Glory Quilts

Mug Rugs!

2012-01-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

Silliest thing I ever saw...

When I first saw a "mug rug," I thought it was just another way to make and sell quick projects, thriftily using old blocks and scraps of fabric.

Gimcrackery: an ornament, showy but cheap and useless (Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition)

It looks like (and is) a skimpy placemat or an overgrown coaster. Placemats and coasters come in sets of four, however, and each one has to be individually bound. The binding takes longer than the rest of the project! I don't mind tablerunners, because that's only one binding job. A single quilted block, less than twelve inches square, looked like a cop-out. That's not even big enough to be a wall quilt. It's more like a potholder, but even those are usually sold in pairs.

I just couldn't justify the making (and especially the selling!) of one little quilted mat. Besides, it wouldn't even be very profitable, since anything really nice would take over an hour, and they wouldn't sell for more than $10 each.

But as time went by, I started noticing things: When I carry my coffee cup into the livingroom and set it on the coffeetable, or take it up to my studio or into the office, I always have to find something to act as a coaster. Cups get hot, and I tend to dribble. I'm not fussy; I usually have some (unbound) coasters stacked on top of the piano, so I grab one of those if I am in the living room. Otherwise, I use a cloth napkin. Or dish rag. Or a paper towel, if the cup isn't too hot. On my desk, I always have a few envelopes and other papers sporting brown rings.
It's not the end of the world. Our life is simple. I won't die of embarrassment if I have to hand a flannel or terrycloth napkin to a coffee-drinking guest.
And then I realized that sometimes I was using two napkins, or a napkin and a coaster. Yes, I sometimes have cookies or some other small treat with my coffee. With a mug rug or snack mat, I'd have a handy - and much more attractive! - place to set everything. I'd even have room to set down the spoon after I used creamer or sugar. My days of slovenly coffee drinking are at an end!

Possibilities abound. I can make them in colors to coordinate with each room, or in seasonal fabrics and patterns. I might make two dainty mats for tea parties with my granddaughters, or some his-and-hers sets. I think there ought to be "manly" ones, and some discreet enough to use at the office.

Think of the possibilities for gifts! You could assemble a very nice gift basket with one or two mug rugs, pretty (or manly) cups, and packages of coffee or tea. Or maybe even animal crackers and cocoa to drink!

And I only have to do one little binding.

Stash Reduction - Tessellating Stars

2011-03-25T08:41:00.001-07:00

This is a fun 2” strip project. You can, of course, use any width of strips that you like, but if you have been taking my advice and cutting all of your scraps into 2" or 1 1/2" strips, you may be ready to start sewing! This is one of my all-time favorite patterns.

Divide your strips into 2 piles. I am dividing these into darks (greens) and lights (multicolored). You can divide them any way you like, as long as you have a good contrast between the two groups. For the quilt shown above, I used one group of purple fabrics and one group with orange, burgundy and green fabrics. It is a lower contrast, but I like the way it turned out. Working with clearly defined groups gives you a scrappy but coordinated look and you will see the tessellation effect more clearly.

Sew panels – one dark strip to one light strip – using a ¼” seam allowance. You don’t have to use full-length strips for this. Press the seam allowances toward the darker strip.

Cut 3 ½” slices. (The panel of two strips should be 3 ½” across, so you will have squares. If you are using a different size of strip, measure across your panel to determine the size of the slices. These units should be square.) You need 4 units to make one block, so be sure you have multiples of four. Count your pieced units. For each of these units, cut one 2” square of light fabrics and one 2” square of dark fabrics. If you have 36 pieced units, cut 36 light squares and 36 dark squares.

Having right sides together and raw edges aligned, position a dark square in one corner of the pieced unit, on the light fabric. Stitch diagonally across the dark square. You can mark the diagonal with a pencil or by pressing in a diagonal crease, but I usually just “eyeball” it on these small squares.

Run them through the sewing machine without stopping to break threads and remove them from the machine. Chain a few stitches between units.

Press the square outward toward the corner to create a triangle across the corner of the pieced unit. If you like, you can trim away the layers underneath (the seam allowances) to ¼”. I usually only trim the middle layer or leave them both intact.

