My Life – Page 29 – Quilting my way through life!

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

My Life

New Pattern for Fall Market – Charmed Jelly Roll

October 18, 2012October 18, 2012 suznquilts

So, you’ve seen what I can do with new fabric yardage and then with the scraps,

now you can see what I can do with pre-cuts.

This next quilt is made with just one jelly roll & a charm pack.

The only other fabric you’ll need is 2 yds. of backing fabric and you’ll have a nice lap quilt.

It’s made with my quilt-as-you-go technique.

So, you know you can make this quilt in a day because with pre-cuts, the cutting is done for you. This is yet another sample of what you can make with the new Odds & Ends by Julie Comstock for Moda.

The colors are bright, yet soft.

No applique here, just straight piecing and no wondering how to quilt it when you’re finished, you’re quilting as you sew it.

There are two stipulations that I make for these quilts,

1.) Only Warm & Natural Cotton Batting

2.) Walking foot is a must!

Incorporate one into your Christmas gift sewing this year and you’ll be making more throughout the year, they’re that fun.

Charmed Jelly Roll is available on my website now.

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, New Pattern Sample, New Quilt Book, Quilt Market

New Book & Patterns Ready For Fall Market

October 16, 2012 suznquilts

I finally have all of my printing done for market, yeah!

My new covers and books were delivered last week, but I’ve been busy doing other things like getting my distributor packets together, packing & putting the new designs on my website.

So, as I introduce my new designs this week, know that you can go to my website and order them and not have to wait for me to do that task after market.

Now for the best part, introducing them to you.

First, my new book.

You may remember me showing you the new Odds & Ends fabrics a couple of months ago, and then showing you the backing and batting of all three of these quilts basted and ready to sew.

Along with them I also designed and sewed some name banners.

I was lucky enough to get two more perfect models; Delaney my little friend, and my new great-nephew, Benjamin.

Aren’t they cute?

In this new book you’ll find Quilt-as-you-go instructions to make the name quilts in either baby size or lap size.

You can see from the photos that the lap quilt is the perfect size for any age kid to cuddle up in and the baby size is generous enough for wrapping any age baby into. (you know, for when the baby is 6 months old and you still don’t have a gift…)

The name banners can be made either horizontal or vertical and can say anything you want, not just names.

Entire full-size alphabet is included.

Instructions and yardage guidelines are given in the book too.

This summer our family moved into the next generation with the birth of Benjamin.

Upon trying to decide what to give the expectant parents, knowing I would be setting a precedence with 10 nieces & nephews plus 3 kids of our own, I decided on a quilt using my unique quilt-as-you-go technique. It’s really quick, cute and usable!

I was able to match Benjamin’s nursery colors, personalize it with his name and it was quick & easy.

I also thought ahead for those of you sewing for babies that maybe are not named in time for gift sewing and giving, just put on it the word “BABY” such as I did for the quilt above that Ben is lying on. Problem solved!

I’m so excited knowing when all those babies start coming very close together, and you know they will and soon, I will be able to sew up a quick quilt by just selecting 3 fabrics and starting to sew.

Pretty smart of me, huh?

I hope you will give them a try.

Look for two more new designs coming up.

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, Quilt Market

Biting my nails

October 9, 2012 suznquilts

I feel like a child, anxiously (and impatiently) waiting for Christmas!

I’ve been waiting for my new patterns…

FedEx has my covers and brochures for Fall Market in Houston where I’ll be going in a couple of weeks.

Tracking says I should get them today.

Wood River Printing is working on my new booklets.

They’re local and told me Tuesday or Wednesday, so as soon as I get the call, I’m there!

I don’t know why, but it’s always exciting to see my patterns in final form.

Yes, I’ve looked at them many hours already, but seeing them in polished form is so exciting to me.

It’s kind of like finally getting to wear that new Easter dress mom made along with the new coordinating shoes that were bought weeks in advance.

I can still remember trying them on in front of the mirror countless times.

I hope I survive.

I guess I’ll get busy by finishing up other market prep;

lighting & booth pole rental agreements,

boxing up freshly washed booth drapes for shipping,

and creating a new list of items that I’ll be taking with me to Houston.

