Pieces

Books and Tools

So many new tools come across my radar screen that I barely notice them - there are just so many.  Recently a few people told me about these clips called "wonder clips". 

At first, I wasn't very interested.  I thought they sounded like just another new new thing.  But, I gave them a try on a binding.  And...I'm impressed.  They hold everything in the right place and there are no pin pricks.

They are curved on top and flat on the bottom for easy feeding by the presser foot and they won't leave holes in laminates and vinyls as pins do.  I will have to have some in my sewing box at home.

New Books

We have several new books in that are getting my attention.  First up is Denyse Schmidt's newest...

She has a reputation for being able to reinterpret tradition to make fresh funcitonal quilts that give a nod to times gone by while embracing today.  In this book she realizes a dream to create more faithful, formally traditional renditions of her favorite designs. 

This book is not just a collection of pretty pictures.  There are good instructions and lots of technical guidance.

Next on the tour of new books is Quilting Modern byJacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen.  Unlike the book above that builds on tradition, the authors of this book wanted to share their enthusiasm for improvisational quilting - which to them means creating in the moment and reacting to ideas. 

This is also not just a pretty picture book.  There is a comprehensive chapter about tools, preparing fabric, seam allowances and just about eveything else that you need to know to get going.  Their illustrations are clear and the quilts are lovely.

If  you are a fan of Tula Pink's fabrics and patterns you are bound to like her book

She has a style all her own.  In addition to a chapter on the tools and techniques of quilting she includes a peek into the fabric design process which is really interesting.  And then, of course, there are instructions for the unique collection of quilts presented in this book - and (my favorite) real photos to illustrate.

Last but not least, is a fun little book about bed runners.  I was only vaguely familiar with the idea of bed runners before this book but I have to say, it is a good one.  A bed runner quilt is a narrow quilt that drapes over the end of the bed adding a focal point.  Not only are they more manageable to make, you could change them out with the season or your mood. 

Hmmm - a warm evening on the deck with a new book..... bliss.

 

While We Wait...

...for the skies to clear and the air to warm, why not get in the mood?  We started a new quilt project today that I hope says "summer".  So far, it looks like this

I couldn't make up my mind between what is happening in the picture above and doing something with the bundle below - so I think we will just have to do both.  What do you think, are you feeling a summer vibe from these?

There are two more shop samples to catch up on.  The first involves a really uniqe border print and a pattern from the ladies at Modern Quilt Relish.  The border print has an edge in orange on one side and teal on the other.  We also have the same print in a purple,aqua,blue colorway.  This photo does not do it justice - come see in person.

And there is the onion bag...

If you've been in the shop lately you may have noticed that we added guards to the rulers we use at the counter.  A few weeks ago I posted a picture of Tracy's unfortunate encounter with the blade of the rotary cutter while cutting.  Truth is, she isn't the first one of us to have a close encounter at the counter.  I did it a couple of years ago too.  So, seemed like it was a good idea to add these guards. 

I was resistant to the idea at first because I thought they would visually interfere with accurate cutting - they don't. And it turns out there is a surprise advantage to the guards - they are really handy to grab, making the rulers easier to move around. We have them in stock if you want to give yourself a little extra protection.

Reminder - we will be closed on Easter Sunday.  Enjoy your day.

 

Making things easier...

We finally got a few Sewline Needle Threaders in to test drive and all of us at the shop agree - we need one.  Of course, it really threads a needle, and it is a needle case with a magnet and thread cutter.  And if that wasn't enough it is really sleek looking (love the color)and very portable. If you are threading challenged, this might just be the cool new toy that makes your life a little easier. 

 

Just in - Good Fortune by Kate Spain!  Beautiful colors and mix of small and large prints.

A spectacular quilt made by Ann...

 

 

 

Show-n-Tell

It has been a great week of show at the shop.  Some really special quilts came by to visit, a couple of shop samples were finished and new yummy fabric arrived.  It is great fun to see all the you make and hear all about the gifts and such that you are working on right now.  Keep it coming!

First up, congratulations to Sheri who finished the beautiful star quilt below from a Kaffe Fassett design.  This quilt pattern is not for the timid as it full of the dreaded Y-seam.  Sheri, who had never sewn a y-seam in her life, reports that with patience she mastered it and loves her finished product.  What is not to love!

And while she was at it, Sheri showed the other quilt she recently finished.  It reportedly took a nanosecond in comparison to the star quilt.

Larry and Donna were visiting from the north part of the valley and stopped by to show the quilt Donna recently finished.  I may have to track down this pattern, this is one HAPPY quilt.

At the shop, we finished a super sweet baby quilt from the organic Safari Sweet Line.  This is a very easy pattern so if you have been wanting to do something simple for a special baby in your life we can help you get this going.

Below are a couple of examples of just how much fun you can have with your sewing.  Bethany (no, Bethany this doesn't mean you get your own parking place) has been working on some designs for childrens coats that are made from flannel and lined with Piece by Piece style fabrics.  The giraffe and penguin below are a couple of her prototypes and I'm sure you will agree that she needs to carry on - full steam ahead. 

And since we are talking about animals, you have to see the apron we made from the pink elephant fabric.  Yes, these elephants are enjoying some adult beverages, it's true.  Maybe I'll have to have a cocktail party just so I can show it off....

Wait - what is that on the bottom of the apron.  Is it RIC-RAC?  Yes, it is finally arriving at PbP.

Know what else is new?

Yep - some really nice 100% wool felt sheets are here in scrumtious colors.  It is dense and perfect for embellishments and crafts....  such as this pincushion

The new fabric this week includes a cute farm group (love the sheep!)...

 And for you Francophiles - these from Moda's Etchings collection... a Paris map...

...ancient French architecture...

... and some "go withs".  By the way - that is Dobby in there.  Don't know what dobby is?  It is a type of weave that raises or lowers the warp thread giving the fabric a texture - in this case raised dots. 

Also from Moda, some of the Ruby collection.  It is kind of traditional, a little bit retro and modern in color.  The second picture is of companion flannels.

In boxes somewhere between here and the east coast are what I ordered from the newest Amy Butler and Tina Givens lines.  Oh, I just can't wait to open them - well that is if I'm quick enough.  Some of the Piece by Piece ladies get awfully excited about boxes and there are occassions where they have them open and are starting to unpack them before the delivery folks get out the front door.  When they start greeting the truck in the parking lot with their box cutters in hand we may have to make some changes - we don't want to scare off UPS Doug now do we?

This Thursday, I'll be anding in Houston between the predicted thunderstorms to attend the Fall Quilt Market.  Woohoo!

 

Fall is Fun!

If you see us just staring out the window at the shop, this is why...

... the view is spectacular.  Watching the trees out front change colors is good fall fun.  I love these crisp and colorful days - and so does my dog.  There is nothing like stretching out in the cool damp grass after you play really hard (as long as you keep contact with the ball).

A while back we decided to test out a new cutting mat at the counter.  The verdict is that it is a keeper and now we have some in the 18"x24" size and will be getting other sizes soon.  Sullivan makes these double-sided mats with red on one side and orange on the other.  The large numbers are easy to see as they are placed on the outside (top and bottom) so you don't cover them up while cutting.  If your cutting mat is getting old and tired, maybe a new one of these should be on your holiday wish list?

Last week, a customer brought in her project to select fabric for a back.  WOW!!!  and wow again! 

All of the applique was done by machine and she had used some stitches that I didn't even know my machine would do (we have the same machine).  I'm inspired!

Another successful zip-bag class last Saturday.  If you haven't learned Tracy's secret recipe for this charmer yet, check it out next term.  You'll be happy with the result.

Finally for today, a little drool fuel....

 

 

Batting Report

In the last post (scroll down if you missed it) I introduced a bamboo/silk/tencel/cotton blend Dream Orient batting that is new to the shop.  The test quilt is finished and has been washed and dried.  The quilt seems a little lighter than the cotton batting I usually use and is really soft and drapey (is that a word?).  The overall shrinkage from washing is drying gives the perfect amount of  scrunchiness  (is that a word?) as seen in the 2nd picture below of the quilt back.  You'll have to come in and check it out for yourself - if I don't take it home to get cozy with on movie nights this fall...

 

Oh, by the way - in case you missed it the first time I talked about this pattern, it is called Gimme Diamonds and includes directions for multiple sizes (yea). 

Warning, warning, warning...

Major cuteness alert!

Below are some super cute little jacket/pants sets we made at the shop from Jackie Clark patterns.  An added bonus - the jackets are reversible!  They are so sweet it almost makes your teeth hurt, don't you think?  Just couldn't help ourselves, had to do it.

I warned you.  If you have room for more sweetness, you might enjoy the new collection from Moda called Little Apples.

Hmmm... these prints would be great for the jacket and top too.  (Somebody stop me...)

On another note, I'm looking for part-time help at the shop.  Interested?  Send me an email. 

Dreamy

 

Many of you are already familiar with the Quilter's Dream battings that we have at the shop.  There is the high quality 100% cotton batting with no glue, scrim or binders.  The wool batting is lofty and light, while the earth-friendly dream green batting is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.  And now - we introduce Dream Orient ....

East Meets West in this Luxurious Blend
of Silk, Bamboo, Botanic Tencel® and Cotton

Quilters Dream Orient Batting is a luxurious blend of velvety Bamboo, luscious silk, strong silky Tencel® and soft stable Cotton.  Dream Orient's natural environmentally friendly fibers are carded, crosslapped and finely needlepunched to bring you the most desirable qualities of softness, strength, warmth and breathability.  The elegant silky soft drape makes Dream Orient a batting beyond compare!  Machine wash and dry with cool water/cool dryer - shrinkage approximately 3%.  You can stitch up to 8" apart. 

