Sewing without paper

Yes, my friends, the following blog post involves some sewing projects that have nothing to do with foundation piecing! It's true! I bet you thought it would never happen again. Truth be told I'm getting kinda tired of all the paper piecing myself and thought I would share a little recreational sewing - a just for fun kind of thing. A novelty to be sure.

I have made a few of these Divided baskets recently from a pattern by Anna Graham (Noodlehead) . This basket whipped up super fast and easy. This is really a fun pattern - so much so I wanted to make a couple more after this first one was done.

Also I needed a 'Fall' themed swap item for this month CMQG guild meeting so I decided to make an extra one. This one seems fallish no?

And finally, ok ok some paper was involved.  I wanted to make this one all scrappy but with hexies.  So I employed some English paper piecing ( a little different from Foundation piecing) on the pocket portion of the last basket.

This one is going to be my new knitting basket ~  by the fireside ~ one day when it's cold and rainy again, not 90 like it is right now.  It has all my favorite fabrics.  Marmalade and Scrumptious (thank-you Amanda) by Camille Roskelley are playing well with Lakehouse (Holly Holderman) and other fabrics (by Tasha Horsley) and the natural linen.

Turns out, mini-charm packs are perfect for 1" hexies ~ just a public service announcement for your information.

The last too are missing the divider on purpose.  I found I needed a larger basket more than a divided one.The cotton webbing for the handles is an acquisition from my visit to Bolt during the MQG meet-up in Portland last month. 

And that's all for today folks.  Happy Sewing!

Delete or Upgrade? Are you compatible? Doctor who Along block 9

It's time for the Doctor Who Along block 9.

Can you guess what it is?


It's the Cybermen.  Always showing up en masse and ready to delete anyone who runs.

You can have your very own Cyberman to adorn your quilt.

The block pattern can be found here or through the Craftsy website.

Here is the finished block.  Once again Miss Lizzy House's Constellations fabric are just a perfect background.

As always please share your finished creations on the Flickr Doctor.Who.Along pool or view for lots of inspiration and sewing help.

Cyberman is an intermediate block and a lot easier than last weeks, so you can take a breather.

Happy Sewing!

Summertime sew-cializing

Where to begin? I've been such a bad blogger lately.  Sew many projects have come and gone i hardly know where to begin.

Let's start at the end and work backward.  The most exciting sewing event of the summer was the Pacific Northwest Modern Quilt Guild meetup which took place this past weekend in Portland.

What a blast!! That's my synopsis, but here's the long version.


The girls of the Corvallis Modern Quilt Guild  (yes there is one now!!) headed up on Friday.  We started with sewing classes at Modern Domestic.  I took the binding class with Heather which was very interesting and I would dearly love me a binder attachment - hello Santa are you listening.

Next up was a Publishing class with Susan Beal - super informative - the best class of the day for me personally.  Thanks again miss Susan!

Finally, there was FMQ class with Christina   - she's the best teacher and the sweetest gal! A totally low key, do your own thing, no rules,  go for it lady - totally my kinda gal.  Plus she has the best FMQ patterns I've seen - and I got a peek a her new book - which was awesome! I am totally going to buy it.  Love her designs.

CMQG Girls ready for FMQ class

My practice FMQ

In between all that learning, we were socializing with other MQG members from the PNW.   It was a blast. I got to meet so many bloggers in person which was totally cool (hello Sonja!) and lots of new-to-me bloggers as well. Of course Portland is ripe with famous fabric-y/quilty peeps (Violet Craft, Mo Bedell, Monica Solorio-Snow, Jen Carlton-Bailly). I can go on and on, but I shouldn't be all name-droppering – so I’ll stop.  It was still pretty rad though ;)    

CMQG Banner quilt on the wall at Modern Domestic

Modern Domestic is the best sewing studio.  If you’ve never been go check it out next time you are in P-town.  Way ultra modern and hip and oh yeah, there are cool modern quilts on the wall. But if you are more of a garment sewer then that is the place for you, since that is their focus – or so I learned. 

Anyway, I can go on and on but yeah it was a way cool experience.

So then we did a bit of socializing and a bit of shopping while socializing and some eating and drinking and socializing ~ you get the gist!  And as if that wasn't enough - there was a cool tote bag swap. 

Jane Market Bag I made for swap

And pouch

This was sponsored by Robert Kaufman who supplied the denim chambray to all the MQG's.  My tote went to Kim  and this lovely tote (below) is the one I picked, made by Jennifer of the PMQG.  I love this thing.  It's currently going to work with me everyday 'cause it's just the right size to throw all my random stuff into. 

Fun times.  I tell you.

CMQG Members, Christina, Lisa, Connie and myself.

Saturday we had the choice to go to a charity sew event at Modern Domestic or all day sew at Fabric Depot.  So some of us Corvallis gals headed to the Charity sew event and proceeded to make lots of urban chicken blocks (designed by PMQG Leader Michelle).  Very fun block and easy to sew.

Here's what the quilt blocks looked like when we left:

After lunch and maybe a little bit of shopping at Bolt, maybe, we headed off to Fabric Depot for the open sew, where we proceeded to chat and socialize and oh yeah, maybe sew a bit and possibly some more shopping, possibly.   Whereupon I managed to win a little goody bag from Fabric Depot. "Way cool!" I said – "I never win anything I said".  Ha ha ha ha ha.    I laugh because as Jessica (EMQG) pointed out, for a girl who never wins anything, I struck gold.  At the end of the sew day, guess whose name was chosen to win the baby lock machine they were giving away? Yup, it was yours truly.  So I guess I can’t say I never win anything.  Crazy I tell you.  And apparently after that there was some goodie bag fabric from Bolt that I won after I left.  Yea, I struck gold.  I should've bought a lottery ticket - why didn't I?  My apologies to all the meet-up attendees that were disappointed - you can still cross your fingers for the Bernina they are giving away. 

Introducing Molly ~ 

Montevilla Sewing Center , PMQG, Fabric Depot and whoever else was involved, I thank you over and over again.


Finally, it was time for dinner at Cartopia on Hawthorne and I headed home to my peaceful dwelling.
That's my wild sewing adventure for this summer!


Happy  Sewing!!!