Pieced Brain

Ribbon Embroidery by Machine

2013-05-28T07:54:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this book? Simple Silk Ribbon Embroidery by Machine by Susan Schrempf (find it here) is another example of thinking outside the box.

Susan Schrempf's instructions are straight forward, and the pictures detail her simple method for embellishing projects using silk ribbon, including clothes, pillows, wall hangings, etc. She uses monofilament and a hoop, although I skipped the latter. With a few practice runs you will have amazing results!

The first time I used her ideas was to adorn a table runner I made for my mother-in-law, and the design turned out so beautiful... I have added stems to fabric flowers, and quickly added leaves and flowers to wall hangings that needed more pizzazz. The key word here is 'quickly'. Although I truly enjoy hand work, sometimes I want to embellish my quilt projects using the sewing machine.

If you have wanted to do the same but had no idea about what to do, here is the perfect book for you. You will learn the basics of her technique and then be able to apply it to your projects with confidence.

Check it out!

Gotta hide my laptop!!!

2013-05-27T23:35:00.002-06:00

I don't know about your children, but my boys discovered Minecraft a year or so ago, and life at home has not been the same! Although we limit their computer usage to about 1 hour during weekdays and double on weekends, it is getting more and more difficult to get them to log off when time is up.

The worse part of it: since we have two boys, one uses the desktop and the other... my laptop. What was I thinking??? Invariably, when I get an idea for a post my youngest son is in the middle of 'something' and I can't write. This has got to end...

No, I am not buying him his own computer. Yes, Minecraft is a great game (if you haven't heard about it, read this week's Time magazine for an informative article on it), but now the laptop freezes all the time. I put a stop to the recording of videos for YouTube. Still, the thing freezes.

As for the desktop, it is plagued by the redirect virus, and I can't get much done there either. Norton AntiVirus hasn't done a thing about it. My husband (oh, no!) spent two hours once working on it and said he had fixed it. Not! I am about to put that computer under quarantine...

I am having surgery this coming Thursday (Carpal Tunnel, left hand first, although one of the fingers on the right hand is already totally numb...), and am trying to get projects done, have a few posts I would like to write, and now I must compete for time on the laptop. Help!!!

Half-square Triangles - Tutorial

2013-05-20T08:31:00.000-06:00

The other day I found a new way to cut half-squares triangles which I thought was the best! Well, this weekend I tried to remember which way was it and where I had seen it. No clue!!! I am getting disgustingly old... :-(

Anyway, I decided to do what the pattern I was using suggested, and it was pretty easy. So, in case you need a new technique, here is how I did it:

Say you need 3-1/2" half-square triangles. Cut strips of the two fabrics you are using measuring 1/2" more, i.e., 4" wide by the width of fabric. Lay light colored strip over the other strip, right sides together. With a pen (I use FriXion - be sure to always test it in a corner of the fabric first!), draw lines which are 4" apart.

Make sure the strips are pinned so they don't move around as you mark them.

Next, draw diagonal lines connecting the corners.

Next, stitch 1/4" away from the diagonal lines, on both sides of the lines.

Then, cut on all the drawn lines.

There! Except this picture shows the other fabric I was using...

I prefer this method as opposed to first cutting all the squares, then pairing them, then drawing a diagonal line on each pair, then stitching, etc. Afterward, I squared them all to 3-1/2".

It was quick! Now, as soon as I find the other method I read about I will prepare a tutorial for it, too!

Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-17T00:39:00.003-06:00

Geta Grama's idea for this week's blog hop was wonderful! The tips shared by the participating bloggers were very useful: Quilters are a generous bunch when it comes to imparting their knowledge.

Above all, I enjoyed reading and responding to your comments! It is difficult to imagine life without this blog and all the wonderful people I have gotten to know through it. I am so lucky!

