Whimsicals Threads

:: Round Robin Rebels - Playing With Crayons ::

It finally came! 

My own copy of American Patchwork & Quilting arrived this week!  Have you gotten yours yet??? 

I am super excited because this issue features the Round Robin Rebels quilts.  And this is the week we all get to share my quilt!

Playing With Crayons....

  

 

If you have not been following along, you may want to go back and read our previous posts, just to get lowdown on the "rules" we set and how we approached this quilt project.

Me {you are already here, but check out my first post on the Round Robin Rebels}

Kari Carr {New Leaf Stitches}

Terry Atkinson {Terry Atkinson Designs}

Gudrun Erla {GE Designs}

My quilt....

When we started this round robin, I had panic attacks trying to come up with an idea for my center block. I felt that the expectations were so high and there was no way I was ever going to live up to them..... I had so many doubts and came close to backing out many times before I finally decided that I could not bail because I had no excuse except my own fears and insecurities. 

So I forged ahead, trying to come up with something that I thought would be worthy.  After several months of tossing around different ideas, I kept circling back to a phrase that I couldn't get out of my head.....

Color outside the lines.

It just seemed to fit the whole concept of why we wanted to do this. As designers, we wanted to do something that was for ourselves.... to create with no expectations and without trying to please the masses....  To stretch ourselves creatively and get outside of our comfort zone.  

My idea was to make a simple center block that could be built upon and taken however the remaining designers wanted to take it.  I knew that I wanted to use brighter colors paired with grays and creams, so I began sorting through my stash, making trips to the quilt shops, buying all sorts of fabrics that caught my eye and were not typically "me".  What I ended up with was way more than the 20 fat quarters I was supposed to have.

 

But because I wanted to follow the rules (oh, if I had only known that no one else was following them!) I whittled it down to just 20 that I thought would give everyone a nice assortment to choose from.

 

Stenciling the center block....

Even though I love applique, I decided to paint the letters on the center square, just to do something different and to avoid applique and turning the edges under on the skinny letters.  For this, I used Shiva Paintstiks, which are oil based sticks of paint that look almost like a huge crayon.  If you have never heard of these or used them, here is a quick overview of how I do it.  

First, trace the pattern onto the dull side of freezer paper.

{ trace the design }

 

Using small scissors with an extra fine, sharp tip, carefully cut the design out.  Keep in mind that you are making a stencil, where the fabric is protected by the stencil (in this case, the freezer paper) and the paint is applied through the open area (the portion of the freezer paper that has been cut away).  Use a warm dry iron to temporarily adhere the freezer paper to the fabric.

{ cut out the stencil }

 

Smear a little paint on a styrofoam plate, kinda like coloring with a large crayon.

Load some paint onto a blunt stencil brush using a circular motion.  (I have a collection of brushes ranging in size from 1/8" to 3/4").  Then, using the same circular motion, apply the paint to the fabric in the open areas of the stencil.  Mix, blend, shade..... you have total control over how it turns out and the look you want.

{ apply the paint }

 

A few things to note..... Because I love to mix colors, I can seldom reproduce the exact color of an area, so I try to paint everything that I want with that specific color at the same time. 

I also like to add shading by using a very small stencil brush and black paint along the edges. Because this is an oil based paint, it takes a while to dry, allowing plenty of time to blend and mix colors to get the effect I want. I start with a light coating of paint and just keep adding colors until I like the way it looks. :-)

The freezer paper can simply be peeled off when the painting is finished and can even be reused several times.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about the peace symbol in there.... if you know me very well, you know that I have this thing for the peace sign but have never worked it into a quilt.  I looked at this as my opportunity to add a little "peace" to the project, because like I said before, this one was for ME!! 

Ok, so enough about that....  I felt that I needed to make it look like an actual center block and wanted to accentuate the lines surrounding the words with a softer, more circular feel around the whole thing. So I drew this cool border for it, only to realize that none of the angles were typical ones that could be cut with standard rulers.  Yes, I tend to make the simplest things difficult, and yes, I ended up making templates and cutting the pieces that way.  Then I had the challenge of figuring out how to line them up to piece them together.  

{ piecing the center block border }

 

But I got it all together and felt it needed a little more color and spunk, so I added a little bird and a flower overlapping the "line" around the words, just to keep with the feeling of coloring outside the lines.  Then I boxed it up and sent it on its' way to Kari.  

 

And so began the wait....

which was longer than the four months that we had originally planned for this project, because we ended up doing the big reveal at Meridith Corp, home of American Patchwork and Quilting.  This trip in and of itself was an incredible experience for me, not only because I got to visit APQ, but because I got to spend the entire weekend with these incredible ladies.  I flew to Minneapolis (being the only one that didn't live in Minnesota) where we all piled in a van to drive and shop our way to DesMoines.  To say that we had a blast is a bit of an understatement!

