the panda quilts: #2: holden baby quilt

while i was hard at work on my first quilt, my mind was already churning about what to make next. a very dear friend was expecting a baby (due in november), and that seemed like a perfect project (and i liked having a pretty firm deadline in mind). i had the discipline not to start working on quilt #2 until #1 was 100% complete, but in the meantime, i picked out fabrics.

i had a whole yard of a lisa dejohn animal print fabric (same one i used for my first zipper pouch) and i knew i wanted to incorporate that...those darn animals with their little cute eyes!  i knew my friend had chosen light green, yellow and chocolate brown baby bedding, so....i wanted to try to incorporate that as well.  when i went to the fabric store, i ended up picking up some lime green (!) and orange (!) filler fabrics. on paper, sounds like a crazy mish-mash, but they all blended together really well. 

i like the looks of those simply-designed patchwork square quilts, so i cut 108- 4 1/2" squares from my seven different fabrics.  the sewing of the squares and rows went very smoothly and went a lot faster than i imagined. (side note: since i worked on quilt #1 over a 3 month period, i was surprised when this whole top came together in an afternoon). the final thing ended up with 11 rows with 9 blocks & the finished size was about 36x44.

i made the back out of some leftover squares & yellow and green solids, but it looked awful. field trip to textile, where i purchased kona natural fabric & a tiny orange checkerboard print (and a chocolate brown for the binding).

i opted for horizontal straight line quilting again.  when it was complete, i washed it and sent it away to california! baby holden arrived on october 28, and i have a secret hope that this quilt will be his lifelong blankie.

the panda quilts: #1: sampler quilt + quilting 101 summary

several months have passed & i realized i never wrote about my quilting 101 experience. i began the class back in may as a total quilting virgin. while i had learned the basics of sewing during my spring sewing 101 session, i went into this class not knowing a single thing about quilts (and up until this point, i had it in my head that they were granny-ish and meant for country cabins).  boy, was i wrong.

during the 6-week course, we learned about piecing, quilting techniques and block designs. 
we learned how to make at least 9 different blocks which would be used to make a sampler quilt. every week, alexia taught us a new block or two, and we'd usually have to work on them independently at home throughout the week.

the initial stack of fabrics i chose to work with grew during this time - i envisioned yellow & turquoise as the predominant colors - and it was interesting to see how that evolved to include more browns. it was neat figuring out which fabric(s) would go best in which block - keeping in mind alexia's hints about scale, color and value - in order to create a nice visual harmony.

each week i grew more an more confident with my sewing machine and my fabric-cutting abilities. i checked out quilting books at the library and learned more about the history of the craft. i started reading more quilting blogs and buying more and more and more fabric. i didn't quite realize it at the time, but i was becoming obsessed.

when the class series ended, we chose a date several weeks away to reconvene. our goal was to have all of our blocks sewn together with the sashing and border- basically, complete the whole quilt top. at this point, i laid out a few different alternatives before i settled on this, which has similar blocks at opposing ends (a slight method to the madness):

it was crazy to see how it all came together.  as i sewed the sashing, i realized the importance of PINNING, PINNING and PINNING! 

quilt top, complete!

when our group got together in august, we basted our quilt sandwiches (top, batting layer, and back) and learned about the different quilting methods (hand sewing, tying, machine quilting). and that was that! we said our goodbyes and were now left to quilt the quilt on our own.

i was so scared to actually start quilting. i was afraid i'd botch it somehow and end up ruining all my hard work.  but, i had a goal in mind: textile fabrics wanted to do a display window filled with alexia's students' work, and she invited me to participate. i had about a month to finish it up.  i was honored to be asked & i couldn't pass up this opportunity.


i practiced a little bit, then opted for a simple horizontal straight-line quilting pattern using a light blue gutterman thread.  because my quilt was kinda big (i don't know the exact dimensions, but it grew from having 9-blocks to 16), it was really hard to maneuver - very heavy and awkward.  as time went on, i got more comfortable. it took awhile - several days of sewing for several hours, but finally, i finished.  next up - binding!  making and sewing the binding on was easier and faster than i expected it to be. i chose a turquoise fabric with a very subtle print.

