New Look 6708: The Eight-Year Skirt Project is Finally Finished

If you only come here for the quilting, be forewarned -- today's post is not for you.  Today's post will be all about how I spent $78 and eight years of my life making a skirt that I will probably only wear a handful of times, using a pattern (New Look 6708, now out of print) that I have no intention of ever making again.  Today I will relate the saga/review the pattern of what my mom and I have been calling "That Dumb Skirt!"  

New Look 6708 Skirt Finish

New Look 6708 (OOP) View B

I made my skirt using New Look pattern 6708, which is out of print from the manufacturer but you can still find uncut used copies for sale.  At the time I'm writing this, you can get a copy of this pattern on Etsy here and I saw a few copies available on eBay as well (This post contains affiliate links).  This A-line, lined Misses skirt with side zipper did not actually take 8 years to sew -- it just got abandoned for long intervals while I was sidetracked by other projects.  If you want to read the post from June of 2015 when I first started this skirt, you can find that here.

I made View B, the above-knee version of the skirt, and I used "Pretty Potent Echinacea" cotton voile fabric from Anna Maria Horner with solid navy cotton voile for the lining.  Although I was unable to find an online source for my skirt fabric in voile today, Anna Maria Horner has reissued this print in new colorways for Free Spirit Fabrics recently, calling it simply "Echinacea," and you can find those on Etsy here.  (Just be aware that the current versions are printed on quilting weight cotton fabric that has more body and less drape than the voile I used for my skirt).  I prewashed both my fashion fabric and my lining fabric prior to cutting out my skirt.

I used Pellon Shape Flex Woven Cotton Interfacing SF101 in White for my waistband and I'm happy with that interfacing choice for the cotton voile, but wish I'd chosen the same SF101 interfacing in Black in hindsight.  Because my fashion fabric is semi-sheer, the waist yoke with the white interfacing behind it looks like a slightly different color than the body of the skirt that has navy lining fabric behind it:

White Interfacing Makes Waist Yoke Look Lighter/Brighter than Navy-Lined Body of Skirt

Ah, well.  It's subtle and no one else is going to notice this or care.  I've only tucked my shirt in to show the top of the skirt for these project review photos; normally the waistband or waist yoke or whatever you want to call it won't even be visible.

Deco QAL Week 3, Completed Only 101 Weeks Behind Schedule!

You guys, if this was the year 2021 instead of 2023, I would be SO AHEAD OF SCHEDULE for my Deco QAL!!  Here it is, only October 14th, and I have finally finished all of my log cabin blocks for Week 3 (Nov. 1-8, 2021) of Lo & Behold Stitchery's Deco Quilt Along.  

16 Blue-Green Blocks, 32 Blue-Purple Blocks, and 12 Half Blocks

Unfortunately, it is NOT 2021, so instead of being ahead of schedule I'm actually 705 days behind schedule, or 100 weeks plus 5 days behind schedule.  Sadly, I am no longer eligible for winning any of the prizes.  😆. Good thing I still like this quilt!

My 102 x 102 Deco Bed Quilt, pattern available here

In case anyone out there is interested in making a Deco Quilt of their own, the pattern from Lo & Behold Stitchery is available as an instant PDF download on Etsy here (this post contains affiliate links). 

I'm making the largest 102" x 102" bed sized version of Deco, but the pattern also has instructions for making the more manageable baby and throw sized versions and those are striking, too.  I quilted a baby sized Deco for my client Liz back in 2021 and a throw sized Deco more recently for my client Megan.  I've seen this quilt made up in so many different color combinations and I haven't seen any that I didn't like.  I had a great time coming up with my own color palette of Kona Solids and then tweaking it to complement my Anna Maria Horner floral print backing fabric (it's Hindsight "Honorable Mention" in Turquoise from Free Spirit Fabrics, available on Etsy here).

(Note to Self: It would have saved a lot of time to pick the backing print FIRST and then just pull the solid colors from the selvedge instead of coming up with a custom palette first and then trying to find a print that had exactly the same colors in it!)

