My First Quilt

So ... the powers that be over at Carrie's and Camille's have suggested to the rest of us that it would be fun to show off our first quilt and our latest quilt. Having perused the offerings so far, I was a tad hesitant to show off my first quilt. Just keep in mind that I made this sometime in the early to mid 90's. Also keep in mind that this was the first quilt I made after having actually taken some classes. There were some others but I no longer have them.

Please ... be kind.

My favorite thing about this quilt is that I hand quilted it and I didn't do a half bad job for a first-timer. Okay, so the very first quilt (which is basically one block and one of my daughters has it to hang as a vintage oddity) was hand quilted also and those stitches were basically hand basting.

My least favorite part (other than the fading, which occurred because I let it hang with some serious sun on it for several years) is the binding. I didn't know how to do mitered corners so I just ... avoided them. The tacking down of the binding on the other side is done with huge, slanted stitches. I purposely chose not to post a picture of them. I did have a huge grin on my face yesterday when I got the quilt down off the closet shelf and studied it. This was just after I returned my bag to the closet which contained my supplies/samples/handouts for the class I taught yesterday morning, here, called ... Better Bindings.

You may have already seen this, my latest quilt. I've called it "sum, sum, summertime". I'm thinking that I have learned a few things in 15 years. Good to know.

Thanks Carrie and Camille. Now I'll go and continute salivating over all the others.

Permission to Fly

So ... basically, I've got nothin', so I'm resorting to some thoughts I had a couple of months ago. The fact that I can retrieve those thoughts is nothing short of a miracle. Sometime in April, when my June issue of American Patchwork & Quilting arrived, I was so taken by this first page, I didn't delve into the rest for several minutes. (Another miracle, btw.) This was the very credo that caused me to form the Patchwork Pilot Club, now thriving at this store on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

I have used a combination of my own patterns and those of others as the basis for our projects. During the months of March and April, we worked on Bluebirds of Gratitude, my pattern that grew out of the birds that I hand appliqued in Seattle last summer. You can see that pattern here.

Everyone is still in varying stages of piecing/applique/borders, but I had to show off Sharon's because she was the first to finish her quilt top. I was wowed by her choice of batiks and I am not kidding, I got a little teary when I first saw it. All the others continue to add their own touches such as Michelle's blacks and pinks, Margot's rich florals and Sue's machine-digitized birds in an altered layout. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that their quilts don't look just like mine does on the pattern.

So ... my plan worked.

How about you? How much do you/do you not like to switch things up in a pattern? As you can see ... you now officially have permission to do so.

little bit Country, little bit Rock & Roll

So ... I have been sewing my brains out lately ... which explains so much about the state of my brain. These pictures are of my latest pattern ...

"sum sum summertime".

I had so much fun with the paper-pieced houses and the applique, but my favorite part was the quilting on the border where I managed a fake scallopped edge. I used a larger zig-zag, but the same yellow variegated thread as the suns. It made me shine, for sure.

Then ... let's not forget my other paper-pieced ... more colorful ... friends that would not usually be hanging out in the same neighborhood as my summer houses. I cannot tell a lie, these two took some serious time committment, but it was all worth it. I also have a Helpful Hint where the curved seams are concerned: If you are lucky enough to have a Bernina and have to sew some curved seams, then use the #57 foot (a quarter-inch foot with a bar along the right edge.) They came together like butta, I tell you. That was the easiest part of all.

So after all this sewing and the fact that I spent 8 hours on my feet today helping out at the Seis de Mayo Event ...

Any suggestions for the retreaval of my brain?

A Springtime Thanksgiving

So ... I just know you have been consumed with the following thought: "What the heck ever happened to those birds she was hand applique-ing in Seattle last summer? Did they like ... fly the coop?

