Well, I’d like to think so. I had the sweetest letter from Tamsin Harvey, the proprietor of Berrima Patchwork and Crafts in New South Wales, Australia.
In it, she says that she stocks a range of my fabrics and would love to put a piece on display that’s been signed by me! She included a piece of my Blue Swallow Print from the Sweet Pea line from Studio Anna Lena. She also included a Sharpie pen and a return envelope. Now sweet is that!
I had so much fun a few nights ago–I sewed something just for myself! I made a Lilly Apron.
This pattern was designed by my friend Michelle at Busy Bee Quilt Designs. I bought the pattern back last May at Quilt Market, and have been meaning to make one for myself ever since. Good intentions, you know. Well, I thought it would be fun to have an apron to wear when working my booth at Northwest Quilting Expo, so finally got my fanny in gear and sewed. This is the result.
Michelle’s directions were great. I think if I hadn’t decided to make it reversible, I would have been finished in about two hours. As it was, it seemed like a good idea to make it reversible. From start to finish, I spent no more than three hours on this.
I liked it so much, I didn’t take it off for two days. Bob thought I was crazy, but, hey, it’s important that I keep up my image! I want to make one out of each of my fabrics. Wow! That would be one big stack of aprons!
P.S. I just found this photo of Michelle at Market, wearing the original Lilly apron. Isn’t she adorable???
As a dedicated fabric designer, I take my research seriously. Since my designs are based on prints from the 1920′s, 30′s and 40′s, it’s important that I surround myself with materials from that era. Recently, even though I was on vacation, I took time out from my schedule of spa pampering and relaxing and devoted an afternoon to research.
I’m always on the lookout for quilts, quilt blocks and tops that let me see a good representation of fabrics, like this Apple Core. Why look–this quilt maker used red AND orange. Way to go!
She was also very frugal. Over half the pieces in this top are pieced. In other words, she didn’t have a big enough scrap to cut out an apple core shape, so she pieced her scraps together first.
I have an image of Sunbonnet Sue in my mind–the Sunbonnet Sue that my Grandma Kennedy made. All other Sue’s are compared to her. This Sue comes pretty close–and she has some pretty fabric in her dresses!
Many of you have heard me say this before, but LOOK! Quilters in the 1930′s used orange–real orange! Not peach, not buff–ORANGE!
Besides quilt tops I find other things that are great fabric resources–like this little lingerie bag.
And, of course, clothes pin holders. I have seen (and collected) lots of these over the years, but never one with feet! Isn’t it absolutely charming!?!
Ah, the sacrifices I make for my craft……..
Isn’t this little bag just adorable? My friend Robin, who stitched up the Sweet Pea Jumper for me, thought any little girl who had such a cute jumper would want a little purse, too, so she just whipped this up! Amazing, huh? And she took lots of photos during the process so I could post this tutorial. If you’d like to make it, here’s how she did it.
Fabric Requirements
2) 8″ squares of Sweet Pea Doll Panel
8″ x 21″ lining fabric
2″ x 8″ bottom fabric
2) 1″ x 24″ strips for drawstrings
Insert the 2″ x 8″ piece between the 8″ dress panels. The bottom of each dress should be facing the inserted piece. Press seams open.
Place this piece right sides together with the lining, matching one end. Stitch. Press seam open. Now match the other short ends. Stitch. Press seam open. The lining piece is longer than the panel piece. Find the center of the insert and the lining. Pin together. Press outer edges.
Make a 1/4″ clip at the seam line of the lining where it lines up with the insert. Repeat on both sides.
Turn under area from clip to make a narrow hem from clip to seam. Stitch.
Pin the side seams.
Sew up sides of lining and panels, leaving hemmed area unsewn.
Mark a diagonal line 1″ in from each corner.
Stitch across market line to form a gusset.
Turn right sides out through hemmed opening. Top stitch both sides where the lining meets the panel.
Make drawstrings by folding long sides of 1″ x 24″ strips toward center. Press. Fold in half and topstitch.
Insert one drawstring left side, bringing it all the way around. Knot ends together. Insert the second drawstring into the right side, bringing it all the way around. Knot ends together. Fill with special treasures for your special little friend!
Today was our Redwork Club meeting, and we started by going to tea at All The Tea and China.
Then we came back here to Studio Anna Lena for our “meeting,” which is really just show-and-tell! It’s always fun to see what others are working on! Linda has taken my Through My Window panel and embroidered it. Don’t you love how she’s doing one extra little thing on each block?
Loretta brought a completed quilt top that she started in 2006. She wanted our opinion about the dark blue border. Everyone thought it was too dark, so she bought some of my Cornflower solid to replace it. It’s a much better match.
Here are some of my favorite blocks from her quilt.
Loretta says this is her stitching. I hope those are pins in her mouth and not chin whiskers!
We share more than just stitchery. Robin just finished hand quilting this vintage 1930′s top. She’s a wonderful hand quilter, and this quilt was a challenge because it didn’t lay flat. But look at it now! Amazing.
And here’s something very special. Linda bought this hand crocheted apron at a garage sale and brought it for show-and-tell. Then she gave it to me! Thank you, Linda. You know it will have a special home here. And it’s nice to know that someone years ago liked orange, too!
Yesterday was the drawing for the Red and White Delight quilt kit give-away.
“blop” was the winner of the Quilt Kit! I used a random number generator, and her number came up. Congratulations. I hope you enjoy the quilt.
Last Christmas I did a little give-away here on my blog. It was for a Twinkler like this one.
You might not be able to see in the photo, but there are three fabrics in the Twinkler–Blue Square Dance, Orange Square Dance and the print I call Hollywood. The Twinkler was won by Judy in Sedro-Woolley.
Well today in the mail, what should I get? A most adorable pincushion/thread holder made by Judy. She used the fabrics from the Twinkler. She even used the rick rack that it was tied with.
Don’t you love the friends you make quilting? And they just seem to know what will touch your heart. This is the second pincushion I’ve gotten in the mail–and they couldn’t be more perfect gifts, because I’d never make one for myself.
Thank you, Judy.
Well, it’s my name, anyway. I can’t tell you how exciting it was the first time I saw my name on the selvage edge of a bolt of fabric. That was a BIG day for me! When my first fabric line came, my bbf Monica made a Market sample for me, and she very carefully trimmed the selvages and put them in a little bag for me. I might not have thought of the on my own. Thank you, Monica.
About a year ago at Market, Kris from Cozy Cottage spotted something new at Market that she thought was hot–plastic cups with a piece of batting between the inside and outside layer. The idea was that you’d make a mini quilt and personalize your cup. I LOVED it. I bought them for my girl gang–and I’d found the perfect thing to do with my selvages.
But now, I have two more bins full of selvages. I need to make something else. I’ve been visiting Karen Griska’s blog. She’s written a book about selvage quilts and has lots of inspirational photos on her blog.
I had a ball at Quilt Market. Just a few days before I left, I found out that I would be teaching a Take and Teach class, so I had to quickly cut some kits for the project I was teaching.
Market was in Pittsburgh, PA–quite a lovely city on three rivers.
I got there a day early so I could go visit Karen Montgomery and her quilt shop, The Quilt Company.
I shared a cab with Marti Michell and we enjoyed Karen’s shop and hospitality.
That evening I met up with friends from the Fabric Shop Network, a trade organization, and we took a dinner cruise. Here I am with Debbie Welsh from Quilting Possibilities in Forked River, New Jersey.
It’s always fun to see the trade show floor start to take shape. A LOT of work goes into setting up the booths.
But the most fun was seeing the Sweet Pea display in the Timeless Treasures booth! The Sweet Pea Jumper, the Lollipop Quilt and the Baby Doll Quilt all looked adorable.
There was even a tuffet covered with the Wood Rose print yo-yo animals made from an Indygo Junction pattern.
Bob came out of the last day of Market, and we spent a week vacationing. Now it’s home and back to work getting the next fabric line ready!
I’ve spent the last few days appliqueing circles–not my favorite thing, but not that bad, just time consuming. The number 7 stitch on my Elna made it quite easy. And, it’s paid off. I love the results! This is the sample I’m doing for Quilt Market with my new fabric line called Sweet Pea. Eventually it will be a free pattern. I posted about the line on the My Quilt Village blog this morning, but I didn’t have all the blocks done then. At this point, it’s just up on the design wall. I still have to decide on borders, but first, I’m off to get these blocks sewn together!