 

Our first morning there was the big "reveal" when we were each blindfolded while our quilt was being pulled out and held up.  The awe that I'm sure we all felt when we took off the blindfold to see our quilt was far beyond anything I could have imagined!  With no preconcieved notions of what I thought the quilts would look like, I can honestly say that I was at a loss for words.

 

 

I loved what everyone had added to my quilt and was so excited.  But at the beginning of this round robin project we had agreed to work on final borders together, since we each had a portion of ourselves invested in all of the quilts.  Oddly enough, after all of the quilts were shown, mine was the only one that we felt would benefit from an additional round.  The consenus was to add a colorful pieced piano key border with rounded corners and applique a black triangle in the center of these borders.  The idea was that it would pull things together with more color on the outer edge and that the black triangles would mimic the inner border.

{ the original plan for an additional border }

 

We played with the extra fabric we had taken with us.....

...did some brainstorming about how to effectively get the look we were going for and what was the best way to sew the borders on....

 

 

And eventually ended up making a trip out to another quilt shop to add some fabric.  We then spent the afternoon together, cutting and sewing to try to get the borders done.  This was a fantastic exercise for me because like many designers, I work alone, which means that I have very few opportunities to see techniques and methods that are different than mine.  And let me tell you, when four designers get together and all of them are trying to accomplish the same thing, it is amazing how different they all approach it! 

This is what we finally ended up with at the end of the day.  We ran out of time to attach the borders, but we packed up and headed back home with the intention of me stitching the borders on myself.  

 

But after I got home, I sat and stewed about what we had done.... Was it too much? Did it really enhance the quilt?  Or was it just a distraction?  And the more I thought about it, the less I was convinced that I wanted to add it.  I was also very hesitant to actually stitch it on, which is usually my gut telling me that it just isn't right.  So I hung it on my design wall and stared at it for a couple days.  And it stared back.  Until several days later, it just hit me... Why not work with what was already there instead of adding more?  I cut a few black triangles and laid them on the existing border to see what would happen.     

 

Those simple black triangles added between the half circles helped to not only define their shapes, but they also made the colors pop. I felt like it was such a better solution than what we had done together.  But what would the others say if I didn't add the borders we had worked on?  It was supposed to be a joint effort and here I was, changing my mind, making a decision on my own.  So I did what any (in)sane person would do.... I snapped a picture of my idea and sent a message to the others, asking their opinion and how they would feel about it if I didn't use the borders we had worked on together.  And I can't tell you how happy I was to get answers back from all of them saying "Go for it!"   

In hindsight, I think we were all running on adreniline and feeling a bit fried during our weekend together.  And when you add in the pressure of four tired brains trying to come up with an idea and implementing it all in one day.... well let's just say that it may not have been our best plan. 

So I simply added the black triangles as applique and finished the quilt with black binding.  This is the final result....

 

At the same time, I didn't want to just discard what we had worked so hard on together for the borders.  So I took portions of the border strips and pieced them into the back, so it is almost like I have a reversible quilt.... a little fun and whimsical on one side with a little modern twist on the other.   

And to top it all off, it was quilted by the talented and amazing Angela Walters.

I have to admit that this is by far my favorite quilt in the house.  It tells a story.  It has the heart of each of us embedded in every stitch and I love it!  

I would love to hear your thoughts on our quilts and round robin projects in general, so leave a comment if you have something to share.

Now, don't forget to check out the other Round Robin Rebels blogs to see their thoughts and what they each added to make my quilt complete.

Terry Atkinson (Atkinson Designs)

Kari Carr (New Leaf Stitches)

Gudrun Erla (GE Designs)

And don't forget you can see the whole story in the Feb. 2014 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting and check out the video interviews and additional stuff at allpeoplequilt.com.   

 

 Come back next week for our stories on the final quilt in this series!

:: Round Robin Rebels - round 1 ::

I am so excited to finally be able to share with you something that I have been so fortunate to be a part of... The Round Robin Rebels. 

And our story is featured in the February 2014 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation.All rights reserved.

If you don't have a subscription, you really need to grab one at the newstand when it is available because you won't want to miss it!  Trust me on this.

So, who and what are The Round Robin Rebels you ask?? 

A little background....

This incredible adventure started as a late night conversation with a couple friends (who also happen to be fantastic designers) two years ago while sharing a couple chocolate martinis, courtesy of Gudrun Erla of GE Designs.

{ Gudrun and her infamous chocolate martinis }  

We were lamenting about the lack of time we set aside to make anything for ourselves, and how cool it would be if we could do something that would challenge us and force us out of our comfort zones. We tossed around some ideas, brainstormed, and talked several times after that night and almost a year later, Gudrun (GE Designs) finally came up with....

