halloween

:: One Week ::

October 25, 2018 By Katie

One of my sweet little peep students exclaimed that everything in my house was sewn for Halloween and another student told me she had to close her eyes or she’d get too many ideas before the others were done when she walked through.

It’s a little over the top, but Halloween’s my favorite holiday.

I actually refrained from making anything new this year and honestly I would have if I’d found the time.

I also cut the purse strings and didn’t even look at the newest Halloween novelty fabric of the year. That’s a first for me. I know there’s some new Ghastlies out there.

There’s certainly no lack of pillows with invisible zippers in this house at any season.

I’ve done a lot of small projects for Halloween and some of the paper piecing patterns out there are favorites.

I’ve got Skully here by Twiddletails printed out big for another floor pillow someday, but until then I’ve got a little doorknob caddy for handing out candy to my trick or treaters. It’s one of my fav projects, especially if it’s full of 3 musketeers;).

Quilt-As-You-Go is a perfect technique for making unique bags with prints from stash. It’s also good practice in picking fabrics that compliment each other in a log cabin block style. I’m not a very nostalgic person when it comes to keepsakes, but Roan’s Halloween bag has been packed away with a few other heart-felt gifts.

Straight line or free motion quilting? Yup, practice is the best teacher and a small project a perfect palette. Baskets are great for nurseries, studios and candy!

Supplement it all with scouted out decor. My pumpkin heads from Safeway always make me happy and I’m pretty sure I funded Target alone last year with their lite pumpkins.

Outside isn’t so great due to our lack of plugs;(

And the memories of the kids in costumes are what makes it so fun right? Fourteen year old photo next.

Happy Halloween peeps!

Collecting Spook II

October 24, 2017 By Katie 1 Comment

I tricked my house all out for Halloween before heading on my mini road trip. It really made it feel like fall had arrived.

The timing for teaching and trunk shows in Bend and Ashland couldn’t have been better. The trees were all turning and the people ready to get back into the quilting groove. My student’s enthusiasm about what they were learning was like an inspirational refresh button for me as well.

In between towns I had loads of free time and made a side trip to see Crater Lake which was experiencing a little snow storm. I’m a Michigander to Flagstaff girl, but it’s been awhile since I’ve driven on snow. Though lovely I don’t miss it;)

Now that I’m home I’ve done some rearranging and added some more.

Usually I get to making one Halloween project. The buckets might be it this year, besides a possible pillow while teaching zippers Thursday night.

The truth is we’re not lacking in Halloween pillows (or fabric) anyway, but they sure are fun to make.

Gone are the days Roan will use his little Trick or Treat bags, a pillowcase is all he’ll want this year, so I actually packed these little trick or treat bags into his trunk for safekeeping. I’m not a saver, but these have too many fond memories.

My Skully candy bag (paper pieced pattern by twiddle tails) is all ready for the night, though there seems to be a dwindling supply of its original contents.

While I’m excited for him to wander around with his friends this Halloween, it sure is sweet to look upon the past.

With Halloween almost here I’ve started thinking about the holidays and added some gift workshops to the line-up including evening sessions. We’ve got a lot of gifting to make including invisible zipper pillows, box and zip pouches, rope bowls. The quilting workshop will be Double-Trouble, triangles with a little tradition and a little improv.

The first sessions I listed filled, so I’ve added new additional dates.

Happy crafting peeps!

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:: Ready-Set-Sew ::

September 11, 2017 By Katie 4 Comments

What a great summer we had here in the Northwest. I loved the heat and have to admit I’m a little sad to see the temps in the 70s. I actually mentioned at bootcamp Saturday that I was looking forward to boot season;) Of course the joy in all of this is guilt free sewing. The kid is back in school, travel a memory, all the company has come and gone and I’m to the point with the garden that I wish it good luck, and walk right by into the studio. Friday I did just that.

I’ll be traveling to Ashland and Bend in October to teach and lecture (come see me if you live there), but I’ve sprinkled a few workshops in between Open Studios onto the studio’s calendar.

:: Straight Line Quilting Workshop ::

Aren’t these fun?! It probably took me longer to pick out the prints, than to actually make these new bucket samples for my Straight Line Quilting Workshop.

I have a thing for Halloween fabrics, but the uses for the prints are a little limited. The wee ones will house candy or a spidery looking succulent and in the larger bucket I’ll tuck some napkins made from the left-overs. They would certainly be useful as baby shower or hostess gifts, but mostly I use them in the studio on every surface as thread catchers or scrap buckets.

I opted for some straight line quilting designs that I’ve done on quilts, but not on buckets and tried to tie the genre of the straight lines in with the theme of the prints.

:: The Foundations of Paper Piecing ::

I’ve had some requests for paper piecing. You may choose any paper piecing pattern, but if you’re inspired by my NY Beauty quilt, I’ll have that pattern available. If you’re wishing for sharp points and precise or miniature piecing than this is the technique to learn.

:: Invisible Zipper Pillow | Evening Class ::

I’ve got my sights set on some new pillows for fall and since a pillow (or maybe two) can be made within a few hours I’ve added my invisible zipper pillow workshop as a 3-hour evening open studio. Any project is welcome though.

:: Split Personality Quilt Block ::

I love it when people travel through Seattle and request a class! Please join us in some fun crazy piecing. This is a fast technique that creates 9-18 blocks in class depending on your speed.

I’ll also be teaching my Psychedelic Baby Workshop with the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild this Saturday if you’d like to join in.

I’ve got four quilts quilted and ready for binding so you should be seeing something new soon.

Happy Week Peeps!

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New Tricked Additions In Pillow Form

October 15, 2016 By Katie 6 Comments

Seattle’s got Halloween kind of weather going on. We’re currently enjoying the light things up and warmth that electricity provides, but I have definitely put some thought into a list of backup chores for if it goes. My fabric shelves and scrap bins are due a serious clear out and that alone could easily eat a few days.

I’ve been joyfully moving stuff around all week. Decorations are up, and in their true place. Each year I love the hunt of a few well sought out additions, like these awesome lit pumpkins from Target for the top of my fridge.

And just like Christmas I allow myself a few new Halloween prints. Novelty print generally means pillows. You already know I’m seriously not lacking in pillows and nothing stops me from making more. I believe I’ve added five to the rotation this year for Halloween alone;). Last year my splurge was this zombie fabric by Riley Blake. A huge spiderweb pillow (more here) has become Roan’s perch when waiting for his morning carpool. Playing with this block ignited some new ideas.

Since it needed something matchie-matchie and I had left over test blocks I made a couple more.

These pillows I made last year are still my favorites. So in the Ghastlies print I made a couple long lumbars which are my favorite shape for comfortable couch lounging.

I generally buy the forms from Garnet Hill, though IKEA does carry a nice rectangle shape. They’re down-filled and puff out to the corners nicely. You don’t need tons of forms. Under Halloween lives the Christmas ones, and quite possibly another layer under that.

All have invisible zippers following my tutorial of course.

My favorite made addition of the year is the hanging candy bucket I created using this paper pieced pattern. I’ve collected a few new patterns for next year. There are so many more projects I’d like to do, but I think I might be considered borderline something at this point. I’ve been collecting them all on a Pinboard.