finish it up friday: a giant finish

This quilt has been in the works since March. It took a lot longer than I thought it would.

I was commissioned by my hubby's boss to make this quilt. No pressure there!

Stats
Measurements: 96x96 inches
Pattern: Granny Square from Blue Elephant Stitches, done with 5 inch squares
Fabrics: A mish mash of DS, random bits from my stash, and Kona Chocolate. Backed in Riley Blake large brown chevron and bound in brown Heath.
Pieced and quilted by me! (with the help of a long arm machine, haha)

Here it is in action on the long arm... oh boy, that was fun!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish It Up Friday!

wip wednesday: quilting and binding

I've been working on several projects lately: a quilt for my husband's boss, a quilt for a quilt festival in August, and a pillow from the MQG's Madrona Road Challenge fabric which is also for the quilt festival. I'm getting so close on all three projects!

Last Saturday I rented time on a long arm quilting machine and quilted this massive 96" square quilt for my husband's boss. It looks so good! (I loved using the long arm and can't wait to do it again!) The binding is made for this quilt and just needs to be sewn on.

This next quilt is called "Oh My Stars", and is pieced from bee blocks made by the members of the Fort Collins Modern Quilt Guild during my months in 2012 and 2013. We used the Starflower block tutorial from Ellison Lane and then I (with ideas and inspiration from my friend Michelle) assembled the top. I really love how it turned out! I also love that I pieced the back from a rainbow fat quarters from my stash. This quilt is being basted right now, and the binding is ready and waiting, too. I need to get on it already!

(The punk has a habit of photo bombing.)

Last but not least, I'm working on two pillows from the (#itendedlongagoandthesearewayoverdue) Madrona Road Challenge that was sponsored by the Modern Quilt Guild earlier this year. Our guild plans to have a display of things made from Madrona Road at the quilt festival we are showing at in August.

I decided some English paper piecing (EPP) was in order, so I've got these designs basted and ready to be sewn to their backgrounds:

 

I probably should have at least ironed the solids before taking these photos. Whoops.

 

Linking up to Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

in memory

I've been struggling with this post for a while now... composing random sentences in my head over and over again. I try to keep things happy and light on the blog, but life isn't always that way, as we all know. I feel like I can't move on with other posts until I finish this one.

In April, my dad passed away.

It was a total shock to our family. Some days I still can't believe he's gone.

Since we live in Colorado and my dad lived in Florida, our little family flew down there and stayed for ten days while we were planning his funeral and cleaning out his house. It was so overwhelming, being there when he wasn't. My heart and my mind were so full of emotions and memories that I wanted to soak up and never forget. My dad was a great father. I never doubted his love for me and he supported me in whatever I chose to pursue.

He loved music and art, and he was fascinated by history. He loved travel and often told me stories of things he'd seen around the world. He had an unwavering faith in the Lord and immense knowledge of the sacraments and history of the Christian church.

He loved Emma with his whole heart and delighted in watching her grow and change. It makes me so sad that he won't see her grow up. I'm so grateful that we had a chance to see him about a month before during our annual trip to visit family.

A few days before he passed Emma and I Skyped with him, and I remember their laughter at the silly things he did, and he taught her to tap her nose and say "beep!". She still does that and thinks it's so funny.

I'm so lucky to have support surround me during this time. My husband has been an immense comfort, as have my family and a few dear friends. I see and hear things that remind me of him daily, whether it's things from his house that we brought home or songs on the radio.

I wrap those memories around myself and cherish them. I love you, Daddy.

tutorial: english paper piecing with large shapes

There are a lot of English paper piecing tutorials in bloggy land but I haven't found any that address using larger shapes... until now!

English paper piecing (EPP) is a traditional method to piece a quilt by hand. Fabric is wrapped around paper (or sometimes plastic) templates and basted, and then shapes are joined together to make the quilt top (or project).

EPP is great because it's highly portable and a great project to work on anywhere. I've done several projects with EPP and you can see a couple here and here.

I bought a pack of 3 inch hexagon templates (which means that each side measures three inches) and they seemed massive to me since I'm used to EPPing with 1 inch hexies! I discovered that I needed to use different techniques to wrap the fabric taut enough to get the same crisp lines as a smaller shape and thought I'd share them here.

1. Place the template on the fabric (right side down) and cut parallel to the shape's lines about 1/2-5/8" out. With smaller shapes you can use smaller seam allowances, but with shapes this size it's less of a hassle when you have more fabric to work with. Your cutting doesn't have to be perfect.

