Sneak Peek: What I'm working on right now.

What a mess

Trying to get organized. Using comic book cards to create mini fabric bolts, see here at Smashed Peas And Carrots blog.

More later on my wonky Stars mini quilt and LOVe pillow..

New Year New Quilt Along!!!

Not long and we will be in the year of Two-thousand and Twelve! 

I know its an old cliche "time goes by faster the older you get" but its soooo true!!!

Where did 2011 go??

So looking on to the 'Horizon' of 2012 and new projects, I came across Jenna 

at Sew. Happy. Geek. and she is hosting a quilt-along for 2012, what fun!! 

Does this look like a fresh fun start to the new year?!?!

Well, it does to me!! 

I have picked out my fabrics, or at least the main players in this quilt...

Horizon Morning Tides by Free Spirit 

(did you catch the pun/play on words earlier? yea, I know I'm a goof ball)

I love purple and yellow together, so cheerful!!

I will be adding in some solid kona cottons, maybe white, purple and yellow. 

That is if I can find them locally?

What projects are you planning for the New Year?

Lunch Time Shopping

To try to locate my mojo I went to a local quilt shop for lunch. I browsed the shop, fondled the pretty fabrics, and glanced at some awsome patterns. At first I was overwhelmed by all the fabo fabrics, all the patterns were wonderful and I was a little - well  you could say I was a bit confused as to where to start. That's not been a problem for me in a long while. After a few deep breaths and more fabric fondling, I did end up buying a Moda layer cake of Boutique by Chez Moi

And 3 yards of a yummy cream solid fabric for a background to go with the layer cake. I also picked up some applique pins by Clover.

Now as to what I might do with all this - I am thinking about applique. I left the shop happy with the purchases I made and that I was also supporting a local area shop (those are getting few and far between now with the economy the way it is).

After work I am going to place the fabrics on the coffee table in hopes to coax my mojo out of hiding. Wish me luck!!

What is Pillow Ticking?

After updating our master bedroom and replacing all the bedding, including pillows. I thought that throwing away two king size feather pillows would be a shame and possibly I could reuse them in some way (trying to be a little green). But the pillows had a problem with the feathers coming out through the cover. The pillows had a cleaning label that stated I could wash them. So I washed the pillows in hot water and soap, laid them outside in the sunshine to dry and flipped/fluffed them every 30 minutes until they were completely dry.

This is where I had to figure out how and for what I could reuse them. First I needed to figure a way to stop the feathers from coming out and then what could I make with these feathers. This is what brought me to the question "So what is pillow ticking?"

Pillow ticking is a somewhat stiff tightly woven cotton fabric and this tight weave makes it hard for the feathers to work their way through (sometimes you can find a cotton blend). Usually ticking fabric is off-white or white and striped in blue or red, also you can find it with a floral print and/or stripes. I went to my local JoAnn's and they had a few bolts of 'Pillow Ticking' and the best way to test the tightness of the weave is to hold the fabric up to the light, and if you can see light through the weave it's not a good quality.

I found a pretty white with yellow floral striped ticking.

Now the next question: Ways to Reuse Feather Pillows?

My new sack of goodies for some sewing fun

Here's what I walked away Jo-Ann's with: 3 yards of deep red ponte roma knit (top or tank and a cardigan), 5 yards for chocolate brown ponte roma knit (pants, tank, cardigan, and maybe a strait skirt), 3 yards of a light brown twill (long skirt from Simplicity 3796 ), 1 yard of home-deck in a black and white check along with a yard of insul-bright (both for a cool Chanel'esk lunch bag).

I wanted Burda 7818, long jean skirt - but it was out a Jo-Ann's so I may have to order it from Pattern Review. So as you see I settled on the easy drawstring waist of Simplicity in the light brown twill I purchased. Very different skirts, I think the Burda has a better flow at the hem line and the Simplicity you could use lighter fabrics in the summer.

Now here is a test I am going to try and if you want to let me know what you think - please do! I want to take the jacket pattern from Butterick 4980 and use a knit (this style is sooo IN now). Maybe in the ponte roma.

Happy sewing!!

Handbag project put on the back-burner

Well, the 'Share the Love' tote is now moved farther on the WIP list. I have been slow on getting all the Christmas sewing done. I have started another pair of shorts for DH, but haven't found the right fabric for son's next pair. The slippers have even been started yet, I am still trying out different things to make the sole comfy (if you have any great ideas let me know). I did get some fabric dyed for a special order - beautiful color wheel of fat quarters. They are in the wash now and I'll post pics tomorrow. The tuff part in all this is I dislocated my knee, but all is well and I am healing fine. So - I limp around, but sitting at the sewing machine ain't so bad after all.


Here's one of my partners in crime. Tessa was resting while I was hand sewing today and I just had to share this picture.

Call it my Red/orange phase

I call this my red-orange phase, because I crave the color orange and mostly red-orange. I use to hate orange, could not stand it- but all that has changed.

I can't seem to get enough, I even colored my hair auburn, to the surprise of my family. But then again - if you know me I love playing with color and that even goes as far as my hair. (odd pic but it's hard to take a picture of the back of your head)

I saw a dress at a local thrift shop and fell in LOVE with the colors!! It was a plaid in red-orange, orange, deep green and fuchsia. What a combo, just loved it, but it did not fit. Soooo.....

I used the plaid design and colors to inspire me to dye two pieces of cotton, in hopes of making a Fab'O handbag. I know it doesn't look like much now but just you wait.

Christmas Sewing

I have started sewing my gifts. Like many other bloggers I am not buying premade things this year, but trying to make gifts that are special. So the first WIPs (work in progress) are shorts from McCall's OP 2568 .

I have had this pattern since 2000, when I made my DH some shorts (sleep/lounge shorts). Those have since worn out and now I have been told more are needed.



I found this COOL fabric at my favorite little quilt shop here in town. It's called "Madame Butterfly" in the Opulance series by Paula Nadelstern. This pair of shorts will be for DH.


And this flaming colorful fabric from the Headgear series by Fabri-Quilt will be for my son. Saying all this my DH and DS don't read my blog, so I should be ok.

I have to be honest, I really wish I was sewing the 'Share the Love' ruffle bag- the fabric turned out very nice.

And I found a cute rose & vine print in my stash for the lining. I did get the 32 ruffles cut out, yep 32. See there are 8 on each side = 16 ruffles total. I am using the self fabric as the facing so that makes 32 curved pieces. If I was using suede or leather I wouldn't need all this, just 16 ruffles. Any-who this looks like its going to be very funky!!

New bag

Well, the last few days got swallowed up by sewing. I made a few 2008 planner covers and was commissioned to create a handbag. The really fun part was creating a handbag out of recycled military BDU fabric. Her name is 'Cami',

Cami

She's a beauty that 'Cami'
all dressed in her camouflage,
ready to take on the world.
Just like you she's a tuff one on the outside,

but really very feminine and girly.
She is a wash me in delicate type
and with her convertible strap
she will cross-over or hang on you shoulder.

kira bell ©2007

What does this fabric have to do with Tennessee

I can't say just yet, because I am working on a special project for someone (so its a secret, sssh) but its a fun piece that's for sure.

Do you think they can dance well together? (that's a hint)

I have been stalking the mail box in anticipation for the catalogs and fabric swatches. I just know the postal carrier is starting to wonder about me. My fingers are itching to get started playing in dyes. I have a list of the dyes I must have on hand (not that I don't already have most of them) : lemon yellow MX-8G, golden yellow MX-GR, deep orange MX-2R (one of my favorites), Chinese red MX-GBA, fuchsia MX-8B, cobalt blue MX-2G, cerulean blue MX-G, turquoise MX-G, sky blue MX-R, new black MX-CWNA, & grape MX-G. I get most of these from Dharma Trading .

Now you don't have to have all of them, you really only need the 3 primary colors and you can make a world of color. I just like color and love playing to see all the variations that I can make. I only used fuchsia, turquoise, and lemon yellow (these are very bright colors) when I first started dyeing fabrics. Then once bitten by the dye bug I slowly started collecting colors.

On a crafty note, I love these flower pins . They would make great package/present bows, and the recipient could use it after unwrapping their present.