Wednesday, July 30, 2014

I'll be back...

Do to a little bit of a health scare, I'll be away from my computer for a bit.  I hope that all of you are having a fantastic summer.  I'll be back shortly!   Vicki

Friday, July 25, 2014

Getting down to business! Last year at this time.

I have almost everything I need to get down to business, and start sewing baby items!  It is so exciting to start my part of this new journey.
Every little girl needs pink flannel elephants and minky receiving blanket!!  This is the one my son chose to bring his new little girl home from the hospital in.  So dreamy!!
White flannel dots and pink birds...
Rounding off the corners to make it a little more feminine...
Sophisticated houndstooth...again, daddy's choice!
Pink rainbows and hot air balloons...the ribbon will add that special touch!
She chose the quilt on page 13, bottom right corner, made by Cheryl Arkison.
Another LARGE tote for the mommy to be!  No pattern, lots of pieces and zippers.  A lot of nerves....stayed tuned!

Lot's of work happening here in my creating space!  I have more to come, but I think this will keep me busy for a few days.

I am linking to Needle and Thread Thursday, where Kelly is the gracious host!

Please, check back on Friday!  It will be my day on the Let's Get Acquainted - New Bloggers Blog Hop!!  Beth has done such an outstanding job hosting and getting all of us participants talking.  It has been so educational, inspirational and just plain fun!

Vicki


Charlotte Marie is now 10 months old and doing wonderfully.  She is a real blessing in our lives.  If you want to read a little more about her and her journey, you can click here and here!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

News around my sewing room!

I absolutely love happy mail as do most all of you!  I have gotten some great happy mail in the past few weeks.  I had the opportunity to clean up my sewing room this week, and put up a new shelf to display some of my happy mail and gifts.



About a month ago, I was informed that I had won a $50 gift certificate from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics!!  I was thrilled, and set out to choose exactly what I wanted.  I could not make up my mind, so I ordered a bunch of low volume fat quarters with some Kona solids thrown in to make up the difference.


This is the newest piece in my sewing room.  It started out as one of those unfinished crates you can get at the craft store.  I'm not even sure where this one came from.  It was sitting in the closet for a few years.  I decided to paint it barn red and make a display for my beautiful fat quarters.  They are all works of art to me.

Is it hot where you are?  It is H-O-T here!  This is what I woke up to the other day....

 
...yep...that is 8:45am and it is already 81 in the coolest spot in the house.  I had just turned the A/C down to 79 to try to cool down my sewing room...which is the hottest room in the house.  This particular day it got up to 108.  That's Fresno, CA for ya!!
 
Linking to:Let's Bee Social! at Sew Fresh Quilts.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Making lemonade out of lemons...or mistakes!!

In June I went to a fantastic retreat in Yosemite, CA at the home of a dear friend!  There were only 3 of us, and we were ALL very productive.  I had several projects that I had taken, and was determined to finish each of them.  Well, best laid plans...
I had this quilt all cut and ready to sew.  I was excited.  It looked simple enough.
 I got all of the strips sewn together and then went to the cutting table to sub-cut them.  I wasn't paying any attention, and cut them all going the same direction.  It is impossible to make a braid with all pieces cut the same direction.  Improvise!!!  (this is the lemonade part)
 And this is the result.  A table runner.  I brought the flimsy home to complete.
 I decided to follow the direction of the strips and use my walking foot as my spacer.


 I pieced the back so that it could be reversible.
 Machine bound it.
And here we are.

Stats: 21x60
          Quilted/bound on my domestic machine.
          These are all donated fabrics, so I can not tell you the designer or manufacturer.

Linking to: Anything Goes Monday! at Stitch by Stitch.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A new idea....at least for me!

 I started this quilt up at the retreat in June.  I had seen this pattern in McCall's Quilting back in 2012.  I knew as soon as I saw it, that I would tackle it one day.  The designer Janelle Cedusky is so talented.
 I had it all cut before going up there and got most of it done while there!


 At this point, I knew I would take it home to complete.  It would require way to much concentration.
 I used Pellon's 'wonder under' and then cut out flowers to overlay here and there.  I then raw edge appliqued them on.
 The outside border quilting is a first for me.  I have learned so much by watching Amy at Amy's Freemotion Quilting Adventures.  The inside flowers were FMQ outline quilted and the center square was quilted on the outside edge.
 Trimming for the binding.
 Machine binding is so easy.
 I love a busy back, mistakes are far less visible!

Stats: 42x64
          Domestic machine quilted by me!
          Designer: Janelle Cedusky
          Printed in: McCall's Quilting, Sept/Oct 2012 (pg. 61)
          Title: Decoupage


Linking to: Let's Bee Social! at Sew Fresh Quilts.  WIP Wednesday! at Freshly Pieced Modern Quilts.  Needle & Thread Thursday! at My Quilt Infatuation.  Free Motion Mavericks! at Lizzie Lenard Vintage Sewing.  Finish it Up Friday! at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

A new 2 sided zip iPhone/iPod pouch!

I don't have an iPhone or an iPod, but I just had to try out this new FREE pattern for a pouch!  It is easy and I can not remember where I got it from.  I hope whomever designed it will forgive me,  I do NOT take any credit for this design.


This is a super simple pouch.  You will need 5 - 5x7 pieces of fabric.  Two for the outside, 2 for the lining and one for the pocket.  You will also need a 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 square for the ring.  That's it!  You will need 2 - 5x7 pieces of fusible interfacing for the lining, 1 - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 piece of fusible for the pocket and batting for the front pieces.  If you'd rather use fusible batting, knock yourself out!  If you don't want to quilt your pouch, by all means....don't!

