Echinops and Aster

Thankful (A Blogging Goodbye)

2016-11-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last blog post. I wrote back in January and December about the changes that 2015 brought professionally and personally. If 2015 was a time of change, 2016 was a seismic shift for me.

I took on a new challenge professionally, moving into a position at a local museum where I'm leading a group of amazing women in marketing and promoting the museum. It's been really rewarding, but also much more demanding, both in time and focus. Being back in a museum setting again is really inspiring though, and helping to support the educational efforts of the organization feels like a good fit, especially with my eclectic background in both design and informal education. It's nice that this is a place where those two things really click in a meaningful way.

The other piece of major news is that last spring, my husband and I decided to separate. It's been the right choice for us, and we're still really good friends, but it's also an adjustment to go from being married for the past 10 years to being single again. During this process, I've had the opportunity to connect with friends who've been through divorces, and from what I can gather, this time really can become a tremendous catalyst for growth. That's the part that never really gets discussed that much in mainstream culture, but I'm looking forward to stepping into that fully, and figuring out what the next chapter of life will look like.

Part of "figuring things out" has involved considering what I'd like to do with this space. It's been an amazing 5 years of being connected to the online creative community through blogging and social media. I'm grateful for all the friends I've made, and the support that I've received and had the joy to reciprocate through sharing projects, tips, and a little personal stuff here and there. I really value that. I just realize more and more that I'm ready for something new, and leaving this space here unattended just doesn't feel right.

I've decided to make my blog private. This means that the content will no longer be publically accessible. I plan to make that change next Saturday, November 12th to give folks time to download their favorite tutorials. This feels like the right decision for me as my professional career takes a new shape, and I'm working in a much more public role. I am very proud of this space, but I also know that some of the content is more personal in nature. I've enjoyed sharing that with you, but I'm maybe unsure of professional contacts also having access to that through a Google search. ;) I'm sure you know exactly what I mean!

Thank you so much for reading this and for following along with my creative pursuits! I'm still quilting, knitting, and generally making - and I will probably still be posting on Instagram here and there too. If you'd like to get in touch and stay connected, please send me an email at echinops.aster{at}gmail{dot}com.

2015 - A Lovely Year of Finishes Retrospective

2016-01-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

2015 was a sprint of a year. It was full of many good changes and opportunities (new job & new home), but getting settled into a routine with room to be creative was a challenge. I'm thankful to Shanna and Melissa for hosting the A Lovely Year of Finishes link-up this year, and for the constant encouragement they provided to just keep making.

Here's the full list of all the finishes I completed for ALYOF in 2015:

DECEMBER - 2016 Tea Towel Calendars - Goal / Finish
NOVEMBER - Knit T-Shirt - Goal / Finish
AUGUST - M&C Wedding Quilt - Goal / Finish
JUNE - Alchemy Fusion Quilt Top - Goal / Finish
MARCH - Crimson & Clover Train Case - Goal / Finish
FEBRUARY - Drawstring Bag + Divider Zipper Pouch - Goal / Finish
JANUARY - Parterre Jardin Quilt - Goal / Finish

I was able to make and keep 7 months of goals this past year, which feels pretty good considering there were some full quilt finishes in there. There were even a few finished projects that weren't listed in these goals, so while 2015 wasn't my most prolific year, I did finish some fun projects and learn some new skills.

2016 Tea Towel Calendars

2015-12-31T17:21:00.002-08:00

Happy New Year! As 2015 is drawing to a close, I have one last finish to share this year. For my December A Lovely Year of Finishes goal I decided to work on my Christmas presents for my sister's and my brother's families. I made them each a tea towel-style calendar to enjoy throughout 2016.

Both of these were printed at Spoonflower on fat-quarters of their linen-cotton canvas fabric. Let me say first of all that this fabric is pretty heavy duty, but also manageably sewn using a regular sewing machine. I did end up using a denim needle and sewed a little more slowly when going over thicker areas with multiple layers of fabric. The best thing about this fabric is that it does iron beautifully and the thicker weight makes it perfect for creating wall-hangings that don't droop.

To finish these, I simply squared the fabric up and turned the edges under a couple of times to create a clean hem all the way around. I then added hanging details like the strip of quilting fabric in the one above and gold grommets on the one below. With the strip of fabric I sewed it as a decorative touch, so that it would be visible and so that a dowel could be thread through.

After I took these photos, I headed to the hardware store and picked out a 3/4 inch oak dowel (oak since it would show on the ends). I cut it to size, lightly sanded it, and screwed eyelets into the ends. The finishing touch was tying a piece of nice string to the eyelets to create a simple hanger. I'm hoping that I can make these calendars again next year and allow the hanger to be reused. It seems like something that could become a fun tradition and a quick handmade gift that is also very useful.

