Reason #883 why I love modern quilting - it’s the way many modern quilters are photographing their quilts in fun, new ways. Quilts being photographed out in the wild and hung by human hangers. And I LOVE how they look like zombies… not a I’m coming for you to snack on your brainsthe walking dead, but a kinder, happier, beautiful I’m coming for you to make you warm and cozyThe Walking Quilted.
To all the quilters who give me my walking quilted jollies… I thank you!
A big, huge from all sides of my heart THANK YOU for the oh so kind comments left for me about my happy mochi yum yum strike-offs. EACH and EVERY ONE of you made my heart swell with happiness (and comfort!). I am at a loss for a word that goes beyond thankful, so I thank you all to infinity. And beyond.
Taking a deep breath as I type this. I feel like I’ve been squeezed into a giant zip-lock bag sharing the space with nervousness, fear and anxiety for what I’m about to show. It’s one thing to make something - and your mom loves it and then puts it on the fridge. It’s something else to make something - and you hope others will like it, and bring it into their homes, and make beautiful things with it - for themselves and for others. Hitting the “publish” button on this post is going to feel like I’m ripping off a band-aid. Two of my Lecien sisters, Bari and Lynette, have already posted their strike-offs for their Spring lines… ok, I’m jumping in too.
My next line will debut in May at Quilt Market in Salt Lake City - and should be available retail by June or July. I’ll share more info about it as it gets closer to Market-time. Here is my latest round of strike-offs - little tastes of color, scale, saturation, etc before the fabric is milled. It’s now pretty much good to go, just a few minor tweaks and off to the mill it goes. My hope is it’s liked, and I hope it’ll be wanted in peoples hands, homes and snuggled around the ones they love.
Band-aid……………………………………………. OFF!
For THE longest time I’ve hated the word “mug rug” for those cute little quilts everyone is making. Not only would I never put a mug or food on a quilt… just the name alone sounds like something that would be on George Carlin’s word list. I’ve given this gem other names… but they’re far worse than it’s current name. And then something happened… the word was so bad, that I began to like it. Kind like the Real Housewives of [insert your favorite city here] - I H A T E D those shows at first… now they’re my favorites shows on tv. And I’m now a fan of the Real Housespouses of Mugruglandia.
Tonight at Portland Modern Quilt Guild we’re doing a mug rug swap. I mean… we’re doing a MUG RUG SWAP (I’m sayin’ it loud, I’m saying it proud). I’m not sure if there’s a standard size for a mug rug, but mine measures at 9″ x 11″.
I used Amanda Jean’s easy and clever rectangle method from her zig zag tutorial, and married orange 30’s repo fabrics and new aqua fabrics (Sweet Broderie by Rosalie Quinlan). My little quilt is what my opinion of what modern quilting is - making something old… new again. Cherishing the past - celebrating the now. Not to mention nifty new ways of doing things (thanks AJ!).
I added my quilt’s birth certificate and now I’m all ready for guild tonight. And I’ll have my eyes locked on Elizabeth when she puts her mug rug onto to the swap table. Something tells me ALL EYES will be on Elizabeth and there’s going to be a mad dash to the table. There could possibly be injuries. Note to self. Bring band-aids, crutches, slings and ice packs to guild tonight.
Welcome to Day 6 of the Bloggers Block-a-Palooza! This is such a treat for me to be involved in the Block-a-Palooza, and I’ve been having so much fun checking the Block-a-Palooza Flickr pool each day - I love seeing what everyone’s been making - the fabrics, versions and variations. If you’re not in the pool… dive in!
I made a PDF to download - and am also posting it here in chopped up chunks so you can have two viewing options. I have a preference to quilting instructions - light on the words, heavy on the illustrations… less talky more showy - so that’s what I did.
EDITED IN: Thank you to everyone who pointed out I had A piece marked as a D (that was a huge copy/paste/ooops of mine). It’s all fixed and I hope it didn’t cause anyone any inconvenience. I sooo appreciated all those eagle eyes - thank you!
Download the easier-to-read You Are Here PDF pattern here. Your eyesight will thank you. Your printer not so much.
Join and/or view the flickr pool here. Loads of fun and inspiration in the pool… and not one single Baby Ruth.
Missed the beginning of the Block-a-Palooza? You can travel back in time to Day 1 / Block 1 by starting here.
Once upon a time there was this girl. This girl loved to play with fabric, floss and felt. La la dee, la la daaa… just stitching way while playing with her friends in Internetlandia. Then one day, a prince showed up on a white horse and sporting a trumpet and some parchment. Tooot too taa toooo… his trumpet blared, and he then announced - “Here ye, here ye, The Queen of All Things Cute and Inspiring requests your presence at her table…”
So it really went more like this: Amy Powers: Would you like to be in the next issue of inspired ideas? Me: Thump (me falling out of my chair). Splat (me falling into my puddle of pee).
