Vertical Quilting Curve

I came across the article “The Quintessential Quilting Roomâ€? at the OrlandoSentinal.com. Maybe I am just being a little jealous but how many people actually have this kind of space to devote to a whole sewing room. The article actually said that “Don’t pick the tiniest room in the house as your sewing space. The room should be a minimum of 20-by-16 feet with a ceiling at least 9 or 10 feet.â€? It also said that you should have a table 60â€? x 84â€? and it should not be against a wall which explains why the room should be so big.

After moving from a house that didn’t have a room this size I didn’t get one in my condo either. In fact I took over the dining room, ½ the bedroom, a corner of the living room and even the garage. I have only known only one person who got her dream sewing room when her new house was built and it was even bigger than what is suggested here and had every piece of equipment you could dream of except for a long arm machine.

Although, I am very impressed that a newspaper saw fit to publish an article about quilting at all, I feel they were only aiming at large home owners who have unlimited retirement funds to set up their perfect space and overall the article wasn’t very helpful. You can find more helpful information online at various quilting and sewing sites. One website I found has a group of pictures of several different sewing rooms. I would love to have a room of my own and am all for bringing back the sewing room to homes as mentioned in an earlier posting.

So, are you lucky enough to have a whole entire room that fits the dimensions of the article or do you make do using various organizational strategies to make the most of your space?

quilting, sewing room, sewing space

Okay, I know it seems a little early to be discussing the holidays and it seems retailers try to get you to start the shopping season a little earlier every year but quilters and other crafters always seem to start (or need to start) early to get everything done. In fact, I bet October is actually late for some people.

Every year I try to do at least one big handmade gift for someone. Luckily both mine and my husband’s family have a great appreciation for handcrafted gifts. Last year I made matching denim aprons for my brother-in-law and his wife who both love to cook and entertain. Past gifts have included a crossed-canoes quilt using mostly plaid fabrics, a very heavy flannel and denim rag quilt, and a bird watching wall-hanging. There have been several years when time is rare and the gifts are smaller. I’ve made crochet dishcloths, quilted potholders, scarves, cross-stitched bookmarks and quickie fleece blankets.

In fact, some of my fleece blankets have been the most well received. All it takes is a great print that reflects the personality of the receiver or something they like. One year I found an extremely beautiful panel of a Navy ship and used my serger to add a simple finished edging to make a throw for my brother-in-law who is in his 20th year with the Navy. It was the hit of the year and it took me less than 1/2 hour to complete. Doing easy projects like fleece also frees up time to do my own projects or get more gifts made.

This year is one of those “I really don’t have time” years. So, I’m seeking quick and easy projects. Yes, I know that Christmas is only two very short months away but I have to do at least one big project that was actually due this month. I’m trying to make a 50th wedding anniversary quilt for my in-laws. It should have been done for this month but with all the illnesses running around the house I’ve barely had time for laundry and chasing germs away. This memory quilt is at the top of my list. My other handcrafted projects probably will not be quilt-related except for maybe a tote bag or two. Though, there are a few easy projects in the “easy quilts” magazine I just picked up.

How about you? Are you in high gear to make gifts for the upcoming holiday season? If so, what? I love to hear what people like to make to give away and what the recipients think, or, do you care what they think? Many of my recipients don’t really “need” anything but I love to believe it’s the thought that really does count and I’m most thoughtful when I’m making something.

quilting, quilts, handcrafted gifts, Easy Quilts, Christmas, gift giving, handmade

Brought to you from the publishers at Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting this new magazine claims easy projects that are “quick - simple - fun”. Good news is I really liked most of the projects in the magazine. Bad news is I really like most of the projects in the magazine which means I bought it but I promise I’m going to actually make something out of it.

Some of the projects inside quilts and wall hangings as well as pillows, a table topper, a unique purse, baby quilts and a notebook cover. Some of the techniques used include strip piecing, rag quilting using flannels, bargello, and steps for bead embellishing.

One of the 28 projects inside that made me really inspired was “blocks in a box”. A super easy strip pieced block is the basis of this simply elegant quilt. The designers used a varietyof off-white prints to surround a red square. I decided to try this using all blue fabrics around a black square. I have 4 blocks done as shown in my photo. I plan on using a variety of blue fabrics to give it more of a random look while maintaining a monochromatic style. I have never used much blue in my quilt projects but this simple pattern with the exciting prints, I believe is going to make an elegant bed covering that won’t take me forever to piece. Now, actually quilting it will be another issue all together.

Now, that I’ve been inspired, maybe I should change my magazine challenge to this project. I didn’t get very far with my other one and I won’t have to think as much with this one. Just making these 4 squares didn’t take me long at all. Plus, I have some other ideas for using this square but making them smaller for small projects such as tote bags. What do you think?

quilting, quilts, quilt magazine, Easy Quilts, Fons and Porter

Tucked away in the corner of a small shopping center is the Illinois quilt shop in the current issue of Quilt Sampler. The Quilt Merchant looks plain and simple but once inside the quilts displayed on the walls are anything but plain and simple.

The Quilt Merchant specializes in reproduction fabrics especially those of the Civil War era. The staff working the day I stopped in said they did not start out to be so specialized but the demand for the fabrics became prevalent. Before walking into this shop I would not have thought I would really like this style of quilts but then again I haven’t met many quilts I dislike. I was impressed by the colors and styles especially the appliqué quilts like the Vintage Charm quilt which is available as a kit in the store or on their website. Personally I am not a kit person. My favorite part of quilting is selecting fabrics. Another quilt I liked was From the Heart which they had the pattern for. It is a sampler quilt with an appliqué medallion center.

Although there was plenty of patterns I could have purchased I decided to end my trip with fabric instead. Who can’t use more items in their fabric stash? Plus, I picked up some weavers cloth to use for my needle punch projects. They also carried the fusible interfacing that is used to back any fabric you want to do needle punch on, so, I picked up a yard of that as well. The clerk told me it is useful to back regular 100% cotton or clothing items.

Located in Winfield, IL it is a quaint shop to stop in and pick up a little piece of history to add to that stash.

And, if you’re out making a day of shop stopping, check out these others I have been to.

quilting, quilts, quilt shop, Winfield Illinois, Civil War quilts, reproduction fabrics