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Thursday, September 20, 2018

2019 Crazy Quilt Calendar...available on 1 October...

The 2019 Crazy Quilt Calendar is ready!  It'll be released on October 1st!!! To find out more...go check out Pam Kellogg's blog.





The 4 seasons cover design is by Shirlee Fassell.

January - Betty Pillsbury
February - Suzy Quaife
March - Kathleen Klein
April - Nicki Lee Seavey
May - Karen Guthrie
June - Pam Peugh
July - Sandra Visser
August - Brenda Sandusky
September - Angela Grasse
October - Lisa Boni
November - Heather Brighton
December - Linda Steele

I was fortunate enough to get an early copy for review, and THE PHOTOS ARE GORGEOUS! The works are all inspiring. Well done to the stitchers...and to Pam for putting this together. Don't miss out...mark your calendar to get this on the 1st of October! Then, write all of the dates for the Shawkl Design Studio course registrations in it! ;)

Hugs,

Monday, September 17, 2018

Today's finds...

...in my rural part of the world. There are not any JoAnn's, Hancock Fabrics, etc. here. We don't really even have a Walmart...with fabric close by. Even the closest store if over 20 miles away..but, no fabric. There is a Hobby Lobby about 30 miles away...but, it is limited too when it comes to "embellishing" supplies at times.

So, most of my purchases are usually online. However, today...my friend Francis decided to try and shop a little close to home. There is a little "hole in the wall, Mom & Pop" fabric store about 9 miles from home. It is just one of those metal fabricated storage buildings that they stocked with remnants from the cloth mills around this area...then about ten years ago, the mills all closed as the trade was moved to Mexico...and this little place has continued to keep those old fabrics. She also adds some new ones via her sales connections. She stocks a little bit of everything...cottons, upholstery, felts, flannels, faux fur, laces, buttons, zippers, etc.

Sometimes you luck out...and sometimes you don't.

Here is what we "couldn't live without" today. ;)

First off, some more green DMC perle cotton...cause really, "Can you ever have enough green?". A pkg of chenille and pkg of tapestry needles because her prices were just so good. Some laces, like the colors but have no specific project in mind.

Okay, I know that this is hard to really see. But, it was in the corner...all folded up; FELT in a lovely light peach. It felt and looked beautiful...and I walked by it 3 times as it just kept calling to me. Have not quite worked out what I want to do with it...but, brought a yard home just because. ;)

The owner has been listening...and how has about a dozen "batiks" in stock. These three just said "Under the Sea" blocks to me, so had to of course give them a new home. Now all of the above items were clearly impulse buys...as I didn't come into the stop looking for them at all. Here's what I was really looking for...upholstery weight fabrics for crazy quilt project quilts.


This first one is for a set of blocks (colors are deceiving in this photo)...but there is a lot of greens, golds, oranges, browns, etc. Definitely thinking "Autumn". The "brown" above is really a very rich deep orange...a perfect match to the fabric in the center of this section of the block sample I've done. So, SCORE...success for one project.

Next, I found this gray-blue upholstery solid for the border of my hexagon quilt. These are the last few loose blocks (easy to carry and match fabric with)...but the quilt will actually be squared-off when the portion blocks are also included. The upholstery will become a solid border, with lace included on top.
I'm thinking that this smoky blue with lace will be excellent! My goal is to finish this quilt for the Show'n'tell section of our February Retreat! Got to have goals and milestones to accomplish, right!

Lastly, I picked up this little blue/green/pink little floral print. It reminds me of the older flour sack fabrics...but the quality of the fabric is much better...and it sill be a border for a series of cross-stitch Easter Egg mini-quilt blocks. 

