Sarah's Stitchery Saga

School days :)

2010-11-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

OK- so going back to school... FUN!
(But first let's start with a gratuitous puppy picture of my doggies snoozing on the passenger seat of my car.)
Really, this is great. At this age, I am not partying, not dating and not hooking up. I have a regular sleep schedule, a lovely bed, I eat real food regularly and enjoy all sorts of other things younger college students don't. It makes the work load so much easier! Easier might have something to do with the intense project load I kept up with in work too... but I am having fun. (Except for the random moaning and whinging about expository essays. Essays at 35 years old! Give me something to analyze or a design presentation any day. Ok, enough whining.)
My program is called Arts and Religious Practice. (Evergreen doesn't do many individual classes. We take one program all quarter and get credits in multiple disciplines.) The Arts bit is in both Printmaking and Fine Metals studios with two very organized and focused instructors.
Printmaking So far we have focused on relief printmaking from woodcuts and intaglio from copper engraving. Here is a picture of one of my burins (engraving tool) plus some scrap copper for practicing. The close up of the practice piece and tip of the burin shows you how much more practice I need! These things make itsy teensy little scratches, but they all show up in the printing. The bottom picture is a print of a sample plate about the same size as this plate. Circles are hard! (I may just be stealing hubby's magnifier Ott-lite for that, but don't tell him.) We are just getting to the hard line etching now and aquatint is soon. Somehow, we are already past mid-term! Lots of bits & pieces in the portfolio for that one.
Metals The fine metals studio is non-ferrous stuff, nothing with iron, no steel. We work with mostly copper and brass and silver solder and fun stuff like that. I don't have any pictures of my samples in there yet, but soon. My current project is a copper spindle whorl- I have high hopes for it turning out nice & shiny. And usable.
So I guess since I am making things I will have to start taking pictures of them for here, now that I am past the simple, sampled not very attractive stuff, that is. Maybe I will post a picture of my first project from metals, a nameplate. Or not. This program is lots of work, lots of fun!
There is not much quilt-y or weaver-y. But I have a plan for that too. Maybe I will post pictures of that too. (Hey- Anything can happen! I posted in less than 2 months this time!)

Oops- I seem to have wandered off

2010-09-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

Well... so much for good intentions about posting more often. (Now I must wonder how long the next break will be!) And seriously, I have no good reason. Except that I haven't been doing anything. At least not stitch-y anythings.
I have been doing a few things in a half-assed fashion. Like I started learning to spin, but realized I wasn't going to spend the time required to practice. Not right now. I will come back to that.
And since I have nothing pretty to share, how about a quick recounting of my life, because if I don't have a good excuse, I can at least make an attempt at a whine, no?

In the past month or so:
I moved my real estate license to a new firm. I am now at Abbey Realty, a locally owned company. It is a big change not to be part of RE/MAX after 8 years. But really, I have been progressing on a different track for my business anyway. And it gets me the best of both worlds, as they say. So big change #1!

#2 change is Zaboo. I found this sweet year old pug boy in a parking lot 2 weeks ago. But nobody has claimed him, after much posting and searching for his family myself. So I have a second pug! He is sweet and loving. But he is unaltered and has a few habits we are addressing. As you can imagine, Lilly thinks he is uncouth. Perhaps that will change after a certain surgery next week. But he gets on just fine with Bandit cat. Also, he is very nervous of large dogs, is very submissive and doesn't seem to understand doggy language/politeness real well, so we are working on the social bit.

And the Biggest Bit of Chaos: I am going to school! It all started back in March or April when I decided I really did want to go to school and needed to figure out how. I have been looking into it for a while. So I was able to decide that Evergreen State College is a good place, and I went in and was told, "Great! You have a week to get your application in." Panic! But I did it, and I muddled through the paperwork and had to write a "personal essay". And I got in. And I got financial awards to pay for it. And I am taking 16 credit hours!
Evergreen has this fantastic system, where we don't take individual classes, but one Program where we get credits in multiple disciplines. My program is called Arts & Religious Practice. We are looking at the objects and practices of medieval European Christianity, Judaism and Islam. And we make art. Fine metal work and wood cutting for intaglio printmaking to be precise. So that may be the pictures I have for posting in the near future. I am incredibly excited about it. Also nervous, fluttery, wide eyed, twitchy. But excited! And classes start in about 24 hours.
Not really sure how work will happen, but I will fit it in somehow.

Anyway, that is the main update. Other things since my last post:
Camping with my sister's kids and lots of family. Ocean with my aunt and her two grandkids. Fairgrounds weaving display showing kids the how-to. Lots of video game time. Some lawn mowing. Some walks with dogs. Work.
But no fiber work, no sewing.
Perhaps this was a transitional year.

First off!

2010-03-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

First it was on....

And I have my first off-the-loom!
Just abit more work to do, cleanup of a couple spots on the selvage where the last thread wasn't picked up and then the fringe. And washing of course. But I get to have show & tell at guild this month!

How many looms does a new weaver need?

2010-02-26T17:39:00.000-08:00

I think that is a question probably asked of all weavers...
But it is a useless question! Because the people who might know the answer don't care to answer it.
Instead, I shall simply show off my emerging studio. Yay for extra buildings.

(Yes, I do admit some good old fashioned rich-white-american guilt about using a whole building for weaving when I am such a rank beginner. But it goes away pretty quickly.)

First off, let me introduce you to the newest acquisition This is probably the last loom for me for a loooong time. (No more space see?) This charming piece of modern engineering is a Bergman Countermarche. Bergman is a well known and respected builder from the Pacific Northwest and I was basically gifted this loom. With tools!

And the under side of the Bergman.
It has 6 treadles, 4 shafts, string heddles and enclosed castle storage. And I am really curious to see how long ago this loom was dressed! There is old newsprint between the warp. (I will do a whole post on the discovery process.)

Here is a loom I am learning on. It is not owned by me. It is owned by my Guild. Lovely little 8 shaft Mountain Loom.

I have some 5/2 cotton dressed on 4 shafts here, and I am going to do a nice 2/2 twill for a lightweight scarf. The warp is a nice dark nubby green and that teal is mercerized so will shimmer a bit as is comes together.

I am making the scarf for a beginner weaver series my guildmates at the Olympia Weavers Guild have created just for us newbies! My guild is amazing... that is yet another post.

The tool case: aka old unused audio/video shelves. Perfect for showing off how often I dust. And a nice selection of tools, shuttles, bungee cords and the other accoutrment of weavers.

Please note the cheerful orange of the drill/electric bobbin winder.

I also now have 4 kinds of clamps to use for various things. Tools stores are fun!

Also note the lack of dryway...

I have such hopes to have the rest of the insulation and drywall in this room this spring. Because it is blasted COLD in the winter. Patience.

And that brings us to the wall o' fiber!

Thanks to a great many generous weavers and garage sales, I am totally stocked!

It is a good choice to take photos of your stash, as it makes it clear what your color preferences are. I can't wait to see how that changes as I start making things from a plan!

I did not introduce the Rigid Heddle Loom or the frame loom or the warping board, but they live in there too. I expect great things from them all!

Can't live without

2010-02-26T17:35:00.001-08:00

I just need to tell everyone about these totally geeky half gloves. I think they are made for knitters.
I use them for everything!
I have arthritis in my hands and arms from various things like waitressing and keyboarding. And sometimes, especially if the barometer changes dramatically I get all achey and doing small motor skills things hurts.
But since I got these little nylon gloves, no more pain! (And I have been playing lots & lots of video games so I have definitely stress-tested them.)
Thanks, just had to share.
PS- Yes, they are turned inside out. I think it is counter productive to have the extra pressure of seams on my wrists.

I wandered away a bit...

2010-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

oops.
It has been FOUR MONTHS since I posted!?!?
oops
I really haven't been doing much though... just workworkwork. I haven't even finished those baby quilts.
BUT
I am heading off for a weekend of sewing next weekend. And I just started the Weaving Basics course through my guild. Today was discussing loom types etc. We got a warp off the board and lots of time to discuss all 7 ways 5 different weavers do things lol
I swear I have been doing something creative in the past few monts...
I took a class about beading on fabric with Larkin Van Horn. Also, I am taking over the website for the quilt guild and helping with our auction. (Mark Lipinsky is going to be our auctioneer! He is also doing a seminar and a two day class. But I bet the auction is hilarious!)
I have been to the ocean twice.
My mom came to visit me over my birthday & Thanksgiving. Wish she lived closer :(
Not exactly creative... but engrossing: online gaming. Dungeons & Dragons online to be precise :)
But that's it.
Pretty pathetic. Oh well.
I will try to get at least one post a month up here. Promise! (with pictures)
(oops)

And I sewed, finally

2009-09-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest installment of what has become my once-a-month blog.
But this time I SEWED! (Yes, I did shop too, but that is surprisingly less important.)
Thanks to all my wonderful Canadian friends for having me back to the Retreat at the lake. I especially loved meeting new friends. And the A/C was quite a change. And I loved that I sewed and sewed. And learned things, like staying up until 3 am does NOT make me more productive.

My stated goal for this retreat was "piece 3 baby quilt tops". I didn't achieve it- but I did piece the majority of 2 tops and I am quite happy about it.

The first shot is sideways (note the feet). It will have a free form tree in very dark brown appliqued over the geometric design. I may add a bit of the red to the tree- wispy branches perhaps? And probably the red as an inner piping border. Then probably a thin dark brown border with dark brown finish.
Number 2 is this sailboat quilt- you can see that I will be adding the dark blue/stars as an inner border. I get get to use Y seams too, because I had not planned to keep the outer parts of the nine-patches there. But once I saw it together, I decided they need to stay. Then a nice thick border of that Waves fabric! (Isn't it great stuff! I got it from the clearance rack at the delightful Fourth Corner Quilts in Bellingham.)
Number 3 baby quilt will be 5 turtles in batik. I have all the fabric. I have an actual pattern (shocking thought, I know) and I WILL sew in my studio regularly.
All three of these are for boys already born.

I did take more photos of retreat... but I think I will save them for a different post! Maybe one finished this month!
Many, many, many thanks to my friends at retreat for helping me with the design bits.

she shops, She SCORES!

2009-08-07T22:21:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed a certain theme to my summer- a certain shop-iness?
I have...
Oh well.
I am good at it! Look at my new stash of weaving finds!
It was an estate sale, and no one had an idea of what went with what. Or even what they were. It was a bot of a treasure hunt.

A spool rack, a niddy noddy, spool winder, a pair of carders, some interesting prints of old looms and a set of lease sticks. And at a different sale later in the day, I got there just as they were putting out a nice selection of quilting rulers.

Of course, there was a lovely basket full of shuttles: stick & boat & rag, plus spools and a nice tangle of string heddles. And a nice big basket. Oh- there is a tapestry beater in there too.

But look at this- THE BOX OF THE UNKNOWNS

What the heck are these things???
The upper right is some sort of shuttle with a tweezers type end... but for what specifically?
Bottom left is a pair of things for... something?
Upper left- no idea.
Bottom right- hubby thinks it is a sewing type thingy?
Any ideas?

I am covered in Dirt

2009-07-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

I am covered in dirt. And I am rather happy about it.
This has been an INCREDIBLY busy summer for me. For example, I got home at 8 pm last night, and it was one of the earliest nights this month.
So today, when I had nothing scheduled (and could have slept in), of course I woke up at 5:30 am. Which allowed me to do lovely things like think. And surf around online. And look at blogs and Facebook and update Twitter and follow newslinks and all those lovely things that simply are not a high enough priority in the busy-busy work day.
When it became a decent hour, I mowed. Not the grass- it is in that happy state of summer-slow-growth. But the dandelions were putting out seed puffs. And there were a couple corners of the yard the blackberry brambles are encroaching on. And a corner or two where the grass has seed heads and is actually 4 feet high or laying on the ground.
Anyway, the mowing progressed into weeding some flower beds, then into a trip to the garden store! So I am $90 poorer, but plant richer :)
Here is project #1:
Lavender is now planted all along the front walk, with a nice mounding type of strawberry as ground cover (thanks Jewel- I will be returning the bucket they came in). We 5 different types of lavender & some chives too. And I picked up a couple bright red Astilbe to try in that spot next to the front steps which is always a problem.
We couldn't stop with just one project of course!
Project #2 is for the back yard.
We have a little triangle of grass, kind of beteween the garden house and studio that is a waste of a perfectly good garden spot. It gets full sun, is visible from the house and patio and is well contained between sidewalks.
We grabbed 2 types of coreopsis (one of my all time favorite plants after our trip to the National Botanical Gardens in Wales) a hebe (never planted one of these before), a lovely gray-greened foliage primrose with tiny yellow-white flowers, and something that is like a heather with large bell flowers that is new to this area. Oh- and one echinacea. I will move the existing irises to be a mid height plant I think. And that shrub thing (a privet I think) will be a nice backdrop, until I decide it needs to live somewhere else.
I think that is a good variety of heights and foliage and flowers... hopefully it will fill in this bit of space and inspire me to more time in the yard.
While I didn't spend the day sewing, as I had hoped, at least my day is filled with pretty things. And maybe sewing will happen this week.
Maybe.

Acquiring yes. Actualizing no.

