Fly A Kite

Right before Christmas, I received a surprise package of Glimma charm squares by Lotta Jansdotter from Windham Fabrics (due in stores in April 2013). 

 

 

I was inspired by the print above that reminds me of kite strings with bows tied along the length.  I simplified the idea and created 4 paper pieced block designs made to such a size that each side of the bow used a single charm.  Some of the blocks were designed to use the leftover wedges from charms, making smaller bows.  Most blocks have three bows but some have two.





 

I removed one color group from the charm packs, the one shown in the single charm above, because it didn't work with the background I chose. I used Steel Essex Linen from Marmalade Fabrics. 

 

I quilted with very organic, not measured or marked lines running vertically, as kite strings would.  They are about three quarters of an inch apart.

This is a fun collection. I particularly like the lavender/pink shade in the tree print.  This is just a baby quilt size but I'm thinking that this quilt design would be really fun made larger with a white background and scrappy bows.  Maybe in the future I will tackle that one.

Happy New Year everyone!  I am enjoying everyone's year end reflections but I'm not going to do one.  I have created year end mosaics in the past, you know, because everyone is doing it, but it's just not me.  I guess I don't tend to look back all that much, forward ho!

ChristaQuilts

I'd like to welcome a new sponsor to During Quiet Time today. I first met Christa from ChristaQuilts when I won a prize that she sponsored in the Bloggers' Quilt Festival.

ChristaQuilts offers an eclectic mix of unique, modern and traditional fabrics for the discriminating quilter. Christa has been quilting for nearly 2 decades but just recently discovered the modern quilting movement. With the help of her husband Jason, she is moving her store more in that direction. Some things that she carries that I think would be of interest to my readers are:

Pearl Bracelets by Lizzy House

Machine Quilting Gloves

Kissing Booth by BasicGrey



 

Christa also carries a large selection of Kona solids and will soon carry the whole line.

 

With my "prize money" I chose a selection of Pearl Bracelets as well as a pair of the machine quilting gloves.  I have tiny hands, the same size as my 9 year old son, so I was so excited to see that Christa carried the gloves in XS!  They arrived yesterday and they fit! 

Christa offers Daily Deals, Weekly Specials, and Free Gifts with purchases of $25 or more.

She also offers Free US Shipping all the time on every order, with no minimum purchase. She has an incredibly low international rate, too - just $10 for worldwide shipping, no matter where you live or how much you buy!

The most popular items in her store are her Precut Fat Quarter Singles. Whenever Christa gets in a new line of fabric, the first thing she does is cut and fold hundreds of individual fat quarters so that they are stacked, bagged and ready to ship!

Christa is also a prolific blogger and she shares weekly quilting tutorials demonstrating how to make her original quilt designs from start to finish. You can visit her blog at christaquilts.wordpress.com.

Christa has a special offer just for my blog readers!  Use the code B12QT to get an extra 5% off your first order from ChristaQuilts.

Once Christa sees you use the code, she'll flag your account to receive 5% off every order in the future, with no further coupon needed. It's like a permanent group discount! 

Welcome ChristaQuilts!

Sewing Machine Paper Pieced Block

 

 

At the next meeting of the Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild, I will be leading a workshop on paper piecing.  For this workshop, I wanted to share a pictorial block, my favorite kind of design to create.  Because I know that there are some members who are new to paper piecing, I wanted to design a block that was appropriate for a beginner.  I also wanted the block to have some interest and allow for a bit of fussy cutting.  I also didn't want accomplished paper piecers to be bored.

 

After struggling with what object to make, I realized that a sewing themed block should be liked by all members of a quilting guild so I settled on a sewing machine.  This block has no curves or Y seams.  There are only 4 spots where seams have to match up, so that allows for a little practice without a lot of stress.  There is also the chance to fussy cut the sewing machine name, or stamp it as I did.  I chose "Janome" simply because that's the machine I own.  This block also gives you a chance to use some fun sewing themed fabrics and I think we all tend to collect those. I used Grey Labels from the Dressmaking Collection for the "table" where the sewing machine rests and Dictionary Sewing Guide in Black from Mama Said Sew. 



 

 

I've sent all the members of the Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild the pattern to print out in preparation for the meeting (if you didn't receive it, please email me).  I have also listed the pattern in my Etsy shop and Craftsy shop in case anyone else wants to try it.





Printed Feathers

My mom made a special request for her Christmas gift.  Do you remember my block printed feathers from September?  You can see them here.  My mom asked that I print them on paper and frame them for her back room.

