Nonnie's Quilt

Does anyone else have a hard time choosing fabrics and patterns for guys?

My dear great-uncle, Nonnie, turned 81 this past week, and I started thinking about a potential quilt for him many months ago, but my previous attempts at boy quilts have been sub-par at best.

Last year during garage-sale season I got it into my head that I would make a quilt out of old shirts. I thought a St. Louis 16 Patch with mens shirts might be my solution to the boy-quilt dilemma.

One night…concealed by mask and cape…I snuck into the closet belonging to Mr. Sexy Pants, and stole a couple of button-downs that haven't seen the light of day in probably a decade. (P.S. …do all other guys hang on to every article of clothing until eternity, and go postal when threatened with a trip to Goodwill? I swear there are t-shirts in his drawer that must have once clothed a porcupine, but Sexy Pants won't listen to reason when it comes to spring cleaning.)

Anyway, back to the quilt at hand:

I ended up adding one of my own shirts to the mix, and rounding out the rest with a trip to Goodwill. There were moments of doubt when I started piecing these together - I'm not going to lie to you. I was trying hard not to plan anything…just grab strips and sew them together. But there is always some point during this process when I lean back to stretch, take a look at what's going on in front of me, and think, "What the heck was I thinking? Ugh!" Does this happen to any of you? As luck would have it, this happened at a point I deemed too-late-to-turn-back-now, so I pushed onward.

I'm glad I did, because when I eventually pulled the quilt off of the frame and got the binding on, I couldn't help but smile. I don't know what it is about this one, but I really dig it. It's simple and all-boy. I'm also happy with the fact that these old shirts have found a new cozy purpose in life. No longer do they have to hang (forgotten forever) in dark closets, or cry out from a sea of thousands of other previously loved shirts at the Madison Goodwill for someone to please take them home.

I got a call from Nonnie in Maine when he received his quilt on Saturday, and he was very pleased. I wish I could have been there to see him open it, but I know it will keep him cozy during his naps. :)

The quilt back is black yarn-dyed Essex Linen by Robert Kaufman, and the binding is from the freebie table that was generously sponsored by JoAnn Fabrics at Sew South! I quilted it on my Grace Frame & Juki 2010Q with a printed pantograph from the awesome Quilt CAD software by Grace.

Happy Quilting :)

Sew South 2014

It's been just over a week since I returned home from the long anticipated Sew South Retreat 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. I can't possibility express how much fun and inspiration I've experienced at Sew South the last two years. Best of all are the friendships that I have made. It's hard to believe how such strong bonds can be forged in a few short days, but I am lucky to have made real friends from all across the country at Sew South. Thanks to apps like Instagram and Flickr, we can keep in touch on a regular basis, and share the projects we are working on and the important things happening in our lives. I love these girls, and I eagerly look forward to the next time we meet!

All of my Sew South photos were taken with my iPhone, and I'm sad to say that I didn't take many pictures (particularly with all my pals). Here's a quick peek at the fabulous Sew South Retreat from my perspective. 

Night of arrival - happy reunion with two gal pals from last year, Cindy & Diane.

This year, we were greeted with our ENORMOUS swag bags on our first night! This isn't even all of it!! (That huge bundle was a door prize that I won. Hooray!!)

It was easy to pick out all of the arrivals at Sew South, because everyone carried at least one handmade bag. These are just a few of them.

This is the boxy pouch I made during our project class with Kelly Bowser. It was a fun, quick project, and I'm sure I'll make more of these awesome pouches.

Here is my scrap bucket from our class with Heather Valentine. I'll definitely be making more of these. We even got to go outside and play with hammers to install the grommets!

The blogging class with Christen Barber was very informative, and I learned some important points to remember when using pictures.

Kati Spencer's class on improv was amazing. She brought some of her quilts to show, and they are gorgeous. I, however, have not yet finished my improv pillow project. I think I spent too much time chatting.

Neither have I finished my embroidery project from our class with Alison Glass. Yikes! Here is the start (along with the Perle Cotton that was generously donated by SewLuxFabric and needles from Dritz).

I have completed a tiny bit more of this project than pictured, but this is on my to-finish list (along with the pillow) for the next week or two. I LOVE Alison's embroidery patterns (in fact, I bought more). She is so very talented and nice. She also talked with us about her fabric design process, which was awesome!

One of the best parts about my Sew South experience this year was having the BEST Secret Sister in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!

Ironically, Karen was one of the first new gals I ran into at Sew South. My roommate and I immediately started referring to her as "Cool Karen." She traveled to Sew South with her bestie, Shirley, from Michigan. Although we are technically neighboring states, I'm sad that Wisconsin and Michigan are separated by that hugely inconvenient body of water called Lake Michigan. :*( Otherwise, I would be visiting these two at least every other day. Karen made me that fabulous mini dwell…along with all of the things shown below. And all of this wasn't even everything she gave me!! She was such a generous secret sister, but more than that…she is AWESOME! I'm so glad to call her and Shirley my two newest friends.

I was lucky to be Secret Sister to an awesome gal I had previously met at Sewing Summit, Tracey, from California. It was fun getting to know Tracey better, making her gifts, and trying to figure out things she might like. She is so upbeat, funny, and lovely. I'm glad I got to be her secret sister! Here she is with the Noodlehead Super Tote I gave her as a final "reveal" gift.

At the very end of the weekend, just before we all said our goodbyes, we gave Jennifer a surprise thank you gift for being so dang fabulous. Fellow Stitch Tease member and friend, Valerie came up with and coordinated a super-secret-surprise-project that we all pitched in and made for Jennifer leading up to Sew South. Over 40 gals made random star blocks in Jennifer's favorite colors, and sent them along to Valerie. She then put them together and made a quilt. The picture I took was from far away, but here it is in all it's glory. I think it's safe to say that Jennifer loved the quilt. There was definitely some "ugly crying" going on.

One last picture that truly portrays the joy we felt at Sew South. No fake smiles here!

Karen, myself, Diane, Cindy, & Shirley

I already can't wait to go back!

Jennifer is giving away some more Sew South swag to a couple lucky winners on April 5th. Click here to visit her blog and enter to win! 

Thank you so much to all of the generous
Sew South Retreat 2014 Sponsors!!

Crafty Traveler Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Crafty Traveler Blog Hop!!







I'm reviewing an awesome Noodlehead pattern: The Sidekick Tote. I love the way Anna writes all of her patterns. They are well illustrated, easy to understand, and the construction process makes sense (to me at least). If you haven't tried any of her patterns, you are missing out. There is a reason why they are so very popular.







The Sidekick Tote is an excellent size for everyday use, and I love the front pocket for quick phone access. There is also a pocket on the inside.

This pattern taught me how to do that wonderful recessed zipper closure at the top that doesn't have any holes on the side. I love this closure!! Does anyone else have that fear of dropping your bag and watching 15 tubes of lipgloss, approximately 8 bucks worth of loose change and other ladies' unmentionables tumbling out onto the floor at the grocery store? …maybe it's just me.
Anyway, this awesome zipper closure relieves my fear - and it's not as intimidating to install as it looks.

Anna's pattern includes instructions for an adjustable strap, but I opted not to do that. Now I'm regretting it of course, so I suggest taking the time to make that cool strap.

I used fabrics from the Boho line by Urban Chiks for Moda (except for the solid lining). The interfacing that Anna suggests in her pattern provides a really nice stability for this bag, but it is still soft and comfy.

Thanks for stopping by to see my Sidekick Tote! Click here to get the pattern at Noodle-head.com. Don't forget to link up your own handmade travel accessory for a chance to win an awesome prize from Jennifer's Crafty Traveler Contest. And check out all the other cool pattern reviews along the Hop. See details below.

Crafty Traveler Blog Hop: Feb 3- March 12

Link-up your travel handmade project March 6-12 for a chance to win one of three great prizes! (US only) 

Info: 

Prizes: 

#1: Free Spirit Fabric, Crafty Traveler Tote supplies and Dritz rotary cutter. 

#2: Box of 50 Coats Threads

#3: Pellon Prize Pack (Interfacing & Batting) 

To enter to win simply link up your project at ellisonlane.com on March 6. Please link from a new blog post but your project can be anything you've made to travel handmade within the last 6 months. 

You may also link from Flickr or Threadbias. 

Blog Hop Schedule

2/3: Patchwork Posse & Fabric Mutt

2/6: Random Thoughts Do or Di

2/10: Golden Willow Quilts

2/13: Between Quilts & The Sewing Chick

2/17: May Chappell & Modern Handcraft

2/20: Bryan House Quilts & Love By Hand 

2/24: Petit Lyons & Sew Many Possibilities 

2/27: Owen’s Olivia

3/3: Old Red Barn Co.  & Go Go Kim 

3/13: Winner's announced! 

Thank you Jennifer at Ellison Lane for hosting this fabulous series!

Thank you to the generous Crafty Traveler sponsors!!

I'm Going!!!

It's official...I got my ticket for Sew South 2014!!!

