A Peek Inside

On any given day I can be found surfing flickr, reading blogs, and looking at crafty magazines and books.  I love soaking it all in never knowing what direction inspiration will take me.  Then in my sleep (or sometimes in the shower) all these images and ideas get mixed together and I have an idea, a direction, a starting point.  Let me take you on a tour of my current obsession.

This is a plate that I've had for a couple of years.  I love the warm, summery, saturated colors.  This is a color pallete that I wouldn't come up with on my own, but I *really* love it.  I've been saving it as an inspiration piece.  It keeps returning to my thoughts like a cd that keeps skipping.

One night, I was reading an interview of Kaffe Fasset and I was particularly moved my his Stripescape quilt.  It was followed quickly with a compulsive purchase of these shot cottons.  Left to Right: Pea Soup, Veridian, Magenta, Clementine, Prune, Navy, Cactus

That same night, I found myself pondering these stripes and linear shapes.

1. Stripescape by Kaffe Fassett, 2. weekend forecast ..., 3. mondrianesqueishpdxstyle .54

I started playing with a random stripe generator and came up with this: 

Some of my inspiration quilts are here, here and here.  I am thinking of sewing long strips of random(ish) heights together, then cutting them across the strips, and staggering them.  I like the idea of playing with scale and shape.  I don't know if it want it saturated with color or if I want to add some white too.  I need to go play and see what the fabric says.  : )

Sometimes I feel like I'm taking an immersion quilting course not knowing where I will end up.  There are so many interesting paths to explore.  I admire so many quilters whose style I recognize without introduction.  I am not in that place yet.  I have so much to learn and so much to do before I can find what is mine.  Show me your modern, contemporary, traditional, scrappy, wonky, color coordinated, bold, soft, single fabric line, hand picked, quilt kit, quilt pattern, sashed in white, lined in linen, dotty bordered quilts and I will show you me. 

-A

Swappin' and Summerin'

I joined my first two swaps last month and had so much fun.  I found them to be a little nerve wracking and a little addicting.  I hear that it comes with the territory.  ; )

First up, a Scrappy Pincushion Swap.  I had some performance anxiety making this.  It's hard to make something special for someone you don't know.  I had a very specific image in my mind of what I wanted to make.  It turned out *almost* as I saw it in my mind.  This is what I sent my partner who likes Red, Linen and Letters...

I also joined a Siggy Swap.  I sent in 101 signed quilt blocks and I will receive 100 different signed blocks from all over.  The lovely and patient Julie organized this.  She will use one set of blocks for a charity quilt.  I used Laurie Wisbrun's Tufted Tweets and Amy Butler's Love for my blocks.

A TIP:  A strip of painters tape underneath will stabilize your fabric so you can write on it.

June brought a lot more summerin' and a lot less craftin'.  Sprinklers, iced tea, gardening, painting, picnics in the backyard, sandcastles, squirt guns, BBQs, ice cream, popsicles, movies, staying up late, and road trips.

I'm thinking about more pincushions, a faux smocked sundress for Little Miss and Kaleidoscope quilts.

Catch ya later,
-A

Abracadabara

Abracadabara, Ziggety Zoom

I magically changed my Arcadia Honey Bun for these gorgeous fabrics.

1) Botany charm pack from Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew
2) Tufted Tweets and a Kona Roll-Up from Julie of Jaybird Quilts
3) Daisy Chain from Kaye if Miss Print

I can't wipe the silly grin off my face.  Thank you so much!!  : )  That was so much fun visiting all those blogs from all over.  I can't wait for the next Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day. 

I traded my husband a guys night out tonight, for an all day sew fest for me tomorrow.  That's fair right??  I'm plan on working on the Brick House quilt, and hopefully starting a Kaleidoscope quilt too.  I'm using Happy Campers for that one.

Have a great weekend!!  : )
-A

On the Design Door: Happy Blocks

Design Door you say?  Yes, you read that right.  I traded my nice flannel sheet on the wall for some double stick tape and the pantry door.  The kittens kept climbing the flannel and I had to take it down.  Naughty kittens!  I was too excited to wait and share what I've been up to.  I made some brick house blocks last night.  I've been calling them Happy Blocks.  I love their bright chunky colors!!

My daughter thought this was great fun and added the "terrific" sticker (lower left).  Now the only thing that didn't go as planned was the rotation of the blocks.  Again I was up late and my square is supposed to be on the right.  So, counter clockwise, instead of clockwise.  That's ok, minor detail right??  They're going to be sashed with lots of white.  Georgia... did you hear that??  *sashed*  ; )  Oh dear, not the easiest thing for me to do.

Excuse me while I go peel the tape off the door.
-A

Flock of Geese and Tangled Bobbins

I've got some Geese to share with you...

Usually I piece blocks together in long rows, then join the rows in pairs, then join the pairs together until I have a completed top.  These blocks are small (2" x 4.5") and honestly a little wonky.  I'm afraid to trim them too much because I don't want to loose any points.  I'm going to put them together in groupings of 12 geese and then join and trim those together.  I hope it works out ok.  I think I bit off a little more that I could chew.  I've got some wonky, bias stretching, ironing instead of pressing thing going on with the white triangles.  They are deceivingly tricky.  I still have so much to learn!!  : )

Winding bobbins at midnight and I get this...

What in the heck?!?  I finally got one good one after fiddling around.  Rethreading, powering off, then on, presser foot up, then down.  I have no idea.  I've never had a problem before.  I think my sewing fairy was reminding me it was time for bed.

-A