The Silly BooDilly

Remembering Kathreen Ricketson

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Sat, 25 May 2013 03:30:00 +0000

After being mostly unplugged from the internet this last week, I have only just learned of the deeply sad death of Kathreen Ricketson, a wonderful force and source in the quilting and crafting community. I am still in shock as I write this.

I first came to know Kathreen through her terrific blog, Whip-up, and was delighted to be a guest blogger for her as well as a contributor to her book Whip-Up Mini Quilts. She had a great, adventurous spirit and lived life to the fullest.

Devoted to the promotion and celebration of hand-made, and to the upbringing of her two beautiful children, daughter Otilija and son Orlando, who are heartbreakingly now left without a mother and a father.

If you wish, you may contribute via PayPal to a fund set up for her children. Please see here for more information.

I have been asked to share my favorite Whip-Up blog post with all of you, but right now I can't even think straight, so I will just say visit it often and read through all of it for on-going inspiration... Kathreen will live on through what she shared so passionately with all of us.

The internet crafting community is an amazing thing. Through it we "meet" each other, encourage each other, promote each other and support each other. Kathreen lived on the other side of the world, and only a few short years ago our paths would have never crossed... but due to the internet, shared passions, connections and friendships no longer have borders and boundaries. Thank you Kathreen for being you and for making this world a smaller, more colorful and friendlier place. You will be missed. xo

Just for Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:26:00 +0000

Just for fun, I thought I'd try my hand at spinning some rag-yarn.

I cut thin, long strips of fabric, and using a drop spindle, spun them as tightly as I could.

The result is something similar to twine, but texturally and visually, much more interesting.

I love the look and feel of it!

By the time I was done, I had a sweet little ball containing 50 yards of 1/8" rag yarn, which I can weave or crochet with, (I'd like to add knit with, too, but sigh, despite my attempts at friendship, knitting and I have never successfully hit it off).

Here's a little sample on the loom. It's a lot like just weaving with rags (long cut up strips of fabric that are pre-folded and ironed, or simply inserted flat in the open weaving shaft and pushed down by the beat of the heddle) however, their seems to be a nicer consistency and uniformity with spinning the rag strips first. And even though spinning is another step, it's also another chance to touch every inch of the work, to connect, to meditate, to contemplate, to slow down... all good stuff!

And here's a another scarf that I recently wove.

Umm, excuse me, but what is up with all these Autumn looking colors in the middle of glorious Spring? I truly have no idea why I seem to be creating from this color palette!

Who knew that when I picked this Spring inspired lime green, and paired it with a lovely deep fuchsia,

that the combined marriage of the two would result in such a Fall looking scarf?

Color is a never ending mystery, wonder and thrill!

Another thrill is how something so basic as plain weave, (over one, under one) can result in something that looks far more complex,

Simply due to how each yarn of each color is placed in the warp and the weft.

For more information on this scarf, please see here.

Have a great weekend, Everyone!!

In the Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:19:00 +0000

Here's a bit of what's been going on in the studio these last few weeks...

A new scarf.

It's a blend of the four cotton and tencel yarns shown above.

This is the first time I have ever worked with tencel. Tencel is a natural, man-made fiber from wood pulp cellulose. Similar to rayon, yet different, it's known for it's great drape-ability and durability. As with the debate over conventional cotton and how it is processed, tencel has it's pros and cons in regard to it's impact of both positive and negative on the Earth. For the most part it gets good marks, being that it is fully biodegradable and made from trees managed for sustained harvest, and is considered an eco-friendly fiber. As for it's weaving qualities, I am very pleased. It has a lovely luster, and really does add a great drape and luxurious feel to the cloth.

I love the pointillism effect of all those dots of color!

And from a distance all those dots of color create a very subtle ikat effect...

Because it's got such a nice drape to it, I made this one extra long, (100" not including fringe) as sometimes I appreciate a scarf that I can wrap around me several times, but still have a nice length of scarf tails hanging down. I thought that others might like that, too. This fits the bill very nicely.

This extra long, cotton and tencel scarf, is now available in my shop, here.

I am continually floating between a love of bright color and a love of neutral colors, and have always been attracted to the look of vintage, European linen table runners...

So I let that be the inspiration for this woven linen, silk and cotton runner

Featuring a twill weave design and both vertical and horizontal stripes of a lovely aqua blue cotton, it also has a lovely drape and very subtle sheen from the silk.

This linen, silk and cotton table runner is also available in my shop, here.

And here's a peek at what's on the loom now...

Anyone familiar with this blog knows of my love for shot cotton. So, is it any wonder that I would want to try my hand at weaving some shot cotton of my own???

I picked a soft blue for the warp and a bright spring green for the weft. As they intersect, they blend together and make a third color. Looking at the photo above, do you see how there is a slight difference in the color of the upper section compared to the bottom section? That's one of the things that I adore about shot cottons... those color shifts! (I'm curious to try reversing the order, a spring green warp and soft blue weft. How close or how different will the final two woven colors be?)

Along with shot cottons, I also love the look of patches on my quilts, as many of you know, so why not incorporate some patches in to the shot cotton? By keeping the weave on the open side I can needle weave in small blocks of "patches" here and there. I'm using a variegated blue thread, (some of that lovely Sulky Thread that was gifted to me).

And by the way, did you ever wonder why it's called shot cotton? It's because every time you throw the shuttle back or forth, laying down a new weft thread of yarn, it's called a "shot".

