A new adventure...

A new JOB!

Tomorrow I will head out for training for a new job!

The past month has been crazy with many interviews and quite a few job offers.

I made a decision two weeks ago and this past week it all came together and

I can now reveal the NEW JOB!

Store Manager, Joann Fabric and Crafts, Holbrook, NY

FIND ME HERE!!!

Training will take me out of town for 2 weeks and then more local for 2 additional weeks.

Personally, I cannot wait to actually get to the store and dig in!

Being a creative person (very crafty) that has participated in many crafts this job is right up my alley.

I have to admit that I have put my all into every job I have had over the years:

Sears Roebuck and Company

Smithtown Library System

Independent Nail Technician

Craft Show Vendor

Calico n Lace - shop owner

Amy's Beauty Salon

Ben Franklin Crafts

Harry and David

Pieceful Quilting

LOVED EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!

And now, I  move on to another job adventure!

Hope to see you at the store if you live in the area.

Keep on sewing...I know that I will!
Colleen

Vacation is over!

Today it's time to head back to work.
Hubby and I had a wonderful 10 days together doing a lot of visiting with relatives.

First we took off to Maryland to visit with the gang down there.
Our granddaughter is now 17 months old and so much fun to be around.
She has a great little personality and lots of love to give.

Most of our time there was spent just hanging around the house watching kiddie shows, movies and
baseball games.  We did watch the US win the World Cup and that was fun.
Since it was US vs. Japan we celebrated by having Japanese for dinner and then a
delicious dessert of Angel Food Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries and Blueberries.
We were all cheering for the US and it paid off!

Then we came home for a quick turn around to Connecticut to visit family there!  Good times!
Lots of sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing about days gone by and planning a future trip
to Okinawa.  Again, a lot of baseball and movies on the TV.

My husband did ALL of the driving and I did my job of keeping him awake at the wheel, controlling the music and stitching!
I worked on the start of a Grandmother's Flower Garden English Paper Pieced project.

At this point I am not certain of what layout I will be using but I am enjoying the hand stitching process very much.  I have quickly become addicted to this.  One of the great things about a project like this is how compact and easy it is to travel with.  I stitched in the car, on the boat, watching TV, at the kitchen table...fun, fun, fun!

I also had a fantastic day of sewing with friends and completed 10 more Log Cabin blocks for my grandson's quilt.  Only 12 more of these large blocks to go and then I need to make 16 of the small 7" blocks.  I didn't think it was possible but I am running out of the original blues I had cut.  Time to hit up the stash again and cut up some more.  This isn't the layout that I have planned (you can see that in a previous post).  

Since I mentioned movies and that we watched a lot of them this week, here's a list of which ones we enjoyed (I must admit that I didn't really enjoy ALL of them because blood and guts is not my favorite, but I persevered):

Fury, 47 Ronin, Kingsman, Mad Max Fury Road, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2, Million Dollar Arm, Jersey Boys, and The Age of Adaline.

Like I said, we watched a lot of movies, from super gory to super funny and everything in between.  

All in all, it was a relaxing and fun-filled vacation!

Now, back to reality and some sewing,

Colleen

 

Welcome Summer!

Happy Summer!

As for my sewing...it's been Karate Gi sewing constantly!
That's okay, they are all coming out fantastic and once the

first big order for these is complete I can do the rest as

orders come in.

I am really enjoying stitching on the Baby Lock Sashiko machine.

And, surprisingly enough, I am not getting bored doing the same thing

twelve times!!!

In between the custom work on the Gi tops and sitting, watching the

embroidery being done (it is mesmerizing) I have been deciding on a layout

for my grandson's log cabin quilt.

The blocks are 14" and 7" finished and the color choice is to only use blues and whites.

So there are many different blue prints from my in the blocks and the whites are 

all different white on white prints.  Most of the fabrics are from stash and scraps.

The photo below represents the virtual EQ6 version that I think is the layout of choice.

Of course, I still have more blocks to make and cannot

wait to get back to working on these.

For me, log cabin blocks are very relaxing!

Happy Summer Sewing!
Colleen

The Purple Butterfly Project

The Purple Butterfly Project

My sister Doreen has Early Onset Alzheimer’s.  Early on in her diagnosis she told me that it felt like she had a million Butterflies flying around in her head bumping into one another and all scrambled.  She said if she could just capture and grab one of them she could have a good thought or a good memory.  All it would take is just one.

