/2” long x 7-1/2” tall x 5-1/2” wide, so that might be a good starter bin. I also have a Sew Sweetness pattern called the Faithwell Storage Bin. The small size is small circle – 8” diameter x 7” tall, which is slightly larger than the Desktop Cube. What do you use for pre-processed scraps?
I was thinking about what to piece next after making some pillowcases. I was thinking of starting the Ombre Weave** pattern, which I bought at Stitch in Ferndale. If I started that new project, I would have to take all the pieces of the Pantone Project off the design wall. I thought that was a bad idea since I didn’t want it to become a permanent WIP. Been there done that.
I decided to work on it a little at least and then see what happened.
I wasn’t that happy with my previous layout ideas, Design #1 or Design #2, for the Pantone blocks. I took all the blocks down and started over with the design I drew in my journal. I liked it on paper so I thought it would be a good place to start.
Pantone Project – almost layout
It really is a good starting place. I am pretty pleased with the design as it is shown in the photo, left. I tried to duplicate what I had drawn with blocks and I am ok with the way the fabrics look. I couldn’t do everything as I don’t have enough of some of the parts, but I made due.
It isn’t perfect yet. The top right hand corner, for example is a little heavy while the left upper corner is a little light. Still for an hour of work, it looks like I can almost start piecing.
I might still start the Ombre Weave quilt and do both at the same time.
**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.
I decided that the quilt I planned to give to my great niece wasn’t right. Then I saw this pattern on my Portland/Oregon Coast trip. Then, I remembered the Dessert Roll-ish bundle of fabric I bought at Sharon’s Attic in the beforetimes (2018-ha!). It has been sitting around marinating long enough and now is a good time to use it.
Now I have finished a few things that were in the works and I was looking for my next thing. Bag or Quilt? Quilt, I thought, then I thought about this one. My niece’s brother’s quilt will be done soon, so I should have this one ready soon as well. They are not grownups, so I expect them to wonder where their quilt is if I don’t send both at the same time.
I am not sure I have enough of that speckle fabric so I might need to rethink the background.
This pouch is for Lindsay’s daughter, A. A has a new brother and I didn’t want to bring him a gift without one for her. Mama loves Tula, so she got some Tula fabric in her bag.
This is a cute little pouch that is good for a little girl, though I don’t think it is good for much else. At least I can’t think what I would use it for. How would you use it? The first one I made went into the Pink Project Bag.
I made a tiny bit of progress on the sun hat since I talked about it last time. I washed the fabric and printed out the pattern. I also measured my head. Surprisingly my head is ‘teen’ sized!
The pattern was one of those that prints on 12 sheets of paper and you have to stick it together. Bleah! I know there is no way to print a pattern on one sheet using a home printer, but I dislike sticking patterns together and this one was no exception. It didn’t quite match up, and, yes, I made sure there was no scaling when I printed.
It’s a hat not a dress, so I am sure it will work.
This is Enigma #5. I do like this pattern! I like the way it looks and how functional it is.
You don’t get to see the all the steps, because I have so much to write about and so much to sew that I am just posting the completed bag now.
Paris Enigma Bag – bottom
Lil Sissy was admiring my Peony Enigma bag when she visited us in Portland. She didn’t ask for one, but I decided to make her one any way. Her birthday was July 26, so I had about a week to make it when I returned. I had a week or so in between everything else – niece’s wedding, YM visiting, etc.
I had to quilt the bottom and I am never happy about quilting, but I am pleased with how this quilting came out.
I made two of these at the same time. You will see the other one later. Making the same bag multiple times makes them go together faster, but also means I can pay attention to the details. I was able to select which side panel would work for the top and which would be better for the front without a lot of drama. Since I knew what to expect, I could think about the finer details.
Paris Enigma Bag – zipper end
I also found a good place for my label and was able to add it in the course of making the inside pocket.
The zipper end was a pain, but ending up coming out well.
