Quilts « Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts

Archive for Quilts

Friday? Again?

November 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm · Filed under Everyday Things, Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

Honestly. Where does the week go? Just a minute ago, it was Monday. I think I meant to post on Monday. Time flies when you’re, well, doing stuff. Not that it has been exciting stuff. Yesterday I washed dogs and all of the one-thing-leads-to-another related accoutrements. Well, here we are.

First off, I joined Andi’s Pay It Forward, which I am very excited about! So, now I’m looking for three people who want to Pay It Forward. If you would like to receive a handmade gift from me, and are willing to make and send a handmade gift along to three of your blog readers, please let me know in the comments. Once you accept, you will receive something from me within 365 days. In turn, you will have 365 days to fulfill your end of the bargain. So, if you would like to accept the challenge and commit to keeping this going, leave a comment.

EDITED TO ADD: You all are QUICK! I’ll be sending to:

Jan
Michelle
Jenny

Among other things I’ve gotten myself into, I’m intending to quilt along with Kellie’s Joseph’s Coat Quilt-along. I really love this pattern. I’ve made a small beginning by deciding on a background:

grey

Moda Bella Solid in grey — a nice chalky mid-grey.

I’ve wrangled some of the Stitch N Wash too (although I keep thinking of it as Wash N Stitch — which just doesn’t make sense):

washfuse

Although, I just saw an ad today for a new product from C&T Publishing — Wash Away Applique Sheets. Sounds like it does the same thing AND you can send it through your ink-jet printer. Which appeals to me as I’ve drafted my Joseph’s Coat applique placement guide on the computer. I could send sheets and sheets of petal shapes through. Wheeee. But I won’t. Because I already have Stitch N Wash. FYI then.

In 2007, I saw this beauty from the Tokyo International Quilt Festival. Stunning, no? Here, I must stop and thank Jan because, while I remembered this quilt, I couldn’t find the photo. I sent her a vaguely worded SOS and she tracked down the photo for me. THANKS, JAN! Anyhoo, at the time I saw this, I was entranced. I have a lovely green background and the “border” print in green to do something inspired by that quilt. Oh, and I bought these:

tealeaves

I recall a couple of attempts at piecing the blocks. But, as I said before, time flies and here we are in 2009. While I don’t know if I will keep up, I will give it a try and will appreciate the motivational inspiration Kellie’s quilt-along provides. I have to try not to get mired in indecision when it comes to the color scheme for the petals. To be continued…

Oh, and I decided that nine spider web blocks is enough for now:

spidey

All righty! Hope you had a good week. Don’t forget, if you’d like to join my Pay It Forward, please leave a comment. (FILLED)

Permalink Comments (19)

World wide spider web

November 6, 2009 at 5:23 pm · Filed under Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

Do you want to see how I ever so slightly modified Marit’s superb spider web directions? Ever so slightly to use a paper “foundation.”

So, you’ll draft your triangle foundation just as Marit shows you but make it out of paper instead of fabric. You may need only one foundation or maybe two. If you’re making a big quilt, maybe make a few more. I would make them all at once so they’re all guaranteed to be the same. Of course, the lazy among us will make one and hope for the best. Yes, that’s me.

After making your paper foundation, fold up the outer triangle “flaps” just so you have a nice crease and can easily fold the flaps out of the way as you sew.

Next, cut a rectangle of center/background/kite fabric. I cut all of mine at 5″ x 6 1/2″ — this covers the height plus seam allowance and width plus seam allowance of my center kite shape.

Center the paper foundation on the background fabric which is wrong side up. Pin in place — a flat flower head pin works well (any small headless pin works; I tried fine glass head pins and was not happy with what happened when I pressed over them).

web1

Now, fold up one of the flaps:

web2

Lay a rotary ruler over this so that a 1/4″ seam allowance will be left on the fabric (i.e., 1/4″ beyond the paper fold):

web3

Trim background fabric 1/4″ from paper fold:

web4

Now you’re ready to sew on your first strip. I pre-cut oodles of Rouenneries strips of various sizes (between 1″ and 2″). So, cut a strip long enough to fit:

web5

Lay the strip underneath the background fabric so that the fabrics are right sides together. Take this to your sewing machine and sew a seam just next to the paper fold:

web7

Press the strip out and fold the flap back down so you can see how long the next strip should be. Cut the second strip.

web8

Fold the paper flap back and lay the second strip on top of the first, right sides together:

web9

Sew this seam using 1/4″ seam allowance:

web10

Press the added strip out. Fold the paper flap back in place and cut the third strip. Lay that on top of the second strip, right sides together and stitch the seam:

web11

And so on and so on using the paper foundation only to measure the length of each successive strip. Fold the paper foundation out of the way before sewing each seam.

