Scrappy String Script Pillow is done!

I just have to share another picture of this lovely pillow - I made the coveting even worse by putting a pillow form in the cover when I finished it this week. I had to take it out right after pictures so I wouldn't be tempted to snuggle it lol.

My partner really seems to like it based off of her photo comments and I love love LOVE her work and am excited to send it to her soon. I definitely have it on my list to make myself a similar one soon - this is absolutely a "me" pillow - it just so happens that my partner and I have very similar tastes so it is very "her" too which is great!

Without further ado - here it is:

Now I just have to make some little extras for this partner and the one I'm sending the tote bag. I was thinking of making a little drawstring pouch for each with a little treat inside - maybe chocolate or a sewing notion or something. I'll probably work on those over the weekend tho - I still have plenty of time now that I have the big items finished. Feels good to not have to rush!

I'm also trying to finish up my first sample for a sewing class to propose to the store owner on Saturday. I have a few birthdays to celebrate with my friend and my mom between now and then - which definitely take priority - but I still think I should be able to get it finished up in time for our meeting on Saturday. Wish me luck!! Will post sample pictures when I get my item finished. Until then... happy sewing!!

Weekend progress report

A few things to share for the weekend...

1. Pillow Talk Swap 9
The top is finished for my "Scrappy Strip Script Star" pillow  (say that 5x's fast ;-))

 

 I am sooooooooooo in love with this and it is almost heartbreaking to give it away! However, the woman who will receive it is a pretty amazing sewer and I love her work and I know she will love this about as much as I do... so it is almost bearable to part with it for her... ALMOST :)

Just need to figure out what to do for the back and get er' done!

2. Melody Miller Color Block Pillow

This is a pillow I've had in the works for quite some time now. I finally got around to finishing it up this weekend for a friend. I really really like it and wish I could keep it too, but she is absolutely worth parting with anything I make to give her a fun present so I'm ok handing this one over :)

3. Kitten in the Cabin

I made this little mug rug for a co-worker's birthday. She likes cats and pink so I figured this was a good fit. Not sure if she is into crazy prints as much as I am but hopefully she will enjoy this on her desk none-the-less... I used some of my favorite pinks in here, including that light pink Joel Dewberry wood grain (drool! haha) She is up in Canada so we mailed a few things up to her on Friday as a belated b-day present and hopefully hurricane Sandy won't get to them before she does!

Speaking of Hurricane Sandy... take care everyone! We are in Delaware and are worried about a direct hit so close to home up in NJ. The coast is already flooding and they've evacuated a ton of people. We are about 2 hours from the DE beaches and NJ beaches but still way too close for comfort with all that wind and rain coming, espec. if Sandy hits land in NJ. Let's all pray that it blows further out to sea and becomes less intense as it works its way up the coast and inland over the next couple of days :-/

My mom and a friend already have the day off... unfortunately for me I'll be battling whatever the weather brings and dragging my wet self into work in the morning. What a bum rap... I was hoping for a day off but no power outages so I could sew some more haha ;-)

Sewing Summit posts are coming up this week - I promise! Finally getting my pictures sorted out and ready to get up here!

A little bit of news :)

I should have known I was stirring the pot last night when I mentioned "new to come soon!". I received a text message last night around 11pm from a friend in another time zone wondering what the news is... yea, you know who are you!! :) (No worries, we were still awake! hehe)

So... without further ado, on to the news!

I may be teaching sewing classes at our local Janome/Viking/Brother shop soon!!! The very kind and indulgent store owner who lets me come and try out Roxanne (more like pet and drool on her!) wants to expand their class offerings and is going to let me try my hand at teaching.

Awesome right? Scary - for sure! But mostly awesome so I'll try not to freak out, hehe. I used to teach German to a class of 20+ college freshman, I think I can handle a hand full of sewers who WANT to be in my class lol.

Sooooooo... guess I need to start brain storming what I want to teach first and making up samples! I'm thinking of proposing a beginning quilt block class as well as a beginning bag class and see if any fish bite. Hoping to pull things together to offer a class in December, if I can find a Saturday that works for the shop schedule, as well as get everything ready in time to advertise, and if I can get some students lined up.

Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll keep you all posted!! :-D

... one step closer to Roxanne coming home with me, o yea!! hehe

***ps. Thank you SO much for everyone's comments about thread - I'm going to give Aurifil 50wt a try if I can find a good online retailer and will let you know what I think once I've had some piecing practice with it! Appreciate all the input!!***

Swap Progress

I know I owe you a few Sewing Summit blog posts and they are coming soon, I promise! Just haven't had any time to take project pictures and go through the pictures I have from the conference. I'm sure many of you are sick of them already tho ;-)

I do however have swap progress pictures to share!

