I Get Around

Day #4 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge.  I'm trying my hardest to do this, so I'm keeping short and sweet.  It is amazing when I look at the statistics about how many people have read my blog these past 3 days versus how many people were reading them 2 months ago.  It's a bit depressing, but I'll keep trying to regain your interest.

I have visited lots of quilt guilds this past year.  Almost all of them I  have driven to (and I  am starting to enjoy the driving) and then I flew to Florida.  The Program Chair picked me up at the airport and she recognized me right away!

Here are some photos from my travels. 

Can you tell that the workshop was in a firehouse? 

Sometimes I  get to visit quilt shops - Kay's in Ft Myers, FL

My schedule slows down during the Winter.  My  last workshop fro the year is this Saturday at Blue House Fabrics in Warminster, MD - SOLD OUT!

I start traveling and teaching again at the end of March 2019.  We usually head to Key West but 2019 will be another year where we're staying up North.  I'm looking forward to time in my studio to stir my creative juices and maybe learning how to use my 2 year old longarm! I've just hired someone to plow my driveway - so bring it on!

Repurpose an Outgrown Coat

My friend has this adorable little girl who has a wardrobe that Kim K. would envy! Here she is about 5 years ago in this gorgeous fluffy coat.   Check out those zebra striped boots!

They both loved this coat and even  though it no longer fit, couldn't part with it.  So we did some surgery.  I cut and trimmed and sewed and stuffed and transformed it into a pillow!




It was so soft and great to snuggle with.  My friend was very happy, indeed.

This is Day #3 of the 31 day Bloggers Challenge.  I am trying to determine if blogging is still relevant with IG and FB.  I'm willing to give it a try.  To see other bloggers who are participating, visit HERE.

Addicted To Machine Embroidery

Day #2 of the 31 Day Blog Challenge.

I enjoy embroidering names on gifts.  I have been tied up with my Mini Mosaics for quite a while and have little time to do any machine embroidery.  My DIL's birthday is soon and she loves white monogrammed towels.  I bought the towels a few weeks ago and finally set up my machine to embroider.  But, as usual, there was no cooperation.  The tension was a mess and I knew it was time to bring my machine to the dealer to  be adjusted and cleaned.

As soon as I arrived home, I set to monogramming the towels.  It worked like a charm.  Four towels done in an afternoon.  I have to wait until after her birthday to share.  But I can show you the subsequent projects.

My favorite baby gift is an embroidered hooded towel.  I'm told so often that the child uses it for years and years later. They don't outgrow them. Moms love them.  

 A few kids' gifts:

And a bag made with Henry.  He was mesmerized by the stitching.

I haven't put my machine away yet - thinking about what I can hoop next!

I cannot believe that is has been over 2 1/2 months since I wrote a blog post.  Even before that my posts were intermittent over the past year.  It is so easy to post on Instagram and then have it automatically post to FB.  The drawback to that is there are lots of photos but very little background information, including info about my inspiration and process.  

Recently, Chereyl Sleboda (aka Muppin) offered up a Blogging challenge to get us lapsed bloggers into the habit of blogging again.  Today is my first day.  The commitment is to post daily for 31 days.  My posts may be short and sweet, but maybe it will get me going again.

You can head to  www.muppin.com to see who else is participating in this challenge and maybe find some new blogs to follow.

As a heads up, a lot has happened since my last blog post on 9/11/2018.  I'll have lots to post but I know they won't be in chronological order.  Tomorrow I'll write about my current addiction to machine embroidery.

Thanks for reading and sticking with me and welcome any new followers.

Jelly Roll Rug Tips

After finishing up my commissions and developing my new patterns, I needed to do some fun sewing.  I had bought a Jelly Roll of fabric by Cherry Blossoms and I have been intrigued by these Jelly Roll rugs that are being posted all over instagram.  I watched a bunch of Youtube videos for tips and decided to take the plunge.

I bought the pattern and the recommended  stripped batting from Oh Sew Sally, an on line store. The rolls of batting are hard to find and you need 2 of them.

I started working on the rug with my DIL over Labor Day weekend with my DIL.  She was using an orange batik jelly roll that I brought back from Bali for her. The biggest challenge is that everything wants to twist.  Avoiding this was my challenge.

The first step is to sew all the strips together as if you were making binding.  I didn't change the order of the  strips from the Jelly Roll, but next time I think I would. 