 

The plan....

Four designers with different quilting styles.

Four months from start to finish. 

Round Robin quilts.

Anything goes.

We dubbed ourselves The Round Robin Rebels and we are Terry Atkinson (Atkinson Designs), Kari Carr (New Leaf Stitches), Gudrun Erla (GE Designs), and myself.

{ Terry Atkinson, Kari Carr, Gudrun Erla, Terri Degenkolb }

We were to start by making our own center block.  ANY size.  ANY shape.  Pick 20 fat quarters and send them along with 3 yards of a background fabric and our center block to the next person on the list.  The recipient had 1 month to add whatever she wanted.... one border, multiple borders, borders on 3 sides.  We could add fabric if we felt the need, or use what was in the box.  The idea was total creative freedom.  WOW!  It sounded like bliss to me! 

Or at least it did until I got that first box.  And the next.... And by then I was seriously wondering when I had lost my mind, what I had gotten myself into, and how I was going to dig myself out.  The fear.  The uncertainty.  The challenge of working in a completely different style.  And with someone else's fabrics.  Ohmygosh.  I was completely overwhelmed and scared to death.  

To give you an inside glimpse of our adventure, we will each be posting once a week about a specific designers' quilt.  This week, we are focusing on Gudrun Erla of GE Designs. 

 

Gudrun's quilt....

To see Gudrun's perspective on making her center block, go here.

I was the second person to get Gudrun's quilt.  I was little apprehensive because our quilting styles are so different and I had no idea what to expect.  So I slowly opened the box, pulled out the quilt, put it on my design wall, then stepped back and just stared at it thinking "No way.  I can't do this."

{ Round Robin Rebels - Gudrun's quilt before my borders }

Bright colors on a black background!  And what Kari added was so cool.  I had no idea what to do and I let it hang on my wall for almost a month.  Every day, I stared at that quilt.  And every day, that quilt stared back at me.  The time was ticking away (we only had one month to add to each quilt and get it to the next person) and I had nothing. 

My first impulse was to somehow build off of Kari's border and still keep the rounded circle theme going.  I loved the "exclamation points" Kari put in the corners but she had used almost all of the gray flower fabric.  So my dilemma was how to add onto them using different fabrics, yet make it look like it was planned. 

To give you a glimpse of my thought process, here is an excerpt from my Round Robin Journal:

Feb. 14

Still staring at this quilt center.  I love how it looks right now and what Kari did with her border.  It is just difficult to add anything onto it.  Unless I continue what she did in the corners..... hmmmm..... I need to explore that a little bit.

I tried cutting some curvy strips and stitched them together.  I like the concept, but it doesn’t translate well to the fabrics.  They are too dominant, too strong, and just compete with each other, all screaming for attention, to be seen, which then drowns out everything else that has been done up to this point.  Honestly, I think I just need to expand on the black and dark gray and use the bright colors sparingly.  

I have an idea I drew out today, but I’m not sure it will work.  I've realized when I’m working with my own fabric, I don’t care as much if I mess up and throw away pieces that don’t work.  But that is all different when I only have fat quarters and someone else bought them, picked them out SPECIFICALLY, and who knows if I could find the fabric again.  Now THAT’S intimidating!  I think with this one, I will make a trip to the quilt shop, buy some fabrics that are close to what she included and do a trial run, just to see how it looks.  That will be tomorrow’s task.

 

I finally found a great piece of black and gray polka dot fabric that I thought was a perfect compliment to Gudrun's fabric choices. And I toyed around with adding yellow rick rack. 

Nope.  Didn't like that at all....  Too much of the polka dot and the rick rack just didn't fit with the style of the quilt.  Then I spent a day drawing out Gudrun's center and Kari's border in Illustrator so I could mess around with different aspects of the designs and eventually landed on a solution I liked.  By replicating Kari's exclamation points, I could make them into jacks!  (Who else remembers playing jacks with a superball when they were young?!)

One of my ideas was to applique big half circles between the "jacks", but it was too much and overpowered the center design.  So I made smaller circles in various sizes. 

No, I didn't use the larger half circle.  And yes, I was heartbroken when I couldn't find any to replace that huge piece I cut.  But I did eventually cut a smaller circle out of it and was really happy when I could carry the "jacks" theme further by adding various size circles on my border using  different fabrics that were included in Gudrun's box. 

 

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation.All rights reserved.
 

I absolutely love the final result and what it added to Gudrun's quilt!  And although the entire process for each quilt was hard for me, I would do it again in a heartbeat. The weekend we spent together doing the big "reveal" of the completed quilts at Meredith Corp. was a total blast. 

