Sew Handmade

More String Blocks

2012-01-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

I'm still plugging away at this project, and still unsure where it's going to end up (wall hanging? table runner? quilt? no idea...). I am using lots of my scrap fabrics and that is very rewarding. Plus this object will remind me of so many of my past quilts, I think it will be very happy to look at.

I timed myself this afternoon to see how long these blocks are taking. Since I went through and pre-cut and pre-ironed all the strips, the blocks go together pretty quickly - averaging about 12 minutes per block. That means I can sew about four of them during my son's nap and still have time to do other stuff around the house (i.e. blog the picture!). If I keep up this pace and make four per day, I'll be set with a quilt or wall hanging or table runner or table cloth or or or or or very soon. :)

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T17:49:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope you had a wonderful celebration to welcome 2012. I have lots of hopes for this year, one of which is to spend more time sewing. This year these two little adorable faces have definitely been a distraction/deterrent. Especially that little one who is into everything and wants to take apart my sewing machine anytime he sees it. He looks like trouble, doesn't he? ;)

Today that little darling took a 3.25 hour nap (!!) and I got motivated to use some of my scrap pile and make some string blocks. I love these blocks and I love scrap quilts. I was able to make four blocks today. I'm not sure where this project is headed - I don't know if I want to make a large quilt or a small wall hanging or what. I figure I'll make these blocks until I get sick of making them and decide at that point. I probably have enough scraps to make a king-sized quilt if I get on a roll. ;)

In other news... I've also become a bit of a Pinterest addict. If you'd like to check out my boards and pins, I'm at http://pinterest.com/jodie_bissig/ .

And if you've heard of Pinterest but haven't joined, trust me all the fuss you've heard is worthwhile - WHAT a fun, wonderful, inspiring, amazing place to collect photos and links to anything and everything you are interested in. It's super easy to use and such a great resource. I'm currently daydreaming of the house we are building. Decorating, organizing, arranging. And a designated sewing/craft room to dream about, too!

Happy 2012!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T15:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all!

And a big thank you to my friend Melissa for taking our photos this year!

Christmas Ornament

2011-10-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a few minutes and a lot of inspiration and made a Christmas ornament. It was absolutely the last thing I should have been spending time on, but it turned out cute and made me happy. Sometimes it's nice to "run away" from what I should be doing and just do what I want. :)

Today my little one is with Grandma and my big one is at school - after I finish editing some client photos, I'm hoping to spend some time with my sewing machine, so hopefully I'll have something else to share soon!

Farmer's Wife :: Block 7

2011-10-23T14:21:00.001-07:00

"Birds in the Air"

Whew! This was a very difficult block for me! 36 tiny little triangles + 4 larger triangles. I did not enjoy sewing this and it's far from perfect. And I'm quite upset that the points of the triangles will be chopped off once I sew it with the other blocks. :( Oh well... hopefully the next blocks will go better (or I'll at least be able to figure out why this one did not!).

Farmer's Wife :: Block 4 & 5

2011-10-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Two more blocks complete! I am loving this book and these blocks. I wish I had more time to work on them. I skipped block 3 (Basket) because I just didn't care much for it. I may come back and do it later, but for now, I'm going to just do the blocks I like. I don't think I will make the 111 blocks required for a queen sized quilt, I'll probably aim for a large lap-sized quilt (50 blocks), which gives me some freedom to customize what blocks to make and what to skip.

Anyway, this is block 4, "Basket Weave" and it reminded me so much of the first quilts I ever made (see here and here). I love these blues and aquas!

And block 5, "Bat Wing" using one of my favorite green florals.

More to share soon, I hope!

Farmer's Wife :: Block #2

2011-10-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

This block is called Autumn Tints, although with the fabrics I chose, it's not very "Autumny." Still pretty, though! :)

I AM a Farmer's Wife

2011-10-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Have you heard all the excitement about this book? I have been amazed at how many of my favorite bloggers have been participating and how lovely the blocks are with current fabrics. Today I jumped in. I am so inspired by the letters in the book (link here) and the blocks are just beautiful. And, being that we are the proud owners of some Walnut trees, I suppose I AM actually a farmer's wife - why not make the quilt?

This is Block # 1 - Attic Windows. I am using mostly blue & aqua colors - lots of scraps and a few new favorites, too.

The book is written around letters from women in the 1920's, answering the question "Do You Want Your Daughter to Marry a Farmer?" Just after prohibition and women earning the right to vote, the essays from farmer's wives are like a time capsule, but also very current somehow. Mothers are mothers, no matter the era, I suppose. The letters are fascinating and the blocks they inspired are lovely. I've never made a sampler quilt, but I love the scrappy and colorful look of them.

I hope to sew lots of these blocks in the upcoming days and weeks, in between reading the letters - and I'll post as I go. If you'd like to see what the fuss is all about, check out the Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-Long on Flickr - there are some beautiful quilts being inspired by this book.

My First Quilt Show

2011-10-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

I entered two of my quilts in "The Art of Creative Quilting" exhibit at the Kings Art Center in Hanford, CA. I've never been included in a show before, so it was a little nerve wracking for me. The opening reception was Friday evening and it was so much fun to see my quilts on display and see other people looking at them as "art."

I entered my Love Values Quilt...

And my Vintage Neighborhood Quilt.

Two of my biggest fans at the show. : )

If you are nearby, I highly recommend checking out the show - it runs from now until November 26.

Calico Quilt

2011-10-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

This quilt is being donated to my daughter's classroom to auction at next weekend's Calico festival. The money raised goes directly to her room, so I am hopeful this quilt will bring in some good bids. Every baby needs a quilt!

Wasn't it nice of this flower to bloom purple to match and model for my pictures? ;)

The purple florals in the middle are from my vintage fabric collection. Have I proven yet how much I love these fabrics?

The border is not vintage, but it's a soft green polka dot.

The back is another green floral with a vintage fabric binding.

And it's quilted with an all over stipple (my favorite).

I hope it keeps a baby girl warm and cozy and raises some big money for the school.

Three months later...

2011-09-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry it's been an embarrassing THREE MONTHS since I posted! Truth be told, I just haven't been sewing. Sad! My little guy turned two and he's into everything, all the time. He's a climber and a risk-taker and I can't keep my eyes off him for long. He also looooves machines, so if my sewing machine is out, he wants to play with it, push buttons, and take things apart. NOT very relaxing!

Anyway... I did make something this week during naptimes. Nothing major, but a cute little pillow for a cousin-in-law's birthday. It's the same design as my old favorites (here and here), but a little bit smaller (15 inch square).

Her two oldest kids picked out the fabrics and I added the purple leaf for her youngest who wasn't here to help but who loves the color purple.

I also have a quilt in the works, although progress is slow with only naptime to work on it. I'll have pictures of that up soon so hopefully the blogging dry spell will not continue.

Vintage Neighborhood

2011-06-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

I finished one of my quilts made from the Vintage Sheet Quilt Bee blocks. I wanted a small wall hanging, so I used about half of the blocks I received, making this about 36x36 inches. I chose the pastel colored blocks for this one and I adore how it came out.

I asked for houses - any shape/style and told the ladies that I love polka dots and trees.

Here are some detail pictures of each of the blocks they created. There's so much to see!

I probably shouldn't pick favorites, but this one from Colima knocked my socks off. I looooove the hexagon tree so so so much.

This cute polka-dot house was made by Jane. I really love the orange/yellow background, too. It feels like sunset.

I love the trees and the polka dots on this one, made by Evelyn.

Janice made this one - I love the pink striped roof and the tree is adorable, too.

This one is from Bethany. I love how it looks like a sunset behind the house.

This one is from Angela. Love the polka dots, of course!

These last three were made by me. This was the first one, which I blogged about back in January.

And one with a tree...

... and one with a FANCY tree. : )

The backing is a water-colory sheet by mother-in-law found for me in Pismo Beach. Thanks, Laurie!

I was excited to use one of my new quilt labels. I love these!

I loved being a part of this bee and seeing all of the great blocks made with vintage fabrics. And seeing this quilt complete makes me smile - it's such a happy little "neighborhood."

Nook Cover

2011-06-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last week was my birthday and my husband spoiled me rotten. I got a new Mac computer AND a new Nook Color e-reader! The computer was desperately needed - our PC was more than 7 years old and a dinosaur in terms of technology. And the Nook is so much fun! It's perfect for taking in the backyard to read or play online while the kids are playing and will be awesome for traveling since I love to read and most of the places we stay have wi-fi. Woohoo!

