Stash Resolution

We've Moved!

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:27:00 +0000

Please join me at our new blog home, In Stitches.

After much thought and consideration, it's time to retire the Stash Resolution blog and move on to an updated look and name more in keeping with my goals working in this wonderful industry.

I hope you will take the time to change your feeds and continue to follow my sewing, quilting, knitting, and life adventures.

See you there!

Multi Tasking

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:19:00 +0000

How do I do it all? Well, right now, I'm making breakfast while writing this blog post. Sausage is sizzling on the stove, and I'm intermittently writing a word or two in between putting Isabelle's pacie back in her mouth, getting apple juice for Olivia, and flipping the patties. Ah, domestic bliss. :-)

This week, I was excited to have not one but TWO knitting finishes - and a great start to another project. Yeah!

First up was a neck warmer for a friend. I've watched this friend blossom as a knitter of the last few years going from basic stockinette scarfs to now hats and blankets, both of which she knit for Isabelle. I wanted to make her a little something in return.

She is super fashionable, so this floral pattern - called Flora (a free Knitty download) seemed to fit her well. The pattern has clear instructions and an interesting construction, including a new twisted stitch/technique that I had never done before. I used Malabrigo - yummy! - worsted in a bright pink colorway, which worked out perfectly for the project.

Next up is a finished sweater for baby Isabelle. The pattern is a Knit Picks download called the Offset Baby Cardigan. I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in a plum colorway. Just can't beat the price of yarn at Knit Picks for kids wear that they grow out of so quickly!

I love the offset cable. Such a quirky, unexpected construction. I purchased flower buttons from this Etsy shop and highly recommend it - great customer service and lightning-fast shipping.

Finally, I have the long-awaited Cha Cha scarf back on the needles. The scarf will get to its rightful owner by the end of October. I promise! :-)

Now, off to negotiate with Olivia on why she needs to eat her peaches with breakfast. :-)

Flying Geese

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:36:00 +0000

I found a little time yesterday to start my flying geese mini quilt project. Love making organized stacks of fabric. Something about it is so satisfying.

There are a million other projects I should finish before starting this new one. Sometimes one needs a new project to get inspired, right?

I'm using the Quilt in a Day Flying Geese ruler and this mini quilt tutorial from Purl Bee for inspriation.

What are you making this week?

Harvest

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:26:00 +0000

If I don't do a quick post today, there's no telling when it will happen. In the battle between parents and children, the children are winning today. Hands down. Olivia is presently screaming in her room because I told her she needed to have quiet time. Key word - QUIET!

Anyway, we did have a nice weekend and managed to finish a couple harvest-y of projects.

First up, a pumpkin made from this tutorial.

I think it looks okay in our family room - nice and festive. (Thanks to my mom for helping get the pieces cut and leaves embroidered!)

Olivia and I had a sewing date with my friend, Patty, and her daughter. We made ghost decorations out of muslin and batting.

The girls drew faces on them, and they were strung with floral wire to a piece of fabric. Great project for the under 10 crowd if you're looking for a fun Halloween activity - with parental supervision of course!

Finally, we made Halloween bunting using Alexander Henry's The Ghastlies fabric. Such a fun line in a spooky-silly way.

Hope you're getting this week off to a great start and are doing something fun to mark the beginning of autumn!

Episode 34: Newsie

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:01:00 +0000

Here are links to what I talked about in episode 34 of the Stash Resolution podcast. Download episodes for free on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Moby Wrap
Knitmore Girls podcast
Pumpkin tutorial by Pink Suede Shoes
Fabric Pinwheel tutorial by Night Owl Crafting
Flower buttons purchased here
Super Quick Baby Bonnet
Upside Down Daisy hat
Sew Forth Now
Singer - My Singer Story
Project Modern Challenge 4
V & Co pillow cover tutorial
Lots of Pink Here
Cottonway ironing board cover
Generation Q Magazine
Quilting Daydreams
Quilter in the Gap
Very Lazy Daisy
Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Magazine

Flurry

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:34:00 +0000

It's been a flurry of activity around here. I feel like I never stop moving. There's the laundry to keep up with, children who need fed, bathed, changed, mail to sort, coupons to clip, carpet to vaccuum. Yesterday, when both girls were having breakdowns simultaneously, my husband and I looked at each other and I said, "They're trying to kill us!" :-) True, this is a happy time, though exhausting.