Position a light square in the opposite corner of the pieced unit and sew across the square diagonally. Press as before.

Arrange your units in two piles as shown. Sew them into sets of two. Each set of two units constitutes half of the quilt block. Press all of the seam allowances (for this new seam) the same direction on each set.

Sew two halves together to make the whole block. Press. The block should measure 6 1/2”.

You may prefer to use only two fabrics instead of scraps:

Same blocks – one quilt has a light border and one has a dark border!

Spring Wedding?

2011-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

Do you have a bride-to-bee in your life? Create an heirloom quilt and a precious memory at the same time, with a GloryQuilts Women of the Family Bridal Bee.

A new generation of women is reaching adulthood. These women value family history and relationships, and they want to establish extended family ties that will last beyond their own lifetime. Separated by busy lives and distance, many of us seldom have the opportunity to really visit with our mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, grandmothers, nieces, and old friends. A quilting bee provides this opportunity. Conversation is easy when the hands are busy. There will be time for leisurely reminiscence, catching up on current events, advice on marriage and motherhood and life in general, laughter and maybe a few tears. New brides and new babies are wonderful reasons for women to come together.

Stash Reduction Project Part 1 - I'm not really throwing anything away.

2010-09-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am making huge progress in my stash reduction process. I have an obscene amount of quilting fabric, but not a lot of yardage. It's mostly remnants and scraps. And it’s not disorganized; the fabric is already sorted by color or style into Rubbermaid totes, and the totes are neatly labeled on both ends. I have separated all of the dressmaking and other fabrics, and those are stored in other parts of the attic, so the “quilting” area of the attic contains only cotton fabric, batting, a few file boxes of quilt class patterns and paperwork, various class supply/visual aid boxes, quilt frames, and other quilt-related ~~stuff~~ tools and supplies. It looks good up there, but those totes are whited sepulchers. They appear nice and clean on the outside, but in reality they are crammed so full of fabric that it’s hard to find and use the pieces I want. It’s a wadded-up mess. Every time I want to do a project, I have to dig through tangles of unusable little pieces and strips, and it’s all so stubbornly wrinkled that I have to wet it down before I can press it smooth. I want my fabric supply to be accessible and usable.

I do have a system, but I have not previously applied it to the entire stash. It’s a big project, and time-consuming, but it works for me. One box at a time, I am sorting through every bit of the fabric. Any pieces smaller than a fat quarter or odd shapes are pressed and cut into 2″ strips. If they are too small for that, I cut them into 1 1/2″ strips. Anything too small for that DOES get thrown away. The remaining fabric pieces get pressed, folded, and put back in their tub. If a larger piece is not square/rectangular, I cut off the odd ends and strip those, replacing the tidied-up larger piece in the tote.

I really do use these strips. OFTEN. It’s a very convenient system for me, because I like scrap quilts. I enjoy rummaging through the ready-to-use strips. The problem is that they multiply. In their nice dark totes, up there in the attic at night, some kind of reproductive process is happening. I currently have three 18-gallon Rubbermaid totes packed full of 2″ strips and two of 1 1/2″ strips, and they are all full.

Last winter, I sewed seven tablerunners and two baby quilts from the 1 1/2″ strip tote without making a noticeable dent in the stash. Over the years, I have made innumerable large and small quilts from these boxes, but they never get emptier. Sometimes I get low on one specific color, but sooner or later they reproduce themselves and I once again have enough to make more quilts.

I have dressmaking friends who sometimes send me big boxes of their scraps. When I am organized like this, all of their gift eventually gets used. Efficient organization and storage prevents waste.

Now if only I could apply that concept to my kitchen…

Another Autumn

2010-09-17T06:01:00.001-07:00

And I am grateful for it, of course, but summer is sadly short here in Wisconsin.

Like everyone else on Planet Earth, Glory Quilts has a facebook page. Stop by and visit there.