Here you can see a couple of the woven patches. Once the fabric is off the loom, I'll wash it in hot water, which will close the weave up a bit. Curious to see what the final outcome will look like!

And last but not least...

I have hit the half century mark! The big 5-0 came a few weeks ago, and as with all my birthdays, I take it with a big dose of sheer thankfulness. It definitely feels like a milestone though.

Here's to those 50 years going up the hill, and here's to the next 50 going down.

Going down is always less of a struggle then going up, yes?

I'm looking forward to the new vistas and vantage points!

(And just for the record, I have yet to ever dye my hair... the grays are just now starting to appear!)

Timeless Stripes and Plaids

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:11:00 +0000

Stripes and plaids, two classics that never go out of style.

How could I resist wanting to weave some scarves up in both?

This first scarf was inspired by those simple, but oh, so wonderful vintage striped tea-towels.

I fondly think of the ones that my mom had back in the 60's, when I was a little girl. I remember looking at them, how the threads criss-crossed,

and how soft they were after multiple washings.

... Perhaps that is where I first fell in love with textiles?

Stripes have an elegant carefreeness about them.

They have the ability to make anything look good, with very little effort.

(Heck, this striped scarf looked so pretty just hanging against my blue wall,

I was tempted to leave it there!)

And how about those plaids...

This second scarf wasn't inspired by anything particular,

... just an adoration of plaids.

With their endless design possibilities and color combinations, how could you not fall for them?

I think I first fell in love with plaids back as a teenage girl, coveting, (and often taking) the soft flannel shirts of boyfriends. (The beauty and variety of men's flannel shirts have always been a million times better then the paltry few that they make for woman. And who can resist one that's been worn and washed over and over? A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.)

Plaids have both, an air of sophistication about them,

as well as an everyman, blue-collar-ness about them, which really appeals to me.

Both scarves are currently available in my shop.

For more information just click on the links below each photo...

Plaid Scarf in Blues, Green and Orange- Rust

Striped Scarf in Cream, Aqua and Red

PS. If you look closely at the vintage post card next to the scarf above,

it says "A Happy Easter",

which is what I wish for all of you who celebrate this Sunday.

And to everyone,

A Happy Spring!

Tie One On

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:11:00 +0000

I am a scarf person. Love to wear them. Love to make them. I adore their versatility, and how the right one can make even the most mundane outfit look pulled together.

They are my absolute favorite thing to weave.

Here you can see how all the various colors in the warp and weft dance about and intersect.

After the cloth is off the loom, I always give it a good wash in the sink, usually with very hot, soapy water. It's an important step as it helps the weave to relax, full, bloom, and lock in place.
Woven cloth is never really finished until it has been washed.

Hemstitching the top and bottom edges by hand,

and hand twisting the fringe makes for a nice, neat, and stable finish.

Words cannot adequately express the joy I feel weaving a piece of cloth. Suffice to say, it feels good!

This scarf is now available. For more info please go here. Hope to be making more very soon.

By the way... I haven't abandoned quilting!

In the process of stitching up some some scraps now, waiting to see what they will become!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Really enjoyed reading all the comments to my last post. Just want to clarify a couple of things...

Yes, children do need to be reminded that daydreaming isn't the best idea when school work or chores need to be done! It's important to know how to stay focused and on task. But let's keep in mind that kids today are often way over scheduled. We need to make sure that they also have unscheduled time... to play and create and daydream. If they learn how to plant and nurture their creative seeds at a young age, they will reap the fruit of a rich imagination their whole life long.

Also, being true to your own creative urgings doesn't mean that you must not care at all what others think of what you do. It's normal to want validation and approval... and sort of necessary if you sell your creative creations. If no one likes what you make, it's a pretty tough sell! But don't let your desire to be validated by others dictate your creativity.

Don't let it censor your ideas.

Nurture your creativity like you would nurture your own child.

Love it and feed it.

Encourage its uniqueness.

Send it out to play in the sun.

Have fun with it!

Permission to Creatively Express Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Back in early November I decided to take on a small part time job, working a few hours each week at a home decorating store. I greet and assist customers who are looking to accessorize their homes, whether it be a new vase along with something to put in it, some accent pillows for their couch, some candles for the mantle... you get the drift. I am continually surprised by the number of folks who ask me to tell them what they should pick to display in their home, as they are too intimidated and afraid of doing something "wrong". And when they do have some idea of what they may want, they then ask for my permission, wanting validation that it's ok to go ahead. They would rather trust the input of a complete stranger, (me) then trust their own inner guidance. While I am happy to help, it makes me sad to find so many adults disconnected from their own personal self-expression.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I am well aware that somewhere along our formative years, too many children get the message that their ideas aren't good enough. That their "mistakes" void their successes. Teenage years hammer home the importance of conformity, (even when it is disguised as nonconformity). It's no wonder that we continually produce grown-ups who can't even display a group of candlesticks without a small panic attack.

The act of allowing yourself to tap into the vein of creativity, (which runs through all of us) and to trust where it will take you, is essential for the well being and growth of a healthy society. Without it the Wright Brothers would have never gotten in the air, Jonas Salk would not have found the cure for polio, and Georgia O'Keeffe never would have had what it must have taken to move away from NewYork and the power of Stieglitz, out to the barren terrain and big sky of New Mexico, painting in a way that no one else had ever done before.

This is what I wish I could convey about expressing yourself and creativity...