2009-06-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

I am going to blame work this time.
Too much of it and very little down time. Which I seem to need in order to be creative and make stuff. I have tried to sew/knit/visualize/think after doing a 10 to 12 hour stint of client stuff and I just get nowhere.
But I do find I can relax while running around looking for treasures.
Hence the ironing board leaning in my living room.
I was at Goodwill (retail therapy) and lo and behold! an extra wide ironing board, of the variety Costco was charging around $50 for a couple years ago. So I bought it. (And something else... maybe a shirt? hmm...) So it is in my living room, awaiting the day I will actually go out to my studio again.

The other bit of acquiring a lovely gift!
My charming, sweet, wonderful thoughtful sister sent me a 17 pound box of crafty things! 17 pounds weighs a lot. It was chock full of thoughtful things she has decided she doesn't need since she hasn't used them in two years. (Shocking attitude, I know, but I love her anyway.)
Oodles of Christmassy fabrics, patterns, hard plastic pattern templates, knitting needles, thread and all sorts of other things.

Yay! Good sister!
She claims to be sending more box(es) as she sorts and rids. I will have to send her some money to at least cover the cost of the postage. And I do think some of these interesting items may be rehomed during my guild's raffles. Sister thinks this is a fantastic idea, (actually, she doesn't care. She just wanted them out of her apartment.)
I also get a knitting machine!
It was Grandma's. But sister lives in land of Sunlight where knitted things are not practical. Or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention to the reasoning, but was immediately having delusions of making things. When I get it I will be sure to post pictures of all the interesting bits and pieces, as I have never used one before.

So there you go- my craftiness so far this summer.
One day I hope to use some of these wonderful things. Until then, I suppose I will think of it as summer harvest :)

An embarrassment of riches

2009-06-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

An embarrassment of riches...
or perhaps the title should be "why you should find a guild when you are just getting started".

I may have mentioned how impressed I am with the Olympia Weaver's Guild, of which I am a newer member. I have probably mentioned how openly the welcomed me, invited me to get involved and just assumed I was interested in things so included me. That in itself would make me sing their praises forever. I know this is not the experience every new member finds in guilds.
But I also am astounded at the depth of knowledge of my guild members. And their willingness to share. Anytime I have a question, I will be given all the information I could want, with mini-debates about the easiest way to learn, and who is the best teacher.
I even found two of my guild members referenced in the last WeaveCast!
And all of that is wonderful.
But my biggest reason for recommending newbies find a guild...
Acquisition Costs!

I attended the annual Summer BBQ & Garage Sale for my guild this past week. Look what I got! (And at an incredible discount to full retail.) Wools and cottons and mohair and all sorts and sizes. I limited myself to one bag only, and didn't buy any of the specialty handspun out for sale. I was truly looking for end of cones and fun bits to bulk up my stash.I was quite content with all this loveliness. It was quite a heavy bag.
But as I was getting to ready to leave, I mentioned that I had decided to look for a rigid heddle loom.
"Look no further, I have one for you" was the response.
And here is my new loom!
It is a lovely solid loom by Craft Yarns of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I am going to do some research and see if they are still around, see if they have additional heddles at different dents, and of course I will have to start playing with it!
(I won't even tell you the embarrassingly generous price she gave it to me for. Let me just say I am indebted.)
And now I have another loom.
Time to start making things!

Treasure hunting

2009-06-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Not too crafty in this bit of the world lately... unless you consider scheming, in which case, I am CraftyAuntie! (see below)
But I have been doing a bit of Treasure Hunting (garage sales to the pedestrian).
See:

$2 bag of obnoxiously bright mohair yarns
$1 puzzle of a pretty quilt (distraction for this year's retreat I think)
$1 shiny thing (little Mexican aluminum thing with mirror inside)

There have been other treasures too... but these are the ones on top of the pile.

Now, about the crafty/scheming...
I may get to have my amazing nieces and nephew with me for a couple weeks this summer! Yay! I will go camping and we will make fresh pasta and we will sing and pick berries and I will get to show them off to all my friends. And maybe I will work somewhere in there.

My new studio

2009-05-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

This past week I developed this real issue with sharing.
Specifically, I developed an attitude about sharing my sewing room.
I attribute the attitude problem with the fact that it really wasn't my sewing room anymore (as shown here). In fact, it hasn't been a Sewing Room since the day, in June of 2007, that I invited the man into the house to share it with me. It was a good idea for energy conservation, reasons, and he wanted carpeting and easier access to refrigerator and bathroom, and because, honestly, he was earning an income with his use of the space.
So I said, "Let's share!"
Of course this didn't work for me.
I haven't sewn in my own home since about that date. My sewing machine is always packed and ready to go out the door for a sewing day. My cutting table would sometimes get used, but sometimes I would come home to find it covered in computer bits. (Computers is what my darling hubby does, look here for his website.
So, to make a long rant short, I decided to have a Studio.
I took over the Man Cave!

Our sheds/shops in the backyard have been sitting all empty and forlorn since our good friend took his belongings and moved into his completed home.
So the larger of the two shops is where I will be spending a LOT of my time. I am even toying with the idea of bringing my work office back to home so I can just work from home. And I will be honest and admit to a certain amount of attitude toward the number of hours I am working lately too LOL My new studio has two sections. The front half is pretty much finished. The back half needs a bit more insulation and drywall installed, and we really need to make a dump run to get rid of all the old shelving from the back half.
I have truly no idea how I am going to organize it yet.
The whole thing has a nice concrete floor, (which fits nicely in my scheming to learn spinning and dying!)

I installed a screen door so I can get even more natural light and nice breezes.
There is MORE than enough electric.
I do have internet out here.
And who knows- I may just get an attitude about the seriously overgrown backyard and start doing some gardening! Or even mowing.

2009-05-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Well... I have been an incredibly bad blogger for some reason. I keep blaming it on the workworkwork thing, but I know I could have posted something at least once in the last 45 days.
Anyway- here is proof I am still around.
Up above is one reason I have been so bad- I went on a bit of a break to the ocean. Ocean Shores is always so nice when it is quiet out and there aren't a million people around. And it is only an hour and half from home. And thankfully I have friends with little beach condos who will let me & hubby & small dog stay for a weekend break. At stare at the above from inside all warm and cozy.

The big dog shown with Lilly the Pug is one of the friends we met while out walking our many, many, many miles that weekend. I just love Bernese Mountain Dogs.
There is indeed a quilt store in Ocean Shores. Actually there are two, but I only stopped in at this one during this trip. I was more motivated by the idea of lovely chowder to do more than pop in for a bit of batik to finish off a project I had planned to start while at the beach. Of course, I promptly did nothing other than stare out the window at the lovely ocean view, but I did think quilting.
My biggest Happy Thing of the last month:
I found a warping board! (See the picture below) This was at a the Woodland Woolworks in Carlton Oregon, out in there bargain area. Woodland Woolworks is a new dangerous place for me. Good thing it is 3 hours away! I got to visit it while in Portland for a work conference. I also got to explore a few other shops like Yarnia (which is AMAZING) and Ruthie's Weaving Studio (which is also AMAZING). But I have no pictures of those places, so you will have to enjoy the one below.
For all the non-weavers, a warping board allows you to measure out yards of warp at a time. (Warp is the string that goes onto the loom first.) It keeps the warp orderly and untangled, and relatively even tension. Obviously, it is not a complex piece of machinery, but everything weaving related seems to be quite spendy lol So I was thrilled to find this one slightly used.
So that is my show and tell. And if I ever actually Start anything, or Finish anything, I will be sure to throw a party and tell you all about it. :)

Yummy fabric

2009-03-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Today I did a naughty thing.
I went to the always wonderful Ruby Street Quilt Works. That in itself is not so naughty.
The naughty thing: I enticed a friend to go to the shop with me for the first time. It was such fun listening to her and her daughter say ooo and I NEED this and Look! and eeeeeeee! I think I will be seeing lovely fabric things in their home soon LOL
I did have another purpose for going to the shop, aside from enticing someone else into the fiber lust that I know so well:
Baby Quilt fabric selecting!
So here is what I picked out. I know some people won't see a baby quilt in this, but the fabrics are gorgeous and I really get tired of soft pastels that are all washed out without any strong design elements. Rant over. (I hope I bought enough to create lots of scraps so I can make something for me too.)
So my question... what quilt design would you make with this selection?

Fibers in hand, finally!

2009-03-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

I finally had a chance to start my long awaited love affair with Weaving shops. For all the quilters I know, and knitters, there simply aren't many brick & mortars around me that carry supplies for weavers. Which means I have to order cones and tools online. And that is just not so much fun, since I want to TOUCH things.

Anyway, I recently had a chance to drive from Tucson AZ to Olympia (3 days, tired butt, missing espresso) and I took a bit of extra cash so that I could stop in to a Weaving shop somewhere along the way.

The Where: Eugene, Oregon.
The Shop: the Eugene Textile Center (http://www.eugenetextilecenter.com/).
The goodies: 10/2 cottons & a sleying hook (Harrisville Designs).

I loved the shop- they are just chock full of great 'things'. And VERY friendly. (That ranks up there with supplies in my opinion of value.)
They have a ton of classes, and since I am only about a 4 hour drive north, something I will be watching for. She has looms available for people to use and make things. There are new & used looms for sale, new tools like hooks and warping boards and reeds and carding tools and more & more. Even a couple beginner looms- there was one marketed as a Knitter's Loom, which I think was just a good little rigid heddle loom with the basics to get started.
And of course fibers- silk & bamboo & wool and all. Just plenty to choose from. Oh- her "end of the cone" remnant selection was $8/lb.

I am proud of myself as I reined in my fiberlust and spent a very conservative $30- a half cone of pink and a new cone of natural, plus the hook. I could have easily spent a LOT more.

Take a look at the shop's website for directions, but it is north of Eugene on Hwy 99, right behind that Donut Shop you see in the picture.
And I must say Thank You to my father for agreeing to the side trip and letting my play in the shop a bit!

Raffle quilt progress

2009-03-01T22:14:00.000-08:00

I have been sewing a bit-
Not at home of course, as that would require I clean up all the computer detritus and innards strewn about the former sewing space.
No, I sew On the Go!

This weekend I took my bits and pieces and sewing machine up for my monthly (sometimes only time each month) sewing day with the other ladies of WASIQ (Washington State Internet Quilters) (and yes, there may be men in the 300+ membership, but I haven't met any) and we sewed and ate and sewed and gossiped and sewed all day Saturday.

I am glad I got the majority of the top completed. I even pieced a house to add some more hominess!
Now I just need to trim down the side and add borders now and I will be ready to add borders. I am thinking two borders. Solid borders- not pieced. This may change of course, as I originally thought little pieced border would be very charming!

But the plan as it is now...
First will be a thin-ish border of the with with blue. Then a thicker border of the green with dots. Then I think the dark blue with stars makes the best binding.

I may actually get this finished before the March meeting where we are supposed to be raffling it off! One step at a time though... I still need to cut those border and apply them. Then quilting of course.

Card weaving for newbies!

2009-02-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

I attended my weaver's guild meeting today and besides all the amazing show & tells, we got to try out Card weaving. (If you haven't seen card weaving, just do a search on YoutTube. There are some really interesting videos, where people are basically shuffling the cards!)

In card weaving, you really do thread the yarn through the cards. Different threads through different holes at different intervals. Then you twist the cards and whatnot. Complex! (Fascinating!)

We used only 7 cards- apparently some amazing types will use over 100! (That just makes my brain hurt.) I brought it home halfway done and have it set up on a side table ready to complete. (I hope I remember how to finish... something about a crochet hook and the second to last row??? eek)

Anyway, card weaving is one the multiple ancient types of weaving, and it is used to make bands. Think horse decorations, bell pulls, belts, guitar straps, and any other thing needing long decorated straps. Sometimes they are sewn together to make wider fabrics too.

The one we started today is about the size of those friendship bracelets. But I am very proud of it!

If you have a chance to try it, do so. It is one of those things I have a sneaking suspicion is highly addictive, as the opportunity for variation is basically limitless.

And if you want to do a bit more research, just google it. It is a really interesting subject of a web-wander!

Oh- our wonderful teacher today was Lana Schneider, a woman of amazing amounts of energy and knowledge who loves to share it. I very much look forward to taking some lessons from her in the future.

I'm alive- I promise!

2009-02-10T18:32:00.001-08:00

I am alive, I just haven't had much time to sew. Or even try to knit. But I have photographic proof that I am still cutting up perfectly good fabric when I have time.

The first picture here is a raggy quilt I started making from the bin I lug around. I started this at the retreat in BC last summer and I will just keep adding bits and strings when I have time. It is relaxing work, perfect for doing after getting through a grueling bout of pressing. (There are 2 sections pictured here, pinned to my design wall.)

The next 2 photos show the raffle quilt I am working on.

Rather the raffle quilt I have NOT been working on, but which I had rather hoped to have completed and quilted and photographed and made into a lovely poster so we can sell raffle tickets to support Habitat For Humanity.

I am working on it now. I still have not quite decided on layout or actual blocks... but I HAVE decided that the posters the kiddies drew will have 3 inch blocks separating the pictures and accompanying essays about What My Home Means To Me.

In case you are wondering what all this is from, these drawings are the winners of the annual Third Grade Poster Contest which the local Association of REALTORS holds. It has been going on for decades and is a lot of fun. All third graders in Thurston County are invited to created a poster & essay. A lot of the teachers incorporate the contest into their yearly lesson plans writing and art and computer skills. Then all the entrants are posted at the Capital Mall (Westfield Shopping Center) in West Olympia and the public is invited to vote for their favorites.

