Get A Clue with Nancy Drew

What a fun week its been seeing so many wonderful projects on the Nancy Drew blog hop and today is my day to share!   I got an idea for my project the very day Madame Samm announced the hop.  Being the procrastinator that I am I waited till this week to make it!  Ha, ha, ha.  

Every good detective needs a journal to write in when they are snooping!

I love to make journal covers. Lately I've been having fun with quilt-as-you-go kinds.  

I like to not over think when I make them.  Just grab a piece of fabric and sew it down.....sew my quilting lines without marking or measuring....eyeball it, baby, eyeball!  :)   Its pretty freeing, actually.

This is the back.   Do you notice the sunshine?  I got lucky and was able to photograph when the sun decided to make a rare Northwest appearance.  

An inside peek.

Two days ago I decided I could whip out another project and use up some more fabric I bought.  My cute little journal cover certainly didn't dent the layer cake I bought.  I decided I wanted a tote bag.  I know you've seen tons already but I *had* to have one!  

Side one:

Side two:

That's it!  Thanks for taking the time to stop by.  

Thanks to Madame Samm and Carol for such a fun blog hop.

Be sure to visit the rest of the last day crew:

Friday, March 15, 2013 

Little Mushroom Cap

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Daisy Days 

Julia P. at That Other Blog

The Day Before This Day

Sew Far

 Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

Les passions de Cliodana

That’s Sew Julie (moved from 3/8)

Sew We Quilt

Stargazing block fun

First a little back story.  One of our students, Dorothy, in the Modern Block class is a hand sewer and applique Queen.  Piecing on the machine is often a challenge for her.  And she LOVES little things.  She has often made her blocks smaller than 12 inches.  

While another student, Elizabeth, was making the smallest star in Stargazing (its 3 inches) last month, she commented on how she would never want to make anything smaller.  

This is Elizabeth's "Stargazing" block:

Dorothy said sure, why not? I could go smaller.  We all knew she was serious and could do it!

Here is Dorothy's "Stargazing" block version.  Its only 8 inches and those two tiny stars are 1.5 inches!

Elizabeth then decided to go the opposite direction and she made a large version:

This was made with a layer cake. She used the same piecing process as the block pattern. I didn't measure it but the middle of that big star is a 9.5 inches. I'm pretty sure the smaller ones are 6 inches each.

  It was great to see these two ladies have fun playing with the block.  This is what I love about teaching!!!

March Modern Blocks

Wow!  We're almost done with this year long adventure of making blocks from the Modern Blocks book.  One month to go!   

March class was about revisiting our earliest skills learned.

This block is called "Envy" and was about partial seams again.  

This block is called "Mondrian" and was about precision piecing - lots of seams.

I didn't take student pics this time as I plan to do so next month during our final class.  But I did get some pics of last months block "Stargazing" that I will share in another post.  Two students had fun with it and you'll enjoy seeing what they did.  :)

Tote bag finished

I finished the embroidery I was doing and this is what it was for.  Its the pocket on a tote bag I made for a swap.  I used Kathy Macks "Winslow Market Tote" pattern.  I've made this bag before and it goes together so nicely.  My partner wanted her tote to be floppy so I didn't add any interfacing to it. 

Turned out cute.  I'm pretty sure my partner will like it.....hope I'm right!   :)

Embroidery

I'm doing some more stitching for a tote bag I'm making for a swap.  I had so much fun with the hedgehog pattern by Penguin & Fish that I decided to do their fox pattern.  I enlarged it a bit to fit the pocket dimensions of the tote.   Aren't those fox fabrics yummy?  It's from the Timber & Leaf line by Sarah Watts.  They aren't my usual bright rainbow colors but I love them.    :)

Back to my stitching.

January & February Modern Blocks

I forgot  to post pictures of my blocks for the class I co-teach using the Modern Blocks book.  So its two months worth again!

January's class focus was half square triangles. 

This is called "Diamond Ripples"....lots of practice here as there are 36 bias squares in this block!  I do love the scrappy look.  I only changed the bottom left hand corner.

This one is called "Front and Center".    

Our students didn't have any trouble with either of these blocks.

February was an introduction to wonky stars.   These were fun blocks to make.  Most of the students did ok with the technique and enjoyed it.  

This is called "Stargazing".  I loved making this block.  I even made another for a comfort quilt being made for an online friend.   I made no changes.

This one is called "Three Wishes".  The pattern calls for a little star in very center but I chose just to leave it plain.  I loved the long wonky points in the frame of  the block.  I'd like to do that with a whole quilts worth of blocks!

We only have two months left and then we're done.  Can't believe our year is almost done.  I will make my final blocks on retreat next week.  I already have my favorites picked out for a top and will piece that at retreat also.  

More pics to come!

P.S.  Quilted Strait (where we teach) wrote a nice blog post on our class that some of our students blocks.  Take a peek.  :)

Hedgie Pouch

I just finished my pouch for the current round of the Pretty Little Pouch Swap.  