You have the right to decide what you like and don't like, even if it is not the popular choice at the moment. (Remember, the popular choice is a fickle thing... what is in today will be out tomorrow because it is manufactured that way by an industry that wants to keep you buying, whether it be home goods, fashion, kitchen cabinetry, etc., etc.) So pay attention to what attracts you. Don't get hung up on having all your likes fit neatly into the same category... I like the look of worn and weathered as well as streamlined Mid Century. Remember, God created a diverse world. It's okay for you to have diverse tastes. (Pinterest is a great tool for collecting and organizing diverse image collections of things that you are pulled to).

Despite what you have been led to believe, there is no right and wrong when it comes to creativity. You have a right to play and experiment. It is the only authentic way to get from point A to point B. And remember, your creative path will be different from my path, and her path, and his path, because it will be your path. Just like your fingerprint is uniquely yours, so should your path be.

While traveling your path expect to stumble and fall sometimes, as well as travel in the dark at times. Do it without fear, and it will strengthen all of your senses and instincts. Before you know it, you will be more sure of foot and confident in your creative ability and decisions.

Be careful of who you listen to and whose creative advice you seek. Some people are creatively toxic, (intentionally or not) and sadly, not everyone has your best interest at heart. Absolutely learn from those that you respect, but pay attention to your gut. Take what feels right and dismiss the rest. Just because it's right for one or some, doesn't mean it's right for you or everyone. Again, this is all about forging your path, not blindly walking the paths others have forged, (no matter how attractive or appealing they may seem. Remember... all paths start out with some rough bumps and thick undergrowth).

Embrace day dreaming. Despite what they told you in school, it is not a waste of time. Day dreaming strengthens your imagination. Close your eyes, or stare out the window, and inwardly focus on something you would like to work on. Let your mind wander and allow images and thoughts to come to you. If an idea pops up that seems worthy of further examination, delve deeper into it. Let more thoughts and images come to you. Jot down notes and doodle if you need help remembering. Then try out those ideas. Some will work, others won't. That is just how it is. Embrace what works, learn from what doesn't.

That's how you grow creatively. That's how you find and strengthen your voice. That's how you put your fingerprint on this world, because no matter how large or how small,
it has a right to be there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for indulging me and my soapbox. I'll be back next post with some photos of new work. xo

Put a Patch on It

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I have always been a patcher. As a teenager I had jeans that, over the years became more of a mosaic of fabric patches then actual jeans. First I patched every hole that wore through the denim, then I patched every hole that wore through the patches.

To me it was an act of love, comfort and salvation. To my dear mother, it was an embarrassment, as she was more then eager to buy me new. But, for whatever reason, I have always found patched cloth to be extra special, (which is probably why I have added patches to so many of my quilts).

Noticing that I had some clothes that had been waiting for some mending a bit longer then I had planned, I decided to make amends with them by creating some extra special handwoven patches.

I began by weaving a length of fabric in different colors from 80/2 cotton yarn, set at 20 ends per inch. It was then washed, dried and pressed, before cutting the sections apart, and backing them each with a complimentary cotton fabric. Then I stitched me up a bunch of patches.

And now, some clothes are off the mending pile, which is always a good feeling!

I made enough patches for me and my needs, along with some extras to put in the shop, where they can be found here.

PATCH

/paCH/

Noun: A piece of cloth or other material used to mend or strengthen a torn or weak point.

Verb: Mend or strengthen (fabric or an item of clothing) by putting a piece of material over a hole or weak point in it.

Have a Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

With Valentine's Day just two weeks away, I thought it would be fun to sew up some pretty heart ornaments!

I started by weaving the front fabric panels in an off-white wool, with a band of red wool rosepath going through each section.

Each band of rosepath differs, so while all the hearts were cut and stitched from the same woven fabric, each is still an individual... just like our own hearts.

I used an off white Kona cotton fabric for the back, placing the seam in the middle, as I think items stuff better that way, and it's very easy to stitch the seam closed with an invisible hand-stitch. To add a little extra-special detail, I embroidered little x's down each seam.

Kiss, kiss, kiss, x, x, x.

Twill seam binding was just right for making the hanging loops.

These handwoven heart ornaments can be found in my shop here.

You can also try making your own heart ornaments by substituting the handwoven fabric for heavy-weight muslin and a band of pretty, store bought, woven ribbon stitched in place!

Here's to a happy February!

xox

Rosepaths on a Winter's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:27:00 +0000

Brrrr... The temperature has dropped dramatically here in the last few days. The outside air feels like it is biting, and the house is feeling a bit drafty. So of course, I turn to wanting to weave with some wool...

And what better thing to weave with wool on a cold winter's day, then a bit of Rosepath?

Rosepath is an old Swedish pattern, and one of my favorites.

In truth, it's not just a pattern, but almost an infinite array of patterns, as with simple threading and tie-up, one can create a multitude of different motifs just by changing the treadling.

Quick refresher: Threading has to do with the order that the yarn is threaded through the different heddles, (heddles hang from the different harnesses, a 4-harness loom has four harnesses, each filled with lots of heddles, which the yarn passes through). Tie-up refers to which foot peddles are tied to which harnesses. Treadling is the sequence in which order you step on which foot peddle, also known as a treadle.

It invites creativity, as even though there are many old and established Rosepath patterns that you can follow, you can also simply play around with pressing on the treadles and be surprised by what patterns appear.

I was delighted to see these x's and o's forming before my eyes... perfect for Valentine's Day!

