Show and Tell :: Interactive Edition

I've been finishing up a sample for an upcoming class at Stitch Lab and thinking about a new project. This is not exactly the one I mentioned in a previous post, but it is new and big and pretty exciting. In order for me though to see if it has any legs (or arms or any other appendages), I'm going to need your help, dear reader. I'm looking for stories. What kind of stories? Stories associated with quilts. Quilts that mean something to you, that represent a beloved person, that have a story behind them. Ideally these stories aren't about what quilts in general mean to you, but what a specific quilt in your life has meant because it represents or tells a specific story. Capiche? Also ideally, you have an image of this quilt or still own it or at least you know in detail what it looked like. Think NPR"s Story Core project, but in terms of quilts.

Right now, I'm just looking to see what I can gather. So, if you have a story about a quilt that fits this description, please email me a brief synopsis. My email is malka@stitchindye.com.
I have no idea what kind of response I'm going to get or how long it will take to cull through these stories, so don't get sad if I don't respond right away. I do promise to send each one of you an email reply thanking you for your contribution and will have to wait and see before I can let anyone know anything more. If that's good for you, then please send your story my way.

By way of quilt inspiration, I'm sharing this one with you.

If you're local and you'd like to join me in learning how to make this supersize block, click here to find out everything you need to know...and maybe a little more.

Scrap Box Blocks:: Part 2

A couple of you have asked if I have a pattern for this block. Well, the answer is, not yet. I'm working on a big, big project (no, not another book) and this will definitely be part of that. The beauty of this project is that I'm the maker and director, so I get to decide what and when things will be previewed. Oh, the delicious power! So, here's a couple views of the finished mini quilt.

Scrap Box Blocks

This morning I was at Stitch Lab teaching a class...to one student. That might seem like a bit of a bummer, but, in actuality, a couple things made it otherwise.
The first thing that made today's class into an opportunity was the fact that teaching one student means that I can sew along with that student. Once I give instruction, there's really no reason why I shouldn't work on a project too. In fact, it makes for a more social class. We sew. We talk. We sew some more.
Knowing that I only had one student, I came prepared with a project in mind. I also brought some fabric, though, truth be told, I am at Stitch Lab, and could purchase yards and yards worth of great fabric. Instead, I decided to rely on the fabric I brought with maybe a supplement or two from the communal scrap box we keep at the lab.

I'm thinking that today's scrap box blocks should become a new mini quilt.

The other thing that made this morning's class so wonderful was the student herself. Now, most students are super enthusiastic and fun, but this gal was all that and an amazing inspiration as a person. She works for Green Doors and helps folks who are homeless "achieve independent living." Just listening to her talk about the work she does with children and adults who are struggling just to be and sensing the real love she has for the people she encounters was enough to make for a beautiful morning. Add some sewing to that and...people, we have nirvana.

More sewing for me :: Part 2

A free, downloadable pattern and purchased fabric does not make for a finished garment, but a little cutting and sewing do.

And by little, I mean this pattern is super-quick to put together and sew up.
I did make a few modifications such as stitching the front pleat down completely rather than just at the top and bottom. Also, though I used homemade bias binding, I elected to turn it completely to the wrong side and stitch it in place, so technically I have facings. Other than that though, I was true to the pattern and instructions. 
As for options for second or third versions, I can definitely see lengthening the pattern to make this into a great summer dress, belted or not. In fact, don't be surprised if that shows up here in the next few days because, folks, this is Texas, and Spring is very brief.

More sewing for...me

Before I get into my newest sewing project, I wanted to answer a question several folks posed about the skirts I featured in the last post. I made them from a pattern, New Look 6843, but I modified the pattern to remove most of the hip ease and shorten the length. It's a very cute skirt as is, but the smallest pattern size is a wee bit big for me, so I needed to make an alteration.

On to today's pattern. Have y'all seen this? It's a free, downloadable pattern offered by the lovely and talented Sarai Mitnick of Colette patterns. I've seen both the versions that she crafted for her pattern and another version which turns the tank into a dress(definitely trying that in the future).
Anyway, I was at Stitch Lab today to teach a class and started thinking about buying fabric to make the tank. It was pretty much constantly in the back of my mind while I was teaching. I can instruct and fantasize about my next sewing project. it's like walking and chewing gum.

 So, per instructions, I printed out the pattern paper and taped the pieces together.

Then I cut out the pattern pieces to my size

and selected fabric. Actually, the dotted print I purchased today at Stitch Lab and the plaid is from my a stitch in color line for Moda.
Now I'm ready to cut the pattern out from the fabric and sew myself a tank or two. I was planning on going to the movies tomorrow night, so maybe one of these will make its debut there. I'll let you know.

Sprung into Spring

With this:

and this:

The first image is obviously newly blooming poppies in my garden and the second? Newly sewn spring skirts on my line. Both the poppies and the skirts have definitely benefited from this not being their first go around in my little world.
The poppies have returned for probably the fourth year and this year, the plants are especially tall and lush and as verdant as grey leafed plants can be. They've definitely benefited from the copious amount of rain we've had this winter.
The skirts too have seen a previous season. Not these specifically, but the pattern has been on my cutting table before.

With this version I modified the pattern to take out some of the ease in the hip. I'm a little person and I don't need or frankly want over 4" of ease around my hips. I also shortened the length a bit. Again, refer to that little person comment. And I crafted an invisible waistband. I like the sleekness of that versus a waistband that is visible beyond the top edge of the skirt. Add in darts and you've got a super-cute close, fitting skirt.
I made the one on the right out of Lotta Jansdotter's Echo fabric and the one on the left(which I'm wearing as I type this) out of a line of fabric that Denyse Schmidt designs for Joann's fabric. Who knew that Denyse had a line at Joann's? Is this a really well kept secret or should I move out from under that rock I've obviously been living under? The quality of the fabric seems very nice and the prints, not surprisingly, feel simultaneously contemporary and vintagey, just like Denyse's other lines for Free Spirit.
Even with sewing in darts and an invisible zipper, this skirt comes together very quickly, so I'm thinking I have to make at least one in my own, a stitch in color, fabric.

Fish Baby Log Cabin Class

I spent the morning teaching the first half of my Fish Baby Log Cabin class. The design was originally created as a baby gift for my swim coach, Andrea Fischer, also known as Fish and eventually made it's way to Sew, Mama, Sew as a PDF pattern. I currently have even grander plans for this pattern, but am also enjoying teaching it to my super-enthusiastic students at Stitch Lab.
Here are a few images from today's session.