SewKatieDid

Because thread is the best glue

dots

::A Zig and a Zag::

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My family shuffled by me at 6:30 am wrapped in quilts to watch Germany and Argentina play.  We are all piled on the couch, Me=Happy.

Elio’s quilt is done.

My Mom and I tag-teamed this one for a family friend.  Our first collaborative quilt.  How fun.  I did the piecing and sewed on the binding, she quilted it and sewed down the binding while I was in KC.

And the half square triangles are still piled from Roan’s quilt.  I am so happy with both of these that I think a large zig zag is in the future for Roan.

Since I lost all control on E-bay and “won” (insert my husband saying “purchased”) all the Amy Butler flannel dot at an insane price I’ve used it here again for binding.

Storybook was another E-bay auction score that I used for the back.  Added some flannel space people to widen it.  My Mom did a stitch in the ditch zig zag that shows nicely from the  back.

Hope you like it little Elio!

::Pinning Away the Time::

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My friend Noelle stopped in the shop to discuss her upcoming class and shot some pictures of me pinning Roan’s quilt.  Another Half Square Triangle for the upcoming class at Fabric Crush.

Over 300 pins later,  I might have been a bit anal, but I hate shifting and the back is of course…Flannel!  I used the smaller curved pins and then tried some larger 2 inch quilting copper safety pins Sarah got into the shop.  I was a bit skeptical, but loved the amount of fabric they grabbed and bought three packs!

Collecting this fabric has spanned Roan’s lifetime and I’m always hoping to add a boy charm pack to the Etsy shop I can never seem to get going.

The solid is my favorite Carolina Chambray in natural.  I think it gives it a more classic look and won’t show dirt as plainly as white for the boy.

Thanks Noelle for the photos and Sarah for the use of the shop floor.  Quilting this will be my project at the next Seattle Modern Quilting Guild meeting in April.

For anyone with some time on their hands tonight, I believe there is one spot open in my Values Class at The Quilting Loft due to a cancellation.  Come join the fun!

::Space Boys::

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We’ve celebrated some little boys birthdays this month.  I tend to make pillows, above is the new batch. Cousin Sam got the pillow case with the robots in the back.  I tried just a simple encasement on one side to keep the pillow in, so easy!  It’s serged and lined, perfect for little boy pillowfights.  I kinda squeaked when I saw that I had used the same robots in the one last year.

We had a little learning moment when one of the boys made fun of Roan bringing a pillow as a gift (#!>*##! boy!).  Roan was a bit sad until I pointed out that Cousin Sam still sleeps every night with his gift and has long forgotten what his other friend gifted him.

The decorative one goes to our little Space boy Friend Gavin.  Roan and Gavin play hours of Star Wars together.  I got out the scrap bins and pulled mostly boy bits in primary.  Little bit of purple thrown in.

Off to sew and it seems High Fidelity is on the tube.  Perfect Sunday!

P.S.  For those that might be interested The Quilting Loft and I added on another Value Quilt Class.  I believe there is one space left.

::Hoot::

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I did manage this week to finish a wee pillow (12×12).  I left it in the hands of my wonderful coworker as a possible gift for a birthday party she’s attending.  The owls are from the Pottery Barn bedding called Brooke.  I was gifted a FQ and am always tempted to buy some.

Like all my pillows, it’s lined in muslin and the seams are serged.  I have some of the bits left so I am sure there will be some more in the making.  I LOVE the Alexander Henry Arvika and am always looking for it online.  If you run across the black and white let me know!

I did an invisible zip and the back is this sweet flannel that is almost gone.

Some other projects have been on the front burner.  In a shocking display of my perfectionist personality, I took the seam ripper to the quilt back I had completed AND basted to Roan’s quilt front.  I’m so happy I did, it wasn’t sitting right with me.

I’ve had the Alexander Henry fabric forever.  This won’t date me at all, but it reminds me of the Ah-Ha video, “Take On Me.”  Remember when you actually watched videos on MTV?

The dots are a flannel old school Amy Butler score on Ebay.  I have some of the blue left that I’ll stick up on Etsy when I get my act together.

Many other sticks in the fire of course, including a simple tied quilt like this.  Run out and buy yourself some of that Country Fair that’s at crazy discount all over!

