three figs

Hi everybody! I may have been quiet lately, but I have been sewing, appliqueing, binding and designing. I've got lots to show you, but I need to start somewhere, so how about with a trio of new Fig Tree projects?

First is the upcoming Fig Tree Crossroads quilt along. I hope that you're excited about it! The kit arrived from Fat Quarter Shop and the fabrics are beeeautiful (never mind that I haven't even untied the fabric bundle LOL).This is going to be so much fun. As usual, the quilt along will benefit a charity, and this year we'll be raising funds for March of Dimes. The quilt was designed by Joanna Figueroa exclusively for Fat Quarter Shop. You can choose to sew with your own fabric collection or purchase the kit. There is LOTS more information about the sew along here, along with the fabric requirements. The first block pattern is the house (yay!) and it will be posted on February 15. I can't wait to get started! And I hope that you'll sew along with us.

Isn't this the most beautiful wool bundle ever?! Fig Tree has partnered with Weeks Dye Works to create this Retro Farmhouse wool bundle. There's also a new Aurifloss collection that matches. When people describe fabric as "yummy" I always think, no, you cannot eat fabric. But... isn't this wool... yummy?! It's part of a 12 month wool BOM that just started. I've heard that the program is full, but wool bundles (and wool mini quilt patterns) are available here

And finally today is the new Fig Tree Strawberry Fields Revisited Frivol. So what's a Frivol? It's a collectible tin decorated with polka dots and strawberries. It comes stuffed with lots of goodies - 42 7" squares tied with Moda's signature tape measure ribbon, a pattern for a churn dash quilt, an individual block pattern, and a surprise. The surprise is two strawberry quilt labels. I bought the tin just to get those labels! (And of course I love the fabric, too.) Oh how I wish that Moda would print bolts of assorted labels! There are many more pictures of the Frivol items on Fig Tree's blog here. I ordered mine directly from Fig Tree but it appears to have sold out. You might find it in your local quilt shop, or you can order one here.

You might think I'm crazy, but there's ANOTHER Fig Tree BOM that should be shipping soon. Yikes, I am going to be busy. And remember last year's Fig Tree vintage mystery BOM? It's being quilted right now, and I cannot wait to see it.

And now I must get busy sewing! 

great granny twist blog hop with lori holt

Hi everybody! It's my day on the Great Granny Twist blog tour, and I can't wait to show you my project!

We're here celebrating the first birthday of Lori Holt's book Great Granny Squared (has it only been a year?!) It's a fun book with a super easy-to-make block, several quilts and a pillow.

To keep things festive this December, Lori and Fat Quarter Shop asked us to put our own fresh twist on the block patterns shown in the book. So... what could I make that would be honor Lori's great block but also be very me? Well, how about Christmas stockings!

Would you like to make your own Great Granny Squared stockings? Yay! So let's talk about how to make them. I thought that a mini-tutorial would be helpful. You'll need a copy of the Great Granny Squared book. First, pick out some cute fabric! I used two current Moda collections that I'm obsessed with - Fig Tree's Farmhouse and Bunny Hill's Mistletoe Lane. Then make two of the 6" blocks shown on page 26 in the book. Now you'll need to turn them into a larger chunk of "fabric" from which you'll cut the stocking shape.

Sew a 1" x 6 1/2" background strip between the two blocks and press toward the strip.

Add a 2" x 13" strip to the right side and a 6" x 13" strip to the left side. Press towards the solid fabric.

Sew a 4" x 13 1/2" strip to the bottom and a 3" x 13 1/2" strip to the top.

Now you have your chunk of fabric! For the rest of the stocking construction, I used a pattern from Kristyne Czepuryk (of Pretty By Hand fame). The pattern is in the Winter 2015 issue of Quilts and More magazine (you can find a copy here and here or at your local shop). I cut out the stocking template. Yes, I know that I destroyed my magazine, but I was just too lazy to make a photocopy! I layered the stocking template behind the fabric so that I could center the blocks.

You can see that I'm a bit maniacal about pinning! Then cut out your stocking front.

Now layer your stocking top onto rectangles of batting and backing and "quilt as desired." I needed to get it done fast, so I did a simple grid, then trimmed the batting and backing flush with the stocking shape.

Now just follow the rest of Kristyne's instructions and you'll soon have a stocking! Her pattern actually shows several different types of stockings - one with a lace cuff, one with applique, and one with the top ruffle that I made. I'd suggest using a walking foot to sew your stocking together (if you have one) because you'll be sewing through a LOT of layers of fabric and batting.

And here's where I got a little crazy. I decided that our cats, Chloe and Mia, also needed their own stockings. They're tiny, but the perfect size for a felt mouse or two.

(Oops, I forgot to put the felt mice into the stockings! That's Santa's job, anyway.)

For the mini stockings, I used a pattern by Fig Tree Threads called "Mini Stockings." It's from a few years ago, but it's still available on the Fig Tree website here.

Now just bring on the cookies and we are all ready for Santa!

