Starch Conquered and Composition Created

In the *real world* of creating I have been pinning together my rainbow quilt sandwich.  For those of you with the awesome starch advice - the misting won!  I was able to really get out those micro-wrinkles using a bit of mist to tame the fabric.  Thank you!

I am also using pinmoors for the first time ever.  So far it is way nicer than using safety pins...I'll have to let you know how it fares when it comes to the actual quilting on the machine process!

In the virtual computer design world I created this.  I am considering creating this using neutral fabrics such as a palette of grays, maybe in linen?

How did I come up with the composition?  So glad you asked...

You may remember the photo from the Portland Japanese Gardens (below) which I shared on my last post. I loved it so much I decided to see whether I could translate this to something I could create in a three dimensional quilt form.

I computerized it a bit.  You can see how I overlaid the design below in red.

There are a few other photos using similar steps that I'd like to fool around with as well.  What a cool way to mess around with layouts!  This could go on forever...

What do you think?  What are your WIPs?

Linking up to Freshly Pieced's WIP Wednesday

- rebecca lynne

Study in Texture

I recently visited Portland, Oregon.  While I was there I was so inspired by all the awesome art, craft, and culture we came into contact with.  We also took an afternoon to visit the Japanese Garden.  The Mr. and I took so many pictures, we kept passing the camera back and forth.  It was interesting to see how different our perspectives were...

I was mainly focused on Texture.  I am interested in doing a series of photos that concentrate on the texture of the subject.  Ultimately I think the texture will best be reflected in black and white, but the green of the garden was so beautiful I am sharing them with you in color now.  In fact, now that I am looking at them out of the context of the garden, I actually think the color influenced my choices.  These greens, the grays, and teal tones are really gorgeous!

Who knows - maybe some of the colors and textures will inspire some awesome spoonflower creations?

- rebecca lynne

Starch Help

I believe in doing things when you are in the mood to do them.  Which is why I have not begun quilting this awesome quilt top yet!  Because, well, I haven't FELT like it yet!

But here I am finally getting to it.  I have decided to Starch the quilt top and back which is a new adventure for me.  Any tips are greatly appreciated!  I think I already made my first slip up because the starch instructions stated that I needed to iron while the fabric was damp...well it dried a lot faster than I thought it would and now I am left ironing it dry.  Do I use steam?  Do I mist?  What to do?

I have gotten most of the wrinkles out except for these rather annoying little micro ones that you see below.  Hmmph. I mean how anal can I be?  It is going to get wrinkled again anyway right?

Well if you are over here visiting from Freshly Pieced please do let me know if you've experience with starch and what your thoughts are.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday for the first time in I think a year!  Crazy!

**UPDATE: I misted water when I pressed my quilt top/backing based on the comments I received to this post.  It really worked and the starch is still working.  So, my advice?  Attack those micro-wrinkles with mist and patient pressing to de-wrinkle and avoid stretching and you are good to go!**

- rebecca lynne

Bee Mine Valentine Template

Some would say I put waaaaaaay too much effort into the Valentine's Cards for my children's school...they are after all 8 months, 2, and 4.  It only involved scanning in a copyright free image, photoshop, layout play, choosing one design and printing a bunch out, then an epiphany this morning on how to improve it, printing out more of the new improved version...voila!

Some would be correct.

As I told my mother in law - I can easily get carried away with these things.

But I think it is cute!  You can grab the Bee Mine Valentine PDF here.  Let me know if you find a way to improve on it...after all I'll be doing this for years to come...

Happy [early] Valentine's Day!

- rebecca lynne

My New Bestie...

Without my sewing machine this rotary tool has become my best friend...  

I have also become very fond of playing around with color palettes.  I am so enchanted by these big blocks of color that I am planning on creating one quilt with four large blocks.  Was just trying to decide which way to go...

Option 1- Just Four

Clockwise: Ta Dot Teal, Les Amis Star Pods, Les Amis Faux Bois Gray, Ta Dot Yellow

Option 2 - All Teal

Clockwise: Textured Basics Teal Diamonds, Flora & Fauna Patty Young, Ta Dot Teal, Les Amis Star Pods Teal

Mmmm yum.  I have also been doing some serious EPP.  Too early to show anything yet, I started with a color palette I later decided against and so I had to scrap and start over, so not fun.  But, I think I am on a better track now!  Hope you had a good/productive weekend.

I am off to figure out 40 Valentine's Day Cards for daycare.  Yippee (<-- read sarcasm)

- rebecca lynne

On the subject of sewing machines...

mine is absent.

I...know...devastating.

However, I have been assured by the gentleman who is cleaning it that it will be totally fine and good as new once he is done tuning/cleaning it.

WHEW HEW HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE!!!

But.

Ah yes, the but.  Two things
1. I have had no sewing machine since last Saturday and I am getting totally antsy.
2. As a result of having no sewing machine I took my serger out to mess with that and well it turns out it is broken.

WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...

Clearly the internal debate has now begun as to whether I need to have a serger.  After all, I haven't used it recently.  But on the other hand I was planning on using it...A Lot!  Summer clothes, summer dresses, little girls skirts, shirts, hats, and swimsuits!

