(Photo by Brent Kane for Martingale) I am in love with this quilt featured in My Enchanted Garden: Applique' Quilts in Cotton and Wool by Gretchen Gibbons, published by That Patchwork Place, an imprint of Martingale. I like how Gretchen mixed cotton and wool on each block, which I don't usually do. However, the different textures and patterns contribute to a striking design! Colorful birds appear on almost every block, with cameo appearances by a squirrel, a bear, a dog, a cat … [Read more...] about Wool and Cotton applique
Strip-easy Table Runner
A few more strips out of my scrap drawer! I started by sewing together the four strips which I used for the butterfly. Then, I could not think of anything to do with that little strata. I cut it in rectangles... Nothing. Instead of thinking 'blocks', I started thinking 'shapes'. That is when I thought of butterfly wings. I traced triangles onto Heat'nBond paper, ironed them onto the back of the strippy rectangles, pulled the paper off and used scissors to shape the edges of the wings. I … [Read more...] about Strip-easy Table Runner
Strip-easy: Quilt Challenge!
Remember all the strips of fabrics leftover from projects you worked on for years? I have a drawer full of strips of different widths, just waiting to be part of a quilt. Two-and-a-half inch lone strip beauties, remnants of bindings, leftover borders... It is all in there. Every time I cut strips from yardage of fabrics, I almost hear screams coming from that drawer: "I am already cut to size! Don't I go well with those fabrics? Use me now!" Well, here is our chance to engage into major … [Read more...] about Strip-easy: Quilt Challenge!
Quilting with Corduroy? Delightful surprise!
Last week I was super busy being a grandma to a wonderful little boy whom I only see every once in a while. To make up for lack of time in the quilt room, I read quilt books and added projects to my list. This one book really surprised me. Who knew we could use corduroy when piecing quilts? I had seen corduroy on clothing, of course, and bags. But quilts... what a wonderful idea! Uncommonly Corduroy by Stephanie Dunphy (Martingale) definitely stretched my imagination. Corduroy, a ridged form … [Read more...] about Quilting with Corduroy? Delightful surprise!
Knitting a scarf: love the colors!
Aren't these colors amazing? The yarn can be a bit tricky to work with, but I am loving its texture. I found a simple pattern at Ravelry as I wanted to draw attention to the colors and not so much the stitching. Both sides are identical, which is perfect for a scarf. Since all I have to do is "k, YO, k2 tog" until I reach the desired length, I might even try learning to knit without looking at the needles! My eyes would REALLY appreciate the break. Here are the specs: Yarn: Red Heart … [Read more...] about Knitting a scarf: love the colors!
“Quilt as desired”: here’s help!
When a quilt top is finished, the next step is to figure out how to quilt it. I have been quilting my own projects for almost 10 years, often deciding on quilting motifs just as I am placing the quilt sandwich in my Bernina. However, I have never taken a course on what to consider when choosing quilting motifs, relying instead on my instincts. That is why I was so excited when I received for review the book "501 Quilting Motifs - Designs for Hand or Machine Quilting" from the editors of … [Read more...] about “Quilt as desired”: here’s help!