The Purple Butterfly Project is a way to honor Doreen’s thoughts and a few of her passions in life; butterflies, the color purple and quilting.  My hope is to make a quilt from blocks made by her friends and supporters that could be put together into a quilt to be auctioned off to raise awareness and funds for this devastating disease.

I have designed a quilt with two different layouts.  Both are made from the same block design ~ the Friendship Star.  The difference is that I have twisted and turned them in the second layout.  I like them both and will decide later (or with a little help from participants) which layout to use.  The butterflies are suggestive of an embroidery design of purple butterflies that I will do in the open spaces.

Quilt Layout #1

Quilt Layout #2

The quilt is made up of 36 star blocks like the one below.  The layout is a setting of 6 rows with 6 blocks each.  The blocks finish at 9” and the border finishes at 4” for a total quilt size of 62” x 62”, a nice lap size quilt or wall hanging.

So, this is a request to all you quilters out there to make one (or more) blocks to add to this quilt.  You will need to follow the layout below for an unfinished 9 ½” block.

Please use good, quilt shop quality fabrics for this project.

Colors to use:

• Star points ~ any PURPLE you want to use
• Star background ~ light green solid or tonal 
• Block background ~ white solid or tonal

Please follow the layout with the star points in the correct orientation as the picture.
Each patch of this block is 3 ½” unfinished.

If you need instructions on how to make this block email me at the email provided below.  It really is a very simple block.

All blocks need to be mailed to Colleen by August 1, 2015 so she can assemble, quilt and bind in a timely manner.  Please include your name, city and state, and phone number in with the block(s).  In addition, if you have an opinion on which layout you prefer please let me know.   If I receive more than 36 blocks there will be more than one project produced!  The label will contain the name of all contributing quilters that helped make this possible.  If you would like to make a personal donation please visit our facebook page link below.

An Online Quilt Auction will be held via the Team Day by Day Facebook page and will run from September 1, 2015 through September 30, 2015.  (earlier if possible) Of course the quilt will go to the highest bidder and the money will be donated to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s via team Day by Day. The opening minimum bid will be set at $300.

Please email me at the following email address if you need more information or for information on where to send your completed block(s).

Americanaqueen@hotmail.com

Thank you in advance for your participation in this project!
The quilt label will contain the names of everyone who makes a block for the quilt.

Sincerely,
Colleen

Here is a glimpse at a draft of the rules on how the Online Auction will work. This is subject to change if needed but the auction will follow these general guidelines.

Online Auction Rules:

1. A picture of the auction item(s) will be placed on the Day by Day Facebook page in an album titled “The Purple Butterfly Project”.
2. Bidding will be open from 12midnight September 1, 2015 until 12 midnight September 30, 2015.
3. By bidding in the Online Auction, each bidder agrees to these auction rules.
4. Day by Day reserves the right to add or withdraw items, without notice, to or from the Online Auction
5. Auction item purchases are final.  No returns or exchanges will be issued.  All items are “as is”.
6. Day by Day provides no guarantees, warranties or servicing of auction items and is not liable for any personal injury or damage to property that may result from the use of the items sold.
7. To place a bid for an Online Auction item, type your name and the amount you wish to bid in the comment section of the item picture on Facebook.  The Opening minimum bid is listed with each item.  Each subsequent bid must follow the minimum increment of $5.00.  Any bids not adhering to this format will be declared invalid and voided.
8. In order to maintain confidentiality, bidders will need to email their contact information including phone number to Americanaqueen@hotmail.com.
9. There is no “upper limit” for your bids!
10. Once the auction is declared closed, the last bid entered in the comment section that adheres to the designated increment shall constitute the winning bid and will so be marked.
11. Winning bid will be posted on Facebook by 9:00am on October 1, 2015
12. The winning bidder will be contacted to arrange payment of a donation to Team Day by Day on their official page on the Alzheimer’s Association 2015 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Page. http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2015/NY-LongIsland?team_id=255858&pg=team&fr_id=7678 
13. PAYMENT MUST BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS OF THE END OF THE ONLINE AUCTION.

To the winner:  Once payment to the page in the form of the winners donation in full has been processed, arrangements for pick-up/shipping will be determined.
Happy Bidding!

It's been a few weeks since my last post...

Yup, it's been a while since I have been on here.
No excuses, just life!
But, I have done a lot more home organizing in between a few project sewing sessions.

There's been practice on that new Sashiko machine leading up to the reason we purchased it in the first place.

Here is a photo of the Karate Gi top for the Black Belts at our dojo.  Plain, boring, black.

Now, here's a photo of one that I have "embellished".

Some embroidery, a little patch and some Sashiko cross hatch stitching.  

