it's not material...it's spiritual

more for the pile

2011-01-07T20:39:00.000+01:00

okay, it's been longer than a little while...but, here are some more for the pile:

the front (above) and the back (below) of the very latest quilt, just long-armed on thursday. i love this fabric (It's a Hoot! from Moda) line, with its owls and birds and trees. not to mention the great fun colors. just the cure for a grey winter day.

this is Wee Woodland, also very cute.

the second try at a bluebonnet quilt...this one I will keep!

this (last [2010]) year's Halloween quilt. the corners seemed a bit blank, so i designed and appliqued the skull and bats before quilting.

okay, here it is... a final (so far) count

2010-09-08T21:27:00.000+02:00

i can no longer ignore the many requests i have had for a total quilt count. though i have to say, i was a bit daunted, i was also a little curious myself. how many quilts HAVE i actually devoted myself to making in just a year and a half? well...let me just preface this announcement with the fact that once i decide to learn something new, i throw myself into the practice of perfecting my art. and this is why i say this is a final (so far) count. because i am in no way a master at this craft; and, thus...must continue to practice, practice, practice...

what are you seeing here? 50...yes, fifty, FIVE-OHHH! quilts stacked up in my hall. but, i must confess that i have given eight away so far. so that makes...58, i suppose. not so bad, huh?

besides a little help from my mom while she was here; i also ask aeva to help me hand sew the binding on all of my creations. here she is..."helping" me...

well, even if she doesn't have opposable thumbs to pull a needle and thread...she at least keeps me warm and does quality control as she lays under the quilt.

don't look LIZZY!!!!

2010-08-22T19:45:00.000+02:00

Okay, so...I wanted to dedicate this post to my friend, Lizzy, simply because i could not stop thinking of her the ENTIRE time i was working on this quilt. she tells me she is "afraid" of using bold colors in her creations; which i find ironic since she is one of the most colorful and lively women i know. so...adjust your screen, Lizzy...

this second quilt is a hidden stars log cabin style. i added the solid purple-maroon to accentuate the stars and centers of the logs. i just love the flow of the colors and patterns of the new Denise Schmidt Hope Valley line. it's not the typical design that i am usually drawn to; but, find the fabrics both calm and stimulating at the same time. the back is a solid grey, which i think is more soothing than depressing, as a grey can sometimes be...

secrets in the closet...

2010-08-15T19:06:00.000+02:00

so...we all know that we have a few dirty little secrets. oh just admit it! a closest full of...
projects we want to do, have bought the supplies for, and then...sort of forgot about. well, this weekend i finally got one of mine finished! and i feel great about that. it is intended as a present for my sister-in-law, ashley. she is a school psychologist; and, while i don't know if she is into apples or not...i thought this was a cute project either way.

this bag was a very easy project that i finished in a single day. who doesn't like THAT kind of turn around? the pattern is from the website: allpeoplequilt.com
the luggage tags pictured in the chair are from a sewing projects calendar i have. they were also super easy...yeaaa! i am getting ideas for christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.

this camera bag was something i have wanted to do ever since i saw jennifer's cute creation many months ago. the sheep fabric is more than adorable and i paired it with a red on red animal print from the eric carle's hungry catapillar line of fabric.

2010-08-04T20:07:00.000+02:00

i received a wonderfully pampering package on monday. no, it wasn't chris; and, it certainly makes me miss him even more. we also found out that we will be heading to san diego for our next new home. april 2011 is the date. so, i thought it wise to sew a new beach bag...

trying my hand at something new (plus another quilt...surprised?)

2010-08-01T20:58:00.000+02:00

i was getting a little overwhelmed with scraps...so, i decided to finally use them up! these little fabric baskets are great for just that purpose. they only require scraps of 2 x 2 inches! love that!

and, i was becoming inundated with the fabric i bought from ikea...and was itching to make another birdie sling; this was the product of that union of needs...

my latest quilt project...i used a jelly roll of the nicey jane fabrics in a pattern from the jelly rolls book i mention often. for the flower centers, i substituted red corduroy...becuase i wanted something tactile on the front. the back is a pink minke...so soft and fuzzy, i am addicted to using this fabric as a backing.

bluebonnets, hummingbirds and...sea turtles?

