Bandwagon

Yes, I jumped on the DS Quilts bandwagon. There has been a lot of internet buzz over the past couple of weeks regarding this new line of fabric that Denyse Schmidt designed for release through Joann's. I saw a few pictures and the fresh colors and vintage inspired designs really appealed to me. Once I saw the dots and tiles, I really couldn't help myself. But I think my favorite print is this floral on blue texture.

This is a little snappy key chain pocket for my partner in the Pretty Little Pouch swap. It actually fits inside the larger-but-still-small pouch I already made.

Love those dots.

The color palette of red, white and blue with a little sprinkling of yellow/gold seems perfect for summer! I have a few other projects to finish up first, but it will be fun to play some more with this fun fabric!

Pillow Finish

I've been working on a bed quilt for Miss Bailey. After the blocks were pieced there were some scraps.

So I decided to make a pillow using a pattern in Modern Log Cabin Quilting. It was really easy and fun and I love how the top turned out.

I especially enjoyed stitching the "B" in the center block. Orange, of course. Her favorite color.

And now the pillow is all ready for her bed!

Now I just need to finish the quilting on the actual quilt!

Happy Easter

From our family to yours... wishing you a joyous Easter!

Modern Log Cabin Quilting

Fellow Portlander and PMQG member, Susan Beal has a new book out! It's truly lovely and I'm honored to have the opportunity to give you a peek into its pages.

As a self-taught quilter who is still learning (a LOT), I really appreciate Susan's very readable introduction to the history of the log cabin block along with its many variations. She not only highlights the different types of blocks but also the variety of layouts that can be done to achieve amazingly diverse patterns.

There are lots of wonderful projects in the book, each with beautiful photographs, clear instructions, and great ideas for personalizing each piece to reflect your own personality. I love how some of the projects (including the stunning quilt on the cover) challenge my idea of what a log cabin block could be. Here's another example of a bold modern look:

In addition to quilts, there are a number of smaller projects. The Color Story Pillow caught my eye and I was able to whip up the pillow top in record time using scraps from a quilt I'm making for my daughter.

I have plans to make this sweet little zip bag as well, using my prized Japanese prints.

And this bag is so fantastic - made using both the right and wrong side of a rich red corduroy to highlight the cross pattern.

Another thing that I really appreciate is Susan's encouragement to either follow the patterns as written or experiment with the different techniques to create versions that are truly your own. When I made the Color Story pillow top, I needed it to be larger than the pattern in the book and I was also limited by the scraps I had from the quilt top. But I love the way it turned out! You'll need to check back to see the completed pillow since I'm using the top as part of a demo later in the week!

You can check out more of Susan's crafty creations on her blog. And you can see more pictures of projects from the book in the flickr group for Modern Log Cabin Quilting.

If you're lucky enough to be in the Portland area this Thursday, Susan will be doing a presentation at the Portland Modern Quilt Guild meeting! More info over here.

Fun!

I'm participating in the Pretty Little Pouch swap over on flickr and this is what my partner will be getting in the mail.

The pouch is small - only four inches across! Let me tell you, getting everything turned right side out was no easy task! But I do enjoy a challenge and I love making small projects. Plus, I got to use a bunch of my bright polka dots (which my partner really likes!). And those owls...

The back has more owls, including the largest one who seems a little stern. Maybe he's protecting the contents of the little bag? The inside is fully lined with a nice bright lime green cotton.

Check out all the fun bags being made by the group. I can't wait to see what my partner makes for me!

Another finish

Here is my entry into Project Modern's second challenge: a monochromatic quilt.

Huge thanks to Jen Carlton Bailly for taking such awesome photos of the quilt!

This is a quilt I had been wanting to make for some time - an exploration of texture. The color palette is natural and there is a huge variety of fabrics that make up the quilt itself: 100% cotton, 100% linen, linen cotton blends, corduroy, flannel, kona crush, monks cloth, canvas, and dupioni silk.

Some blocks have an added textural element such as gathering, raw edges, pin tucks, or selvages incorporated into the piecing.

Quilting was done by hand using perle cotton in three different shades.

I'm thrilled with how this quilt turned out and I just wish you could all touch it and feel the variety of materials and textures for yourself!

It's been very exciting to see a few other quilts that PMQG members have made for this challenge, including Jill's - which WON!!! Thanks to the Modern Quilt Guild for sponsoring such a wonderful challenge!

Kids and Art

Lately, the kiddos have been very heavily invested in their art easels.

Specifically, the dry erase boards.

I think this is a self-portrait, although Owen just calls it a "happy person."

Bailey shocked us all the other day when she drew a rainbow with the colors in the right order. Then she did it again and named them all: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Not quite sure where she picked up that little trick.

And this is Owen's version of a werewolf. He's been very interested in monsters lately and all the rules that apply to them. He can tell you all about how Dracula can turn into a bat and fly, or how he sleeps during the day and only comes out at night, or how Frankenstein gets energy from lightning, or how the werewolf only changes into a "bad guy" at midnight with a full moon.

So, if you have any monster questions, just ask.

Soon

Very excited to show you what this stack of fabric turned into!

Very monochromatic, isn't it?

PNCA Quilt Show

Portland Modern Quilt Guild's first quilt show opens this Thursday! And this charm quilt I made from our first guild charm swap is going to be on display.

We would love to see you at the the opening reception of the quilt show during First Thursday, April 7 from 5:30 -7:30 pm at Pacific Northwest College of Art, 1241 NW Johnson St. The show will be displayed in Gallery 214; join us for snacks, drinks (including beer and wine) and quilt viewing but don't worry the dress code is casual.

If you're in the neighborhood pop on by and say hello!

Castle Peeps Quilt

Someone's checking out his new quilt!

I've been hanging on to my Castle Peeps fabric for awhile now. I only got fat quarter sets in the blue and green colorways because I knew I wanted to make a quilt for Owen and the red just didn't seem a good fit for him. I supplemented the Peeps with some Kona solids from my local quilt shop.

There are 660 squares that make up the twin size quilt top. Because I wanted a truly random placement I didn't do any strip piecing. That's a lot of squares to sew up! The quilting is a simple straight line on the diagonal. And even though it's hard to see in these pictures, I love the binding, which is a deep eggplant purple Kona. It matches some of the Peeps boots!

Here's the back, just some Moda yardage picked up cheap at the Fabric Depot outdoor sale last summer. If you look closely, you can see that the row of castles on the back looks upside down in this photo. That's so it can be turned down when the quilt is on the bed and be right side up, like you can see here.

And this is what makes it all worthwhile!