Anyway - I want to keep the Nook cozy and protected, so I made a cute little cover for it using some bird fabric that I love. I quilted it and added a little loop and button to keep it from jumping out.

My daughter found it absolutely hysterical that I used one of her pony-tails. Hey! It works great and didn't cost me anything!

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2011

2011-05-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again - the

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2011

I'm way late entering this year - today is actually the last day to participate! - but I love this online event and love browsing all of the beautiful and inspiring quilts in blog-land.

I'm entering my blue and green scrap quilt. I love String blocks and I loves these colors and the big blocks of white. This quilt became an unexpected favorite of mine and I hope that baby Jack loves it, too. : ) More photos and details about the quilt are blogged here.

If you are new to my blog - welcome! I'm Jodie and I am a mom to two active children (age 5 and 1 1/2) and a part-time portrait photographer in Central & Northern California. I sneak in sewing time during the kids' naps and blog about it here at Sew Handmade. I have a list a mile long of things I want to sew "someday" and am busy dreaming about the house we are starting to build and the sewing & craft room that awaits me there.

Blue Baby Girl Quilt

2011-05-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

I made a quilt for our friends' baby girl. This is from Moda's Stacked Coins pattern, the same one I used for our baby boy quilt, one of my most favorite quilts ever.

This is made with a variety of feminine florals and prints. Some Amy Butler's Love, some Alexander Henry's My Secret Garden, some Dena Designs McKenzie, and some solids. I love that it's a little unexpected - baby girl quilt made with so much blue and aqua.

The coins in this quilt are actually 3"x6" (instead of the 2.5"x5" coins in the tutorial). I liked the larger blocks to show off the fabrics.

The back is a vintage fabric with pretty aqua, blue, and lavender flowers.

And my first label tag sewed in the binding on the back!

Welcome to the world, Keira!

Blue & Green Table Runner

2011-05-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

I started this table runner several months ago, before we moved. On Mother's Day, I had a few minutes to myself and got it finished. It is obviously made from scraps from my Blue & Green Circle Quilt (hanging on the couch behind it here).

It's stipple quilted, which is my favorite, especially on solid white fabric. I love how it turns out.

My little birds seem to really like it. Which is good, because they were violently attacked by a certain toddler the other day. Thankfully they survived and now have a new home on a higher surface.

I really like making table runners. The go together so fast and really make the house feel "homey." Plus - fewer surfaces to dust! ;)

I'm Sending a Quilt, Will you?

2011-05-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

I like to donate quilts, especially when I know the quilt will go to help a child in distress. An organization I have donated to in the past, Craft Hope, is asking for quilts to give to people who survived the horrible string of tornadoes that destroyed so many homes last month.

I'll be sending this quilt and hope that it provides some warmth and comfort and sense of security to a child who needs it.

If you'd like to send a donation, visit this link for details.

Quilt Labels

2011-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I blogged a few times about trying to find a way to label my quilts. I loved the embroidered labels the best, but they were super time consuming. I also liked the handwritten label, but it still seemed too big. Writing directly on the quilt was definitely easiest, but I didn't like the risk involved if I messed up my writing.

Now? Now I have my own personalized labels.....

When I spotted these labels on Etsy.com, I was so excited. These are super simple and I was able to design them myself. I'm not going to link to the buyer I went through because I had a pretty unpleasant experience with the customer service (she promised 1 week, it took more than a month and she was super flakey throughout the process). But, all in all, I do like the quality of the labels and I'm excited to use them.

The back of the labels includes basic washing instructions.

P.S. I'll show this quilt soon once it's delivered... :)

Placemats

2011-05-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

I made some placemats this week.

Each one is unique, although they all use mostly the same fabrics.

And each one is stipple quilted.

I made six of them and it took quite a long time! I'll just say that we won't be using these on spaghetti nights. ;)

The backs are made of a pretty pastel vintage fabric. I suppose they could be reversible?

Isn't it nice that the flowers in the yard are the perfect shades of blue and purple to match the placemats?

Crochet Flower Pillow

2011-05-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Kelly crocheted this giant flower for me a few months ago. I finally had the chance to look for the perfect linen/canvas fabric and made the pillow part this weekend. I love how it turned out, and it was very little work (for me anyway!). I actually just hot glued the heck out of it and then sewed the pillow slipcover. Super quick!

If you'd like one, too - contact Kelly via her Etsy shop and I'm sure she'd be happy to make one for you in whatever color you like.

Money Wallets

2011-04-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm one of those people who wakes up at night when I am under stress and anxiety - especially about money. Getting our finances in order has been so good for me. I'm super excited and proud to say that, as of this month, we are completely debt free! It's so wonderful and feels awesome to know that we aren't paying any of our money in interest payments. No credit cards, no car payments, no "bad debt."

We are following Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, which means we are paying with cash (actual paper money, not debit/atm cards). Each month, we put cash into separate envelopes - food, household supplies, gas, vehicle repairs, restaurants, clothing, fun money, etc. When the money is gone, it's gone. Which means no opportunity to overspend.

When I came across a pattern for these envelopes on Etsy, I was very excited (way cuter than one of those plastic coupon sorters from the office supply store). These fabric envelopes are so cute and very easy to make fit our budget. This week, I finallllllly got to do some sewing (YAY for finally being unpacked!). I made ten of these envelopes, all using scraps of my black and white fabrics.

Isn't that a handsome stack of envelopes?

Paper and coins fit just perfectly inside. Each envelope will soon have a label (still working on those) and will be kept in our safe.

It's a little strange to spend cash. Most cashiers are not used to it and it's not fun to watch it go away (way different than an atm card where you don't actually see or feel the cash). But it's super rewarding to come in under budget and to see the cash piling up in the "fun" envelopes, little by little.

The New Place & A New Pet

2011-04-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

We are all moved in to the new house and getting settled. Today I finally unpacked my 142 boxes of fabric (*okay, not really, but holy smokes I didn't realize how much of a ~~hoarder~~ collector I have become). I have a re-purposed glass cabinet to use for fabric and I devoted this one to my collection of vintage sheets. I already had a bunch, and then I adopted a bunch more from Janice. I have an insane amount of fabric now. I thought it looked very pretty all sorted, so here are some pictures.

Pinks, oranges, whites...

Greens, blues, purples...

Scrap basket and a finished baby quilt up top.

And the bottom shelves have A LOT of larger sheets - some of them haven't even been cut into yet!

I'm very much looking forward to getting back into sewing and have serious plans to make some quilts for donation with this amazing collection of fabric. I actually had my machine cleaned and serviced while we were moving and it's begging me to mess it up again. I'm hoping to find a babysitter one day next week so I can spend a few uninterrupted hours sewing in our new house.

On a different note...

One of my favorite discoveries in the new place has been our new pet. There's a sweet little dove that has made a nest in one of the hanging planters in the back yard. She has two little eggs in there and has been taking good care of them. The kids and I have been keeping a close eye on her and my 5-year-old has named her Mrs. Rachel Flower Featherbutter. I can't wait to see her babies once they hatch.

From what I can tell from a quick Google search, dove eggs typically incubate for 14-18 days and then stay in the nest for another couple of weeks. We noticed the first egg on the 26th of March, so we may see babies sometime next week. I am enjoying having a new pet that requires zero money and zero clean-up.

P.S. My husband is a hunter and I've already asked him not to shoot Mrs. Rachel Flower Featherbutter come September 1st. ;)

Whole Cloth Bird Quilt

2011-03-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

This is a small whole-cloth quilt I sewed for some close friends who are expecting a baby in May. They painted her nursery a bumble-gum pink and then were struggling to find bedding to match. When they came to visit, I showed them this bird fabric I bought from Beverly's months ago. I didn't have a project in mind for it, but looooved the fabric and had to have it. Apparently it was meant to be! Aren't these birdies cute?

The back is a vintage sheet that was given to me by Janice, an online friend I got to know through the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. She had a bunch of fabric that she needed to get rid of and I happily asked to be the new home. This pink and orange fabric was just the perfect compliment to the birds.

I used the same vintage fabric for the binding.

I'll be making another quilt for this baby soon after we move. Her "real" quilt is next on the agenda, this one just sneaked in since we wanted her to have a bed quilt to match her room. :)

Hexagons

2011-03-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

I am a little out of sorts with the move and all of the packing. It's hard to move with two kids "helping." I have a feeling unpacking may be entertaining, since I have already caught them sneaking things into boxes (including toys, random pieces of paper, and cheerios).