2010-07-11T09:33:00.000+02:00

here's the bluebonnet quilt:
it didn't end up as originally planned...
but i think it turned out cute and casual
it was originally supposed to have a pieced blue and peach sashing between the rows, but once i got it all done, the color combination really made me sick, so i made the outer border much smaller and used the excess fabric to separate the rows

well, i still didn't like even the little bit of peach and blue btw the blocks, so i appliqued on some small green strips to break up the look, added a few fun jean pockets and called it done.

yes, i know u think you have seen this one before, but honestly...it's a new/another neptune quilt.
this one is just lap size and has a wonderful light green minke on the back
i have done a lot in this fabric and still have a lot of it left...maybe i went a bit overboard when i bought this line?

and the hummingbirds...

the line is called "arcadia" and it has some wonderful motifs and colors

i added an orange ribbon to the small border

finished flag (not finnish flag...FINISHED)

2010-05-26T17:45:00.001+02:00

here is my german american quilt.

all dots and pindots with a little solid white background.

a close-up shot, just because i am pretty proud of the details.

the overall effect.

i love the way the red squares around the edge form hearts between the large crosses.

daisy chain

2010-05-25T19:31:00.000+02:00

so, i got these great new shoes recently that simulate walking barefoot. the latest research says it's better for working your feet and leg muscles...if u think about it, some of the greatest running athletes DO IT barefoot! don't we all...unless our husbands request something different (oops...did i say that with my outside voice?)
unfortunately, there is one unusual side effect

...

this newest quilt is a pattern called daisy chain from the jelly roll book we have had forever in the store. the fabrics are a mix of a batik jelly roll and cream on cream dots with some solids and smaller pattern fabrics thrown in to satisfy the required jelly roll and a half the book calls for.

this is an example block from a quilt i have been wanting to do for a while...

the pattern is also from the same jelly roll book, it is called both side of the pond and is meant to represent the british and american flag colors. however, i am so fond (in love with) germany, that i wanted to create a quilt that would remind me of my wonderful time living here. thus, the black/red/yellow and red/white/blue color combination.

not much lately, just a few things

2010-05-18T18:46:00.000+02:00

i haven't been sewing much lately, too much other stuff to do...

but here is my latest quilt:
it's a diamond pattern of my munki munki collection

i longarmed some fun words along the colored border on most of the diamonds

the back is fuzzy minke and i added the tag from one of the pajama shirts close to my own tag

this is a fun pocket leftover from another pajama shirt...good for a remote (or candy)

two purses: one for me, one for mom

from the one yard wonders book

a quilt for maddy's lydia

2010-04-23T23:00:00.000+02:00

okay, here it is... a preview of what you will be getting...as soon as i can finish the handwork. i hope y'all love it! it makes me feel very peaceful when i look at it.

yeah, a couple more

2010-04-13T13:06:00.000+02:00

so, i think for my next blog, i'll create a stats page. i'm thinking of including stuff like: number of quilts made, number bound, number still need binding, number i'm keeping, number i'm selling...we'll see how the numbers stack up!

for now, pictures of the QUOTE QUILT! yeaaaaa, i have been planning this one for a while and it's finally done (except for the hand binding...mom)

this is a standard stacked coin quilt using a jelly roll of the authentic line by sweetwater for moda. the outside border is a great mushroom print from robert kaufmann; and, i quilted in a hidden message along the length.
it was starting to be a bit too monotone for me, so i had to add the color along the edges. the back was a pre-meditated purchase from Target online.
i WON'T be selling this one...sorry lt. pookie. it's just way too personal for me. i added about 15 of my favorite quotes, using 200 count white cotton you can send through your home printer. i love the idea of making wishes on dandelions, so i just had to add that as well...

ode to the eighties:
this one didn't start out as such; but, with the beautifully bright colors and abstract designs of a kaffe fassett jelly roll...well, see for yourself

the quilt pattern is called "garden trellis." i was worried about matching all these points; but, they actually came together quite easily! the border fabric is nicey jane by heather bailey and the binding (as yet to be hand stitched...mom) is part of the garden party line by anna maria horner.
the back is a cuddly, fuzzy, sweet dreams in lilac minke fabric.