I used a beautiful sheet of paper in a "brown paper bag" color and printed the feathers in a red oil based ink. My husband has another convenient hobby, in addition to turning seam rippers, he also frames.  We purchased the pitted pecan frame cut to the right dimensions but he cut the glass and properly backed the artwork and taped the seams and added hardware. He cuts mats too but the print alone measured 17" square and I didn't want it to overwhelm my mother's wall so I opted to skip a mat.

Here's one more picture. You can see my silhouette in the glass but I like the way you can also see the sky and branches...it seems to suit the feathers!

We had a wonderful day yesterday and I hope you all did too.

Tumbler Pillow

 

We celebrated Christmas with my husband's side of the family today so I can share this pillow that I made for his younger sister.  She has just recently moved into her own apartment and has a plum colored comforter.  She wanted a bright pillow with some of the purple tones but also orange and aqua to use while lying on her bed or sitting at her desk, where she works from home.

 

I chose fabrics from my stash in her color choices and cut them with my Sizzix 4" tumbler die.  The pillow is larger than my usual. It's a 20" pillow. I tend to go with 18" pillows since they can be backed with a fat quarter.  For this pillow, I used seven tumblers across and 5 down.  Once assembled, I squared up the right and left sides. I backed the front panel with fusible fleece and did some simple quilting.  I used an invisible zipper from Zipit to close.



 

She liked it!   

Merry Christmas

I do believe that my Christmas crafting is done for this year.  I have run out of time!  Now I need to turn my attention to cooking and wrapping.  And this morning I am helping to host my daughter's first grade Christmas party at the school so I am up to my eyeballs in dried pasta, glitter and pipecleaners.

I will be back after Christmas to share a project using Glimma!  (I hope...it is in progress.)

Merry Christmas to all of you! 

Decorative Mirror Tutorial

While I love sewing first and foremost, I also love printmaking and experimenting with different materials.  Since I joined the Sizzix Design Team, I have had the pleasure of seeing the rest of the design team members' work and being inspired by some of the materials that they use.  Today, I experimented with my love of printmaking and alcohol inks (a product I learned about thanks to the design team).

I started with a 12" square mirror purchased at the craft store. 



I used the Ornate Plate die along with the Borders and Hydrangeas die to create my design. They were cut out of contact paper and applied to the clean mirror.

I then applied the alcohol inks to the mirror surface. I used Tim Holtz Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks. Once the ink was dry, I peeled away the contact paper revealing the design.

I think that this would be a great decoration for New Years Eve (once you are ready to move on to non-Christmas crafts)!

Hope

Following the tragedy that occurred here in the United States on Friday, it doesn't seem right to just continue blogging as usual.  Crafting is my therapy so I made this bunting, spelling out a word that I think is so important every Christmas season, but particularly so this year.  Hope.  I just sent my children off on the bus with a lot of hope in my heart.  Hope for their safety.  Hope that they will help change the world for the better one day. Hope that we can make the world a better place for them. Hope that the families who are missing their loved ones can find healing and peace.

Supplies:
wool felt courtesy of National Nonwovens
buttons from BasicGrey
dies from Sizzix (Banners, Tattered Poinsettia, Layered Angel Wings, Snowflakes, Holly, Borders and Hydrangeas

Blitzen Fabric Wreath

I'm sneaking in one last Christmas craft before the big day. I am sharing directions for making this Christmas wreath today on the BasicGrey blog. I used the Blitzen fabric line and the Sizzix Holly and Poinsettia die. For more information, click over to BasicGrey! You can find Blitzen in stock at the Fat Quarter Shop.  

Tilly Needlework Project Bag and Armrest Pincushion (and a Giveaway!)

Together with Blend Fabrics (a licensing division of Anna Griffin Inc.), I'm hoping to inspire you to sew with Tilly by Charlotte Lyons.  This fabric collection has such vintage charm and is sure to suit anyone who loves needlework.  I decided to make a gift for a friend who loves cross stitch.  

First, I made one of my armrest pincushions.  The free tutorial for this project can be downloaded from the button on my sidebar.  I fussy cut the vintage needlecard designs for the side pockets as well as the pincushion.

A person with more patience, and not the middle of the holiday season with three young kids, might cross stitch on the fabric designs for great added dimension and detail.

I also made a needlework project bag featuring the vintage needlework cards again on the front zippered pocket (intended to hold embroidery floss), and my favorite print of the entire line for the side panels. 