My Deco Quilt Fabrics with Anna Maria Horner Backing Print

Halo Progress, Welcome Home Kit NewFO, and A Creative Tangent with the PhotoSketcher App

Hey there, quilty peeps!  Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Memorial Day weekend if you're in the United States, and I hope the weather is nicer where you are than it is in Charlotte, North Carolina right now.  Rain, rain, and more rain!  Good thing I have a bright and cheerful project on my design wall since the view outside my window is so drab and dreary.  

Halo Blocks Still In Progress

This is a Jen Kingwell pattern that is suitable for either hand or machine piecing.  The pattern is found in Kingwell's Jenny From One Block pattern booklet and you can find that on Amazon here (this post contains affiliate links).  

I'm fascinated by the way Kingwell organizes her seemingly random scrappy compositions so studying the way she alternates between "organized chaos" vs careful control within the same quilt is my primary fascination with this project.  The curved piecing challenge is just the icing on the cake.  In Kingwell's version of this quilt, most blocks are totally scrappy except for three blocks that are created with all one fabric for the backgrounds, all one fabric for the rings, and all one fabric for the triangles surrounding the center square.  Whereas the circles at the block intersections predominate throughout most of her quilt, those three blocks that have planned matching fabrics pop out as squares that help your eye travel across the surface of the quilt.  Here's one of my blocks that I'm hoping will function that way in my version of Halo:

One of My Favorite Recently Finished Halo Blocks

The dark pink arcs were cut from one of the Tilda fabrics in the fat eighth precut pack that started me off on this tangent.  The rest of the fabrics in this block are treasures from my stash.

Rebecca's Ultimate Etsy Gift Guide for Quilters and Crafters

 Hello, friends, and happy Nearly Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States!  Today's post is something I've never done before -- a shopping guide chock full of gift-worthy goodies that I personally would love to find under my tree on Christmas morning.  If you have quilters, sewists, or embroiderers on your shopping list this year, I have some suggestions that are sure to be received with delight.  (If YOU are the quilter/sewist/embroiderer reading this post, you may find a few items for your OWN wish list).  What's more, every item on my list is in stock and coming from a small craft business owner via Etsy -- and none of them contains those pesky microchips that are delaying just about everything else you might want to buy for the holidays this year.

A Few of My Favorite Tools

Each of the items on this list is something I personally own and love, or something I currently have on my own wish list.  Feel free to share this post with others, post on social media or wherever.  Disclaimer: this post does contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking my link.  I do appreciate your support of my wicked thread addiction!  😉

 Beautiful Tools: Where Form Meets Function

The items in this section are a pleasure to own and use because they combine the finest craftsmanship with beautiful design.  Bonus: They make great Instagram props to "style" your work-in-progress photos.

1. Hand Embroidered Felted Wool Pin Cushion from Etsy maker Martha of Quilt Shenanigans.  Who is this good for?  Anyone who does any kind of sewing at all can use a pin cushion, and these must take Martha hours to individually hand stitch and embellish with tiny beads.  Her hand stitching is exquisite, the felted wool is soft and luxurious to the touch, and the pin cushion is well-packed to hold its shape and is stable on a flat surface.  Even the slenderest pins slide in and out with ease, and she has lots of beautiful designs in stock to choose from.   

My New Favorite Pin Cushion, made by Martha of Quilt Shenanigans on Etsy 

2. Handmade, Hand Paired Embroidery Scissors from Maison Sajou.  These are manufactured by a 200-year old company in France, but available in several Etsy shops.  I got mine from Penelope Textiles' Etsy shop.  A few things to know: There are lots and lots of cheap imitations out there for a fraction of the price, but while the mass-produced knockoffs might look just as cute as photo props, there is no comparison to the way they actually cut.  It's like the difference between a Wustof steak knife versus the plastic knife that comes with your takeout order.  The lesser version SORT of cuts, but not cleanly or easily and it's not a joy to use!  Authentic Maison Sajou scissors are individually handmade by French craftsmen, with hand paired blades that are kept together throughout the entire production process to ensure that they match up perfectly. They are sharp, accurate, and cut smoothly and cleanly all the way to the tip (which is absolutely crucial for snipping the inside corner seam allowances in needle turned applique).  Who is this good for?  Anyone who enjoys any kind of hand stitching like cross stitch, embroidery, needle turned applique, or hand quilting would love to receive a pair of Sajou scissors!  In addition to the Hare design that I own, there is also a cute Eiffel tower version, gorgeous Art Nouveau Peacock scissors, and other historic reissue designs to choose from.  Of course, if you just want a cute pair of scissors for a photo prop, those cheaper knockoffs will suit you just fine!

