Showing posts with label Quilting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quilting. Show all posts
Monday, April 27, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Yesterday
This project is finally finished, and to be honest, I am sorry to be wrapping it up.
If you are a regular blog reader, you already know that this quilt was inspired by the pattern "Madness" written by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession. But what other inspirations did I bring to the process.
Color: inspired by a wedding quilt I made last year for friends.
Fabric: the scrap basket.
Size: I ran out of orange and pink scraps.
Yesterday: this began as nothing more that happenstance. The first two blocks I made are the two in the top left corner. I had been imagining a zigzag row, but after I put the two blocks together I could only see the letter Y. So, being an improv quilt and all, I decided to go with it and I stitched together the big Y.
Also of coincidence, I had started this quilt just a few days before my birthday, and I had been spending a lot of time strolling down memory lane. Those 2 things just kind of blended together and the Y became Yesterday which, in turn, became the focus of the quilt. Finally, I took the time to write out a little list of all the things that had been on my mind so that I could use it as part of the label. In part it reads:
YESTERDAY...
…I was only 40.
...the big challenge of the day was getting 2 babies to nap at the SAME time.
…we lived in a teeny tiny apartment with a lot of doors.
…I had never made a quilt.
...I held my brother’s hand as he died.
…I had a red, white and blue bike with a banana seat and streamers.
…I was 18 and mad at the world (and my mom).
…my little girls couldn’t cross the street without a hand to hold.
…we made payments on my first $100 sewing machine.
…my mom grew tulips in our front yard.
…we would ride our bikes to the park and watch the train go by.
...I had no gray hair.
…we had unauthorized picnics on Sundays afternoons in the backyard while waiting for escrow to close on our new house.
…we drove all the way to Alaska.
…I was a college student.
…I thought I was not artistic.
…I had uterine cancer.
…we hiked Half Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park
.…I started a business.
…I joined my first friendship circle.
…I was afraid of the dark.
…I drove a blue-green Chevy Suburban with barn doors and V8 power.
…I attended my first International Quilt Market.
…we visited NYC for the first time, and saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
…I married my friend.
A little ordinary mixed in with the extraordinary, a little good and a little bad, a little heartache and a little joy, a little adventure and a little ho-hum... a life well lived and now marked out in quilted beauty.
The wind and the sun added such character to this picture!
Color: inspired by a wedding quilt I made last year for friends.
Fabric: the scrap basket.
Size: I ran out of orange and pink scraps.
Yesterday: this began as nothing more that happenstance. The first two blocks I made are the two in the top left corner. I had been imagining a zigzag row, but after I put the two blocks together I could only see the letter Y. So, being an improv quilt and all, I decided to go with it and I stitched together the big Y.
Also of coincidence, I had started this quilt just a few days before my birthday, and I had been spending a lot of time strolling down memory lane. Those 2 things just kind of blended together and the Y became Yesterday which, in turn, became the focus of the quilt. Finally, I took the time to write out a little list of all the things that had been on my mind so that I could use it as part of the label. In part it reads:
YESTERDAY...
…I was only 40.
...the big challenge of the day was getting 2 babies to nap at the SAME time.
…we lived in a teeny tiny apartment with a lot of doors.
…I had never made a quilt.
...I held my brother’s hand as he died.
…I had a red, white and blue bike with a banana seat and streamers.
…I was 18 and mad at the world (and my mom).
…my little girls couldn’t cross the street without a hand to hold.
…we made payments on my first $100 sewing machine.
…my mom grew tulips in our front yard.
…we would ride our bikes to the park and watch the train go by.
...I had no gray hair.
…we had unauthorized picnics on Sundays afternoons in the backyard while waiting for escrow to close on our new house.
…we drove all the way to Alaska.
…I was a college student.
…I thought I was not artistic.
…I had uterine cancer.
…we hiked Half Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park
.…I started a business.
…I joined my first friendship circle.
…I was afraid of the dark.
…I drove a blue-green Chevy Suburban with barn doors and V8 power.
…I attended my first International Quilt Market.
…we visited NYC for the first time, and saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
…I married my friend.
A little ordinary mixed in with the extraordinary, a little good and a little bad, a little heartache and a little joy, a little adventure and a little ho-hum... a life well lived and now marked out in quilted beauty.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Color Me Happy
Yeah, another Color Me Happy sighting!