I have one more of these printed calendars set aside to sew up for my family. I'm hoping to get working on that this weekend so that we can start using it with the new year (rather than a month or two in). ;)

Today I'm linking up with the last ALYOF, not only of 2015 but for the foreseeable future. Shanna and Melissa have decided to take a break next year from hosting this. I can appreciate how much work it is to host a link-up, so I am thankful to them for providing those much needed prompts to keep working on my projects over a busy year.

Finishing the Year

2015-12-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

This month is the final one in my year-long experiment with the finish-along. Back in January, I challenged myself to set manageable goals each month for my sewing and quilting projects. I decided that outside accountability is always a good thing, so I signed up to participate in A Lovely Year of Finishes and the 2015 FAL. Doing so has really kept me on track, and I've finished a number of things this year that I'm proud of.

I just realized recently that I've been blogging and quilting now for four years - in fact I just had my official four-year anniversary in September. Filling this blog with notes and photos about my creative projects has been a great way to catalogue this journey and have the opportunity to share it with others. I have to admit that at times it hasn't always been easy to come back to this space to take the care that creating a blog post requires. Life gets busy, creativity ebbs and flows in unpredictable patterns, and even the whole nature of blogging has shifted within the time since I posted my first projects here.

My first project that I shared on the blog back in 2011

At times I've wondered if maybe keeping this blog has run its course. I wonder if maybe I should be focusing on cataloguing my work in another way that's perhaps more immediate and less time intensive, such as on Instagram. But then I always think how much I would miss having the opportunity to connect with others in this way and really tell the story of a certain quilt or project, share notes on techniques, and even have the opportunity to teach through tutorials. Your readership has made blogging so much more fulfilling and rich than if I was going at this alone, and I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by and have this conversation with me. My work is better because I share it with you, and that's not nothing!

I'm not sure what blogging will look like for me next year, but I do hope to keep posting and sharing. I may even do the finish-along experiment for another year. I'll have to see. I do plan to take some time this month to reflect on what I accomplished this year and what I would like to achieve next year. I already have a list of quilting and sewing techniques that I think I'd like to master in 2016.

For my December sewing goal I think it's appropriate that I'm working on making tea towel calendars for Christmas presents. There's probably nothing more prompting to start thinking about the future than literally staring at a calendar as you push it through a sewing machine! ;) I'm making several of these (printed from Spoonflower) and using different techniques to finish them for hanging.

As I'm sewing my calendars, I will be wishing each of you good luck with your holiday projects (fellow comrades in arms!), good cheer as you navigate this busy season, and good company - because connection is the real reason so many of us choose to be makers.

Linking up with:

Going With the Flow

2015-11-05T14:40:00.002-08:00

I've enjoyed setting goals for myself each month this year, even when it seems like about half the time life intervenes and I have to extend my expectations into the next month.

That's exactly what happened with my knit t-shirt goal from October. I didn't quite make it happen, but I can guarantee that November is going to be a victory. How can I say this with such certainty you ask? Well here's the funny and slightly ironic thing...I didn't finish my t-shirt in October, but I did finish it on November 1st! Sunday just happened to be the day that I had a block of time to sit down and get sewing. It happens, and that's why I've kept a flexible attitude towards these goals.

I'm going to be sharing this project on the Imagine Gnats blog, so for now I'll just leave you with this lovely shot of my first twin-needle stitched neckline. It feels like an accomplishment, even in its small way, to know how to do this properly without a serger and coverstitch machine. I can sew clothes! That's pretty cool.

Linking up with:

Final 2015 Goals

2015-10-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

We've entered the last quarter of 2015. As a mentioned back at the beginning of the year, my goal in participating in the 2015 Finish Along and A Lovely Year of Finishes was to help me track my creative progress and set manageable goals to motivate myself.

2015 has been a busy year for me professionally, so I've had less creative time for myself at home, but I am happy to say that I've been consistently making progress on my projects and getting things finished, albeit at a slower pace.