 

2. Using Clover Wonder Clips (or other binding clips), anchor the fabric at opposite ends of the shape. With a 1-inch hexagon I would just pin once in the middle, but here that method created too much distortion in the fabric and template, and also left a lot of fabric hanging with nowhere to go.

 

 

3. Working with one corner at a time, fold the fabric and use clips to hold the fold. Make sure the fabric is taut (but not stretched) across the template. This might seem like overkill, but it really helps the fabric stay put while you're basting and the shape stays flat, too.

4. To baste the shape, take multiple stitches on each side.   In the first picture you can see the knot on the right where I started basting. The second picture is the same shape on the opposite side. Make sure you tack down the corners! A thimble really helps here, too.

 

 

 

5. Use the Wonder Clips again when you are whip stitching the shapes together. When they are this large it's too easy for them to shift around. 
 

I hope that helps! I assumed some knowledge of EPP when writing this, so let me know if you have any questions. By the way, if you're looking for more projects with EPP, Hexa-Go-Go is one book I've really loved!

 

quiet book, part 2

As promised, here are the details of the quiet book I made for Emma. You can see the post with all of the pictures here. I looked at many, many quiet books (from Pinterest and the Quiet Book Blog) and made a list of the pages I wanted to make:

• Front Cover Page (includes Emma's name and buttons)
• Zipper Page (Emma loves zippers!)
• Barn and Barnyard (two page spread)
• Felt doll and dress up clothes
• Shape Page
• Color Matching Page (with flowers and snaps)
• Back Cover Page (embroidered with the year)

I went to JoAnn and chose the polyester felt sold by the yard. I bought a quarter yard of almost every color they had, which was more than enough to cut out the pieces I needed. I did buy two and a quarter yards of the white felt since that is the base of every page. I have enough felt left over for three or four more quiet books, but it was cheap and I don't mind adding felt to my stash. :)

Other notions I bought include buttons, snaps, binder rings, and velcro. (I originally intended to use the buttons on an interactive page but scrapped that idea and used them on the front cover instead.) My embroidery floss stash also got a workout with this project!

My pages are 10x10, but I've seen them made in all different sizes. As far as templates, here is a list of what I used and made:

• Barn, barnyard, and finger puppets: I used the templates from Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows
• Felt doll and dress up clothes: I drew a doll inspired by this tutorial and freehanded the clothes.
• Shape page: I printed some shapes using Microsoft Word and used those as templates. (I did the same with Emma's name on the front cover.)
• Color matching flowers: Used the template from Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows (link above).

Quiet book tips and tricks:

• I used scotch tape to tape the templates to the felt and cut around them. They stayed put and it made it really easy to get crisp cutting lines in the felt. I also leave the tape on the paper template, which laminates it in a way and makes it easy to use repeatedly.
• Label your template pieces before you cut them out! That makes it easier to distinguish them should you want to use them again. I note what the piece is, how many to cut out, and from what color.
• All my used templates are now stored in Ziploc bags in case I need to replace any pieces or want to make another book.
• I used a layer of interfacing between two layers of felt for removable pieces. This made the pieces less floppy. (see pictures below)
• I also used interfacing between felt pages that were sewn back to back. Cut these pieces 1/2 inch smaller than your pages. My pages measure 10x10, so I cut my interfacing 9.5x9.5.
• GO SLOW when sewing your pages back to back! Pinning didn't work well for me (um, I actually didn't try it, lol) and sewing at a moderate speed produced uneven edges. Sewing slowly ensured my pages looked nice!
• Binder rings made it easy to bind the pages, and it will be simple to remove/add pages in the future. I originally intended to use grommets but ran out of time (I finished it at midnight the night before our trip, lol) so I just cut little slits in the pages.

For removable pieces: Cut out one piece using template. Embroider/decorate as desired. Layer with the piece on top, interfacing in the middle, and the backing felt (larger than the original piece) on the bottom.

Sew around the piece. Using a piece of felt on the back that is bigger means that shifting will not be an issue while sewing.

Trim away the excess interfacing and backing felt.

quiet book, part 1

When we fly with Emma I like to bring something new to entertain her. Last year I made one of those little taggie blankets with bits of ribbon sticking out on all sides.. she loved that! This year, though, we need something a bit more interactive. It also needed to be relatively quiet and not a hundred pieces, since we'd be on a plane in tight quarters.

