Open Quilting Studio

::Evening Open Studio::

November 17, 2015 By Katie

This is totally last minute, but I’m holding an evening open studio tomorrow night (Wednesday the 18th) from 5pm-9pm and have one ~~two~~ open spaces. More information on my teach page.

I’ve got a request for playing with improvisational curves, but you can bring any project you might like to work on. Maybe some holiday gifts? Only 37 days, 14 hours and 36 minutes until Christmas.

I’m currently repurposing some quilt as you go pillows and bags into pouches to balance out quilting my Christmas quilt.

Happy Week Peeps! What are you working on?

::Working The Pile::

February 9, 2015 By Katie

You’re probably thinking,

“When will she ever finish that quilt already?”

And I’m with ya.

I’ve had a very genuine desire since the beginning of the year to clean up and clear out projects. A noticeable dent has been made in the pile and though there is still plenty of the unfinished, the process has been a good steady pace. Having quilts at each stage of the making process allows my attention to wander to what ever is in the rotation because it ALL needs to get done.

And bloody hell, Somewhat Circular Hex is D-O-N-E!

All inspired by the Alexander Henry Kokeshi doll fabric, then onto the color way this little Kokeshi doll/bank sported and certainly the Japanese art that I grew up with.

I love how the Essex background forms another Hexagon. Let’s pretend I planned that;)

Extreme binding auditions happened and this Denyse Schmidt standby won.

It just popped the other black prints.

I’m sticking with the use what you have stashed when it comes to backings program. Simple Simon on this one.

It held the diamond grid quilting texture well, as did the Essex on the front.

My seam widths annoyed me enough that I finally took action and had my Juki walking foot replaced. Juki is sitting on a quilting goldmine if they would step up and add all the measurement markers and width to their walking foot that Bernina has in my opinion.

Well and crap, then this happened;) But starting new projects is part of the process. You can see the other hexagons by machine I’ve done here and here.

Happy Monday Peeps!

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:: Somewhat Circular Hex Quilt ::

February 9, 2015 By Katie

You’re probably thinking,

“When will she ever finish that quilt already?”

And I’m with ya.

And bloody hell, Somewhat Circular Hex is D-O-N-E!

All inspired by the Alexander Henry Kokeshi doll fabric, then onto the color way this little Kokeshi doll/bank sported and certainly the Japanese art that I grew up with.

I love how the Essex background forms another Hexagon. Let’s pretend I planned that;)

Extreme binding auditions happened and this Denyse Schmidt standby won.

It just popped the other black prints.

I’m sticking with the use what you have stashed when it comes to backings program. Simple Simon on this one.

It held the diamond grid quilting texture well, as did the Essex on the front.

Well and crap, then this happened;) But starting new projects is part of the process. You can see the other hexagons by machine I’ve done here and here.

Happy Monday Peeps!

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::Throwing Star Pillow::

February 2, 2015 By Katie

That leftovers thing happened again. Hexes turned into triangles, and now I have another shape to show as an example in my triangle workshop with a hexagon shape center to boot!

The stars turned out pretty wee by the time I cut them from the left over hexes.

The precision I’m pretty happy with, no paper piecing involved for those of you that asked, just 60 degree triangle piecing.

I floated them in Essex Linen.

These prints are favorites and deserved some limelight.

The diamond shape the quilting forms was simple enough to execute.

And it matches the pillows on my couch;)

Finished off with my Invisible Zipper Tutorial.

The weather couldn’t be any more perfect for quilting and if my child’s mood this morning is any indication of how most of Seattle is feeling today I think I’ll make the best of it and stay home to sew.

Chin up Seattle.

Happy Monday;)

::Double-Trouble Take Two::

January 26, 2015 By Katie

As I’m making one quilt I generally have block cast-offs and another design lay out evolves. That’s just what happened with the leftovers from the Scrappalicous Double-Trouble Quilt I made a while back.