Quiltmaking is generally considered a winter sport, so I am being re-inspired by the unpleasant weather. The sewing room doesn't look anything like it did in those previous posts... it's a MESS! Fabric everywhere, stacks of books, and (of course) Rubbermaid totes. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has to start with a clean room. Because cleaning is boring and I have a short attention span, that means I don't get to be creative as often as I would like. Perhaps today I can muster up some self-discipline and JUST DO IT.

Homegrown Fabric

2009-08-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to announce that Connecting Threads is providing American-made fabrics! Connecting Threads is an old friend. I have enjoyed their catalogs for nearly twenty years! Just last year, I finally cut out my favorite "inspiration" pictures and pasted them into a binder and threw the rest of the catalogs away.

They have an interactive educational community called Quilt With Us, which is worth looking into - right now they are giving away fabric!

Connecting threads has always offered some of the very best free quilting patterns online, and they now have video tutorials and free downloads for the EQ6 quilt design software. They also have a discussion forum!

Check out their fabric lines. They have a wide variety of themes and styles of fabrics!

Cranston/VIP Fabrics

2009-04-10T06:33:00.001-07:00

I was seriously disappointed today to learn that Cranston is moving their fabric printing plants out of the United States. For many years, I have promoted their fabrics because they were made domestically. It's always a good thing to provide employment locally. Their fabric has been inexpensive and of a reliable quality. Primarily, however, I endorsed the company because they were extraordinary supporters of their military employees. Reservists are protected by federal law, but Cranston exceeded those minimum requirements. As a military wife and mother, that blesses me even when it's not my own family.

I am working on an article about fabric selection, and I called their customer service number today to ask some questions. The man on the phone didn't speak English very clearly, he didn't know anything about their military reservist support program, and when I got to my questions about the specific "Made in the USA" issues, I was shocked to learn that after June 30, Cranston/VIP/Quilting Treasures fabrics will no longer be printed in the Unted States. They have been printing fabrics in the Unites States since 1824.

From their website:

Cranston Print Works Company is a large, diversified corporation with operations in textile consumer goods, transportation, and specialty chemicals. The textile operation began in 1824, at the very beginning of America’s Industrial Revolution, and is distinguished as the oldest textile printing operation in the United States, as well as the largest supplier of printed fabric to the home sewing market. The company’s outstanding reputation for quality, service, versatility, and manufacturing expertise is a direct credit to the employees that work here. We continue to believe that our employees are our strength, and remain committed to employee development. Cranston Print Works is an employee-owned company, wherein the ownership philosophy coupled with the company’s excellence in manufacturing, product design, sales, and marketing, create a culture which encourages achievement and innovation.

I firmly believe in the right of every private business to make their own decisions, but I am personally saddened. I am now on a quest to find new sources of affordable American-made fabric.

At the beginning of this war, I made a new quilt for my bed. A very special quilt, made mostly of Cranston/VIP fabrics because I was so grateful for their military support. My husband was no longer in the Air Force, having just finished his reservist commitment, but our oldest son was in the army, stationed in Korea.

Let me know if you have good sources for American-made fabric!

My Sewing Room

2009-03-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

Last year, my dear husband gave me the best Christmas gift ever - a functional and attractive sewing room! I do have a very nice space. We rent a large Victorian farmhouse, so my sewing room has high ceilings, nice woodwork, tall windows, and a little balcony.

I won't frighten you away with pictures of the previous set-up. Let's just say that if I had let a baby into the room at that point, we would have been in real trouble. This picture was mid-process. I had it cleaned up enough to work in, and DH had started my cutting table. The wall art in the center will be hung on the wall next to the balcony door. My dear daughter, Renee, made it for me.

The cutting table is about the same height as a kitchen countertop. It is much easier on my back. Quilters and dressmakers spend a lot of time cutting. He made this one so that I can store mats and rulers underneath the top. The white shelves used to hold books, but I have condensed those and now store Rubbermaid totes on the shelves. The totes contain tools, strips that I cut from remnants as I work, elastic, velcro, zippers, interfacing, fusible web, buttons, ribbons and lace, embroidery supplies, etc.
My oldest son (the lucky man married to Renee) helped my husband make a design wall for me, from insulation foam. We covered it with a soft white cotton, but you can see the pink insulation through the fabric! It has become indispensible to me. It also provides a convenient photography backdrop for smaller quilts.

