April 4, 2010 - Pin Cushions

I have been sewing since I was 10 years old. That's a long time. : )

I have always kept my straight pins in a plastic or tin box and I just grab the pins as I pin a garment or quilting project.

I had the joy of helping my college aged daughter do some sewing this week while she was home from college. She kept poking herself as she took the pins from the tin. She asked me why I don't use a pin cushion. I guess it is because when I un-pin, I pull out a lot of pins at once, and then how do I stick them back into the pin cushion? So I bought a large tomato pin cushion from Joann Fabrics and I am going to give it a try.

How about you? Do you use a pin cushion or box of pins?

Photo from Joann fabrics

April 4, 2010 - UFO problem

No finishes to post. I seem to have a problem with attention span. I have started at least 5 projects in the past 6 months or so. Then I get bored with the project, or an urgent need arises for a gift or a new project. Or a new collection is released that I need.

Stay tuned for the newest project. We did some rearranging in our living room and there is some wall space begging for a new Schnibbles quilt. The fabric is washed and ironed and the cutting will begin soon.

Stay tuned.

Photo from The Fat Quarter Shop

November 21, 2009 - Jewel Box mini quilt

A jewel box quilt has been on my list for quite some time. Since I am working on 3 other projects, I thought I would do a single block. It turned into this 8 inch mini quilt which I finished yesterday. I thought the tiny squares would be a lot harder than they were. I'm so happy with the way it turned out!

October 26, 2009 - Design Wall Monday - D9P

It seems everyone is doing a Disappearing 9 Patch these days so I thought I'd jump in too. I tried one once with lots of different fabrics and it was too scrappy for me. This time I picked my 3 favorite fabrics from Wiscasset. I really like it. Of course it is my favorite color combination.

The blocks go together so fast, it shouldn't be long before the top is finished.

October 15, 2009 - Design Wall Thursday

I have really had time to sew! These are 1-1/2 inch squares set in 14 rows of 10. I'm going to consider making it just 12 rows, I'll sleep on it and see what I think in the morning. I'll probably do a 1 inch border in ivory and bind it in red. I'm thinking some free motion swirls for quilting.

The beauty of yardage as opposed to charm squares is, if you are like me, you just don't care for scrappy. I ended up pulling out the fabrics I didn't like, even though I had sewn and cut them. For me the purpose of charm squares is to decide which are my 3 favorite fabrics in the collection! Just call me boring.

Karen

October 12, 2009 - Quilting in my head

I now have my wonderful sewing room all set up. But life and work have gotten in my way so I have sewn hardly anything. But I think a lot about sewing : )

What I am working on is a miniature quilt of 1-1/2 inch squares of Prairie Paisley.

It shouldn't be a long project. We will see!

September 19, 2009 - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

When I saw this Brown Bear fabric I just had to make a quilted wall hanging for my friend's Kindergarten Readiness classroom.

It's not the first quilt that I made and took apart and remade. Perfectionism. It's a blessing and a curse. But it is finished and the kids will enjoy looking at it and learning their colors : )