Eventually, you’ll have this:

web13

And you will be ready to trim up your block just as Marit shows you in her tutorial.

In this case, after trimming, remove the paper foundation and use it for the next block. After trimming, I also spritzed my pieced triangles with some Best Press to help stabilize the bias edges a little bit.

Carry on.

Oh, wait. The Wretched Excess Division wants to check in.

salty choco

Well, they might run out. It has happened before.

On the other hand, this was flown in earlier this week so you would think there would be no chocolate panic.

naked choc

Ah, but there will always be an impending chocolate panic!

Permalink Comments (19)

It’s a problem

November 5, 2009 at 2:09 pm · Filed under Dollies Online, Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

I can’t seem to put down the Rouenneries fabric. Which, I believe, just goes to show that my fabric tastes are indeed all over the place. I don’t even think there is a single print that is my favorite single print. I love them all. And I love them all together. Their ability to scrap it up all together. Their warmth all together. I have three Rouenneries projects in the works. Overkill? Will I be well and done with it when the projects are done? We shall see.

spider

Inspired by Katy with technical direction by Marit (although we are doing a difference size and are using a faux paper piecing technique so as not to waste precious Rouenneries backgrounds). Still deciding how many blocks of this I’m going to do. My, my, they do take a while to make. The optimist’s goal is 12 blocks. In this century.

A second small quilt is underway with a third only in the planning stages:

dolliequiltstart

Dolly dresses in Rouenneries, of course — the beginnings of the Dollies Online logo quilt. I have a feeling these will be some well dressed dollies because I can’t see leaving them just ONE dress each, can you? That would be cruel.

Back to spider webs before the school bus comes roaring to a stop.

Permalink Comments (17)

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

October 29, 2009 at 1:15 pm · Filed under Fabric, Great Quilt Patterns, Quilts

I’m showing you my four-patch stacked posie quilt complete with its wrinkles because it is a completely fun project. It’s perfect for those of us who love a good WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? quilt. Once you get the concept down, you can play around with your setting. This was a blast.

posie

posie2

posiealone

I used Philip Jacobs’ lush Floral Burst print. Hmm, might have to get some of it in grey… I kept going with some mooshy lushness in some of the setting squares and triangles. I used the concept from Mary Lou Hallenbeck’s pattern for the blocks and just played around with settings.

Love. Fun. Despite the wrinkles. Can’t wait to see what happens when it’s quilted!

Permalink Comments (8)

My biases

October 20, 2009 at 2:20 pm · Filed under Fabric, Quilts, Tools

I’ve been sewing up a bunch of bias-y edges. I was a little nervous. But we did just fine together:

whimsy

I cut the blocks with Bella Nonna’s Boondoggle ruler. Using the ruler made it fun and fast. The thing I liked best about the ruler was that center lines and their seam lines were marked on the ruler — which made it very easy to cut the setting and corner triangles. I mean, I would have figured it out, but it’s nice that the ruler did it for me. Sweet!

The fabrics are mostly from the latest colorway of Pillow & Maxfield’s Whimsy fabric. Of the three colorways, this one is my favorite. Not that there’s a bad colorway in the bunch. They are all big, bold and beautiful. The important Three Bs of fabric…

Now, I just need to finish sewing down the binding on the Full Bloom (taking forever…) quilt. AND, I also need to get some starts stuck to a blue sweater:

sweater

I’m voting for using Fabric Tac but my conscience for some reason is pushing for hand sewing them on. We are on a tight time frame here, people (there’s more than one voice in my head?), and someone is going to a Halloween party on Saturday night as Coraline. Sorting out the blue hair turned out to be tricky. One bottle of demi-permanent hair color and two wigs later, I think we’ve got it. But, gosh, there are A LOT of blue sweaters to consider at the thrift store.

Hope your week is going well!

Permalink Comments (12)

Dollies Online

October 14, 2009 at 4:10 pm · Filed under Fabric, Quilts

Wow, you all are somewhat geeked about the Love fabric, huh?! Thanks for your comment entries and your blog posts about the giveaway! Keep those cards and letters coming!

I’ve got something else I hope you’ll be geeked about. Sarah and I have embarked on a little adventure:

Dollies Online! You do love a good dolly quilt, don’t you? Well, we have a program of 12 months of dolly quilt patterns for you beginning in January 2010 — six patterns from Sarah, six patterns from me! Dolly quilts are a great way to try new methods in a small project, so we’ll be exploring a variety of techniques. We will be sure to share our tips for success in every quilt.