It looks so much better and the guys really like the look.

There are still about 11 more I need to finish so that project is taking up a lot of my sewing time.

When I need a break from that (and I do need breaks) this is the project for a new baby girl quilt.

A Kokeshi Doll Quilt from a pattern by Sandy Rodenmayer.

So cute, every one of them!  They still need to be machine appliqued before putting the quilt top together.

I also put together this quick little (20") table topper for the summer the other night as a demo display for the shop.  The technique uses the Quick Curve Ruler and the pattern is free on the Sew Kind of Wonderful website.  Sorry it's a little (or a lot) blurry.  Late night picture taking?

Well, that's what's been sewin' on in my world.  Missing my Lady Tiara, I need a FMQ fix!

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

Quilting Stars

I worked on a sample this week at the shop and had to quilt it the other day.
Inspiration dictated loops and stars.  Problem ~ never quilted stars.
I was very nervous but it really was the best design to use.
My co-worker said 'just do it'!  So, I did.

The picture isn't the best but there are the stars.
I will post a picture of the entire project (a Christmas Tree Skirt) when I actually
take a picture of it!
It is all done and bound and hanging in the shop already.

I have to say I was so brave the backing is a deep red/burgundy and I quilted it in
the same thread as the top thread, a gold.

Have you stepped outside your comfort zone this week in quilting?

Happy Stitching!
Colleen

Making Progress!

Yesterday was a day off from working at Pieceful Quilting so it was the perfect day to continue working on my sewing space!
Like the title of the post states...making progress...with a lot more work to go.

Late last night the new Sashiko machine made it's way out of the box and onto the table in the center.  Now to study the Instruction Manual and see what amazing things can be done with this machine.
Meanwhile, Lady Tiara is the most fun of all!
Hopefully, the table in the left corner will be switched out soon for a desk we have in the guest room downstairs.  It will fit better and provide a little more storage.
I am hoping to hang more of my smaller quilts on the wall above the Lady.
Then I can look at them for inspiration.
This is a very tiny space that's about 10' X 12' so I need to be very creative in here!!!  LOL ~ don't we all!
For the other half of the room...more progress needs to be made on that so stayed tuned.

For now...Happy Stitching,
Colleen

P.S. ~ Just wanted to mention those amazing curtains.  My daughter made them and I just love them!

Some more fun on Lady Tiara...

Last night was a good night to play on Lady Tiara.
A facebook friend posted a video using a straight line ruler quilting inside a triangle so I decided to give it a try.
Here are the pics from that little practice session.

First I traced three triangles onto the practice square.

Then stitched at it!

This was fun and fairly easy.  The friend who posted the video stated that this was a very good design to practice ruler work and she was right.  This session really made me focus on holding the ruler, finding your stopping point and speed.

The first triangle was a little too large.  When doing the first couple of 'rounds' (calling them that for lack of a better term for it) the bottom of the fabric that needed to align with the ruler was off the table so I had to fiddle with that.  So the solution was to divide the next triangle into four smaller ones.

I like the look of both.

Now there is a Pyramid Quilt or a quilt with triangles in my future.

Hey, I wonder if there is one in my large pile of quilt tops waiting to be quilted?

Better check that out before starting another one!  LOL!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful quilting Moms out there!

Happy Stitching,

Colleen

Cleaning and organizing my sewing space...

...lots to do!  This should sum it up nicely...

I did have to stop and grab some scraps the other night.  Nothing major, just a few blocks but at least I got to hear the hum of the machine.

Happy Stitching!
Colleen

Have I been sewing?

Well, yes and no!  Does hand sewing a binding on a little table topper count.
If so then I have been sewing.
Other than that just a little bit of machine sewing and/or quilting on Lady Tiara.

I started another Quick Curve Ruler project...love this ruler and the technique.

What else have I been doing?  Cleaning and organizing.
Yes, in my sewing space but I also started some overdue Spring cleaning in the house.

So that's the story right now.  Monday I will be taking my "everyday" machine (the one I usually sew on everyday) in for her yearly service so I guess I will be spending my free time with more organizing.

I will post a photo of the space when complete.

Hope you get to sew everyday!
Colleen

More FMQ...

Yesterday I worked on the center of the Chic Kisses Topper.

#sewkindofwonderful

#chickisses

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Sorry this picture isn't the greatest.  I still need to figure out the best way to take pics of the quilting and I am sure my home lighting isn't helping in this area.

