Makes, Observations, and Reads

As happy as I was to last week give a ruler quilting demo, and teach a modern wedges workshop, it's also good to feel caught up, and return focus to sewing. I've had a happy melange of projects and activities.

Recently, I was thrilled to be accept to Paintbrush Studios' "Get Sewcial" program whereby I receive weekly notices about new fabrics coming from Paintbrush Studios, and then have the opportunity to choose fabrics I like and propose a project using them.

My first proposal was accepted - to make a skirt using two Garden Glory prints by designer Maja Ronnback. Fabrics arrived last week, so on Sunday I made my skirt using one of my favorite books The Essential A-Line by Jona Giammalva. If this book sounds familiar, you've been following my blog for a long time! I've made several skirts from this book. This is the "layered skirt" design.

See how well the Bernina invisible zipper foot #35 works? It was such a good investment; I can use it on both my 440QE and my 770QE machines.

Once I get the right top to go with the skirt, I'll soon be wearing it to church. 

I'm caught up on my temperature quilt through the end of April. Most of the blocks are joined now, so it's clear that I've completely committed to this layout. It's still not looking exactly as I hoped, but as it grows I'm picking out a more flowing connections.

Also, I added one more color to the top of my color key, thinking that a high of 89+ isn't probably an accurate reflection of what our Florida summertime temps might be. So, 89 to 91 is now represented by Painter's Palette Rosebud, and PP Sangria has become 92+, for a total of 21 solid colors ranging from 33F to 92F.

A few weeks ago I attended a Master Gardener's sale at the Wildwood Community Center, and came home with several perennials. This Princess Flower is already a favorite that I can admire from my sewing room bay window. It's supposed to bloom all summer. 

As I was walking Hogan, I saw this beautiful bird "stiltedly" walking along the edge of a pond. 

And speaking of Hogan - our dear 15-1/2 year-old boy - I got such a kick out of seeing him nap! His head is under the dry bar.

I couldn't help but worry that he'd be startled and bang his head! And yes, you're seeing a "tumbleweed" of dog hair by his nose. His fall-out is never-ending. Sigh.

Here are two recent-reads to recommend.

The Wife Between Us is about a seemingly perfect marriage, and about the jealous ex-wife of a wonderful, attentive husband, and about a young woman preparing to marry this wonderful man... and nothing is as it seems. The story reeled me in, and convincingly landed me just where the authors intended.

Two women collaborated to write this book - Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen - and it's apparent. The narrative contains so many details that need to be kept straight, that one writer could easily have overlooked something. It's an impressive work of fiction. Linda's score: 4.5/5

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell is a sad story about 15 year-old Ellie who goes missing as she's walking to the public library. It's written from four narratives perspectives: Ellie's; Ellie's loving mother, Laurel; Ellie's psychotic kidnapper; and Laurel's boyfriend. In spite of Ellie's harsh treatment, I felt satisfied by the outcome. This story kept me captivated. Linda's score: 4.5/5

Linda

UFOs Bite the Dust, and the Dust Keeps Rising

Two more UFOs are finished.

I hate to admit that this quilt top has been on a hanger in the closet for at least three years. It's made with Quarry Stone and Loaf blocks from Stitchin' Mission days. Well, now it's gonna be a donation to Project Linus.

Quilting is this repeated snail trail design, one in every block. It's fun to have a reason to use 40-weight YLI variegated thread on the quilt top. Aurifil 50-weight silver-colored thread is on the back.

Here's the quilt back. With a finish at 55" X 65", it should be a nice size for an older child. And because it's mostly blue, I'm hoping it will suit a boy.

My second finish is this two-tiered skirt from the book "The Essential A-Line." I swear that I've made at least a dozen skirts with this great pattern. But I'm disappointed in how this one turned out. While it fits fine, the lack of color on the top tier makes the whole thing look too plain. My plan is to take this skirt and fabric markers with me when I attend any meetings, and color away on the top part.

Fabric is from Andover, by Alison Glass, purchased from my friend's Etsy shop.