This is one side:

Isn't that hedgehog adorable?  I love him!   I used the Penguin & Fish pattern for the embroidery that I got here.  I love the instant gratification of downloadable patterns.   I stitched with Perle cotton onto Kona Essex Linen.  More love!    I used Elizabeth Hartman's "Perfect Zip Bag" pattern...also a downloadable and also bought from Pink Chalk.

Here's the other side:

Did a wee bit of paper piecing and some fussy cutting.

My partners inspiration mosaic was all aqua's and red's.....and she said she liked polka dots.......she should like the fabric choices.  :)

I'm mailing it off tomorrow.  Can't wait to hear what she thinks of it.  

My only Christmas sewing

I only sewed one gift this year and it was for my adorable grand daughter:

  My daughter in law, Faith, snapped this pic of her when she had her "pretties" on!  She likes to take my ear rings off and "wear" them herself. 

I made her a pillow to cuddle with:

The fabrics and doll panel are all from Riley Blake designs.  I used their Lolly Dolly pillow tutorial with a few modifications.  One change was that I put a zipper in the back so the cover could be used on a pillow form rather than stuffed.  

Zippers are so easy to put in a pillow and being able to take the cover off to wash it is a good thing!

Christmas morning was a frenzy this year and I barely had time to snap any pictures.  Luckily my daughter did get one of Heidi with the pillow.

Good thing I reinforced the legs and arms with extra stitching!  I knew they'd get a workout.

I'm currently re-organizing my studio and purging my fabric.  Its taking so long cuz every piece of fabric has a story attached and its hard to let go....at least for me.  Time to get back to it.

10 minute gift

My co-worker Diana showed us how to make these easy key fobs that take about 10 minutes - no joke! Nice idea for a quick gift this Christmas season. 

 You need cotton webbing and ribbon (Pink Chalk carries really fun ribbons) like these:

Mine were cut 10 inches in length.  I sewed the ribbon onto the webbing along each side.

Fold in half and stuff the unfinished ends into some key fob hardware - I got a bunch on Amazon.  

I used pliers to squeeze the hardware shut.  I suggest covering it with some fabric or you'll get a little dent like I did.  See it below?  I think they make specialty pliers for this very purpose but I didn't have any.  

That's it!   Don't ya just love fast gifts?!!!

Fall Bitty Blocks

Here are the Bitty Blocks from October when the theme was Fall/Thanksgiving.

Lots of cute ones.  I made the one with the rake in it.  

I decided to sit out November and December so I could concentrate on holiday sewing....and I am missing some fantastic bitties being made!!!!!

October & November Modern Blocks

I keep forgetting to post about the latest Modern Block class blocks.   

Octobers class focus was on paper piecing.  One method was on paper, the other on freezer paper.  It was a challenging class and no "love" was had for paper piecing!  That's what this class is all about - exposure!   :)

This one I already showed on the Dot blog hop.  Called "Blue Specs". It was paper pieced on Carol Doak paper (ripped off easier than copy paper).  I altered the pattern a bit by making the glasses frame narrower. And by enlarging only to 195% (rather than 200% as the pattern calls fro) to fit on a single piece of paper in my printer.

This one is called "Free Wheeling" and was pieced onto freezer paper.  I liked how the freezer paper holds the fabric down but it tears a bit harder so you have to be really careful of your stitches.

For November our focus was on piecing half rectangle triangles and isosceles triangles.  My favorite method is to use the Tri-Rec tool so this is how we taught it....skipping the paper templates.  The gals enjoyed these blocks.

This is called "Box Kite".   It is all half rectangle triangles.  

And this is called "Diamond Triptych" and has two half rectangle triangles sewn to either side of an isosceles triangle. 

I made it again in my alternate fabrics and pieced it differently.  I sewed all isosceles triangles with the half  rectangle triangles only on the ends.  I like it this way better because there is no seam line between the background fabric.  Looks cleaner.

That's it.  Now I'm all caught up showing my Modern Blocks.  We don't have class in December so will be back with more in January.  :)

Fab Little Pincushion

This is the pincushion I made for the Fab Little Pincushion swap and oh how I love it!!!   It's ok to adore your own stuff, right?    :)

I made it for Carol of Mamacjt.   I was peeking at her Flickr favorites and spied an embroidered sampler made in a grid and knew that was what I wanted do.  I loved trying out new stitches in the tiny squares (an inch).  Carol loves rainbow colors just like me so that was a joy too.  She loves it, thankfully!  I ended up being sick a lot so having handwork to do while laying around on the couch was nice.   

I got a great pincushion & extra goodies from Staci:

Staci used a pattern called  "Deep Dish Pincushion".  I had never seen it before.  She also made an adorable needle book with pockets inside for scissors and needles.  

This is one of my favorite swaps and I can't wait for the next round -- hopefully after the holidays!

