Around the Block Quilt Shop

Blogging Change

2007-08-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

After much deliberation, I have decided to start blogging exclusively on my other blog called Tiffany Sews. This is a more personal blog. I will still talk about things going on at the shop, but I will also blog about my life and projects I'm working on that are not necessarily for the shop.

So follow me to my other blog... it will be fun!

Storybook quilts

2007-08-22T15:03:00.000-05:00

A customer came in this morning with a really great idea I just have to share.

I get lots of requests for really specific fabric, usually involving some sort of theme or character (i.e., curious george, barbie, pinocchio, etc.). This fabric is almost always nonexistent. Well, if you can't find it, make your own!

This customer came in with this book. (I love that it's a vintage book! Check out the price.... $0.39!).She chose some pages with images she liked and went to lunch while I scanned and printed the pictures on fabric sheets. (I use the Electric Quilt sheets that you can put in your inkjet printer. I think the quality is a little better than Printed Treasures, plus you get one more sheet per package than Printed Treasures for the same price.) My favorite picture is the one of the beds - the "mama bear" bed has a quilt!The lighting doesn't do them justice, but they came out adorable! She's going to use them in a baby quilt for her yet-to-arrive granddaughter. Too cute. Too. Cute. The vintage book is very cool, but you could use any book, including coloring books. Garage sales and the library would be a good place to find books also. I'm going to call my mom tonight and have her send me some of the old books she's kept. Even though my sister and I drove her crazy with them. Then I need to make a mental note to hang onto them and introduce them to my niece and nephew so they can drive my mom crazy all over again. It's the least I can do =).

As promised...

2007-08-17T13:15:00.000-05:00

... here is the nurse bag!

And the other side.
I tried to get a good picture of the lining also. The fabric is white with different doctors and nurses. Plus we added a couple of pockets because, well, you just need pockets.
We have some kits available at the shop and online (just $11.50!). I just love that fabric - the nurses are so chic! And they have a little bit of attitude, which makes them that much more endearing. Because as anyone who is related to a nurse knows (hi mom!), nurses have definitely got a little attitude. I think it's a survival skill - they need it to get through the day (or night!).

In the quilt guild I belong to, we are doing Eleanor Burns's Underground Railroad book as a block of the month. These are the blocks I have finished so far.

The book calls for red, green, blue, and brown fabrics on tan backgrounds. As you can see, I decided to substitute purple for red. I didn't realize how much that changed the look of the quilt until I got all of the blocks up on the design wall. I like purple, so it will work out for me just fine. But I also like red, and kind of want to make another set of blocks in using red. But I also don't like purple and red together, so I couldn't use both sets of blocks to make one large quilt. And I'm also not too keen on the idea of making two practically identical quilts. I did buy some pink reproduction fabric last year when we started this project with the intent of making a set of block using pink instead of red. Then maybe I could mix those blocks with the purple ones? Hmmm. It's a dilemma I probably won't ever have to solve, because the chances that I will ever get around to making a second set of blocks is slim to none.

We (the quilt guild) are having a work weekend tonight and tomorrow to make donation quilts for victims of the recent flooding. Everyone was instructed to bring orphan blocks and fabric to donate, so it will be interesting to see what we come up with. I'll be sure and take lots of pictures... if I remember my camera!

Back to School Bags

2007-08-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

This week is back to school time in our neck of the woods, and we just happen to have the perfect back to school bags for your favorite teachers and students!

This first one came out soooo cute. I am very excited about it. I already have grand plans to make one for every teacher I know, plus a couple more for teachers I don't know yet but will surely meet someday and want to give them a bag. (I know, this will never happen, but allow me delusions of grandeur for a moment, okay?)

It was designed for teachers by a teacher (Cindy). The fabrics are from the Cool School line by Loralie Designs. This is the same company that makes the adorable nurse fabric we carry (which reminds me - I've never blogged about the nurse bag! That'll be the next post...). This bag is large enough to carry a notebook (computer or otherwise), and there are pockets all along the outside of the bag to keep everything organized, from keys to cell phones to extra pencils. And when you add a panel of letters by Lakehouse Dry Goods, you can personalize the bag for your favorite teacher! We put "teacher" and "abcd" on ours to make it generic, but you could easily put "Mrs. Whoever," or "1st grade" - you get the idea. The letters were attached using Steam-a-Seam 2. Then she just top-stitched just inside the edge of the squares. This is also known as raw-edge applique.

My next bag would be perfect for either a teacher or student. I made this one for my sister who is in college studying to be a music teacher, so it will work either way.

She had mentioned that she liked this fabric (who doesn't?), so I made her a bag. It was supposed to be a Mother's Day present, but I'm obviously a little late. The start of a new school year seemed to be the perfect excuse to: a) get the bag done, and b) pretend that "back to school" was the reason I made the bag in the first place and not that I'm 3 months late with her Mother's Day present. This bag is also large enough for a notebook and school books. There are three pockets on the inside. I put some needlepoint canvas in the bottom to give it some shape. For the handle, I wanted something really strong that would hold up to carrying college textbooks. So, I went to my local discount store to the camping aisle and picked up a luggage strap. I can't remember how much it cost, but it wasn't much...less than $3.00. I cut it to the length I needed and covered it in fabric. It turned out really well, and it will be nice and strong.

Well, I haven't made much progress on my to-do list, but I'm going to work really hard on it this week. Maybe by the end of the month I'll be able to check off all those items and make a new list! That's the trouble with lists - by the time you finish one, it's time to make another and start on it.

Bewitched

2007-08-09T13:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I channeled my inner Samantha, and with a twitch of the nose (and 6-7 hours of face time with my sewing machine), this...

...was magically transformed into this quilt! (The lighting in this photo is not so magical, but you get the general idea.)
Here's a little closer look at the panel and the pieced borders,
and an even closer look at the machine-appliqued moons. My machine-applique has come a long way if I don't say so myself. I'm really excited about it. I usually don't get much applique done because of the time involved. I enjoy the hand-stitching part - I find it very relaxing. What's not so relaxing is preparing the pieces to be appliqued. I'm still working on finding a technique that works well for me. But yesterday I discovered a new stitch on my little blue Kenmore sewing machines that works really well for applique (as long as you're not doing very small pieces. The stitch length and width on these machines is not adjustable). So thanks to Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 and an endless supply of thread colors, you may just see more applique from this quilter!