Another important feature is the clock. My mother sent me money for my birthday, and a clock for my sewing room was the #1 item on my wish list at that time!

A low, horizontal bookcase (it used to be a vertical shelf for holding sweaters or something in my closet, but it has been reincarnated) became a window seat. It holds some of my more frequently-used books.

DH cut openings in the back edges of the tables, so the power cords are kept out of the way. I can use the laptop computer in the corner between the two machines, which is very helpful. The computer is an important part of my work.

The two Rubbermaid drawer totes hold thread. One of the shallow drawers holds my most-used sewing tools (namely my seam ripper and pliers and screwdriver), and one of the bottom drawers has office supplies in it: mailing labels, tape, pens and pencils, business cards, and so forth.

Any flat surface collects stuff. Those are unfinished quilt tops stacked in the corner. My cutting table isn't so nice and clear anymore, either. It has piles of fabrics for my next six projects. To the left of that quilt pile is an audiocassette/CD player. I listen to books on tape while I work. I also have an mp3 player and can play that through the player or with the earbuds. That works well for me. I download books from the library and never have to leave the house!

For the rest of the winter, the loom can sit in front of the balcony door, but eventually spring will come and I will need to figure out what to do with it. DH made a wire hanger for my iron.

Speaking of flat surfaces collecting stuff... it's fabric for summer dresses. Client work. The small bookcase contains all of my Burda pattern magazines and other magazines and thin books. Yes, those irons all work. I think. I love Rowenta irons in spite of the fact that they spit and leak, break, and shut off at odd times. DH's next project is to make a cabinet to hold the irons, water bottles and spray bottles.

The stacked drawers are patterns, neatly organized by size and style (just like my thread drawers are organized by type and color of thread.)

Aside from that current work stack in the above picture, my fabric is all kept in the attic in (you guessed it) Rubbermaid totes. I will save that photo treat for another day.

I still do my basting in the diningroom, since I have a long table in there. Since the varnished tabletop is already pretty scratched up, I don't have to worry about damaging the table. The light is good in that room, with big southern windows.

I have a plastic mannequin that hangs on the back of a door, so I can make adustments and take pictures.

Not about the CPSIA

2009-03-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

GLORY QUILTS

I have been updating my website! It's always a much bigger project than I expect it will be. I need good photographs. If you have one of my quilts in your collection, can you please take a picture and send it to me? You can email me from my website.

When my SIL first created my website for me, I still had dial up networking and a very small hard drive. I had to reduce the size and quality of my pictures to a level that is no longer necessary or desirable.

Not all of the links are working yet, but several of them are finished. Take a look!

Stay of Execution!

2009-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Stay of Execution!!
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09115.html
CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.
The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay.

The stay does not apply to:
Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children’s products subject to:
The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings effective for products made after December 21, 2008;
The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers effective for products made after January 20, 2009;
The ban on small parts effective for products made after February 15, 2009; and
The limits on lead content of metal components of children’s jewelry effective for products made after March 23, 2009.
Certification requirements applicable to ATV’s manufactured after April 13, 2009.
Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements, including for: automatic residential garage door openers, bike helmets, candles with metal core wicks, lawnmowers, lighters, mattresses, and swimming pool slides; and
Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.

The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards and similar requirements, including the lead and phthalates provisions of the CPSIA.
Handmade garment makers are cautioned to know whether the zippers, buttons and other fasteners they are using contain lead. Likewise, handmade toy manufacturers need to know whether their products, if using plastic or soft flexible vinyl, contain phthalates.

The stay of enforcement on testing and certification does not address thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not required to test and certify products under the CPSIA. The products they sell, including those in inventory on February 10, 2009, must not contain more than 600 ppm lead in any accessible part. The Commission is aware that it is difficult to know whether a product meets the lead standard without testing and has issued guidance for these companies that can be found on our web site.
_______________________

They have a few statements in there that I do not believe are strictly accurate, but I am rejoicing that the law has been temporarily stayed in order to give lawmakers a chance to review and rewrite it.

