Be Gentle With Yourself

This blog doesn't get the attention it deserves because all the social networking channels out there like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest that seem to occupy a lot of my time. There's also Periscope, Google+, Snapchat, Peach, Super....and the list could go on and on. You could cruise through all those apps and websites and not get much else done in the day! But, there's been something I've been thinking about a lot lately after spending time on all those social networking sites, especially Facebook.

Like thousands of others, hundreds of thousands of others, I am part of several quilting groups on Facebook. It's a great place to chat about quilting, fabric, tips, and to show others your finished quilts. It's fun and interesting to see what others are working on and a wealth of information. But, I've noticed a trend in these groups, which makes me think it also happens outside of these Facebook groups. So many times when someone posts their finished quilt, or a new block they've finished, they are quick to point out their "mistakes". So many times I've seen an awesome finished quilt that looks great, but the first thing the maker tells everyone is how wrong this or that is, or that their points aren't exactly lining up like laser beams. My first reaction is to say "what mistakes?!?.... It looks SWEET! You should be SUUUPPPPEERRR proud of yourself for creating that!" Often I make a comment to let the poster know that I think the quilt looks great, aside from their perceived mistakes, along with lots of other people who think the quilt looks sweet. Many times the quilter who made the quilt is usually the only one who really notices their "flaws" or "mistakes". They seem surprised that others love their creation. Granted, not every quilt that someone makes will be your favorite, or mine, but what I hope is that quilters are proud of their work and embrace what they've made without first saying it's "not very good" or "there are tons of mistakes". So many of these quilts are being made for friends or family as a gift or to provide some comfort and the last thing they will see is the tiny flaw of a slightly mis-matched point or small seam allowance hiccup in one of the blocks. Yes, the goal should always be matching seams and points, good pressing techniques, and careful cutting, but even if your quilt had a bump or two on the road to creating it don't cut yourself short! You've made something awesome and it's a wonderful accomplishment.

 

 

Making quilts should be fun and you should be proud of your quilts! I've spoken to a lot of new quilters who feel terribly intimidated by their abilities and don't feel like they should have a seat at what should be a huge table of quilters. They create one or two quilts, and because all they can see are those small flaws in their first quilts they give up, and decide they just aren't cut out to be a quilter. I feel a twinge of sadness when I hear people cut down their own work. I strive to create patterns for Harding Hill Designs that are perfect, along with striving to create perfect quilts, but I cut myself some slack when it comes to the quilts I make for myself. I want the process of creating quilts to be enjoyable. For myself, the quickest way to burst the bubble of sewing and quilting enjoyment is by telling myself I'm terrible at it the whole time because all the focus is on the things I could have sewn better. Occasionally my seams are a wee bit off, but I'm trying hard to not make that the focus of the quilt when I talk to others about it. My hope is that instead of pointing out the things we all think we've done wrong with our quilt, we instead celebrate what we've created and show the world with a sense of pride. 

Whether you've created the next "best of show" quilt for a huge juried show or a wonderful quilt you'll be giving a friend, be proud of what you made and what you've accomplished! You are a quilter whether or not your quilt wins awards or just wins the heart of those you have created it for. Be gentle with yourself....keep sewing & creating!

 

 

One Block Remix pt. 3

This is the third post featuring quilts from our new book One Block Remix - 10 Fresh Quilts from One Traditional Block. In the previous posts, pt. 1 and pt. 2 I shared some of the quilts in the book, this post i'll share the remaining three quilts. 

One Block Remix - 10 Fresh Quilts from One Traditional Block

 

Party Pants is a fun, quick quilt. Turning the block on point creates this fun pattern that reminded me of party streamers.

 

Party Pants

Naming quilts can sometimes be tricky. I wanted to have a fun, party name for this pattern but was struggling to decide on something. Party Pants has been one of the funnest pattern names I used. I've gotten lots of fun comments from people about the name!