#1: Pillow Talk Swap - Round 9

This is my 3rd round of the pillow talk swap and this is probably by far my best one - and will be sooooooooo hard to give it up!



This is the first half of a "Scrappy String Star" block I am making for my partner. I was able to finish the aqua, navy, and purple diamonds today so now I just have the pink one left. I also need to figure out what size to make the small setting triangles (top) and the larger ones (sides). If anyone knows how to calculate this - please do share!!

I will be using text fabric for my setting triangles - my partner and I both love color, scrappiness, and text fabric.... can't I just swap this with myself? :-D I still have 3 weeks until this is due so as long as I can figure out those setting triangles this week, I should have enough time to get it quilted and made into a pillow and out on time!

#2 - Modern She Made Swap - Round 2

I loved this swap in the Spring so I immediately signed up this Fall when I saw it had opened up again. My partner asked for a tote bag and I have to say I love love LOVE this one I made her.



The binding on the straps took FOREVER but it was so worth it - it adds so much to a tote bag! I put a small zipper pocket on the inside for a small wallet and/or keys, as well as a slip pocked on the opposite side and a large slip pocket on the outside back which will fit a pattern, notebook, etc.

I love the way it turned out and she commented and said she likes it too so here's hoping she likes it even more in person! I still have a few weeks before I need to send it off so hopefully I can get a scrappy pouch/drawstring bag together for her too.

#3 - Sew Sew Modern - this one I haven't started yet because it isn't due until sometime in January. I needed to finish these first 2 before I even start this one. I think I'm going to make a journal cover for my partner - not sure what else I will make to go with that but that is where I will start.

I love swaps... I probably would not have signed up for them if I'd known my good news earlier... but I'll share that with you in another post ;-) (No, I'm not pregnant! lol )

A thread about... well... thread :)

I'll do my best to stop calling it string - I'm pretty sure I almost got hit last time I did that lol - YIKES!

So.. THREAD... let's talk about it.

I use Coats and Clark from Joanns:

Sometimes I use the cotton covered polyester

Sometimes I use the 100% cotton machine quilting thread

Honest I just chose it because it was easy to find, affordable, and came in lots of colors, espec. when I use either style.

I've gotten soooooooooo much crap for using this thread tho - more than you would think - it is just thread right? Well, apparently not.

So my dear friends, who will give me advice and not just grief, ... what do you use for piecing? What do you use for machine quilting? Why is one brand/type better than others?

Some brands I've been checking out:

Gutterman
Sulky
Aurifil

Any advice is appreciated! I'm sure some people have their favorites but I think we can all be polite talking about them - yes? ;-)

AHHHH!!! Joel Dewberry at Sewing Summit!! *Faint*

O my goodness --- I am over the moon giddy right now!! I was just browsing the Sewing Summit blog and what did I find?

Picture from Sewing Summit Blog - click here for more information

Joel Dewberry is going to be the Keynote Speaker at lunch on Saturday!!!!!!!!

Ok for 1 - I didn't even know we would have a keynote speaker during lunch and 2 .... I love Joel Dewberry!!! No worries Mrs. Dewberry - I am simply in love with his creative fabric genius ;-)

The sound in my head when I read that on the Sewing Summit blog sounded much like "teen girl meets Justin Bieber".... gotta make sure to keep that in my head, especially at SS haha.

Seriously tho, he is one of my favorite designers. Aviary, Ginseng, Deer Valley, Modern Meadow, Aviary 2, Heirloom... love them all! The designs and the colors are all so unique - I love that he does not just repeat the same colors or styles over and over in his lines.

I also love that he is a guy - I know that sounds weird but it is so refreshing when there is a male designer or quilter who breaks into this female-dominated world of fabric/quilting/sewing and truly shines. I love his geometric patterns and drawings, which are not cutsey-wootsey but truly artistic and beautiful. I mean seriously, if you can put deer antlers on fabric and make it look artistic and not like it belongs in a hunting lodge- I'm impressed lol.

It will be really awesome to hear him speak about his creative journey as an artist and designer. I'm not sure if this is something I aspire to one day, but I still love hearing about how my favorites got to where they are today - whether fabric designer, pattern designer, quilter, etc. - and so the opportunity to hear Joel as a keynote speaker is just awesome.

After reading this news and realizing he is speaking at lunch, my next logical question is...

Who will the Saturday dinner keynote speaker be??

I'll share as soon as I know ;-)