In The Sewing Basket

March 8, 2013

A Little Peak

Liz's Gift

I really like the way these blocks are going together....there will be 5 colors with 4 blocks of each in the quilt..I decided to use some 1800 Reproduction fabs from my shop....like my hub says, I am a lady with ALOT of fabric! Chat Later.....Piecing blessings!! Karen

March 7, 2013

It's All About the Engineer

A few days ago, I was cutting out the Winter Turkcy Tracks quilt...I did mention it frayed terribly on a previous blog, bare with me, ..I put up with it, and thought it was the fabric...not the engineer, me.... i.e. you know when your sweeper won't turn on and you find the cord been pulled out of the wall socket type thing.....well! "lightbulb moment"....I am cutting out the Liz's Gift quilt from Jodi BarrowsMailly Women Pattern Book
And the fabric I am working with was also fraying......ok, so, the engineer thought, " let's just change the rotary blade or sharpen it." I do have that nice blade sharpener in my shop also.....save alot of money on blade, for sure... Anyways, I had 2 blades in my rotary cutter!!! it was FULL of threads and a mess!!.....wha la!! ANSWER!! jokes on me!!.....wow! does it cut the strips I need for the LIz's Gift quilt so nicely now!! wooohooo! A happy Quilter here!!!

tulip basket

Up Close

I worked last night on paper piecing....I have used that with my Dear Jane Quilt blocks also but, honestly, I put away my Jane in November to start my American Girl Sewing Christmas Bonanza, I kept busy at for weeks for my sweet youngest Grand gals.....Anyways, I found a couple free patterns online for paper piecing last night....I did do a tulip in a basket and somehow I thought a Farmhouse would be so" easy".....well, the tulip is fine but I have to tweak my farm house......When you paper piece do you leave the papers on the back if you are putting many rows of pieces together? Or do you take the paper off and do the 1/4 seam allowed? I left the paper on my farmhouse pieces and found it bulky; and think that is what did my porch roof "in"... My hub asked me if I used a level?...funny, carpenter Hub!!
I am so new at this but want to conquer things so I can teach it in my shop soon. I have to 'FIX' my farmhouse....the roof is not quite right and my porch rail ends up not under the porch roof! I think it was kind of a hard one to start out with....think I will do a kitty in a basket next....keep it simple.
Back to my Liz's Gift.....can't wait to see it come together. This has been on my to do "Basket List" for a couple years now. If I can ever help you out, just let me know!! Quilted Blessings! Karen

March 6, 2013

Paper Piecing

I am entering a new world of quilting to me today, plus I found the idea of using freezer paper designs with your longarm or free motion sewing machine quilting. Any help is always welcome huh?!! Sometimes, it seems it just comes knocking at your cabin door!!!

Source: flickr.com via Kenny on Pinterest

After seeing this on Pinterst, I figured doing some paper piecing with my picture Grad Quilt would really work well. Recently, I was able to connect to a great paper piecing Queen online and on Alex Anderson, & Caorl Doaks
I will see how my experiment goes with my ideas and give you a peak in a day or so. Quilted Blessings! Karen

It's Working

Winter Turkey Tracks

94x94

I did work last night and got the Winter Turkey Tracks together! This took me 2 days to cut out and sew together. Not bad. :) I thought it was appropriate that I was working on it, since we had our "last" big snow this Winter during it's completion

. My hub got his truck loaded with extra weight from rock salt bags and was able to get out !! So, the many Blue Spruce we are blessed with on our country property are scalloped in snow...it isn't going to last though, it will be 50 degrees in a few days....but it is Winter!! Spring is just 2 weeks away though and I think the groundhog did NOT see his shadow this year, so that could mean an early Spring. I can't wait to see our tulips and daffodils we buried in the ground last fall. It is always a great surprise to see where you planted them.....Seasons that God gives us without fail are just amazing; each has it's own importance and beauty. Enjoy the work, my pics are NOT that great...I have a stack of 6 quilt tops now to longarm but want to do a paper pieced top for my shop before I jump into the 2 Graduation Picture Quilts I need to start! God Bless, keep warm, and as always Quilted Blessings, Karen

March 5, 2013

PomPom Challenge

Meow!!