I love these girls.  I love all of the finished quilts.  And I can't wait to do this again!!!!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation.All rights reserved.

So now, I encourage you to find a few quilting friends and start your own round robin quilt if you have never done one before.  It is totally worth it!  You can follow along on our blogs this week and in the weeks to come  to get little tidbits and thoughts from each of us about our quilts and our journey together.

Terry Atkinson (Atkinson Designs)

Kari Carr (New Leaf Stitches)

Gudrun Erla (GE Designs)

You can also visit AllPeopleQuilt/863 for additional videos and links from our time spent at the American Patchwork & Quilting studio. 

And if that isn't enough, we have created a RoundRobinRebels Facebook page where you can share your round robin journey with us and be the first to find out when we do this again, because we are all ready!

Let's go!

 

:: summer fun ::

Thank you to everyone who left a comment about my pattern All Geared Up.  It was fun to hear everyone's preferences for applique..... and how many just stay clear of it.  My preference has always been to use freezer paper on the reverse side to turn the edges under, then hand stitch the piece, but I have to admit that I have recently been trying and researching other methods and found a couple that I really like.  Maybe someday I'll get around to doing a post about applique methods.  But not today..... 

First, I need to let Tami know that she is the winner of the All Geared Up pattern!  This is what she said about applique:

"I use both fusible web & the Karen Buckley method of applique depending on what kind of project I'm doing. I just have never gotten the knack of needle turning. I love your patterns and fabric. Just my style. :) "

Thanks Tami!  I will be getting in touch with you so that I can get your address and send you the pattern.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Now, I said that I would show you my new patterns, so here is another one.  After I finished All Geared Up, I had all these leftover pieces from the background.  (See a post on that pettern here)

And I thought..... Petals!

So I used all of them to make these flowers....

Because they were all the same fabric, I added a narrow piping around each petal.  A very simple technique which finishes the edge of the applique piece without having to apply fusible web or needle turn the edges under.  AND, it separates the petals!  There were enough to make three of these big flowers, which then became a bed runner.  This was made using the leftovers from the cover quilt of All Geared Up and the Around Town fabrics.

And of course, there were the same number of leftover pieces from the second version of the All Geared Up quilt, which became a table runner.  Same size flowers, but a bit smaller overall.

I love the gray fabrics in this, and the bike print is my favorite one from Around Town.  And no, the fabric used in the petals is not from that line of fabric, nor is it one that I designed, although I wish I had because it is an awesome newspaper style print!  


But I couldn't stop with just the runners.  Nope.  I had to make a single flower, which became a round table mat.  On this one, I did turn the edges under for the applique because I used two different fabrics and didn't feel that it needed the extra piping around each petal.

Eventually, I would like to get around to making three more of these so I could use them as placemats, although I seriously doubt they will ever get done!

So, all of these are in one pattern, called Summer Fun.  

I finally have all the new patterns on my website, which I have also be "freshening up", so let me know what you think!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Now, on to a personal note.....  

This definitely has been a roller coaster of a week.... Or has it been two?  I can't seem to keep track of the time anymore.  It just seems to be flying by.  But here is what has been going on in our household to cause such upheaval for me. 

At the beginning of August, my oldest son who recently graduated from Indiana university and has been living with us since December, was offered a job.  Woo hoo!  The big catch was that it was not in Indiana.  Not even in the U.S.  It is in South Korea.  Now, he had been looking into this since graduating in May, and I can honestly say that I did not think it would really happen.  But it did.  So for the past several weeks, we have been getting all the documents filled out, submitted, sent to the proper places, purchasing the necessities to live in a different country for a year and hoping to get it all taken care of and stuffed into two large suitcases and a backpack in order to arrive in South Korea on time. 

And he did.  He flew out this past Sunday, and after two long days of anxiously waiting to hear from him, he was finally able to gain internet access (what did we do without all this technology??) and let us know that everything was ok.  Granted, it was at 2 am, but it was definitely a huge relief.  Then, a day later, our youngest moved back to college.  

So, we are going through the whole "empty nest" adjustment for the second time.  I will admit that I am finding it difficult knowing that one of my kids is halfway around the world, but am so thankful for Skype, computers, and instant messaging.  All will be good in the end.  They are both on adventures of a lifetime and I would never dream of taking that away.  

It's just that the house is now so quiet.  And sometimes that silence can be so deafening.....

:: give-away winner ::

It has been a very busy, chaotic week, so I am sorry for letting the ball drop in posting a winner for the giveaway from my last post.  

The winner of the Big Blocks, Big Style book and the Nordic Visions fabric bundle is Angele.  I agree with her comment about GE Designs book and fabric....

"Wow, I do love that fabric. The big block book is just what I need to get going. Thanks for giving me the chance to participate in this giveaway."