Speaking of luck, here is the winner of the giveaways for this blog hop, who will receive directly from Fat Quarter Shop and Riley Blake Designs these two great gifts:

$10 Gift Certificate

and

A Fat Quarter Bundle of Riley Blake's Serenity line

Without further ado...

Research Randomizer Results

1 Set of 1 Unique Numbers Per Set
Range: From 1 to 170 -- Unsorted

Set #1: 139

***

Julie C.May 11, 2013 at 2:51 PM

Hi Denise! It's great to meet you and I thank you for sharing all of the great tips and information. I'm a fan of Eleanor Burn's books too!
***

Congratulations, Julie C.!!! You will be receiving an email from me shortly to work out the details. To all of you, thanks for participating!

I hope you have time planned for quilting this weekend... As for me, either I will quilt for at least a couple hours or someone will get hurt!!! :-)

Sierra Sewing Center - Reno, Nevada

2013-05-14T17:20:00.000-06:00

Last week I stopped at Sierra Sewing Center in Reno, Nevada, on my way to see my grandchild in California. Ohhh... I felt like a child in the candy store!

They carry over 4,000 bolts of beautiful fabric by major manufacturers, tons of patterns, wool, kits, as well as sewing machines by Pfaff, Viking, Baby Lock, and Artisan (industrial sewing machines). Sierra Sewing Center also offers long arm quilting services. With a second location in Carson City, it is clear Linda (the owner) and her family know how to run a successful business!

The store has ample room for roaming and dreaming, is well lit, and the staff is personable and very helpful. When I first came in, they told me about their quilt challenge where the customers who signed up had to use 4 specific fabrics in their projects. Each work (about a dozen) was to be rated on a scale of 1-5 on creativity, workmanship, use of fabrics, and color use. It was so difficult to rate them, as they were expertly made and creatively designed. I asked my mother to start rating them while I walked around the store.

I found the wool batting I had been looking for, got more Soft and Stable by Annie, could not resist a kit for a wool table topper for Christmas, and got some gorgeous fabric (see it on the cutting table!)...

I wandered to the large classroom and only wished I had time to take classes there. Linda told me the store has been around for over 20 years. When she purchased it five and a half years ago, it was housed in a different location.

Two hours later (!!!) I was ready to vote on the quilt challenge, pay for my purchases, and head to California.

Next time you plan a trip to the Reno, Nevada area, stop by Sierra Sewing Center. You will not be disappointed!

In the meantime, be sure to read my previous post about the Learning and Sharing blog hop, and giveaway with prizes courtesy of Fat Quarter Shop and Riley Blake Designs. You have until Thursday at 5pm to enter!

Learning and Sharing plus Giveaway

2013-05-10T02:30:00.000-06:00

Geta Grama from Geta's Quilting Studio is hosting a blog hop this week, so we can share with each other tips we learned in our quilting journey. I am always amazed at quilters' willingness to share what they know with one another (why reinvent the wheel, right?).

What is a blog hop without a giveaway? I have two gifts for a lucky quilter:

$10 Gift Certificate from my favorite online source for fabrics, courtesy of Fat Quarter Shop!

and

A Fat Quarter Bundle of Riley Blake's Serenity line, courtesy of Riley Blake!

The details:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

Note: If you are a no-reply blogger - or you are not sure - you may want to include your e-mail address on your comment, using words such as 'at' and 'dot' in place of the usual symbols (this way you will not get spam email, and I will be able to reach you in case you are the winner!)

2. Bonus: leave me another comment telling me you are a follower, for an extra entry!

This giveaway will close May 16 at 5 pm. The randomly chosen winner will be announced on Friday, May 17, here at this blog. I will ship internationally, too!

You may want to create a file to record the tidbits you will collect as you visit all the creative blogs. Thanks, Geta, for your idea and for hosting this blog hop!

So, here is my contribution. I am pairing it down to 10 points, for your convenience.

