Gehring Road

summer voiles... an update

That stack of voiles was cut into simple 6'' squares over the weekend and laid out on the floor in the loft just so. I love how this crazy patchwork is coming together. We're calling it the "gypsy quilt" for now but since we're big Hemlock Grove fans around here it is also the Rumancek quilt. I've stalled a bit in the making of this, I was anxious for it to come together quickly, but as the school year comes to a close, there are inevitably things that take my attention away from sewing over those precious weekend days... like this little one...

... and that's probably just as it should be. There's always next weekend, and here it comes! Happy Thursday everyone! 

summer voile

Some new fabrics and some sweet new scissors arrived today. I have a date with that stack and some geese this weekend. Summer is so close I can taste it and I'm so looking forward to having my days back to sew and create. Delicious. I've been hoarding collecting voiles for a bit now. I picked some up at Alewives during our Maine trip in April, and I picked up a few more at Franklin Mill Store on my birthday with a sweet gift card from my favorite guy. I wanted to add one or two more prints so I bought a very, very small bit of a few from Hawthorne Threads this week and am so glad I did. They really brighten up that stack. This will be a simple but eclectic patchwork quilt, that hopefully will be a quick little project. I'm going to back this one with voile as well and tie it at the corners. I'm needing something quick and (hopefully) easy. Perfect for a long weekend and a taste of summer... so, so close! Happy Wednesday everyone, I hope you are similarly finding the light at the end of the tunnel. 

blocks for boston

I had a few minutes this morning to pull together some blocks for Quilts for Boston. I used my new book to make these sweet tiny 6'' blocks. They were so much fun to make. They still need some sashing to make them 12.5'' and that will happen a bit later on in the weekend. I'm torn between sashing them in white or yellow. I'm also thinking of making a few more of these this weekend, trying some of the other blocks as well. I love, love, love the patterns in Tula's City Sampler and being able to help the efforts of this beautiful cause in the process makes the making that much sweeter. If you are in the area, Gather Here is hosting a sew-in on Mother's Day from 4-6:30 and Quilter's Way will be hosting a sewing session and quilt top assembly on May 22nd and 29th (those are Wednesdays) from 6-9. Happy Friday everyone, I hope it finds you loving many things today. 

the start of something new

Two things I'm loving this week. First, I can't stop snapping shots of those beautiful rannoculous flowers (more here!). See, told you. I've taken some on every window sill, in every corner of the house. Which usually leads me to believe every room should have its own little rannoculous in it. I've also lost a little steam when it comes to ironing my flying geese quilt. When I head up into the loft to iron it, I end up folding fabric and cleaning so you know it's pretty dire. I found that my make up bag project provided just the perfect distratction from those never ending geese, and I think those quick little projects are so important moving forward with a mammoth bigger one. So I bought Tula Pink's City Sampler book. I love a sampler project and can't wait to get stuck in. Six inch blocks, no templates or scary curves. Quick and simple seems like just the thing right now. I'm thinking mine will be in Anna Maria Horner... a little Field Study, some Good Folks mixed in. I'm going to follow the rainbow effect on this one. Really lovely. Speaking of rainbows... look what greeted us last week on my way to work (very unusual for that hour!) 

Happy Thursday everyone! 

a sunny stack and a promise

 Southwest Sunset Bundle (top) from Pink Castle Fabrics 

It has been just two weeks since the tragic events at the Boston Marathon injured and changed the lives of so many. And while these horrific events threatened to cause us to question so many facets of human nature, they have in actuality, reminded us of the very best of the human spirit. The will to help others is alive and well weeks and days later, as it was in the moments following those blasts. In our own sewing community, there are several efforts getting underway just now. I wanted to bring them to this space as well. 

The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is looking for sewists to make quilt blocks that they will sew together, making quilts for victims and families. Blocks should be yellow, grey, blue and white, the colors of the Boston Marathon. Natalie of Greenleaf Goods put together the most lovely stack as inspiration for those who are interested in making some blocks. I just love this idea and will be making some blocks today. 

Quilt guilds from around the globe, including The Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild have also organized a beautiful campaign, "To Boston With Love". Sewists from around the world can create flags to be sent to Boston. The Flickr Group has more details (including mailing instructions). 