Hand Paired Hare Embroidery Scissors from Maison Sajou, via Penelope Textiles on Etsy

Friday Quilt Finish: Color Outside the Lines is Ta-Done at Last!

 

63 x 63 Color Outside the Lines, Bear Paw + Sawtooth Star Blocks

Happy Friday, y'all!  I have a quilt finish to share with you today!  I finally put the last hand stitches into the binding of my Color Outside the Lines quilt last night, wrapping up a languishing WIP (Work In Progress) that I started way back in 2014.  Woo-hoo!

I Hope You Appreciate the Azaleas...

I goaded my grouchy and reluctant husband into driving around with me to find a photo location with azaleas in the exact shade of pink as the hand dyed fabric patches in the center of my bear paw blocks.  I was like the Knights Who Say Nih from Monty Python -- "YOU MUST BRING ME A SHRUBBERY!!!!!"  Also, I told him that none of the OTHER quilters' husbands complain that their arms are sore from holding the quilt up for so long.  😏. 

Remember what this quilt top looked like before I quilted it?  Here's that Before picture again:

The Supreme Yumminess of the Hand Marbled Fabrics and the Graffiti Quilting

Earlier this week, since I was all caught up with customer quilts and right on-track with the kaleidoscope blocks I'm making for Anders' high school graduation quilt, I finally -- FINALLY -- got my UFO Bear Paw quilt out of the Purgatory closet and loaded it on my frame for quilting.  I am so excited to finally be finishing this quilt for myself!  I stewed over how to quilt this one for three years, but when I discovered this digital edge-to-edge quilting design, Graffiti E2E #7, by Karlee Porter,  I knew it would be perfect for this top.  

I'm Loving Graffiti E2E #7 on my Bear Paw Quilt!

I started making my 10 1/2" bear paw blocks in May of 2014 as an experiment, chopping up Anna Maria Horner's large scale LouLou Thi print and enjoying the "blobs of paint" effect that created in my blocks, with sections of butterflies or flowers recognizable in the larger patches but not in the small triangles.  Soon afterwards, I got my hands on my first hand marbled fabric assortment from Marjorie Lee Bevis (I think she was selling them through Luana Rubin's equilter.com online shop at that time, but today she sells her fabric directly through her Etsy shop here) and started making 4" sawtooth stars out of them.  

Where Do You Get Your Design Inspiration? Appliqué Inspiration From Interior Design Fabrics

I'm still plugging away at my Spirit Song quilt top, albeit intermittently.  So far I have four of the twelve 16" blocks completely assembled:

Four 16 Inch Blocks Assembled, Eight More to Go

It's tedious piecing at this point because I'm matching up triangles with seams that don't nest.  Lots of unpicking and finessing to get those triangle points to match up to my satisfaction!  But meanwhile, my mind is on other projects, inspired by everything I see around me.  If you're one of those sensible people who has made a resolution not to start any new projects or buy any new fabrics in 2020, you should probably stop reading this RIGHT NOW.  You have been warned...

So this gorgeous photo landed in my email in-box the other day in a newsletter from the interior design fabric supplier F. Schumacher: 

Linen Print Roca Redonda in Carbon and Multi from F. Schumacher, Retail $248/yd

I love how fresh and current this 18th century French botanical pattern looks in this colorway, updated with shades of coral, emerald and turquoise against that carbon gray background.  Wouldn't this be a fun color palette for an historic or traditional appliqué quilt pattern?  I especially love that dusky background color.