1. A few of my favorite notions: bodkin, seam ripper, 4" x 12" ruler, embroidery scissors.

2. For successful color schemes on your projects, take the time to learn about the color wheel, color values, and the advantages of playing with fabric texture. Value can make or break your designs, and fabric texture adds an extra dimension to your quilt.

3. About threads: purchase the best quality you can afford, even for piecing! If you use low-quality thread for piecing thinking the seams will be hidden anyway, you might be shortchanging yourself: tons of lint will accumulate in the gears of your sewing machine, causing thread breakage and other problems; thick threads will affect the overall size of your block; threads might endlessly break, and your project will take longer and be less enjoyable.

As for fabrics: you are spending soooo much time piecing and quilting your wonderful project, so why would you use anything but high-quality fabrics on your quilt??? Enough said...

4. For easy piecing, try the assembly line method: instead of piecing one whole block at a time (unless it is a sampler quilt), stitch each section of all blocks at once, then move on to the next, and so on. Use strong thin thread (such as Aurifil, my favorite!), clean and oil your machine before each project, and always start with a new needle. These few tips will ensure smooth piecing...

5. Art quilts are an alternative if you don't enjoy patchwork. You can create amazing landscapes or abstract designs using paint, thread, and embellishments. Sometimes, that is all I want to do: play with fabric. Have you tried it?

6. As for quilting your own quilts: don't spend hours on end practicing. Make a small wall hanging and start quilting it! Your lines will become smoother, you will quilt with more confidence, and soon you will venture into larger projects. Take advantage of different marking tools (for intricate designs, Golden Thread paper is my favorite tool, or use FriXion pen to design your own lines [be sure to test the pen on a scrap piece of the fabric before using it liberally - it may leave white marks on darker fabrics!]). Shorten your stitches when quilting lots of curves or custom patterns. When stitching in the ditch or around applique motifs, always work with monofilament!

7. Check out the tutorials on my blog by clicking here. Lots of cool techniques and projects!

8. Sewing Machine thoughts: for straight stitch, any machine which is in good repair will do. If you are planning on buying a machine, listen to your friends' experience with their own, then go to a store and take the machines for a 'test drive'. However, make sure whatever you buy has the 'needle down' feature and, if possible, that bar on the right side which allows you to lift the presser foot with your knee - it makes life so much easier! As for me, my Bernina is heaven!

9. Quilting books: they are the best! Eleanor Burns' Quilt in a Day series are fabulous books for beginners and seasoned quilters alike. Also, check out the books I have reviewed (click here) for insight on many great possible additions to your library.

10. My last advice: if you are planning on giving quilts away to friends and family members, DO IT NOW! Let them enjoy them, sleep under them, use them as they please. If needed, replace the gift after wear and tear. Quilts can be heirlooms, but they are to be enjoyed and not be folded and stashed away in a closet... If you want it to be carefully kept, give it to them inside frame and glass, but give it to them now. Watch them enjoy the gift...

Above all else, treasure the process of quilting!!!

Green Thumb?

2013-05-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

Under the tutelage of my friend Sue, I planted seeds and have been nursing these plants for the last several weeks. My makeshift 'green house': I carefully covered my sideboard under the dining room window, collected a bunch of lamps which were not being used and placed them strategically over the plants. I water them three times a day, and when the weather is warm, I place them outside on the deck so they can start getting strong.

The first batch of seedlings has gone the way of all the earth... These pictured at right have survived my novice care. Sue also gave me other tiny plants, which I've managed to keep alive: green bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, celery, and basil.

Since I cannot plant a regular garden, mine will be in pots and boxes on the deck. The million dollar question is: how can I fit all the pots on the deck and still have room to walk around the furniture or access the grill?

The BILLION dollar question is: will these plants be alive by the time I return from my trip to California? I have enlisted the help of my son Ryan, who agreed to water them for $5.00/day. My husband agreed to supervise him but wants $10/day, as he claims the supervisory job demands more responsibility... Outright extortion! I threatened not to let him eat any tomatoes come Summer!

