Making A Sewiing Gear Bag for My English Paper Piecing Projects

I've finished the piecing of La Passacaglia but intend to do more English paper piecing in the future.  I want to make some sort of handy-dandy bag that will make it easy to take my hand piecing with me on the go.  I'm leaning towards the Zip It Up! bag from By Annie.  Has anyone made it?  If so, any tips?

I learned about this bag from the photos on Instagram.  I love the bright color zippers with the black and white prints but will probably do something else for my own bag.  

I stumbled on another cleverly designed bag on the internet. It is called the Bionic Gear Bag; there is a video demo of its features on the website and you can buy the pattern as a PDF file on Craftsy.  

This bag looks a little more challenging to make but wouldn't it be handy for a class or retreat?

Instagram Made Me Do It

Ten days ago, Miss Main Street and I set out on a road trip, driving from our home in New Jersey west to Chicago, to deliver MMS to her summer program.  She needed a place to live so we rented a furnished apartment short-term on airbnb* then drove out with the stuff she needs for the summer and got her moved in. After a day spent helping her learn her way around Chicago on the "L," I drove back home.  I'll go back to fetch her home later this summer.

While strolling one evening after dinner, we went into a Barnes & Noble store to browse and I hit the jackpot.  I had been looking for this issue of Quilt Mania (Spring 2015) after photos from the My Small World quilt-along began turning up on Instagram (search using #mysmallworldqal).  I was smitten and badly wanted to make the quilt but could not find the magazine anywhere near me or online.  Now I'm set.  The design is by Jen Kingwell.  I plan to change the orientation to "portrait" for my version, so it can hang in my kitchen quilt space.  

But it will be a while before I get to this.  I'm still working on La Passacaglia.  

*About airbnb, yes I was nervous our rental would turn out to be a scam but it was legit and so far, so good.

And Then There Were Seven

Happy New Year!  I started the new year doing what I love to do and spent the whole afternoon in my sewing room working on my current project.  I have seven blocks up on my design wall.  I am loving this color combination! 

While at the sewing machine, I thought about what lies ahead for me, quilting-wise, this year.  I want to make some smaller quilts.  We have more than enough bed-size quilts and smaller quilts like wall hangings will give me scope to try new techniques without a major commitment of time and fabric.  I could put a new wall hanging into the rotation in my kitchen. 

We also have a couple of additions to the family who need quilts!  My mother-in-law is a quilter but at nearly 90, she is no longer up to it and her latest great-grandchild did not receive a quilt yet.  Poor Abby had to make do with a crocheted afghan on Christmas!  An afghan is all very well but it is not a quilt!  So I had better make a quilt for Abby and one for the baby on the way.  (By the way, these babies are not my grandchildren.  They are the grandchildren of Mr. Main Street's sisters.  Miss Main Street is only 19 and, much as I love babies, I can wait a few years - or 10 -  for a grandchild of my own.)

And my project for the year is an applique quilt.  So far all I've done is selected the pattern and the fabric.  I need to prep some blocks so I have some hand work to take with me when the opportunity arises. 

But of course, I can't plan too much; I need to allow time in the plan to respond to inspiration as it arises.  While on Pinterest updating my Quilts To Make In 2014 board, now re-titled Quilts To Make in 2015, a few items caught my eye.  And more of this is bound to happen over the course of the year so I need to be flexible. 

It is wonderful to have the inspiration of my fellow bloggers and quilting Instagrammers.  And even better to have your support!  It is so uplifting to know there are a few people who think it is worth their time to check in on what I am making.  Thank you for joining me on my quilting journey.

The Year Ahead In Quilting

I like to set myself some goals when it comes to quilting, partly because I am just oriented that way and have goals and lists for everything, but mainly to ensure I develop as a quilter.  Rather than make the same easy quilts over and over in different color combinations, I want to be sure I develop new skills, like piecing curves and hand applique.  So these goals are about stretching my current skills and developing new ones, not about the number of quilts completed. 

Though I still want to be able to follow a whim and make a specific quilt when the spirit moves me (or, rather, I see something online or in a magazine).  So I don't plan ahead in too much detail.