The Halloween fabric is a line from Clothworks called Mummy Mambo. We've got the whole line in the shop and on the website, plus kits for the quilt pictured above. I've got some more ideas for this line, so stay tuned for more Halloween projects!

Weekend

2007-08-07T11:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend I quilted this,
(Here's a closer look.)attached the binding to this,
started crocheting this (from this book that I splurged on last week),
and watched this at the movies.

All in all, not a bad weekend. Not bad at all.

I love you x-block, XXX OOO

2007-08-02T17:03:00.000-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I opened my blog and realized it's been a week since I posted last. A week! What could I have possibly been up to keep me away for so long. I don't have any finished projects to show for my absence - that's for sure. So I ran frantically around the shop snapping pictures of anything and everything I can remember touching in the last week. So, here goes....

First, Dottie came over on Saturday and taught her X-block class to three eager students (including me). I wasn't the most attentive student, and I did have to run out of the classroom a few times to help customers (my hubby bailed on me to go play wiffleball), but this is what I have to show for my efforts.

I am so excited about how it's turning out. The blue fabric is just perfect for the water. It was very exciting to watch the little turtles and fish take shape in front of my eyes. To think they all basically started out as nine-patch blocks.... And I splurged on a few new quilting pantographs, one of which looks kind of like waves, so I want to get the top done by the time my new pantos get here.

This is another thing I love about the x-block quilts. One of the students in the class had a whole bunch of this fabric that she wanted to use up. It had been purchased for a quilt backing, but didn't make the final cut. (Get it? Final cut! I know, I'm a goofball). So, what to do with 8+ yards of this fabric?
Well, combine it with two other fabrics (pulling the colors from this problem fabric), and viola!

An entirely respectable, dare I say cute, quilt top! I love how the geometry of the original "problem" fabric is sort of echoed with this pattern.

The other student in the class did a wall hanging from the Metro Blue fabrics by Marcus Brothers. She hasn't brought the finished product in to show me, but I know she will when she completes it. Right D.?! She had most of the blocks done before she left on Saturday, so we got to see them on the design wall. Definitely worth waiting for her to bring the quilt to show us. I think I speak for the other two when I say we truly enjoyed having Dottie as a teacher. She is wonderful resource, not only for x-block quilts, but for all things quilting. I can't wait to have her back.

Let's see, what else is going on around here? I finally quilted this Yellow Brick Road quilt that I made the blocks for back in January.
I just put the borders on the other day, and decides the quilting couldn't wait any longer. Those striped strips along the bottom are going to be the binding. I know, I know, I should have cut it on the bias. But I'm too lazy, plus this way the stripes will be going the same direction as they are in the quilt. So there. That's my design justification for being too lazy to make bias binding.

And just when I was losing all hope of ever seeing her again, Cindy came back from vacation today! I tell ya, when they (whoever "they" are) say, "You don't know what you got tell it's gone," they're right. (Wait, is that a Bon Jovi song? Nope, I just googled it. It's Cinderella.) Cindy was sorely missed around here, and I'm soooo glad she's back. She jumped right back in and got to work on this:
This will be the center of a quilt from the Laps from Fats for Family & Friends book. The quilt in the picture is gold and blue, so Cindy's version will definitely demonstrate a different colorway.

So that's most of what we've been doing around here. And just so you know, and to sort of commit myself to completing these things, here is my to-do list for the next, let's say, 2 - 4 weeks. In no particular order (because I like to have choices and forcing myself to do things in a particular order takes the fun out of it):

Finish baby quilt for friend having baby shower on Sunday! And show you all when it's done
Finish the x-block turtle quilt top
Put the binding on my Freshcut quilt and the Yellow Brick Road quilt (pictured above)
Make some headway, if not finish, this quilt top
Quilt all the tops I have on hand - the customers' and mine (yeah, right)
Walk the dog at least 4 times per week

Okay, now my goals are written in stone, per se, and you can help keep me accountable. Good luck.

Wow

2007-07-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

While perusing my favorite blogs this morning, I ran across this link to the winners of the Sydney, Australia 2007 Quilt Show. All I can say is "wow." Can you imagine doing that much applique?! And the quilting...it's just as detailed. You must check out the back of the quilt. It's as gorgeous as the front! You would definitely have to put me in the looney bin after making a quilt like that. My brain would be mush.

Class updates

2007-07-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

Just a quick reminder that it's not too late to sign up for the X-block class this Saturday, July 28. The quilt below is called Venetian Tiles, and is yet another one of the possibilities you can make with the x-block technique.

If there is room, and if I can convince my DH to help me with the shop, I'm going to participate in Saturday's class also! I don't plan to be in there the whole time, but I am very excited about the quilt and these fabrics that I picked out this afternoon! These fabrics might just be enought to keep my rear firmly planted in front of the sewing machine all day.

For those that have asked or silently wondered about the Random Access class on Saturday, Sept. 8, these pictures are just a portion of the Tony's finished quilt top. (It's absolutely humongous, but don't worry - you don't have to make yours that big.)

The general idea of the Random Access quilt is that you start with one fat quarter for each block you want to make (if you want 20 blocks, you need 20 fat quarters). You cut them all up and put the pieces in bags. As you sew, you blindly (this is the random part) pull pieces from different bags. The rule is that if you haven't already used the fabric you pull out in your current block, you have to use it. I know some of you may be feeling faint at the idea of not painstakingly matching the fabric for each block as you sew. But that's exactly why you should take the class. Fabrics don't have to match perfectly, and this quilt will be a good exercise in letting go of your control just a bit and letting the quilt take over.

And just in case you might wondering if I even make quilts anymore, here's my proof.

Well, it's not a whole quilt, but it's the third block for the Rosebud Lane block of the month. I think this is my favorite one so far! My goal is to have the whole quilt top finished by the third Saturday in August. Now that I've put that goal in writing, maybe I'll be more inclined to stick to it.

