Random: I { heart} sewing

The birthday quilt is being cut! The prints and colors are out of my comfort zone, but it is coming together nicely! My friend who loves Amy Butler's fabric,but doesn't sew. I am hoping this would be a super surprise birthday present for her. She is turning a big five zero this year!!  For me, it is great to try something new once in awhile! The first week of the summer break is amazing great!! I am able to sew everyday and come here to share with you every day!  I am still exhausted from last semester.. It is great just decompressed myself and find the happiness from sewing and corresponding with you guys.

All the cuts are pair with different colors and print. This time I decided  large cut 6"x6". It turns out really nice! Usually I prefer small cuts, but this time I try something new! The colors are mainly pink and green!

Mother's Day was last Sunday! It has been more than 6 years I haven't celebrated with my mom. I am always late for sending mom gifts. I know she wouldn't mind at all, but since I began to sew I try to send her something I made and she would/might like. This year I picked out Anna Maria Honer's Voile. It is so nice and soft!! I used different embroidery stitches to bound the edges. I though the aqua would fit for mom, but then I think I might let her decide.

This is a super relax project!  I love how soft it is on me and though mom would like it, too! She might be worry to wear the colors on her since she wears black tops a lot!

I work on the second piece's stitches while Stella was in violin lesson yesterday afternoon.  I am the kind of mom stays in the classroom while Stella takes her music lessons. Her teachers are more encouraging me to stay with her! It has been a tremendous experiences for myself being able to learn some music with Stella!! It also helps me to remind her what needs to be focus on when she gets home! Do you stays for your children's music lessons?

{Stamp Quilt}!It is a dream quilt for myself! I am attempting  going to make one! In my larger scrap box I would find some larger pieces then trim them off for this project. I plan on keeping this quilt random.

 

These little squares are measured 1.5"x1.5". I need a lot more! My plan is start this quilt when I am done with my schooling.  I have another year to collect these squares! Something to look forward!!

The ironing board used to have a nicer cover, but had a hole. The hole became a bigger hole... story goes on..   I never replace it when I took the cover off. It is time to make a new cover for it. I think it is feeling sad without new clothes! 

The weather is perfect in norther land! I put out another sun tea this morning. Today is peach tea. I will get back to you with your questions later today! I have promised to attending Stella's reading event this afternoon. It is a great event for parents go to school and read with their children for half an hour. I enjoy going there spend the time with her!!

Are you sewing? are you playing scraps? catching up some house work? watching movie while you sew? I am all above!! I keep enjoy sewing at home!! 

xxC

Take Three: Production & Quilting

Please stay with me today. It is a long post with 28 images.  I took some clear shot, but do please let me know if there is any part that's not clear.  When I first start with the patchwork making it is always overwhelming with amount of the scraps I store and where to start?? On { Take Two} I have mentioned on looking for small pieces.  Some quilters sort their scraps by colors, prints, designers, etc., but I keep my together. We have a very small space and I try to keep scrap box low if I can.

I picked some small pieces of the scraps and start looking. Hint: Go with your instinct!  If the first piece catch your eye then that would be your first start off piece.

In the center?

The scarps batting is about 10"x7". I freely cut with my scissors with out measuring. Later on, you will trim the edges off, so don't worry at this stage.  Where to lay the first piece?? Play around your first piece composition.  

 Off center? lower side of corner? 

 Upper side of the corner? 

There's no rule where you place your first piece or what you should put your first piece.  Sometimes, I might start around the center then my next piece would be off.

The first piece was around the lower corner. I began with simple straight stitches. I set my sewing feet to 1/4" seam. Between each quilting lin it is 1/4" apart. The method is called quilt as you go.

 You will be seeing quilting lines in the back of your batting.

After finished the first piece. Look another piece that's either similar in length or in width. If it is too long trim it off with your scissors. With the color choose: what I have done here is using contrast color which is cool and warm.  I don't use any ruler or rotary cutter until the very end of the assembling stage.

 Lay the second fabric right side to the first piece then match edge to edge

 Piece the second piece of the fabric to the first fabric piece

Flip the second piece of the fabric. I used a 1/8" seam for the top join seam. It will help to secure the seams together better.

 Find your third piece do the same method from the second piece. 

 Now, you have a small patchwork piece.

 After a small patchwork. I began look for a large piece of scrap. 

As you can see from the ruler the quilting pieces aren't level! It is off, but don't worry about it! Keep playing!

 My fifth piece cover the top of the patchwork, so it is longer and bigger! 

 The edges are off? You could use your fabric to adjust the off edge. Cover over the quilted part. 

 It is uneven and the composition is not squared! 

 Sometimes, I use large pieces to cover the edge of the batting. 

 Simply keep quilting then you can trim it off then save the other un-quilting piece { back to scrap bin}.

The fuchsia is became the key color for this small patch. I went look for some gray print. The one the Right took over the key color, so visually they are fighting. The left piece still have some gray print on it and it helps the other scrap pieces took out more! Color choose: light and dark 

 Again it is uneven patchwork, so I use the top piece to level the patchwork 

 So far the patchwork! 

Added a little strips on the bottom to give a balance. Any batting that's no being quilted will be trim off later.

My sewing machine doesn't have the thread cut! So I ended up need to trim off the threads as I go! Sometimes it is such a waste!

Finished  patchwork! 

I will make 8-10 of patchwork for one tote! I will come back with all the finish patchwork piece for Take Four. If you are sewing the patchworks, too. Please have fun!!  Hope all the images help out to explain the process.. I will be back and share {Take Four}. 

Take One: Fabric
Take Two: Scraps

EDIT: I would like to invited you to join my flickr and share your patchwork process. Thank you!

xxC

Random: Reset

Yesterday I stayed home and tidy up part of our place then began to sew! Spot the strawberry flower is blooming! We both got very excited about possibility of  strawberries at home. Hope more flowers will come!

Finally I am working on the 2" squares patchwork again. These little squares were supposed to be the hexes quilt, but I never committed myself to make one. Most of the prints are from the 30's reproduction that I got few years back. I don't  think I can find some of prints now, but I am satisfied to make some process again. I really am need a summer quilt!! A quilt that's with lots small floral prints.

A few years ago, I took a workshop and learn how to dye fabric. The blue indigo was one of the project that we did and I was most attached to. I have yards of yards indigo fabric both in linen and cotton from the workshop.  These have been saving  for awhile now! I plan on embroidery these...

The fabric finally arrived! These are going to turn into a birthday quilt that I will be making! This is the first time I order modern floral fabric prints! Very uncertain, since these aren't really my colors and my stashes! My friend who is turning a big five zero loves Amy Butler's fabric color schemes. She has more her books than I do and she doesn't sew! It will be a big surprise for her! 

Yesterday was the last day to upload { show me your stash contest} hosted by Amy Butler. For some reason the flickr pool didn't take my image! Maybe something didn't click through, but Stella had great idea about it! I though she was just fun on her misspelled word {fanamall}!

Heading out of town this morning! I will work on the Take three photos today when I get back from my mini trip to Fargo, so I can post it tomorrow!  Thank you for waiting!

xxC

{Handmade napkins}

Yesterday was the first day of my summer break! I spent my day at school and finished all the math/grading. Had a big salad and headed to the coffee shop and met with a friend. It just feel right about everything! I used to be so busy everyday then it is summer I am having much more time to sew and be home!  Do you remember my hexes I made 3 years ago? I never made the quilt! I have been saved these patchwork hexes and moved them with me. Once I was about to donate them to thrift store, but I kept them and glad I did! 

Do you agree it is dangerous when you have time and go {look} around fabrics? It is so dangerous for me. I can't recall that I don't bring any fabric home when I go to fabric store. I always get 1/2 yard of something that caught my eye!!  I found this birds print yesterday and knew that it would be perfect for the napkin project that I have had in mind. 

I used 30's reproduction for the print part and the kona for the solid. Each hex flower has a different personality: spring, summer, fall?? I fused sewable heating bone on the back of the hexes then iron on the linen. The hexes is 3/4".

 Saving these hexes for the future?!

 Each napkin turns out very sweet! I am attached to the blue hexes!

I ran out the bird print after I made 4 napkins. I am going back to the store and get more today. I have two more in process!

For the each corner, I used simple cross stitch to make it zakka look style!
 
These are great for simple summer project! Still many projects await me to finish!!  It is great that I am sewing every day now!

 It would be great if I can find 4 different napkin ring for each one of them! Time for tea??

Will be back with  {Take Three} soon!

xxC

Take Two: Scraps

I always go through the scraps box and look through the pieces and have an idea of what scarps I have. Sometimes,  I might have more blue in the box for the period of the time due to the projects that I work on or sometimes I might have more red! It is random for me. 

Often time I would cut off some of the large pieces then addition to the small scraps. Most of the time I use them for larger patchwork area.  I often look in my fat quarter drawers to find the additional colors that I need.


I always start with smallest pieces and patch them together. Shown above image, the smallest piece is less than 1" square then I start finding corresponding colors and scraps together.  I prefer press the back seam as I go with my project, so I have my iron and ironing board on when I am sewing. It always gives nice and flat for the blocks.

What do I mean corresponding colors and scraps? For example: light/ dark, warm color schemes and cool color schemes. Dots, cycles, shapes. etc.  Then I would add one color that's odd among the others. The reason is to get off the harmonized visual pleasing. Sometimes, it works well on certain project.


Scraps batting are the best for the patchwork projects!! I have been saving all the quilt batting that trimmed off from the quilts that I made. Some are 4" wide and some are 20 inches wide. I keep them in a bag then I would go through them when I made little zippered pouches, coasters, or anything that doesn't acquire large batting. 

 

Remember the batting will get a little smaller due to your quilting. It is about 1/4" smaller or so! I must be very honest with you that I never plan my patchwork tote size. I just sew as I go! Sometimes I make a few then realize it is big enough. It is never hurt if you like the patchwork project for using your scraps up!

{back} 

Example for the small batting pieces. The smallest quilting piece on the center top is 3"x4".  Originally I made 10 patchwork pieces. So when I patch these small patchwork together then it gives a different look then one small patchwork.

{front}

As you can see the front pieces have a new arranged composition. It creates more dynamic look. Again, play around your idea and put these small patches next to each other and see how these small patches works for you.  The sizes doesn't need to be perfect, I'd say play with your colors then you can decided if you prefect even block look or uneven block look.

 

Unlike the small patches. This is a whole piece of larger batting that I made on the other side of the {patchwork tote}.  On this large batting what I have done is use a darker fabric as my focal point then I added lighter fabric to bring out the contrast then added darker fabric around it. It is a wonky log cabinet block. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Take One: Fabric 

xxC