Speaking of Summer, it is quite possible that some of my friends will end up with potted herbs and tomato plants as gifts.

Anyway, I guess I was really anxious to see if I could finally 'grow' something without killing it in its early stages of life... so I planted more than I had room for. Oh, well. I am looking forward to fresh tomatoes for sandwiches and to make marmalade, peppers for jam, two types of basil, celery...

Yummy!

Colorful pineapple blocks

2013-05-06T09:30:00.000-06:00

I've been working on a fun quilt with [real] pineapple blocks. Using mostly batiks, I started assembling a square with strips from various fabrics, then ironed fusible web on the back, cut it, and machine appliqued it onto the mottled cream background.

The leaves were supposed to be cut individually from different green fabrics. However, due to all the colors I had already used on the fruit, I decided to use the guide for leaf placement in place of many leaves, and chose a single green batik. I liked it better.

There are nine 10.5" x 16.5" blocks in total. I am trying to decide whether I should add sashing or not. The border will likely be different than the one on the pattern, too (!), as I am seriously considering paper-piecing. What do you think? I will consider my options while I travel, and hope to finish it when I return.

Working with all these colors made me feel so good inside!

Bundle of Joy

2013-05-03T09:25:00.002-06:00

This is Nicholas, my first grandchild. He will be three weeks old this coming Sunday. He is a calm, alert, gorgeous baby. Yesterday, he rode 12 hours to his new home on the outskirts of San Francisco, CA. I am driving to California on Monday and will stay there for one week to help his mom and dad settle in their new place, and to get some more time with Nicholas.

I found out I can easily calm him down when he is tired, singing Brazilian lullabies and gently rocking him. He has very long fingers - will he be a pianist when he grows up? His hair is black and his skin has the beautiful tan from his Peruvian mother.

My quilting friends have been so generous, showering him with gifts. They are happy WITH me for this new addition to our family. Many of them live away from their grandchildren, so they have been supportive, reminding me that San Fran is just a stone's throw away from Utah. My husband has been kind enough to rearrange his schedule in order to take care of our boys so I can go see my grandbaby, along with my mom who is visiting from Brazil.

For sure I will organize a 'shop hop', stopping by as many quilt stores as I can find on my way to and fro San Francisco. Fun!!!

I am filled with gratitude to Heavenly Father for my family, for sending Nicholas to our midst, for loving friends who put up graciously with my crazy ways. Blessings to no end...

Happy Friday!

Japanese Quilting

2013-05-01T07:55:00.000-06:00

Another precious book came in the mail this week: Japanese Quilting by Yoko Saito (I found it here). I had seen Yoko's work in magazines, but this collection of projects is a gem. Her signature taupe fabrics and wonky blocks adds whimsy and charm to her designs. Yoko's fabric colors appeals to traditional quilters, while her modern bag designs redefine this old staple of every woman's accessory arsenal. I am glad she incorporated Sashiko into some of her offerings, as I have fallen in love with this Japanese technique. Translated instructions provide all the guidance you will need, although at times it can make you chuckle (Lemon star instead of Lemoine star...).

As I write this review we are getting snow flurries in Utah (What? This is the FIRST day of May!!!) A perfect day to head to my quilt studio and try some of her projects. Of course, I would love to stop by Yoko Saito's quilt store first to purchase some samples of her fabric lines...

If you like to make quilted bags and other unique gifts, this book by a Japanese seasoned quilter is a must-have for your quilt library!

Happy quilting!

So true...

2013-04-26T07:52:00.001-06:00

Just saw this cartoon at Live a Colorful Life. Is it true for you? More often than not it describes my creative process, particularly when faced with many concurrent deadlines...

... and deadlines will be the last thing on my mind today, with all that is going on: my mom arrives from Brazil at noon, and my son Michael graduates from BYU at 2 pm. My sewing machine and ironing board will enjoy a restful day. Sapphire, the cat, will sleep undisturbed on my chair, as I will be driving up and down the Salt Lake valley.

