WIP: Scrappy geese (and then some)

So, it's been awhile since I have shared anything here.

I'm back with a doozy, though!

About seven weeks ago, I posted this pile of fabric on instagram:

The stack happened by accident. I was rearranging my yellow fabrics, and then, well... If you have a fabric stash (or any other medium), you know what I mean.

I started by pairing fabrics and making flying geese in a variety of sizes, and then just started piecing things together. I'm using the HSTs made off the geese corners, as well as strips and scraps.

And of course, I had to add a few bear paws.

Olias and Fiztgerald (and Bella, too, although no photo here) helped, as cats do.

This project is really coming together now, although I didn't have a specific size planned when I started.

It won't be long now!

FO: Improv Berries Mini Quilt

This mini quilt (right in photo) started during a skype session (seven weeks ago) with two of my favorite friends. We each worked on a brand new project during the chat.
It is always exciting to start something brand new.

I went through my solid scrap bag (an abundance), and then chose a couple of fat quarter prints to use.

I just started improv piecing, which always makes me happy. Before the end of our phone call, the top was finished.
And then, as usual, it sat for awhile. But this week, I quilted and bound it.

It is a tiny mini quilt, finishing at 15.5" x 15". It definitely has a springtime feel. I used a Lizzy House berry print from Hello Pilgrim on the back, and it's bound with a neutral snakeskin from Dear Stella. I did a combination of free-motion and straight line quilting.

FO(s): Two duffels

Quiltcon! It's here! By the time you read this, I will already be in Austin. I made a new duffel bag for the occasion, and an extra for my friend, Rhonda.

I made this one for Rhonda. I used a Dear Stella print, Flea Market Fancy seeds, and a Stamped print for the outside.

I decided to use a little Aviary 2 for the inside, as well as some Innocent Crush woodcut and more seeds.

As for my bag, I went with Cosmonaut Pearl Bracelets, a stripe from Out to Sea, and a pink/white pinstripe. Classy!

I used this Gingercake pattern. I really love the resulting bags. I had a little trouble with the pattern, but I definitely recommend it. Just be patient, and read through before you start cutting. I ended up wasting some fabric because of my hastiness. The bottom of the bag is quilted for durability, which I appreciate! I might add extra reinforcement in the sides next time, but other than that, perfection!

FO: Modernista Mini

The other night, I finished my mini quilt for the Modernista swap. I am in love.

This might be the most proud I've ever been of an FO. Hopefully, my partner will be proud to hang it on her wall. I used Tamiko's paper-piecing template to make three blocks. Fabrics used are from Half Moon Modern, Lizzy House's Hello Pilgrim (the blue stripe), Flea Market Fancy gray seeds, the ever-awesome elephants from Daiwabo, Pezzy Prints, and Anthology orange orbs. Using a text print (that I can't identify at the moment-anyone know the name of it?), I pieced together a top.

It's backed with another Flea Market Fancy print, and I quilted a fun pattern using orange Gutermann thread.

The quilting is my favorite part. It's bound in an orange solid (tangerine, I think!).

I'll be sending this, along with the pincushion organizer to my partner very soon.

ETA: Dan helped determine that the text print to be Tiny Type from Michele D'Amore's Word Play collection for Benartex. Thanks, Dan!

Summery patchwork

In the Love do.Good Stitches circle this month, Deborah asked us to use this Film in the Fridge tutorial. It was lots of fun to make these log cabin blocks, and the colors Deborah picked are so summery.

I also recently bought Ayumi's new pattern on superbuzzy. This is a new block of the month project, called the Super Penguin Quilt-Along. How happy is that?? The first block is adorable, and I started working on my first popsicle last week. Have you seen Tamiko's amazing version? Gah. It kills me!

I decided to start out slowly with the easiest of the popsicles, the watermelon version. Perhaps you, also, were not aware there was such a thing, but Ayumi tells me that it's a tasty treat in Japan, and there are "seeds", which are chocolate-covered rice puffs. Yum!

