Sew A Modern Home Giveaway

Hello and welcome to the Sew a Modern Home blog tour and giveaway!  One lucky winner will receive an e-copy of this book which is full of projects you definitely want to make.

I’m very happy for and proud of my friend, Melissa Lunden, who has written her first book, Sew a Modern Home for Martingale.  For those who don’t know Melissa, she is a pattern designer who lives in Portland, OR.  Her patterns are innovative and appropriate for novice quilters and experienced quilters alike.  If you’d like your very own hard copy of her book, it is available on both Barnes and Nobel and Amazon.  Melissa's patterns are available in her etsy shop.

In Sew a Modern Home, the projects are organized by room:  living room, dining room, main bedroom, boy’s and girl’s rooms and nursery.  The book also features instructions to make a picnic quilt an fun market tote. 

My favorite projects include the Sharp Turn Quilt for the boy’s room.  It would look great in light blue, gold and white or black, gold and white for both Bruin teams — UCLA and Boston!

The quilt for the girl’s room the Pinky Patch Quilt is scrap-friendly.  A great twist on this quilt would be to replace the 4-squares with fussy cut prints.  

If you are looking for fun plushies to make, Melissa has created the very cute Plushie Penguin and Octoplushie patterns.  There is also the Ribbon Lattice Playmat that is decorated with ribbon.  I really love that idea.  Melissa suggests an option using fabric instead of ribbon.  That could be a good way to use up those leftover binding strips.

The "out and about" projects feature The Bee's Knees Picnic Quilt and the Farmers' Market Tote.  I am a sucker for a bag, so I will definitely be making that!

If you'd like to win an e-copy of Sew A Modern Home:  

• Leave me a comment on this post here on BostonSewer by Friday, 8/22.
• Be sure to leave a valid email address.
• I am starting a new blog, ModGeometry.com.  If you’d like to increase your chances of winning, please leave a comment there as well.  (One entry per person, per blog, please!)
• The winner will be announced on Saturday, 8/23.

You can also enter the other giveaways by visiting the other blogs on the tour.  Some of them are my favorites and I'm looking forward to discovering some new blogs, too.  Good luck and thanks for visiting!

8/13 – Lunden Designs

8/14 – Very Shannon

8/15 – West Coast Crafty

8/16 – You are here!

8/17 – One Shabby Chick

8/18 – Cactus Needle

8/19 – Fabricworm

8/20 – Generation Q Magazine

8/21 – Martingale

8/22 – Prudent Baby

8/23 – Stitchery Dickory Dock

8/24 – Fave Quilts – Seams and Scissors

* All photos courtesy of Martingale and Brent Kane

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Sew A Modern Home Blog Tour Begins

Hello!

Yes, I've been away for quite some time.  I will be blogging over at a new site soon, but first I want to tell you about a fun new book written by my friend, Melissa Lunden of Lunden Designs.

Sew A Modern Home is Melissa's first book and features projects for the home that can be made by beginners or by you more seasoned sewists out there.  I love the book and am honored to be a part of her blog tour.  The book was released on August 5.  It is available at local quilt shops and at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Be sure to visit all the blogs on the tour and stop by here on August 16 for your chance to win an e-copy!

Seams to Me!

No, that is not a misspelling! That is the title of Anna Maria Horner's new book, "Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing", that I forgot to mention in my last post. Silly moi!

I forgot to mention that there were a ton of Anna's books in her booth. I asked if I could purchase one, and she gave me an enthusiastic "Yes!" I was told that because it was Quilt Market (trade only) and not Quilt Festival (general public), that I wouldn't be able to buy anything. So, I was both surprised and quite pleased when I found out I could purchase the book. Just between us, it was discounted. Of course, I had to buy a ticket to Houston and share a room at the Hilton to get that discount!! Anna signed it for me, so that is, of course, priceless!

I read Anna's book on the plane on the way home. New reasons to love sewing is right! The book is full of fun crafty ideas to wear and for around the home -- some of which I have not seen in other books.

I am looking forward to making the pin cushion caddy. Imagine a bread bowl made of fabric. You can stick pins in it like a pincusion and put sewing notions in the middle. What a novel idea! I would like to make one of those for my mom.