Anyway, being so busy with packing, I haven't allowed myself any time to create, which has been very hard on my state of mind. I have completed a small whole-cloth quilt for a friend, but I will wait to show those pictures until after the quilt is delivered.

In the meantime, I think hexagons might be the thing that saves me! I used this tutorial and have been doing some hand-sewing (a first for me). This is a great project for me right now because it is super simple, requires almost no tools (that have all been packed away...), and uses scrap fabrics (which I have a ton of!). I have no idea what I'll use the hexagons for, maybe a placemat or table runner, but I think they're cute and they are fun to make.

Some of the scraps waiting to be "hexagoned." :)

Coming soon........

2011-03-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

.......... not much. : ( We're moving at the end of the month. Given that we've lived in this house for nearly 4 years, packing up is requiring all of my attention. Unfortunately, that means my sewing projects are definitely on the back burner.

Some very close friends are expecting a baby in May, so as soon as we get settled in our new home, that quilt will be top priority. Coming soon (I hope!).

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : February Block

2011-03-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

This is the blast month of the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. :( We're in discussions to continue the Bee again and I sincerely hope we do... I've loved trying new blocks (some that I never would have attempted otherwise) and I love seeing the vintage sheets come together.

This month's block is for Janice and she's making a baby quilt with the blocks for her daughter who is due in a few months. We were asked to choose a color for the block - I chose pink.

Even more fun is I get to deliver this block in person - Janice lives in Northern California, near my dad, so I am going to deliver it and meet her in person next time I am visiting.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : January Block

2011-01-26T16:17:00.003-08:00

January is my month for the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. And I made a block for myself! I wanted to add a tree, too, but my house got a little too fat. I will probably try again.

I used this tutorial, but simplified based on the amount of time I had to make the block and the size I wanted the front door to be (I didn't want to lose that pretty flower).

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : December Block

2011-01-24T17:43:00.001-08:00

December's block is a quilt-as-you-go block. This was a first for me and I really liked the instant gratification of this method. I loved how the block turned out and really wanted to keep it. Angela asked for any colors, but requested light colors for the outside pieces.

The quilting is 1/4 inch lines and gives a very neat texture once it's complete.

I'm so happy to be caught up with our quilting bee! I hated being so late! And, like I said, January is my month, so this month is especially fun - I love getting the mail and seeing the amazing blocks that are being made. I'll post pictures of each block once I receive them all.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : October & November Blocks

2011-01-23T18:24:00.000-08:00

Wow... this blog is getting cob webs! I haven't been doing much sewing. I have lots of projects in mind, but I've been trying to get caught up on my family photos. I had a stack of prints about 6 inches tall, just waiting to be put in albums! I am caught up to September now, so hopefully I can finish up and get back to my sewing machine very soon.

Over the holidays and my photo business's busy season, I got way behind on the blocks for my Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. I had wanted to start off the New Year caught up, but here we are at the end of January and I'm still behind!

Anyway, here are October and November's blocks.

Hopefully I can complete December's block this week. And {YAY!} January is my month! I requested wonky little houses and I've been thrilled to see what people are coming up with. I didn't put any restrictions (except size of the block) in order to allow the blocks to be as creative as can be.

2010 & 2011

2011-01-01T16:16:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

I made 16 quilts this year and a handful of other crafts, too.

Here is the status of the sewing goals I made for 2010:

1) Donate another quilt to a worthy cause in 2010.
Completed in October!
2) Experiment more with circles and curves in quilts. I made several circle quilts (here here and here) and loved how they turned out.
3) Sew a child's dress (rolled over from 2009 goals).
I didn't do this. Again. Something about sewing clothing makes me nervous. I think I just need to jump in and go for it.
4) Make a quilt with little houses.
I haven't made this, but January is my month for the quilting bee I'm in and I requested little houses - so hopefully I'll will make a house quilt with a little help from friends!
5) Attempt a values quilt, maybe using this tutorial (or something similar).
I made two (here and here).
6) Make something with buttons - maybe this or this.
Nope. Still want to.
7) Check out my local quilt guild.
I joined my guild and became the librarian, too!

For 2011, I'm hoping to stretch my wings a little bit with some new-to-me projects. I still love quilts, so I'm sure won't stray far. I don't have any specific goals (aside from the unfinished ones listed above), but I'm excited to see what inspires me this year.

A Purple Table Runner

2010-12-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

This gift is for my sister, who I made this quilt for back in 2008. I saved the scraps and the extra blocks from that quilt for almost two years now. For Christmas, I made a matching table runner (or dresser topper if she decides she'd like it in a bedroom instead).

I guess 2010 has been the table runner Christmas!

Dresden Plate Table Runner

2010-12-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

I made my mother-in-law a table runner for Christmas. It's made with two Dresden Plate blocks, made with purple fabrics. Each block has twenty pieces that make up the circle.

I think it would be pretty neat to have two vases of flowers to put on each end.

I stitched the edges of the Dresden Plate and then continued the zig-zag out into the quilting. The rest of the runner is quilted with stippling swirls. The binding is a tiny purple floral print.

Here's a shot of the back (the color is a bit off, but you can see the detail of the quilting here).

The Dresden Plate is a fun block to make - this was the first time I tried it. I used this ruler (that I bought with a 40% off coupon, so it was super affordable). The block itself came together very quickly, but attaching it to the background fabric took a little longer than I expected. Luckily I was able to finish this on December 23rd, just in the nick of time.

A Quilt for Baby M

2010-12-20T12:39:00.000-08:00

Another Amy Butler Love quilt. This one for a good friend's baby girl, who will be arriving sometime in the next month. This baby is a lucky little girl - she's being born in one of the kindest, most loving families I've ever met.

The center fabric is my favorite...

It's got a 1" solid border, surrounded by 5" blocks from the entire Love fabric line.

Then another 1" border around the edge and a binding (also from the Love line).

The back is a beautiful floral. I love this fabric and love the backing almost as much as the front!

I quilted the large panel in the middle with a swirly free-motion in a deep blue thread. Then I quilted the edges of the borders with straight-line quilting in a light thread.

Rainbow

2010-12-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

My big purchase this weekend - a stash of solid prints that totally remind me of sherbet. I have some ideas for quilts using solids (a new for me).

For My {Spoiled} Girl

2010-11-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

On our way to our family vacation to Lopez Lake (near Pismo Beach), I knitted this scarf for my daughter. Camping at the coast, I was a little concerned we'd be very chilly and a scarf would be just what she needed. Guess what? She loved it, but wore it for a total of about 10 minutes. Go figure.

On the way home, I embroidered a little mermaid onto a large t-shirt for her. It's perfect for a nightgown now and will grow with her for several years.

Black & White & Orange

2010-11-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I've made a quilt for order - I sold a quilt! This is a simple black-and-white patchwork quilt with the baby's name appliqued in orange.

His name is appliqued in the same fabric as the binding using a fun font ("Kristen" if you are interested).

I stitched around each letter in matching orange thread.

The backing is an orange dot fabric. And if you look very closely, there is a soft blue color inside of the dots. I love this fabric.

The backing has a stripe of black-and-white fabric, too.

I hope baby Ryder will make a safe entry into the world and will love his new quilt once he arrives!

A Pillow to Match

2010-11-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

A pillow to match this quilt. They're both happy in their new home in our trailer. I think I'm going to love taking a little bit of homemade on our family vacations and snuggling up in these beautiful and soft linens while resting from our upcoming adventures.

Wine Coasters {A Tutorial}

2010-11-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

My step-mom uses these paper wine glass cozies / coasters. She loves them to help with condensation on the glass and also to help guests remember which glass is their own. However, they are not washable or reusable and the paper gets stained quickly. For her birthday, I decided to make her a set of fabric wine coasters. In the process, I thought I'd photograph my steps and write a little tutorial if you'd like to make something similar. These are very easy and would make a cute hostess or Christmas gift.

I used two 5 inch squares of fabric left over from previous quilts (this one and this one, as a matter of fact!). The 5 inch pieces are the perfect size for standard wine glass stems, but you may want to measure your glasses before you do any cutting.

Decide which one you'd like to be the top of the coaster and cut it in 1/2. Press the cut edges under about 1/4 inch.