I pieced the watermelon popsicle with just one problem. You can see my mistake at the bottom points of the triangle. I was sure I'd have to start over, before I realized that the seam allowance would cover up those little boo-boos.

See? All gone! I'm almost finished with this little patchwork piece, and a good thing, too, since it's a gift. I should be able to share it next week.
Fabrics used: Lizzy House Jewels (from Outfoxed), Michael Miller Mini Mike's Random Pencil Check in green, Urban Cowgirl (the brown print) and the off-white is a Circa 1934 solid. I used Kona Pond for the border. Oh, and one more day to enter the giveaway!

A Stash Fabric Giveaway!

What better way to kickoff this happy Friday than to share a lovely giveaway?

While searching for Lizzy House's new Guising line a few weeks ago, I came across Stash, and was impressed by her pricing. Besides the Guising fabric, which was a gift, I also purchased some of the awesome Happy Drawings cut and sew.

I can't wait to make some of these little guys come to life!

I'm so excited to tell you that a brand new etsy shop, Stash Fabric, is my very first sponsor. 

 

I asked Beth a few questions about herself and Stash. Here's what she had to say:

Jacey: Do you sew? If so, when did you start? What type of things do you most enjoy sewing? 
Beth: I do sew! Well I guess I should say I've dabbled in sewing. I got my first machine nearly three years ago after my son was born. I've always enjoyed being crafty, but having children really brought out in me the need to create. I taught myself to crochet when I was pregnant because I just really wanted to make my son something. I don't think I finished that blanket until he was like 1.5 years old, but in the meantime, I learned to knit and started sewing. My favorite things to sew are home decor items because I'm super cheap when it comes to buying things like that and handmade decor really makes a house a home in my opinion. I'm currently practicing my quilting in a block-of-the-month class at my LQS, and I'm pretty much loving it. I have big plans for becoming a quilt ninja because of the beauty and timelessness of quilts. Not to mention all the different fabric that can go into them. I've also been seriously craving the ability to sew cute clothes for my daughter lately.

Jacey: What made you decide to start a fabric shop? 
Beth: Simply put, I LOVE fabric. It turns out you don't really have to do a whole lot of sewing to become completely obsessed with all the beautiful, modern fabric that is out there. I have spent more hours than I care to admit ogling all the lovelies, aimlessly cataloging them in my mind by manufacturer and designer and collection. After my husband suggested I might have a problem, I decided that instead of just looking for fun, I should turn my little obsession into an online shop so that
1) I am justified in my countless hours spent looking at fabric and
2) I can guiltlessly surround myself with all the fabric that I not so secretly want to hoard.
And so Stash Fabric was born. Fortunately I have a super supportive husband that is okay with the fact that I won't rest until all unoccupied space (and maybe even a little occupied space) in our home is completely covered in fabric.

Jacey: What do you think sets your shop apart from others?
Beth: This is a great question because this is one of the biggest challenges in opening an online fabric store in my opinion. The market is pretty saturated with shops and I was concerned with getting lost in the shuffle, especially as I build up my stock.
But I think what sets me apart currently from other shops is fair prices, unparalleled customer service and free shipping over $50 in the US (discounts internationally). When I personally shop online, I look for the cheapest prices with the fastest order turn around time, and I don't want to pay for shipping. That is why I guarantee shipping within 24 hours (most times much less) and include a free shipping policy.
I've been surprised by how few shops have a free shipping option available.
 I also have big plans for offering weekly sales to give people the opportunity to get newer fabric for great prices. Who doesn't love a sale? Plus I'm working hard to keep a strong pulse on what the modern quilter wants so I can bring it all in one convenient place. In the next few months, you can expect to see many of the heavily anticipated lines arriving in my shop along with a very well thought out, super user-friendly website that I can guarantee you'll want to check out!

