Fabric Stash Sunday

Call me the fabric whisperer.  Some days, I just have an itch to go to the thrift store.  And those days generally come up with some great finds.  Like yesterday, when I didn't want to wait in line at the post office and detoured to Goodwill instead.  I found these lovelies, all for $6.20!

Half yard of AMH Loulouthi voile
Half yard of each Lizzy House Constellations - 2 patterns
Half yard of each Rashida Coleman Hale Tsuru - 2 patterns
FQ of Michael Miller marbled print
~1.5 yds of minky

Woohoo!  Can't wait to use these fabric steals!

DIY Ikea Sewing Table Hack

I've been thinking about making my own custom sewing table for quite some time now.  I guess having a new house and a whole room for sewing was just the right kick in the pants to git 'er done, right?

The tutorial I used is at From Marta with Love.  You can use any table that has a rail under the tabletop, because that's where the hidden supports for the shelf that holds the sewing machine go.  I decided to follow her lead and bought the Ikea Ingo table for $80.

The only real downside to her plan is that you need a tool called a Kreg jig to add the sewing machine shelf supports to the table frame.  There are 3 versions of the Kreg jig and they cost either $40, $100, or $150.  I decided to go with the $100 version because after watching their video, I immediately dreamt up about a dozen other non-sewing related projects I could make with it.  All stuff to fill the empty rooms in my new house, of course!

I have a Bernina 440 (Francine) with a knee lift, so I let my boyfriend expertly cut the hole on the top for Francine to is in and then I totally botched the hole in the table rail for the knee lift.  He left me alone for awhile, came back, and just said, "I wish you hadn't done that" when he looked at my knee lift hole.  Ooops :D  I don't have a problem with how it looks, so whatevs...

I'm planning to paint this with enamel paint to make sure the top is smooth and lets the fabric glide as easily as possible across the table top while I'm sewing.  So far, so good!  I'm plugging away on my maple leaves!

Katie Jump Rope and Architextures

Have you build yourself a custom sewing table?  Any suggestions for other readers?  What color should I paint this bad boy?  Thanks for sharing!

What is Craftsy?

What is Craftsy? Craftsy is a worldwide craft community offering online classes. It also has a patterns marketplace where independent designers can sell their patterns; a supplies shop with great deals on yarn, fabric, and class kits; and a projects section where members share pictures of their latest craft successes. With over two million members and counting, Craftsy has something for just about everyone, in categories ranging from quilting, sewing, knitting, painting, photography, cooking, and more.  Behind the Scenes: The Making of a CraftsyClass Before filming even begins, hours and hours are spent determining what content will be covered in each class, and how to best teach specific techniques to the camera. Instructors work with an instructional designer to create an in-depth outline of each lesson, and decide how to best prepare props or “step-outs” that show what your project should like at different steps. Instead of a scripted class, instructors follow their outlines on camera to create an authentic and engaging teaching experience. Most Craftsy classes are filmed in one of five Craftsy studios in Denver, CO, assuring that every part of the production process goes off without a hitch. They fly in instructors from all over the world to spend several days filming, then spend several weeks turning hours of footage into a two to three hour class experience that has been watched, rewatched, and reviewed by industry experts. The final result is an HD-quality video that takes you in-depth into specific topics in any given craft category- from cooking and fine art to sewing and knitting.  What IS the Craftsy experience? Craftsy classes are designed to have all the benefits of an in-person class, with none of the drawbacks. Available online and on-demand, you always have world-class instructors at the tip of your fingers. You can retake the class as many times as you want, and the 30-second repeat feature allows you to watch the same section over and over again until you get every technique just right. Watching a Craftsy class is like having a first-row seat with some of the best instructors in the world. Even better, classes have a 100% money-back guarantee. Try online learning today with a free mini-class from Craftsy! Choose from 23 Free Craftsy Classes ranging from drawing and painting to sewing and quilting, from knitting to cake decorating and more.

Jump on the Quilty Box Wagon!

You may have heard about a hot, fun new item in the quilting world - the Quilty Box!  I've been email chatting with Tabatha, the founder and lady in charge, and we have so much in common.  We both love quilting, we both have red hair, and we both are childhood cancer survivors.  That plays a big part in her unique business venture.  She donates 5-10% of the price of a subcription to Quilts for Kids, a national organization that provides quilts to children suffering from life threatening illnesses and abuse situations.  What a better way to brighten a kid's day than with a fun I spy quilt??  Just sayin...

So what's this Quilty Box all about?  It's a monthly subscription to have a curated boxful of goodies delivered to your door.  You can sign up for one month at a time if you're the skeptical type, or if you just can't wait to get your hands on anything quilty related, you can sign up for 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions.  

Each month has a theme, so the items coordinate well.  October's theme was Geometry and the box had a value of over $50 and included a fat eighth set of Minimalista, Julie Herman's Sidekick ruler, a Rock Candy pattern for the ruler, coordinating Aurifil thread spools, needles made in England, and a fun crafty bobby pin for inspiration.  We also received and email with an extra PDF pattern. Do you live in Canada?  You can now sign up for the box too!  Tabatha's website has a blog which has lots of tips for using the goodies from the box.  She's really thought of everything! 

November is shaping up and the theme is Time.  What are you waiting for?  Go sign up for this awesome box of goodies and the opportunity to donate to a wonderful cause at the same time.  If you're a member of the Austin MQG, we have a special discount for you as well.  Just email me!  If you're not a member, you can still get $3.00 off your first Quilty Box courtesy of Emily Thompson and quiltybox.com by signing up through this link.  I hope you enjoy Quilty Box as much as I do!

WIP Wednesday: The one with a zillion maple leaves

I went to my first quilt retreat last weekend with some lovely ladies from the Austin MQG.  It was so much fun!  I learned how to properly use my walking foot, dumpster dove for fabric scraps, and discussed the differences between starch and Best Press.  What a weekend!  I did finish my vintage sheet Planetarium quilt top while there, and I started on my scrappy no two alike Sparkle Punch quilt top.  

Vintage sheet Planetarium top finished! 

Can you spare a square?  Sparkle Punch quilt is officially renamed the Seinfeld quilt.

Sparkle Punch loving on the Planetarium :)

Here's what I'm most excited about lately though: maple leaves!  I've always like the look of the maple leaf quilt, and I finally decided to cave and make my own because of the #modernmaples craze that's struck Instagram.  I've pulled (way too much) fabric to make a nice set of leaves and I'm planning to use low volume fabrics for the background.  I don't have too many low volumes, so luckily Burgundy Buttons is having a sale and I just bought 13 half yard prints so I doubt I'll be running out anytime soon!

The massive fabric pull...

What have you been sewing lately?  If you're in the Austin area, our monthly Austin MQG meeting is tomorrow night at BookPeople.  Find out more info here!

I'm finally sewing again!

Wow... it's been over a month since I've sat down at my sewing machine!  I guess when you move, other things take priority.  Like scrubbing down the insides and undersides of all your kitchen cabinets. How did they get food there??  Or spending all your free time coordinating viewing and delivery of Craigslist furniture.  Or mopping every surface you thought of and then some.


Anyways, what am I sewing?  I'm working on my Planetarium quilt using vintage sheets.  I've separated my sheets into warm and cool colors and the cool colors set is finished.  Just making more quarter square triangle sets in warm colors and then I'll be ready for sashing!  Woohoo.  It feels great to start sewing again!