First, fuse the interfacing to each piece of the 5x7 pieces.  Lay the 2 front pieces RST and the 2 lining pieces RST.  Round the upper right hand corner.  I used a 6" saucer.  3% curve is what you're looking for.


Fold your pocket with 5"side together and sew around 3 sides leaving an opening for turning.  Turn, press and attach to the right side of one of the lining pieces.  Line up your 9" zipper, wrong side to the right side of the lining with the pull 3/4" up from the lower right hand corner.  Pin and baste with a scant 1/4" seam.  Lay the front piece over the zipper with the right side down, pin and sew.  Turn with wrong sides together and top stitch close to the seam.


Repeat for the second side.  Open up and pin all of the raw edges together.  Front pieces RST, lining pieces RST.   Using a 1/2" seam allowance,  start at one end of the zipper and sew all the way around the bag, leaving a 3" opening for turning in the lining.  Trim the seam allowances.  Turn through opening.  Carefully push out all 4 corners.  Now, sew either by hand or machine to close the opening.  Ta-da!!  You now have a great pouch for your iPhone/iPod or sunglasses or whatever!  The pocket is great for earbuds or ID. 





This simple pouch could be made a lot bigger or smaller, depending on your specific need.  I hope that these instructions were helpful.  I know that I will be making more of these.

I'm soooo excited, I just found where I found this pattern!!  It is at Sew Can She!!  Make sure to check out all of the wonderful, fun patterns on this web site or on Craftsy!

Linking to: Let's Bee Social! at Sew Fresh Quilts.  Threading Your Way! at Threading My Way.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

I'm Vicki and I am going 'Round the World' with this blog hop!

First off I want to say thank you to Kim from Sara Lizzies for inviting me on this great journey!  She has been a great friend for a little over a year now, and I feel excited that she'd ask me along for the ride.

I have asked Val from Val's Quilting Studio to tell us her blogging story next Monday, July 14.  In the mean time, you can click on over to her site to see what is going on in her VERY exciting and creative studio.

....And you are?

Hello!!  My name is Vicki, and I am a quilter!!  I absolutely love what I do.  I live in California with my husband of 35 years.  I have 4 wonderful children and a grand daughter!  There are more details about me on my 'My Mission!' page.

When did you start your blog?

Back in February of 2013, I had never seen a blog, and really didn't understand what blogging was all about.  I was encouraged by my good friends Deborah - Simply Miss Luella , Cindy - Live A Colorful Life and a few others, to consider creating a blog of my own.  So, I set out on this adventure with a lot of trial and error, and here I am today!  My first post was on April 11, 2013.  My first few posts didn't even have photos - I didn't know how to download them from my camera.  I think I have done pretty well using the "point, click, and hope that the whole thing doesn't disappear" method!

What are you working on now?

I actually have numerous projects going on this summer.  Garments, a Raggedy Ann doll for my grand daughter's first birthday, curtains for my living room, and about 25 quilts and projects in my closets that are in different stages of completion.


I made this little beauty at a recent retreat.  I have it basted and ready to quilt.  You won't even recognize it when I'm done with it!

You talk about a 'Mission' in your blog name, what is this?

My usual 'Mission', is sewing for MCC/MDS. Mennonite Central Committee and the Mennonite Disaster Service which helps both locally and worldwide with disaster relief!  My quilts are auctioned off once a year to raise money for this service at the 'West Coast Mennonite Sales & Auction for World Relief''.  I would encourage you to go to my 'Who are MCC/MDS?' page to read more!  The addresses are in a page on my blog.

Where do you get all those gorgeous fabrics for your quilts?

Donations!  This is a very small sample of the donations that come in from quilters just like you.  We appreciate every scrap we get!

Who comes up with the patterns and pairings?

I do!  Sometimes kits, UFO's or BOM's come in so they are already together, but the rest of the time, I sit and either design my own pattern or draw from my collection of patterns for ideas.  In the above picture, the bottom shelf is full of bundles that are ready to be cut and sewn into quilt tops.

What do you mean quilt tops?

This quilt was made with donated antique 'flower pot' squares.  I make the tops, and the gals at North Fresno Quilters do the small stitch quilting, tying, prairie stitching or they are sent out for long arm quilting.
When they are quilted in the manner selected, they come back to me for binding!

I thought that you quilted your own quilts?

I am learning!  This is the first full sized quilt I FMQ on my domestic machine!  I just bought a new machine in April of 2013, so it has opened up a whole new chapter in my quilting life!
 
Oooh, new machine....what kind?
 
I bought an Elna Excellence 720!  She has features that I didn't even know I needed.  I am getting a whole new sewing room since this photo was taken.  I will blog soon about my new space!
 
OK, I am understanding a little more about what you do, but why "making lemonade from lemons"?
 
Our fabrics come in bits and pieces.  Some of them are more like lemons....not really sweet. I take them, match them up and make something really pleasing and appealing out of them...lemonade!  When choosing my blog name, I had to include that fact somewhere in the header.  It is our motto at NFQ!
 
What is something that others may not know about you?
 
I love to paint!  Yes, I do paint rooms, furniture and such.....but I'm talking about pictures.  I like abstract the best.  I am trying really hard to expand my color pallet.  That whole comfort zone thing.
 
Thank you so much for stopping by 'A Quilter's Mission'!  I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful new bloggers and friends.  I am not one to push for followers, but if you'd like to keep checking back to see what new adventures (or, misadventures) I get myself into, I'd love it.  Also, I love receiving comments from all of you, they really do make my day brighter!
 
Thanks again Kim and Val for participating in this world wide adventure with me!!
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