Isabelle turned one month this weekend. She has gained three pounds in four weeks, which is pretty amazing for a nursed baby. I bought monthly stickers to take her photo from this lovely shop. She has definitely filled out in her cheeks and legs (and wasn't feeling a photo shoot yesterday!).

Anyway, I finished another Simple Little Runner for a wedding gift, this time out of Kate Spain's Flurry. It was washed and wrapped within hours of the event! But a win is a win, right?

I just love this collection with the pop of bright blue.

I did simple meandering quilting and used solid fabric for the backing and binding. Hope the happy couple will enjoy bringing this holiday decoration out for years to come.

If the stars align, I am going to record a podcast this morning. Stay tuned for a jam-packed episode! There is so much to share. :-)

Misc.

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:26:00 +0000

I have a hodge podge of information to share with you this morning.

First, lost in baby land, I completely missed the sign ups for the sixth round of the Pillow Talk {Swap} on Flickr. Did you get in? If not, join me on the side lines cheering on the amazing work we're about to see. The talent in this group is unbelievable!

Next up, my Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild friend, Heather, had a fantastic link to a Wall Street Journal article on Denyse Schmidt on her blog Olive & Ollie. A wonderful read!

Do you ever have design freeze? This is the situation with my master bedroom. It's basically a very ugly blank canvass right now. Nothing about it says "sanctuary." Instead it says "depression." So, I happened upon West Elm's room concept ideas when searching for new bedding (yes, I know I could make a quilt, but it will take too stinkin' long!). The site even tells you what paint color to use - Amen! Can't decide which I like better -

this one

Which do you like?

Finally, I love it when my customers send me photos of the projects they complete with fabric from the shop. Makes my day! Tina was sweet enough to share photos of an adorable bag she completed using Strawberry Fields fabric.

She used Lila Tueller's Cambridge Cargo Bag pattern - under the Pink Fig Design label. Isn't it beautiful? The finishing touches like the buckle and pocket flaps make it look like it was bought in high-end a store. Thank you, Tina, for sharing your work with us! (BTW, love the music on Lila's blog! Click the link, turn up your speakers, and get ready to groove!)

Wishing you a great weekend!

Wedding Bells

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:29:00 +0000

In the next several weeks, we have two weddings to attend. It's been over a year since we've attended a wedding, and now we have two back-to-back! I love weddings... Always a sap with my tissues in the church pew.

Anyway, I decided to make each happy couple a table runner using this Moda Bakeshop recipe. The first is complete!

I used one Sweetwater Hometown charm pack, Hometown backing, and a little Bella Solid in Ivory to complete the project. It uses minimal yardage and came together so quickly!

I opted to not use ric rac and keep it a little more simple as I think this will appeal to the recipient's taste a little better.

The backing is Cross Town in Cream. I like the scale and simplicity of this print.

I made a set of four coordinating napkins out of Flower Shop in Mist using this tutorial from Skip to My Lou for instructions on how to miter corners. It was a bit fussy to get right, I must say.

I hope the bride enjoys this set as much as I did making it for her!

The Before

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:12:00 +0000

I held back showing you pictures of my new attic sewing space because it wasn't perfect yet. The truth of the matter is that it may never be. So, here goes...

I have one adorable square window on the far wall of the space. I made a little valance from this fabric and have my sewing table with machine, serger, and notions. This is the mid-day light that casts into the space - the most direct it ever is, at least this time of year.

My iron is conveniently set up right next to the sewing table. Stacks of plastic containers of fabric fill the space beneath the table. Seriously, I think I have enough stuff to sew for the next eon!

The boxes stacked to hold my yarn look dangerously close to buckeling! I like having them on display, though. That way I don't forget what I have - plus all the colors together are kind of pretty. Books are propped against the yarn containers loudly mocking me for barely having made anything from them. I can't be the only crafter with this problem, right?

On the left long wall, I have several Ikea shelves full of bolts of fabric. They're organized by line and then by print. Pre-cuts and fat quarters are stacked on the top shelves as are remnants. I'm very protective of this space - no one is to enter without first washing their hands and then asking permission! I'm a real sticker about that. And, yes, that is an Anna Maria Horner rug on the floor. It used to be in my foyer, but it suites this room much better.

