1.30.2010

Star Flower Quilt Block Tutorial

 

Learning A New Applique Techinque

Kathleen and I are always up for learning something new!
This time we've decided to learn Sharon Schambers' tuned under applique techinque. So, we purchased all of the supplies that she recommends including that cute little Rowenta iron. I am really excited to learn this technique and use that iron. This is the first iron that cost me more than $5.00 at Wal-Mart so if you can't tell I'm really exited to try it out!!
Have you ever tried Sharon Schambers' technique?

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~Natalia

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1.29.2010

What's New ~Verna by Kate Spain for Moda fabrics~

 
I think this Verna fabric is so darling! 
It makes me so excited and refreshed that spring is coming!


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~Natalia

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{Creative Guest} Kim

When Natalia first asked me to be a guest blogger at Piece N Quilt, my initial reaction was “Me?!  Really??”  But here I am, flattered beyond belief!
I wish I had some grand history of learning to stitch on my mother’s lap or watching my grandmother piece quilts in my childhood.  But how I came to stitching and sewing is much less romantic, and only a recent development at that.
As a new mom staying at home full time with a fussy baby, I found myself feeling very isolated.  Not long after my son’s birth in 2006, DH picked us up and moved us from my roots in Arizona to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.  I have never felt so alone or so out of my element!  Realizing I was on the brink of an emotional breakdown, I made a special trip to the craft store in search of something creative to occupy my time.  I stumbled upon a “Learn to Cross Stitch” kit.  I was immediately bitten!  That was a little over 2 years ago and I’ve been stitching ever since.  It’s relaxing, it’s portable, and it’s something I can pick up or put down at a moment’s notice.
 "Poinsettia House" designed by Littlehouse Needleworks, stitched on 28 count linen using Crescent Colours floss and DMC floss

My husband frequently makes comments that he loves my stitching as much as I do.  Having a creative outlet and something “just for me” makes me a better wife and a better mother – some I’m sure most moms out there can understand.
I only took up sewing this past summer.  Using my mother’s old Kenmore sewing machine, I started with a dress for my baby girl.  It’s hopelessly flawed, but looks okay at first glance and I was very proud of it.  Since then, I’ve continued to practice, learning new techniques and gaining confidence.  In December, I made DD’s dress for her first Christmas and I must say it is a huge improvement from that first dress this summer.  It was first time sewing in a zipper, and I even improvised the ruffles on the diaper cover!
LadyBug's Christmas dress and diaper cover - Butterick 3782 in red corduroy 
Building a relationship with my sewing machine, I signed up for a beginner’s quilting class in the fall.  I only made a small table topper, but I think most quilters will understand when I say that was all it took!  I knew I needed to do more quilting!  Just a few weeks ago I started work on my first lap quilt.  I finished the topper and backing last week and am working up the courage to attempt quilting it.  Assuming this turns out as I envision, it will be DD’s birthday gift when she turns 1 on February 10th.  It seems fitting - her first birthday, my first actual quilt.   I am thankful for all the quilting blogs out there that offer so many amazing tutorials and tips, including Natalia’s!  They make learning this new craft not only easier, but also more enjoyable!
My first lap quilt topper - Wild Thing pattern by Thimble Blossoms using fabrics from Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom line
Craft time is what keeps me sane in between changing diapers, tantrums, and teething.  I get to focus on something just for me every time I pick up a needle to stitch or lower the presser foot on my sewing machine.  I exhale, shut the world out, and have a little “mommy time.”  And I know from reading so many amazing craft blogs out there, I’m not the only!
Thank you Natalia for inviting me to be a guest blogger, and for all your help and tutorials.  And thank you to all the crafty bloggers out there from whom I have learned so much and been so inspired!  Happy stitching to all!
-Kim
~Thank you Kim, I really enjoyed reading about you! I love all of your stitching projects and your fist quilt is darling!!
You can read more about Kim on her blog Stitchful Thinking.

FYI... I get to be a guest blogger today over @ Sew Inspired. Head over to Vicki's blog and you can read a little bit about me! Thanks Vicki!

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~Natalia

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1.28.2010

Favorite Part in the Quilt Making Process

Yesterday Marty asked me on Facebook, "What is your favorite part of making a quilt? Choosing fabric, cutting, sewing, applique, borders, machine quilting or binding?
This is a great question, it really made me take a step back and think about it. My response to her was, "Oh, really I don't know if I can choose! I love it all! I probably don't enjoy putting on borders the most but other than that I love it all!"


Later in the day I spent some time doing a little bit of applique by machine, which I really enjoy, it's my time to think, and I really started to think about her question. I thought about how borders are my one of my least favorites. Then I also thought about the fact that I've never actually bound one of my quilts. Kathleen has an industrial machine and she (lucky for me) attaches all of my bindings.

So here is my question to you, I think it'd be really fun to hear, what is your favorite part of making a quilt? Choosing fabric,
cutting,
sewing,
applique,
borders,
machine quilting
or binding?

Also, which of those is your least favorite?

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~Natalia

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1.27.2010

Busy Machine Quiting

 Remember back here when I told you that I try to quilt during the day. Well, I've been busy doing just that!
Here are a few quilts that I've machine quilted recently.


This heart quilt above and the bloom quilt were pieced by the same sweet customer! I think they are both darling.

Remember how I told you that Bloom is my most popular quilt? Well here's another one! Just as cute as the others.

Another one of my sweet customers made this Valentines day quit above. She also made this fun cowboy quilt below.

I had fun quilting all of these quilts.
I finished two quilts today by about three o'clock so I was able to spend some time this afternoon working on my next Moda Bake Shop quilt. I just have a little bit of applique left to do and then it'll be ready to quilt! I love how it's turning out!
What have you been busy doing?

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~Natalia

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1.26.2010

Modern Quilt Guild in Utah!

I have been stalking the Modern Quilt Guilds. I first heard about them when Julie started talking about starting one in her area. A couple of you even contacted me saying I should start one. But I just don't feel that the time is right for me.
So finally yesterday I saw that there is now a Modern Quilt guild in Salt Lake City! Yay! I will have to drive for about an hour to get there but I don't mind! I'm just so excited!!!
The Modern Quilt Guild
Have you attended a Modern Quilt Guild?
Have you heard of these Modern Quilt Guilds?


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~Natalia

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1.25.2010

Sewing on Sundays

Sundays are the best day to actually sew for me. Kathleen usually will help me if its on Sunday and she's not busy with her full time job or school. (Yup, she's amazing, she is balancing a full time job, going to school and maintaining a 4.0 GPA, a family and helping me.)
Yesterday was a pretty typical Sunday afternoon.

Kathleen was ironing a whole lot of half square triangles while I was sewing.
(This is your sneak peak for my next Moda Bake Shop quilt.)
Brad, was busy watching two football games.
 
Chesney & her uncle were busy building forts. Did you know how handy quilting supplies, like rolls of batting and quilts can come in handy for forts?

How do you spend your Sundays? Do you get lots of sewing done or is Sunday your break from sewing?

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~Natalia

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1.24.2010

I LOVE GETTING MAIL!

Don't you just love getting mail?
I do!
I love it the most when fabric arrives in the mail!
This is what arrived on Friday & I've spent quite a few hours since working on my next Moda Bake Shop project!


Do you love getting mail?

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~Natalia

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1.23.2010

BLUSH! BLUSH! BLUSH!!

Do you remember this quilt?
I'm Blushing, featured over @ Moda Bake Shop.

Well, the yardage is here!!!
WAHOO!!

Head on over to our shop to buy your Blush material
Jelly Rolls -SOLD OUT-


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~Natalia

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1.22.2010

{Creative Guest} Meet Mary!


~Meet Mary! I've enjoyed reading her blog for quite some time now. She has beautiful work and it has been so much fun getting to know her through her blog!

Me, a guest blogger??  You’ve got to be kidding!!

 Hey, thanks Natalia for the invitation to share a little of my story with your readers.  You know I admire your blog, your designs and your store.

Now for my meager story…I was raised on a small dairy/crop farm in Minnesota and am one of nine children.  My grandmother on my mother’s side was an incredible seamstress.  I have many memories of her making matching dresses for at least five of us girls.

Me – second from right with my kitten
Since my grandmother sewed everything for us and we all wore uniforms to school, Mom didn’t need to learn how to sew. But Grandma passed away shortly after this photo was taken and I started wanting my own wardrobe by the time I was ten.  I found fabric Grandma had left and saved my allowance for new fabric (that still hasn’t changed). 
By high school (no more uniforms) I was sewing most of my clothes and my younger sister’s clothes.  This continued after I married into maternity clothes, then baby clothes, costumes, snowsuits etc. Then one day I got together with two of my sisters and we had a quilting bee and as they say…the rest is history. 
Bitten by the quilting bug was difficult when I was working full time and commuting 90 miles round trip to work.  I still managed to put this quilt together over a year or so:


I plugged along and made this quilt too over nearly a year while I was working:

And then three years ago, the most wonderful thing happened….my husband and I retired!!  I love having the time to work on quilts, table runners or handbags every day with no deadline! 
Here is what I’m working on right now:

I want to add what great pleasure I have found in quilting bloggers around the world.  I don’t know where I would find my inspiration and encouragement without all of you!!

