Friday, September 19, 2014

Busy 3 Weeks

I have had a very successful, busy 3 weeks.  From sewing to kitchen, little time to relax.

In the kitchen, I have once again been in the tomato production business making both oven roasted tomato sauce and salsa. Many hours peeling, seeding, and chopping fresh herbs.  Results were fantastic.

 
On to Sewing:
 
I generally purchase my fabrics from Main Street Fabrics in a small Mississippi town of Ackerman.
This town has one street of businesses.  The owner, Christy O'Kelly, had mentioned to me in early summer that she had been invited as a vender for 2 quilt shows in the fall.  Her previous vender/market had not been real profitable. 
 
I then ask if she generally had room to display quilt samples and if she felt it would be useful.  She assured me there was room but she no one to make samples.  Well, guess who volunteered.  I have had a great time.  It was a challenge......
 
I usually start with an idea of materials and patterns and if the test pieces do not turn out as I expect, I just make another trip to the fabric store to find something to make it work. 
 
With this project, she chose the fabrics and left the patterns up to me.  These were fabrics that she wanted to showcase at the Quilt show, so I could not say....."not for me" and go back for more.
I used patterns that I had never tried before.....so, I made some samples before I cut into her fabrics.
This first pattern was from a Fons and Porter magazine, September/October 2012, Gallery Walk.
My Sample

Finished Sample:  I did have to go back to get the green dot.  I just could not get the stripe to work without some separation.  I think that it Pops!!!
 
 
The second sample was a cut and dry.  Beautiful fabrics and the  pattern just jumped at me as I was flipping though old magazines.  This one was made from Quilter's World, June 2010, Titled Summer Shimmer.
 
 
 
The last set of fabrics were my greatest challenge.  I found nothing that seemed to fit.  I then decided that I would try some of the TNT patterns.  I have an old book that all blocks are 12".  I began to play with some of the patterns that I like.  Spider web, Card tricks, Drunkard's Path.  I had never tried the Web or the Path....so out come the scraps and below is the samples from my stash.

 
 
 
Turned out very cute but did not exactly fit for the fabrics that I had to work with.  Now a trip to the newsstand to look at new magazines.  I purchased the current McCall's Quick Quilts......not for this project but for one that I see coming in the near future.   But, after many times through the magazine and the fabrics on the table, the pattern Marquise caught my eye.
 
I still liked idea of using some of the basic patterns and one of my hubby's favorite is the faithful log cabin.  So I put it all together and this is the final result.
 
 
 
When I had made  the trip back to the fabric store, my sister sent me on a mission with patterns and general guidance of colors for her to make a couple of new fall garments.
 
Beautiful gold and grey polyester for a lovely vogue pattern she has had in her drawer for some time.

Four quilting cottons to make the New Look that she has had for quite some time.  She will be making the view on the right just lengthening.

 
Can't wait to see her strut her stuff in these new outfits.
 
Now the final project was something for me.  I have had this page turned down in a Fons & Porter Love of Quilting since Summer 2012, Funky Chick.
 
Once I get it quilted it will hang somewhere in my breakfast room.
 


 
 

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