My girlfriends are having fun at our guilds' quilt retreat this week. Girls, sew for me today!

Disappearing Four Patch Tutorial

2013-04-24T22:32:00.002-06:00

Every year, each of us makes a quilt block for that year's guild president; those blocks are given to her so she can make a quilt. It is our way to say "thank you" for all her hard work.

Today I had the chance to piece my block for last year's president, Diana. I am happy she chose the Disappearing 4-Patch, as I had seen it but had not yet tried it.

Just in case you have not pieced this block, I made a tutorial as I went along. Here is what you will need:

2 - 5" squares of white fabric
2 - 5" squares of print fabric

Arrange fabric squares as above, sew top squares, then sew bottom squares.

Sew top row to bottom row, making sure seams align properly.

You may consider collapsing the seams as above, so the block will lay flat (a good idea, particularly if you are going to hand quilt the project).

Place 4-patch onto a rotating cutting mat - you will be able to make the cuts for the 9-patch by rotating the mat without disturbing the block. Line up the right edge of the ruler so it is 1" from the center seam. Cut along the edge.

Rotate the mat a quarter turn, align the ruler as before and make the next cut as before.

Rotate the mat a quarter turn and cut 1" from the center seam two more times until you have patches as above.

Sew the [vertical] columns first and then sew the 3 columns together...

... and here is the completed block. I really like the effect those cuts have on the four-patch, turning it into an unconventional 4-patch.

I have just added another item to my to-do list: a disappearing 4-patch quilt!

Have fun,

Machine applique

2013-04-23T16:19:00.000-06:00

This is my other source of relaxation: machine applique. I can't show you the whole quilt as it is for our round robin... The colors turned out so nice, I may even make a quilt for myself with them.

I am adding some embroidery on the corners, but am not sure I like the thread I am using (too thick) as the French knots are not turning out right. It looks like a do over...

Applique is a great technique to use when the quilt blocks are very geometric, and the whole project could benefit from rounder lines. Vines, flowers, and leaves add softness, resulting on a more appealing design.

It is fun choosing fabrics with different textures for the applique shapes. Those fabrics provide another opportunity to play with lines.

I added some berries, too. Once the embroidery is done, it will be ready for the next person to work on the other border. There are 13 of us participating in the round robin this year. We will need to wait until the end of the year to see how our quilts, which started with our center block, will turn out after 5 people have had a chance to work on them.

Delayed gratification... easier to teach our kids than to live it.

Handmade baby gifts

2013-04-22T08:30:00.000-06:00

Just purchased the Quilt a Gift for Little Ones book by Barri Sue Gaudet (I found it here). This book has so many adorable gift ideas to make for babies! Barri Sue's designs are gorgeous!

The booties will be my first project. They can be made for either boys or girls. Although the pattern is for newborns to one month old baby, I will enlarge it and make a few different sizes. The embroidery is dainty, easy, and fast. My second project will definitely be the overnight bag! The ultimate in cuteness!

The directions are easy to follow and the photographs are beautiful. All the designs must be enlarged by 200% prior to use. The wool applique featured on many projects will make your fingers itch with desire to work!

If you are looking for fresh ideas for the baby (ies) in your life, you are going to like this book...

Spring Cleaning

2013-04-19T20:31:00.001-06:00

I had dozens and dozens of quilt magazines in my studio. This week I decided to look through them, remove the pages I wanted to keep, and throw the magazines away. In the evenings, when I had no energy left for anything else, I would put my feet up and look through each magazine. I kept favorite patterns, pages with tips and tutorials, inspirational pictures, and nothing else.

Yesterday I purchased two binders and plastic sheet protectors. In one binder I placed tabs for quilts, gift and small projects, and Christmas patterns. The other binder had tabs for applique and embroidery, loose templates, tips and tutorials. I used 100 plastic sheet protectors for all the material I saved, placed them under the appropriate tab, and will need to buy a few extra sheets.