Fat Quarter Shop has created their own fun version of Lori's block. It's called Great Granny Circled, and Kimberly has a tutorial video for the block here. Several bloggers have already showed their own twist on the block earlier this week, and the full lineup is here. Today's bloggers showing their GGST (that's Great Granny Squared Twist!) blocks are:

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope that you enjoy putting your own twist on the Great Granny Squared blocks. If you make the stockings, please provide a link back to my blog - and besides, I'd love to see them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

crossroads charity quilt along 2016

crossroads quilt.png

Well, my quilty friends, we are at a quilting crossroads. The Snapshots charity quilt along is nearly finished. It's been fun, right? I've seen SO many great blocks from everybody. My Snapshots quilt just returned from my longarm quilter, Kaylene just a few days ago, and now I can stitch the binding! And the generosity of the quilting community has really been amazing - together, we've raised $38,000 - nearly double the original goal. That's awesome (and I don't use that word very often).

We all need another sew along!

Next up is the 2016 Crossroads charity quilt along. And omigosh it features my all time favorite fabric collection, Strawberry Fields Revisited! Just look at this strawberry-licious fabric. 

You can read all about Strawberry Fields Revisited here. And yes, I was one of those people who asked/begged Fig Tree Quilts and Moda Fabrics to pleeeease reprint the collection. There are some new prints and colors this time, along with the return of some favorites. Strawberry Fields Revisited will coordinate perfectly with any older Strawberry Fields that might be in your stash.

Isn't this quilt perfect? It was designed by Joanna Figueroa and it's reminiscent of a vintage quilt. It's the kind of quilt that I always hope to find at a consignment shop, but of course, I never do. It's definitely a future heirloom for today.

The "crossroads" theme is an excellent way to describe the year that I've had. Many of you know that I was recently at a crossroads with my housing, and we made a huge decision to relocate from NYC to Indiana.  Sure, I wanted more living space and clean air and a modern kitchen. I had many doubts about moving. I knew absolutely nothing about Indiana, and it doesn't even have a tour book! But the decision to move was made very quickly, and all I can say now is... why didn't we do this sooner?! My quality of life is SO much better. I miss almost nothing about NYC, and that really surprises me. My boss told me today that I always readily embrace change and I thought "really, I do?" So this major crossroads changed my life for the better.

Next year's quilt along will benefit March of Dimes, which helps families with premature babies. It's surely a very worthy cause, and I'll be learning more about them throughout the year.  I am confident that quilters can make a difference. We did it this year, and we can do it again.

Okay, so here are the details. The eight month sew along will start in February 2016. Fat Quarter Shop will post a pattern download on the 15th of each month. Each pattern is free, but a $5 donation to March of Dimes is requested for each pattern download. A quilt kit with all the fabric you'll need is available here, and there's also a pieced backing kit. Designer Joanna Figueroa has shared a story about her own personal crossroads, as well as the inspiration for this quilt on her blog here.

I do hope that you'll join me (and a group of bloggers!) as we sew together. I can't wait!

snapshots month 12 - picnic basket

Hi there! Did y'all enjoy/survive Thanksgiving? We took a quick, three day trip to see family in Ohio. We definitely spent more time in Cincinnati traffic than at the dinner table! We came home with LOTS of leftover turkey (thanks, Carole!), so now comes the fun leftover part. So far, there's been a basic turkey dinner with newly made garlic mashed potatoes, turkey noodle casserole and 12 cups of turkey stock for some unknown future use (if you happen to have old Martha Stewart Living magazines hanging around, the recipe is in a February 1995 article on making stocks). What can I make next?

I'm now back at home and back to sewing! Here's the FINAL Snapshots block called Walk In The Park. Never mind that I've probably only had a handful of picnics in the park... it's a cute block! You can find this month's pattern download here. And take turkey sandwiches on your picnic.

My Snapshots quilt top has been completely finished and I shipped it out to Kaylene for quilting. She sent a sneak peek of the quilting today and it resembles loopy nautical ropes. I'll show it to you just as soon as it comes back to me.

Kimberly and Fat Quarter Shop are now auctioning the signed, original Snapshots quilt on eBay to raise additional funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Quilts from Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill and Pat Sloan are up for bidding, too. Get the full scoop and links to the auctions here.

And I almost forgot something! I have two winners for the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks giveaway. Copies of the magazine are now on their way to Renee Lange and MaryAnn Scanlon. Congratulations!

bitty blocks

Hi everybody! I have a quick post today before you start your weekend. Recently, the folks at Quiltmaker Magazine asked me if I'd like to contribute a design to their Bitty Blocks series. Bitty Blocks are mini blocks ranging from 3" - 4" finished. The blocks fit into a row quilt, or you could use them in lots of different ways. So I started with a pile of Fig Tree's Farmhouse fabric (36 days until Christmas!)...

...and I made one 4" block...

...and I kept on sewing, and sewing....

For the instructions on how to make the Jacob's Ladder Bitty Block AND lots of different setting options that you can do with these blocks,  visit Quiltmaker Magazine's Bitty Blocks Blog Tour here!

And don't forget, the giveaway for a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine with my own East Side Rose pattern is open until Friday at midnight! Leave a comment on my earlier post (not this one) for a chance to win!

And have a very happy weekend!

quiltmaker's 100 blocks volume 12 - my block! plus giveaway!

Y'all know that I love to sew. I could sew 12 hours a day if I really had the time. And I love fabric too. In my head, I'm always designing a fantasy fabric collection. That's a dream. But I never thought of myself as a pattern designer.

