School Supplies

If you're like me, we love this time of year when all the school supplies go on sale. I have enough composition books to supply an entire classroom and enough Elmer's School Glue to last a life time. But I love it all and when it's all on sale who can resist.

Not even Cathy . . . . .



Can you relate?

Magical Slice and Dice Class

Yesterday was day two of a Magical Slice and Dice class that I taught at Bear's Quilt Shop in Garden Grove, CA. Here are some of the quilts and closeups from the class.

First up, Marie Kinlan with her whimsical guild that she made for her grandson.
When you look at the closeup photos you can see how cute and different the blocks turned out.

Marie used a bright lime green for the sashing and a dark blue dot for the set in triangles. Her grandson is a very lucky little boy.

Here is a picture of Linda Vandiver's quit top. Linda was a little camera shy but her quilt was more than willing to pose.

Linda used a wonderful Asian floral that was a coordinating fabric to a fabric I used for one of my Magical Slice and Dice quilts. I used a very dark purple in my sashing and Linda chose a beautiful textured neutral that let the blocks just jump out at you. It was a great choice. Once again, see how different her blocks look. Her is Tami Dunham with her completed quilt top. Tami sews like I do, put the petal to the medal, full speed ahead. It's difficult to see in the photo but the fabric is a very deep blue and silver. It's a gorgeous piece of fabric but I was a little concerned that since it only had two distinct colors that she might not get enough variety.

Boy was I wrong. Check out how different the blocks look. This turned out to be a very beautiful and elegant guilt.

If you interested in purchasing the Magical Slice and Dice pattern you can visit the Two Wacky Women website.

I would love to visit your guild to speak and teach a workshop. Please contact me for additional information or if you'd like me to teach at your quilt shop.

A Day of Making Pillowcases

On Wednesday my granddaughter and I met my friends Marilyn and Rob for a little shopping and then lunch. They were looking for Amy Butler fabric and I wasn't looking for a darn thing. Well you guessed it, I think I was the one that bought the most fabric. We went to Tall Mouse, a local craft store similar to Michael's. Unlike Michael's they carry a large selection of quilting fabric that rivals many of the local quilt shops. They especially have a nice selection of novelty fabrics. My granddaughter and I decided we needed new pillowcases for our beds so yesterday we made pillowcases using the fabric (and some from my stash) to make a few.

This is my pillowcase. Can you tell I love Mexican food? Check out the tortilla chips to go with the enchiladas, burritos and chimichungas.

My husband John is a huge coffee lover so of course his pillow case if made from coffee bean fabric.

While we were on a roll, Emily made a cute pillowcase for her friend Stephanie.

Last but certainly not least is Emily's pillowcase. She is a soccer player as well as a cross country runner. We found this perfect fabric for her new pillowcase.

If you'd like to make your own pillowcases, here's the instructions for my version:

Wacky Pillowcase

Main Piece 27” x WOF (3/4 Yard)
Border Piece 9” x WOF (1/4 Yard)
Accent Strip 3” x WOF (1/8 Yard)

1. Lay 9” border piece face up on table.
2. Press the 3” trim piece in half the long way and lay folded piece on top of the border piece.
3. Lay main piece of pillowcase face down – lined up with border piece. All the raw edges all three pieces should line up on the top edge.
4. Roll the main fabric from the bottom up and then fold the border piece up to the top (creating a tube) then pin all the raw edges together.
5. Stitch along the edge then turn inside out. You have a finished edge with all the stitching on the inside.

Finish the side with either a French seam or surge the edges together.

Congratulations, you have a beautifully finished pillowcase.

Enjoy,

Guild Workshop

Yesterday was my guild's workshop with Shelley Swanland where we made table runners based on her "Machine Stitched Cathedral Windows" technique. It was fun and quite easy. By the time I left the workshop my table runner was pieced, quilted and had the binding sewn on. Now I just have to finish hand sewing the binding down on the back and it will be ready to go on my dining room table.

The blocks are very similar Mary Ellen Hopkin's Loose Goose, a 3-D flying geese block. You then roll the edges and top stitch them in place to give get the curved look.

Grocery Tote Bag

While at the retreat in Cambria, CA we went to a quilt shop in Morro Bay The Cotton Ball and they had oil cloth pre-cut in half yard pieces. I couldn't resist making a tote bag to use when grocery shopping. Isn't it cute? I bought several more pieces so that I can make additional bags for myself as well as for gifts.

Fruits and Veggies

I was recently in Las Vegas at a Mary Ellen Hopkins seminar with my sister. I brought us each a tower of fruit and vegetable fat quarters and my sister brought us each a few yard of basket weave fabric. We combined our fabric and our ideas to make the blocks for this quilt.

I just got back from a Two Wacky Women Retreat in Cambria, CA. We had a small group which gave me plenty of time to put my blocks together and complete my quilt top. I love how it came out.