Pinterest is a perfect tool for my planning purposes.  I recently updated my board formerly known as Quilts To Make in 2013; it is now Quilts To Make in 2014!   I subtracted some pictures, like those that inspired quilts I actually did make in 2013 as well as those that I no longer feel any great longing to make.  And I added some new pictures. 

At the top of my list I have:

1. a log cabin quilt - a way to use the scraps left in my Fig Tree basket
2. something curvy - using the Quick Curves Ruler I bought a few months ago
3. a small project - like pillow shams and/or a sewing machine cover
4. a bright, fresh color combination - I love the gray, aqua, and lime green combo

And I'm giving myself some leeway to act on a whim, should a new pattern, picture, or fabric grouping catch my fancy. 

Let's not mention the UFOs, PIGS, and other well-intentioned but never fnished projects I have around here.  No, let's not mention them.

Out Of The Scrap Basket And Into A Quilt

I resisted at first, trying to stick to one project at a time, then I realized I have the perfect project for...

 

I'm joining Kim (and lots of other quilters) in whittling down my supply of scraps.  My Quilts to make in 2013 Pinterest board holds images of scrappy LeMoyne star quilts.  And I have the scraps, sitting there in my very own magic basket. 

 

 

The idea of Scrap Basket Sunday is to work on my scrappy lemoyne star blocks once a week (or thereabouts).  If I was to work singlemindedly on these blocks, I'd probably get bored after making 10 or 20, and I need about 100 for the quilt.  But interspersing them with other projects will keep the novelty going longer, at least that's my theory.  Of course, it does postpone the finish, but since I don't know yet how I will set the finished blocks into a quilt, that's ok with me.

 

This will be my fabric palette for the lemoyne stars.  I have lots of partial fat quarters and other bits and pieces in my Fig Tree Collection basket, pieces left from peviously made quilts. 

 

 

It's time for a test block.

 

If you would like to join us for Scrap Basket Sundays, go see Kim. 

 

 

 

It Wasn't Supposed To Be A Guessing Game

My last post was not supposed to be a mystery!  I thought my Pinterest link would take you to the one picture I was referring to as my current inspiration, not to my entire Pinterest file of quilty love.  (Though if you need to see some quilty love, I've found lots of it!)

You were supposed to see this quilt, called Very Berry Tarts.  It was designed by Edie McGinnis and is in her book called A Second Helping of Desserts.  When I saw this quilt on someone else's Pinterest page, the decision of what to make with my fat quarter stack of Rouenneries Deux was settled. 

 I have the book but the directions for making Very Berry Tarts use foundation paper piecing.  Not terrible but not my favorite technique.  I'd rather save it for a string-style scrap quilt.  Anyway, I wanted to do a little personal variation on the original design so I decided this posed the perfect opportunity to break out my Pineapple Rule from Possibilites.  I bought this tool several years ago but never got up the courage to tackle a pineapple quilt.  Well, today is the day!

Inspired!

I found it while browsing on Pinterest.  It's the design that calls to me, that says, "Yes, I am worth cutting into your Rouenneries Deux fat quarter stack.  I am what you have been saving it for."

So this bundle is about to go under the knife rotary cutter.  I can start by pressing the fat quarters so they are ready. Amazon.com says they will deliver the book with the pattern today. 

So I'm doing a happy dance while I wait for the iron to heat up!

American Patchwork & Quilting Project

I recently picked up the latest issue of American Patchwork & Quilitng magazine (October 2012, issue 118). 

 

One project in particular caught my eye.  It is called Back On Track and was designed by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. fame. 

 

It is going on my to-do list.  It could be my next project.  It looks like a good scrap or stash-busting project.  Anyone game for a quilt-along?

 

 

 

Make One, Add Two

I used to participate in an online discussion of a series of historical novels (the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian).  One of the other participants referrd to his "Mount To-Be-Read," the pile of books next to his nightstand waiting for his attention.  I also have a Mount To-Be-Read, though most of it is in an electronic queue on my Nook now.  But I also have a Mount To-Be-Made, those quilts I want to make in the near future.  The problem is that for every quilt I finish, two more find their way onto the list.