Jacey: Who is your favorite designer? 
Beth: Oh goodness, where do I begin? If I had to pick one, I'd say I have a special place in my heart for Lizzy House because it was the Peeps collections that started me down this path. If she's designing it, I'm buying it. No questions asked.

Jacey: What upcoming line are you most excited about?
Beth: I'm pumped for Tula Pink's The Birds and The Bees, Lotta J's Bella, and Heather Ross' Nursery-Versy, all of which will be carried in their entirety at Stash around August. I also can't wait for Simply Color from V. and Co. due in October.

Jacey: Do you think you will carry patterns or notions in the future? Do you see yourself branching out from quilting cottons to apparel or home decor? 
Beth: I will definitely carry patterns at some point in the future. I already have several patterns in mind for this very thing. I also like the idea of selling quilt kits for those that get overwhelmed with fabric selection when planning a quilt. While my current focus is quilting cottons, I would love to be able to expand into the world of voiles, home dec, and even laminates. I imagine that as my sewing abilities expand and improve, you'll notice an increase in variety of fabric I offer. Heck, I wouldn't mind even carrying a small selection of yarn as some point.

Thank you so much, Beth! It was great learning more about you. Lizzy House is such a favorite for me, too! And I know Lotta Jansdotter's Bella line is one that I'm very eagerly awaiting this summer.

In addition the giveaway below, enter the coupon GRANDOPENING for 10% off your order in the shop through Sunday, 6/17. And don't forget, free shipping on U.S. orders over $50 (with discounts on international)!
You can also follow Stash on facebook, for additional giveaways and discounts!

Beth has graciously offered up a little giveaway for me to share with you all today!

One lucky winner will receive a fat quarter bundle of the ever-adorable Guising line by Lizzy House! That's TEN fat quarters! One entry per person, please. International entries are welcome!
To enter, leave a comment telling us your most favorite Halloween costume. The giveaway will close Wednesday the 20th, 10 pm CST.
Thanks, Beth, and Stash Fabric!

Comments are now closed.

Tadpole's Geese

You may remember that I met Rue in person a few months back. We agreed on a swap around that time. She asked for a mini quilt to hang in her daughter's bedroom. She lovingly refers to her daughter as Tadpole. I love that nickname. She's the cutest little baby, too. I got to meet her in December as well, and she is the happiest baby. Precious!

So, Rue made this swap pretty easy for me. She asked for specific colors, to match Tadpole's room. She also commented on loving the geese mini I made for my mom last July.

I used some fun prints in the colors she requested. I included prints from Outfoxed by Lizzy House, Tufted Tweets by Laurie Wisbrun, a chevron from Half Moon Modern, Essex linen, a Kona solid, and Laura Gunn's Painter's Canvas. For the back, I used the same green chevron print. I quilted using three different Gutermann threads, a purple, orange and green.

In return, Rue spun me some yarn, which I should have very soon! I'll be sure to share it with you when it arrives.

Have a great rest of your weekend, everyone!

FO: Fenced Foxes

I seriously love this quilt. The pattern, from Elizabeth Hartman's book, is called Fenced In.

It was very easy to size this down for a baby quilt, but I skipped adding the outside border. I used only Lizzy House Outfoxed prints, purchased from Pink Castle.

I also used stash solids, including Kona Corn Yellow (back), Kona Stone and three greens (not sure which ones) for the binding. I used an emerald green Gutermann thread for the quilting.

I think Jessica really loved the new quilt, and it was so much fun seeing old friends at the shower yesterday. From left to right, Kristen, Jessica, me, Julie and Laurie. I've known all but Laurie since elementary school, where we were all girl scouts together! Laurie went to our high school, too.

I know baby Wyatt will enjoy his quilt!

Hello, 2012

Well, hello! I hope 2012 is treating you well so far. I have a lot of things to share with you. First up, I met a blog friend last week.

