I received a whole shedload of “your posts go against our community guidelines” messages from Blogger about my old Blogger blog. Since I moved my blog here in 2009, I decided not to spend time telling them their algorithm had screwed up (or someone decided to cause me trouble) and just delete the blog. It doesn’t need to be there anymore. If you want to see any posts pre-2009, they are all here. You can either search or check the sidebar. It’s really annoying to have to deal with something like that, but easily remedied. Hope you had a great New Year!
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
For those of you playing along with Chilhowie, the 2022 Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt, be sure reprint the Part 3 PDF. Bonnie made some corrections and posted them right away. Just make sure you have the correct pattern. Find all the different parts on the Chilhowie page, but be sure to download what you need before Bonnie removes it.
Bonnie Hunter has also posted a block webbing tutorial. Block webbing is a method of sewing blocks together so they stay in order. She uses a 16 patch block (like the donation blocks I make) as an example. Very clear and very useful.
Jaybird Quilts has a Temperature quilt project that looks different from others. It’s more like a braided quilt.
Persimmon Dreams, in association with another quiltmaker has Project Quilting challenges. I think each week brings a new challenge.
Media
The Tula Pink video from early December is fabulous! She made a bunch of stuffed animals from her Everglow collection. They are adorable.
These paintings look like awesome quilts. I don’t want to get into a big discussion about art vs. craft, but how much would this painting cost vs the cost of a quilt with the exact same design?
Friend Julie has another great Cornucopia post from December. Some of the links in this post originally came from Julie’s post. It is so interesting how we see different things on the web.
I found an interesting bag while scrolling through Instagram. It is called DIY Magic Twist Zip bag. It has a template for the shape included, though I don’t know what the template is made from. It comes from a shop called Dremmie.com, which appears to be just a shop to sell patterns and templates. There is no information about the shop except hidden in the About us on certain screens and that doesn’t even say that much, such as where they are located and the location from where they ship.
Crafty Gemini has a video on choosing bag interfacing.
Natalie from SewHungryHippie has a free tutorial for a see-through pouch called the Comet Case. In the tutorial, she shows you how to make it with vinyl.
The first clue for Bonnie Hunter’s FREE 2022 Mystery Quilt came out this morning. If you want to join in, take a look at the introduction and first clue. All the information is on the Chilhowie tab on her website. I have made two of her mysteries, En Provence and Frolic!. Lots of piecing, but it is broken down into manageable stages. I don’t always do the quilts, but I always save the clues.
Bonnie’s mystery quilts are great scrap busters and also a great way to hone your precision piecing. She gives lots of tips and tutorials on making your pieces fit.
I tried to teach myself to use the pliers I bought to add snaps to a project. I even found a tutorial that was helpful in getting me to understand what I was doing. It didn’t help. I rummaged in my tools pouch some more and found the Snapsetter tool. It was in an unlabelled box, so I had forgotten about it. Apparently, I didn’t end up using it for whatever project needed snaps. I do remember that Sew Sweetness has them, so I checked the tutorials link on her site. There, I found a video on how to use it. I did a few practice snaps then went for it. I am pleased with the way the snaps came out. Stay tuned for photos.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
Need colored elastic? Check out ElasticBytheYard. They have polka dot foldover elastic!
Media
I watched a GREAT Tula Pink video where she showed A LOT of bags made with her new Everglow fabric line. She showed a Bionic Gear bag that finally made me want to make one of those.
I updated the HRT page to include basic information about Latifah Saafir’s new HuRTy ruler.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
Just in time for Christmas and Hannukah, I updated the gift bags tutorial to include French seams.
Rock Star Block Finished
Whole Circle Studio has a pattern for an interesting quilt called Big Island Sunset. The shape is a kind of elongated Drunkard’s Path. Someone pointed out to me that the studio has templates available to make the quilt. I think it could be made with one of the Sew Kind of Wonderful rulers since the shape is similar to the top pointy one in the Rock Star block I made using the Wonder Curve ruler**. Whole circle has a couple of rainbow/color wheel free patterns in addition to their other offerings.
Tansy Designs has a great pattern weight pattern called Zen Blocks. The solids Tansy uses make them seem super fun. I saw a link to this site on the FB Sew Hungry Hippie page. Maybe they would make good toys, if the seams were well sewn?
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
I recently received the latest issue of QuiltFolk. My sister gifts it to me for Christmas or my birthday every year. It is a fantastic gift. In the package were some ads for books from Schiffer Craft. Really interesting quilt books, e.g. not just the project books we are have become resigned to seeing. One is the large coffee table type book by Rod Kiracofe, Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar, 1950-2000**. They publish books in other areas besides quiltmaking. There is a book called Wellness for Makers**, another about weaving**. I also saw a book called Deeds Not Words**, which celebrates the centennial of the 19th amendment through quiltmaking. Schiffer Craft describes their business as “Schiffer Craft publishes to help energize maker and craft communities worldwide. We are dedicated to publishing high quality books and kits that inspire, instruct, and educate. We enrich lives through craft”. Their catalog covers paper, metalwork, jewelry making, ceramics and other media. Take a look at their catalog and some of their high quality books.
Tula Pink talks about her new fabric collection, Everglow in a fun video. The introduction of the new collection can be found in another video, which explains the whole concept behind the new additions to the True Colors line.
I saw the Carolyn Friedlander seam guide on the Sewtopia site. Friend Julie sent me to the site for something else. I was sure what this was and how I would use it. The Sewtopia site describes it as “This hand-held guide is helpful for measuring and marking all sorts of stuff while you’re sewing. Measurements start at 1/8? and go up from there. Use for marking seam allowance, appliqués, hexagons, hems, corners and much more.” I don’t think I will buy one, but will keep it in mind. Let me know if you use one and how you use it.
Confused about what zipper numbers mean? Sara of Sew Sweetness has a video discussing the topic
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
My friend Mary C really likes the projects provided by Jo Westfoot, the Crafty Nomad. Mary C has sewed along with several projects including Glitter Ball. I confused her work with that of GnomeAngel. Still, it is fun to explore new sites, especially when they keep their blogs up to date. I found that GnomeAngel has a lot of block tutorials. In the course of finding all of these links, I also ran into a site for Jo Avery. I love her voice. Check out the pirate chest pincushion. I would have loved to receive that as a swap gift!