These are the winners from the 2008 contest. My goal is to have the quilt completed and hagning up at the mall during the Voting. Then we should sell LOTS of raffle tickets. And don't you think teachers and parents would love the opportunity to get it?

I am rather happy with the palette for the quilt this year.
What do you think?

openopenopen

2008-12-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

Open Time for Stocking Swap from QuiltChat!

My chat buddy & Stocking Swap swappee (she sent to me & I sent to her) is Sharon-UK with a delightful blog to look through.
This was a lot of fun this year, both sending and receiving, as I found some great things I just know she will adore.
But look at my loot!
Red-white-blue stocking (large)
hand knitted socks!!!
lined project bag with zipper bag
magazine about knitting
pattern for Bento Box quilt & cross-stitch card
gorgeous indigo fabrics!
lovely little striping yarn
cute little house magnets
a little squishie bear & key chain (both UK themed)

Thanks Sharon! This was great fun!

One question: What are these things for?

Too cute for cabbage?

2008-11-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

See... I fall in love with delicious fabrics.

Then I get all practical and say "I should make a grocery bag- with these fabrics, it will be way cuter than those cheap store bought totes."
So I do. And it IS cute.
In fact, I used lots of cute, as the bag is lined with cute, and has different fabrics on either side of the outer. And even more in an orphan block turned pocket.

But now I don't want to put wet and smelly things in. But I really want to show it off!

If you decide to make a tote, don't forget to inlude a side loop for a bottle of wine. Next time, I will probably use a velcro closure. Maybe. Also- put a little loop at the top of the back so the bag can be held upright on those plastic bag dispensers at the store.

Acquisition Management

2008-10-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

Look what I won!
A lovely bag of fat quarters :)
Of course, this was way back in September. during my little trip up north to joined my friends at the quilt retreat east of Vancouver BC. I won Bingo. (Which means that I am calling bingo next year lol)
Here is a link to my retreat post from last year.

Look at the yummy Christmassy fabrics and batiks. There are even a couple butterfly fabs... I am not sure what they will go into, but I love them.

Winning is fun :)

When I returned home, I was delighted to find my name had been added to a mailing list. Not something you hear very often, I know. But really! I got my first weaver's catalog- full of all these fibers and tools. Yarn Barn of Kansas- really neat stuff.
Here is the site: http://www.yarnbarn-ks.com/ and I am sure they would add your name if you asked :)

Another fun thing I recently added to my life:
another book. (Please see alternate blog for more information re Sarah & Books.)

One of the many groups I belong to is the Olympia Weaver's Guild. This is a fabulous group of amazing weavers, spinners, dyers, and fiber people.
And we have really excellent speakers. The October presentation was by Larkin Van Horn, who is an art quilter and bead artist. And author! And I just couldn't pass up her book- for bead artists, it is just stunning. If you ever have a chance to see her quilts in person, take it.
To see her work, visit her site: http://www.larkinart.com/

Fibers in my fingers

2008-10-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

Alas- no photographic evidence. But I promise, I spent the day doing fiber-y things. Weave-fibers to be exact.
I was asked to help out at the Tumwater Harvest Festival
We spent the whole day introducing curious youngsters (and somewhat too-shy-to-try teens & adults) how a loom works. Lana, a member of my Weaver's Guild, brought three of her tabletop looms- all two-harness counterbalance, which are Perfect for explaining things on. And Edith brought a little hand loom she made from a bit of styrofoam packaging, which was a great way to explain what the machinery did.
Mostly the children, under 9 years, came right up and wanted to try it, and got somewhat enthralled. The ones older than that had to be encouraged a bit- that was my challenge. The adults were the worst, of course.
So I am now sitting with the dog, feet propped up with a lovely drop of Brandy.
And I have 2 things I am promising myself:
NO MORE BEING TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL. That's right. If it looks interesting, I am now obligated to try it. And forget the notion of being sophisticated or grown-up or whatever the notion is that keeps me holding myself back. I am committed to a course of looking foolish. Because didn't someone really smart say that Success isn't the knack of staying upright, but the knack of getting up after falling.
Number 2, I need to get the floor loom repaired and warped.
Although to be honest, I may allow myself to put that one off if I can borrow that 8-harness table top my guild has! Heehee

Round Robin completion- WOW!

2008-09-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am so glad I joined the Migrating Robin with the others from WASIQ. It really stretched me in design, and balance. And I got a FANTASTIC quilt top.

This salmon block is the Center I sent out in the mail 6 months ago. Perhaps to become a spawning salmon... I had no idea how it would look when I got it back. It was very nerve wracking for me. But I was excited to work on everyone else's tops. And really, the six months just flew past.

This is the top I just received!

Wow!
WowWowWOW!!!
That is all I could say. I am so impressed with all the work, and the way everyone worked to add dynamic to each row and how they all harmonized to create a story. Now I have to figure out how to finish it. I am considering finishing with a very simple edge. But... it is large. If I add some to the top and the bottom, it could be a bed size quilt. So a lot to consider. But for now, just a lot to appreciate.

Here are the other quilts I helped to make.

I want to say thank you to all my friends from the local quilt shops & WASIQ & Washington Stars who gave me advice when I was scratching my head over What to add and How to do it and Which colors to use. You know who you are, and I thank you so much!

This is first top I worked on, Sue's quilt. It was just the very center 4 images. We were challenged to add a row using triangles. And EVERY row had to have something about Where We Live. The central block was all these great farbics with bits of gold. So I added more sparkle and pine needles. If you are from the pacific northwest, you know about pine needles. They are here. They are staying Get used to it. This was a fun top to start this project! And I was all excited to see what was next. I even finished EARLY and sent it out early. Completely Unheard Of for me LOL

The second top I received was this one below. Holly started it out with a really stunning Mariner's Compass in hand-dyes and batikes. The first round (triangles) was obviously mountains, so I decided to do a water reflection thing for Round Two , where we were to do something with squares or rectangles. And I had exactly the right purply batik that reminded me of that slick look the puget sound gets when you are crossing by boat, over deep water. And I got to use some hand-dyes I had made at retreat a few years ago too. I have been especially eager to see how this top evolved and Became.

Cindy's top started with the little block on point with darling chickadees. When I received it, the blue/neutral row was the outside. It was getting very dramatic at this point, so I decided to do stomething to harmonize the elements I was seeing. Cindy had included a nice assortment of fabrics we could pull in, so I added the tiny stripy border and then a nice wide border of green with just a few trees. Very simple. I really love that the applique-border persone was able to utilize the green too. That cardinal is great! (And you can Click Here to see Cindy's blog too.)
The fourth round was "applique", and I received Sharon's top to work on. This top was so strong in its geometric focus that I really felt I needed to continue that- I just could not see adding soft lines. I did a lot of sketching and thinking about this top to figure out how I could add to it. I discovered there were some shapes that could be extended out to the next round. So I pieced the round and just added simple shapes to the corners, representing my area- capitol building, salmon, trees, Mt Rainier.

Mary's quilt top was the final stop in this Migration, for me. And it was the very most difficult top for me to figure out. After much study and standing on my head and vetting of fabrics, I decided to add three rows of ocean waves- the half square triangles set on point. But that was a bit overwhelming when I got some one. So I nixed the middle all-greens row and just used the two rows: An inner starting with the focus fabric, and outer finishing with Blues. One of the things I learned in this rop is how different everyone's definition of balance and harmony is.

This Round Robin was a really excellent learning experience for me. I had to stretch to find harmony in other people's choices, and figure out what they thought of as balance. And I learned which skills I need to bone up on. (triangles!) I also discovered some great tricks and tips to help me along. The trick of taking a photo of your project, in both color and black/white, and seeing what stands out in each one was a big help. You will see new aspects of your work and your material choices if you do this.

The photo pictured here is actually a snap shot I took when I received Sharon's quilt. See how the grayscale image allows you to see diferent shapes and values?

Again, thanks to Everyone who chipped in an opinion and gave me ideas to help me do my bit. Thank you to all the ladies who made my quilt. And THANK YOU to Kathy who put this together. Bravo!

One more quilt, I almost forgot! This is Kathy's quilt. I never got to see this beauty, as there were 7 participants and only 6 rounds. But what a great top!

I got Squishies!

2008-07-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

Yay!

yaa yaa yaa!

I got 2 squishies in the mail today. (Plus a little gift for a client, which I get to deliver to her tomorrow.)

The first squishie has an AirMail sticker on it and came from someone in France- my ALQS quiltlet! I made my husband come out with all my hollering and carrying on LOL

But of course, you all want to know, Who made it???

Ann- from enbellefrance, made me this most wonderful modern flavored quilt of strong colors and shapes. Plus a great postcard (it will go on my wall of postcards from far flung places) and these two really amazing little books. (Ann, you should tell the maker of these tiny notebooks to sell on Etsy or whatever you have on that side of the pond.)

I love how she did the little corner hanging tabs. And take a look at the back of the quilt where you can see the quilting a bit better- I love both sides!

Now... where to hang it. Office? Living room? Bedroom? Above my loom?

The second squishie is the next round of the Round Robin I am doing. I sent my central block off a few months ago and have been diligently working on the Robins that came through. But we are not allowed to show what we are working on- EEEeeeee

I would love to share what I have been doing, but the rules say "No". So this is a bit of a teaser for someone else :)

I have to add a border of applique... so will have to start ASAP.

I love squishies. This is great fun!

Tote more!

2008-06-28T17:27:00.001-07:00

So...

More cuteness, this time for Newly 5 Year Old: my niece McKenna!

She should receive this in a week or so, and I do hope she likes it, all stuffed with stickers and markers and crayons and a big old Spongebob activity/coloring book.

I decided it needed a pocket both inside and out, plus how can prairie points be bad?

I hope I get some pictures of her using it!

I was able to whip this up at a sew-til-midnight session at South Sound Sew & Vac. So I thought I should really make a plug for feeding us pizza, giving me a place to run away and sew, and a chance to chat up other interesting women.

Hooky & a Finish

2008-06-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

I played a bit of hooky from work today and managed to put together this child-sized tote for a small friend who is going to Disneyland in a couple days. It is a birthday present (don't ask how late it is, eek!) and I hope she uses it to keep busy on that flight.

I stuffed it with colored pencils and a little sketch book and some stickers and other drawing paraphrenalia. It may be a tad old for her, but I know she will excited to get a grown up style gift like this.

I decided to make this a reversible tote- it is hard to see since I used the same fabrics inside & out. But you can see the difference at the seam lines on the pictures here, and I added a pocket to one side and a set of pockets to the other.

Now... I just have to get this to the child BEFORE she leaves on vacation!

Official-ness! Anyone else have one?

2008-06-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is a patch I got during one of the membership drives for #QuiltChat- the IRC hosted chat that has been around since the early '90s. Tonight, during chat, a few of us were reminiscing.
I was just wondering if anyone reading this has one still, and maybe remembers which years they were sent out?
It would be great to reconnect with some of the past regulars who have drifted off!
I have been chatting in QuiltChat since 1994 or 1995 and my nickname is SarKarNor, in case you are trying to figure out which character I am.
(All quilters are welcome to join us! And we are from all around the globe, so it is very possible to find chatters in there round the clock.)

Another Little Finish

2008-06-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

I love it when I complete things ahead of schedule! This doesn't have to be in the mail until July, but getting it done makes me feel very virtuous. Neener-neener-neener.

Actually, getting it done feels like a Victory, since I have a tendency to be the dreamer-of and starter-of things type of personality. Show me a thing, I will brainstorm the heck out of it! (In fact, I am at this very moment scheming a way to start a niche market e-retailer that I cannot talk about, Shhhh!)

This is a little quilt for the ALQS: Another Little Quilt Swap (link on the side over there --->) and my swappee, who I am not sure reads my blog... Hmm... I wonder if the organizer (the fantastic Kate) is planning a spectacular Reveal thingy.

I have been watching the progress on the main site of ALQS, and all the participator sites and wasn't sure this was going to come together as well as the other ones already posted did. But I am happy with its very cheerful self! And now that I have made this in the Doll Quilt size, with 2-inch finished 4-patches and little setting triangles, I may have to make this for myself! Very fun to do! And now that I have a little cheater graph for cutting the half-square and quarter-square setting triangles, not at all hard to plan.

Next Step- wrap and pack and throw in a little goody the recipient will love and ship it off! (Having a blog to look at has been a great way to figure out what someone likes.)

Kate- It will be in the mail Monday.

Quilt bloggers round the world!

2008-06-07T20:34:00.001-07:00

Are you interesting in finding quilters around the globe? I am! (Just take a look at my blog role on the side --->)
Anyway, you can click on this link and search for quilty bloggers by location!
I have added mine, I hope you add yours.
As of today, there are 755 sites on this list, with a total of 30 countries represented.

Labels

2008-06-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

No, not the kind that we all fight against.

Real labels. For quilts!

Because in my guild, we get flogged when we forget to add one!

So here is proof that I made a label for the quilt I made.

I made it. Isn't it cute?

The quilt was auctioned off for a Habitat For Humanity fundraiser last March. The quilt was made of the winning posters of the annual Third Grade Poster Contest and some batik-white nine patch blocks I received in a swap from WASIQ members. The posters are from a county-wide contest my local Association of Realtors holds every year. (I am a Realtor, if you didn't know.)

