Sparklettes

I have a finished quilt to show today!! It seemed to take forever to quilt. Granted, there is quite a bit of negative space and I chose a fairly dense background quilting fill. So I'm super happy to have it done and couldn't be more pleased.

The pattern is "Sparklettes", from the book Fat Quarter Style. It's found on the cover, but you may notice that I changed the setting up a bit. I added background strips to the sides of the blocks to square them up and alternated the direction of the elongated star.

My original plan was to make the quilt just like the one in the book, but after I changed my mind I found that I didn't have quite enough backing fabric. Adding a pieced strip stretched it out to fit.

And that's what I've been up to!

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Glamclam Quilt!!!

I had to include those exclamation points in the title of this post. I'm so thrilled with this quilt! I love the modern vibe of this traditional design. I love all the awesome, colorful Cotton + Steel fabrics. I love the backing, which is a Cotton + Steel lawn. I love the quilting and the texture it created on the quilt. And I love the feel - so soft and cuddly.

Yes, I think I like this one...

The Glamclam is an amazing free pattern by Latifah Saafir and available on Craftsy. I used the 8" size.

You may remember I did my super easy, mindless organic quilting in vertical rows...

For the backing I chose a Cotton + Steel lawn that had this great border on one edge. It created a cool stripe on the back and I'll definitely be using lawn or voile again for a backing. A little more expensive, but the drape and feel of the quilt is amazing!

I was a little reluctant to try this one because of all the curves, but it really was very easy. The big curves are gentle and the pattern templates are so perfect, even providing notches for matching up the curve. If you've been on the fence with this one, I say give it a go!

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Swap Buddy gifts...

I think I mentioned that I've joined a Bonnie and Camille swap on Instagram. We're making 2 blocks a month for 2 different members and we've each been assigned to make a special gift for a secret Swap Buddy.

Here are my May blocks - very simple, but one of my favorite blocks - Maple Star.

May was my month to spoil my buddy, so I made her a mini of my Bursting Star quilt. It uses 1 1/2" strips. It took a couple of practice pieces to get the fabric placement I wanted. You may notice it's a bit scrappier than the original.

Along with some goodies of the chocolate kind and some of my favorite pen and paper supplies, I made my favorite pin cushion. I think these are so cute and you can store different types of needles in each "bubble". The dish is a painter's palette, found on amazon or art/craft supply stores.

I think she liked everything and it was such fun to make some secret gifts and a new friend!

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Quilting is my Therapy too...

I'm sure most of you have found the blog of Angela Walters, Quilting is My Therapy. I thought of it this week as I started the quilting on my Glamclam quilt. You all had great ideas about a quilting design and by far echo quilting got the most votes both here and on Instagram.

I basted the quilt and really thought echoing would be a great idea. I sat down to quilt and to be honest, after weeks of packing, purging, and cleaning our house, I felt pretty exhausted and really needed some quilting therapy. At the spur of the moment, I decided to do one of my most relaxing, mindless and easiest designs - organic straight lines.

My backing is this luxurious feeling Cotton+Steel lawn. Combined with some thin Dream Cotton batting this quilt is developing the most glorious comfy feel. 

I love how it's turning out and it's providing me with some nice relaxing therapy. Win! Win! Full reveal soon!

Most of you know that my kids grew up with a quilting mama. Ever wonder what kind of influence that turns into? Seems I've been a bit of an inspiration to my daughter, who has turned her need for a creative outlet into some awesome photography skills. She's sharing info, and interviewing some inspiring creatives on her new site and blog. My interview about living a creative life is up today and you can find it at andreakatolin.com  (you'll also see some pretty cute kids!)

The full site: andreakatolin.com

And if that's not enough, I'll be chatting on Monday with Pat Sloan on her weekly podcast!
Find the show at All People Quilt here Monday at 4PM Eastern. I'll be back Monday with more!

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WIP Wednesday

First, thank you for all your nice comments and encouragement from my last post about our upcoming move! I haven't had time yet to respond to all of your comments, but I've read them all and shared them with my husband. Y'all are so sweet!!

I've been doing way more cleaning than is typical around here, but that's almost done and I've squeezed in a little sewing time here and there. I've got a couple of WIPs that have been sitting around and thought maybe I should get going on those.

I finished up the blocks I had started on retreat last month and sewed them together into a top this week. The pattern is "Sparklettes" from Fat Quarter Style. I thought I'd change the setting a bit and simply added background strips to square up each block, then alternated their direction.

Next up is my Glam Clam quilt. I bought some Cotton + Steel lawn for the backing and am ready to get this pin basted. I'm at a loss on how to quilt it. Any suggestions??

So that's what's going on here! Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

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Weaving my way out of February.

Is it March yet???
Well, there's a LOT of snow out there, but when the SUN shines, it is easier, somehow.

I have a LOT of warp on the AVL, which is a good thing.     It means that when the sun is shining, I have something to weave on while I soak it UP.

I apologize for posting and reposting pictures of my "new to me weaving space", that used to be totally wasted on retail.
But I can't help it.   I love it.
It is the coolest place to work.

To think I used to work in a PRISON.  Yikes.
Dark, smelly, depressing.
OK, let's not go there.

I've been trying to decide how to put some plants on the new window between the rooms, without 
the four cats in residence, knocking them off.
I am stumped.
Hanging plants, maybe?

I found some cotton flake I liked, so I decided to give it a try on towels.

 I wasn't sure about it though, at least not confident enough to keep weaving a bunch of towels, but Lois had a small warp on her Wolf Pup at home, so I gave her some of it to weave a sample for me.

Which she did, she made TWO and she washed them  too!!!!

 I think she is starting something......dollhouse rugs???

Then I found some variegated cotton flake,  and kept on weaving.

 I suppose I should be sick of this pattern by now, but I'm not.
I'm still having fun, and that's what it's all about.
Gonna weave my way right through March.

Yeah.

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Ay yi yi

My fave carpenter/handyman said to me one time, " You come up with the craziest ideas, and then I make them happen."
This has so far been true.
But THIS TIME, my friend and fellow weaver, Sue, suggested a reno project to me the other day while we were weaving.
She said, 'You know, if that "window" between these two rooms was BIGGER, it would let lots of light in.  I think it would be awesome."

When I bought the house, this was two separate rooms.  But I found out that the wall was not original.  This was ONE ROOM, once apon a time.
I debated making it one room again, but someone had put in narrow oak flooring in the back room, which made a much more complicated project.
So I just opened it with a window.

But Sue got me thinking, and there is nothing I love better than tearing down walls, and opening up spaces.
I blame it on my parents, who did this kind of thing almost every year of my childhood.  Our little house grew about 6 ft or so as soon as it was warm enough to cut off the back of the house.  Inside, the walls changed whenever the mood struck.......and believe me, it struck quite often.
So I come by this naturally.
Hey, it could have been worse.  They didn't drink, or carouse, or fight.  So I guess I had it pretty good.

Anyway, time for the saw.
It was mostly a studded wall, as we expected.  But there was some lathe and plaster, and old wallpaper.
O.M.G.  what a freaking MESS.

But I love the results.
Wow.

LOVE.

On the chicken front, C put a "treat door" in my chicken run, for those who do not want to actually go in and mingle with the girls.
Not mentioning any names, or anything.
Not even going to talk about the hole cut in the chicken wire.
Nope.

I don't think the girls miss Bart one bit.
His new owner thought he had that rooster subdued, but apparently Bart forgot who was BOSS the other day, and he sunk his spurs into some shins.
Amazingly, he is going to get one more chance, this time de-spurred.  We'll see how that goes.

The chickie girls are quite content, although they will not like the 2x4 that C put across the coop below their nesting boxes.  NO MORE laying eggs UNDER the boxes, girls.
The times, they are a changin'.

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