I'm in, who's with me? Happy weekend everyone! 

a new make up bag for me

I was able to finish my new make up bag this week, I love how this one turned out. These colors have been in my mind for a while now and it was really great to work with a few of them. I should not start projects so late in the evening as my patchwork is a little wonky as a result of some rushed cutting (hello, orange feathers, I'm looking at you) which I tried to compensate for when sewing. I used Noodlehead's Tutorial (I just love this and it's free!) to make up this up in the large size. I added a 2.5'' strip of Kona Ash to the bottom and a 2'' strip of the same at the top of the outer fabric panels. This allowed the bottom (when gusseted/boxed cornered) to be a solid color, which I really love. The zipper was bought at Joann's and was in my stash, I love how it works with the lining fabric. Speaking of lining, I used Pellon fusible fleece (#987f) for each of the pouches I have made so far and I love the weight and feeling it gives to the fabric. Those making this pouch without boxed corners will find that Kindles are covered well in the Small size (like the cover I made for my mom for Christmas... I should really hijack that and take some photos of it!). And the medium is probably a perfect size for most make-up/lunch bags. So many options for this and I love how Anna also included some ideas for contrasting strips as well. Great pattern. Happy Weekend everyone! 

geese progression

Piecing of the flying geese needed for this quilt project is finally, at last, thank heavens complete. More on the geese here and here if you're interested... much complaining in those posts, but truly this has been a labor of love. The cutting was a breeze, thankfully! But the piecing, oh the piecing. Three hundred and ten blocks meaning each needed two wings. Many period films kept me company (as did that sweet lady in the sun!) through the piecing and I suspect they will again when I tackle the ironing... soonish. My ironing board became too much to stand while making my way through the first round of wing ironing (and steaming, and pressing, and steaming) and I finally just went ahead and purchased a new one from Target. It's a Threshold model and is super wide, great so far! Happy Fridgrades and correcting tomorrow. Such is life! Happy Friday everyone, hope your weekend is off to a good one! 

sunday stashing

I can't say I've had the best weekend... it has been a bit confusing, sad and all around wrong. My silver lining are those two loves in that last shot. That sweet photo was quick and just perfect that other day, I love it so much I created a black and white version in Lightroom. It makes my heart melt, that does. Besides my two loves, there has been some amazing visits from our mail carrier this week. She brought a delightful package of Liberty (eep!) fat eighths and Bloomsbury "Charlston Farmhouse" yardage from Dry Goods Designs. I love their unique fabrics, they are quickly becomming one of my favorite go to fabric stores online. And then... my fat quarter bundle of Anna Maria Horner's Field Study Linen arrived from Westwood Acres in record time (I love quick shipping, but like when my packages arrive spaced more apart so it looks like I have less of a habit than I clearly do!). All in all, a very, very good week for fabric. Now if things would look up in all areas, I'd be a very happy lady. Happy weekend everyone, back tomorrow. 

patchwork bag beginnings

It's feeling a lot like Spring here today, and that puts us in the mood for some cleaning... and sewing, (mostly sewing) as it turns out. I finally threw away my Heather Ross make up bag (the one that, during construction, prompted me to swear like a sailor... it's true, ask Rob). I held on to that bag because it was a pain to make. This weekend, while throwing out some make up that needed to be tossed, I decided to pitch the whole bag as well. How's that for Spring cleaning? Out with the old. I then went scrap diving (mostly!) and put together a (kind of wonky... I cut hacked into those feathers at a weird angle it appears) quick little patchwork panel for a new make up bag. I'm going to use Noodlehead's wide mouth tutorial again, with the contrasting panel on the bottom. I love this color combination... it's a bit of a fix for me before I'm able to really sew with this pile. Soon, soon... just another five hundred (I exaggerate... a bit) geese to go! Happy Monday everyone!

many geese, all with one wing

Oh my, the geese, the geese I tell you! I spent most of Friday and part of Saturday working on my Flying Geese quilt. Chain piecing these is satisfying work, but it is taking some time to put this together. I have to remind myself that the original quilt is made for a full to queen size bed and this is going to take a while. Most of my geese have acquired a wing and I have a load of ironing to do. My pile of triangles dwindles by the day and I'm so looking forward to putting this together. I'm thinking it will probably be sent out to be quilted. I can't imagine finishing this myself. It is, however, very nice to be thinking about the finishing. The end is in sight... I think!