EQ8

Yesterday I took an EQ8 class with my friends Stephanie and Mary. Classes are always fun when you do them with friends! Plus then you can ask them questions if you forget something.....

I have had the program for about a year and have made blocks and followed the lessons but there is nothing that beats a hands-on class. I learned so much and think I will be utilizing this tool a lot more in my quilting.

With my new found knowledge I may re-design the center of this block that I don't really love. I am going to make it easier and something I like.

Just being able to change the colors on blocks is so much fun! and so easy. How many times have you made a block and then decide you wish you had used something else? Almost everyone in the class had made blocks using the graph paper method so we all agreed this was a useful fun exercise.

We also "made" quilts and the fun part is you can turn blocks, delete blocks, add different blocks etc. The possibilities are endless. Our teacher, Ann Holte told us to remember this is not a video game......you can see how easy it would be to design many, many quilts in the virtual world but we all want to make them in the real world!
Ann was a wonderful teacher we all highly recommend her. You can find her information here.

I really like this quilt setting, and how easy it is to turn the blocks in a pleasing manner that I like.

For this exercise we were asked to pick a pieced block and an applique block. I love this!! I may just have to make it!

For you English Paper piecers, there is even a way to print out your templates. I thought randomly coloring in the hexies, made for a fun and unexpected quilt.

There are even labels to make for those of us (me) who don't like to make them.

Overall I like the program and will probably use it more and more, now that I have a taste of what it can do. How about you? Do you have it and do you like it? If you haven't taken a class do so. Even if it is just to learn the basics you will be surprised how easy it is.

Kelly

January Days

The cold January days have arrived here. I don't mind winter because I love being home and working on inside projects. It also allows lots of cooking and baking which I don't like in the summer.
I'm trying to take a more "embrace the season" approach rather than wishing it away. Time is already going too fast. I want it to slow down.
I have always wanted to make a red and green quilt, especially applique. These blocks are giant, 30"! I am hoping to make 9.......let's hope that happens!
The pattern is called Radical Rose by Collector With a Needle. You can find the pattern to buy HERE.

I am limiting my fabrics, only 4 to try and keep it true to a red and green quilt. I don't care for rusty reds and wanted a more pinkish red. I also wanted bright clear greens to make it feel more modern yet still traditional.

I'm not loving the center but I am not changing it. I may put a circle in the center just because it looks too much like a blob. Maybe green?

The little flowers on the end also get a circle, maybe they will all be the same green. I will do the circles before they are applied to the background. I also really like this background, not solid, yet subtle.

So I am doing this a bit different than I have in the past. I am pinning the pieces down, using the pattern underneath for placement. Next I want to thread baste these down so I can take it to bees and sewing retreats. I feel like this is a better method than glue because it is so big and they will be more secure. Any thoughts on this? I am a little nervous about this step......

I also prepped my pieces using freezer paper and ironed them around the edges, with the exception of those hand looking shapes (I only did one!) it worked well and I think the sewing will go pretty fast. It also allows me to place them exactly. As with all applique there is give and take on the prep work.

I came across this fabric at Joann's the other day. I felt like it is something I needed to have in the stash. I remember being at the fabric store as a 12 year old girl, dreaming about sewing up something amazing! Plus there is the vintage vibe.

Have you tried Sous Vide yet? I have so far only made steak using it but it is wonderful! I am not very good at making steak but this makes it fool proof. I am making them today, putting them in the fridge for tomorrow for my husband Bob's birthday. Google it, you may decide you need one!

Kelly

Happy New Year 2020

Happy New Year about 2 weeks late! How is everyone doing with those resolutions? I don't do them but choose to do goals instead.
One of my goals is to start a new sew along with some friends. This is the first block and it is due to be finished on January 31. The cutting is very slow.....in order to make it scrappy. I like the happy colors.

It came as a kit. It's called Spotted by Zen Chic. I decided just to go with the kit instead of finding all the fabrics. I am going to change up the setting though so stay tuned.

For something totally different....My daughter and her family will be moving in the spring. She has been furiously cleaning out closets and bedrooms and playrooms the past few weeks.

We found a bunch of her dresses she wore as a baby. Remember Polly Flinders dresses? I loved them and bought them for her all the time for special occasions.

The details are beautiful and so very vintage. Her baby, Piper is getting baptized later this month and we decided it would be fun for her to wear after the baptism. One is pink and one is white, she is going to wear the white one.
These brought back such wonderful  memories and I love that she is going to use them for her daughter. I got all the stains out with Oxy Clean, soaked over night in case you want to know. I took them to the dryer cleaner's to be pressed with light starch and to fix the elastic in the arms of one dress. I was a little shocked to see the $89.00 bill!

This was one of my all time favorites from Strawbridge and Clothier from 1983! She wore it on her first air plane ride to Illinois for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary.
These dresses are timeless and maybe one of my great-granddaughters will wear one?

During the blog hop in December, Judy from Small Quilts and Doll Quilts had a give away and I was the winner! I won these adorable pillow covers and can't wait until next year to use them. Thank you Judy!

Kelly