For the last quarter of the year, I'd like to finish strong, so I'm making a big list. I know right now as I type this that I won't be finishing all of these things, but who knows, maybe I'll end up making a good dent. I also find that with a big list I don't feel as limited to only work on *this* one project. It's almost a psychological certainty for me that if I say "I can only work on this" I will get bored and feel like my creative time becomes chore time. I like having the freedom to just grab whatever I feel in the mood to work on. So here's the list that I plan to work from:

Quilt Finishes

#1 Gnomas in the Windows

#2 Sunglow Quilt

#3 Alchemy Fusion Quilt

#4 Nine-Patch Curves Quilt (From "A Quilter's Mixology" by Angela Pingel)

Other Projects

#5 Satsuma Street Autumn Bird Cross Stitch
#6 Imagine Gnats contributor project - knit t-shirt

#7 Imagine Gnats contributor project - shot cottons

#8 Tote bag for work - either something simple or maybe if I'm feeling fancy, the Super Tote pattern by Noodlehead

Selfish Sewing Week / Fall Wardrobe

2015-10-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity earlier this week to write a post for Selfish Sewing Week at Imagine Gnats. What did I write about? Fall fashion of course!

While I've been a long-time admirer and even collector of indie fashion patterns, I'm just starting to dabble now in apparel sewing. With the amazing selection of patterns that are being released each season by independent designers and home sewists (just like us), I feel like it's easier than ever to get into garment sewing and pick up the skills needed to be successful at it.

I really think the clarity and approachability of independent patterns makes it possible, not to mention that almost every pattern release comes with sew-alongs, detailed blog posts with tips, and even the opportunity to contact the designer directly with questions.

So what this all means for me is that I'm giving it a shot. I've cut out my first Scout Tee (by Grainline Studio) and I'm making a knit t-shirt. To be completely honest, I feel like I'm in totally uncharted waters here, but I want to learn how to make clothes - so this is where I start. Thankfully I have the support of several apparel-savvy friends and the greater sewing community to help me figure it all out.

If you're curious about some of the patterns that I have my eye on for my fall wardrobe and would like to see some different versions those, head on over to Imagine Gnats to read my post here. I'm also talking about the ways in which more summer-appropriate patterns can be modified to work for fall and even winter temps. Think different substrates and layering!

I'm also linking up my goal to finish my first knit t-shirt with the ladies at A Lovely Year of Finishes:

September Sewing

2015-09-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

A month ago, I started with this pile of fabrics from "Hello Fall" by Sandy Gervais. My goal was to use the panel to create a fun, seasonal wall hanging to gift to my sister. Her tastes run a little more traditional than mine, so I took the opportunity to sew with a different style of fabric than I would usually gravitate to.

Now that same pile of fabric looks a little more like this:

I finished the top, basted it, and have it ready to be quilted. I'm still pondering my quilting options, although I am leaning towards doing some FMQ in the center, perhaps something like a woodgrain pattern. My plan is to practice my quilting a little more on a practice sandwich, and then move on to the main act. Finishing this quilt is my A Lovely Year of Finishes goal for September. I'm linking up with those ladies today.

M&C Wedding Quilt Finish

2015-08-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

It almost slipped my mind to link this finish up tonight in time for the A Lovely Year of Finishes August deadline. Thankfully as I was getting ready for bed tonight, a voice in the back of my head kept saying "I think you forgot to do something". Indeed!

Anyways, I'm happy to report that I finished sewing the binding on this quilt about a week ago and have already given it the crinkle treatment in the wash in preparation to gift it. This quilt is coming with us on our trip back to the Rockies in September, and I can't wait to give it to my brother and his wife for their anniversary.

As I mentioned in my original goal setting post for this project, I began this quilt in 2012 as a gift to the couple for their wedding. But as projects sometimes go (especially those with big intentions it seems) I ran out of time right before the wedding, and decided to wait on completing it so that I could put as much care as I wanted to into making it.

I sadly ended up moving the project to the pile of unfinished quilts as other projects with upcoming deadlines took precedence. I kept meaning to come back to it though and give it the attention it deserved, so this month ended up being the time finally to dedicate myself to finishing it.

I pieced a scrappy backing last month made up of the extra bits from piecing the top, and got to work on the quilting shortly after. I decided to do straight-line quilting following the vertical and horizontal lines of the piecing, with a few little turns and quirks in the overall design to highlight the embroidered plus on the front. The quilting is subtle, but also helps to reinforce the design I think.

I did try out some free-motion quilting on the red pluses on the front of the quilt, but ended up taking that quilting out. The red thread I used blended well with the front design, but didn't look the way I wanted it to on the back with all of that light green.

Nonetheless, I'm happy I gave the quilting a try and will have to find ways to use FMQ on future projects. Also by the way, I'm enjoying exploring this skill more and more with my new machine.

My brother and his wife are now the proud parents to two 1 year-old twin girls, so I imagine many more quilts will be made for them in the future. For now, I hope that this quilt will be a nice throw-size for the family, and a loving reminder of the day their family started.