Today I figured out the design and quilted one of the corners.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

You can't really see the quilting in the fans but it's a simple arc and then I did a curved cross hatch in the outermost corner.
If I have time I will finish the other 3 corners tonight and think about what I want to do in the squares.  Maybe just some straight line channel quilting.

Having a great time with Lady Tiara!  Learning lots along the way.

Happy Sewing,
Colleen

Project ALMOST complete

It has been a busy few days with work and other events and I have not managed to get to the sewing machine since Wednesday.  This morning I decided that quilting detox is not for me and pulled out an old project (2011 or 2012) that has been pinned to the wall in my sewing room and quilted it on Lady Tiara.

This was the sample for a class at the shop.  The quilting plan was a little free motion in the center with a star like motif and then some more ruler practice.  I didn't use the ruler for the small outer triangles, for that I just gave myself some registration marks along the edge every half inch from center.  There isn't any quilting in the blue areas because I felt the print would hide the work.

Here is a close up.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Speed 25%

Free Motion and Ruler Work

Thread - Glide

Lesson learned - quilt some more old projects!

It's fun and it's okay to make mistakes!

Tonight I will prepare a binding and sew it on and then hand stitch it down at the Karate School tomorrow.

Have a beautiful Sunday, the weather here is fantastic!
Happy Sewing,

Colleen

More FMQ practice

Here are the pics from yesterday's playtime with Lady Tiara.

This first shot is of some quick meandering, just to relax and really playing around.

The lesson learned here is to practice a consistent distance when

doing echoing and keeping the sizes of the spirals consistent.

Note to self; you need to practice consistency.

This one was the practice for Day 3.

I am not fond of this at all.

Thread, speed, tension, etc was good.

Lesson learned here is that my stitching is very heavy in some areas, 

perhaps I used those areas to travel too many times.  

That was all I really had time for yesterday.  I didn't even get to any piecing on other projects.

Happy Stitching,

Colleen

Free Motion Practice - Day 2

FREE MOTION QUILTING MY WAY...ONE DAY AT A TIME

I have decided to journal my free motion quilting practice sessions so I can see my progress and share what I am learning with anyone who wants to follow along.

Day 2: Feathers (sort of) and some straight line ruler work

Monday, April 13, 2015

Speed 27%

Thread - Glide (top and bobbin)

I think the puckers around the outside is because the sample sandwich is a little small.  The Glide thread works much better with the same thread in the bobbin.

• Marked an 8" square and diagonal and square lines and stitched in the ditch
• Used a small (6") arc ruler to stitch the melon shapes
• Free motion the feather in each of those shapes
• used a straight ruler to stitch the straight lines 1/4" apart

MQX Quilt Festival - East

Last week I hopped in the car with a couple of my quilting besties and we traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire for the MQX Quilt Festival - East!
All I can say is...once again we had a fantastic time; great friends, great classes, great quilts, great vendors, great new quilters to meet!
BTW - it's also great to be home again; missed my husband, missed our kind of water, missed my bed, and so on!

I took a total of 4 hands on classes and one lecture. Two of the classes were for free motion quilting and the other two were piecing classes.

To be honest, I have taken a number of free motion classes and think it is a good idea to learn from a variety of teachers.  Everyone has their own technique and style, you can glean from each hands on or lecture what works for you.  Then you practice, practice, practice.  That IS the one thing every teacher has in common, PRACTICE.  This year I took a class with Andrea Brokenshire and a class with Leah Day.  Both ladies were a delight to spend 4 hours with and they both had a lot to share in the way of free motion quilting.

Yesterday I practiced a design called Paisley.  My personal goal is to practice for 15-30 minutes per day on my new Baby Lock Tiara.  Yup, I am now the proud owner of a Tiara and I am loving it.  I haven't quilted any quilt tops yet on the one at home but I have quilted a number of sample quilts already for the shop on the Tiara floor model.
So happy and thankful to now have one at home.  I am adding a page at the top of this blog to journal my free motion quilting practice and invite you to follow along as I find out what works for me.

The class with the ladies from Sew Kind of Wonderful (http://sewkindofwonderful.com/) was a lot of fun.
We used their Quick Curve Ruler with the Chic Kisses Pattern.  My original plan was to do this with the fabrics in my Civil War Repro stash but since the class was to only make one block I used a few fabrics from my 30's Repro stash.

Cute block!  This is one that I will be doing again and again I think.  The block is fairly large (@23x23) so it will pull together into a large quilt.  This sample will be a table topper for summer after I quilt it.

