What I'm Working on Wednesday

I'm a little late in the day posting this morning (yes, I know it's only 8:00am CST, but I usually like to get this done earlier). Anyhoo, I'm late because I was busy crafting a new shop banner with updated pictures and...my new logo. Yay!
Soon, very soon, my entire site will be fresh and user friendly and just plain fabulous. New posts, new tutorials, new patterns and shop offerings, and a complete listing of workshops, lectures, and publications.
In the meantime, here's what I'm working on today:

My basic starting point for what I'm calling "leftover play" is the smaller rectangle in my Boyfriend Quilt pattern. I made a few rules such as if the rectangle was already the largest size needed I wouldn't cut it ant smaller and that the patches that were made up of smaller bits had to have equally sized components. Makes sense? I just find that when you're trying to improvise in any way, some parameters are useful. Also, I stuck to alternating warm and cool colors like I do in the larger pattern.

Ideally, I'd like to use up all the scraps I have leftover from the larger quilt as that would make me feel very virtuous. We'll see how that goes.

What I'm Working on Wednesday: Leftover Edition

When I was a kid I hated leftovers. I called it "old" food and why would I want to eat that.
Now, I'm, hopefully, older and wiser and I realize that: a. said leftover is the remains of what probably was super tasty last night and b. oftentimes the flavor is enhanced by having sat in the refrigerator overnight.
I think the same is true for fabric. As I mentioned in this post, I've wrapped up the initial design process for my next collection. Getting to that point necessitated making quite a bit of fabric, much of which wasn't needed for the samples I sent in to Moda.
So, I'm using some of those leftovers to make this:

It's a modified version of a design I created for my book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration and crafted out of 5" square scraps of my hand dyes and a simple cream colored cotton.

It's simple and quick and very visually tasty.
Perfect for leftovers.

Clearing the Shelf

About 8 months ago I moved from a 3000 square foot house to an 1800 square foot place. I love my new place, but the idea of culling my stuff down to fit half the space was pretty daunting at the time.
With the help of friends and family and various local charity thrift stores, I managed to do it. And I learned something about remaining pared down. I like not having an excess amount of stuff. I've even recently purchased a Kindle because, though I own many books and love to read and browse those books, I don't want to have lots of stuff, including books.
So, in the interest of the stuff-slimmer me, I've decided to empty this shelf:

Now, this shelf in no way constitutes all the quilts I have. It's just a starting point, but a very concrete one as it includes a couple quilts that were in my book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration, which, by the way, has a Kindle edition.
Some might ask how I can part with quilts that have been significant in my career and I would answer that I'm not really "enjoying" them. They just sit on this shelf and wouldn't it be great if someone else really "used" them. That could mean they hang them on a wall or gift them to a friend, but I want them to play a role in someone's life, not just gather dust.
So, I'm starting out with these two:

I've added them to my store, here and here.
All the details about size and construction are included in the listing description.
As for those of you who would rather make your own and want to save storage space for your fabric stash there's that Kindle edition I mentioned.

Last Shots

...of the Boyfriend Quilt before it becomes a PDF pattern and belongs to someone else.

To answer a few of your questions:
This is my pattern and not available somewhere else.
I will be including information about the exact fabric(with color names) that I used.
I will also be including Moda Bella Solid substitutes(I do work for them, so...makes sense to me).
I anticipate the pattern being available early to mid March.
I don't actually know what caused the Polar Vortex.

Ok, no one asked the last question, but my answer is as true as the previous 3. If you have other questions/concerns, please feel free to share them with me via email or in the comments.

Patterning Ups and Downs

The other day I was having dinner with some friends and one of them suggested that we all name a highlight from the previous week. Though this may sound a bit awkward and forced, I think a lot about issues relating to gratitude and being present and possibly so do the folks I gravitate towards, so we thought this was a great idea.
We then took turns naming a single event that brightened our week. Several pointed to a particular work achievement and one or two mentioned something relating to relationships or friendship as their personal highlight.
I focused on creating. I'm hot and heavy at work on my next collection for Moda and I've struggled a bit with it. It seemed like lately that just as I'd I test a pattern I'd reject it for some reason. That is until last Thursday.
I can't pretend to say that I know what changed and I realize that that would probably be a good idea, but, in the course of one day, I went from having 3 "for sure" patterns to 7 definites and 2 probablies.
That was a very good day.

This shot of my design wall doesn't even represent all the possibilities, both accepted and rejected.

It makes me feel excited to have all the pattern possibilities because now I can play with the palette. That part I do have nailed down.

As for the patterns and/or color ways that don't make the final cut:

Look for these to be quilted, crafted into pillow covers, and added to my store.

The Boyfriend Gets Quilted

First off, I'd like to thank the folks who picked up the scrap and charm bundles I had in my shop. I'll be adding more in the days and weeks to come and am also planning on adding new patterns in new color ways, but exclusively as fat quarters. I'll chat about that more in Monday's post, but the idea came to me the other day while I was dyeing some fabric and I'm pretty jazzed about it.
Today's post is all about this:

and this:

Isn't that beautiful?
I sent this quilt top out to a local long armer and she did an amazing job. I knew I wanted it quilted very closely and I was just blown away by the texture that the closely spaced, straight line quilting created.
I'm currently in the midst of binding it and writing instructions for the pattern, so look for that, the pattern, by the end of the month.
I can say that with confidence because it's set to be gifted by then and I'm about to start working on the second in my 12 x 12 series( remember? 12 quilts and patterns in 12 months)
Have a most wonderful weekend!