A tip that I saw several times was to stack of these strips and either place them on your lap or the table in front of your machine.  Encasing the batting in the strips is very well explained in the pattern.  To keep the batting from twisting, I used my paper towel holder.

And these are all balls .  As I rolled mine, I untwisted the tube.

I was too busy to put the rug together while we were at the lake and I'm glad I waited until I got home where my sewing machine is recessed in a table.  The table supported the weight and I was able to fold and roll the rug as it got larger.

The rug ends up a little wonky and wavy no matter how carefully you stitch.  A good steaming at the end flattens it out.

I have read that people wash them in the washing machine with great success. 

 I can't wait to make another.

What happened to the Summer?

I just can't believe the school year has started and it's been a month since I wrote a blog post.  My summer was consumed with High Holiday Torah cover commissions that totaled 5 covers and creating patterns for a new line of Mosaics.  I shared the first 2 Torah covers that were sent to Germany HERE.

The next set of 3 were for a synagogue in Easton, MD requested by their Rabbi, Peter Hyman, who is a dear friend. They just built a new synagogue and the ark doors look like ocean waves, so they wanted some blue.

After delivering these 3 covers (some people call them mantles), I put all my effort into developing patterns for my new line of Midi Mosaics.  What are Midi Mosaics you ask?  They are a larger size of the Mini Mosaics.  The batik squares are the same 3/8" size, but the finished project is larger.  I'm saving them to unveil at the quilt show in Oaks that's starting on Thursday in Oaks, PA.  My booth # is 720.  Stop by and check them out.  There will be patterns and fabric kits.  Sorry for the secrecy.  After the show, they will become available in my Etsy shop over time.  Here's a sneak peek:

Groundhog Day

What is happening to the summer? I thought after I finished teaching in July that I could spend time creating and relaxing.  Ha! Although I have made it to two movies.  Two more than I went to all of last year! I saw The Book Club (eh!) and Mama Mia, Here We Go Again (fun!).  I was definitely surprised that you could reserve your seat and that seat was a recliner.

In between these two movies I have been working on new mosaic patterns that are larger and more complex and finishing the silk dupioni Torah Covers for Germany.  (Click on this link if you want to read about the origin of this commission.)

These are used from the start of the Jewish High Holidays through the holiday of the harvest, Sukkot.
Here's a close up of the applique panels.

 They sit on top of the torah scrolls

and they are constructed like a wrap around skirt with satin inside so they slide on and off easily

 inside is the dedication

When I think about the covers that I created finding their home in a synagogue in Germany, it gives me goose bumps.
The crazy thing is that now I have to do this all over again for a synagogue in Easton, Maryland.It does feel like the movie, Groundhog Day.

MAQ Recap

It's been almost 2 weeks since MAQ.  That doesn't mean that I've put everything away, but it has given me time to reflect and appreciate.  I just never thought that I would be in the position to do what I love as a job, to have women sign up to take classes with me, to reconnect with lots of people who have taken my classes in the past and to spend time with other professionals in the field that I am so lucky to call my friends.  So that's a summary of my time  at Mt Saint Mary's University with the Mid Appalachian Quilters.
I taught 3 classes - Silk Curvalicious Skinny Quilt, my new Medallion Mosaic and Mini Mosaic Quilts.  Sometimes I remember to take photos, but there is also Show & Tell on Saturday night to catch a view.
Day #1 Class : Silk Curvalicious Skinny Quilt

 Show & Tell

Day #2  Medallion Mosaic

This was its maiden voyage.  I was so excited to share it and more importantly to get feedback from my students.  Everyone made their own fabric choices and supplied their own fabric. I was curious to see what they chose. There was a minor problem that day. WE HAD NO AIR CONDITIONING!  But how could you be tooooo miserable when you're having so much fun?

Day #3  Mini Mosaic Quilts
Our new classroom.  I was moved to another building so that my classroom had A/C on Sunday.  Thanks to everyone who helped schlep all my stuff on Saturday night and made sure I was set up for the next day.

 Tiny Town transformed into a mountainside village!

Black eyed Susans

The dates for next year are July 12-14.  Go to www.MAQonline.org to sign up for info.

PS  The Torah covers for the synagogue in Germany are on their way.  According to tracking, they are in customs in Germany.  As soon as they receive them, I will share the rest of my process and the final photos.  Stay tuned.