There are also instructions on how to make a garment bag, cleverly entitled "The Great Dress Escape". I bought some fabric awhile back that I have been meaning to make a garment bag with. It is to die for! Can't wait to share that!

The other project that caught my eye is called "Fabric Is Fine Art." It shows you how to take an "inspirational image," as Anna calls it, and reproduce it with fabric!

Lastly, I really like the purses, entitled "Taxi Tote" and "I'll Have One of Everything Bag." I cannot wait to get started!

Portland

I apologize for the long time between posts! Life has been super busy lately, but I wanted to share the fun Hubby and I had in Portland, ME.

A couple of weekends ago, Hubby and I traveled to Portland, Maine via Amtrak. We headed up to meet Sharona and her beau.

It was a rainy, rainy weekend, thanks to Hurricane Kyle. We can't seem to escape rain this year! Anyway, despite the rain, we all had a great time. Sharona drove down all the way from New Brunswick! We didn't realize how far they drove -- it was only a two-hour trip for us. We stayed at the La Quinta Inn. It's not a bad place if you don't want to spend too much. You help yourself to breakfast, but you can make waffles or have pastries, cereal, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, coffee, juice, etc. Not bad at all.

We did not have a car (the hotel provided transportation to and from the train station), so Sharona and her beau came to pick us up for dinner once we got into Portland. Due to some oddities with the streets in Portland, we drove around a bit (in a few circles) looking for the Italian restaurant, Espo's Trattoria, that Sharona picked out. It was really funny once we found out that they had already been to the restaurant before they came to pick us up! The restaurant had a warm, homey atmosphere and the waitress was very nice. We ended the night early, but I had plenty of work to do at the hotel. I schlepped my pattern drafting homework up there so I could get it done during the downtime.

Saturday, we hit the shops of downtown Portland. Hubby and I did some damage at one of my favorites, Stonewall Kitchen. They have awesome dried soups, relishes, sauces and kitchen utensils. They also have a sweet little kitchen inside the store. I wanted to take a picture, but the staff didn't allow it. Well! The boys went to Starbuck's while the girls visited a bookstore, Books, Etc.. I bought two books: Asian Art and Sew and Stow. We also stopped in a boutique, Bliss, which is one of my Portland favorites. It's on the pricey side, but I did see a fabulous coat and dress that I would have liked to take home. Another shop I like to visit in Portland is Simply Scandinavian. It's a nice shop if you're looking for typical Scandinavian crafts, especially Christmas ornaments. Simply Scandinavian also sells clothing, jewerly, toys and books. Of course, they have a few Marimekko items: aprons, notecards and even fabric.

The biggest surprise was Portland's Whole Foods. Sharona hadn't been there before. She looked it up online and wanted to check it out. Little did we know, Portland's Whole Foods is a city within a store. There are a few Whole Foods stores in Boston, but they all pale in comparison to the Portland store. It is cavernous. It has all the things you'd expect: fruits and veggies with a large selection of organic offerings, cheeses, meats, grains, nuts. This one has a restaurant inside and a sushi bar. I could spend an entire day in that store. I met an older couple who was offering free samples of ice cream, called Sherbetter. I tried the lemon flavor and the rainbow. They were both delicious. As it turns out, Jack and Helen were helping their son, Jim, launch his product. Jack and Helen live in Boston, so it was fun meeting them in Portland. I will look for Sherbetter the next time I'm in Whole Foods here at home. If you're ever in Portland, be sure to visit Whole Foods.

Lest I forget, there was one fabric store that we could find in Portland: Z Fabrics. The owner, Mary, said she opened the shop out of sheer frustration, because there were no good places for fabric in Portland! The shop is tiny, but is stocked with colorful, large scale prints. I bought some for my Halloween costume, that I will of course share later. I am encouraged to see an up and comer in the fabric world. I hope she does well.

Just down a couple of blocks and across the street from Z Fabrics is Angela Adams. I visited her store years ago in Portland before she had all the press and before her rugs were featured on The Apprentice! I own two bags from her store. I was eager to go back to see what she had in store. Unfortunately, there were no bags! She now sells a few laptop bags, small housewards and journals. There were also a few simple garments made with fabric she designed. If you are in the market for a modern wool or cotton rugs, however, it is the place to be. There is an amazing undersea rug behind the counter, similar to the photo above. Of course, seeing it online doesn't do it justice. The rug is huge -- at least 8'x10', and it's full of vibrant colors and texture. (Note: There are some bags are on her website, but nothing like the leather ones I have!)

We worked up an appetite after all that shopping! We dined at a Greek restaurant that Sharona found, Greek Corner. Sharona is a vegan, so we didn't mind her doing the restaurant searches. Of course, she did well. The food was delicious and so fresh. Greek is one of my favoirtes (sans the feta). As it turns out, the restaurant is within walking distance of where we started at Stonewall Kitchen! There is also an Indian restaurant next door, that I'm looking forward to trying.

After dinner, we said goodbye to our Canadian friends, but not before Sharona gave me two issues of Clin d'oeil, a Quebecois fashion magazine. As you know, the language of fashion knows no boundaries! Sharona and I met a year ago, thanks to Martha's sewing show. Now that our respective significant others have met, we plan to meet up a few more places together. Montreal and Bar Harbor are the next spots on our list.

Candlelite Quilts

I've been searching high and low for fabric for my Bento Box Christmas Quilt (BBCQ). I went to the New England Quilt Museum this afternoon in search of a print or two. I asked the ladies there if they had any Christmas fabric. Not yet! However, I did manage to get the "Quilter's Travel Companion". It's like a "yellow pages" for quilt shops in the US and Canada. It also has listings of quilt shows, too. It's new for 2008. How cool is this? I bought it so I can look for new shops, because I'm having a hard time finding fabric. I was really only looking for shops in Massachusetts, but this can't hurt, right? I also have an idea for a little project. More on that later.

While I was there, I also purchased "The Quilter's Catalog - A Comprehensive Resource Guide". It is full of information on everything quilting. It has information on tools, fabric, notions, collecting quilts, quilt photography, quilt shows -- the works!

I was telling the ladies at the NEQM that I was having trouble finding fabric. They suggested I go to Candlelite Quilts in Chelmsford. Chelmsford! Where is that? She mentioned 495, and passing Route 3 and then Route 110. Quite foreign to me. Anyway, Hubby is out golfing today, so I figured, "why not?" I am quite glad I did. Candlelite Quilts makes its home in a cute little cottage surrounded by a white picket fence. Candlelite Quilts has a great selection of fabric. The pinks, browns, blues, and reds, florals, polka dots, and prints are fabulous! The staff is really nice and they didn't hesitate at all when I asked for their opinion on fabric choices. I bought two fabrics for the BBCQ, two other fabrics I liked and two Candlelite Quilt mugs.

They also feature designs for wool applique, redwork, and rug punching. There was a class on using a new type of quilting ruler going on when I arrived. Too bad I didn't make it there earlier! Candlelite Quilts is definitely a keeper! I'll return the next time I'm shopping for a project.

Craft, Inc.

image from mateoilasco.com

If you saw sharon-lizette's comment on my last post, she mentions a book I sent her. A few days ago, I went to my local Paper Source and found the book Craft, Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco. I love this book! Anyone who wants to pursue making a living via crafting should read this book. The book is not only cleverly designed, but it is easy to read and packed full of valuable information. sharon-lizette is truly a talented crafter and is enthusiastic about it as well. When I started reading the book, it made me think of her. I sent her a copy, since she didn't already have one. By the way, sharon-lizette, did you notice the font? :)

In the Mood

Mood Fabrics is a place I always visit when I go to NYC. You may already know that the designers of Project Runway shop there. I've been to NYC a couple of times during the taping of PR, but I have yet to be there when the designers are there! That would be fab. Meeting Tim would be fab, too. I was watching PR reruns the other night and I saw a couple of employees that I had just seen when I was there. I'm such a geek.

I can't even say how much fabric I've bought there. I have bought Marc Jacobs fabric and Oscar de la Renta fabric there, too. I know that only because one of the employees have told me so. I was also complimented on my fabric choices as well. What can I say? I am a Material Girl. That is so overused, I know, but that really does describe me.

One of the cool things about it is that you get to the 3rd floor of 225 W. 37th Street via an old-fashioned elevator with elevator operators. How often does that happen? They used to have them at the old Ritz-Carlton on Arlington Street (which is now Taj Boston), but I don't know if they still do that. For those of you who are shocked that there is no longer a Ritz in Boston, not to worry: Ritz-Carlton Boston Common.

If you love fabric, Mood really is the place to go. You can get denim, knits, silk, leather, tweed, wool, upholstery -- you name it. I can't do the selection justice here. During the last trip I saw a sign that read "No more samples of Pucci fabric"!! Pucci? See, this place is cool. I am a woven cotton girl, myself. I have yet to venture into the world of knit or silk. I will one of these days. I want to order this book so I can start practicing.

So, what did I get at Mood? I was intrigued by the polka dot print. I love how the polka dots are randomly scattered. You don't see that too often. I think it would be cute for a handbag or a summer top. How about the Ann Taylor top below in that print with the bow in a solid? The picture is from the Harper's Bazaar (Smart shopping). I was unable to find the top on AnnTaylor.com, however




I thought the black fabric would make nice pillows for my guest room. It is not done yet, but it's working on a French theme.

The last PR season, I saw for a quick second Christian carrying around a canvas Mood shopping bag. You notice minutiae like that when you've seen the episodes as many times as I have. I asked if they had any and they did! They even had one with the LA store's address. I had to have NYC, of course. You can order them online.

I will share more Mood acquisitions in later posts!

Notes on "Super Quick + Easy Baby Quilt"

(Photo from PurlSoho.com.)

I promised a few notes on the "Super Quick + Easy Baby Quilt" from Joelle Hoverson's "Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts" . The link will take you to a listing of two of Joelle's books that she sells on her website, PurlSoho.com. More on PurlSoho later. But for now, definitely check it out. It's one of my regular NYC haunts. Hi, Joelle!!

I thought I could square the fabric by folding it, but it doesn't work! Open out the entire piece of fabric before squaring.

When you are sewing the two pieces of fabric (right sides) together, do not start at a corner. Start in the middle of one of the sides. You will then turn it right-side out through the opening.

Joelle suggested tacking the quilt by machine by sewing the tacks in a row, without cutting the thread until you reach the end of a row. This works, but be sure to leave plenty of slack in the thread in between tacks. I did not do this initially. There was too much tension and the tacks didn't come out as I liked. I was using an oval shaped satin stitch. In some places, the tacks were smaller than they should have been. I had to take them all out and do them over!

Use a contrasting fabric pen or pencil to mark ties. Practice on scrap fabric before doing this on the quilt. You want to make sure your stitching covers the mark... even though it will eventually wash out.

Speaking of washing, I like washing my fabric first. I use a tiny bit of detergent and no fabric softener. I don't let the fabric dry completely -- it's easier to press the wrinkles out. I read online (in About.com, I think) that you can make a diagonal cut on the corners to prevent fraying. Seems to work. Just don't cut too much off! The smaller your fabric, the smaller your quilt!

Check the quilting distance on the batting package. The batting I used suggested tacking every 2"-4", so I tacked every 4". It is quite a bit even though the quilt is small. I used Poly-fil Extra Loft Batting, even though that was not in the supply list! I love thick batting on quilts.

I enjoyed the pattern. It doesn't take too long, but all those tacks! Did I mention that I had to do 81 tacks, twice?? The quilt came out really cute, though! It's best for newborns, since it's not that big. I hope to make another one for another little boy who just came into the world.

You can see a picture of the quilt here.

First Post

Hello and welcome to BostonSewer! The first sewing project I'd like to share with you is a little quilt I made for my friend, Beth, who had a baby boy in Februray. I used the "Super Quick + Easy Baby Quilt" pattern found in Joelle Hoverson's book "Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts". Soon, I'll tell a little story of how I purchased that book! Hi Sharona!! :)

The quilt is fairly easy. I'd say the hardest part was doing the tying. I put in 81 machine-sewed ties. And I had to do all 81 twice, because I didn't like the way I did them the first time. I'll post my notes on making this quilt to make it easier for anyone who might like to try it.

I love Joelle's book, by the way. The photography is beautiful, but I wish there were diagrams to go along with the instructions. Until the next post, here is the blanket.