A breather

from catching up after the holidays.  I wish I didn’t have to sleep  sometimes, because I have so much to do.  And with all of it going on, the Quilter’s Alley  parallel universe sustains.  

The decorations are down, finally,
the showroom has been reinvented,
January stock has started to arrive,
samples for new lines are in the works,
very pink super hero visits the  store,
the long arm machine is rarely idle,
the final editing of On The Grid continues,
new drawings for Molly’s Quilt must be done (to complement the book)
Classes have started and new classes are filling up 
Super Bowl Sunday sewing event is planned
Show stock is being prepared: March Empire Quilters
The Quilter’s Alley website is updated, again…
whew!
Pictures? Who has time, but…

 

On the Grid

 

I’ve designed another quilt, written another pattern and finally completed the quilt top after much deliberation.  Jennifer Paganelli gave me a stack of fabrics that she designed for her latest collection – coming January 2009 – and I puzzled them into what finally looks like a great cover for the pattern.
These are just a few of them.

 

 

One seam to go

I am using the Flower Power prints in aquas, peach, pink and green.  There is a perfect shot of animal print all around.  We’re so happy that Westminster is bringing back the brown and white, black and white zebra prints that sold out the door last time.  They add a punch of kitsch to anything they touch.  I will now be using the rest of the scraps to come up with fabulous garments and accessories.

Flower Embellishment in process

  Nose to needle again…

 

 

 More at the store…

 

Jill made twin gifts from Wee Wonderfuls Pattern

Strawberry Fields

 

Make-up Class

A tutorial for this easy bag was requested and will be uploaded to our website.

A patchwork headpiece

A cartoon headpiece

A holiday neck-piece

Amy Butler, Simplicity and Proud Mama

My littlest sewists

 

Diana's Apron

Mimi's Apron

 

 

                                                                                                   

 

Nancy finishes in time!

Eileen's naturally dyed fabrics are amazing!

So much in only a couple of weeks.  Whew!

 

Give Away

Okay, so I talk about all the projects and events that happen around here all the time, but I decided to stir things up with a give-away of a Jennifer Paganelli four-fat quarter pack and a Times Square Pattern.  She had her own drawing which gave me the idea since her mention of my pattern, Times Square , made with her fabrics.  So leave a comment about how much you love her fabric or my pattern (which is one of a growing collection) and you will be entered into the drawing this week.  Comments will be tallied on the 30th of Oct. and names thrown into the hat for drawing.  Five names will win sets of fat quarters from her collections.  I spoke to Jennifer today and we will be offering precut fat quarters and kits with her fabrics and my patterns at her home show which is coming up in Wilton, CT.  Check back for dates. And don’t forget to leave a comment here to enter the drawing.

Thanks Nancy for making the sample that Jennifer saw. Here is an image of the quilt I made with Art Gallery Fabrics.

 

 

Next:  We’re headed to Houston for Quilt Market

 

This week

What I find most interesting are the events and objects that come in series during a week, even when they’re hiding among my own work.   See the coincidence post . When a customer asked me to make her an altar cloth, I accepted the commission gladly, but had no idea that when I looked back over prior work or work-in-progress, I have several pieces that  work as centerpieces for meditation areas.    I think she had a great idea to use a quilt for this purpose.

More than the sewing project itself, what this customer brought me was something new to explore.  She provided the fabric for this project and talked about the recipient as someone who “drums” and has an interest in Sacred Geometry. I had never heard the term before that I can remember, but when I looked it up, I was surprised to find out that the principles of design (which I use all the time)  are based on Sacred Geometry. 

I get all philosophical when things like this happen. 
I love how ’students’ inspire ‘teachers.’
I love how things just present when I’m just minding my own business.
I love how I find that I’ve been doing something right all along.

  

We are going to San Antonio, TX for the Husqvarna VIKING Convention on Sunday.  The new TOL sewing and embroidery machine will be unveiled on Sunday evening. We return on Thursday.  More…

 

Sourdough starter and I finished

lots of projects today and it feels good!   I got to work ready to sew my way through the day, and I did.  Yesterday’s possible pillow turned out great. It still needs the vintage button embellishments sewn on.  I used a piece of stash fabric that hadn’t gone with anything until now for the backing. I have a few strips of the fabric left to go into another orange-themed pillow some time. It makes me think of sourdough starter.  I’ve never made sourdough bread, but the idea that a small piece comes off the mother clump and finds itself in a new loaf or pillow in this case.

I made two muslin pillow inserts that fit the 9″ by 16″ format I chose for the project. (One of them is an extra.)  I put a 7″ zipper in the back of pillow one, and the muslin slipped into its new home easily. 

I photographed Shara’s Go-Go Pillow, which she will receive tomorrow when she visits. I made it last week. The fabric is from an old dress that she saved.  I have leftovers, yea!

The garden girl baby quilt got finished today, too.   It’s sourdough is the vintage chenille border.  The friend I made the quilt for, actually gave me the chenille in a big pile a while ago.  It was from her mother-in-law’s craft room.
Remember the curtains I made a few weeks back?  Well this is another piece of an old bedspread. I was able to salvage four good strips.  It makes the quilt feel scrumptious.  Her soon-to-be- born baby girl will be warmed by the grandma she will never meet.  I’m very excited about this gift.

Pattern # 2 Crossroads is officially published.  Look for it on etsy soon.

Still on the to-do list:
Japanese (Lecien) Kate Greenaway fabric baby quilt sample. The colors are amazingly subtle: dusty lime polka dot, dusty aqua storybook toile, fabric with text, taupes and images of children playing.   I’m designing as I go, so it’s taking a bit of time, but I don’t mind because I love looking at the pictures.

The Daiwabo Taupe wholecloth quilt that I am slowly hand quilting because it wants me to.

Handbag lining for a customer who knits bags.    

And so on…

 

 

 

 

My pattern needs a name

I’ve been racking my brain for the last couple of days to try and come up with a good title for this new pattern I’m writing.  I designed the quilt and put it together before we went to Lancaster.  I got so much feedback about the quilt, that it has resulted in my getting right to the pattern.  The quilt features this incredible line of fabrics from Art Gallery Quilts.  Patricia Bravo is an amazing colorist and I have brought in so many of her prints because I love their sophistication and simplicity.

The quilt is improvisationally pieced, a technique I often work in because it is so liberating. Help me name this pattern.  I will be considering pattern names for the next couple of weeks, so please comment.  I will absolutely consider every serious suggestion seriously.

I

 

Love digital

What did I do before it? The same thing I do when the battery is charging.  I am looking forward to loading a couple of project photos.  Oliver + S Bubble Dress and other recently finished handwork.  For today, a peek at my latest pattern, now a kit and soon to be available as a pattern only on Etsy and at the store.