Thank goodness.

Do you ever volunteer to help out with something and end up completely, totally underestimating the time it will take?

The artwork and image transfer to fabric via Bubble Jet Set was all handled by the 2nd grade class moms. Marybeth O’Halloran of White Lotus Quilting did the exquisite long arm quilting, each block a mini-masterpiece.

I offered to do the piecing and the binding. Easy peasy, right?. And, of course, the quilts needed labels. And how could I possibly let these go out the door without hanging sleeves? Greg kept reminding me that my child wasn’t even in that grade level. I kept reminding him that this was my last school auction. Boo hoo. Leil’s last year of official elementary school. Double boo hoo. (The three elementary schools on the Island only go through 4th grade, the kids all funnel into a single ‘Intermediate’ school for 5th and 6th grade).

The silver lining was working with the beautiful art created by the kids. Pure sweetness. Little smiles on all the creatures, tiny hands used to create the animals on the top quilt. As I was constructing I’d get a glimpse of something new and it would make me smile and feel all warm inside.

Full photo shoot on Flickr.

I received this thank you card in the mail today. My creativity group exchanged the projects we made for our March challenge. My recipient told me how much she enjoyed receiving mine and where she was using it in her home. LOVE the thread tails.

I adore this lovely post by Jeanne Williamson. I think that will be a fine way to practice my handwriting skills.

I want to thank each of you for the thoughtful comments left on my last post. The sentiment of the quilt was very powerful indeed. Bigger than I understood myself. I believe all of the goodness in your words will travel along with this special gift.

I’ve been tagged which probably happens sometimes without me noticing. Fortunately two friendly blogger pals (Jamie and Kay) had the good sense to send me an e-mail letting me know. OK, I just read the rules again and you’re supposed to send the e-mail, let’s just make that a standing rule!

1. 7 things. Didn’t I do this before? OK, that’s number 1. I don’t always remember if I’ve done something. I think about doing a lot of things and then as time goes on I forget whether I did it or just thought about doing it.
2. I scrape the peanut butter jar completely clean.
3. I wear the same thing every day. Jeans and a t-shirt.
4. I’ve been saying I’m going to upgrade my image for about 10 years now.
5. I always eat at The Cheesesteak Shop when we go to California (sweet peppers only, no onions please). I CRAVE them as soon as the plane lands. I ate there once a week (sometimes twice!) when I was pregnant with both Caitlin and Leil. They like them too.
6. I enjoy American Idol as much as my kids.
7. I’m currently taking the 10 Day Challenge. It just seemed so doable.

OK, had to read the rules one more time to finish this off. I’m supposed to list 7 of my favorite blogs. Since I like to break the rules I’m going to list 7 new to me blogs I’ve been enjoying lately:

• Lululollylegs - Louise was the recipient of my Winter Quilt Swap, I think everything she makes is beautiful!
• Nikki Wheeler - I saw Nikki’s contribution to the Twelve by Twelve group that Kristin LaFlamme is also a part of. When I realized she was living right next to me I contacted her and she’s now the newest member of our local creativity group. I like telling people I met Nikki on the internet.
• A Stitch in Dye - I discovered Malka during Sew, Mama, Sew Quilting Month. I just ordered some of her hand dyes from her Etsy shop. LOVE everything she creates.
• Blue Moon River - I’m always inspired by Susan’s work. I first saw her quilt ‘The Bluest Eye’ published in Quilting Arts. Be sure to read her 7 things and where this quilt is now hanging. Too cool.
• Erica B.’s D.I.Y. Style - Erica makes me want to stop everything I’m doing and just make clothes. I’m in awe of her talents.
• Marcy Tilton - I’m not going to tag Marcy but I wanted to include this link to her fun website. I just signed up for her newsletter.
• The Sartorialist - I came across this blog over a year ago but it somehow got away from me. I just recently found it again and subscribed. A FABULOUS dose of visual inspiration every day. Yes, I’m really going to do something about #4 this year!

A friend of mine traveled with her sister to China last month to bring home her newly adopted niece. I had the wonderful opportunity of running into them all on the street and meeting Xin, a beautiful almost two year old with a huge smile. I immediately started scheming on this quilt for her.

It’s the Bento Box pattern by Tracey Brookshier, finished size 45″ x 45″. The color formula is very simple and fun. 9 fat quarter pairs of light and dark valued fabrics. Nancy made one of these awhile back (can’t find the post! but here’s her lovely gallery of quilts, the Bento Box is the last one on the second row). She advised me to have a lot of contrast between the fabrics in the pair so the pattern doesn’t get muddled when everything is mixed up. Excellent tip!