Now, instead of 6 magazine filing boxes I have 2 binders. When looking for ideas, I will only sift through what I like, saving me a ton of time. As for the inspirational pictures, I glued them in my sketch book.

I am looking for ideas to organize rulers (they make an unruly mess on my cutting table!), interface and fusible web... Do you have any organizational tips to share?

Hawaiian wall hanging - Tutorial

2013-04-18T15:13:00.002-06:00

I designed this quilt and tutorial for Sew, Mama, Sew!, and they have just posted it on their site. It measures 20.5" x 20.5", with Anthuriums in the center, surrounded by embroidered turtles - the two things I remember often from my trips to Hawaii. The tutorial includes a PDF file with the design.

The spadix on the flowers is embroidered using long and short stitches, and the turtles are done with back stitches.

Head over to Sew, Mama, Sew!. I love their blog as they have lots of cool tutorials, keep their content fresh, and feature amazing contributors.

Enjoy!

I am in love all over again!

2013-04-18T13:31:00.002-06:00

After three days with migraine (yikes!), I am finally up to blogging... and it is about time, as I want to introduce you to my first grandchild, Nicholas Rafael Stier!

Nicholas was born on Sunday, April 14. He weighed 7.7 lb and was 20 in. long. I spent the day at the hospital on Sunday, and then went back on Monday, when I held him for 1.5 hours, finally giving him to my daughter-in-law so he could nurse. It was heaven...

How blessed I am for the opportunity to have had children. How blessed are my son Michael and his wife Daniela, because they have this gorgeous baby. May we always remember that our children are gifts to us, particularly when they become toddlers and teenagers, and our patience with them 'may' run thin... Tiny feet, tiny hands, cute nose, dimple on his chin... the stuff dreams are made of!

My eyes seem to be wired to look for baby items everywhere I go. My husband asked me last night: "So, are we done buying baby stuff now?" When do you think I should break the news to him that we will NEVER be done buying baby stuff???

I am hoping to be able to visit him tonight. I can't wait!

Love of reading

2013-04-10T22:58:00.000-06:00

Reading is one of my favorite things to do. I always have a pile of books and magazines on my nightstand, and am forever trying to tidy up the inevitable mess. Sapphire, the cat, is responsible for the mess on the floor next to the nightstand, as she insists on finding a spot for her paws on that much-too-small piece of furniture.

Lord of Publishing is the latest book I finished (read quick comment about it here). How wonderful it is to get lost in another world... I sometimes take a little longer to add new books to the One Person Book Club page because I am reading, from cover to cover, quilt-related books and magazines. Or...

... because I have been working on my own writing lately. Accordingly, I have just downloaded to my Kindle a couple books of essays (my favorite writing format) by William Gass, which I will review as soon as I finish reading them.

I read historical novels, biographies, religious books, business books... and I even read my first fantasy novel last month (no, I have not read Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc etc etc). There is no telling what I will be reading next...

Do you enjoy reading, too? If not, how do you 'get away' (not literally) and relax?

Dive Trip

2013-04-09T21:03:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Dive Trip, the name of my latest batik quilt. The hexagons, my coral reef, were originally made for another project. However, I decided I did not like the way the project was turning out. So, I undid all the stitches and came up with this design.

All batiks came from my stash (lucky me!). I added extra batting under each fish. The quilting is very simple - wavy lines reminiscent of the ocean water.

It would look so nice hanging on the wall of an ocean front property... Maybe someday! In the meantime, here are some details of the work:

This is the backing fabric, a gorgeous batik I've had for a while. Whenever I cut it, I almost feel pain, as it is sooooo beautiful!

Batiks are fun to work with. I would not use them for hand applique or for any quilts I planned to hand quilt due to their tight weave.

I hope these colors brighten your day!

