I love it when readers send me pictures of projects they are working on that have been made from my projects or fabrics. I know you love seeing the projects too, so this is my third post dedicated to “What Others Are Sewing.”
First I would like to introduce you to Kay Harold. She is a subscriber to this blog, but also a round about friend. Our husbands happen to work for the same company but in different states and in different roles. Kay moved to a town I used to live in and has become friends with a lady in my old quilting group. Small world huh? Well, Kay and I correspond and our love of quilting and sewing have brought us together as quilt-pals, even though we have never met each other.
Kay enjoyed my Valentine’s Card Project and really took the project beyond just Valentine’s Day. I will be doing a separate post in the near future explaining some of Kay’s techniques in making the project even easier and in some cases even into a no-sew project. With small adjustments, this card project can be adapted for other holidays or celebrations throughout the year.
The photo below shows Kay’s log cabin blocks for her Valentine’s Day Cards.
Here Kay made St. Patricks Day cards with using rubber stamps on one card and no-sew method on the other. Again, I will have more detailed instructions on another post.
St. Partrick's Day cards by Kay Harold
Yesterday, I got an email from Sally Garrison, she made this baby quilt using fabrics from my Love Grows Collection.
Gathers & Giggles quilt done in Love Grows fabrics
Sally is using the Gathers & Giggles pattern from Sew Much Ado. What a beautiful quilt Sally, thank you so much for sharing it with us. Your baby quilt is so lovely, the effect is very Shabby Chic looking, what a lucky baby!
My last What Others Are Sewing projects to share with you are by a dear friend of mine, Marianne Jensen. Marianne is an amazing women and an amazing sewer. She sent me this beautiful tote bag she made using a pattern by Penny Sturges called Bow Tucks Tote #PS008 available from many online sources.
Marianne made the tote in fabrics from my Blue Skies collection. I love it! I can carry a ton of stuff in it and love all the interior pockets!
Bow Tucks Tote in Blue Skies collection fabrics
Bow Tucks Tote interior pockets
How cute is that tote?
But wait, there is more! I told you Marianne is an amazing sewer, she made me a quilt top made from the Fat Quarter Shuffle pattern by Connie Barr of Constantly Stitching ‘n More. Neither Marianne or I are a great one for getting the quilting finished on quilt tops, so I already have this over to the long arm quilter to be finished. I cannot wait to be enjoying it as a throw quilt in my family room! Thank you again Marianne, I truly love the tote and the throw quilt!
Fat Quarter Shuffle quilt top in Blue Skies fabrics
I love seeing how my fabrics and my projects help to inspire creativity. It is a wonderful feeling and your creativity inspires my creativity. Thank you very much for sharing your projects.
Keep on Sewing!
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio this weekend. The show is very inspiring and humbling. I say humbling because all the quilts on exhibit are truly works of art. The amount of creativity and craftsmanship on display is mind blowing.
Many of the quilts are not the traditional type of quilt, but employ mixed media, hand-painted or printed textiles, innovative piecing techniques to only mention a few of the construction methods. I know I will probably never “go there” with my fiber creations, but as an artist of paint and canvas, I appreciate and marvel at the amount of work and talent that goes into these wonderful pieces. Photography was not allowed in some areas of the show, but I did take many, many photos of the quilts on display. Like last years International Quilt Festival show in Cincinnati, I will post some of the quilts I took pictures of — just a little sample of the show.
Note: The images of the quilts from the International Quilt Festival are not to be used on any goods or ordered for images from items that may be purchased. Please respect the copyrights of these artists.
To make sure I represent each artist and their quilt properly, I have taken a photo of the accompanying write up for the quilt. Sometimes the lighting at the show casts shadows on the quilts and or write up, please excuse these distortions. I have made every attempt to represent these quilt and artists as accurately as possible.