X-blocks are coming to Around the Block!

2007-07-17T12:39:00.000-05:00

If you don't know about this technique, it's a very cool, very simple way to get a ton of quilts out of just one block. That's right, I said one block. Patricia Pepe is the genious behind this technique, and you can read more about it and see more quilts on her website.

Around the Block is holding a class on X-block quilts on Saturday, July 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The class will be taught by Dottie Lankard. Dottie is one of a group that won the Hoffman Challenge in 2005. Needless to say, she's an excellent quilter. You don't want to miss the opportunity to learn from her.

Here are just a couple of Dottie's X-block quilts (sorry for the terrible photography):

Call or e-mail us at the shop to sign up!

That's (Quilt) Show Biz

2007-07-17T12:24:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Hopefully there are lots of new people reading this blog, because Around the Block was a vendor at the Jubilee Quilt Show in Dewey, Oklahoma this past weekend. We had a wonderful time and met lots of new people. It was also good to see my fellow quilt shop owners, catch up with them, and talk about the joys and sorrows of owning your own shop. We don't get the chance to visit very often!

Besides the people, it was a lovely show. Lots to see, for sure. Here are a few of the quilts that caught my eye.

We (the DH and I) rewarded ourselves after the show on Saturday by going to the movie theater to see the new Harry Potter movie. I hate having preconcieved notions (good or bad) about a movie, so I'll just say this: If you liked the others, go and see this one. I'm not going to give anything else away. With that said, I am highly anticipating the release of the 7th and final book (which now that I think about it might be today?). I've read all the others, but it's been so long that I'm going back and re-reading books 5 and 6. I tend to read very late into the night which I've discovered is not good for retention.

It was a very fun but very exhausting weekend. It was topped off by our air conditioner quitting on us. So I've been doing very little at home - I even broke a sweat unloading the dishwater. My dear hubby is on the case though, so we're hoping it will be fixed by this evening when we get off work. Otherwise, I may be spending quite a bit more time at the shop!

Our "magical" week

2007-07-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

We're back from vacation and diving headfirst back into quilty endeavors. But before I tell you about that, let's recap the vacation, shall we?

Our first full day in Florida, we went to Daytona Beach. I'll spare you those pictures. I will say I was suprised by the extreme lack of attractive people. Afterall, it's Daytona Beach. You expect bleached-blonde, slender girls and muscular guys to be as abundant as seashells. Not the case. On the bright side, I didn't see anyone in a Speedo.

Not too far from Dayton Beach is the Ponce Inlet, where the Ponce de Leon lighthouse is located. Since we were all pretty sunburned by 2:00, we left the beach and stopped at the lighthouse to look around.

Views from the top of the lighthouse, which you access by climbing a very curvy, very steep, very tall set of stairs.

Imagine my excitement when I discovered quilts at the lighthouse! These pictures are from the caretaker's residence. I had to take pictures through the glass since the house wasn't open to the public.

After we left the lighthouse, we headed for Orlando. The next morning we began our Disney parks marathon. Three parks in three days. In July. My husband did a little research and informed everyone that we were visiting Disney World on the third busiest week of the year. The busiest week is Christmas, and the second busiest is spring break. I still think I would take either of those weeks over the one we chose simply because of the heat. It reminded me of physics class. When the temperature rises, particles start moving faster and bounce off of each other. That's how I felt - like a particle, uncontrollably bumping into people as we trekked through the parks.

Not to say we didn't have fun and see some really neat stuff. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. My husband and I thought it was hilarious that the tram drivers and ticket takers would say, "Welcome to _______. Have a magical day." So it sort of became an inside joke to describe everything as "magical."

The first day we went to Epcot. My favorite part of Epcot is the "countries." Epcot has a lake surrounded by a street. Other streets offshoot from the lake like sunbeams. Each offshoot represents a different country, where the buildings, restaurants, and people area all meant to make you feel like you are in that particular country. We visited them all, but my favorites were Germany, China, and the UK. Here is a picture of one of the gardens in France.

We ate in Morocco. It wasn't the best food I've ever tasted, but it was interesting. We had some hummus, which I had seen on tv on the food network but had never tried before. I'm glad I tried it. I would have preferred Japan or China (I really wanted my husband to try some sushi), but some other members of our group didn't want "that stuff," so Morocco was a good compromise. My husband's cousin had a margarita in Mexico. She said it was good, but it was way too hot for a cocktail for me.

The next day we visited MGM (which I highly recommend, especially if you like movies), and our last day we went to Magical Kingdom. Having learned our lesson from the previous two days, we opted to wait until the late afternoon to go to the park. We arrived at the parking lot a little before 4:00. The first tram we got on caught on fire. It wasn't engulfed in flames or anything, just a small electrical fire. By the time a 2nd tram arrived and we took the ferry to the entry gates, it was about 4:15. I doubt the Magic Kingdom was any less crowded at 4:15 than it was earlier in the day, but it was certainly cooler. We rode some rides, and I got my face painted with a Tinkerbell inspired look. I was probably the only 20-something gal in the park with a painted face (except for the employees), but it made me happy so I didn't care.

We were killing time, taking a tour of Mickey's and Minnie's houses, when we came across this room in Minnie's house.

Who knew Minnie Mouse was a quilter? I never really was a big Minnie fan, but I have a whole new respect for her now. Her quilt hanging on the wall even has a blue ribbon.

We took the obligatory picture in front of Cinderella's castle. We stayed late for the fireworks, which were definitely the best I've ever seen. After manuevering through the traffic jam that ensued after the fireworks and picking up a few souvenirs, we headed home.

I would definitely go back, just not in July. For now, I'm ready to get back to quilting for awhile.

Funeral & Florida

2007-06-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

My, my, how time flies. It's been over a week since I've blogged. Things are very busy around here. My grandfather passed away last week (hence, the shop was closed yesterday for his funeral) (thank you, by the way, for all of your kind words - it's always good to know people are thinking about you at a time like that), and we are getting ready to go on vacation, so there is lots to finish up in the next couple of days.