• 
  Bamboo - is a velvety soft, absorbent fiber with unique antibacterial qualities.  Bamboo is warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
• Silk - the strongest natural fiber in existence has always stood for quality and elegance.  Dream Orient contains high quality Tussah 'Peace' silk, which is stronger and more resilient than white silk..
• Botanic Tencel® - is made from environmentally friendly eucalyptus wood pulp derived from sustainable tree farms.  Tenciel® is exceptionally strong, resilient and resistant to wrinkles, yet so soft it is often referred to as imitation silk.
• Cotton - is a natural fully renewable fiber that is soft, breathable and a traditional fiber used throughout generations.  Dream Orient uses only the high grade cleaned upland USA cotton for durability and quality for the most discriminating quilters.

One of the shop samples is in Cyndy's hands to be machine quilted with this new batting.  Can't wait to get it back and see how it feels before and after washing.  Stay tuned....

Batting is not the only thing that has been dreamy around here lately.  Last week I went to the coast for a few days with the husband and dogs.  It was beautiful - there is nothing like the Oregon Coast on a sunny windless day - absolutely nothing!  But apparently, sea air makes me sleep...during the day.  I slept in the car, on the couch, in a chair on the deck, on the beach and yes - on a bench. 

While I was sleeping my days away, fun new stuff was arriving at the shop. Garden-inspired fabrics from Alexander Henry came...

and a coordinating home dec weight... (Do I need a tablecloth from this?)

Also from Alexander Henry came these stunners...

Gotta love the newest Far Far Away line from Heather Ross - in the same linen/cotton blend as her last line...

 

Jessica brought her quilt in to pin on our big tables this week.  I think it is pretty special.  I love the scrappy-ness combined with the consistent use of the black squares and the way the colors move in waves up the quilt.  And this is only her 2nd quilt - ever, which she plans to quilt herself.  Good for you!

If you live here in Eugene, you likely are aware that the Ducks have their first football game of the season today.  I am not the biggest football fan in the world - but I live with a pretty big fan and I think that the way the community gets into it is fun.  I can't seem to stay attentive to a whole game, so if I want to be a part of the "party" I have to have something to do during a game.  I'm plotting my projects for the season...  Perhaps the applique project I started last year (or was it the year before?) during football season or maybe hexies? 

Vanishing Markers?

It was a grand weekend in Eugene wasn't it?  We attended the Lucinda Williams concert and I've been singing "it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll" to myself ever since.  We also went to the Lane County fair.  It has been a long long time since I went  to the fair.  In fact the last time I was at the fair the Ferris wheel had bench style seating.  When did the switch these cool looking basket seats? 

Between the floral, food, animal and textile displays there was plenty to entertain us.  This  quilt caught my eye...

Do you suppose this chicken inspired this quilt?

 

For whatever reason I was struck by this tray of black walnuts.  the color?  the pattern?  hmmm

About the markers....  Do the really vanish?   We have 3 favorite vanishing style markers that we use in the shop.  They are all the type that disappear over time.  It sounds like magic and too good to be true, but really they do.

The first (on the left) is a white marker that is useful for temporarily making marks on dark fabrics.  Below is a line drawn with this marker on a black fabric.  When I first used this marker I thought it was defective because the line I drew didn't show up right away.  It takes a few seconds (really, just a few seconds) for the line to show up.  The line disappears when you iron.  Ta Da!

 

The middle marker is a fine line pink marker that you can erase with the eraser on the end of the pen or let it disappear on it's own.   The first picture is the original line, the 2nd is the line after you rub it with the eraser and the third is about 15 minutes  later.  All gone!

 

You could also just let this line disappear on its own.  You don't need to use the eraser.  When left to disappear the line was gone in 24 hours.  This marker also comes in blue. 

The last marker (on the right) makes a bolder purple mark.   When left to disappear on its own, this mark was noticeably more faint after 24 hours and after 48 hours was completely gone.

 

24 hours

48 hours

These markers are impressive (even to skeptics like myself).  Of course, you should always test any marker before using it in a place that will show on your project but these vanishing type markers are really handy, 

NYC - Here I Come

I'm off to the Big Apple early (very early) tomorrow morning for the rest of the week.  GB has to work and I'm tagging along to play and see son #1 who moved there from Colorado last month.  I haven't seen him for a long time so am looking forward to some play time with him.  We haven't decided how we will entertain ourselves yet - there are so many options. 

Take one sweet little pattern by our neighbor over the mountains, Valori Wells...

some great fabrics...

 

And you have a quick and stunning little wallet - perfect for gift giving.  

Bet you can't make just one - I didn't!

Did you notice the lovely little snaps on these?  I found a new toy at quilt market and gave it a whirl on these.  It works really well. 

There are four parts to each snap set...

 

A snap setting tool that helps you layer and align the snap parts and fabric...

 

And then use a hammer to set the snap parts together - done!

Side note - this hammer is a handy thing to have around.  The screwdrivers fit into the handle and the smallest one is tiny enough to use on your glasses!

 

Snap on!