And then came an email from Pam Kitty Morning. Why don't I design a block and submit it to Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12?

What?! Me design a block? I didn't even know if it was possible. And yet, it was an intriguing idea. I procrastinated for months. Then it was nearly deadline time. In a flurry of activity, I sketched out a block, stitched it up and mailed it to Quiltmaker with my application. I waited (im)patiently for months. Would they like it? Was it good enough?

And there it is in print! I am SO EXCITED to present my block, #1183 East Side Rose!

It's actually a really simple block to construct, with LOTS of stitch-and-flip corners. Let me tell you about my inspiration.

East Side Rose was inspired by my great love of classic rose gardens. There have been many, many visits to the Cranford Rose Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden over the past several years. Roses have amazing velvety petals, and intense (or sometimes non-existent) scent. The gigantic bees love them. And their names are quirky, like the pink Linda McCartney rose shown above. Would you believe that there's a Betty Boop rose? How about a Betty White rose? Bob Hope? And then there are the diminutive climbing roses from the mid 1800's. Always such a variety.

I sketched out my rose on graph paper while in a hotel room, and then colored it while on a plane. Oddly, nobody thinks it's strange when I start coloring from my tiny seat in row 34. (There is not enough space on those tray tables for a drink AND colored pencils, so I sit with art supplies in my lap and hope I don't drop anything.)

My original block was sewn using Pam Kitty Garden fabric which perfectly replicated the roses of the garden - bright, happy, clear colors. But once I learned that my block was being published, I realized that I had used up those prints! So I started to think of the softer shades of roses - the ivories, pinkish apricots and faded reds - and they were all there, in my stash of assorted Fig Tree fabrics.

How about a more intense, all red rose?

While East Side Rose is fairly easy to construct (each petal is constructed almost identically, but there are 32 petals), it will take some time to put it together because of all the pieces. The instructions in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12 are very simple to follow. I thought it might be helpful to show how I pressed my seams.

I pressed the seams between each petal OPEN. Then after joining each row of petals to the center, I pressed the whole seam to the outside of the block. This will give you a nice flat block.

The inspiration for the block name? When I submitted the block in February, I lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Hence the "East Side." But since then I have relocated to the Midwest. I'm now living on the North side of a town in Southwestern Indiana. Got that?! LOL

Thanks to the editors for choosing my block. I'm humbled and proud to be in the magazine. And many thanks to Pam Kitty Morning for believing that I could really do this. (Pam is in the issue, too... she's been in all of them! And her Hollyhocks block would look perfect paired with mine.) The issue is on newsstands and quilt shops this week. Or you can order a print or digital copy here.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The editors of Quiltmaker Magazine have graciously provided a copy of the magazine as a giveaway prize. Just leave me a comment letting me know your favorite flower by Friday, November 20 midnight Central (hey, your favorite flower might inspire my next block design!) and I will pick a winner on Saturday, November 21. Be sure that I can reach you, as I'll need the winner's name and address by Monday.

And for even more GIVEAWAYS - visit Quiltmaker Magazine's Quilty Pleasures blog to see what they have for you, as well as links to the other designers on the blog tour. 

fat quarter baby blog tour!

The Fat Quarter Baby blog tour begins today! Fat Quarter Baby is the first baby quilt book by It's Sew Emma for Fat Quarter Shop. The book features 20 crib-sized quilts, perfect for baby... as well as for grown-up babies! There are ten quilts for baby girls, and ten quilts for baby boys. Any of them could easily be made larger by adding more blocks.

I chose to make "Laura" because it's full of STRAWBERRIES. I think that my strawberry fabric obsession is well documented. So here's Laura:

It's just five large, appliqued strawberries and four 4-patches. I knew right away that I'd be using Fog City Kitty and Sunrise Studio fabrics with all those ripe strawberries. So, I have strawberry printed strawberries - I think that makes these double strawberries? This quilt needs just 9 fat quarters, some background fabric and a tiny bit of accent fabric. You'll even have plenty of leftover fabric! (I think that I could probably have made two of these quilts with the unused fabric.)

My applique skill is still a work in progress, but I'm learning. Luckily, Lori Holt showed three applique techniques on her blog a few weeks ago. I opted for the lightweight, non-fusible Pellon method, and it was super easy. I even had fun making the strawberries!

I stitched them to the backing fabric by hand. I do like to just sit down and quietly stitch before bedtime. (Now if could just find somebody to thread those miniscule straw needles for me...ugh!) Or you could easily applique them by machine, too.

Add a few little speedily pieced stems and leaves and you're done!

"Laura" was a super-speedy quilt to make - it took me just a few days to piece and applique the top. 

Check out the other bloggers on the tour - in the next few days, they'll show you the other 19 quilts in the Fat Quarter Baby book. You'll want to make all of them! I'm also a bit partial to the whale and bowtie quilts for boys (in other words, I want my own bowtie quilt!), and the tiara quilt for girls. Get the whole scoop and links to the other bloggers on the Jolly Jabber blog here. The Fat Quarter Baby book is in stock and can be ordered here.  The fabrics that I used are Fog City Kitty by Pam Kitty Morning and Sunrise Studio by Holly Holderman. You'll find them all here by the yard. And finally, there will be a Laura quilt kit, featuring Fig Tree's upcoming collection, Strawberry Fields Revisited (I love this collection!). The kit will be available in January here

Thanks for visiting with me today! I'll be back on Wednesday with... my first published quilt pattern in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12! I can't wait to share my block with you, and there will be a little giveaway, too.

snapshots - sail away

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It's Snapshots quilt along month 11! I can't believe that this year's fundraising quilt along is almost over. This sailboat was definitely the easiest and fastest block to sew. This month's recommended Daysail fabrics are just perfect. Kinda reminds me of those sailboats that I saw on my Florida trip last summer.