Quilt Stats:

Name: M&C Wedding Quilt

Pattern: Plus quilt design (inspired by various quilts, including this tutorial by Jeni Baker)

Size: 64" square

Fabrics used: Various solids and prints in greens, yellow, and reds

Thread: Pieced and quilted with Aurifil, quilting is Aurifil variegated 40wt #4658

Linking up with:

Let's Try That Again

2015-08-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

During July, I didn't complete my A Lovely Year of Finishes Goal, but I'm ok with that. It was more challenging for me to find time to sit at the sewing machine last month, although I did get to work on some smaller piecing projects, take a moment to baste my Plus Wedding quilt, and even attend a free motion quilting class with Christina Cameli (offered through my quilt guild). It was awesome by the way!

On the plus side, at work we got through our busiest month of the year and had two major events go off without a hitch, so that's something. :) I'm looking forward to getting adjusted to a more even schedule this month, and hopefully making some progress on this project.

My Plus Wedding Quilt is all basted and ready to be quilted. I selected thread earlier this week, and decided to go with a yellow variegated thread in 40wt from Aurifil.

There is actually a slightly funny story behind this too. I was searching through my thread looking for the perfect color that would be subtle, but still add to the overall design. This yellow variegated thread immediately jumped out to me as the clear choice. The color is just perfect. I must have been feeling extra scatterbrained though, because at first I thought the thread was 50wt and was kind of bummed.

You see most of the Aurifil I have is 50wt (that's what is usually available and that's what I piece with), but I was looking for something more substantial for quilting. I've seen a few popped stitches here and there on some of my other quilts where I used 50wt cotton to quilt, and I really want this finished quilt to be used and loved as much as possible while still looking good. I totally spaced that Aurifil thread has this handy color coding system where green means 40wt (red is 50). Crisis averted! ;) I will have to remember that information for the future too!

My moment of brain lapse aside, I think I have finally settled on a quilting style for this project. I'm going to do straight-line quilting all over in the yellow thread and add some pops of red thread (also 40wt) to the red pluses scattered over the quilt top. I wanted to employ some of my new FMQ skills into this project as well, but I'll have to see if I have time to add some embellishments.

I'm linking up my August goal to finish this quilt with A Lovely Year of Finishes:

3rd Quarter Goals

2015-07-13T20:26:00.001-07:00

It's time to post goals for the 3rd Quarter of the 2015 Finish-Along. Last quarter I had a pretty ambitious list and did manage to finish a couple things, my Stacked Tiles Quilt and my Idea Pouches. I feel pretty good about getting these things done, even though my overall list was much longer.

In April we moved and I started a new job, so in the midst of all that transition, it was nice to finish a quilt (that I'm using with my summer bedding) and a couple new bags to keep smaller projects organized. In the end, staying focused on finishing a couple top goals felt like the right pace for me during those busy months.

This quarter I'm also going ambitious with my list and hoping to get at least a few of these crossed off in the end:

#1 M&C Wedding Quilt - Backing is sewed as of tonight - need to baste, quilt, and bind.

#2 Alchemy Fusion Quilt - Needs additional borders, backing, quilt, and bind.

#3 Hello Fall Wall Hanging - Present for my sister, hoping to finish in time for her to display this fall.

#3 Sunglow Quilt - Need to finish sewing the backing, quilt, and bind.

#4 Satsuma Street Autumn Bird Cross Stitch
#5 Imagine Gnats contributor project - fabrics are selected

I'll also most likely continue working on a small rotation of WIPs that I've been adding to here and there, like my improv hexies. For now I'm going to let those build slowly and not try to get them wrapped up quickly just yet. A few of those kinds of projects mixed in with this more-defined list feels right for this quarter.

I'm linking up with Adrianne today:

July Sewing Goal / M&C Wedding Quilt

2015-07-06T19:29:00.001-07:00

July is already here and we've reached (and passed) the midpoint of the year. It's a little crazy how fast 2015 is going by, but I'm happy to report that I've kept up with meeting at least some of my goals each month and quarter for the two finish-alongs I'm participating in this year.

Once again, it's time to record my goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes (the monthly link-up) and so for July, I plan to finish this quilt top.

As you can maybe read in the embroidery, I began this quilt in 2012 for my brother and his soon-to-be wife. We're actually headed out to visit them in Wyoming this September, so I'd like to have this finished in order to be able to give it to them in person for their anniversary.

I'm going to go ahead and pretend here that this is totally meant as an anniversary quilt and not a really late wedding quilt. ;) They have been patiently waiting for me to finish this up for the past 3(!) years, but I hope that once it's finished it ends up being worth the wait and becomes the go-to family quilt.

Anyways, I'm linking up with ALYoF:

Alchemy Fusion Quilt Top

2015-06-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

For my June A Lovely Year of Finishes goal, I decided to take a break from my ongoing WIPs and start working on a new quilt top using a single charm pack with some solids and blenders.