The Crafty Nomad has a recent post describing/explaining a ‘scant quarter inch’. She also has a ‘Quilt Hive’ membership. Each month members receive video content as well as some live sessions. Good option, if you don’t want to work with me live. 😉
If you want to check out Jo’s teaching style, check out the Crafty Nomad tutorials. There are a wide variety, including different types of binding, sewing a variety of bags, cleaning your sewing machine and making holiday decorations.
FreeSpirit posted a video of how they fill bolts. Big machinery, but interesting.
FreeSpirit has a list of projects on their website. Not all of the projects are free, which I thought was odd, but not a deal breaker. There are a few free ones and information on where to buy the non-free ones.
Linda and Laura Kemshall have an English Paper Piecing series of 2 videos called Millefiore Patchwork. They show one of my favorite blocks, Jack’s Chain, in the example. Only 3 English pounds.
I got an email from Emmaline, which I read too late. It included a 20 bag pattern bundle from Sew Modern Bags. I have never heard of this bag company and they may be a resale type operation as most of the patterns were from a variety of pattern designers. As I said, I missed the sale, so I can’t tell you the cost, but if you sign up for their newsletter (no experience on how annoying) you get notified of future sales. I looked at the bags included and some were really cute. Do I need more bag patterns? No. Were some of them similar to bag patterns I already own? Yes.
Sew Modern Bags has a number of free patterns. Most aren’t that interesting, but all seem to come with videos, so if you haven’t made many bags, they might be useful learning tools. And the holidays are coming.
I have the Aunties Two Poppins Bag pattern. I am still seeking the perfect quilting supplies travel bag. I started reading the directions (shocking, I know) in anticipation of having Colleen quilt the panels for me. I found that they have video tutorials on YouTube. This is a good thing, because I couldn’t understand the directions. The first one, which I watched and is very clear, is about the center and side panels. I’d advise buying all the supplies as a group. I got the stays, the bottom interfacing panel already cut, the Bosal foam and the pattern as a package deal. Aunties Two also has free patterns. You can buy their patterns at Wingspan Crafts.
I was reminded of pattern weights recently when I was updating the gift idea list on the guild blog. I found a pattern for them at Tea Rose Home.
Torie Jayne has a Craft Organizer Bag Pattern with a great shape and style. The pattern is free, but it is not easy to download. She also has a book about home sewing.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
Latifah Saafir has a new HRT ruler called the Hurty. She is running a special right now with patterns and the ruler. Check the ruler’s webpage. This ruler is not included in the information I provided on making HRTs. I’ll add this ruler to the list when I have a moment. If you want to review the instructions, there is an instructional PDF available.
If you haven’t seen the Gray Muse website, take a look. Rubeena has pins and stickers for crafters and artists and anyone who likes a little ‘making’ humor and support in their jewelry. I went there the other day as the result of an email I received. I like to get things from this site for stocking stuffers. One series of interactive pins I saw was called Bold Affirmations. I wonder what to do with pins beyond giving them as gifts. The site has a blog post called ‘What to do with Pins’! One of the ideas encourages me to put my color wheel pin on my inspiration board so I could see it when I sat at my computer. It will be helpful, too, in class, because I haven’t found my color wheel after the workroom reorganization and that is a real problem.
Tula Pink has a new machine embroidery collection, Moon Garden. She talks about it in a recent Tula Talks Tuesday. I love the flowers, but could do without the snake. Find all of her embroidery collections at Scissortail Stitches.
I got a tip about a tabletop power strip. It is by Odom** and, while I haven’t bought one, the idea of not crawling under the table or sewing machine to plug things in is very appealing!
I found a new online fabric store called Hummingbird Lane Fabrics. Lots and lots of modern fabrics from all of the current designers. Fabrics are around $10.40 per yard. They have an interesting variety of notions, including some hard/impossible to find items from Tula Pink, such as her limited edition black and gold scissor tin. I like that it is very clear what is sold out. The shop has a good selection of bag making supplies including hardware, zippers and pulls, Sew Tites, mesh and Soft & Stable. Products from bagmaking companies such as Tula Pink (webbing), Sallie Tomato, Sew Hungry Hippie, Emmaline and ByAnnie are available. They are located in Arizona.
Articles, Tips and Other Information
The Rainbow of QEII
I was saddened to hear of Queen Elizabeth’s death at the beginning of September. At that time, I read a number of articles about her and her legacy, including many about her wardrobe. I know newspapers would never write about prominent male wardrobes and I probably shouldn’t encourage them by reading the articles, but I loved her style. I’d love to dress with a suit, hat and Launer handbag everyday. I’d need a dresser, though, like the Queen had, which isn’t practical for this middle class California girl. I did go look at the Launer website, thinking I would get a Launer handbag next time I visit London. I think others were shopping online, because beyond seeing handbags on one page, I kept getting error messages.
Check out the Fons & Porter Reader’s Choice Award winners. From sewing machine to fabric, cutting tools to furniture, the survey results tell you what tools and products people selected as the best. I think some of it is true, but I think the categories in the Furniture and other section are name recognition mostly. Perhaps I am just disappointed that my favorites (clearly the best 😉 ) were not selected.
Someone shared a Washington Post article with me called “It’s time to appreciate domestic artistry like sewing and baking”. Finally, I thought, when I read the title. The article points out all the ways the author’s grandmother was artistic. Rather than a general article on ‘women’s work’ it is the observation by one granddaughter of her grandmother’s work. It is a really nice article and might make us think about other’s work, but it is not generally useful for the greater world. Maybe non-quiltmaking people will read it and look around at artworks by people they know, but will it change their views? Will it make them accept and pay higher prices for quilts or knitted sweaters? Will it increase the value the general public have around textile work done at home and not for profit?
Sarah Ann Smith asked about learning embroidery software? One answer was a reminder to me of DesignTV by the Kemshalls. I wrote a review of their Thr3fold Journal a few years ago. They have some modules on using embroidery software as well as some samples.
Global Quilt Connection is a teacher directory. If you are looking for teachers for your guild, check their list.