It is time to regroup.  If I can make it until next Wednesday when my precious sewing machine should be back I'll be better.  Anything you can suggest to distract me until then...greatly welcome...

- rebecca lynne

Messing Around

I think I like this combo better than the orange...I just can't get enough of that green...it brightens up the kukla fabric considerably.

- rebecca lynne

Sunday Stash

From left to right: Ta Dot in Teal, Maasai Mara Sari Lime, Little Kukla Flowers and Birds Teal, Timeless Treasures Sketch 

Thinking of making a slim artist's tote with these...

See?  Tertiary on the brain...

- rebecca lynne

Quilters' Haven - My LQS

 

I have a LQS!  What?  A local quilt shop!  No joke!

It was a beautiful friendly shop with a very open minded shop owner, Janice, who took the time to hear my spiel about the Modern Quilt Guild and my interest in modern quilting.  We chatted about how to target 30-somethings and I eyed her long-arm quilting machine with a delighted grin.  Oh, yes, I will take advantage of those services being so near!  I'm sure many of you home quilters can agree...sometimes the thought of the quilting just Being Done is more enticing than the satisfaction of doing it yourself on your home machine.

Although Quilters' Haven is not a mecca of modern deliciousness that us Modern Fabric Crazies all lust for... [Thank goodness right?  Can you imagine how tempting dangerous that would be to have so close in real life?]  Janice has in stock some Timeless Treasures basics which I am always in need of and, even more importantly, AURIFIL!  Aaaaaaawwwwwwhhhhhh <--- imagine a choir of angels singing here.

Quilters' Haven also carries a number of modern books including this one which I fingered lustfully.  Mmmm there are a few projects in there I wouldn't mind tackling.

Oh, right, and what motivated me to find Quilters' Haven?  My 'nina has some funky tension issues going on...groan...  I'm hoping a thorough cleaning by the local sewing-machine-fixer-upper will solve the glitch.  After all I can't quilt This and have it end up all funky.  Miss E would never forgive me and Yes, even at the ripe age of 4...she would notice!

If you are nearby - go stop into Quilters' Haven!

- rebecca lynne

Gifting 2013

Last year I was new to blogging and I was amazed at how generous the online sewing community is...so this year, now that I am lucky to have a new sewing space, a healthy stash, and hopefully more time once Miss O starts sleeping through the night, my goal is to Pay It Forward and gift some of that generosity back to my blogger friends...

I'm starting with a gift for someone close to me in real life in the hopes that it will kick off my goal to share surprise small gifts with my virtual friends too.  [So, if you are my virtual friend and I ask for your address, be a gem and share your address without too many questions.  I promise, I do not intend to stalk you!]

I wasn't able to give my friend her gift in person...so without revealing too much I am giving a sneak peak which really showcases some of my favorite fabrics from my stash.  Of course, when I say favorite, you know I am talking Anna Maria Horner!!!  

The fabrics seen here are from Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush line which sat collecting dust all last year until I decided enough was enough - use it or lose it!  It is so freeing to actually enjoy using it in a project.  I hope my friend enjoys it too...

- rebecca lynne

"January is the month that cares" - Elton John

It isn't much...but it is more than nothing...

From Left to Right: Miss E turned (4!), New Haircut, Started Making House with DIY Fabric Napkins, Selvedge Pincushion

- rebecca lynne

Feeling Tertiary

Life these days is a lot of waking up, shower, get kids to school or be grateful that the Mr. did, arrive at work by the skin of my teeth (i.e. LATE), work-work-work, pick up kids, eat, bedtime routine, coax baby into her crib (this is tough but improving), internal debate between lazy me versus motivated/creative me,  motivated/creative me loses debate, succumb to television...bed.

...next morning, wake up, shower...

It is winter.  Perhaps that is why these days everything feels so routine that I can barely get myself to sit down at the computer to write a coherent blog post let alone sit down at my sewing machine to create something.  There have been 89.5" of snow here this winter so far - which honestly for here isn't that much.  And, I don't feel depressed, make no mistake I am not experiencing any sort of seasonal affective disorder, quite the opposite.  I am feeling content, satisfied with letting things go and not feeling the pressure of Doing.  The surreal mounds of clean white snow make me feel weightless and slow like I'm moving through silent water...it isn't unpleasant, it is the acceptance of winter.  As the snow falls and the wind blows it serves to remind me of how calm I can grow during the cold wait.

However, apparently my subconscious is working on some creative juices because I realized, during a rare flash of insight as my eyes glanced over my color wheel, that I have become obsessed with tertiary colors.  

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I've always been passionate about yellow-green, anyone who has known me since the age of 16 can attest to that.  But these days I want to surround myself with teal, violet, and certain shades of orange too.  I've visualized large blocks of teal a la Leanne's simple baby quilt design.  Punches of orange chevrons amidst a subtle gray.  And of course I've been working through my violet issues with the Purple People Pleaser.

Who knew I could have all that going on in my head?  Here are some things I've been digging as of late...

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Where is all this coming from?  Now that I think about it...maybe it is the result of being surrounded by so much white...

- rebecca lynne