So by now you know how to get the pattern, right? Head over to the Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog to download the pattern and to watch a tutorial video. Please consider donating $5 for the use of the pattern to St Jude's Children's Research Hospital. You might even want to start to do the photo border sashing on your blocks - see how to do it here.

I'll be back tomorrow (really!) with a fun new baby quilt from the new Fat Quarter Baby book. Hint... it has strawberries!

And thanks so much for your love of the little Christmas tree tutorial that I provided last month. It's been really exciting to see so many of them popping up all over Instagram. I love seeing how you've all customized the tree and car with your own fabrics. Please keep on tagging me so that I can see your trees! (And also, please credit me for the tree tutorial. Don't create or sell kits using my pattern without asking or linking back to my blog tutorial, okay? Nuff said. :-) )

 

two by two sew along

Hello! I'm awake and drinking my first cup of tea really EARLY this morning so that I can tell you about a new sew along! Have you seen the McCall's Quick Quilts Dec/Jan 2016 issue yet? (I am SO not a morning person. Even the cats are looking at me as if to say "what are you doing out of bed so early?")

It's the Two by Two sew along! Holly Holderman (of Lakehouse Dry Goods fame) designed this quilt. It's a 7 part series, and the patterns will be printed in McCall's Quick Quilts throughout 2016. The first six installments will be blocks (each block comes in two coloways) and the final installment will be quilt assembly and finishing. The blocks measure a generous 12 3/4" unfinished.

The flower blocks use an engineered scallop print to make the flower petals - it's the look of applique without all the fuss! For my flower centers, I'll be using an assortment of Lakehouse fabrics, but really, any stash could be used. Maybe you already saw the scallop prints in your local quilt shop and wondered how to use them... now's your big chance! The magazine is on newsstands and in bookstores now. Copies of Quick Quilts are also available here and here (I actually ordered one by mail because I'm impatient). A kit is available on the Quick Quilts website here. Or if you just want the scallop fabric to pair with your stash, I found the best assortment of colors here (you'll want the largest scallop print, not the medium or small versions).

And all fun quilts deserve a sew along! Join me while I make this quilt throughout the year with some of my quilting buddies. We'll be sewing and showing our blocks on Instagram. There are already some blocks that are very different than mine - even some with appliqued touches! I will be sewing along with:

  • Pam Kitty Morning (@pamkittymorning)
  • Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble (@gigis_thimble)
  • Nanette Merrill of Freda's Hive (@fredashive)
  • Gayle Brindley (@gaylebrindley)
  • Susan Guzman of SuzGuz Designs (@suzguzdesigns)
  • Holly Holderman - the designer herself! (@hollyholderman)

snapshots month 10 - car

Wow, we are on month 10 of the Snapshots charitable quilt along! This month we are making a sporty red car on the way to the beach with a surfboard on the roof. The block is called "Gone Surfin." But wait... I have a tree on my roof! Ok, let me explain.

I don't surf. I don't own a surfboard. But I recently "Gone to Indiana" in a new Suburu. And since this quilt is a snapshot of important moments in our lives, I thought about moments that are important to me. Christmas is important, with lots of significance as well as opportunities to decorate, eat and relax. So how about adding a Christmas tree to my car?!

I'll tell you all about how to make a Christmas tree just like mine. First, a small disclaimer. Y'alll know that I'm not a professional pattern writer, but I think you'll be able to follow along. First, digitally drive over to the Fat Quarter Shop and download your free Gone Surfin block pattern (and please consider making a $5 donation for the use of the pattern to St Jude Children's Research Hospital here.) Build your car just like the pattern specifies.

Now of course, you can go ahead and make the really cute surf board. But If you want to try a tree, here's how I made mine. For the "branches",  you'll need to make 5 flying geese that measure 1 3/4" x 3" unfinished. Use your favorite method, like maybe (2) 1 3/4" background "sky" squares and (1) 1 3/4 x 3" green "branch" rectangle for each goose, sewn with the stitch and flip method. Or I used the Mini Fit To Be Geese ruler. Sew the 5 green flying geese together in a row.

Next, build your tree trunk. I sewed a grey print measuring 1" x 5" between two background white prints measuring 1 1/2" x 5" each. Press towards the grey trunk.

Now add the pieced grey trunk unit to the base of the flying geese branches unit. Trim the short end of the trunk so that the entire tree unit measures 3" x 10 1/2" - voila, it's the exact same size as the surfboard! Now add the "C" background rectangles (refer to pattern cutting directions) to both ends of the tree. It will now measure 3" x 16 1/2" long. Then add the completed tree unit to the car and you're done!

