Swoons 2 & 3

Here are pictures of my second and third Swoon blocks - taken in the evening light, which is why they look kind of funny. After making these I decided enough with the brown and green and bought more golden/orange fabrics. I'm hoping for a mostly yellow and gray color palette, but I'll toss in these green and brown ones to break things up a bit. I'm still using mostly Flea Market Fancy fabrics, but I can't resist adding in some other things as well.



I actually finished up a fourth Swoon last night but haven't had time to take pictures yet. We are having some bizarre rainy weather here now that it is June - my poor garden! I managed to germinate some okra seeds this year and was excited to watch them grow in our "hot dry weather," which is apparently all they need to do well. Who would have thought it would become cold and wet now that those little tropical plants are thriving in the back yard. Huh. Anyways, I'm plugging away at this quilt and very determined to actually finish it before the summer ends. Happy Tuesday!

Scrappy Quilt

Last night I finished my Scrap Attack quilt and I'm pleasantly surprised with the results. I'm glad I restricted myself to a color palette rather than using every scrap I had - I tried to stay with blues and pinks with gray and turquoise thrown in here and there. It's funny - I would never say that pink and purple are favorite colors of mine, but this is the second quilt I've made that has those as the main colors. I'm super excited to get this quilted and bound - I'm already having so much fun looking at the tiny scraps of different fabrics hiding throughout. The only part of the quilt that isn't made from scraps is the gray sashing - everything else was taken from my (still overflowing) scrap drawer. I've submitted this quilt front to Rachel's Festival of Scrappiness - and you absolutely MUST visit to see some of the amazing works of art people have made from fabric scraps. It is all very inspiring - thanks for a reason to use up so many of my scraps Rachel!

P.S. Do you see my purple Hyacinth at the bottom of the picture? I couldn't bear to crop her out - this is the first year I've planted bulbs and these are so beautiful and fragrant - they remind me of my childhood springs.

do. Good Stitches January blossom quilt

Remember back in january when I posted a tutorial for the "blossom block?" Well, all the ladies in my sewing circle sent me their blocks and here is what they turned into - doesn't it look great! I'm still surprised by how wonderful all these different fabrics look together. This is just the quilt top - I still have to baste and quilt this monster (it is HUGE!) then add binding... I'm daydreaming of how to piece the back. Maybe a few floating blossoms? Anyways, I was so excited I had to share this picture before the quilt was finished.

Sampler

I spent the entire afternoon shoveling dirt out of a huge planter box that has been infiltrated by gophers. The plan is to replace the 10-year-old wire mesh at the bottom of the box and hopefully get a few more productive years out of the bed. It was HARD, and boy am I proud of myself! But it doesn't make for a very pretty picture (neither the pile of dirt or ME), so I decided to share this with you instead.

I ended up with a ton of extra hexagons while working on my hexagon quilt. These ones just didn't fit in for one reason or another, so the other day I decided to sew them together into... something. Of course it would have made more sense to work on one of the many other unfinished projects I have laying around, but whatever. I'm always most excited about the new project that pops into my head. I'm thinking of this as a sampler of sorts. It was really good practice for me in terms of sewing hexagons together, and I am planning on hand quilting it, which is what I'd like to ultimately do on my real hexagon quilt. This little thing is a much less intimidating piece to learn on.



This was my first time ever basting with clothespins - this is the bag I received from my Grandma a few years ago. I usually use straight pins and routinely jam them into my fingers while machine quilting whatever I'm working on. It's just part of my process. Somehow, though, that didn't sound as trivial when paired with hand-quilting. I'd like that experience to be as relaxing and pain-free as possible, so I braved the clothespins. I've always avoided them because it annoys me to have to close them. Basting is my least favorite part of quilting and I'd rather bleed all over my quilt than close up a few clothespins - it seems to take too long. This was easy, though, because my tiny quilt is only about 12" square. I'm thinking it would look cute under a vase of flowers or something. Of course there is no wall space to speak of on which to hang it, and maybe it is too crazy and weird for that anyways. I'll probably just tuck it away until I have a real sewing space to put it.