Here's the gift all together!  I hope she loves it.

If you'd like to sew with Tilly, Anna Griffin, Inc. is giving away a fat quarter bundle of Tilly right now! Visit their blog and leave a comment to participate. Open to all U.S. citizens who comment by 9:00 p.m. EST, Dec. 12.

2 Turtle Doves Pillow Tutorial

I know I have been showing a lot of pillows lately.  I am deciding right now to stop apologizing about it though.  As my wise husband said "A photographer wouldn't apologize for showing another 8 x 10, it's a good size canvas!"  He's right, a pillow is just that.  It's a good size canvas on which to experiment.  (He's a keeper, my husband.)  Today's experiment uses Sizzix dies and printmaking!

The doves are made by printing fabric from embossing folders!

The letters are made with freezer paper stencils, cut with Sizzix dies.  

You'll want to read all the details!  Check out the full tutorial on the Sizzix blog today.

Buoy oh buoy

I made this pillow for my Dad. One childhood memory that I can recall, is my dad giving me "word lessons" while washing my hair.  One time I remember that we were talking about words that are spelled differently but pronounced the same.  One of his examples was "buoy" and "boy".  See, Dad was a former English teacher.  It's funny because I now hear my husband giving the kids science lessons on the properties of water in the tub...he was a science major.  You share what you love I guess!

My Dad also loves the ocean and all things nautical so the two thoughts came together in the design of this pillow.

I drafted my own pattern for the lobster buoys.  I am comfortable with curved piecing when using precut fabric from my die cutter but this is the first time I drafted my own pattern with curves.  Granted, they are gradual curves, but I am pleased with how they came out!    

I used my Sizzix to cut the letters using Tim Holtz' Alphabet Die.  The pillow is closed with an invisible zipper from Zipit. The narrow border which you can hardly see due to my overstuffed pillow form, and the backing, are Kona Modern prints in the Pacific colorway.   

I'm worried that the nautical colors, which tend to be primary, make the pillow look too juvenille. I hope not. Fingers crossed.

Floressence Bags

Tis the season for gift making! I just finished up a batch of Ruched Happy Bags.  I turn to this pattern each year for gifts.

These bags will be gifts for my children's teachers.  I used Floressence by the Art Gallery Fabrics in house designers for all five bags.  I particularly like that yellow and grey floral print on the bag above. I think that's my favorite.

I always love to take a shot of the zipper end of bags stacked up.  There is something so appealing about zippers!  These are from Zipit.  I used some pink and white polka dot ribbon for pulls.

The linings are all Floressence prints too.  You can sneak a peek in this picture.

I hope that the teachers like them!  On to the next gift on the list!  

Poinsettia Ring Pillow Cover

As a part of the Holiday USA/UK Sizzix Blog Hop, I made this Poinsettia Ring 16" Pillow Cover.  

To make this pillow, I used the Sizzix 4" finished Tumbler Die.  I cut 24 tumbler shapes using all the soft green charms from a charm pack of Aneela Hoey's Cherry Christmas, Odds and Ends Happy Thoughts in Leaf, Olive Kona, Chartreuse Heath, and Juniper Grunge. 

I sewed each row together from left to right.  

I ironed the seams to the right in the top row, to the left in the second row, and so forth so that the seams nested together nicely when I sewed the rows together.

I then applied fusible fleece to the wrong side of the pillow front and quilted with straight lines.  I squared up the pillow to measure 16 1/2" on all sides.

I made a group of seven poinsettias out of wool felt from National Nonwovens using the Sizzix Tattered Poinsettia die by Tim Holtz.  I cut the largest flower on the die from green felt for the leaves and then cut all the flower shapes on the die from the red felt to form the flower.  The flower centers are composed of clusters of french knots made using Aurifil's wool thread.  I arranged the poinsettias in a wreath shape and tacked them in place with hand stitches just through the green felt leaves.

I finished off the pillow with an invisible zipper from Zipit.  

If you are looking for more holiday pillow ideas, I have a tutorial for another one that will appear on the Sizzix blog on December 7th.

Here's the line up for the day, make sure you check them all out to get some truly festive inspiration...

Tammy Tutterow
Paula Pascual
Elina Strömberg
Anna-Karin Evaldsson
Loredana Bucaria
Gretchen Schmidt
Hilary Kanwischer
Jan Hobbins
Jeanne Streiff
Tammy Roberts
Tiffany Johnson