In alphabetical order:
Me at the photo op quilt
Aegean Memories by Karen Eckmeier
Aegean Memories closeup
An Autumn Breeze by Akiko Kawata
Central Park by Kathy York
Central Park side view
Central Park closeup
Composition No. 16 - Stars by Celeste Spaans
Cricket on the Radio by Elizabeth Bren
Exposed by Jeanne L. Pfister
Falling Sunbeam - Blue Side by Emiko Toda Loeb
Falling Sunbeam reverse side by Emiko Toda Loeb
Height of Tulip Season by Laura E. Fogg
Height of Tulip Season closeup
Kat's Star by Andrea Johnson
Kindergarten by Tadako Nagasawa
Kindergarten closeup
Native Weaving- Feathered Star by Sherri B. Driver
Native Weaving- Feathered Star closeup
O Happy Day by Timna Tarr
O Happy Day closeup
Orevito Memories by Lisa Walton
Spring Beauties by Terry Aske
Springtime in the Garden by Mary T. Schneider
Star Medallion with 96 Baskets by Kathleen H. McCrady
Star Medallion with 96 Baskets closeup
Texas Cabins, Texas Wildflowers by Cynthia Collier
Texas Cabins, Texas Wildflowers closeup
Wingin' It by Christy Meyer
And those were only 18 of the hundreds of quilts on display! It was a very inspiring show.
After we looked at all the competition quilts on display, we went and strolled through all the vendors booths. Again, hundreds! I have to say I was a bit over stimulated by then and not having a particular project in mind, really at loss for what to buy. I was very, very restraind, and could have gone crazy if I was looking for specific fabrics, saw plenty of fabrics that would have been great for the quilt I am currently working on and nearly finished with! Don’t you just hate that!?!
Here are my meager purchases.
I really was scoping out some of the larger ticket items for my “want/need” list down the line, maybe next year.
I did have the pleasure of finding two vendors I would like to showcase that I “discovered” at the show plus a local shop that I just love that is not new to me, but one you may not know.
Check out OliveGraceStudios.com, you will find a talented young lady with loads of fun, fresh ideas. Her booth was just as adorable as she was. I bought this Jot ipad stylus pen there that a family member of hers developed and markets. I was looking for just the right stylus and have already played with it on my ipad, it is terrific. To find this product and more information on it go to: http://adonit.net/product/jot/
Another vendor that had a lovely booth filled with fresh, fun and eye-catching fabrics, books and merchandise was Craft Nectar. You will enjoy her website along with her modern take on quilts.
Then, to plug a local shop that was at the show, Sew-A-Lot Creative Sewing Centers not only has loads of quilting fabric that is a little retro, a little mod and a lot of terrific, they also carry PFAFF and Viking sewing machines. They have an online site you can check out: http://www.sewalotonline.com/
So, now my big inscentive is to finish the quilt that is currently up on my design wall so I can put some of this creative inspiration I just got from this weekends visit to the International Quilt Festival to work!
Now that I have the quilts sewn for magazines which will appear later this year and before I begin any new project, I will take my sewing machine in to be cleaned and oiled. We do not always think about how much we demand of our sewing machines. We expect them to run perfectly after sewing miles and miles of seams. Last year, I sewed almost 20 quilts, most of them full-sized plus dozens of other projects. I really expect a lot out of my machine!
Regular cleanings by a professional are a must, having that done on a yearly basis is a good rule of thumb. During the rest of the year, there are some simple things you can do between professional cleanings to keep your machine in tip top shape. Depending upon how much you sew will dictate how often you need to preform these simple between maintenance tasks.
Every time you empty a bobbin, take a small brush or pick and clean out all visible lint in and around the bobbin case. Make sure your machine is turned off when cleaning it.
Every 4-5 bobbins emptied, turn off your machine and take off the throat plate and bobbin case (small screw driver needed for removing the plate) and thoroughly clean with a brush and vacuum attachment the entire area. Be sure to work out any packed lint in the feed dog area.
Sewing needle manufacturers recommend changing your machine’s needle every four hours of use. OK, I admit, I do not change my machine’s needle that often! But to get better performance out of your needles take these measures:
NEVER sew over pins, this will break or bend your machine’s needle.
Use the right needle for the type of material you are sewing. Sew Mama Sew has a wonderful article about how to choose the right sewing machine needle for the type of material.
If you are needing to sew over sticky adhesive things, make sure to change your needle after that job. You shouldn’t be sewing over that stuff anyway, but hey, we all do it at least once, so just change that needle afterwards!
Thread, use good thread. I am a an advocate of good thread. It creates less lint and dust, which is great for your machine. Good thread doesn’t break as often which is great for your projects longevity too! I also think it just threads through the sewing machine needle easier too.