What's on Mount To-Be-Made now, you ask? 

1.  Some kind of hexagon quilt, probably similar to the project blogged at Fat Quarterly. 

2.  Geta's Modern Dresden design.

3.  Something using my Rouenneries fabric.  Rouenneries Deux has come and gone; I need to get this done before Rouenneries Trois comes out. 

4.  Something really scrappy, using my Fig Tree scraps.  The problem is, I don't have scraps yet, I have fat quarters.  So this one will have to wait until after I make a couple more in the Fig Tree Harvest project. 

5.  A kaleidescope quilt - maybe out of Fig Tree, then I'd have scraps and could move to #4.  Sounds like a plan!

What's on your Mount To-Be-Made?

Re-Visiting My To-Do List

Mr. and Miss Main Street returned to school last week.  As my spouse is a teacher, our lives have always revolved around the school calendar and I tend to regard early September as a time of new beginnings (which is kind of weird because nature-wise, things are coming to an end as the flowers die and the leaves fall of the trees.  However...).

 

It seemed a good time to review my quilting to-do list, assess progress, and take corrective action.  If you recall, I decided in January not to do a traditional to-do list but to set myself some goals instead.  Here they are from my Jan. 1, 2011, post:

 

1.  Allow myself to work on what interests me at the moment and put aside a project if I no longer "feel the love." This is a hobby, not work, and I should use the limited time I can devote to it doing what I really want to do. Only problem is that this may be somewhat at odds with goal #2...

 

2. Work on projects on more of a one-at-a-time basis to keep the chaos at bay, and clean up the "studio" between projects. I'm taking a cue from Thelma, who adheres to this clean-up-between-projects rule and has a wonderfully organized sewing space.

 

3. Make progress on my Christmas quilts collection. While decorating for Christmas, I got the idea to display a collection of Christmas quilts on my second floor landing. This is what usually hangs there.

 

 

 

I will need to make at least four more quilts to give it a "Christmasy" look. So look for a repeat of my Christmas in July Christmas sewing marathon. Though I don't think I'll be making them all in one year.

 

4. Expand skill set by trying something new, or relatively new, to me. I am thinking either applique or equilateral triangles, but don't have a definite project in mind yet.

 

5. Make a major dent in my backlogged projects. A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about organizing some of my projects. These are not quilt UFOs; to qualify as "unfinished" a project has to have been started in the first place. I think these might more properly be called PIGS - projects in grocery sacks, except in my case they are in dry cleaner bags. I have seven projects for which I bought all the materials but never started. I need to get some of these done before I give myself permission to add more.

 

So, what has actually happened so far?  Progress reported in blue ink.

 

1.  Allow myself to work on what interests me at the moment and put aside a project if I no longer "feel the love." 

I haven't put projects aside because I fell out of love with them but I have started projects spontaneously because I fell in love.  See Frequent Flyer for an example, or the "little stars" quilt inspired by a postcard I found in Paris.

2. Work on projects on more of a one-at-a-time basis to keep the chaos at bay, and clean up the "studio" between projects. 

I've been good about not having a bunch of projects going at once, though I think it is good to have a "machine" project and a "portable" project at the same time.  I have not been too good about cleaning and reorganizing my sewing space between projects.  I started out well but you should see it now!  Must address this before I start the next new thing.

3. Make progress on my Christmas quilts collection. 

Oh, I've really excelled here!  I have a small wall hanging and a quilt top finished from my Christmas in July work, plus the wool project is almost finished.  In addition, I have a second quilt top almost done.  When they are quilted and bound, they can join a few other quilts and that display will look very Christmasy.

4. Expand skill set by trying something new, or relatively new, to me. I am thinking either applique or equilateral triangles, but don't have a definite project in mind yet.

My wool applique project represents something completely new for me.  I have plans for a hand applique project using regular quilting cotton fabric and I intend to get it organized so I have a portable project to start when the wooly one is finished.

5. Make a major dent in my backlogged projects. 

Near the end of 2010, I identified seven PIGS to be worked on.  I've finished two of them:  the Halloween spiderweb quilt and the Misty Pines wall hanging.  However, I keep buying fabric so, really, I have more PIGS to put in the queue.   

