savoy019

I am so glad to have two sets of the nine blocks finished for this latest project.  They are not quite identical, but are very close, but the backgrounds are different. Now comes the hard part for me...having to pick out more fabrics for finishing...ugh.  Not my favorite thing.  I have been buying more 1/4 and 1/2 yard pieces for applique so sometimes I am more limited on longer yardage needed for borders cut with the straight of grain, which is my preference.  Every time I pick something I love, there just isn't quite enough there. I auditioned so many fabrics for the sashing, cornerstones, and two of the three borders. For this block set, I settled on this black with fun spots for the sashing and a favorite fabric that is quickly disappearing for the cornerstones. I think the cornerstones and at least one of the borders will be different for the second set. One border on both quilts will feature a couple of, hopefully, humorous phrases.  I've been working on p...

I LOVE it when my blog readers share your creations inspired by my patterns and blog!  I often wonder what happens to my patterns when I ship them off into the wide, blue 'yonder (or they are received digitally).   Do people store them away like I do, like a squirrel putting precious nuts away for later?  Or do they dive right in. Here are three quilts from quilters who dove right in... The above picture of "Baltimore Rhapsody - Symphony" was made by Val Ursulak of Nanaimo, B.C., Canada.  She is in an applique group of forty-three ladies who have been meeting together for ten years (I am actually drooling at this point...).   Her husband is a musician and currently a member of an large ensemble.  Val told me that he took each finished block to rehearsal to show the other musicians as she was working along. I love her little changes in design and color...just take a gander at the peacock on the tuba!   She is entering the quilt in the C...

There are times when a burst of creativity happens and I quickly jump in with both feet before it fades.  Usually the burst of creativity only takes me just so far into a project before the "window of otherness" closes.  Sigh.   I then put these partially started creations aside.  Sometimes it is just a drawing, sometimes I actually get to the freezer paper bit stage.   If I am lucky, before the window closes, I have actually chosen fabrics and ironed the patterns to the small pieces of fabric (choosing fabrics is the most time-consuming step for me).  Then the outside world closes in again.  I usually try to get to this point before the magic fades because then I can glue prep the pieces as I have time.  No creativity needed for this step.  My OCD kicks into action. Glue prepping is mindless at this point...I could do it in my sleep. Sometimes it is months or even years before I get back to things. About 8 months ago, I put a small...

  I am beginning to want more light when I am sewing.  I'm not equating this with advancing age, mind you.  I just used to be stupid. It seems like someone was always bugging me about reading and sewing in better light.  Now I need to take that advice. Sewing machines, old or new, never have enough light.  Either my old Singer Featherweight or the newish Genome, it's still the same.  I like the LED lighting on the new machines, but there is too little of it and it never seems to illuminate what I am doing. I have started rear lighting my sewing machine to illuminate my whole sewing platform table.  I love the extra work space at throat plate level, but the machine light only shines, barely, on the presser foot. I usually end up placing my tabletop Ott light near my sewing machine.  I have tried a couple of those little lights that attach to the machine, but they are inadequate as well. I have also stopped putting up with an inadequate light box....

Do any of you collect quilt pins?  I love to find them at shows, quilt stores, stash dashes, etc.  I have also been gifted some nice quilt pins and charms. I want to do something special with them, but something that also allows space for more collecting. And then, how to support the weight of all of them?  Do I keep those pinch clips on the back?  If I used a corked background I could just stick them in and store the backs somewhere else. I also have some brass, 6-inch bell pull hardware.  Maybe I could make a long slender quilted or unquilted fabric piece to fit.  The heavy, bottom, second brass piece would keep the 6-inch strip from twisting and warping. Then I poked around Pinterest for ideas. Nancy Zieman suggested a bag. I like the simplicity of the banners. Doing a covered cork background in an antique mirror or picture frame is also a good idea. Hey!  Finally a good thing to do with plastic canvas! Another banner... Another mirror frame... A la...