Here is all the Echino and Kokka fabric - what a happy, fun shelf! It's Olivia's favorite to "shop" and tell me which ones she likes best, which is usually all of them. "Mama, I like this one, and this one, and this one... oh, and this one..."

I try to keep the fabric like I would organize it if people were coming in to shop it in person. It keeps me on top of inventory, and makes fulfilling orders a little more simple, especially if I have to call in reinforcements (a.k.a. hubby!).

Opposite the fabric is my cutting table. This creates a nice work flow cutting down the number of steps between bolts and cutting. Here is the business person coming out in me - efficiency!

Next to the cutting table is one of my favorite organizational purchases - a wire drawer system from Ikea. On the top, I keep shipping supplies (packaging tape, Sharpies, business cards, etc.). Then, each of the other three drawers are dedicated to my current personal projects - one for each of my daughters and one for household/gift projects. This keeps everything neat and visible, and it's the first thing I see when I enter the room.

Finally, here is a view of the other side of the room. The entrance is from my master bedroom. My desk is against the wall opposite the window, which is nothing special to look at, though I probably spend more time here than at my sewing table. :-(

These are the "before" pictures of this space. There is much decorating to be done in this space- mini quilts to be made and hung, sewing-related decorations to be purchased, design wall to be assembled, etc. As I make significant improvements, I'll show you updates. I created a Pinterest inspiration board (at time of writing this, Pinterest is experiencing issues and not allowing me to link to the board. Find me as Sarah Hibner and then look for my board called something like Dream Sewing Spaces) of other sewing spaces to keep me going.

I feel spoiled and grateful to have this wonderful area dedicated to my passion. The fact that many sewers only have their kitchen table, a closet, or a corner is not lost on me. With that in mind, I'm going to get in gear and show my appreciation for this space by making it an inspiring creative place to be!

Hope you all have a great week!

Baby Quilt and Give Away Winner

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Today feels like a vacation day. Why? Well, the baby is currently sleeping peacefully in her bassinet and Olivia is at pre-school. Yesterday was my first day alone with both the girls at home all day and my goodness did they run me ragged! We went to the park, cleaned, prepped dinner, played games, changed diapers, nursed, changed clothes about 10 times... Exhausting but wonderful. But I'd by lying if I wasn't grateful for this quiet time, which I'm going to put to good crafty use!

A few months ago, I talked in a podcast episode about whole cloth quilting. While this may not totally qualify as the definition of the technique, I am hand quilting straight lines on Isabelle's baby quilt.

To prep, I sandwiched the quilt as I would to machine quilt it. Then I drew straight lines lightly in pencil across the top fabric. Using a square quilting hoop, no. 8 perle cotton, and an embroidery needles, I am going to town quilting little sections at a time.

The effect on the back is quite subtle since the fabric is dark. That doesn't bother me, though, because the front is a busy print. Fabric is Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi.

Making sure my crafting is distributed equally between the girls, I am knitting Olivia a hat called Upside Down Dai sy from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitt Hats book. This pattern has been on my mind to make her since I first took up knitting over three years ago but wasn't confident I had the skills until now. I'm worried it may be too baby-ish for her but am moving forward anyway.

The yarn is Mirasol T'ika, which is 8 ply 100% cotton. Unlike some cottons, this one has a buttery hand to it and doesn't feel dry or stiff. The pattern is perfect for middle-of-the-night feedings as I have to knit 7" in the round. Perfect mindless work while watching episodes of House Hunters International. :-)

And now for the winner of the Sweetwater Hometown fat quarter bundle selected by Random Number Generator...Congratulations Gretchen who said:

I was born in McKeesport, Pa, but moved away from there when I was eight. I spent the rest of my growing up years in Belleville, MI which really feels more like my hometown to me. Instill live in that general vicinity.

Gretchen, I'll be in touch to arrange shipment of your prize!

Reading your comments was such fun! Thank you for the enthusiasm and personal stories you shared. I wasn't expecting that but was reminded what a wonderful sharing and supportive community of sewers we have. :-)

zippity

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:41:00 +0000

After reading this post by Amy at Lots of Pink Here, I was inspired to make Olivia a travel pouch for her overnight visits at her grandparents' houses. But first I had to conquer the zipper!

On Amy's good recommendation, I purchased an assortment of zippers from Zipit and was super pleased with the quick shipping and friendly customer service. Her shop is like a virtual candy store of zippers!