This one was made by my friend Linda H. Isn't is wonderfully fresh and modern looking?!
If you have finished any of the patterns from my book, I would love to see (and share them)!
You can reach me by email at rana@sewnintothefabric.com.
And if you need a copy of the book, you can get one HERE.
This one was made by my friend Linda H. Isn't is wonderfully fresh and modern looking?!
If you have finished any of the patterns from my book, I would love to see (and share them)!
You can reach me by email at rana@sewnintothefabric.com.
And if you need a copy of the book, you can get one HERE.
Friday, April 10, 2015
More QAYG
I think we have already established my love of QAYG (quilt-as-you-go).
I currently have 2 different projects in the works that are being assembled with 2 different QAYG techniques.
The first one is to sew a block in the traditional way. Then layer and quilt it as desired. Square it up. And finally, use a baffling technique to attach it to the next piece, which in this case is sashing.
The second technique involves building a block right on the batting. Then layering on the backing and adding the desired quilting. Squaring it up. And lastly, "setting" the blocks with 1" sashing (which is just enough to cover the seam allowances.
What about you...do you have a favorite QAYG technique?
I currently have 2 different projects in the works that are being assembled with 2 different QAYG techniques.
The first one is to sew a block in the traditional way. Then layer and quilt it as desired. Square it up. And finally, use a baffling technique to attach it to the next piece, which in this case is sashing.
The second technique involves building a block right on the batting. Then layering on the backing and adding the desired quilting. Squaring it up. And lastly, "setting" the blocks with 1" sashing (which is just enough to cover the seam allowances.
What about you...do you have a favorite QAYG technique?
Monday, April 6, 2015
Three
One of my favorite people just turned 3.
This is the almost finished version of the improv quilt that I made for her (I forgot to get that final picture) with three of everything.
This is the almost finished version of the improv quilt that I made for her (I forgot to get that final picture) with three of everything.
Friday, March 13, 2015
The Nap Sack
Look what is brand new in the pattern shop!
The Nap Sack is a child sized sleeping bag made from polar fleece (or minky) and jelly roll strips.
Super easy! Super cute! And super gift-y!
I made these for my nieces and nephews for Christmas this past year. They loved them!
Not only do they insist on sleeping in them every night (tucked into the nap sack in bed under the covers...hello, ADORABLE) they also like to use them as jumping bags, hide and go seek spots, gymnastic mats, and mummy/ghost costumes. So the "nap" part of the Nap Sack...yeah totally optional!
This pattern will be available in print this spring, but for now you can find it in my Etsy shop as an instant download. LINK here.
The Nap Sack is a child sized sleeping bag made from polar fleece (or minky) and jelly roll strips.
Super easy! Super cute! And super gift-y!
I made these for my nieces and nephews for Christmas this past year. They loved them!
Not only do they insist on sleeping in them every night (tucked into the nap sack in bed under the covers...hello, ADORABLE) they also like to use them as jumping bags, hide and go seek spots, gymnastic mats, and mummy/ghost costumes. So the "nap" part of the Nap Sack...yeah totally optional!
This pattern will be available in print this spring, but for now you can find it in my Etsy shop as an instant download. LINK here.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Selvage
Here's an idea for ya...
...add a cute piece of selvage to your next quilt label.
Aren't those fish adorable?!
...add a cute piece of selvage to your next quilt label.
Aren't those fish adorable?!
Monday, March 9, 2015
The Last Piece
We took our first family road trip in the autumn of 1999.
A road trip from California to Alaska.
We had $2000 and 4 weeks of vacation time and planned to see and do it all.
We wandered the ALCAN (Alaska-Canadian Highway) at a rather leisurely pace stopping anywhere and everywhere we felt like stopping. We toured caverns and National Parks and historical sites. We photographed sweeping vistas and landmarks and tourist-y kitch. We got out first glimpses of the Northern Lights, and of moose and of herds of caribou.
And I bought my first piece of fabric sold by the meter. (We Americans, of course, are not into the metric system. All of that logical incrementation is just too much for our brains to handle!)