::Finally Inspired::

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This doesn’t happen much for me, but ALL this week, I couldn’t get my design idea down.

My HST blocks were sewn, but my very simple layout (something like this) wasn’t sitting right with me on the design wall.  I knew I wanted the colors, and the white downy flannel.  I went pin wheel, zig zag,  rearranged to on-point singles,  you know…the hst menagerie.  Concluding with deserving satisfaction on this.  I love flannel, I love matching points, I love the blockie color goodness.

Even if I was annoyed with my lack of inspiration this past week, my cup is now overflowing from the massive amount of left over blocks.  Acting on a small idea and seeing where it takes you can result in a few scraps.

Grandma Moses (Sew Mama Sew had this picture up, Love it.)

I’ve had thoughts of hand quilting this one, and am hoping to meet up with some awesome people to learn it with.  I’m happy to say The Seattle Modern Quilting Guild has received an incredibly enthusiastic response!

So a big call out to any crafty peeps out there wanting to be part of getting the Seattle Modern Quilting Guild off the ground.  You can now check us out/join HERE.  It will be giddy fun to talk sewing to others who want to do the same!  Sew Mama Sew’s forum also has a thread for getting a Sewing Circle together.  Go find yourself some stitchy friends.

::Roan’s Quilt::

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The weather has been less than ideal for the beach here in the Gulf.  I’ve been sewing some rows and finished them this morning.

I’ve been collecting fabric for Roan’s quilt for quite some time.  Fabric for boys has improved dramatically over the years, but I added loads of dots.  I included some bits of clothing, mostly pjs that I’ve made and he’s outgrown.

Some of my favorites:

Actually an old Joann fabrics flannel that is good quality.  Something I wish they would have stuck with.  Some Japanese fabrics.

Love the Little Scouts fabric.  Roan use to carry a little bunny he called Miss Lilly.  She’s still around but dragons seem to be the choice doll now for sleeping.

He’s driving me slightly crazy at the moment, but was cute when he came to me with the “r” is for roan stamped on his face.  I’ll try for sewing the rows together tomorrow.

Hope you all had a good Holiday filled with family (even if they drive you a little nuts).

::Mmmm Sherbet Done!::

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I took this quilt on the train from Seattle to Portland this past weekend to sew down the binding.  My Mother-in-Law named it.  It’s been waiting patiently for more than a year to be finished.  The flannel gives it a rich feel.  I so wish I had made it Katie size.  I’d wrap myself in it right now.

I am having the hardest time getting clear pictures of it.  It’s way brighter than the photos.  It’s freezing here, so the name has a few meanings.

I did wavy stitches similar to the design lines on one of the flannel prints.  It’s a mix of unknown flannels, Amy Butler flannels and quilting weight and a bit of Heather Ross.

The back is mostly this white print flannel with little squares running across.

This is an Improvisational piece really.  I just cut the squares and rectangles and arranged them on the design wall till I liked it.  When I get myself with an Etsy shop I’ll add it.

::Here’s to the Weekend::

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Hope all of you in the states enjoyed the holiday.

We ditched the Thanksgiving food tradition a few years ago.  Those of the family around pick a country and come up with a festive easy menu.  We had quite a group.  We decided on Mexico. Everyone contributing an item for our taco bar.  It was quite impressive and mixed well with beer and football.

I spent time getting cozie with my seam ripper, as you can see from the disastrous stitches above.  I am hoping to baste it better and use the proper needle which I thought I had in.

I minded Fabric Crush over the holiday and in between customers (sewers are the nicest lot btw), I worked on a nine patch sample for the class.

I love the flannel and paired it with a mix of girlie prints.  I am particularly fond of the new Cherie and the Chocolate Lollipop cartoon like flowers.

Just to mix it up a bit, some of the centers are different.

Did you do any sewing on the Holiday?  Any wonderful Black Friday finds in fabric?

::Working the Pile::

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I’m still plowing my way through my UFOs via Tallgrass Prairies Challenge. I have a huge wooden bowl that has a nine patch, a flock of birds quilt, and my postage stamp quilt still waiting. Today I’m working on quilting this baby quilt in between school conferences and work. My hope is to be able to stitch the binding down whilst I watch football on Thanksgiving.

Over the weekend and Monday I finally produced some new pjs for my child who has been highwatering it since Summer. I’m a big fan of Joann flannel for the loungers. Most of it is awful, but sometimes you score.

