A few of my favorite things

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Here is the pincushion that goes with the bookazine giveaway listed below!!

Okay, who is hungry? for projects to use the moda precuts that is. A beautiful book by Edie McGinnis from Kansas City Star is hitting the shelves. KCS has been so kind to let me share with you an excerpt of the book making it one of my favorites.YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! Another of my favorite things is the new Bags, Pillows and Pincushions issue from American Patchwork & Quilting. It is a BOOKAZINE. What is that? A book and a magazine morphed into one. Who doesn’t want that? Leave me a comment here about your favorite project on the
Moda Bake Shop and you will be entered in a drawing for this bookazine and a Big & Bold pincushion made by yours truly- me. Designed by Jill Abeloe Mead. I am also making the Wool & Whimsy pincushion by Roseann Meehan Kermes but I am keeping it for myself. (I will post a picture of the pincushion as soon as I get my camera fixed. Drawing this weekend.)

Another one of my favorite things is the new book I received in the mail. Wonderful eye candy for any quilter.
A Beautiful book by Gwen Marston. Photographed by my friend Gregory Case. Each of the quilts are beautifully photographed full size as well as a close up to show detail.

I am thinking the bella solids would be wonderful for any of these.

We have been honored to have Gregory take pictures of the moda booth during quilt market. Can you imagine trying to gather all these people to get in 1 picture? Well Gregory did with a little help from Elena and myself. (I am hiding in the very back)
A small part of the special people that bring moda to you!!

They are my very Favorite things (except my family)
Oops gotta go.. Bachelor is on.

Emily’s baby quilt

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It must be that time in my life. Everyone around me is having babies or grand babies. (Don’t get any idea, kids) My niece and nephew, Daniel & Emily Tardy are due to have her first child (we know it is a girl) next week. Their nursery has a light fabric with a wonderful big paisley full of greens and blues. I didn’t have any of the fabric to be able to match a quilt to, yet I trudged on. I love the Denyse Schmidt style of quilts, so I thought I would sew some wacky log cabin or something nice and graphic. Changed my mind mid stream. At market, Quiltsmart had a pattern to make an orange peel and I thought this design would be perfect. Viola!

Easy, easy. easy and fun! With quiltsmart the templates are printed on lightweight fusible interfacing. First cut the interfacing, sew them to the fabric pieces and turn like a pillow. The exposed side of the interfacing is fusible so no or little pinning is required. Iron it in place and sew it down with whatever method you prefer. You can leave the interfacing in or cut it out from the back side of the quilt. Viola! Viola! You may notice the petal shapes above have printed lines across the middle. For my baby quilt I wanted smaller petals than the quiltsmart interfacing featured. I reduced the shape 50% and traced it on to the interfacing. I only used a little bit of the interfacing for this project, so I will have plenty left to also make this quilt full size using scrappy prints.

Normally, you would sew these petals on to squares and then assemble the blocks. I didn’t want all the petals to line up (intentionally or not! ?) so I am appliqueing the petals on the background as a whole piece.
I am going to add the name and date running across the borders as soon as I know. So far,
I have (name goes here) Tardy, Feb (date) 2009 ready to applique as soon as I hear the news. Quilt it and ship it!!
NEWS JUST IN!
Savannah Lynn Tardy has been born. I’ve got to get to work on the borders.

Miss Rosie’s Fan Club

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In all fairness to the recent post on the Jolly Jabber by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie’s fame, I felt I needed to explain myself. Yes I will admit that I did “nag” Carrie a bit to do 5″ charm patterns. Why? Well I thought it would be wonderful to line the halls of moda with small quilts documenting the fabric designers and their collections. My previous idea was just to make miniatures of the project sheets. Can you imagine the Portobello Market Project sheet in miniature? Well I couldn’t either. So selfishly I hounded Carrie for patterns.
I am the President of the Miss Rosie’s fan club. Not really, but should be. I am making every single one of her Schnibbles. I am bummed if I do not get a charm pack to make with the collection and have to substitute. However,it is cool to see the other colorways. I have started hoarding the patterns and charm packs. I slide the pattern in the wrapper of the charm pack until I am ready for it. What you don’t see in the picture is the stack of Schnibbles that are all cut and organized waiting to be sewn. I cut several out at a time when I am in the cutting mood. Then when I am in the sewing mood and don’t want to start something new, I pull one of these out. ( Boy, I sound like a moody person)
Much to my surprise I received a package during the Holidays. It was full of the original pincushions from Tuffets pincushion pattern. What a treasure! How did she know I had started a pin cushion collection?!
I know this is a life long goal to have made all of these quilts. I hate to admit that I am also making all of Pam Buda’s, Heartspun Quilts charm patterns. What an addiction, geez!
There are no Schnibbles lining the walls of moda yet. Someday!
I know all my buddies have already blogged about the new Moda Bake Shop blog , but I am also mentioning it. Kudos to Angela Yosten for working so hard on developing it. Thank you to Joanna, Camille, Monica, Laurie and Leigh Ann for getting us started with some fun projects. We have lots more coming. Feel free to leave me a comment on things you would like to see featured on the Moda Bake Shop.