You can find these Rosepath in Wool Pincushions for sale in my shop here.

Have a great day, and stay warm! xo

Frayed Color

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:56:00 +0000

Two posts ago I mentioned that next on my list was to weave something from shot cotton. Anyone who has read this blog for a length of time probably knows how much I adore shot cottons and sewing/quilting with shot cottons.

For those of you who are unaware, shot cottons are fabric that have been woven with one color warp, and another color weft. The combination of the two colors creates a third color that becomes the cloth. The fabric is beautiful to quilt with as it has a great depth and richness to it, and the color fluctuates depending on how the fabric is positioned, (horizontal or vertical) and how the light hits it. (You can see a some examples of my stitched shot cotton work here, here here and here.)

The thing that made me most want to weave with shot cotton was the fringe. I wanted to make the fringe an integral part of the design.

So I hand-ripped strips of different colored shot cottons, making sure to rip some strips of each color widthwise, selvedge to selvedge, and also lengthwise, as that way I would get a strip of each color featuring both the warp-thread frayed colored edge and the weft-thread frayed colored edge. You can see an example of this in the photo above. The bottom group of strips with the frayed maroon colored edge, is ripped from the same fabric group 3rd up from the bottom, with the frayed bright lime colored edge.

Strips were then machine stitched together to form long lengths, then folded along one side and pressed. I then wove the strips, placing the fringe towards me, and beating each one in place along the folded edge.

In keeping with the rough, (as in raw, natural, imperfect, wabi sabi or some would say, crude) nature of utilizing the fringe as an important design element, I carried that through to other elements, such as letting the colors start and end wherever they happened to be in the weaving,

as well as leaving the frayed ends of one color strip show as a new one began, and not trying to hide where the ends were stitched together.

... Just for the record, I am sure that many an accomplished weaver may cringe at this work, as it has become the custom of many a rag-weaver to fold all raw edges in, keeping strips of fabric as uniform and pristine as possible. Since many of you are new to weaving, you should know this, as I don't want to lead any of you astray down the road of improperness! (Although that is where the fun usually waits for us!) And, just like I respect those who wish to always quilt in absolute perfection of all points matching, (which I like to do as well from time to time) and no rules broken, I also respect such weavers and what they do, as well. However, while I will strive to always produce structurally well made items, as I firmly believe in craftsmanship, make no mistake that I am in love with the beauty of imperfection, and, when appropriate to the design, will try to honor it.

For more info on this colorful shot cotton runner please go here.

(However note that it sold before I had a chance to do this blog post.)

One last thing... Did you happen to take notice of the giant spool that I used for a prop in the first photo of this blog post? It's a beautiful, antique industrial wooden spool filled with vintage twine, thought to be from around the turn of the century. My youngest daughter hit the nail on the head when she gave this to me for Christmas... Love, love, love it!!! As does Ellie, my dog...

(She likes to pretend she is in the circus!)

Have a great week, everyone! xo

Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Blog Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:05:00 +0000

Did you know that January 24th is Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day? Well it is! And to kick off the event a Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Blog Tour has been put together, by the good folks over at The Fabric Shop Network, who are spearheading this worldwide event. You can even win prizes, such as a new Brother sewing machine, and a $500 quilt shop gift certificate!

When I was contacted a few weeks ago by them, asking if I would participate in the blog tour, I said I would be happy to do so, as it gives me a chance to show you one of my favorite local quilt shops, Burkholder's Fabrics.

Located in Northern Lancaster County, PA, and situated on a working farm, it is just a mere 5 minutes away from my house... lucky me! Burkholder's attracts quilters from far and near, and it's not unusual to see tour buses pull into the parking lot, filled with eager quilters all ready to shop, as the selection is great and so are the prices. As with all good quilt shops, the inside is a visual treat of color and pattern... none of which I am going to show you, (that would be too expected)! Instead, I want to show you the outside surroundings...

The first thing I do when I arrive at Burkholder's is to soak in the surrounding scenery, as it is just so pretty. Above are some old barns nestled along a creek.

And, here's a swan that I found just sitting in the field.

But this is my favorite part... look closely between the fence and the pond. Do you see them?

Deer! Yes, Burkholder's has deer, and the deer, safe from the hunters, have lots of room to wander, fields to graze and a creek to drink from, which makes the deer very happy...

so happy that they will wander over to you!

And they will ask you for a kiss!

And then a scratch behind the ears!

Well, that concludes my little outside tour of one of my favorite local quilt shops. To check out what they have inside please visit there web site: Burkholder Fabrics, where you can also shop online. (Sign up for there email, as they offer regular discounts.) And, if you are ever in Lancaster County, PA, don't forget to stop, shop, and say "Hi" to the deer!

And, if you ever are in this neck of the woods, another great local quilt shop is Sauder Fabrics, also chock full of wonderful fabrics and super prices!

Please remember to visit and support your local quilt shop this January 24th! And don't forget to visit QuiltShopDay.com for a complete list of other participating blogs in this weekend's

Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Blog Tour. (Posts will be going up today, Saturday and Sunday).

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pretty Little Things

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:04:00 +0000

Still playing with some simple weavings...

Humble cotton yarns to make some more mug-rugs...

and torn strips of fabric to make some more rag-weavings...

Like this Cottage Chic Table Runner...

And more of these...

festive colored pin cushions!

My next project is going be weaving with torn strips of shot cottons... looking forward to seeing how the various colors of the frayed edges appear. Will be sure to share the results once done.