In the craziness of my recent move, I completely forgot to show you last month's Quilty Cat block! (Chloe and Mia said that this is their favorite block, but maybe they're a little biased.) You'll find the pattern download right here, next to the car pattern. I've also started to add the sashing to each block as I sew. The assembly pattern is already posted on the Fat Quarter Shop link, so why not? It will make it a whole lot quicker to assemble the quilt top very soon!

Oh, one more thing. There are still some Snapshot fabric kits available here, as well as a backing set. I've enhanced the kit with other Bonnie & Camille prints from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go sew!



catching up... from indiana!

Hi everybody! I'm BACK. I can't believe that I've been gone nearly two months. Yikes. I'll tell you all about my move to Indiana very soon. But let me show you what I've been SEWING!

* Warning - lots and lots of text coming up. Remember, I am catching up!

I went without sewing right up until last weekend. I wasn't feeling the need to sew - unbelievable, right? I was so caught up in organizing the apartment and finally being able to cook and bake in my new kitchen. Cookbooks replaced quilt books, like this book and this one, too. But then suddenly, I felt that I NEEDED to start sewing again. And now I'm right back to where I was before. Only this time, I'm going to try to slow it down and enjoy sewing more than I did before.

So. I couldn't decide which abandoned project to sew first. I found that some of those projects that I abandoned are better left undone. New home, new quilt projects! But I really wanted to resume the Fig Tree mystery block-of-the-month quilt. I was only 4 months behind. Totally do-able, right? First, my sewing machine got a long-overdue tuneup. I am THIS CLOSE to being caught up.  It's fun to begin putting chunks of the quilt top together. 

And I made a little switcheroo. Applique has never been my strength, and I'm probably too lazy to spend hours learning to do it correctly. But this quilt has some appliqued blocks. Groan. After agonizing over an appliqued basket for months (I am not kidding) I finally decided to change the block. Of course I gave myself some rules - the alternate block needed to use a Fig Tree pattern, and I would use the same fabrics that were recommended by Joanna. After several more days spent reviewing every single Fig Tree pattern that I own (and even buying more patterns) I settled on a schoolhouse block. It's from the Fig Tree Houses book. And there it is in a taupe and peach print. I love it so much and I think it will make my quilt just a wee bit different from everybody else's quilts. I have a few more blocks that I'm going to change, too. Just wait till you see them!

Now about that move.

The decision to leave NYC was actually very easy. I had lived there for exactly 30 years and in the same apartment for exactly 20 years. And I had one of those milestone birthdays in the past year. Lots of round numbers, know what I mean? I felt like that was a sign. Paul accepted a job in Indiana and I said sure, let's go. It'll be a change. But I didn't know if I could handle leaving. See, my dream was always to live in NYC. And I was lucky to be able to live my dream for 30 years. I love New York, I really do. I had so many unbelievable experiences there and I could definitely write a book, as they say. But for all the sparkly glamour of the city, there's also the dirtiness, rudeness, expensiveness and small-apartment-ness.

The Mayflower people packed up our stuff into a BIG truck. I said goodbye to my apartment - those walls have ears - and I felt NOTHING. No tears, no sadness. Just hope for the future. We put Chloe and Mia into their carriers and got into the car for a very long drive. (Note - cats do not like hotel rooms in creepy, deserted towns in Ohio just off the highway with only a fly-infested McDonald's for dinner.)

Our furniture took 28 days to get here. Apparently, Mayflower had a "shortage of truck drivers." Really?! Their communication was terrible. Their service was terrible. And their prices are very high.

And yet.

I love being here! Every day I think about how radically different my life is. You know - it's all that stuff that most people have, but I never had in NYC. I feel like a real person getting to use all of the modern conveniences here that I went without before: a full-sized shower and tub, a full-sized stove, oven and fridge. A dishwasher (gasp) and a laundry closet (yay) and a balcony where I can grow plants and read. Central air. I can get out of bed without walking into a wall. I can finally use my Kitchenaid mixer, and I've bought lots of new kitchen stuff. I have a home office slash sewing room slash guest bedroom.

The outdoor air is cleaner. I can see stars now (city skyscrapers light up the sky too much, making stars "invisible.") The hummingbirds (and wasps) spent the summer hanging out at our hummingbird feeder. Local events take place at the 4-H center, and we've gone to an antique show and a quilt show there. The high school football games are broadcast on the radio. People are very friendly here - the grocery store checkout people usually ask what I'm planning to cook with my purchase. My new favorite stores have become Target , TJ Maxx and Marshalls instead of Bloomingdale's, Ralph Lauren and Gucci (seriously, have you seen all the cute stuff at Target? Amazing!) Paducah and Nashville are very close, so they'll be places that we can visit in the future.

And I am obsessed with buying new stuff for the home.

The (slight) downside? I miss my old barber. I miss fancy restaurants, but we have almost every national chain restaurant here - all except for my beloved Cheesecake Factory (oh pleeeease come here!) I cannot even tell you how many times I've been to the local Dairy Queen for their Peanut Buster Parfaits and Cotton Candy Blizzards.

And I do not miss NYC at all! I flew to NY a few weeks ago for a meeting. I arrived a day early so that I could visit my favorite restaurants and shops. I even had dinner in my old neighborhood, and I was shocked by how dirty and noisy it was. I couldn't wait to get on the plane and leave. New York was no longer my home. The song that played through my head as I walked around the city was Madonna's "This Used To Be My Playground." But no longer.

