Monster Pics

Here are pics of the girls making their holiday gifts.

Lot o' Monster Backpack Clips

Voting has Started! The girls would love the prizes.

Dabbled Halloween Contest

Joss Whedon - Crochet Me a Hero !!

Crafters every where must unite to be freaky about Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and his most recent project Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

I have loved Joss Whedon's work almost as long as I have loved my husband and there has been a plea to help the folks at Crochet Me in their quest to be the crochet mag that snags the coveted interview with this impressive soul. Apparently last week in an interview Joss stated :

“Fact is, there’s been some buzz, but it hasn’t reached the places it would normally. Where’s our write-up in Crocheting Monthly? (I did a very sexy shoot for that one.)”

The request is simple, if he wants crafty buzz, we are all over it. So Kim at Crochet Me created an impressive list of reasons Joss should grant her the interview and asks that those of us odd enough to comply post a bit with a link to her original article.

So if you are as amused as I am both by Joss's desire to be a hero to all who crochet and by Kim's wish to interview the man, please go and read her blog entry and then post a link and blurb at your site.

Hopefully, we can get Joss's attention with out gun play or blood spillage.

Starting Selvages: Moda Block of the Month

This month we are starting Moda University's New Block of the month program called Selvages. Last night I made the first block, a double nine patch. The nine patch is a filler block which is made every month, you need 12 nine patch blocks for the entire quilt.

For the next 13 months we will be sending out one of the block patterns and a free fat quarter with every purchase over 15.00. Selvages will make a great scrappy quilt or you can pick a focus fabric / line you want to play with. I am going to use a bunch of Lonni Rossi Fabric for my samples, partly because I love her fabric and partly because I had a bunch of strips left over form the other LR quilt I am working on.


We created a flickr group to share your blocks or other projects. Please sign up and post some pictures. Maybe we will have a block challenge and see what you can do with your free fat quarter.

Past Moda Challenge

A few years ago Moda had a challenge; they created 6 -8 fairly awful fabrics that had to be used in one project. I was completely hooked and spend months purchasing FQs of all of the great Moda fabric of the day. I eventually made 3 quilts for the challenge and I love them all. This quilt is one of my all time favorites. I used a large snail trail pattern but I created it using hundreds of small patches in light and dark fabrics.


Earlier this year I asked my mom, who seems to have my very best quilts, if I could have it back. I wanted to create more quilts using the same idea and charms (charms did not exist when I made this quilt). Well, at Christmas we can up and I walked into Mom's great room and realized that the quilt would never come home with me. My step dad had made an amazing quilt rack to hang the quilt and I was proud to see it up and to see that it hung square and straight.

Oh well, when I was up this weekend I snapped a shot of it so I could share it with the Moda folks next month when I head over to Dallas for the Moda U retreat.

Finishing - it can be divine

Sometimes I just have to clear out some projects. Recently I've been working on several projects to get them off the to-do list. Maybe I have sewist's attention deficit (S.A.D.) - I also started a bunch of other projects. But that's another whole story.

I've wanted to try that Kwik Scrappy Heart quilt pattern for some time. The Some Art Fabric January challenge provided the inspiration. I wasn't sure I wanted to make a whole quilt, so I settled for placemats (my favorite way to try out a quilt block without getting too bored). I simplified the pattern given that I planned to use a more limited amount of fabric. The central heart is only 2 pieces. And I used it as an opportunity to use up some scraps and try freehand quilting designs. I tried to finish these Valentine's placemats in time for Valentine's Day. I had to settle for Valentine's Month. But they are finished.


One of my New Year's resolutions (the one I haven't broken yet) is to make a charity quilt each month for my quilt guild. I've just completed my 3rd one. I've been collecting these 4" squares for years waiting for an inspiration. Lacking such, I started sewing them together without overthinking the layout. I figured out that I did not have quite enough of them for a small throw quilt, so I inserted some blue fabric. My DSIL says "It's kind-of random, but I think I like it!" I think I may agree with him. And it too is finished.

Yes, to finish is divine for this sewist.

