Class Sample

The above photo is another sample from my Faces on Fabric online class. The class started this week. I will take registrations up through Sunday and then I'll close registrations for this class. I will be offering it again, although I don't have a date set just yet. It will probably run again around May or June. If you would like to read more information on this class, go here.

I have another class starting next week on March 2. It's Daisy Doodles Quilted Wall Hanging. You can read more here.

Sue has a class that starts tomorrow, Feb 27. Creative Box Making for the Fiber Artist. Learn how to make some fabulous boxes, that you can use for gift giving, decorations, and great looking storage. See more here.

Also, Susan Sorrell had a class that started this week and I'm betting you could still sign up for it within the next day or two. The class is Creative Embroidery - Organic Designs. Read more here.

Kinda like Oprah

Yesterday I stopped by Aaron and Christa's to spend a bit of time with Charlotte and Levi. Christa's mom, Debbie, stopped by too, and after a bit of chatting I said, "Well, gotta go. We're doing an Oprah giveaway and I have to get it ready for shipping." They both stopped and looked at me kind of incredulously and said, "Really?? Oprah is giving your stuff away on her show??" Oh. Ahem. "The Quilt Show is giving away our pendants to their studio audience during taping. You know, like they do on the Oprah Show. That's what I meant." But I'm thinking to myself: Hey, it could happen. Maybe. In an alternate universe.

So 55 dichroic pendants on cords, assembled and packed, ready for shipping.

The show also has a segment called the Treasure Chest, where Alex Anderson pulls something out of a box and says, "Hey look what I found!" She requested three Glassy Quilts, a set of coasters and a dichroic bracelet.

So who knows? Hopefully the studio audience will find their way to our blog, website, or (hopefully by that time) our etsy shop.

And besides, one of The Quilt Show's producers used to be a producer for the Oprah Show. So it's kinda like Oprah....right?

More Swapped

Below are more of the great ATCs I've received in the mail recently.

Judy Hartman, Cheryl Gebhart, Bonnie

Maria Clara Lloveras, Nikki Wheeler

Alis Clair, Beth Mastin

Thanks to you all for swapping with me. I think there are a couple stragglers that I'm still waiting on, so stay tuned.

Creative Drain-O

I hit a creative road block last week. It happens more often then I like, and despite lots of ideas popping around in my head, everything I make feels off. I start to feel like a drain with a clog in it. No flow.

So, I decided it would be a good time to empty my scrap bin. It's a lovely old red and white enamel pail that I keep by my sewing machine, and at the time it was filled with lots of bright colors, oranges and blues, purples and yellows, all from my last few sewing projects.

Using my scraps often helps to break up the creative clog. It acts sort of like a creative Drain-O! I definitely think that there is some kind of energy moving correlation between freeing up our outer space and freeing up our inner space, thus helping the creative flow to return.


I pulled out the strips of fabric, sorting them by size and just began to sew. After I had made a few sections I started to move them around listening to my gut, along with the fabric, until I had arrangements that looked pleasing and right.


The results were two new art quilts...


The first is called "Dialogue" and is available "here.




And the second, titled "Conversation", (my personal favorite of the two) is available here.


It looks like a busy week awaits me. Taxes need to be done, (ugh!) a couple of appointments to keep, and oldest daughter is coming home for spring break, (Yay!) and for her 20th birthday, (Yikes!) So, if I don't get around to another post this week, I hope you all have a great one! Also, very best wishes to Rachel of Fog and Thistle. Rachel will be appearing on the Martha Stewart Show this Friday! She will be showing off and demonstrating how she makes her fabulous nightlights. I will definitely be watching and cheering Rachel on!!

PS. Mo's had a couple of really great days, with amazing bursts of puppy like energy! I think she has spring fever, and it does my heart good to see her so happy!

Cathy's 100th Blog Giveaway

Check out Cathy from Crazy Quilting International's blog:
http://cathyscrazybydesign.blogspot.com for a draw for some wonderful prizes.

www.WWW.com

Back in September, we made plans with George and Susan Harper, daughters Jessica and Valerie, to go to see the musical Wicked in San Francisco.

George has always referred to this weekend as our Wild Wicked Weekend.

We just returned from WWW, and while I wouldn't characterize it as either wild OR wicked, I would definitely call it great!

First of all, George booked us at the Grand Hyatt. Thanks to a little discrepancy in his reservation, the Hyatt moved him from the 30th floor up to the 33rd floor. What that meant was anyone above the 30th floor had access to a hospitality suite where they served food and beverages from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. For FREE! And because we were part of his party, we got to join in. Oh, and then they called to inform him that he would receive four vouchers for their breakfast buffet on the 36th floor, with a view of the whole city, by the way. What about his friends, he asked? Well, of course we would receive vouchers also. We found out the next morning as we ate our fabulous brunch that it was like a $35 value. Per person!

You gotta love "friends in high places"!

