Starting on my Swap Tote

I've pulled a stack of fabrics and I think I may even have an idea for the design of the tote bag for Mouthy Stitches 2. You can read about this Flickr Swap here.

We have a secret partner that we're making a tote bag for, and one that will be making a tote bag for us. The trick is to find out about your partner's likes and dislikes by checking out their favorites in flickr, and their blog if they have one, and then make a tote that they will love!

Here is my stack of pulled fabrics:

I have posted this on the flickr group in hopes that I'll get feedback from the right person letting me know I am headed in a good direction!

I may just make one of the totes in my head for myself as well. This group of fabrics happens to make me happy too!

Hoping I get some good comments so I can move forward to sewing this week.

Anxiously awaiting...

I have been drinking in all of the recent blog posts about fabric lines getting ready to hit the stores over the next few months. I am excited to see a few of the lines come out. These are some of the ones I am drooling over:
Juggling Summer by Zen Chic

In this collection, I love the purples and the aquas, and I could really see a couple of the fabrics being used as focus fabrics in a modern quilt - yea!

Odds & Ends by Julie Comstock:

Some of the prints in this line sow vintage typography, which I like I guess because I have spent many years worried about choosing typefaces and designing logos and stuff. Also, the grayed blues and soft greens are what I am always drawn to first.  I like lots of these as stash builders and blenders too.

And finally:

Center City from Jay McCarroll for Free Spirit! This Uptown fabric is my favorite, and I like it in all 3 colorways, but of course I especially like this one with all of the purples :) It's just fun.

This habit of mine is getting very expensive. VERY.

A New Experience

Linking up to Melissa's TNT Thursday over at Happy Quilting!

So, last week I took my very first EVER quilting class. I spent the day Thursday at the PNQE (Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza) in Pepper Cory's Swartz Creek Scrap Quilt class. I found it a completely different (and difficult) thing to work in that environment! About 30 students were in the class, all working with their scrap piles (Challenge number 1 - I really don't have nearly enough scraps yet).  Why I signed up for the scrap quilt class... duh. I don't know. Because I liked the idea of finding something to do with scraps, and because I have never made a scrap quilt? Oh, yes, that would basically be because I don't have enough scraps... back to Challenge #1.  This was the stack of fabrics I took to class:

And here is the Swartz Creek Scrap Quilt that we were going to work from:

The idea was to use the pattern/system of this quilt. It's made from 3 types of 4 inch blocks - pinwheel, 4-patch and plain squares.

I found it interesting to see what others had in their scrap pile, as well as all of the variety in colors, prints and styles among the group. I didn't get nearly as much done as I thought I would, but I had not planned well and had taken a very tiny cutting mat that hampered my progress early on - Challenge #2. I was able to borrow one and things went faster! Note to self - get a better sized cutting mat for travel.

I am used to having a design wall (or at least a design floor) and there was neither option. I usually work in such a way as I can easily see what I've got and then move in another direction if I'm not happy with it. Nope - Just plow into cutting and sewing and hope it looks OK? Not my normal way of doing things. So that was Challenge #3 - new way of working for me.

Here are some things I learned that I will definitely take with me and think about as I work on other projects. More than color, CONTRAST matters. Contrast of all kinds is what makes a quilt visually interesting. I know this from my graphic design training, but it is a good thing to remember when choosing fabrics. Think about the scale (size) of the various prints and use contrast there. Think about the variety of shapes in the prints - round (like florals) vs line (stripe) and use contrast there. Value - (purely light vs dark regardless of the color) and use contrast there. Dull vs bright. Cool vs. Warm, etc.

I also learned some hints for working with scraps - have a plan. Sort your fabrics and figure out what your system will be. Then if you follow the system, your scrap quilt will make sense.

Here is what I created so far...

Even that's a bit fudged because the navy blue pinwheels aren't sewn together! I've got a long way to go if I'm going to finish this. Many many more 4" pinwheel blocks! And more fabrics to get this looking scrappier.

Taking a class was NEW and I am glad for the experience!

September Bee Blocks

Here are the blocks I made for our September Queen in the Liberty & Justice Bee. These were fun and easy. We used this Star Tutorial from Cluck, Cluck Sew.

I'm throwing in a third one just because I like it...

Trimmed down tote

Today I pulled out a piece of home dec fabric that I had bought as a remnant a LONG time ago. I intended to make it in to a purse of some sort, but never figured out exactly what I wanted. So, into a drawer it went. I pulled it out and chose a fabric from my stash for the lining and another fabric that I thought would be nice as an accent texture for the front.  Here's what I made:

I used the tutorial from Skip to my Lou. Simple, simple, simple! I trimmed it down because I prefer a smaller purse and I am really pleased with how it came out.

Love checking really old things off the list!

Quick Project and a Test

No, I am not talking about schoolwork!

Yesterday, I just needed to make something that I could finish fast with out too much thinking or planning so I decided to make a lanyard. I am going to a quilt show and class later in the week so I can use it for my name badge or I can use it to keep track of my scissors!

I added that little pop of coral for some extra zing! I think its fun.

I've been working on cutting out template pieces for a project I designed using Kona Solids. Here's a sneak peak of my test block... 

Glad I made this before I went ahead and cut everything out because I did need to make a little adjustment to the blue squares. I am ready to crank these out now!

Getting ready for class!

There has been a lot of organizing going on in my house this week. The kids organizing themselves with their new school supplies, binder systems and folders. Labeling everything and doing their best to get the school year started with a system that they can manage to keep up with through the year. The obligatory first day photo:

I have also been working on getting myself organized for class. I signed up to take a class at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza which happens next Thursday - Sunday in Oaks, PA. Luckily this is a very short drive from my house, and I can come and go as I please during those four days. I find that shorter visits tend to allow me to take in more and get more out of what I see!

This wil be my very first EVER quilting class. I am more of a read about it and try it kind of gal. I like the researching ways to do things, watching on TV and I have always loved books, so that's how I started quilting too. I signed up to take Pepper Cory's full day class to make a scrap quilt based on the Swartz Creek Scrap Quilt from 1910. Here's what it looks like:

image taken from www.peppercory.com

What on earth was I thinking? I don't have enough scraps for this yet! So, the other option in the class list is to bring at least 16 FQs. Here is what I have pulled that I'm hoping will work - 8 FQs from Barbara Brackman's William Morris fabrics, and a bunch of other stuff that I think will blend. That's a Navy solid at the far right.

Hopefully this will work out! What do you think?

This week's finish!

Linking up with Kati  From the Blue Chair for my favorite finish of this month and also Sarah of  Confessions of a Fabric Addict for

  

This is finished not a moment too soon! This quilt will be a "new big sister" gift for my niece, who is currently in India with my brother and his wife picking up my new nephew. The quilt I made for him can be seen here.  They are scheduled to arrive back in the US on September 11th. I am so pleased with how this turned out. It's bright and fun and girly - just like my niece!

It is such an exciting time for my family. My parents will get to go visit shortly after they get home and they will be my personal quilt delivery service. Hopefully I'll get a few photos of the kids with their quilts!