SFMOMA Bay Quilt
I am very disappointed in the SFMOMA, because they have a quilt for sale for $375. This is an amazing applique’ work of art and $375 not only undervalues the hard work of the makers, but undervalues the artistry and work of American quiltmakers. Very disappointing.
I took a class the other week and the teacher mentioned Allie from the Exhausted Octopus. Great name, huh? She has a very visual blog.
The teacher in the class also mentioned Pride and Joy Quilting. The artist creates amazingly complicated foundation paper piecing patterns and quilts.
Aneela Hoey has a rebranded website. She is the author of Stitched Sewing Organizers and has a lot of great patterns. The new website is a little easier to navigate, though her blog is gone.
Every Sunday, Caroline Hadley at Geometri Quilts posts a picture of a quilt she has designed. I like the way she includes different color ways in her designs so you can see how choosing different fabrics than the designer chose is not a bad thing.
Exhibits and Events
Souls Grown Deep is Proud to Sponsor the Inaugural Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival on Saturday October 8, 2022.
I totally missed Quilter’s Take a Moment 2022. It took place September 13-18, 2022. Friend Julie told me about it so I went and looked. The live portion of the event has concluded. New ticket purchasers will receive recordings of each event by September 20, 2022 or within 24 hours of your ticket purchase. There is a Tula Pink interview.
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Admin
I am working on updating all of my old posts that link out to my old Blogspot blog. I went through 2007 the other day and updated a bunch of links. I used to create really clever titles. Hope I am not boring you now.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
Help Uvalde
If you want to help the people affected by the shooting in Uvalde, here is one way. Click on the photo to see it larger.
My friend and I did some paper folding the other day. In the course of teaching her to make a Mette Ring, she told me about the Woven Stars she makes at Christmas. I found a tutorial, which she said was the way she makes hers.
Vanessa of Crafty Gemini has a new mini-bag club with cute patterns. The early bird pricing is over, but you can still join and get your holiday gifts finished.
If you want to see a quick video on changing the look of zippers, I found a post on IG.
Another friend, Mary C, finds all the good quilt-a-longs. Mostly I admire her work, but I signed up for the Harmony and Light QAL. Sign up is free through October and I wanted to look at the pattern. Not sure I will actually sew it, but you never know. Also, I have a long to do list and need to get it whittled down.
You may have seen that I took a knitting class. One of the items I learned about was a double pointed needle keeper. I found a tutorial for making them from The Nome Knitter.
Not that I would ever do it, but I liked the horizontal FMQ sampler lessons provided by Lori Kennedy. The reader quilts she posted are interesting and exciting.
Sherri Noel has a tutorial for a simple needlebook. The needlebook shows a lot of optional embroidery so get out your Perl Cotton.
She also has a tutorial called Bento Lunch Bag. I like the shape, though probably wouldn’t use a lunch bag. The inside of the bag is not shown.
AllPeopleQuilt Pool Noodle Basting
AllPeopleQuilt had an IG post about basting using a Pool Noodle. I haven’t tried this technique, but thought it might be worthwhile to watch the video and try the technique.
Interesting collection of 12 patterns for $72 from Swoon. It’s a good deal even if you don’t want to make all of the bags.
Need to jumpstart some UFOs or WIPs? Take the My Creative Corner3 10 Day quilting challenge. Start with the PDF.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
Renaissance Ribbons are fantastic. I have found them hard to use, thus hard to justify buying. Tula talks about her new Tiny Beasts ribbon in a recent video, but also how she uses ribbon. I used some of her tips on my A Place for Everything v.2.0 bag and LOVE the detail. It makes me so happy to see the ribbons there. It also gives me ideas about how to use ribbon going forward.
Friend Julie has finished her Orange Bullseye top. You can see the full top and some details on a recent post.
Friend Julie’s August Cornucopia post is up and has some interesting links.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
This is an incredibly massive V&S. Hope you can make it through whole thing as there is lots of important and fun links to explore. Maybe two sessions?
Admin
Send me other blog comments
Reminder that if you ask a question in the comments and forget to come back and look at the answer, you can click the “Notify me of follow-up comments by email.” and get other comments on the one post. This will send you a notification when I answer. I do try and answer all comments, though I don’t always answer that same day.
I put up a new page showing all the improvisational piecing quilts I have made or worked on. This page was inspired by my work on the Tarts. I forgot that I had made or worked on so many. The improvisational piecing is different than Improv quilts now. The work I did was unplanned, but not necessarily wonky.
Reminder: all the photos on this blog are mine or I have permission to use them. The artworks are mostly mine, but occasionally I take a photo of someone else’s work and post it. All photos are generally watermarked which says I own the photo. If the artwork is mine, the watermark means that I own the artwork as well. If you want to use my photos, please contact me and provide a link to the photo you want to use and to the location where you want to post it. I am pretty good about getting back to you quickly. I don’t want to go through a fight again. This talks about photos, but all the words are mine as well.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
I found an extensive video (15 minutes) on the flatback stitch.
Natalie, from SewHungryHippie, has a FB page. Check it out for product information, but also for the 7/11 post talking about using interfacing on vinyl!?!?!
Tula has a video comparing the A Place for Everything v.1.0 to the v.2.0 versions of the pattern.
I was looking through some old emails and came across an email about diamonds. Quilting Cubby has a tutorial on sewing Half Triangle Rectangles any size. I haven’t reviewed this tutorial, but I have reviewed the methods I wrote in a series of tutorials on making Half Triangle Rectangles. Remember the Split Recs ruler** by Studio 180 Designs as well. I love that ruler.
My friend came over to get help making a bag. One of the things she wanted to do was use cording for the handles. I had no idea how to do it, so I searched. I found a tutorial, which makes sense. I had to test quite a bit to get the size right for the rope my friend had, but the process encouraged me to learn something new and now I have another option for handles.
One of the things I wanted to do was turn the bag through the interior zipper pocket. This makes for a cleaner finish. Tim showed me how to do it, but I had to look up a tutorial again. I found one from SewYourTV (???), which was pretty helpful, though I feel like it skipped something between the first sentence in step 8 and the second sentence. Robin of RSIsland Crafts shows how to turn the pocket from start to finish in her video tutorial. It shows the missing parts from the above tutorial, which is finishing the bag by stitching it closed. The tutorial is 8 minutes long, but if you go to the 4 minute mark, you will get the salient details and skip the part about the two different types of pockets you can make to turn your bag.
