Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spring ...

Hi there!  Spring is in full effect here and I thought I'd show you a little of the Spring flowers we've got going on around here.  Hope you don't mind a little non-quilty post.  :)

Some pretty azaleas ... love this rich bright pink color.

Some other plants along the walkway (don't know their names) ...

And some dogwoods on the tree out back.

Now, I am just waiting on the hydrangea!  :)  What we don't love about the Spring around here is this ...

This was the pollen last Friday.  (Notice my footprints!)  Fortunately, we got a great soaking rain last weekend and you can no longer taste the pollen in the air like we could late last week!

Do you have any pretties blooming out back?  What are you looking forward to most?

Well, I am off for now ... a teacher workday tomorrow and then its Spring Break for real!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

WIP Wednesday

Hey y'all!  I thought I'd stop in and share a WIP report with you tonight.  (As if I needed any new WIPs! LOL)

Anyway ... this weekend I started working on 3 curtain panels for a friend of mine ... they're big.  As in like 60" x 90".

And a geometric and directional print just makes this more fun, right?

Good thing I had a FriXion pen to keep my cutting lines straight.  :-)

I am also getting ready to cut into this stack to make some Easter baskets for a coworker's little boys.  I will keep you posted on that project.

Of course, there are many other projects I am juggling!  Including another 60 x 90 project ... all I will say is that means a LOT of hand stitching on the binding!

What are you working on?

Happy Sewing! :-)

Millie's Closet

Hi!  I am so excited to share that we have a new line in the shop ... Millie's Closet from Bee in My Bonnet for Riley Blake.  The prints are fun and graphic and the colors are great!  I love this cheater print that we picked up...

The panel is 24" wide x WOF and it has 28 different 6" squares printed on it.  What do you think?  I'd love to hear what you'd make with this fun cheater cloth ... I think it would make a great ironing board cover!

We also picked up some modern florals from this line as well as two geometric prints that I can't wait to sew with ...

I love this yellow and the brownish grayish color (I think it goes great with Bella Weathered Teak as shown above).

Check out all the great prints here.

Happy Sewing! :-)

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Charm Pack Mini Quilt Tutorial #1

Hi friends!  Last week, we kicked off the next Sew Lux Stitch & Share Challenge, which was to make a project using charm squares.  And tonight I am here to share the first of two tutorials where we'll make TWO mini quilts with just ONE charm pack!  :-)  Ready for the first one?  Here's what we're making ...

Step 1:  Get a favorite charm pack.  I am using Hello Luscious by Basic Grey.

Step 2:  Sort your charm squares out.  For this mini, we will need 6 charms for the background, 12 for the backing, 4 for the flowers, and 2 for the leaves.  Leave the extras for our next project. :) Here's what I ended up with.

Step 3: Piece the background.  You'll need a grid that is 2 x 3 charms. Sew two rows of three and then join the two rows.

Step 4:  Prepare the appliques. Start by tracing circles on the back of the pink charms. Don't worry if they aren't perfect!  I used a FriXion pen because it will disappear when I hit it with the iron!

You'll need to make six circles like so ...

Next, draw some leaves like you did with the circles.  Make three.  Again, no worries about perfection!

Cut them out.

I then ironed mine to make the ink go away!

Lines are gone!  Love that!

Now, adhere your appliques with a little bit of Stitch Witchery under each of the layers.  Just enough to tack it down.

Step 5: Stitch the applique pieces down.  I like to use a clear foot for this and stitch about 1/8 inch away from the edge.  Flip the top layers out of the way and do the bottom layers (leaves) first.

When you are done it should look like this.

Step 6:  Piece the backing.  You'll need a 3 x 4 rectangle of charms. Make 3 rows of 4 and then stitch together the rows.  You'll want to press seams open for this step.

Step 7:  Layer and quilt your mini.

Use a ruler to make sure the top is centered on your backing.

Quilt as desired - but not all the way to the edges. This will be important in the next step!  I quilted up to about 1/4 inch from the edges.

Step 8: Trim the mini.  Start by folding the backing over so it will be out of the way.

Trim the front and batting ONLY!

Then bring the backing back behind the mini so you can trim it down.

Trim to 1-1/8 inches all the way around.  (Click on the photo to enlarge, if needed. :-)

Step 9:  Prepare the binding.  Start by folding the edge of the backing toward to the edge of the top and batting.  Press in place.

Then, fold it over and pin in place.

For the corners, you'll flip the next side over at angle before moving on.

Then fold the raw edge of the backing in to the edge of the batting and top.

Next, continue around the entire top.  Pinning everything in place.

Stitch the binding down.  I used a walking foot and stitched close to the edge of the fold.

Next, admire your work!  Here's the back of mine ...

This charm pack had 2 darker red prints.  I used them in the middle of the back since I wanted the greens for my binding.

And here is the front ...

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  If you need a better look at any picture, just click on it to enlarge it.  And, as usual, if you have any questions, please email me or leave a comment.  And link us up if you decide to make one - I'd love to see it!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Friday, March 23, 2012

Pick Up the Pieces Sale

Happy Friday!

I am staying up late to watch my NC State Wolfpack play in the Sweet 16 tonight.  Hoping our rival doesn't make it to the Elite 8.  We'll see here shortly!  :)

Earlier today, I was cleaning house at the shop.  We've got over 50 bolts arriving early next week and that doesn't include the Flea Market Fancy we're patiently waiting for to arrive soon as well.  And the fact of the matter is ... we need shelf space!  So, I folded up a bunch of bolt ends ...


