Tula Pink City Sampler Quilt-A-Long

Posted in Quilt-A-Longs by StaceyinStitches

Last month I decided to join the Tula PInk City Sampler QAL hosted by Sara at Sew Sweetness.

I ordered my book and have been slowly collection various Tula prints. I decided to sew every block by hand. Why am I so crazy you ask? Its mostly because I have been sew busy working for other people that I haven’t had much time to work on any projects for myself. I had all my beautiful fabric just sitting there and the book calling my name, I could not wait to get started. Now that I have, I am so glad I chose this route. The blocks finish 6 1/2″ square, and I have a lot of commute time and lunch breaks that I can use to sew. Its like meditation for me, the needle weaving its way in and out of the fabric, keeping hte tension just right, and watching the block come together.

I have almost caught up, I am currently working on Block 19. I hope to catch up in time to link up for August.

I will be posting all my blocks in their own gallery. Check back often to watch the progress =)

Blocks 1-5

Round two!

20Jul2013

Paletter Builder from Play-Crafts

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

If you haven’t already, head on over to Play-Crafts and check out the Palette Builder.

Its brilliant!

Anne and her team created the Palette Builder. Its very simple to use. Upload a picture, move the points around until you are happy, and save to your computer! Or, like me, just add points and save without moving. It is amazing the color palettes you can get from a single picture.

I had fun playing with it today using some snapshots of the flowers in my front window. This time last year we had a whole box full of pink stargazer lilies. All pink, no other flowers. This year I was delighted and surprised to find a single stalk of pure white lilies. There are two other stalks in close contact with the white one, unfortunately fallen victim to the slug I wasn’t able to capture in time. I wonder where the white lilies came from, and if the others would have been white or pink….

Anywho, here are some of the palettes I came up with.

A big thank you to Anne and her team for making it so easy! It is the perfect tool for taking an inspiring picture and turning it into a fabric palette!

Warm Dahlia Palette

Stargazer Palette

White Stargazer Palette 1

White Stargazer Palette 2

Happy Stitching!!

Stacey

16Jul2013

Hoffman Challenge 2013-DONE!

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

Holy Moly!

The last 3 weeks have been a whirlwind of sewing and ironing and quilting. Spare time has been practically non-existent. I have been so wrapped up in this challenge, its been mind boggling. To make matters even more exciting, I got a second job, and I thought the deadline for entry was next week. Turns out its Friday. Thankfully my quilt is winging its way to Colorado as we speak on the back of a UPS truck! Guaranteed to be there on time, hurray!

I could fill your ears with all the tales of trial and error, hard work and late nights, but I am so thankful that I was able to finish on time. I could not have done it without the support of my family and friends. My husband, who barely saw me, my mom for coming for a weekend so i could work 10 in a row, and my friend Naomi who babysits for me so I can work and sew.

This years fabric was my favorite out of all the challenge fabrics to date. I knew from the moment I saw it that I would be making the Imperial Dragon Quilt. I had always wanted to make it again. There were many things I wanted to tweak, and new techniques I wanted to try. I was able to do them all.

Imperial Splendor

Imperial Splendor!

I used Shiva Paintsticks to add highlights and shading to the dragons body. The mane is an eyelash yarn that I chain stitched with a 3mm crochet needle into a long rope, careful to keep the ‘eyelashes’ all to one side. It worked out very well because the eyelashes lay directional naturally.

Highlights

I used a Hoffman 1985 Watercolors batik for the dragons body, and cut each scale out individually. Then I fused them all down. There are more than 500 scales in the whole dragon. I quilted his body with a meandering stipple in a matching color. The leg, head and tail feathers were layered and quilted using a variegated aqua to green, then a dark plum in the darkest parts of the tail and head.

Dragon tail detail

Dragon head detail

I quilted the background to mimic the tail, using the large leaves as the base for each.

