Weekend blocks

This weekend I made a bunch of blocks that are headed off to different homes. First, April's blocks for Block Party.  Megan sent the fabric this month and man, she's got some good taste!  A couple of the fabrics are on their way to me now... couldn't resist buying some after seeing them in person.

I love this little owl on the left. He's just so pissed off. Cracks me up every time I look at him.

And I was a little late to the party, but I'm officially in love with with Wonderland by MoMo. So many cute print in the line. A bit ended up in the center of this second block:

I also got a couple more blocks done for Jacquie and Project Improv so that she has an even number to get more quilt tops finished up.  Orange & pink - can't go wrong!

And lastly - my block for April of Sew Connected 2.  I started with inspiration from Amanda Jean's tutorial on zig zags with no triangles and just sorta added on from there!

Sure is fun to try new things on individual blocks!

Now that these are all done, maybe I can get some work done on a quilt.  This whole having a job thing sure does cut into the sewing time!

Best thing about working again?

I can buy fabric!

Pretty, right??

Oh and there's a killer giveaway going on over at See Katie Sew. Go check it out!

Tote Tutorial

I have a quilted garden tote tutorial up over at Sew, Mama, Sew! today. Hop on over to download the PDF. I hope you like it!

Very little sewing.

That's what's going on these days. Was too busy with other things this weekend to get much sewing done. I did manage to finish framing all of the Block Party blocks that I have though!

I'm just waiting on getting the final two and I can put the whole top together. Another angle:

It's gonna be one funky quilt... And it's going to be all mine!

Oh and thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes! So nice of all of you!

My favorite quilt.

Amy over at Park City Girl is having an online quilt festival.  What a fun idea, right?  Thought I would join in! I am going to go ahead and stretch the boundaries and say that my favorite quilt that I've ever made is in my future!  It's the next quilt.  And then the one after that!  I hope to always grow and change and push myself as a quilter, so my favorite quilt is still in my brain!

To me, it will be the perfect combination of these two quilts:

I'm in love with the wonkiness of the top blocks, but the colors of the bottom quilt.

Could it be that this is the beginning of my all time favorite quilt??

Even if this is the start of it, I hope that once it's done, the next one I dream up becomes my new favorite quilt.  That way I'll always love the quilts I'm working on!

Hope that you all have wonderful weekends! It's my birthday tomorrow, so I have some sewing in the plans! What else would a girl want to do on her birthday?!?

A winner and a change...

First of all, thank you all so much for all of your amazing comments! 366 of you commented and I read every single one. You are all so kind! Your support is wonderful! Ok - getting down to business! The random number generator gave me:

This means that Katie from Philigry is the winner! Katie, I'll drop you an e-mail to get your mailing address.

And now, the change... These past hyper-productive quilting months have been wonderful, but I have also been unemployed. Happily, the unemployment has come to an end! I think that I've mentioned previously that for my "real job" I cast reality shows and I've landed a very lucky job. Project Runway! Tell your fashion designer friends! Tell your fashion blogger friends! Spread the word. We are looking for people to be on the show!

Meanwhile, I'm not going to be able to think about quilting nearly as much. I'm really going to try to keep posting regularly here, but I'm sure you'll hear less from me. I've been sewing every day to have so much to blog about. Oh how I will miss my sewing machine!

In other news, I've finished the last of this pattern. Don't need to make this one again for awhile. I still think it's super cute, but five is enough for now!!

Happy Monday to all of you!

100th post and a give away!

This is my 100th blog post! Yay! When I started this blog I had no idea it would turn into such a huge part of my life, but I'm so thrilled that it has. I so appreciate the community and kindness that comes from all of you! As a thank you, I thought I'd have a give away. Take a peek...

Anything you like? The winner will get one fat quarter of each of these fabrics.

Just drop me a comment to be entered. I'll keep it open through the weekend and pick a random winner on Monday the 13th!

Fresh start...

I always love starting a new quilt.   There's a sense of wondering how it will end up that I love!  I've pulled fabrics and just gotten started.

All I can bring myself to want to make with them is wonky log cabins. I have a problem. I'm stuck on the wonky log cabin block. I can't seem to be able to find a block I want to sew more than that! I don't know what to do about it really... I'm in a rut, yet not bored with it.  Does that make sense??

And for the improv peicers out there... I have gotten into a routine of first picking all my fabrics, but then as I make the blocks, I cut as I go along. Meaning that I cut, sew and press each center or pair of borders as I go. This means that I tend to sew standing up because I can't be bothered to keep getting up and down as I cut, then sew, then walk to my ironing board to press. Am I nuts? Does anyone else sew standing up? I need to figure out a way to get my sewing machine up higher.

Look at these pretty ladies that I got in a swap with Kristen.

I'm gonna love this quilt.

Oh and just a quick reminder for LA locals, the first night of my class for Home Ec. at wonderful Reform School is a week from tonight so please sign up if you're interested!

Pillow sleeves for days!

All finished with the commissioned pillow sleeves!

So much fun to work with such bright fun colors! Happy happy weekend to you all!

Time for a visit with orange.

So I made a pillow...

...and stitched an orange binding!