Stitch down the folded edges, 1/8 inch from the folded edge.

Pin the two pieces together and cut using a rotary circle cutter like this one (for standard wine glass stems, a CD works as a great guide if you don't have a fancy cutter).

Using the same measurements, cut the second square of fabric the same size.

Pin the two circles right side together and sew 1/4 inch around the edge.

Reinforcing the seams at each end of the openings by stitching back and forth a couple of times.

Turn the coaster right side out.

Press the coaster, pushing the seams out to get a nice round shape.

Top stitch around the outside of the coaster at about 1/4 inch, again reinforcing at the edges of the opening.

Complete!

Be sure to try it on your wine glass...

And repeat with different fabrics to make a cute little set.

If you decide to make some, please let me know - I'd love to see what you come up with!

P.S. If you are a red wine drinker and concerned about staining your new coasters, be sure to check out my favorite stain remover at the bottom of this post. Even red wine, no problem!

Baby Gifts

2010-11-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

My friend Amanda recently welcomed her baby boy, Thade. And as much as I wanted to make him a quilt, I also know that his mommy has gotten the quilting bug. I know she has made him many quilts in the last 9 months, including the one I taught her. So instead, I made a set of two bibs and two burp cloths.

I made the baby two burp cloths using quilting cotton on one side and super, super soft minky on the other. This was the first time I've ever used minky. While I love the feel of it, it's a little temperamental! I'm not going to lie - these burp cloths are a little "off." They started out square but ended up a little wonky. Luckily, I happen to know that babies don't mind that sort of thing - they'll spit up on whatever is nearby. ;)

Vintage Patchwork Quilt

2010-10-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

A throw sized quilt, made entirely of vintage linens in a variety of floral prints.

The binding on this quilt is the only thing that isn't made of vintage linens - it's a charcoal gray solid.

The backing is the blue floral fabric I found last week.

Because the vintage linens are so so so soft, I don't like to add too much quilting. I love the lightweight feel of these quilts, so I stuck with a very simple grid quilting.

I think it's just pretty.

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Fall 2010

2010-10-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Today begins the Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival! I'm entering my Values Quilt made with Amy Butler's Love fabric line. I completed this quilt in June of this year and you can view the original post and details here.

I LOVE this fabric. The colors are so rich and the patterns are beautiful. I love it. This quilt was the first quilt that I made as a wall hanging. It decorates the focal wall in our master bedroom and I love seeing it everyday.

If you are new to my blog, welcome! My name is Jodie and I live in California. I am a mother of two children and I own a small photography business. I have been quilting for almost 4 years now - I made my first quilt for my daughter's first birthday. Since then, I have made a total of 41 quilts, with my #42 being completed in the next couple of days (I hope). I (obviously) love quilting and dabbling in other crafting, too.

Thanks for stopping by!

More Vintage Linens

2010-10-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we visited my family in Sonoma County and took a few minutes to shop their Goodwill stores for some vintage linens. I found a bunch - all for about $2-$3 each! These first two are full or queen sized sheets.

These are two pillowcases.

Two more pillowcases - kind of an interesting print on a lavender/grayish background.

This blue floral is also a queen sized sheet.

Soft pink floral with a very pale pink background.

And this one! It's pretty wild and I couldn't pass it up. These flowers are HUGE. I'd say they are about the size of a large dinner plate. I'm not sure how well this print will do being cut up, but I think it would make a great backing for a quilt.

And it's a good thing I found so many treasures....... they arrived just in time to be included in my vintage linen quilt. It's a BIG version of this one and I can't wait to complete it ~ hopefully this weekend!

As always, I have plenty of these new prints to share or trade if you're interested.

Blue & Green String Quilt

2010-10-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

A new favorite! These blue and green string blocks were made with a variety of fabrics. I love this block and keep coming back to it, over and over again. A big part of the appeal of the scrappy quilts is how so many fabrics are tied to memories of other projects and people I love.

This quilt is for a friend I have known since the 5th grade. She's expecting a baby boy this Thanksgiving.

The whole quilt is stipple quilted. The backing and binding is a green circle fabric from an IKEA duvet cover.

I've had a couple of people ask me if I get nervous using white or off-white in baby quilts. I thought I would share a secret here: I have a REALLY great stain remover. I don't bat an eyelash when babies spit up (or worse...) on fabric. It's called Folex. It's actually a carpet cleaner, but I've used it on fabrics for as long as I can remember and I've never had a problem, even on delicates. I've used it to remove red wine, blood, and all of the gross things babies make. It even took out a realllllly old red wine stain in our carpeting at our old house. I highly recommend it and have actually given it as a gift! :)

My Family

2010-10-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

We visited Sequoia National Park this weekend and took our annual family portraits. Sure do love my little kidlets!

If you are in Central or Northern California and would like to schedule a portrait session, please contact me. It's not too late to get on the schedule for a great 2010 portrait session to use for your holiday cards!

Halloween Decor

2010-10-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, Halloween is one of my least favorite holidays. I don't care much for all of the spiders, skeletons, and creepy stuff. But this year, I am hosting our family's Halloween Party (we get all the cousins together for a potluck before trick-or-treating). So, since we are hosting, I'm feeling like I should decorate, at least a little. The trouble? I don't like most Halloween decor and I don't want to spend money on stuff I don't like. So I'm going super cheap with my Halloween festivities. A simple paper banner with some pumpkins and gourds on the mantle.

I made this "Happy Halloween" banner for our fireplace using basic 5x7" index cards. I painted them with various shades of orange watercolor paints and used a glue stick to attach plain black letters. A hole-punch and some plain white ribbon complete the banners. Super simple.

My daughter is a little obsessed with bats this year, so I also cut out some bats from black construction paper.

Using orange embroidery thread, I tied strings around each bat and hung them from some white sticks I have in a vase on our dining room table. My daughter LOVES them and has asked me to also put some in her room.

So there you go. Happy Halloween!

Leafy Decor

2010-10-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year. A break from the heat, the beautiful colors, the anticipation of the holidays to come.

I cut out some leaf shapes and asked my daughter to paint them with her watercolors.

I love the way the light from the window makes the colors look so dreamy.

Using a standard hole-punch and some cheap ribbon, I strung the leaves together and added a bit of tape to the backs to keep them in place.

And added her name and the year to the back, just in case I should decide to keep these pretty leaves for the rest of my life.

Animal Stripes

2010-10-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

The quilt guild I belong to collects quilts and donates them to children who are placed with Child Protective Services. The quilts are meant to offer a little bit of warmth and comfort to a child in distress. I made this animal stripes quilt (suitable for a boy or a girl) and donated it today. I hope that it will offer a little bit of love to a child who needs it.

It's made from a jelly roll I picked up at Joann's a long time ago (with some polka dots added because it so needed polka dots - doesn't everything?).

The backing is more of the blue and green fabric I've used in several other projects.

I used a satin pre-made binding someone gave me a while back. It feels very soft and looks nice, but WOW was it a pain in the neck! I will not be using this again - my feed dogs snagged on it, my binding clips didn't work on the slippery fabric, and even pinning it didn't work all that well.

Binding issues aside, I think it turned out cute. It's a nice size for a child and I hope whoever receives it will find comfort and security in this quilt.

Trailer Campin'

2010-10-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

We recently bought a 5th wheel for our family to have some adventures. This weekend was our first trip and I got motivated to dress the baby in something trailer-inspired and festive.

The happy camper himself!

Our maiden voyage didn't go as well as we hoped (my daughter got sick - a lot!), but we still feel like we worked out some of the kinks and are excited for our first "real" trip in a couple of weeks.

I also have plans for some trailer decor and a quilt for our home-away-from-home. Who knew there were so many projects to be inspired by a home on wheels?

Pumpkin for my Pumpkin

2010-10-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Excuse the super wrinkly shirt. I made a pumpkin for my daughter for Halloween using the technique I learned with the pear. Super quick and fun to do.

I love the ric-rac leaf so so so much. I can't recall where I got the idea, but if anyone knows, please let me know and I'll link to the source.

A Pear

2010-09-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Week two of the Art Quilt class I took involved learning how to dissect a photograph or other image and assign light, medium, and dark values to show the dimension and shadows. The workbook we used had a pattern for this pear. It was extremely difficult for me to make a non-green pear. But I made myself do it and look! It's a blue pear!

I haven't finished the pear art quilt. I'm actually not sure that I will, but I like the technique and have already used it for some other projects (more on that coming soon).