Do you want to help create a local artist & makers market? Contribute to the GoFundMe campaign for such a space in Pacifica.
I have gotten quite a few comments on the Diagonal Nine Patch. I have made a file to share with you. It is a PDF file for you to use to make your own. I have an EQ8 file, which I cannot upload, but may send to you, if you are nice to me. ? For those of you who don’t have Electric Quilt**, I highly recommend it.
Proceeds from the sale of Ujamaa Baguettes patterns goes to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers (G to G) Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF). SLF works to address the consequences of the HIV/AIDS pandemic upon families and communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The patterns are regular bag patterns. There is a backpack called the Retreat Backpack, which looks similar to the Sew Sweetness Chickadee Backpack with some small design differences. There is a bag called The Laufey, which is interesting. The Liliput Backpack has some interesting design features, though I would probably make it into a crossbody bag. They also have bags with unique shapes. A couple are round and one is shaped like a saddle. The patterns are all PDF downloads which can be found on the Emmaline Designs website.
Marie Bostwick has a great pattern that may work for the guild’s 16 patches. Part 2 was just posted and part one can be found as a link in that post.
Modern Handmade has a revamped subscription box. I subscribe briefly to their previous version until they cancelled it. The latest incarnation is only $12/month, which is eminently reasonable. It still includes a project, but smaller projects like pillows, tablerunners and bags. There is also a private FB group so you can meet other people who subscribe.
Some interesting zipper pulls, zipper heads (I saw a hedgehog!) and interesting zipper tape can be found on the Gigil Zips site. There are a lot of Star Wars and Disney models, but they are not listed by their trademarked names so you have to be a little creative to find them.
I really like the Essentials Tote available on the Sew Hungry Hippie site. I am tempted to buy the pattern, but think I could make something similar without a pattern, so I have, so far, resisted. I am also afraid I just like the fabric.
My friend, Lindsay, shared the New Song Quilt Shop with me. Yes, they have a website. They make quilts and pouches and home accessories for sale.
You might remember that we did a Creative Spark project a few years ago. The last prompt is posted and you can work your way through them now, if you want. This project was based on Carrie Bloomston’s , The Little Spark. She has a follow-up book called The Big Book of Little Sparks Creativity Journal: A Hands-on Journal to Ignite Your Creativity**. It’s described by Carrie in this way: “It’s full of beautifully illustrated pages for you to fill with reflections on YOUR creative process and journey. There are new sparks to inspire you on your journey, as well.” You can join the launch party, if you are in Phoenix, “at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix to celebrate the launch of the book with some bubbles and a conversation about living life wide awake” on Friday, September 9, 2022 at 6pm. If you attend, let me know how it went.
Articles, Tips and Other Information
Tula talks about quilting quilts in a recent video. I like this video, because she talks about all-over quilting patterns vs. custom quilting and I found that I agreed with her philosophy. Check between the 5 and 8 minute marks for the bulk of this discussion if you don’t want to watch the whole video.
Goodbye hideous carpet
I finally sent DH to the carpet recycler with the old life sucking beige carpet from my workroom. It was hard to find the address and all the guidelines and DH had lost heart. I had time so I found all the information, but made him go and do it. The hardwood floor needs to be redone, but I don’t care. I am so glad that carpet is out of my life.
Media, Exhibitions and Inspiration
Tula has remade the various bags she likes in her coming soon Moon Garden line. I love these videos where she shows her bags. She mostly uses Byannie patterns, but has branched out this time to a Minki Kim mini iron carrier pattern and the Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch. I like it that she branched out this time. I did get a good idea for my going to Sew Day problem and that was the Oslo Craft Bag by Sew Sweetness. This is a free pattern given as a thank you if you sign up for the newsletter. The newsletter doesn’t come out very often so it isn’t a hardship. I made one of these for Cyndi. Now I am thinking I may make one for myself and see that will be a good partial replacement for my Going to Sew Day bag.
The one Tula made is the Catch All Caddy by ByAnnie. The bags are essentially the same, though the sizes and features may be different. I find the style of Sew Sweetness bags to be easier to sew, though, as you know, I have made several ByAnnie Bags and they have come out pretty well.
Frances from the QuiltFiction Club shared a video on the Jane Stickle quilt, which is in the Bennington Museum Collection.
Curated Quilts has a post on using neutrals in quilts
Not Quilt Related
Some quilt people are also puzzle people. During the pandemic i might have mentioned that we worked on a 10,000 piece puzzle. It is still in process, but I am working on La Pass at night not a puzzle. DH shared a blog post from the LA Public Library about the history of jigsaw puzzles. The post says that jig saws were related to sewing machines and, thus operated by women.
**Obviously, you should shop at a local quilt shop. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I updated the Quilt Class page to include more about my teaching. If you want to take a class with me check that page.
I also updated the Minikins page. I love looking at that page, because I am always amazed at how many of the Minikins patterns I have made. I have not made all by any stretch, but I have made a lot.
I made another Ends donation quilt so that page includes the most recent quilt as well.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a tutorial on sewing with vinyl. Have you seen her aqua glitter webbing? I am forcing myself to use the webbing I have then will find a pattern and get some of this. It is so fun! It also comes in other colors.
I am really disappointed that anyone would need a pattern for this simple Sawtooth Star quilt. If you take a class from me, you might need a kit because the fabrics would be hard to put together without one, but you will be able to make this in your sleep. No pattern required. –>Please note that I am not against independent quilt designers creating patterns and I am not against fabric companies giving away free patterns. I am against not learning quiltmaking in a way that allows everyone to parse a quilt design.
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a tutorial on rolled handles for a bag. This technique uses vinyl tubing (from the hardware store) and foam, like Soft & Stable** or Bosal In-R-Foam**.
My mom wants to make a quick quilt as a gift. We discussed the various ‘Disappearing’ patterns like Disappearing Nine Patch and Disappearing Four Patch. We looked at the versions I have made, like the Food Quilts and the Disappearing Pinwheel. I found this tutorial for a Disappearing Four Patch for her and thought it showed how to make the pattern clearly.