It was a pretty little burgundy rose bud on a butter colored background and I used it to made my youngest daughter a Sunday dress with a pretty crochet collar. It was a favorite of hers and she wore it for years.
The scraps, of course, went straight into the scrap basket and became quilting supplies.
Over the years, little bits have gone into many, many quilts.
There have been multiple occasions when I thought that I had used all of that fabric up, but then a new piece would appear from somewhere. And each time, the new piece would be even smaller than the piece before...some little snippet stuck to the backside of a larger piece of fabric in the basket.
But this time...this time I am certain that this is THE LAST piece. The end of an era.
It was hardly even big enough to work into anything (about a 1" square), but I just could not let it go. So I stitched it onto the tip of a string block and it became part of the 2015 String-Along.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
As a side note, we came home from that trip with $80 in our pockets. Today, I don't even think we could buy the gas to get there and back (in a big ol' pick up truck with a camper on it) for $2000!
A road trip from California to Alaska.
We had $2000 and 4 weeks of vacation time and planned to see and do it all.
We wandered the ALCAN (Alaska-Canadian Highway) at a rather leisurely pace stopping anywhere and everywhere we felt like stopping. We toured caverns and National Parks and historical sites. We photographed sweeping vistas and landmarks and tourist-y kitch. We got out first glimpses of the Northern Lights, and of moose and of herds of caribou.
And I bought my first piece of fabric sold by the meter. (We Americans, of course, are not into the metric system. All of that logical incrementation is just too much for our brains to handle!)
It was a pretty little burgundy rose bud on a butter colored background and I used it to made my youngest daughter a Sunday dress with a pretty crochet collar. It was a favorite of hers and she wore it for years.
The scraps, of course, went straight into the scrap basket and became quilting supplies.
Over the years, little bits have gone into many, many quilts.
There have been multiple occasions when I thought that I had used all of that fabric up, but then a new piece would appear from somewhere. And each time, the new piece would be even smaller than the piece before...some little snippet stuck to the backside of a larger piece of fabric in the basket.
But this time...this time I am certain that this is THE LAST piece. The end of an era.
It was hardly even big enough to work into anything (about a 1" square), but I just could not let it go. So I stitched it onto the tip of a string block and it became part of the 2015 String-Along.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
As a side note, we came home from that trip with $80 in our pockets. Today, I don't even think we could buy the gas to get there and back (in a big ol' pick up truck with a camper on it) for $2000!
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Binding
It looks like I have a day or two of binding in my future.
This, of course, also means favorite old movies and lots of hot tea.
Yeah for me!
This, of course, also means favorite old movies and lots of hot tea.
Yeah for me!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Quilt-as-you-go
I have been bitten by the Quilt-as-you-go bug.
It appears to have a solid grip-on-my-life!
It appears to have a solid grip-on-my-life!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Orphans, Misfits and Strays
I have been amassing blocks that don't go to anything in particular.
For lack of anything better to do with them, I have been layering onto the backside of the studio door.
It is an eclectic little collection that I rather enjoy looking at!
What do you do with all of your random creations?
For lack of anything better to do with them, I have been layering onto the backside of the studio door.
It is an eclectic little collection that I rather enjoy looking at!
What do you do with all of your random creations?
Friday, February 27, 2015
Stag
We have a lot of dear around here.
Depending on what they are up to, we either love them or hate them.
But either way, they are a source of inspiration.
Sometimes they inspire marksmanship and other times they inspire quilts.
This one made its way to a friend who is recovering from surgery.
AND, come this spring, it will make its way into the pattern shop!!
Depending on what they are up to, we either love them or hate them.
But either way, they are a source of inspiration.
Sometimes they inspire marksmanship and other times they inspire quilts.
This one made its way to a friend who is recovering from surgery.
AND, come this spring, it will make its way into the pattern shop!!
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
A Quilter on a Mission
Here are a few quilts my friend Mary V made from my book Simply Strings.
From left to right: Shantytown, Color Me Happy, and Horse Feathers.
And for the record, she made them all in less than 2 weeks!
Amazing.
And for the record, she made them all in less than 2 weeks!
Amazing.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Memory Quilt
Have you ever been tasked with making a memory quilt from baby clothing?
I recently faced this challenge.
