Arrowhead Baby Quilt

Arrowhead Baby Quilt

Making another quilt for a teacher at the schoolhouse, requested in turquoise and navy.  I found a picture on Pinterest (the time bandit of all time) that seemed just right, and in line with my goal to learn to follow a printed pattern and learn new techniques this year.


Initial K Studio Arrowhead Quilt

Yesterday, I attended the Valley Modern Quilt Guild Sew-In where I accomplished much, so now I'm piecing the rows together. Should be done at the end of the weekend.  I'll post!

Modern Quilting Joy

I can't believe I posted last January my goal of posting one time per month, but I actually have posted NOTHING since.  My new modern quilting exploration turned into a full-blown obsession that occupies my every non-working moment, in addition to exploding into every room in my house, including errant threads, pins, fabric bolts, books, magazines, and UFOs (now I know it stands for Unfinished Objects).  So that's my lame excuse, so I'll try to do better.

So, highlights of the year - or the tale of my addiction.

Craftsy class introduction to Jaquie Gering became my gateway drug to the world of modern quilting so I started stalking the blogs of modern quilters.

Some of what I made last year, and some pictures from our meeting.  I'll give details later, but now I'm off to the meeting tonigh!

 Queen Size quilt

 Fireworks for the Veenkers

 Falling Upward for Beth

 Baby quilt for teacher based on books by Roal Dahl

 Loving Lyla

 Journeys baby quilt on design wall

Bird on a wire (made 3 in different colors)

 Ruby's Walk (my dogs sitting blanket)

Joyful Path (baby blanket)

Quilt Emporium, local quilt shop owner, gave me a flyer for a trunk show by Alissa Haight Carlton, the founder of the Modern Quilt Guild.  "You should come. You would love her work."  So I bought her book, made a modern quilt, went to the show, took pages of notes on the movement that is still so new.  On fire, I began experimenting (most of it bad), making and making and making.

Now when you have a desk job, and quilting becomes your obsession, it isn't great for the cardivascular system, so I will need to add that to my do-better this year list too.

Then the QE owner invited me to a secret meeting over the summer to discuss founding a Valley Modern Quilt Guild, and we did. Somehow I heard myself volunteer to be the Vice-President alongside the other much more experienced and inspirational people in the room.  We planned all summer, then in September had our first meeting with over 40 people in attendance.  In one meeting we outgrew the QE store back room, so my dear friend who is a principal of High-Tech High Los Angeles offered to host the meetings in her beautiful school. Our October meeting burst into color with 50+ attendees and new members, a quilt challenge, showcase, and basket give-away.

I've attended two Sew-Ins (I didn't even know what that meant three months ago), and now I want a Featherweight Sewing Machine. How cool is this protable machine?!

Tonight is our November meeting, and I'm still in awe of the women and men that create and make for those they love. I can't wait to see what they have created.  I can't wait to learn some of what they know.  I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Back to blogging Farmer's Market Bag

It's been a year and a half since my last blog post, but on Christmas Day, my sister told me I should post about the stuff I've been making.  Since, she is my older sister, I pretty much am obligated to follow her directive, plus I'm pretty sure she is my only reader.  :)  So, this post is dedicated to all the creative MAKERS in my family.  See below the result of our 2014 Family Market Christmas exchange (We wait until mid January, so everyone can attend, and travel to be together). Everyone brought their homemade goodies to share. I made bags to carry the swag.


This year, I went on a quilting rampage, making baby quilts for every pregnant teacher at the schoolhouse, totaling 7, plus one for my granddaughter, one for my dog Ruby, and one for a niece inspired by fireworks.  I  discovered the genius of master teacher Jenny Doan, the inspiration behind Missouri Star Quilt Company, which led to online master classes at Craftsy, and introduced me the brilliantly talented modern quilter, Jaquie Gering, who calls herself a MAKER!  So it's been a year of inspiration, learning new skills, and so much making that I didn't have time to blog about making.  So there it is, my sister.  Oh, and along the way I made lotions and soaps, and fell in love with a new Blendtec Blender.... So lots of blogging fodder in the future, if I have the time.

My return to blogging 2015 is an ode to MAKERS and a tutorial on how to make a Farmer's Market Bag.  The Farmer's Market was the brain child of my niece, Carrie, or as her husband refers to it as the Family Bizarre.  So early on I said I would make market bags.  Then I discovered Jaquie Gering, and needed to practice modern quilting, so the projects emerged. I'm in the process of finishing fourteen bags, so here is a tutorial instructions (I took pictures of the process, but now can't find them!)

1.  Purchase bolt of heavy canvas
2.  Cut 21" (make one cut with scissors and tear with two hands, then remove the strings) so that you have a 21" x 54" piece of canvas.
3.  Cut off 9" off folded piece so that you now have a 21" x 42" piece of canvas. Set aside the extra pieces to use later.
4.  Cut two (2) 4" wide strips.
5.  Fold under the top part of bags a half inch and top stitch.
6.  Sew the strap together.
7.  Optional:  quilt the center piece and attach a label
8.  Open up main section of the bag and draw 2 chalk lines on the right side of the fabric 7 inches in from the sides.
9.  Sew the strap onto the bag by centering your handle across the bag on the chalk lines and pin.  Sew the handle down on the bag continuing out on handle area on both sides of the handle piece.
10.  Sew pocket to the inside of one side.
11.  Fold your bag in half right sides together. Sew a seaam down each side and then sigsag seam.  Or you can sew wrong sides together, then turn and sew a second seam - "French Seam".
12.  Make a 4" box bottom on both corners.

Some of the bags for Family Market, inspired by fabrics and individual's interests.

My grandkids call me "Honey" -  slice and insert technique with diagonal matchstick quilting.

Beyonce, the giant metal chicken painted with oils by my husband, and free form quilted.

 Giraffe slice and insert with parallel line quilting on the pocket front.

 Western roping and riding slice and insert piecing, with diagonal parallel line quilting on the pocket front.

 Super Nova Gering inspired flip technique, with radiating lines and pebble quilting.

 I love PINK Crazy piecing and parallel lines quilting.

 My garden is amazing - canning and vegetable crazy piecing, with matchstick quilting.

 I Love the Islands - tropical flower slice and insert piecing with parallel line quilting.

 Family Market explodes in Great-Grandma's (GG) living room.

Homemade Laundry Detergent, Hibiscus Kombucha, Aromatic Bitters, Vodka (shhh)

 Apricot, three berry, grape jellies (my husband!), "F-Balm" chapstick, shell ornament, monogrammed tea towel, sugar scrub, bird's nest wire necklace (my son Ryan!) "Happy Camper" Doterra spray and lip balm.

 More preserves, Sourdough bread (my son Kevin!) and starter mix so we can all do more baking.

Friendship Soup!

Can't wait to see what the family makes this year!  May your year be filled with creativity and making.  My New Year's resolution - blog once a month, and keep on MAKING!

I will share this post with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday!

wonderful Before and After for this Met Monday!

- See more at: http://betweennapsontheporch.net/preparing-the-yard-for-landscaping/#sthash.s3yHuXZo.dpuf

California Celebration for Carlee & Max

Updated post:

Carlee added photos that she took of her special party.  Since this party, a good friend used the candle sticks, table cloths, dishes, etc. for an outdoor shower. It is fun to share what we created.

Shower a friend gave, using dishes, tablecloth, runners, etc.  Love her use of lavender and herbs running down the center of the table.


Carlee and Max got married July 6, 2013 in Katy, Texas. So, we threw them a California Celebration when they visited us on August 3, 2013. The reception held in Grandma's backyard, "Roadtrip to Forever" came together with the help of family and friends. Here are some pictures.

 

 

 

Now for some of the prep.