Indiana is my home now. And I'm glad to be here.

Thank you so much for the emails and comments asking me if I'm ok and if I'm planning to return. I missed you all. I missed sewing. And I'm happy to be back.

See you very soon! There's a new Snapshots block coming later this week.





like riding a bike

Wow, it's month 8 of the Snapshots quilt along! How did it get to be mid-August already?! And I am officially declaring this block my favorite one so far (until next month).

I'm loving this block so much because honestly, I didn't think I could do it. All those little pieces. That handlebar. That seat. Well, really, it's completely do-able with the super clear instructions. There are lots of stitch-and-flip pieces here, so it's made completely with squares and rectangles. It just looks complicated. I just read the directions several times and sewed very slowly and it all came together perfectly.

If only real bicycles came in prints! Since this quilt is a collection of snapshots of my life, you might wonder how a bicycle fits into that scheme, right? Well, when I was a kid I bicycled everywhere. After the bicycle with training wheels (and lots of tears, just ask my dad), I then got a purple bicycle with a sparkly purple glitter seat. Yes, sparkly purple glitter. And it had those streamer things on the handlebars. But it was the mid 1970's and I'm sure that it was the "grooviest" bicycle ever. Then came the green metallic 10 speed Schwinn and I rode that thing EVERYWHERE. I remember bicycling miles to go to my favorite preppy shops in Pittsford, NY. (Imagine me wearing pink and green while cycling on my neon green bike. All true.) I had all the nifty gadgets - toe clips, gadgets, bottles, saddle bags. I'd also ride it though the farmland in Victor, NY, past the cows and corn. Alas, my favorite transportation was abandoned when I moved to NYC.

But now that I'VE MOVED TO INDIANA, there might be a new bicycle in my future! And I can ride it through the corn fields, just like yesterday once more.

Now I know that you want/need to make your own bicycle, too. Here's how to make yours:

  • the free pattern download is here
  • the kit that I used is here, featuring Daysail prints (I added some Scrumptious and Miss Kate
  • consider making a small donation to St. Jude's Children's Research hospital here
  • tag your block with #fqssnapshots on social media to share your blocks

little joys quilt along - present block

Yay! It's week four of the Little Joys quilt along with Elea Lutz! And this little bow-tied present might be my favorite block... this week. (Every new block becomes my new favorite, and that's why I love sampler quilts. No chance to get bored!)

Who doesn't love a pinwheel block topped with a quarter-square-triangle bow? And I finally got to go crazy with the two pink prints. Once again, I tried as hard as I could to have as many fully intact deer as possible in the green print, so I cut my HSTs slightly larger than the pattern and then trimmed them down.

I hope that you're sewing along with us! The pattern download is free from the Fat Quarter Shop, and you can find it here. I'm sure you know that I'm sewing with the kit as a base, and then I added in half yards of the two pink prints.

So now all the blocks have been sewn! And not a moment too soon, I might add, because I've packed up nearly all my sewing supplies in anticipation of my relocation move next week. The only quilty thing that isn't packed is my Little Joys quilt project and supplies. Next Wednesday we'll add sashing and borders! Thanks for stopping by today!

Oh, I almost forgot... if you share your blocks on social media, please use #LittleJoysQuiltAlong and #ILovePennyRose so we can all see your blocks.

up, up and away in my beautiful balloon

It's time for the July Snapshots sew along block!

Actually, it's a little past the time for this block. Ahem. I might have forgotten to show it to you last week because I was surrounded by moving boxes, small AND large bubbles, white newsprint and tape guns. You all know about the Snapshots sew along, right? And how it benefits St Jude Children's Research Hospital? And how we are making one block each month that represents a snapshot of our lives? If you need a refresher, just hop over here to get all the details, plus links to the patterns, video tutorials, kit and donation page. 

This block represents my 20 trips to New Mexico! Every fall, a massive Balloon Fiesta is held in Albuquerque. (And if you're curious, here's a time-lapse video showing the balloons taking off at sunrise. It's amazing.) The fiesta is in October, but I usually visit in mid-November - it's my annual birthday tradition - so I haven't seen the balloons yet. Balloon imagery is found all over the state, and even on some license plates. Of course I would want to take a ride in a cute fabric balloon. (Actually, the truth is that I'd be terrified to get into that balloon. I'd need Dramamine. And cookies. And somebody to hold my hand. But I'd enjoy watching them take off and float around.)

Once again, I used the kit as a starting point, but I changed some of the Daysail prints and I added a Scrumptious tiny floral. The same floral was also used as "whipped cream" on last month's ice cream sundae block, so the finished quilt will have some continuity. I felt that the smaller, repeating prints would be more forgiving in the seams than the intended stripe would have been.

Ok, so get your balloons sewn up! The next pattern will be released on August 15 and it's the bicycle!

Finally, while making the balloon block I had to listen to Up, Up and Away by the 5th Dimension. Maybe I'll need to play this while I float over Albuquerque in my quilted fabric balloon!


little joys - welcome home wreath

If it's a Wednesday in July, then it must be time for the Little Joys quilt along! This week we are making the Welcome Home wreath block. Nothing says summer quite like a Christmas wreath, LOL! But just think of how happy you'll be when you have this wall hanging done waaaay before Christmas! These Little Joys prints from Elea Lutz for Penny Rose Fabrics make me smile every time I see them. And this week I got to break out the pink print! I couldn't decide if I wanted a red bow or a pink bow, so I thought why not make an ombre bow?! Then I went ahead and made two more identical wreath blocks.