I began this project partly as a way to whittle down my sizable charm pack stash (I can't help but collect them it seems), and partly to help jump start my sewing mojo. Since moving and beginning a new job this past spring, I've been trying to find time here and there to sew, but it has been more of a challenge. This project, with it's bite-sized amount of precise piecing, ended up being just what I needed to get back to the sewing machine. My stash is now one charm pack lighter, and I'm feeling more inspired to sew and start planning for some new projects too.

When picking out a design for this quilt, I was inspired by the Four-Patch Fusion pattern by Anka's Treasures (from "Charmed & Dangerous" by Heather Mulder Peterson). I ended up modifying the design to work with a smaller amount of fabric and also changed around the piecing and the scale of the blocks to fit my own preferences. I used one charm pack of "Alchemy" by Amy Butler plus some Essex linen, Andover textured solids in peacock, and some chambray from Robert Kaufman. I was pleasantly surprised to use up every last bit of the charm pack to make my blocks, and thus avoided feeding my scrap bin (which let's face it, also needs to be whittled down). :)

Before I baste and quilt this, I think I might build out the borders a bit more to make a more substantial quilt. In the meantime, I'm checking off my goal to finish the central piecing and linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes:

Making a Charm Pack Quilt

2015-06-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

I shared this pile of trimmed charms over on Instagram recently. I've been feeling a little less than inspired by some of the WIPs I've been working on lately, so I decided that I needed to start on something completely new and different to get back into the swing of things.

I also decided that a fairly simple project was in order to not feel overwhelmed, so I started working with this charm pack of "Alchemy" by Amy Butler because (a.) It's a gorgeous line and (b.) I have a TON of charm packs in my stash (because apparently it's my precut of choice), and I wanted to start using some of them in my quilting projects.

I began by hunting for the perfect pattern online and in my Pinterest boards, specifically looking for patterns that could be adapted for a one charm pack project. I was completely inspired by this quilt:

It's the Four-Patch Fusion pattern by Anka's Treasures (from "Charmed & Dangerous" by Heather Mulder Peterson). I love the way that the printed fabric works with the negative space in this quilt, so I decided to give it a shot and modify the design to work with a smaller amount of fabric.

I've already made all the subunits in the quilt and have started piecing together the rows, so my goal for this month is to finish the quilt top. I may or may not add some borders to build the size out a bit, but at the very least I will have the central portion all pieced.

I'm linking up this goal with A Lovely Year of Finishes:

Stacked Tiles Quilt

2015-06-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

I have new post up at the Imagine Gnats blog, and I made a quilt. :)

This is not just any quilt though. This one is made entirely with super-soft, metallic-printed double gauze and drapey chambray fabric from Kokka (Ellen Luckett Baker "Charms") and Robert Kaufman.

In my post, I talk all about my process for selecting a pattern to go with these kinds of fabrics and also discuss what worked well for me in terms of handling the shifting qualities of these types of substrates, especially in comparison to my experience with quilting cotton. I felt like I learned a lot about sewing with a softer, more fluid substrate from making this project, and I hope that my thoughts on the process will be informative for others too.

You can catch my entire post here, at Imagine Gnats.

This project was also part of my 2nd Quarter Finish Along Goals, so I'll be linking up too:

Idea Pouches

2015-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love a quick, fun project. Sometimes sewing something up that takes only a few hours is really satisfying. Making these Idea Pouches for Quilt Sandwich Fabrics turned out to be one of my favorite projects to work on this year so far. Even when I only had a few minutes here and there to sew between packing boxes for our move, they gave me something creative to work on to break up the time.

I made these versions with Elizabeth by Tula Pink and Flora by Joel Dewberry using the Idea Pouch pattern by Michelle Patterns. I also threw in an apricot shot-cotton from Westminster Fabrics to compliment the colors in these collections. You can read more about the details of this project over at the Quilt Sandwich Fabrics blog.

Becca, proprietress and one half of the sister duo at Quilt Sandwich, also happens to be a guild mate. in the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. It was so much fun to be able to work with her on this project and geek out a little over the fabrics (hidden bats!). If you love these as much as I do, you can find Flora here and Elizabeth here in the Quilt Sandwich Fabrics online store.

I also finished this project as part of my 2nd Quarter Finish-Along Goals:

May Sewing Goal

2015-05-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

With moving last month and also starting a new job, (Yes both together! How else would one schedule major life changes?) ;) April was a busy month for me. Our move was just a local one--we're living north of Seattle now--so I'm already starting to get my sewing space set up again and feeling anxious to begin pulling out my projects.

