Paradise Petals

I’ve been making Morris Earthly Paradise Tiny Dresden petals…

Trimming…

I feel like I’m gardening.

I have 21 different floral prints…

nicely tended in rows…

because I don’t want to accidentally sew a petal into the wrong plate!

With a bit of help from Betsy

I’m able to keep the string of sewn petals wrinkle-free and untangled.

Thanks, Betsy!

What are you doing in this heat?

I saw this morning that over 118 million of us are experiencing triple digit heat!

Thankfully it’s raining here right now.

Just keep sewing…

Susan

Morris Earthly Paradise Blooming

I couldn’t resist showing you the beautiful garden that came to life

as I opened the Morris Earthly Paradise fat quarter bundle!

Moda & Barbara have done it again.

Wow, the color!

Now before you freak out that I have cupcakes in my yummy Morris garden…

anyone that knows me knows there’s NO EATING in my sewing atelier!

Have no fear, they’re resin &

a gift from my sister along with an antique muffin tin.

Perhaps that will find its way into a photo someday too.

 

I separated out the prints that will read as solids.

My favorite is in the front of the drawer.

I think every color in the collection is in that piece (big surprise it’s my favorite right?).

A nice variety of scale and color.

Yummy, don’t you think?

 The variety will all look nice in Tiny Dresden petals which is why I chose this collection.

I can’t wait to start sewing so I can show you the finished quilt.

Please do not hold your breath though.

Some quilts are marathons, not sprints!

Just keep sewing…

Susan

New Fabric Line – Morris Earthly Paradise

Several months ago I received the new Moda line by Barbara Brackman,

Morris Earthly Paradise.

 It is truly lovely!

I ordered one print along with the fat quarters.

A charming black.

Beautifully reproduced William Morris floral prints

in gorgeous colors and black!

While William Morris is probably better know for his textiles & literary works,

I first learned of the famous William Morris while in college through

his involvement in the Arts & Crafts movement

and the extremely popular Morris chair.

More than a century later, it’s still sought after and being reproduced today!

It would be fun to draft this!

My grandparents had an antique version of the reclining chair & I actually have an Arts & Crafts style rocking chair in my living room that I acquired from a friend of the family’s estate.

Why am I attracted to old things?

Notice my new-to-me old mini chest of drawers?

Don’t be jealous.

Get out and go to some estate sales & flea markets!

I’ve added some background fabrics from my stash for my quilt.

I need to get cutting!

Will it surprise you to learn that I’m going to be cutting little Dresden petals???

This collection is available in quilt shops now and Barbara has a quilt-along

Morris Hexathon

 

going on with her fabrics.

You can learn more about the collection by joining her on her blog, Material Culture.

Just keep sewing…

Susan

Bagging Lady

Bagging patterns and templates can be a rather monotonous job,

so I always take it to the TV.

When my body is tired but my brain has just enough power to almost function…

that’s bagging time.

Since my bags, templates and inserts are stored in the basement I need things to carry them upstairs so I’m always on the lookout for handy bags, baskets, boxes, etc. at least that’s my excuse.

I’ve ALWAYS been attracted to anything that holds other things.

…said the true junk collector!

I admit it!

Last winter I found an almost like-new fold up Woolworth basket at the Belleville Fairgrounds antique & flea market.

Remember these???

No, I didn’t buy a whole stack.

That would be silly, but so COOL!!!

(There wasn’t one. The image is from the internet.)

Just think, I could let my whole family help me if they each had a basket of their very own.

Today my vintage Woolworth basket is full of Tiny Dresden templates all bagged and ready to go!

It makes this tedious yet necessary task a bit more fun!

It’s super sturdy, so I can carry it fully loaded  back downstairs to my “fulfillment room”  a.k.a. the basement, Lol…

And it folds up to store so it takes up very little space.

Need a Tiny Dresden Template?

If so, they’re available on my website here.

If you need a vintage Woolworth basket try your local flea market.

Just keep sewing…

Susan

Happy 4th, 2016

Happy birthday America!

(image used with permission: VintageHolidayCrafts.com)

I’ve no memory of a wetter or cooler 4th of July weekend, you?

It may be too wet for a bar bq, but it’s not too wet to sew.

If you’re wanting some patriotic inspiration I worked up a table runner using my block from 100 Blocks’ vol. 11 magazine, available on my website.

The instructions to make the block are in the magazine.

FYI, the corners are made with my Tiny Dresden template

(also available on my website).

For a 50” table runner make 4 blocks,

then set them together with a narrow 1/4” sashing (cut 1/2”).

Or for a 37” table runner,

make just 3 blocks with the same narrow sashing.

Quilt, then add binding.

You’ll have a cute table runner to use at every patriotic holiday for years to come!

Just keep sewing…

Susan