Rose Dream Block Quilt--WIP

When I saw Madrona Road, right after it was first released, I knew I needed to use it for a quilt for our bed.  The blues and greens and yellows are just right for the wall color and rug that are already in place.  I picked up a selection of Madrona Road at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics months ago and have finally cut into them.

I am using my Sizzix Rose Dream block die to create these blocks.  (They are square in real life, these pictures are a little distorted.)  This is definitely just a slow here and there kind of project because I am going to need a lot of these blocks for our queen sized bed. I am using different whites and off whites and creams for the backgrounds and then the blue/green/yellow colorway of Madrona Road for the rest of the fabrics plus I am adding in anything from my stash that is the right colors.  

This is what I have precut so far. I want to cut more so that I can bring it on a quilting retreat with me in March (my first ever!).  Can you think of any prints that would work with my colors that you don't see in this picture?

This is the room I am working with.  Our walls are a periwinkle shade of blue, my absolute favorite.  The trim is a linen white and the curtains are dotted swiss sheers that I made about 10 years ago now.

This is our area rug.  I'd love suggestions for more prints to throw in.

 

Edited to add:  I was asked if the blocks are pieced or appliqued.  They are pieced. 

February Break Sewing

This post could also be titled "Not at Quilt Con."  I found myself wishing that I was at Quilt Con a number of times today but how could I go?  Here in MA, it's February vacation week which means that I am home entertaining all three kiddos.  It also means that any sewing that is getting done is for the kids since that's pretty much the only way they will accept it!

We were shopping yesterday and I saw the name of a fabric on the end of the bold and it said "Unicorn Land by Tina Givens."  It's an older print and I wasn't familiar with it but I have a 7 year old daughter so if something says "unicorn," I take a look.  As soon as I pulled it out, Lily was by my side requesting a skirt.  So, here is today's project!  Actually, it only got prewashed during daylight hours. I just made it tonight and will leave it in her bedroom to surprise her in the morning.  I can hardly wait to see which patterned kneesocks she pairs it with.  It should be eye-catching...

Normally, I just take whatever thread I have on a hand sewing needle in my pincushion and hand stitch a big "X" inside the waistband to mark the back of homemade skirts and pants. I don't know why it has taken me this long to do something cuter.  Today I used a piece of matching twill tape. I know that Lily will notice it right away.

The skirt is completely straight forward and simple.  The only "extra" is the ruffle at the top of the elastic casing.  And I matched the print on the side of the skirt.  That's it for the next few days probably, unless Lily spies some more fabric with her name on it.

Laminate Baby Bibs

 

 

Today I am sharing a tutorial for making these laminate baby bibs on the Thermoweb blog.  After joining their design team, one of the first products that I knew I wanted to try was their iron on vinyl.  I had only sewn on laminate a couple of times before and tried to get by with covering my presser foot with tape, using tissue paper, etc. but this time I did things right and bought a Teflon presser foot.  Ah, what a dream!  It was so much more fun to work with laminate this time around and yielded great results. 

 

 

 



The fabrics I used were sponsored by Blend Fabrics.  I just adore this collection by Sarah Watts called Timber and Leaf.  It's so sweet for babies but certainly not exclusive to babies. It could be used for so many projects.  If you are looking for Timber and Leaf, many of my sponsors are carrying it (see my sidebar for links).

  

 

This bib was made with another Blend collection called, I bet you could guess.....Bugs! It's designed by Jone Hallmark. I'd say it's perfet for a little boy!

 

If you'd like to learn how to make these bibs, I have step by step instructions including pdf pattern pieces right here.





Lovetails

 

I'm back with another installment of "what my husband has been making instead of hand turned seam rippers for my shop."  Don't get me wrong though, I am not complaining. He's been making me a little Valentine's Day gift. 

 

Four years ago he started what has become a tradition.  He made me the heart shaped wooden box in the foreground.  The next year, he made the button box on the top of the stack with the inlay heart.  Last year, he made the little box on the bottom with acrylic inlay (left over from seam rippers).  It is fitted inside with a curved wooden piece for holding two of my seam rippers.  This year, I received the box in the center.

He was inspired by a hope chest he saw in a magazine, made by a father for his daughter when she got married. It had dovetails down the side in the shape of hearts. He decided to try it but on this insanely small scale. Those "lovetails," as he is calling them, are only about a quarter inch wide. 

I wonder what my box will look like next year?

Valentine Treats

I'm joining the rest of the Sizzix Design Team today, celebrating Eileen Hull and her wonderful dies.  I made these little treat bags for my children for Valentine's Day. 