A little bag of baby clothes arrived at my house, via my guy, with a request for a memory quilt. Of course, I was glad to be asked BUT the bag of clothes was all knits. Apparently babies are against cotton. They hate it. Only knits will do for their sweet-smelling snuggliness.
That was a year ago. One year of guiltily moving the bag out of my way, then moving it into the closet and finally shoving it into the deep, dark recesses of said closet. Knits. What was I supposed to do with all those knits.
Well, the time finally came when I could not put it off any longer. I was down to 3 days before I would see my guy's family and I knew they were expecting us to arrive with a quilt.
As it turns out, I work well under pressure. Even when it come to quilting with knits.
The 2 green prints were actually cotton, but the rest were either knit, fleece, thermal or sports jersey. There were also lots of cute little appliques, which all made their way onto the quilt. The only fabric I added was the background, backing and binding.
What do you think?
I recently faced this challenge.
A little bag of baby clothes arrived at my house, via my guy, with a request for a memory quilt. Of course, I was glad to be asked BUT the bag of clothes was all knits. Apparently babies are against cotton. They hate it. Only knits will do for their sweet-smelling snuggliness.
That was a year ago. One year of guiltily moving the bag out of my way, then moving it into the closet and finally shoving it into the deep, dark recesses of said closet. Knits. What was I supposed to do with all those knits.
Well, the time finally came when I could not put it off any longer. I was down to 3 days before I would see my guy's family and I knew they were expecting us to arrive with a quilt.
As it turns out, I work well under pressure. Even when it come to quilting with knits.
The 2 green prints were actually cotton, but the rest were either knit, fleece, thermal or sports jersey. There were also lots of cute little appliques, which all made their way onto the quilt. The only fabric I added was the background, backing and binding.
What do you think?
Monday, January 19, 2015
Polka Dotted Dresdens
I have this wonderful stack of dresdens. Polka dotted dresdens!
They have been sitting around here for almost 2 years.
I am think of putting them on a solid yellow background, but I am not sure.
I am also thinking of something fresh and fun and modern.
Hmmmm....
What would you do with them?
They have been sitting around here for almost 2 years.
I am think of putting them on a solid yellow background, but I am not sure.
I am also thinking of something fresh and fun and modern.
Hmmmm....
What would you do with them?
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Inspired by...
Anna Maria Horner's Mod Corsage workshop.
Improv piecing, broderie perse applique, free motion quilting, polka dots, Amy Butler and AMH fabrics, plus a few scraps...what's not to love about all of that! Such a fun and creative project. I am already thinking about making another one.
Improv piecing, broderie perse applique, free motion quilting, polka dots, Amy Butler and AMH fabrics, plus a few scraps...what's not to love about all of that! Such a fun and creative project. I am already thinking about making another one.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Low Volume
A work in progress.
It is coming along nicely.
I can't wait to show you how it turns out.
It is coming along nicely.
I can't wait to show you how it turns out.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
New for 2015!
There are a few new things happening around here these days.
New and exciting things!
Things for you, from me!
Number 1...
How about a newsletter?
Yes, that sounds good.
But how about a newsletter filled with things you want (not just advertising).
Free things. Inspiring things. Things to create. Things to enjoy.
Yes, that's the kind of newsletter I am talking about.
This year, I am going to focus on six different types of content:
Patterns
Mood Boards (fully editable and customizable)
Desktop (and Mobile) Backgrounds
Recipes
Tutorials
Pattern Reviews and Discounts
You can sign up for the monthly mailer HERE, if you are interested.
Number 2...
How about a new Block of the Month?
Yes, that sounds good too.
But how about a FREE BOM!
A free, string quilted, medallion style, mystery BOM.
That's the kind of project I am talking about.
One that can put quite a dent in your scrap basket.
You can find the intro and pattern for the first month HERE, if you are interested.
And you can grab the button right here:
Number 3...
How about a great new book?
Yes, that sounds good too.
How about a book about modern string quilting.
A book filled with patterns (12 of them) to decrease your scraps and increase your level of cozy.
Hopefully you have already heard about this book, but just in case you haven't:
I wrote it myself and you can get a copy of it HERE, if you are interested.
And finally, Number 4...
How about a FANTASTIC new house?
Yes, that sounds really good too.
But how about a HOME. A comfy, cozy little place on the central coast of California.
