Design Wall Monday–July 23, 2018

I’m not sure I like this but this is what was most recently on my design wall.

I decided to play with making a small (20” square) piece using a herringbone pattern.  It’s very similar to a braid but notice how the rows are interwoven together.  It wasn’t hard, just different.  My fabric choice is questionable.  My excuse is I was in Las Vegas and these are what I had that would show the contrast of light versus dark.  I don’t know whether I like it or not.  Maybe with different fabrics I would like it better.  I’ll have to dig around and see what else I can come up with. 

Enjoy,

Size Really Does Mater

I’m in Vegas this week attending a Quilting Retreat that I’ve been coming to for close to 20 years.  I usually teach one day and this year I taught a “Great Grammy Square”.  The idea is to make 12” blocks and make as many or as few as you like to make anything from a wall hanging, table runner, throw quilt all the way up to a king size quilt.  In talking to my friend Barb, we were discussing pin cushions we each had using basically the same idea.  She brought her pincushion (the one on the bottom), and I brought mine. 

The end result was a study in cutting size and the finished blocks. 

The block at the top is what we are making this week.  It is made using 2 1/2” squares.  The next one (it’s just sooooooo cute), is made using 1 1/2” squares.  Reduce the cut by another  1/4” in and you have the cute pincushion with the red button in the middle, it was made using 1 1/4” squares.  And that cutie at the bottom (Barb’s pincushion) is made using 1” cut squares. 

I’m always amazed at what a big difference the cut size makes.  I always think whether it’s 1” or 1/4” it’s not going to have a huge impact but sure enough…………..SIZE DOES MATTER.  

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–July 9, 2018

I’m back to working on this…….

My Great Grammy Squares.  This is just a sampling.  I actually have 26 blocks made using these fabrics from two different (but similar) Bonnie and Camille lines.  I’ll be teaching this next week at a Las Vegas retreat so I need to put the finishing touches on the instructions today and tomorrow.  As you may recall, this is the same (but different) as the quilt and shams I recently finished. 

I also just finished a boring but practical skirt.

I have a couple of really cute tops that I’ll now be able to wear with my boring white skirt.  Like I said, practical and boring but we can’t all be “The Star”. 

Until next time………………………….

Hugs,

3 More Skirts

Who said skirts need to be boring.  Check out these fun ones. 

A quick story about the women’s face skirt.  I watch a lot of “The Cooking Channel” so of course I see a lot of Chef Anne Burrell on various shows.  What you may not realize is that Anne always wears a skirt (straight line instead of my A-line) and they are made for her.  Well one day I was watching one of the shows that she is on and she had a skirt on made out of this Robert Kaufman face fabric.  If she can do it, why can’t I.  BTW, I was able to find the fabric on the flat folds at M & L so the skirt cost me under $5.00 to make.  And a second BTW, the fabric name is “Bouffants and Broken Hearts”. 

I’d like to make one more (a boring white one) before next week but I have other things that are a priority so we’ll see if that happens. 

Enjoy,

2 New Skirts–More To Come

It is unbelievable how hot it is here in Southern California.  I live in Seal Beach and today the temperature topped out at 110 degrees.  By any standard that is very, very hot. Thank goodness we have air conditioning so today I stayed inside and finally manage to get a couple of new skirts made.  Most you you know that I have worn a skirt just about every single day for the last several years.  I haven’t made a new one in quite some time and it’s definitely time to retire some of the old ones and replace them with new ones. 

Both of them were made with fabric I purchased while visiting Kauai a few months ago.  Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get a few more made.  They are actually quite simple to make and don’t take much time, it’s more a matter of just doing it. 

Enjoy,

Design Wall Monday–July 2, 2018

Not exactly my design wall, more like my design yard but however you see it it’s a “Finish”.  Yeah!!!!!

I call this one my Great Grammy Square quilt and shams and it’s what I will be teaching in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas.  This is my second one using Kaffe Fasset fabrics.  The first one is currently on my bed and is similar to this one, but different. 

I’m also working on another version using two different Bonnie and Camille fabric lines and Kona white.

This one will have a very different feel to it and probably won’t be as large.  I have 24 blocks already made but I’m not sure how big I want to make it.  I guess for now I’ll just keep making blocks and eventually add sashing and borders. 

I still have several skirts to make but I got sidetracked by finishing the Kaffe and gray quilt.  I also need to finish writing the tutorial for the upcoming class.  Guess I better get moving and just do it.  

Enjoy,