Fabric.com

For those who have requested more information on where my daughter ordered fabric for her family room curtains (see yesterday's post 6/29/11)

Amy mail ordered through Fabric.com a great source for discounted fabrics that include Home Decor weight, and (yes!) even quilting fabrics.

Amy chose from the Suzani Blend Eaton collection under the Home Decor fabrics category.

Autumn/Natural (54" wide)

http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=c345e129-00ae-4013-89e1-a1833d75c0cf
Screen printed on cotton duck.
$7.48 per yard, which is a great price considering most home dec fabrics run on average $25-$50 a yard.

Shipping is free for all orders over $35

Another feature from Fabrics.com that I really like is their side bar feature showing other fabrics that you might like that are compatible with your selection.

My daughter had a GREAT suggestion:

"They let you order a sample swatch for $1.75. I ordered many samples before making my final choice, since I was ordering 20 yards! Colors can be quite different than they appear on a computer screen."

Curtain Clip Rings

My daughter Amy and I spent a day recently making curtains for her family room.
She had an idea that made for an easy and money saving project that I wanted to share with you.

The family room has 4 large windows, and a very high ceiling. Amy wanted to use curtains to make the room a little more cozy and to bring the focus down to eye level.
It would be almost impossible to find ready made curtains that would meet the room's unique measurements, plus the cost could be quite pricey.

You know these young mom's. They hunt the Internet and find wonderful bargains.
Amy found the cutest designer fabrics at a very affordable price per yard, and ordered on line.
Doesn't this look a lot like an Amy Butler type of print?
In keeping with the simplicity, we measured the length, allowing enough extra to turn under the top and hem.
Even though each panel was quite long at 110", they were easy to sew and hang.

Then Amy attached each panel with these nifty clip rings.
Are these not the greatest little invention?
We completed the entire room in one afternoon.

It was that easy.

It's been fun helping my daughter with a few of the little decoration projects around her home. We also recovered pillows on her living room couch to add more color into the room.

FYI: Clip Rings can be found at many home decoration stores.

I found them for a good price on Amazon.com

New Wave Finished

One of my summer goals is to finish up on some of my quilt projects that got set aside for various reasons.
New Wave just needed a binding.
check:)
I really enjoy the hand work of sewing bindings down.

This was a fun and easy pattern designed by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson.
I made the lap size (51" X 55)
At first Elizabeth offered this as a free pdf download. Now the expanded version is available on her web site.

I was so happy to use some of my favorite Kaffe Fassett fabrics in my stash.

Machine quilted with an all over design by the nice ladies at Quilted Works in St. George, Utah.

Row By Row Finish

Row By Row is now completed.

Pattern: February 2011 Edition of American Patchwork and Quilting.

Designer: by Sandy Klop of American Jane

The binding is on.

And the quilt is washed, dried and all soft for a special little boy.

Happy Birthday to our grandson Isaak who just turned 6 years old.

As he opened his present, even his friends and cousins squealed exclaiming "It's a quilt!"

By the look on his face, I can tell he likes it.

May you have many happy, snugly moments Isaak, and always know how much you are loved.

Mary Lou and Whimsey Too

One of my favorite blogs to follow is written by designer Mary Lou Weidman.

I love being surrounded by Mary Lou's infectiously happy and positive attitude, including her bright, beautiful and whimsical quilts.

That is why I took special note when she wrote me recently.

We all know that Blogger has had Big Issues lately.

Mary Lou was hit especially hard.

Six years of her blog posts were gone, and all 222 of her followers were lost...zap...deleted...never to be recovered.
O.h. M.y.

So when she wrote me and asked if I would please re-add her NEW blog Mary Lou and Whimsey Too on my side bar, of course I said

YES!

OF COURSE!

ABSOLUTELY!

Have you seen Mary Lou's book Flower Power?

On my to-do list of quilts I HAVE to make.

Inside there are pages of flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, vegetables, bugs and...

..and cute bees.
She is famous for her Hoochy Mama Story Quilts (just the name makes me laugh).

Mary Lou teaches workshops in many fabulous locations, including Asilomar in May 2012

She has her own fabric line, chat room, block swaps.

You name it. This lady does it all.

Her latest book Out Of The Box will be released next month, and can be pre-ordered now by going to her web site.

Make sure to add Mary Lou's new blog to your side bar, and add your name to her followers list. She has gone to so much work to recreate what was lost.

Marie Bostwick Quilt Novels

Old habits are hard to break.
As I was growing up, summer was the best of time to find stacks of fun books to read.
Not the serious types of books required for classes at school, but the kind that took you away to a happy, carefree place.
Summer continues to be the time I indulge myself in discovering that list of books that I just never seem to get to in the winter.
I especially appreciate the recommendation of books from my friends.

When my friend Jackie (Canton Village Works) recommended the quilt novels written by her friend and New York Times Best Selling Author Marie Bostwick, I took note.
Fortunately my local library carries most of her books.
I've just completed the first 3 from Cobbled Court Quilt Circle series.
It was fun to escape for a little while into the lives of quilters who band together through a quilt shop in New Bern, Connecticut.
Each woman deals with her own challenges and I most appreciated Marie's inclusion of faith and God in telling her stories.
"A SINGLE THREAD tells of a displaced Texas homemaker who moves to Connecticut and pursues her dream of opening a quilt shop. But, on the day the shop opens, the owner discovers she has breast cancer. She survives, with the loving help of her friends."

"A THREAD OF TRUTH deals with the serious issue of domestic abuse in a positive, uplifting, hopeful manner. It helps to remind us all that accepting help from people who care can make it possible for anyone, no matter how bleak their situation may look, to triumph over adversity."