I just HAD to share this PomPom Idea my daughter in law sent to me this morning.....the challenge is on!!! The Pompoms in the sky is your only limit!!! So Funny!! Blessings!!! Karen

Pixel Quilts

Contrasts?

Usually when I see picture quilts as an idea I think of the traditional ones, use a photo, scan it and then print it on photo fabric. That is great! and that is what I am going to do for my first two Grandgals that are graduating from High School this year (how did THAT happen?)......and it will be a great gift. I really do have to get busy on that. But, the back fabric, what do I do? I want them to use the quilt, so I thought just a whole cloth on the back, but I found something better, I think, and wanted to share it. It is a free Craft class for using photos with alot of contrasts to pixel and do into an art Quilt......really, now how cool would that be on the back.... Now, I have to search my old Printed from 35mm film (remember those) photos to find a really cute one of each of them to enlarge and pixel and then do the back out of it.....it could be just their precious baby eye, or hand, or their little feet in tennis shoes.....or SOMETHING!!....my creative juices are flowing and my right side of my brain is doing the dance of joy!! so, if you are in for a snowstorm like we are here in northern Indiana, go to crafty and join the free class!!Photo Art Class at Crafty
Spend your snow filled day making pixel snowmen? maybe, why not!!
Get the picture?.....Hey, maybe this would be a way to get younger gals interested in Quilting....the more modern approach, outside the box or inside the pixel frame? I'm just sayin".....and maybe if its not on this snowy day, then a rainy one? I hope those are coming soon! and our tulips and daffodils.......Love Spring!!
Just wanted to share this FREE class; I do love Crafty.com! Quilted Blessings!! Karen

Coming To The Aid

Lets' Roll !!

You know there are such great people in this world....in America!!....today I was struggling to figure out why I am a non-reply blogger....I am new to this and last week was my first Blog Hop....and I wanted to join one in April and when I did say I would join I also asked our "cheerleader" how I could fix my status.....she was wonderful..Pig Tales And Quilts..she had me call her and from there we went into the google plus and change a couple things and whala!! I am now on basic also and when I do join a Hop they will go to a simple page where my email is "up front and fancy free!".....

Winter Turkey Tracks

Yesterday I spent some time doing Jodi Barrow technique to make a quilt for my Cabin wall....shew! the dark blue fabric frayed ALOT!!.....but we got through that and also finished up the white.....then to put the strips on the squares and cut out the flying geese and there you are!!....I was able to get one block of the quilt top done. Not bad for a day and a half. I wasn't working on it constantly but her technique is easy to get use to and you can come and go with it too. I like to get all my things cut out and then stacked in a basket or a small TV tray stand.... which I plan to cover and make into a small ironing stand too. I feel pretty good about today.....figured out a computer issue and got a block finished too. There is a snow storm in the horizon I hear. That is not difficult for an addicted quilter like me.....no Quilting Regrets live here!.....Have a safe day and may it be blessed also......Quilted Dreams!! Karen

March 4, 2013

An Apple A Day....

WOW! just had to share this great wallhaning....remember our challenge a couple days ago with Doing something in Chenille? Looking closer, I think it is ruffles of fabric!! fooled me; I think it would be cool in Chenille though.... Well, this Rocks My World ! :):)

I am still working on my Winter Turkey Tracks......Love it so far!! will share my progress tomorrow, for now, enjoy the Apples

