Adventures of a Novelty Fabric and Selvage Obsessed Quilter

Glad you stopped by!

I am a busy wife and the mom of 19 year old twins, a boy and a girl who are Sophomores at Syracuse University.

I have been quilting since the spring of 2008. I love novelty fabrics, colorful and unique.

Selvage quilting is addictive! Who knew the "junk" we cut off and threw out would be what I now save! I started a new tradition when I travel--visiting quilt stores! I particularly enjoy going to stores that have been named in the Quilt Sampler Featured Shop Lists-




Sunday, January 31, 2010

Progress on strata-gizing

I was able to work on my strata-gizing yesterday.
I need to work the left side of the curve
to make it smoother, but overall I am
happy with how it "sewed in"
Curves are always interesting!
I originally wasn't going to put the background
fabric along the bottom, but i think it needs it.
Now I need to decide how big to make it.
Also, the question is how to quilt it?
Thoughts are straight lines following the background pattern,
rays continuing out from the half circle,
circles out from the half circle?
I think I will stich in the ditch for the half circle.
I welcome any and all ideas!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Selvages in the mail!

Pat, whom I buy selvages from,
sent me this amazing collection of selvages!
Perfect timing, as I hope to start working
on recovering the chair this week!
She also sent me great info on her favorite
fabric stores near Lancaster, PA.
I will be heading there in March for the AQS show,
and will also spend a day fabric hunting!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Giving new life to an old chair

This chair was in my in my inlaws
bedroom for years.
It has spent the last 10 years in our
basement, doing nothing.
I am going to upholster it in selvages
and putting it in our playroom!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Alexander Henry Bag Lady

I just won an auction on ebay,
literally moments ago,
for a yard of this fabulous fabric!
Just look at that awesome selvage!
I always seem to be drawn
to the Alexander Henry fabrics.
Do you have any favorite fabric lines?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Cool find at Joann's


I was at Joann's yesterday to pick up
chartreuse thread for the bag I'm making.
I saw this fabric, and knew I had to get some.
I have used this type of fabric in the past.
It is really simple. It is purchased by the inch.
You sew up an edge,
and instant sundress/coverup.
I was thinking I would make this for me,
but my daughter took one look
at the pattern, and now it is for her.
45 cents an inch and a 50% off
coupon , so it cost less than $10!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

A milestone!


Today is the 100th post since
 I started blogging this fall!
I really enjoy this, and have already
made some great friends along the way!
I appreciate all the comments,
and am thrilled that people
have chosen to follow me!
I love sharing my creative journey.

Similar to what they say at the end
of the Sex and the City movie
"To the next 100 (thousand)"!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Flora and Fauna by Patty Young for Michael Miller!


My DD and I headed over to Mouse Creek yesterday
to select fabric for her BFF's birthday gift
I will be making her the same tote that I made my DD.

I love her fabric selections,
and again, awesome selvages for me!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

You Got The Notions by Project Runway for Kaufman Fabrics


I recently won this fantastic
fabric on an ebay auction.
It arrived yesterday, and I love it!
It has incredible selvages!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Fabrics for strata-gizing project


click to enlarge

I went to Mouse Creek Quilt shop
yesterday to select fabrics.
I am making it into a rectangular wall hanging,
so I needed a piece for the center, and the background.
I realized that I already had a piece of the
fabric we liked for the center in my stash,
Now to get it sewn, and put a backing on it!

Friday, January 22, 2010

more lime green bins!


My husband went to another Target,
and they still had plenty! Now they are on sale. BONUS!
I got 8 more, probably more than I need,
But better safe than sorry!

I need to adjust the shelf spacing,
and then will see what else I can fit.
There is always the top shelf.

I spent some time yesterday
arranging the fabrics by color.
I love diving into my stash and re-visiting
all the great fabrics I have collected!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Matzoh cover

Once I made the stars quilt for my dining room,
I wanted to make something out of this
 awesome fabric I had hunted down on the internet!

A matzoh cover is used during the
Passover seder, festive meal.

It has 3 compartments, each which
you place a board of matzoh into.
The middle board is broken during the meal,
and becomes the afikomen or dessert,
Traditionally, children steal it and hide it, then
bargaining for some type of treat
before it is returned to the seder leader.

3 compartments:


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Stars


Quilting Corner left a comment on
Monday's entry liking my star quilt.
I realized that I never have blogged about it.
It is a pattern called Tradition by Fay Nicholl Designs.
which was only 4 stars, so I added my own spin on it!

Back fabric,
which inspired the colors in the quilt:
(sorry for the weird angle!)


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Selvages!



I have bought selvages from Shannon before,
and this new batch certaintly didn't disappoint!
I love her taste in fabric, and I am excited to put
them to use in my next selvage project!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Getting organized!

I have been working to get my sewing
area (aka dining room a few days a year)
organized over the last little while.
I got this shelf at Costco today,
which my son put together for me

I bought a few white bins at the Container Store,
and then the green bins at Target.
The white bins have my selvages,
and the green one have my stash.
The pink containers have my batting
and pellon interfacing.

I went back to Target today, and
the green bins are sold out!
I'll try another one tomorrow.

I still need to sort the fabrics in my stash by color, but
I feel like I accomplished alot today!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Selvage blog, today! <3



I am honored to be featured again on the Selvage blog!
If your visiting from there, thanks for stopping by!
If you like what you see, follow me!
If anyone can help me in how I should
trim my circle, leave a comment!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

New fabric!