I am encouraged by the fact that the system worked - the voices of concerned Americans actually affected the actions of our public employees. (At least, I like to regard it that way.)

THRIFT STORES vs CPSIA - Thrift stores WIN!!!

2009-01-08T12:59:00.001-08:00

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 8, 2009Release #09-086 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children’s Product Safety Laws Taking Effect in February
Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children’s Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In February 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) take effect. Manufacturers, importers and retailers are expected to comply with the new Congressionally-mandated laws. Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead. Certain children’s products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more that 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys.
Under the new law, children’s products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009.
The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. [b]Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.[/b]
[b]The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit[/b]. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.
When the CPSIA was signed into law on August 14, 2008, it became unlawful to sell recalled products. All resellers should check the CPSC Web site (www.cpsc.gov) for information on recalled products before taking into inventory or selling a product. The selling of recalled products also could carry civil and/or criminal penalties.
The agency intends to focus its enforcement efforts on products of greatest risk and largest exposure. While CPSC expects every company to comply fully with the new laws resellers should [b]pay special attention to certain product categories. Among these are recalled children’s products, particularly cribs and play yards; children’s products that may contain lead, such as children’s jewelry and painted wooden or metal toys; flimsily made toys that are easily breakable into small parts; toys that lack the required age warnings; and dolls and stuffed toys that have buttons, eyes, noses or other small parts that are not securely fastened and could present a choking hazard for young children.[/b]The agency has underway a number of rulemaking proposals intended to provide guidance on the new lead limit requirements. Please visit the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov for more information.

CPSIA - How did this happen???

2009-01-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

My longest blog post ever - and the most angry! I’m sorry… I can’t sew a baby quilt for you. I might end up in a federal prison.

Green Runner SOLD!

2008-11-04T12:42:00.001-08:00

The other two are still available... more to come soon!

New Runners for Sale!

2008-11-03T07:05:00.001-08:00

Three new tablerunners from GloryQuilts - available now! Free shipping if you buy them here (leave me a comment or message.)

Shop early for Christmas!

Available now in my etsy shop:

Autumn!

2008-09-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

Some pieced maple leaf potholders, just in time for fall (if it doesn't feel like fall to you, try visiting Wisconsin. It's fall.)

MY ETSY SHOP

A GAME! With a PRIZE!!!!

2008-05-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Win a pair of patchwork potholders by playing the game here. The first person with the correct answer wins!

CONTEST

Misc. Sewing

2008-05-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw???

Our ladies' Bible study group is making a couple dozen diapers for a local service project. They are just adorable. When my boys were little, our diapers were just big white squares. We folded them like a kite and then pinned and pulled on rubber pants.

I made these scrubs for my DIL2B - she is a CNA at the local hospital. Isn't she fashionable???

Valances Update

2008-05-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

The valances are nearly done! There will be three panels, and they will be reversible - navy/green/burgundy on one side and soft florals on the other.

April Showers

2008-04-11T08:43:00.001-07:00

This fun little quilt (35" x 44") is temporarily named April Showers. It's just a top so far, and not even entirely sewn together, but I like it. I made it while I should have been sewing client orders, so "The Guilt Quilt" might have been more appropriate, but today is typically rainy and blustery. Last year on this date, we had a fairly big snowfall.

Valances for Annette

2008-04-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is my current project - I am making these for my friend Annette. Some options:

The last one is actually the best representation, but instead of a solid piece of fabric on the top, it will be an extension of the pieced Log Cabin style blocks. My computer program (EQ4) just didn't want to do that for me. ;)

Today's Projects

2008-04-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Today is a "sewing for clients" day! I have spent the last three days cleaning up my sewing studio and storage area, and now I need to get back to productive work!

Ok, so I am being tempted by a tiny project I want to do as a gift for a friend, but that won't take long if I decide to do it. Honest.

I am going to sew quilted valances for Annette! Her potholders are done. I plan to do something similar to what I made for my own bedroom:

Clothes for Chautona's girls!

Clothes for Dell and her daughter!