Mostly a lot of this... (yes, that's a seam ripper in the picture)

Remember this quilt? Well, I finally got it all assembled and snuck it on the quilt machine thinking I would get it done pretty fast. I should have known better. It's been on the machine for the better part of a week, and it has to come off so I can quilt a couple of things before I leave.

On a brighter note (for me, anyway), a brief google search uncovered no less than seven quilt shops in the orlando, fl, area. Would I sacrifice a day in Disney hell with the in-laws to go quilt shop hopping, you might ask? Absolutely.

The shop will be closed Monday, July 2 through Wednesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. But never fear, my fellow quilters, we will re-open on Thursday, July 5 with Christmas goodies to share with you!

In the mean time, here are a few tempting new books that just arrived:

From the Laps from Fats book, I'm really liking this quilt:

You may just see a sample of this one in the shop, Christmas in July or not, because I don't know how long I'm going to be able to stay away from this one. I'm a sucker for samplers... what can I say.

Have a lovely holiday, everyone! We'll see you next week!

Toothbrush Rugs - Beyond Oval

2007-06-18T13:55:00.000-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I still love the oval toothbrush rug. It's classic - simple utility at its best. But with so many other patterns available, who can resist using this technique for other rug shapes and projects.

The baskets are, well, they're just darned cute. And unlike the rugs, you only need 2 yards of fabric for these. Now, if you don't have 2 yards of fabric laying around, you can hardly call yourself a quilter. I probably know a few people who have more fabric than that shoved in the glovebox of their car.

Once again, Cindy's busy and capable hands made the baskets. She's starting early on Christmas gifts (don't you wish you were her friend or family member) and plans to fill the baskets with the recipients' favorites (chocolate, girly lotions, you get the picture).

This is the beginning of the dog bone- shaped toothbrush rug. I think this is a very clever idea.
1) It's made of muslin, so you're not spending a bunch of money on fabric for the dog's rug.
2) My dog weighs somewhere around forty pounds and can be a very eager eater, sloshing water and dropping food all over my floor. So this rug is going under her dog bowls.
3)Plus, it will just look cute under there.

We had a nice Father's Day yesterday. We made the drive to my father-in-law's house and had lunch. That side of the family is pretty big (as in lots of people, not physically), so any time we get together there is plenty of food and conversation. Other than a brief muggy spell, the weather was cooperative. We sat under the tree in their back yard and watched our dogs frolic and the boys toss a football around. The football landed in the tomato plants a couple of times causing my father-in-law's blood pressure to momentarily rise (which made the rest of us laugh). It was a pretty nice Sunday afternoon.

My dad is travelling for work right now. He's on the east coast, and I totally forgot when I called him after 9:00 p.m. that it was after 10:00 there. I got his voicemail, so I assumed he was already asleep. Mom's with him, so she probably wore him out shopping all day. I'll try again this evening. Until then, Happy Father's Day, Daddy! You're the best!

Up the wall

2007-06-12T16:23:00.000-05:00

I like wall hangings. They're another good way (besides this) to make a quilt without...well without actually making a quilt.

This, naturally, is one of my favorites. I got my degree at K-State, and this flag lets me show my quilt-y and purple pride at the same time. The powercat is a licensed logo, and it's a big no-no to reproduce it without permission. If you're ever in Manhattan, KS, you'll see lots of powercats displayed backwards (facing left instead of right) in an attempt to get away with copying the design. So when I found this pattern about two years ago in Wichita, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Now we have these patterns in the shop, so you can feel just as lucky as I did! Oh yeah, and if you're a fan of that other school in Kansas, there are flag and quilt patterns with their mascot also.

Here is another wall hanging I did right after I opened the shop.

Right now it hangs in the entryway to the shop. It's done in blue and brown 1800's reproductions with reproduction shirting prints for the white. Each piece is just 1" wide. It took longer than I thought it would b/c of the small pieces, but it still went pretty quickly by using strip piecing. The pattern is called "Martin's Pennies." It's a good way to use up scraps in case you're one of those people that has extra fabric lying around =)

Flora-gorgeous

2007-06-08T17:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know I said I was going to be working on the quilt machine for the next couple of days, but who can quilt when the UPS man brings this fabric!

It's the new Floragraphix line by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics. There is an accompanying book of patterns that uses the fabrics, so of course I immediately started cutting. Never mind that I have (let me think....1...2...3.......I think that's it) at least 3 WIPs already started. (Wait, I just thought of a fourth).

This particular piece of fabric looks like it's made of big four patches, but you can also cut a 4-X block without actually having to piece one. The quilt pattern I'm going to start with is called Chocolate Decadence, so I'm having lots of fun with this and trying to keep my drool off of the fabric while I work.

I was going back through the old posts, and I can't believe I've never shown you this before! It uses the elusive Day Z fabric by Lakehouse. The pattern is called Daised and Amused by Tammy Tadd Designs. Those flying geese aren't for the faint of heart, but she does show you a quick-piecing method for them in the pattern. Other than that, it's not as complicated as it looks - as with anything related to quilting, accurate piecing and matching (or at least pretty close) points make all the difference.

Well, I must say I'm very proud of myself for posting three days in a row. However, I can't make any promises for the weekend as I usually accomplish almost nothing during those two days. One part lazy plus two parts beautiful spring weather = no time in front of the computer for me. Although, quilting in my wonderfully sunny sewing room is definitely on the agenda!

Happy weekend!

Table Runner Thursday

2007-06-07T13:57:00.001-05:00

I've got lots to show you, but since I'm primarily just going to be machine quilting for the next few days and not piecing (and Cindy's out of town and not going to have anything to show you either) I'm going to try to spread out the pictures so I won't have another blogging dry spell.

Here's a closer look at the fabrics...

This table runner has been immensely popular. It's called Cornerstone, and this picture really doesn't do it justice. The fabrics are from last year's Christmas collection by Judie Rothermel, of which we still have a little bit in stock. Lots of bias edges on this one, but definitely worth it in the end if you can tackle them.

And this is our patriotic version of the Waffletime runner by Atkinson Designs. This pattern, on the other hand, is very simple and quick to piece. Cindy did some simple cross-hatch and in-the-ditch quilting on the sewing machine. I love how the print on the binding fabric makes it sort of look like bias binding even though it's not.

