February Stitch Tease

February was another improv month for the Stitch Tease Bee. Dianne wanted Midcentury Modern blocks. Luckily, she provided an excellent Pinterest board for inspiration and great suggestions for fabric selection.

I procrastinated again with these blocks, because I was intimidated by the task set forth. Today I finally got to work and made my two blocks. I am pleased with how they turned out in the end. 

I hope Dianne likes them, and they go well with the rest of her blocks!

January Stitch Tease

I finished my January Stitch Tease Bee Blocks for Susan just in the knick of time (as usual these days).

Susan, like the rest of us, adored Di's "Not Squared" quilt, and she wanted one of her own. We were charged with making these improv blocks in jewel tones. I admit to being intimidated when anyone says "improv". Even though I usually like the result, I get a little nervous in the beginning. These blocks are pretty easy, though, so it wasn't so bad. The trick is working in the "wonky". In theory it should be easy, but sometimes if you're not wonky enough, it just looks like you messed up what was supposed to be a straight seam. Yikes!

Modern Sampler Quilting Class

I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a Modern Sampler Quilting Class series at the Electric Needle in Madison, WI beginning in May!

The Mod Sampler is a series consisting of 4 classes, and we will make a quilt that features 7 quilt blocks (6 on the front and 1 on the back) from Tula Pink’s City Sampler Book, 100 Modern Quilt Blocks. You must buy the book for the class, and it is available with a discount at the Electric Needle if you enroll in the class. I designed the quilt layout, and I will teach you how to break out of your traditional quilting shell. Come learn my favorite way to improv, and explore some of the qualities attributed to the modern quilting movement: negative space, solids, pieced backs, and pieced bindings.

If you are new to quilting, this is a great class to get you started. This quilt is a quick finish, and I will help you through the process. The fourth and final class will be optional, as it will be for those students who would like help with making the quilt sandwich, basting, machine quilting (including free-motion quilting), and binding.

Stop in or call the Electric Needle (608) 831-3770 to reserve your spot. Click here to visit the Electric Needle’s website page for this class.

Class Dates:

• Saturday, May 3^rd
• Saturday, May 17^th
• Saturday, May 31^st
• Saturday, June 14^th (optional)

Time:  1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Class Series Fee:  $60 (does not include book)

A supply list will be provided when you sign up for class. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions! trina@trinapeterson.com

Rainbow Runner - Project Quilting Challenge #1

It's been too long friends! I feel like the holiday season hit like a hurricane, and now I'm left dazed and confused, spun dizzy, drenched, and picking the leaves out of my hair.

But alas! It's a whole new year!

At the first 2014 meeting of the MadModQuiltGuild this week, a fellow member introduced us all to an ongoing phenomenon known as "Project Quilting". Apparently this is a wonderful challenge set forth by Kim at Persimon Dreams. The 5th season of said challenge kicked off this week, and I'm just barely squeaking in my entry at almost the last second. Click here to go to the Project Quilting Challenge page.

This challenge revolves around strings. To enter, a string quilt must be produced (start to finish) within this week of the challenge and submitted by noon today. Eek! I better get typing.

So here she is, henceforth and forever more called: Rainbow Runner.

Finished size: 59" x 11.5"

All of the colors in this project came from my scrap bin, and all are strings measuring 2.5" wide or less. I foundation pieced them onto 8.5" muslin squares. I had just purchased some Robert Kaufman Essex Linen this week, so I thought that would be great to use since I love the stuff. The sashing/border is all from 2" (1.5" finished) strings. The binding is a straight-grain 2.5" double-fold, and hand-stitched to the back. The backing is also made with the Essex Linen.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that this was the first time I've free-motion-quilted with my Juki 2010Q. The process just reinforced how much I LOVE HER! Not a single thread break.
Best. Machine. Ever.

Made and Photographed (in the snow) here in lovely Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

I'm already excited about the next challenge! I hope some of you will join in on the fun. Have a great week my friends. :)

Crowns for Queenie

A couple months ago I was pondering what in the world to give my aunt for her big upcoming milestone birthday: 75!!  She's impossible to shop for.  Plus, I like making stuff...so this happened:

If by chance you have read my previous post titled, "A Bag Fit for the Queen", you'll already know a little bit about my beloved Frannie.  "Queenie" is what we call her, and rightly so.

Frannie is a Maine-er, and you don't find too many couches in Maine without a blanket thrown over it.  I thought a new quilt would be perfect for her winter nights curled up in front of the TV hollering at the Celtics and the bad referree-ing...one of her favorite pastimes.

It didn't take me long to think of a good motif for the Queen's quilt.  Crowns!  Duh!  So I started sewing pieces together and trying to make something that somewhat resembled a crown.  Then I thought...well Queenie needs a crown for every occasion.  So these are what emerged:

This is her Glamour Crown.  She wears this one when she paints her toenails and gets all dolled up to go out with her girlfriends for Church Suppers and such.  The buttons are shinier in person. :)

This is her Housework Crown.  She wears it when she's scrubbing her "throne".

Here is her Business Crown.  This alerts everyone around when "Frannie Means Business"

This fancy one is her Coronation Crown.  When she puts this one on, we know it's time to roll out the Red Carpet.

Here is her Card Game crown.  Because come on...it's just fun.  She hopes the bright colors will distract the boys team so that the girls can win a hand for a change.

This huge crown is worn only for special occasions.  It seems to provoke things like free first-class upgrades and opening up of the car door.  It let's 'em know that someone important has come to town.

Frannie's Princess Crown is always accompanied by the sweetest, meekest smile she can muster and maybe a bat of the lashes.  She puts this on when she's picked something pricey out of the Lands End Catalog for Christmas.

Last but not least is the Cookin' Crown.  It is the most glorious of all. She adorns this heavyweight when she's cookin' up her magic in the kitchen.  I hope she will remember who made her this crown in particular the next time she bakes a batch of cookies.  She might get the urge to send a Priority box to Wisconsin.


Although I wasn't able to be in Maine at Frannie's 75th birthday celebration, I was fortunate enough to see her on Skype when she opened up her quilt.  The party go-ers got a good laugh, and so did Frannie.  Ironically enough, her two loving sons had a custom birthday cake made for her that said, "Happy 75th Birthday Queenie".  We did not coordinate.  When the planets align, they sure do get it right! 

Happy Big One, Queenie!!  xoxo