Bee Blocks

For the third quarter of the [3x6] Bee I was in a Star themed hive.   I chose the "Concord Hymn" block from Judy Martin's "The Block Book".   I love making Judy Martin blocks.  They look complicated but always turn out so beautifully!   

Here is the test block I made in my colors:

Oh how I love it!!!!

And here are the rest in requested colors:

I think I'm gonna take a break from the bee and just make myself more blocks from Judy's book.  I want a few more complex blocks for my quilt.   

September Bitty Blocks

The theme I choose for September was "Circles, Dots or anything Round".  My first thoughts were either a beach ball or a 45 record.  But while I was pondering which to try I noticed that everyone else who was finishing fast were doing circles.  I didn't want to be the only one doing a real thing that was round rather than an abstract idea of a circle....so I waited.  I know...I didn't need to follow the crowd but I was too chicken to be the odd man out.  

Here they are:

I made the crazy pieced one with the white strip in the upper right hand corner.  That was my first one and I didn't like how it looked so I kept that one.  The rest I reversed appliqued and they looked nicer.

Here's a close up of three of my favorites:

As usual these ladies impress me with their ideas and workmanship.  

Still in love with bitties.   

Quilted Dress?

 This cartoon has been on my frig for years and I smile every time I see it.  I can laugh at myself as a quilter cuz how fun would it be to make a quilted dress....quilted anything!  

It's a joke, right?   :)

Well, apparently not!

Check out this Jasper Conran design:

Yes, you are seeing that correctly....a hexagon pieced dress that walked the runway in London last month.

I wonder if the model said "um".   LOL!!!!

Quilting has sure come a long way baby.  

Dots on Dots

It's my day to share on the Dots on Dots blog hop.  Its been so fun to see what everyone has created with this theme.  I made two blocks. One that stayed within the size guidelines and one that didn't!  :)  

The one that didn't is called "Roly Poly Owl" that I found on the blog "The Tulip Patch".  

Mary made hers with a GO!Baby cutter which I don't have.  Instead of making paper templates for the drunkards path I chose to use an acrylic set I already owned that finished at 4 inches...which is why mine is larger....it's 16 inches of cuteness!

The owls sew up fast and are easy peasy.   I'm going to piece this block into the back of my grand daughters "I Spy" quilt that needs to made and finished in time for her second birthday.....in about 3 weeks!  Yikes....yes, I've procrastinated on it!

The other block I made - which *is* 12 inches - is called "Blue Specs" from the Modern Blocks book...but I call it "I See Dots"....hee, hee. 

I co-teach a block of the month class at my local quilt store using the Modern Blocks book.  This is one of the blocks for Octobers class.  By using the dotted fabrics from the lines I'm using it works for the hop and my class!   

Here are the other blogs on the hop today.  Be sure to go see what they made.

September 18th

Sew Maybe I Can

Yayaquilter

A Stitch in Time

Ariane Quilts

Karen ~ Briarside Lane 

Joanne 9of12 

Traveling Quilter
Bacon Then Eggs 

And thanks to Madame Samm & Corrie for all the fun they bring!

Pretty Little Pouch

I'm in a swap called Pretty Little Pouch. I've been waiting and waiting for this group to start another round so I could join in the fun and they finally did.  When you have a minute...or 30....go check out the Flickr group cuz there are some really wonderful pouches that are being made. I am constantly inspired by the work.

Anyhoo.  Its another blind swap where you don't know who has you. I love swapping like this...love the stalking and figuring out part almost as much as I do the making.   Based on things I found out about my partner I created this cute little number!

On one side I embroidered a scene that I drew out based on the Japanese fabric I used on the bottom.  I embroidered on Essex linen....love that fabric!

On the other side I made a patchwork strip with itty bitty squares and added some straight line stitching with Perle cotton.

I added a pocket to the inside that is also doubling as a label.  That heart isn't appliqued on...I edited it over my partners name just in case she peeks at my blog.  

I used Elizabeth Hartman's "Perfect Zip Bag" pattern.  I've used it several times before...such a great pattern.

September Modern Blocks

 This is called "Missing Your Kiss".  Our first lesson in wonky type piecing.  There was a cutting error in my book that I alerted the students to. But apparently it was caught and fixed in subsequent printings.  Some of the students had the same printing as I did, and some the newer books.  So far that is the first error we've seen.

This one is called "In the Window".  I really liked making it.  I had some acrylic templates for the curved parts that I used instead of the one in the book.  It made my circle a tad bigger but the look is essentially the same.  

Students don't generally have time in class to finish each block which means I have to wait until the following month to see their creations.  I am so impressed with their progression and creativity.

Here are just a couple from this last time:

Dorothy is scaling down many of the blocks.  Here she made "Stuck in the Middle" at 6 inches and put four together to make a 12 inch block.   

This is Glee's "Fussy Cut" block.  She didn't like the yellow she used so she painted  over it.  Our first surface embellishment!

I'm learning too!  I am excited each month to share new techniques and see what the class came up with from last months.