On a totally unrelated note, I have rediscovered my love for root beer, and after a bit of a grocery store debacle, I am enjoying one right now. To make a long story short, I went to the grocery store last week to buy root beer, paid for it (along with some other groceries), and accidentally left it there. Has this ever happened to you? Did you go back? I didn't realize my mistake until several hours later, so I elected not to go back. Plus I had already thrown away my receipt and some other things on top of it and was not about to go digging through the trash. So this morning I stopped in to get some Febreze (don't ask), and bought my beloved root beer. It's totally making my afternoon.

Lots of new things coming in the next few weeks....I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Back

2007-06-06T15:08:00.000-05:00

I took a bit of an unplanned blogging break the past couple of weeks, but I'm back with lots to show you. So just what have we been up to at Around the Block the past few weeks? Let's see...

Cindy has been busy piecing this Triple Treat quilt top from the new Atkinson Designs book, Happy Hour, in Cottage Bloom fabrics by Clothworks.

I've been doing quite a bit of machine quilting, most of which has run out the door before I can snap a picture. I managed to get this one before its owner came and whisked it away.

And some machine quilting on this one... with just a touch of machine embroidery (see top of photo). Isnt' the fabric adorable! That Debbie Mumm. She's just too clever.

This is also the first time of done binding completely by machine. I wouldn't recommend it on most quilts, but on baby quilts or donation quilts it works great! I just stitched the binding to the front of the quilt as usual and folded it over to the back, using pins to hold it in place. Then I stitched in the ditch on the top of the quilt next to my binding seam, catching the binding on the back in the stitch line. Not too bad for my first time, if I don't say so myself!

And these two magazines just arrived...

I just LOVE this issue of McCall's. There are at least 3 projects in there that I want to try. The cover quilt is very eye catching, there is a really awesome patriotic/1800s reproduction quilt by Judie Rothermal herself that is going on my "must complete someday" list, and an easy-peasy one that features the Peas and Carrots fabric by Moda.

Sadly, I'll probably never actually get all of these done...so if you do, be a pal and bring them by the shop or send me a pic so I can live vicariously through your quilting, okay?

Claim to fame

2007-05-18T14:02:00.000-05:00

Have you ever known anyone who has some small claim to fame, like being on the Today show or an extra in a movie or something? Well, here's mine!

I'm in the latest issue of Quilter's Home! Okay, it's not a feature story or anything, but it's something! I'm in the "What they're reading" section on page 19, just in case you have your copy handy or are rushing out to buy one now that you know I'm in it. The editor, Mark Lipinksi, called me about it a couple of months ago, but I hadn't told anyone because I didn't know when or if it would actually happen. I realize that 99% of the world doesn't think this is a big deal, but I know all of you quilters out there (along with my mom) understand my excitement!

Showing signs of improvement

2007-05-18T13:18:00.001-05:00

My photography is showing definite signs of improvement.

I am fortunate enough to have this rosebush in my backyard. It came with the house, so I can take no credit whatsoever. And despite our best efforts to starve and prune it to death, it comes back every spring with these gorgeous roses. As far as the color goes, it's not my favorite color of rose, but it does make a very striking photo. I imagine it's pretty hard to screw up a picture of such pretty flowers though. I've discovered that lighting has quite a lot to do with taking a good picture, so I made a point yesterday to bring the camera home so I could take these this morning (ya know, during the daylight...something that's usually finished by the time I make it home for the day).

This is the latest sample Cindy has completed. The fabric is called America the Beautiful by Marcus Brothers. I like how there are really only a couple of pieced blocks in this quilt, but it still has a very "quilty" feeling. Now I just have to actually quilt it. I am catching up on my machine quilting though, so maybe this one will hit the machine in the next week or so. Maybe =)

Heidi the dog

2007-05-10T17:42:00.000-05:00

This is my dog, Heidi.

As you can see, she's weird, but we love her. We rescued her (I prefer "adopted") from our local animal shelter last February. The lady at the shelter told us she thought Heidi was some kind of lab mix. Probably shar pei (you know, the wrinkly dogs). But for the most part she just looks like a deranged lab runt.

Heidi has proven to be a good dog...never potties in the house, doesn't chew on furniture, etc. So, in order to reward her good behavior, I decided to make her this.

It's a pillowcase for the pillow that serves as a cushion in the bottom of her crate. (Get the pattern here). Her crate is next to our bed, and she spends about 12 hours a day napping in her crate whether my husband and I are sleeping or not. Until today, we had just thrown an old pillow in the crate with no pillowcase or cover on it. Naturally, the pillow is quite stained and disgusting looking in spite of my best efforts to bleach the you-know-what out of it. So for my sanity and just because it's cute, she now has a pillowcase for her pillow. Spoiled girl.

Mint chocolate treats

2007-05-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, remember how I was telling you about wanting to make the bag from the new Terry Atkinson book? Well, what do you think?!

I love the way this turned out. I used 3 fat quarters and 1/2 yard of lining from the Metro Blue line of fabrics by Marcus Brothers. I followed the directions exactly, and it turned out great. She gives the best instructions. There are a couple of things I will change when (that's right, when, not if) I do another one, like adding a few pockets. But otherwise I won't change a thing. Doesn't it look like these bags? And to think, you can make your own for less than $15. I saw quite a few young girls carrying these bags when I visited my parents in Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. I saw several at the quilt show in Paducah, so I just assumed the women carrying them had made them. It wasn't until I talked to my sister (who's in college and knows a lot more about the latest trends than I do) that I found out the bags were store bought.

And doesn't this fabric make the cutest quilt? Once again, I can't take credit. Cindy pieced it, and the pattern is in the lastest issue of Quiltmaker. It's the alternate version of the Beatrix Potter baby quilt.

Now, this I can take credit for...

Here are some much improved pictures of the first and second blocks in the Rosebud Lane block of the month (which starts June 16 by the way....sign up now to make sure get in on this). I'm telling you, ladies, if I can do this, so can you. The instructions are very well written. As with any quilting project, the most time consuming part is the cutting. I love to piece, and these blocks let me do that while still doing something a little less conventional. Don't get me wrong...I love traditional quilts...but whoever thought you could piece a house?