I'm making progress on other UFOs, including finishing my BAM BOM (Bay Area Modern Block of the Month) quilt top. Students in the February "Alternate Grid" workshop with Lee Heinrichs (Freshly Pieced) helped each other and this is the layout we came up with for my blocks. I had to order more Kona Ash - the background grey. What I received was definitely from a different dye lot. So, I inserted those slashes of Kona Bahama Blue to separate the background Ash of the pieced blocks, from the large Ash triangles on the right corners. I think you can still see they're different, but it's better than if they were touching.

Using three leftover blocks from the quilt front, two orphan blocks from my shrinking pile of orphan blocks, and lots of leftover fabrics from the blocks on the front, I pieced this back. I do like it a lot! And what a great stash-buster!

It's now sandwiched with Quilter's Dream Wool, pin-basted, and ready for quilting. 

Because I mentioned this a couple posts back, I'm participating in Debbie's Crosscut Quilt-Along that began July 25. It's fun digging into stash for low volume prints, and rummaging through solid scraps to cut, and in some cases piece, the one-inch insertion strips. And yes, I did piece that striped-looking insertion in the center block. 

Blocks were supposed to be trimmed to 9-1/2", but for some reason, mine came out at 9-1/4". No worries though. This is improv, with more piecing and cutting to come.

On July 26, The Villages Daily Sun newspaper ran this nice article about our Central Florida MQG's members' efforts to make quilts for victims and first responders of the June 12 Pulse nightclub attack. Of course, we're just a small part of a greater effort by the whole MQG and the Orlando MQG chapter that's not only collecting hundreds of quilts, but making hundreds of them themselves! It's these kinds of efforts that make me proud to be a quilter who can be part of the collective good, no matter who's affected. I may not be able to verbally express my feelings about the incident or the people involved - though I know we all deserve to be loved, for God is love, and He first loved us - but helping make quilts is a way for me to make the inexpressible, expressible.

Linda
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Clothes-Minded

Since this fabric arrived in the mail last Friday, I've been itching to start sewing. "60s Scrapbag" is a fabric collection by Emma Jean Jansen for Ella Blue Fabrics (Australia), and I've been looking for it all over the online shops! I was tickled when my friend Lora, who has an Etsy shop - DragonflyQuiltworks - began stocking it... at my request. What a friend, huh?

Right away I pulled out the Sorbetto top pattern that I've been wanting to try. It's a free downloadable pattern by Colette Designs! I'm happy to report that it's super! Only two pieces, easy to sew, and a great fit. Choose your measurements and then follow their advice to choose the next size up. The top is a pull-on style (no buttons, zippers, or closures) and the fit is meant to be tailored. 

I made my first Sorbetto top - sleeveless - with the 60s Scrapbag quilting cotton, embellishing the front placket with three orange buttons. 

The second Sorbetto top is made with double gauze fabric - I've been wanting to try sewing with double gauze, and bought this piece from The Cloth Pocket in Austin, Texas. The fabric is really nice! As you can see, this Sorbetto version has sleeves. I found that sleeve piece free online, designed by someone else. I couldn't believe that the two different designers' patterns worked together, but they did.  I really like this version too! I'm pretty sure Sorbetto tops are going to be my new wardrobe staple. 

I knew I wanted a skirt from 60s Scrapbag too, so I pulled out my favorite skirt book - The Essential A-Line, by Jona Giammalva. This is the seventh skirt I've made from that book, and the second time I've made this layered version. I like this style because it allows me to show off three 60s Scrapbag prints!

Off-topic of sewing... last week I went with a friend to see the wonderful movie "War Room." It's a Christian movie starring Priscilla Shirer, a Bible study writer/leader, and apparently an actress too. I had no idea! I was stirred to make a few changes in my prayer life, including writing and praying Bible verses that keep me in the Word.

My hairstylist told me she often leaves messages for her children by writing on a mirror with a dry erase marker. What a good idea! For myself, I chose to write on my mirror this meaningful verse from "War Room."

Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:17

The movie certainly spoke to me, renewing my desire to pray for myself and others, and to expect results. 

If you plan to go to the movie, better hurry! It's been out since August 28. Take tissues! Linda

Sunshine, Rainbows, and Palms

It's been a week since I've posted because we had company for six days. It was tons of fun having two of our closest friends - Jim and Cathy - visit us from Iowa. Our first Iowa house guests!