Another reason to paper-piece

2013-04-08T11:56:00.001-06:00

True to the saying “Before Prozac there was quilting”, I often patch my sorrows in my quilt room. When I need respite but cannot get away from home, the answer to my frayed nerves is almost always a paper-piecing project (applique’ is my next choice), in the form of a small wall hanging or simply finding a way to add it to a current project. It is precisely the repetition and attention required at each step which takes my mind away from worries, relaxes stressed muscles, and heals wounds as it demands time – a healer in its own right. The result is always perfect points, a perfection not easily attained in any other aspect of life without exertion of considerably greater effort than just sewing a straight line... The blocks look like they were made by someone with a lot more experience than me.

A few months ago when I asked my blog readers which quilt-related skill they would like to learn this year, a surprising number of respondents mentioned paper-piecing, quickly adding they found the technique intimidating, hair-pulling, demanding extreme precision. How could this be fun?

As with other blocks, there is a series of steps to follow, and the only requirement is that one sews straight on a marked line. Beyond that, repetition is the name of the game!

After deciding on the block, gathering and cutting the fabrics, I remind myself of four things:

(1) fabrics are placed on the back side of the pattern and sewn on the front side of the pattern;

(2) pieces of fabric should extend beyond the lines of the area to be covered by at least ¼ inch;

(3) seams are sewn in sequential order (first seam will be on line between areas 1 and 2, second seam between areas 2 and 3, and so on, depending on each design);

(4) stitch two or three stitches before and after each line to make sure entire line is covered – these stitches are removed in the process of trimming the seam allowances. Then, I run the simple steps through my mind before I actually begin.

Hold paper with back of pattern facing you (numbers on pattern will read backwards); place first fabric, right side up, over area marked “1”; place second fabric onto first fabric, right sides together, and pin; flip to front of pattern; sew on line between areas 1 and 2; remove pin; align edge of postcard over next line to be stitched (between areas 2 and 3, for example); fold pattern over postcard; place add-a-quarter ruler over postcard; trim fabrics to ¼” seam allowance; unfold pattern; flip to back; place next fabric on the edge you just trimmed; repeat.

The postcard mentioned above, in addition to further brightening your day with its picture of, perhaps, a beach and palm trees, provides a sturdy edge over which to fold the paper and align the ruler as you trim the seam allowance.

When making many blocks, I work as if in an assembly line, sewing the first area on all blocks, then moving on to the next area, thus avoiding confusion and mistakes. After all blocks are sewn together, music sees me through the process of removing the paper. Finally, I stand back and marvel at the work. Perfection can be a silly and time-wasting pursuit, yet it can be [unintentionally] achieved as by-product of methodical work.

Some of us aren’t as concerned with the process of block construction, focusing instead on completing the quilt and basking on its finished beauty. Others delight in taking time to measure and cut with precision, sew with care, and square off blocks. Different strokes for different folks. Regardless of your inclination, paper-piecing will please you with its simple to follow method and eye-pleasing results. As a bonus, you may even save money by reducing your contribution to the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies.

Paper-piecing is my way to avoid going to pieces… Which is yours?

Busy week!

2013-04-05T05:42:00.000-06:00

Phew! The week is coming to an end. Not much quilting done - just handwork, which I cannot show yet as it is for a tutorial I am preparing for another blog. I am focusing right now on tonight's birthday party for my now 13-year-old.

We had our quilt guild meeting yesterday. How fun! Geri showed us the beautiful things we can make with salvages, the ultimate in upcycling in my opinion! Then, we had a quilt show judge come and give us some tips on how to improve our workmanship and quilt design. Whether we are interested in exhibiting our quilts in shows or not, her tips will definitely contribute to better projects (or will turn us into nail biters as we try adding piping to our bidings, making mini quilts, or finding time for more classes!).