Scrap Attack update and an experiment

Last night I finished the last of my scrap attack blocks. I made 36 5 1/2" squares and plan on joining them into nine 10 inch squares. I would have liked to make more, but I felt myself losing steam and I am running out of scraps that work for the color scheme I'm going with. I'm hoping the end result will be a nice sized throw, so I'll probably add size with the sashing. Here is my pile of scrappy squares - I just love the look of a pile of squares waiting to be turned into a quilt.

The other fun thing that happened was that I received a package of awesome teas from my cousin Jen of International Tea Moment. She receives tea samples from all over the place and was doing a destashing of her tea cupboard - it definitely pays to have a famous tea reviewer in the family! She asked me to take a picture of myself drinking some of the tea, and here it is:



Don't I look great? Yep, that's because I photoshopped off all my zits and digitally whitened my teeth, then brightened my complexion using the levels tool. I don't really look like that. Here's what I really look like:



I'm sure there is some sort of profound conclusion I could come to at this point, but I'll let you do that. I was just surprised by how EASY it was to make myself look like I had actually had a full night's sleep and didn't spend the entire morning chasing a three year old through IKEA. No wonder I always feel so bad when I look at those pretty magazine ladies - they have had the life airbrushed right off of them! Speaking of which, its back to real life for me, yellowed teeth and all (maybe I should stop drinking so much tea? haha.)

Monkey Wrench Quilt

I finally finished my first quilt! It is so funny to say that when I have completed dozens of quilts, but this is the very first one I ever started, and the only patchwork quilt I've ever made for myself. Being the first-ever, it certainly isn't my "style," nor is it in colors that I would choose today. It is a huge mish-mash of fabrics that were lying around 11 years ago when I took it into my head to make a quilt. If you looked at it up close you would be scandalized by how poorly the corners line up and by the obvious lack of planning that went into the whole thing. But in spite of its many imperfections, I absolutely love it.



I love how all the different fabrics remind me of various projects that I did with my mom and Grandma. There is the striped fabric that was left over from the pillow cases my Grandma made, the floral print from the dress my mom and I almost finished making together, the tiny duck print from fabric used to make me a jumper when I was a baby... even though nothing matches, it all reminds me of the history of crafting that those lovely women passed on to me. It reminds me of what a Little House on the Prairie quilt would have looked like - pieced together from precious tiny scraps of what they already had. I also love all the purple and pink in this quilt. Folded on the back of the couch, it is like a tiny oasis of femininity in the midst of all the wrestling and burping I am surrounded by.

Oh, and by the way, it is pretty hard to hide a 6-foot-3-inch guy behind a quilt on a windy day. Happily, my brother is a patient guy and stood in the freezing cold for a long time while I tried and tried to get the perfect shot. I never did, but these are good enough. And no matter how nostalgic you are about your quilt, it might not be enough to cheer up a 3 year old who has just been awoken from his nap and is unhappy about being outside in the cold. Oh well.

Scrap Attack Quilt

Have you seen that Rachel is hosting a Scrap Attack Quilt Along? I tried to resist it, but then I saw this tutorial on how to piece your super tiny fabric scraps, and my last shreds of self control were destroyed. I have a huge overflowing drawer of teeny tiny scraps that I don't have the heart to get rid of, and a quilt is just where they need to go.



Happily, I just finished up one of the other quilts I've been working on (pictures coming soon), which freed up a little space in my sewing cabinet and brain to add this new project. I sorted through all the scraps trying to pull out things that wouldn't result in anything too riotous. I'm thinking blues and purples with pink and grey, give or take a bit. Thankfully, Rachel talked about the importance of incorporating solids into the mix, which has been a huge help. I usually ignore the ever growing pile of solids in the scrap bin, but they definitely help ground things when working with so many different colors and patterns.