But this is the first year we made a quilt from the posters. (I may have created a monster!)

The agent who bought it gave it as a gift to her broker, and my understanding it is going to hang at a local office for all to enjoy.

I also delivered it, so that is a FINISH!!!

Just in time for me to get started on the one for next year LOL But we hope to get it done sooner this year so we can raffle it off and raise even more money.

Wish me luck!

Too much work!

2008-05-20T22:42:00.001-07:00

Not Enough fun time! (I always forget how busy I get in Spring, doing this stuff.)

I just looked at my blog and realized it has been entirely too long since I posted. But I have no pictures of finished things to share :(

I did buy one little thing...

I have been eyeballing the Eco Market Tote pattern by Favorite Things, so I broke down and bought the pattern. No time to make it, but I am satisfied because I will be able to make it when I have a moment.

So what sewing fun have I been doing?

Adding a hanging sleeve and label to the auction quilt.
Working on the next round of the Robin- this month's round is "rectangles".
Puzzling over the Doll Quilt- I am still in that brainstorming stage for that one, but I saw a great one at the guild meeting tonight that has captured my attention.

My quilt guild had our fun meeting tonight (we also have Business Meetings the first Tuesday fo the month). One of our members is a certified & very experienced quilt appraiser did a seminar about what judges at juried shows look for. She reviewed the different judging standards and talked about her experiences with that. And she also did a lecture about the different kinds of appraisals she works on- in this area, she does mostly appraisals for people getting ready to send quilts off for big shows!
I hope other guilds have the kind of expertise ours does, and remember to call on them to share what they know.

The most interesting thing (fiber-related) I did in the past couple weeks was during my Weaving guild's meeting last Friday. We had an absolutely inspiring speaker- a fiber artist from Northwest Washington named Anita Luvera Mayer. She is not only incredibly funny and talented, she is dramatic and passionate and vibrant. And if you ever have a chance to hear a lecture from her, GO!
I loved her story about how when she went to the first weaver's Convergence in Chicago, she made a commitment to herself to make her own clothes. And she did! She was wearing this amazing dress, which is all small squares of hand dyed silks, over the surface, like little prayer flags. It was on the cover of one of her five books, so if you look her up, you will be sure to find it. She is currently having a show at the LaConner Quilt Museum (which is a really fun place to visit).

The other interesting thing that I did is attend the South Sound Yarn Crawl. Actually I only went to a few of the shops, but there were 16 shops who were part of this little yarn shop hop. Such YUMMY fibers!
I was very good and only bought a little bit of alpaca fingerling (on clearance at the Lamb's Ear in Tacoma). I have no idea what I will do with it yet- a lite alpaca hat would be nice??
But I loved it because I had not been to any of the shops I went to this weekend and I met some really fun shop owners.
Here is the website for the South Sound Yarn Crawl, if you are curious what we have available around here. (We are spoiled in this, much like we are for quilt shops.)

I think I may need a second job to support my fiberlust...

Five Fluff

2008-04-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Kate has challenged a few people to take up this Meme- it is an easy one. SO I am doing it, since hers made me chuckle and I immediately thought of what to say.

Five things Found in your Bag/Purse:
emergency dog leash
financial calculator
Starbuck's card
digital camera
tin of Altoids

Five Favourite Things in Your Room*:
silver water pitcher
turkey-shaped macarena whistle thing
orchid cactus on the shelf
painting by my friend Sasha Teter (who I have lost track of, where are you??)
metal coat/purse hanger in the shape of a Soldier Rabbit
(*not sure quite what to do with the phrase "your room" so I have simply chosen the room I am in at present - my office)

Five Things You Have Always Wanted to Do:
travel through outer space and meet aliens
grow a really productive garden
ride a horse well enough that I enjoy it
speak another language fluently
go to school without concern for financial responsibility

Five things you are currently into:
workworkwork
Lilly, my doglet
stripey bright things!
bits of sunlight
going to the ocean

I'm supposed to tag five people, but I am going to take the path trod by Kate:
If you Read it, You are Tagged!
So leave a comment and let me know where you are posting :)

Quilts on Display in Downtown Oly

2008-04-27T15:46:00.001-07:00

If you were anywhere near Olympia WA (my home) this weekend you likely heard the beating of the drums-made-from-things and the stomping of dancers as they wound their way through our downtown and huge waves and trees being towed down the streets by people in outlandish costume.

While these sounds and sights could happen at any moment around here, there was an actual purpose this weekend.

What you witnessed was our home grown spectacle, the amazing springtime event, the Procession of the Species parade!
It is an annual thing, held during our equally wonderful spring ArtsWalk. And while the parade is only a few hours once a year, the Art of ArtsWalk is still available to see.

ArtsWalk is a cooperative event between local artists and downtown businesses: the businesses host and display the art and the public gets to come and see what is what. Some of the art is installed for just the official day of the Walk, but others, like my Quilt Guild's display, is up for a week. Some is up for even longer.

I had the opportunity to host the Guild Display at Olympia's well-loved Browser's Books on Saturday afternoon. I met lots of nice quilters and quilters-in-planning, and got to tell them where the wonderful local shops are, who is teaching what kind of classes, hand out brochures and invite to attend a couple Guild meetings.

And we sold Raffle tickets to this cute little reproduction fabrics quilt. (Only $1 per ticket!)

If you would like to see the amazing quits in person, please stop in at Browsers. Or at least look at the wonderful window displays, full of miniature quilts, doll quilts, quilted postcards, softies and stuffed things like Sock Monkeys!

I also posted some other pictures of the weekend and some of the other Art at my work-related blog.

Cute new shop!

2008-04-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

In the Puget Sound area of Western Washington where I live, we are blessed with dozens of quilt shops, long arm quilters, quilt appraisals etc.
How many is this? I count 10 shops within a half hour drive of my house. (And here is a google map that shows the 56 shops on the Shop Hop this year: Map. This isn't even all the shops in the area!)
With so many places for the quilters to choose from, every shop strives to differentiate themselves and set themselves apart from the competition.

One of the members of my quilt guild recently opened her new shop for quilters and creafter in Tumwater: Ruby Street Quiltworks. She took over the space of a well known and well loved quilt shop called Quilters Quarters when the owners decided to focus on their longarm quilting business.

And the new shop is a complete success! She is carrying fabric lines no other shop has, tools and essentials, and has some very fun non-quilt related, but crafty and fun! I am doubly lucky in that she has invited my small Bee to come in to sew once a week. So when I get time away from my work schedule, I come in and sew around all these gorgeous fabrics.

Inspiration!
And some minor naughtiness- it is really hard to resist the pretty things, like the Kaffe Fasset fabrics.

And the owner has just sent out an email that there is now Open Sew on Sundays: 11 to 3 pm, just bring your machine and project and get working. How much fun is that!

I'm #37!

2008-04-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

"Another Little Quilt Swap" has been posted, and I jumped! So that makes me #37 of the swappers from around the globe. I can't wait to hear who I get to make for. These little quilts go together so quickly- the hardest part is figuring out what to do. I must of course say Thank You to our fabulous Hostess, Kate. Now I must go prowl the web to see what has been made on the other little swappies recently.

Half a Pug, plus

2008-04-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

We had one of those pretty spring mornings recently, and the dog and the husband and I all went out for a very brisk walk at a nearby park. I got some great pictures too- shapes that I think may translate to a quilt...

Gorgeous tree shapes
An outdoor art exhibit of stones
Big toys make some great shadows!

No patience for me!

2008-03-31T23:42:00.000-07:00

I must that admit I am not a patient person. I sent that block off for the Round Robin, and then had to wait and wait, because I jumped the gun a bit and sent it about 2 weeks earlier than everyone else LOL

So what to do???
Start a new quilt! (of course)

At the sew-in at the library on Saturday, I cut out scads of 2 1/2 inch wide brown strips, and 1 1/2 inch wide cream strips and have been happily making offset Log Cabins, with cheery little indigo cranes for the center square.

I also signed up for a Charm pack swap at guild, which is tomorrow. So late tonight, I remembered, and cut out 51 charms of Striped Fabrics! I can't wait to see what goodies I get from everyone else tomorrow. But here are the ones I did tonight.

I think I am done cutting for a while.

Inspiration from...

2008-03-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

Olympia is is the midst of spring, and that means some of us get itchy feet and want to start getting out and seeing the natural world again. I decided I needed an adventure. But I am realistic enough to acknowledge that I am in poor shape for any kind of exciting adventure LOL So we looked for mini-adventures to day- things to draw inspiration from and ponder.

We found lots of free things in front yards, blooming skunk cabbage and tree blossoms, a couple llamas in back yards, and even played with the sundial at the nearby elementary school.

We also have a great open space park, with about 4 or 5 entrances, one of which is about 4 blocks from our house, and another which is about 3 blocks from our favorite little bakery- the San Francisco Street bakery. So of course, we took the trail and got ourselves some coffee and pastry.

I hope you all are having fun adventures!

Migrating Robin... errr Spawning Salmon???

2008-03-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

I signed up for a Round Robin with some of the other members of WASIQ (Washington State Internet Quilters).

We are calling it a Migrating Robin, because it is going all over the countryside as we work on each section. We all made a center block with something that is reminiscent of our area. Then each row has a specific set of rules to use when designing. We will all be including one of the fabrics we used in the center block. I think I will send the dark brown. Beige is everywhere, but that brown is rich and specific.

This is the Center block I made, just some extra 4-patch blocks I had from my Table Runner, plus some sashing, and I added a salmon applique (made of salmon fabric!).

We were also encouraged to include a journal for the others to write in- I decided to send my Soft Journal, with pages made of muslin. (I had not decided what to do with it, and since it is the same scraps as the block background, it just really fits.)

It will be shipped out just as soon as I hear who I have to send to. I can't believe I am done early! What is happening to me!

I have never participated in a Robin before, so I am excited to see how it works out and how I interpret each Round from another quilter.

The highest bidder is...

2008-03-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I actually got the binding on the Auction Quilt, a whole 12 hours early! A new record for me. And we raised good money for Habitat for Humanity!
Of course, I was well thanked, then I got re-volunteered for next year LOL
So... I think I will just do it.
But I think I will get the top done Early- like by June? Then try to get the Quilt done early too- maybe September. That way we can have 6 months to sell Raffle tickets for a drawing next March.
I wonder if I can get anyone to help me this time...
At any rate, I had a lot of fun making it, and I am glad I jumped in and did it. And I can recommend it to anyone who has thought of it.
And one of the really nice things is that the non-quilters don't even see the boo-boos!

Finally- a day to sew

2008-02-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

I have not had a chance to sew since the last time I posted on my blog. Can you believe it!!

My sewing machine didn't even make it out of its little travel bag. :(
I know, I know... I should be glad that I am staying busy and have work to do and clients to help. (But I am being selfish right now, so I will not admit that.)

So when today dawned as the Sew-In day in Lakewood, I went.

I will admit, I didn't get much done. Just a mitered border on the auction quilt.

But it felt good to be with the other quilters and just gabbing and having fun.

Here is the newly bordered quilt:

Happy, For Me!

2008-01-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

I finally resized the blocks I miscut, I unsewed and sewed and pressed and all while I was chatting with some wonderful quilty friends from WASIQ at the sew-in at the Lakewood library.

And the top is all done!

What shall I do for the quilting...

Stockings are hung...

2007-12-23T15:49:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been busy readying for Santa to visit. Unlike sooo many of you, I am sure.

We have lots of pretty gifties around the tree and I need to wrap only the gifts for my husband's sister and her husband. They will be joining us for our traditional Christmas Morning Margaritas & Monster Movies. (We have no little ones, so we get to celebrate however we want!)

(These are the stockings we put up this year- the Snowman: the one I received this year from Swap; Blue Santa Pants: my original stocking from my childhood; the Gingerbread: from last year's swap; Red with Star: my darling husband's stocking. Plus some cute things and candles.)

Anyway, what with all the last minute projects to complete, things to mail, work to finish up, there has been no time to create new Gifties, photo them, write a How To and Post! Yes, whine, whine, whine.

So I decided to post a couple pictures of my tree and my mantle, since I am seeing so many on other blogs.

(Our tree is a little 4 foot fake tree that goes up in about 20 minutes and tears down even faster. When we moved into our home, we realized this little cutout between the living room and dining room is EXACTLY they right size.

So we can never move. This is just too easy.)

What does your tree look like?

Put a link to your pictures in the comments, so we can all see!

Tiny Trees

2007-12-16T13:59:00.000-08:00

I seem to be awfully taken with little stuffed things. I have even used an old quilt revenant, made it into a pillow, turned it, stuffed it and shoved it into a cardboard-box-cave for my cat-monster-Louis to sleep in! When he tires of the sofa, of course.

But when I spotted these delightful little trees on Natalie's Chicken Blog, I decided I absolutely MUST make some. (Go see what other wonderful things she has posted. Really a great Blog-find.) She was kind enough to email me a link to the tutorial she found hers on, Thanks!

These would be wonderful along your mantle, maybe interspersed with those Wowls and some garland or lights. (I recently googled my name, and to my never ending shame and horror, I discovered I use the word "cute" in almost every comment I leave behind. I fear I make squeaky happy noises when I discover these things too.) I can easily imagine their use throughout the gray winter months, simply by changing the accompaniment for each holiday.

The trees are quite simple to construct, especially if you use a felted material, or other that won't fray too terribly. And they lend themselves to any sort of decorative embellishment you might choose. In fact, these are the perfect project for rummaging through your buttons and beads, depending on the effect. And a whole forest could support almost any style you wish to try.(I have also noticed a new tendency to overuse the exclamation point. Even two or three at a time. In a SINGLE paragraph.)

So, Let us make some delightfully whimsical soft sculpture trees:

The tree is made up of 2 parts:
Cone and base.

Simply use a string and a pencil to draw a circle on some fabric and cut out.
You then cut this circle into either 2 or 3 sections, and you will have fabric for the two or three cones.
Depending on how thick your decorative bits are, you may wish to embellish the fabric at this point, instead of waiting for the tree to be sewn together and stuffed.
For the base, take the same string and measure the bottom edge of the section, which was the outside edge of the circle. That is the measurement of the base you need to cut- the string makes a handy circle to trace around.

To Sew:
I find it easiest to to sew from the top of the tree (right sides together) about 1/3 down, leave a 1/3 gap, then sew the bottom 1/3 together.
Then join the base and the tree (right sides together again).
This leaves a gap mid-tree to turn your project and stuff it.
Then use an invisible stitch to close.
Voila!

This is a project for Thrifty Gift Chat, hosted at QuiltChat, a wonderful community of quilty folk from around the globe. Come check us out and say hi!

Stocking Swapped!

2007-12-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

The Chatter-ers of Quiltchat.com just did our annual secret santa stocking swap, and I got this great haul from a friend in Texas!

Thank you so much to my secret Santa. I received a really top-quality LARGE stocking (shown here hanging on my mantle) with a big old snowman and shiny things. And she actually managed to put ALL the little fun things inside!

She filled it with lots & lots of good back up supplies: quilter's T-pins (really appreciated!!!), thimble, measuring tape, plus some Dressmaker's chalk pencils in different colors- I needed those!

Of course some nice fabric, some cute Santa tissues, a CD of Christmas classics, a handful of Candy Canes, a really cute tealight holder and a funny little ornament.

Thank you txstitches!

I think the first thing I will use, after eating a Candy Cane of course... is the Dressmaker's chalk- I have this chalkboard fabric I have been itching to play with :)

Reversible Tote, with pockets

2007-12-08T15:35:00.001-08:00

I love all the fun, new, retro fabrics out and available right now.
They just make me smile!
So I decided to make a reversible tote using three of my favorite fabrics in my stash. (Yes, yes. I was supposed to be be working on a another project, and I shouldn't have started something new, yada yada yada. Get off my back- Sheesh!)

This is a bag you can make in an afternoon, and the directions below are for the simpler version, with some pointers for making the little special bits that I chose.

You will need at least 2 complimentary, contrasting fabrics.

Straps & Pockets:
As you may notice in the photos, I chose to use a third fabric that was complimentary to both my tote fabrics.

For the Straps, I cut 2 pieces approximately 4 inches by 40.
Working with one strap at a time, turn right sides together lengthwise and seam the raw edge so you have a tube.
Turn the tube right side out, and press.
Repeat with second strap.

For pockets, cut pieces approximately 5 inches by 5 inches, and turn the edges under twice, stitching down for stability.

Tote Body:
Work with each fabric and do exactly these same steps for both.

Cut fabric 26 inches by 16 inches
Fold right sides together and sew a seam along both sides, leaving the top open (opposite the fold/bottom). You may choose to sew off each corner at a 45 degree angle, to give a 'bottom' to the tote. Just make sure you
Turn top, raw edge under 3/8 inch and sew seam all the way around.
(You would now add the pocket, by simply sewing it into place where you want it. Be careful to sew pretty! Everyone will see this stitching.)

Now you join the bags:

Turn one of the bag layers Right Sides out.
Place the other bag layer inside the first and match the top edges, pinning every couple inches.
Place the strap ends between the two layers and pin in place. (I measured 3 1/2 inches from the sides.)
Stitch both layers together, all the way around, making sure you keep the fabric evenly fed. (The extra pinning will help keep it even. An even feed foot may help too.)
Sew a second line of stiching slightly inside from your original line.
You may also choose to add more stitching to the bottoms of each bag handle.

And there you have a darling, reversible tote!
Now you just have to fill it with something. Maybe you need to go Fabric Shopping!

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat I host. All quilty-crafty types are welcome to join in the fun! Gift Maker Chat is on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock, as we have friends from around the globe.

Quilty Ornaments

2007-12-02T13:24:00.001-08:00

Are you looking for a way to add your quilty-ness to your Christmassy decor?
Howsabout an ornament!

Even if you don't want to cover your family tree with them, maybe that philodendron in your sewing room could use some holiday cheer! Or maybe you just need a something to hang from the curtain rods.

Whatever your needs- ornaments will fill them!

Look here at Auntbekky's blog for quick How-To!
Have Fun!

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat I host. All quilty-crafty types are welcome to join in the fun! Gift Maker Chat is on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock, as we have friends from around the globe.

Finger Pincushion

2007-11-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

This is a fun-with-a-gluegun project!

What you will need

Glue Gun

Thread

Needle

Bottle cap

3 inch length of elastic

Trim- ribbon, lace, ricrac, etc

Two scraps of fabric, about 4 inches across

Stuffing for pillows or teddy bears

This will take you about 5 minutes to make and is a bit of a fun distraction. In fact, I made about 20 the day I decided to try it out. I ran out of bottle caps and beer lids or I would have kept making them.

The following are the step-by-step direction, but you can also go here to see a photo How-To.

Step 1: Start by covering the outside of the Bottle Cap with one of the Fabrics, using a bit of Glue just inside the bottom of the Cap to secure it.

Step 2: Anchor one end of the Elastic inside the Bottle Cap, then the other end, after measuring your finger to make sure it is a snug enough fit.

Step 3: Thread your Needle and baste the edge of the second Fabric. I prefer a circle of fabric for this as it makes a nice shape for the Cushion.

Step 4: Place the Stuffing into the wrong side of the fabric and draw the thread to make a littel pouf. You may need to add more stuffing to get your Cushion full, but then just anchor your stitches to keep it all together.

Step 5: Glue the bottom of the Cushion into the base of the Bottle Cap .

Step 6: A bit of Trim glued to the area where Cushion and Cap meet really finishes it off.

And a cute gift for any crafty-sewist friends!

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat I host. All quilty-crafty types are welcome to join in the fun! Gift Maker Chat is on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock, as we have friends from around the globe.

Charity Quilt Update

2007-11-18T23:52:00.000-08:00

So... I sewed and I sewed,
and I unsewed and I unsewed.
And I got to wondering Why do the simple things always have to be unsewed???
LOL
I did get the majority of the top finished- all the rows are pieced. Now it just needs borders! (And quilting and binding.)
So my finish date Goal is December 1.
Just in time for the Charity Auction. Nothing like cutting it close!
Thanks to my friends at the sew-in for their encouragements and ideas.

UPDATE:

The commitee doing all the work for the Charity Auction met this morning and they felt having this quilt available for a members-only auction was a wasted opportunity. As parents and grandparents all, they all agreed that they would personally love the opportunity to bid on something like this.

So they talked and brainstormed for about an hour, and now this quilt will be auctioned off in March, at the Awards luncheon for next year's Poster Contest winners!

We will have time to invite the teachers and parents and administrators to come and help us raise some good money for a charity. And maybe this will become an annual item.

So a bit of a reprieve...

But I still think I will try to keep to my timeline of December 1. Because then we can use pictures of the finished quilt to generate interest long beforehand. :)

Bucket Bag Tote

2007-11-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need to make yourself a gift. So how about a tote?

Maudie from #QuiltChat shared this really great bag she made. She found it while blogsurfing, and low and behold, the blog is owned by Chatter-friend from years past!
Andrea's blog is full of wonderful things. She is one of those fantastic over-achiever types that seems to piece a new top every time I look her up. (She really has some fun projects, so I hope you take some time to dig around a bit.)

Here are the directions that Andrea has posted for us:

Bucket Bag Tutorial, Part 1

Bucket Bag Tutorial, Part 2

Bucket Bag Tutorial, Part 3

Breaking the How-To up into bite sized pieces is a nice touch. Thanks Andrea!

And Thank you to Maudie for showing us this could be done.

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun! I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am Eastern US Time, but there are usually folks in around the clock if you want to chat at other times.

Another start- this one on a deadline

2007-11-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is a fun project I have been putting off for a while. It is actually the winning posters from the Third Grade Poster Contest (something my local Association of REALTORS does each year.) We transferred the winning posters to fabric, and now I am making a quilt that will be auctioned off at our annual Charity Auction- whoever wins the silent auction bid on the item chooses where the money will go!
But I have been putting it off for a while... well... because of life and stuff LOL
I think I will switch around the posters so the attached essays (the contest theme is What My Home Means To Me) is on the outside. Maybe. But I am definitely using up the nine-patches I got from a batiks nine-patch swap.
I think I will just add white sashing strips between everything so it all stands out, including the blocks. Or maybe just equal sized white squares.
The light purple nine-patches will surround all the posters, and wander throughout the other, brighter nine-patches, just acting as a unifying force.

What do you think?

I think it will be eye catching for even non-quilters who will be voting on it.
Oh yes, I have to have it fully completed by December 7th LOL

Stockings!

2007-11-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

It is Stocking Swap time again!

Everywhere you look, you can't help but read about guilds and groups and bloggers across the world doing their annual Stocking Swaps.

Autbekky, a fellow #QuiltChatter, has created a tutorial to help you make a stocking that you will be proud to send for any swap.

Just click here to visit her blog, Quilts and Such for the tutorial.
Note: Auntbekky shows a stocking made of fat quarters- but you could also make a very lively one made of crazy pieced fabrics. Of sparkly fabrics, of course!

And I just want to say Thank You to Auntbekky- she has agreed to help me in making the tutorials and projects for Thrifty Gift Maker chat, so that we don't have weeks of no projects. It is a HUGE help to me, as I wasn't able to do it alone. Thank you!

This whole Stocking thing is such a lot of fun. It doesn't seem to matter about your religion or beliefs as the fun of gift giving is pretty transcendent. And there are lots of stockings you can go out and purchase that are just as cute as possible.
But where is the fun in that???
Make one!

Here are some stockings I received in Swaps. So much fun! And each one so different. Yes, that smaller one is made of Potato Fabric, sent from Idaho. :)

What have you made or received in a Stocking Swap?

I had great success making a non-stocking: a Diva Bag worked much better for one swappee, as she doesn't celebrate the Christmas tree & stocking thing.
I made a jester boot stocking with bells on- I crazy pieced the fabric.
One year I made a red velvety cowboy boot stocking with crystals.
Oh- I received a Santa Bag made of sparkly burlap- that is a great bag!

It would be great to see links to other tutorials or projects that you all have come across.
Thanks for sharing!

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun! I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am Eastern US Time, but there are usually folks in around the clock if you want to chat at other times.

Gift from my Grandmother

2007-11-10T19:16:00.000-08:00

I was just visiting Anne Heidi's blog, Piece By Piece, where she shared pictures of a stunning sewing organizer that she was recently gifted. It was made by her Grandfather while learning his craft of Carpentry. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. (go look!)

Her post caused me to reflect back on a gift I was fortunate to receive: a quilt top from my grandmother. She hand-pieced this king sized Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt some time ago, in anticipation of sharing it with her grand-daughter. I was so touched when she gave it to me. And a little intimidated, I don't mind sharing. I feel I should really hand-quilt it, so I will wait until I am better at that particular skill.

I am very lucky to live so near to my Grandmother, and that I can ask her about the quilt. I will have to make sure to ask the story of our quilt. And I think I will take it to Guild for Showing-off-&-Tell!

This is a close-up of one of the blocks- Minnie Mouse!

What I should be finishing

2007-11-10T18:33:00.000-08:00

I keep pulling out this project, then something else comes up LOL

I love these fabric. They just make the best Big Blocks and are gorgeous in the simplest settings.

I cut this out a while ago and as I was setting them into the wider sashings, I discovered I cut some of the larger blocks an inch wide. Yes, I feel smart. So of course, it went into a pile without being completed.

So I hope by posting the pics here, it will be a prod to help me get going on it! After I do some minor adjusting of course.

(I am making it for me.) (Mine, mine, mine, la, la, la.)

Random distraction

2007-11-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

So... I have some minor distractions in my life...

Including a cute little doglet and playing with Photoshop to make doglet even cuter!

Not really quilt related... except she is my company while I sew.

Unless I am being REALLY boring and she decides to go chew on something.

Rotary Cutter Case

2007-10-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Going to retreats and sew-ins, I see a lot of different ways other quilters carry their tools. One of my favorites was a little case to carry a rotary cutter in.

This one has enough space to keep your cutter plus a spare pack of blades, and you can change the closure on the pattern to something else, if you like.

---> Directions & Downloads

Please let me know if you find directions for any other types of cases out on the web- I was only able to find a few!

This is another project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun! (I have lost track a bit, lost count of the time LOL)I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock.

Wee Wonderful Elf!

2007-10-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is a fun time of year to peruse the Web and see the fun projects that others are making. Just surf around and look at your favorite Design sites, sewing machine manufacturer sites and places like http://www.craftster.org/ and you will see so many great ideas!

This cute little Elf (see the pattern here) in redwork is from the Wee Wonderfuls blog of Hillary Lang, who always has something fun and cute in the works!

The design set is a girl-elf and boy-elf and her pattern shows these bits of stitchery on a pair of stockings. I may just follow suit with mine! Or it could be a cute bib, or maybe a little wall hanging, or christmas ornament, or...

Have you never done redwork? Have no fear!

This little elf-girl is my first attempt and it only took me about 90 minutes.

Redwork is a good introduction to hand embroidery and this pattern is a great start, and won't take you long at all.

If you would like more specific information about redwork, look here. And here is a good primer on the basic stitches you should know. (But basically, you just trace the pattern onto a fabric and use a needle and floss and sew it on!)

Happy Gift Making!

Gift Cornucopia

2007-10-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a charming little cornet, perfect for filling with candies or potpourri. Depending on your choice of colors, this could be used throughout the year. It would be quite pretty hanging from a Christmas tree, or alongside some stockings.

I found the idea at Yvonnes- a great site full of all sort of patterns to download. Click on the Free Patterns link and I am sure you will enjoy all she is sharing with the world.

Click here for the paper-piecing pattern. It might print light, so be sure to trace over the lines to keep track of where you are.

There are no instructions that go with the pattern, but it is pretty simple to figure out:

Piece the different parts of the Heart motif
Put those 3 larger pieces together to make the horn shape
It is basically done.

I chose to add some batting and a liner fabric, it helps it keep its shape better while hanging. And don't forget to add a string or ribbon to hang it with.

Another idea: Make the basic cornet design, then add appliques or lace or beads or other fun things. A whole set of these would be a very pretty gift.

Not Having to Choose- Priceless

2007-10-03T22:15:00.001-07:00

And a bit funny too.

I just noticed how well my Laptop and little Janome Platinum fit together on my sewing cabinet. LOL
Now... where to put the wine glass...

No Waste Gift Bags

2007-09-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

I really do not like giftwrap which gets thrown out. So I, like many of you, reuse every gift bag I receive, along with the tissue paper.

But sometimes the paper gets mucked up, or you need something that can be shipped without spilling all from the inside. So I make little drawstring bags, envelopes and other packets to wrap my gifts in.

This week's Thrifty Gift is a selection of drawstring bags.

The simplest is just a folded piece of fabric with a small channel along the top edge for a drawstring, something like this perhaps.

Another is a circular fabric with holes for lacing a string through, as shown here.

There are a number of variations to this idea available on the internet, including this one for an Apple Bag, a free design by the Leisure Arts company.

More complex patterns include reversible drawstring bags, cone shaped, animal shaped, zippered, compartmentalized- just about anything you can imagine. If I find anything special, I will be sure to post it. But please post any links you find in the Comments section here and I will try my hand at them.

This is the Week 14 (or 15) Project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun! (I have lost track a bit, lost count of the time LOL)I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock.

Fabric Fortune Cookies

2007-09-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves to crack into a fortune cookie.

And a cookie made of fabric would be really cute. How about as ornaments on a tree. Maybe a tiny tree, covered in just these as a table topper that no one would realize was a gift for each person attending a party?

What you need to start

* Two fabrics in at least 5 inch squares

* Fusible interfacing

* Fabric glue (something that dries quick is the important bit)

* Fabric stiffener (I like spray starch)

* Fortunes on slips of paper

* Chopsticks or pencils

Start by writing out your Fortunes on slips of paper less than 3 inches long. (Of course, you can always fold the paper if longer.)

Need help writing the fortunes? Try this online Fortune Generator. (Or try this one for funnier results.)

Then it is pretty simple-

fuse the fabrics back-to-back, cut out the circles, fold and stick in the fortune, add a dab of glue, shape and starch, allow to dry and Voila!

Olfa (the cutting mat & ruler maker) has great instructions here.

An alternate way to shape the cookies:
Fold the circles into thirds, the fold lengthwise and tack together at the center of the legs.

Do you want a really cute way to pack these?

How about a take-out box! You can even make one with all the things you have on hand. And here is a pattern that is a perfect size for one cookie apiece, or enlarge it and use it for multiples.

And if you want to try your hand at making some real Fortune Cookies, they are fast & easy to whip up.

Just don't overcook them.

Try this recipe.

This is Week 13 or 14 Project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun! (I have lost track a bit, lost count of the time LOL)
I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock.

Recovering from Retreat

2007-09-18T20:35:00.001-07:00

Ohhh- Home at Last!

Retreat is one of those vacations that you need a rest from after it is done. A bit of manual labor really. (So why isn't it better exercise??)

Retreat started last Friday, and it was such a blast! I am so glad to have met such wonderful friends who have welcomed me into their circle and invited me back to join them at such a gorgeous location.

We had a great time at Camp Luther, which is located on Lake Hatzic, east of Vancouver BC. Below is the view west, from the deck just off the workspace we all played in.

My space- not nearly as organized and tidy as "some". The 25 retreat-ors were set up on these great tables and we had a nice couple of pressing centers and a large cutting out/ laying out area for all to use.

Here is my bed- and I did get to sleep under my quilt top- I added the binding the first night of Retreat. As you can imagine, the 'beds' were super comfy, and there were two per room, plus a full bed. (The trick to getting any sleep on the bunk is to steal the mattress off the top bunk.) (And wearing earplugs.)(And to go to bed really, really tired.)

This is a quilt top which I finished while there- it started as a great little Mystery Quilt trio. But I couldn't leave well enough alone and combined and changed and combined a bit. It is shown here draped over my loom.

These are some mini quilts I started, and almost completed- they were 1 1/4 inch squares when cut from the scrap bin.

And... some Stash Enhancing. I couldn't resist. It was a Quilt weekend, right???

And I have already paid my deposit for next year!

I should start counting down the days...

Casserole Carrier & Insulator

2007-09-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Fall & Winter are the perfect time to think about inviting friends & family for a nice homecooked meal, full of fresh baked pies and things covered in gravy.

Yummmm.

Don't forget your sister-in-law's famous bean casserole!
But isn't it annoying how she brings it half cold, because it takes her 45 minutes to drive to your house? And then the kids drop it on your new white carpet!

Alack & Alas!
What to DO? How can you bring back the joy? How can you help?

Make her a Casserole Carrier that Insulates!

Directions are Here.
Pattern is Here.

It can also double as a Fabulous couture hat, for the more festive outings- especially if you leave the edges raw, like the kids like.

This is Week 12 Project for Thrifty Gift Maker hour, a live online chat held at #QuiltChat- all are welcome to join in the fun!

I host Gift Maker Chat on Sundays @ 7 pm & Mondays @ 10 am EST, but there are usually folks in around the clock.

Soft Journal

2007-09-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

This Soft Journal, which I found at the Marcus Fabrics website, would make a very thoughtful handmade gift for someone who enjoys sketching or drawing, and with a bit of adaptation it would even work as an hand-embroidery practice book.

You will need some fusible interfacing and light colored fabrics to make the pages, and I chose to use some orphan blocks and muslin to make the cover. This is a fast gift to make, an incredibly versatile. It can be as complex as you choose. And just about any size and dimension too!

Here are the directions.

(The Marcus Fabrics site has additional direction available for more complex journals, as well as dozens of other projects and quilt patterns.)

This is the project for Week 11 of Thrifty Gift Maker chat hour, at #QuiltChat, hosted by myself on Sunday @ 7 pm & Monday @ 10 am EST. All are welcome to join the chat.

An orphan's fate

2007-09-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

I found a bin of orphans.

I am not proud of it. But there it was, in the back corner of my closet.

A box. And in the box, separately in plastic ziploc bags, in grocery totes, crammed together and layered dozens deep...

Half embroidered blocks, half a project completed, patterns with the pieces cut but never assembled, threads everywhere, things missing instructions.

A history of my sewing this last decade.

I can’t believe I left these half done LOL

I think they have been there since I moved here 4 years ago.

So here is my shame- exposed for the whole world to see.

One entire grocery sack was filled with unmade bocks from shop-hop 2006. I will admit that I am not sure where the unmade blocks for the 2007 hop are, now that I am being honest.

I seem to have an aversion to completing embroidery. The mole that was layered and basted together and cut, but then left. The Sunbonnet Sures, that need just a tiny bit more.

I think I can blame some of this on my old sewing machine. It was horrible. It would simply stop working for no reason.

It was a learning experience.

Also, two starts on small Lone Stars-
the blue is in diamonds, the other an early try at strip piecing perhaps?

A number of projects to be sewn by hand. And a bag of scraps from a top that must be stashed elsewhere, because I know I haven't quilted it yet.

It brought me back to the days before I understood how foundation paper piecing actually works- note the raccoon. I will have to assemble those pieces. I remember the frustration well.

I love to design, and have here a triptych of winter scenes, a Puss In Boots, a rose wreath, a basket missing its flowers and those Seasonal Sunbonnet Sues needing just a bit more stitching.

I do think I will try to finish these.

Because I know I have more to discover in the deep recesses somewhere. Because they reminded me of other half-finished blocks. Things not yet glimpsed.

Tops that are layered and basted but not quilted.

Guilt in cotton.

Another Quiz... sheesh

2007-09-04T22:59:00.001-07:00

What color is your soul painted?

Brown

Your soul is painted the color brown, which embodies the characteristics of calmness, depth, nature, stability, tradition, poverty, roughness, down-to-earth, uncertainty, and neutrality. Brown is the color of the element Earth, and represents soil and, to a lesser degree, fertility of the Earth.

Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

Thank you to Random Blethers for introducing me to a whole new website full of time waster quizzes.
"Hi, my name is Sarah, and I am a quizaholic"

Labor Day laborings

2007-09-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

In the USA, today has been Labor Day. A day off for many. And a bit of an Unofficial End of Summer three-say weekend. It is often a say spent at backyard cook-outs, or cleaning up after that last camping trip. (And often a traffic jam that takes 4 hours to get through. Just to convince you not to do this type of thing again.)

My Labor Day weekend was nothing like that-
Yes, there were some similarities to a campsite: lack of basic hygiene, eating cold leftovers for my meals (plus BBQ Lays & Diet Coke), and a dog at my side the whole day. But I have been inside my house All Weekend.

I sewed!

I finally got all the blocks for my Starbright quilt completed. These blocks started as 2.5" squares, and are now (supposedly) 6.5" blocks.
I did a lot of sewing today, and spent about 15% of the time un-sewing. Not a bad ratio in my book!

My goal is to have this top completed and quilted in time to take it to Quilt Retreat on September 14. I don't want to drag a sleeping bag with me this year.
Even if I have to add binding the night I arrive at Retreat, I will feel like I accomplished my goal. But I am going for the Finish.
This will be first quilt I have completed that is larger than lap size. After 15 years of mucking about with the dog quilts & fluffy things, I have finally made something large enough to use myself.
I will tell you which I prefer after I quilt-wrestle it through my travel sized sewing machine LOL
...I may just rent out the Long-arm machine at the local shop.

A Dog's Life

2007-09-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

Loyalty is a dog.

I don't know who said it, but they sure got it right.
My little pug munchkin prefers to be close to me-
At dinner, in case some food drops...
While visiting with friends, in case of walkies...
During TV time, in case of a need to bark of TV critters...
And while I sew, in case I want to do anything more interesting!

Pugs Gone Wild

2007-09-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

So what do you get when you introduce a bag a fluff to an environment already inhabited by a pug dog?

Lilly thinks you get a party!
She grabs a big huge mouthful and prances around in front of me, enticing me to chase her and take it away.
When that game pales, she takes a rest, puts her foot on it, and drags it through her teeth.
Then when she is done with that, she leaves it there.
A slobbery mess for me to clean up.
Yay.
But it is a party, much like a new ball of yarn.
And it isn't as if she is entirely wrong.
And she doesn't eat it.
So it gets into the cute things category.

Even if said bag is now rather ragged and holey now.

The little owls are put up.

Wowls!

2007-09-01T17:15:00.001-07:00

Everyone loves a flock of Wowls!
So we are making some for Thrifty Gift Maker Week 10.
Moonstitches blog has a fabulous How-To that will have you making swarms of these little cuties. Take a look at hers spelling out things at the end!

Just go to this Tutowlrial for the step-by-step photo how-to.
There are no templates or measurements or anything to download. But this is an easy one to just eyeball. (Once you try, you will understand how that works.)

Can't you just see them with a little elfin hat and a scarf...
Maybe a bunch of them all nestled together in a decorated egg carton, ready to swoop down onto some lucky friend's mantle. Or with little clips on their feet, ready to roost in a Christmas tree!

So please email me with pics of your flock, because I think these are just a Hoot!

Don't forget...
Thrifty Gift Maker chat hour is Sunday @ 7 pm & Monday at 10 am EST, via #Quilchat.com.
Bring your ideas to share!

Coffee Mug Mat

2007-08-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Coffee Mug Mat
Thrifty Gift Maker, week 9

SewingWeb.com is a fun site that I have found blogsurfing, and I really do recommend it. They have a number of projects to keep us busy, and some are perfect little handmade hostess gift type things.

The Coffee Mug Mat is this week's project: a combination coaster/ tea & spoon holder.

Load it up with cocoa or teas, or maybe coffee on the side... you have a cute little gift.