I went back through my Pinterest boards and looked for something she might like. I had pinned a quiet book a long time ago and went back to the link at Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows to check it out again. It met my requirements and looked like something Emma would enjoy!

Here are the pictures of the quiet book I made. I have more details about how I made the book coming up in another post.

Front cover

Dress up doll

Snappy flowers

Zippers

Shapes

Barn

Barn with doors open, and the barnyard

Back cover

Emma and the quiet book in action on the plane

quiltcon recap

It's been a couple of weeks since I've been home but it's taken me that long to write this post and get pictures taken. QuiltCon was AMAZING! I was so grateful my hubby could stay home for a few days to watch the baby so I could go. The next one is in 2015 so anybody who couldn't go this year should start saving now!

We (I flew and roomed with my lovely friend Michelle who needs to put a post on her blog so I can link to it, lol ;) ) got to the Convention Center early Thursday to check in with the registration desk and we got a HUGE goody bag with lots of fun stuff! Fabric, thread, lots of flyers, a project pouch... it weight at least 10 pounds.

I started the day with a workshop with Mary Fons of Fons & Porter fame. The class description said "Learn patchwork fundamentals as you make a darling, super basic Churn Dash block — or two! Also discover excellent tips for teaching beginning quilters of any age or background." (from quiltcon.com). I thought maybe I could pick up some good info since I'm basically a self-taught quilter, but I already knew everything she said... good that I know the fundamentals but bummed I didn't learn anything new.

There was a materials fee and we were supposed to get three fat quarters and the Fons & Porter Half and Quarter Ruler. I was disappointed because the fat quarters were most definitely not my style (very traditional fabrics) and we weren't able to take the Half and Quarter Ruler home because she wasn't able to get enough rulers for both of the classes she was teaching. We left our addresses with her so she could mail us the ruler. On the plus side, I brought my own fabric to play with and I really did like the ruler ... I made HSTs that didn't need trimming and my block turned out nicely.

ETA: Mary Fons was unable to get enough rulers for our class so she refunded everyone's materials fee and sent along a free copy of Quilty, her magazine! I thought that was really great of her!

Thursday afternoon I didn't have a workshop, so I wandered through the quilt show and vendors with friends. There were some beautiful quilts hanging in the show!

It took me a bit to see the image in this pixelated quilt. I was standing too close! A passerby suggested I move back, and I still couldn't see it until I looked at it through my camera. That's when I saw the beautiful eye... and really understood the amazing quilt I was looking at! Then, the owner of this awesomeness happened to walk by so I snapped a picture of her with her work! The quilt is called Don't Blink, and it was made and quilted by Caro Sheridan. That's Caro up there!

Friday was SUCH a good day! I was particularly excited to be in Lizzy House's Mini Quilt class, mostly because she's one of my favorite designers. She's so passionate about art in all forms and it showed when she was talking about quilting and design. It makes her work even more meaningful!

She led us through several design exercises to get our creative juices flowing. I found them really helpful and ended up designing, piecing, and quilting this mini:

It measures about 11 inches square and it came out exactly as I'd envisioned. I actually have had this pattern in mind for a couple of weeks now and am interested in making it in a much larger size. The math was a bit tricky but worth it in the end!

I sat next to Rachel from Stitched in Color and we chatted about everything from her online classes to homeschool. She's very friendly and it's always fun to meet somebody from blogland!

Saturday morning I was in Lotta Jansdotter's Textile Printing workshop. Originallly I enrolled this class because I was mildly interested and thought it sounded fun. OH MY GOSH it was so awesome!!

Lotta started by sharing her story of how she came into textile design and then she demonstrated carving and using a stamp.

I went back to my seat with zero idea of what to do so I just started sketching.... one thing I've learned, especially this weekend, is that ideas don't just pop into my head. I need to see/create the evolution of an idea on paper. So that's what I did and ended up carving this stamp:

I did some stamping and we also created our own stencils... this workshop was only for the morning (and it went so fast) but I could have easily worked on these all day!
Saturday afternoon I ate some yummy barbecue and wandered the quilt show with friends again. I also sat in on a fabric design panel featuring Kim Kight, Kathy Miller from Michael Miller Fabrics, Laurie Wisbrun, a rep from Robert Kaufman Fabrics, and Amy Butler. It was very interesting to hear about the design process from the two designers as well as the production process from the fabric companies. This lecture and several others are available on Craftsy. I also met Laurie that evening and chatted with her about the panel... she was so nice!