Hope you all had a lovely holiday, and that your New Year is already turning out to be a wonderful one! xo

The Loom

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:47:00 +0000

After my last post, (where I was so happy to get such positive feedback on reuniting with my loom - thank you!) I was asked by several of you to share photos of the loom, so I am :)

(Oh, and please forgive the lighting quality, I have been busy with outside commitments and the days that I have had a chance to be home, have been a bit overcast. Plus, I realize now that I should have taken a few more photos to better illustrate my post, but alas, I didn't and must make do with what I have.)

Okay, here is the loom... it is a 26 year old, 4-harness Artisat Leclerc jack floor loom, given to me all those years ago by my parents, as a graduation gift from art school. (By the way, no textiles were taught at this school, and all my teachers thought I was nuts to want to pursue weaving... and quilting hadn't even occurred to me at that point.)

The "jack" part means that on this type of loom the harnesses are lifted or pushed upward when the foot peddles, (or treadles, as they are more accurately known as) are stepped on. The 4-harness part refers to how many harnesses or shafts there are on the loom. Each harness is filled with wire heddles. When you warp the loom you place the warp threads through the slots in the reed, and then through the holes in the middle of the heddles. The design of your weave pattern is based on what thread goes through which heddle, on which harness, and which foot peddle/treadle that harness is tied to, and in what order you treadle those foot peddles!

For example, if you wanted to weave a simple plain weave, (over one, under one...) on a 4-harness loom, you would thread your warp threads through the slots in the reed, and then you would thread the first warp thread through a heddle on harness #1, your second thread through a heddle on harness #2, your third through a heddle on harness #3 and your fourth thread through a heddle on harness #4. Then you would repeat the process... 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4, and so on and so forth.

You would tie harnesses #1 to the first foot peddle, harness #2 to the second peddle, #3 to the third peddle and #4 to the fourth. Then when you were ready to weave you would step on peddles one and three which would lift harnesses #1 and #3, creating an opening or "shed" that you would pass your shuttle through, (the shuttle holds the weft which is the thread, yarn, or in this case cut up fabric that you weave with). After each pass of the shuttle, you beat the weft in place with the beater and the reed. Next you would step on peddles two and four, thus lifting harnesses # 2 and #4, throw your shuttle, and beat the warp into place.

Repeat that above process over and over and you get cloth!

And then you can keep the cloth whole, or cut it up and make things, like this pincushion... of which I had hoped to make a whole bunch of before Christmas, but so far this is it.

Better one then none, right?!

And speaking of Christmas... may you have a blessed one. May you find yourself in the warm embrace of family and friends. May your hearts be filled with love. May peace and goodness rain down on you and yours. xo

Cozy Little Comforts

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:39:00 +0000

16 years ago I put my floor loom into basement storage because with a new, but smaller house, and two small children, I no longer had room for it. There was a positive side to that as it really threw open the door for me to learn to quilt... but the down side was I missed my loom.

Well, after all these years I have finally decided it was high time to bring her out of storage. We still really don't have the room, at least not the ideal room, but what does that matter? I am tired of waiting for that perfect space.

So, as of now, a hunk of our bedroom has become home to my loom. She sits there pretty but awkward, taking up more space then seems aesthetically available. But what better way to use space then to fill it with something you love? And I have always loved my loom.

The first thing I had to do was give the loom a good cleaning. Then I had to remember how to put on a warp. Turns out it was pretty much like riding a bicycle. After a moment's hesitation and some head scratching, I was surprised at how quickly it came back to me.

Next I needed to pick a project, and these mug rug coasters seemed the perfect fit. Quick to weave and fun to make. Best of all they allowed me to use up some of my batik stash that I acquired in my beginning quilting days! I adore how they add a bit of extra cozy comfort and warmth to a morning cup of coffee.

And speaking of quilting... I know that most of my blog readers are quilters, and I hope that you will be so kind as to indulge me for a bit as I rekindle this old spark with weaving. I am really rusty right now, so baby steps and simple projects are in order to relearn what I have semi-forgotten. I'm curious to see how my quilting experience and esthetic eventually translates in the weaving. I hope that whatever comes from it will be of interest to you as well as me. Enjoy your week everyone!

Tickled with Ticking

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Something about ticking fabric has always appealed to me. I suppose it's the simple, understated elegance and functionality of it.

Originally, ticking was a tightly woven, (usually a twill weave) medium to heavy weight cotton or linen fabric whose pattern generally consisted of thin, dark colored vertical stripes on a white or beige background. True ticking was supposed to be so tightly woven that no light would pass through the weave.

That's because, way back when, when mattresses were stuffed with either feathers or straw, ticking was created and used as mattress fabric. It's close, tight weave and sturdiness was necessary in order to keep the pointy ends of feather shafts, or the ends of straw, from poking through the mattress and into the persons skin!

Today, modern ticking fabrics are used for multiple purposes, and patterns are a bit more diverse. Also, unlike the original versions that were so densely woven, it can now often be found in quilt weight fabrics and sold alongside commercial homespun fabrics. (By the way, "homespun" gets it's name from fabrics that originally were spun and woven in one's home, as ticking might have been).

Now, when making these table runners, I wanted to keep the integrity of the ticking's simplicity. Thus, I focused on various ways to make an interesting runner without much, (or any) piecing.