I will be sending you an email to get all your info so we can ship it all out to you.

Now for a fun bit of exciting news.... 

I finally have my new patterns finished and hope to get them from the printer this week. So I thought I would take the next few days and share them with you.  

All Geared Up Quilt - Version 1

Out of the hundreds of quilts I've made, this one is WAY up at the top of the list.  In fact, I like it so much that I made it twice, which is something that I rarely do!  With the fabric line Around Town, I really wanted to concentrate on designs that were circular, or gave the feeling of being round, and this one really does that.  

I fussy cut the large scale house print from Around Town into circles and appliqued them in the center of all the gear blocks for the quilt on the cover of the pattern.  There are several different shops on this fabric, but my favorite is the Chocolate Shop, for obvious reasons!

For another version, I wanted to use gray, red and black for the men in my house.  I find it very difficult to find fabric suitable for guys, so when I saw the mustaches and geometric prints I had to use them.  This quilt is now hanging in our family room and I love it.

All Geared Up Quilt - Version 2

The blocks may look difficult, but they really are not that hard with the techniques that I used.  You have to trust me on this one. No paper piecing, no tricky seams, just accurate cutting and pressing.  Yes, there are curved seams, and if you have never made a block with curved seams, don't be afraid.  They are not hard.  Once you try it, you will wonder what you were afraid of!  

I will say, however, that with this pattern, it is especially helpful if you have a few specialty rulers as well.  I used a 15 degree wedge ruler, the Spider Web ruler and the Swirly Girls Circle Savvy ruler, which made cutting the pieces easy and quick.  You can also make your own templates if you choose to, but it goes faster with the rulers and I found that I was more accurate with them, which is important with these blocks.  I included instructions for making the blocks either with the rulers or with templates, so you can try both methods to see which works best for you.  

So this pattern, called All Geared Up, should be ready to ship later this week.  I will get them up on my website in the next few days, so if you check there and don't see them, just keep checking back.

AND, if you leave me a comment before midnight tomorrow, you will have a chance to get one of the patterns for free!  Just tell me if you prefer to applique with fusible web, if you turn the edges under, or if you simply stay clear of any quilt with applique on it.

Enjoy!

:: the aftermath ::

Well.....

Nothing like running myself down to the point of having a cold, chills, and no voice before going to Quilt Market, feeling a little better while at Quilt Market, only to come home and find myself (and my husband) sick again.  You would think that after so many years of doing this that I would learn the importance of proper rest and nutrition, but < sigh > it hasn't sunk in yet.

Getting ready for and exhibiting at Quilt Market is always a blur for me and this one was no exception.  In fact, the night before we left, I was still trying to get my booth planned and ended up packing my clothes by creeping into our bedroom with a flashlight at 1am while Tom slept.  (He tends to do most of the driving since the only time I can sleep in the car is, um.... while I'm driving.  Seriously!!)  Needless to say I ended up with some strange combinations of clothes and shoes. But hey.... they say fashion stops at the knees when attending a show like this, right?!

 

So, what have I been working so frantically on you may ask?  Well, this year marks Red Rooster Fabrics 10th anniversary, so I designed a fabric line for them with..... you guessed it...... Roosters! 

I've called it Home to Roost, and am working on a book by the same name that I plan on having ready in January.  I filled my booth at Quilt Market with the projects that were completed, but plan on adding a few additional small things that are still swirling around in my head. But for now, here are a few pictures of my booth and the quilts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not too shabby when you consider that I didn't really start planning the booth until 4 days before we left, although, I admit that I started collecting the various chickens almost a year ago.  The very large rooster was purchased in Arizona and was one of those things that we bought and THEN thought about how to get him home on the airplane!  He ended up riding home in my parents car several months later and has proudly sat guard in my dining room until (sadly for me) he went home with someone else as Market..... that is another story all together!

And just to give a little perspective for those who have not been able to attend Quilt Market (or Festival), here are a few pictures taken from the upper floor of the convention center looking down at the exhibit floor. 

 

And that is just a little taste of International Quilt Market in Houston.  Hope you enjoyed it! 

Terri

:: just spooling around! ::

First things first.  I want to thank each and every one of you for sharing your stories, your hearts, your hurts and prayers.  I can't tell you how much they touched me.  And made me wonder why I waited to share.  Well, besides the fact that I was (and still am) so completely overwhelmed with how far behind I am.....

BUT, I do have some good news!

Tad's scan came back good and his tumor markers were down, so no surgery is needed right now.  He goes back in a month for another check and they will once again look everything over and determine if he is ok without surgery.  It is still at long road to complete recovery, but I'm thankful that he is at least on the mend.  Energy level is way down, and his lungs were affected by one of the drugs so he's enduring some pain and shortness of breath, but things are at least looking up!