Kitchen Crafts : Potholders

2010-09-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not a cook. I'm not a chef. I do enough to feed my kids, but I am just never interested in being in the kitchen. But... we have a good friend who loves to cook and bake. She has even traveled to visit us and ended up making dinner at our house! When her birthday came around this year, I decided I wanted to make her something and I wanted to make it for her favorite room in the house.

Simple potholders - made basically the same way as a quilt, but with 2x the batting to offer more protection from heat. Knowing her kitchen, I know that she doesn't hang her potholders, so I didn't bother to add loops. Just simple 8" square homemade crafts.

Happy Birthday, Jen!

My First "Art Quilt"

2010-09-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

I took Sara Kelly's class last night to learn how to make art quilts. This is what I started in class and finished today. I think it was a little ambitious for a first project (an abstract would have been a lot easier, I think). But... these landscape quilts are what always catch my eye at quilt shows and what I've been very interested in learning to make. For my first ever art quilt, I am so proud of how it turned out.

Here's some detail of my favorite part - the lumpy, interesting tree. I love all the curves and layers - it turned out exactly how I wanted it to (not usually the case for me in my artistic attempts).

Here's what it looked like at the end of class last night. I worked on it during the kids' naps today and once I got the blue background complete, the tree came together very quickly.

Session two is next week, where we'll learn how to make a quilt using a photograph as inspiration. My two worlds are beginning to crash together. Soooo exciting.

Now I just need to figure out how to quilt this baby! Hmm....................

Baby Quilt

2010-09-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

Another baby quilt! This is a quilt for another of my husband's cousins - the younger sister of the cousin mentioned in this post. Two babies due within just a few weeks of each other. Since this baby's gender is a surprise, I decided to use the same gender-neutral fabrics, but with a different design. I love these colors!

The circles are attached with a small zigzag stitch and then the entire quilt is stippled.

The backing is a orange, peach, and pink gingham and the binding is a soft blue (the same binding as the first quilt, too).

I loved this one with the sun coming from behind - my "assistant's" silhouette is adorable, don't you think?

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : September Block

2010-09-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

September's block is complete! On time! As a matter of fact, I completed this block the day the fabrics arrived in the mail. Colima sent the solid yellow and white pieces for this and asked for a focus color. I have been in a very yellow mood this week, so I chose yellow. I love how cheerful this turned out!

This block was very easy to make and (I think) is a great way to showcase fabrics. Colima wrote a great tutorial on the Vintage Sheet Bee blog.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : August Block

2010-09-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Let's just pretend it's still August {I'm a little behind}.

August's blocks were chosen by Leslie. She asked for a spiderweb block using Elizabeth's tutorial on Sew Mama Sew. I love string quilts and can't wait to see this one once it's complete.

Cancer Quilt Block

2010-09-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

My old coworkers are participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life next month. They are also making a quilt and decided to focus on breast cancer. They asked for a 12" block using the color pink somewhere in the square.

I ♥ pink.

If you'd like to donate to the Relay for Life team, visit here.

My {Baby} Boy

2010-09-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow my son turns one . He is sweet, content, easygoing, happy, and busy. He rarely cries and has few complaints. Already we can tell he is smart and very clever and determined. He does not like to be told no. He's a great eater, wonderful sleeper, happy traveler, and all around a pleasure to be with. I am a proud mommy.

He's such a delight and this first year with him has flown by. I'm sad and emotional to reach this milestone already, but so proud of him. He's been a wonderful baby and I am honored to be his mommy. He has blessed our family so much.

If you'd like to see more from his one-year-old photo shoot, check out my business blog here. And if anyone knows how to slow down the whole "growing up" thing, please let me know. Both of my babies are getting big too quickly.

Color Block Baby Quilt

2010-08-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is a small quilt, just a little bit larger than the stroller and car seat quilt that I made for my son. We have gotten so much use out of that quilt - it's the perfect size since it doesn't fall out and drag over the edge.

I made this quilt for a long-time photo client and friend of mine. She and her husband are expecting their second son next month.

The binding is a baby-blue swirl print and the back is a sage green fabric I have had forever. I love it, I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to use it!

The quilt is stipple quilted. I love the stippling on the white fabric edges.

This quilt was labeled using the embroidery I blogged about a few months ago. I simply sewed a square patch and then hand stitched it on to the back of the quilt. I like the way this looks and feels, but out of the three ways I've tried labeling my quilts, this was the most time consuming. I'm still looking for my "perfect" method.

Pinwheels

2010-08-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

I met Amanda in 2006 when we were both pregnant with our first babies. When I asked her if she had any names picked out, she told me Mia and I laughed - that was our #1 choice, too! And we both ended up with beautiful babies named Mia Rose (mine) and Mia Charlotte (hers). We joined a playgroup and the girls grew up together during their first 18-months until we relocated. Now Amanda and her husband are expecting a second daughter and Mia Charlotte is becoming a big sister. I was happy to make a baby girl quilt for the new addition.

I found this fabric in Scott's Valley during our family vacation in June. I love the beachy feeling and color combination. I thought these fabrics were just begging to be made into pinwheels.

The quilt is made of nine pinwheels, each made with two fabrics. Then there are four "bonus" pinwheels created in the middle.

I stipple-quilted this one as well. It was a perfect fit for this quilt.

The backing is a soft polka dot (I love polka dots, can't ever get enough!) that was leftover from this quilt (one of my all-time favorites).

And one of the outtakes of my 4-year-old "holding still" to help me photograph the quilt. Ha!

This was my second attempt at putting a label on a quilt. I'm trying to get into the habit so that my quilts won't end up lost someday with no record of who made it or where it came from. With this quilt, I wrote on plain muslin fabric with a fabric marker and then sewed the square onto the back of the quilt. I'm not a big fan of hand stitching, so I'm not sure this will be my first choice, but I do like how it looks and feels on the back of the quilt.

Best wishes to Amanda on the arrival of her new baby! I can't wait to see photos and (hopefully) meet her soon.

XOXO!

Vintage Sheet Baby Quilt

2010-08-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

Just a little, sweet, simple baby quilt made with my favorite vintage sheets. These are 6 inch squares, all with a watercolor theme. I cannot describe how soft and inviting this quilt is.

I wanted to do minimal quilting on this one in order to keep the super soft texture of the fabrics. I decided to do straight-line stitches 1/4" on either side of the seams.

The back is a soft white vintage sheet, too!

The binding is a periwinkle blue fabric - the only fabric in the quilt that is not vintage.

For the label, I wrote directly on the backing with fabric marker. Simple.

I love this quilt so much. I've already cut about 80 squares to make another one (throw sized) to keep. With all the florals, I have a feeling my husband won't steal this one from me! :)

Two more baby quilts have also been completed... photos coming once they are delivered to their new homes.

Surprise!

2010-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

There are surprise babies and then there are SURPRISE!!!! babies. This is definitely a big one! My husband's cousin recently found out she is pregnant. She went to the doctor and found out she was a little further along than she expected. How far? 34 weeks! As in, 8 months pregnant. As in, the baby is due NEXT MONTH! It's so hard to believe, so unreal. Last night, they had a surprise shower for her to celebrate and prepare for this little bundle who will be here so very soon. I was happy to make a quilt for the baby, and happy to whip it up in time for the baby shower.

Stipple quilting made for a lovely crinkly quilt after washing.

The back and binding are in a sweet baby blue fabric.

I am trying to be better about labeling my quilts so future generations will know where they came from. I've tried a few different methods lately (more on that coming soon after the other quilts are delivered). On this one, I used a fabric pen to write directly on the quilt. I like the simplicity of it and that it doesn't draw too much attention, but after the stipple quilting and washing, it's a little too crinkly and hard to read. Still a work in progress to find the labeling method that will work for me.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : July Block

2010-08-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late with my July block for the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. This is for Bethany who requested wonky star blocks (she provided the gray background fabric).

I really struggled with this one. For some reason, star blocks are difficult for me. And I also have a hard time making things wonky. So a wonky star? Eeeeek. But I finally just sat down and sewed and it came together just fine. Within a few minutes, I felt pretty silly for stressing myself out. Oh well... live and learn! And it reminded me why I am so glad I participated in this quilt bee and my guild's block of the month. It makes me stretch and try new things that I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

What's Cookin'

2010-08-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

Considering I don't cook, I probably shouldn't use that phrase?