Well, these blocks are super addicting! I love making them and they are fast. The lack of planning and cutting definitely appeal to the rebellious part of me that always wants to measure everything and make it symmetrical and perfect. Speaking of which, I am still trying to decide whether I will use sashing or just sew all the blocks together into a huge happy mess. I'm supposed to be finished with the quilt by the end of March and think that's a realistic goal. I'm envisioning backing it with something different, like Anna Maria Horner's velveteen and not using any batting to give it some more drape. Happy Friday everybody!

do. Good Stitches January blossom block

This month (January) I am in charge of designing and assembling the Empower Circle's quilt for the do. Good Stitches charity quilting bee. It is exciting, yes, but to be honest, I am suffering from a bit of stage fright. Oh well, here goes! Above is a picture of the blocks we will be making. I was inspired by this quilt, which I can't stop thinking about! She made it using all solids, but this month we will be using prints in deep purples and pinks, with accents of gray and gold:



I couldn't find a tutorial for this block anywhere so I just figured it out, taking pictures as I went along (this required MATH. hm.) I'd love to give credit where credit is due, and figure out what this is actually called, so if you know, please tell me! I'll call it a blossom block for now, since that's what it reminds me of. Here is what you need to cut out:



4 large 6.5" squares in your chosen prints
8 small 3.5" squares in Kona coal (for bee friends; everyone else, use the same fabric you will be sashing with)
2 small 1" x 6.5" strips in Kona coal
1 large 1" x 13.25" strip in Kona coal

Lay a small square on the upper left hand corner of one of the large squares and mark your sewing line:



Since I am lazy and don't like to get up and down from my sewing machine, I like to do both corners at once, like so:



Sew your seams, then cut the extra fabric and save it for another fun project. Things should now look something like this:



When your seams are ironed, it will look like this. You have your first petal!



Repeat with the three remaining petals. Now you can finish your block using the strips you cut out. Here is the layout:



And now you're done! The end result should measure about 12.5" square. Feel free to mix it up as far as the petal part of the block goes (that's the large squares). Solids, prints, even pieced petals would look awesome if you had the time and felt like it.



I'm really looking forward to seeing how all the different blocks turn out!

Half-way there...

Remember my 49 Monkey Wrench Blocks? Last night I finally got to work piecing them into a quilt. I dug up the pattern I was following all those years ago, and saw that rather than piecing each block with sashing between, they are actually placed on the diagonal with setting squares between each block. In the pattern, the setting squares are supposed to be a solid color, but of course I opted for a print. (I know, even after I touted the joys of solids in my last post...) I thought this Tula Pink "Damask Dot" would modernize things a bit, and hopefully keep the eye moving so it isn't easy to spot all my terrible corners! (In my own defense, these Monkey Wrenches are the very first patchwork I ever did and I cut all the tiny pieces out sitting on the carpet using paper scissors...) It was super hard squaring all the blocks off to the same size, and some are a bit wonky, but with that gorgeous damask between each one I don't even care.

Oh, and please pardon whatever is going on with my shirt and belt in this picture. Pretty sure this is what I accidentally look like most afternoons following my super-rushed potty break between making snacks and playing marbles. Hm. I should look in the mirror more often.

Anyways, the boys were excited this morning when I showed them the quilt I am making "for us." I didn't have the heart to tell them it is really for ME. But I think there will be room under it for snuggling, so I guess I can share. Hoping to finish the piecing tonight while the hubs is throwing pottery at our neighbor's house...

The Madness

1. hexy love, 2. hexies purse, 3. herringbone quilt., 4. I Spy Hex Quilt, 5. Pink Cabinet - Drawers, 6. Coloured sea, 7. Patchwork Star Blocks, 8. I Spy Hex Quilt, 9. Sunny pair

Just wanted to share some of the quilting madness that is whirling around in my brain these days. (Hm... just realized that one picture is included twice. I just discovered this photo tool over at Big Huge Labs - super fun!) I have all these hexagons and am trying to figure out how to configure them into a quilt that isn't a disaster. I've decided to sew them into flowers, but then what? Should I include a solid border around each, or sew them together like you see in these pictures? A very difficult decision... I am also planning sewing projects for Christmas gifts. I have joined a charity quilting bee (more on that later). I am preparing for a holiday craft fair. AND there are just way too many beautiful fabrics and projects out there to keep straight in my overly-ambitious mind, not to mention the 6 or so other unfinished projects lying around. It is all good, but sometimes I find myself with a free moment to sew and realize that I am standing in front of the sewing cabinet wasting time just trying to decide what to work on. Tonight it will be hexies. I love those guys - the perfect Friday evening project. Hope you are enjoying your evening as well!