The other snippet of good news is that I finally got my new book sent off to the printer!  YEA!  I'm hoping to see the big semi trailer pulling into my cul-de-sac late this week or early next week. And because it should be here soon, I'm thinking that I need to share a few of the projects with you.

This is the quilt that kind of inspired the name of the book.....

I used lots of different fabrics for the spools, but they are all from my more recent fabric lines, as well as fabrics from my newest line Heartstrings.  I must have been tired and in a slap-happy mood when I was working on it because this little play on words, "just spooling around", popped into my head.... Get it?  Just spooling around instead of just fooling around?!  I had myself a little chuckle and decided that it would be a great name not only for the quilt, but for the book too!

Another project that was really fun to make was this table runner....

Yes, once again I felt the need to use that jumbo rick rack that I love so much.  I didn't plan it that way, it's just that once I got the whole thing pieced together, it just fit with the mood of the blocks.  I love the wavy edge that mimics the wavy applique edge..... so fun!

This is a lap size quilt that uses the large scale prints from Heartstrings in the center of the stars.  Actually, the entire quilt is made with fabric from my new line, Heartstrings! 

And then there is my personal favorite....

I know, it may not look like a typical quilt that I would make, but I had such a blast making this one.  I made this one for my son to take to college with him.  He loves music, plays several different instruments, and even writes some of his own.  It's a big quilt, sized to fit the XL twin beds in the dorms, so the music notes are pieced, not applique.  I collected the black, gray and red music fabrics over the past year and just enjoyed every minute of making this quilt.

On this next quilt, I printed pictures on the Printed Treasures fabric.... I have to say, that stuff is awesome....

I picked pictures of my boys as three different ages and just have to chuckle about the way the pictures convey their relationship.  Although they are 3 years apart in age, they have always gotten along great and I love that!

And, here is one that my mom designed and made.  I liked it so much that I had to include it in this book....

Yes, those are all half square triangles.  The funny story about this quilt is that these are all my fabrics, many of which were scraps that mom pilfered from my trash can!  Some of the fabrics were from my very first lines of fabric, close to 10 years ago! 

And then there are a few smaller projects I made out of wool....

What can I say?  I still love working with wool.  The colors, the feel, the texture.... things you just can't get with cotton fabrics.  The first picture is a pincushion and the second one is a project bag that is a great size to keep my knitting projects in.  Of course, that particular project has been in the bag for a long time since I don't get a lot of knitting done anymore..... Maybe my husband will forget that I told him I would make those felted wool slippers for him......

And finally, the project that is on the cover of the book....

 Yep, after photographing it for the cover, I made it into a little pillow!

 And that's it! 

I'm still working on getting the fabric swatches scanned, resized, and put into some sort of format where they can be posted on my web page, but I did get the book added today, so if you happen to order it, just be aware that it will still be several days before it is actually shipped out.

Now, I'm off to do some more work on the next fabric line.  I finally have a direction and a plan, which is a good thing since I'm already about a month behind getting it to Red Rooster.  It's hard to believe that Quilt Market is looming on the horizon because there is still so much to be done yet.  Yikes!  Will I ever get caught up?!

 

 

 

:: apologies ::

Have you ever done something that unintentionally hurts a dear friend or someone you care about?

Now I KNOW that most of you can relate, so go ahead and admit it.

Well, this recently happened to me and I am so deeply saddened by it.  Even when things happen that are merely an accident or unintentional, I still feel the need to try and make amends.  So here goes....

You see, I just got my copy of Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting (November/December 2011 issue).  And on page 78, you will see a lovely quilt called Winterbury Lane and a not-so-lovely picture of me. 

Honestly, it's been a long time since I've had a quilt featured in a magazine.

You see, I don't submit many things to magazines because frankly I have a hard time keeping up with making what I need to for my own books and fabric.  Even with quilts and projects for myself, I rely heavily on several friends (yes, my  mom is included in that group) and their gifts/talents to help me out.  Believe me, I would not be where I am without them.   I am forever thankful that they are willing to share their talents and eternally grateful that they are there beside me in this journey I call life.

So, you can imagine how my excitement over having a quilt in this magazine was quickly replaced by despair when I realized that I had failed to give the proper credit to those who helped me make this project possible.

Although I did design the quilt, it was pieced and sewn together by my mom, Jackie Conaway, and quilted by my friend Kathy Dye of KD Dids.

Mom did an outstanding job of using the fabrics that I sent to her, conversing with me via Skype, and making it all work. 

And Kathy did an exceptional job of quilting, mimicking the applique snowflakes in the snowball blocks, and making the border print look incredible with the little swirls and snowflakes.  If you are fortunate to have a copy of the magazine, you can see these details.