Then, I used this tutorial by Vanessa Hewell of LBG Studio make the patchwork pouch. Using scraps of Heather Bailey Nicey Jane, I actually cut out for two pouches. Proving that bad stitches still happen to good (sleep deprived) people, one bit the dust when I accidentally snipped through the exterior in the very last step of the project. UGH!

The second patchwork was in a blue and green color way... And was intended for Olivia's ballet instructor as an end-of-summer gift. So, instead, I whipped up a solid exterior version using Echino fabric. Without messing with piecing, this came together in under 10 minutes. We added a gift card to a coffee shop and - voila! - teacher gift done.

I can see making a bunch of these for holiday teacher gifts. Maybe I'll add a little more jazz to them when I'm not under pressure to finish it in between feedings and diaper changes!

What's Your Hometown? Giveaway

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:03:00 +0000

While I've always dreamed of big-city life, perhaps Mellencamp had it right when he sang, "I cannot forget where it is that I come from, I cannot forget the people who love me, I can be myself here in this small town, People let me be just who I want to be."

I suppose that is the beauty of a hometown - small town or big town - that it is the place where your loved ones are, where you put down some roots, and where you can fall into the person you're most comfortable being. Maybe it isn't true for everyone, but I have found over the years that it is true for me.

Sweetwater's new fabric line, Hometown, captures the essence of small town America. With fabric names like Marketplace, Barbershop, Town News, and Flower Shop, the designs are a subtle blend of comfort and sophistication. You can almost feel like you're on Main Street USA smelling the local bakery's donuts as you walk down the cobble stone sidewalk to the farmers market to pick up this week's produce.

From a large-scale polkadot to a trendy typeface print in shades of blue, gray, red, and cream, this line of fabric is my new favorite! And I cannot wait to make something from it.

Polkadot Bundle

We have a solid line-up of Hometown at Swell Cloth - 18 bolts in the range of colors and prints. Cuts are available from Fat Quarters up to multiple yardage. Feel free to convo me if you need a custom amount, and I'll set up a reserved listing for you.

Yellow and Gray Collection

Blue and Cream Collection

We also have a nice stock of Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs, and Layer Cakes to support all those fun new patterns coming out for pre-cuts. I don't know about you, but I can't seem to get enough of them - they make piecing so easy!

Jelly Roll

I can see this line translating easily from quilts to bags to aprons and more. In fact, here are some great project ideas over at the Moda Bakeshop.

The Road to Tennessee from Moda's Bakeshop

The Road to Tennessee quilt takes four charm packs plus background, binding, and backing fabric, but it yields a nice-sized quilt. With these colors, I can see it easily transitioning from a cozy fall quilt right into winter in my living room.

Pillows Gone Wild from Moda's Bakeshop

In case you're in the mood for a smaller project, here are some great pillow patterns, also from Moda's Bakeshop, in a collection called Pillows Gone Wild. Fun, right?

I'm also bringing in a couple other patterns to the shop that should arrive in a few weeks - Lighthouse quilt and Down Home Tote. You can see more of this collection over at Sweetwater's blog. They also have a Flickr group dedicated to projects made out of their fabrics and patterns. Feeling inspired yet? :-)

Want to get your hands on a fat quarter bundle of Sweetwater? Leave a comment on this post telling us your hometown (it can be whatever hometown is to you - where you're from, where you've settled, someplace you visited that you felt like home.. whatever it means to you).

Red and Cream Collection

Enter your comment by midnight EST Sunday, August 28 for a chance to win the Hometown Red and Cream Collection of Fat Quarters. A winner will be chosen at random and announced next week. Good luck!

introducing...

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:24:00 +0000

Isabelle Sandra

Wednesday, August 17

3:18 p.m.

7 pounds 15 ounces

20-3/4"

Proud big sister Olivia.

Me & my girls.

Thank you for all of your well wishes. I appreciate all of your comments and positive thoughts more than I can say. Once I'm back on my feet, I promise more frequent blog posts. Thanks for hanging in there in the meantime!

Pregnant Pause

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:55:00 +0000

And still pregnant... Let's not go there right now. Instead, let's move on to happier, more comfortable topics, like sewing!