Label created using Printed Treasures. I machine sewed this on from the back through all the layers of the quilt. I anticipate it being washed a lot and I was afraid hand sewing would not be durable. I put the thread I used for quilting the front into the bobbin and the stitches blended nicely. Next time, if the heavens part and I remember, I’ll sew the label onto the back before quilting!

Have a fabulous weekend!

As I passed by Pam Clarke’s booth the TV with a video playing of her machine quilting technique caught my eye. It was demonstrating this lowercase L design. Now, my first thought was “I don’t really need a book telling me how to machine quilt an L” but it peaked my interest so I stopped to watch the tape.

What I learned was that her technique is about machine quilting designs that fit simple grids and require minimal marking. There are two basic templates, a pie shape and straight lines. The companion book is full of quilting patterns that overlay the templates.

The baby quilt I’m finishing up is a great example of the technique. I quickly realized I didn’t even need to mark the quilt with templates, the piecing lines of the squares formed a perfect rectangle shape for each L. What I did use from Pam’s book was her method of eyeing key points of where the quilting pattern ‘hit’ within the grid and aiming for them. A very simple concept yet just having it explained so well in words confirmed a lot of things I’ve thought about these types of designs. A true light bulb moment for me. The book includes quite a few patterns that progressively increase in difficulty as you go through the book. Pam also has a fabulous attitude about mistakes and not focusing on every little wonky stitch (click on the first photo if you want to see the details of how I embraced that philosophy!).

I used a pink thread on top and orange in my bobbin, both were Mettler silk-finish cotton threads. BEAUTIFUL! They shimmer on the quilt.

I used spray basting, my first time. Yuck. I survived the experience but won’t be using it again. Fortunately it was a sunny day so I opened all the windows in my sewing room as I quilted, I sprayed outside but the smells don’t go away and they followed me right back into the house! It did the job and I didn’t have any puckers. I just couldn’t take the chemical smell. Sort of silly because I don’t use any toxic products to clean my house so why in the world I would use something like that on a quilt is beyond me. I was looking to speed up the process but in the end I don’t think I even accomplished that objective.

I purchased these fat quarters from the Stitchin Post booth. I used all the pink and orange fabrics in the baby quilt.

That’s it for my Sew Expo 2008 goodies. I’m feeling very energized to try new things and happy that I’ve cracked the seal on some of the things I purchased, I know too well how that can sometimes go! More on the quilt in my next post.

Sew Expo always features a large number of independent pattern designers. Companies that are writing patterns for home sewers that focus on a good fit. When I was 20 I could buy any pattern, cut it out, sew it up and it would fit perfectly. I was also called chicken legs and skin and bones for the first half of my life. After two kids that just ain’t the case anymore!

As I tip toe back into trying to make some clothes for myself I’m trying to select patterns that will give me a fighting chance. Ottobre has a lot more ease in their patterns. I LOVE that they use real women in their pattern books. The one top I’ve made was very accurate relative to the measurement I matched up on for size.

Besides the Sandra Betzina knit tops, I also selected patterns from Cecelia Podolak and Peggy Sagers. I had the opportunity to chat with Cecelia at the show, she told me that she is focused on developing a line of classics that are sized just like ready to wear. The dress in the top photo is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I actually had been at Jo-Ann’s two weeks ago looking through all the pattern books for a dress in that style so I figured it was meant for me to find her booth. I ADORE the tucks at the waste.

One thing that’s great about Expo is that the independent designers bring samples all made up that you can touch, feel and even try on if you’re so inclined!

So, back to Peggy Sagers. Her booth had women working that were all different sizes and they were all wearing clothes made from her patterns. That type of marketing works on me every time. I’m intrigued with the idea of different bust sizes incorporated into the pattern. I tend to be very narrow through my shoulders and although I would not describe myself as busty I’m a C cup and relatively big all the way around my body for that measurement. I always end up with tops where the buttons want to gap and pop off. A friend suggested these patterns and I’m looking forward to seeing how they work. I also thought I might learn a thing or two about making bust size adjustments to any pattern.

I always come back with big hopes and dreams about sewing a whole wardrobe. I’m really going to focus some time this year on making that happen, you’ll be the first to see the results!

What independent patterns have you made?

Yippeeee! March is my month for the Virtual Quilting Bee. New (the polka dots) and old were cut up and mailed off to each member of the group. I’ve requested a log cabin block or variation there of, ala Gee’s Bend and Nancy Crow. Can’t wait to see what these creative bees come up with!

* Leil’s puppet box provided just the right amount of sunlight. It also came complete with a family of bunnies enjoying our Spring like weather.