The tiny pop of pink makes me happy. And just wait till you see how simple these wreaths are to sew. The pattern shows you how to trim slightly oversized pieces to get perfectly sized blocks.

Want to make your own cute wreaths? The free pattern is here (but only for a limited time!), and there's even a kit with the red and green prints at Fat Quarter Shop. I used the kit and added half yards of the two pink prints - you'll see more pink in next week's blocks.

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I'm sewing along with Elea Lutz, Fat Quarter Shop and a group of my favorite quilty people. You can check out everybody else's blocks on their blogs and on Instagram. (I am @greydogwoodstudio on Instagram.) We'll all use the hashtag #LittleJoysQuiltAlong with our blocks.

For those of you who might be curious about my upcoming move to Southern Indiana, my packing boxes arrived yesterday. The movers will be here exactly two weeks from today! EEEK! I spent four hours on Tuesday night packing books. Yes, just books.  The cookbook boxes were easy to pack. But then I had to ask myself if I really needed to keep EVERY book by Kaffe Fassett and Thimbleberries, even though I no longer use them... and the answer was YES I do! I even kept some of the older country-inspired quilting books because they remind me of how I got started, like Debbie Mumm and Little Quilts. My living room is now completely taken over with boxes of books. Tonight I will attack the fabric stash, quilting magazines and DVDs!

sewing when it's too hot to sew, with lecien

Sometimes it's just too darn hot to sew! It's so humid here that my fabric can almost be wrung out. Ok, I'm exaggerating (just a bit) but I had to get out of bed three times last night to drain my air conditioner. So I'm tired and crabby and need something easy to sew.

Enter the dynamic duo of Lecien's sushi rolls! They are called Rococo & Sweet and Petite Fleurs, and they will be coming soon to a fabric shop near you. I'm so happy that Lecien is now doing precuts - sushi rolls, layer cakes and charm packs.  Lecien is a Japanese fabric manufacturer, and they're famous for their bright Flower Sugar fabrics. You already know how much I love those!

I'm making a quick, easy strip quilt that was designed by Carrie Nelson for Quilts and More magazine's Winter 2014 issue. You might be familiar with Carrie's pattern company, Miss Rosie's Quilt Co, or you might already follow her on Instagram (she's @ModaRosie). I'm making 64 sixteen patch blocks. I'm combining both fabric collections, focusing mostly on the light and medium prints, with just a few darks. The fabulous magnetic pin bowl and ruler pal are by Jodi Nelson and came from her Etsy shop here. They're out of stock now but will be back on Monday, July 13.

I especially like the lavenders. That's a color that we don't see often enough, and it's a color that I don't have in my stash.

I've finished 20 blocks, with another 44 to be made. Now can I get them all sewn before my big move in less than three weeks?!

Happy weekend, everybody!




little joys - trim the tree block

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It's week two of the Little Joys Quilt Along! Join me, some of my favorite bloggers and Fat Quarter Shop as we make the Little Joys mini quilt together. It was designed by Elea Lutz of Penny Rose Fabrics. We're making a tree block this week, a ribboned gift next week and a wreath the following week. Then we can assemble the quilt! I hope that you've gathered your Christmas prints and are ready to sew along with us. (The fabric requirements are here.)

I'm using the kit which includes red and green prints as well as the ivory background. I'll enhance it with Elea's pink prints next week.  (I need my pink and green!)

Could this fabric be any cuter? Nope, I don't think so. It has that perfect retro, vintage look that I love. You'll also want to print out a copy of the tree block pattern. It's available for free here for a limited time, so get yours soon.

This has to be one of the easiest, and most classic tree patterns ever. Simple stitch-and-flip corners form the tiers of the tree. I also did a small amount of strategic cutting when I cut my print strips. I wanted to get as many deer into my tree as possible without cutting off their heads. Decapitated deer aren't very Christmasy :-)

You'll make just three trees.

You can reuse your scraps in a future block or in another project. Here's how I store mine. Simple and not too elegant, but it works...

The bag serves another purpose. I lightly starch my fabrics right before I cut them. Now I know that the fabric in the bag has been starched, while the other fabric still needs to be treated. So, no guessing about which fabric I'm using. And see how great the red and green look next to the pink?

Next Wednesday we'll make the gift box block!

If you share your blocks on social media, be sure to use the hashtag #LittleJoysQuiltAlong. And look at who is sewing along! Such a talented group of ladies, and I'm happy to be included with them.  

i'm off to the farmland

I'm back on the farm again with the Farm Girl Vintage sew along. Wow, I had a lot of catching up to do! If I miss out on making two blocks each week I can get behind quickly.

You probably know that I'm a little addicted to gingham. I try to put some gingham into every quilt if possible. So how perfect that last week's project was to make a "gingham" block! I even used gingham for the medium-toned print, so it's Gingham Squared. Or Gingham Gingham. Or Double Gingham. Now, of course, I want to make a whole quilt full of gingham blocks.

