Saturday, April 21, 2012

A Quilt Being Born

So everyone likes quilts when they are completed. And for those who make their own patterns this will reveal nothing new. But for those who buy patterns (nothing wrong with that--hoping my patterns will sell when I get them into the marketplace), this is where for me they start...sometimes...



Yep, that is graph paper and a pencil. To be fair, I do use EQ also, but this one just didn't lend itself to that. The pattern trace is going to be a large applique in the center. The little controller is for my Zune--must have music while designing and sewing--at least for me.

And yes that is a large calculator under the pattern trace---It was a joke that has turned into a wonderful sewing room piece of equipment. Easy to find, rugged and easy to use with scissors or other items in your hands because the buttons are so large.

This is the charity quilt I am working on for my next project. Hoping to get center applique on by next weekend..we will see if that timeline holds. Most likely it depends on how long it takes me to clean the flower beds and plant flowers today and tomorrow...and yes I schedule just about everything---its the project management beast within...

Then I will cut the letters for the wording that will accompany the center applique. I have measured all the Aqquiquilt Go cutter letters, loaded them in a spreadsheet so that I can calculate the width I need for the words/phrases to fit and how many times I have to run the die through to have enough letters. I do full run of the die and put the extra letters in a box for other projects.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

New learning and growth


My website is up Fiddlestick and Humility, and the calendar is working. The two classes I currently have scheduled are there.

So I have been busy finishing the Easy 7 (© 2012 Denise Bevard) comfort/lap quilt. The quilt was the easy part. Writing the instructions for something I do intuitively was a bit more of a challenge. And then there were the drawings of the how-tos. We’ll see how the testers think the instructions are, but it is very close to hitting the shelf for sale. Here’s the cover quilt:

I also had the pleasure of being in an article entitled Daring to Stitch in our local Entrepreneurs newsletter. The organization is great, for you entrepreneurs in Reno you should check it out. If you’re not in Reno you should see if there is a like organization where you are.  Group support is VERY helpful. Sometimes the smallest comment or suggestions can lead you to something very good.

I am still working on the Patchwork Pennies...it is queued up at the other machine, so I take a square on it once in awhile right now. I have a charity quilt to work on next, then two more challenge pieces.

 And then it will be time to start on Christmas presents...yeah! I love working on Christmas presents. The first order will likely be a Christmas Quilt for a fall class.

Happy stitching!