My Huggable Sewing Room

There are somethings I want to just HUG in my sewing room.  The first one would be my 930 Bernina sewing machine.  It was my Mom's and it has many happy memories attached.  My machine will sew on anything and has done everything I have ever asked.  I've worked on delicate lace to heavy denim and cording all in the same day with the greatest of ease.  I have probably made over 60 quilts and some other pretty amazing articles.  As I'm sewing on my Bernia it's always delightful to sit, pray, dream, sing, work, listen to CD's, watch a little TV on a tiny portable, create and smile.  It will always be one of my pals. 

The second item I would hug is my ironing table, as seen in my pictures.  It makes me smile and give a whole-hearted "ahhhh" every time I step into my room.  The first time I visited Cozy Cabin Quilt Shop in St. Mary's, Ohio I was smitten.  I remember Art, a dear friend of the Shop Owner, thumping his fingers on the board and telling me this was a necessity for every sewing room!  I give a hearty, AMEN!  Each ironing table is made individually for under $50.  It stretches out a whopping 72 inches by 24 inches wide. I can iron at one end, cut in the middle and toss to the other end.  The best part is if you need to iron a whole width of fabric, there is PLENTY of room to spare.   I am tickled to pieces with the extra work space it provides!!  Two years ago my family asked me what I wanted for Christmas and this was perfect.  I cannot recommend my ironing table strongly enough, nor have I seen a better one.  I'm head-over-heels happy with my ironing table, it's positively perfect in every respect!  I can't imaging sewing without it.

I'm thankful my Bernina sits in front of a window overlooking our front yard.  I have eyelet curtains in the window that I saved from our home in Pennsylvania...they make me smile too.  This year I replaced a short landscaping wall and planted some perenials to improve the view for next year.  Next spring and summer I'll have an even more beautiful view! 

On the 6 inch shelf that runs along 2 walls of the room I like to display little happy things like my Koala bear from when I lived in Australia, a picture of my Mom when she was young, M & M's, silly Quilting Buttons that make me grin, and homemade cards from my daughters.  I have a few "near future" patterns patiently waiting to be started that I set on the shelf.  It's my little motivation and inspiration spot.  Looks like it could use a little straightening up too :)

My sewing chest, made by a dear friend, has two big drawers with fabric and projects waiting to be finished.  I'm like so many Quilter's, always a few extra projects...waiting in the drawer's :)  I'm so thankful I have a small table that sits in the corner. My Featherweight sits underneath along with three bins of stash fabric.  My Bernina Serger, also inherited from my Mom, sits on the table and eagerly waits to clean off raw edges of finished projects.  My huggable sewing room is very compact and efficient with a few special quilts hanging on the walls.

When I'm sewing, I just want to hug the entire room!  Here, I'm a happy lady, doing what I enjoy with wonderful tools. 

The only improvement would be a new chair.  Maybe one with wheels and a seat that spins.  I could just roll alittle here, and spin alittle over that-a-way.  If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear from you :)  Maybe I'll want to hug a new chair?

Let me know what you love to hug in your sewing room!

Thanks for popping in,

Elaine
Chipper Piecemaker

Celebrating My Second Patriot in Buckskins

I  finished my second block for Patriots in Petticoats - yaaa me!  This block is called Ann Bailey and she was quite a fiesty woman.  I would have been delighted to sit beside her and listened to her stories about how she dressed as a man in buckskins and fought the Indians!  She built her own log cabin at the young age of 70 and lived in it for 13 happy years.  This block was a hefty afteroon's challenge, but enjoyable as I daydreamed about what this woman's life must have been like.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

Smile if you love ice cream!

If it's vacation time and summer time, then it's time for ice cream at Dumser's!

This is our Favorite, Favorite Ice Cream Parlor in whole wide world, "Dumser's Dairyland" in Ocean City, Maryland.  When my girls, Hannah and Leah, were younger they always said "DUMPser's" and we still chuckle.  This year they had a new flavor that I savored every evening, "Coconut Chocolate Chip" and it was creamy yumminessssss.  I had to enjoy my single scoop with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry on top - no nuts, thank you.  My girls, Hannah and Leah, returned to their favorite, "Peanut Butter Fudge Twirl"!  My husband insisted on Chocolate Raspberry.  Can't wait to go back next year to enjoy more creamy delights!

I'll get back to quilting this week :)

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

The Patriot Ladies Arrived

I told you when I was visiting Caroline's Cottage Cottons Quilt Shop in Rome City, IN, I saw the most stunning American Revolution reproduction quilt called "Patriot's in Petticoats".  Caroline had several blocks pinned to the wall next to the cutting area.  They held my attention for a good 10 minutes until she interrupted my thoughts with "I'll be happy to mail blocks to you so you could join our block-of-the-month club".  I couldn't stop thinking about the rich colors and the intricate pieces.  Caroline signed me up the following week and I've been eagerly awaiting their arrival. 