Thank you and thanks to Natalia for the honor of being her guest.

Thanks again Mary! Don't forget to stop by Marys blog to see more of her beautiful work!

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~Natalia

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Show & Tell Fridays!

Head on over to Amy's blog today! She has featured my quilt, Hugs & Kisses in her Show & Tell!

Amy hosts Show & Tell every Friday, it's a great place to link up and share what you've been working on during the past week.
Thanks Amy!
You can view the complete tutorial for this Hugs & Kisses quilt on Moda Bake Shop.

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~Natalia

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1.21.2010

Riley Blake Quilt

Yesterday, when I told you that I'm a workaholic I posted this picture of my long arm machine. A few of you commented saying that you loved the quilt. Well, it's finished!

 
I really like how it turned out. Feathers and flowers!
What do you think?

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~Natalia

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1.20.2010

I'm A Workaholic!

I was informed last night, at 11:30pm while checking my Facebook page that I am a workaholic. I guess that it's not much of a turn on when I'm checking my work in bed...... My husband is sure that I'm going to die early due to working to death. My response was, well at least my grave will be very warm and soft.
So really..... This made me think. Maybe I need to analyze how I am spending my time.
Here's how the typical day goes for me.
7:45am Wake up, generally to my husband taking a shower and my daughter running around yelling juice.
8:00am Get something for breakfast and head to my in-home office. Usually I eat breakfast at my computer while reading e-mails.

(I don't know why this picture has really bad lighting.)
Generally it takes me until about 10:00am to get finished updating the blog, fulfilling orders & responding to e-mails.
10:00am start quilting. I generally work at my long arm machine from 10:00 until two or three. There is always a lunch break, lots of potty breaks (yes, she is potty trained now!) and a couple of check my e-mail breaks.
2:00pm I fulfill the last orders for the day then head to the post office.

3:00pm Back to the long arm machine. If I am caught up on machine quilting then I get to go have some fun on my conventional.

  YUP, I still sew at my dining room table. We just eat right around my machine, it has a permanent home on the table.
Anytime between 7:00pm and 8:00 I give Ches a bath and eat dinner and get her ready for bed.
Hubbie usually arrives home anytime between 7:00 & 9:00. Depending on the time I sometimes eat dinner with Ches.
Then I try to not work for a little while.
9:00-10:00 or 11:00 I work on website, blog and any tutorials.


So when you see a typo you know why. With this very active little girl running around all day I usually can sit down at the computer late at night.
There is my normal day.....
So what do you think? When I started typing it down I started realizing that I may just be working too much....eeeekkkk.
How does your day usually go?
Are you going to die a early, but warm and soft death like me?

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A great day!

Yesterday was such a wonderful day! I just have to share.
I started the fun by going to lunch with a couple of my blogging friends, Amy & Amy. It was so much fun to finally meet up and chat.
When I came home I was all motivated to get to work. (Those ladies inspired me) One of my husbands friends is expecting a baby. So, I got to work and pieced this little stacked coins baby quilt using 2 Verna Charm Packs. I can't wait to get it quilted. It's so cute so far.

The tutorial is over @ Moda Bake Shop and it's by Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts. I just have to say how sad I am that Amanda Jean has quit blogging. This is my third stacked coins baby quilt. I will already am missing her posts. :(
After I had that little quilt all pieced I decided to keep going. So, while watching the Biggest Loser (my favorite show) I pieced these blocks.



There are 3 of each. I am involved in a row of the month group and we are making a Christmas quilt. This month is month one and we are making 9 Peppermint swirls.
I am using materials from the Attitude Girls collection by Mary Engelbreit.

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~Natalia

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1.19.2010

Advertise on Piece N Quilt

I just thought that some of you might be interested in advertising your blog or etsy site here on Piece N Quilt.
We currently have available ad space-
- 130x130px banner ad, your add will be placed on the upper right column of our blog.
- First come first serve.
-Currently over 650 blog subscribers, over 1000 Facebook Fans, over 370 followers and an average of 10,000 views per week. 
-We have Alexa and Google rankings moving up the charts daily.
- Month to month rates are available also multiple month discounts are available. Contact Natalia for pricing information.

Please e-mail Natalia to work out details for your advertising package.

We look forward to working together.
~Natalia
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~Natalia

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Seeing Stars

One of my sweet customers pieced both of these Buggy Barn Star quilts.


I machine quilted both of them for her and I love how they turned out. Super cute!
I think the reason I love Buggy Barn quilt is because this is where I started to love piecing.
Have you ever made a Buggy Barn quilt?

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~Natalia

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