“I decided to make a hat for a trip we are taking in the summer. That meant going to the web and searching for different hat patterns. One pattern is from Spruce Crafts. It has a very large brim, which I like. Another is from Heather Handmade. This is also a pattern with a large brim. It also shows you how to measure your head and provides a few different sizes of hats. I also found one from Apple Green Cottage. It comes in 5 sizes and it’s free. The pattern says that the brim is just the perfect size for keeping the face from direct sun, however it looks a little small to me. “
The trip was cancelled and I never got around to making the hat(s). I haven’t traveled in the summer in a long time. I prefer to travel in the winter, except for bad roads, or in the Autumn. The crowds are gone and the weather isn’t too hot for my ‘living in the fog’ body. On my recent trip to Portland and back, I could have really used a packable hat – one I can keep in my suitcase for when I need one.
Sun hat fabric
I am determined to use some of the fabric and supplies I bought, so I want to use the yellow Philip Jacobs fabric to try one of the patterns I wrote about. Of course, they may no longer be available, but we will see.
OMG! I have been to so many quilt shops in the last few weeks! It is really awesome. I don’t have a fabric hangover yet, but I’ll need to sew up a storm.
Springville Quilt Barn
The Springville Quilt Barn is in the space once occupied by Kim’s Fortuna Fabric and Crafts. I visited the previous shop in 2010, but it only got a brief mention in one of my previous posts. I don’t remember anything about it other than a shop was there.
Springville Quilt Barn – front
The Springville shop was crowded with fabric, books, kits, notions and was somewhat disorganized. It was not dirty and was filled with GREAT fabric. I enjoyed the discovery process. Everywhere I turned were colors and patterns I love. Jan Leonardo is the owner and she was very friendly and engaged with us.
The front of the shop gave us a taste of what was to come. As soon as we walked in we saw tons of fabric, books, kits, and notions. They were nicely arranged, in my opinion.
Springville Quilt Barn – notions area
I think Jan had a lot going on. She was creating kits, serving customers, posting to her website and all the other things that go into owning a quilt shop business.
There were quite a few notions and I don’t really think I was able to take in all the fabric that was available. It was, mostly, organized by line and somewhat by designer as well. For example, most of the Tilda fabrics were near each other. I saw Tula, Tilda, some Kaffe (and my man, Phil), but lots of other designers as well.
Springville Quilt Barn – Tula Homemade corner
One thing I noticed is that the shop has older prints from the various designers. For example I saw bolts of Tula Homemade there. Not all are listed on the shop website, so call if you need more of a specific print.
Of course, there were other bolts in that corner as well. I also saw quite a few panels in the same corner and in other parts of the shop. I am seeing more panels lately. Are they more popular or have always been popular and I just haven’t noticed them?
FQ packs were everywhere as well.
Springville Quilt Barn fabric
Springville Quilt Barn fabric – detail
I loved the long rows of shelving filled with fabric bolts.
I bought some fabric for gifts, but I also bought a half yard pack of Tilda Bloomsville fabric that I have been admiring. The colors are super cheerful, though there are a few that are a little icky. I hope the colors I like will mitigate any ickiness.
Springville Quilt Barn purchases
The pack includes the flower prints only not the focus fabrics from that line. I think Jan put the pack together herself as opposed to it being a group assembled by Free Spirit or whichever company distributes Tilda. It was kind of an impulse buy, but I also bought a magazine with a pattern I am going to use for it. Perhaps I’ll start as soon as I get home now that the Green Strips donation quilt is in a good place.
The Portland Modern Quilt Guild’s challenge was called Rainbow Quilts. The quilts were displayed in the Basil Hallward Gallery at Powell’s from June 4 to July 30, 2024. As you can imagine, all of the quilts incorporated a rainbow.
I really liked it that Powell’s displayed quilts and that the Portland Modern Quilt Guild organized a challenge.
PMQG quilts at Powell’s
I am a big fan of rainbows. I love the imagery, but also the merging of colors into one another. Remember my Fabric of the Year quilts?
It was hard to pick my favorite. The plus quilt in the photo, right has a good design. I seem to be interested in curves and circles lately, so the one below it with the rainbow spikes was also a favorite.
PMQG quilts at Powell’s
You can see that there were quite a few quilts and they were all different sizes. I also saw a lot of different techniques: applique’, Bargello design, curves, mosaic piecing. It was a very interesting collection, which made it even harder to choose the top quilt.
Melinda Miller, It’s Time to Use Your Outside Voice
I eventually chose Melinda Miller’s “It’s Time to Use Your Outside Voice”, because I like the quote. I think that it is true for women as well. All of the attempts to curb the rights of women mean that we have some power someone fears.