Have you seen the Bucket hats that everyone seems to be making? They seem to be particularly popular with Kaffe fans. Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie made a video tutorial with a free pattern link, if you want to make one as well.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
I heard about Got Interfacing. When I went to the site, it looked familiar and I wondered if I had shared here before. They call it a one stop shop for interfacing. I’ll definitely have to remember to look there when I need SF101 or a bolt of foam. Looks, however, like a UK/Canada/Aussie site.
There has been some discussion in my guild about the Oliso mini iron. I received one as a gift from Friend Julie with its own little case. Other mini/travel irons have been discussed including the Steamfast travel iron**, which got great reviews.
Articles, Tips and Other Information
Friend Julie has a great tip for storing your needles.
The Tanforan shopping mall in nearby San Bruno has provided SAQA space for the Prism Play exhibit based on Joen Wolfrom’s 3-in-1 Color tool. This is a tool I recommend for my students. The post about the exhibit shows a great space.
The show will be at the Peninsula Museum of Art
May 20 – July 17, 2022
The Shops at Tanforan, Space 204
1150 El Camino Real, San Bruno CA 94066
I love this idea. I think malls that provide unoccupied spaces for art will get shoppers that may not otherwise visit the mall. Nancy and I have been kicking the idea of spaces around.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Want to know how to make a binding for a curved corner? Check out the Sewn Handmade tutorial. Tutorial is a little bit of a stretch as it mostly just talks about cutting the corner. You will still need to make the binding and bias binding is best for curved corners.
Craft Gossip has a post on 8 easy (HA!) ways to cut your fabric straight.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
My guild hosted Carolina Oneto Tapia to speak about colors. Amy included links to various value finding tools on the web.
Julie mentioned shopping at the French Seam. Great name, don’t you think? I like the clean, fresh look of their website. I noticed they have the Painter’s Palette solids. That fact is worth keeping track of. In their notions section, they have labels for bags and quilts not personalized, but similar to clothing labels except with funny sayings.
Mosaics! Fascinating article from the New York Times about a town built on top of a Crusader era city and the mosaics people there are finding.
Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness has posted a video on printing PDF patterns. This is useful whether you make Sew Sweetness bags or not (though you should)
Other Artists
Friend Julie put out her May Cornucopia the other day. Go see the crazy clown/merry-go-round photo, if nothing else. She has some great links and not all are sewing or quiltmaking
The tutorials page has been updated. Look for links to the posts on how to make bullseye blocks. These are older posts. I ramble quite a bit more on my tutorial posts from back then than I do now. I might rewrite the posts, but for now I am leaving them as is. You can enjoy a small glimpse of my 37 year old self.
Other Artists
C&T has posted a video of me showing most of the quilts from Red, White & Blue Star Quilts at the Springfield quilt show. This book is now available. Judy Martin is awesome and you should buy her book. She also now offers acrylic templates for some of the shapes in her books. Read this page to order.
Create Whimsey has an interview with Judy as well.
Friend Julie’s April Cornucopia post is up and always worth a look.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
Take a look at this useful and fun needle pie. The pattern is from Etsy. I think it would be a great addition to sets of gifts or swaps. A clever stitcher could have some fun with the design. Note that one picture shows storage for WonderClips**. There is ample opportunity for embellishing in different creative ways on the outside as well.
I really miss the short-lived magazine, thr3fold, by Linda and Laura Kemshall. I recently saw advertisement of a video by them on making Tyvek beads.
Remember when I talked about the bag Mary M made for the guild door prize? I found the pattern. It’s from Ginger Cake not Gingiber and it is listed on the Modern Quilt Co website. Mary M said she would add pockets next time.
I don’t really think you need a tutorial on Sawtooth Star blocks., but Blossom Hill has a slightly different take on the block she calls Star Stamp. She also links out to Accuquilt** instructions. Every month she has a Scrap Buster block, which might be a great way to use up scraps if you aren’t making journal covers or strip blocks.
Judy Martin has come out with another book. Red, White & Blue Star Quilts: 16 Striking Patriotic & 2-Color Patterns was released in late February. The cost of the book is $28.95 plus shipping. Order it through Judy’s website.
Some interesting and unusual fabrics as well as some usual fabric can be found at My Handmade Space. They also have bag hardware and zippers. Some of the zipper tapes have stripes and florals.
I like the way Stitch Supply Company displays their fabric on their website. They also have a lot of Aneela Hoey patterns.
I keep getting ads on FB for My Favorite Quilt Store. That always makes me suspicious, but they do have some super cute fabrics. I might be starting on a pillowcase project for two nephews who are heading off to college in the Fall. If I do this project, the florals from Philip Jacobs that I love are not going to cut the mustard. They have a variety of Pokemon fabrics, a lot of great Disney fabrics, including a fun evil witch option, steampunk Halloween, holiday and many others. I haven’t ordered form them, so we will have to see.
Paintbrush Studios has more solids. Not as many as Kona, but you know how I feel about Kona. Check out their new and upcoming print collections as well.
Articles and Other Information
The essay by Franklin Habit is brilliant, sad and and makes you want to hug him. It is also nominally about knitting. I like it because I felt the same way when I moved to Austria and again when I came back to the US. It also talks about not being able to knit for someone whose life is knitting. You can link to his YouTube channel and buy him a cup of coffee via Patreon.
Inspiration
Subscription boxes are (or were???) all the rage. I subscribed to a few, as you know, but quickly unsubscribed. I finally found one I enjoy, the Sew Hungry Hippie Happy Box. One of the things I like about it is that it is not all about sewing. Natalie describes it as about mindfulness, wellness self-care and happiness. I don’t get things I already have or fabric I don’t want. The other thing I like about it is that there is a project, with all of the pieces, parts and pattern, included. I just have to sit down and sew it like I did with the rainbow pin cushion from March. I received a new one the other day and actually watched the video that Natalie made about it. I loved hearing the stories about the items and their makers. The April theme was bananas. I thought the execution of the theme was pretty clever. The project that came with the box was for a banana bag. It is kind of hilarious. I haven’t made it yet, but I will definitely make it, though I will probably gift it. I may still not keep this subscription forever, but for the moment I am enjoying the bit of fun.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Valerie has a fantastic sunflower block (quiltlet?) on her blog. It very cleverly uses Drunkard’s Path units to make up the design. This would be a very effective and not difficult design to make. I wonder if I could make it larger? Or with more sunflowers? Great job, Valerie! PS Valerie has an Etsy shop where she sells some of her quilts.