Last night, I finished the last of the 12 blocks in the Fat Quarter Shop 2010 block of the month club. Not a bad finish, right? Most of the blocks are pretty close to the same dimensions, and, looking back over the year I realize I learned a lot by participating in this club. By the last block, my accuracy was drastically improved.

Taking advantage of the Big-MO - a.k.a. momentum - I broke into the finishing kit and started cutting for the sashing and corner stone blocks. I must say I'm ter-i-fied of messing up the pieced borders (stars!?). But, here's to trying new things!

Speaking of holidays, I recently purchased the Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine. This is not something I would normally buy but was having a particularly rough day and needed a pick-me-up. I must have picked it up and put it back on the shelf three times before I snatched it up and walked/waddled quickly to the checkout before I could change my mind again.

Turns out it was a fantastic buy. There are many patterns I have dog-earred to attempt, most of them small enough to be day or two day projects that Olivia could help with. Pick it up if you need to get into the holiday spirit!

In other news, Amy at Lots of Pink Here recently blogged about Strawberry Fields from a purchase she made from my Etsy shop. If you don't already follow Amy's blog, check it out. She has some great tutorials! And she also has a lovely Etsy shop where I might have recently picked up a few fat quarters (shhhh... don't tell anyone!).

Also, listener Denise of the My Life in Quilts blog sent me a picture of the cute project she's making from Kumari Garden fat quarters she won in the give away. The pattern is Dot Party by Jaybird Quilts. Be sure to check out Denise's other quilting adventures on her blog too!

For those of you who listen to the Stash Resolution podcast, you may have noticed I'm taking a little hiatus. Let's just call it a pregnant pause, shall we? I didn't intent to take this long of a break before delivering. It just sort of happened this way. Sorry that I left you hanging!

Not that I want to remember myself in this whale-ish state, but here is Exhibit A for why I haven't been doing much sewing, and, therefore, haven't had much to talk about on a podcast.

Hope you all are doing well and are enjoying your summers. I'm off to finish cutting some orders and then to settle down on the couch with a Blizzard (chased by three Tums for heartburn) and Friday Night Lights. Take care!

For Our Girls

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:15:00 +0000

My husband and I have already begun to affectionately refer to Liv and the baby as "our girls," even though the baby has not been born yet. (36 weeks! For those of you who have asked - Yes, I'm still pregnant. No, I'm not sleeping very well. Yes, I'm very, very hot in this 100-degree weather. Thank you for your kind emails and messages! They mean so much to me.)

I finished a couple of projects in the last week for "our girls." First up is a poorly photographed toss pillow for Olivia's room. Using left-over Heather Bailey Nicey Jane, I created a striped pattern and then appliqued flowers using a template from this book.

The flowers are fused and then raw-edge appliqued to the pillow top. I should have used a white or cream for the outer ring as it's really difficult to see the flower outline, even in person.

On the back, I used a stripe from the same collection, created an envelope closure, and added a cute ribbon tag. The project is so far from perfect in fit and execution - but it felt really, really good to make something. So, in that sense, it served it's purpose.

The other finish is a knit sun hat for the baby girl using a Knit Picks pattern (The Cora Cloche by Kate McDaniel) and white cotton yarn (I can't recall what brand I bought... ).

The hat ended up taking one yard of satin ribbon, which was woven through eyelits created in the pattern. I can't wait to see her wearing it!

So, how is your summer going? What have you been up too sewing wise?

Free Motion Quilting Tutorial

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:10:00 +0000

My kitchen looks just a bit cheerier these days as I finished a fast-ish table-topper project called Coming Home from Simplify by Camille Roskelley.

Using a charm pack and a little yardage from Strawberry Fields by Fig Tree Quilts and Bella Solid in Bleached White, the finished project measures 36-1/2" x 36-1/2", perfect for my medium-sized table.

I free-motion quilted the project and thought I'd share with you my favorite tips and tricks for success. Over the last couple of years, I've learned the hard way what not to do. Maybe these ideas will save you some of the same frustration and heartache.

Tip 1: Baste Well. Smooth backing and top fabric is the very first step to a successful quilting project of any kind, but especially free motion when you're moving the needle in many directions. Pick your poison - spray basting, pinning (my choice), or whatever method your most comfortable with - and get your fabric as crisp as possible to avoid puckering.