Does this look as fun as standing in front of a mirror with shiny new shoes???

I think not!

For now I will just keep moving toward my final destination…market!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life

Happy Labor Day 2012

September 3, 2012September 4, 2012 suznquilts

According to Wikipedia:

Labor Day celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.

Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887.

It became a federal holiday in 1894. (my condensed version)

I grew up on a farm, so every day was a day of labor in some way!

School had already been in session for a couple of weeks and the Monday holiday was always welcome!

The highlight of Labor Day weekend was attending a local carnival.

Cotton candy, snow cones, corn dogs, carnival rides, etc.

Everyone was there.

During my younger years, our 4-H club had a lemonade stand.

Cooler years we also served hot chocolate.

This year, thanks to Isaac, it has been raining since Friday, before the carnival even opened.

This happens some years.

No cotton candy, no fish sandwich…No shooting out the star for my oldest child (my husband)!

Instead, this year was spent homecoming dress shopping for my youngest,

working on new quilt designs,

little 9 patch quilt revisited,

getting ready for lottery blocks for the guild,

new pattern ideas for my Lincoln laser-cut silhouette, plus other uses for those lovely civil war charm squares,

and look, I even took the shrink wrap off my odds n ends pre-cuts,

fortunately it’s not too wet to design & dream,

and I made more applesauce.

Next year it’s back to cotton candy, fish sandwiches & carrying a huge stuffed animal around!

Until next time,

Susan

Finishing up a quilt project, My Life

Finito!

August 9, 2012 suznquilts

Here you have it, all finished!

I didn’t have to stay up all night. I was done before 10:00.

I love it!

It’s not what I originally intended, but it looks pretty good in my rocking chair in the living room…

Perhaps it will be a gift to me?

It sounds good, but so does having a gift for an upcoming birthday.

Now, on to Rosemary’s Club and to see what might inspire me next.

Umm, Houston’s Fall Market is just 2-1/2 months away.

Perhaps I should start dwelling on that?

Hope you’re sewing today!

Until next time,

Susan

Finishing up a quilt project, My Life

Bring on the movie!

August 8, 2012 suznquilts

Well, when I got up this morning I didn’t head first to the dishwasher or computer.

Nope, instead I decided to choose quilting thread and bobbin thread and start sewing in the sunshine!

With Rosemary’s Club tomorrow I decided this was the day.

This is the Thimbleberries lap quilt that I started way back here, before life got in the way…

Isn’t the sun shining in your quilt room the most beautiful sight?

These are the days I yearn for so often come January, February,…

Not that we’ve not had enough sun shiny days this summer, we have.

Just look at that brown grass in the distance!

It’s just that I’ve not had the opportunity time-wise, mental-wise or otherwise to sew.

Since this is going to be a gift and not a pattern sample, I decided to “age” it a bit by putting it in the washer and dryer.

While it was aging, I cut & pieced the binding.

As soon as it comes out of the dryer, it will be trimmed and the binding sewn on, then look out, I need a movie to watch!

Oh, well, that’s after we make a run to the plumbing store for a replacement handle for an outside faucet, and while we’re out I will probably think of a few other tasks that we need to stop for, BUT THEN!!!

I’m thinking Legally Blonde. We’ve not watched that in a while.

Of course dinner will need to be made and then there’s the budget meeting for quilt guild tonight.

But this quilt will be done by 8:30 a.m. tomorrow if I have to stay up all night!!!

Until next time,

Susan

Family Time, My Life, new fabric collection

Summer…Vacation???

July 26, 2012 suznquilts

Absence does not mean lack of doing, but in this absence I’ve not even been thinking about quilting, much less doing it.

I did finish this top before T-berry Club (a.k.a. Rosemary’s Club) ummm June meeting, but still it sits all basted and collecting dust more than a month later.

I can’t believe I got these more than a month ago,

a new Moda collection, Odds & Ends by Julie Comstock. Lovely colors & cute designs. Yes, it’s still in its shrink-wrap. I’m not allowing myself to remove it until I’m ready to sew.

I received these Christmas fabrics from Northcott and made a cute sample for a magazine.