Electric Quilt IG post
The Electric Quilt Company posted this wise advice. It is a good reminder for non-quiltmaker family members that not every minute is a good one to complain to Mom/Sis/Auntie.
Because I have no will power I bought the Kit Supply Tote pattern by Aneela Hoey. Have I made it yet? No. The link is to Aneela’s site, but I bought it from the Fat Quarter Shop. Although I prefer paper patterns, I bought the PDF downloadable version as that was all they offered.
Mary C is doing the Glitter Ball BOM. I took a look at the site and this is a really cool looking quilt! Quite different from other BOMs. More like a row quilt.
Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies
I found a shop called Flying Bulldogs. They have great fabrics including some older Martha Negleys. Not the mixed vegetable fabric with the black background, but some nice ones. Really excellent prices, too – $8.00/yard for many prints. I should make sure they are not based overseas as shipping would kill me. They have Joel Dewberry prints, which I haven’t seen anywhere in awhile.
Molly was machine quilting a doll quilt. She has some trouble opening and closing regular safety pins so she was using straight pins and Pinmoors. Pinmoors are bits of foam you put on the ends of pins to keep them from scratching you while the pins are in the quilt. Really great idea! This happens to me all the time. I almost bought some the other day, but decided to wait until my next order.
If you buy a lot of vinyl and are now addicted to glitter and star vinyl, check out Sew Hungry Hippie’s VIP Membership. It’s $5/month and you get a variety of discounts. Click the link to check out all of the benefits.
I do love Sew Sweetness, but I am always on the lookout for other bag hardware purveyors. I found, somehow, Idleblooms. The look and feel is cheerful and they have a variety of interesting bag hardware:
castle zipper pulls
Hogwarts zipper pulls
teacup zipper pulls
zippers with different coil colors
all sorts of webbing
made bags
Take a look when you need some bag hardware
Tutorials, Articles and Other Information
Remember my zipper head tutorial? Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a video version. She uses a jig, which I believe she sells. You can also use the towel holder I use or a fork. Check my tutorial for more info and other tutorials.
Inspiration
Remember all those merit badges I sewed on to the YM’s sash for Boy Scouts? I have a few by Moda, too, but I can’t find a photo at the moment. I came across merit badges for adults**. These could provide impetus for you or someone else to get things done. Also, who doesn’t want a merit badge for doing something you have to do anyway?
I found a talk from some academics on contemporary quiltmaking. You’ll have to tell me how it is as I haven’t had a chance to listen.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Sandy over at Quilting for the Rest of Us is back. She is blogging again and, apparently, podcasting, too. I got out of the habit of listening to podcasts when my last iPod died, so haven’t checked. I hope that means that the design series episodes we did back in the day will be available again. I also haven’t checked, but will put that on my list.
Check out Friend Julie’s February Cornucopia post. Lots of great links! I love the one about the newly discovered mosaic. At first, I thought the floor was a kind of medallion. If it is the inset (sort of) triangles make a really interesting design. Julie said it inspired her to possibly make a quilt. Me, too. It also reminds me of a book
Tools, Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
This video on why irons leak was posted to my guild forum. People commented on how useful it was.
I may have shared this shop, Modern Quilt Company, with you before, but it is worth sharing again.
I got a link to the new Keepsake Quilting website. I remember getting the catalog and poring over it with a friend, buying fabrics by writing their numbers and descriptions on an order form and sending it in. Their stock seems to be much reduced, however I was interested to see A LOT of different rulers. Many of them I had never seen before. If you are in the market for longarming or quilting rulers, take a look. I was also interested to see Century solids. They are described as “Andover Fabrics’ Century Solids collection is 100 hues of 100% premium fine-combed cotton with a lovely hand and drape.” I am very tempted by the swatch card, but since I won’t be buying any solids for the time being, I am resisting.
I know I haven’t been on my Tula kick recently, but I am back on that horse today. Tula talks about covering a backpack she made with vinyl to protect parts of it. Genius! Why didn’t I think of that? She also mentions the new ByAnnie vinyl product, which is great, because you can actually see the edge to cut it!
Check out Marsha McCloskey’s Sale Table, if you want some books at great prices or years worth of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazines.
For Aussie friends, I found an interfacing comparison chart, so you can buy interfacing in country for bag making. Less wait time, fewer supply chain issues. Will we still have to worry about supply chain?
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
You all know I love Sew Sweetness patterns. I was scrolling through the FB group the other day and saw that someone had made the Hyacinth bag. I didn’t recognize the name and couldn’t bring the design to mind, so I looked it up when I was next at my computer. This is an overlooked gem! It is an older pattern, but a great, larger crossbody bag. As Sara says on her site, it would be perfect for attending an event like a quilt show.
In the Tula Tuesday video mentioned above (about vinyl), Tula also mentions a video for adding rivets to a project. I found it on YouTube, which was linked from the Sallie Tomato website.
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a great kit for a zipper bag using one of her fun vinyls. The vinyl is called Deep Space soft vinyl. The pieces are already cut!! There is a video walk-through included. This is a great project if you haven’t used vinyl. I have had good experiences using Natalie’s vinyl.
I saw another Tula video where she talks about fussy cutting. As she says, there is one out there, but why not do it again? The video talks about three types of fussy cutting: highlighting a motif, kaleidoscope effect and stripes, which she says is its own method. I saw the details in this video before in a Fat Quarter Shop video.This is a shorter video (25 min vs an hour-ish?), but still useful. I’ll try and find the longer one when I have a minute. It probably won’t be this time around.
Sallie Tomato has a pattern for the Townsend bag, which is similar, if smaller to the Cavalcade bag by Sew Sweetness. This bottom zipper compartment design is popular lately. Making both would make a great set and using Tula’s vinyl trick would keep the bottom clean while traveling. I haven’t tried Sallie Tomato patterns, but I have purchased her hardware. Maybe I’ll get the Townsend pattern and make a set with the Cavalcade bag?