Fast forward and a freshly mopped floor - here’s the project I made for the issue: A little purse that’s actually a needlebook/sewing kit. The inside opens up to reveal little places to store your little scissors, floss, thread, emergency chocolate, punch-cards… perfect to grab for some sewing on the go.
To celebrate the release of issue, I’m throwing myself an OMG-I-can’t-believe-I’m-in-inspired ideas party and I’m going to give-away one of these needlebooks. Winner can pick either the Flower Sugar or the Flea Market Fancy one. Leave me a comment (with your choice if you’d like) by midnight (PST) Feb 14th and I’ll draw a winner.
Here’s all the OMG about the issue:
- More than 170 pages of over 20 projects!
- Beautiful, beautiful inspiring pages!
- Amazing artists!
- Fabulous content!
- A sneak peek here and here!
- No ads!
- It’s so freaking cute you’ll squeeze your internet!
There’s a small charge of $3.30 for this issue and you can get a copy here.
O M G… I still can’t believe I’m in inspired ideas! And O-M-freaking-G… the who’s who of artists I’m sharing pages with. Me… with all those SUPER-DUPER-SUPERSTARS. Gonna need that mop again.
Edited in:
The give-away is now over and I have a winner. TWO WINNERS, actually! Winner, winner - Colin the chicken dinner!!! I decided to give both purses away - twice as much fun for me! Plus I love surprises and I get to feel like Oprah for a split nano second. 1st winner: Comment #210 - Grace from Katmom4 (she picked Flea Market Fancy) 2nd winner: Comment #49 - Megan from Monkey Beans (she picked Flower Sugar)
I’m so honored to be caboose’n the last day of Bari’s Inspired to Sew Book Blog Tour! I’m just honored to be a part of it, period! Bari is giving a copy of her beautiful book to one lucky person on my blog - and all you have to do is leave me a comment. If you’d like to mention what INSPIRES you TO SEW in your comment… please do!
I’m inspired to sew when I see something, and think how much more I’d love it if I made it myself. I also feel empowered if I make something myself. I think people who cook feel the same way - there’s a very nurturing quality about making stuff, especially if it’s for someone else. Reason #126 why I love Bari’s new book… it’s not just drop dead gorgeous… but all the projects in her book are something I want to make - to make for others. Like Bari’s tea-cozy… it’s something I might be able to buy ready-made - but not even close to as pretty as Bari’s projects. Plus after I make them they’re infused with love - that’s something that can’t be bought.
I love this tea set… cozy, pad and teabag. It just screams to me to make it - and then have friends over for tea. Not just sewing projects… but little projects that make doing something all the more fun, and with friends. The little tea projects are sew-cial treats!
There’s lots, lots, lots more inside the beautiful pages of Inspired to Sew - and a copy could be yours! Leave me a comment by midnight PST Thursday, February 10, 2011 and one lucky name will be drawn. If you haven’t already, be sure to travel back in time to stop by and visit the other blogs on the tour. WOW… look at this list-o-greatness I’m with!
I’m always encouraging people to try something new or something they’ve never done. Just practice. Make a small version of something to test-drive it out. So I’m practicing what I’m preaching. I’ve always been obsessed with Cathedral Window Quilts - the crazy how-the-f-did-they-do-that with fabric and stitches wonderment and awe, and the tactile feeling of it. Touch. Touch. Touch. I just want to touch every Cathedral Window quilt I see.
So knowing I could not be entertained by the Super Bowl commercials alone… I knew I had to have a hand project to work on to sustain me during those 3+ long boring hours (and keeping me from snacking). I found two tutorials I that looked right up my alley - one at Hyena In Petticoats and the other from Christina at The Sometimes Crafter. Both different, but both the same result. And both were easy for my brain to grasp!
I used Sandy Klop’s Snippets and Kona Snow, and on the sides I folded a square of Snippets in half diagonally to fill those “windows”. Each window of Snow I cut at 5″, and each Snippets piece I cut at 1⅜”. One thing I learned was the importance of good pressing and folding when making the windows. That is key… and my lack of good pressing and folding is evident in my practice quilt. But hey - I made a Cathedral Window quilt…
even if it’s only 5″ square!
A funny thing happened on my way to Portland Modern Quilt Guild at PNCA last summer - I met THE most amazing, talented, friendly, fun and enthusiastic women ever. One of those incredible PMQG women happens to be Cherri - and this last Saturday Cherri held an open house to celebrate her new studio with all her friends and PMQG members. The night before, I was excited like a kid who couldn’t sleep in anticipation for the big field trip the next day, and I almost put a dress out… and shiny shoes… and stockings… and then I remembered I hadn’t shaved my legs. Hello blue-jeans.
