Anwer: Simple Tote, Sports Quilt, and Placemats

 Question:  What's been happening in the Studio this week?  First, this sweet little tote made from a bright batik is a little retirement present for my SIL who is finally graduating from Hinsdale Central after 37 years in the classroom.  Hooray!  Chris loves bright colors and corals and pinks, so I think she will LOVE this handy summer tote.  This is the Arabesque pattern from Sew Sweetness and is a free download. 

Just two little pockets on the inside and a zip top

The graduation quilt for Shari B is completed and spectacular, thanks to Frank at T and F Quilting. Shari's son is going to a college whose colors are grey, black, and royal blue. Dom's quilt is 60" by 80" and has a pillow made from a leftover baseball jersey.  From thin baseball jerseys to thick hockey jerseys,  Frank Karls and his longarming skills handles them all.  This quilt is absolutely useable and washable and will showcase some high school memories for years to come.

So far 4 of my 16 placemats are almost done.  These plain outer borders are crying for some quilting.  This is a great opportunity for some threadplay!

It's Thursday.  Off to my parents with some shrimp and grits and my handsewing, all nestled into this nifty little tri-zippered pouch from my guild buddy Sarah E. Having made a couple of these, I know how special these are and love that Sarah made this for me.  What a spirit-lifting gesture! 

In my favorite colors

Loaded and ready to go! (and check out the little pin cushion in the top of the bag!!!)

Mentoring

Cristina has been sewing with me for over 10 years - she made her first quilt when she was in 7th grade.  She's been in the studio all week, working on a h.s. graduation quilt for her boyfriend's sister.  This quilt imitates the feel of one spotted in a catalog, sort of a Moroccan Tile-inspired quilt.  Cris has a degree in fine arts from the U of Iowa.  So to watch her process has been very interesting - and so different from the way I work.  I was gone all day last Thursday.  When I came home, this finished top was on the design floor. 

While Cristina's been working on her project, I have quietly been  working my way through placemats for my house.  I'm thrilled to have these underway - they have been in the planning stage for far too long.

This simple purse is a free pattern from Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness - it's her Arabesque bag.  It's simple in that there is a zipper at the top and two interior pockets.  A perfect little tote.  I put my phone on it just to give an indication of the size. 

And I picked up this sports jersey quilt from T and F Quilting - all it needs is binding and it will be ready for its June deadline.  

Finding a Home

Several years ago I did a series of basic quilting classes at the Lawndale Christian Church, and we were doing blocks from Eleanor Burns's Underground Railway Sampler.  Four of these sample blocks are in a 36" x 36" wall hanging.  Grad school/teaching buddy Carol Conway is doing a fundraiser for the Morgan Park Youth Ministry and asked if I had a donation.  I think this is perfect.  These blocks, started with upper left, are Bear's Paw (look out, animals ahead), Monkey Wrench (tools are needed), Jacob's Ladder (indicating direction), and Log Cabin (safe house ahead). 

Here's the charity quilt that Eileen, Jennifer, Sarah S and I worked on at the Spring retreat.  Sarah S did the quilting and passed it over to me for the binding.  Credit goes to our Emilies for putting these kits together.  

Below is my hand project, which is turning into a hand-machine project.  I am indeed putting the 9-patches together by hand.  But I am firming up these  11" blocks with machine sashing and corner stones.  And although this is premature, I think the quilting will be a combination of machine and hand work.  So far, I have 9 blocks completed, and I like where this is going. 

Ready for Frank!

Ready for the long arm quilter - front artfully folded and on a pieced backing.  This size quilt - 70" x 85" - is one I could handle with my walking foot and straight-line quilting.  But this pieced top is so angular that it needs something swirly for quilting.  Also, I have a feeling the bride might prefer swirly over straight.  So we are off to T and F Quilting in Lemont. 

All Things Aeroplane

Pattern/fabric designer Sara Lawson goes to Quilt Market in two weeks and will take these two Aeroplane Bags that I made using her new fabric line, Jungle Avenue for Art Gallery Fabrics.   Sara's a young Chicago mom, and this line reflects her love for the urban.  This top picture is the smaller of the Aeroplane bags.  Lovely fabrics.  Lovely bag pattern.  Lovely bags.  Notice they are partying with the other two Aeroplanes in my studio - the striped batik is one that I use.  The grey/purple with the fabulous zipper is still waiting a home assignment. 