No, dearest reader, they just took way more time than they should have to morph their way into my next pattern. They are Bluebirds of Gratitude, of course, because I came away from that whole "my husband is having life threatening surgery" pleasure trip with a heart full of thanks and a calendar full of catch-up. But ... here ... finally is where I put my little feathered friends. I was certainly glad to be home and I thought that they deserved to be home also.

I must say that I was pleased with the sales of my last pattern, so I'm giving this another go around. If this works out I may go so far as to hook myself up with professional printers and photographers. And if you would like to boost me in that direction and help out those professions in this struggling economy, feel free to buy a pattern(s) by sending me an email.

In the meantime, just feel free to be grateful.

Designing /Woman

So ... several millennia ago, I made this Christmas quilt to teach at Bernina Connection, (on Monday, November 3rd from 10 -2 ... if anyone asks) put together this pattern and nearly exhausted/killed myself in the process.

Someday I hope to be in the category of so many quilt designer/pattern publisher/super women/bloggers that I know who enlist the help of professionals to photograph/print their patterns, but for now it's just me and the guy at Kinko's who helps out the do-it-yourselfers ... and is frankly just a little weird.

But ... inspite of all those disclaimers, I am still proud/pleased as punch/tickled pink. I'm taking them in tomorrow to be sold.

At least that is my hope/wish/dream.

freedom rings

So ... Happy 3rd of July. And Fourth. Hope yours is full of fireworks and baseball and scrumptious food and family and weather that is below 110 degrees. At our house we are hoping to go with four out of five.

As long as the food is scrumptious.

I dug this little quilt out of the closet to help me celebrate. I made it as part of a "Jo's Little Women's Club" over a year ago. We were all supposed to make six little quilts over the course of the year ... just like the ones in the patterns we were given.

Except that I just cannot do that for some reason. I physically cannot do that. Is it rebellion? Am I just cranky? What the heck is the deal?

For this one I added the top and bottom borders. I had a ball. So sue me.

But I am really excited about the aforementioned holiday. Yet another child is coming to visit. We are going to see fireworks. A good time will be had by all.

But ... I won't be sewing. Because my little red friend is away for some spa treatments. Come back soon, my little red friend.

So do tell. What are your plans? Will you see fireworks?

Can you follow a pattern without breaking out into hives?

"Bountiful" Blessings

So ... you remember this little number?
It now has it's own collection.

I taught the class on Tuesday ... sick as can be ... with no discernable voice ...

And the results were fabulous ... thanks to...

Sandee, who is an experienced sewer and teacher and friend, and served as my "voice" at many points during the class.

Beth, who is also an experienced sewer and first-time-mom-to-be in January. Her belly gave us all good vibes.

And Sue, who is just a newbie among newbies at this and yet look! she kept up with the best of them and did a terrific job.

It was a thrill to see my pattern in different fabrics. (Fyi, Sue and Beth did not pick out their fabrics together. Apparently great minds do think alike.) Also, Sue is planning on putting the borders on the ends instead of the top and bottom and make it into a table runner. I am seriously beginning to question the validity of her "newbie-ness".

Thanks to all. My voice has almost returned. Apologies to those who are a little let down by that last statement.

Applique - tions

How many times can we segue into Fall when ... let's face it ... it is still in the 90's out my front door? The way I look at it, if every segue lowers the temps a degree or two, then we are that much closer to a little "frost" on the pumpkins. After entertaining you with the delightful charm of my grandchildren over the last few days however, I thought it time to get back to the very serious business of quilting. And Fall.

This little number has a certain significance above and beyond trying to force a change of seasons. This quilt, "Bountiful", is one I designed and made last year and will be teaching as a class next Tuesday the 9th of October at this store. It also marks the inauguration of my foray into the business of publishing quilt patterns . . . under the name

simplehappy designs

To be perfectly honest, it took me almost as much time to make the pattern as it took me to make the quilt. But, that's OK. I've heard that's not unusual.

Did I mention that I have actually sold some copies? Wow ... will wonders never cease?