Trying Something New

I had an idea this morning...
You can never have too many t-shirts, right?

(Available on Teespring. Just click the photos for more details.)

Nothing

Seriously. There is absolutely no sewing of any kind happening over here.
We're in a holding pattern waiting for some big news.

I'm still de-stashing and have marked the fabric scraps down to $2/yard in the Etsy store.

I'm also selling some of my quilts.

The GIANT Sale is progressing pretty well in the main store. I've marked some fabrics down to less than $4/yard over there, so check it out if you'd like...

In other, totally non-sewing-related news, Valentine's Day was fun!

Pinwheel Party

If you've been following me on Instagram, you know that I've been working on another Pinwheel Party quilt for the last week or so.
Today I finally finished the top!

Unfortunately the weather is atrocious around here, so good photos are not happening.
I did manage to get a couple of snaps taken in the dining room but pictures of the whole thing will have to wait for a drier day.





I was worried about all the white in the background but, now that it's done, I think it's crisp looking.
The dots are Moda Essential Dots, available in the store and the background is my standard Moda Bella color 9900-98.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that there is a GIANT Sale going on in the store. A move may be in the works and I'm urgently trying to reduce inventory!

Stash Reducing and Scrap Busting #2

UPDATE 2/4/14: I just listed all the scraps I have in the Etsy store. Lots of brights from Rainbow Jane BOMs.

As promised, another installment...

1.
Bee Happy by Mary Lou Weidman
Benartex
Quantity: 0.75 yards
Price: $1.85

2. SOLD
All Star by My Mind's Eye
Riley Blake Designs
Quantity: 0.75 yards
Price: $1.85

3. SOLD
Assorted scraps, all fat eighths or larger. Some have a little notch or two cut out of a corner.
Quantity: more than 3 yards total
Price: $7.50

4. SOLD
Assorted aqua fat eights - some a little larger
Quantity: more than 3 yards total
Price: $7.50

5.
Assorted purple fat eights - some more than 1/4 yd
Quantity: more than 2 yards total
Price: $5.00


I can fit about 7 yards of fabric into a flat rate envelope for $5.60 and up to 20 yards in a Medium Flat Rate box for $12.35.

If you're interested in any of these fabrics, please send me an email (address beneath my photo on the left) letting me know which fabrics you want and I let you know what the total will be including shipping, then send a PayPal invoice.
I will respond to emails in the sequence I receive them.

I will probably do another post with more fabric later today, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Stash Reducing and Scrap Busting #1

This weekend I have a bee in my bonnet. It's time to get rid of some of the fabric cluttering things up around here and make room for the new.
It's funny how our tastes change over time.

I figured some of my blog readers will be able to give these fabrics good homes, so I'm asking around $2.50/yd to try and recoup a little fraction of my original cost (and pay the PayPal fees).

I will provide as much info as I can glean from the selvedges.

1.
Raining Cats & Dogs by Debbie Mumm
South Sea Imports
Quantity: 1.5 yards
Price: $3.75

2.
Sunset
Paint Brush Studio
Quantity: 2.25 yards
Price: $5.60

3.
Noah's Ark by Jim Shore
Red Rooster Fabrics
Quantity: 1.75 yards
Price: $4.35

4.
Sunrise
Exclusively Quilters / Classic Cottons
Quantity: 2.5 yards
Price: $6.25


I can fit about 7 yards of fabric into a flat rate envelope for $5.60 and up to 20 yards in a Medium Flat Rate box for $12.35.
If you're interested in any of these fabrics, please send me an email (address beneath my photo on the left) letting me know which fabrics you want and I let you know what the total will be including shipping, then send a PayPal invoice.
I will respond to emails in the sequence I receive them.

I will probably do another post with more fabric later today, so be sure to keep an eye out.

1930's Reproduction Bunting Quilt

The weather finally (kind of) cooperated yesterday and I managed to take a couple of photos of the 30's Bunting Quilt.

I pieced the binding using scraps from the blocks and I really love how it turned out.

Even though it's hard to tell from the photos, the back is Michael Miller Garden Pindots in Sunny Yellow which matches the 30's Yellow Bella Solid I used on the front really well.

The pattern is in my Craftsy store. I've added a link in the right sidebar.
Kits to follow soon.

WIP Wednesday

Yesterday I started another Pinwheel Party quilt. Not sure about the white background, but I do love Moda's Essential Dots.
The first seven blocks are done. Five more to go. And sashing and borders.

(I also finished the 30's Bunting quilt. Just waiting for the weather to change and I'll take some photos. With a real camera.)

WIP Wednesday

The 30's Reproduction Bunting Quilt top is done!

Hoping to baste and quilt it today but that may be a little ambitious.
If you really like it, I'm planning to add kits to the store soon.

Bunting #2

30's Reproduction fabrics are the biggest seller in the store yet somehow I haven't gotten around to making a quilt using them.
I figured this would put a whole different spin on the Bunting pattern.

Out of curiosity, I'm also timing myself to see how long it actually takes to make a small quilt.
Not sure that was a good idea...

(If you'd like to follow my progress more closely be sure to follow me on Instagram.)

Bunting Baby Quilt Pattern

Ta Da!
Here it is! My latest pattern. I'm really happy with it.

Bunting.

It uses the "Four-at-a-time" flying geese method so it's super quick to make.
The quilt is 48" x 48" but I included cutting instructions and fabric quantities for different sizes up to twin.

I usually use solids for my quilt backs but this Michael Miller Play Dot was so perfect I couldn't resist using it.

The pattern is for sale in both the Etsy and Craftsy stores.

(The gray I used is Moda Bella Solids 9900-83 Gray and the dot is Michael Miller Play Dot in "Sea".)

Picture Day Part 2

Today the light was perfect for photos!

I can only share a little peek here because I'm finalizing the pattern but I did want to share my successful attempt at attaching the binding by machine.

I found quite a few tutorials online but nothing that worked for me.
I'm not fond of the look you get when using a blanket stitch. And sewing the binding on from the back just left a little too much room for error (and too much seam ripper activity).
I will share the technique I came up with soon, but I thought I'd show some closeups.

The back:

The front (pretty cool - you can hardly see the stitching):

A corner (not perfect but I'm happy):

(The fabric I used for the binding is Michael Miller Play Dot in "Sea" and the background gray in the quilt is Moda Bella Solids 9900 83 Gray. It's a really nice, warm gray. I think I'll be using it a lot from now on. All Bella Solids are 20% off in the store right now and I just got a bolt of the gray.)

Edited 1/16/15: The pattern is now available in the Craftsy store!

Picture Day

Today is picture day for my first finish of 2015. I always have a hard time getting good photos.
Here I was standing on a step stool but the lighting is just not right.

Off to go try something else.

Books Read in 2014

Along with being more productive on the sewing front, I also got back into reading, which I love!

	Tom Ryan - Following Atticus
	Debbie Macomber - The Inn at Rose Harbor
	Oliver Pötzsch - The Hangman's Daughter
	Helen Bryan - War Brides
	Phil Doran - The Reluctant Tuscan
	Peter Mayle - A Good Year
	Catherine Ryan Hyde - When I Found You
	Lois Lowry - The Giver
	Lois Lowry - Gathering Blue
	Lois Lowry - Messenger
	Lois Lowry - Son
	Rich Curtin - Moonshadow Murder
	Rich Curtin - Trails of Deception
	Rich Curtin - February's Files
	Rich Curtin - Artifacts of Death
	Pat Conroy - The Great Santini

16 books! Not bad.