I took last month off from A Lovely Year of Finishes to focus on work and home stuff, but I'm ready once again to set a sewing goal to work towards for this month. My goal for May is to finish my Seattle Modern Quilt Guild "Paint Chip Challenge" Mini.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, our guild is having a quilt show for the minis that will go on display at Drygoods Design in Seattle in June. I'm working on an 18" square paper-pieced design using the light grey paint chip. It's the first paper-pieced pattern I've ever created, so making my blocks has been a bit of a learning experience, but it's working out! I'm excited to share finished photos of this, but I still have about 75% of the design to piece (not to mention quilt and bind).

The minis are due next week, so I'm hoping for a productive weekend with lots of sewing. I'm linking up today with the ALYoF ladies:

Book Review / "Dear Quilty"

2015-04-13T11:07:00.001-07:00

For my latest contributor post at Imagine Gnats, I had the chance to review a new quilting book that I've been pretty excited to check out.

As a fan of Mary Fons and her fantastic blog, I was all too happy to have the chance to check out her latest book release "Dear Quilty", and it didn't disappoint!

Head on over to Imagine Gnats to read my full review of "Dear Quilty" by Mary Fons and Team Quilty.

FAL / 2nd Quarter Goals

2015-04-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

It's time to set goals for the second quarter of the year for the 2015 Finish-Along. I have one project from last quarter that's hopping over to this list to try to get finished (my knit socks), but other than that, I have a whole new list of goals to tackle over the next couple months.

Dead Simple Lace Socks

Stacked Tiles Quilt

Some of the projects are recent WIPs, like my Stacked Tiles Quilt for Imagine Gnats (which you may have seen in progress on Instagram), while others are projects that I've had on the backburner for a while and would like to see get finished, like my Sunglow Quilt.

Sunglow Quilt

Joel Dewberry "Flora" Fabric for Idea Pouch

I'm also working on a fun guest contributor project for Quilt Sandwich Fabrics this quarter using these gorgeous fabrics from their shop. I'm making a couple Idea Pouches from Michelle Patterns. I've had this pattern stashed away for some time now, but I hadn't had a chance yet to make it. I'm looking forward to it!

Tula Pink "Elizabeth" Fabric for Idea Pouch

Paint Chip Challenge Fabrics

Also, the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild is hosting a "Paint Chip Challenge" mini quilt show for the entire guild that will go on display at Drygoods Design in Seattle in June. I'm working on an 18" square mini using the light grey paint chip and some fun paper piecing that I designed in Illustrator. It's the first paper-pieced pattern I've ever designed, so I hope it goes together smoothly.

So here's the master list of projects that I hope to complete this quarter. It's pretty ambitious for me, but I have high hopes of making some good progress, keeping the momentum going, and getting a lot done this quarter:

Stacked Tiles Quilt
Idea Pouches for Quilt Sandwich Fabrics
SeaMQG Paint Chip Challenge Mini
M&C Wedding Quilt
Dead Simple Lace Knit Socks
Twin Woodland Baby Quilts (first blocks here, and here)
Satsuma Street Autumn Bird Cross Stitch
Sunglow Quilt

Linking up with Adrianne:

Why good tools are important (and other life lessons)

2015-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a bit of a wordy post, just to forewarn anyone on the hunt for mostly eye-candy. ;)

At the end of January, I shared my first quilt finish of 2015. With this particular quilt, I felt so happy (and even a little relieved) to officially check it off my "must-finish" list. This longstanding work-in-progress really languished for a while as I had no clue how I would quilt it. I remember asking here on the blog for help and suggestions on possibly using free-motion quilting to finish it, something I've been really interested in learning for quite some time. I received so much encouragement to jump in and give it a try, so I did!

But after struggling to get my machine on board with that idea, I frustratingly realized that I needed to figure something out before taking my practice work to the real thing. Before long, other deadlines took priority, and so this project sat untouched for quite a while as I considered what to do next. When I finally did get back to finishing it, I really just wanted to have it done, so straight-line quilting was the logical choice--something I knew I wouldn't have issues with.

I love straight-line quilting and in the end I really like what it adds to this quilt, but I felt a little torn about the decision to not free-motion quilt it. I mean, was I copping out? Even though I knew that I wouldn't be happy with the results I was getting from free-motion quilting on my current machine (an early 2000s Bernina Bernette 60) I still worried that I wasn't pushing myself hard enough to learn or being forgiving enough of my beginner skills. I felt a little guilty.

But after having the opportunity in February to play a little with free-motion quilting on a couple of different sewing machines (with decent results!), I realized something huge. Something that allowed me to stop beating myself up over the crappy free-motion stitching I was getting with my Bernette.