For the runner above, I kept the cloth whole. Then I quilted it with various wavy and straight lines that followed the pattern of the stripes. This added a fun pattern and texture, without competing against the pattern of the fabric. The chocolate shot-cotton binding goes nicely with the brown ticking stripes.

This runner also started out as a whole cloth, which I quilted in straight rows going down the center of each wide, tan stripe. I then added some patches in the same fabric, placing them cross grain and appliquéing in place with a zig-zag stitch. I then quilted the patches as well. A rust-brown shot-cotton binding helps add to this runner's rustic warmth.

For this last runner I began with a center panel of ticking, then edged it with two smaller panels of a linen/cotton blend. Once again, the quilting was kept simple as not to compete with the humbleness of the fabric. Thin wavy lines were quilted along the ticking and slightly wavier lines along the solid linen/cotton boarders. The multi colored striped ticking fabric that I used in the first runner worked great as the perfect binding for this piece.

Striped Whole Cloth Quilted Table Runner

Quilted and Patched Ticking Table Runner

Cotton and Linen Quilted Table Runner

For more information on any of these quilted ticking table runners, just click on the links below each one.

And until next time...

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

The Beauty of Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:24:00 +0000

I found these beautiful, blue, made in Japan, Moda fabrics at my local quilt shop a few weeks ago, and absolutely had to add some to my stash. That faded and aged looking print is by far one of the best commercial prints I think I have ever seen!

Finding it hard to creatively focus with all of the stuff that went on this past month, I have decided to just keep concentrating on making some table runners for the immediate time being, as I love their versatility and simplicity.

These blues are as soothing as can be, don't you think? They've got a good zen quality going on.

And speaking of blues, our yard has been filled with flocks of blue birds! We usually see them here and there from time to time, but we have never had flocks of them before. This lifts my spirits, as for years I have attached positive meanings with certain birds. They are kind of a symbol to me that all is well. Cardinals signify that I am on the right track, and blue birds, not surprisingly, symbolize happiness and joy... a reminder to really let go of my worries and count my blessings.

Hmm... does that sound crazy or not? Do any of you have certain symbols that you look for as reminders that, as Robert Browning once wrote, "God's in his Heaven - All's right with the world!" If so please let me know in your comments, as I am curious.

As usual, you can find more about this runner in my shop. Just click here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Got the good news today that my biopsy results were A- OK. I am so truly thankful. Many heartfelt thanks for all of the understanding and kind words left after my previous post.

I am not sure why, but after years of these types of scares, (and as I said before all of them ending in good news) I truly think that this time I was just overcome with battle fatigue. When doctors work so hard to try to rule out and/or find cancer in you, (and God bless them for looking so carefully) it's hard to not after awhile start to believe that your number is indeed going to be called. And after I received my good news late this afternoon today, that is where my mind did go... to all the woman who didn't get the good news. To all the woman who already have, or will now have to, find the courage, faith, strength, energy, time and money to fight the battle of breast cancer. My thought and prayers go out to each and every one. And hopefully, one day, may our daughters and granddaughters not have to worry about such a disease.

Maybe now I can get the cobwebs out of my brain and post some work. A few new table runners are awaiting completion. I hope to post them soon. Again, many thanks for all the kindness you all have shown me with your caring and good wishes, and all-around niceness. I deeply appreciate it. xo

Patchwork Days

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:29:00 +0000

My apologies for my lack of posting this past month. My attention has been diverted by a somewhat familiar yet always unnerving roller coaster ride that I know many of you are equally familiar with...

It begins with those lovely words, "We are seeing some areas of concern on your mammogram and ultra sound", (I am screened by both every year).

Those words are then followed up by whichever next step in the diagnosis process they feel best suits the situation. Lots of waiting, wondering and insurance approvals lie in between.

So, as of now I am still in that diagnosis process, with one MRI behind me and another one in 2 weeks, along with a couple of biopsies. Fun, fun, fun! And that is why I haven't been sewing much or posting much... I have just been pre-occupied with other matters. I know you all understand.

But hey! Happily in the past the outcomes for me have always been good news. Here's hoping it's the same this time around! We do take it seriously though, as my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40. So, as we wrap up Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let me contribute my 2 cents and remind you all to go get your annual screening if you haven't already done so this year.

Now, I did manage to stitch up two new pieces... another Cross Quilt, which is made from some assorted muslin fabrics along with a few flowered print patches added for good measure. I like that this piece would work in a minimalist modern city apartment or a rustic farmhouse.

I also stitched up this pretty Patchwork Table Runner, made from some lovely Indian prints that I recently acquired. (Be ready to see more items from these prints... that is once I get my mo-jo back, as I adore them!)

Okie-dokie... so that's all for now. Think good thoughts and have a great weekend! xo

Tutorial: Super-Duper Easy Way to Face a Quilt (Or: How to Sew a Non-Binding Binding)!

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 22:15:00 +0000

As promised in my last post, here is a tutorial on how I like to face a quilt. Facing a quilt is a way to bind your quilt without having the binding show on the front. It allows you to take the quilting all the way to the edge, can add a nice professional and more artful looking finish, (especially to a smaller quilt) and I also find quilts seem to hang better and flatter with this method.

Please keep in mind that this is just one way to face a quilt, and that there are many different methods out there. A lot of quilters prefer to use methods that create mitered corners, and you can find loads of tutorials on how to do that with a goggle search. However, I am extremely direction challenged and found them a bit too confusing for me!

The method that I use doesn't give you mitered corners, but who cares as they wouldn't show on the front anyway. And best of all it is simple, straight forward and super-duper easy, I promise!

