Little Red Baskets

I quilted up my little basket quilt. Boy, red, black and white is an unbeatable combination.
The inner border fabric with the different sized polka dots came into my life as a cotton mini skirt. Most of the rest of the fabrics came out of the scrap bag.
The oregano in my garden has bloomed, and the bumble bees love it. I've had lots of bees in my garden this year and I love to go out and listen to them buzz.
There is another holy card transfer project on the design wall. This one is the Sacred Heart of Mary.

Another One Done

I finished quilting the other polka dot quilt I made for my nieces. I collected polka dot fabrics for a very long time, and I think I finally hit the bottom of my supply.
My loopy free-motion quilting seems to fit the style of this quilt especially.
Here's a shot of the back (with the light shining through). That yellow fabric at the center top is vintage 60s or 70s--I really love it. You can click on it for a better view. I don't like the tedium of piecing my quilt backs, but you do get to use up a lot of odds and ends that way.

Halloween Quilt (50 x 50)

I finished piecing my old and new Halloween quilt, using both a charm square pack I picked up at IQF and some old Halloween yardage I'd used years ago as tablecloths. The inner and outer border fabrics are the old stuff.
In the third block on the top row, you can get a better view of the blue fabric. Below that is a bit of fabric from a piece Debra just sent me. The brown on the end of the third row is a vintage 70s print.
I've got a big piece of this skeleton fabric, but I just sprinkled a few pieces of it here and there.

I even pieced the back of this quilt, so I expect to be ready to use it this year.
Louie advised me during the piecing. He's taking all the credit for the results.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Last weekend we took a stroll through Lady Bird Johnson Grove, a looping trail through a sliver of old growth redwood forest.


Enjoy some of the sights: the magestic
and the minature.
(I got to use that micro lens on my camera.)
A variety of ferns and other plants grow on fallen trees. What a feast for the eyes. What a lovely slice of heaven.

Old and New

I bought a packet of Moda charm squares at IQF. They have a funky Halloween theme and a lot of orange accents. I'm going to pair them with this cream and black print and make a small quilt with all half square triangle blocks.

I've got a few other fabrics to throw into the mix. Louie is playing Vanna White and pointing to them with his lovely orange feet. He figures that since the theme is orange, he wants to be involved.

I bought the orange and blue Halloween yardage back in the 90s when my kids were small. They've been hemmed to use for small tablecloths. I used to decorate with seasonal tablecloths when my kids were little, so these have a lot of sentimental meaning for me. I'm going to work them into the Halloween quilt as accent blocks and borders. The brown fabric is actually only two small chunks. I don't know where I got it, but it looks like vintage 70s cotton. I wish I had more. It's obvious that the some of the Moda prints are inspired by this kind of 70s pattern.

I'm going to start making the blocks as soon as I bind the quilt I just quilted for my niece. Oh, and I'll have to do some work too.

Shirts and Sheets (60 x 70)

This quilt finished up fast. The diamond pieces were pretty big: about 4.5", and the Y-seams weren't that big a deal.



I love the softness of these colors. The quilt has gone to the "to be quilted" pile that I'm working on (slowly).

Striking While the Iron's Hot

I'm on a roll in the sewing room, probably because I have to go back to work soon, so I'm trying to use the free time I've got right now.

In a bit of serendipity, I found some bird charms at Jo-Ann's that I immediately conjured a use for. I have this crazy block I made one of in Sharon B's embroidery classes that was sitting in the drawer.
I added some silk tie pieces, sized it up to 12 x 12, and backed and bound it. With the bird charms, it's now part of my 12 x 12 bird series.
I'm calling this one "Wisteria." Although it's a bird series, all of the pieces are named for flowers or plants. Go figure.
It's a pretty block and I put a lot of work into it, so now I can display it with the others.

Remember my red basket blocks?

I pieced them with some 4-patches, added borders, and last night I pin basted it.

If I get really ambitious I will quilt it soon.

Y-Seams

The Y-seams have turned out to be no big deal. You just leave a 1/4" unstitched on the beginning and ending of every seam so that you can fit things together. Now that I've done 4 blocks, I told Debra I wish I were one of those designers who can call in an assistant to finish up the other blocks. Oh well, maybe next lifetime.


On the back you press all the seams so that they swirl in one direction. Then you smoosh (a technical term) all the bits where the seams come together in the center until you get a replica of the block. It all stays nice and flat. Pretty cool, huh?

One Sheet, One Pillowcase, Three Blouses and a Nightshirt

I came home from IQF with lots of energy for new projects. After my St. Therese piece, I also felt like doing some machine work.

I admire how DIY crafters use old linens and garments to make new things, which is also part of quilting's heritage. This piece started with the sheet. I love these big yellow roses, and the soft colors are nice.
It called to me at the thrift store where I got it for 50 cents because it had languished there so long. The two plaid blouses were XXL, so they yielded plenty of fabric. I must've picked them up when they had a $1.00 a bag sale because they're neither my size nor my style. One sleeve on each of the other two tops had already been used for doll clothes. When I pile things up in the sewing room I often discover combinations of fabrics that go well together. That's how these pieces found each other.
I used my diamond ruler (I think its 60 degrees, but don't quote me).
It's fun to play with the pattern possibilities.
How's this so far? Y-seams anyone?

Good Times

What a treat it was to get together with my pals Rian, Debra and Allie for the Long Beach Quilt Fest.
We had a lovely dinner and then a slumber party where we talked late into the night. I've met Allie in person a couple of times before, but this was my first time meeting Debra and Rian. I've known all these gals for several years now, and the ties we've forged through the 'net are substantial. Nevertheless, in real time and face-to-face we shared more about our creative and personal lives, and it was a pleasure for me to deepen our friendship.

In the morning we hit the show. It was fun to see the quilts with like-minded viewers. We admired and critiqued and took mental notes. We shopped, though I think I bought more than anyone. Having sworn off buying fabric for a long time, I bought fabrics I couldn't say no to. One discovery for me was the vintage Mexican-themed patterns and fabrics by Quarter Inch Publishing, so I dropped a few bucks at their booth.
The Quilt Festival was preceded for me by a round of visits to prospective colleges with my son Alex. In three days we visited four colleges in San Diego, then I put him on a plane back home.
After the show, Michael (who visited with family while I was at IQF) and I spent one night in Newport Beach. Here's a shot of the beach, already busy at 7:30 in the morning.
Fishermen were busy selling the catch of the day. We took a quick walk on the boardwalk, and then headed to the airport for the trip home. It was a great trip, and I wish it had lasted much much longer.

Little Flower (18 x 29)

Materials: tea towel, vintage handkerchief, vintage lace, cotton embroidery floss, silk ribbon, beads, buttons, pillow case, photo transfer.

Click on any of the photos for close-ups.








The back is a pillowcase my sister gave me. The idea to do this came to me as I was waking up one morning.


The hem is the sleeve for the hanger. Completed July 2008. There are process notes under the "St. Therese" labeled posts.