Be sure to check out the exhibit space at Powell’s when you visit. You will surely see something interesting.
My youngest nephew graduated from high school in June. He is not going to college right now, so is missing out on some of the experiences his older brother and cousin had.
While I was on vacation, I decided that he needed pillowcases anyway. He wants to travel, so I chose a travel theme. I was able to buy several prints that I will use, but I’ll need to get more to fill out the year.
These pillowcases will be quick wins in terms of fabric usage, too.
Kruusn is in Coos Bay and it was one of the only quilt shops we passed that was open on a Sunday. We actually went out of our way to find the shop, but it wasn’t terribly far out of the way and it was totally worth it.
The store looked like a beach house and when we pulled up I was afraid I was walking into someone’s living room. There were family members there living their lives, but it was definitely a quilt shop.
Kruusn entrance
Kruusn was packed with fabric, bag supplies, patterns, tools and panels. I didn’t see many kits, but I also wasn’t looking. You see it all the minute you walk in. I found plenty to buy there.
The people were super friendly once we all warmed up. They didn’t try and hard sell me on anything, though one of the clerk’s extolled the virtues of rope bowls and showed us both the one she made and embellished with the moon and stars fabric we both bought.
There was so much to look at I had to go through the shop twice.
Kruusn notions
Kruusn bag supplies
Kruusn bag supplies and interfacing
The front room had tons of notions and bag supplies. I had to stop myself from buying notions. They had so many different scissors and rotary cutters and lots of things I had never seen before. I took advantage of the selection to buy some gifts.
I was really interested in how many ByAnnie patterns and supplies the shop had. They had the most complete set of zippers (all the colors??) I have seen. There were other brands as well. I bought some interesting zipper pulls and some bag gifts for SueG.
Kruusn had a nice selection of V&Co ombre fabrics. You can see them on the back wall of the photo, left.
Friend Julie spent a lot of time in there. I had to go find her at one point as I hadn’t seen her. It turns out she was checking the requirements for a quilt she wants to make and needed a specific ombre.
You can also see how every surface held something interesting. There were lots of charm packs and fat quarter/half yard packs all around the shop.
Kruusn – Ombre Room with Kimberbell
The other side of the ombre room held batiks and marbly looking fabrics, including some of the Tonga Treats. There were also A LOT of Kimberbell products.
There were a lot of blanks I have never seen, such as zipper pouch blanks. I also aprons, a variety – a wide variety – of interfacing.
There were things I rarely see in quilt shops such as Art Bin totes and pillow forms. It makes me wonder if they are one of the few shops in the area. If so, they are full service.
Kruusn – back room
They had a respectable amount of everything, but not tons. The shop was full of a lot of different things. It is clear that they are supplying materials for pre-cut projects as well as the pre-cuts themselves.
First they have pre-cuts, as we have mentioned, but then they supplied books for using pre-cuts and a variety of projects that use pre-cuts.
I saw a couple of projects using Bosal as well as patterns for a wide variety of small projects – bags, baskets and other gifts.
Kruusn – gnome & pets
If you need a ‘Gnome for the Holidays’ quilt kit, this is your store!
This room also had a lot of pet fabrics. On the wall, left, is a fun dog quilt.
Next to the pets is a ‘soft book library’ with kits to make the books underneath. Also, they had a supply of Cutterpillar products, which I have discussed in a recent V&S post.
Modern Necchi
One of the most interesting things was a modern Necchi. I have never seen one of these before. I have also never heard of one. It turns out Kruusn is a Necchi dealer. That is novel! Seeing the machine immediately catapulted me back to the Necchi I own. As you know it was my great grandmother’s machine. I got it repaired a long time ago, but don’t use it for sewing.
The shop was worth visiting. They had a lot of fabric, charm packs, mini charm packs as well as an excellent section of tools and supplies. They have a rewards program where customers can earn a $10 gift card for each $200 purchased.
Kruusn purchases
Kruusn Quilt Designs, Quilt Shop & Retreat Center
92772 Cape Arago Hwy
Coos Bay, OR 97420
T: 541-808-9972
E: lindamason@kruusn.com