"A THREAD SO THIN, which addresses the struggle a young woman makes between marriage and career and the downstream impact of her decisions."

"Today Marie lives in Connecticut with Brad, her husband of twenty-eight years, and their one son still in high school. When not writing or volunteering for her church, she enjoys quilting, watching movies and sipping tea on the front porch with her friends and spending time with her family."
You can learn more about Marie's books on her web site.

Machingers Gloves

A machine quilter I am not.
I've always been more than happy to let the nice lady who really knows what she is doing use her long arm and talents to quilt the top of my quilts.
But every once in a while, we need to stretch ourselves and work outside of our comfort zone.

I've finally gotten brave enough and have been machine quilting Row By Row.
See post 3/17/11


Because this quilt is so geometric, I felt it would be a good place to practice.
I just aligned my walking foot along the seam lines and went for it.
Things are not perfect, but I can see some progress from the beginning of my stitching to the end of my work.
I did learn a thing or two.

One thing that really helped with control was to use Machinger Gloves.
Have you ever tried machine quilting with these?
I like how they help me grip the quilt, and were comfortable to wear for hours on end.
No sweaty palms or hands, even during the hot summer months of sewing.
They are light weight, made from nylon with fully coated rubber fingertips.
I still had enough dexterity to pick off stray threads or to remove pins along the way.

Machingers come in 4 sizes. I read how to find which size is right for you:
Measure from the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger.
xs/6.25"
s/m 6.25-7"
m/l 7-7.75"
xl 7.5"
And yes, now that I have Machingers, the old yellow rubber gloves are only going to be used for housecleaning.
Plus I feel a little more confident to try quilting a few more of my quilts.

Mr. Owl

Mr. Owl
I saw an owl up in a tree

I looked at him and he looked at me.

I couldn't tell you about his size
For all I saw were two big eyes.

Vintage Owl Embroidery

I really enjoyed stitching this one, and using a variety of colors to create the owl.

Free pattern offered by PatternBee

Oh, Deer

The deer runs fast
With nimble feet

By lucky chance
You may just meet!

Sweet deer, do pause
Beneath the tree-

Won't you please
Make friends with me?
(The Fleeting Deer by Swapna Dutta)
*Vintage Deer Embroidery. One more block finished towards the baby quilt I am making.

Mary Fisher Fabric and Quilts

While visiting Quilter's Store Sedona, I noticed a beautiful fabric line Pathways by a local artist Mary Fisher.

I was drawn to the earthy shapes and colors, and learned that Mary's inspiration came from her travels and work in Africa.

Later that afternoon, Mr. Cactus and I entered the Goldenstien Gallery where I was delighted to see a collection of Mary's art quilts hanging along one wall.

Previously, I was not aware of Mary or her work, and desired to learn more.

A gallery employee approached and told me parts of Mary's story.

She is an artist, author, AIDS activist and International speaker.

At one time she was a television producer and assistant to the President of the United States.

In 1992 she delivered a very impactful speech "The Whisper of AIDS" at the Republican National Convention.

I could see a sadness in her work, and learned that Mary contacted AIDS through her ex-husband.

"What has influenced my art most is the living with AIDS while raising children as a suburban, white, American mother. The contradictions in my life are so clear, so absolute... but when it all begins to come together in a sculpture or a print or a quilt, it comes together as a single message. It's my truth, my story, my prayer."
~ Mary Fisher

"In the United States, Mary founded the Mary Fisher CARE (Clinical AIDS Research and Education) Fund to support long-term, outcomes-based research for the care of people living with HIV, especially women. In Africa, she established support groups where women infected or affected by HIV/AIDS can earn a living wage, producing hand-beaded bracelets that Mary designed and markets in the United States. "

Each quilt back contains a label of Mary's thoughts at the time she was creating the piece.

Quilting has always been therapeutic, and often provides a charitable influence.
Especially so in the works of Mary Fisher.

You can read more about Mary on her web site http://www.maryfisher.com/

Quilter's Store Sedona

One of the first parts of my itinerary when visiting a new area, is to check out the quilt stores.

I thought of trying to explain this compulsion to you, but then realized I would probably be "singing to the choir".

True?

Sedona only has one quilt store, but well worth the visit.

Quilter's Store is conveniently located on the main drive into town on Hwy. 89A, has a friendly staff, and carries over 3,000 bolts of fabrics.

I had hoped to be able to take a lot of pictures to show you their beautiful selections of batiks and Southwest designs, but they requested only exterior shots.

I can tell you that in 2008 they were voted by Quilt Sampler Magazine as one of the top 10 Quilt Stores in the United States.

Inside they show the pattern for their featured quilt Desert Sunset.

More details for this kit and others can be found on their nicely maintained web page.

Quilter's Store offers one the best selection of Southwest patterns and fabrics I've ever seen.

My favorite Whirling Yei (by Eunice Hill of Bee Creative), and others are available through their Online Catalog.
While wandering the store I thought of my friend Pat Peters, an award winning quilter who loves everything Southwest. I gave her a call to tell her of my find and to see if there was anything I could pick up for her.

Me: Have you seen No Dinner Tonight by Off Your Rocker?

Pat: Oh yes! I've made that one.

Me: What about Shaman's Dream also by Off Your Rocker?
Pat: Yes, made that one too. In fact, I've been to Quilter's Store, I'm on their mailing list and have ordered from them many times.

Pat had already made Whirling Yei, and many other of Eunice Hill's designs.

We had a good chuckle.

Knowing Pat, I should have guessed she would already have investigated every crevice of Quilter's Store.