Other good rules to follow in keeping your sewing machine working smoothly are to not push or pull fabric while sewing. Make sure you are using your machine for it’s intended use. If your machine is not made to go through heavy denim, then don’t put it through that. Always check your manual to see if there are restrictions of use for your machine.
For added safety, I have my sewing machine on a surge protector. After all, there is a computer in there and I want to protect the machine from power surges and me from the electricity.
Cover your machine when not in use — if that ever occurs!
For more information on sewing machines as well as links to great sewing projects of all types from crafts, embroidery, fashion, home decor and quilting visit WeAllSew.com
For a more in-depth tutorial on how to clean your sewing machine, read the “Keep a Clean Machine!” by WeAllSew. This article along with their other articles are super helpful and the WeAllSew site is a great resource. I was introduced to their web site by Erika Mulvenna of BERNINA USA’s Social Media team. She contacted me about posting my Birdie Pincushion project on the WeAllSew projects page. I want to welcome all the new readers to my site brought over from that post and I want to introduce my readers to the WeAllSew site, I am sure you will enjoy it!
“What can I do with the trimmed off triangles?” That was the question Ana Maria Perna asked in the comment section of my Wildwood Throw Quilt project. I thought Ana’s question was such a good one it got me thinking that other quilters may be having the same question.
If you are not sure what we are referring to here, it is the fabric triangles produced from trimmed off corners in a quick piecing triangle method. I have used this piecing method in several of my free projects, look for: Wildwood, Kaleidoscope, Trimming the Tree and Prairie Flower.
The large square will have two corners “clipped” into triangles with these smaller squares.
Mark a diagonal line onto wrong sides of the squares that will be made into corner triangles.
This block was used in the Wildwood project and has triangles on just two sides of the large square. This photo shows how to sew directly onto the marked diagonal line.
Trim off the excess fabric, 1/4″ away from sewn line.
Save those left-over triangle pieces (if large enough) to make other quilt projects!
For those, big enough but don’t know what to do with pieces you will want to square them up and use them to make new blocks for new quilt projects.
Sew a seam on that diagonal, bias edge, press and open up your new triangle set. For the following quilt block examples, all blocks are based on a 2 1/2″ triangle set. This is a very nice and useful size and fits nicely into many, many standard block sizes. The pre-cut designer rolls also come in 2 1/2″ widths so you can supplement your recycled triangle sets with other prints to have a completely new looking quilt from the original.
If your squared up triangle sets are bigger or smaller then the 2 1/2″ example, adjust your block size accordingly by increasing or decreasing the measurements of ALL the pieces in the block. Graph paper is a great, low-tech tool to use in planning out blocks and quilt layouts and dimensions. You decide what size a graph square equals and go from there. Just remember to add the 1/4″ seam allowances to the pieces before cutting out fabrics. Here, the 2 1/2″ block we are using already includes our seam allowance, but you will still need to add the seam allowances to the other pieces in the block to make the finished block.
Here is an example – all other blocks for this tutorial give the FINISHED block size and are based on a 2″ grid system. I don’t give individual unit measurements for the blocks, just the finished size, just count by 2 inches to figure all other dimensions. (Add seam allowances.)
Crosses & Losses 8" block
Example: The Crosses & Losses block will measure 8″ when finished (8 1/2″ before sewing all the blocks together.) Here you see (4) 2 1/2″ triangle sets, (4) 2 1/2″ squares and (2) 4 1/2″ Half-Square Triangle sets (HST) needed to make up the block.
For this tutorial, I have chosen blocks that are less complicated and easy to figure up the dimensions for using this 2″ grid unit size. I give the most common name for the block, but depending on what region or country you are in, you may know this block by another name or have seen it in a slight variation. There and probably hundreds of blocks that utilize this type of triangle set, but here are a few to get you started…
Storm at Sea 12" block
Of course, the most obvious is a block made from only triangle sets. This would be a great scrap quilt to organize with a quilt group or friends. Determine what size the triangle set should be (so everyone gets the same size) and swap, that way you will all end up with new fabrics for a spectacular charm quilt.
Ship 8" block
Blocks like this Ship block can be set with other blocks.
Alternating the Ship block with a Flags block creates a whole new look and stretches the number of triangle sets needed. Don’t forget to think about adding sashing, turning a block on-point, alternating with other blocks or just solid pieces of material or making a “strippy” quilt or simply doing a sampler quilt of many different blocks.
Alaska Homestead 10" Block
Basket of Triangles 10" Block
Bear's Paw 14" Block
Churn Dash 6" Block
Double X 8" Block
Double X 8" Block
Flock 8" Block
Flower Basket 8" Block
Four X Star 10" Block
Friendship Star 6" Block
Handy Andy 10" Block
Hourglass 8" Block
Jackson's Star 8" Block
Old Tippecanoe 8" Block
Road to Oklahoma 8" Block
Star Puzzle 8" Block
Wedding Ring 10" Block
The geometry is all there, it is just a matter of turning your pieces this way or that, adding squares, rectangles, larger or smaller shapes and you have a new block. Play around, see what you come up with. I would love to see examples of the blocks or quilt projects you have done utilizing cast off triangle sets. I am sure the other readers would love to see them too! Send me photos and information like the finished block size, triangle set size, etc. so readers can get a better ideas of scale.
Thanks for the great question Ana, happy sewing on all your projects. I hope I have answered your question or at least gotten you jump started with a few ideas on what to do with those left-over triangles.
Drum roll please…And the winners are…
Pauline Van Heest and Jane S., congratulations both of you for having your names drawn in the Dilly Day fat quarter bundle give away!
Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing and for all the wonderful comments about the new collection. There were over 280 comments! I read everyone of the comments and really appreciate all the kind words about my work and this blog.
I have been working on a new, free project for all of you to say thank you — I know how much you all like the table runners! This Stepping Stones table runner is a great project for a beginning quilter or great for a confident quilter who would just like a fast project and wants to bring a little spring into their home.
Stepping Stones Table Runner
Dilly Day Fabrics for a Touch of Spring
Stepping Stones Quilting Detail
This table runner has a modern look with the minimal piecing and geometric forms, it really will bring a breath of fresh air into any home decor. You will be able to whip this one up in no time. To down load the free PDF of this project, visit the Stepping Stones Table Runner project page and get started today!
Leave a comment on this post and you will automatically be entered into the random drawing for a chance to win a Dilly Day fat quarter bundle!
Two fat quarter bundles from my new Dilly Day collection will be given away free! A bundle includes 20 different prints from the Dilly Day collection.
Here is what you need to do to enter:
- Leave a comment on this post to be entered into give away, anytime between Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 and by 12:30 pm (EST) on Thursday, March 1st, 2012
- Only one entry per name will be put into the drawing, so not necessary to comment more then once, it will not improve your chances
- I will notify the winners on Thursday, March 1st and post winners names on my blog
Best of luck!
Note: This quilt is not included in the give away.
Over the last four weeks, I have sewn 3 quilts, 1 table runner and created a Valentine’s Card project! Man, I have been a busy girl!
We had a bit of a hiccup last week when I posted the Valentine’s Day card project and my E-Pattern “Set Sail” announcement. It turned out that I have too many subscribers to my blog and not all my email notifications have been getting out lately!
Who would have guessed – I had no idea you could have too many subscribers! Well, it has taken a few days but I think we have all the bugs worked out now and we have a new email service in place to handle the mailings. I apologize to those of you that may have gotten several emails from my site while we were de-bugging and to those of you who didn’t receive any emails at all. You may want to read back a few blog posts to see what you may have missed.
So, let me tell you about what I have been working on these last couple of weeks. The first two quilts of the 3 made are all finished. Pieced, quilted, bound and shipped. Both of those quilts were full-size quilts, one was made for Quilt Magazine and hand-quilted by me and the other quilt was made for Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine and was machine quilted. Both quilts will be seen this summer in those magazines and both use my new Dilly Day fabric collection.
The third quilt I have sewn up is Square Dance, the project quilt for the Dilly Day collection. You can download this pattern free from Fabri-Quilt.
I am always amazed at how these cut pieces of fabric that fit all so nicely into a small bin can come together and make a full-size quilt!
But, they do, and here is the Square Dance quilt top all pieced! Yeah! This quilt will travel to trade shows and Quilt Markets to promote the new collection.