On Saturday noontime, I was going to walk out to the mailbox, grab the mail and come back to start lunch.  However, to my surprise, when I opened the mailbox, there it lay...my bulging envelope with the first seven packets of pattern's and fabric!  When my husband heard me shouting, "They came! They came!  Caroline surprised me and they're here!  You HAVE TO SEEEE them!", he just looked at me, grinned and started fixing lunch.  I told you he supported my quilting habit.  I stood for 30 minutes hopping from one envelop to the next, holding the fabric and reading the brief summary of each Patriot. 

Saturday evening, I cut out the fabric for Debra Samson, the first block, and this afternoon I pieced it.  The fabric colors are rich and the designs bold.  It's hard to grasp the splendor in these small inch and a quarter finished squares.  The background is more tan than yellow.  These fabrics made by Windham Fabrics are a little piece of heaven to sew with!  Caroline sent me January through July, so I have lots to work on!  I don't think I will be caught up by August, but I'm committed to the task.  The only piecemaking changes I would have done on this block is made the blue flying geese, one big geese and put the brown/gold flying geese inside it.  I would have saved 4 seams and it would have looked more unified. 



So now I have two large quilts to work on over the summer and into the fall!  Is that even possible?  Can I seriously go between two incredible designer's and make blocks for the rest of the year?  Sound's like a wonderful problem to work through!  Oh joy and delight of my heart!!  This is a wonderful journey of commitment and diligence. 

I hope you will visit again to see my progress.

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

Friday evening I rewarded myself with my own Sew-In Party and completed the center square of Pieceful Nights.  I'm so happy with the way it came together.  I never cease to amaze myself when I look at this, "did I really figure all this out and piece it together so nicely?".  I'm so excited, I'm so delighted!  God gives good gifts!



On Saturday afternoon I had to complete just one block and it came together so nicely!  I love the Nifty Notion's rulers.  It takes me a few extra minutes to re-write the instructions, but sewing every piece with accuracy is soooo rewarding.  My girl's tell me I'm always re-writing the directions, and it's true.  I'm so simple minded when it comes to piecework and most pattern instructions could use a good editor.  I would  be happy to be a Tester and/or Editor if the opportunity ever presented itself.

I'll let you know how the next block comes together.

Thanks so very much for sending lovely comments!  You all have been so encouraging :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

Happy 4th! Happy Specialty Ruler's!

I spent my afternoon getting comfortable with my new Half-Square specialty ruler's from Kaye England.  After watching her video "More...Smart Piecing Technique's DVD" and re-learning I'm so smitten, I'm blushing and gushing!  I made the center block in traditional quilting and I made the outside blocks (yes, I know I still have a bit more to cut) with her Half-Square ruler.  I would have finished it, but I ran out of background fabric.  Kaye predicted you would use ALOT more fabric using traditional quilting and I proved it!  I'm praying my fabric shop will still have this lovely Bernetex fabric.  I had planned on using it in 3 of the sampler blocks that go around this stunning medallion block.

What I love about her ruler's is I cut according to height and use the specialty ruler to cut the half square triangle...there are lots and lots.  I had previously cut the fabric with traditional methods and trimmed it up with my specialty ruler.  The flying geese inside flying geese came out more accurate than the center block.  I'm jumping for joy that everything lines up perfectly and no more trimming up my squares!  Oh happy day!

We are off to play with sparkler's!  Our family tradition on the 4th!

Thanks for stopping by!

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

Shipshewana Quilt Festival

Last week I had the most inspiring week in Shipshewana, Indiana at their 4th Annual Quilt Festival with my very, dear friend Jennifer Henry.  The featured speaker was Kaye England and wow-wow- wow, were we in for an extraordinary treat!

When I walked into our room at Essenhaus Inn I definitely gasped!  When Jenn made our reservation back in January, this was the last available room.  Our room was breath-takingly beautiful.  We could not have been more surprised and pleased.  We had a comfy little red love-seat and table to enjoy looking at our end of day treasures.  We also had a desk to write notes to our families and a mini refrig to keep water bottles and Hershey bars cold for the next day.  They served a wonderful, filling breakfast each morning.


Our room with a view.