I broke this tutorial up into 17 steps, (all really simple so don't be intimidated) and lots of photos, as visually I learn best that way, and I am guessing you do, too!

So, here we go....

Step 1: Begin with a quilt top that you have finished quilting. Make sure to square the corners and trim off any excess batting and backing fabric. Starting at the top and the bottom edges of your quilt, cut two strips of fabric each 2" wide and a wee bit longer then your top and bottom edges. (Note: For photo purposes, my quilt is turned on its side here). With your quilt facing right side up, pin each strip along the top and bottom, lining the edge of the fabric strip to the edge of the quilt, as seen in the photo above. (Note: I like to use solids, but if you are using a print for your facing strips you would want to sew the strip right side down).

Step 2: Using a 1/4" seam allowance sew both strips in place and trim the excess fabric edges flush with the sides of the quilt, as shown in the photo above.

Step 3: Flip the strips up and over to the side, as shown above. (If using a print the print would now be face up). Press with a hot iron.

Step 4: Begin to fold the entire strip to the back of the quilt, as shown above. You almost have to roll the area that contains the seam allowance to get it to go backwards. As you are doing this, keep pressing with a hot iron, (I like to use a lot of steam, too).

The photo above shows what the front will look like once that strip is turned and pressed all the way to the back.

Here, the photo above shows how the edge of the quilt will look once the strip is folded back.

And this photo above, shows what the back will look like.

Very easy so far, yes?!

Okay, lets continue....

Step 5: Now you are going to flip your quilt over to the backside, and unfold those strips that I just had you so carefully fold and press! Using your hot iron and some steam, begin to turn and press the edge of each facing strip inward a generous 1/4" as shown above. (Be careful to just press the edge of the facing strip, and not that quilted seam allowance, as we want to keep the "memory" of the pressed fold there for later).

Step 6: Flip your quilt to the front and your facing strips, too, so they are now back to where you started. Pin in place so they lay nice and flat along the quilt top, as shown in the photo above.

Step 7: Cut two more facing strips, again each 2" wide, but this time approximately 1" shorter then the length of your quilt.

Step 8: Center each strip along the sides of your quilt leaving approximately 1/2" on the ends, as shown above. As before, pin both strips to the sides, lining up the edges of the strips to the edges of your quilt. Note: Once the new facing strips are pinned in place you can remove the pins from the first two strips.

Step 9: Begin stitching at the edge of the quilt, and using a 1/4"seam allowance, continue to stitch the length of the strip and past, going all the way to the other edge of your quilt. See photo above.

Step 10: Stitch each corner of your quilt. You will want to go right across that intersection, as shown above. This is to reinforce your corners for when they are turned. I like to stitch a line forward then another one backward, for extra strength.

Step 11: Trim each corner off, flush with the line you just stitched, as shown above.

Step 12: We are going to repeat a few steps here... As before in Step 3, flip the two strips that you just sewed over and away from the quilt and press. Then fold and roll the strips to the back as you did in Step 4 pressing as you go. Flip your quilt over to the back and unfold your facing strips as you did in Step 5 and press your generous 1/4" seam allowance along the edge of each facing strip.

But now, unlike before, I want you to re-fold and re-roll these two strips back again to the back of your quilt. Steam press again to get everything nice a flat.

The above photo shows what the front of your quilt should now look like. The facing strips along the top and the bottom of your quilt top are still visible on the front, and the side facing strips are turned and pressed neatly to the back.

And the photo above shows what that those two newest strips should look like on the back side.

Yup... lot's of little steps here, but they are oh, so easy! And we are almost finished!

Step 13: Flip your quilt to the backside, and pin those two strips flat against the back of your quilt, as shown above.

Step 14: Using nice small stitches, hand stitch each strip in place along the back of your quilt, as shown above, remembering to be careful not to stitch through to the front side.

Step 15: We are in the home stretch now, baby! Using your forefinger and thumb, as shown above and below, push each corner right-side out. As you do this the two remaining facing strips on the front side of your quilt will naturally flip to the back of your quilt, where they belong.

Continue to push each corner out with your thumb. I then like to use a wooded chopstick to push the corner as far out as possible.

Step 16: Once the corners are all pushed out and the facing strips are on the backside of the quilt, re-press along the edges with a hot iron, making sure everything is nice and crisp and laying flat, as shown above.

Step 17: As before in Steps 13 and 14, pin and hand stitch the two facing strips down to the back of your quilt, as shown in the photo above.

Ta - da! That's it! You are all done!

Above, is what the quilt looks like from the back.

Folk Art Cross Quilt No.3

And here is what it looks like from the front.

Told you it was easy!

If you have any questions, ask them in the comment section and I do my best to answer them! xo

Indigo Blue Cross Quilts with a Facing Finish

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:12:00 +0000

Here are the two little cross quilts that I made from Candy's hand dyed indigo blue fabrics...

Indigo Blue Cross Quilt No. 1

15" x 15"

Indigo Blue Cross Quilt No. 2

16" x 17"

As you can see, there is no visible binding on either quilt.

That's because each was finished using a facing method, which basically is where you sew a binding on, but roll it all the way to the backside, so no binding is visible on the front.

This allows the quilting to go all the way to the perimeter and creates a nice smooth edge. I feel that it can give a small quilt a more professional, artful look and presentation.