Quilting Detail

For the white background I used the back side of a tone on tone white fabric, the motif was really overwhelming, but looks really good from the back, quilted with an orange peel motif.

I am so super duper happy with how this quilt turned out. I think it is my all time favorite ever!

Keep on Sewing!!

Stacey

22Jun2013

Busy Busy Bee!

Posted in Finished Quilts, Works In Progress by StaceyinStitches

Its been a busy busy month here at Stacey In Stitches. Between custom orders, bees and personal projects, I find time to go to work and clean the house somehow. I am lucky that my husband knows how to do dishes and laundry, or we would be wearing paper bags stuffed with newspaper, because it has been so cold and rainy here lately.

I ordered and received my Tula Pink City Sampler book. I ‘need’ to get some more fabric for it, and even though I haven’t started any blocks yet it is on my list. Right after the Dragon Quilt, a couple custom orders, and my Bee blocks.

For the Star Block Bee, I chose Swoon blocks. All my Hive-mates agreed to make one for me. I am very excited for this one, its going to be a large quilt. I chose a pallet based on the Broken Herringbone print from Madrona Road in Citrus. I ordered them online, and the colors coordinate really really well.

The bundle I compiled for the Swoon Quilt.

I am using a Free Spirit Designer Solid in Chona Brown for my background, it really makes the colors stand out. It is warm and the color is rich and saturated. I have never worked with a FreeSpirit solid, but so far I am very happy with it. The hand is quite soft and it irons nicely, the weight is really good, not as thick as a Kona, and a nice tight weave like an Art Gallery.

Background cut and ready to go

I have also been working my tail off with this years Hoffman Challenge Quilt. The challenge fabric is much more vibrant in person, the online swatches really do not do it justice. I decided to do another Dragon Quilt, this one on a smaller scale than before. The progress is good, everything is cut out, it just takes time to lay it all out. I will keep updating as it gets closer to the deadline.

End of Day One

End of Day 2

Tools of the trade….

I also participated in a side swap with my DQS partner on Flicker. She make me a beautiful crochet basket. Its massive and holds all my quilt books from the visit with my grandmother this weekend.

Crochet Basket from AnnaMichelleQuilts

Lovely Large Handles

I made her a scrappy pillowcase. I used the Inverted Star Tutorial by Common Threads and enlarged it to make a 14″ pillowcase. The inside is lined and the zipper tape is enclosed. I forgot to take pictures of the inside/back before I sent it off. I used a large scrap of Grunge by Basic Grey for the background. It makes a nice background for a scrappy project, with just a hint of color and some great tone on tone movement. I free motion quilted the entire pillowcase.

Scrappy Pillowcase- Inverted Star Block

Quilting Detail

I also had the great fortune to make it to the Free Motion Quilting workshop set up by the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild. I spent lots of time fiddling with my machine until the tension was just right, then away we go! I finished that project, more on it later.

I also made a Custom Toddler Backpack (back in May!) I don’t know how I forgot to write about it, but it turned out super cute and she is really happy with it. The fox applique I made myself, as well as the piping. The lining and piping is a Timeless Treasures print, and the canvas is water repellent. Very important when making things for little ones! I used the Toddler Backpack Tutorial from Crazy Little Projects and modified it slightlyby adding inside pockets, padded straps with webbing, and piping. You do have to be careful when cutting out the side panels, you want to measure the diameter of the bag before cutting to make sure they are long enough. It will vary depending on your curves.

Foxy Toddler Backpack

Phew! Nice long recap! Lots of big stuff happening around here. Hopefully I will have much more progress on the Dragon Quilt to show you, and perhaps some Tula Pink blocks as well!

Until then, Happy Stitching!

Stacey

31May2013

Another Baby Quilt

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

Its been a busy week here at Stacey in Stitches. The giveaway was a great success, and I have been working on a couple things here and there that the deadlines are coming up, so I am going to be working pretty hard the next month or so. My latest finish is a baby quilt for my neighbor. She asked for a gender neutral baby quilt, and you know what? Gender neutral is kinda hard! I mean, whats left when you eliminate blue and pink (or red)? Yellow and green. Yellow and green gets pretty old pretty quick, and can still end up looking feminine.

I found the perfect compromise in a charm pack of the pastel rainbow prints of Noteworthy by Sweetwater for Moda. The blues are soft and the reds don’t appear pink, which is hard to do in a pastel red. Coupled with a cute alphabet print border and voila! A true gender neutral baby quilt.

Baby Quilt

I used a Micheal Miller Fairy Frost in Gold/Orange for the border, it picked out the oranges and yellow really well. I used the grey charms left over to make prairie points and put them in opposite corners.

I didn’t use the actual note print from Noteworthy. I liked them, but the idea of having a note that said “Adopt a Baby” on a baby quilt seemed a little strange. Most of the notes were just a little too adult. The border print more than makes up for it with some lovely phrases beside each letter of the alphabet. I regret not writing down the print name or designer (honestly I forgot) so if anyone knows please let me know

I did try to fussy cut the words so they were all in a straight line, but it actually printed off like that so the words wobble up and down across the width of the fabric. I like it this way, it adds some nice movement and will act as a sort of eye spy, follow the letters kind of thing!

My neighbor loved it and that makes me happy. There is nothing that I like better than making the perfect quilt for someone!

Up next is a memory quilt for a new client and my Hoffman Challenge for 2013. Roar!

Stacey

23May2013

Lets Celebrate Giveaway Weekend!! Winner Announced

Posted in Challenges and Giveaways by StaceyinStitches

Its Giveaway Weekend!!

To Celebrate Sapphire Star coming in second this past weekend, I wanted to thank everyone for all the support and love and keep the happy train rolling!

I payed a visit to The Cloth Shop on Granville Island today. Its been a while since I’ve been to the shop, the last time was before they moved, so lets say 2 years ago. I was blown away! The new space is bright and cheerful, and oh! The fabric! An entire wall dedicated to Kaffe Fasset! So many modern fabrics and blenders and gorgeous happy Batiks! It is Definitely worth the trip in!

I put together a beautiful bundle of five fat quarters, and they will be going home with one lucky person! The Mini Margarita Bundle is up for grabs!

Its super easy to enter. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post! Tell me what you love about quilting, my blog, your favorite CQA quilt, the weather in your town, whatever you want! You don’t have to subscribe, but I would love to have you wink

~~The Giveaway will be open to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE!~~

~~Make sure you tell your friends! If you do, leave a second comment telling me how you shared this post for another chance to win!~~

The fabrics in the Mini Margarita are:

Tone on Tone dots in Teal from David Textiles

Medallion in Green and Red from Flea Market Fancy by Denise Schmidt

Delhi Blooms in Lime from Soul Blossoms by Amy Butler

and finally a Golden/Tangerine Tone on Tone of Unknown Origins (I forgot to check the selvedge before I bought it, oops!)

For those of you who are local they still have full yardage at the Cloth Shop of all these prints!

~~The Giveaway will be open until 5pm PST and I will announce the winner then!~~

Good luck!

AND THE WINNER IS……

#21 What Comes Next who said “I need to make a trip down to Granville Island – I’ve been hearing all kinds of good things! I love seeing all the incredible quilts and inspiration at the quilt shows – the CQA show was fabulous. Lovely bundle you’ve put together!”

Thank you to everyone for making this giveaway a success. Its so much fun to read everyone’s comments =)

Stacey

Here is where to find the buttons, there was some confusion the last time, I hope this helps =)

19May2013

A Big Thank You! And……

Posted in Challenges and Giveaways by StaceyinStitches

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful comments over the last few days! In person, on Facebook, and here, they mean a lot to me. I was stunned and excited to hear my name called Wednesday night, and the last two days at the show have been great. My family have been my biggest supporters, and I can’t wait to get started on my next challenge quilt.

I said I would post pictures of the show, but to my dismay there was no photography allowed at the show! I was so looking forward to showing everyone the super tiny 1/16″ stipples and 1/2″ clamshell finish on Kathy K Wylie’s Flourish on the Vine, which won Best of Show. Or the amazing 3D mounting, confetti and thread painting of Carol Seeley’s West Coast Moments: Denizens of Drury.Or the incredibly stunning, teeny tiny quilting in Val Smith’s Going Around in Circles. Fortunately, the pictures are now up on the website! Head on over to the Canadian Quilters Association website and under Gallery you will find the 2013 NJS Gallery. Or just click the link!

Thank you again for all your support and love! I appreciate everyone who follows along in my quilting adventures and takes the time to comment. To show my appreciation, I am going to have a giveaway!!

I will post the details when I return from my little holiday! For now, head on over to the CQA website and have a look at the quilts!

Stacey

16May2013

CQA show Awards!

Posted in Finished Quilts by StaceyinStitches

I am very excited to announce that Sapphire Star won 2nd place in its category at the Canadian Quilter Association National Juried Show this week! I was speechless, and more than a little red, going up to receive my certificate. A huge thank you to the judges and my fellow quilters. A bonus was I got to view the show before it officially opened this morning. All the quilts were amazing, and the winner of the Best in Show certainly deserved it! I have never seen stippling that small in my life!! I will post more pictures this weekend when we officially view the show and I have my camera with me.

Sapphire Star

To add to the excitement, Janet Archibald, one of our very own VMQG members, won the Award for Excellence in Domestic Quilting. Way to go Janet!!! I hope she gets to come to the show this weekend and see her ribbon!

Flowers for Cynthia by Janet Archibald

9May2013

StaceyinStitches Bloggers Bundle!

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

After a couple months of emails and picking fabrics, I am thrilled to announce that Pink Castle Fabrics has added the StaceyinStitches Bloggers bundle! It was so much fun going through all the fabrics and picking out just the right colors for my bundle, Glacier.

Glacier was inspired by….you guessed it! Snow! I wanted to have a Canadian feel to the bundle, and lets face it, when one thinks of Canada, ones thoughts turn immediately to snow. When we go traveling and the locals find our your Canadian, the first questions is usually snow related. When you think of snow, most people think white white white, but one visit to Glacier National Park and you will never see snow the same way. Most of the ice pack was formed before there were too many pollutants in the air, and the purity of the crystal clear ice to deep teal colors in the packed layers of snow are a testament to that.

I hope you all hop on over to Pink Castle Fabrics and check it out. They have some wonderful bundles! If you ever travel to British Columbia, be sure to plan a trip to Glacier National Park. It will take your breath away!

5May2013

April Star Block Bee

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

Two more star blocks for my Star Block Bee! April’s Queen Bee wanted the Star Crossed Block from Don’t Call Me Betsy. It whipped up fast! It’s a great block if you want something fun, colorful and quick for a gift quilt. I also enjoyed working in Tula Pink’s Salt Water line. I have had my eye on it for a while!

I especially like the hegagon print, it cuts up nicely into small pieces and still maintains the movement of color in the print. The seahorses would be great to fussy cut with.

For May we are taking a short break, then it may be my turn in June! I haven’t quite decided what to do. I am going with a fuchsia, chocolate and tangerine color way, mostly inspired by the Citrus colorway of Madrona Road.

I am leaning towards the Swoon Block. It is 24″ finished, but I thought instead of asking for two 12″ blocks, I would ask for one 24″ block and it all works out about even. It would be 12 blocks big instead of 9, so I might add some large pieced borders and make it a California King for our room. Maybe some feather quilting. We will see.

Up next on my list is the Hoffman Challenge quilt for 2013. It is due in July, so I should really get cracking!

Have yourselves a Quilty Day!