What I call the Double-Trouble block is a half-square-triangle with an improv Stitch and Flip triangle on one side. Merging the two triangle techniques creates a block that is both controlled and chaotic. The Swirling Medallion quilt we made in Quilting Modern has the directions for the Stitch and Flips and my tutorial for hst is combined with my value quilt tutorial.

This time around I thought I’d try out the squares by turning what I had on point and giving them some space to breath. I love the scrappy controlled sets.

I tried my best to create the whole quilt, even the background with scraps. There’s a mix of flannel, muslin, and other neutrals that I used for landing the improv triangles. Anything goes for the triangles, voile, flannel, home decor and corduroy are all present.

I failed on using left overs for the binding. This small scale print from Alexander Henry’s Farmdale line was perfect.

I could have adjusted my neutral squares in some places with a larger size, but keeping everything to 3 1/2″ squares created more texture and depth.

The backing is another old Alexander Henry. Shocking I know.

One of my goals this year is to have my backings consume cast offs from the front and fabric from stash. This challenge so far has led to creating some backs that I’m rather smitten with. Unfortunately I don’t have a current full shot to show you what I’m talking about.

The quilt hangs at Island Quilter on Vashon Island for the month of January with other lovelies made by my peeps in the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. Go take a ferry trip!

Happy Monday Peeps!

:: Double-Trouble Take Two Quilt ::

January 26, 2015 By Katie

This time around I thought I’d try out the squares by turning what I had on point and giving them some space to breath. I love the scrappy controlled sets.

I failed on using left overs for the binding. This small scale print from Alexander Henry’s Farmdale line was perfect.

I could have adjusted my neutral squares in some places with a larger size, but keeping everything to 3 1/2″ squares created more texture and depth.

The backing is another old Alexander Henry. Shocking I know.

The quilt hangs at Island Quilter on Vashon Island for the month of January with other lovelies made by my peeps in the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. Go take a ferry trip!

Happy Monday Peeps!

Improv Patchwork Pillow Series

December 16, 2014 By Katie

sewkatiedid/modern patchwork workshop series II

sewkatiedid/modern patchwork block workshops series II

The first group that joined me in my modern patchwork series made it so fun and I enjoyed making the samples so much that I’ve decided to run it again in the new year AND I’ve added a second part to the series.The color combo is so wacked and I’m 100% smitten with it.

Each of these pillows I’ve made with techniques I love to use and teach. One of the things so enjoyable about quilting is figuring out new ways to do things and I’ve certainly learned some good tips to pass along with these.

Here goes (and if you were wait listed or unable to do all of the first session than you can also sign up via The Quilting Loft).

-Exploring Inside a Box-

Modern Patchwork Series II

Please sign up via The Quilting Loft’s site.

Take one session, or the whole series, to explore the merging of traditional and improvisational patchwork techniques, one block at a time. Katie Pedersen, author of Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts will guide you through the techniques and skills needed for each block, variations in block design, and the secondary designs multiple blocks create. While we’re at it, we’ll get friendly with our design wall, touch on color and value theory, and cover the advantages of constructing a block that is either precise in piecing, or more willy-nilly.

*Even if you are a seasoned quilter you can up your patchwork game by adding improvisational techniques to your knowledge base.

*Session I- To the Point Triangle Workshop- Thursday, January 22nd from 6-9pm Learn the proper techniques for cutting and piecing equilateral triangles to create sharp points and a design with the most impact. How design is affected by color value, scale of fabric and placement will be covered in this skill building workshop. All levels of sewists welcome. *Session II- Psychedelic Baby Block- Thursday, February 26th from 6-9pm This modern block workshop combines improvisational strip piecing and a traditional foundation paper piecing technique to create unique string blocks that are both chaotic and controlled. Once we’ve constructed some blocks we’ll cover color and value placement so that we can play with the block’s unlimited quilt/pillow design potential. *Session III- Improv Curves- Thursday, March 19th from 6-9pm Fear the curve no more with this no pinning, no templates and no stress approach to the curve. This session gives you the class time to master improvisational gradual curves to be later built into curved emeba blocks (See Emeba Workshop below). Free-handing improvisational curves are manageable even for beginners. *Session IV- Tipsy Amebas Block- Thursday, April 23rd from 6-9pm (An Improvisational curves workshop must be taken to sign up for Amebas (March 19th or April 21st to sign up for this workshop) Now that you’ve mastered improvisationally pieced curves without pinning a thing it’s time to move on to creating organic shapes. Watch your ameba multiply as we cover a chain piecing technique to make more than one at a time and follow up by learning how to bring your blocks together on the design wall without noticeable block construction. Hope to see you there!