Collection for a Cause and soap

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I wanted to post about these soaps before the Holidays in case you needed them as gifts, but…. I guess there is always mother’s day, birthdays or just because. First about the fabric, Collection for a Cause is an ongoing program begun by owner, Howard Marcus Dunn. It features antique quilts from his collection and support charities and causes that touch the hearts and lives of all of us.
Proceeds from this collection, Heritage, will be donated to Gilda’ s Club, which seeks to provide an emotional and social support community for people living with cancer. The proceeds were given in memory of our colleague, Pam Wieland.

Then I saw this. Joyce Noerr from Sororia Organics Soaps makes and packages some of her products in Heritage fabrics. Good for your skin and good for the soul…..Plus they are also giving a portion of the proceed’s to Gilda’s Club. Moda fabric, organic soap and giving back all in one thing, what could be better. Way to go, Joyce.

New Year’s Quiz

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Okay we are almost 2 weeks into the new year. I am very much a glass half full kinda gal. How do i know this ? Because my Dad played this game with our family at the dinner table when I was 8 years old. So I found this quiz over at Martha about following through on New Year’s Resolutions. I did okay. Pretty much middle of the “glass.”

I wanted to share with you the best $ 9.98 I have spent in a long time. I guess that isn’t true, I have now bought 4 of these books so I guess it has cost me $40.00…. still well worth it.

I was at Barnes & Noble with my daughter and picked up this book in the front of the store. I looked up my daughter’s birthday. My daughter said, “I don’t believe in any of that stuff.” I read the first 2 sentences about her (which was dead on) and bought the book. I have taken the book to 2 birthday parties since then and we have had great fun reading about each other. In fact the scan of the book above still has all the post it notes in it for the birthdays of the moda gals.
1 of the 4 books I have bought is now owned by my daughter who doesn’t believe in this stuff.
I guess I don’t believe in it either but the good, bad and the ugly of my birthdate was so correct it was creepy.
Theresa Cheung is the author and I have now seen a bunch of other cool stuff that she does. I will have to check out to see if I can find some more mindless entertainment.

Happy Holidays!

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Loose ends!!
One of the odd things about working at Moda is the Christmas holidays. We work on Holiday 2009 while also trying to accomplish Christmas 2008 at home. ( I am sworn to secrecy about Holiday 2009 but it is going to be GREAT!) We took a break from work and went to lunch on Friday.We had our annual ornament exchange. Pictured below are a few of the people in marketing, sampling and new product development. I think Rudolph bit Outlaw in the rear. Guess which one is Outlaw?With that being said I felt like I should follow-up on some loose ends.

Thimbleblossoms drawing.
I am delighted to be working on a quilt for Wendy! She won a drawing on Camille’s blog. Never did I expect to receive such a wonderful surprise in the mail. Camille sent me a selection of her patterns, a stocking full of chocolate and a James Taylor Christmas Cd. I have enjoyed sewing and snacking. the problem is I have also started a couple of her other patterns also. This quilting addiction is crazy! ( thank you, Camille)

Hexagons
I told you that I would post how to do English Paper Pieced hexagons by machine. I use the same technique that Blackbird Designs uses to do all of their applique quilts. Leaving the paper in, butt two of the hexagons together and sew. I use a fine zig zag stitch. The key is to use good quality nylon thread. Not the cheap stuff that is almost like fish line! The stitches almost disappear once the paper is removed. Join hexagons in sets of 2 and repeat. When you line up the next set of two slip the hexagons under the first set. This helps hold them in place as you chain piece. If you are doing the traditional hexagon flower you will have to pay close attention to fabric placement. I am doing a striped border of hexagons so mine are all constructed in rows.