2. Fresh Needle. While it's almost a cliche in the sewing industry, using a fresh needle can make all the difference in the world. I know they are sometimes costly, but, seriously, it's a small price to pay to minimize the potential for skipping stitches and tension issues.

3. Darning Foot. If you don't already own one, invest in a good darning foot. I've never tried to free-motion quilt without one - not sure you actually can - but it is an essential tool to making this technique work.

4. Down Dog. Don't forget to drop your feed dogs, which will allow the fabric to move in all directions with you in control, not the machine. It's an easy step to miss, but this simple oversight could get you off to a very poor start.

5. Practice Spin. Before you put needle to fabric, take 30 seconds and draw your intended free-motion pattern on paper. This will help you get the directional flow and make you more comfortable once you rev up your machine.

6. Breathe. Before you start, just take a breath and relax. If you are tense, your work will be tense. The whole idea of free-motion quilting is to look flowy and easy, not rigid and sharp. You'll have more control if you just stay calm. Sometimes I have to repeat to myself, "I'm the boss of my quilt." Cheesy? Sure. But a little confidence building can go a long way.

7. Wear Gloves. Fashion statement they are not, but wearing grippy gloves will give you more command of the fabric as you guide it around your pattern. (BTW - Where ARE the cute quilting gloves? Surly there is a market for something with a little more flair. Am I wrong?)

8. Balance. No matter the size of your project, fold up the edges so they are not spilling over the edge of your work surface. You don't want to fight the weight. I usually roll mine.

9. Lose Threads. No one likes to go back and clip threads. Your project will look much more neat and tidy (plus stay together better) if you pull the thread up as you start. Do this by taking 2-3 stitches in place while holding the top thread to one side. Then, lift the presser foot and pull up the bobbin thread. Drop the presser foot back down and begin quilting. After 1", stop and clip the threads. Some people knot too. I haven't done this, but maybe I should. As with everything, read a second opinion and make a decision for yourself.

10. Double Check. As you go along, check the back of your quilt to make sure your tension hasn't gone awry. Sure, you may have to unsew a little. But, rather than a humongous area, if you check every 5 minutes or so, you'll be able to catch a blunder before it turns into a disaster.

11. Focus. You can only quilt one area at a time, so only focus on one area at a time. Don't get overwhelmed thinking about the whole project. Instead, zero in on a small section. Before you know it, you'll have finished the whole piece!

Swell Cloth's Future Headquarters

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Well, it's not a Financial District sky scraper, but it will do for now.

This is the future home of Swell Cloth, my little online fabric shop. I am thrilled with how the space - the attic over my garage - is turning out.

The entrance is through the master bedroom. The upstairs secluded location will keep me from being with the family activities downstairs... um... well, somedays that isn't such a bad thing! All you moms out there can relate, right?

To me, the sloping ceiling and square window are very sweet and will make a cozy, inviting space for my personal and business projects. I can already see the bolts and bolts of cheerful fabric lining the long walls, which I'm planning to paint a neutral beige. The floors are going to be a dark wood laminate with white trim and molding.

I've gathered some decor ideas on Pinterest, where you can follow me as Swell Cloth, in a board called Dream Sewing Studio. Would love to connect with you on that site too!

My husband is planning to paint the attic this afternoon. Flooring should go down this weekend, followed by the trim. Then, it will be time to move in and close the door on this home reno project.

A Good Mail Day

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 01:13:00 +0000

Don't you just love a good mail day? You know, when things like, oh, I don't know... fabric arrives!? Two such goodies came today. Lucky me!

The first was two spools of No. 8 Perle Cotton in Geranium Pink 956 purchased from Nakpunar. Seriously, if you need perle cotton, you can't go wrong shopping here. The customer service is outstanding and my package arrived in just a couple of days. Instant gratification. Love it!

I plan to use these beauties for the whole cloth quilting blogged about here, and as seen here on Anna Maria Horner's fantastic blog.

I think these colors are pretty stinkin' close to perfect for each other. Not bad for Internet color matching, right?

Also in the mail was my first Spoonflower order for the next Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild swap. (Trust me when I tell you I had a difficult time explaining to my husband as to why I needed to order more fabric when there are bolts and bolts in our house!)

I chose a throw-back nostalgic floral print called Nasturtiums by Annetuck. After searching and searching for the perfect print, I kept coming back to this one and knew it had to be mine. Something about it reminds me of a happy time.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the other guild members chose for the swap and figuring out what I'll do with the rest of the yardage. Any ideas?

