The other night, I cut out a new quilt. WOO HOO! My cousin Lynette's second daughter, Violet, hasn't yet gotten her Grandma Paper Doll Quilt yet and she's got to be nearing a year old, or maybe a little older. Here's a photo of the pieces; I'll post updates of its progress, highlighting some of the fun tools and techniques I'll be using as I go.

I fussy-cut the border-strip fabric to use in the centers of the blocks so there were two of the dolls in each block and I have two of each doll pair. The sketches at the top are only the rough drafts--I changed the colors right before I started cutting, which is funny because I was shopping for a blue and yellow print at the Quilt Festival for the blocks and ended up swapping the greenish daisy print for the blue. So here are the fabrics cut for the quilt. I'm really excited to get working on it, but I think I'm going to cut the Storm at Sea quilt pieces first. I've found that if I have pieces cut, I'm more likely to work on a project but somehow making the decisions and getting them cut is the part that's been holding me up. So I thought I'd cut a few quilts out (the Storm at Sea and my sister's Stack n Whack) and then, over the summer, I'd sew and sew and get them all done. Then I can start working on the quilting part.

The other day, I ran across a book from C&T Publishing called "A new light on Storm at Sea quilts" by Wendy Mathson. The quilt shop I visited previously, quiltfabric.com, mentioned the book on their site. In looking into it further, I noticed several things. First, it's a quilt I have considered making in the past, but the twist on this one is that there's a tool created to make the block easier to make and more accurate. I do love tools that let me piece a little less-than-perfect and still have everything fit together once you've trimmed the block. Then, after I bought the book, I discovered that my friend and former coworker Carol Zentgraf was a technical editor on it. And though I had always thought I'd do an off-center log cabin with the fabrics (like this one), I think this might be the answer to my newest quilt idea.

When I left McCall's Needlework, I'd just made a slipcover for a chair using a tulip fabric that I loved. It combined royal blue, purple, and a dark green with a teal blue tinge on an ivory ground with gold tipping. At that point, I started collecting fabrics to make a quilt based on that fabric's color combination. I've moved these fabrics from Birmingham to Northwest Arkansas to Chicagoland to Milwaukee to central Wisconsin and back to Milwaukee. And I think now might be the time to finally cut into them! Then, the remaining fabrics can be put in their correct color container and I can enjoy sleeping under a quilt that's been rolling around in my head for years.

So as I mentioned in my previous post, the quilt shop I managed in Florida had a Christmas in July 12 days of Christmas kit sale. Here are a few more of the projects we kitted.

This was a very easy project--a wine bottle bag. Simply sew a rectangle in place, box the bottom by folding in the corners, and voila. Made up in a fine Hoffman fabric, it was great.












The tree skirt was made up with another Hoffman fabric. Again, easy-peasy. We folded it into eighths, cut straight across to form the octogon, slit the back, cut the hole in the center and there it is!
A folded star ornament was two sided and made in a beautiful print (might it have been another Hoffman?). I really don't remember how it was made, but I remember being intrigued by it. I must have those instructions somewhere....


This snowman (the only one to be seen in Florida THAT year) was made of batting, sticks, knit fabric, and scraps. The pattern is obviously from The Quilted Rabbit (I can read that!) and it was quick and easy to make.




Another wall quilt from a pattern pack. Fused applique as before, whimsical, and again, quick and easy. I love the way the shapes have almost a cookie-cutter line to them--nothing too complicated.





And finally, a Christmas stocking. Shadow applique was used for the cuff--basically, you choose bright colors of fabric, fuse them to the undersurface, overlay it with a sheer fabric, put batting behind it for tuft, hand-quilt through the layers to outline around the appliques and add definition and detail, and then turn it into a cuff. I love the look of shadow applique--I really do want to explore it further, but I feel it's more appropriately used in small ways, like this stocking cuff instead of large ways, like as a block in a quilt. But that's my personal opinion.

So there it is, the 12 (okay, 11) days of Christmas sale from times gone by. Finding and scanning these photos has been fun for me--getting reinspired by ideas that were rolling around in my head back then.