Sue at alderwood quilts recently offered
these beauties as a giveaway on her blog.
I didn't win, but she now has them for sale!
The fabric on the left was free- she includes a free
FQ with every order!

The only small negative: these are selvage-less fabrics,
no color circles, no writing- what a shame!

Friday, January 15, 2010

for my friend Carolynn


I saw this fabric and
knew I had to get it and make something for you.
Don't know what yet, but it will be fantastic!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Selvage work in progress

After Saturday's Strata-gizing class,
I wondered how it would translate to selvages.
I wanted to make a small circle, that I
could use as a challah (bread) cover.

I was somewhat limited because I
wanted to use selvages that were a continuos piece.

I sewed together a strata:


close up:

I cut out the wedges,

and set up a mock up.

The result is much larger than I anticipated,
and not at all right for the use I intended.

So I played a little, overlapping until I
got something more like what I pictured.

now to figure out the angle to trim off one side
of each wedge to make it work!
Any suggestions??

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Matthew and Marisa

My children were inducted into the
National Honor Society last night, and
we couldn't be prouder!
They work very hard, and
it is wonderful to see results like this!

Here is a picture of them
with our dog, Babe after the ceremony



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A Selvage Story

While I was at my local library this past July,
I happened to notice a very
cool piece of fabric being used as a tablecloth.
I was in the midst of gathering quantities
of selvages for my Zinger.
Of course, my wheels started turning,
wondering if I could cut just an inch and a half
off the selvage edge from this fabric.

I went over to the desk, and said
“I have a really strange request for you”
and went on to explain what I was after.
The librarian referred me over to another librarian,
Veronica, who is in charge of the table displays.

I explained my request to her, and told her I
would come back with my rotary cutter and ruler,
to make a nice even cut from the fabric.

She was wonderful, and didn’t hesitate to give me a YES!
Then, she said “wait just a moment”, and had
me follow her into a storage room.
She then proceeded to show me 10
or so other fabrics, and told me I was
welcome to those as well!!!!!!!!!!!

I went back a few days later,
with the Selvage Edge book so I could show her
what I intended to use the selvages for,
and left with a bag full of selvages!

I have gotten to know the librarians
well over the past few months,
always asking about the progress
I was making on the quilt, and me
promising to bring in my
completed Zinger for them to see.

I went in this past Friday, and they
were so excited to see it!
They were having such fun locating
"their" selvages that Veronica had shared with me.

Thank you again!

The moral of my story is that you never know
where you will find selvages and make new friends!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Give-away winners have been picked!

I have my winners and have notified them
by email to send me their mailing address.

Thanks do much for all the wonderful comments!
I truly love hearing what you have to say!

If you don't have an email attached to your
profile, please update it today.
Unfortunately, many wonderful people who left
comments had no reply emails.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Strata Gizing class!

Yesterday, I took a class at mouse creek quilts

It was great fun, and reminded me how much I enjoy
taking classes and learning new techniques!

Some photos:
First you sew together a strata:

The ruler is on the left side of the picture.
You cut wedges, alternating from top and bottom


I chose to make a half circle:

The classes finished projects!


The class was taught by Maria Sendzik.
She was terrific and I know I will
take more classes with her.

Claire, the owner of Mouse Creek, was in the class with us.
She looked at me and asked
"I wonder what this would look like out of selvages?"

We will soon find out!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, January 8, 2010

An unexpected gift, just 'cause!


My husband and I work together, and decided to take
a walk during lunch yesterday at the mall.
We went into Brighton just to take a look.
Recently, the Brighton bracelet I have worn for years broke,
and they were unable to repair it.
I wear it with my Pandora bracelet, so
I needed to find something that coordinates with it.
Imagine my delight when I spotted this beautiful bracelet:


and here it is with my pandora ( and my caribbean tan):


I love it, and I love him for saying he'get it for me just 'cause!


Thursday, January 7, 2010

Featured on the selvage blog today! GIVEAWAY!

Anyone who leaves a comment about my Zinger
over the next few days will
be entered to win one of 3 small package of selvages!
I will randomly pick the winners this Sunday!
Be sure to have contact info (email) available in your profile!


background fabric:


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Almost finished!

(click to enlarge)

close up of the quilting:




I got the binding sewn on today, so all I have left
to do is sew on the label and hand
sew the binding to the back!

I can't wait to snuggle under it!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Almost finished with vacation laundry!

I promised myself I wouldn't start the binding on my
Black and White Selvage Zinger
until the laundry was done.
Thankfully, the last load is in the dryer;
I did go ahead and cut the strips of fabric.
Tomorrow, it will be all about the binding!

Here are a few close ups of the squares
as I worked on this project:

















Monday, January 4, 2010

Art on Independence of the Seas!

We cruised the same time last year on
Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas.
I was thrilled when we booked again for this
year so that I could see this fabulous work of art again!
It contains spools of thread and measures 11.75' Hx 15.25' W.
It is installed in the aft atrium of
"Independence of the Seas" cruise ship
with wall behind the thread spool
installation painted two shades of blue
alluding to the actual ocean and sky visible
through the windows directly above the installation.

Click on the photos to enlarge!








"After Magritte" by Devorah Sperber utilizes
20,800 spools of thread to make a mosaic
inspired by the Belgian surrelaist Rene Magritte.



When you see it in person, you really can't believe
it is constructed from spools of thread!

If you ever have the opportunity
to cruise on Independence of the Seas,
you will not be disappointed by this
and the many other amazing works of art around the ship.