QuiltingTalk

NYTimes Textile Mills photo Gallery

 

 
Exciting photographic look into 20 remaining USA textile mills. Some in our own backyards! Any fiber person will find these pics stunning and stimulating and artistic. We all love our spool holders, and looking through this NYTimes photo gallery, Fruits of the Loom will bring you industrial size pleasure! Christopher Payne photos.

Zipper Art

I like notions. Trim, rickrack, buttons and zippers can stimulate me to begin a whole sewing project. I was browsing sites to get ideas for zipper tiebacks to use on the curtains in my sewing room and found this project pattern. Genius. http://patternspot.com/patterns/sewing-patterns/2324-my-christmas-zips. Robin Mackintosh designed these zipper ornaments for Indygo Junction.

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XXIII ... Somerset, New Jersey, Material Pleasures LLC ..

Mancuso does it again with a great and inspirational quilt show. I roamed the aisles with a friend who is longing to buy a mid- arm  sewing machine. Not as easy as you would think to find this machine that would answer the problem many of us have. Where can we put the bulk of the pieced quilt sandwich while quilting? Many dealers showed us fabulous long arm machines with huge tables. You could design and produce anything with these industrial beauties but in addition to costing so many thousands, they take up room!

I had the please of meeing the owner of Material Pleasures, Dana Balsamo of Princeton, NJ. "Wrap Yourself in History". Balsamo is a quilt historian and appraiser who had a booth of lovely, reasonably priced antique lace, old quilts and quilt tops, linens of all shapes and sizes in great condition. My girlfriend uses linen tablecloths as quilt backs so we stopped and browsed.  Ms. Balsamo had oodles of lovely printed vintage hankies. I told her my Mom still has them in her top drawer but other than the emotional value, I don't understand them. She said to look out for the hankies with calandars on them, cities and signed items. Good tips and lovely that she shared her knowledge!

Hand Quilting and Piecing? Still? Really?

http://www.thedailyeaston.com/neighbors/easton-quilters-wrapped-her-work Reading about the hand quilter in Easton, Connecticut really makes me wonder who still quilts by hand and WHY? This says she uses silk thread which I have never even heard of! Meandering is the best technique invented and it moved our quilting community along, well, a hundred years! Such great fabrics out there to get to that the slow pace of handwork should better be saved for knitting.

Cloth and Bobbin

Polka Dots at Cloth and Bobbin in Narberth, Pa! A recent visit to Cloth and Bobbin during a Philadelphia trip got me so inspired I had to run home to my sewing table. Johanna's shop is filled with colorful and exciting Westminster, Amy Butler, Free Spirit fabrics plus flannel that will make you want to make jammies in every color. I bought Queen sized cotton batting that says I can quilt up to 8 inches apart. Images of pillow case kits and fabric bundles are dancing in my head urging me to go back for more.

 

 

Amy Butler at Bed, Bath & Beyond

We were back-to-college shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond and my daughter pointed out Amy Butler bedding. I'm still lovingly working on machine piecing an Amy Butler quilt using a variety of her fabrics. Here they are selling it commercially before I even finish.

I've bought Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett prints from every quilting store in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

My quilt will be better, but still . . . 

Baby Jacket Using Amy Butler's Midwest Modern

This week, I sewed this for a pregnant cousin. Amy Butler works for quilts and this baby jacket is quick sew. I used Amy Butler's Midwest Modern series from Westminster Rowan Fabric. I used Gold Martini and lined it with Happy Dots. The buttons are hearts. Easy one-day project. The pattern is well written and easy by Jackie Clark designs.

Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett (III)

I am sewing squares for a king-size quilt using Amy Butler fabric and Kaffe Fassett fabric. Here are some completed squares (3 of 3).

Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett (II)

I am sewing squares for a king-size quilt using Amy Butler fabric and Kaffe Fassett fabric. Here are some completed squares (2 of 3).

Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett

I am sewing squares for a king-size quilt using Amy Butler fabric and Kaffe Fassett fabric. Here are some completed squares.