Back in 1998, when I lived in Florida, I managed a quilt shop. In July, we ran a 12 days of Christmas in July promotion where we kitted and sold different projects each day. Once again, I ran across photos while organizing. I'm going to share some in this post and in a post in the next few days. I really loved creating these projects--some were purchased patterns that we bundled with fabric selections and others were a bit more random. So without further ado:

This one was hand-quilted using pearl cotton, I think, in appropriate colors. It was referred to as "quick stitch" or "big stitch" at the time--I can't remember which. This was a small wall banner--maybe 6 inches across and 16 inches long.








This was a Christmas panel we had in the store and coordinating fabrics. The bottom is a pocket for Christmas cards, stiffened with interfacing to keep it hanging upright.




For this little green wreath, we ordered green doilies, sewed them together around the center hole by machine, then turned it right side out, sewed along the edge of the lace, leaving an opening, stuffed it, hand-sewed the opening closed, and added a metallic bow and hanger.


Another pattern pack packaged with batiks and marbles. I loved this pattern. I wish I could remember who created the pattern, but I can't read that little type. It was a good-sized wall-hanging and all the pieces were fused in place.
This was one of the favorites -- we were the Beaches Quilt Shop, after all. We drew a palm tree, used a zebra stripe for the trunk, and hand-sewed little faux lights on the trees. Having been there for a Christmas, I saw first hand that the residents of the Beaches actually did decorate the palm trees in their front yards, and I thought it was the coolest thing! So this was a must-have.

Coming soon, the other days. So far, I've only found 11 of the 12 projects, so we might have to pretend. The 12th will turn up sooner or later, I'm sure.

Here's the third purse for the Camp Shaw fundraiser. As it turns out, this one was the greatest challenge, but challenging yourself is good for the mind and the creative spirit. As with the pink purse, this shirt was the perfect fit for this pattern--also from McCalls 5011. However, it's been a while since I sewed and I made a decision error with one of the materials on the list. It called for fusible interfacing (hair canvas). In my mind, hair canvas was a material I had used before for other purses--almost like a fine needlepoint canvas. However, when I was at the cutting counter, they didn't have that, so I bought a fusible interfacing that was fairly thick, about the thickness of felt but much stiffer. I should have realized it would be difficult to stitch through and that I should have trimmed it inside the seam allowances rather than having to trim it afterward just beyond the seamline. So this purse turned out fairly stiff--it can definitely stand on its own. I had the same challenge with this purse that I had with the back of the pink purse--the placement of the screen print meant some creative piecing, so this time I covered the seams with wide black rickrack.

But the greatest challenge was at the end. The way this purse goes together, the seam that remains unsewn for turning right-side out is the handle opening on both sides--that rounded triangular area. But then you have to hand-stitch along that opening, sewing the outer part (the t-shirt in this case) to the lining. That's really when I realized that the felt-like fusible stuff was a bad idea! I don't know how many times I stuck myself with pins and needles making those two pieces line up correctly. And stitching through that dense fabric was tough! But I persevered and finished the purses just in time to get ready for the fundraiser (and not a moment sooner!). They did turn out pretty cute, if I can say that about something I made without tooting my own horn.

Thanks, Deb, for the inspiration and the push I needed to get back to sewing and making things. It felt great!

So here's project two for the Camp Shaw fundraiser. When my sister gave me the smaller shirts, I didn't want to turn them into a second reversible tote--WAY too predictable! So I pulled out a few of my purse patterns and books and found a discontinued McCalls sewing pattern 5011. This pattern included instructions and patterns for three different-shaped purses and when I opened up the tissue pattern sheets and started looking at them, I noticed that one of them fit the screened area of this t-shirt perfectly! What are the odds? So it had to be turned into this handbag. I found the perfect ribbon to attach the bag to the handles and the perfect handles.

But then, when it came to the back of the purse, I realized there might be an challenge. The camp web address was positioned high on the back, which meant that I had to do something to position it properly on the purse. I set the screened portion low, since it was the only place it could fit, and I sewed another piece above it. I backed the pink ribbon with black ribbon and sewed it over the seam. I lined the purse with a mottled pink cotton that was almost a perfect match.

One tip: I did back all of the t-shirts with fusible interfacing. The cotton lining fabric will help to keep it from losing its shape.