 

Strip Flash is another fast quilt from One Block Remix. I love this pattern and can't wait to make more. For the sample in the book I used one jelly roll and contrasting fabric. 

 

Strip Flash

I love that you can create the angles and diamond like shapes with just strips and squares! 

 

Flag Flyer is the last quilt to share from the book. I made two different samples for the book and for the booth at Quilt Market. 

Flag Flyer

I wanted to show how different a quilt can look depending on fabric choices. The quilt on the left is made in solids, using just 2 colors and the quilt on the right is made with lots of different colored strips. It was fun to see peoples reaction when they realized both quilts were made from the same pattern. Choosing fabric for you projects is such a fun part of the process and is a great way to show your individual creativity! 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you've enjoyed a look at the quilts from the new book. Stop by our Facebook and Instagram page and say hello! 

Cheers & Happy Quilting!

 

Quilt Market and New Book Release

Hello All!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by during the Quiltmakers 100 Blocks Blog Tour! Billie Kretzschmar and Deborah DeBerry were the winners of the issue of Vol. 11. It was really sweet to read the comments, thank you for sharing so many touching, fun things about your mom! My heart ached a little for some of you when you talked about loss and missing your mom. On my day of the blog tour it was my moms birthday but, it's been just over 6 years since my mom died, and I miss her every day. So, thank you again for sharing. :-)

Since my last post, my heads been spinning a little in the last few weeks. I released my first book, One Block Remix, which I'm really excited about, and I had a booth at Quilt Market for the first time. Lots off stuff going on in the last couple of weeks. 

First, some things to share with you about Quilt Market. If you're not familiar with Quilt Market here's a little background. Twice a year Quilts, Inc holds an industry trade show. It's closed to the general public but filled with fabric companies, pattern designers, distributors, publishers, and notion companies. It's a showcase for new products and new fabric lines. Shop owners are there to order new fabric for their shops and check out all the other new products being released by pattern designers, publishers, notion companies. It's a whirlwind couple of days! The amount of work and creativity that goes into the booths is amazing! 

Camelot Fabrics had a sample of our Crossroads quilt hanging in there booth. The quilt was made with a very cool metallic fabric line, Heavy Metal by Jackie Mcfee. I made the sample and then sent it to Kristi Ryan to work here quilting magic on it. It looked great! The photo below is courtesy of the Camleot Fabrics blog, check out their market recap here for a look at some of the other collections they were showcasing.

Heavy Metal Collection - Camelot Fabrics

I didn't keep a formal tally or count but I noticed a lot of indigo in new fabric collections being showcased. Robert Kaufman, Alexander Henry, Cotton and Steel, Art Gallery all had lots of indigo going on...and it all looked great!

The main reason I was at Quilt Market was for the release of my new book, One Block Remix - 10 Fresh Quilts from One Traditional Block.

Harding Hill Designs - One Block Remix

I'll write more about the book over the next week, including lots of pictures of the quilts. Im really excited about it, and really excited about the quilts in the book. There are 10 different patterns that originate from one strip pieced block. Great projects for all types of quilters, and all styles! 

Until next time....

Cheers!

 

Sweetheart Table Runner Tutorial - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you! As the old saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun". I can't believe it's already the new year. I'm looking forward to all the things I have planned for this year and hope you are along for the ride!

Do you do the New Years Resolution thing? I used to come up with very specific, grandious resolutions that usually fizzled by March, well some by February. Ha! But this year instead of specific resolutions and plans to lose weight and eat better (which I'm going to try to do) I'm also going to try and live a little more in the moment, laugh a little more- whether it's just laughing at myself or laughing with others. Take my work and goals seriously, but not take myself too seriously. Try to spend less of my limited time worrying and more of it laughing and smiling. I've also started a Gratitude Jar. Mine is actually a gratitude make-up bag because I am using an old make-up bag I've had for years. That way I can throw it in my purse and take it with me. I'm not going to force myself to write something down everyday, even though that wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Instead, I am going to try to make note of things I am grateful for both big and small when the moment strikes. (You reading this is something I am grateful for!) 