Sewing Again - Woodstock Collection

There has been a lull in my sewing lately, the busier the on line store gets the less time I spend in my sewing room. For my birthday I decided I needed to reclaim my space and move the company out of bed (or out of my sewing room).

This was no easy task and my sewing room was not released until right before the new year. I moved fabric and shelves and cleaned and did all the things I hate to do. Organize.

BUT as a reward my design wall was unearthed, my cutting table cleaned and my ironing board clear enough to iron on.

On to my first quilt of the new year. I LOVE Terry Atkinson -- famed designer of the "Yellow Brick Road " pattern. Her new book is called "Happy Hour" and man was I happy to get started on one of her fab projects. I received a fat quarter bundle from Benartex as a promo for purchasing their entire Woodstock Challenge line for the store. I love the hippy retro paisley - dot combo and the colors are DIVINE! I was hoarding the fat quarter pack as my reward for getting my sewing space back. It was worth the wait, I was able to cut out and finish the top before dinner. Start to finish the quilt top took about 4 hours, with childhood interruptions and help from the 4 year old. I love the design so simple and so great for showcasing this new line of fabric.

My aunt came over to get some help on her quilt. Apparently, I am really good at putting on borders. Ha Ha -- in exchange she ironed the backing fabric and offered to drop both quilts off at our quilter. My aunts quilt is a gift to her good friend who has just become a volunteer fire fighter. She used all my coolest fire person fabrics, helmets, uniforms, Dalmatians. Loads of fun.

Some Art Fabric - Hearts Challenge

New for 2008 – Challenges

We challenge you to do something wonderful, using our themes and your creativity. More information will be posted at our web site SomeArtFabric.com.

January: Hearts! -- Go Weird, Go Wild, Go Hearts.

Heart Challenge

Show us your heart and win great prizes.
Deadline for submission: February 3, 2008
Work must contain at least one recognizable heart.

WINNER!
2 Prizes will be awarded

12 Red & Pink Fat 1/8 and the Clover Heart Yo Yo Maker.

All artists who submit, with their mailing address, will receive a handmade card from the staff of Some Art Fabric.

Challenge Rules & Conditions

• All work must have been completed by the individual submitting within the past 6 months.
• One submission per artist/household address.
• Work must contain elements of textiles and stitching.
• Photographs submitted should be focused, clear and cropped closely into the artwork.
• Work submitted will not be posted if the digital image submitted is of poor quality or if the subject or portrayal is deemed inappropriate for an all age audience. The artist will be notified via email.
• By submitting your digital images to the monthly challenge you are granting permission to Some Art Fabric to display your work at all of their domain sites: SomeArtFabric.com, SomeArtFabricTalk.blogspot.com and SAF Newsletter, for a period of no less than one month. Winning entries may be used in all subsequent promotions and emails by Some Art Fabric. Winning artists will be sited and a link will be created if possible to the artist's web site.
• All judging is final and will not be reversed. Judging will be done by the staff of Some Art Fabric or by online voting (technical details are being worked out).
• Challenge may be canceled due to lack of participation, individuals who submitted images will receive a handmade card of thank, if their mailing address is on file.
• Some Art Fabric staff may submit images to support the Challenge but their work will not be included in the judging for prizes.
• Prizes will be shipped out within one week of the final judging via First Class Mail.
• These rules may be modified or added to as needed.

Submissions Guide Lines:

Name your digital image as follows:

FirstName_LastName_ChallengeName.jpg

Submit your digital images to challenge@SomeArtFabric.com. Include a brief description of your work including media & methods, your web site, and your name and mailing address for your prizes (address must be included if you want to receive your prize but are not required to be included in challenge).

If you are using an existing pattern, please site the pattern maker, if this is an original design and you have instructions at your web site or have created instructions we would love to add a link to them or to post them at the blog. By submitting your work you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of the Some Art Fabric Monthly Challenge.

Upcoming Challenges

February: It’s in the mail. – Mail Art

March: Something Old, Something New -- Recycle Resew