I wrapped presents Friday night. At that point, I thought I was about 75% done with wrapping. Boy, was I wrong! Tonight, I sat down and did the rest of the wrapping and I think I'm actually done now. But I had two presents yet to make, so after the wrapping was complete, I sat down to make two sets of wine charms (which have since been put it no-need-to-wrap cute little boxes).

I'd ordered the charms MONTHS ago from Oriental Trading Co.--this summer, perhaps--and had divided them into two sets, one for my sister and one for my dear friend, since a party at her house triggered this whole project. At her birthday party in March, I realized she didn't have a set of wine charms (mostly because several guests asked) and she expressed a desire to have a set. So when I saw these two sets of charms: a beach theme and a travel theme (which I can't seem to find on their site), they seemed perfect for her AND for my sister. Both gals are definite travel buffs, but they also both really enjoy the sand between their toes. So tonight, Dec. 21, I finally got them made.

As you can probably tell from the photos, I used two different sizes of wire rings. Since I have both fine-stemmed and wide-stemmed stemware (so to speak), I figured having options was a good idea. And with such fun charms, they might decide to use the charms on margarita glasses or around the handles of coffee mugs or whatever.

I love to make personalized wine charms as gifts. I have a couple of sets I made for myself--one set showcases state-shaped charms of all of the states where I've lived along with a few extra charms. Another set was made with shrink plastic--I think this is a VERY fun idea for a small party of creative people, just precut the plastic into tag shapes (I used a die-cutting machine), have your guests draw a design and add his/her name, and then, the best entertainment of all, watching them shrink in the oven.

So I did it. I actually made a Christmas present--two, as it turns out! Just hope neither of them reads this before Christmas.....

I miss weekends like this! I'm in my flat this weekend--no commitments, no plans, and, don't let me jinx this, but focus and ambition. I've gotten a lot done today already--picked up things I needed this morning, home by 10 with lunch, window plastic, and a new mattress pad in tow and the oil changed in my Jeep (a task that was LONG overdue). So far, I've done a bunch of laundry, switched the bedroom over from its beach-themed spring and summer decor to its fall/winter black and copper leaf themed items. And I was able to get the plastic on the windows in the process. It was nice to see my bedroom decorated with things I made: the headboard I made using copper tubing, the quilt I made that inspired said headboard, wall art made to match, the tablecloth I turned into something resembling a canopy... There's much more of "me" in this decor than in the spring/summer stuff.

Before I share the plans for tomorrow, I want to share my friend's links.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen is offering Vintage freebie images for you to download and use in your art. Get started on those digi holiday cards using some of them.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Stitch a Simple Hanukah Menorah Motif for a card or ornament. Suitable for knitting or crochet projects too.

About Family Crafts
Do you play with clay? If so, please take a moment and share your favorite stories, projects, recipes, techniques, and more.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Mix up altered books, glitter, and teenagers, shake well, and voila! You have a fun day of art combined with writing.

Cathie Filian
Cathie has lots of Thanksgiving recipes, crafts and family activities posted. Plus tips for a smooth Thanksgiving!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Over at Craftside you can enter to win a Mixed-Media Doll by Linda O'Brien, Co-author of Who's Your Dada?, download a free intricate leaf paper cutting pattern, get a fun how-to on making a paper cupcake and a pretty pair of fall leaf earrings.

The Artful Crafter
Check out Eileen’s latest craft finds: lots of free stuff and free advice – well that’s usually free, isn’t it? LOL.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has finished a second Garden Quilt and is offering her tutorial!

The Crochet Dude
Drew kicks off the holiday season with a crochet pattern event!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Sweater Surgery attacks t-shirts and cuts them up into some cute gathered tops with the help of Generation-T Beyond Fashion

The Impatient Crafter
In this week's teen crafts blog for iLoveToCreate Madge makes a stunning mixed media necklace. You might just want to sport this one yourself!

As for Sunday, I'm hoping to get through the stuff in the dining room and living room. When I set up the quilting machine almost a year ago, I had to clear so much out of the sewing room, and I've got a bunch of papers from in there--patterns from the web, ideas torn from magazines, projects I want to make, etc.--that need to be sorted through, organized, and put into binders for easy accessibility. I figure I can watch old movies while I'm doing it, so that's my reward.