The program will run through the Sew n Sell site. You can sign up for all 12 months at once at a savings of $5 AUS per pattern. With the 12-month sign-up, you will also receive a free pattern for the adorable Dollies Online logo quilt. You can also purchase the patterns individually on a monthly basis for $15 AUS each.

The January pattern is called Hurry Home:

dolly1

Sarah offers her lovely linen stars quilt pattern for February:

Frankly, I can’t wait for that one — isn’t it happy?

The rest of the quilts will remain under wraps so that you can get a happy surprise in your email-box each month.

In honor of the Dollies Online launch, I would like to offer a toast to dolly quilt lovers everywhere:

Cheers and we hope that you’ll join us in some dolly quilt fun!

I know that’s a funny looking dog, but who can resist that orange and pink polka dot background?!

ydlabel

Permalink Comments (15)

Sexy hexy Love quilt

October 6, 2009 at 4:45 pm · Filed under Everyday Things, Fabric, Quilts

The hexagon quilt pattern using Amy Butler’s Love fabrics (called the Sexy Hexy Loe Quilt) is now available over at Amy’s web site (go to free patterns and then sewing patterns). The method is completely different than my approach but I may meld the two. It will be good to see if I was close at guesstimating the sizes of things. Wheeeee!

Today I’ve been plugging away at quilting the Full Bloom quilt. Stick-to-it-ive-ness is key. And can I just say that it is really satisfying to finish a cone of thread. Just not right in the middle of quilting a quilt (added bonus if you don’t have more of THAT color).

Some sad news…

Remember Gilligan?

gilligan

Here he is in healthier days. Well, Gilligan passed on to the big fishbowl in the sky the other day. I guess we just couldn’t meet his needs although we tried to give him a good home.

RIP Gilligan.

Permalink Comments (13)

This is gonna be big

October 2, 2009 at 1:30 pm · Filed under Fabric, Quilts

After studying the Love hexagons (thanks to Kathy for stopping the slideshow), I guess-timated some dimensions and made a test.

Yipe. That’s a big block:

hextest

Big, I tell ya! This guess is 18″ from flat side to flat side.

Turns out this was a test block for the sake of some brain exercise because, good news, the pattern will be available for free at Amy Butler’s site by the end of next week.

Permalink Comments (8)

Stretching summer

September 28, 2009 at 3:26 pm · Filed under Fabric, Quilts

It’s a crazy weather day here. Blustery, rainy, sunny, cool. Fall is definitely here. I wish I had a pot of veg chili on the stove. Instead I’ve been working on a summer-y quilt top. I’ve been meaning to make this quilt top for quite some time. The dog tells me that a box containing these fabrics has been sitting on her crate since maybe July. Now that it’s getting cooler, she is a little sad to see them go. She might need them to keep warm.

fullbloom

These are mostly Bari J.’s Full Bloom fabrics from Windham. The border is still to come. It will be somewhat similar to Bari J.’s Garden Tea Party quilt border. More summer is in store. Good thing since tomorrow’s weather forecast looks a lot like today’s.

Permalink Comments (12)

I’m so lucky!

September 23, 2009 at 2:24 pm · Filed under Quilts

Doll Quilt Swap 7 is beginning to wrap up. Ahhh, what fun! This is the third round in which I’ve participated. Honestly, you really have to go look at the Flickr group page. The work coming out of the swaps never ceases to amaze — the creativity blows my mind every time!

I received my DQS7 quilt yesterday and had to pinch myself. Take a look:

DQS7rec

My quilt was made by the extremely-talented Hayley over at Purplelulabell.

How lucky am I? I love the fabrics, the applique, the trapunto (those flowers are trapunto-ed, people), the quilting. Love it, love it, love it! See, I need to pinch myself again.

Hayley went through my stash (!) and found out I didn’t have these Amy Butler fabrics, so she sent them along too:

abfq

I am honored to have received this beautiful quilt from Hayley! Thanks so much! Thanks, too, to the lovely organizers of the doll quilt swap and my swap mama Upstatelisa! Sounds like the next round of the doll quilt swap won’t be until after the new year. I can’t wait!

My quilt went off to Bulgaria to live. I can show you a tiny bit for now. It has been received by its lovely new owner, but, um, I forgot to take a picture of the finished quilt. Yes, I’m the one with all the smarts.

dqs7peek