This is very quick and easy, plus it is quilted, and the binding technique is a little different than I am used to, so definitely a good trial project for the binding at least.

Here is mine!

Go check out the site and let me know what you think.
And Send Pictures LOL

Inchies

2007-08-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Week 8! I can't believe we started doing these little projects two months ago.

This week, I plan an taking us into the world of miniatures.

Inchies
What are inchies? They are as tiny as they sound. One inch by One inch quilts.
And they are all the rage at the moment. Just google the word and you will see crafty types from all around the world caught up in it.

Unfortunately, my inchies came out awful. Nothing like I wanted. All scrunched and mangled.
Soo....
Your challenge, and I know you can do it better than I... Make some Inchies!

Need a bit of inspiration?
Check out these sites, where creative people have done some amazing things with a one inch square.
http://quiltmoose.blogspot.com/2007/02/inchies-swap-1-squares.html
http://www.quiltingandpatchwork.com/2007/05/30/discovering-inchies-in-the-quilting-world/
http://friedaquilter.blogspot.com/2007/04/yellow-inchies.html

Then send me some pictures and tell me how you did it. I am totally annoyed at myself...
I am sure you will see something from me this week...

New-to-Me!

2007-08-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

"Work like a farmer, Think like a hunter."

I don't know which training course has that line, but I feel like I am really getting that idea now.

My husband calls it shopping. Or collecting. Something like, I don't really pay attention.

I spent all day yesterday sewing, sewing, sewing.
It was great, my back was a tad achey, but I did get a lot of the stupid, blinking 1 1/2 inch squares sewn together. (Why didn't I go with 3 inch squares???) And as I was nearing the end of that looooong line of squares, my sewing machine went wonky. I opened it up and cleaned it and mucked about and sang songs to it and it was still wonky. So I took a break and when I went back it worked better than ever. (Love-love-love my Janome Jem 760!)

But I did have a bit of a scare-- What if!?!?

What if good karma wasn't enough to get my machine purring again? What if I had to take it to the doctor? What would I do for sewing? Because we all know darn good & well that a machine will not go wonky unless there are at least 3 projkects in the works and you have a deadline on at least one of them.

So... I decided to look around for a nice older, all metal, mechanical machine. And CraigsList provided. Amen. I had Choices!

This is my new baby! Found for a very reasonable price, complete with the solid wood cabinet it is housed in and the charming older chair next to it :)

It is a Singer Slantomatic 500A and it sews beatuifully. And Quietly! And it came with all the bits and pieces- this was a fully loaded package when it was new.

Thank you Kathryn for letting me borrow your mini-van to get it home.

Layered Felt Magnets

2007-08-11T19:03:00.001-07:00

Magnets
Thrifty Gift Maker Week 7

Have you ever seen those cute little felt magnets?
Sometimes they are little stars, or dogs, or cats...
with bits of sparkle on the front...
or maybe a bead...
or a stitch or two of embroidery?

I happen to love them. I have them all over my fridge- thanks to my darling friends! And I love to gift them to others as a simple I Love You or as a little 'extra' thing.
But they can get spendy- I have seen them at $3 per magnet.
So let's make them ourselves.

Step 1

Get yourself some magnets (I prefer circular)
Some different colored sheets of felt
Some sparkly things (beads, baubles, findings, etc)

Step 2
Cut out shapes- these are 1 1/4 inch squares from three different colors.
Layer them and glue between (Aleen's is my choice).
Then add a sparkly thing to the front,
Then the magent to the back.

Step 3
Wait for it to dry, then hang them up!

Send me pics of what you make! I don't think I want to post any of mine, as I may be gifting them to some friends :)

I may need to make sets of multiples.
And maybe packaged in some of those Altoid Tins I have- just covered in some pretty fabric... Or in one of the little boxes I made from last week...
And I think some stitching around edges would be cute...
And maybe diferent sizes, or faces, or randomness... And Beads. I love beads...

Tiny Treasure Boxes

2007-08-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Tiny Treasure Boxes
Thrifty Gift Maker Week 6

We all need something to put our gifts into.
But I hate to buy wrapping paper.

I just cannot spend that much money on something that will be immediately thrown in the garbage.
So... I make my own wrappings that can be reused.

These Origami boxes are the simplest ones to make and really require nothing more than a bit of practice. (Do not be intimidated, these are easy enough kindergartners make them.)

What do you need to make these tiny treasure boxes?
Old greeting cards
Paper Scissors
Ruler

Here is a link to some very simple, easy to follow directions that I recommend.

Tip #1: Start with 2 squares of paper- A fancy colorful square of paper (or fabric or whatever) about 1/4" larger than a plain paper. The larger square will be the top and will fit nicely over the slightly smaller.

Tip #2: Tie a ribbon around the box and hang it from the branches of your tree as a surprise gift.

Tip #3: To make these, you might also try stiff fabric covered board, printed photos- basically if it is pretty and foldable, it will work.

(Thrifty Gift Chat is part of #Quiltchat, a wonderful community of quilty folk from around the globe. Come check us out and say hi!)

Flannel Receiving Blanket

2007-07-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Gift Maker Week 5
This week's project is brought to us by a fellow blog and chat buddy, AuntBekky.
Which expectant mom wouldn't LOVE a hand-made flannel receiving blanket?
This is a great gift to have on hand for those baby showers you aren't quite prepared for?
Go to AuntBekky's blog for the instructions, complete with photos.
Thanks for the help!
You have allowed me a thoroughly lazy day, sitting around in my jammies and chatting with my DH and dog & cat. Now. to find someone to cook for me...

Travelling Pinholder Kit

2007-07-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 4th week of the #QuiltChat's Thrifty Gift Maker projects. Keep the fun ideas coming, they will be added to the list.
(If you are not a chatter, but would like to be, just click Here.)

This week is a Fun With a Glue Gun project: Travelling pinholder kit (or something... you tell me a better name!).
Very fast to make... about 15 minutes if you haven't had coffee.

You will need:
One Altoids tin (or similar)
One refrigerator magnet (make sure it is strong enough to attract your pins)
Glue Gun
Bits of fabric, stuffing, and batting

#1 Make a pincushion to fit the top of your Altoids (or other similar) tin:
Cut a bit of the fabric about 2 1/2 time longer than the opened tin. You will make this into a little pillow full of fluff. Sew it, flip it, stuff it. And if you the type who doesn't like wispy bits of fluff to poke out, then finish the opening you added the stuffing through.

#2 Glue the bits of batting to the top of your tin.

#3 Glue the pincushion (the little pillow you just made) to the top of the batting.

#4 Glue the magnet inside the bottom of the tin, magnet side up.

#5 Ta-Da!
You have a little travel tin that you can be sure won't open and spill out your pins! NOT childproof obviously.

#6... I think mine looks unfinished, maybe it needs a bit of cording or lace or ricrac along the edge...

Send pictures of your finished project to sarkarnor@quiltchat.com and it will be put in the photosite for Show & Tell!

Princess Moment Achieved

2007-07-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

I can hear the words from my childhood...

"Waiting won't kill you."

I suppose not. It didn't this time.

And I got my pretties :)

Love!

My Temper Tantrum

2007-07-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I have been patient.
I have been good.

When I have been to the quilt store recently, I purchased only those fabrics necessary for the quilts I am currently working on. I did fondle the delicious Amy Butler fabrics. And all those stunning strawberry pinks, and chocolatey browns with swirls, and the key lime greens you just want to eat.
But I was good.
I looked, I fondled, I loooonged to buy them. But I was good. I bought none of them, I only admired them from afar.

But tonight...
I found quilts I must have, I must make!

Like this one, or this one at the delightful, whimsical Hambone and Jennicakes...
Or this one at Beth's...

I was inspired! Excited!! Elated!!!
So I decided I was going to go and buy those fabrics.

I was going to fill that need for those amazing fabrics. I was going to feel that simple, guttural, lusty pleasure. The one you get when you know you are naughty and you just don't care.

The store was closed!

How is that fair! Where is the justice?
Why should I have to wait 16 hours?
Why can't I have my fabric!!!
(insert temper tantrum)

...tonight, I find solace in other vices.

Saved!

2007-07-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

I have been Saved... Errrr I have been Saving, I should say.

I had one of those lets-stop-by-the-thrift-shop just because moments. And I found SCADS of needles! Just look at all of these- even a nice long hook. :)

Then I stopped by a Tuesday Morning and found bins full of yarn :) All sorts! This super yummy variegated blue is a 100% wool I found for under $4.

I am itchy to go back to and pick up more... there was a whole bunch of choices. Wonder if any of my friends need to supplement...

Now... any ideas for getting the price sticker glue off the needles?

Thread Catcher Bag & Pincushion

2007-07-14T23:18:00.001-07:00

Thrifty Gift Maker Week 3
I hope all you chatters are having fun with the start of this group of projects- we have LOADS more ideas. So keep checking each week, and send me any ideas you may have.
And if you don't chat, you should!
http://www.quiltchat.com/
I will be there at 7 pm EST Sunday and 10 am EST Monday.

This week we are making a combo Pincushion with Thread Catcher Bag.

#1
Make a Pincushion
I decided to make one that I found at abyquilt blog- it is a really fun-to-make pincushion that is chock full of inset seams.
You will stuff the bag with fluff like normal, but before you do you need to decide how you will attach the strap that connects the bag to the pincushion. I have seen buttons used, or simply sewing the strap to the bottom. I chose Velcro, so I added that bit of Velcro into the bottom of the pincushion before stuffing.

You will also need to add some weight to the bottom of the pincushion- a rice filled beanbag works just fine.
... Sew two 3 inch squares of fabric together, leaving one side open to pour in the rice. Whipstitch that side together after you add the rice. Put that into the bottom of the pincushion, then stuff with fluff like normal.

#2
Make a strap to attach the 2 sections. The strap should be about 6 or 7 inches when finished. If you use Velcro, add that as you build the strap. Or if you decided on a button, add your buttonhole.

#3
Make two bags
One will nest inside the other so that you can have reversible Thread Catcher Bag. I cut two fabrics at 12 x 5 inches, folded right sides together and sewed along the bottom and one side of each, leaving the top open.
Turn one bag right side out and place the other inside so wrong sides are together.
Stitch a line about 2 inches in from the top. This will connect the two bags, as well as form one edge of a channel to add the next element.

#4
Rigid-Circle-Thing
You want your bag to stay open right? Well, this is the most challenging part (for me at least!) You will need to find something to keep the mouth of your bag open. Some ideas that have been floated: Piping for upholstery, the plastic stuff from Weed Whacker/ Weed Whip, some Zip Ties. I chose gardening wire. But whichever you choose, you will need to put that into that started channel, then sew on the other side of your rigid thing to keep it there.

#5
Binding
Add some sort decorative binding- to cover the raw edge of the top of the bag. I chose fabric in the same color as the strap.
Then add your Strap. Again, you could use a button or velcro. I decided to sew it to the bag.

#6
Put it all together!

And send me a picture of your project!

Have some suggestions to make it better? I would love to see Comments.

Quilts Being Used

2007-07-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is nice to have your work appreciated.

Stolen Meme

2007-07-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have been popping off all round the internet and laughing as I read some of the Stolen Memes, like at H&B.
Funny Stuff!
So I eventually wandered off to Wikipedia and read up and said... Why Not?

How to do a Stolen Meme-
Go to Wikipedia
Type in your birthday Month and Day (no year)
Read and read and read.
Then post...
3 birthdays
2 events
1 holiday

3 BIRTHDAYS

1972... Sarah Grimke
American abolitionsist and feminist- one of the first American women to speak in front of mixed crowds of both women AND men (what a thought!)

1922... Charles M Schulz
SNOOPY!

1939... Tina Turner
I love sharing her birthday, who wouldn't!

2 EVENTS

43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian", later "Caesar Augustus"), Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Mark Antony is formed.

1922 - Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon become the first people to enter the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun in over 3000 years.

1 HOLIDAY

I had a really hard time finding something in Wiki for this date, so I branched out a bit and looked at some other things.

But the one I found most interesting was
1789 - A national Thanksgiving Day was set aside by President George Washington to observe the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

Don't want to wait until November? Here is a Holiday for this week then!

PIF Exchange- Are you It?

2007-07-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

OK....I read about the "Pay-It-Forward Exchange" first on Welsh Quilter's Blog and then I rambled all around the blogosphere, over and under and sent out some emails and chatted on Quiltchat.com and learned from one chat friend that another chatterfriend, Beth, had joined in.
And now I am part of it!

Here's how it works:
I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. (Whoever and Wherever!)
I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise!
The only thing you have to do in return is Pay It Forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I really do plan on getting things out a lot earlier than July of '08... but I think I will keep it a surprise until you receive it!

Anyone else want to join in on the fun and satisfaction?

What Gets In The Way

2007-07-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Swooze posed the question, "What gets in the way of my quilty progress?"

I thought I would be all clever and say things like "I work sooo many hours a day". Or "I progress just as much as I want". Or something equally untrue. Then I thought about being honest and talking about how I get distracted by butterflies and like to chat online in #QuiltChat and that I value my sitting around relaxing time as much as many other things in my life. And that my dog needs a walk, and my husband likes to see me.

But then I thought about what got in-the-way of my quilty progress the past 24 hours, and I realized, it is Adventure!