Rue was in Texas last week, so I made the drive up to New Braunfels to meet her in person! We agreed that after talking online for so long, it was a little weird to be sitting across from one another. She's so sweet, and her little Tadpole is even cuter in person. And look at that completed Stripe Study she's wearing! Mine still isn't finished, but I am working on the border, so it shouldn't be too much longer!

I'm so glad I got the chance to meet her!

I've been working on a baby gift. My first best friend ever is having a baby this month. Her shower is this weekend, so I finally started on her present last week.

I'm making her a Fenced In quilt from Elizabeth Hartman's book. And of course, I am using the adorable Outfoxed prints by Lizzy House. Love!

I finished the quilting this weekend, and the binding has been pinned. I should be able to finish in time!

I'm also moving ahead with some wedding plans! I found a venue this weekend, which is really setting things into place! I'll share more on that soon.

Have a great week, everyone!

FO: Ella's Bohus Pillow

Looking for the giveaway post? Here it is!

Now that Ella has received her giveaway pillow, I can share it with you all! In her comment, Ella mentioned red, mulberry, mustardy brown and linen. Based on these colors, and from reading her blog, I had a pretty immediate vision of what I wanted to make. I remembered seeing the Bohus Pillow in a copy of Stitch Magazine (Summer 2011 issue). My only problem was that I didn't want Ella to have to buy a circle pillow form, or to make one. So I modified the design to be square.

Really I just used the templates Stitch provided, and improvised the rest.

I used some 1001 Peeps for the center star and the back pieces, and some Essex Linen for the background. The burgundy and mustard pieces are from the stash.

I hand quilted around the center piece with some Perle Cotton, and then machine quilted the rest.

This is an especially exciting project for me because it's my first time to use pebble quilting. You can tell where I started, in the top center. The stitches there are not quite the right tension and are a little messy. As I worked my way around, I could see and feel a difference in my stitching. I was floored when I finally started getting the rhythm of free motion!

When I finished, I had to really take a step back. This pillow is so much different than my normal style. In the end, I love it. I got to practice some unfamiliar techniques, like applique and free motion quilting.

I hope Ella loves her pillow!
I still have the third contest pillow to make, for Virginia. Hopefully, I'll have that to share before the end of the year, or in early January!

FO: 1001 Peeps Mini

So, Deirdre, sister of Yarndude, and I have been blog friends for years. Like, I found a comment from her on this 2008 post, which in blog years, is forever
(side note: I love looking at older posts and seeing such improvement in my knitting and photography skills!).

So Deirdre and her husband moved a few months back, just across town. But she had some serious issues moving into her new place. Her great sense of humor made light of the situation.
My favorite tidbit she shared was the doorbell. Hilarious. So, as she was sharing her moving woes, I started thinking about some sort of housewarming gift.

Enter the 1001 Peeps mini.
Deirdre is learning to sew, and she's always so encouraging to me about my finished sewing projects (btw, she's an amazing knitter! AMAZING.). I knew she'd enjoy a little mini quilt to hang in her new place.

I started with some Lizzy House 1001 Peeps. By the way, I seriously love Lizzy House. She's awesome, and I may have nabbed one of her destash boxes last week.
I'm eagerly awaiting Outfoxed!

So, back to the mini. I pieced my little hexagons, and instead of piecing them together (mostly because I was still not feeling very confident on doing so), I decided to try something a little different.

I really liked how the hexagons looked with the quilter's linen, and decided to just randomly sew them onto squares.

I backed the quilt with a favorite Joel Dewberry print, the herringbone from Modern Meadow, and it's bound with a Tina Givens print (part of a giveaway from Erin last year!). I hand-stitched the back of the binding (I think I'm getting better at that!).

Deirdre emailed me that she received the mini last night, and I think she really likes it! So, yay!!

I'm entering this into Celebrate Color, in hopes of winning some Outfoxed!

Have a great weekend!!