March 4, 2015

Post QuiltCon; Getting Back in the Saddle

For so so long QuiltCon seemed very far into the future. Now it's in the past. Time to get back into my sewing saddle and get things done. And if this bad pun doesn't make sense, see last week's silly sewing saddle photo op?

My first week post QuiltCon was kind of a bust due to the combination of snow shoveling and muscle strains that left me hobbling around unable to stand straight. All is well now thank goodness and I'm anxious to get lots of things started.

First up was to get February's Mid Century Modern Bee block done. Carla of Lollyquiltz invited us to a party . . . a layer cake party. Not with layer cake cuts of fabric but with a cute paper pieced layer cake on a stand by Ellison Lane.  People signed up for things like, strawberry with raspberry filling, blueberry with mint filling, and lemon with raspberry filling. Don't they all sound delicious? I'm not much of a baker or cook but a fabric layer cake I can handle. I chose orange cream with mint filling. Yummy!



I'm not sure how Carla will be putting all these cakes together but I do know it will be quite delicious when she's finished. I know they are all making me hungry.

While I was in the bee block groove I went right ahead and made March's block for Cindy of Live a Colorful Life.  She asked for dresden blocks in bright colors with a black and white center. I certainly had fun with this one too. Brights are abundant in my stash and I chose to go with brights and prints combined for some very lively blocks. I ended up making two because they are so fun make.





Now that I'm caught up with bee block making, I can dive into all the goodies that came home with me from QuiltCon. This was my bag emptied out on the desk. Fabric samples, magazines, thread, tape measure, even a watch. I'm toying with an idea to use up all the charm and mini charm packs in a postage quilt. Maybe along the lines of Carla's leaders and enders quilts. She sews little squares together at the beginning and end of her regular piecing and rather quickly has enough little pairs to make an entire quilt. I've just used little scrap strips with no purpose other starting and stopping. Read more about what she calls her free quilt process here.




I also bought fabric . . . of course I bought fabric. When do I not buy fabric?  Island Quilter was there and this is a shop I have longed to visit. I've even schemed vacation ideas that would take us to the Pacific Northwest just so I can go visit the shop and drool over their aisle of Kaffe fabrics. I was quite reasonable I thought and settled for a selection of Aboriginal Dots. This is one line I don't have in my stash. The colors are so hard to judge online so this was a chance to buy a few of my favorite colors in person. They will make a very good addition to all the Kaffe prints I already have.



I also picked up a few of Amy Butler's new line Violette. I've loved this colorway since first seeing it.



A few low volume were thrown in for good measure. I keep collecting these but really really need to start using them. Ideas are percolating . . .



And my last purchase at QuiltCon was an Anna Marie Horner mixed bundle. I've always liked her overall look but not that many individual prints. The colors are little more bohemian to me and not quite my style. This bundle really caught my attention though. I think it will play nicely with a quilt design I have been sitting on for a long while now. Time to start cutting and see how it takes shape.



Ideas are swirling in my head with all these new choices plus all the inspiration from QuiltCon fresh on my mind. Time to sew sew sew . . .  : )

How about you? What are you working on?

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and with Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation.

Oh, I almost forgot. I'm finally on Instagram for all of you who have been bugging me. WaHoo!!!
Find me at #springleafstudios    I'm just getting started but hopefully will get the hang of it soon.


SpringLeaf Studios

19 comments:

  1. Pretty fabric purchases! And I LOVE those dresdens!! Lucky me. :)

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  2. Beautiful blocks and nice fabric haul! I used to live in Boulder and spent a summer in Louisville when my Dad worked at CU :) I miss CO so much!

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  3. Love your colorful dresdens!

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  4. Love the dresdens and all the fabric you bought!

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  5. well, you have certainly had fun this week :-) LOVE the cake!! I'm kinda with you; I love the overall look of AMH fabrics as a group, but I'm not real crazy about many of the fabrics individually. I did order a 1/2 yard bundle of Folk Song (not sure entirely what my impetus was) and when they arrived, I thought - gosh! most of these fabrics shouldn't even be sold in 1/2 yard cuts ~ the designs are so big that they aren't very useful. Actually, I think I know why I bought them - I like AMH the woman. Or at least the writer.....
    Well, happy riding (you know, in your saddle... ;-)
    Tracy

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  6. Lovely Dresdens! I find some AMH fabrics very bold & dark, but I do like the vintage-y feel of some of them! I find if I add a few lights/warms into the mix it seems to work better. Definitely experimental! Linda

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  7. So fun Anne. Love those dresdens! Cindy will go mad ; )
    Enjoy all your sewing

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  8. Those dresdens are simply mouth watering!! And I love your fabric acquisitions!! See ya on instagram!!

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  9. Lots of eye candy. Those dresdens are beautiful! I'm off to find you on ig.

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  10. those dresdens...gorgeous! I love how bright they are! One day, I have got to make me some!

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  11. I managed to NOT buy fabric at QuiltCon, although was mighty tempted by the Island Quilters booth. If I get to Pasadena QC next year I will have to bring a generous spree budget! Right now I am cleaning up my studio and trying to find a way to organize very limited storage so that all stash and finished projects can be put away and I can sit on the couch again (it's been heaped with stuff for months!). Had the same thought to sew all those mini-charms from the goodie bag together, but doubt I'll start on it anytime soon. Bonnie Hunter of QuiltVille is the queen of leaders-enders, BTW, lots of great ideas on her site for anyone interested.

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  12. oh my goodness!! the tiered cake block looks too scrumptious, and LOVE the bright dresdens!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  13. Ooo those dresdens are amazing!

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  14. Your fabric choices are just so pretty!

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  15. I want to visit the Island Quilter store too. I could have played with fabric at their booth for most of the day.

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  16. I also bought fabric at QuiltCon, but after seeing yours, I wish I could go back and get some more! Love the Anna Maria Horner bundle--it really is beautiful. You and bought some similar things--fun to see that great minds think alike!

    Elizabeth

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  17. I'm loving what your Anna Maria Horner fabrics are shaping into on your design wall. You really know how to mix color and pattern. And yay for Instagram! It's so fun to share and see so many inspirational photos from other makers and designers. I'm #emilyclairestudio on Instagram <3

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WaHoo!!! You're leaving me a comment. Thanks for stopping by and do come back again. Quilt on, Anne.