Anyway.......... I'm working on a vintage fabric quilt with all of these beautiful watercolor-y floral prints. This one will be a baby quilt, but I am already cutting pieces to make a throw-sized quilt to keep. These fabrics just make me happy and they are so soft and comfy, it's impossible to resist.

I've got a lot of other quilts complete and photographed, but I don't want to spoil the surprises for the recipients, so I am waiting to post the pictures. Coming soon........

Trash

2010-08-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

I got a new (to me) car this week and in an effort to keep it clean (no easy task with two little ones as my co-pilots!), I made a trash container. It seemed a little odd to use such a beautiful Amy Butler print for something that will be holding trash. But I wanted something pretty since I will see it every day. And, besides, it's washable.

I made it using the same pattern as this bag, but with only one fabric and only one handle (which loops around the cigarette lighter to hold it in place during my crazy fast driving - oh yeah).

Boy Bibs

2010-08-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Now that my little man is finally eating something other than breastmilk, new bibs were in order. And it seems to be doing the trick - he suddenly loves to eat - hamburger, bacon, ham, veggies, fruits, breads, anything! Well, anything except baby food or anything mushy.

Speaking of the little man, he recently celebrated his 11th-month-birthday and learned how to stand up in his crib.

It's been a while, but I remember that being the beginning of some big battles with my daughter. So far, he's continuing to be cooperative at bedtime and naptime. I think it's all due to his mommy-made quilt and bird mobile. I mean, seriously, who wouldn't want to sleep in that bed?! ;)

Sonoma County Fair

2010-07-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last week, I took the kids up North for a visit with family & friends in Sonoma County. We also lucked out and happened to be there during the fair. I love the Sonoma County Fair. Here's a snapshot of me and the kids. Mia was (apparently) being shy.

The flower show was amazing, as always.

LOVE me some hydrangeas!

The quilt show was also quite inspiring this year. Here were a few that caught my eye:

I love these little house quilts. I'd like to make one... I think they're adorable!

This giraffe was amazing...

Love love love the colors in this design.

And, last but not least, a funnel cake before heading home. Yum!

Purple String Block

2010-07-23T21:59:00.001-07:00

Just one block to report... this is to give away, but wouldn't a bunch of these string blocks make a really dreamy quilt?

I haven't had much to report lately. I do have a quilt-in-progress, but no pictures to share. It's a pinwheel baby quilt and the blocks are all done and waiting to be sewn together. I also have a bunch of baby bibs all cut and pinned, waiting for assembly.

But for now, I'm off to Northern California for a long visit with family and friends (and to ditch this heat for a little while). Not much sewing will be happening, but I am hoping I can do some more embroidery and maybe a little shopping. And plenty of projects to come home to next month.

Guild Block {July}

2010-07-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! This month's block-of-the-month at my local guild was a very appropriate flag. We were given the blue fabric and added our own white & red.

I'm not going to lie, I had a challenge in making the star for this block and it didn't come out great. The sixteen little blocks that make up the star are 1.5" square. That's very little! My points didn't line up quite right...... I don't think I will be mistaken for Betsy Ross anytime soon!

Here are a few of the other guild member's blocks as they were turned in. I was quite surprised to see so few prints. I guess not too many were willing to part from the traditional flag fabrics.

Have a happy & safe independence day!

Embroidery

2010-06-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

Last week we visited the coast for a little vacation. It was so so so wonderful. I took my new book and some supplies and learned some embroidery stitches while we were there. Here's my first project, completed during my children's naps, under the beautiful redwoods, in the cool coastal air.

I'm toying with the idea of using something like this for labels on my quilts.

By the time I got to "g", I was quite pleased with my stitches.

And we came home to my hydrangeas blooming in the yard. These are my favorite flowers and I can see a bunch of blooms coming - yay!

More Birthday Goodies

2010-06-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

My husband's aunt and uncle gave me a gift certificate to my local quilting shop. I took a few quiet minutes this week and browsed and browsed. I was tempted to buy another pattern or another book, but decided instead to splurge on a whole bunch of new fat quarters. I love fat quarters. Anyway... here were the 10 I had to take home with me... I can't wait to see what they become!

My Growing Library

2010-06-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

I think I've mentioned my new librarian role with my local Quilting Guild. And it has really got me thinking how much I love books. I take my kids to the library each week. I take books and magazines with me almost everywhere I go. I love bookstores and I love browsing online.

I wanted to share the books I have in my personal library. Some I have purchased, and many have been gifts. I recently wrote this post about Martha's book that I received for my birthday. Some of my favorites are Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts, Weekend Sewing, One Yard Wonders, and Sweet Booties.

I'm constantly inspired by books. Are you? What books do I need to add to my library?

Vintage Fabric Placemats

2010-06-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

I used some of my vintage floral fabrics to make two placemats for my daughter.

The blue is my favorite... lots of pretty florals - 3" squares - set on point.

The back is also vintage fabrics...

The pink is also 3" squares. I actually made this one first, per my daughter's request.

The back on this one is the bright vintage fabric I bought a few months ago.

I bound both of these in white, which I am hoping I won't regret. Maybe we won't use these placemats on spaghetti night?

I have plans to make a green and a yellow version, too. My daughter's favorite color is green, so I know that would make her very happy.

Birthday Goodies

2010-06-20T15:18:00.001-07:00

My mother-in-law gifted me this book for my recent birthday. I have browsed the book online and read many reviews, but I hadn't actually seen the book in person. OH MY! It's huge! And amazing! And inspiring! Say what you will about Martha, but her staff is amazingly creative. I haven't gotten all the way through the book or attempted any projects yet, but from what I have read, the instructions seem very clear and the photography is amazing. I can't wait to dig in.

I really want to try this skirt. I'd love to make something I can wear.

But first, I think I am going to try my hand at embroidery. We have a vacation planned for this summer and I think I am going to buy the supplies I need and take my new book and get started.

If you haven't already, take a look at this book - and thank you to my husband's mommy for a great birthday gift!

Happy Birthday to Me & Thank You Cards

2010-06-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Last week, I celebrated my 30th birthday! My husband organized a big surprise party. Except that he told me about the surprise ahead of time (thank goodness - I really dislike surprise parties!). I had a wonderful time at the party and the after party. I didn't get a picture of all four of us, but here are a few shots of me with each of my boys and my sweet girl swimming - she was far too busy to pose for a photo with me.

My family and friends were super generous with some fabulous birthday gifts, too! I received quite a few gift certificates and have some relaxing & shopping to do! I also have lots of thank you cards to write. I decided to make my thank you cards and here is what I came up with:

They're pretty simple and made mostly with scraps from previous quilts.

Love Values Quilt

2010-06-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

I made another Values Quilt, this time using Amy Butler's LOVE fabric line. And for lack of a better word, I LOVE this fabric. The colors are so rich and the patterns are beautiful. I love it.

I've never understood or been interested in making a quilt as a wall hanging. I like to be able to *use* my quilts. I like to touch them and snuggle in them and feel their warmth. But when I made my first values quilt, while it was on my sewing table waiting to be quilted, I fell in love. I made so secret that I had a hard time giving that quilt away. Almost as soon as I did, I started this quilt with the intention that it would be a wall hanging - something for me to look at and enjoy.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may recall that I recently made a pillow for a friend using these fabrics and pattern. Love that, too... may need to make another one to compliment my new wall hanging?

The binding is actually a Kaffe Fassett fabric I had on hand.

The quilting is done in concentric diamonds to accent the change in values. On the back, you can really see the design.

Speaking of the back, it's a vintage sheet I found a few months ago. I love the pattern and love giving old fabrics a new life.

For now, this quilt will be on the wall in my bedroom, where I will see it everyday. Someday in the future, I hope it will be a part of my sewing room to keep me inspired and delighted.

June Guild Block

2010-06-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

Here's the block I made for my quilt guild's June block-of-the-month. I didn't win the drawing, but it was a fun, super easy block to make. Combined with the rest of the entries, the yellow fabric makes a basket-weave throughout the quilt. Very neat design.

I also began my new "job" with the Guild. I am now the librarian. A little "nerdy" according to my loved ones, but I don't care - I love books and am very inspired just looking at the many, many, many, many, many titles the Guild library has to share.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : June Block

2010-05-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Another month, another Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee block. June's hostess is Evelyn from the blog Use the Loot. She requested wonky log cabin blocks. Fun, quick, and showcases a wide variety of the lovely vintage sheets.