A Baby Quilt for MX

Not too long ago an old friend commissioned me to make a baby quilt for a co-worker. The expectant parents planned to name the baby Marley Xene (said Zene). Not exactly your average, everyday middle name, but my friend was particularly taken with their choice of name, especially the middle one. In fact, my friend was so enamored of the name that she asked that I incorporate the-as-yet-unborn baby's initials in the design of the quilt.

I love this kind of challenge. I knew that my friend would be open to a creative interpretation as we went to Art School together. So, I set about designing a super-sized single block that included a variety of fabrics, especially mine, and at least hinted at the the aforementioned initials.
I had to do a lot of math, not exactly my strong suit, to craft these triangles and fit in the "letters", but I'm very happy with how this baby quilt turned out. Also, I can definitely see expanding this concept into multiple blocks as part of a larger quilt.
I'm also happy to report that my friend loved the finished quilt and was super excited to gift it to her co-worker.
In a bit of a twist though, the parents decided to forgo the unusual middle name, not related to the design of my quilt...I hope. :)

a stitch in color preview project #8: Sukkah Chain

I know some of you are scratching your heads and wondering what is a Sukkah and why would I make a chain for it. Rather than answer those questions directly because, hey, I'm nothing if not a little lazy, I'll direct you here.
Today I'm featuring another project using my new line of fabrics, a stitch in color, but I'm particularly proud of this project as it combines two significant things in my life and produces something semi-useful.
Every year I build a sukkah. And, by build, I mean that I get some nice, helpful guy to construct it for me. Nonetheless, it is a presence in my life every year at this time in the Jewish calender. Every year I decorate my sukkah in some way. One year I put up all the drawings my kids had made in the past year. Of course that year it rained a lot, so I didn't do that again. Some years I hang paper chains or gourds. It all depends on my mood and how much time I want to devote to it. This year I strung a lot of lights (thanks to the assortment of Christmas lights already available at Target) and made these:

Yup. Those are fabric chains made out of a huge box of leftover strips of a stitch in color that Moda sent me. I haven't even begun to make a dent in the strips(potential future giveaway?), but I did use them to craft these chains.

Aren't they pretty?
I did have some help in making and hanging the chains from my buddies, Adam and Josh, so thanks guys!
To all my fellow sukkot celebrants, I wish you a chag sameach and to everyone else, have a fabulous weekend!

a stitch in color preview project #7 or what to do with a jelly roll...

...other than eat it. And, actually I'm not talking about that kind of jelly roll, though just the thought is making me hungry. I mean the kind that Moda fabrics creates by packaging 2 1/2" x 44" lengths of entire fabric collections into a single spiraled fabric confection. I wanted to come up with a project that utilizes a jelly roll and doesn't require a lot of extra trimming.
I cogitated about this for a while and then ended up adapting my Strips and Bricks pattern to this purpose.

 The original pattern has the pieces measuring a bit wider, but I used the 2 1/2" widths with the same lengths as the original to create my strips and bricks. I also adapted the color scheme so that it was more like this version rather than the original.

Like both previous versions I  free motion quilted the top in straight lines about 1/4" apart and bound the edges so that the binding matched the outer edge of the quilt.
There you have it, a project that utilizes the tasty jelly roll. Unlike the edible version, certainly true when I'm eating one, this incarnation includes are a few leftover jelly roll bits.

a stitch in color :: preview project #6.5

OK. I was wrong. The last project was actually #6. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. Today's project is not quite done as I have an appointment with a long arm machine tomorrow to do the quilting, but I'm so happy with how the top has turned out that I'm posting about it anyway.
I showed y'all sneak peeks of this large quilt last week, but now the top is entirely assembled and ready (sorta) for prime time.

This is one large quilt. It's decidedly longer than a full size bed and plenty wide. I don't know what the exact size is because I haven't measured it, but I hope that quilted and hung, it will make an impact from a distance and draw folks into the booth at Market.

As I mentioned the other day, I've done this large scale kind of block before, but the drama of these super sized tops never fails to wow me. Sometimes I think that there's probably not a traditional block around that couldn't be made more contemporary and graphic by simply radically enlarging it.

And with blocks this big, piecing is so quick and easy. Imagine a full size quilt top that can be pieced and sewn in an afternoon...sweet. Factor in a day spent long arm quilting (on a rented machine) and you've got a large, bed-sized quilt that could be made in a weekend. This could actually be a last-minute gift to give to a new couple or as a housewarming present.
As for this version...hmmm...I think I'll keep it.

Current and Coming

Current:

A couple new colorways for a pair of existing designs. I added these to my shop today.