Then, when everything's together, I'll be able to make the projects in the containers in the dining room. Woo Hoo!

Mom notice that I haven't been blogging much lately. My creative time has been taken up with work and life, but I'm hoping to have some time to work on a project soon--maybe even tonight. I have some bedding to disassemble for Mini Murk's bedroom. Almost a year ago, her Momma asked me to help her convert the crib bedding set to a big-girl bedding set, so I'm going to start the disassembly process tonight. Every journey starts with a first step, right?

I just read an article on Oprah.com about what you could do if you weren't standing in your own way, basically. Martha Beck wrote it, and I keep saying I'm going to read or listen to one of her books--just haven't figured out which one I should start with yet, so suggestions are welcome if you've read any of hers. (Sadly, I might have one, or have had one, but I can't remember...) But that thought reminded me of my project from this weekend, so I thought I'd share.

As I've mentioned before, when I cleaned out the sewing room to put in the quilting machine, I created a pile of projects that I decided either got finished by Dec. 31, 2009 or left the house as supplies soon after. So the other day I realized I had a baby gift project that hadn't been given to said baby yet. I pulled it out, thinking that between the cake I needed to bake for the Father's day get-together at Mom and Dad's, and decorating that cake with my nephews, and going to Six Flags Great America on Sunday with my sister, her boys, and Rich, and dropping things off at my cousin's house, I might be able to complete this project and leave it with my Mom would surely wouldn't mind dropping it off to the baby in question for me. And as for my thoughts on how much time it would take, well, it was just a tied fleece blanket--how long could it take?

So after I didn't get it done Friday night or Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon, I pulled it out at 9:30pm (yes, 9:30pm, the PERFECT time to start a project, right?) at Mom's and got to work. My sweet, wonderful, and generous mother offered to help me with the tying once I got the fringe cut. My sister Alice offered to watch and cheer us on until she was too tired to keep her eyes open. So I cut the fringe and Mom and I sat at the kitchen table and got it tied. Getting that project finished took about 90 minutes on Saturday night. Yes, we were up until 11pm. But we talked and laughed and spent some time together, just us girls (or until Alice went to sleep, then it was Mom and I talking and laughing REALLY QUIETLY).

And why did Martha Beck's story on Oprah.com make me think of this project? Well, I think that that stack of boxes, bags, etc., has been daunting to me. So instead of spending some time working on a project in my spare time watching tv, I've been unsure of what to tackle, as few of these projects has a true deadline or a target date, aside from the 12/31/09 date that looms ahead. But now that I've finished the blanket, the relief of completing one project from my list and elimating one large bag from the stack of bags, boxes, and storage containers is really unmeasureable. And knowing that one new little farmer boy will have this blanket to roll around and nap on and curl up under when it's chilly and that my loving momma helped me work on it... well, that part is priceless. Now, it's on to the next project, whichever it may be. Maybe it's a good idea to get some of the quick ones done first, so that I can see real progress in the number of containers of supplies dropping and the number of containers of finished projects increasing or, in some cases, see those finished projects get delivered to their destination. What do you think: start on something that might not be completed for a week or more or knock out some done-in-a-night projects?

I kid you not, I was done shopping for fabric by the time Wednesday rolled around. I'd packed my fabric in a bag that I stowed in the rental car before Chandra and I went up into the mountains, driving over to Golden to see the sites. So as we wandered around downtown Golden, Colorado, we spotted the
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, but it was such a beautiful day and we had plans for lunch, so we couldn't check it out. However, across the street was Golden Quilt Company, and that would only take a minute, right? I found a few more pieces to add to my stash--they had some lovely batiks--and I was able to find space in my carry-on bag so I could bring them home with me instead of shipping a box back (which was starting to look like a very real possibility!).

So there you have it--the nine shops that I had a chance to visit on my trek to Colorado. It was my first visit to Colorado, and in addition to the shops, I had the chance to drive part way up Pike's Peak, stopped in Manitou Springs (quaint downtown, but no quilting I could find...), drove through Garden of the Gods, went into the mountains west of Denver, had lunch at Red Rock Amphitheater, went WAY up and took pictures from the mountains above Red Rock, had a lovely time catching up with friends and business at the board meeting, and shared some wonderful meals and great family time with Chandra and her amazing family.