And yes, I just used the word gingham nine times in the previous paragraph :-)

The Fresh Pears and Feed and Seed blocks are fun, too. Ah, fresh pears. My friend Judi has a pear tree in her backyard and there's always a plentiful yield of green pears for everybody to take home. They're often hard and sour, but there are lots of them!

And finally, the egg basket and crops blocks. Who wouldn't want to fill this basket with farm fresh eggs?

The Farm Girl Vintage blocks might even have inspired a short trip that I took last week to the real farmland. 

Can you guess where I went?

I was in Indiana looking for a new home! Can you believe it? Paul and I are leaving NYC for greener pastures... literally. We're trading Metropolis for Midwest! It was a quick decision, but after living in NYC for 30 years I'm ready for a change. And this will be a BIG change for sure. Imagine how excited we were to find an apartment that's three times the size of my current place, with all those "modern" conveniences that I lack in my current apartment - stuff like a full sized refrigerator, dishwasher and garbage disposal, washer and dryer, sliding door and balcony. And a walk-in closet. Plus green leafy trees and cute birds that chirp instead of big, ugly pigeons. Crazy, right? There are even THREE quilt shops in town (but none of them carry Moda fabric or Aurifil thread... what's up with that?) and one of them can service my sewing machine. We'll move at the end of July, but I intend to keep on sewing right up until the last minute. The movers will deal with our furniture, and we'll pack the cats and my sewing machine into the new car. I'll share my farewell message to New York with you soon. The move is now just three weeks away. EEK.

Now back to the quilty stuff. The Little Joys sew along starts this Wednesday with that cute fabric by Elea Lutz. (Remember Elea's first fabric collection Milk, Sugar & Flower? She's back with a terrific Christmas collection.) The patterns will be free for a limited time only. I've got all the details for you in my previous blog post, or you can click on the Little Joys button in the right sidebar. See you back here on Wednesday!

little joys quilt along starts soon!

It's time for the annual mid-year Christmas In July quilting fest! So throw a log on the fire (ok, maybe not!) because the Little Joys Quilt Along starts soon!

It's the perfect time to begin a small Christmas project. It's a small quilt (34" square) and the pattern is free! We'll have our quilts finished way before December!

Photo credit Fat Quarter Shop

Photo credit Fat Quarter Shop

Cute, right? We'll make 9 blocks using the adorable new fabric collection, Little Joys by Elea Lutz for Penny Rose Fabrics. I'll be using the kit from Fat Quarter Shop with fabrics as shown, but I might add some of the pink prints, too, for extra joy. The block patterns will be free and can be downloaded each week, so you can make the quilt with your own fabrics. (Wouldn't this be fun in 30's repros, or the new Holly's Tree Farm collection?)

Find all the details here, including a handy PDF with fabric requirements, plus links to the other bloggers who will be participating in this quilt along. The pattern for the first block will be posted on July 8 so you have plenty of time to gather your festive fabrics!

farm girl friday - farmhouse

I'm so happy to be your cowboy tour guide for Farm Girl Friday, week 8! Or as I prefer to think of it, it's Farm Boy Friday!

We are using the Farm Girl Vintage book by Lori Holt for the sew along. And today we are building a farmhouse block!

The farmhouse is my favorite block in the Farm Girl Vintage book. I've always loved house blocks. They have that classic, vintage look, and they can be playful or sophisticated depending on your fabric selection. I've blended Ambleside by Brenda Riddle with Aloha Girl by Fig Tree & Co, both by Moda Fabrics.

First, turn to page 27, then cut and sew, preferably with country farm girl music. I was super happy when I finished the 6" block for my sampler quilt, and I didn't want the fun to end. So I made another block, this time 12" and using Mistletoe Lane by Bunny Hill.

Humm, I think it looks bare. How about if we add a topiary tree?

But why stop there? Let's make another farmhouse and another topiary!

I LOVE them! The two large houses are the beginning of the Farmhouse Lane quilt. The pattern is in the book on page 128. You'll need nine of the 12" houses, six trees and sixteen 6" blocks.  I think it will be the perfect Christmas quilt full of gingerbread houses, ice skates (never mind that I don't skate, even though I stalk the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink every Christmas) and little Christmas trees. But wouldn't it also be a spooky fun quilt in Halloween colors? Or summery with red, white and blue?

I really wanted to make a striped roof. It took me a few minutes to figure how to get the stripes all oriented in the same direction. So now let's talk about how to use stripes on your roof.

The roof is made in four sections. You will need two half square triangles (HSTs) for the left and right portions of the roof. Lori's pattern shows you how to use my very favorite method for making HSTs. But when you make your HSTs using the method shown, the result will be one HST with vertical stripes and one HST with horizontal stripes. You'll need to make a second set using the exact same method, and this will give you a second HST with vertical stripes. (You'll have two leftover HSTs with horizontal stripes, but I KNOW that you can find a creative use for them!)

Thanks for joining me today! I hope that you share your farmhouse blocks on Instagram. Be sure to use the hashtags #farmgirlvintage, #farmgirlfridays and #farmhouseblock when you post your blocks. And you can see all the fun projects that I'm working on, too. I'm @greydogwoodstudio.

Now hop on over to Lori Holt's blog to see her Farm Girl Vintage blocks, and check out the other guest bloggers, too. The full schedule is on the Jolly Jabber blog here.

Until next time, happy farming!