So, a pretty productive day...considering I was shopping basically in a "storage building". ;)






Saturday, September 15, 2018

BCQC-1 is Open for Registration

The Basic Crazy Quilt Course is open for registration. Check it out here...

https://shawkl-classes.blogspot.com/2018/09/basic-crazy-quilt-course-bcqc-101-is.htmlhttps://shawkl-classes.blogspot.com/2018/09/basic-crazy-quilt-course-bcqc-101-is.html

Sunday, September 9, 2018

CQ - Finishing Tips

This is the beginning of a new project. The blocks are diamond shaped, and I've pieced a small corner section using two different approaches...same pattern/colors (except for some embellishing).

The section includes one diamond (center), Small Corner triangle, Top Triangle, Side Triangle. I've inverted the second finished section so both of these would fit in one photo.

The section on the left is pieced in a traditional way...using 1/4" seam allowance and machine piecing. The section on the right is pieced by machine just for the individual blocks. These are then backed with fabric, similar to how an English Paper Piecing quilt would be.


Here is a photo showing the back fabric used. The advantage of this approach is that when all of the patches are backed...then sewn together; the quilt could be considered as "complete". The disadvantage would be that it is all hand work...so if you don't enjoy that; it's not the approach you would want to pursue. 

Neither of these units have any embroidery on the connecting seams. These are just done for examples. But, I still need to decide whether or not the "real quilt" done by this pattern will include work on the connecting seams. Hugs!


HEXAGON QUILT - Edge Blocks



The blocks are now all pieced...six half-blocks and six quarter blocks (or close to a fourth size)...all ready for seams.

I have one more full block to finish embellishing, than can move on to these. Might be packing these up to take to my quilting retreat with friends the end of this month.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Amazon Surprise

I like to check my book listings on Amazon every now and again, just to read the comments left by those that purchase them.

This morning...look what I found:


C&T Publications and I have not even finished the final edit yet...although I did approve the cover art...so Amazon is really on top of things! The release date is in April...although they have 7 May, so we shall see...but Amazon is already taking pre-orders. How crazy is that!

I will have a few copies on my Etsy Shop when the book is printed...so no rush to order (unless you think you'll forget or that I'll run out)...but what a weird thing to find it listed already!

Thursday, September 6, 2018

NES - Band #1, Rows 1-4

Here's my progress so far in the Never Ending Sampler stitch-a-long cross-stitch project. The design is presented in rows and is free to participants. If you want to give this a try...you can find it at Pam Kellogg's blogsite. Pam is also preparing pdf downloads which will soon be available for folks (like me) that like to work from a paper pattern rather than have a tablet or computer handy. There is also a Facebook group documenting their progress...for more eye-candy. You can read all about that on Pam's blog as well.

I'm stitch the design on black 14-ct Aida, with sz 20 cording by Lizbeth (found on Etsy). The color variation is "Vinyard Harvest".

The photo really does not do justice to the true Black of the cloth or the sheen and beauty of this thread...which is almost like a braid than a twist cotton.


Hexagon Quilt: Block #16

The center flowers are "yo-yo's" created with wide silk ribbon folded over (gold and blue ones) and 13mm seam binding gathered. The kitten is another machine embroidery applique. Most of the seams of these last four hexagon blocks are from the Fancy Seams book.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

ICQC-104 Open for Registration

The Advanced Motif course is open for registration today. Check the Shawkl Classes blog (link at top) for instructions on how to sign up.

Hexagon Quilt: Block #15

The beaded cabochon was created from a Czech Glass Button with the shank removed. The tiny hummingbird is another machine embroidery patch.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Hexagon Quilt: Block #14

The little center scene was a photo scanned from a landscape magazine and stitched over. The bunny in a machine embroidery patch (I'm loving using these...saves me so much time!)

Monday, September 3, 2018

Hexagon Quilt: Block #13

I've been stitching the seams in Crazy Quilting Volume III: Fancy Seams books for the Facebook Group Modern Seams...and using my hexagon blocks (and others) as the canvas. That has helped me to finish up a few more of these to add to my existing quilt in progress. Here is Block #13:

The little lamb is a machine embroidery patch. The center tulip is done in 13mm ribbon. The lace butterfly was a gift (machine embroidery lace) to me by Phyllis Latham in Oklahoma.