Coming soon, progress on an actual project. I promise!

I braved it today, going into work, but I didn't make it a full day. Don't know what this illness is, but it's more powerful than I thought it was. And with the snow overnight and the wind chill of 9 below, I find being home in my slippers and jammies to be a pretty good place to be. I have a retreat tomorrow for work, so we'll see if I make it through tomorrow without needing a nap.

It's a snow day here--my snowman ornament (right) looks pretty happy about it too! I couldn't be happier (since I don't have to go anywhere), because I have so much to do here. Presents to wrap, soup to make, scarves to sew, cards to stamp, boxes to ship, laundry to do.... I know everyone's lives get pretty crazy this time of year, and I'm no exception. But I always try to remember why it is I'm doing what I'm doing.

Dinner out with friends isn't just another holiday obligation--it's the chance to catch up and spend time in each other's company, hopefully alleviating some of the stress that we're all experiencing this time of year.

Spending time with family is the same--not an obligation but a wonderful opportunity to reminisce, build new memories, and reconnect with your roots.

Making things ties into that as well. I know that most of the people I make gifts for really appreciate them. And for those who don't, they make a good show of it. And some of the things I make get donated to those in need. In fact, the aforementioned "scarves to sew" will all go to a shelter. When I ran across fleece remnants at Joann's the other day, I couldn't pass up the colors or the price (hurray for remnant pricing!). So for a very small investment in fabric and time, I'll be able to whip up a bunch of scarves for the hat, scarf, and mitten tree at work. They were supposed to be due today and delivered today, but since we're closed due to snow, I have to believe that I can show up with them on Monday and I won't be too late. If I am, I'll just take them over to the shelter myself.

So much to do, so I'd better get at it. And oh, by the way, Mr. Potato Head spent Thursday safe and sound in the office.

On my Friday off, I made a bunch of cards (not enough, but a bunch). I wanted to make more, but after the clock passed midnight, I had to stop. I'd watched several Christmas classics while I worked on them, and always find something amusing that I hadn't noticed before in those movies (more later).

About the card inspiration: I went to a stamping party a week ago and got so excited about making cards that I decided to make cards for some of my friends. I used some decorative papers, figured out how to use my Fiskars Shape Boss Ultimate Embossing System, played with some stamps, and mixed some paper colors. I'm all about making multiples this time of year, so I made about a dozen of each card, swapping out colors as I went along. I've got more to make, and I'll be experimenting more in the coming week.

As for the old movies, I was watching Miracle on 34th Street and at the end, Susan runs into the house and her mother says something like "Susan, you know you shouldn't run in other people's house." Seriously, if the kid opened the door of a stranger's house and walked or ran in, wouldn't you think that there'd be more important things to discipline her for than for running in the house? Yes, it was late at that point, but really, I couldn't stop giggling over the idea that that was what the kid was getting in trouble for. And that's when I realized it was time to get some sleep.

And though I didn't get some of the other projects done, my high-school buddies who gathered for lunch on Saturday were pleased that I made some cards. After all, doesn't everyone need some all-occasion cards for those last minute "thinking of you" cards?

No, my Christmas tree still isn't decorated, but the house is clean. Unfortunately, the sewing room got a little cluttered in the picking-up process. My plan for New Years Eve, Day, and the next weekend is a total re-org of the sewing room. I might even take that Friday off and have 4-1/2 days to do a full-blown drag-everything-out-and-get-rid-of-some-things weekend. I know, it's a fabulous life of glamour that I lead, isn't it?

Welcome to my blog! Isn't that how everyone with a new blog starts? It's technically not my first blog, I previously had a blog with the magazine I worked on, but when we decided not to move forward with the magazine, my blog went with it. I've missed blogging about my projects, creative and otherwise, and hearing from my blogging friends, so here we are--my new blog. I'll be sharing some of my previous musings in backdated posts (to give you the proper frame of reference), as well as adding regular new offerings, so stay tuned. And leave a comment so I can get to know everyone who's coming by to visit.

Thanks for stopping by!