I've got a new Valentines Day tutorial in the post. It's a sweet table runner to add some love to your home for not only Valentines Day but all year! It was inspired by the tried and true Valentines Candy Hearts we see every year. 

Image via candywarehouse.com

There has been alot of action here in the sewing studio with 11 new patterns in the process of being tested right now, and some great projects for a few magazines. I can't wait to get them done and ready to show you! We've also taken some time to plan out some great things we'll be doing on our blog. We've got a new editorial calendar for ourselves to keep all of our new blog ideas organized and ready. You can expect to see much more from us throughout 2013 and hopefully beyond. :-) 

Here is the tutorial for the Sweetheart Table Runner-- I hope you enjoy it!

Fabric Requirements: (Based on fabric with a width of 42" of useable fabric)                   Finished Size: 21" x 49". Use a 1/4" seam for all piecing.

Neutral Fabric:     
7/8 yd

Colored Fabric:    
3, 7" squares
4, 4" squares
60, 2.5" squares
(great way to use up leftover layer cake squares, charm pack squares, and pre-cut 2.5" strip scraps)

Binding:
3/8 yard

Backing:
1 yard

Batting:
24" x 52"

Cutting Neutral Fabric: 
1. Begin by cutting 4, 4.5" x WOF (Width of Fabric) strips from your neutral fabric. First, cut 2 strips into 4.5" x 40.5" units (top and bottom borders). Then with the remaining 2 strips cut 4, 4.5" squares (small heart backgrounds) and 2, 4.5" x 12.5" units (side borders). Now cut a 8.5" x WOF strip. From this strip cut 3, 8.5" squares (large heart backgrounds) and then with the remaining part of the strip cut 2, 2.5" x 12.5" units (sashing between blocks).

Hearts:
For the hearts use whichever applique method you prefer. For myself I didn't fuse or stabilize anything. After tracing and cutting out the large hearts from the 7" colored squares and the small hearts from the 4" colored squares I just used a dab a glue from a glue stick in the middle of the heart and slowly stitched around the edge with a standard zig-zag stitch. This may not be the preferred method by most people but for this project I'm happy with the results. The most important thing to remember if you don't stabilize or fuse your fabric is to stitch slowly around your hearts to keep everything flat and not to create any puckers. But...before we get to the stitching we need to align our hearts on our background fabric.

Take your 8.5" neutral fabric squares and make 2 folds to create a center intersection. First fold the square in half to create a horizontal fold and finger press the fold. Next, while the square is folded, fold again in half to create a vertical fold and finger press.

First Fold

 

After Second Fold

 

Double Creased

Next you'll want to do the same type of thing with your hearts. First fold the bottom or the point of the heart up, so the tip is even with the top of the 2 curves and finger press the crease.

First Fold

Next, unfold the heart to fold it in half to create a vertical crease and finger press.

Second Fold

Now you will have a intersection of creases on both the background squares and hearts. To keep the spacing even, simply match up the crease intersection on the hearts with the crease intersections on the background squares. I put a very small dab of glue from my glue stick right in the middle and then zig-zagged slowly around the heart. I would recommend stitching the hearts with your needle in the needle down position for easy pivoting. Also, if you use the glue stick method make sure you don't put any glue around the edges or where your needle will go in. If your needle goes through the glue you could have a big gluey mess in your bobbin case.

For the large hearts keep all the creases lined up

For the small hearts makes the same folds and creases on both the hearts and background fabric but rotate the heart as shown in the picture below. 

Match the intersecting creases but rotate the heart so the point is pointing towards a corner of the background fabric

Next, divide your 2.5" squares into 6 groups of 4 squares each and 6 groups of 6 squares each. Sew the squares together in each group, pressing seams all the same direction. Now sew a 4 square unit to the top and bottom of each large heart block. Press the seams towards the middle. Then stitch a 6 square unit to each side and press towards the center. 