Articles and other Information
QuiltCon ended a week or so ago and the winners raise a lot of questions in the quilt community. Quilting Daily had an interesting editorial.
You can find a list of the winners on the QuiltCon site.
I perused the QuiltCon site briefly and was disappointed they did not link out to the vendor websites. Probably better as I might have bought more quilt supplies.
Jane Brody is retiring from the NYT at 80. I read her last article in which she referred to an article on the health benefits of knitting. You may need a subscription, check your library. Substitute quiltmaking for knitting. I am pretty sure similar findings would apply.
I actually looked at my statistics the other day and was pleased that 517 views happened one day in mid-January. WOW!
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
A few years ago I made a Scissor Cozy for my mom and one for Julie. Svetlana from Sotak Handmade now has a video to go with her tutorial. She has updated the instructions so do watch the video.
In looking for something else, I came across this easy project for carrying your yoga mat. You can probably adjust the length of the strap to carry other things as well. I am thinking of a rectangular folding workout mat I have. It came with an elastic strap that is losing its stretch. This is a great way to use some of the gorgeous ribbons and webbing out there.
Want to make your own bag kit? Check out Build-a-Box from Sew Hungry Hippie. You select the pieces you need. No more being subject to other people’s tastes.
From Pink Door re: managing a La Pass BOM:
Fun fact #2 of the week-
We have ordered (for months 1-6), over 8,700 yards of fabric. That equals 584 bolts of fabric, or 26,280 feet of fabric or 4.98 miles.
We’ve also ordered 1500+ lbs of paper.
Edited to add: the 8,700 yards weighs about 3,000 lbs.
I was reminded about LillyElla Stitchery’s tutorials. I still want to make that Mini Maker Station
Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
Sue Spargo posted about some precision tweezers called Pinzettes. Made in Switzerland. I do sometimes use tweezers when I am seam ripping and I thought the larger finger area would make them useful and also great gifts. Unfortunately, they are $50 so out of my budget right now. They are worth the money and I plan to buy some, but not today.
I saw Brick Bubble on IG one day and took a look at her site. There were a lot of great tags, especially one that says “Handmade – See I’m not just hoarding supplies”. I think it is hilarious.
If you don’t want to make your own using a Sew Sweetness pattern like the Percheron available in Minikins Season 3, you can buy a Maker’s Train Case, also from Sue Spargo’s website. It is designed to fit under most airplane seats allowing you to store all your knitting, stitching, and crafting supplies.
SewFinity found me on IG for the 2 minutes I was visiting the other day. They don’t have tons of fabric, but if you like Kona, this is your place.
Friend Julie reviewed the Sewline Air Erasable Pen I gave her for Christmas. My experience mimics hers.
If you are looking for interesting novelty fabric (I might be starting another college pillowcase project), check out My Favorite Quilt Store. I saw a lot of Disney fabrics I could use as well as other ways to interpret themes for each month. They have a Disney female villains fabric I might have to buy to make something for one of the nieces. They have some Flintstones, Sylvester and Tweety, Baby Yoda, Mickey & Minnie, Hot Wheels, vintage diner signs, bird watching, vintage letters and stamps and a ton of other novelty themes. They have a great selection of fabrics you can use for gift bags. I was really impressed with their selection of birthday relevant fabrics. They also have fun Christmas fabric. I haven’t bought anything from them yet so YMMV.
Friend Julie has a quilt in the Curated Magazine coming out in April. She provides an affiliate code link which gives you 10% off, so read her post and get the code, then go buy the mag.
Articles
I saw an article on how to start knitting in the New York Times. You may need an account to access this article (check your local library). I like the way it talks about practical knowledge you need to know to get started, what the terms are, where to buy and the differences and benefits of a LYS vs Joann or Michael’s. There is also a getting started book recommendation.
I saw an article on the Cricut vs. Silhouette cutting machines
Letterlocking was the cyber cryptogography of Queen Elizabeth’s time. Check out the video to see how it worked.
Other Artists
Friend Julie posted her January Cornucopia. She has lots of great links, especially if you want to enter Visions or start a 100day project.
Sarah Goer sent out her recent newsletter, which is always filled with great links and projects. Sarah also has a 2021 wrap-up post. I enjoy comparing my same Year in Review posts with other people’s – not to compare who has finished more, but to compare the structure of the post. I don’t want to bore you so I am always looking for new ideas.
Welcome to the first V&S for 2022. Hope you find some fun things in the collections I compile this year. Send along anything interesting you find and I’ll include it.
Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials
I was looking at The Crafty Quilter site and saw a recent post. When I saw the picture I thought for sure Julie (of The Crafty Quilter not Friend Julie) had made a Mega-Pinnie. I have never seen anyone else make a Mega-Pinnie, so I was intrigued. It turned out to be a super box-like pouch not a Mega-Pinnie. The post, however, reminded me of the Mega-Pinnies. Maybe I need to make some more. Gifts??? The Mega-Pinnie designer’s post has some interesting options. One has a wrist strap. I didn’t see that before and it would be useful. Another uses horizontal stripes for the pockets. Blue Patch Quilter shows a number of different Mega-Pinnies. They are used for different things and have a variety of features and decorations. Would you use one for remote controls?
QuiltFolk is supporting a Kaffe-style color class.
Two people brought needlepoint projects to the Sew Day Holiday party last month. NEEDLEPOINT! I didn’t really think people did needlepoint anymore (stupid, I know), but there they were. Now I am seeing it everywhere. I saw a link to Ehrman Tapestry for Brandon Mably designs. I navigated around and found some Kaffe pages with inspirational information and a video. Now I want to do needlepoint. I am not going to buy a kit, though. I don’t need anymore cushions and I don’t need anymore handwork. Still it is tempting.
Tula had a video on how to sew 30 degree triangles.
Natalie from Sew Hungry Hippie has a whole Drive folder full of free patterns.
Check out the Bust the Stash Challenge from Border Creek Quilts. The block is now available. The block information is very complete and looks like the author knows how to write quilt directions. If you make at least 52 blocks (one per week for 52 weeks), you can qualify for a special prize. The page has previous stashbuster challenges as well. This project forces me to ask will your stash ever be busted? What does busting a stash look like? Will my stash ever be busted?