I don't think it will stop being my favorite color for a very long time.  If you'd like some orange, both of these are for sale in my shop!

Wanna learn how to make a quilt?

I want to teach you!  If you live in Los Angeles, I'm teaching a quilting class! Sign up here. I'll be teaching at Reform School through the Home Ec. classes that Jenny Ryan organizes with Billie & Tootie, the owners of Reform School.  It's been a blast getting to know them and getting the class organized.  I can't wait to teach it!

Chances are that a lot of you already know how to quilt if you're reading, but if not, come and learn.  We'll be making a small stacked coin quilt much like this one:

Just click over and scroll down a bit to sign up!

More pillows!

Getting there with some commissioned pillows based on the one I made a bit ago. The fronts are all made...

... and quilted.

Now the backs!

Hope that you all had great weekends filled with sewing!

Mystery solved?

Thank you all so much for all of your wonderful comments on the sewing notions that my mother passed along to me.  They were all so nice!

Consensus on the mystery tool, in the photo above, seems to be that it's either a turning point or a finger press. Based on the fact that it has a point, but not a sharp one, and that the rectangle on the end is shaped in a way that seems like you should hold it there, I'm leaning towards the turning point. Though perhaps it was meant for many purposes! Anyhow, I'm happy to have it, along with all of the other wonderful tools.

Meanwhile, one more finished Square in Squares Baby Boy quilt! This one is already accounted for and being mailed off today!

Only two more to finish up and then I'm not going to make this pattern for awhile. I've had my fill!

These little guys sure are cute though.

Hope that you have lovely weekends filled with sewing! I've not been able to be in the sewing room much this week with my mother's visit so I'm excited to get back at it. Oh and by the way yes, she did love her quilt!

My sewing roots.

My mother is visiting right now and brought me a wonderful gift.  Let me explain... When my great-aunt (on my father's side) learned that my mother loved to sew, she was thrilled.  She had someone to whom she could give all of the many sewing notions from the family.  So many wonderful tools and items!  Now that I too have picked up the needle and thread, my mother has passed these things along to me.  Needless to say it's so wonderful to have things that physically attach me to my sewing roots.  Just have a look... so much stuff!

Look at all of these wonderful old wooden bobbins.  The colors of the thread are still so bright and vibrant!

Can you read that? Yes. It says "Pure Silk" for 15 cents!

Needles in wonderful holders!!

The prettiest embroidery scissors:

:

An old pin cushion made from a Chinese child's shoe.

And finally, a beautiful gold thimble still with it's original case. My mother told me that when she was given this, I was two years old and immediately grabbed it from her and loved it. How wonderful that I now have it!

I am going to use all of this stuff! Well, the stuff that I can use... Not only do I remember my mother using it when I was growing up, but it's amazing to know it reaches much further back into my family's history.

Oh! And a question for all of you... there is one mystery tool in the bunch. Anyone know what you would use this wooden tool for?

Spring!

Here in Southern California, there are no weather complains, but it's officially now spring. That, combined with the fact that I HAD to take a break from the baby quilts lead me to a couple of bright vibrant pillow sleeves!

These are quick and fun to whip up. Remember how I mentioned I needed to explore yellow a bit more? In doing so, I've come to realize that I really don't have that many yellow fabrics. Will have to remedy that with time!

Nice envelope openings so that these are easy to toss in the washing machine!

Both are in the shop!

2 down...

and 3 more of this pattern to go. Hope you don't get sick of seeing the same quilt, with different fabrics over and over... Some are for friends and some to sell! These two are both now in the shop.

I hadn't worked with strictly yellow and pink before... I kinda love it. I'm thinking I need to start exploring yellow more in general!

I worked with 50% Bamboo batting for the first time with these and I have to say, I love it! The drape is really lovely.

My usual pieced backs:

Next I'm gonna try to get a couple of gender neutral ones all done. Hope that you all have wonderful weekends!!

More of the same...

Squares and squares and some more squares!

Three more of the same style tops finished.

Hoping to get them all finished for the shop sooner rather than later! That means less blogging and more sewing! Off to keep at it...

Taking the plunge...

I've opened an etsy shop.  Only these couple of quilts in there for now, but more will be listed  the next week or so!

Baby quilt makin' machine.

That's what I feel like these days! Two more tops finished:

Will I ever tire of really colorful baby quilts filled with whimsical fabrics?  I don't think so!

I don't think I've yet mentioned how much this new broke my heart.  No more new Heather Ross fabrics??  The preciousness of every bit I own just increased.

While it's fast and effective to make multiple quilts of the same pattern at once, I'm ready for something that is more organic.  I have three more of these quilts cut out but after I finish those I'm going to have to make something that makes me feel less machine-like. I'll be due some improv piecing by then!

Pins get an upgrade.

I have always meant to make myself a beautiful pin cushion but have some how never gotten around to it. My pins lived in a ugly little plastic container.

But no longer!

Megan from Philistine Made is in Block Party with me.  She was so sweet and sent me one of her amazing pin cushions along with her beautiful blocks! I was thrilled! Look how much better my pins are lookin'! I'm loving that this will now be a staple on the sewing table... Thanks Megan!!