Coming:

A new pattern. I"m releasing my newest sewing pattern, Color Wheel Coasters and Pot Holders, next Thursday. Since I'm always up for a celebration, the pattern release is in conjunction with a giveaway sponsored by the lovely Wendy over at The Fabric Quarter. She sent me these amazing Moda Cross Weaves to play with and this is what I came up with. You have got to touch these fabrics. They are extraordinarily soft and they seem to shimmer. The colors are so rich that I knew the minute I opened the package I was going to do something based on the color wheel. Though, and don't judge us because we're Mac people, when my youngest daughter saw the coasters she didn't see the color wheel, but that holding pattern icon that spins around when the Mac is processing a new command.
No matter, icon or wheel, I'm super psyched about sharing this pattern with you, so check back here on Thursday, February 24, for a chance to win fabric, a copy or two of the pattern, and even a recipe. Because, what's the point of crafting kitchen items to adorn your pots and pans if you're not going to make something to eat?

Second Giveaway of the Year

I was going to title this post, "First Giveaway of the Year," but then I realized that I had a giveaway on Monday, January 3 to promote my new pattern, A Wedding Quilt for Joseph and Annie. Well, no matter, because fate has stepped in to make giveaway #1 a segue to giveaway #2.
The purpose of today's giveaway is to introduce you to a new and wonderful sponsor, Marmalade Fabrics. This terrific online store carries many of the cottons you and I have come to love for contemporary quilting and crafting. Even better though, Tammy at Marmalde Fabrics also stocks some harder to come by, but amazingly beautiful fabrics like these organic cottons form Daisy Janie.
Here's where the segue part comes in. By way of introduction to you all, my lovely readers, Tammy is giving away a fabric/pattern treat. The pattern she's giving away is a copy of A Wedding Quilt for Joseph and Annie and 3 of the Kona cotton colors used in my sample version of the pattern. That's the pattern plus 3/4 yard pieces of Kona cotton in Mango and Coral as well as a 1/2 yard piece in Tomato.

 And many of the other colors seen in the sample (sewing circle link, how about that?) are available at Marmalade Fabrics, including Orange, Ash, and Coal.
As they say in the lottery commercials, you can't win if you don't play, so leave a comment and see if today(or tomorrow) is your lucky day. I'll take comments through Sunday at 8:00pm CST and announce the winner on Monday.
Good luck!

Slow and Steady

That's what wins the race, right?
It better be because that's the pace I seem to be working at when it comes to this quilt.
Here's today's progress shot:

My deadline is November 30, actually the 29th because I already made an appointment with my long arm machine buddy to quilt it. That actually helps because nothing gets my butt in gear like a deadline.
In the meantime, I'm going to be quilting another large top next week and writing up a new quilt pattern. I'm super stoked about this design and I hope you all will be too. Also, I'm slowly adding samples that I've made for various magazines and books to my Etsy store. Yesterday, I uploaded these:

 Tomorrow, I've got at least one more pillow to add and maybe some potholders and a Strips and Bricks quilt. Check Ye Olde Etsy Shoppe if you think you might be interested.

Reason # 1,565,232...

...that it's good to have interaction with other crafty people: they often have great suggestions. Take, for example, a recent request by a customer for fabric in a chartreuse/red/white color way.
She specifically asked for a couple patterns in those colors. So, I created this:



and this:



based on her suggestions. But then I also made this:



because I felt that the pattern really lent itself to this color combination.
Now I have three new fabrics to offer both to her as samples and to you as quarter yard pieces.



Which I guess brings me to reason #1,565,233 why it's good to have interaction with other crafty folks: someone to share with.

Dyeing to Learn Batik

You all haven't heard from me for a little while and, more importantly, I haven't heard from the giveaway winner. So, before I plunge head first into this post, I've selected another giveaway winner.

She is Eve and she commented:

So glad everyone is safe! What a scary week.

So Eve, please contact me at malka@stittchindye.com and I'll get you the fabric and skirt tutorial ASAP.

I'm thinking that based on the title you all might already have guessed that the focus of this post is the dye class I mentioned here a while back. Well, I'd love to turn that assumption on its head, but I can't. I'm practically bursting to tell you about the class because it went so well and, as often happens with teaching, I think the evening ended with me having gained more inspiration from the students than they could possibly have gotten from me.
It's really no wonder when you take a gander at the beautiful fabrics they made.






My initial plan was that the class would primarily center on demonstrations with the students having a chance to try the techniques.
We explored applying wax with brushes,a variety of found object stamps,



and traditional batik tools.





I was so impressed with their willingness to try all the tools and their innate sense of patterning that I went ahead and made a couple dye baths in chartreuse and red. I boiled out their fabrics yesterday and ironed them because I wanted to really enjoy the fabrics in their full glory. Since most are local, they'll swing by and collect their beauties. Otherwise, I'll drop the fabric in the mail.
Sometimes it takes seeing a fresh approach to the techniques that you practice daily to recharge your excitement. I was planning on making this class a one time deal, but I so enjoyed it that I'm going to offer it again next month. I'll amend my listing on Etsy to reflect a new date.
I'm also looking into offering a shibori dye class as well. This class would teach patterning fabric with plexiglass shapes rather than wax resist. I'll update you all here when I've firmed up plans for that.