Your finished blocks should measure 12.5" x 12.5". 

Next, sew a 2.5" x 12.5" neutral fabric unit between the blocks and press towards the neutral fabric. Proof your runner, it should measure 12.5" x 40.5".

Now, sew on your 4.5" x 40.5" top and bottom border and press towards the border.

Decide on the placement of the 4 corner hearts and sew one to the top and bottom of your 4.5" x 12.5" units. Press away from the 4.5" square.

Now, sew the side borders with the corner hearts to each side. Press away from the center.

Layer your heart filled runner, batting, and backing. Quilt, bind and Enjoy! The Kona Cotton colors are used are Medium Pink, Banana, Lavender, Mango, Honeydew, and Ice Frappe.

I put together a few other color options for this runner. Other than my inspiration from the retro colors of the candy hearts I also like the idea of raiding your red/magenta/purple scraps and making a runner with those bright tones.

Or, you could keep it bright with rich, jewel tones.

We always LOVE comments here on the blog! We would also love to see a picture of your runner! Follow us on facebook and share a picture with us, or follow us on twitter and share a picture there.

Thanks for stopping by & Happy New Year to you!

Happy Quilting!

Download Valentine Sweatheart Runner Hearts

 

 

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 5 Blog Tour

Greetings!!

It's my turn on the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour and I am excited to share my block with you! If this is your first time here, welcome! 

These issue are always packed with creative ideas and wonderful blocks. There are also some quilts on Quiltmaker's facebook page made from some of the 100 blocks. A quilt called Bingo Crazy by Reesa Zuber features our Bingo Block. Stop by and check out the awesome quilts! Also, make sure you stop by the other blogs on the blog tour for lots of great giveaways and amazing creativity. 

My block is called Bingo and features Robert Kaufman's, Treasures and Tidbits by Piece O' Cake Designs. Don't you love the bright colors of this collection! 

 Bingo

This is a block that can be bright and cheery or understated and desaturated. It can also go some different directions with the layout and borders. I think it's a great catch-all block for whatever you have in your stash! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I mentioned earlier in this post, there are great giveaways on this blog tour. I am giving away a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks. To throw your name in the hat just leave me a comment before noon (CST) Monday May, 7th about anything you'd like. In the past in the comments we've talked about Miracle Whip vs. Mayo, (which is where I learned about Dukes Mayo), our favorite seasons, long walks on the beach and more. I'd love to hear about anything...tell us about what your working on now, how you've seen quilting change since you've made your first quilt, or what your first quilt was- did you use a pattern or just jump right in and improvise, which layout using the Bingo block do you like best? You don't have to answer all those questions but if you'd like to answer any of them I love to hear from you! You can also hop over and like our facebook page for an extra entry. 

If this is your first time here, thanks for dropping in! Hope you all have a great time with this blog tour!

Cheers & Happy Quilting!

With the Best Intentions

I woke up this morning motivated to get outside and go for a wonderful spring run. I looked forward to the crisp spring air and sunshine on my face while listening to the birds sing their morning songs...Then I looked out the window and saw this! A fresh blanket of snow was on the ground which very quickly deflated my highly motivated intentions! As I pulled up the blinds and spotted this landscape, although beautiful to look at, in my head I heard the loud screeching noise that is made when a needle is  aggressively moved and scratched off the morning motivation record playing in my head.

I tried to stick with it though. I made my way to the running trail but just couldn't do it. It looks like I need to work on my commitment to running, but snow on the ground on April 20th was just too much for me today.

Today the snow won I guess, but tomorrow's a new day and I am ready for a sunny, spring run!

A Daring Adventure

I can't remember where I originally came across this quote because I've had it hanging on my refrigerator for so many years. It has survived lots & lots of moves and years of a busy kitchen. It's a little weathered, but no worse for the wear. I keep it to remind myself to be BRAVE!

It says-
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller