Sister's Choice - Its a Finish!

First finish of 2015.  52 x 52 inches.

A happy customer! Miss Nyah Rose, at 10 days old.
Looks like she'll have lots of growing room!

The Minky backing is soft and cuddly.

Two Finishes, Two UFOs

Halloween is just 10 days away; this UFO needs a border and a finish STAT!

My first on point project.  It won't be for sale -  it'll be made by Chris for Chris.  

Hot Pepper Hot Pad is below.  Note hand stitched binding.  

Is it ready for Etsy alone, or does it need a mate?

 The following are already posted in my shop.

Food fabric place mats (6).

Food fabric mug rugs (6).

Now back to my runner...time's a wastin'. :)

Sister's Choice with Border

Did some stitching this weekend.  In the end, I pieced the border - which provided just the right frame and balance.  The bottom border came out 1/2" shy, so I'll make adjustments before attaching.   Once complete, this little quilt top will be a perfect - and I do mean PERFECT - square.  Should make a nice 52" baby blanket.

The Return of Sister's Choice

This project is jinxed! 

Was going to use orphan blocks in a table runner.  Then I decided to make a baby quilt.

It won't lay flat.  Drat!
And I've fallen out of love with my border fabric.  Double Drat!
I have another fabric I love, but only a fat quarter.   Triple Drat!  LOL

I'm typing this post from an airport as I wait for a delayed flight.  They say quilters are required to purchase fabric in every state they visit.  Perhaps I'll find the perfect fabric in Colorado!  :)

AccuQuilt Contest - Prizes for Voting!

Have You Heard???

AccuQuilt is having a block design contest.  

You can win prizes for your designs, or win prizes just for voting!

Click HERE for full details.

Here are some of my entries (so far):

Star Rail 

Out of all my entries, Star Rail is doing the best so far.

Blue Owl

Brother's Choice 1

Hawaiian Pink Pineapple - One of my personal favs!

Radiant Star in Yellow plus variations called Reds & Blues, and Platteville Star (orange and blue).

Target on Point

Inspired by viewing my son's targets without the benefit of my glasses!

True Blue Log Cabin

Scrappy Star

Tulips in Star

Tulips in Star in Yellow

I won't ask you to vote just for my blocks - but I certainly wouldn't mind if you did!  

Actually, you can vote for ALL your favorites - there's no limit.  You just can't vote for the same block twice in one day.  But you CAN vote daily.  In fact, you can enter or vote through May 27th.  GOOD LUCK to all who enter and vote!

Design work is cutting into my already limited sewing time and there's a list of UFOs a mile long just waiting to be wrapped up and posted on Etsy.

Gosh, I think I hear my Janome calling me now....  :)

Chris

Fabric Shopping in Hawaii

I recently visited the Discount Fabric Warehouse on Kauai, in Lihue, Hawaii. Had hoped to visit a couple quilt shops in the area, but they were further away than they looked on the map, and besides....we got lost. But we were not disappointed!

This colorful quilt greeted us at the front door.  I knew immediately this was gonna to be good.  Although we just wandered in without an appointment, staff were friendly and accommodating - even treating me to a personal "trunk show" and allowing pictures of everything.

I presume this piece was done to illustrate paper piecing techniques.  Very colorful.  One thing I can say about Hawaii - you won't see any Civil War Era fabrics.  Lots of bold, beautiful hues.  In fact, I even saw tropical themed fleece.  Not one woodsy snow scene to be found.

They have a nice selection of Asian prints at the Kauai store.  There are stores in Hilo, Kona and Maui too.

I'd have been happy to take home a few bolts of batik fabric, but I don't think the TSA would have appreciated my extra luggage.  Good thing I can order more (and you can too) at:

GotFabric.com

I've never been a big fan of orange, but isn't it striking against the teal in this quilt?  Stunning.

I like to alternate simpler projects with more detailed projects.  This is a great beginner quilt project and gives life and movement to a monochromatic quilt.  Great fabric selection!

I know this pattern as Sawtooth, but the quilt is titled "Buzz Saw."  All of the quilts pictured here were done by the same Erika Hessheimer.

Ms. Hessheimer has a knack for selecting just the right backing fabric, and makes her own labels.  What a nice finishing touch. And look at that perfect binding.

They sell a lot of embroidery programs, and the following three pieces show some of the things you can do with them.  Flowers...

texts of various styles and sizes,

 ...and a lot of other fun stuff!

This modified sampler quilt in island colors is bright and cheerful.

This example demonstrates how one design can be re-sized for different applications.

Batik traveling stars with an Asian print backing.

This quilt pattern gives the appearance of being interwoven.  I like how the color gradient and size of the pattern goes from smaller and lighter to darker and larger.  And what a lovely backing.

And the coup de gras - my personal favorite - a Hawaiian print Whack & Stack, with a brilliantly colored pieced border.

Here are my favorite stars - the fire star...

 ...and the flower star that resembles a beautiful lei.

When I asked what products or patterns could I find there - that would NOT be available on the mainland, I learned the blue print in the Whack & Stack was one made for and sold only in Hawaii.  Of course, I had to have some!  So I bought a couple of yards in red.

Eye candy!  I'll have to think a long time about what to do with it before cutting. Below is my other purchase, not specific to Hawaii, but I've been into roosters lately, and after seeing them all over the island of Kauai, this kit seemed fitting.

Here's the real McCoy. This picture was snapped a block or two from the fabric store.  LOL

Other products of interest were Hawaiian pillow kits, suitable for machine embroidery (most kits are for hand embroidery only) and an excellent selection of blender fabrics.  I must thank the kind folks at Discount Fabric Warehouse for their assistance and hospitality.  

Thanks too, to my ever-patient hubby who not only accompanies me to quilt shops, but takes the time to look them up and plan them into our trips.   He's a keeper! :)

Quilt Retreat Synergy

I did some quilting for the second time since I moved in September.  I completed two and half blocks for this spring-hued lap/wall quilt.  Above I'm auditioning fabrics for the alternate blocks.  Will need to find a nice outer border.  Working with spring greens has boosted my winter-weary spirits.

Sue W. is using up stash.  In this Amish-style quilt she's using her solids.  My favorite block is the pink and red pinwheel star in the far right column.  Love the contrast!

Here Sue laid out a Christmas BOM she's assembling.  Such beautiful fabrics and applique.  My photo doesn't do it justice.  The inner red border will frame it up nicely,, and the green outer border will provide a place for the eye to rest.  Sue's a talented lady!

Other quilters departed before I could snap a pictures of their work.  

The synergy of this retreat was my biggest takeaway.  All the energy and ideas in one room helped me get my quilting mojo back.  Within the week I'll be getting rid of some extra furniture, so I can finally set up a proper sewing room again.  Only then will I truly feel this house is a home!  :)