Do not worry about taking out the paper or the basting stitches until you have sewn several of the sides together to hold them in place. Here are several rows sewn together. How long would this take by hand?

Once the rows and or sections are arranged you can continue to join the sections using the same technique. You do not have to have an entire section down to start sewing them together. More can be added section by section.
A section sewn together!
Enjoy, try it and let me know if you have any questions.
I love this artist.

So I will close this posting by singing out load in my home to each of you this Christmas Carol. Have a wonderful Holiday with your friends and family,
Lissa

I’m A Quilter!!

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Jump in and sing the Anthem that American Patchwork & Quilting has started. I am a Quilter and Proud of it. What can you tell about yourself ? Make an 9×12″ quilt that tells your story in fabric, then post a photo of your quilt and your smiling face. It is fun to see the difference between the Editors‘ quilts and their stories. Every quilt…….. no matter how big or small …….does tell a story. Be sure and check out Lisa Schumacher’s quilt. She pieced fabric together to form her own fabric. I am hoping to get mine posted ( that is if the middle child in me can decide what describes me as a quilter) Hope to see your quilt there also.
I think this is step 1 in the 12 step program.
Step 1 I am a quilter and proud of it.
Step 2 is you must confess it to all.
Step 3 take therapy for the addiction by sewing more and more
Step 4 go to as many shows and classes as needed to discusss the addiction
Step 5 store fabric in your freezer, under the beds, in the closets, anywhere necessary for quick retrival when you need a quick fix
Step 6 go get a job at a fabric company
Step 7 need I go on? Afterall I do not want to be cured of this addiction so I guess 6 steps will do instead of the normal 12.

gobble, gobble,gobble

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Happy Thanksgiving to all. It is a tradition in our family to call everyone we know and say Gobble, Gobble, Gobble and hang up. This usually goes on for hours ….So consider this posting an official Gobble.

While cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 30 people, I am also packing for a quick overseas trip to Madrid, Spain. Below is some of the stuff I am throwing in my carry on.(except the Sonic drink). I have cut assorted 3 sisters charm packs into 2 1/2″ squares so they are ready to pick up and go. The greatest thing ever is the Clover Needle threader. Not only does it thread the needle for you but it also has a threader cutter built in……..perfect for travel on a bumpy, dark airplane.

One note of randomness-I use to hide my cash in my makeup bag. With 4 four boys my cash was always safe there. Then one day my daughter snooped and found it so the secret was out. The reason I tell you this story is when I pulled out this project, the small sewing bag still had some loose cash in it. I guess I now have a new cash stash place. None of my kids will ever go snooping through my sewing stuff.

Here is the stack I made while working on Cornbread! Queen of multi- tasking!I learned the technique form the gals at Cotton & Chocolate in California. Thier technique is very quick and easy. I am sewing them together by machine. ( yes I know that is not how you are supposed to do it!- but I do want to finish in this lifetime!) I am sewing the hexagons into rows instead of the traditional flower pattern. More on that to follow. (love the thimble- favorite color -Red)

Happy Thanksgiving to all,

Lissa

Surprise! Surprise! An early Christmas

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Well the winner is in at Thimbleblossoms! Go to http://www.camilleroskelley.typepad.com/ to read all about it. My news is that I told Camille pick 2 winners and I would make a quilt for the second place. She kept asking me did I want to pick. I said , No silly girl, you choose. After looking at all the work she did to determine the winner I hate to say but I have it easy.
But Camille did pick someone that commented on my blog so I am posting Wendy as the winner- runner -up. Is there such a thing ? Is that like a participation trophy?
Wendy, do you want a W on the quilt instead of an M for moda?

I am honored to be making the following quilt for Wendy!
See comments below on Camille’s blog

“Hi! I’m from Utah, but I’ve been transplanted to Massachusetts. I love New England, but boy do I miss the mountains! I love love love your Wallflower pattern, and I would count myself extremely lucky to have a Camille original!!!! I can’t think of a strange compliment I’ve received, but something unique about me is that I could snap my fingers when I was six months old (cross my heart – at least that’s what my mom claims) I also wanted to tell you how much I love your photography! You have a great artistic eye!”
was Lissa’s 109th commenter, and just happens to be…
Wendy