SUNDAY SALE!

The other night my guild had a "Yard Sale" with members renting a table to sell their quilting stuff. As usually happens at this event, there were LOTS of sellers and not so many buyers. It isn't advertised outside of the guild and that's too bad. It takes a lot of work to prepare and most people took much of their things home again. Girl Scouts, Girls Inc, Kids to Love, and area churches with sewing outreach programs would benefit greatly from being able to buy quality supplies at great prices. 

Our Table

I was only there to help a friend so had not brought much to sell. A few things sold but most came home. That's where you get lucky! 

Here are 10 items I think worthy of finding a good new home. If you see something you like, let me know right away. Local people: I can deliver. Out of town friends, shipping will be added, in the $15-20 range or more depending on weight. I do accept PayPal if you prefer that to sending a check in the mail. And if you are registered for my 3 great classes in Houston this October, I will be happy to bring your purchase to you there. Two of my 3 classes SOLD OUT on the first day!

1. SUN, MOON, AND STARS pattern and carefully selected fabrics, more than 13 yards, $75.

top plaid 7.75 yards, green plaid 1 yard, 60" 

2. MUTED FLORALS, about 4 yards, $10:

3. VERA BRADLEY Set, 3 zippered pouches, $5: SOLD

4. HAND DYED LINEN, each piece one of a kind. 

        EARTH TONES:  2 pieces 26" x 38", 24" x 52", one of a kind pieces, $20 for BOTH:

ROSY RED HAND DYED LINEN, almost 4 yards, with Indygo Junction pattern. $30: SOLD

5.  SARI SILK RIBBONS, great for string piecing, and so much more, luscious colors, 4 at $5 each, $20:  SOLD

6. ZEBRA FABRIC, 1 yard, $5: SOLD

7. FAN QUILT, fan print fabric center, quilt made and hand quilted by me, late 1980's, using Metallic thread, polyester batting, has small sleeve on the back for hanging on a dowel. One of my earliest works, $25:

8. FLORAL REFLECTIONS QUILT PATTERNS, from Quilt Nouveau Designs by Binky, complete set of 13 patterns and additional helpful handout. This is a beautiful quilt I always intended to make but now know I won't. $25: SOLD

9. RED ORIENTAL COLLECTION OF FABRICS, more than 11 yards, $90:

Red 2 yds x 108", Stripe 1.25 yds, Gold Batik 3.25 yds, Print 3 yds

10. PURPLE ORIENTAL COLLECTION OF FABRICS, about 9 yards, $75. It is one of those fabric sets that I put in and take out of the SALE BOX often, it is so beautiful. If it doesn't sell this time I am cutting it up for the next quilt:  SOLD

Large Theme Print, 1.33 yards, about 9 yards total in the group

FREE WITH PURCHASE: the first two buyers get their choice of one of these, an early Feathered Star block, 15" finished OR Patriotic Panel, 17" square:

Feathered Star block, 15" finished

Spirit of America Panel, 17" square

Happy shopping! I hope you find something you love. 

Let's quilt,

Barbara

MORE STARS, OH MY!

 I have been having so much fun making Stars for my latest project, Oh, My Stars!, a pattern from American Jane. I wrote about it last week, find that post here:

Oh, My Stars!

Here is just a peek at the process. This is not the final arrangement--when the rest of the 13 full stars are made I will decide who goes where. This just lets me see the general idea:

Picking fabrics is my favorite part! The latest fabric "pulls":

Here they are ready to sew. Having them all set helps me make the most of my time the next sew day--just start sewing, these are cut and ready for assembly:

The actual sewing is slower and requires careful pinning and sewing. I make two diamonds first to be certain I like the 5 fabrics together, then I finish the star. Once that is done, I sew the other half of the strips and finish making either full stars, half stars or corners.

Each set of fabrics makes either TWO full stars, or ONE star and TWO halves, or ONE star and TWO corners:

The pattern quilt. There are 132 little 4" stars for sashing. I make the star points unit from flying geese, using my TUTORIAL for 4 Flying Geese at Once. Those geese are 1" x 2" finished, that's small. I am making them as I go, using them as Leader/Ender projects. I prefer that to having to make 132 all at once.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Oh, My Stars!

 This week I started a new quilt project. Oh, My Stars from American Jane Patterns is a bit challenging and will make a great multi-day project for students who want that immersive experience of several days with one teacher.

My FAVORITE PART is the FABRIC PULL--also called "shopping in my closet":

The first pile, way more than is needed

These were pre-washed, notice how much dye is on the Color Catcher

Everything that wasn't pre-washed, still more than needed but lots of choices

While the pattern calls for 1/4 yard pieces cut into Width of Fabric strips, about 42" long, Fat Quarters can be used. I have lots of them and will be using them, along with Width of Fabric cuts--much more instruction about that will be provided in class. 

There are full stars and half stars, and even 4 quarter stars for the corners:

There are 132 small Evening Stars; these are great to use as "leaders/enders" while sewing the larger stars or other projects:

The piecing will require our best work. All the important aspects of piecing quilt blocks is at play here, the CUTTING, the SEWING, and the PRESSING. Each will be taught in detail in the class.

All the DIAMONDS have a bias edge so it is important to keep them straight and true. Here are just a few photos of my process:

The units are sewn together so you get a perfect seam alignment match:

Then you get to choose which fabric arrangement you prefer:

Light points on the Outside

Dark points on the Outside

As usual, I even get to show WHAT NOT TO DO:

OOPS, time to get out the stitch ripper and fix that middle segment--I sewed the orange to the WRONG FABRIC

When the top is done I will start offering this as a Workshop for extended day classes. It is big, 94" x 94"  square as the pattern is written. I am planning to add an additional border to make it King size. So I don't think I will quilt it before teaching the workshop--a King size quilt can fill a suitcase by itself.

So tell me? Would it bother you to see the sample as a top only? I can make a very small additional sample and quilt that to provide quilting suggestions for the final bed-size quilt. 

I am also considering a different pieced border. Do you like the long Sawtooth border or would you like an optional alternative?

Making a quilt for a major workshop takes a lot of time. I write a lot of notes about pressing instructions, notions that will be helpful, how to speed up the process, how to achieve maximum accuracy. All the things I have to consider and think about get written down while the quilt in in progress. There will be an additional handout for students with all the "Tips and Tricks" to being successful with this quilt. 

Let's Quilt!

Barbara