And last but not least, here are the newest additions to our magazine inventory.

Lots of cute projects in these two. Check out Quilts and more for instructions on making a bag, pincushions, pillows, and several quilts, shown in fabrics ranging from trendy to traditional.

America Loves Scrap Quilts by McCalls Quilting is chock full of gorgeous scrap patterns (with instructions for how much yardage to buy if you don't plan to go the scrappy route). You'll especially love this magazine if (like me) you adore reproduction fabrics. I'm thinking of tackling the cover quilt, even though it has the A-word. Applique-ing perfect circles has proven to be a challenge for me in the past. Lord knows I've got enough reproduction fabrics to choose from though!

I've gone and made myself hungry by naming this post the way I did. I foresee a Braum's run in my near future!

Where's the %&!@* camera?

2007-05-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

Well, my husband and I took our camera with us to Tennessee to visit my parents last weekend (with a very brief stopover at Paducah), and now I can't seem to find it. I'm sure it's somewhere in the luggage I still haven't unpacked. When I didn't see it after a quick look in the suitcase, I assumed I had already brought it to the store. Now that I'm at the store, I realize it must be at home.

Anyhow, here are some very poor substitutes that I took with my cell phone.

Here is the first block for the Rosebud Lane block of the month:

The picture is out of focus, and the lighting is terrible, but it gives you and idea of what the blocks will look like made out of our fabric. Plus you can see a little better how the block is pieced with just a little bit of fusible applique. Stop by the shop to see the block is it's full glory. For instance, in this block the only things that are appliqued are: the chimneys on top of the roof, the bushes on the side of the house, the darker part of the front door, and the bird bath. I used fusible applique, and I think I'll take it home with me tonight and hand blanket stitch it. I'm not fortunate enough to have a good blanket stitch on my sewing machine. Plus, I have tons of embroidery floss at home so I can match the colors better.

This is a portion of a quilt I am doing out of the Freshcut line of fabrics. You can download the pattern from the Quiltmaker website. The pattern had 16 blocks, but once I got it all arranged on my living room floor, I decided I wanted to make it big enough to go on the guest bed, so I had to put the project on hold while I cut out an additional 14 blocks. It takes one fat quarter for each block you want to make, and the blocks are 15 inches, so it's pretty easy to figure out how many blocks/fat quarters you need for any size quilt.

Here are couple of things that have arrived at the shop in the last few days. The first is Terry Atkinson's new book (ya know, the Terry Atkinson who designed the Yellow Brick Road pattern) called Happy Hour. I'm dying to make the bag and pillow projects which take just 3 fat quarters each.

And Quilt Sampler is awesome as always. I'm not sure if Wal-mart has this one yet or not. I think they ship to independent retailers first, so be the first to get your copy of Quilt Sampler!
I'll post more pictures when I find that %&!@* camera!

New! Block of the Month

2007-04-26T15:52:00.000-05:00

We are proud to announce our very first block of the month!

The quilt is Rosebud Lane by the Quilt Company. It uses Maywood's Ramblin Rose and Willowberry Winter fabric lines. Each block is completely rotary cut and machine pieced with a few applique details. Can you believe it?! I thought for sure the designer would tell me this quilt was loaded with little templates, but she assured me such is not the case. Whew! Each house has its own theme, like "restful retreat" or "quilting retreat"...isn't that cute! And the icing on the cake is that picket fence border. Just irresistible. It makes me wonder, now why didn't I think of that!

The best part is, you don't have to live in the area to participate! You can sign up on our website, and we'll ship the block pattern & fabrics each month. This is a six month program, and we will begin distributing blocks the 3rd Saturday June. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Marathon of quilts

2007-04-21T13:38:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is - the finished product.

I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. Note to self, though: Think long and hard before you to decide to do a quilt on a deadline that has blocks on the bias. Enough said. Moving on...

This one is a quick sample I whipped up out of the Willowberry Winter Lights collection. Very feminine. I don't usually voluntarily make blocks with flying geese in them, but with the help of the Eleanor Burns/Quilt in a Day flying geese ruler, I survived. I'm very pleased with the results. I love the way the checked print in the flying geese emphasizes the stars. The borders are a little overwhelming, but on a larger quilt they would look fantastic.

Are you ever at home of an evening and just get the urge to make a quilt? Not piece, not cut, not mark, just finish something for heaven's sake? Well, that's sort of what this was about.

I did this last night. I started at about 8:00 p.m. and finished about midnight, stopping only for a What Not to Wear/cookie break. And when I say I started at 8:00, I mean I started choosing fabrics. This is where I got the pattern. I just grabbed fabrics from my stash. It's funny how each one of them has a story - how I can remember when, where, and why they were purchased. At the time, I never dreamed they would all end up in the same project. It's a bit... um.... colorful, but I love it and will certainly use this pattern in the future.

Clueless DH

2007-04-10T17:29:00.000-05:00

Well, here's what I've been up to for the last couple of weeks.

I finally finished piecing the blocks together yesterday, so now I'm trying to make a decision on borders. The pattern calls for a floral print in the outer border, but I just can't make up my mind. What do you think?

After I finished piecing it yesterday, my DH (dear husband) came over to check out my work. And what did he say? "Good job, honey" or "It looks really great, dear"? No, not my husband. He stretched out his arm, pointing at one section of the quilt (I'm not telling where), and asked, "Why is there a big bubble right there?"

I'll spare you the not-quite-G-rated details of my response. We'll just say he's still alive, although he almost lost his pointing finger. The poor thing still has a lot to learn about quilting, but we can add "Do not ask about or point out bubbles in your wife's piecing" to the list of lessons learned.

Treatment program for stash-aholics

2007-04-10T11:17:00.000-05:00

Do you ever go on a fabric-buying binge?

Are you in denial? Do you swear you’re actually saving money by building up your stash before cotton prices rise?

Have you ever experienced a“blackout”—finding fabric in your stash you don’t remember buying?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you need Stash Pot Pie!