This was the view from our sweet balcony

On Wednesday we went to the Blue Gate Restaurant and Theater (a tasty eatery) to hear Kaye England.  The theater was packed with excited ladies, ohh-ing and ahh-ing over the quilts on the stage.  Now, I have been sewing and quilting for 20 years (taught for 16 years) and felt very secure in my ability to piece and sew.  I believe you only need a few good tools and determination to pursue precision piecing to have a quilt worth quilting.  Kaye taught me more in two days than I have learned in 20 years, I'm so deeply grateful for the lessons learned and demonstrated!  Kaye is not only a good speaker, but an excellent communicator and teacher.  She wove humor in her teaching and had us belly laughing at our perceptions in sewing - pre-wash or not, templates or specialty rulers, cut by height or width, cut left or right of the line, fun or frustrating.  She is a marvellous story-teller, sharing the purposes of her quilts and how they were born on her design pad.  I love it that she starts on graph paper just like me.  She is an amazing technical piecemaker and she is more than willing to share her skills so that we can all have more time to sew and find it rewarding, not frustrating.  She has exceptionally accurate rulers, look for her "Nifty Notions ruler's".  I held up a few of mine to compare with her's and sure enough, my trusty lines are slightly crooked - no wonder I spend time squaring those blocks...not any more!

Here are some of her quilts...

The fabric panels over the screens were Kaye's new release!  A beautiful bold large scale print!

I love her "76 Clam-bones"! I had to buy this pattern!

I have done this block many different ways, but I love these patriotic stars on point!

Jenn and I strolled through Yoder's fabric area and The Cotton Corner quilt shop in the afternoon.  These were both delightful shops for inspiration.  It's a little piece of heaven to be in the company of Quilter's!!  I wish I lived closer to them, because I would love to join the ladies for their Civil War block of the month classes. 

On Thursday we had the privilege of learning more from Kaye at two more sessions and made it around to visit some of the shops on the Shop Hop.  We met some delightful shop owners who were eager to welcome so many ladies and patiently cut fabric for us.  I fell in love with a Block of the Month pattern at Caroline's Cottage Cotton's in Rome City, Indiana, called "Patriot's in Petticoats" by Denise Lipscomb.  Caroline had 6 blocks on display and I was stunned by the rich colors and interesting piecework - they were on point too!  I must have stood there for about 10 minutes, soaking up every detail.  The piecemaker, I'm sure it was Caroline, was to be admired!  She looked over her shoulder and said she was accepting new members and would gladly ship blocks if I was interested.  I had no idea you could participate by mail!  I told her I would think carefully on that proposal.
Friday we spent the day at the Vendor Mall and Hudson Museum.  We saw more quilts that we loved.  There were 3 Clam-bone quilt's from Kaye's pattern.  They were displayed nicely and Quilt Fairy's were eager to assist curious eye's.  The vendor's had many enticing displays.  Jennifer and I had spent so much on Kaye's rulers, video's and fabric, that we were almost shopped out, but refusing to drop out!  We bought a ruler stand to hang in our Studio's from a delightful owner of BunnyHop Woodworking.  His phone number is 574.223.6987,  If you need one, I would highly recommend you call him - very reasonable! 

Afterwards, we leisurely strolled through the Hudson Automotive Museum where Kaye had about 30 of her own antique quilts draped over the cars.  This was another treat!  One of the employees shared some of the history behind the cars and this made it more personable.  We both wished our husbands could see them.

Jenn and I had the afternoon to enjoy, so we made one more trip to Lolly's Fabric at Davis Mercantile and then visited a few shops outside Shipshewana.  It was a perfect day!

On our last day we took pictures of the Quilt Gardens and then headed for the beach at South Haven, Michigan.  If there is a beach near by, I'll do my best to dig my toes in the sand.  Here are a few pictures of the Quilt Gardens and some roses I couldn't resist.

Menno-Hoff in Shipshewana

Menno-Hof had a small irresistible Rose Garden.

Weaver Furniture

Essenhaus Inn

This quilt made me especially smile.... This Double Wedding Ring mural was on the Quilt Shop at Essenhaus Inn.  It's my favorite pattern that I have taught to hundred's of students in Pennsylvania.  I would love to have this on my home, but I have a wall hanging in my Quilt Studio. 

This mural was on a barn at Bonneyville Mill Park.  The gardens across the street were beautiful.

Greencroft Community

The beach was only an hour and a half away!  I brought my two favorite beach chairs so we could sit on the beach, dig our toes into the sand and look through our books and patterns.  What a perfect way to end the week!  The water was a frigid 67 degrees, but we were ecstatic!  We were digging our toes into the sand with glee and sharing endless possibilities for future quilts.  Jenn is my dearest friend and we could not have had a more perfect week together in Shipshewana. 

Jenn and I have known each other for 30 years.  When our children were young, we used to ask ourselves "Do you ever think we could go on a week long Quilt trip together?"  Our week in Shipshewana was a dream come true.  We have our room booked for next year! 

Lastly, I called Caroline this week.  She was delighted to sign me up for the Block of the Month, Patriots in Petticoats.  I can't wait for my package to arrive!!

I hope you enjoyed our trip to Indiana and thanks for stopping by.

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker