some quilting updates - aka, fatal design error

I finally got the backing fabric for my bird quilt.  And thread to quilt it.  I decided I wanted to quilt this myself.  It can't be that hard, right?

Well, straight lines are harder than they look.  Luckily, my mom sent me the plexiglass table the fits my machine arm so I should have better maneuvering of the quilt now.  I think I might have to take some of these out, but that's okay.

I also spray basted it and I LOVE IT!  I've never really safety pinned a quilt (whatever, I've never quilted really quilted a quilt on this machine), but I can imagine not really liking it.  It was bad enough crawling around on the floor with this enormous belly to get the fabric smoothed out.  I'm excited to keep going on this and see how it turns out.

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I also sewed my strips together for the baby's quilt.  And I thought I was being clever with my strips.  Do you see my fatal error?

I made sure in selecting my sets of 3 that each set had a dot in it (except for 2).  Then I smugly thought it would be great to have all the dots in the middle.

Oooooops.  When I layed them out like this, I realized that meant I would have stripes of polka dots running down my quilt.  Not exactly the scrappy unplanned image I had in mind.

Then I realized I could just take a strip off one end and sew it to the other side. This moved the dots  from the middle to an end.  Does that make sense?  I did this for half of my strip sets.  Crisis averted.

Then when I layed it out to get an idea how it's going to look, I saw this:

Much better.  Don't you think?

sunshine in a jar

I'm finding the problem with being 8 months pregnant is that I want to eat a lot, but I don't want to cook very much! Or go to the grocery store.

But I did get into a cooking mood the other day.  My friend Deisha (for whom I helped make this bag and who helped me do some awesome freezer meals) brought some lemon curd over the other night to have on crepes!  yum!!

I've never made it before and it was so easy!  Really, it's like sunshine in a jar.  And you can even use bottled lemon juice!  She did and I never would have known.

 
And then I was helping out with a baby shower today and made these fun little tartelettes.

I love this cookbook.  She has a series of French cookbooks and I would love to own them all.  I have to admit though - I use this book mostly for the Pâte Sablée and Crème Pâtissière recipes.  It's like a sugar cookie crust with a vanilla custard.  You pair them up and top with fresh fruit!  delish - and very pretty!  But I digress.

For these little tartelettes, I made the crusts (Pâte Sablée) in my mini muffin pan and then filled with lemon curd and topped with half a blackberry.  Mmmmmmmm.

So, do you want the recipe?  Deisha said I could share it!  If it's rainy and still too cold at your house, this will certainly improve your mood.

Lemon Curd

3 large eggs

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

6 T unsalted butter (chilled from the fridge)

Zest of 1 lemon (yes, I zested as much off of 1 lemon as I could)

• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs until combined.
• All other ingredients put in a sauce pan, over medium to low heat.
• Stir mixture until the butter has melted.
• Once butter has melted remove from heat. 
• Pour this mixture slowly into the eggs, while whisking, to temper them. 
• Then return the combined mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, constantly stirring with a whisk. 
• As soon as the sauce begins to thicken, it is done. 
• Cool completely, put a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the lemon curd to avoid it developing a "skin" on the top.  (I poured mine into those two pint jars and covered with plastic wrap and the lids.)

 (Because the cookbook is still available I don't feel right about sharing the other recipes - I'm sure you could do a quick google search and find something similar!)

sew & tell - springy poppies bag

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click on the tab above for details on linking up!

I told you last week that my friend Allyn was coming up to sew with me.  We had SO much fun.  I just wish it would have been a little longer.  I owe my rebirth into the sewing world to her.  It was on her machine in California that I pieced together this quilt.  She also made me my first diaper bag.  And is generally just amazing and inspiring (and really really funny!).

I've felt bad that I've never really made her anything - especially a bag!  So when I saw this fabric I ordered it with her in mind.  When she got here on Thursday she saw it and was secretly (or not so secretly) coveting it.

I asked her if she liked it, to which she responded with a resounding YES!!  So I caved and told her my project while she was here was to make her a bag to take home with her.  I was going to torment her the whole time and tell her it was a custom order for someone else....

I'm quite smitten with it myself.  If you haven't seen this fabric in person - it's amazing!  I'm warning you though - you need a big project to handle the scale of this print.  Those poppies are over 12" across.

I originally ordered the dogwood to go inside, but it was too big and pretty for a lining.  So I ordered enough stripe to line this one and a smaller version, made with the dogwoods.  Maybe I'll get that done next week.

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As I mentioned earlier this week, you all have been so amazing and supportive in wanting to continue on through the summer with Sew & Tell that we are going to keep it going.  The posts will still be found here but I have several volunteers who will share what they are doing so that all I have to do is hit "Publish".  Thank you everyone!!!

Can't wait to see what you've been doing - your turn!

Please refer to the sew & tell page if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been deleted.

1. Link to your specific post about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew & tell in  your post and link back to this post (link or button) so everyone can join in.

3. Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

decision made!

I wrote a post a while back that I've referred to many times.  It's all about procrastinating cutting into your fabric.  Do you want to read it?  It's what kept me from doing anything with this fabulous Amy Butler Love that I've had for a while.

I had some quiet alone time with my fabric and a clean kitchen table to use.  So I decided that I really should start this baby quilt if I want to get it done this year.  :)   I won a bunch of these fat quarters, but wasn't sure how they would all look together.  So I ordered some more, mostly blues and greens and several more of the dots.  Side note - how does Amy B. keep making such fabulous polka dots!?  I mean, they are just dots - but so cute, as always.

I ironed them all up and laid them out on the floor (as seen above).  It was a really good way to study the colors.  These prints are all very different, as is the color palette.  But it's amazing what you see when you start analyzing them all.  There is a speck of turquoise in the red prints, some red in the blues, some green in the purples.  I really think this is going to look so fun!

When deciding on a pattern to use, I decided I was just going to do a basic scrappy squares quilt.  Initially I thought I would separate each print with a cream square.  Then when I realized I had enough fabric, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and just smash all of these delicious prints and colors right next to each other!  I know, I'm so adventurous.

I'm going to strip piece this quilt.  Have you done that before?  The quilt will be 9 squares across and 12 rows down, the finished squares being 5" wide (finished quilt size 45x60).  I've cut these fat quarters into 5.5" strips and grouped them into 3s - I couldn't be totally random, so I tried to put a lot of contrast in each set and almost every set has one of the dots in it.

Next up, sewing these strip sets together.   If you are interested, I'll continue to show the process as I work on this.

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In other good news - I have had such a response on taking a break from sew & tell this summer that I am going to work something out where we can still do it.  I have many friends who have volunteered to guest post while I am recuperating/recovering/getting settled in to our new life with baby and move.  So it looks like we'll still be here every Friday!  :)
Thanks everyone!

sew & tell - pot pourri

Remember to click on the Sew & Tell link for information on linking up!


Some bee got in my bonnet this last week.  I got a lot of little things done that I needed to.  I had a baby shower last weekend and I made a hooded towel and attempted a little sleeping gown made from a little baby tee.

It's cute, but I didn't put enough fabric on to gather it up enough to even get a baby in it.  I saw this in a shop and thought I could make it up as I went.  Turns out I need a tutorial.  Anyone know of one?

Next, I fixed this skirt.  I really love it.  But the waistband never worked right for me.  The tutorial said to make a casing and put in ribbon AND elastic, but all I could fit in was the ribbon and then it was forever falling down, making it very hard to keep on.  Plus it was getting too short for her.

So I used the yoke instructions from this pattern I bought in Utah, and was able to give her more length, an elastic waist and another year or two of wear!  So cute.

The other thing I've been wanting to do is make some zipper pouches.  I made some last year, but the book I got the pattern from was the library's and it had been so long that I couldn't remember how to do it!

So what does a girl do?  Google it!  And I found this GREAT tute on Skip to My Lou.  The one from the book required some hand sewing.  This one DOESN'T!  That's a big selling point for me!  :)

So I made one, not sure about the measurements and it's pretty big.  But fits a lot of stuff.

Then I made 2 more, because I had the zippers and the fabric cut - I also made them a tad bit smaller.  And I figured, the more I made at once, the more likely I would be to remember how to do it again!

I wanted one for my bag - because it's cuter than a ziploc and all that chapstick and lip gloss and tylenol and Tums, etc.  can get lost.   These happen to be Nicey Jane too and look great with Vanessa's bag.

My dear friend Allyn, and Sew & Tell participant, is here and we are going to be sewing away today too!  On the docket - some bags.

Don't worry, I did get some organizing/packing in too.  I got out all the newborn baby girl clothes and am getting ready to wash them.  I think the nesting might be kicking in.


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Can't wait to see what you've been doing this week!

Your turn!

Please refer to the sew & tell page if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been deleted.

1. Link to your specific post about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew & tell in  your post and link back to this post (link or button) so everyone can join in.

3. Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

gratuitous fabric shots

I got some fabric in the mail Saturday.  Hawthorne Threads has an amazing web site, and selection, and cost reduction when you buy more fabric!  (you can search by color and when you are looking at a specific piece you can click to find coordinating pieces - so great!)

Amy Butler - August Fields Home Dec

Love.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it.  I bought enough for curtains, or maybe a slipcover?

Amy Butler - Full Moon Dots in Lime, Lotus

Had to stock up.

Laura Gunn - Poppies

I got the stripe to go with the other stuff I bought a few weeks back.

I have also met a new friend.  She's amazingly talented and you should see her stash. I went to her house last week and was impressed!  Oh yea, vintage working sewing machines too.

Heather Ross - VW busses and bicycles

Bolts of this stuff.  No lie.  And when she came to see me last week she gave me some for the baby.

She doesn't blog, but I think she should (hint. hint.)

And she gave my daughter this adorable skirt that she won't take off.  Well, I guess she took it off, since it's on a hanger, but only because it needs to be washed.

You probably think I met her in a quilting group or the fabric store or something.  Nope.  COSTCO.  She commented on my bag.  Asked if I made it, and then what line of fabric it was.  I knew then she was a kindred sewing spirit!  Too bad I'm moving.  We've had so much fun!  She's having surgery this week, so keep a fellow sewing sister in your thoughts/prayers.

sew & tell - a pregnancy pillow!

First off, I have to say a BIG THANK YOU, to all of you for your support and kind words after my last post.  I was feeling really overwhelmed and seriously, you all helped me feel so much better.  Someone pointed out that the benefit of moving is that your blogging friends go with you!  YAY!  I'm so glad.  Thank you again, dear friends.

So, when I'm cramped for sewing time (or don't use my time wisely because I'm watching this), (but I was cleaning/organizing/prepping for the move while I was watching)(not that I'm trying to justify it....)

Okay, so when I get to Thursday and don't have anything ready for Sew & Tell I always try and find something in my to-do pile that will be quick!  Lately, as you may have noticed - clears throat - I have made a lot of pillows (and bags).  I'm like a two-trick pony!  I can't wait until I have a big project finished to show you (How about a baby?  I think I'm having her on a Thursday - just. in. time.).

Anyway, I had some scraps left over from my huge pillows that I made for my bed.  Just enough for two bolster pillows to match (but I only finished one because I ran out of stuffing.)!  Which will actually come in handy as I want to lay on my back, but I'm not supposed to - so I can use this little beauty to wedge me sort of on my side.

I really like body pillows, but they cause a lot of confrontation!  Our bed isn't big enough for the three of us!  (Not that it matters - I've developed a snoring problem and I often find my better half sleeping on the couch.  Poor guy.)  So this is a great solution.  I found out too I can use it to almost lay on my stomach (which I'm not supposed to be doing either).

While I was on a roll, I decided to make the last pillow (for now anyway) for my couch.  I bought the fabric and form a while ago and would rather move the pillow finished, than the fabric and form separate.  Is that odd?

I love the green and the polka dots!  And I think it looks great with the rest of my collection!

Yay for pillows!  Fast and easy!  You can find the tutorial for how I make them in my tutorials tab up there at the top of my blog.

If you are new or need a refresher for Sew & Tell guidelines you can click up there on that tab too.  Can't wait to see what you've been doing this week!

Your turn!

Please refer to the sew & tell page if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been deleted.

1. Link to your specific post about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.

2. Please mention sew & tell in  your post and link back to this post (link or button) so everyone can join in.

3. Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

a notion or two - penny's block

First off, thank you all SO much for your input on my bird quilt.  It seems you all were split 50/50 on what binding to do - so I'm mulling it over and will show you the reveal very soon! (I hope!)  It's not too late if you have an opinion and want to share!

I wanted to share another block I finished for my quilting bee this week.  Penny sent us a cool print of a bunch of houses and a circle quilt and asked us to use those as inspiration.  I thought about doing a free pieced house, but I'd been wanting to try some reverse or raw-edged applique.  I used Vickie's Sew, Mama, Sew tutorial.  I just applied my own shapes!

Here's a detail of the house. I did the half dome window first.  I wish I had done the other one first, because I would have cut panes in that one too.

 I have to say, I love the stripey sun.

I ended up with some empty space that needed something.  These were added last minute.  They might be my favorite part.  Who doesn't want a garden full of lollipop flowers?  I just cut some of the dots out of the polka dot fabric and sewed them down the center.

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I've added a new tab at the top of my blog.  Can you see it?  (Actually, they are all fairly new and if you use blogger you can have them too!)  It says sew & tell.  And if you click on it, you get some guidelines and tips on joining if you are new - or a refresher if you need it!  Hope it helps!  Since this is new, it would be great if you would all read it this time around!

So what did you finish this week?

Please refer to the sew & tell page if you have any questions or wonder why your link may have been deleted.

1. Link to your specific post about a sewing related finish you had THIS week.
2. Please mention sew & tell in  your post and link back to this post (link or button) so everyone can join in.
3. Pat each other on the backs in the comments!

Ready? Set, Go!

 

design advice - i need help

Remember this quilt top?:

 
I really want to finish it.  Originally I had thought I would put another border on it.  At first I was thinking this, with the red dot binding:

But I don't think I have enough of the fabric to make a wide enough border. And I don't think I want another really wide border (should I cut the white border down?)

But I do have enough of this:

But I'm not sure I want the brown in the border (it makes it so dark).

So now I'm wondering if I should forget the dark border and just bind it with one of the greens. Or maybe still the red.

I'm leaning towards the wallflower in green and just bind it, no dark border....
sheesh - do I sound a little indecisive?  I just want to make a decision so I can finish it!!

Any opinions? I really appreciate it!!

I love this idea! As I said last week, Tiffany asked me to share a recipe this week for her swap. Part of the swap is a linky party! And we all love those, right?  Click on the button above (or on the sidebar) to take you to the party.

She is trying to reach 365 recipes by the end of the week. That way we can have a recipe for every day of the year! Fun!

My recipe posted yesterday. The meatloaf is delicious, unfortunately - it's not very photogenic (I may have already said that).

I can't wait to see what everyone else is contributing!  I love to cook and eat, so this is right up my alley.  Let me know if you are going to participate so I can be sure to check out what's cooking at your house!

If you are interested in any other recipes and food related topics I've posted in the past, you can browse through them by clicking here.  

obsess much?

Maybe I should have said last week that I have entered the obsessive stage of pregnancy.

After finishing this bag for my friend, I had to order some of Laura Gunn's Poppy line too.  This is going to be awesome (I hope!).  The graphics are very large, I'm thinking of buying some to put on stretcher boards and hang in my house, like this.

I used a gift card to Pink Chalk Fabrics that I won during Jaquie's Joy in the New Year Challenge in January!  They were super fast and have a lot of the new prints available.

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Amy did an awesome post last week about turquoise!  I've been wanting to do one myself and when I saw her's I thought, "Yes, I need to do it."  I actually wrote one a while ago that was kind of fun, but I have some new additions to share.

(l-r, top to bottom)  milk crate (Target), free chair painted blue, free table painted same blue (ionic sky - Behr), KitchenAid measuring cups (now if I could just find the spoons!), breadbox (Target), little vase, colander. bowl, bistro chair (Rustoleum spray - Aqua).

I know Pantone has declared Turquoise THE color for 2010, but I've loved it for so long (well turquoise/lt blue/baby blue).  Not that I'm saying I'm a trendsetter, I just think if you like something long enough it will come into style - and then I find you want to buy everything up while it's hot and available!

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I love Michael Miller's Dandy Damask.  I think it's out of print.  At least I know it's difficult to find.  I won a gift card to Fabric Depot from Jodi@Pleasant Home sometime last year and finally used it!  I was so happy to find some more dandy as well as this Farmer's Market print (sheepish grin) in aqua.

I was originally thinking of doing a little baby blanket with it,  but now I think I just want to stare at it.

And then I bought some of the dandy in brown and green.  I used it in my bird quilt and loved it!  I thought I could do a boy blanket with brown minky...

and then, OOPS! I already had 2 pieces.  So now maybe I'll do the borders on my quilt with it.  Goodness, I have enough of it now.  I guess this would be a good reason to get my stash organized and all in the same place.  I seriously had forgotten that I already had a bunch.

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Ever since I watched North and South last week I've been reminded how much I love all the great British period dramas/love stories. I found this video. Now I have a list of more shows to watch (and maybe rewatch, but I'm not telling). I also probably don't want to admit that I ran across this clip watching random videos starring Richard Armitage.....

Do you have any current obsessions?  Please tell me I'm not alone!