As a result of this self-assessment, I've decided that next on list are:

• clean up the studio
• finish the "little stars" project
• organize the hand applique project so it's ready to go when I'm ready to sit with it
• decide exactly what I will do with my Etchings and vast Fig Tree fabric collections so I can buy any additional yardage I need while the fabric is still in the stores

But not necessarily in that order.  I better get to work!

Christmas in July Quilt Along

I'm dedicating the month of July to working on Christmas projects. 

Would you like to join me?   Not a lot of rules or structure - make anything you want to, as long as it has a winter or Christmas theme. If you want to join me, let me know via comment here or email message and I'll post a link to your blog on my sidebar so readers can check out your progress.

We'll officially start on July 1 but you can use the rest of June to get ready by deciding what you want to make and getting your supplies together. The new Christmas fabrics are just arriving in the quilt shops, so this is a great time to start.

Last year, I made Let It Snow, a wall hanging for my kitchen. 
 

And Christmas Day, a throw-size quilt made out of hoarded Robyn Pandolph prints.

This year, I'd like to tackle at least one of my PIGS (projects in grocery sacks, or in my case, dry cleaner bags).

I have several kits and patterns purchased in prior years with good intentions, but...

One is the banner on the cover of this book, Tidings, by Nancy Halvorsen.  She has a new Christmas booklet our this year that I'm already salivating over.

I will be working on my wool applique project while Miss Main Street tours college campuses (campi?).

And I have some ideas for another star motif design made out of my hoarded Maison de Noel fabrics, a 3 Sisters by Moda line from several years ago. 

In other words, I could work on Christmas projects for the rest of the year!  So I'm sure you can find at least one thing to make!

Japanese Quilt Books

It was a three-day weekend for me but not for Mr. and Miss Main Street.  They had their usual Saturday class schedule, graduation on Sunday (lovely ceremony, all the faculty and underclassmen attend to give the seniors a big send-off), and exams began on Monday.  (When you are in independent school, you can make your own schedule and ignore holidays.)  So, I had a lot of time in which to entertain myself.  I got out my my collection of Japanese quilting books, had a good browse, and found some items to add to my list.

In this book, I found an idea for the seed packet panel. 

It is a kind of log cabin block variation where the center square (or rectangle) is large and the strips are very narrow.  I am thinking of doing this in green, with black as the final strip.

This book is pretty much all about making bags.  I found one that I might need to make.  We've got a family wedding over Labor Day weekend.  I'm planning to wear a dress that is eggplant colored, and don't have a suitable bag to go with it.  I need one that looks dressy but is big enough to hold my glasses and camera, which excludes most of the evening bags I saw at Nordstroms.

I have quite a stash of vintage linens and lace that I could raid and combine with some eggplant colored fabric (assuming I can find a good match to the dress).  The side gussets make the bag bigger than it looks in the model's hand, certainly large enough to hold the required glasses and camera (plus lipstick, hotel room key, and tissues).

The wedding is that of niece #2.  Niece #1, married almost three years, just announced she is pregnant.  Woo-hoo!  An excuse to make baby quilts!

Planning Ahead

I'm still working on the spiderweb quilt but that doesn't stop me from thinking about - and mentally planning - my next project.  I have a few things in mind.

First, as previously mentioned, I plan to make several Christmasy quilts to hang here, in place of the pastels, as part of my Christmas decorating.  That's on my planned agenda for July/August.  I have a few ideas and tons of archived Christmas fabric.

Then, I want to make this wool applique picture, from the Sew Scrappy edition of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  I have most of the materials but need the background fabric (black wool), perle cotton or embroidery floss, and a frame.

I also want to make a quilt with a house block, either something from the Home Sweet Home book or...

or this pattern from Sew'n Wild Oaks, House on Edgewood Lane. 

But I just bought Simple Graces, by Kim Diehl, because I was attracted to two items on the cover.  This pillowcase...

I think it is perfect for the leftovers from my Rural Jardin quilt!  And I'm just wild about this yo-yo quilt.

Though somewhat less enthusiastic about the idea of making all those yo-yos!  Have you made them?  What's your opinion - ridiculously tedious or fun portable project?

