Block Party Quilters Raffle Quilt

I designed the quilt for the BPQ guild several years ago, and they decided to save it for the next APWQ show in Seattle, which at that time, was the bi-yearly APNQ show, and timed it's construction accordingly.  In the meantime, the show changed names, and did not occur last year, instead it was held earlier this year in Tacoma.

I've been stalking this quilt since it was finished, in an attempt to get a nice, full picture of it, and caught up with it again at the BPQ show held earlier this month.  Of course I knew it would be there, because it is their raffle quilt.  When the finished quilt was unveiled to the guild, I was one of the people holding the quilt, so couldn't take a picture, and although the other ladies tried to hold it up for me, it is so large, it was impossible to get a picture of the whole quilt.  I began trying to photograph it wherever I saw it, but there has always been a table or something in front of it, so I guess this is it, because I believe they will draw a winner soon.

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more baskets

This first basket is woven on a wooden base / handle combo that I ordered with a pattern.  It's a great size for office supplies in my booth, as it holds all the essentials!

Unfortunately, I did not check the wood on both sides until I was ready to weave, because I found there were blue marks on the other side (I think it is dye).  I decided since it was a basket that would be used for all kinds of things that may end up marking the interior, it was not that big an issue, and went ahead and used it.  I lover the size, and it was very useful in my show booth last weekend.

Another basket completed before the show to hold some of my hand dyed fabrics in the booth.  I believe the pattern name was a Cranberry Basket, and it is supposed to be a cat's head shaping, but being my first cat's head basket, it isn't shaped as nicely as it should be, but I love it anyways.  Since the show is over, I'm now imagining it being used as part of a Christmas floral arrangement!

Additional info 1/15/12:  I've been asked about the rim directions for these baskets, and thought everyone would like to know the patterns and rim information, so here it is with links.

The top basket pattern is called Remote Roundup (scroll down for pattern  0021-P085 , click on pattern name and you will see ordering info on base as well, but no picture), and was purchased from NorEsta.  The rim was supposed to be wrapped once with reed, the usual way, but when I got to that point, there wasn't enough space between the stakes to fit any reed, so I used waxed linen, going once around and then back to where I started and tying the ends together (on the inside, under the rim where it wouldn't be noticed).

For some reason, I had thought the name of the second basket was Cranberry Basket (don't know where I got that name from), but the pattern is called Cat's Head Market Basket, and it is from Baskets of Joy.  The lashing directions are in the pattern and is called a combination lash.  My basket isn't shaped as well as the designer's basket, and maybe someday I'll make another that is shaped properly:-)

Gathering Basket - Finsihed!

The pattern for this basket is a bit different than the way it ended up, because I fudged to make it work.  There is a round reed between two hoops that makes the handle and center of the basket base, and you are supposed to just weave them over / under like the rest of the basket, but there wasn't enough space to do it.  Since this shape is a new learning experience for me, I ended up skipping over all three pieces in the lower part of the basket, but didn't want to do the same with the handle.  A friend gave me a book for my birthday that had the answer I was looking for, and I was able to adapt the instructions to make the decorative raised braid  on the handle.

The Big Book of Patchwork

It's time for be to get back to doing book reviews, so here goes...

The Big Book of Patchwork by Judy Hopkins

So many beautiful quilts in one book!  Most, if not all can be made from your stash, because there are table runners which don’t take much fabric at all, 2-color quilts, quilts using multiple fabrics for each color, and of course, lots of scrappy quilts.  She begins with choosing your fabric and basic quilting techniques, then moves on to all the patterns – all 50 of them!!!

The samples for the projects in The Big Book of Patchwork are made of a variety of fabrics from 30’s prints to solids, batiks, plaids, and even Asian fabrics.  You could even make one design with fabrics that you see in another, and you could use this one book to make a gift for everyone you know.  

Quilting Disk Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Paula, the Quilter, you're the winner!!!  Please contact me with your snail mail address, so that I can get them in the mail to you.


If you're wondering how the winner was picked, I used the random number generator, which picked the number 1, making Paula, the author of the first comment my winner.

I Have a Design Wall!

