Shoreline Throw

Maui was fresh on my mind when I got the Stitch Summer call for projects. My family had just taken a trip there and I had several quilt ideas in mind when I came back. When I saw that one of the issue themes was Maui that I knew I had to get to work!

I thought about the colors of Maui: there was the clear blue sea, green shady palms and sun bleached sand. I wanted to design something that was graphic with an Island feel. I had recently seen the Mosaic Collection by Marcia Derse for Windham and knew I wanted to use her fabrics for this project!

I started playing around with a half-square triangle technique where you slice up the HST and then rearrange the slices to form a new block. By rotating that block and making mirror-image versions I could create the diagonal zig-zag shape across the quilt. It took some brain power to figure out the layout and I admit I made quite a few blocks that I ended up not using, but I think the result is really exciting!

I quilted it on a BERNINA 710 which we have on a quilt frame at Modern Domestic. I drew rows of 'Es' and 'Ms'  -- I was going for a traditional Hawaiian Kapa cloth feel. The whole time I was working on it I was thinking about how it would look in the bright Hawaiian light. The colors had to be strong and vivid and the design had to have movement that felt like the wind on the north shore or the waves washing up on the sand. When I look at it now I think it has a bit on an 80s surfer-vibe which is totally awesome and something I hadn't planned on happening!

Imagine a version of this in hot pink and lime green! Wouldn't that be stunning? The magazine pattern I wrote is for a throw size, but it would be easy enough to build it out to a full or queen by increasing the number of blocks. Meanwhile I am going to go make a Mai Tai and dream about the next time I get to visit our 50th state. 

Aloha!
Michelle

Sewing Onions

"...because sometimes sewing makes you cry"

Here is what happens when you haven't admitted that you really do need to wear glasses all the time.  

Tracy writes, "I need sewing minions"
I respond, "Sewing onions? What are those? I want one!"
Tracy corrects, "Um... minions, honey, not onions."

Which of course sends me into ridiculous fits of laughter! As we continued to banter I decided I would bring the sewing onion to life. I drew this cute little Kawaii-inspired onion and I came up with a tag line:

"Sewing Onions, because sometimes sewing makes you cry..."

I loved my little sewing onion so much that I made pins (aka lanard swag) to bring to my Sm'ass bee mates at market. They were a big hit! Several folks suggested a sewing onion was the next generation of those cute little tomato pincushions. Of course I have to make that now too. Once I get back on my feet after my sixteen page 'to-do' list from Pittsburgh I am going to draw a cute little Spoonflower Sewing Onion print with tears and seam rippers. I drew a red onion version too - on tiny red pin dots. It is so dang cute it's killin' me!

I gave away all the pins  but I plan to get a new batch or two over at Portland Button Works - who are pretty much the most awesome button makers in the universe. Until then, feel free to grab my onion and post it on your blog! 

Have machine, will travel.
Michelle

Creativebug Giveaway Winner!

Giveaway day is so much fun! I have enjoyed reading all your thoughtful comments. I wish I could give each of you a three month subscription!

Without further ado, the lucky winner is:

#71 TexasQuiltingGal

Congrats! I have sent you an email and please reply to claim your prize. Thank you all for visiting my blog
Stay in touch,

Michelle

Have machine, will travel.

Creativebug Log Cabin Quilting with Susan Beal Give-Away

It is Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day and I have a three month membership to Creativebug to giveaway! You can take any classes you want, as many times as you want for three months! How cool is that! Just leave a comment on this post and tell me about your favorite sewing or quilting class. My favorite class was Susan Beal's Log Cabin Quilting, which I took several years ago when she taught it at PNCA. Now she has a new version of this fab class on Creativebug!

Creativebug's Log Cabin Quilting with Susan Beal is a super fun, four-part on-line class -- the first class goes live on May 6, and new classes premiere every Tuesday all month. After that the class will be available to watch any time with a membership. This is week two and her Log Cabin Baby Quilt class is premiering on Tuesday May 13th.

I can't wait to watch this class! I spent an afternoon helping Susan sew blocks for this quilt and I can't help but feel a little mushy that my hands were involved in getting to stitch this together! I love how she set this off-center and how there are little pops of pink to really make this bright and cheery!

Each class is going to include a live chat at 11am Pacific time with Susan on the Thursday after it premiers. There are lots more details on the class page with the dates, times and supply lists. .

Here is a little trailer for Susan's class. If you watch closely, you just might see me for a quick second over at Modern Domestic with Heather Davidson. I am feeling pretty lucky to have been a part of this fun project. And congrats to Susan on this really fun class! Check out Susan's facebook page and #cbuglogcabin on Instagram for fun posts and announcements. 
P.S. I will ship anywhere, because this giveaway can be emailed! 
P.S.S I read each and every comment but I don't respond until after the drawing - that way I get an accurate count! Good luck everyone!

Stitch ‘N Swap Blog Party!

I can't believe it has almost been a year since I began working with Generation Q Magazine. It was a memorable first week, that is for sure! I was at Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon, freelancing as a writer for a blog, working at the Pendleton Booth, organizing a party for PMQG at Modern Domestic and on the floor learning the ropes of selling advertising. Oh, did I mention I also did a half-marathon that weekend? Literally. I did 13.1 to raise money for Type 1 diabetes. It was a bit nuts. 

At the end of that weekend, Jake asked me if I would like to contribute a project for Stitch 'N Swap - and since I was on a crazy adreneline high, of course I said yes! I'm glad I did, because I am super excited to be part of this book! We have been having a little blog party to celebrate and there are some crazy-talented folks participating! The book releases on May 19th, 2014 and you can get signed copies from GenQ here!

Blog Party week 1: Jeni Baker, Anne Deister, Emily Herrick, Sam Hunter, Lynn Kraus

Blog Party week 2: Vicki Tymczyszyn, Carrie Bloomston, Victoria Findlay Wolfe, Rose Hughes, Heather Jones, Tracy Mooney, Elaine Wong Haselhuhn

Blog Party week 3: Jake Finch, Scott Hansen (Blue Nickel Studios), Karen Cunagin, Michelle Freedman, Linda Hansen, Kevin Kosbab, Melissa Peda

And what's a blog party without a little give-away? GenQ is giving away three copies of the book to winners drawn randomly from commenting on THIS post. If you live in the U.S., you’ll win a hard copy of the book. If you live outside the U.S., you’ll get a digital version. Winners will be selected on Thursday, May 8, around "noonish New York time".

My contribution to Stitch 'N Swap is a three piece sewing kit. There is a needle book, a rotary cutter-holder and a drawstring bag to fill up with goodies. There are some really super ideas in the book. Each project has instructions as well as swap ideas! I really love Heather Jones Beach Glass Pillow Top. The colors are so pretty and it would be fun to do a favorite-color pillow swap (that is my twist on the swap ideas!) and there are some other great suggestions in the book too.

I will be at quilt market this year with the GenQ team and I am looking forward to it. I vowed that I would simplify my goals, so I will only have one job while I am there and I won't be running a half-marathon. Well, not literally anyway...!

Have Machine, Will Travel

-- Michelle