Spring *sigh*

After a breif moment of warm sun and spring, we’ve retreated back into cold, gray and rainy 5 inches of snow forecast *sigh* At least my pillow looks like spring.

 

Bee-mates may recognize the design: it’s a variation on one of the blocks my bee is trying out, while I polish them for prime time.

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Spiral Process

I don’t usually go through quite this much “process” before I start sewing, but since I did, I thought I’d share the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat… or something less melodramatic.

I had an idea, the other day – you can make spirals more or less the same way as a log cabin block.  And, I think “spiral” is my favorite shape. So I started sketching, and then (unusual for me – but useful in this instance) moved to the drawing program on my computer, and I got this far (there ae a bunch of un-colored in spirals that are hard to see):

And I looked at it, and I loved it, and I wanted it, and I started imagining it on my bed. I even have a stack of fabric that’s been sitting, waiting for just the right project. Love!

And then I looked at it again, and cursed. Quilters, notice how nicely my curlicue’s fit together in a lovely organic, non-linear arrangement then, notice how my beloved design contains about a million and two inset seams, and no clear way to assemble the blocks. Drat!

*sigh* back to the drawing board, err, program. A snow-day later, and much adjusting of block placement and sewing line drawing , I’ve got a design that I can actually sew, if not the neatest mock-up:

Not sew in a neat grid, mind you, but I did figure out a way to split it into manageable sections with reasonable seams. (the blue boxes) Victory!

And started cutting:

 

(please ignore the somewhat strange lighting: winter light + red room = weird photos)

I’ll show you more once I have some actual blocks to share: I can’t wait to see them myself.

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Charming

 I don’t buy charm packs – or layercakes, jelly rolls, fat quarter bundles or whatever precut configuration they’ve come up with now. I know I’m the odd ball on this, but I like to put my money just into the fabrics that I really like from a line. But, I made an exception for Dream On and bought charm packs. They’ve been sitting on my shelf, cheery and bright, waiting.



1. Juicy quilt, 2. Nicey Jane Charm Quilt: Front, 3. Moda Hunky Dory charm pack quilt using disappearing 9 patch quilt blocks, 4. P1040581, 5. Doll Quilt Swap 5 ready to go!, 6. Game Day Quilt, 7. Mini Quilt!, 8. A sweet little quilt, 9. Chocolate Momo quilt

I’ve decided to use them to make a quilt for myself – something fun and bright. But, now I  need to decide what to do with them.  I want something simple, and easy: this is not the fabric for fussy, fidgetty piecing. I think HST’s are about as complicated as I’m interested in.  

1. Spring, 2. Quilt for Baby Elise, 3. Audrey’s Quilt, 4. For my sister-in-law, 5. 18th June, 2010, 6. or this one?, 7. Braylin’s quilt, 8. Larger DQS Inspired Quilt 1, 9. swell zig zag quilt

I’ve got two charm packs, a little bit of yardage, and probably lots of white kona. So, I went searching through flickr for charm square patterns: and found lots of inspiration. Now I’m deciding between so many options: a nice problem to have.  :)

But, I’m open to more: do you have a favorite charm-friendly pattern?

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Finally Finished

I started this mini quilt over the summer (apparently without a blog post)… finished the top in August…  mentioned it again in September… and that was as far as I got.

 

Armed with an (early) New Year’s resolution to sew more for myself and less out of obligation, I got back to it and finished it this week.

 

I’m not sure why I waited so long: I love this little quilt. It’s based on City Fair, for City Quilts by Cherry House, and the sun on the birch leaves outside my old office window. (I’ve moved offices since, but that’s another post for another time). By my count, it’s has ten different Kona solids.  I thought about hand quilting the whole thing with perl cotton (I found a pretty, variegated one in just the right mix of greens and yellows), but it was too much, visually. Instead, I did a few accent rows among the machine cross-hatching.

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Blue Plate Special…

The short days, and now rain, are interfering with my photo-taking, s0 please forgive the lighting, I did want to post progress.

This is the trial block of cobalt blue dresden plates, destined for a tablerunner for a family member with a newly blue and white kitchen.

Dresden plates have been on my “to make” list for ages. I used this tutorial from Elizabeth Hartman (Oh, Franson) on Sew Mama Sew, which worked well, though I’ll buy a ruler, instead of the template, before I make another.  And I will make another, I’m thinking about a yellow sun for my own bedroom, next.

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Holiday sewing

Typically, I gave myself a too-long list of things to make for Christmas, but I’m making progress and thought I’d show you a bit.

This fall, I made this quilt as a birthday gift:

I saved an extra block to make the coordinating pillow for Christmas:

 

One more off my list: If you’re sewing for winter holidays – how’s your list going?

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A finish afterall…

A small project finished this weekend afterall:

Holiday potholders with the cute little gnomes from Happy Holiday fabric.

 

 

This adorable fabric had to be the focus fabric of a simple design. (and I got these little guys in blue, too.)

 

A pair of these potholders are  in the shop now.’

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In progress…

 

The state of my sewing table: lots in progress, nothing finished (yet!)

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Holiday cards

Now that we’re officially in the pre-Christmas season, I made more of my patchwork cards

These ones are all red and white patchwork – I like a card that’s festive, but versatile enough for all the different people and holidays I send them too.

And I made enough to put some on sale in my shop

 

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Off the shelves

I made this quilt months ago, then liked it so much I couldn’t decide whether to put it in the shop, so it sat on a shelf in my studio, which is no place for a quilt.

I finally came back to it, and listed it. (Though, if it didn’t sell, I wouldn’t be too terribly upset to keep it)

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