quilt back - nicey jane hop dot in 2 colors

THE QUILT

 i dropped my quilt off to alexia the next day, and a few days later, it was in the window!

at the start of 2011, i didn't know the first thing about sewing. it blows my mind that half a year later, I MADE A QUILT.  i guess that's the thing about having a passion. you spend all your spare time learning, practicing and thinking about that thing.  figuring out ways to improve and make your own mark. i feel very fortunate that i found something i love doing so much.

if you're interested in taking one of alexia's classes, learn more HERE or email her:  stitchnashville@yahoo.com

some of the fabrics i used in this quilt:

joel dewberry deer valley - floral drop in barnwood
joel dewberry modern meadow - herringbone in pond
denyse schmidt DS quilt collection for fabric traditions / joann
studio e - brooke by cp designs (biding)
heather bailey - nicey jane hop dot in sky and cream (backing & sashing fabric)
eleanor grosch - zoo menagerie - geometric green
spring street by carolyn gavin - raindrops in blue
innocent crush by anna maria horner - bubble burst in turqoise
dena designs - kumari garden sashi blue
atelier akiko - tiny dot chocolate
alexander henry - april showers

mary blair exhibit at disneyland

scotland concept art for 'it's a small world' 

i've had an affinity for mary blair ever since i stumbled upon her work years ago (as documented here...sheesh, can't believe i've had this blog for 4+ years!)  i've acquired a few books (glad i picked up "the art and flair of mary blair" before it went out of print...), but i've come to realize that her stuff is kind of hard to come by. i know she has some fans out there, but i don't know if she gets all the acknowledgment and credit she deserves.  anyway, about a week before my trip to california, i randomly googled "mary blair exhibit" and was ecstatic to learn they were showing tons of original works at the disneyland gallery (in the past, art galleries in tokyo and san francisco have hosted some of her art).  i was kinda already hoping to spend my birthday at disneyland, and learning this sealed the deal for me. side note: an old grade-school friend of mine hooked us up with FREE disneyland passes. we were blown away, and her gesture helped save us the almost-$200 admission fee. 

the last time i had been to disneyland was 1987. i had no idea if i would feel the magic and excitement that i felt as a 10-year-old, but when the shuttle pulled up to the gate i got a little misty-eyed. when you walk through the front gate, you're thrust into main street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, more shops and more restaurants. the disney gallery was our first stop (and the highlight of the day).  i never imagined i'd get to see those paintings and drawings in person, and i felt the same way i felt when i first saw works by picasso and miro and klee in "real" art galleries...such a different experience than seeing something in a book (or online). it was amazing. there were works from 'alice in wonderland' and 'cinderella', but most of the gallery focused on the concept paintings and drawings from 'it's a small world'. 

'cinderella' sketch. i love the deep turquoise color....

on our way out of the park, we stopped by the gallery's gift shop where i picked up some plates and mugs and ordered some prints from a little kiosk (which was super convenient, since they shipped them to our house and we didn't have to schlep them back to tennessee). basically i spent all the money i would've spent on admission at that shop.  a perfect birthday, for sure. 

the panda sews: another a-line skirt

making a second skirt has been on my to-do list for awhile now (ever since i made the first one, in fact). but then i started my quilting 101 class and all other projects fell by the wayside.  i even had the fabric (one of the denyse schmidt joann prints) pre-washed & cut & ready-to-sew for several weeks. 

 fabric close-up (ds quilts collection in "picnic")

last weekend i finished up my quilt top (one big round-up post documenting the whole process will follow in a few weeks, although i've excitedly shown a few people a sneak-peak picture i snapped on my iphone).  i had some free time last night so i finally got around to making the skirt. enough time has passed that i barely remembered what we did in class, so i was glad i ordered the official amy butler pattern & had the instructions to guide me. i installed the invistible zipper on the outer fabric without a hitch, but my trouble came when i had to attach this whole part to the lining.  but, it's done.  because of the length (a few inches longer than the first one i did) & the weight of the fabric & lining, it almost feels more like a fall skirt - almost a bit too heavy for these near-100-degree days.

mango salsa black beans with quinoa

mango salsa black beans with quinoa

(2 servings)

ingredients:

1 15-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup of "refrigerator"/ fresh salsa of your choice (i used chachi's mango salsa & some Mrs Renfro's Hot Habanero salsa)

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (i used 1/4 cup red, 1/4 cup regular)

directions:

1) place your black beans in a small sauce pan. add your salsa.  cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.