Source: trueup.net via Cyndi on Pinterest

March 3, 2013

Winter Turkey Tracks

Jodi's Book that comes with the mini Square in a Square

Her instructions are concise

Hello Friends,

Thinking that it is STILL, winter I came across this pattern in Jodi's first book and she does have it on her page in the Videos and hanging on her stairway. I plan to hang mine on my soon to be lighter yummy blue wall by my stairway too. Stay with me as I post from my IPhone to Flickr and then to my post. (my camera is in hiding!)....I love Jodi's techniques; the points are always perfect and her many books that she has out now are just fabulous. In case you don't know about her, she does write fiction historical books also; based on stories and facts of her family and their settlement into America out West. I love the West!! She has a Pony Express book with a story and fabric and patterns. I always wanted to be Annie Oakley growing up!! Jodi does have her own fabric now too.
We once lived in Dallas, so I have a tie to her that way.
Anyways, today I am cutting this blue and white fabric out in strips today and then to begin her Square in a Square technique....yes, you can hear me humming!! The fabric is from Judie Rothermel and I doubt they make it now, sorry!!
Please relax and enjoy Jodi's videos; her link is on the right side of the blog.
I just want you to feel good about quilting and to be successful in it and this will get you there!! Maybe its because I did work at one point in OB and I always wanted those precious ladies to be happy in nursing their babes too......These quilts are my babies now!!!

Sturbridge Village Blue

So, I promise!! you won't look back!!
Quilted Blessings!! Karen

March 2, 2013

Tips with Jodie

Hi,

Jodi Barrows Square In A Square

I am about ready to cut out my quilt with Jodie, I revisited her page and she has a great segment to the right and top on the media section of her instructional videos. I am partial to her technique and love her quilts, ideas and designs. I would love to purchase her Pony Express fabric, I do have the book to get started. But, for now I am going to do a 2 color quilt from her first book....its the red and white one that she shows, I am not decided quite yet, mine may be a dark blue as I am going to paint a huge tall wall at our cabins' double French door entrance by the stairway. I do LOVE that new blue that is out..... I was born a Painters' daughter, grew up on paint and varnish fumes, covered in wallpaper at night....so! after 5 years of a dark blue I am ready to dress that wall up. My sweet hub put a double small barn window in it that opens up into our bedroom.....so, yes, it does need a special quilt.....so! that is what I am up to and also finishing the Doll Quilt for my California Partner in March.......Enjoy! and please if you don't have Jodi and her rulers and books, it is a 'TO DO ' on your Quilted Basket List.....OK?.....Quilted Blessings ! Karen.........Square In A Square...
OH! Go IU.......and Go Buckeyes!......March madness is about to begin!!........

February 27, 2013

To Chenille, or NOT to chenille, That IS the Question...

My BLOG HOP is still going on!! Stitch By The Lake The bloggers for today are listed in the last post....Hop down and start enjoying your time on their blogs. Everyone commented on my pompoms (which are felted balls you can order) and the chenille. Chenille gives alot of dimension when you need that variety in your project or Quilt. The LQS usually sells a good quality chenille that holds up to wear and tear!! Do you have Chenille Bedspread Memories? Feel free to share and leave a comment on your experiences with Chenille......Don't spare the Quilted Threads today, girlfriends!!
I did find a small stash of chenille today...and a book on birdies....it may be a fun day! doll quilt and maybe a cloth and chenille birdie too?....ummmm I'm just sayin'!!

Quilted Blessings!! Karen

February 26, 2013

Doll Quilt Monthly

The blog hop is fun, fun Sew We Quilt. I posted last night but the list below is for TODAY! It's almost over but has been alot of fun
PLEASE feel free to visit the blog list I have added. The girls are doing such great and creative work!.
There are hops being planned for the future and looks like you can find one that you might be interested in too. Just keep checking the site out.

I am working on my Quilt for my Doll Quilt partner. She is from California and is busy busy busy. So, we are trying to get our little quilts out to each other in the next week or so. While I was looking online for ideas I did run across a couple ideas for future too.....I just wanted to share them as i
ideas..just for fun!!....Nana Company
I think the quilt is just so sweet..the three little , ha I was going to say little pigs...but I see one is a rabbit and one must be a bear! jokes on me...... FOCUS!!......

Check out this one also!!Clover and Violet
Wednesday, February 27 Blog List: I'm So Biased...Amy Bradley Designs
Passions of Cliodana
Quilt Mamas
Marathon Quilter
Marthas' Crafts
Fiber Babble
Simple Sew
Sewn Seabees
Charlotte At That Other Blog
Nina's Patchwork
Charlottes Creations
I Piece2-Mary
My Spoolish Hart
It is just sweetness!!.....I will return when I decide about my doll quilt!! So much to think about!!
Quilted Blessings for sure!! Karen

February 25, 2013

The Bag Lady......I'm A Little Biased.....love chenille....

