My Life – Page 28 – Quilting my way through life!

A Quilt Along, My Life

Moda Signature Quilt Along – Day 7

February 27, 2013February 27, 2013 suznquilts

Moving right along into Day 7…

These are the blocks of the day.

I’ve been out of town for a few days

and I took one of my featherweight sewing machines

and these blocks to work on.

The weather in mid-Eastern Illinois wasn’t forecasted to be very nice,

so just in case I was snowed in, or if I got the chance to sew I could.

Since I don’t sew on my featherweight machines very often,

I kind of have to re-teach myself to use them.

You know, where is that pesky scant 1/4″?

How do I rewind a bobbin if heaven forbid I run out?

Imagine my surprise when I got done with this square-in-a-square and it looked like this:

Perfect!!!

I can’t say this for all of my sewing all of the time, for sure.

I was very pleased with this progress however.

I also found it very nice that the pattern actually told me what size this piece was supposed to measure at this point, thank-you!

Block #4 by Primitive Gatherings.

This block turned out so nice…I love it!

Block #19 by Me & My Sister.

This block was a breeze too.

I wouldn’t mind making more of these either.

Block #13 by Malka Dubrawsky.

Looks pretty good from here, but…

I had to re-sew two of the seams, one of them twice to make it satisfactory to me.

I had to laugh when I was pressing it and trimming the threads before I photographed it.

It reminded me of a funny story that my MIL & husband tell of my SIL and her 4-H pancakes.

Anyone take “Milk & Eggs in Your Meals” for a 4-H project?

Back in the day, for the show, you had to make 3 pancakes EXACTLY the same size and present them on a plate to the judges.

They would critique them for size, color and of course they got to taste them too…

(how many COLD pancakes they must have had to taste that day, yuk!)

and then you were awarded a ribbon.

Well, that morning was very stressful to say the least, said SIL could not get 3 pancakes the same size to save her life, so she got out a pair of scissors and trimmed away the excess!

I can’t image the judges didn’t notice cut edges and I never did hear what color the ribbon was for those pancakes, but it makes everyone laugh whenever we are reminded of it!

This is what I thought of while I was trimming the threads.

Too bad I didn’t think of the pancake story before I ripped out those seams.

I probably could have saved myself some time and just trimmed something instead.

Hopefully yours will go together more smoothly, but if not…

Until next time,

Susan

My Life

Suzn Quilts in The St. Louis Post Dispatch

February 25, 2013 suznquilts

Ok, so there was no red carpet involved, but yesterday was pretty special to me…

In case you don’t recognize him, that’s my Abraham Lincoln quilt,

gracing the cover page of the St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Home & Away section!!!

Last month I was contacted by Diane Raab Wiggins, a writer for The St. Louis Post Dispatch.

She heard through my quilt appraiser, Hallye Bone of St. Louis, MO,

that I had a unique Abraham Lincoln quilt/pattern that would tie in nicely with President’s Day.

Diane wanted to know if she could come by and interview me and have me, my quilt, and our home photographed for the Post’s Home & Away section.

How exciting!

Well, of course my was reaction was “sure!”

It would be an honor to grace their paper with my quilts.

The next week Diane came over and we sat and chatted,

then the photographer, Christian Gooden, Gooden@post-dispatch.com, showed up with his camera.

While he moved around our house photographing my quilts,

I learned his mother, now living in Pheonix, is a quilter.

He was pretty sure his mom would be very intersted in this story.

It took a few hours between the interview & the photo shoot.

Over the weekend the article was released.

I couldn’t be happier with the story, oh except for one thing…

One question I had of Diane as she was interviewing me was “Do you really need to know my age?, why???”

Well, she answered that yes, they always require that.

I then asked her that if she must print my age could she also print that I already had my birthday this year???

That didn’t make it into the article…

If you want to know how old I am, you’ll have to read the article.

Fortunately my photography isn’t good enough for you to read it here.

Here’s to 2013!

Until next time,

Susan

A Quilt Along, My Life

Moda Signature Quilt Along-Day 4

February 22, 2013 suznquilts

Moving right along here…

Day 4 only resulted in two patterns.

Block 15 by Fig Tree Quilts.

Block 24 by Jan Patek.

Jan is a master at applique and so she stitched a cute little house in the middle of her block.

Maybe when I get the pdf I’ll add it to my block too.

These blocks are quick when you already have the fabric choices narrowed down to just a handful.

I can spend a lot of time belaboring that issue!

I also read the first three patterns and cut background strips of each size that I would be needing before I started sewing.

The other nice thing that Moda did was use pieces of the same few sizes.

I keep going back to the 3-1/2″ strip and cutting off a few squares or rectangles.

Then I cut a few more 2″ squares, etc.

This really simplifies the cutting.

Are you really not going to join in the fun?

If you are sewing the blocks, send me your photos and I’ll post them along with mine.

Until next time,

Susan

A Quilt Along, My Life

Moda Signature Quilt Along-Day 3

February 21, 2013February 23, 2013 suznquilts

What fun!

Day 3’s blocks were easy, and would have been quick, if only I had paid more attention..

Block 25 by Thimble Blossoms.

If you can tell, the brown fabric is directional and I wanted all of the squares going the same direction in my block.

If I’d paid closer attention to the placement of the brown squares in relation to the pink/cream half square triangles, I would have saved myself time AND frustration…

The rest of the exercise was great!

Block 14 by Julie Comstock.

I had fun reading Julie & Eric’s post yesterday.

Julie thought her day to post was tomorrow (today), but realized all too quickly in the getting-ready-for-school with their four children that her day was actually N-O-W.

Apparently her block wasn’t even sewn.

Too funny!

I can see that happening to me…

Her block was made lickety-split and by the second time I went to their blog it ready.

Block 11 by Deb Strain.

I’m having some fun!

Have I enticed you to join me yet???

It’s snowing fiercely here.

This is a view out of my sewing room.

The flakes are huge!

In about 20 minutes we already have an inch.

We’re supposed to get 3-5 then top it off with some ice, yeah…

A good day to sew don’t you think?

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Wow, time flies!

February 19, 2013 suznquilts

I didn’t realize just how long it had been since I’d posted!

What have I been doing you ask???

Well, for starters I turned a year older. Need I say more, lol…

OK,

I was working on my Christmas sampler, then

I went on our annual retreat with friends to Rosemary’s.

Then went to Mexico for a week with my husband.

Did a little radio interview about quilting on the Cityscapes program on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 KWMU.

You can listen to the interview with Steve Potter here.

I told you 2013 had some new & interesting things for Suzn Quilts.

Helped my oldest, Chloe, celebrate her 21st birthday!

It’s no wonder I’m tired…

Now that these things are over I need to get back to my Christmas designs for Portland’s Spring Market in May.

What have you been up to?

I hope it involves quilting!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life

Happy New Year 2013!!!

January 1, 2013January 1, 2013 suznquilts

I’m excited about this new year.

For one thing, my favorite number is 13.

I don’t know why, it just is.

For another thing, Suzn Quilts is 10 years old this year!

I have met so many incredible people, traveled to places I’ve never been, and my patterns & designs are being sold around the world!

Suzn Quilts is always evolving and 2013 has some exciting things in store for you…

For now, I want to wish you a Happy New Year!

May your 2013 be filled with peace, joy & good health.

Until next time,

Susan

My Life

Merry Christmas 2012!

December 25, 2012December 25, 2012 suznquilts

May your Christmas be blessed with family & friends!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, quilt as you go lap quilt

Need to make a last-minute Christmas gift in the form of a quilt???

December 14, 2012December 14, 2012 suznquilts

Have I got a plan for you!

They say the father of invention is necessity.