Moda's Ombre Confetti in Soft Black, available on Etsy here (affiliate link)

Moda's Ombre Confetti in Soft Black, available from an Etsy seller here, would give me a similar effect as a background fabric.  The black and gold metallic dots are clustered most densely near the selvages of the fabric and are much more sparse in the lighter parts of the fabric, so I'd likely use the middle areas of the fabric for my appliqué backgrounds and then use the areas along the selvages for borders or in pieced blocks.  

If you're not a fan of the metallic dots and you want to stay truer to the background in the inspiration print, you could try Sketch in Charcoal from Timeless Treasures, available on Etsy here:

Sketch in Charcoal from Timeless Treasures, available on Etsy here

Then, for the applique elements themselves, there are all sorts of delicious possibilities.  I could see this Jade Green Batik Blender from Timeless Treasures for some of the leaves:

Jade Green Batik Blender from Timeless Treasures, available on Etsy here

Kaffe Fassett Collectives prints from Free Spirit Fabrics would also work well for the appliqué elements.  

Philip Jeffries for Kaffe Fassett Collectives Bundle, available on Etsy here

I love fussy-cutting for applique from the oversized prints from Kaffe Fassett.  An emerald and turquoise flower or feather can make for a striking appliquéd leaf.  So much fun!  Back to the inspiration fabric from F. Schumacher:

Appliqué Inspiration Fabric, Roca Redonda in Carbon and Multi from F. Schumacher

Although I like Kaffe Fassett Collectives for some of the green and turquoise elements, the other colors in this palette are a bit more subdued.  To recreate the corals, aquas, and ochre shades found in my inspiration fabric, I'd probably turn to prints from Anna Maria Horner's Conservatory collection for Free Spirit Fabrics:

Anna Maria Horner's Conservatory collection for Free Spirit, available on Etsy here

Of course, I wouldn't be using ALL prints for my appliqué   I'd want plenty of solids and tonal solids as well.  I feel like I'd need to mix in a handful of luscious shot cottons for this project:

Peppered Cottons from Pepper Cory, available on Etsy here

In the photo above of Pepper Cory's Peppered Cotton swatches, you can see that different color yarns are used for the warp and weft of shot cottons, which gives them their fabulous color-shifting properties.  They're much more interesting than plain solid fabrics, yet the colors aren't hyper-bright to the point of distraction.  The effect is subtle, especially in an appliqué composition where the shot cottons are combined with batiks, prints, and true solids.

Last but certainly not least, I adore the tiny detailed elements of the F. Schumacher inspiration print fabric, many of which would be too small to execute as applique.  Those delicate vines, tiny leaves, and other details would be exquisite if they were embroidered using Sue Spargo's beautiful threads from Wonderfil:

Sue Spargo's Eleganza Threads from Wonderfil, available on Etsy here

And, while we're at it, some of those flower centers would probably benefit from a smattering of seed beads here and there, so long as our quilt isn't going to be used on a bed and frequently laundered.  My pick, to keep the palette true to my inspiration fabric while adding just a subtle bling, would be these size 11/0 Czech glass seed beads from Etsy seller lanabeads2:

11/0 Czech Glass Seed Beads in Taupe, available on Etsy here

Have I inspired you to start a new project yet?  Here are a few patterns that would be beautiful in this color palette: 

Love Entwined, Historic Reproduction by Esther Aliu, pattern available here

Like the F. Schumacher inspiration fabric, Esther Aliu's masterpiece historic reproduction pattern "Love Entwined" was based on an 18th century antique quilt, so I'd expect it would look amazing rendered in the updated Carbon & Multi colorway of the linen drapery fabric.

However, this color palette would also be delightful for one of Sarah Fiehke's whimsical applique patterns such as her 2017 Down the Rabbit Hole BOM, for which patterns and instructions are available here:

Down the Rabbit Hole by Sarah Fielke, pattern available here

Ooh, and imagine using this color palette for Karen Kay Buckley's Majestic Mosaic appliqué quilt, pattern available on Amazon here:

Majestic Mosaic by Karen Kay Buckley, pattern available here

One last peek at our inspiration photo:

There are a lot of books and workshops out there on color theory, but you really can't go wrong if you choose your color palette based on a mix of colors that speaks to you immediately as soon as you see it.  Interior design photos, fine art paintings, travel photos -- all are terrific sources for selecting colors for your next quilt.  

Where do YOU find your best design inspiration?  Let me know in the comments.

Meanwhile, there are a bazillion coral-colored Birds in the Air blocks waiting for me to sew them together for my Spirit Song quilt...

Still In Progress, my Spirit Song Dress Code Quilt

Happy weekend and happy stitching, everyone!  I'm linking up today's post with:

·       Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts  

·       Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

·       Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  

·       Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

·       Moving it Forward at Em's Scrap Bag

·       Colour and Inspiration Tuesday at Clever Chameleon

Substitution Serendipity: Math Is Beautiful and a Skirt In the Works

Lars Meets Kaffe Revised: Math Is Beautiful, 54" X 54"

So last time I posted, I shared a new quilt design based on a doodle I found in Lars's math notebook:

Lars's Doodle and My First EQ7 Design

I created the quilt design in EQ7 quilt design software using out of print Kaffe Fassett Collective fabrics from 2012, and then went on a mad, worldwide hunt to find the fabrics.  However, when the quilt shop in Switzerland emailed me about payment via bank transfer and notified me of "additional customs fees which may be significant," I canceled that order and headed to my LQS (local quilt shop) to look for substitute fabrics.  I'm glad I did, because I found a fantastic math fabric to use in place of the black and white polka dots:

Not only is this a math themed fabric, but it's the kind of math Lars was studying last year when he was doodling quilts in his notebook.  (In fairness to Lars, he did a great job in math this year and he claims that he created this doodle while he was sitting in assembly for the school talent show).

So it looks like I'm making another quilt with bright fabrics against a black background.  Although Lars's doodle could easily become a repeated quilt block, I decided to make it a one-block quilt with nice, large pieces to show off large scale print fabrics.  Also, I still have several long-term quilts in the works right now and wanted to mix in something quick and easy.

Speaking of the Big Haul quilt projects, I did manage to complete two more pineapple log cabin blocks for my California King bed quilt:

14 Pineapple Log Cabin Blocks Finished, 22 (or 28) Blocks To Go

These blocks finish at 17 1/2" so if I make 36 of them in a 6 x 6 layout I'll have a 105" x 105" quilt top before quilting.  Depending on how much quilting I do, there will be some quilting shrinkage as well as some shrinkage in the final wash (especially since I did not prewash fabrics for this one).  A 100" x 98" quilt is the recommended size for a California King with a 15" drop, but I'm starting to think that might be too skimpy on my bed, so I might add another row of six blocks to my original plan.  That would mean I need a total of 42 blocks for this quilt.  I sure hope I like it when it's finally finished (someday!).

But I haven't touched my Butterflies and Bear Paws quilt, my Jingle quilt, or my Frankenwhiggish Rose needle turned applique project.  Those are languishing on the shelf.  Meanwhile I'm itching to start on my Dear Jane blocks using these fabrics:

Fabrics for my Soon-To-Start Dear Jane Quilt

...And I have challenged myself to learn garment sewing, and first up is a simple skirt in this bold floral cotton voile print by Anna Maria Horner for Westminster Fabrics:

Pretty Potent Echinachea in Preppy, Cotton Voile from Westminster Fabrics

I bought a solid navy cotton voile for the lining and I just hope there's enough fullness in the skirt pattern so the voile hangs nicely.  What do you think?  The model is wearing the longer version of the skirt, but I'm planning to make the above-knee length.

I love the fabric print, though -- it reminds me of something I'd see in ready to wear from Boden or Anthropologie.  So far all I have done is purchased thread and notions and prewashed the fabrics.  Wish me luck!

Both of my boys are volunteer counselors for Vacation Bible School at church this week, so I'm hoping to get a lot of sewing done in the mornings.  Ideally I'd like to get my skirt made and also get my Math Is Beautiful quilt at least cut out and ready to go.  I might piece that one on my Vintage Singer Featherweight machine so I can alternate between that and another paper pieced pineapple block on my Bernina 750 QE without having to change my machine setup (I like to piece with lightweight Aurifil 50/2 cotton thread and a 70 Microtex needle, but I've got the B 750 threaded up with heavier 50/3 cotton Mettler thread and a size 90 quilting needle for paper piecing.  That gives me better perforation of the paper that I'll need to tear away at every seamline, and a stronger seam to withstand the stress of tearing paper away).

I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday and Main Crush Monday.  Have a great week!

Butterflies and Bear Paws: Another New Project for Rebecca!

New Project!  Butterflies and Bear Paws

Greetings, Neglected Blog Readers!  Never mind that I have not yet finished the Jingle BOM project I started over a year ago, nor have I finished even the first block of the new hand applique project that I started a couple of months ago (and don't even ask me about that paper pieced Advent table runner project).  I recklessly launched myself into yet another new quilting project this week.  Now that I have multiple UFOs (Unfinished Objects) and WIPs (Works In Progress), I feel more like a REAL quilter!

Bear Paw Inspirations: Quilts! Quilts! Quilts! and QNM Back Issue, LouLouThi Clippings Fabric in Passion

I have wanted to make a Bear Paw quilt ever since I saw a vintage navy and white Bear Paw quilt in the 2nd Edition (the Bear Paw quilt is NOT in the newest 3rd Ed.) of Quilts! Quilts! Quilts! by Diana McClun and Laura Nownes.  That was back when I was planning my very first quilt in 2002.  I dog-eared the page and chose a simple Roman Square for that first project instead.  But in organizing back issues from Quilter's Newsletter Magazine recently I came across another bear paw quilt project, and somehow it popped into my head that the Anna Maria Horner LouLouThi Clippings fabric in Passion that I've been hoarding in my stash might make a fresh and interesting bear paw quilt, especially if I cut up the large scale print completely randomly.  Normally I use MANY different fabrics in a single quilt, primarily to amuse myself throughout the construction process, but this time I'm using just the LouLouThi print, Kona Solid in Snow for the background, and a complementary batik scrap for the center squares. 

Should Have Used WHITE Thread!

This is actually the first time I've used white fabric in a pieced quilt, believe it or not, and I discovered that although beige and gray threads work well for piecing multicolor quilts, I really need to use WHITE thread when one of my fabrics is a solid white.  See those visible dots of gray thread at the seam lines once I've pressed the seam open?  Yuck!  I switched thread colors as soon as I noticed that.  It's not noticeable for me to rip out all the stitches and start over, but I'll try to make a mental note to match my piecing thread to the lighter fabric from now on.

I really love how my first bear paw block came out.  I did NOT follow the patterns in the book or magazine projects, though.  The book project had instructions for 12" blocks (despite the fact that the vintage quilt in the photo could not possibly have had blocks that large) and the magazine article was for 8 3/4" blocks.  I knew I wanted to make a square quilt with 9 blocks set diagonally, and I could see that the bear paw has a 7x7 underlying grid structure.  I bored my children to tears by demonstrating how I can use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the dimensions of a quilt with a diagonal setting (gotta LOVE math-in-the-real-world quilting lessons!) and decided that a 10 1/2" finished block size will give me a finished quilt in the size I want, with 9 diagonal bear paw blocks and four plain alternate blocks. 

So, going back to my 7 x 7 grid, I just need to make each unit finish at 1 1/2" to create a 10 1/2" finished block.  If I wanted a 7" block, I'd make each unit finish at 1", or for a 14" block, each unit would finish at 2", etc.  This is where those specialty rulers come in handy, too -- I was able to cut my small squares and HSTs (half square triangles) all from 2" strips of fabric instead of having to add weird fractional amounts to squares and then slice the squares apart on the diagonal as traditional rotary cutting instructions tell you to do. 

Anyway, I've been sitting here typing for longer than I had intended, and I still have lots to get done before it's time to pick up the kids so I'll just leave you with this:

I'm In Print!  June/July 2014 Issue of QNM

My "300 Words" essay about "My Dream Quilting Space" was published in the June/July issue of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, which just showed up in my mailbox the other day.  My smiling face and opinions await you at your local news stand.  :-)

I'm linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, Esther's WOW: WIPs on Wednesday as well as with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.  If you have a moment, stop by to see what everyone else is up to today.

Have a wonderful day!