But don't feel too sorry for us lowly people on the 30th floor, because this was the view from our room:

So Saturday we did all the touristy stuff. You know, stuff like riding the cable car:

Eating ice cream at Ghirardelli Square:

Inserting yourself into other people's bridal photos:

Helping someone you have never met purchase their first violin (actually Jessie and Valerie's second cousin but WE had never met him--so this was probably kinda weird for him...):

And having your picture taken with some weird S&M-looking male version of Hello Kitty (in Macy's--just in case you thought I veered off on my own wild/wicked adventure):

And seeing Wicked? Fabulous! Even if you don't like the Wizard of Oz (and you can count Mark in that category for sure!). As the prequel to the Wizard of Oz, it poses an interesting question: Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? Any thoughts on that?

On the Wall

Hubby and I finally got the wall hanging up in the bathroom this weekend. I think it looks fantastic and am so happy with it. Now I have the opposite wall to decorate and I'm thinking a quilted wall hanging for there.



Also this weekend, I got this quilt all pieced together. Now I'm contemplating if I want a border or no border. If I go with a border, I'm thinking it will be in the black fabrics. If I go with no border, I may put a black binding on it. Hmmm, decisions, decisions!

2009 Stash Report Week 8

Stash Report

Fabric Added this Week: 0

Fabric Added Year to Date: 19 yds 16"

Fabric Used this Week: 6 yds 6"

Fabric Used Year to Date: 43 yds 20"

Fabric Busted from Stash This Year: 24 yards 4"

I can not believe I used 43 yards of fabric already this year. A little here and there is starting to add up. This week I was bad again and I started another quilt. I have this doll quilt that I threw together to practice machine quilting on before starting on a bed sized quilts. It's been in the living room on the end table and I keep thinking I like those colors and fabrics together.

Sooooooooo I started on a full sized version. And came up with this. Oh well I guess it's using stash.

2009 Stash Report Week 8

Stash Report

Fabric Added this Week: 0

Fabric Added Year to Date: 19 yds 16"

Fabric Used this Week: 6 yds 6"

Fabric Used Year to Date: 43 yds 20"

Fabric Busted from Stash This Year: 24 yards 4"

I can not believe I used 43 yards of fabric already this year. A little here and there is starting to add up. This week I was bad again and I started another quilt. I have this doll quilt that I threw together to practice machine quilting on before starting on a bed sized quilts. It's been in the living room on the end table and I keep thinking I like those colors and fabrics together.

Sooooooooo I started on a full sized version. And came up with this. Oh well I guess it's using stash.

Constructing a CQ Block from the centre out

I've had some good success lately piecing cq blocks from the centre out, so I thought I would document the steps that I took.

This little chicken scratch heart motif will be the centre. Chicken scratch was the first technique of SharonB's new "Stitch Explorer 2009". Check out other people's examples on Flickr's stitchexplorer group.

The colours I am using are purples and turquoises.

I placed the centre piece in the middle of my backing at a slight angle. I will trim the gingham a little later when I decide how much of it should show.

For the second piece, I tried it against the first piece to see where it would sit best.

I pinned it to the centre piece at a slight angle, right sides together. You can see the extra gingham at the top that I decided I did not want to show.

I sewed and pressed the second piece. Now that I have the second piece attached, I cut the centre gingham block down to the shape and size that I wanted.

I lined up the ruler with the next side of the

centre block. This will be the cutting line.

The second piece has been cut to follow the line of the centre block.

I am trying out the third piece.

Third piece pinned, ready to sew. The end pins, top and bottom, mark the end of the underneath fabric. If you sew the whole strip, you will have to unpick the ends of the seam in order to trim the turquoise fabric. So mark either end of the underneath fabric and machine sew only to the pins.

The third piece sewn and pressed. The ruler is placed along the centre block's third side.

I marked the cutting line with a disappearing marker.

I cut the turquoise fabric along the cutting line I had drawn.

Testing the fourth piece against the sewn patches.

The fourth piece pinned in place.

The fourth piece sewn and pressed. The cutting line is drawn, following the line of the gingham block.

The lilac piece is trimmed. Trying out the fifth piece.

The fifth piece pinned in place

The fifth piece sewn and pressed.

The fifth piece trimmed following the line of the centre block. As you work around the centre piece, the seam line gets longer. Up until now the new piece of fabric covered two piece of fabric. This new piece will have to cover three: the dark turquoise, the gingham and the purple. The alternative to using one long piece of fabric, is to join two pieces together.

Trying out two fabrics that will be joined for the next strip.

For me, the easiest way is to fold one of the pieces of fabric over, pin it to the second piece so that the join is at an angle, and then top stitch with large stitches so that they can be taken out later. Here, the two pieces of fabric have been joined and are now being tested for placement.

Now they are pinned.

Sewn and pressed. It's a bit difficult to see the shape of the block here, but looking at it critically, the right hand lilac piece is too big, and the left hand joined piece also is too big.

I played around with two pieces to cover up the two larger pieces on either sides of the block.

Pinned and ready to sew.

When it looked balanced, I pinned, sewed and pressed the pieces.

I turned it over and trimmed off the excess.

The top edge has a bit of the backing showing. It needs another strip. The two triangles, maroon and turquoise (bottom left)also need another strip.

A piece of purple velvet is added to the top, reducing the size of the turquoise and filling in the gap. And a long triangle of deep purple satin has been added at the bottom.

When all the pieces were in place, I tacked all around the edge, about 1/4" in, and then zig zagged all the way around to stop the fabrics from fraying.

Now it is ready for seam decoration and embellishment.