The main heart shaped "bag" is made using the Sizzix Scoreboards L Die Bag, Heart die.  I used Little Sizzles Mat Board and adhered Kissing Booth Fabric by BasicGrey to it using HeatnBond.  I adhered the fabric to my mat board before cutting the bag with my die cutter.

This little bag is for my youngest sweetheart. I wanted to make it as pink and frilly as possible because you are only 3 years old for a brief while. I edged the sides with lace trim as well as the front edge of the bag.  The embellishment is made using the 3-D Fringed Flower die and little flowers cut from the Borders and Hydrangeas die. I added tiny pearl beads for the center. 

This bag is for my first grade sweetie pie so I knew it had to have a little glitz.  The handle is a gold ribbon and the lace I used on the inside front of the bag is a white eyelet with gold bits.  The sides of the box are edged in tiny adorable pom pom trim. I again used the 3-D Flower die along with the Flower Layers with Heart Petals die and the Leaves die for the embellishment with a golden cut button from BasicGrey, stitched on with metallic thread.

The bags are small, just big enough for a few Valentine's Day treats.  Heart necklace and bracelet sets for my girls...

and Lego minifigures for my son (who caught me making these and insisted that he wanted one).  His bag is also made with Kissing Booth fabric.  I tried to resist the lace for his but still used it to edge the box.  The rick rack is made using the Borders and Hydrangea die and the little heart is the tiniest Scalloped Heart Framelit. 

Many of the trims used in this post were courtesy of May Arts.  All the felt is courtesy of National Nonwovens.

To check out the rest of the Design Team's creations, click here. I am sure that they are amazing. I was once again a little out of my comfort zone here. This was my first time using die cut mat board in fact! But, it was fun nonetheless! 

Happy Valentine's Day to you!



Candy Heart Potholder Tutorial

 

 

 

I was honored to be asked to join the Thermoweb Design Team.  Today, I am sharing my first tutorial!  You can find it on the Thermoweb blog, complete with a pdf download for the potholder pattern.  I made these simple but fun potholders inspired by candy hearts or conversation hearts, whatever you prefer to call them!  I thought that they would be a fun way to decorate your kitchen in the middle of a white, cold, bleak February (says the woman with 2 feet of snow outside her home). 

 

I am looking forward to sharing my ideas for other projects you can make fusing and adhering fabrics with Thermoweb's great supplies.  They are having a fun sale right now if you want to check it out, 20% off all pink and red products through Valentine's Day.



 

 

And if you'd like, go on and Tweet Me this Valentine's Day...I'm on Twitter @duringquiettime!

 

 

(If you missed my earlier post today, scroll down to see my Paint Smock tutorial.)





Paint Smock Tutorial

You can find me on the BasicGrey blog today, sharing the directions to make this cute and functional Paint Smock using PB&J!

McCall's Quick Quilts

 

 

Do you remember this pillow?  I made it for Blend Fabrics, for use at quilt market in the fall.  I used Blomma and blogged about it here.  I was pretty excited to be asked if it could be published in McCall's Quick Quilts.  I just keep thinking about my grandmother who sewed from McCalls patterns for years and years.  She would be so excited to see her granddaughter's name in their magazine!  I think my mom is too.

 

Here is the link to my pillow's feature page.  

 

This is the cover for the April/May 2013 issue that you will want to look for at your newsstand!  Subscriptions will begin shipping February 12 and the newsstand On Sale date is February 26.  I just noticed that my pillow is in the lower left corner!!  How exciting is that?

 

Thank you McCall's and Blend Fabrics for the opportunity!

 

(I'll be drawing winner's names for the Asbury giveaway tomorrow and will list them in the original post.)



 





Divided Basket in Color Me Retro

 

I just finished up a Divided Basket using Color Me Retro.  The Divided Basket Pattern is by Anna of Noodlehead and is available for purchase here.  Anna writes wonderful patterns and this one is no exception.  The directions are thorough and easy to follow.  Putting in the divider will make you feel quite clever, even though Anna is the one who figured it all out. 



 

Color Me Retro is the debut fabric line by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery Fabrics.  It's fun and fresh and I think that this basket is a great way to showcase the larger scale Florette print. 



 



I inadvertently discovered that the divided basket holds two stacks of fat quarters perfectly. Now I want to keep the basket for that purpose!  But, this basket will be heading to a friend who is about to have a baby.  I plan to fill one side with diapers and the others with burp cloths, etc.  I  hope she likes it!

If you are looking for Color Me Retro, Fresh Squeezed Fabrics should have some in next week! Fat quarter bundles are available now at the Fat Quarter Shop.
 

You can still enter my giveaway for Asbury charm packs in the entry below!

 

 



Double Asbury Twist Tutorial and Giveaway!

Today I am happy to be helping Andover Fabrics spread the news that Thomas Knauer's line Asbury is now available in stores.  I decided to make two skirts, one for each of my girls.