Life is an adventure to me. I am always turning over new rocks, poking my nose into new ideas, haring off to see something I have not yet seen, driving hundreds of miles just because I haven't been there yet.

Life is an adventure. And it can be exhausting.

Exhausting... when I do things like I did yesterday. I drove 8 hours (from Olympia WA to Northport WA) to start on a new path that the Universe (and Chrys) has offered. Then I drove home!

But! I am now a proud possessor of a Floor Loom!

For weaving!

This is an Allen-made 42 inch counterbalance loom, which I just unstrapped from the top of a friend's car. (Two hours of sleep, but who is counting?) (And that is my clawmonster Louis Cat.)
Now... I just have to figure out how it works!

See, adventure!

Gifts from the Non-Quilter

2007-07-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

So... I think my absurd sense of humor if backfiring on me...

Just look at what a non-quilty friend thought was important to save from someone's burn pile!

Note the delicious velvety and double knit quality. What to do?

Cat Cushions!

I just happen to have some shiny poly type fabric (another 'save' by a non-quilter) and have backed them in that.

Thrifty Gift Week #1: Orphan Block Hot Pad

2007-06-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks for joining me for the first week of #QuiltChat's Thrift Gift Maker hour.

Gift Maker chat is scheduled for Sunday 7 pm EST and Monday 10 am EST.

The first week is nice and easy and everyone should be able to make one. Next week we have Show & Tell! (Just email me a picture of what you have made and I will add it to the picture album.)

Step #1 Grab an Orphan Quilt Block-
I know you have a shoebox full!

You will also need some backing fabric (thick cotton is preferred), some binding, some batting or hotpad Insulation.

#2 Cut pieces of backing and batt equal to the size of the the block. Sandwich the layers together and baste- pins should be adequate.

#3 Choose thread to match and quilt your block.

#4 Square up the little quilt and trim.

#5 Apply the binding.

#6 Finished!

This will work with any shape of block you have hanging around, and can even be used to make the glove shaped hotpads.

What can you make?

Shop Hopped Out

2007-06-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

I did it!

I visited the requisite 16 shops, collected my stamps and turned in the Passport at the final shop of the day! I am now entered in to win the lovely prizes. :) I also bought a few raffle tickets from various guilds.
And I must say WE did it. Thank you to my wonderful-darling-patient Husband for going with me. He was a great sport and we had a fun time discussing esoterica, arguing plants and making inappropriate jokes. He earned major brownie points for going along (and I think he had some fun too).
Of course, I collected more than just stamps (a sore butt from driving the 250 miles and 8 hours.)

I now have 16 block patterns to work on while deciding on the next project(s). Many shops included all the pieces required for finishing the blocks. And I bought the finishing kits from the shops that didn't.
I did some stash enhancements along the way. Mostly I collected 1/2 yard cuts, some random fat quarters (and some nice coupons inviting me back). I kept saying I was on the lookout for white-on-white and cream-on-cream. But I only ended up buying ONE of those LOL

I found two fabrics with Dragons- one is black with gold dragons, the other is black with multi-colored dragons.
My favorite purchase has to be the Australian designed fabric (bottom right hand fabric in photo below). I will be collecting a few more yardages of that line. Stunning. (I picked this one up at the Shibori Dragon in Lakewood.)

I also learned where some great shops are. And I know how to get to them, in case I am ever in that area... Which is not unlikely, considering all 16 of the shops I visited were within a one hour drive of my home. Here is a map of the places we visited.

Today's stops (pink pins):

#1 Rochester, The Quilting Cottage. (My first visit- really well stocked!)
#2 Centralia, Quilter's Junction. (Moving to a nearby space soon, all on 1 level.)
#3 Chehalis, Sister's Fabric Shop. (Bursting at the seams like usual.)
#4 Morton, Sugar & Spice. (My First visit here, NOT my Last. Very friendly, SUPER prices. Really Good Prices!)
#5 Eatonville, The Country Mouse. (Fun dimensional pieced block- Three Blind Mice.)
#6 Graham, Creative Quilter. (Very friendly and helpful. Nice selection of panels too.)
#7 Orting, The Wild Rose. (Beatiful shop, great location. It is for Sale. They are having an inventory reduction sale soon too. Watch the site for details.)
#8 Puyallup, The Quilt Barn . (Another shop that is moving to a bigger location soon.) (Yay for success!)
#9 Tacoma, Train Fabrics Etc. (They offer bananas for the weary hopper. And a selection of non-quilty things.)
#10 Tacoma, Evergreen Quilting. (Has done very well since opening. Has expanded already! Check them out.)
#11 Lakewood, The Shibori Dragon. (Always interesting finds. Specializing in asian fabrics and imports. Just expanded yarn section too.)

Previous days (blue pins):

Olympia, Bayside Quilting. (The machine quilting part, with 5 HQ16's available for rent for $15 an hour.)
Olympia, Bayside Quilting 2. (The fabric section. Always amazing. I am so spoiled to be so close to this amazing shop, full of amazing people. Amazing.)
Tumwater, Quilter's Quarters. (Yes, a third shop within minutes of my home. Spoiled.)
Shelton, Sue's Stitch In Time. (Great selection of wide width fabrics!)
Belfair, Dancing Needle. (I really liked their kits and applique patterns.)

And there are 2 more shops pretty close by, that I didn't make it to, but should mention, as I will probably try to go to them tomorrow (Don't tell my husband!)

Yelm, GeeGee's. (GeeGee's has more fabric than you can imagine. Fabrics from years ago that you have been trying to find more of.)
Tacoma, Parkland Parish Quilt Co. (Just a nice shop. Nice folks, nice selection.)

Yes, I had a great time. I am excited to start playing with the fabrics I picked up. I may actually make the blocks I collected (dare I think of last year's blocks?).

But first, I think I will take a nap.

Treasure Hunt

2007-06-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ok... so usually I avoid garage sales. I even host them. Sell my things.

But I was weak. I stopped at a couple places. I only spent $5!

But look at the treasure I found!

A whole jar full of beads and buttons and pins and even a tyrannosaurus pendant. And can you believe that I found big old shiny Jordache brand earrings!

Shop Hop or Bust!

2007-06-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop has started!

And I did a bit of a start on my Hopping while I was out driving around the countryside today.

There are 58 shops participating this year, and in order to qualify for the prizes, we just need to collect stamps on our yellow 'passports' from 16 of the shops. That is actually a pretty tall order, as there is usually at least 1/2 hour drive between each shop.

You haven't Hopped before? Nothing could be easier!

Each shop stamps your passport when you visit.
A fabric has been designed specifically for this year's hop (see it behind my passport).
Each shop has used this fabric to design a block.
The block pattern kits include some of the fabrics needed to complete the block.
You can then join all the blocks you have collected into a quilt.

Easy Peasy! Just go Shopping :)

I picked up the premade block patterns from the shops in Shelton & Belfair, and I plan on getting 3 more from the Olympia & Tumwater area shops tomorrow.

I wonder if I can make it to the shops in Rochester and Centralia and Chehalis tomorrow... Then I would be halfway!

Shop Hop or Bust!

Ohh, yes, I do spend some money when I do this. But I have found that if I have a fabric theme focus, I don';t go nuts. This year, I will be looking for indigoes and white-on-white fabs. I can't spend too much on that stuff, right?

Puppy PIllow

2007-06-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

So... I make things for my dog. And my cat LOL
This is a little pillow/cushion I popped together with some bits of poly blend fabrics I had in the closet for loooong time. (Yes, someone gave them to me because I am a quilter.)
I might just have to make a few more :) It was quick and easy... and I had to relearn how to hand sew an invisible stitch.

What have you made from your poly/blends you have been 'gifted' with?

UgFab: Completed

2007-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

I finally had time to finish and photograph my Table Runner!

Yay!

Not only did I get to sew and finish the runner, I sewed while my husband worked. So a happy home.

Have you ever used that foil stuff for hot pads? That is what I used in this- the hot pad interior stuff and a layer of Warm & Natural. It made it a tough cookie to handle! Kept sliding around and getting caught up. And I don't know how well by blade and needle did... I shall wait and see. For the quilting, I used the new large thread spools of mercerized cotton from Coats & Clark- no troubles whatsoever.

The runner turned out about 6 feet long, point to point. And I did end up changing the outer border fabric yet again- it just needed a bit of sparkle! The detail also shows the backing fabric, which is my new favorite! It is this browns/rusts with a sublte chain link fence pattern. Really neat fabric, that I am thinking of all sort of uses for!

Less fear... and a Find!

2007-06-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

So... my husband... my wonderful, sweet, patient husband got up with me this morning and we pulled everything out of the garage for another garage sale.

And he reminded me to post much of the bigger items on CraigsList. And he dragged out a bunch of the heretofore mentioned afeared 'stuff" and put it at the curb with a big Free sign.

So we are harmonious and working towards the same goal of good riddance to gobs of baggage.

And as he was going through random drawer #7 he came across my old #QuiltChat badge! I had forgotten all about it! How it ended up in his things I will never know.

Who else has a badge?

Where is your?

Who in the world made these for us and how long ago?

Can we get more?

I feel like we will need to delve deeply into the mists of memory of chatdom...

Crisis: Existence & Fears

2007-06-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is my sewing room tonight, June 1st...

Relegated to the corners of the space...

Waiting to breathe out...

when his computers and desk take the unoccupied spaces.

I fear for my sewing space…

Where does he expect to put this?

Or all this:

The inner sanctum of the manworld.

Am I wrong to feel like I await an army of computer screws and fans and drives to invade this happy, productive quilty land?

The plotting begins...

UgFab Part 3: The home stretch

2007-05-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

So.. as I assumed I would, I waited until the last minute, made a few changes, then sewed my project in one day LOL

First step: Make sure the fabrics were the ones I wanted to use... Was there a way to get a red into this group?? No?? Bummer. But! I swapped out one of the gold colored fabrics with this very pretty cream with brown. (It really looks like a stone you would see in a floor tile, as you will see below.)
The next step was to decide the pattern. What's that? You still didn't know your pattern? No, no, no. I have been approaching quilt pattern design in a more organic way and I allow the fabric to tell me what it will be. Barring that, I just cut it into strips, chop a bit more, sew a bit more, and Bingo! Quilt City!

This is what I made!
(Thanks to all the encouragement and help of the lovely ladies of WASIQ! You rock!)

It is not finished yet, not quite- I still need to use that remaining gold as a border, and perhaps a bit of the dark brown as a binding?

But it did turn out pretty well, so far!

Now... I just need to get it completed in time for the Challenge vote!

(In 4 days. )

UgFab Part 2: What should I make?

2007-04-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

So...

The UgFab swap... I have this gorgeous fabric.

I have chosen the 3 fabs to go with it...

Now I need to figure out 'what' to make with it.

Any ideas? I am still leaning towards a table runner (that is the dining room table the fabrics are lying on). But what pattern?!?

Really! I need help!

Opinions are TRULY welcome :)

Help!

Why did I start quilting?

2007-04-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

That was the question posed to us...

Honestly, I think at least part of my reasoning was that I wanted to try something a bit different from other 17 year olds. (Nothing like learning the skills of a bygone era to up your cool factor with other teenagers.)
Of course a few years have gone since then, and now I would say I do it because I love the manipulation of the media and the subtleties that you can explore.

But I was really interested in making something that would last. Being creative- actually creating something- is a recurring theme in my head. Something like all the service work I have done and do, and the non-physical work doesn't fill a gap I feel. Creating is a physical expression. I can sing and play piano and talk and sell and all that stuff. But I think I must have felt a real disconnect from the world that tactile creation remedies- much like gardening. (But quilting you can neglect for long stretched and it doesn't die or go wild LOL).

My very first project was started shortly after I moved from Montana to Seattle. I didn't quite understand what all the fuss was about the need for 100% cotton- seemed like some sort of elitist thing. So I went to the thrift store and bought a bunch of stuff that looked like good colors. And as I was hand stitching the Tumbling Blocks, Dog and Attic Windows blocks form the tshirt material, flannel and men's suiting I learned why. T-shirt material and suit jackets are tough to get together with good corners!
That delightful little project also gave me a good education in why a sewing machine is such a wondrous device.
I am not sure what happened to that project, but I believe it went away... perhaps to the dump? That is where it belonged.

Very soon thereafter I was blessed to discover the In The Beginning Shop in North Seattle, and learned sooo many other valuable lessons.
-Sarah

WAAH! Having to share

2007-04-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I am slightly (and hopefully very temporarily) decommissioning my sewing space.

See... I am moving my home work space back to the main office.

So my husband thinks he should get to move inside the house for his business... sigh...

That means I have to share. And it probably means I will have to tidy up more often.

But on the bright side, it could be worse! (knock on wood) (We could be getting a child in to live with us!) Gasp! Horror!

Still, it is quite sad putting the machine away into the closet and shutting the door to the fab stash. And just WHERE am I going to put my books? Despair!

Contrite or Contrary?

2007-03-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

So as I look at my combo sewing room/ home office. I feel sense of annoyance.

Annoyance at myself for having allowed it to reach this state.

Annoyance that I am going to have to put it back together.

Annoyance that I am not a princess who can simply wave my hands and have it done for me.

So I am posting this, in the hopes that this publishing my disaster will shame me into action. Of course, I must acknowledge my own stubbornness. And acknowledge the perverse pleasure I get in bing stubborn.

Maybe I will change my ways.

Check back for updates...