I want to work on drafting a pattern or two, also, for a class I hope to teach out in Texas this fall. OH, and I need to be thinking about a bridal quilt for my poor Daughter-in-law. Yes, they did celebrate their first wedding anniversary in February.

When my sewing room is clean and I have some books on tape to listen to, I am much more motivated to sew!

The Dressmaker's Granddaughter

2008-04-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

My poor granddaughter gets bumped to the bottom of my priority list much too often. She visited us last week, and I made her a couple pretty new things! February and March were long months. I spent a large part of the time with my parents following my dad's stroke, which meant I saw more of my granddaughter (and oldest son and DIL) than I usually get to! I made her an Easter dress and bows, too! Unfortunately, it was so cold that she had to wear a turtleneck underneath the dress. Easter doesn't often feel very spring-like in Minnesota. (We always had to plan our Halloween costumes around long underwear and snowsuits, too, when I was a child...)

Swedish Woven Baskets Quilt!

2008-03-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

This quilt is finished and listed for sale on eBay! See it here!

The quilt is 40" X 53" - perfect for a baby or to dress your home for spring!

Potholders

2008-02-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't been feeling very well for the past few days, but I did manage to sort through a lot of my 2" strips and get organized to make some potholders. I listed them as custom orders on etsy!

Finished binding the Lone Star quilt

2008-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Two episodes of Nero Wolfe saw the binding on the Lone Star quilt finished (and the blue, yellow and green Swedish Baskets quilt started). I decided to hang it above the piano until it sells, because it nicely matches my livingroom. I will take pictures after church tomorrow and try to get it listed on etsy.

Today I cleaned out my Pink tote. All of the bigger pieces get folded and put back in the bucket, and the smaller ones are sliced into 1 1/2" and 2" strips (which go in their own buckets.) I am still pressing and cutting strips.

I am seriously committed to stash reduction. Look for LOTS of scrap quilts and small projects coming up soon!

Sunbonnets!

2008-02-01T21:00:00.001-08:00

As you can see at right, I have been making sunbonnets today! I am selling them as custom orders, in colors and fabric styles that the client likes. I have them in women's and children's sizes, and I have listed them on etsy.

Busy Weekend!

2008-01-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

I've been sewing a lot for the last two days. In addition to some sewing for a client, I have pieced a Trip Around the World lap quilt - which I REALLY like a lot - and quilted both the Swedish Baskets baby quilt and a Lone Star wallhanging.

Roses and Ruffles

2008-01-16T17:51:00.001-08:00

My second listing!

See all of our GUILD ebay listings!

First eBay Listing for THE GUILD!

2008-01-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

I am back on track after a year of weddings, graduations, travelling, and general business! :) We have re-focused our design group, The Guild, and are looking forward to new and exciting things. This is my first listing for our Princess Kisses launch.

Swedish Woven Baskets Quilt

29" x 29"

The Pieced Quilt Top

2008-01-08T14:01:00.001-08:00

For more pictures, see my SwedeHearts blog. During the Grand Opening of The Guild, this quilt (once it's finished!) will be available for sale through my SwedeHearts line.

OCD Scrap Quilts

2008-01-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

I like making scrap quilts. Partly because I HAVE a lot of scraps, and partly because I don't like the over-coordinated "all one line" quilts that look like they could have come from JCPenney. Scrap quilts just look "real" to me. BUT... scrap quilts are a lot of work. They take a lot more time in cutting and fabric selection than quilts made with just a few fabrics. In addition, you can become extremely obsessive about scrap quilts. The pile of fabrics above was just part of my selections/rejections for my lastest Swedish Hearts quilt. This one will be a baby quilt, bigger than my last one, so I need 12 blocks. 6 blues, 6 greens, and 12 yellows.

No, not that one! I already used that one!
Not that one! It's much too similar to this one!
I can't use that one... it's totally the wrong green.
If I introduce that multicolor yellow, I will have to find at least two more multicolor yellows to balance it!
Oh, wait. I should save this one for the border. So I can't use it for a block.
What about an inner border? I can use this blue. Oh, then maybe I don't want that outer border.
I need a very busy yellow to go with this solid blue.
That yellow completely overpowers that green.
I should just start from scratch.

As usual, this quilt will take less time to sew than it does to select and cut the fabrics. My scrap fabrics always need to be pressed before they can be cut, too, so that takes even longer. But I do think this will be a beautiful quilt!

OH - and these are the fabrics that made the cut. I am still not sure about the daisy fabric in the middle. That one may have to go.

My Sweet Little Heart Hanging

2008-01-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

It's all done! It will be a prize in our "sign up for The Guild newsletter" just as soon as we get that function working on our new website. Keep tuned for further information!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

Even though I know intellectually that today isn't really greatly different from yesterday, it feels different. And that is an excellent thing, since it brings renewed focus and the illusion of a clean slate. Mentally, January 1st is a very inspiring day.

Last night, I made a little wall quilt. I do mean little - it's about 10" x 12", in warm reds and beige. It has a pieced heart in the middle with a triangle inner border and a darker outer border and two hanging tabs. To give it distinction, I am hand quilting it.

As is often the case, it took me longer to select the fabrics for this wallflower of a quilt than it did to piece it. I tossed the contents of my red, beige background, and 2" strips totes all over the floor of my sewing room. So much of my fabric is in small irregular pieces that don't lend themselves to neat exposed storage (and I do prefer my storage out of sight), and I USE those small pieces eventually, so I really would like to become more efficient at this storage-and-selection process.*

The little quilt is going to be a prize in a drawing at The Guild. Everyone who signs up for our newsletter will be entered in a drawing to win some nice little prizes. This is my contribution. I will post a picture when it is finished. We have a blog over there at The Guild, too, so be sure to add it to your bloglines or your Favorites on your computer.

I find that I like doing small finishable projects. I made some very cute pincushions for Christmas gifts this year, and my granddaughter helped me stuff them with sawdust. My woodworking father contributed by creating a big box of nice clean pine and cedar shavings for the purpose. I have also been thinking about aprons. I like aprons, and so do little girls. Big quilts are lovely, but they don't sell at a price that justifies the time and expense that goes into them. Baby quilts and table runners are a little more salable. So I'm thinking and considering and even doing a little sewing!

Have a blessed year - a GREAT 2008! I am praying that you will recognize your blessings when you see them. God is good all the time!

*No, that is NOT a New Year's Resolution. I am still trying to decide where to focus for those changes in my life. I don't want to overwhelm myself with numerous and unrealistic resolutions.

About my design wall....

2007-12-31T11:43:00.000-08:00

Lisa asked if my design wall was pink...

well, it is. It isn't supposed to be pink, but the insulation foam is so pink that it shows through the white fabric I used to cover it. I'm getting used to it now, but at first it really bothered me. When I first saw it finished, I suggested to DH that maybe he should take it down so I could put another layer of fabric on it. He didn't think so. We live in an old house, and the walls are lathe-and-plaster. He had to use special anchoring nails to attach it to the wall, with shields to prevent the heads from sinking through the sheet of insulation. Pink is nice. I don't get much pink around here.

And if rag rugs aren't enough to distract me...

2007-12-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

I can organize my sewing room! Doesn't EVERYONE organize at this time of year? My friend Lisa , the Domestic Diva, is a super organizer and has many fun ideas. I tend to stick with Rubbermaid totes.

RUBBERMAID TOTES RULE!

I also have those rolling carts with drawers for patterns and thread. And one for yarn and knitting supplies. I do like knitting... (Another distraction!)

In this big old house, I can keep all my Rubbermaid totes (we don't need to go into numbers here) in the attic. Some of the smaller ones (3-gallon and 1-gallon) stay in my studio most of the time because I use them regularly. A few of the big totes are down here fairly often, too. All of my totes are labelled - at least the quiltmaking fabrics. I can send the guys upstairs to "fetch my blues box" (um... well, I think I am up to three blues boxes. Let's use red as an example instead) They go to the "Quilting Fabric" section of the attic and find the box labelled "red" and bring it down to me in my studio. Yes, it is a large attic and there are several "sections" in it. I am an eclectic craftswoman.