In keeping with the amusement part theme, I thought we would take a little roadtrip to York, Maine for a photoshoot outside the Fun O Rama.  As it turns out, the Fun O Rama isn't so fun when it is completely freezing out.  

The girls were great sports about it though.  And the day was saved by a stop for lunch at a great pizza place.  The skirt for my youngest is about a size 3T.  My older daughter's skirt is about a size 8.  

I used the same method for calculating the size of the pattern pieces for both skirts based on my daughters' measurements.  I will share briefly how I did it in case you'd like to do the same.

First, you need to take two measurements-the waist and the waist to knee.  All other measurements are based off of those.  

Waistband:  Cut two. 3 1/2" h x waist measurement (add seam allowances)

Front Panel on Skirt Front:  Cut one.  The width is the waist measurement divided by three, plus the seam allowance.  The length is the desired skirt length minus 3" for the size 3T, minus 4" for the size 8, plus the seam allowance.

Side Panels on Skirt Front:  Cut two the same as the Front Panel.

Back of Skirt:  Cut one.  The width is equal to the waist measurement and the length is the same as the Front Panel (add seam allowances)

Ruffle:  Cut two.  The height of the ruffle for the 3T should be 2 1/2", for the 8 it should be 3 1/2".  The width of the ruffle is one and a half times the waist measurement.  Add seam allowances but hem is already included in calculation.

Both skirts use a 1" wide elastic, cut the the waist measurement plus one inch. (Look at that, kids can find fun anywhere!)

As you can see, I chose the text print for the front panel of the skirt because it is, not surprisingly, my favorite print.  The girls loved the icecream cones so the side panels and back of the skirt use that print.  The ruffle is made with one of the coordinating prints. 

I used another one of the coordinates for the waistband. The waistband casing is sewn with a 1/2" ruffle at the top of the elastic for added interest.

My youngest daughter's skirt is sewn using the same fabrics but in the green/purple colors.  The ruffle is finished with a 1/4" hem at the bottom.  

If you are familiar with sewing skirts, those measurements should allow you to whip up some of these yourself.

If you'd like to sew with Asbury, Sew Fresh Fabrics has some in stock now. I can see so many fun summer project made from this line.

 

If you'd like to win a charm pack of Asbury, leave a comment here. I will draw a few winners on Sunday. 

 

Giveaway is now closed.  Lucky winners are:

 

Mama PeaFebruary 8, 2013 at 8:08 PM

I love this fabric! I love the skirts you made. How fun to take that trip for photos. The photos are amazing. I love the one where one is facing forward and the other looking the other way. So cute! Thanks for the tutorial and giveaway!

 

doloresFebruary 7, 2013 at 9:12 AM

Heheh....I think I might make one for may 25 yr old!:)

Umm....got enough PB&J, bread and toiletpaper? Stay warm and safe!:)

 

Kim P.February 7, 2013 at 9:03 AM

The girls looks adorable! Does your oldest daughter mind dressing in the same style as the youngest. My nieces are coming from Europe, ages 6 and 8, and this might be something I can make them when they come. How much time did it take you to make it?

Weekend Sewing

This weekend I made two bags for Basic Grey using their new fabric line, PB&J.  PB&J will be available in stores next month.  I know that it will be available at both the Fat Quarter Shop and Christa Quilts.

I used the Bucket Bag Pattern by Michele Patterns. It's available here. It's a great pattern, very clear and well written. The resulting bag is quite roomy. I think it would work for a mother carrying wipes and a couple of diapers even.  Do you like my frame of reference here?  This is how my mind still thinks.

I also made another pillow using up the last of my HST WIPs.  These HST units were meant for the same quilt as all the burgundy and cream prints that I showed last week. I separated them out and arranged and rearranged until I settled on this design.  

As usual, I went with another invisible zipper.  The pillow backing and the central design on the pillow are made from Lime Essex.  The rest of the fabrics includes bits of Medium Aqua Linen, shot cotton, Lilly Belle by Bari J. for Art Gallery Fabrics, and a bit of Anna Maria Horner scraps.

I think this one will be a gift for some friends with these colors in their breakfast nook.  I am now free of all WIPs except for my Cocorico and Stash Trad Bee Quilts. I plan to get those finished up soon.

Rose Dream Tutorial

Sizzix now has a Rose Dream die!  I was so excited to see this. I was a little concerned about how tricky all the curves would be so I started by making this pillow for a good friend in need of a little cheering up.  It was actually pretty easy!  In fact, I have already started cutting pieces for a queen sized bed quilt for us to keep. 



If you would like to see my tutorial for making this pillow, pop over to the Sizzix blog today.