finally, this post is dedicated to my favorite tv show of all time. unfortunately, i have just finished the final disc of the final season :(
i recommend it to all who love colorful images, colorful language and colorful imaginations!

easter evening, quilts with and without borders, a new blog master

2010-04-05T21:14:00.000+02:00

what a beautiful sight outside my window on a rainy easter evening...

a double-decker and the other end!

quilts without borders (kinda like doctors, in that they make u feel better):

made from sandy gervais' l'amour jelly roll plus some red corduroy

another hoffman bali pops (mint chip) with a fun yellow corduroy binding

and the last bali pop: sherbet!

and finally, introducing my new blog master..

doing her thing in front of the computer

quilt tops and new fabric...plus a new friend

2010-03-26T20:45:00.000+01:00

quilt tops:

well, again...made from bali pops in the kiwiberry colorway

with a fun lime green dotted first border and a pretty purple "fusions" by robert kaufman large border

now look closely...they look similar; but, ARE different:

this is the mulberry color way jelly roll...

and, yes (chris) i will try to sell one of these...

i just need a while to decide which one ;)

new fabric:

above, all from ikea

say hello to my little friend...

spring has sprung

2010-03-21T20:12:00.000+01:00

the grass is greener...when it's covered with batiks!

here it is...the finished project. okay, not totally finished - i still have to hand sew the binding (i'm working on it tonight.) it's so bright, i love it! chris asks me everytime i finish a quilt, if i am going to sell it. my response is the same as before...no, not this one.

and, if that one wasn't bright enough for you...

this was made from the strawberry fields colorway of hoffman fabrics bali pops. i've done diamonds before; but, these proved a bit harder to line up. the colors are very vibrant in person. it reminds me of a stained glass window in an old church.

top o' the day to ya

2010-03-17T20:39:00.000+01:00

happy st. patrick's day!

wait, wait, wait...don't get me wrong...i DO NOT condone drinking and sewing! what you see there is a root beer bottle! however, i absolutely support the celebration of st. patty's. it's sooooooooo much fun. thus, i decided to start my green quilt in honor of the day! this is a sneaky peek, more to come of this one!

how can a pillow be such a pain in the arse?

2010-03-14T21:42:00.000+01:00

okay, so maybe aeva doesn't seem to think it's a pain in the a$$; but, she is the recipient of the fruits of MY labor.

front and back views of my selvedge edge pillow. the painful part was completely my fault. i used a zipper that was way too short for the pillow form i had to insert into the case...so, a few of the seems ripped while i was trying to stuff. needless to say i had to take the pillow out, repair and stuff again. not that the zipper was easy to sew in the first place. but, that's also my boo boo, i should have looked around for some instructions instead of making it up as i went along...

a handmade rack for my handmades!

2010-03-09T15:28:00.000+01:00

two necklaces:

one made of oven bake clay to resemble the awesome candy found here in good old deutschland

and one of beads and ribbon in a new fangled style i've seen in the magazines

FUN owlies:
(l-r) the back, front with peepers, and without
the beaks are hand-sewn with yellow dmc floss
the materials are scraps of tula pink's "hushabye"

[you may remember the two quilts from the line?]

the beginning of the "happy b-day chris" banner i cut, stitched and painted. the best part...it's reusable!

here is my easter time carrot table runner...

what a fun and easy project from allpeoplequilt.com

and saving the best for last...

a fabulous quilt rack made by dad nelson!

i am very pleased with my gift and proud to display my quilts on it

the neatest part...

there are no screws or nails! just these cool pegs to hold it together. very portable for our subsequent moves!

THANKS, DAD!

guess what?! QUILTS! how did u know?

2010-03-09T12:18:00.019+01:00

this one ended up not really being "my style"

i bought the "oh, cherry, oh" jelly roll online and found the fabrics a bit too sweet for even my tooth. maybe once i get my consignment contract at the shop going, i will sell it there

no, it's not a Pollack, it's a sheet from ikea that i used as the back of my string quilt

a string quilt is a great way to use those small scraps of fabric that are just too lovely to toss

i used the tutorial from the fun blog: film in the fridge.

each square has a 1.25" white strip in the middle as the unifying element

i have been called many things; but, the one i like the best is COLORFUL
which is why i have to proclaim this project my favorite!

after sewing about 50 of these little squares, i thought, i'm doing good...probably almost done. so i laid them all out on the floor and realized i would need at least another 50 just for a lap size!

i really enjoy studying the pieces and remembering the previous projects the bits were used in.

i've had this fabric ["neptune" by tula pink] for a while and have only recently used it in a project because i love, love, love it! and was kinda nervous about cutting into it.

i considered several ideas:
bags
clothes
stuffies...
but finally decided that a quilt is the best way to really make it last

the large squares of the design show off the fabric well - beautiful damasks made of sea turtles and horses; swirls of shells and corals; underwater shipwrecks explored by seals and fish; scales, anchors and buoys; and a japanesque sea scene.

i added the solid coral and navy borders as well as the red and green semi solid strips. the binding is a variegated, pieced from leftovers.

on second thought, this may be my favorite!

this little beaut is the first to wear my new woven label along with my stitched signature. please disregard the unfinished area of binding, he he

sacs and clothes, but not sac clothing

2010-03-09T11:26:00.012+01:00

my first try at clothing.
this was a great project; i was very happy with how well the pattern of the fabric matched on each side (thanks to the great instructions in the pattern)

drawstring jewelry pouch from tula pink's new line, "plume"

patchwork drawstring bag, i was gonna sell it, but....

the inside of the next bag (same pattern as black, white and green bag)

again, "plume"

this time i customized the handles and added an inside pocket

this is a quilted bag with a velcro bow closure

i found it very easy to make...as long as you don't sew the handles in between the wrong layers and then turn it all right side out to find that they've gone missing, yeah, not that i did that...

at the multi-crafts store we don aprons to distinguish ourselves as employees.

i like to think it's similar to the lab coats doctors and scientists wear...so we're like craft experts, i suppose

the fabric is one of my favorite lines; called authentic by sweetwater for moda. i have a great quilt idea for the jelly roll i bought of this fabric. i call it my "quote quilt" and as soon as the ink for my printer gets here, i will tackle that project.

SO much more than quilts

2010-01-26T21:57:00.003+01:00

i thought y'all might be getting tired of quilt photos; so, i thought i would show you a few of my new loves...

this calendar is keeping me up to date on my crafts. it has an awesome new project every three days!

my friend/neighbor/aeva-sitter, lorelei, is one of the most talented artists i have seen. last month, she blessed me with a beautiful piece of original art. i think she may be on the same telepathic wave as me...or she read my letter to santa

oh, that's my cute little owl cup in the lower right corner, he holds my scissors

this is a key fob, made by one of the best bosses in the world (no, i'm not sucking up...you really are) - corinnea. i can never, ever lose my key again; because, i would cry if i lost the gnomies who guard it now

below is a snap of my 2010 calendar -
i am very particular about the calendar i get at the beginning of each year.

why?
1. i have to look at it ALL YEAR

2. i love calendars that i can take apart annually and use at wall art later on

3. because i CAN

so, one of my favorite photogs (besides christopher nelson) is christopher marley; and, when i find one of his works - especially if it has BUGS!... you get the picture, right?!

SNOW much more than quilts

2010-01-26T21:20:00.003+01:00

Scenes from last week displaying a few things you may not know about me...

i have a girl who loves a playground slide

i love dog kisses; just not when they're freezing

i wear an owl hat with pride

my girl gets embarassed by my hat

the very hungry momo

2010-01-22T21:27:00.007+01:00

here's the very hungry part...

a very simple project from the fabric line featuring eric carle's the very hungry catepillar

and something to lay a weary head on while snuggling under the blanket...

the back

the front

here's the momo part...

i have to say that this is one of my favorites thus far.
the fabric began its life as a jelly roll of the fabric line, odyssea by momo; and, ended up as this way awesome (if i do say so myself) quilt top!

i added the solids in the center splays and the first border, in order to excuse some of the strips i wasn't too excited about.

i played around with a 45degree angle on the first border and added the cute brown and pink dotty outer border.

i love this one so much it may take me a few months to get up the nerve to scribble on it with the long-arm machine!

one last way cool tid-bit:

the pattern i used allowed for the remaining strips to be sewn into this awesome table runner!

fun, fun, fun!

catching up...

2010-01-22T20:33:00.005+01:00

well, here i am trying to play catch up in sew many ways...

i am including quite a few pix in this edition; so, please be patient with the download time.

i have been very busy (to say the least) sewing quilt tops. there are so many new fabrics coming out this year that i feel the need to free shelf space in the old craft room...so i can fill 'em up again!

above is a close up of the super cute blue and brown bunny damask from the hushabye line.

i have created two quilts with this line and felt the need to add purple to both, because tula pink forgot to :) and afterall, purple goes with EVERYTHING! (huh, jenn?)

hushabye in its entirety:
the original plan was to use the soft lavender solid in the vertical and horizontal stripes; but, i sort of cut all the vertical strips one half inch too small and didn't have enough of the material to fix my mistake...so, i used a deep purple that i had on hand. it looks odd in the picture; but, i think in person it gives it some depth.

this is the second hush quilt.

i didn't like some of the fabrics that came in the kit, so i substituted in the:

pink with white dots
PURPLES!!!! YEAAA!
green with white dots

i really like the fussy cut owls in the four main diamonds

more close ups and the whole sha-bang...
i added the white border between the main square and the outer border just to give the eye a rest

below is an extra special project. the squares are all shared between some great ladies and myself. we each made two and traded our contributions around the globe. i sat on this for a while...you know...in the same position as rodin's "the thinker." and finally came up with a border of brown to unify each square and then added a great donated striped batik for the border.

hope you gals approve of the interpretation!

holiday indulgence

2009-12-12T21:03:00.002+01:00

what a wonderful time of year!

a few new quilts

2009-12-12T20:26:00.003+01:00

this chicken quilt was made as a gift for my aunt. i wanted to add to the 50+ already in her collection. the pattern consists of fussy cut centers surrounded by wonky log cabin strips.

the back is a strip of white sheet with the most awesome green leaf fabric!

i finally "signed" my name to the work by quilting the bottom right corner with - Deana.

what is really cool about this is that my mom and aunt were having morning coffee in texas and called me this evening (germany time) to open their presents together. (in case you don't recall...i made my mom a bluebonnet quilt.) my uncle bob (or bob-arazzi, as we like to call him) was there to take pictures of the event!

i felt like i was there with them as they talk, talk, talked and ooohed and ahhhed with delight at the gifts they received. i never knew until this experience what a wonderful feeling it is to have given a handmade gift and have it appreciated so much. so...thank you schmoopie and crazy auntie linda for including me in the exchange!

this was a baby quilt i made for a dear friend's grand-daughter...

the material is from the Patch Arts & Crafts store; the pattern is "wonky courthouse steps" from a magazine i've kept for probably too long.

instead of hand stitching the binding, i tried the awesome technique i saw on Tina's quilt using rick rack as finishing.

first felt trial

2009-09-25T22:59:00.004+02:00

okay, here's my first project involving felt... it's from a halloween magazine. i wanted the whole thing to be big, bigger, biggest; but, i couldn't get the xerox to cooperate when enlarging the pattern. it's cuter in person...but i can't help obsessively & compulsively trying to smooth the edges...and no one told me how difficult hand sewing felt edges would be! BOOOO!

three day quilt...kinda

2009-09-25T22:29:00.003+02:00

this quilt was an awesome exercise in sewing outside the lines. i wanted to practice my applique again; and, i love poppies - so i thought this would suit both urges.

the background was super fast sewing;

the applique pieces were fast as well;

but, the bulky fabric made the app. edges hard to sew with a little brother machine...

hence, the "sewing outside the lines" comment.

i went out of bounds a few times; but, i think it adds to the laid-back/comfy feel of the overall design.

this is not my normal color scheme; but, i wanted to try my hand at something a bit more sedate. you know, just to see if i could do it...what do you think?

christmas in september...via apo!

2009-09-21T20:32:00.002+02:00

my love called this afternoon and said that i had...not one, but ZWEI! packages!

and they both had "fabric" labels!

one was this awesome gnome fabric that i have been waiting on for about 2 months; and, the other was a jelly roll of the neptune fabric...YEAAA!

now i just have to wait for the mushy-room fabric that goes with the gnomies, how i hate the word "BACKORDER"

chrismakwanzakah in september!

2009-09-21T20:14:00.002+02:00

here's the back, it's solid red with the one star block made from scraps from the front...which is why it is kinda disordered

i've got my mojo back!

2009-09-20T20:11:00.003+02:00

these are coffee mug sleeves i am making as wilkommen gifts for my mom and the crazy ladies she is bringing to deutschland next month. the tabs will have velcro closures, disguised by cute buttons. i will post pictures of the final products tomorrow...hopefully.

it's not right that i re-arranged the craft/guest room as soon as chris drove away with our visitors...or IS it? i have freed the machine...mwahh, ahh, ahh. now i just have to decide which project to start on. oh, decisions, decisions...

i finished the binding on the chrismakwanzakah quilt today! pics to come...

skeleton in the closet

2009-09-19T21:57:00.002+02:00

new post coming soon
i have a skeleton in my closet
it calls my name deep in the night...
why do you foresake me? i have served you well.
done all that you have asked of me. save me from my dark existence!
it is the sewing machine i have had to store away
while guests take over my craft room...

chic or treat

2009-09-11T22:41:00.000+02:00

jelly rolls...YEAAAAHHH! i just love how much fun they are! this quilt was easier than taking candy from a kid and it was a good time! i have started experimenting with pieced backings and have decided that i like 'em...almost as much as i like CANDY!

turning over a new leaf

2009-09-11T22:19:00.000+02:00

i guess september really is the time for going back to school! i learned so much from this project:

i had to research applique techniques; experiment with something other than a straight stitch; and how to improvise with the fabric i have when i forget the importance of following directions

i am happy with the outcome. i didn't like the leaf pattern supplied in the book; so, i designed several different shapes on my own. i think it gives it more interest and makes me feel like the top is a bit more personal.

i am so inspired by the changing colors of this time of year. okay, i am inspired by any and all colors; but, when i found this pattern (and the perfect jelly roll of batiks from hoffman fabrics) just had to make this my little homage to all that is fall.

i am a pisces afterall

2009-09-11T22:10:00.000+02:00

this was a fun project

my first experience setting blocks at an angle

i used small wale corduroy for the large blue border - what a fun texture to mix in!

corinnea: you are going to bankrupt me if you keep getting so many super cute fabrics for the store!

i still need to sew the backing and long-arm this one...so i guess it's not technically a QUILT yet

special request

2009-09-11T21:57:00.000+02:00

christopher: "when are you gonna make a quilt for ME?"
this was my response...

bluebonnet quilt

2009-09-11T21:48:00.000+02:00

i ordered the bluebonnet material as a half jelly roll and added the yellow spot, blue spot and black and white lattice patterns from fabric we have at the shop (Patch Arts & Crafts, aka: d-na's 401k depository)

this one is a gift for my mom (aka: schmoopie)...a beautiful wildflower from texas

took a few pictures

2009-09-11T20:34:00.000+02:00

i took a few pics! i'm suprised i was able to tear myself away from sewing the backing for the chrismakwanzakah quilt before the sun went down. i'm still getting used to the odd chronology of the blog world, so i am breaking the pictures into a few different posts (cause i'm tired of trying to figure out how to write backwards!)

this was one of my first attempts at quilting. i learned A LOT from this experience...

i love, luv, liebe the fabric; and, was delightfully suprised at how well the ombre fabric used in the binding coordinated with the top

i want to do another (maybe more sedate) project with this line

get lost in these thoughts

2009-09-03T22:43:00.000+02:00

as my first official blog (and i can't believe i'm blogging...), i want to suggest a "must read" by david foster wallace. just google (and i can't believe that's an official verb now...): "david foster wallace commencement speach wall street journal" i know it's long; but, it's soooo worth ten minutes of your time!
and i promise to work more on my little piece of internet real estate tomorrow...