Improvisational Quilting Techniques Pillow Series

December 16, 2014 By Katie

sewkatiedid/modern patchwork block workshops series II

Here goes (and if you were wait listed or unable to do all of the first session than you can also sign up via The Quilting Loft).

-Exploring Inside a Box-

Modern Patchwork Series II

Please sign up via The Quilting Loft’s site.

*Even if you are a seasoned quilter you can up your patchwork game by adding improvisational techniques to your knowledge base.

::Going Circular::

October 21, 2014 By Katie

Thanks for all the kind comments last week. We’re regrouping in week three and lucky to have such awesome friends.

Life continues behind the scenes of a quilting blog;)

I finished the last of the samples for my Exploring Inside the Box series. It might be the colors, but regardless of the improvisational curves this pillow has that same graphic edgy feel as the others.

This shape is so simple to execute improvisationally. I really love the little hit of added strip piecing. I rotate building out all four quadrants on this design. A little to this quarter and a little to that avoids identical colors mingling in the same location, unless that’s the look you’re aiming for. It’s rather forgiving if you feel you’ve misplaced a color because you can always rip it apart or recut.

It would be fun to make in a binary color scheme too.

I’ve really enjoyed working with this color way, but it’s time to move on, so I’ve been thinking of new blocks and colors for Series II. We’ve got the winter dates, I just need to get going on the blocks before we list it.

Series II might be inspired by Seattle’s fluffy white and grey clouds currently passing us by and the blue sky you get snapshots of here and there.

I have all the pillows currently home and it’s fun to see them all together, though overwhelming in the matchy-matchy department. Perhaps some Plain Jane’s are needed to break things up.

I’ll get right on that;)

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If you were wait listed for the first Exploring Inside the Box series we have new dates for the winter session on Tuesdays, follow the link here.

Monday, October 27th is Open Studio at Island Quilter. Reserve your spot by following this link.

::Happy Snowballed Sunshine::

October 14, 2014 By Katie

There’s no sugar coating it, our family has had a full dose of life reality lately, so it wasn’t a mistake that I pulled this bit of happy colored sunshine out of the pile of unfinished tops to quilt.

I needed some mind occupation.

It seems that each quilt has a memory of its making somewhere along all its steps, and not in a bad way, but quilting and binding Happy Snowballed Sunshine will remind me for a time of my father-in-law John passing.

This quilt and its association with this particular time reminded me of quilting Supernova. Supernova was the quilt that I was working on four years ago yesterday, the same day John got his kidney transplant.

There were tears of joy quilted into that quilt and a few sad ones for the donor’s family too. That generous lady knew that in her passing she could gift a family some of those ‘best of times’ as we call them.

And she did.

But quilting this also made me thankful that I have creative things to do that occupy my mind when I need them.

It also solidified something that seems so obvious, but I’d never really thought about it. My love for fun and funky color combos that lift my mood to happy when I see them, even if the times don’t match.

And the prints that are hard to cut into? Now is the time to use them.

I’ll gift this bit of happy at some point. This quilt hasn’t found its person yet, but that baby will add another dimension to the quilt memory.

(thanks Sounders FC instagram for photo)

And for my happy memory I’ve been reminding myself to remember the healthy John. The John that would sit on my couch drinking a martini telling me funny stories.

He would have liked my happy quilt and he definitely loved sunshine;)

Stripped Herringbone Pillows

September 15, 2014 By Katie

Half way through September peeps! It doesn’t surprise me, last week evaporated with lightening speed.

I did manage early in the week to finished a pillow sample for the “stripped” session of my design seeds series.