Over a month ago, my husband helped me attach foam insulation panels to the wall in my studio, but it took much longer than I had expected for me to figure out how to stretch an attach the flannel by myself.  It's finally finished, with the edges neatly trimmed and covered with a pale green and white dotted ribbon!  (I know the ribbon can't be seen unless you are in my studio.  My husband said it didn't need it, but the cut edges bothered me, and I'm happier now that the edges look nice.)

Here's another of my UFOs, but it's now out of the bag and up on the wall so I can think about getting it finished (after the bed quilts - they have to be finished first)!  This is not my design, but I bought it because I liked it, and it is a foundation pattern that is great for using some of my fat quarter stash.  (I'll post the pattern information as soon as I find the pattern cover.)

After finishing the crazy log cabin panel (yes, it is waiting for me to make it into a bag), I had some blocks and partial blocks left over (and of course more scraps), so I've pinned them near the edge of the design wall for now.

Grip & Stitch Disks, BPQ Show and Giveaway!!!

These are the disks I love!  I always use them and now have 4 pairs, one for each machine station and another to keep in my class bag, because I love quilting with them and hate being without them.  They even help me grip and move the fabric or larger part of piecing and sewing projects much easier than my old way of grabbing  a handful of the fabric when I'm sewing.  If you've been to one of my quilting classes or free motion quilting demonstrations, you've seen me use these!  When I was at the Houston Quilt Market last year, a little video was made in the APQS booth when I was demonstrating quilting on the George (this is the long arm quilting machine I have - it's in a table, like my Bernina and Pfaff), and Clever Craft Tools has some U-Tube videos on their website.

Besides quilting and sewing, there are lots of other things I can see these disks being used for, such as when my husband is using his scroll saw.  Even though it's a saw, which is cutting the wood apart, instead of joining, the operation of the blade is up and down and the wood is moved like you move fabric when quilting, and I think it would give the woodworker an easier way to maneuver the wood they are cutting.  Now I just need to dream up a project that will get him to get out his scroll saw and try it.  Hmmm, I wonder if he will let me play with it?

Now here's the giveaway part.  I have a set of the newest version of the Grip & Stitch disks, which has even better quality foam and instead of the gray layer in the middle, it's now white.  Starting today, I'll be setting up my booth  at the Block Party Quilters Quilt Show with my booth neighbor, who is the manufacturer of these cool disks, Clever Craft Tools, and she has given me a pair to giveaway.  So leave a comment on this blog post and on Monday I'll use the random number generator to pick a winner!  

If you're local, come see us at the Block Party Quilt Show this weekend and say hi!  There will even be a machine so you can take the disks on a test spin.

(The fine print:  If you're the winner, I'll need a way to contact you or will have to pick a different winner if I am unable to get in touch with you next week.)

Onion Basket - finished!

My onion basket waited for its rim, while I was busy doing other things, but I decided to finish it so it can be used.  Besides, I really like the size and texture of this one!

Inside, you can see how the extra filler pieces were split and tucked in before the sides were woven.

Coming soon another giveaway.......

Pincushion Baskets

10 little baskets dressed up and ready to go to the Block Party Quilters show next week.  Each basket has been hand dyed before or after weaving, and there are no two exactly alike.

No Second Sock Syndrome

A little Cinderella sock story...

Usually, as soon as the first sock is complete, the second is begun.  However, once it was cast off,  this toe-up sock fit a bit too tight for my taste, so I tossed it back in the knitting basket while I considered if I should rip it back to the foot and make it longer.  Since I hate to rip, it has been there quite a while.  

One of my sons loves to wear slipper socks I've made him (I can tell he loves them, because they're either on his feet or in the wash all the time, and I've already darned them - time to make new ones), and his girlfriend asked if I could make her a pair of socks.  Well, I had my lecture / class coming up, and this month my vendor booth at the Block Party Quilt Show coming up, with much to be done to prepare, so I wondered how to get everything done and also knit a pair of socks.  I realized she has TINY feet compared to mine, and remembered the single sock waiting in the basket, so had her try it on.  She liked it and it fit!  So the second sock was cast on and finished, and now she has a new pair of socks!  

Knitting is much more fun than ripping, and sometimes, you just need to search for the right foot!!!