Modern Monday Quilt Along

Block 58:

Only 6 more blocks to go!

Go to Attic Window Quilt Shop to see Caroll's block. Then visit 42 Quilts to see the next block.

Unexpected Surprise!

I've been making pin cushions and thread catchers for the little ready-made gift section we are trying out at my LQS, Heartstrings and Heirlooms. On Monday afternoon I cut out the thread catchers but needed my calculator to check to see which way I needed to cut my fat quarters. The calculator is in this drawer of my cutting table.

Cutting table drawer

I opened the drawer and reached inside for the calculator AND SOMETHING INSIDE THE DRAWER MOVED!

Spooky in the drawer!

Can you see the cat eye and the paw reaching out to grab me? Oh my! I jumped and screamed. Definitely was not expecting to find a cat in the drawer!! My son told me that she was getting into the drawer but I didn't believe him until Monday. After getting down on my hands and knees and looking underneath the cutting table I could see how she got in there. There is quite a bit of room between the top of the drawer and the underneath side of the table top. She just climbed in from the back. Do you believe that she slept in this drawer for about an hour after I took the picture. Crazy cat! She is definitely feeling better after her recent surgery.

On to the projects. First I made a few more Cathedral Window Pin Cushions. Click the link for the tutorial.

Then I made six thread catchers using some Good Fortune.

We aren't sure how the ready-made items will sell so I don't want to make a whole bunch right now. We will also have some knit ruffle scarves (see sample photos here) and maybe a few other things. We've had a lot of people ask to buy completed scarves in the last month so I think those may sell well. A few folks have asked for pin cushions and we've sold a couple of the samples I made already. We've also had requests for aprons, but I will let someone else make those. I only plan to make a few things and only things I enjoy making.

A Flock of Ornaments

I finished up all of my birdie ornaments.

I am thrilled with how they turned out. I think the orange one is my favorite. I may need to make another one of those for myself! The pattern for this ornament, as well as some other really cute ones, can be found at this link: 2012 Aurifil Ornament Hop.

Modern Monday

There was no block last week for the Modern Monday Quilt Along, but I still have something modern to show today.

The next class cycle at my LQS, Heartstrings and Heirlooms, starts in December. I will be teaching another Quick Curve Ruler pattern by Jenny Pedigo, Urban Birthday. My LQS owner wanted me to use one of the layer cakes we have in stock for the class sample. We don't currently have any layer cakes that are really "my style" except for some Mama Said Sew ones. I am already using this line for another class sample so I didn't want to use it again even though I love it.

*sigh*

So I picked the layer cake we have the most of, Rouenneries Deux by French General. If you click the link you can see the fabrics in the line. If you have been following me for any length of time then you can see that this line is definitely "not me." However ... I'm loving this quilt!

I have made all of the blocks, but have not squared them up yet. Here is a sample of what they will look like in the quilt layout.

It will be a modern quilt using very traditional looking fabrics. The "solid" fabric the pattern calls for is the charcoal. It is a print, but a very subtle print and all of the French General fabrics look great with it. It is also a Moda fabric, Evening Mist. I don't know what line it is from.

Gift Mode, Cosmo vs. DMC comparison & a Bad Kitty Day

I've been doing gift sewing lately which is why I haven't been posting much. I want the recipients to be surprised when they open their gift on Christmas morning.

I can show you my little flock of birdie embroideries that will become ornaments soon.

I did all of these except the dark blue one in the center with left over Cosmo floss from my Which Witch's Boot embroidery. The dark blue one is a variegated DMC floss, although you can't really tell that it is variegated. The floss is very pretty in the skien, but I am disappointed in how little the variegation shows. I hope to get these turned into ornaments within the next few days so they can be sent off to their recipients.

Working with both Cosmo and DMC on these birdies also gave me the opportunity to compare the two brands. Cosmo is softer and much less linty. I had to use some masking tape to pick up all the loose lint bits off of the DMC one. (The same was true of the first one of these birdies I did. I used a red DMC floss for it.) The lint bits came off with no problem, but I didn't have to do this added step with any of the Cosmo ones. I had about the same knotting up issues with each but I cut my thread pretty long. I think any thread is going to knot up some if you cut it too long. I didn't think to try cutting them both shorter and see if that made any difference.

Miss Spooky Boo is not having a good week. I took her to be spayed yesterday. She did fine with the surgery but is moving slow.

She is keeping me company in the sewing room today and resting on Goldie's Quilt in front of the window. If you look closely you can see the shaved area on her front leg from the IV. She will be fine in a few days and then able to go outside more which will make her very happy. I must say that I am enjoying this calmer version of Spooky in my sewing room this morning. Usually she gets kicked out for climbing the design wall or my fabric baskets, pulling pins out of the pin cushions and throwing them on the floor, or trying the catch the needle as I sew!

Modern Monday Quilt Along

Block 57: Piano Keys

I like this one! I like the color gradation and different heights of the keys (gray rectangles).

Visit Attic Window Quilt Shop to see Caroll's piano keys. Then visit 42 Quilts to see what we will be making this week.

My 2012 Ornament

Every year I make an ornament to give as a gift. The usual recipients of these ornaments are my son, nieces, nephews and other children special to my family.

This is the ornament I am making to give this year.

I started it Wednesday night after dinner and finished it up last night. I did this one with red floss because it was the first color floss I could easily lay my hands on Wednesday night. I think I will change up the color on some of the others.

I have my fabric pressed and ready to trace the design out. I cut a large piece of fabric and will trace them all on it spacing them far enough apart to hoop each design without having to put the hoop over an already stitched one. Making the rest of the ornament (after doing the embroidery) was pretty easy. I showed an in progress photo of this ornament yesterday along with the pattern information.

I'll give you the pattern information again here. The designer is Gail Pan. The pattern is a free download on her blog as part of the 2012 Aurifil Designers Christmas Ornament Blog Hop. Here is the direct link to the blog post with the bird ornament pattern. In this post are links to some other designer's blogs. I thought this snowman ornament was also cute and downloaded that pattern as well. I'll put it in my ornament file for another year.