That brings me to the lecture I went to at the show.  The same ladies gave a lecture on using their QCR Sidekick Longarm Ruler.  This ruler has curves that follow the curves made in your blocks using the QCR.  Lots to learn.  Picked up the ruler set and will need to practice A LOT before quilting this. I will add some of the ruler work photos to my free motion page when I get around to this practice.

Happy Stitching (and practicing),
Colleen

Log Cabin Obsessed!

That's right, I have become obsessed with

making these little Log Cabin Blocks.

This is the picture of the Log Cabin Star with borders,

layered and quilting started.

This was the demo piece for a class I was teaching.

You can't really see the quilting but the process,

as part of the class, was to quilt it with 

machine embroidery.

It will stay as is until class #2 at the end of March

so I can demo the quilting again.

But, this ruler and book from Marti Michell have

hooked me in!  I am so obsessed with making these

little log cabin blocks I cannot stop!

You can purchase the ruler and book at

Pieceful Quilting. Just give us a call!

Watch the video here!

In preparing for the first class I cut so many 

1.5" strips from my Civil War Repro and Thimbleberries stash

the box was overflowing.

All this led to my new obsession...

I made 4 blocks for the second class Saturday

and then came home and made a couple (19) more.

Going totally scrappy with this staying the in CW and Thimbleberries "like" fabrics.

My rules are simple:

Lights - anything with a light background

Darks - anything without a light background

These are 3 potential layouts.

And, the box still overflows!

Eventually this will be large enough for a throw.

Last weekend it was snowy so I stepped outside my

comfort zone of favorite fabrics and made this little table topper.

The pattern is Rock Candy from Jaybird Quilts.

This pattern is also available at Pieceful Quilting

and will be a class at the shop later on in the spring.

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

Log Cabin Star

I have been sewing away on a class sample for the shop.

The logs finish at 1" and we are 

using Marti Michell's log cabin ruler which makes cutting the log strips

quick and easy.

I have 16 blocks...

And my layout will be a star...

I have to sew these together and then pick a nice

border and get the backing ready for Part 2 of the class

next Thursday.

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

Painted Mountains...

Well, it's been a little while since I posted.

My intent was to post every other week...maybe I will get there.

I have been working on some machine embroidery projects

that I will show at a later date.

Right now I wanted to stop in and show you 

my Painted Mountains Quilt top with the

borders added.

Sorry the pic is not the greatest, I had to lay it on the bed 

due to the size of the quilt top.

On another note, I have decided to 

continue my daily sewing of 4 little hour glass blocks.

If I work on these for the entire year it 

will make one awesome, scrappy queen size quilt!
So far I am keeping up with this, let's hope I don't get

bored of these cuties...

pics to follow.

If you are in the path of freezing temps like we are

here in the Northeast, stay warm and stay safe.

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

2 weeks into the New Year already!

While I still make an attempt to sew everyday,

last year I was not as successful as the year prior.

Oh, I sewed a lot but not EVERYDAY.

This year I set that goal again and 2 weeks in we are doing great!

I love the activity of sewing.
A friend mentioned that I have a lot of unfinished tops

and that is true.

The reality is that I could sit and sew all day long just for

the activity of sewing.

I find it to be the best therapy there is.

My January plan was to make hour glass blocks.

4 per day...

56 so far...

4 to square up from yesterday makes 60.

And, yesterday I think I found a pattern that will work for these.

More on that when the time is right.

Another project from recent sewing is this.

I need to add the borders and this one will be...another top!!!

I call this one "Painted Mountains" because I used a

Fat Quarter Bundle of Laundry Basket Quilts Paint Box Collection.

Maybe I should start thinking about a new goal...

QUILT THE TOPS!!!

I'll think about that one...someday.

Happy Sewing,

Colleen

It's a New Year!

Happy New Year to all!

It's been almost a year since I last posted anything on my little blog.

Promising myself to post (or at least add pictures) this year so here I am.

On New Year's Eve I like to start on a Christmas/Holiday quilt before packing away 

my stash of holiday fabrics.  

This is the choice of pattern and fabrics for this year's NYE quilt.

I cut out all the pieces and made a few changes to the cutting instructions as I went along.

Started around 9:30 pm and finished one block (minus the snowman face) before I went to bed around 11:00 pm.  Didn't stay up to ring in the New Year, too tired!

I also pieced the other 12 half-square triangles and all the border strip sets.

Perhaps tonight I can get another block done.

The blocks are 16" so I am thinking of adding additional sashing in

between each block and a larger border for a nice size wall hanging for next year.

Will have to see what I have in the stash that would work.

That's all for now...

And this year I want to sew everyday!

Colleen