Cherri’s studio space is in the old Columbia Sportswear building in the Cathedral Hill area of the St. Johns neighborhood in Portland.
My first time to St. Johns - what a darling/artsy/quirky neighborhood. I fell in love. It was my first time across the St. Johns Bridge too (I’ve traveled under it, just never on it). As we enter the building, we can’t help but be in awe of the views, light, beams and space. Retreat fantasies begin.
A peek of what’s inside the Sew On studio.
Something Crafty inside peeking at us.
Violet and her girls (one of which belongs to the pink boots, both of which belong to the peek’sters above).
Traci demos the party favors - adorable little color pencils.
One of Cherri’s WIPs. GENIUS use of fabrics.
Beautiful finished quilt. Stunning.
WIP Wall. These blocks make me want to dance they’re so beautiful. Cherri has an eye for color and makes each piece sing to my eyes. Eye music.
Sew On Royal Security Force
I love when art happens… the coats, the quilts… all the colors go so beautifuly together. Planned? Spontaneous? Or maybe it just happened because someone put a bird on it.
A gorgeous quilted and embroidered prezzie for Cherri made by Jen.
Another prezzie for Cherri - Marcia made the cutest little bag (a mod’d mini version of Alicia Paulson’s Jane Market Bag - with birds on it and goodies inside, and it even matched what Marcia was wearing. Art happens yet again. Birds.
IRL tutorial… Jen shows us nifty tricks on putting in a zipper and making a clutch bag - which she gave to Tamara (after Jen finished it in only a handful of minutes). I worked hard at trying to convince Jen she needed to re-do the demo - about 8 more times.
Cherri lets us all have a turn trying out her new Handiquilter long arm machine. Rachel so kindly gave everyone a quick lesson and lots of supportive guidance (thank you, Rachel!). Joan, Jill and Traci take a whirl. It’s so much fun, and dang it… now I want one, too.
In the queue to be quilted.
Cherri’s inspiration board - it’s a like 3D version of Pinterest. I’d like to repin some of that FMF right onto my board.
Cherri tells us what’s the haps are on her inspiration wall - hopefully we’ve convinced her to do a tute on her blog to make that cool knot block. Cherri has a gift - she’s got insights and ideas and she knows how to convey them and share them. Cherri could find a way to make the phonebook into a work of art - and she’d be able to teach you how to do it, too. Even without a bird. I’ve learned some of the neatest things from Cherri - from how I look at things to how I do things. And she’s a kick in the pants and a kind soul on top of it. Everyone needs a Cherri in their life - and we’re so lucky she’s in ours! Joan and Jen have also blogged about our amazing day, and have more to tell + have beautiful photos to see.
And speaking of a funny thing that happened on our way to Portland Modern Quilt Guild at PNCA… we found the Mug Rugs’ birth mother.
L to R: Traci, me, Violet, Joan and Elizabeth.
Edited in: Cherri’s quilt that hangs by her entrance is her version of “Starry Night” - from the Better Homes & Gardens bookazine “Antique Quilts: Classic Favorites & Modern Remakes”.
ME! No. Seriously. I feel like such a winner after reading all those lovely comments in my Moda Bakeshop Progressive Dinner post. Holy honey bun and them some - thank you! I especially loved hearing how many people have made my projects. Me knocking on the inside glass of those people’s monitors… psssssst… hey, it’s me (does your monitor make me look skinny? I hope so)… so I hear you made one of my projects - OHH EMM GEE, I’m dying to see what you made!!!! Will you show me? I’d love to see it (and I bet others will want to too). I have a pool you can drop your kids off at (I kill me) - I’d love for you to join my Happy Zombie HQ Flickr Pool and post your pics.
Enough of ramblings! The grand prize winner from Moda giveaway will be announced by the Moda Bakeshop later on in February, so be sure to stay tuned to their blog. My winner big of the Moda fat quarter bundle and a copy of Fresh Fabric Treats giveaway is comment #670 Sarah of Pings & Needles!
Congratulations, Sarah! Great ready for an amazing prezzie from the wonderful peeps at Moda and Stash Books!
I admit I have the Keep Calm fever - and I can’t help myself from making my own after I stumbled upon the keepcalm-o-matic website. I made mine in Photoshop - but not until after I surrendered an hour of my life to the keepcalm-o-matic. I’m sure there’s many a Queen’s unauthorized and unapproved motivational slogan just waiting to be made!
And because I have Portlandia fever… I put a bird on it.
I’m so honored to be caboose’n the last day of 
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
