Spontaneous Quilt

Often, the quilts I make appear out of nowhere, unplanned, not anticipated.  I did not start this week planning to make this little quilt but that is what happened.

I had to go to JoAnn Fabrics on Monday to buy some webbing for strap handles for a bag I will be making next week (more about that after it is made!)  Of course I had to browse around the store, 50% off coupon in hand.  I saw the book, "Simply Retro" by Camille Roskelley, featuring traditional quilt blocks using modern fabrics.  I bought the book.

At home, I pulled some pretty, fresh fabrics in rosy pink, green and turquoise from my stash.  I also conveniently had 3 yards of white with a tone on tone little star (no recollection of where or why I bought it.)  I began cutting and sewing happily using my "new" Singer Featherweight.

By yesterday afternoon I had nine 12" Churn Dash blocks which I will sew together and machine quilt to make my little Spontaneous Quilt.

Farmer's Wife

Since last fall I have been working on the Farmer's Wife Quilt.  I am hand-piecing it.  It is my go-to, take-along travel project.  I always have one of these on hand.  I have made over 50 blocks so far.

Skirting the Issue

On Friday I got together with my sewing buddy, Linda, to participate in a skirt sew-along hosted by Stitched in Color.  The free pattern is by Anna Maria Horner and so is the fabric I used.  The pattern calls for a yard and a half of a lightweight fabric and an equal amount of lining fabric.  I used this gorgeous Anna Maria Horner voile, Field Study Cell Structure.  I wish you could feel it.  It is divine!  I bought it on sale from Pink Chalk Fabrics.  For the lining I used cotton batiste which I bought at my local fabric store.  It really worked well with the voile.

Basically you cut two rectangles based on your waist measurement and the desired length of the skirt.  You sew the rectangles together in a tube and then do the same with the lining.  You sew the feature fabric to the lining, right sides together, along the top.  Next, you sew four channels along the top where you will thread four pieces of 1/4" elastic.  This step is not hard but it is tedious.  The result is a wonderfully comfortable waistband that you can easily position where you want to wear it.  Then you sew a machine-stitched hem and you're done!

I love everything about this skirt!  The cute fabric, the lightweight feeling, the style, and the ease with which I made it.  I encourage you to look at the pictures of the other skirts and check out the pattern.  Try it!

Anna Dress

Recently, my friend, Linda, her daughter, Megan, and I took a dress class at the Finch Sewing Studio in Leesburg, Virginia.  The three of us, plus two others, spent a delightful day making a dress.  The class was taught by the owner of the Finch, the incomparable Nicole.  She knows everything there is to know about sewing.  The pattern we used was the Anna Dress.  It comes in a short and a long version, with two different necklines and an optional slit up the front of the maxi version.  I am so pleased with the way my dress came out.  What a great day!

Doll Quilt Swap

I recently participated in my first quilt swap.  It was a doll quilt swap organized by Lori of Humble Quilts.  We had about a month to make a doll quilt using Civil War reproduction fabrics.  I was in!

I have many doll quilts and enjoy making them because they're a "quick fix." They don't require much in the way of time or fabric but they allow you to try out different patterns.  No, I don't play with dolls anymore but I use the little quilts to decorate my house.

The top quilt is the one I made and is en route to its recipient if it hasn't already arrived.  The bottom quilt is the one I received from a different quilter and I am delighted with it!

Check out Lori's blog to see other photos of the doll quilt swap.

Still Life with Quilt

Fabric Bowl

I had so much fun at the MidAtlantic Modern Retreat in Lancaster, PA, last weekend.  Spending 3 1/2 days with like-minded friends and sewing until midnight is my idea of pure bliss!

There were some workshops and participatory projects but mostly it was open sewing.  I tackled some WIPs and made a few fun items like this fabric bowl.  More details and photos to come.