Stash Pot Pie is a new program we are starting at the shop to help all of you fabri-holics pare down that monstrous stash. Stash Pot Pie quilts are designed to use your stash... fat quarters, scraps, whatever you have. The pattern for each quilt gives yardage amounts for lights, mediums, and darks, allowing you to choose whatever color palette you would like. We can also help you out at the shop with your color choices. Each Stash Pot Pie workshop will be 7-8 hours and will be offered several times during a two month period. After two months, we will introduce a new Stash Pot Pie quilt. The April/May Stash Pot Pie quilt is pictured below. It's titled "Queen of Tarts."

We (okay, it was Cindy again, but I helped pick out the colors) chose to do ours in 1800's reproductions, but any combination of lights and darks will work. The pattern gives instructions and yardage amounts for a large lap-sized quilt, but we can help you figure amounts for any size quilt you would like to make.

And did I mention each quilt comes with a recipe? We'll even provide you with a cute little Stash Pot Pie recipe card to put it on. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to sample the recipe during the workshop!

The April/May Stash Pot Pie workshops are on Saturday, April 14, Wednesday, April 25, and Saturday, May 12. Contact the shop to sign up today!

What?

2007-04-06T18:08:00.000-05:00

What is going on with the weather?

This was the view from my shop windows yesterday afternoon. Snow. In April. Just when I was beginning to think I could retire my socks and jackets until the fall, mother nature pulls a fast one on me. I suppose I shouldn't be complaining about a little snow shower after the winter we had, but I'm complaining anyway.

One nice thing about quilting is that it doesn't matter what the weather is like. So while mother nature does her thing outside, Cindy and I have been busy in the shop making quilts. Well, she mostly churns out the tops while I work on other projects. But between the two of us, we managed to get this one pieced and quilted.

Okay, so the binding's not done. But binding is one of those tasks I save for the couch, so there's a good possibility it might get done this weekend...especially since it's small.

Happy Easter everyone!

Cutting a rug

2007-04-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

Now is the time for spring cleaning, and what better way to spruce up your home than with a new rug?

This is a toothbrush rug (a la Aunt Philly). This rug was my first attempt, so naturally there are some things I would do differently, but all in all I think it turned out pretty well. The rug has been in front of the register at the shop, so it's become a little misshapen from being stepped on and squished against the legs of the counter (not that it was a perfect oval to begin with). The technique is really pretty simple once you get the hang of it.

Here's another one I have in progress:

As you can see, totally different fabrics give it a different look. As far as shape goes, its coming out much more "oval" shaped than my first one. Practice makes perfect, as they say. The thing I love about these rugs is that there is NO SEWING involved. I saw Aunt Philly demonstrating these rugs at Quilt Market in Houston in October, and I knew they were something I wanted to try. Don't you just love learning new things? Even if it's something I know I never want to do again, I just get a good feeling from having the knowledge. Who knows how or if it might benefit you in the future? That's probably why I'm such an internet junkie... endless amounts of knowledge just waiting to be discovered.

Speaking of being an internet junkie, it's time for me to get away from my computer and go accomplish something in the real world. Which means I'm going to go piece. Oh, the hardships of working in a quilt shop... =)

Ex-Accountants

2007-04-03T14:05:00.000-05:00

"People always ask me, 'Were you funny as a child?'

Well, no, I was an accountant. "

Ellen DeGeneres

I found this quote on this blog and laughed out loud. If (like me) you used to be an accountant, you can really relate to that statement.

I just love it when customers come into the shop to show me what they've created. A lady came in Saturday with this adorable little cowboy quilt. She even pieced a back!

We LOVE to see your finished projects! The next time you finish something, bring it into the shop and I'll snap a picture, or you can send me a pic of your own Send me a message that you have a picture for me and I'll e-mail you back with my address. This keeps me from getting too much spam). I'll post your pics on the blog, with your permission of course. So come on and strut your quilting stuff!

Just can't say no

2007-03-30T18:21:00.000-05:00

What have I gotten myself into now...

This innocent looking little block is the first of twenty that I have to make in the next two weeks. Not to mention that I then have to assemble them, add borders, quilt the darn thing, and attach the binding. All before April 14. You see, I'm one of those people that has a hard time saying no...especially to good causes...so I find myself on a pretty tight deadline so that this quilt can be auctioned off at a benefit for our local community college.

This quilt is made from the Starlight and Favorite Things collections by Free Spirit. The pattern is Yellow Brick Road by Atkinson Designs. I mixed flannel and regular quilting cotton (yes, you can do that), so the quilt has lots of yummy texture. Lucky for the as yet undecided little one who will eventually end up with it. Lucky little tyke.

I'm off to fold newsletters, so if you're signed up you can expect a delivery to your mailbox or inbox quite soon.

In the bag

2007-03-22T13:24:00.000-05:00

Remember when I got this fabric in and was dreaming of all its possibilities? Well, here are just a couple of them.

I can't take credit - Cindy has been busy sewing up all kinds of things. She'll be teaching a class on the hobo bag (the pink one) in April, so keep an eye out for you newsletter or check our class schedule on our website.

Here are a couple of other things Cindy has whipped up in the last week or so.

These are for her granddaughter, so if you know her keep your lips zipped for a little while longer. A little machine applique here, some embellishments there, and she turned two plain t-shirts into what I'm guessing will become two of her granddaughter's favorite outfits. The pattern for these is called fun in the sun, by Caught Up In Stitches. This one will be available in the shop as well.

That's all for today. We're busy piecing and quilting away, so we'll have more to show you soon!

Blink

2007-03-07T15:09:00.001-06:00

cars disney quilt
Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/7266029@N06/.

It seems like every time I blink, completed quilts are showing up! It's great! The Cars quilt is for my nephew's 3rd birthday. He LOVES this movie. I think he thinks he is Lightning McQueen (or "Wightning" as he would say). So I'm sure he'll love this. Which is great for me, because there wasn't very much piecing involved with this one =) Just sew some wide strips on the top & bottom of this panel, and you're done. Now there's a quilt in a day for you!

Fresh start

2007-03-01T14:15:00.000-06:00

Isn't this the most gorgeous pile of fabric you've ever seen? (Sorry for the extreme crooked-ness of this photo.)

These just say "spring" to me. They are part of Heather Bailey's new line from Free Spirit called Freshcut. Like the arrival of this fabric, the arrival of the beginnings of spring is renewing my energy and creativity. I've been drooling ever since the box came this afternoon just thinking about what I'm going to do with these. Can you say "flirty spring skirt"? Or "funky new tote bag" to replace the black leather behemoth I've been schlepping around all winter?

And this has been finished forever, but we just recently got it hung so I could take a picture.

It is from Judie Rothermel's Scrappy Dots collection from Marcus Brothers. You can't really get the full effect from the picture, but I really like the way it turned out. The pattern is Tricia Cribbs Turning Twenty (the original, not Again or Around the Block). You just can't hardly go wrong with fabric choice on this one.

And here is a sneak peak at my latest project. More on this later.

Well, the weather has cooled off quite a bit here (again), so I'm settling in for a weekend of solid sewing & quilting. With any luck, I'll have lots of projects to show off on Monday (but don't hold your breath).

NQR (Not Quilting Related)

2007-02-24T15:21:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I know this is a blog for a quilt shop, but I also know that most quilters also do other crafts. So I thought you might like to see...

... my very first crocheted baby blanket!

No, I'm not pregnant. Nor do I know anyone who is. I started this project about six months ago or so, thinking maybe I would have it done by the time my first child is born (like, in the next 10 years or so). So I finished a bit ahead of schedule. But isn't it adorable! I'm very proud. Even though you may have noticed that I photographed it folded up instead of laying flat to hide the fact that it's not quite square. But I'm guessing my first child won't care. And isn't the doll bed adorable also? My grandpa made one each for my sister and I when were little, and my aunt made the little "mattresses", pillow, and blanket.

As if finishing my first crochet blanket wasn't exciting enough, look what knocked on the door this week.

The joy of finishing a project, only to be topped off by the delivery of girl scout cookies. Does life get any better than this? I'm going to celebrate by flipping through a few quilt magazines, trying my best not to smear the pages in Thin Mint chocolate-y goodness.

Girly stuff

2007-02-19T16:41:00.000-06:00

Don't these blocks just scream femininity? (try saying that five times fast)

One of the quilt guilds that I am a member of is doing a block of the month titled "A Tribute to Women." Lips & hearts are the blocks for January and February. The top set of blocks are the ones I did following the "rules" of using white and light blue backgrounds. I thought the fabrics by Moda designers 3 sisters (including the new Sanctuary line) would make a nice, pretty quilt. For the second set of blocks, I decided to shake it up a bit by using black backgrounds and bright red lips and hearts. The red batik I used for the lips looked just like a glossy red lipstick (to me, anyway). I love them. I'm going to continue to do two sets of blocks for the rest of the year - one following the rules and one not, but I think I already know which one is going to be my favorite.

Remember this quilt? Well it's getting dangerously close to completion - only a few more nine patches to go, so I'll soon be able to add it to my stack of TBQs (To Be Quilted).

black & white & red all over

2007-01-02T10:48:00.000-06:00

This is my friend and her very first quilt! I've been trying to get her to make a quilt for awhile now, but she refused. She had sworn off sewing after making a wool suit in 4-H. I assured her that making a quilt top is nothing like making a wool suit, but she persisted. Then she had a few days off over Christmas, and with a little persuasion and help from her mother she turned out this little beauty! And she says she wants to make another one. I'm so proud.

Christmas is over...time to stitch!

2006-12-26T10:30:00.000-06:00

The gifts have been given, the dinners eaten, the relatives are leaving... now it's time to take a deep sigh of relief and get back to what you've truly been wanting to do - quilt! And not for your sister, or your niece, or for you cousin's newlywed daughter... for yourself! The quilt above is a fun and easy little number. It's great for brightening those cold winter nights and for allowing yourself to mindlessly chain sew. (And it would make a great gift...just don't give yourself a deadline.) This one's been on my design wall for quite awhile now, so my goal is to get the top finished in the next couple of weeks. The fabric is Serendipity by P&B Textiles, and the pattern is called Serendipity by Verlinda Magby.

Ribbon Cutting/Cookie Feed

2006-12-14T17:48:00.000-06:00

Here we are doing our ribbon cutting last Friday. It was pretty cold outside, but quite a few people still showed up to witness the cutting and have punch and cookies. And boy, did we have cookies. As a matter of fact, almost a week later there are still some cookies left. They are safely stored in the freezer for when I lose the pounds I gained the first time. Anyway, back to the picture. From left to right are Bruce Fairbank of Labette Bank, Kanak Patel of Commercial Bank (representing the Chamber of Commerce), my husband and business partner, Byron Stokes, myself, and Mayor Lewis Smith. As I said, it was chilly outside, but many of my friends and acquaintances came out to show their support, and a good time was had by all. I truly appreciated the event and everyone that attended.

But on to quilting...

I whipped the binding down on this little number last night. (Please forgive the amateur photography.) It's made of the Aunt Purdy's Parlor 5" charm pack by Kansas Troubles for Moda. It went together pretty quickly, and it's small enough (24" x 24" finished) to quilt at home if you want to. It would make a great little wall hanging or table topper.

Lots of things in the works right now, but I'll try to show you a quilt next time!

Welcome to my blog!

2006-12-13T11:27:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the blog for Around the Block Fabric & Quilt Shop! We are very excited, because a blog is such a great way to keep up with what's going on in the shop between newsletters. You won't have to wait to find out what the latest and greatest products are... we'll tell you right here! We also hope to use this blog to tell you about other great quilting resources on the web including designer and manufacturer websites, free pattern sites, and anything else that just looks cool.

Latest and greatest product number one is this adorable apron pattern. I made it up in fabrics from the Free Spirit line Utopia, but you could pair up any two coordinating fabrics. The best part is, it only takes 2 yards of fabric (one yard for the fron and one yard for the back)! The pattern is by Vanilla House Designs (http://www.vanillahousedesigns.com/). I saw her and her patterns at quilt market in Houston in October, and I just had to have some.

Thanks for visiting the blog, and check back often!