Monday, November 24, 2014

Monday Afternoon Star Count 2014/44

I had a great week full of so many wonderful quilters and their stories.  Lots of EPP too, which is good because I hardly did any myself this week.

On Tuesday I was at the Long Island Modern Guild for a lecture on Becoming a Modern Quilter.  It was great, I just took every quilt in my house that I could fit in the car and then talked about them.  It was so fun to share and remember all the little steps along my quilting journey.  Afterwords, everyone oogled these Lucy Boston blocks by one of the guild members.  (someone comment with her name so I can give credit!!)

 This fussy cutting is intense!!

And then on Saturday we had our second meeting of the Saturday Stitches at Rockville Centre Library.  Well attended (10 quilters!), we had a sort of basting party for Helen's hexie quilt. 


Lots and lots of other EPP was going on too-- Maureen made more stars:

Eri was appliqueing pentagons to background fabrics:
Stephanie is my newest addict:

And Christa and Carol finally sat together to sew (we've been waiting for this all semester):


If you're in the area (or can get there by train) we'd love to see you next time, Dec. 6th, 10am-12.

Maybe next time I'll get to EPP too..

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tuesday Morning Star Count 2014/43

No hexies were basted in the making of this apron..

 Or this skirt. 
On Sunday, I spent the day with our neighbors sewing doll clothes.  Wow.  It was awesome, and I'm glad for the opportunity to do that kind of mothering-crafting.  I don't make many things for the boys these days anymore.  There was a doll quilt for George's bear a few years back, but other than that.. I have been sewing for obligations, gifts, or myself.  I have plans for upcycled monsters for Christmas, but let's wait and see if I find time for that...
When I did find time to work on EPP this week I was often interrupted.  But oh, the cuteness!

Anybody got any links?

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Stash management anyone? (GIVEAWAY!!)

Want to see my stash?

No really, think about that carefully before answering.  It's bad.  Not a luscious "OOh, look at all her pretty fabric...!"  More like, "Dude, get that pile up off the floor!  Is that a dirty sock mixed in there?"
See?
(Yes, I did edit out the dirty sock..)
I need some help.  Luckily, paperpieces.com called a few weeks ago and asked me to try out their new product, Polar Notions mini bolts.

The instructions say to wrap your fabric around them and Poof!  instant clean sewing room.  Look, they worked for Mickey!

No really, it's just a great product for stash organization.   Because who likes folding, stacking, unfolding, refolding, reironing because it was left crumpled under a pile of other fabric for 2 months... well, you get the idea.
 So I watched the video and gave it a shot..

(***Having trouble editing this post today, sorry!  Check back for pics of how I made these work for me as soon as I'm done wrestling with my laptop***)

 If you'd like to be entered in a giveaway for a pack of mini-bolts, please comment and tell me approximately how much fabric you have (in yards).  I'm just curious..


And dont forget to visit the other Polar Notions Mini-Bolt testers!  They're all having giveaways this week too...


****Giveaway closes next Sunday, 11/23*******

Monday, November 10, 2014

Monday Morning Star Count 2014/42

Guys, it was awesome.  I went to the library for the first meeting of our new Saturday Stitches quilt group and.. EVERYONE was doing EPP.  I swear, it wasn't even my idea! (of course half of them were my friends or blog readers, and the other half were brand new to quilting so I started them with EPP... so, I guess maybe it was my idea..)


(Look, Christa's quilt has gotten so big!!)

Anyway, it was great.  If you're around on 11/22, why not try to stop by?


Thursday, November 6, 2014

Creating a Quilting Community-- Come Sit & Sew with me!

Hey Long Island!  Are you free this Saturday?  Want to come sit and sew with me?
 
I have the opportunity to start a new quilting group at the Rockville Centre Public Library and I'd like all my quilting friends from real life and blogland to join me. (10 am - noon)  Everybody's welcome, any experience level.  We are going to talk about quilting, not just focus on learning a new technique, so the more people in on the discussion, the better.
 
Why did I want to do this, you may ask?  Well, I've been thinking..
What I need right now as a quilter is not more images of quilts through social media, more fabric,  more patterns, over-inspiration, but time to focus on what's in front of me.  I'd like to pay more attention to actual quilts and quilters, focus on and study specific patterns, and try to figure out what appeals to me and why.  Are you interested in being part of a quilt discussion group of sorts? 
Come sit and sew with us and discuss the craft of quiltmaking.
 
What we'll do:
Please bring some hand sewing to work on.  If you're new to hand sewing, I can teach you how to EPP.  This is going to be mainly a discussion group.  There will be show and tell, of course, and opportunities to get to know other quilters but not just what they're making, but how they feel about what we do.
Everyone is welcome.  No experience necessary.  Quilters are always happy to teach and share.
 
The schedule looks like this:
November 8  --   Quilting Communities
November 22  --   Shapes and Patterns
December 6  --  Process, the steps of making a quilt
December 20  --  Dating quilts, quilt labels, gift quilts
 
Please come ready to share and learn.
If you have questions about techniques and what you're working on, that's great, but it's more of a sharing group than a teaching group. Please join us.  We will also spend some time each week exploring the library's quilt book collection.  You can find inspiration or give inspiration. 

For more information and directions to the library:  http://rvclibrary.org/
You can totally get there by public transportation, it's only a 3 block walk from the Rockville Centre LIRR station! (or a $4 taxi)


Monday, November 3, 2014

Monday Morning Star Count 2014/41

Someone gave me puppy dog eyes at this weekend's NYC Metro Mod guild meeting and asked me to keep posting the star counts.  Of course I want to, but the weeks just get away from me.. but I'll try to be better, because there's a whole community of EPPers out there!  And you guys need a place to connect and be accountable :)

I've started taking my EPP box with me everywhere again and I've been lucky to find some stitching time at Tae Kwon Do.  This project has a deadline fast approaching, so it has been bumped up on the priority list.   Is anybody else working on something with a deadline?

So, who's been stitching?

Free Zoom Quilt Class, October 20.

    Free Live Online Craft Class Learn to quilt with Jessica Wed., Sept. 9 Tues., Oct., 20, Nov. 9 7:00 – 8:00 pm Sign up now.   Take one or...