All this time it wasn't just user error or a lack of skill on my part that was screwing up the quilting, it was actually partly my machine, and also most likely the limited style of foot (hopping darning) that was available for it. My set-up just didn't have the sensitivity needed to do this type of sewing very well, and so I found myself fighting at every turn to get the machine to work in a predictable, controllable way. Sewing on the other machines really brought this fact into sharp focus.

Knowing that made it even easier to see that going with straight-line quilting on this project was the best choice I had at the time, and it really got me thinking that having a new machine someday was turning into needing a new machine now so that my skills could continue to grow and not be held back by my tools. That was a big eye opener for someone like me who is admittedly pretty frugal when it comes to big purchases like sewing machines. I thought that if I were a better quilter, I could just transcend the issues I was having, but I began to realize that I was spending a lot of precious sewing time troubleshooting the various problems that would come up with my machine.

After talking all of this over with my husband, we decided that it was time to make it happen, so I picked out a machine (the Juki tl-2010Q), and was actually just about to purchase it when something unexpected happened, I was gifted a machine by a family friend, a vintage 1975 Bernina 830 Record. In the 40 years that my friend had owned it, she had lovingly taken care of it and stored it away carefully, but hadn't really used it much either.

The technician who serviced it said that the 830 Record was one of the best machines Bernina has ever made (all metal construction) and that my machine in particular was in the most pristine condition he had ever seen. I really lucked out.

After putting the machine through its paces for the last month, I can attest that it does sew wonderfully and keeps getting better. I feel incredibly thankful each time I sit down to sew with it that my friend wanted to pass her machine on to me. :) I marvel at her good timing and I hope to make good use of her generous gift in a way that she would be proud of.

I will of course have fond memories of learning to sew and quilt on my Bernette. But I can also objectively say that completing more involved projects, like the train case that I just finished recently, wouldn't happen without a lot of swearing and frustration if I didn't switch to a more powerful, more finely tuned machine.

Someday in the future I may still get the Juki (or something like it) when I feel that I need more from my machine once again to keep growing, but for now I'm excited to see how much I can do and how many more skills I can build with my new (to me) Record.

So here's the life lessons learned:

New sewing machines are expensive (and the great ones even more so), but good tools are essential.
Also good tools can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places - like in your friend's storage... or on Craigslist. These tools are usually not as expensive. They might even be free.
Friends who really encourage you are priceless. They deserve quilts.
And finally, and probably most importantly, don't beat yourself up over not being where you want to be with your skills. Sometimes it's just a matter of learning what you need to get better.

Cross Stitch Wonderland

2015-03-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

I finished my latest cross stitch project about a month ago, but realized that I hadn't posted about it yet. This pattern, by Satsuma Street on Etsy, was a favorite when I shared sneak peeks of it here on the blog and I have to say I'm pretty smitten with it too.

Jody's aesthetic is so bright and fun, and feels like it's touching on some of the best aspects of midcentury design. She's posted in the past about being a fan of Mary Blair, who was a key artist at Disney during the Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan era of the company. Have you ever been to "It's a Small World" at Disneyland? Mary was a big part of the concept art and character design of the ride. In this cross stitch pattern, and in Jody's other work, I can really see the appreciation of Mary's art style coming through.

My plans for using this project include sewing it into a quilt or wall hanging, or maybe even just framing it. I have another of Jody's patterns to stitch up that would really compliment this design, so maybe I'll start on that one next and see if any ideas percolate.

This project was also one of my finish-along goals. I did pretty well in this first quarter of the year, finishing 4 out of the 5 goals I made for myself. My knit socks will have to head on over to the next quarter goals, but I'm happy with 80%. :)

April is already shaping up to be one of my busiest months so far this year, so I may be a little quieter than usual. I'll be sharing my second quarter goals soon, and my plan is to have a few smaller projects to work on during the busier times, plus maybe one larger project to consistently add to. I already have a larger quilt in the works (double gauze and chambray!) that should fit the ticket nicely, so I'll get some photos together to share my progress with you soon.

I'm linking up with Adrianne:

Crimson & Clover Train Case / Selfish Sewing Week

2015-03-14T13:40:00.001-07:00

I've been blown away by the range of amazing projects that have been shared during this spring edition of Selfish Sewing Week. I'm bringing up the last of the posts over at Imagine Gnats, but I really recommend making sure you check out all of contributors from the past 7 days for lots of great indie pattern inspiration.

After seeing so many beautiful handmade garments this week, I'm feeling more and more like I should really be getting into the clothing sewing game. In the meantime though, I'm finding ways to branch out a bit more with my sewing repertoire and try out some new techniques that I've been wanting to work with in bag making. I decided that for my Selfish Sewing Week project I wanted to make a more structured bag, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to sew up the Crimson & Clover Train Case pattern by Sara of Sew Sweetness.

Making this bag was a great way for me to learn some new sewing techniques, but to do so in a way that wasn't frustrating or overwhelming. Sara's instructions were easy to follow and intuitive in a way that gave me the tools I needed to work through some more challenging construction techniques, like sewing piping, without too much angst. In fact I feel like I'm excited to use this technique again in future projects, especially now that I've had some success and worked my initial kinks out. That's always a great sign!

To read my full post and to see more photos of my finished train case, head on over to Imagine Gnats.

This project was also my March, A Lovely Year of Finishes goal

and one of my 1st Quarter FAL goals.

I'm linking up this finish:

March Sewing Plans

2015-03-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

February went by so quickly. It's hard to believe we're already into the third month of 2015 and coming around to the end of the first quarter. For my March ALYoF's goal I know I will be finishing this soon, because it's posting next week. :) Sometime I really love having built in deadlines like that.

This is my Selfish Sewing Week contributor project for Imagine Gnat, and so the final reveal will be a secret until next week. I'm sewing a type of bag that I never thought I would be able to tackle on a home sewing machine, but thanks to a fantastic pattern, it's gone together really beautifully. I can't wait to share my finished bag and reveal the details behind the pattern and the designer. A big hint is that many of you already know and love her great bag patterns and fun fabric designs. :)

My post goes up next Saturday (March 14), but don't miss out on the other bloggers and contributors that will also be sewing a little something for themselves and sharing their finishes throughout the week.

I'm also linking this post up for the March goal setting party:

Drawstring Bag + Divider Zipper Pouch

2015-02-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

My latest contributor post is up at the Imagine Gnats blog today. As I mentioned last month, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the very talented Jeni Baker of In Color Order. With her blessing, I was able to take her popular Lined Drawstring Bag and show how to add a fun modification to the pattern to make it even more customized.

I'm happy to say that I am now the proud owner of three new drawstring bags, each equipped with a handy divider zipper pouch. I'm using them constantly too. I'm have the smaller ones stocked up for sock knitting and the larger one for embroidery, currently.

Even with the zipper pouch addition, these bags are still really quick makes. I found myself finding more and more fabrics pulls to make bags with as I was putting together my materials, so I ended up making three bags. I used several Cotton + Steel prints from Imagine Gnats along with some other bright prints and solids from my own stash.

The lovely herringbone denim that I used for the lining on two of the bags is by Robert Kaufman, also from Imagine Gnats. By adding a little interfacing (Pellon SF 101) to the thinner chambray, I was able to give it the structure that it needed for this type of project. Interfacing really is magical.

To read the full tutorial, head over here, to the Imagine Gnats blog.

This project was also my February, A Lovely Year of Finishes goal

and one of my 1st Quarter FAL goals.

I'm linking up with those gals too. :)

A Few Quick Things to Share

2015-02-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

Have you been enjoying all the posts from QuiltCon on Instagram? Quite a few people from my local guild and lots of friends from online had the chance to attend this year, so I've been stalking their feeds. While I wish I was there in person, I've really been enjoying scrolling through images from the quilt show, and I feel like I have about a year's worth of inspiration stored up now.

While I didn't have the chance to attend myself, a couple of quilts that I had the opportunity to contribute to did make the journey to Austin. The Love Circle, that I sew with through do. Good Stitches, has two quilts that we made together that are hanging in the special do. Good Stitches show. These were designed, compiled, and quilted by Natalie at Greenleaf Goods and Ara Jane at You Know What I Love?, respectively.

Watercolor Quilt by the Love Circle of do. Good Stitches, quilted by Natalie

Sunset Stripes by the Love Circle of do. Good Stitches, quilted by Ara Jane

Not attending QuiltCon does have its perks though, like having the time to be able to go through one's stash and finally pull some fabrics that need to go on to new homes. :) I had a quick Instagram destash recently (at my new seller account @echinopsasterdestash) and only sold a few things, so I've been moving the unsold listings over to Etsy to try over there. That means my shop has reopened! Feel free to drop by to check out the listings, plus I'll be adding more periodically over the next week too.

Finally, I also heard recently (through my friend Diane) that there has been a resolution over at Etsy to the VATMOSS (i.e. #VATMESS) debacle. Etsy has decided to collect and process the needed taxes that go along with this new EU resolution, so small business owners can get back to selling their digital goods. I've been contemplating reopening and expanding my pattern shop this year, so the removal of this barrier means that it would be so much easier to do so. I'll keep you updated on how that goes. :)