When I was on the Sharon Sews site the other day, her "Flashback Fridays" (Sharon's sewn clothes through the decades) postings got me thinking about a project I've had on hold for a while now.

Mother Nature once again sprinkled her favorite city—Milwaukee—with a powdery dusting of magical wonder...

Oh nevermind the poetic phrases... 10-14 inches of snow dropped on the Milwaukee area Friday. No, I'm not kidding. Winter 2007/08 now ranks #2 in the snowiest winters on record in Milwaukee—95.4 inches. Winter of 1885/86 is unfortunately still within striking distance at 109.8 inches, I suppose. It's getting less pretty. Wednesday and Thursday of last week you could actually see dirt and dormant grass. Someone said they had bulbs sprouting in the backyard. Now, it's all white again. Lots of white.

But there are upsides to this winter wonderland! Being pseudo-snowbound gave me some downtime. My sewing machine was in for a timing issue, but the shop had graciously provided me with a loaner, thank goodness. So I was able to make some progress on some projects.

One was that quilt I started back before the snow started falling this year. I finally decided that a king-size quilt shouldn't be the first project I attempt to quilt on a quilting machine, so I had that monster machine quilted. The woman who quilted it did a lovely job and called last week to let me know it was ready. I sewed on the binding Saturday and delivered it on Easter. Woo hoo!

In addition, I made a set of beaded serving utensils for the quilt recipient. (Nothing like just-in-time gift making. I was a few projects behind.) I got the idea from Make It Mine magazine. Though it's not published anymore, you can still buy a back issue.

What a great weekend! First, I found some amazing clothing deals around town. I had to alter one of the skirts (last of its kind) and shorten one of the dresses, but that just motivated me to do the same with a few things that had been tossed into the sewing room to be altered, so the bonus is now I have a few more items back in my closet and out of the sewing room.

The underlying reason for this spree was that my blogging friends have helped me with one of my pledges for this year. Lest you've forgotten, at the end of 2007, I was involved in Ornament Thursday. This blogger exchange involved a bunch of creative gals, and several Thursdays in December, we posted Christmas ornaments on our blogs. I got so many great ideas visiting the other blogs and made some new friends and magazine contacts along the way! So this same creative group decided we should keep it going with one post a month. The posts will be themed, with the "Ornament" part really being the origin of the group--so anything goes as far as the finished piece! (Of course, once the holidays draw near again, we'll go back to ornaments and increase the frequency.) So one of the garments (can't tell you more than that right now) will be my first Ornament Thursday posting! Be sure to check in this Thursday (the fourth Thursday of each month) and see what everyone has going on!

And by the way, lesson learned: When a care tag on a knit garment says, "hang to dry", it probably doesn't mean, "tumble dry low". Luckily, rewetting immediately after noticing the loss in length, a some gentle tugs to the bottom of the dress, and hanging to dry seems to have corrected my error, though it's still drying in the basement because thick knit hanging dry doesn't happen in two hours--even with the fan set on high! Perhaps next time, the better solution is to launder first THEN shorten! Or actually paying attention to the care label...

It's amazing what you can get done when you 1) turn off the television and 2) pledge to accomplish something. I got on a bit of a binge Thursday night and it carried through to the weekend. Okay, this might be a rambly story, so get cozy. It started Thursday night, the night the snow started at 4:50 p.m. My evening plans to hang out with a cutie patootie 2-year-old changed because her Dad's appointment got cancelled. So I was planning to work late until I noticed that the snow had started. Why that seemed to trigger a "let's hit the highway" thought, I have no idea, as it's never the best idea to leave the office the minute the snow starts because the highway home is always slow-going because everybody else had the same idea! But I had a book-on-tape to accompany me, so I departed. Though the commute was, in fact, slow, I got home at 6, which was much early than I've gotten home in a while.

As I spend some quiet time at home this holiday weekend (greatly needed quiet time), I'm actually doing a little reflecting, taking stock of my life, if you will. (There's a great line about "taking stock" from Grosse Point Blank, one of my favorite movies that I hope to indulge in this weekend, but I digress.) More specifically, I'm taking time to reflect on the flurry of activities this past month, the time spent with friends and family, and the treasures beneath my tree.