By Saturday night I was pretty homesick. It was hard to not see Emma for five days when I spend pretty much every waking moment with her.

Sunday I had an awesome paper piecing class with my lovely friend Penny and her assistant, my lovely friend Tara! This was a design class, so the participants designed their own blocks and began piecing them. I spent a long time staring into space thinking about my design and finally got it down on paper. I'm excited to finish piecing this block!

The organizers of the event did an amazing job. Thanks to them and to Austin for being a great host city. Can't wait til next time!

If you're thinking of going (and you should!), here are my top three QuiltCon tips:
1. It's so fun to go with friends, but make sure you make new friends too! I  met some very sweet people at QuiltCon.
2. Don't be afraid to try something new! I didn't expect Textile Printing to be as much fun as it was. I'm so glad I signed up for it!
3. Pack an extra bag to bring home all your loot. ;)

wip wednesday: quiltcon here i come!

QuiltCon is finally here! My friend Michelle and I leave today for Austin, Texas... a city I've heard great things about. I'm excited to learn new things and hopefully make new quilty friends! I'll also be Instagramming all the fun too... I'm @seaschellquilts if you'd like to follow along!

I've been working feverishly to finish some things before leaving for Texas. 4x5 Bee blocks certainly needed to be done as the mailing date is February 23rd, right in the middle of my trip. I managed to squeak those out yesterday and ran them down to the post office.

But I'm most proud of this finish- a duffle bag to use as my carry-on! I loooooove it!

Unfortunately, I ran out of time so I started two other projects that didn't get finished: pajama pants and a bag to hold my cutting mat and rulers Those two WIPs are in pieces scattered around my sewing room, which currently looks as though a fabric bomb went off in it. C'est la vie!

And with that, I'm off!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

 

ETA: I'm having trouble with the linky tool on Freshly Pieced, so I probably won't get the chance to link up this week!

qayg mini tote

I finished my quilt-as-you-go mini tote and I absolutely love it! It's a great size for me and I'm so pleased at how nicely it came together. I finished it late Friday afternoon and used it that night at a crafty party at my LQS.

This side is my favorite.

I love the Melody Miller typewriters, and it plays so well with the caramel solid (a bottom-weight cotton fabric from JoAnn that I bought as a remnant a long time ago) as well as the other prints... some of my favorites!

But I love this side, too!

I used to get nervous about combining prints from differnt lines, but I'm definitely feeling more confident now. I didn't use any interfacing... only batting and more of that bottom-weight fabric as backing to the QAYG panels. It stands up on its own very well.

The finished bag measures 9 inches tall by 8.5 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. The handles are 14.5 inches long. Perfect purse size for me!

I used a magnet closure, it's hidden under the lining. No pockets because I never use them!

That's one more project crossed off the QuiltCon list!

wip wednesday: getting ready for quiltcon

I'm so excited for QuiltCon! I've never been to Austin and I hear it's a great city, plus the chance to get away is always fun! My hubby has been so supportive and encouraging when it comes to this trip... I couldn't do it without him! Thanks, honey. :)

In the spirit of travelling handmade, I've got a couple of projects I want to make and take with me: a QAYG tote/handbag, and a duffle bag. I'm finishing the quilt-as-you-go panels for my tote at the moment.

 

 

And the duffle bag fabric has been picked out, (this is from MoMo's Oh Deer line) but I'm having second thoughts...

In fact, I just now went back to my sewing room and decided to use this next fabric, instead!

I'll use the same fabric for the handles. Not sure about the lining yet, but I'm much happier with my new choice. The first print seemed a little young for me to be carrying around... I still think it's adorable, though and I'll always love MoMo!

When I reflect on it, I think my original fabric choice has been the hold up on making this bag. I've had the pattern and the fabric since September, but I never jumped in. Now that I'm feeling better about this new print, I feel ready to tackle the bag! Does that happen to anyone else? Does a fabric choice hold you back because it doesn't feel quite right?

Besides my QuiltCon projects, I'm working on several bee blocks. Another round of the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee has started and I'm working with HSTs...

Plus I joined the Sugar Block Club. This is my first time working with only solids and I'm excited to see how this quilt turns out! Here's January's block...

Are you going to QuiltCon? What are you working on?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced!