Oh wait. You're not the one who's been gone. Away. That would be moi.
And yes, I do rather like that Kelly Clarkson song. Though no, I don't have it on my iToys.
Life here is fine - good - progressing - improving. I've just been having a hard time finding a regular routine or schedule. I'll be glad when my Mom is home and I'm not making daily trips to rehab. Have you ever thought about how much time it takes to shower, do your hair, put on some make-up and find clean clothes to wear? Spending the day in your sweats isn't just comfortable - it saves a colossal amount of time!
Rosie says Hi.
Let me get to the important things - my Mom is fine and should be home this week. She caught a bit of a cold a few days ago but it's only slowed her down a bit. Rosie is also really good. She's slipping and sliding more than ever, and while that's heartbreaking and sad, it hasn't really slowed her down. She's still the same rambunctious scamp she's always been. So it's all good in my little corner of the world.
I have been sewing - new quilts coming soon...
One is bound... the other two are in need of a visit from the Binding Fairy. So they're "coming soon".
Work is "progressing" on the next book. I should tell you that it has been "in the works" for almost two years but when life got in the way, I kept pleading with the lovely folks at That Patchwork Place to let me postpone it. Instead of being published last Fall or this Spring, it should be out next year, right around the time of Spring Market. The "subject" is scrap quilts. Wish me luck - better still, wish the folks at That Patchwork Place luck. I'm not sure what the odds are right now for my delivering the manuscript on time but if you want in on the action regarding that, you probably ought to know that with two manuscript deadlines in my history, I'm batting 0-for-2. I was born late and I might never recover if I was on time for something big at this point in my life.
Speaking of being late - and behind - I'm sorry I've been so lax about this blog-thing. I had the Rosie Club/Class at Olde World Quilt Shop last weekend, and a Crumbler / tumbler demo at Sun Valley Quilts yesterday. Getting ready for those keeps me busy, especially since both involve having samples and demo pieces. Can you believe that? As if!
I can only speak for myself but I'm having a really good time with the projects for the class. As much as I've enjoyed the main project every month, it's been the little bonus things that have kept me the most entertained. It's also been a boon for Aaron Brothers and the frame departments at local craft stores. I'm having too much fun framing little quilts, blocks and other projects.
This is one of them ~ and please forgive the picture. The glass is always an issue.
The nine-patches finish at 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" - the squares finish at 1/2". But they're so easy to make. The first thing you need is an 8" x 8" square frame.
Have you ever learned the technique for making two "reverse" nine-patches using two squares? While the technique itself has been around for years, the best book of projects using the technique is Primitive Gatherings' Nine Patch Gatherings. If you love quilts with lots of scrappy nine-patches, you'll love this book.
As for the technique, it's pretty cool. You take two squares and with right sides together, you sew a scant 1/4" seam on two opposing sides of the square. Then you cut it apart - into strips - and press. Join strips and press. Match the squares again with right sides together and stitch. Cut it apart and press. Join the last strip and press. It's easier than it sounds - and you get two nine-patches from each pair of squares.
The thing is, while it works really, really well using a 3" square for two 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" nine-patches - finished size, I prefer to use squares that are a little bit bigger. It just works better for me. And for my aging eyes.
For the technique - Two For One Nine-Patch.
The little framed quilt above is amazingly simple. Start by making at least nine nine-patches that finish at 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".
Then sew them together in a little mini quilt.
This is where clipping seams can be a huge help. This is what the back of my little quilt looks like.
The seams are clipped so that the seams for each nine-patch can be pressed toward the alternating square. I love this trick of clipping seams - Thank you Jo!
When my mini quilt top is pieced - finished - I like to "age" it with washing and pressing.
Because my mini quilt is smaller than the frame size, I "mount" it on a piece of illustration board that has been covered with fabric.
There are two things to tell you here. Three - I just remembered one. First, the fabric is adhered to the illustration board with Steam-A-Seam 2 Lite. Don't laugh - it's works beautifully! I cut a piece of fabric and Steam-A-Seam bigger than my piece of illustration board - 8" x 8" - and fuse the Steam-A-Seam to the fabric. Then I fuse it to the board - lightly. I trim the edges - I don't need a ruler, the edges of the illustration board are enough to guide the rotary cutter - and then I finish fusing the fabric to the board. Then just let it cool.
Second - place a small square of muslin or plain fabric behind the mini-quilt to prevent shadowing of the fabric on the board. My squares are usually a 1/2" to 1" smaller than the mini-quilt.
Third - the mini quilt is then secured to the board using tiny dots of a basting glue. I use Roxanne's Baste-it Glue.
Okay - four things. Yes. I know. The "N" is upside down. I just noticed that. I'll fix it in a few minutes. (If you're curious, the "N" is a vintage French laundry label I bought at a flea market in Paris.)
If you want to make something like this - Two For One Nine Patch ~ Mini Quilts.
I made this one for class -
The frame is 7" x 15" and it needs 21 nine-patches.
(The background fabric is from Chateau Rouge by French General. I love this print - it's the same one I used for Marguerite.)
That's all I've got for today but I hope to be back soon as "life" looks like it might finally be settling down a bit.
At least I hope so.
It's either that or I'm going to have to make an emergency run to MAC and Sephora.