Because there are so many things to do in The Villages, we were on the go, even renting a second golf cart to get to all our activities. Our comprehensive list of fun included: yoga, tai chi, line dancing, swimming, boccé ball, lunch out, dinner out, and evenings at two of the three squares. It's always good to dance, even if one person doesn't like to dance!

Jim, Dan, Cathy, and me

We've been long-time friends. Dan and Jim met in college in 1973, and Cathy and I got to know each other in about 1984. Here's a throwback picture of us, from 2009, tailgating before a University of Northern Iowa football game. 

While out and about, one evening we came across this stupendous rainbow. The picture doesn't capture the brilliance of it, including the unusually intense indigo color. Really breathtaking.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Sewing-wise, before company came, I was able to make two more skirts to complete six consecutive weeks of "Sunday Skirts" that I posted to Instagram. All of them were from the book "The Essential A-Line."

For my fifth skirt I inserted an off-center selvages panel. I'm still a fan of selvage sewing, and was glad to use up a few more. As with every skirt I've made, this one is lined and has an invisible zipper. I call this skirt "Made in Japan" since several of the selvages say that.

Then, thanks to my friend Emma Jansen, a favorite Australian pattern and fabric designer, I made the sixth skirt - two layers, with bias trimmed edges. Emma had been watching my Instagram feed and asked if I'd like to make a skirt using fabric from her Terra Australis 2 collection. Well, of course!

Emma sent three fabrics, and the best use of her pretty prints was this style. See how the bottom layer of the skirt is sewn to the lining? It made up very nicely, and I just love the fabrics.

In a moment of craftiness, also before company arrived, I re-painted this thrift shop $5 pink (?!) palm to hang on the lanai wall.

I'm still a bit crackers about palms, and can name most of the varieties that are grown in this part of Florida. Sunshine, rainbows, and palms... almost paradise. 

Last Wednesday was the fifth and final class of First Time Quiltmaking lessons for these ladies. It's so rewarding for me to share quilting with those who want to learn, and then see the spark of excitement in their eyes as they realize they can make a quilt.

I'll be teaching Beyond First Time Quiltmaking starting Thursday, September 25. If you're local, I'd love to have you join us! For details, click on the "Schedule" tab above. Linda

Around the World

Today is my day for the

The hop is only on Mondays.

Last Monday, I was tagged by Debbie at AQuiltersTable for the Around the World blog hop.

The hop is simply an opportunity to learn more about quilter-sewists around the world. Four questions were posed to me.

1. What am I working on? 

Oh dear. Where to begin?! I'm definitely not one of those let's-start-a-project-and-stick-to-it-until-it's-finished person. Never have been, and surely, never will be. So, I walked around my sewing room to take pictures of my current WIPs.

Since starting free motion domestic machine quilting in 1998, quilting has become my thing. Using my largest Fine Line ruler, I've recently begun quilting curved cross-hatches with Marathon iridescent thread - 40-weight on the top, and 60-weight in the bobbin - on this mostly Kaffe Fassett fabric/appliquéd quilt. It's coming along v-e-r-y slowly.

I've cut out my third quilt using the Quick Curve Ruler quilt. I'm making SewKindofWonderful's "Urban Abacus" pattern. This is one of the designs my Beyond First Time Quiltmaking: Curves students can choose from for next March's (yes, 2015!) three-week class.

This dress pattern has been waiting for nearly two years and this past week I finally cut it out. It's my "Amy-Heather-Vanessa" dress because the prints were designed by Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, and Vanessa Christenson. 

Recently I filled out the range of colors and values in my solids stash. Using the bias tape maker, I'm expecting this to turn into my next challenge quilt.

Reading some favorite blogs, I found CrazyMomQuilts tutorial for using up really narrow strips, like 3/4" to 1" wide, to crochet a rug. Lately, whenever I've been cutting fabrics, I turn all the leftover scraps into 2-1/2" squares, 1-1/2" squares, and 1" strips. I'm sewing the strips together, and that ball of "yarn" will be crocheted.

I have that cute, aqua Ikea cart that quilters are going crazy over. I love mine, using it for current projects, rolling it around the room where it's needed. The contents change pretty often.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 
I don't think my work is much different than those of other modern quilters. Since turning my back on traditional quilts, including batiks and reproduction fabrics, a little more than three years ago, I have loved every moment of putting color, prints, and design elements of modern into my quilts.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I do what I do because I'm compelled! There's something in my character that doesn't allow for idleness. I blame credit my maternal grandmother, Goldie, for being the perfect example of industriousness - the epitome of a good German Lutheran farmer's wife. You'd never see her doing nothing. Even after a long day of feeding chickens, milking cows, cleaning eggs, weeding the garden, canning, cooking, washing and hanging out laundry, et cetera, evenings would find her at her treadle sewing machine likely sewing an apron, or sitting down to braid a rug from feed sacks. I miss my Grandma.

Goldie, on at her 50th wedding anniversary

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

Have you heard that expression, "Squirrel!" from the movie "Up"? I work like that. I'm easily distracted by the latest "squirrel" that scurries across my path. But when I focus, I focus... to the point of excluding everything around me. Laundry? Housework? Cooking? Nah. Once I know the path I'm following to complete a project, I'm all over it.

And revealing all, here's how my sewing room looks when I'm in the middle of several things. Yes, two machines and a serger are in use, almost simultaneously.

On the design wall is another teaching-related quilt and my EPPed Flower Ball quilt. I'm 95 percent sure that Kona Capri solid is what will be the background for the ball. Or is it too dark?

The fabric laying on my ironing table, at the right, became a skirt by Sunday. In the picture below, I'm wearing it - another contrast pleated one from the "Essential A-Line" book. I love this style.

One of my Iowa blog-readers commented that she "missed my smiling face." That's the reason for sharing a picture of the whole of me. I miss my Iowa buds too!

Now I'm happy to tag three more bloggers who I follow and feel I have come to know, even though I haven't met any of them in person.

Leanne blogs at DaisyandJack and lives in Tumbarumba, New South Wales, Australia 

She makes the prettiest modern blocks and quilts - she's in lots of swaps and quilt-alongs - and always has something beautiful to share. And don't you just love saying the name of her city?!

Vreni blogs at Oops-lah and lives in Singapore

She's very talented at quilting, and has a great tutorial for making a neat fabric-covered box.

René blogs at ReneCreates and lives in Orlando, Florida

This girl is on the go. A lot! When she's home, she's always sewing something beautiful for charity or to give to a family member or friend.

Isn't it great how far-flung our quilting friendships are? I still marvel over how technology has changed our lives.... that I can swap Instagram messages with a friend in Australia while in Florida, riding in the golf cart to church! Really amazing, when you think about it.

Be sure to check out Leanne, Vreni, and Renés blogs next Monday, September 1 to see how they answered the Around the World Blog Hop questions. Linda

Flirty Skirt-ies

I've been on a skirt kick for the past few weeks, and I seem to have turned it into a challenge for myself - a new skirt for church every Sunday.

You saw the first one a few weeks ago. It was the prototype for an a-line skirt made to fit me. I followed instructions in The Essential A-Line book, to make the first one. I've got the fit and length nailed now. 

Week 2 saw me wear this one, which I love! This is a 40 percent-off Art Gallery fabric purchase from the local quilt shop - a bargain skirt!

I'm not usually a pink girl, but the boldness of the print, and those adorable pleats with the contrasting fabric just make me smile.

Week 3 saw me wearing this simple skirt. The fabric is organic, from JoAnn's. I modified the basic design by laying the skirt front and back pieces on the diagonal of the stripe, instead of on a fold. That made for center front and center back seams.

With every skirt, I'm perfecting assembly. I've mastered using the Bernina invisible zipper foot, and it's easy peasy to make a simple polyester lining that I edge with a serger. Why finish the hem when no one's going to see it? I really like the extra security I feel having that lining, and it's much less hot than wearing a full slip.

For Week 4 I'm aiming to make this emerald-color skirt.

If you're on Instagram, take a peek Sunday morning. Linda

P.S. With permission, I'm sharing a picture of the damage done when "someone" in our household forgot he put a can of Coke Zero in the fridge. I was at home in my sewing room when I heard a loud bang that I thought came from the kitchen. Imagine my surprise when I saw this!

The explosion literally blew the top off the pop can. Of course. Who wasn't home when it happened?

We have a perfectly clean freezer now... and floor in front of it. And someone owes me. Big time.