And then there is this applique beauty.  Of course, I need to learn to applique first.

Fortunately, I have a little time before I have to commit to one or another.

The Quilt Fest of New Jersey VII - My Purchases

The vendors are a big part of the attraction of quilt shows for me.  I get as many ideas from the vendors' booths as I do from the quilts on display.  Quilt Fest of New Jersey was a smaller show but, I came home with plenty of loot!

I found Country Inn, a Blackbird Designs book by Barb Adams and Alma Allen.   Thelma blogged about her recent foray into hand applique.  She is using a pattern from Country Inn for her project.  I won't be starting that project, at least not yet, but I'd like to try applique and this book is full of eye candy.

I bought Blooming Possiblities because the projects in it are so darn cute!  The vendor, Cranberry Quiltworks, had samples from the book on display and I bet the book was sold out by the end of the show. 

I bought this bundle of fat quarters from the same vendor.  The fabrics cross several lines but go together so well.  And I already have some larger pieces of a couple of those prints so they will be ready when the right pattern comes along.

Cranberry Quiltworks also had this twill tape, made like measuring tape.  Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but it was only $0.79 per yard.  Unfortunately, they don't seem to have it on their website.  Maybe by email...

And I found what I was especially looking for:  wool, in small pieces. 

Ever since I saw this project in Sew Scrappy magazine, I've been wanting to make it.  I've never worked with wool before but am game to give it a try.  I think this will be a good portable project for the summer. I still need to find the black background.  Please let me know if you are aware of any sources.

By the way, The Practical Bag was perfect for carrying all this loot around the show as I made my purchases. 

My Next Quilt Project Found Me

I haven't quite finished my current project, the Ginger Belle quilt I am making with Rural Jardin fabric (it needs a name!), but I already have my next project identified.  I was in Barnes & Noble scanning the magazines when this leapt out at me. 

Here's another view of the quilt top, from a page inside American Patchwork & Quilting, April 2011 edition.

I find the design very appealing.  Moreover, I think I can make it from stash!  I'm going to use colors in the same general color grouping that I used in Saturday Sampler, the quilt below.

But I won't start until I finish my Rural Jardin project.  Help me with a name!

This Year, I Want To Make...

I've decided that this year's goals will be a bit more general than 2010's To Do List.  That's because my first goal is...

1.  Allow myself to work on what interests me at the moment and put aside a project if I no longer "feel the love."  This is a hobby, not work, and I should use the limited time I can devote to it doing what I really want to do.  Only problem is that this may be somewhat at odds with goal #2...

2.  Work on projects on more of a one-at-a-time basis to keep the chaos at bay, and clean up the "studio" between projects.  I'm taking a cue from Thelma, who adheres to this clean-up-between-projects rule and has a wonderfully organized sewing space.

3.  Make progress on my Christmas quilts collection.  While decorating for Christmas, I got the idea to display a collection of Christmas quilts on my second floor landing.  This is what usually hangs there.

I will need to make at least four more quilts to give it a "Christmasy" look.  So look for a repeat of my Christmas in July Christmas sewing marathon.  Though I don't think I'll be making them all in one year.

4.  Expand skill set by trying something new, or relatively new, to me.  I am thinking either applique or equilateral triangles, but don't have a definite project in mind yet.

5.  Make a major dent in my backlogged projects.  A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about organizing some of my projects.  These are not quilt UFOs; to qualify as "unfinished" a project has to have been started in the first place.  I think these might more properly be called PIGS - projects in grocery sacks, except in my case they are in dry cleaner bags.  I have seven projects for which I bought all the materials but never started.  I need to get some of these done before I give myself permission to add more.

I think five goals are quite enough for one year, especially given Goal #1.

Turquoise

The Pantone Color Institute®, the acknowledged international standard-setter for color, announced that turquoise is its color of the year for 2010, describing it as “an inviting, luminous hue.”  Turquoise is one of my favorite colors and I've been collecting fat quarters for a future quilt.  I think I've finally decided what to do with them.



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I have a beautiful picture in my mind; I hope the quilt turns out as well!