Family Tree

2010-05-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I felt inspired to paint. I didn't realize until I was almost done how perfect it was to be painting our family tree on our wedding anniversary. It's amazing how much can change in seven years!

Pillows for Sara

2010-05-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

This week was my best friend's 30th birthday. I can't believe how OLD she is (haha... I'm kidding - she's a whopping three weeks older than me, so this time each year I get to remind her how OLD she is). Anyway, given that she is my oldest (haha) and best friend, I wanted to make her something special for her day.

The first is a tree pillow just like mine. But... instead of just any old scraps, I used mainly scraps from her two baby quilts (see here and here), so I like to think of this is sort of a family tree.

This one is made with Amy Butler's Love fabric, which is the perfect name because I LOVE these colors and patterns. I also have a quilt in the works with this same design... hopefully it will be completed very soon!

And hopefully Sara enjoys her 30th year and all of her little blessings. They are soooo cute.

Alexander's Quilt

2010-05-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is a quilt for my best friend's new baby boy, Alexander.

I made up the pattern by sewing strips together and then cutting them into 3 inch rows and arranging them randomly.

These cute little owls were the inspiration for the quilt... love the colors!

This green fabric I used in the quilt and for the binding is one of my favorite (ever!). Several years ago, I used this fabric as the backing to my best friend's first child's quilt. I loved the idea of using some of that same fabric in his new brother's quilt, as well as for the binding. (Fun fact: it's also one of the fabrics in my own daughter's quilt. I told you, I LOVE this fabric!).

The backing is a fun dot/stripe fabric.

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2010-05-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

It's Blogger's Quilt Festival Time! Here's my entry (I'm #155 this time!) - my Values Quilt made with Kaffe Fassett and Vintage fabrics mixed together (originally blogged here). This was a gift for a friend's new baby, but I have to admit, I had a very difficult time letting go of it. And I immediately started making one for myself to keep - using Amy Butler's Love fabric - coming soon!!

If you are new to visiting my blog, welcome! You can click here to view all of my quilts or click here to view my most recent projects. I am a soon-to-be 30 year-old mommy. I am raising two adorable children (ages 4 and 8 months) and always trying to find time to run my photography business and make quilts for my loved ones.

Be sure to check out the other entries in the quilt festival...... it's amazing to see all of the talented quilt makers from around the world.

Mark Your Calendar

2010-05-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival is coming May 21-28 - mark your calendars for this fun (virtual) quilt show. I participated in the Fall 2009 version (I was #284) and it was so much fun to see all of the talented quilters in blogland.

Eight Months

2010-05-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Eight months old... and still lovin' his quilt.

Birdhouses

2010-05-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

This was the block for my quilting Guild for May. It's a birdhouse block. We were given the roof, the circle, and the post fabrics and choise our own for the sky and the square of the birdhouse.

Here are some of the finished blocks. So many were completed that they did two drawings for two winners (but not me).

I'm really enjoying being a member of the Guild and even possibly volunteered to be the Librarian! My husband said I need to put my hair in a bun and get some funky glasses if I am going to be a librarian. :)

Maybe I should stick to quilts?

2010-05-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

I have been itching to make clothing for a while now. And feeling like I need some "me" time. So I decided to attempt the "super simple nightie" pattern that was featured on Sew Mama Sew a few months ago.

My original idea was to make this using some of my vintage sheets - the super softness with the funky prints would make for a great nightgown. However, since I am not experienced with sewing any kind of clothing, I opted to use some inexpensive fabric that I wouldn't be upset if it went to waste. Good thing! I am not a fan of how this turned out - it's cute on the hanger or in the pictures, but once it's on it looks more like a mu-mu! NOT what I had in mind and I have no idea why it didn't work out.

I followed the pattern exactly, with the exception of the straps. Since I am a nursing momma, I altered the straps to tie in a bow so that I can lower the straps as needed to nurse.

I think I'll stick to quilts........

My Graduates!

2010-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

I recently taught two co-workers how to make a very small quilt (the "car seat quilt" as I call it). Both of my "students" have completed their first (and second!) quilts and both appear to have caught the quilting bug. They're already shopping for and sewing additional quilts.

Here's Amanda with a pastel quilt for her son, who is due this Autumn.

And Patti, with a quilt for one of her nephews.

It was really fun to teach them both and even more fun to pass along the love of quilting!

Just a little note...

2010-04-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky. I found this note on my sewing machine the other day...

My husband said it's a recommendation of what kind of stitch to use. But I know better - this is my daughter's pretend writing. And, to me, this looks like a love letter to her mama, placed very carefully in a spot she knows I will find it.

I'm so lucky.

(And P.S. Did you spot a project in these pictures? Consider that a sneak peek... it's almost done, but I don't want to ruin the surprise, it's a gift!).

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : May Block

2010-04-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

May's Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee hostess is Amanda from the blog Little Cumulus. She requested plus-sign blocks. These came together very quickly and it was fun to choose fabrics that would really pop with this simple design.

Amanda - the blocks will go out in this week's mail - enjoy!

Best of the Valley Quilt Show

2010-04-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to post these photos! My darling family loves me so much that they were willing to attend the Best of the Valley Quilt Show with me a few weeks ago. I took pictures of some of the quilts that jumped out at me. What a fun show! You can see the list of award winners here and the official web site here.

I am very inspired by all of the landscape quilts I saw. Many of them were so very detailed that they looked more like a photo or a painting than something made of fabric. Beautiful!

Pretty trees!

I loved this beautiful tree. We arrived too late to vote, but this one would have received my vote.

Check out that embroidery detail! Swooooon...

Love the soft curves on this one - and the quilting! Oh my!

The vibrant colors of this one stole my heart - and I love the shapes in the skyline.

If I am remembering correctly, I think this one was hand-quilted. Oh my! Beautiful and inspiring - the Dresden plate quilts are on my "to-do list."

My daughter was thrilled that this quilt matched her wardrobe.

I loved the black-and-white them (imagine that!) and loved the little splash of color, too.

Pretty dolphins! I took this for a friend who is crazy about quilts and dolphins. I have a feeling Ambyr will go crazy for this one!

A values quilt! We all know that I am a fan!

Love these curves, too! And the colors. Yummy!

I have a little crush on this owl applique (this was in the Quilter's Paradise booth). Isn't he cute?

And the shopping. Oh the shopping! My husband was very sweet and didn't even flinch when I picked up a few new FQs for my obsession.

It was a great show and I am so glad we had a chance to check it out. Next year, I hope I'll be able to spend A LOT more time there.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : April Block

2010-04-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! Here is my April block for the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee. This month's hostess, Jane @ Fancy Two, requested pinwheel blocks. Again, this was something new for me and was fun to try.

I sort of piggybacked off of last month's block and used the string piecing method, combined with the half-square triangle method I used with the values quilt.

I hope Jane likes the block and I can't wait to see what's in store for May. Also - is it January yet?! (That's my month and I cannot wait!)

Oh Sheet!

2010-04-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have been trading vintage sheets like a madwoman. It's so much fun to get the mail! Here are some of my favorites that arrived last week:

The warm colors...

The cool colors...

I also traveled up North this weekend with my son. It was our first solo trip anywhere and I decided to take Amtrak instead of driving. It was great! Matthew loved the train and slept nearly the entire time.

I missed my daughter a lot, but it was nice to have some quiet time with just my little guy.

While we were there, a friend and I checked out the new Goodwill store in Rohnert Park. It's great! They had a ton of vintage sheets & pillowcases and I grabbed a few...

Blue floral and dots pillowcase ($1).

Red and white pillowcase ($1). With the cute ruffle edge, I am thinking this might great to use for a pillowcase dress.

Another pillowcase ($1).

And a bright and cheery twin-sized sheet ($2).

This blue floral is a twin-sized flat sheet ($2).

It was a fun trip and fun to come home to all of these packages in the mail.

(To my Quilting Bee friends, let me know if you are interested in FQs from either of the sheets I got - I'm happy to share!)

Purple & Blue Values Quilt

2010-03-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

I finished my values quilt using this tutorial and I am so in love. This one will be a gift, but I am absolutely making something similar to keep. I think this pattern would make a wonderful wall hanging.

Just for fun - check it out in B&W!

Detail... most of the fabrics are Kaffe Fassett with a few batiks and some vintage sheets thrown in, as well.