Lots of Little Guys

The other day Titus was admiring a scrap of Japanese fabric I've had lying around - he was pointing out all the "little guys" that he liked best, and I had the idea to make him a little pillow out of them. The idea came from Amy's blog - have you ever visited? She makes the most beautiful things and has such a great style. She made a similar wall hanging a while back and her resourceful use of tiny scraps of fabric has been stuck in my head. Plus, the opportunity to do a little sewing project during daylight hours was pretty exciting. This is how I made it work:



Playdough and a temporary remission of the "no sitting on the table" rule made this project run very smoothly! I cut out all Titus' favorite "little guys" and interspersed them with some other cute fabrics, then hand quilted the entire thing using embroidery floss. I embroidered the first few lines of "Jesus Loves Me" around the outside, that being one of his favorite songs. I used shredded foam to stuff it with - not the most earth-friendly option, but I had a big bag lying around and I like the firmness it gave to the finished pillow. Titus is VERY happy with the end result!





Here's a shot of his special little space. (Have you ever tried getting a good picture of a bottom bunk bed? The lighting is a nightmare.) I made him the quilt last Christmas and the animals are a funny collection of other little guys he has picked up along the way. The framed picture is a painting of a bulldozer he made with his Aunt Cindy. I like that he has a little cheery place that he doesn't have to share with anybody else except all those cute animals.





Now I need to make one for Moses. And finish the quilt I started for him, um, 4 years ago. As soon as September hits I get the itch to make ALL of our Christmas presents, so I have an almost endless list of sewing and knitting projects I want to do. Hopefully some of them will actually happen and I'll be able to document them on the blog. Until then, I'll keep going into Titus' room and smiling at his little pillow. It really was a fun project.

Progress

Last night I blocked off all 49 squares of my "vintage fabrics" quilt (is is called "blocking off"? I'm never sure if I've got the terms right since I kind of collected all my quilting skills haphazardly.) It was a nightmare! These 49 squares were the first I ever made, and I cut all the little pieces out with scissors, so things were pretty wonky. Hopefully all that hard work pays off and I'm able to attach them fairly easily.



When I got the bag of squares out of my sewing cupboard, I was not at all excited to work on this quilt. Like I said before, this is a bit too traditional for my style, and the fabrics aren't my favorite, either. Too many browns... However, once I started working on them, I feel back in love with this quilt. I started recognizing the fabrics - a little triangle from the dress I sewed with my mom, a bit of fabric left over from the throw covers in my Grandma's living room, a tiny duckling print that my Grandma used to make me a Christmas ornament. I realized that in using fabrics that were just lying around, I accidentally preserved a bit of my family's history, and that makes this quilt VERY special. The above square is my favorite - I love all the non-matchy bright colors.



We're newly home from a road trip to Oregon. I'm hoping to get some pictures from the trip ready to show you, but you know how I am with things I'm "hoping" to do... As you can see from those cute faces, we had all kinds of crazy underwear-on-the-head fun. It's nice to be home and back to my sewing machine. I made some progress on the hexagon quilt as well - those pictures are coming soon!

Speaking of unfinished projects...

...how's this for one? All this talk about my hexagon quilt made me remember how bad I am at finishing quilts. There is the twin sized one that I started for Moses, um, 5 years ago, which I tell myself I will finish around every Christmas. And there is this one, my first EVER quilt, the one that started it all. :) I remember that a quilting magazine caught my eye in the grocery store about 8 years ago because the front cover featured a quilt with bright pink sashing, which I had never seen on a quilt before. So I bought the magazine, and in my typical impulsive style, spent the next few days tracing and cutting out ALL the tiny little squares and triangles for 49 different blocks. (This was long before I had a rotary cutter.) I used mostly vintage fabrics that my Grandma had given my mom and me, and then went to the only fabric store I knew of and bought vintage-looking fabrics to fill it out. Somewhere along the line I lost steam, and I packed the quilt away with only 7 blocks left to piece! It was a really fun find, and I spent yesterday finishing the last few blocks between chores and playing with the kids.



This quilt is definitely not my style, since I started it long before I had even developed a style or knew what I liked in colors, fabrics, and designs. But I love it anyways. It reminds me of something someone would have made 100 years ago, pieced together from tiny scraps of fabric from old aprons, dresses, and curtains. No two blocks are exactly alike, and it will be one of these quilts I used to like as a little girl - one where you are always discovering a new fabric or color that you didn't see the last time you looked.

I'm hoping to make it to the fabric store to chose the finishing fabrics for this - not sure if I'll go with the original bright pink sashing, but we'll see what I can come up with. Another sewing project on the list, but this one is just for me and the hardest part is complete!

Argyle Baby Quilt

Here is the latest addition to my shop - an argyle quilt! I'm super happy because making this quilt fulfilled two of the things I've been wanting to do: make a quilt in an argyle pattern, and do a little bit of hand quilting. As you can see, I did a VERY little bit of hand quilting. Once I finished these three lines I really liked the asymmetry of it, so I left things as they were. Probably lots of people won't like the look of an "unfinished quilt," but I just couldn't bear to do anything more. In the words of my sister-in-law Cindy, "one of the hardest things about art is knowing when it looks just right and stopping before you mess it all up."

Salvaged:

This pile of pretty little fabric scraps was saved from death at the dump by my mother-in-law and given to me. I love looking at each tiny little piece - every one is different. Today I got the urge to sew some of the longer strips together. No particular rhyme or reason here; I just liked all the different blues and purples, shapes and sizes. This is what the pile became:



So now what? This needs to become something, but I haven't figured out what yet. I suppose the obvious, and my usual fall-back, would be a little quilt. But I'm feeling like making something else, something I can sit with for a while. I've been inspired lately by Ms. Horner's fabulous needleworks... perhaps a hand-embroidered pillow? Or a hand-embroidered... something else? Hm... as if all this busyness needs any more color. Anyhow, those are my crafting thoughts of the day. Scattered as usual. (I started the day at the fabric store buying backing material for two different quilts I've pieced and need to finish. You can see how far I got on those projects...) Any suggestions for me?

Custom Bib

I just finished my first custom bib order - this one was made using the cutest kite fabric. The customer was attending a baby shower where each guest was supposed to bring a bib for the mom-to-be, who would then guess which guest gave her which bib. My customer was a Theta with her friend (Thetas are the first ever Greek letter fraternity for women), so she wanted there to be kites on the bib, which is the symbol for Thetas. I learned a lot from this order and had so much fun making the bib - what a special gift! To order your own custom bib, go here.

Polka Dots

Here's another bib - this one is for the girlies. I was so excited to use this polka dot print. It is from Japan (which always makes fabric more special for some reason) and is SO silky and gorgeous, but I couldn't find anything to go with it. Then I paired it with this Amy Butler print and it worked just right. I always find myself drawn to color and pattern combinations that almost match - I don't like combinations that are too predictable. It is newly listed in my shop - go check her out!

BYOB

Bib, that is. :) I've started listing some bibs in the shop - go check them out!

More to come soon...

Easiest Give Away Ever...

In an attempt to not be so behind-the-times, Junie None is now on Facebook! And... I am bribing you to become a "fan" by hosting a giveaway. Everyone who "likes" the Junie None Facebook page from now until Monday night will be entered into a drawing to win this super cute deluxe mini baby quilt. Just click here, sign in to your Facebook account, "like" us, and you are automatically entered to win. You don't even have to think of anything original or cute to write - just click. :) Happy Monday!

Winter's End

The weather seems to be trying out "winter" today, after a few weeks of what definitely felt like spring. The boys woke up early and are drinking hot chocolate out of sippy cups. I have my mug of tea and just saw a flock of geese flying south in a perfect V formation. I am actually relieved to feel the cold air - I wasn't quite ready for spring yet. I made this batch of sachets in icy winter colors - just in time for winter's end. Get yours in the shop.