Do you want to know how to use SVG files with your Cricut Maker**? This is made with information from Michelle Graham who works with Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness.
Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
Enamel Color Wheel Pin
Enamel pins are not really supplies, but Sew Hungry Hippie has some cool examples. I saw the color wheel pin and had to buy some as gifts. They have others that have really great crafting sayings.
I found this shop, Modern Quilt Company, when I was testing a tool at work. I always use quilt topics as I know the subject so well. I can identify the errors or weird results more quickly. They have the regular modern fabrics. They also have a blog with an interesting bag pattern. I also like the way their menu stays the same regardless of what page you are visiting. That feature makes it much easier to navigate. Lots of pre-cuts. If you want the Daydreamer kit, Pining for You by Tula Pink, they have some.
There are a lot of great places to buy zippers. Have you tried Zipper Valley?
Furniture
I am thinking of buying an EddyCrest Cutting Table. The model is 6040. I met this company when I went to Houston in 2014. They have really nice pieces. The sewing table I have now is really nice, but it doesn’t fit my upgraded machine, so I think a new sewing table is in my future as well.
Media and Inspiration
Barbara Brackman posted a unique and beautiful red and green quilt on 12/27/2021. Apparently there are three of them, which she followed up showing on subsequent days. I know this is really a modern quilt, but the angle of the swags and the spinning look of the Rose of Sharon variation blocks is amazingly beautiful. The quilt is owned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It makes me want to make one.
The Butler Method is a technique of putting in a zipper pocket. Someone mentioned this method when I complimented them on their work and they shared this video.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Jennifer Marx has a lot of CriCut tutorials and classes as well as a complete guide. she has lots of tutorials on paper and wood, but I also saw one on cutting fabric.
I’ll be making a couple of bowl cozies as gifts. I was given a tutorial to use, which seems ok. Do you have a favorite?
Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
Someone in the Sew Sweetness group turned me on to Hapa Fabrics. They don’t have a lot, but if you like anime or Disney fabrics, take a look.
I also found Stitch Supply Company, which has a great selection of fabrics, but also has a fantastic variety of bagmaking supplies. I am not talking about a few patterns. I am talking about different kinds of hardware, different kinds of interfacing – the whole 9 yards. I haven’t ordered anything from them yet, so I don’t know how their customer service is, but I will definitely order something and check. They have a lot of colors of strapping for handles, lots of ByAnnie products such as zippers, mesh and Soft & Stable.
Ginger subscription boxes are available on their site. Do you need a birthday or holiday gift for someone special?
My friend Marty showed me Kohatu Patterns website. She was making a pumpkin tablerunner. I decided I want to make a pumpkin tablerunner for my buffet after seeing her blocks. I was interested in the patterns, but not as much as the blog, which has some very interesting tips and tricks. She calls them Modern Quilting Guides.
I thought about joining KnitStars this year. It looks awesome, but I slapped myself and didn’t. My knitting skills are not up to the challenge even though I want to pretend they are. Also, remember when I said I was super busy?
Bonnie Hunter has written the introductory post for this year’s Mystery Quilt, Rhododendron Trail (I can see this name quickly becoming RT!). I will definitely read and save the posts, but I am going to wait for the reveal to see if I want to make the project. I do like the colors, however. The pinks and turquoise/aquas are right up my alley. That Burgundy/ Garnet, however, ruins the look for me. Bleah.
Emmaline Bags has a tutorial for installing an internal zipper pocket into a bag. I still like Sara’s video.
Books, Fabrics, Notions & Supplies
Stash Fabrics has a Kona themed wall calendar. Even if you no longer use a wall calendar, this one would be a great year long color inspiration piece.
Modern American Vintage has some beautiful tools. They make wooden point turners, seam rippers and Hera markers. Often wooden tools are over the top, but these are simple and gorgeous. They also have an IG account.
I found a shop called Mashe Modern. They have a great selection of fabrics and great prices. It is a great addition to the list of shops from whom I should not buy more fabric. < LOL >
I am thinking about getting the block-of-the-month option for making Tula’s Butterfly quilt. Petting Fabric has two great selections of fabric. remember when I talked about being super busy? That is what is holding me back.
I am a huge fan of color cards. They are very useful for online shopping and for identifying, especially, solids when they show up on your doorstep. I have been using mine to differentiate between the Free Spirit solids, Sweet Pea and Freesia, in my Pink Door La Pass BOM fabrics. It comes in very handy for such things. Hawthorne Supply has a good selection.
Media and Inspiration
I haven’t been surfing much lately, so I missed some of Julie’s posts over at High Fiber Content. Take a look at Friend Julie’s August Cornucopia for more, interesting links.
Do you like mid-century modern designs? Carrie P pointed me to a site with a ton of mid century modern designs. They really should open a Spoonflower shop and make the designs available in fabric and wallpaper, etc.
I follow Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness on Facebook, as you know since I can’t shutup about her, and get to see the creations of of her other followers. One is Stephanie and she has a great shop filled with bags. She uses lots of Tula Pink fabrics, if that is your jam. She showed some fabulous Daytrip Wallets, but they never made it to her shop.
The International Quilt Museum presented “Abstract Design in American Quilts at 50: Raising the Profile” with Dr. Jonathan Gregory on June 9. The video is now on YouTube
Exhibits & Shows
Did you attend PIQF? I didn’t for the first time in, maybe, 15 years. I have scaled back my attendance in recent years, but have always gone. I wasn’t up for dealing with the crowds this year. Apparently, there were no crowds. I’d love to hear your thoughts about the event, if you attended.
Other Artists
One of the things I enjoy about fiction set in England is how well versed the fictional British are with poetry. I think they are often assigned poetry in fictional schools and it carries over into their fictional lives where they quote it at appropriate times in their fictional days. I read Shel Silverstein poetry to my son and he demanded more and more. Beyond that and a few long poems in high school, I am woefully under-educated in poetry. One of my exceptional nieces (I have a few), Michaela, is a talented performer. She has recently started a YouTube channel where she reads poetry.
The County Library System is creating a makerspace and they need supplies. Take a look at their wishlist and buy something or send them a gift card. I hope they get the Cricut so I can try it out.
Melody Johnson of the Chicago School of Fusing fame is creating some really great knitting lately.