The back is a pretty purple floral.

I quilted around the edges of the diamonds to accent the changes in the values of the fabrics.

Detail of the back and the binding.

Can't wait to start my next!

National Quilting Day

2010-03-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Today is National Quilting Day! And I love quilts (surprise surprise!). I'm hoping to get my values quilt quilted today.

Last night, I taught two friends how to make small carseat quilts. After a challenging start (the machines were not cooperative), both of my "students" completed their first quilt top. Hopefully we'll be able to get together soon to get them finished (and photographed).

Guild Block

2010-03-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

I joined my local quilt guild and signed up for this month's "Block of the Month." It's called a Square in a Square block and it's my first time sewing triangles. I was a little nervous, but I think it came out pretty good. This is an 8.5" x 8.5" block.

The purple fabric was provided by the guild (the focus fabric) and we were instructed to use our own batik fabric. I actually haven't really used much batik, so I bought this orange/pink fat quarter for this project. I really like the colors and texture.

I'll turn in the block at next month's meeting and be entered in a drawing to win all of the blocks to make my own quilt (last month I think they had something like 50 blocks in the drawing!). I am glad I tried it and am anxious to see what colors everyone else used.

Less than 24

2010-03-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

So that didn't take long. I finished the Blue & Green Circle Quilt, expressed my delight at being caught up and not having anything on my "to-do" list, and within 24 hours started the next one!

In just one day, I have all of the blocks complete for my first Values Quilt based on this tutorial. It's purples and blues and I love it. I planned for this to be a gift, but I am already waffling on that - I may need to keep this one!

This morning I headed to my favorite local thrift store to see if they've restocked their sheets. I found some great "keepers." This first one is actually a flannel, but I am thinking it might be a great backing for the Values Quilt. The colors are perfect and pansies are one of my favorite flowers.

Here's a shot with my hand (please excuse the lack of manicure......) to show the scale. These pansies are BIG. Love them!

They had only a pillowcase in this print, but I love these colors and the watercolor feel to this one.

This is also just a pillowcase, but I loved the delicate flowers and colors.

Some green / yellow / orange florals - both of these are queen-sized sheets. (P.S. To my Quilt Bee friends - I have plenty of these two, so if you'd like a FQ or two, let me know! I'm happy to share...).

All these for under $10! Love thrift stores!

Blue & Green Circles

2010-03-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

The blue and green circle quilt, inspired by the tutorial at Make it... a Wonderful Life, is finally done!

Detail of some of the circles - all raw edges sewn down with a zig-zag stitch.

My favorite is this fabric with the little houses and trees - I bought this on Etsy and it actually came from Hong-Kong. My first international purchase! (And maybe my last... it took forever to arrive!)

The border is pieced from the remaining fabrics - love how this turned out and it wasn't as much trouble as I thought it would be.

The inside is stipple quilted, the borders are not. I like the way it makes the quilt "pop" and I love the crinkly goodness.

The binding and backing is the same fabric from the carseat quilt. And I still have A BUNCH left, so I imagine you'll be seeing more of it in future projects.

This is my first pieced back - using some of the leftovers from the borders. It's not very dramatic, but it works. Although... I do have to admit it's a little crooked. How do you get them to line up straight?

Detail...

I love this one and can't wait to snuggle up in it this evening.

And you know what? I have a clean slate right now, no unfinished projects (at the moment... give me an hour or two!).

Carseat Quilt

2010-03-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

(This one has been done for a while, but I didn't want to post too early since it is a gift).

I became a Great-Aunt last week when my husband's nephew welcomed a son, Levi. I made him a little carseat quilt similar to the one I made for Matthew. As small as that quilt is, we've gotten SO much use out of it. It's just the perfect size for in the carseat and stroller or for laying on the floor for baby to play. This time, I chose all blues, browns, and greens...

The backing and binding is this interesting blue & green fabric I found on super clearance at Beverly's last summer. I think I bought something like 10 yards, so trust that you'll be seeing a lot of it 'round here (including on the blue & green circle quilt coming soon!).

I quilted this with a new technique (new to me anyway). It's free motion swirls, but with little loops as well. It was fun and seemed to go faster than the usual free-motion stippling.

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : March Block

2010-03-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that I joined a virtual Quilting Bee? It's a great group and we're focusing on using all of the beautiful vintage sheets we've been collecting.

March's block is for Rachel @ My Tiny Robot Heart and she requested String Blocks using this tutorial. Here is my contribution:

And detail of the fabrics - some have been in my collection for a long time now and some are new from the package I received yesterday.

I'm loving this block and the combination of all of the lovely vintage fabrics. Heck, even the back is pretty!

More Vintage Sheets

2010-03-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

I was very lucky to join Jennifer's Vintage Sheet Swap at the very last minute. I sent and received 18 new fat quarters! My box arrived today and I'm thrilled with the fabric I ended up with.

What's even better? Janice @ Sew Girly has already found another swap at Sew Make Time. I think I might be an addict....... I already signed up!

Pink & Orange Bubbles

2010-02-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

This quilt ended up being NOTHING like I planned. It had a mind of it's own and I'm so glad I gave in and went with it... I love where we ended up!

This is a quilt for my dear friend Kelly who has blessed me with her design talents on this blog, my photography website and photography blog, and numerous family projects as well. She is now expecting her second child and I am absolutely thrilled for her. This sweet "bubble" quilt combines some modern designer fabrics with some beautiful vintage florals, too.

This quilt uses raw-edge circles, sewn in place with a zigzag stitch. After a few washings, the edges of the circles fray just a bit, giving a soft, well-loved look to the quilt.

I quilted this one with a series of horizontal lines. Again, this wasn't what I originally planned for this quilt, but something pulled me in this direction. The lines at the top of the quilt start about 1" apart, then grow to 2" and finally 3" apart. It looks and feels great and I'm adding this to my favorites, for sure!

This is a picture before washing - with the blue fabric ink in the lines, I thought it'd be a little easier to see the stitches. Again, these are 1", 2", and 3" apart.

Kelly loves Strawberry Shortcake and has shared with me plans to use some vintage SS to decorate the baby's room. So when I saw this vintage fabric online, I knew it would be the perfect backing for this quilt.

The fabric was actually a very bright white, so my darling husband dyed it for me in the kitchen sink. Looked scary, but it actually came out just the perfect shade of off-white.

The binding is a pink/yellow/orange dot that gives it just a little bit of "oomph" around the edges.

I hope mom and baby will love the quilt as much as I do.

Those who sleep under a quilt sleep under a blanket of love.

Sew Handmade

More String Blocks

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Ornament

Farmer's Wife :: Block 7

Farmer's Wife :: Block 4 & 5

Farmer's Wife :: Block #2

I *AM* a Farmer's Wife

My First Quilt Show

Calico Quilt

Three months later...

Vintage Neighborhood

Nook Cover

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2011

Bloggers’ Quilt Festival :: Spring 2011

Blue Baby Girl Quilt

Blue & Green Table Runner

I'm Sending a Quilt, Will you?

Quilt Labels

Placemats

Crochet Flower Pillow

Money Wallets

The New Place & A New Pet

Whole Cloth Bird Quilt

Hexagons

Coming soon........

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : February Block

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : January Block

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : December Block

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : October & November Blocks

2010 & 2011

A Purple Table Runner

Dresden Plate Table Runner

A Quilt for Baby M

Rainbow

For My {Spoiled} Girl

Black & White & Orange

A Pillow to Match

Wine Coasters {A Tutorial}

Baby Gifts

Vintage Patchwork Quilt

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Fall 2010

More Vintage Linens

Blue & Green String Quilt

My Family

Halloween Decor

Leafy Decor

Animal Stripes

Trailer Campin'

Pumpkin for my Pumpkin

A Pear

Kitchen Crafts : Potholders

My First "Art Quilt"

Baby Quilt

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : September Block

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : August Block

Cancer Quilt Block

My {Baby} Boy

Color Block Baby Quilt

Pinwheels

Vintage Sheet Baby Quilt

Surprise!

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : July Block

What's Cookin'

Trash

Boy Bibs

Sonoma County Fair

Purple String Block

Guild Block {July}

Embroidery

More Birthday Goodies

My Growing Library

Vintage Fabric Placemats

Birthday Goodies

Happy Birthday to Me & Thank You Cards

Love Values Quilt

June Guild Block

Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee : June Block

Family Tree

I AM a Farmer's Wife