A New Adventure

A couple of weeks ago I was asked if I would like to participate in a local Holiday Pop-Up Show.  What is a Pop-Up show?  It's an event that last a short time, a place where local artists can share their craft, a way for people to see and buy unique items they wouldn't normally have an opportunity to elsewhere.

Because my daughter is also participating, I thought I would give it a go too!  Nothing to lose!

Gift Horse Pop-Up Shop

604 Gallatin Ave, Ste 215, Nashville, Tennessee 37206

Monday-Friday 10:30-4:00

Saturday 10:00-6:00

Sunday 12:00-4:00

Sawtooth Print Shop

What the heck should I offer?  Quilts, not so much!  Small.  Something small.  I thought long and hard and hard and long.  

Pot Holders.  I spent a couple days making half a dozen or so sets.  They are unique, great for people who are looking for something different and unique, right?  We'll see about that!

4" x 9 1/2"

Pencil Pouches ~ whatever pouches!  I was thinking pencil pouches when I decided to make these, but they are certainly big enough for lots of other things.  

I pieced together a few front panels for those who like that look. 

Rainbow and pencils go hand in hand.

Lined, zipper tabs...the kitchen sink!

I found a couple pieces of my hand dyed fabrics that I thought would work well.  Plus, offering options in the way of designs and colors can't be a bad thing!

Vertical:  3 1/4" x 4 1/2"
Horizontal:  3 1/2" x 4"

You can buy zipper pouches everywhere, I know.  Hopefully there are people who appreciate handmade, love to support local, and want something that isn't mass produced!

I made a few...a few more than a few...coin purses, card holders, zipper pouches. Whatever you want to call them or use them for!  Multipurpose might be a good description for these or any zipper pouch!  I'm thinking stocking stuffer...

These are about as basic as it gets!  No lining!  I decided I would use Shape Flex Fusible Interfacing to give stability and the illusion of a lining.  Do you think that was okay to do?  

I had a lot of smaller pieces of hand dyed fabrics that were perfect for this project.  Shibori, Itajime, stamped, low water and even a couple Anna Marie Horner wovens!

Whether or not these sell is another question!  But that's okay.  If nothing else they make great gifts!  

I was actually very happy to sit and make something different for a little while.  A nice change as always, we all can appreciate that sometimes! 

I'm very appreciative that I was asked to participate in this event!  Along with my things, there will be soap, art prints, greeting cards, jewelry, ceramics and much more!

LINKING:

Crazy Mom Quilts

TGIFF

Fabric Frenzy

Challenge Improv

My guild (Music City Modern Quilt Guild) decided to participate in the Modern Quilt Guild's Charity Challenge.  The challenge:  A collaborative effort using a predetermined color palette and Improv With Intent.  The quilt will eventually be donated to a local charity.  Easy right? 

Once an idea was settled on, we were free to do what we do...quilt!  As you know, I do my fair share of improv.  What I don't do is improv specific shapes.  

These are the predetermined colors.  Solids are good!  White, off white, sunflower, tomato red, light teal, grey and black.  Coordinating prints are also allowed.  

Ladies and gentlemen...we got a theme!

This was my first attempt.  It worked pretty well, but I was going crazy trying to figure out how to pull it off.

The second one went a little better.  I'm trying to make each one different and unique.

Hash tag?  No, but it could be.  Let's call this a Sharp Music Note!

This one would be my stealth note!  Kinda funky, kinda weird, but sleek!

I have a couple more I need to make before our next meeting, so I better get busy!  

The more I look at the notes, the more I like them!  Seeing them all together gives me ideas and right now...I don't have time for new ideas!  ARGH!  I really would love to make these into paper pieced patterns.  Which I have never done before!     

My husband thinks they're 'cute'.  Cute!  I can hear the gears turning in his head on this one! He's a musician and his job is to make things perfect...I'm sure these notes are throwing him for a loop and probably make no sense at all to him!

LINKING:

Sew Cute

WIP Wednesday

Let's Bee Social

Peppermint Twist ~ Tutorial

And so it begins...the Holidays are upon us!  Time to think about decking the halls, walls, table and trees!

Today I'm sharing my tutorial 'Peppermint Twist Table Runner' over at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  I hope you pop over and check it out!  

For an added bonus...I also included a tutorial for Candy Coasters!!  The mini version of the wrapped candies are a sweet delight!  

 I decided Free Motion Quilting was the only way I could give this runner a special touch!

And I love it! 

I hope you enjoy this tutorial!  Happy Decorating!

LINKING:  

November Noel (Blossom Heart Quilts)

TGIFF

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

The Year ~ 2006

First of all, I wasn't about to miss out on Throwback Thursday hosted by Jenn @A Quarter Inch From the Edge this month!  Not this time!  So, I promptly wrote out a post-it note and plastered it on my computer.  And yes, next month's post-it is securely in place!

I have to say, Throwback Thursday is truly a blast from the past.  When I dig through the 'archives' I'm shocked at what I made back in the day...way back in the day!  I'm appalled at the horrific pictures!  The new camera technology was a break through.  Except if you haven't a clue how to use them, the fine art of photography, they look like crap...pure and simple!

This was another collaborative effort with my daughter, Britt.  We decided to make my Mom a quilt together using her favorite colors, purple and lime green.  (not so lime green!)  The only difficult part of this quilt was fussy cutting the square blocks so each had a flower highlighted.  

We went with purple batiks and a soft green for contrast.  One even has a slight shimmer to it.  

I, of course was the quilter of this.  Machine quilted.  It appears I even used a decorative stitch on this one!  What?!  I'm sure I was pulling my hair out, trying to make it perfect!  I didn't know there was a 'thing' called 'burying the threads'!  

We both signed it.  How barbaric!  

The good news, my Mom loved it!  She had to.  Could a mother say 'Wow, that's really awful' to their child or grandchild?  No, she really did love it!

I can't tell you what size it is.  Lap size, for sure.  I can't tell you what the pattern is or where I found it.  I can tell you that as always, we had a fun time making it!

One thing many bloggers say when asked why they started a blog is they wanted to document their quilting journey.  How true!  I am so glad I started a blog, especially now that I, for the most part, can take a good picture.  And for documentation!  We can write about our process, what fabrics we used, the pattern, inspirations...and it is always at our fingertips!  

So, forgive these 'throwback' pictures and limited information.  Let's just say we live and learn!

For Jenn, I'm showing a small picture of probably my ugliest ever quilt I made.  I think it was my second quilt, the fabrics were hideous!  Gag!!  

If I could make the picture smaller I would!  Epic fail, but proud of the effort!

LINKING:

Throwback Thursday!