I can add to that by saying if you add a bit of lack of time-to-do-it-all or procrastination, well, my quilt-as-you-go lap quilts are the answer!
Back in September one of my older brothers (I’m #5 of 6 children) turned 50.

Not that I didn’t know it was coming, but my summer was so crazy that I didn’t have a chance to think about what gift I would give him. Before I knew it, it was here and I’d still not made a decision. I wanted to make him a quilt since I’ve not made him one up until this point. I’ve made some of my siblings and siblings-in-law quilts for milestone birthdays, so I asked him at his 50th birthday party if he had any special requests.

His reply, being a U of I Fighting Illini alum x2, was that he wouldn’t mind it being blue and orange Illini colors.

I decided that would be an easy task. I found Illini fabric later that month, but was so busy with fall quilt market prep that I didn’t have the time or energy to put into even designing it. Finally last Sunday I had Clare help me baste the backing & batting.

Then I decided what the quilt would look like and made the giant “I” applique.

Next, I cut all of the strips.

Everything was set to sew.

FINALLY I started sewing!

If you’re familiar with any of my quilt-as-you-go lap quilt patterns, they all work on this principle.

Bast the backing to the batting (I like spray baste) then use that as a foundation to sew strips onto.

Once the strips are sewn on, the quilting is done.

I added the applique, then the binding.

And here it is in all its blue & orange glory…

If you think it’s bright, that’s just because you’re not an Illini fan!!!

Dennis’ 50th(+) birthday gift, check!

I hope you’re making time to sew something for Christmas (or birthdays, etc.).

Until next time,

Susan

A Giveaway!, Applique quilt projects, My Life, New Quilt Pattern Magazine

Welcome to Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Kick-Off Blog Tour

November 5, 2012November 5, 2012 suznquilts

I’m honored to once again have a block featured in

Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers Volume 6!!!

It’s a new issue with 100 more original blocks complete with full instructions.

I submitted this block last spring when I was knee-deep in preparations with

my new “Baby Love” book.

We all have opportunities to sew quilts for babies at some point in time.

I can see so many possibilities with this block.

Make just one block and have a cute center focal point.

By adding a few borders to this block, it can quickly make a small baby quilt or wall hanging.

If a more generous size quilt is what you’re after,

make 5 “Baby” blocks and set them with 4, 12″ coordinating fabric squares to make this 42″ baby quilt.

As you know, the possibilities are endless.

Of course there is a give-away!

To enter to win a free copy of the new 100 Blocks Volume 6,

go UP, UP, UP to the TOP of this post and leave a comment letting me know how many baby quilts you’ve sewn so far.

If you’d like a chance to win a pattern of your choice from my website…

Subscribe to my blog and leave me another comment telling me which of my patterns you would like to win.

If you’re already a subscriber let me know that in your comment along with your favorite pattern choice.

Two winners will be drawn for a free pattern.

Respond before midnight Tuesday to win the drawings,

and don’t forget to leave your email address.

Please visit the other bloggers this week, by going to Quiltmaker’s blog for the complete list.

There are lots of great prizes all week long.

Thanks for stopping by & good luck!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, Quilt Market

Off to Houston for International Quilt Market

October 25, 2012October 25, 2012 suznquilts

Market, like Christmas, seems to come faster each year.

Is this a sure sign that I’m getting old?

DON’T answer that!

I’m off to Houston…again.

Houston is home to some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever eaten,

and home to some of the smallest parking spaces anywhere I’ve even driven!

It really is a pretty city.

We’re staying out at the Galleria again.

Our drive each day will take us through beautiful Memorial Park.

It will undoubtably be full of joggers, walkers, and sport enthusiasts of all types.

If I lived in Houston, it would have to be near Memorial Park, so I too could be one of them.

For us market workers,

we will just have to enjoy the park on our drives to and from the convention center each day.

We will get plenty of exercise setting up our booths and standing in them all weekend.

That’s ok, I’ll take it!

I hope you have an enjoyable week.

I’ll be back with photos upon my return.

Until next time,

Susan