I absolutely adore kimono fabric. I have a fairly good stash of pieces that I’ve collected over the years. Once I discovered Ah! Kimono I never looked elsewhere. The quality of their textiles is unparalleled. Saturated colors, no smells and the packs always contain a beautiful assortment of delicate designs, no boring fillers! Given the fan I was I was thrilled to receive an e-mail from Ah! Kimono owner Cheri Bridges when I posted about my inchies awhile back. Cheri recognized her kimono prints in my work.

She has a booth at Sew Expo each year so I took the opportunity to say hello and stock up on some special finds. It was a true pleasure to meet her and soak up the enthusiasm she has for her products. I HAD to ask her how in the world she recognized her prints on my blog! She told me that even though she’s handled thousands of kimonos, they’re like her children and she remembers each and every one. A woman that truly loves what she does.

I bought several 6 packs of designs that caught my eye. I’m very attracted to gray, pink, and black these days, a theme that occurred in my recent vintage haul. The palette is spread out in my sewing room giving me inspiration.

I also purchased two pieces of indigo dyed cotton taken from old kimonos. Cheri told me that she’s had these for some time and finally decided to take them apart and make them available. The technique is called Kasuri, they’re really something to see and touch in person, the woven texture is pure artistry.

The Sewing and Stitchery Expo is taking place through Sunday (March 2, 2008). Billed as “the nation’s largest sewing show!” it’s HUGE. Many women will get a hotel room and go all four days, I met people who had come up from Oregon and distant towns in Washington. I ate lunch next to the President of the Salt Lake City ASG chapter who came with a group of 12. I did the one day bullet visit yesterday, 9 to 5 with 4 seminars squeezed in.

My favorite by far was Sandra Betzina. I’d been told she was an excellent speaker and she was FABULOUS! Any one as well known as she is that can still talk excitedly about a new technique for lining a sleeve is a superstar in my book. The seminars are only 45 minutes in length, they’re a quick peek at well known people in the sewing world talking about their latest projects and products.

I stopped by Sandra’s booth after her presentation and she was just as engaging, lovely, and upbeat one-on-one as she is in front of 300 people. I purchased these two patterns as well as an instructional video, I have the clothes making bug like nobody’s business!

You need tickets to attend the seminars. $4 bucks each, I ordered mine at the beginning of January, it’s a way to manage attendance. Every seat was filled for Nancy Zimmerman, Sandra Betzina and Linda Lee. You can purchase them on site but the most popular sessions always sell out during pre-registration. Get on their mailing list for next year if you plan to go so you get the packet in the mail.

As a side note, they select 2 or 3 tickets at the end of each seminar for a door prize. I won a free yard of fabric at Sandra’s session. I told you guys I was lucky. I’ll share other goodies over my next few posts.

Kendra Allen created these fabulous birch bark prayer flags for last month’s Out of the Box challenge. Kendra was the one who submitted this challenge idea, at the meeting she spoke further about her inspiration for the idea and a discussion about Andy Goldsworthy ensued.

When I got home from the meeting I reserved some books, Hand to Earth and A Collaboration with Nature, and a movie, Rivers & Tides, from the library. The girls and I watched the film on Saturday, WOW. It’s an extremely powerful film on a number of levels. We were all struck by the mental aspects of creating art that you know will disappear back into the environment, sometimes within minutes and hours. The artist’s patience and discipline is captured in the film as well as his devotion to pursuing his craft. I would say to an obsessive extent, another discussion provoking aspect of the movie. Leil wondered how his wife and children felt while he was off making art by himself. Caitlin commented that he is the ultimate re-cycled materials artist! We were all amazed and awed by the pure beauty of his art.

After the film was over the book pages started turning. Each go around through the images would reveal new observations, subtle uses of materials and composition that were missed on the first look. Our play in the garden, the woods, and the beach will never be the same.

This is the new favicon I made for my website. I made one last year for my blog and I had to laugh at the time because I didn’t even know what they were called. I googled for something like “little picture on the web address bar” and found it.

Today I used this very cool free favicon generator program. It takes any picture file and creates the .ICO file. It worked best when the starting picture file was already square. Please don’t ask how many designs I went through to get to this! The generator website contains instructions on how and where to change the website or blog header file to associate the .ICO file with your web address. If you have trouble shoot me an e-mail because we all deserve a colorful favicon!

2/23/08: Several of the comments have mentioned limitations with Blogger because they don’t allow you to store the .ICO file on their server. Here’s a post about getting around that limitation by storing your .ICO file on a free web storage site such as Flickr (Linda commented that she did this successfully, yay, isn’t her bird cute!).