A place where a family can settle in and enjoy the changing of the seasons and the marching of time.
Together. With love and happiness and fresh eggs every day.
I have just the place for you, and you can check it out HERE, if you're interested.
(And yes, this is our home. We are looking to make a MAJOR change in our address. To start a new page and a new adventure in a new place. New. New, New. And a little old. Because you can't change everything. And who would want to? We will still be the same happy couple with the same time tested outlook on life and the same beloved small businesses. We will just be enjoying it all in a DIFFERENT place. A place where the changing of the seasons looks and smells a little different than here and where time still marches on, whether you want it to or not. And yes, the new place will still be filled with love and togetherness and fresh eggs daily, but our hens will be a lot more cold hardy!)
My friend Laura, of Dienzo Fine Art Photography, took these pictures of our home. You can find her HERE if you are in need of any amazing photography for yourself.
New and exciting things!
Things for you, from me!
Number 1...
How about a newsletter?
Yes, that sounds good.
But how about a newsletter filled with things you want (not just advertising).
Free things. Inspiring things. Things to create. Things to enjoy.
Yes, that's the kind of newsletter I am talking about.
This year, I am going to focus on six different types of content:
Patterns
Mood Boards (fully editable and customizable)
Desktop (and Mobile) Backgrounds
Recipes
Tutorials
Pattern Reviews and Discounts
You can sign up for the monthly mailer HERE, if you are interested.
Number 2...
How about a new Block of the Month?
Yes, that sounds good too.
But how about a FREE BOM!
A free, string quilted, medallion style, mystery BOM.
That's the kind of project I am talking about.
One that can put quite a dent in your scrap basket.
You can find the intro and pattern for the first month HERE, if you are interested.
And you can grab the button right here:
<div class="pieces-of-ranas-life-button" style="width: 125px; margin: 0 auto;">
<a href="http://www.sewnintothefabric.com/stringAlong.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.sewnintothefabric.com/Images/side%20bar%20150px/StringAlong1Button.jpg" alt="Pieces of Rana's Life" width="125" height="125" />
</a>
</div>
<a href="http://www.sewnintothefabric.com/stringAlong.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.sewnintothefabric.com/Images/side%20bar%20150px/StringAlong1Button.jpg" alt="Pieces of Rana's Life" width="125" height="125" />
</a>
</div>
Number 3...
How about a great new book?
Yes, that sounds good too.
How about a book about modern string quilting.
A book filled with patterns (12 of them) to decrease your scraps and increase your level of cozy.
Hopefully you have already heard about this book, but just in case you haven't:
I wrote it myself and you can get a copy of it HERE, if you are interested.
And finally, Number 4...
How about a FANTASTIC new house?
Yes, that sounds really good too.
But how about a HOME. A comfy, cozy little place on the central coast of California.
A place where a family can settle in and enjoy the changing of the seasons and the marching of time.
Together. With love and happiness and fresh eggs every day.
I have just the place for you, and you can check it out HERE, if you're interested.
(And yes, this is our home. We are looking to make a MAJOR change in our address. To start a new page and a new adventure in a new place. New. New, New. And a little old. Because you can't change everything. And who would want to? We will still be the same happy couple with the same time tested outlook on life and the same beloved small businesses. We will just be enjoying it all in a DIFFERENT place. A place where the changing of the seasons looks and smells a little different than here and where time still marches on, whether you want it to or not. And yes, the new place will still be filled with love and togetherness and fresh eggs daily, but our hens will be a lot more cold hardy!)
My friend Laura, of Dienzo Fine Art Photography, took these pictures of our home. You can find her HERE if you are in need of any amazing photography for yourself.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
D-O-N-E
I found a little time to do some machine quilting.
Both of these tops have been finished for a while, but I have not had a chance to get them quilted until now.
You might remember my Green Tea and Sweet Beans project that I started last spring.
And my Angela Walters-inspired project from earlier this year.
These have both become new favorites and I am glad to have them done!
Both of these tops have been finished for a while, but I have not had a chance to get them quilted until now.
You might remember my Green Tea and Sweet Beans project that I started last spring.
And my Angela Walters-inspired project from earlier this year.
These have both become new favorites and I am glad to have them done!
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