October Bee Blocks

Well with Sewing Summit in the middle of October and all of the ore sewing and cutting I was working on prior to the event... I felt a little overwhelmed with keeping up on my Flickr blocks this month. I am really happy with all of the results. I usually try to have all my blocks done as soon as I receive them; however this month that was not the case.

For Sew Blues Bee

I made two blocks. The first was easy and I was able to finish it up prior to the Summit.

The second for Staci, I just finished last night. Her quilt is going to be so fun. I really wanted to do mini hexies and embroidery. I had fun.

The Modern 99 block

The Block Party block I also was able to do prior to leaving.  Apparently I did not get a picture prior to sending it off.  Oops.

Last but not least were my two blocks for the Promise Circle of Do Good Stitches. I really love the value in these blocks. I took a picture and then looked at in black and white just to make sure I did it correctly. So much fun.

I am so excited I already have one November Block done and it has not even started.

I have also been working hard on getting my Modern She Made Swap Item finished.  I am getting closer to getting the EPP part of it finished and now I need to decide if it will be a pillow or a bag... hmmm?

May you be inspired to create!

Shawn

Travellin' Stitch Blog Hop

Hi!  Welcome to my blog.   If you have not been here before, thanks for stopping by.  If you are a regular, I really appreciate someone listing to me rant about my crafty side.  Well, today is my day of the Travellin' Pic Stitch Blog Hop.  I was lucky to meet the hosts at Sewing Summit this year and have been stalking them via Instagram as they travel around the West.  To find out more about the HOP follow this link.  Check out the projects the other participants have made.  They are very fun and inspiring.  I love the Play Crafts Palette Builder. Take a picture, load it up, and the builder will tell you which colors go with your picture.

Sage and I went out for a walk a few weeks ago when the Fall colors were really starting to hit.  I am glad we went when we did because two days ago we got dumped on with snow... so it looks more like winter now.  Fall is my favorite as I am addicted to orange.  I just love all the colors!!

If you are unfamiliar with English Paper Piecing there are a billion tutorials online.  I am in love.  I love how I can take the projects with me wherever I go.  I decided I was going to make a travelling sewing bag for all my rulers and tools, so I could take it with me on my trip to Sewing Summit.  I used Carrie's tutorial for the Travelling Art Case.  I modified it a bit and it turned out great.  Thanks Carrie.  I made the mistake of not cutting the fabric long enough to make the pocket like she showed, so my tools sometimes slip a bit.  If I were to make it again I would definitely modify it.

This is a picture of the trees just North of our house.  We live in such a beautiful place.  I love Sun Valley, Idaho.

Thanks for giving me a chance to participate and share my project.  I hope you stop by again to see my crafty side. 

This post is part of the Travellin' Pic Stitch Blog Hop.  From 1st October - 30th November we are hopping all over the world EPP-ing in some fantastic locations.  Check out the full list here and be sure to check out the other participants. On 30th November it's over to you to link up for a chance to win these fabulous prizes! Sponsored by Paperpieces.com, FabricwormPink Castle Fabrics ,  Marmalade Fabrics, the Fat Quarter Shop, WantItNeedItQuilt, and Aurifil.

Full details for competition entry can be found here.

Yeah!! We have visitors!

I am so excited.  My mom is coming to spend Christmas with us!  I called my mom a few weeks ago, asking her if I could put her up at our house for Christmas if she would come?  I really did not think she would be able to; however I asked my husband to start building Sage a bed in his room that hangs from the ceiling so we could stay in his room with him, if my parents came to visit.  Low and behold, he started building the bed, and they booked their tickets!  This will be the first time my mom and stepdad will spend Christmas with us since my son was born, and actually I can not remember the last time they were able to spend Christmas with me.  I think it was prior to me meeting my husband.  Christmas in Sun Valley is so much fun.  The decorations are outrageous.  Free Sun Valley Ice Show and Torch Light Parade on Christmas Eve.  They will hopefully get to see Sage ski and of course they will get to spend just over a week with us!!!!

In crafty news, today I spent the day with the local guild ladies learning how to handstitch wool.  Kerrie Green of Kerry Stitch Designs came to teach a wool fibers handstitching class.  This is the bag we are making.  It was a lot of fun to learn new stitches and hang with the ladies in the class.  I was surprised how fun stitching on wool is.  The bag is actually quite large.  I thought it was going to be much smaller.  I am very happy as to how it is coming along.

Lesson learned

As I drove back to my girlfriend Kate's house the quote, "one time at band camp..." kept popping into my head. Instead I was saying "One time at Sewing Summit..." The memories that were created this weekend are unforgettable, the friends, the teachers and their creative inspirations, the moments of pure laughter are truly unforgettable. While digesting the Sewing Summit weekend, I realize I have come away with a power of creativity I look forward to realizing. The creativity has always been there. It has just been rekindled.

When I signed up for Sewing Summit I had the intention of taking classes to improve my quilting skills. The classes filled up quickly, and I was unable to get into my first choices. So I signed up for classes on garment making. I did not realize these classes were going to have such an impact on the creative process if of my mind.

First and foremost, I realized I know how to quilt. Prior to the Sewing Summit, I was not feeling confident about this. But there truly is no reason to doubt the skills I own. They are not so bad... Actually quite good. The classes on quilting therefore should not have been my priority to begin with. On the other side of the coin although I have many garments for myself, I really do not know all that much about it. I am lucky I have a pretty straight forward body. I make a pattern and to my surprise it usually fits. However when it doesn't I really do not know what to do. This is where the classes at Sewing Summit come into play.

The first class "Handmade Wardrobe " with Mena Trott was fantastic. Her humor and insight on a journey to make herself a wardrobe she felt good about was definitely a creative inspiration. It seemed most people in the room followed her blog Sew Weekly. I had not. I have now and it seems I might need a few hours to really be able to look at it because wow it is chalked full of info. I walked away from the class ready to get started and ready to make a personal goal to make more clothes for me!

I also came away with a new sense of who I am writing for. It really, in my life is not about the reader. There are a few of you out there. But really I do not need to prove anything to the blog world. I need to write and sew and create for me, it makes me happy, it makes me relax. So really, read if you want. I need to write to clear the clutter. You are welcome to listen.

Jeni Baker from In Color Order spoke next. She was fabulous and laid out the principles of the color wheel. This was not new to me... However she did explain some things in a clever way. Like try not to put too many bossy fabrics together because they will fight. Her example photos were beautiful. We also got to take home a Cotton Couture Color Card from Michael Miller. So pretty.

The third class I took was With Amy Ellis on Precision Piecing. I realized I really am not in to being soooo precise and probably why I prefer a bit more of the wonky blocks. However I am not that bad at it and probably should just keep practicing.

Finally during the final session on Friday I took pattern making with Carrie of Thismamamakessstuff.
Awesome!!!! She showed us how to take a staple pattern and add creativity to it. She was very inspiring! I learned the slash and add method. I am so looking forward to modifying patterns to fit me and my ideas.

I slipped in a curves class with Amanda from A Crafty Fox. I got to touch and fell her beautiful sample curved quilt and got some layout ideas for making my vintage curtains for my craft room. Now to just get them put together. Thanks Amanda for taking the time to teach us.

Friday eve was the mixer,,, I hooked up with the ladies from the pizza party and headed out. We squished in my car and yes we did pay for parking but silly me put the ticket in upside down and I got a ticket. If I remember to send it in... I will be let off the hook.

The mixer was great!!! Sukie thanks for all the loot. I got a 25$ gift certificate to fabric.com yeah! I also had a blast pretending I was the waitress. In the end I even got a tip... Thanks ladies for all the belly laughs.

Thanks for the bunting Sukie... not sure who made it but it looks fabulous!

Late night in the sewing room was also a blast Kati Spencer From the Blue Chair sat down with me one on one to teach me how to piece hexagons and diamonds, and Faith Jones  from Fresh Lemons Quilts taught me partial seams and equilateral triangles. I will post pictures once I get them done. Thanks ladies for the attention. I really appreciate it.

Well this is the world's longest post but hey... I said it now I won't forget it. Stay tuned for more... Saturday at the Summit.

Sewing Summit

Over the past few days, I have been having such a fantastic time at the Sewing Summit.

On Thursday we hopped from fabric shop to fabric shop. Although we were not on the official bus, we had a wonderful time and I was lucky to meet some wonderful people. Ani, an amazing mom! Sally, who I have had the pleasure of swapping blocks with online on Flickr. Judith, the Navigator who was very patient with all of our constant chatter, and Leigh who is a sensational Brit I had the pleasure of truly bonding with.

After the long day of shopping I headed over to Nostalgia to meet a few of the teachers. It is funny how, I put in my mind that I wanted to get back into garment sewing, and then, how I was then so fortunate to meet some amazing influences to lead me in that direction. I look so forward to taking my classes today from Sarai and Sunni! They were so fun to get to know over coffee. Sunni has an online notions store, and Sarai makes patterns! I also met Tracey at the coffee shop and look forward to continuing a friendship with her.

After the mixer on Thursday night, Leigh invited me up to "Texas Fi". This was just what I needed these were the ladies I was wanting to meet. Tsoniki, Fi, her mom paula, Liz, and Jessie were so sweet to me and gave me the little relax I needed. Liz was sweet to loan me some homemade comfy pants! We chatted and bonded, drank some beers, laughed, and ate pizza. Later in the evening I headed down to do some embroidery, and Lee from Freshly Pieced was so kind to give us her tips on Paper piecing. I feel so lucky that all the teachers were so available to share their ideas! The pictures below are of the final project.  I put the pattern to gether on a bag to send to my partner for Mouthy Stitches.  I hope she likes it!

Stalled out

Well I am Sewing Summit bound on Wednesday and I am so excited!

I was all ready to make an Emmeline Apron by Sew Liberated to sport while sewing at the Summit...


And on Friday I went to the LQS and picked up some really fun large polka dot fabric by Moda, to sew up Barcelona Skirt and apron overlay by Amy Butler and then BAM head cold!

So the only progress I have made is on my Star Blossom for the Travelling Stitch Blog Hop  I will be featured on October 26th! I actually made a to-go bag for my rulers and sewing supplies to take with me to the Sewing Summit,  and I am going to put the EPP block on it.

I used and modified this art case tutorial by This Mama Makes Stuff, I found on the Travel Handmade Pinterest board. I made a few design errors that I will have to improve; but over all for a stuffy head, I am proud.

Sorry no pictures. I will post on my day of the EPP hop! Hopefully I will get at least one apron sewn up before I leave!