Although I work alone every day, my work is not done by me alone.  Like many people, I need some help along the way.... whether it is an opinion, someone to bounce an idea off of, proofreading, getting a project quilted, or simply finishing it by sewing binding down.  My friends generously help with all of these things.  There is no way that I could possibly keep doing what I do without them.

So, when you see something by Whimsicals or with my name on it, please don't just think of me.  Think of all those that helped to make it possible.  Think of it as a group effort, a collaboration even. 

If you are one of those friends, I thank you.  And if you know of or see one of my friends, please thank them.

Because without them, I would be nothing.

 

It's about time, don't you know?

I know, I know, it's been FOREVER since I've written anything here.  I've started countless times.  Have had lots of ideas.  I've even written them in my head - and please tell me that I'm not the only one who composes thoughts into stories in my head at a time when I can't write them down..... like when I'm driving or taking a shower....

No, the problem is not in coming up with the ideas or getting started.  It's more in the completion.

You see, I get started, then get distracted, then lose my train of thought, and by the time I make it back to finish things, everything that I wrote is so out of date that I have to start all over again.  And hope that I can remain focused long enough to finish.  Obviously, that focus thing hasn't been working in my favor recently. 

And I have to tell you that it is not only with my blog.  It's with everything. Which explains why I just finished my latest book a few weeks ago - the one that was supposed to be finished in May - and why there is a lag between when I got the books delivered to me and when I'm posting it for all of blogdom to see.

But because I'm determined to finish this one tonight, {even if I have to pinch myself to stay awake} I'll move it along and show you my latest book and projects....

 

 

Originally, I was going to do the book with only a few color pages showing the projects and have the text pages for the instructions in black and white.  More like my older books.  But after getting the entire book laid out, I just didn't like it.  So, I went back through the whole thing, added color to all the diagrams, and re-worked it to have color on every page.  And I must say that it was worth it.  A lot of extra work, yes.  But so worth the end result.

So, here are the projects....

This is such a cheerful quilt!  I was really trying to make the blocks look like buttons and flowers without having to do any applique, and I think it turned out well.

 

 

For this one, I took the owl that is on one of the prints in the Buttons and Blooms fabric line and appliqued him on the pillow.  The swirls that you see coming from the branches were actually stitched on with my machine, because I was trying to save some time.  I simply threaded my #16 pearle cotton floss through the upper part of the machine and used some Aurofil thread in the bobbin.  It was quick, easy, and effective!

This tote bag uses two small parts of the panel that is in this line.  They become the pockets on the outside (yes, that's a pocket, and there's another one on the other side using a different panel section.  I sized this to be pretty generous, so keep in mind that ANY fabrics can be used for this.  Make one for the winter and one for the summer.  I think a heavy weight home dec fabric would look great for this bag too.  I'm just sayin'.....

 

This table runner was so much fun to put together!  And I used up some more of my really jumbo rick rack in the process!

 

No, this one is not a panel..... it is actually painted on the fabric using the Shiva Paintstiks!  In the book, I give specific instructions on using the paint and in addition to the colors I used in Make It Merry (burnt umber, crimson, ivory black and meadow green) I used yellow ochre and slate blue.  If you've never used these paints, you're missing out!

 

You can probably tell that this is another portion of the panel print, along with the large border stripe print.  But my favorite thing about this quilt is all the buttons my mom stitched on for me in the border!

 

Once again I ask, can you ever have too many pincusions?!  I love the size and weight of this wool one.  The little needle book is removeable so you can stash it in your sewing kit, or leave it attached. 

And finally, Ollie the Owl.....

 

I had so much fun making Ollie and he seems content to sit by my machine and watch me stitch away.  Now, if only I could find the time to get to my machine to sew!

And that is all!  I have added Buttons and Blooms to my website, so be sure to check it out there....

www.whimsicalquilts.com

Before I go, I wanted to thank all of you for being so supportive and understanding while I try to get everything done yet still enjoy a little time with my kids this summer.   The high school graduation went great, and this summer has been awesome with both my boys home and all their friends congregating in our basement.  But the next several weeks are going to be hard, especially once they are both gone.  I will be finding out what it is like to once again have the house quiet and picked up.  Am I looking forward to it?  Yes and no.  But I guess I'll find out and I'll keep you posted!

Now, I can't believe I did it!  I finished an entire blog post in one night.  Wow.  I think that deserves a good night sleep.....

Good Night!

 

:: the final projects ::

It is always so interesting to see which projects are the favorites and which ones intrigue people.  Believe it or not it is seldom the ones that I would have guessed, so thanks for all the comments!