This week neighbor Cristina returned to the area - yes, Cristina of the leather Aeroplane bag.  She was extolling the virtues of her Aeroplane and how handy it's been for the past several months.

Ok, time to go back to flat things... 

And now for something completely different...

So it's no secret that I've had a little pattern crush on Sara Lawson - her bag/purse patterns appeal to me.  The Dot-Dash-Dot, the Aeroplane, the Aragon - love them all.  I had a chance to meet Sara at a workshop sponsored by my Chicago Modern Quilt Guild and have developed a respect for her.  In addition to her patterns and book (soon to be books), Sara is now doing fabric design.

In preparation for Quilt Market in May, Sara needs some of her bag/purse patterns made out of her new fabrics.  I volunteered to do the Aragon bags, both sizes, out of her new fabrics.  Sara's got a fabric sensibility that doesn't always appeal to my much-older eyes.  But I will admit that I do love her new line of Big City fabrics.  Best of all, they are made by Art Gallery Fabrics, whose motto is "Feel the difference."  And truly you can.  A Kona cotton feels like sandpaper compared to these fabrics! From the elephant fabric to the CTA map, this line is going to popular!

As a thank you, Sara gave me fat quarters of her fabric line and a box of her special Aurifil thread set.  Hmmmm, what to make, what to make...

On Hand Work

 My Chicago Modern Quilt Guild friend Mimi has taught me something valuable - the importance of quilting by hand.  I used to make fun of Mimi when she was dragging the same quilt to guild meetings and plugging away at it.  By hand.  My approach to quilting was "assembly line" piecing followed by some sort of utilitarian quilting.  But then Mimi shared this YouTube clip by Renate Hiller - it's not very long and so worth watching.  As I have spent time sitting with my parents, I have been trying to do hand work.  After piecing this little 14" x 17" improv piece, I have been hand quilting it and am pleased with the texture the quilting has added.  Now that it's almost complete, I need another "hand" something to do while I'm with my parents.  So now I am going to try hand-piecing and so how that goes.  And I'm going to keep it simple - a basic 9-patch in reds, whites, and blues using 3.5" blocks.  So far I have two completed blocks that are 9.5" x 9.5".  My blues are in short supply... Wait, I have tons of greys.  I think I'll switch over to reds, whites, and greys!  Excellent!

Sometimes I love blogging because of the insights I get, like just now! 

For this week...

Now that the madness of Easter baking and entertaining is over, it's time for some studio focus.  This sports jersey quilt, the second one I've done for mom Shari is almost together.  It needs the top row, which unfortunately is a different size from the other rows, so it needs a bit of finessing.  And then the grey and black borders - the school colors of Grand Valley State University in Michigan.  The deadline is June, but I'm seeing my long armers Terri and Frank Karls Sunday, and this project can get a free ride to their studio! 

I'm eager to get started on a wedding quilt.  The color request is for whites, blush, and tan.  Here's a tentative palette, and I'm undecided about including some of the darker and brighter fabrics.  So I will study and ponder a bit more before starting to piece.  I've been wanting to work on a low-volume quilt, and I think this is my opportunity. Meanwhile, this Aeroplane Bag is so close to being complete.

This is the bag based around this lovely zipper.   It needs to have its feet attached, the bottom reinforced, and the lining at the bottom sewn together.  The opening is generous, and so are the two pockets - check them out below! 

In the mood for zippers

The Michael Miller Petal Pinwheels challenge fabric arrived, and I was one of the cutting volunteers.  Bundles of six fabrics - fat eighths - were created, and I took mine home.  Using just these six fabrics and 4 zippers, I did a Sew Together bag.  Just a smidge of fabric was left over. These fabrics are not quite my style, but this little bag is pretty nifty.  Now, to find a worthy recipient...   And scroll down for the final pictures of a Baby Trip Around the World for Olivia, the great granddaughter of Joyce!

Baby Trip and a new Aeroplane

Here's a new Baby Trip Around the World for a client.  And an almost-finished Aeroplane Bag that needs some finessing.  The little pile of Kona cottons is for a high school senior from Riverside-Brookfield who is going to Grand Valley State in Michigan - these cottons will surround his various sports jerseys.  And last, a little zippered clutch out of little leftover Marcia Derse bits for a friend who gave me a package mix of biriyani, which I have made and it was delicious.