My Juki and I are still becoming acquainted with one another. I’ll have to post some questions for you Juki lovers to answer at a later time.

I also have a ton of leftover ‘seeds’ to start some others. This color way is really growing on me.

I played a bit with this improv spiderweb idea,

and diamonds, which are new to me, but appeal to my triangle obsession. My curves sample got pushed to this week.

Wednesday I spent the day at Drygoods Design’s new location in Pioneer square for my Open Quilting Studio. As usual, Keli rocked the window. With teaching on the road I sadly won’t be able to sew again there until November. Looking forward to it.

Thursday I taught the first session of my Exploring Inside the Box series. I’m thankful to have a great group of ladies to be spending one night a month with. Everyone was please with their design seeds by the time class was over;)

Friday I was lucky enough to hang out with the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild teaching Improvisational Elongated Triangles. I always get involved and forget to take photos at my workshops, but those ladies are the real deal and I look forward to spending some time with them at a sew-in here and there.

I caught the ferry back over to downtown and Jefe met me via water taxi for the Sounders game.

I couldn’t make it this year to the Bainbridge Quilt Festival because some sixty friends and family walked in honor of my brother-in-law in the Seattle ALS Association Fundraiser. Our team, Team Newby, was at check-in the 6th largest earner for the walk in Seattle!

Special thanks to the Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild ladies for all their words of kindness, advice, story sharing, and donating during my workshop;) It all helps those navigating this awful disease.

Ok, I’m off to try and keep the pace. I did one read over and am pushing ‘publish’ for the week.

Northwest Quilting Expo next week and plenty to do in-between.

Happy Week!

::Swim Sister Quilt::

January 22, 2014 By Katie

I said I was going to catch up on posting finished quilts this year and here’s the start. It does help in finding the extra time when you’re wide awake at 4:30am.

My intension was to use the Heather Ross Mendocino line and make a quilt for myself.

I cut the line all up into BIG 60 degree triangles after seeing a quilt made by Patchwork Notes (her blog is private now) and placed it on the design wall. Mine didn’t have the same appeal at all. So I started again by pulling the blue and brown prints from the mix.

The beauty of stash building is a successful quilt is achievable without leaving home and sometimes it’s happy hour:) I collected my potential pile and cut a few to place. A little Amy Butler, Kaffe, Violet Craft, Alexander and some yummy crimson, orange and mustard prints. As usual I have some prints that didn’t work, so I see another scrappy quilt in my future.

As I cut my quilt kept growing until I found my design wall loaded with a queen size. I bypassed Jefe and made a solo household decision to go for a bed quilt. I figured what man wouldn’t want to sleep under mermaids with starfish as pasties?

Sandie and I quilted it with swirls, which I knew from experience on Nicquelle’s quilt would be amazing. I don’t go outside in winter unless I have to, so this is the only photo of the back I have, but it is a mix of flannel and a selvedge to selvedge of the large mermaid print running the length. It feels good to use it up!

The seaweed just seemed right for finishing it off with binding.

There you have it, the first of my finished quilts from 2013 that have remained unposted. Only five more finished quilts to post, one zillion unfinished projects to finish and two closets of fabric to use up and I’ll have accomplished my 2014 resolutions. I clearly won’t have time to work out.

I’ll have to plan another with the blues and browns that I have cut and waiting.

If you follow me on Instagram, I’m still destashing 6″ square sets. Currently I’ve got sets of green available with black next, then I’ll start all over again with pink. If you’re interested email me at sewkatiedid@gmail.com. I can also put you on a list for a certain color when they become available.

::Evening Open Studio::

::Working The Pile::

:: Somewhat Circular Hex Quilt ::

::Throwing Star Pillow::

::Double-Trouble Take Two::

:: Double-Trouble Take Two Quilt ::

Improv Patchwork Pillow Series

Improvisational Quilting Techniques Pillow Series

::Going Circular::

::Happy Snowballed Sunshine::

Stripped Herringbone Pillows

::Swim Sister Quilt::

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