alexander henry

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.

It’s probably time to think of a costume.

Happy week Peeps;)

::Solstice Picnic Quilt::

June 22, 2015 By Katie 25 Comments

Regardless of moving from Fremont we did not break tradition and made it to the Fremont Solstice Parade with children in tow.

I won’t get into too much about the history of the parade, but it originated in a hope to make a better world by supporting the neighborhood and raising funds to end poverty. Roan’s school in Fremont was a grant recipient and in turn able to help school many of the city’s homeless children. The parade is void of anything motorized, highly artistic in nature often with a theme of political protest and really is an all over good time.

It is traditionally led by body-painted bicyclists. This year there were hundreds of them. A great way to show eleven year olds that even painted artistically 99% of bodies look nothing like in magazines;)

Of course we broke out the Solstice Quilt to place on the pavement. This quilt lives in the car and is the most washed quilt we own. One thing I noticed this year about putting something handmade onto the ground was people respected your space a little more. Considering the parade was the largest I’d seen this was a good thing. Once the parade was in full swing and we weren’t really sitting anymore I pulled it back to a less selfish amount of space.

The Solstice Picnic Quilt was the first quilt I ever created in a virtual quilting bee. I gathered 36 scraps of the same color for each participant and had them cut and sew together the postage stamp blocks.

Of course as I discovered when the blocks were returned is that a quarter inch seam isn’t the same measurement to everyone, so I built each block out log cabin style and squared them all wonky with my largest template to the same size.

This quilt was also my first free motion quilting experience. I had a cramp in my calf for about four days after from pressing the pedal and it truly is a disaster if you look close. It was a great practice tool.

House on Hill Road gave me the idea for the ‘rock pockets” on the back corners to weight the quilt so that the crows or wind can’t fly off with it on the beach.

I’ve always loved this out of print Alexander Henry Sun Signs print and fussy cut out Jefe’s, Roan’s and my signs.

If you don’t have a quilt of this utilitarian nature I suggest you make one. Picnics, beach, parade, soccer games, I can’t imagine life without it.

Happy Week Peeps;)

I believe I’ll have furniture in the studio by next week!

Night Owl Quilt Finish

March 30, 2015 By Katie 23 Comments

I’m here to show you today is my Night Owl Quilt.

At one of my lectures this week I got a bunch of questions from an attendee about my Night Owl Quilt. Typically I can send someone the link from my “Quilts” page where I post all of my finishes when they want photos.

Night Owl Quilt was MIA from that page.

So as I ran out the door for Roan’s field trip I thought to grab it and my camera for photos on the morning ferry commute and make use of my minions.

The design is a pattern called Supernova that is published in our book Quilting Modern.

I think quilters are drawn to reproducing this quilt pattern due to its simplicity of technique and construction. I come across its remake online more than any other quilt in the book.

The softness quality is exactly balanced for me on this quilt. Soft colors, soft Essex, wool batting, Osnaburgh on the back, and just enough density of an organic quilting pattern all add up to perfect.

The only thing I wish I would have added are the spin-offs into the background. There’s always something;)

I really love how the design allows you to play with just about any fabrics you’re in love with, including novelty if that’s your thing. I’ve always been drawn to this Alexander Henry owl print and used it as my starting point, layered fabrics from stash as I built out.

Quilting swirls=Starry Night.

I love these colors. For some reason I’m smitten with the binding pick on this one. Something about the small scale tone on tone and the color of this fabric attracts me to hoarding it. You can try to find it, but I’m pretty sure I bought it all so you couldn’t;)

There it is, Night Owl Quilt has landed on my Quilt page!

If anyone has suggestions of a graphic designer that does logos I’m in the market. Please only someone that has a real business, with a questionnaire to get us on the same page with design and fresh looking portfolio;)

Happy Monday Peeps!

Blueberry Stains and All Quilt

March 23, 2015 By Katie 24 Comments

(Thanks Bell and Allison for holding my quilt and attending my workshop;)

In a world where it seems everything has to be labelled ‘Modern’ or ‘Layered Preppie Bohemian’ (I actually read that this morning;), I bring you an ‘As Traditional As It Gets’ quilt.

It is one of the first quilts I ever made.

It’s prints are collected fat quarters, fabric from clothing I made Roan, or cut from my mom’s endless supply of receiving blankets. All just seemed silly to tuck away in a box for years.

But finished it had issues, the crappy sewing machine with no pressure foot tension type of issues. The quilting was tucked and awful.

Then two people in two days told me about The Quick Ripper and within minutes of having it in my hands those nasty stitches and tucks were buzz cut and eliminated, leaving me with a clean palette.

After over thinking how I should quilt it on my home machine for a couple years I came back to my senses and made a long arm date with Sandie.

This type of simple quilt is really perfectly suited for an all over quilting pattern. I’m sorry to those of you that were curious about the pattern’s name, anyone know?

It worked wonderfully.

I backed it with some older Amy Butler flannel and an out of print Alexander Henry that reminds me of Speed Racer.

Before requilting I had to enlarge the back. Had we tried we couldn’t have gotten the seam from the added piecing onto the edge, but of course we did. This made it extra fun to apply the binding to one side.

Roan chose the red Kai dot, which might be one I need to replace in the stash.

I was able to sit right in front on the ferry on my way from Victoria and sew it down.

I really enjoyed pulling this one from the dryer. It’s so crinkled and lovely. It also made me appreciate where my art has gone and where it started. I still embrace that diagonal line that a half square triangle has.

So there it is, blueberry stains already there and all. Roan’s particularly attached to the quilt his Great Grandmother Evelyn made, so this one might end up on the couch.

That’s 5 quilt tops from my pile done! Only a few more to go.

Happy Week Peeps!

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Full! ~~One spot left in Stripped Improv Workshop Tuesday night.~~

Full! ~~and two in Thursday afternoon’s Medallioned Magic Numbers Social. We’ll start our first technique that makes all sorts of angular shapes.~~

Sunday is Open Quilting Studio at Island Quilter. This will be our last one until Island Quilter is in their new space.

::Working The Pile::

February 9, 2015 By Katie 23 Comments

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 23 Comments

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 22 Comments

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;)

::Lightening Speed::

January 7, 2015 By Katie 21 Comments

Happy New Year Peeps;)

That end of the year mosaic with all the quilts I made, well, that won’t be happening. Mostly because unlike past years I really didn’t have any quilt finishes, I made a crap load of awesome pillows and a few tops. Some of that has to do with using my current little studio space to its potential, but also gearing classes towards smaller projects.

So instead of a mosaic I’ll share with you my pillows pictured up there. I think they are probably my favorite creation from 2014.

I didn’t exactly hit the ground running this year, I got the flu right of the bat. Thankfully at the end of the year I had the time and did a thorough studio cleaning to take account of classes and unfinished projects.

From the quilt top pile I picked my hexagon quilt. With Hexagons By Machine and Equilateral Triangles workshops coming up I thought to get it quilted and play with piecing triangles as I made the back so I could have another sample for each workshop.

But of course as I was piecing these stars together for a back I realized it really should be a pillow. So, now apparently I still have a back to work on and a pillow I really want to make, so no mosaic making time anyway.

We obviously need more pillows, but you’ll definitely be seeing more finished quilts in 2015.

Happy Tuesday. I’m off to sew for two whole delicious hours;) Hope to see some of you locals on Monday at Open Studio.

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Almost forgot, I really enjoyed listening to what Ruth Ozeki has to share in her talk titled Modern Distraction and the Dark Waters of Creativity. Check it out.

::Quilt Backs::

August 19, 2014 By Katie 19 Comments

I hate making quilt backs. I also spend too much time over thinking the quilting. I know from discussions that I’m not alone at this stage of quilt making.

So instead I’ve been piling up quilt tops. I haven’t quilted a quilt since, oh, November;( lame.

So I’ve started making my fabric piles, AND I will…make…quilt backs.

I know many quilters that now shy away from prints, but I have a soft spot for prints and backs are a perfect place to use up those that made me love fabric and quilting.

I think this quilt has been together minus a border for a year and a half.

This is what I purchased, but I’m not so sure I’m sold. The handle on these Kaffe fabrics is really nice if you are looking for a soft quilt back.

Snowballed Sunshine is my new color way obsession.

It’s getting scraps and some larger cuts in the same sunshine happy tones.

My Sochi Hex just needs some length and maybe some added width.

Fabrics from the front and a few of the same prints in an alternate color way will merge for its back.

My newest Double-Trouble quilt is the one I’m itching to quilt the most. The picture makes it look so dull, but it’s bright and vibrant.

I knew I wanted the 60s type flower print to be showcased on the back and I’ll take it from there with the others.

Now we’ll just have to see how long those piles sit?

I do enjoy choosing binding, so maybe that will be my incentive.

:::Obsessed::

November 29, 2013 By Katie 10 Comments

I told Jefe to calm his excitement over the fact that we have a Christmas themed sham for our bedroom. He puts up with me.

I’m a little obsessed with this Alexander Henry Merry Moderns fabric and equally obsessed with Elizabeth’s Sparkle Punch quilt.

I thought about making another sham, but I think I’m just going to go all out and make a Christmas quilt for the couch instead with some wool batting and flannel back.

I’m trying to do the ‘two birds, one stone thing.’ Combining class samples and gift ideas at once. Thus the stitch and flip triangles/Sparkle Punch fusion. I like to have as many examples as possible to inspire students beyond Quilting Modern’s quilt layouts. It really makes a class more fun.

I’ve got Secret Santa gift and oven mitt class samples covered. I forgot to put in two layers of batting, so I guess it’s a mug rug instead of a potholder

Considering I’ve got a ton of these patchwork squares left over from the oven mitts I think I might make some nesting baskets for class samples while I’m at it. Pssst…there’s one spot left in that class if you need a gift idea and some time on your hands Sunday.

Off to obsess more.

::Scraps::

November 26, 2013 By Katie 19 Comments

I was feeling overtaken by scraps and actually made it through a few episodes of the Walking Dead before some order was restored.

And then I felt the need to bust out some quality Quilt As You Go time with this stellar Alexander Henry Santa scrap I found. Color way, prints and log cabin design completely inspired by this rockin’ design.

Welcome gift number one, you sure are cute.

This color way has set off a list of made goods including samples for my oven mitt class and some stitch and flip triangle pillow shams.

Jefe will be so excited we’ll have Christmas themed pillow shams for our bed I’m sure:) He’s probably wondering why we don’t already.

Happy Tuesday all!

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::Get Your Cute Out::

September 11, 2013 By Katie 30 Comments

I like sweet novelty fabric and judging from the amount of pink prints in my stash, I apparently like pink too, a lot.

I thought Alexander Henry’s Once Upon a Time line fit the bill to converge with some large hexagons for my Hexagons by Machine workshop at Drygoods AND get my cute quilt out. It’s kind of like getting your rainbow quilt out I guess.

I like to make an initial stack of fabrics when I combine all prints and then I just have to cut and see how things work together on the design wall, as usual this results in enough precuts for another quilt. The good thing is I’m certainly not running out of fabric, so all is ok.

I’ve got quite a combo of fabric types going on in this quilt. Besides the Alexander Henry Princesses, there’s some Heather Ross double gauze, old Amy Butler flannel, the first run on Mirror Ball in pink, Lizzy House and Erin McMorris’ first line Park Slope thrown in and so on. For the backing I used Sock Monkey Textured Flannel in Pink. It’s been a hold out in my stash for ages and this quilt finally called for it.

Archetextures bound it.

The awesome bubble quilting I can take zero credit for. My friend Sandie quilted it on her long arm for me. The wool batting was a stellar choice on her part, it just makes it pop. Thanks Sandie!

I love this quilt! So sweet, or cute I guess.

Next is something a little sharper, but still novelty print based. I’ll cut and square out the sides, but just one would make a cute pillow or placemat for sure…now there’s a project idea.

I wanted to mention how much I appreciate all who comment and encourage me on this blog. I’m not the best responder, but you make my day. It’s important for me to just shut down the computer and give creative ventures and family attention. You can have emails delivered to your inbox when I post via the link in the right sidebar. Thanks to you!

Tomorrow’s my Open Studio at Drygoods if you have some spare time during the day to sew. Hope to see you there or that you have time to get your sew on!

alexander henry

New Tricked Additions In Pillow Form

::Solstice Picnic Quilt::

Night Owl Quilt Finish

Blueberry Stains and All Quilt

::Working The Pile::

:: Somewhat Circular Hex Quilt ::

::Throwing Star Pillow::

::Lightening Speed::

::Quilt Backs::

:::Obsessed::

::Scraps::

::Get Your Cute Out::

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