And from the comments, it sounds like there are a lot of you who have not yet tried the paintstiks, so I guess I need to work on some sort of tutorial.  In the books that have projects where the paintstiks were used, I do have detailed instructions on the technique that I use.  I don't leave you wondering what to do with them!  But my best advice is to just experiment with them.  I should put a big note where I use them saying  NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY because believe me, anyone can do it.  I've seen people with no painting experience get really great results!

If you want to purchase some of the paintstiks, I found a website, www.artsupply.com, that has them for a good price.  Although I've never ordered from them before, you might give it a try!

With that being said, I have one more project in the Make It Merry book that I used the paintstiks on.  It's a little ornament called A Little Joy.

Again, I felt the need to add some additional texture with the lace trim, but that's what makes it so fun!

And I had some of you ask about the little box that was in the picture with the pincushion, so I'm pleased to let you know that it is in the book as well.  I show two different versions.... One of them I did with the fabric from Winterberry Lane, so it is very Christmasy (is that a word?!) and the other is one that can be used for just about anything.

I leave one on my counter to store my tea bags in because it is the perfect size for that.  Wouldn't it be fun to fill it up with hot chocolate packets and peppermint sticks to give to a friend?  Or tea bags, like I did, and have some friends over for tea and scones?! Ah, too many ideas and not enough time!

Here's another project.  How could I do a Christmas book and not include a tree skirt?

I called this Simple Gifts.  See the big border stripe from Winterberry Lane?  Because there are two distinct portions of the stripe, I tried to make the best use of the fabric and cut them so that both could be used, resulting in very little waste.  I can't wait to put this under my tree next year!

My mom helped me out a little with this book by designing this Christmas Star...

This little quilt is the perfect size to place in the center of your table to give it a nice festive look.  And you can complete your table with the Jolly Holly Placemats....

Anyone who did the Cross Country Quilter's Blog Hop a few years ago will recognize these.  This was my projects that I shared when I was a part of that.  I love the big holly leave and the big rick rack.  What a statement!

So, there you have it.  I think I covered them all and I hope that you like them!  Don't forget to leave me a comment to have a chance at winning a fat quarter bundle of Winterberry Lane and a copy of Make It Merry!  You can check out my website and see all of the fabrics included in this line by clicking here. 

I'm going to wait until Monday morning to draw a winner, so keep the comments coming!  Hope you have a great weekend!

Terri

 

:: a few more ::

I was a little remiss yesterday in not answering a few questions in the comments.  I have yet to really figure out how to answer them within the comments section.  Yea, I'm that slow when it comes to the blog world!  Actually, I think I'm doing pretty good just getting something typed up and posted here!

Anyway, about those questions.....

The little purple flowers are crocus.  I love these little flowers because they are so hardy.  Every year, they insist on showing their beautiful colors right after the snow melts and the tempatures warm up past freezing.  The problem is that in Indiana, the warm weather is always a tease.  It doesn't stick around.  There have been many years where the crocus are in bloom and all I can see of them are the tips of the petals peeking out from yet another snow. 

The other thing that amazes me about these flowers is that they come back every year, despite the fact that every year I take off the remaining foliage after the blooms are gone.  I've been told that I'm not supposed to do that with bulb type flowers like these, but I do it anyway because I don't like to look at the wilted remains.  And I guess they don't mind, because they come back to greet me every spring!

And about the book....

I hope to have it available by the end of next week.  Some of that depends on how fast my printer can get it finished and sent to me, but that is the plan!

Now, on to some more of the projects in the book.

This is one I called Peppermint Truffle.

 Now, don't ask me what a peppermint truffle is, because I've never had one.  But these blocks just look like a peppermint that has been wrapped in chocolate, and when I think of a truffle I think of chocolate.  However, when I did a google search I found out that a truffle can also be made from mushrooms!  Not being a fan of mushrroms, that does not sound very tasty to me.  I think I'll stick with the picture in my head, thank you very much!

And here is a little pincushion....

This is a really quick pincushion that can be made as a gift for someone special, or just make it for yourself.  I filled this one with walnut shells, which I got at the pet store, of all places, but I love the way it feels.  It's squishy and fun to pick up, and it stays put wherever you decide to set it down.

And the final one for today is A Simple Wish.....

Once again, my fascination with fonts, words and textures becomes apparent.   I made the letters for peace using the paintsticks then stitched the words on earth with embroidery floss.  And for those of you who have not tried the paintsticks, shame on you!  They are fun, addicting, and EASY!  In the book, I give directions for the technique I use and maybe, just maybe, if I can get my act together, I will prepare a tutorial that I can post here on my blog.  Hmmmmm..... I'll add that to my list!

So, that's all I'm going to show you today!

Remember to leave me a comment so your name will be in the running for a fat quarter bundle (which will include the panel print) and a copy of the Make It Merry book.  

Let me know what you think!!!