I consider myself to be VERY lucky, because the dang thing sold out in less than 2 minutes!  How crazy is that?  I'm sure Jennifer Mathis, founder of Sew South Retreat and designer/author at EllisonLane.com already has a waiting list a mile long.  Many lovely ladies did not get a ticket, and they will be sorely missed in March.  It was only a stroke of luck for those of us to managed to obtain one.  I think I may have scared Mr. Sexy Pants when I came barreling through the door this evening bouncing up and down with delight!

Di & Amy in our Skirt Block Class

On another note, I recently returned from Sewing Summit 2013 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It was a valuable educational experience, but also loads of fun.  I got to reunite with some of my friends who attended Sew South earlier this year, as well as make a few new gal pals.  The bonds that can sometimes be forged between people in such a short period of time truly amaze me.  I highly value the friendships I have been fortunate enough to develop with these incredible women.  We all have in common a passion for sewing and creativity.  The community of sewists of which I have become a part is inspiring and wonderful.  These ladies make me smile all the way to my soul, and I look forward to traveling across the country to spend bits of time with them whenever possible, as well as keeping up with them through their blogs and Instagram.  The internet has completely changed the world and allowed people worldwide to connect in ways that are magical.  We are lucky to live in such an age.

I used my iPhone to take a few pics at Sewing Summit, so the image qualities are not perfect, but here a a few glimpses:

Swap Gift

This is the awesome secret swap gift I received from  Christina.  She was so very generous and thoughtful.  Upon giving me the gift, she mentioned that she had a hard time figuring out what to give.  She definitely hit the nail on the head!  Her feather theme delighted me.  She obviously did her spy homework well.  Besides picking up on my love for my bird, Keef, she also saw that I have been dabbling with hexies and that I have a "slight" affinity for all things pink.  Well done, Christina, and a million thanks!  Check out Christina's awesome blog & patterns at http://sometimescrafter.blogspot.com .

Modern Baby

At one of our lunches at Sewing Summit, we walked into the dining room to place settings with sample batting and a single book as the center piece.  It was subsequently announced that the gal with the ticket under her bread plate at each table won the book.  I never win anything!!  But I did this time.  :)  What makes this book even more special is that it features quilts from two of my Sew South friends, Dana from http://oldredbarnco.blogspot.com (hers is on the cover) and Lindsey from http://lrstitched.com .  The book is Modern Baby, and here is a link to it on Amazon.

Booooooo!

It just so happened that my birthday fell while I was at Sewing Summit.  I don't care much about birthdays anymore, since nothing good comes from birthdays after 25 (insurance goes down).  I was determined to get by undetected.  BUT I WAS BETRAYED!  My Sew South 2013 roommate and friend, Cindy from http://cindyloussouthernsewing.blogspot.com, wasn't able to make it to Sewing Summit unfortunately, but she DID manage to spread the word from GEORGIA along to our friend, Di of http://www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com .  On the evening of my (what I will only admit to as another 25th) birthday, a group of us were finishing up a fantastic (best Mexican food I've ever had) supper when the waiters arrived in all their accented sing-song glory to embarrass me.  At least the cake was delicious.  :)   If you're ever in SLC, you must try out the Red Iguana.  The food is rockin' and the wait-staff is wonderful.  And P.S...the Margaritas pack quite a nice punch.

Since this post is all about my lovey-dovey feelings for my sew-ey friends, I can't end without mentioning my fabulous Sewing Summit roommate, Andrea, who flew all the way from British Columbia to attend.  It was great to have a fellow Canadian around!  (In fact there were quite a few.)  We got to talk about fun stuff like good ol' Canadian beer, funny accents, in-climate weather, and the problems that face Canadian sewists, eh?  Their fabric prices are ridiculously high!  Poor souls.  I admire their dedication despite the annoying obstacles and over-priced everything.  Even though I'm really only a half-breed, it's amusing to talk about all the differences between here and there.  It's funny how two countries can be so close and similar, but also so very far apart and different.  Check out Andrea's blog, http://doonbug.com .  She also makes beautiful high-quality, hand-crafted couture purses that you can purchase through her Etsy Shop .

Last but not least is my favorite shot from the entire weekend:

Much love to my friends.  Can't wait to see some of you again in March!

Holy Best Retreat EVER, Batman!!

Sew South Retreat 2013 = one of the greatest experiences of my life.  

Last weekend I was one of 50 fortunate and fabulous women who attended the first ever Sew South Retreat in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Sew South was founded by Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane Quilts.

The retreat began on Thursday, March 21st at 10am.  Several ladies attended the optional Fabric Field Trip to a lovely local quilt shop, We're Sew Creative, where we found some beautiful, high quality fabrics and quilting notions.  The staff at We're Sew Creative was extremely friendly and accommodating, even after seeing the huge group of us arrive on a charter bus and take over their store!

Next on the field trip was a stop at IKEA.  May I just say that the pink cream cakes are a little hunk of heaven.  Definitely try them if you have the chance.  The fabric at IKEA was very unique and a great bargain!  I bought 5 yards of a contemporary sketchy fabric.  Who knows what I'll do with it?  What can I say?  I'm a junkie!

Sew South was held at the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel

Thursday evening marked the official kick off for Sew South.  At hotel check-in, we were all greeted with a goodie bag put together by Jennifer with gifts from her sponsors.  All of the ladies had arrived by 6 pm for our Cocktail Mixer.  It was so exhilarating to be in a room full of 50 strangers who all have in common an extreme passion for sewing.  Any nervousness or anxiety quickly vanished.  Everyone was very welcoming and friendly.  We were all excited to begin our projects together!  After the mixer, we filed into the ballroom that was to be our spacious workshop for the next 3 days.  Everyone picked a spot, and the creativity began.  

Friday morning brought our first project: paper piecing.  Jennifer Mathis, Sew South Creator, shared 2 of her own designs with us and gave great instruction to those of us who were diving into paper piecing for the first time.  It was great fun!  (even though I had to rip out my block a couple times and try again).  My sewing neighbor, Holli from San Diego, quickly took me under her wing and helped me along the way with every project.  She had a few very helpful tricks and was very patient.  My roommate from Georgia, Cindy, also patiently answered my questions and encouraged me though all the projects.  We also had fun chatting until the wee hours of the morning about our passion for sewing, our families, and life.

Lindsay Rhodes & Jennifer Mathis: Duffel Bags

Friday afternoon brought with it the beginning of our big project: the dreaded Duffel.  Lindsay Rhodes, from LRstitched.com taught the Duffel class and stuck with all 50 of us and guided us through to completion.  For most of us, this was an ongoing project that took until Saturday to finish.  (I think it was almost midnight on Saturday when I FINALLY finished.)  An impromptu tradition began early in the Duffel game.  Every time someone finished their masterpiece (the Duffel), they would stand and showcase their bag.  The room would erupt in cheers and clapping to commemorate the accomplishment.  The intangibles like enthusiastic encouragement and the generosity of shared knowledge gave Sew South an extra level of fun and value that cannot be measured. 

Jennifer Mathis & Diane Stanley - Clutch Purses

Saturday morning was very special for Diane Stanley of randomthoughtsdoordi.com.  It was her first time teaching a class!  She brought us a great pattern for metal-framed clutch purses, and did a fabulous job teaching the class.  It was so fun to make these clutches and even more fun to see it done in 50 unique and beautiful designs.

Saturday afternoon was our pajama pants class. Jennifer Roycroft from We're Sew Creative came by to take us through our last project.  Some of the retreaters did not have much experience with garments.  This was a fun and quick project.  Many of us commented before departure about how we enjoyed the variety of our projects at Sew South.  It wasn't all quilting or all garments.  It was a little bit of everything.  

Jennifer's Oprah-style surprise giveaway

Sunday morning was our closing ceremony in a way.  Jennifer made a video for us to see with pictures from the weekend.  There was many a tear shed when we went around the room saying what we loved about Sew South.  For many of us, it was the friendships forged.  It's amazing how powerful some attachments can become in such a short period of time.  We were all very grateful to be a part of something as wonderful, educational, and inspiring as Sew South Retreat.  Just before we were all about to pile our sewing machines, fabric, completed projects, and goodies into our cars and head home, Jennifer surprised us with an over-the-top Oprah-style giveaway!  Her husband rolled into the ballroom with carts full of gift bags that contained mounds of awesome sewing supplies, patterns, fabric, books, samples, etc.  The tears kept right on rolling!  Everyone was so shocked and excited about everything Jennifer had done for us.  It was like Christmas!  Except better! - because we never get gifts this awesome from our families who don't understand our fabric fetish!  Many of us exclaimed that we were ready to buy our ticket for next year!  

When I finally pulled out of the parking lot to head west for 950 miles, my Jetta Sportwagen loaded down with loot, I had butterflies in my tummy and a warm feeling in my soul.  Sew South has altered me.  I am inspired.  I feel that there aren't enough hours in the day, days in the week, weeks in the year to create all that I want.  I guess I'll just have to take it one piece of fabric at a time - and count down the days until the next Sew South Retreat!

All of my loot from Sew South.  Thank you sponsors!!