Happy Independence Day!

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 18:22:00 +0000

To my state-side friends, I hope you are enjoying your 4th of July celebrations. Don't you just love when it wraps around to a Monday giving us an extra-long weekend!

Today is appropriate to share this red, white and blue quilt I won from a raffle at the Strawberry Festival in Troy, Ohio. The lovely women of the senior citizen's center hand quilted stars and grid lines into it.

I haven't tried it on my bed yet, but it seems to be about queen-sized.

I'm honored to have my home host this beautiful piece of American-themed work.

Strawberry Fields Table Topper and Charm Pack Winner

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:24:00 +0000

I just had to cut into the sweet Strawberry Fields charm packs to make this adorable table topper from the book Simplify by Camille Roskelley. What can I say? The fabric was calling to me. I'm sure that never happens to you, right? :-)

The pattern is called Coming Home and makes a 36-1/2" x 36-1/2" finished piece. Once the middle section is complete, the topper gets a small solid border (in the same Bella Bleached White used for the blocks) and then a larger print border. I'm thinking about these two prints as possibilities.

Strawberry Blooms in Daisy

Summer Bouquet in Pond

The smaller scale of the Daisy print may be better suited for the border. Perhaps the Summer Bouquet in Pond should be saved for the backing. Choices, choices!

Now, we have a winner to get to for the Strawberry Fields Charm Pack give away.

Thank you to all who entered! From comments, it sounds like Google Reader did not publish my post until late this weekend after the deadline had passed. So, I included all comments in the give away. That seemed the most fair thing to do.

The lucky winner, determined by the Random Number Generator, is #3! AnneMarie who said:

Thanks so much for linking to my Tea Caddy! I'm glad you like it! I'm a follower of course!

Congrats AnneMarie! I'll reach out to you in an email to arrange shipping your prize!

Hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend (4th of July here in the States). Wishing you many hours of stitching. ;-)

episode 32: unnamed

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:43:00 +0000

I just realized the irony that I recorded episode 32 at 32 weeks pregnant! :-) Here are the show notes corresponding to what I talked about in this week's podcast. Enjoy!

Life Update

Making it Lovely's downloadable print

Little Miss Shabby's embroidery block of the month

Modern Cross Stitch patterns from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

I want to make this

and this

Daisychain ABCs by Rosie Little Things

Project Update
Strip Quilt Tutorial by Film in the Fridge
Margaret's Hope Chest
Heather Bailey's binding tutorial

Bad Stitches Happen to Good People: Why I'll never cable without a cable needle again.

Topic: Whole Cloth Quilting
Anna Maria Horner's Needleworks
The DIY Dish's interview with Anna Maria Horner

After doing more research, I ran across this post from Cinderberry Stitches, which recommends Perle Cotton No. 8 for this technique.

This post by Anna Maria Horner recommends either No. 5, 7, or 8 and warns the smaller the number the thicker the thread. She also has great tips on what type of hoop to use, how to hide your knot, and where to start quilting.

Book Review: Simplify by Camille Roskelley

Episodes of Stash Resolution are found on iTunes. Download for free. Thanks for listening!

Give Away! Strawberry Fields Charm Pack

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:19:00 +0000

I have every quilter/sewer's dream problem - I'm drowning in fabric! This week, shipments from Moda and Free Spirit arrived. Next week, I'm expecting more Japanese bolts to hit my porch. Yeah!

To celebrate the arrival of Moda's Strawberry Fields, let's do a give away!

Who doesn't love a charm pack? Not only are they a less expensive way to get a taste for all the prints in a line, but there are TONs of great pattern support available for inspiration. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Moda Bake Shop's Stripy Charm Pouch

Moda Bake Shop's Tea Caddy

Moda Bake Shop's A Ritzy Cracker Quilt

Moda Bake Shop's A Sweet Baby Quilt

Moda Bake Shop's Stacked Coins Baby Quilt Tutorial

Moda Bake Shop's Ruffle Banner and Pillow

There are THREE ways to enter to win the charm pack:

1. Leave a comment with your favorite print in the Strawberry Fields line.
2. Link to the give-away from your blog, Tweet the give-away, or post on your Facebook account, and leave a comment letting me know you did.
3. Follow my blog and leave a comment letting me know you did (or that you already do).

Deadline: Sunday, June 26, 2011 midnight EST

A winner will be selected by Random Number Generator. International entrants welcome!

Hope you're having a great Father's Day weekend!

Pins and Needles

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:45:00 +0000

Last week, I posted my weekend goals. I'm proud to say that I checked every single one off the list. A new podcast was posted, the binding was attached to my strip quilt, the ornaments were completed, and my swap pin cushion made from start to finish.

I used the pincushion pattern from Scandinavian Stitches but changed a few things up.

Using Ruby's Rising Star, which is a cotton/linen blend, I fussy cut the Retro Collage print. This fabric has so many possibilities with all of the different sections of patterns and colors. From tea cups to retro women to stars, it was actually hard to choose which to include!

After appliqueing the tea cup, I used the technique recommended in the pattern book for adding outline details, which is to use a darning foot and dark thread to "trace" the shape. (I dropped the feed dogs to do this.) Then, I looked online for inspiration for "tea cup steam." Gotta love Google Images - there were pages of ideas. I picked my favorite, free-hand drew it with a pencil, and then used my machine to follow the lines.

Different than the pattern, I added crochet trim around the parameter. This is a view of the back - aren't those elephants darling?

The pinning took some time with the added layer of trim. My pincushion looked more like a medieval weapon than a tool for a simple domestic skill. :-) With a little wrangling, I sewed right sides together, flipped the pincushion right side out, and was ready to stuff.

Luckily, I had a little helper... Here she is helping me finish the Christmas ornaments.

To help modivate me for this weekend, here are my 3 sewing goals:

1. Finish hand-binding strip quilt, wash, and prep for mailing to charity.
2. Make a flag banner (e.g. bunting) for Olivia's room using left-over Nicey Jane.
3. Make a coordinating pillow case for Olivia's room (again, using left-over Nicey Jane, which will match her quilt).

We're planning to re-arrange Liv's room this weekend. Since we are working so much on baby preparation, I don't want her to feel left out. Will do a post soon showing you both rooms once they're in better shape.

BTW, Liv turns 4 tomorrow. How did my baby get so old? One more year before she starts Kindergarten. *sniff*

Have a great rest of the week!

episode 31: three seasons

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Life Update
Ladybug Knitting Shop
Green Mountain Spinnery
Pottery Bark Kids paint colors
Crazy8

Project Update
Knit Picks The Cora Cloche Hat
Fray Check
Bows 2 Cute
Spring Garden Tee by Never Not Knitting
Susan B. Anderson
Strip Quilt Tutorial by Film in the Fridge
Kate Spain Central Park
Margaret's Hope Chest
Craftsanity

Download episodes of Stash Resolution for free on iTunes.

Thanks for listening!

Getting a Plan

stashresolution@yahoo.com (Stash Resolution) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:59:00 +0000

I realized today the problem with my lack of blogging, Tweeting, podcasting, and, most importantly, sewing is I don't have a plan. Okay, so I'm also slowing down a bit, heading into Week 30 of my pregnancy. But I'm managing to get plenty of other things done, so I should be able to squeeze in more of this wonderful hobby of mine than I have been.

So, that being said, Katie over at Katie's Quilting Corner inspired me to write a weekly goal list. She publishes a list on her blog regularly as a public declaration of what she'll accomplish. I decided to do the same. So, here goes nothing...

This weekend, I will:

1. Make the pincushion for the Cincinnati Modern Quilt Guild swap.
2. Stuff and finish the Christmas ornaments from the Scandinavian Stitches book.
3. Attach binding to my strip quilt.
4. Podcast!

While I'd like to add more, this seems doable given all the craziness going on in our schedule, which includes Olivia's dance recital on Sunday.

I still need to figure out what pincushion pattern to use for the swap. Here is a little inspiration I pulled tonight.

1. a "little bit funky" pincushions, 2. {Happy} Pincushions, 3. Scrappy Pincushion Swap received from Tasha!!!, 4. Pincushion - Yellow Aqua, 5. Pincushion Caddies from 'Seams to Me', 6. owl on a palette., 7. SPS 3 top view, 8. "Quilting Process" pincushion front for Scrappy Pincushion Swap, 9. Polkadot Hedgehogs

What are your weekend goals?