The judge, Cody Mazuran, did a mini trunk show and brought books and patterns from her company, Buttercup Quilts. I will review the books on a later post. For now, I am grateful for our guild, its president and board, and for all the guild members for their ideas and curious minds. Above all, I am grateful I survived this week!!!

Iris quilting wall hanging

2013-04-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is the wall hanging I made featuring Maruscha Gaasenbeek's iris folding technique. The heart block is from her book "Iris quilting" (see my previous post).

Here is the story behind this quilt: I had tested my Big Shot machine as soon as it arrived, and cut some hearts out of a pretty fat quarter I had. Satisfied that the machine worked, I kept the heart cutouts near it, hoping to use them in a project.

When I read Maruscha's book and saw the Heart to Heart pattern, it was love at first sight... I turned the hearts I had cut into stars, top left and right, and placed others as flowers on tree branches.

How do you like the heart? Next time I will try staying with one color with different gradations to emphasize the iris concept. Everything was machine appliqued to the background. I used buttons for the center of the flowers on the border, and flowers from the brown fabric for the center of the hearts-turned-flowers. Love springs...

I have loops on the back for hanging (not shown). Oh, yes, almost forgot: notice the brown thin border around the center block. It is not a border per se. I folded a one-inch strip of brown fabric in half, wrong sides together, as if I were preparing the binding, and sewed it onto the beige background with a 1/8 inch seam, then sewed the rose border onto it.

As I quilted the rose border, I added hearts here in there...

Now is your turn. What have you been up to?

Iris Quilting

2013-03-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

What a cool book! Iris quilting by Maruscha Gaasenbeek (I found it here) features 16 designs, and I have already turned one of them into a wall hanging!

Maruscha started using her iris folding technique to make greeting cards, and later used the same technique with fabric. The results are beautiful. She copies the design onto lightweight interfacing and sew pieces of fabric onto the interfacing. Are you thinking paper piecing? That is exactly what I did...

I chose the first design, Heart to Heart, but traced it onto paper instead. It turned out so cool! I will show it on another post as it is almost done.

The butterflies will be next for sure, followed by the kites. I love paper piecing - it is super easy, the blocks turn out perfect all the time, and you can 'assembly-line' them to ensure you are using the right fabrics at the right places should you be making more than one block. I will try it using interface rather than paper, sometime.

I am so glad I got this book... Of course, there is no more room in my closet-turned-library, yet somehow the books just keep calling my name.

Check out Maruscha's website for more information on her iris folding designs - she has many books on the technique using paper, for your delight if you are a paper crafter!

Finger pads

2013-03-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

Connie, a friend of mine who loves handwork, introduced me to these awesome finger pads. I don't know about you, but when I am hand sewing, the middle finger of my right hand gets stabbed as it is pushing the needle towards the fabric.

I used to work with Thimble-It, but these are much softer, last a long time, and are very convenient to use. Thimble-It is made of plastic, so often the needle would slip and hurt me. ThimblePad is a piece of soft leather with adhesive on the back. The adhesive is very strong and reusable, and the leather prevents the needle from slipping. It is so comfortable, it is easy to forget you have it on.

It is more expensive than the other product, but it is worth it. Just figured I would pass on the tip!

Ribbon Embroidery

2013-03-25T13:46:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this book - Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork by Di van Niekerk (I found it here)? I love the embroidery designs and stitches, particularly as they involve ribbons... The photographs are beautiful, the instructions are clear, and the project, illustrated on the cover of the book, is to die for!

Stumpwork is another reason why I purchased this book. I would love to incorporate it in my embroidery projects. It is great how we can cover beads with ribbons to form flowers, stuff embroidered motifs so they can have added dimension to them, and padded shapes.

After thumbing through the book, my mind is full of ideas. I am beginning to realize that what I need is not only more hours in a day but another set of hands!!! Another improvement I need: a bigger studio. It won't happen any time soon, but I will have to take a long and hard look at how I store supplies and change it...

Anyway, if you are into embroidery, this book is a great find!