One wall of my studio has a large design wall. My dear husband and my oldest son got a sheet of 1 1/2" thick foam insulation from Menards, and I covered it with fabric to make a kind of giant bulletin board. We quilters call it a "design wall". It operates a lot like a giant bulletin board. I love it.

My next project is paperwork - I have filing cabinets and envelopes for receipts and most of my business records are on the computer... but I need to get more organized than that. I don't like paper clutter!

Being sidetracked by rugs...

2007-12-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have a loom. It's very decorative. My goal, as of last summer, was to make rugs for everyone for Christmas. My goal now is to make rugs for everyone for next Christmas.

I also have a couple different frames for making twined rugs. Those are easy.

And while I was browsing a local quilt shop last month, I came across the gadget used to make "Anchored Loop" or "Locker Hook" rugs. I still haven't tried it, but it's very high on my to-do list. When made with roving, it's called Locker Hook, and when made with strips of fabric (which I will do), it's known as Anchored Loop. I want to use up a lot of my yarn-dyed plaids.

I also have several crocheted rugs, made with strips of fabric. Some are finished and some I abandoned. I really should get those out... They live quite happily in a Rubbermaid Tote in the attic, so I can ignore them for years on end.

So I have plenty of distractions in my list of projects.

Snowing to inspire me

2007-12-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am envisioning a line of Scandinavian-style clothing, perhaps marketed under my SwedeHearts identity. I like the clothing in the Jan Brett books - it may technically be considered Ukrainian rather than Scandinavian, but it's one of those cold wintery places where people wore layers of brightly colored clothing.

It's snowing here today - big fluffy flakes that are rapidly burying the streets and blanketing the trees and bushes. It worries me for my DH, who drives a truck delivering feed to remote farms, but it's very beautiful.

Valentines Day!

2007-12-27T20:51:00.000-08:00

Even before I was done with my Christmas shopping, some of my ebay designer friends had Valentines Day listings up! I am reliable and prompt, but I will never be that far ahead of the season.

NOW I am ready to consider Valentines Day. It's not one of my favorite holidays, but it's a fun fashion opportunity for the 2-8 yo crowd. Now that I have a granddaughter, that kind of thing matters more to me.

There is no market for Valentines quilts, unless I make little wall quilts for gift-giving. Interesting idea....

This is not my real blog....

2007-10-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Just in case you are interested, I am saving this spot for when I have more time and something significant to say. Find me at Glory Quilts for not-very-profound words and lot of grandbaby pictures. Oh, quilt pictures, too!

Embrace. Let Go. Rejoice in the Lord.

2007-10-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

What a lovely rhythm. I doubt I will ever achieve the serenity necessary to do it fully. I really want to be serene. It's hard, though, when all these wayward humans in my life aren't following the paths I have marked out for them. I don't know what's wrong with them. I gave them the right books to read and calmly explained what they should do, but they insist on living their own lives without my direct and daily guidance! Shocking!

No one is trying to do BAD things... just things that will cause them to feel stress instead of the results they expect.

Where is the balance between being supportive and lying to them? Do I support you in this decision? Um, no. I think it is a serious mistake. How about if we just don't talk about it... seems safest. The tactful avoidance technique has been used in my family for generations. I don't know that it's effective, but at least we are all still speaking to each other.

I keep turning it all over to God - and turning it over and turning it over.

God is good - all the time!

2007-08-07T17:13:00.001-07:00

Please pray for my sister, who is in the hospital. She has very high blood pressure.

We had more answered prayer this week -the provision of a vehicle big enough to hold four adults and one precious child in a car seat! We are going to Minneapolis for the celebration of our new daughter's college graduation, and we are bringing Alanna back here for a week! Brad and Renee will come to collect her the following weekend. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

Good Morning!

2007-08-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

I'm no longer homeschooling or homesteading, so I haven't posted on those blogs in a while, but I have updated the www.xanga.com/gloryquilts blog recently. I will also try to use this one, but I am not making any promises.

Oh - here's a picture of the prettiest girl in the world, just as a special treat for you:

Hello!

2006-06-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Just what I needed! Another blog!