Biased fabric and chenille....lots of room, pockets inside...straps

Add your tools, ladies!!

I just "felt" like it !!..chenille hair-do!

Fun to hang on a chair, or take shopping

This Blog Hop has opened up a new world for me...a newbie....I am also new to the Doll Quilt Monthly and there you get a new partner each month to exchange a Doll Quilt, and get to meet other quilters and that is the best part of all!! Meeting y'all in the Hop has been a blast!!
I hope you enjoy what I did with "My Bag Lady", she "felt" like she needed to be used as a bag that can be taken to quilt gatherings or just hang around on the back of a chair. The chair in the photo is from the early 1800's belonging to ancestors as the ladies sewing chair. Can't you just see a lady with a long dress sitting there quilting?....I love it...little granddaughters climb up into as toddlers...and a Dobbie (granny) like me still sits in it too
"My Bag Lady"is like me, she is full of all kinds of colors, thoughts, energies and service! She has a pocket inside to carry extra things; on the outside is a ruffled pocket on the back...easy access!!...I love chenille and it was in my stash calling out to me for this Bag Lady!! So, she has chenille hair and also a blocked chenille front.
Thank you for stopping by and please come back often. May Quilted Blessings Abound to You, Karen

Also, you can link to the blog at our Sponsors page and I do give Thanks for all the work that she and her partners have accomplished to get this together and keep going! I give you KUDOOS!! It Must take tons of work! We notice!! Stichin' By The Lake
And Amy Bradley did it again with her design she shared with us! Thank You!!!

My Partners On Tuesday to Visit the 26th.....It's All About Me..... I'm A Little Biased...
Pat Sloan
To Love Handmade
Feathered Nest Studio
Selina Quilts
Gypsy Dreamer Quilts
Sheilas Quilt World
Meadowbrook
13 Woodhouse Road
Zellerwear
Stitches Of Love
and you are here at inthesewingbasket.blogspot.com !! Its a Good Day!! Its a Very Good Blog Hop!

February 19, 2013

For The Love Of Quilting

Hello friends!
I am busy with the Blog Hop I talk about below and give links to it...
I am starting the quilt Lets' Get Together...from Jill Finley. It is just calling me strongly. Notice the contrasts in colors?....I will show my progress tomorrow....I think I need it with the winter in NW Indiana where we have snow one day, a little sunshine thrown in, then back to snow and wind. Its' ok, like my Mom would say" it is better to have winter now than in April. " Amen to that sisters!!

I just finished Jills top Pink Petal Pusher, also from Jills book....so cute in pink and white and some green appliqued flower centers and curving stems. It is certainly ALL good!

So, with that I want to add a blog to visit and enjoy a tutorial on hand quilting/vs machine quilting. I am not a person who judges anyone for how they get the quilting done. Do what fits you and you feel good about!!...I also say, are you kidding me? Do you think the ladies of 1800 would not have also machine quilted if given a chance with one of our machines?.....We and they are not much different....just years apart, that is all.

Please enjoy the tutorial.....it is worth a cup of coffee with your visit.....Purl Bee.....Bless you today and maybe some quilting.....hand or machine.....just Enjoy it!!! Quilted Blessings Always!! Karen

Hop Till You Drop

I am in a Blog Hop and want to list all the blogs that you can visit this week and next week. I am on the 26th to post my I'm A Little Biased creation I made. I posted the 19th and 20th below but will list the rest of the days of Blog Hops. Get a cup of coffee and share a piece of coffee cake....and enjoy their ideas...today was the first of the Hop and they are so cute!!....the creator is at Sew We Quilt

Thanks for stopping by and as usual, if I can be of service to you please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thanks. Kari

So, I will start with Thursday and Friday of this week Blogs and Follow with next weeks Blog Hops ..ok?....:)