Sew Sunshine

  Geta over at  Geta's Quilting Studio  is hosting a "Quilter's Favorites"  linky party.  I am new the blogging world and trying to get back into sewing and quilting.  I am not an expert in any way but I just used one of Geta's tutorials and so I thought it appropriate for me to participate.  I have learned so many things from the wonderful blogging world. Bloggers are so caring and accessible.  They tend to share freely of their work and designs as well as tips and tricks. Often there are challenges to get you to try something out of your realm and there is always something to learn.  Some Favorite Tools: I do have some favorite tools that I have found to be wonderful.    I love the Havel's Sewing Embroidery Scissors - It has a curved up blade so you can get really close to the fabric to snip threads. I just won this from my quilt guild last week and used it on the challenge piece I made this week (using Geta'...

I am super excited to post today.  I was not sure about the paper piecing project I started earlier this week.  It is a project from my quilt guild to make a monthly challenge block and this is #1. It is from  Quilt Jane blog  and it is block 21.  I think I did pretty well. A couple points not so so but still okay.  I decided instead of making a "Make it and Wear it" project this month that I would "Make it and USE it" instead.  I inherited this rocking chair from my Mom. This was Grandma's chair but sadly I did not know her as she died the year I was born. I loved the chair when it was at my Grandpa's house and my Mom and I refinished the chair after he was gone.  Now it is so many many years later and it needed a new cushion.   I made my block with fabrics that work well in my living room.   The terra cotta color is my wall color so I think it looks great.  Here is my improv back with zipper cover: Next up: ...

Wow! Another challenge -  Project Quilting -5 This one was called "Print Publications" page 28 My magazine stash consists of my moms collection of Quilt magazines. I didn't realize how hard it would be to come up with something from a Quilt magazine for a quilt but it really was....too many ideas in fact! My page 28 was from Quilter's Newsletter 2000.    The article is called "Heart and Soul" and it is a challenge in itself for people to come up with wearable art with the theme Heart and Soul. Well ???  In quilting, I feel my Heart and Soul goes back to the beginnings. I learned from my Mom and she believed in quilting, first, to be utilitarian. She used every scrap and item of clothing that was good enough to cut up into a quilt to create warmth and comfort for her family. Later she bought fabrics and created quilts she felt were to keep and used for special occasions.  I started my project thinking I would use scraps. Somehow I wanted to inco...

A while ago Aurifil had a slogan contest and my title was my slogan.  If you use Aurifil thread you probably know this already. It should have won but that is just my opinion.  Anyway, I love the way Aurifil lays flat when you press the seam open and when you quilt over it.  Alas, I was putting together my first round of strips on my 30 Birdbath blocks and I ran out. Luckily I scrounged around and found a new spool. :) I am using Aurifil Mako 2 ply thread to piece.  What threads do you like to use for piecing and or quilting?? Here is the first round of strips. One more set of corners and strips go around this square and then corners again. I am not sure how I am going to put it together yet but this is a see as you go along type project.  It is coming together nicely.