These two lighter weight cotton are for our Florida trip to see the Grandfolks. I love the Coco Jungle by Alexander Henry. Can’t find it anymore.

These two are in my bag for some seam ripping while I sit somewhere yet to be determined. I add a four inch hem that can be let out. I LOVE the owl flannel.

Unless you have an Irish sister-in-law around that irons pajamas (I’ve seen her do it), I would recommend using flannel for the bottom edges. They don’t wrinkle up that way.

The Value Quilt Back is slowly getting some attention. I sat with my friend Noelle the other night. I was able to finish squaring up my blocks. Couldn’t help putting it up. Too many dots, but I’ll add more boy prints in.

God awful photo. but you get the idea.

Yeah to friends that knit. I bought this fabulous yarn and I don’t knit. Thanks Stacia! It’s soooo warm and beautiful! Not to mention it looks awesome with my purse.

::Where’s a Baby When You Need One?::

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Yoda will have to do.  My wee model is at school.  Roan still dons the first tuque I made of this style.  Surprisingly I only have the picture of him in it from Christmas’s past.

I seasonally make Ford proud by doing some assembly line production of the hats.

Some sell at Essenza here in Fremont and the rest make great gifts to my friends or a charity donation.

Fabric Crush is peddling these for me at the Magnolia Village Holiday Shop this Friday from 6-9pm.  Come drink some wine and mingle…AND buy some holiday gifts.

Well, I’ve had a bunch cut out, so I unofficially joined Jacquie’s Joy In the New Year UFO Challenge.  I am far from finished, but I did manage these, plus tackling a pile of fabric to produce aprons, napkins, pillowcases and pjs as Christmas gifts.

How come it’s so satisfying to cut fabric to bits and sew it back together?

I like them mostly constructed of Sherpa, but I am really trying to get rid of fabric, not buy more, so some are fleece.  I use Sherpa on the interior of the ear flaps.

The patchwork is a new twist on it from last year.  Up till then I had always done stars.

The Park Slope fabric lends itself so well, it’s the perfect scale print.

Some left overs from this simple quilt make the patchwork on the fleece ones.

My Value Quilt top is going to The Quilting Loft for the week as promotion for my classes and I am happy for the break.  I’m still plugging away at the back.  Are you all caught up?

 

 

 

::Enjoying the Process::

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Somehow thinking of the back of the quilt as a whole new quilt changes the process to an enjoyable one for me.  It also makes me ponder how the quilting I choose will affect the finished design of the front and back.

So let us take some time.  For the next two weeks of the Value Quilt Along we’ll be turning to the back.  We’ve had the crud run through our home and need to take things slow.  It’s stormy, gloomy and the kid is sick.  A true formula for a day of sewing.

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I’ve really enjoyed looking through everyone’s quilt backs in the new Flickr Group. Thanks to those of you that joined and the bloggers that spread the word. It is truly quite an impressive collection!

I myself only came up with the few photos here of quilt backs.  Both simple baby blankets for friends with simple backs.  I’m a huge fan of flannel for backing and have a plan for integrating it on my Value Quilt back.

I have a bit done on mine for my Value Quilt and will save it for some sneak peeks when there is a brighter day.

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I did finish up my second block for my month at Ten Makes Two.  The blocks produced so far are amazing.  Pop over and take a look!

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If you haven’t made yourself a mini design wall yet, I highly recommend it.  It’s perfect for piecing blocks like this.

The plan is for two quilts.

One red and turquoise:

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One oranges, blues and greens sort of:

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Stay Healthy!!

::Turning Back::

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Last night I started thinking about the back of my “Mine All Mine Quilt”.  I had originally thought I would buy some fabric and make panels.  I started thinking about all the fabric I have,  how much I love it, and that I really like flannel backings.  Not to mention spending money on something I am not in need of.

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So I started pulling novelty fabrics, and some favorites that are somewhat symbolic of what makes me, me.  That’s what I’ll use, with flannel.

But when it came to browsing through ideas for backings, my favorites on Flickr were lacking.  Why not a Flickr Quilt Back Group?  Come have a looksie and add to the fun.  Maybe it will inspire you to pull the finished quilt tops from under the bed.  Or is that just me?