There are various ways to face a quilt and you can find lots of tutorials on-line, some more complicated then others. In my next post I will show you how I like to do it,

which is super-duper easy!

See you then!

Parcheesi Inspired Cross Quilts

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Well, the winds changed direction again, and blew me back to where I had been a few weeks ago... wanting to work in nine patch, exploring cross designs.

This time inspiration sprang from looking at images of vintage and often hand-painted Parcheesi boards. (Have a look at my Pinterest board here to see some great examples).

Folk Art Cross Quilt No.1

Keep in mind, I had no interest in making an actual duplicate of these vintage Parcheesi boards, as the interest for me always lays in the unexpected and the not knowing.

But it was wonderful to just have the images of those old game boards dancing in my head as I hand-cut the fabric pieces and sewed them together.

Folk Art Cross Quilt No.2

I also sewed two others from the lovely hand-dyed indigo fabrics gifted to me last week and I will share them in my next post.

PS. I am happy to report that youngest daughter is all settled in at college, and seems to be loving it. And while I miss her, the adjustment on my end has been much easier then anticipated... truth be told it's liberating not to be on parental duty 24/7!

Indigo Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:56:00 +0000

I received a lovely gift in the mail today...

A pack of beautifully, hand-dyed indigo blues from my friend Candy, of Candied Fabrics.

The package contained 5 delicious fat quarters,

and one gorgeous scarf!

Indigo-dyed blues are my favorite of all fabrics, and I have a tendency to horde them instead of cut into them... but I am itching to get my scissors out and start!

Check out Candy's website where you can commission her to make fabric just for you, or where you can sign up for her on-line classes and learn how to dye your own fabric! The classes are all self-paced, with no end date to the availability to the information... so you can go back time and again to refresh and learn. I can tell you first hand that Candy is a whiz-bang of a teacher, (she's actually a biology teacher at the University of Redlands) and her on-line classes are extremely thorough, packed-to-the-gills with info and videos, as well as a question and answer forum. And her wonderful enthusiasm is ever present and a true delight. Truthfully, I think she's superwoman, because I don't know where she finds the time to do everything she does, and I am pretty much in awe of her!

A Stitch a Day Keeps the Blues at Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Pink Flower, Blue Butterfly

I have continued taking all of that low energy and soon-to-be empty nest blues...

Blue Butterfly

and placed every bit of it into stitching...

Butterfly No. 2

and with every stitch I have taken, my energy has increased...

SunFlower

and my mood has lifted...

Home Sweet Home

and everything's good!

PS. You may wonder why I am not spending every single minute with youngest daughter... soaking her in until she leaves for college next week. I would if I could, but she's hardly ever here! Work and friends keep her busy, and when she is home, chances are she is in her room playing guitar or painting... and now packing. Apparently, all summer long she's been thoughtfully breaking me in and preparing me for when she leaves for college so it doesn't hit me too hard... but I am still going to miss her!

Happy Little Pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:12:00 +0000

Happy Weeds

Many thanks to each of you who took the time to leave such great comments on my last post. From reading everyone's words, I see that these feelings are something that a lot of us are going through, have gone through, or know that we will be going through in the not too distant future. It was both uplifting and comforting to know that I am not alone!

Flower With A Green Leaf

I decided that the best medicine for me was just to allow myself some time to get out of my own head and simply have fun creating some little, happy pieces.

With that thought in my mind, I took a drink of inspiration from Janet Bolton, (a long time favorite of mine) and decided to stitch up these tiny textile pictures.

There is something very relaxing and meditative about working on a small scale... Tiny bits of fabric get to shine, and each little stitch gets to be placed thoughtfully and just so. Because the work is small, nothing gets lost or crowded out... every element gets to have its day in the sun.

For these two pieces, I used a facing technique, (as opposed to a traditional binding) to finish the edges, and then stitched on small square panel to cover up the stitches on the backside. This keeps everything nice and neat, along with adding a little bit of extra stability. I also like how the color of the facing fabric slightly peaks out a bit on some of the edges, adding just a wisp of extra color and line. I hand stitched a small and sturdy decorative loop for instant hanging... but kept it thin so that it wouldn't add any bulk should someone wish to mat and frame the work.

I think for now, I will stitch up a few more of these, as they truly are good medicine...

As are all of you... again, thanks for everything. xo

Crossroads

noreply@blogger.com (Victoria) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:34:00 +0000

I pieced together another 9 patch cross quilt, this time in shades of green, and just like the previous red one shown in my last post, it seems to be asking for lots of that hand-quilting...

But I am really feeling out of it this past week... fatigued and just general blah-ness. Whenever my energy is low, I prefer working on a very small scale. So, for now I am putting this top aside until I am in a better mood, energy wise, to give it what it wants. Here it is hanging from the curtain in my studio window... what a great pojagi piece it would have made had the seams been stitched differently. (File that thought away for another time!)

Not exactly sure why the energy is so low, but I have my suspicions... We have been getting youngest ready to head off to college in just a few short weeks, and I am just truly coming to grips that my children really aren't children anymore, and I am about to enter a whole new phase of my life, (not to mention that the next birthday will be #50!) I feel like in the time it takes to turn around and blink, two whole decades flew by. Could it be that I am entering some sort of mid-life crisis?! That sounds so cliche, but me thinks I am! And what really knocks me for a loop is that I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up!

Hope you all are having a good week... and for anyone whose kids are still little, and each day fees like a hundred hours... hug them tight and whatever you do, don't turn around and blink!