Check them all out here AND save an extra 15% on everything on the "Last Chance / Bolt Ends" page when you use "pickup15" in the coupon code section at checkout.  There are some great deals (especially with the extra savings) and there are pieces from almost all of our collections.  :)

See ya tomorrow for a tutorial!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Scrap Attack Strings QAL Show & Tell #2 Winner


Hi y'all!  Happy Wednesday ... its one more day closer to the weekend.  (And in my case, only 6 more days of school before Spring Break!  Both my students and I are ready for that week off!  LOL)

I'm stopping in tonight to share the winner of the Scrap Attack Strings QAL Show & Tell #2.  Congrats to ...

Linda from Eat, Sleep, Quilt!  :-) Linda has a really great collection of blocks going!  I will be sending her a fun pattern and a pair of Good Fortune fat quarters.  (Linda, please email me with your contact info!)


Thank you all so much for stitching along with me!  I have to catch up on a few blocks but I promise to share my stack soon!  And we'll have the next Show & Tell post on the 5th ... I hope you'll share wherever you are in the project ... join us!

Happy Sewing! :-)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Weekend Sewing

Hey friends!  I thought I'd stop in and share what I was working on this weekend.

First up ... I have been working on finishing this Domestic Bliss baby quilt using the fabulous pattern Jennie posted on the Moda Bake Shop a few weeks ago.


Just working on finishing the binding now.  :)

I also went to work on some Hello Luscious charm squares.  How does 2 mini quilts/large mug rugs from ONLY one charm pack sound?  Well, I will have a tutorial for you later this week with the first of the two.  But for now, here's what I started with for mini quilt #1 ...

What did you sew this weekend?  Link it up in the comments ... I'd love to see it!

Did I tell you we're doing some shopping tomorrow (Tuesday)?  We're looking forward to meeting with our Moda rep and catching up with her as well as selecting prints for later this summer.  I'd love to know what you think of these lines ... anything you'd love to see us carry?  (Please no negative comments on designer's work ... just tell us what you love in the comments!  Negative comments will be deleted ... as your mama probably said, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.")


Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Modern Solids 2 Received

Hey y'all!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Did you get to do some sewing? I managed to finish a few different projects ... including a tutorial coming this week!  :-) But I wanted to share the awesome projects that I did not make ... the ones I got from Katy at The Littlest Thistle for the Modern Solids 2 Swap.
 

Katy did a great job making this awesome pillow cover.  And I love the quilting with the variegated thread.


She also sent two cute little fabric buckets along with my package.


Thanks so much for the awesome quilted projects, Katy!  :-)

Happy Sewing! :-)

Friday, March 16, 2012

Stitch & Share Challenge: Charm Sqaures

Hey there!  Today I'm putting up the linky post for our next Stitch & Share Challenge.  This month's challenge is all about CHARM SQUARES and I can't wait to see your projects!

The Sew Lux Stitch & Share Challenge
  • Every odd month, we will post a challenge theme.  This may be a technique that should be used or a concept to base your project around.  You'll have 5 weeks to link up a project.
  • If a technique is to be used in your project, we'll share a step-by-step tutorial to show you what to do just in case the technique is new to you.
  • On the challenge announcement post, we'll put up a a linky for you to add your projects to.  When you have a project ready, share on your blog about what you made and add your post to the linky.  If you don't have a blog, you can link to a Flickr photo.  This will make it easy for us to check out everyone's projects!  (A Few Rules: Make sure your project and your post is specific to this challenge and is not a giveaway/promotional post.  Please link back to the challenge post as well and visit the other participants' project posts.)  Limit two entries per person.

·       At the end of each challenge, we'll select a random winner from participants who link up their project to win a $20 gift certificate to sewluxfabric.com.  You must link your project by the last day of the challenge to be entered for the random winner drawing.

For this month's challenge, its all about projects using CHARM SQUARES!  So whip out those little cute stacks and get to stitching!  Be on the lookout for some tutorials over the next few weeks!

Remember to post a link to your project by 11:59 PM EST on April 22nd to be eligible for the gift certificate drawing!  :-)  Please email us if you have any questions - sewlux (at) gmail (dot) com.

We'll post a winner by April 25th!

Happy Sewing! :-)


Thursday, March 15, 2012

Modern Solids 2 Complete

Hi there!  Happy almost Friday!  :-)


I finished my Modern Solids Round 2 Swap package just in time to get it shipped off today and I really like how everything turned out.  As you know, I had a dilemma about the wall hanging, but decided to go with my instinct and orient it horizontally.  Hopefully, the recipient will like it that way!  :-)  Here it is all finished ...


It turned out really pretty well considering I drafted my own smaller version of the original Prism pattern by Faith at Fresh Lemons.  The blocks finish at 5 inches, so this is about 20 x 30 inches.


I also made a Swatch Book cover using a Keyka Lou pattern.  (Love Michelle's patterns!)  I pieced some leftovers together and added a graph paper Moleskine book so the recipient can use it as a sketch book.  Hope she likes it.


I used quite a bit of Bella Steel for these projects.  It really is a lovely medium gray solid.


And here's the package I packed up and mailed off ...


Kind of wish I didn't have to mail it! ;-)

Happy Sewing! :-)