Life has been “sew crazy” here I have hardly had a moment to enjoy my accomplishments. I sure will enjoy seeing them in the magazines later this year and it will be well worth it! Now that I have the chance, I want to properly introduce my Dilly Day collection. Check with your local quilt shop to see if they are carrying the collection or search on-line.
These are all 20 prints in the collection. A fun palette for summer.
Looking ahead… I plan on having a Dilly Day fat quarter give a-way in the days to come. I just want to make sure all the mailing hiccups are over before I post the give a-way.
I will also have a super quick, super easy table runner project to post around the time of the give a-way. I just need to complete the table runner and write up the instructions for a free PDF project. So, be watching for all that!
Another future post will be about what to do with those left over triangle trimmings from quick piece triangle blocks (sometimes called “flippy triangles”.) The “Using Left-over Triangles” post idea was a great question asked by Ana Maria of Spain. I will have some tips and block suggestions, because I am sure there are others who would like to get some ideas on how to use those scraps too. That will be a fun post to do.
Sew… till next post…
You may have been wondering why you have not been getting any new email notifications from my blog lately. Turns out, I have had so many new subscribers to my blog over the last few months that we have been experiencing some growing pains as a result and not all the notification emails were sent out like they were supposed to! Yikes!
I hope we have resolved these issues and if you get this post notification, we did the job right!
Here is a pieced block Valentine’s Day card project for you to try. It is a good project for using those fabric scraps. The PDF download is a free project on my Project page.
I made this project for Craftsy.com and their Project Cupid themed projects, (plus, I needed some Valentine’s cards!) What better then to make a project to post here on my blog and on Craftsy and get my Valentine’s Day cards made too!
Pieces of My Heart Valentine's Day Card Project
Many of the viewers to this blog have found this site because I have posted projects on Craftsy. If you have not visited Craftsy.com and looked through all the wonderful projects posted by people all over the world, check it out. Craftsy also has an impressive list of on-line courses they offer on a variety of different types of crafts beyond quilting.
Craftsy now has a new feature where they are offering PDF download patterns (e-patterns) for purchase directly from their site. The patterns are created and posted by independent designers – like me. The Pattern Store page on Craftsy will work just like their projects page but here, indie designers will be able to offer their projects for sale in a downloadable PDF format.
With the new year, came new goals for me as a designer. One of my goals was to start offering quilt patterns for sale. I still plan to bring you new, free projects throughout the year but I am proud to announce my expansion into the pattern market with my first for sale pattern, “Set Sail” that is debuting on my Craftsy Pattern page.
You will be able to purchase the e-pattern for this project from my Craftsy Pattern Store page using the link above or by using the image button link now installed on my side bar. I hope you enjoy this fun and lively quilt, it is a wonderful scrap-buster project. I look forward to bring you more e-pattern quilt projects in the future.
As the new year began, the new episodes of the public television series, Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting have started airing. This years series is labeled their 1900 series. Hosted by Marianne Fons and her daughter Mary Fons, various quilting projects and techniques are demonstrated using different quilting projects.
As part of this years 1900 series, in episode 1904 titled, “Feedsack Flowers” Mary Fons is joined by Sandy Gervais to demonstrate making a hexagon “log-cabin” style block set together in a brilliant, no-set-in method.
In this episode, the fabrics used in the demonstration part of the project are from my Blue Skies collection from Fabri-Quilt – Paintbrush Studio line!
If you are wanting to give this block a try – it’s super fun – use this link for a quick on-line video in conjunction to this project. This project had been first seen in their Easy Quilts – Scrap Quilts Fall 2011 issue and this link showcases the block from that source. Visit: http://www.fonsandporter.com/issues/Easy_Quilts___Scrap_Quilts
click on the technique labeled “Log Cabin Hexagons” for the video. (sign in is required to view the video.)
You will want to check your local listings for the airing times of the Fons & Porter Love of Quilting series in your area. For more information on how to find out what is available by you, visit http://www.fonsandporter.com/tv_showtimes.html
I wish I had more time right now to play around with this block, I am fascinated by a hexagon shaped block and would really love to make a full project from this technique, but, alas, too many irons in the fire right now, that one must be put on a back burner for awhile!