2) meanwhile, cook your quinoa: in a small saucepan,  add 1 cup water, 1/2 cup quinoa and a dash of salt. bring to a boil. lower heat & cover. simmer for 15 minutes.  when all the water has been absorbed, fluff with a fork.

3) to serve: put quinoa in a bowl. top with black beans.  

topping ideas: tortilla chips, avocado, cheddar cheese, sour cream, etc.

the panda sews (and sells!): an apron

 

i had an impromptu yard sale last weekend & wore one of my homemade aprons to stash all the cash.  a neighbor lady inquired about it, and she ended up custom-ordering one from me! i greatly undervalued/undersold it/my time, but i was so flattered that i didn't even care.  she wanted longer wrap-around straps & 2 pockets.  i completed it minutes ago, and just rode my bike up the street to hand-deliver my very first sewing sell! 
i am still getting all my ducks in a row in order to set up an etsy shop, and i will be sure to keep you posted when this idea actually comes to fruition.

saturday morning blueberry muffins recipe

saturday morning blueberry muffins with crumble top
makes: 10 muffins

ingredients (muffins):
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup fresh blueberries

ingredients (crumble topping):
3 TBS flour
3 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS butter

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease your muffin tin, or line with baking cups.
2. combine all the dry ingredients & make a well in the center
3. combine egg, milk and oil in a separate bowl.  add to the dry ingredients & stir just until moistened - the batter will be a little lumpy.
4. gently fold in the blueberries
5. to make crumble top: combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter until it turns into coarse crumbs.
6. spoon batter into muffin tin (i made filled 10 tins, but i'm sure you can stretch it out to a full dozen if you're less generous when filling the cups).  sprinkle crumble topping on each of the muffins.
7. bake for 18-20 minutes, or til a toothpick comes out clean.

the panda sews: free as a bird tote

i spotted the fabric that heather moore designed for cloud9 fabrics on a few sewing/fabric websites and instantly fell in love.  in an effort to keep my fabric purchases at bay, i held off purchasing some, although "free as a bird" was tempting me every time i trolled for fabric online.  i was surprised to see it for sale on fabric.com, and since i needed wanted to order the amy butler barcelona skirt pattern, i went ahead and picked up a yard. I LOVE IT. i knew it would pair great with some dark grey linen i got at hancock, so today i made tote bag, using the same lotta pattern i used for the mushroom tote.

note: when i made the mushroom tote, i had a hard time sewing the straps onto the bag. lotta says to attach them by sewing a rectangle - i did such a piss poor job on that thing, so i ripped up my initial stitches and re-did them {exercising more patience this time around}... it looks TONS better.  all that to say: when it came time to sew the handles onto this bag, i felt much more confident.

another note: i plan on buying some more of this fabric ASAP - i think it would make a lovely skirt!

the panda sews: a bicycle tool bag

the mister has a road bike & has been doing some distance rides (anywhere from 12-18 miles). he wanted/needed a tool bag to roll up & stash extra tubes, a pump, cell phone, etc.  (and after he got a flat tire a few weeks ago & had to walk a bit in order to find a phone to call me, the tool bag became an absolute necessity).  he found something he liked online and asked if i could try to sew him something like it.  so with this as my guide, i made him this bag (for a fraction of the cost). he picked out a sturdy railroad fabric & i went to work. it has three bigger pockets that have some "room"/dimension to them, and two small, flat pockets.  i also added a d-ring belt to tie everything together when it's all rolled up. i was kinda scared to delve into this, because it's been the first thing i've tried fully on my own without the assistance of a pattern or directions.  but it came together quite nicely and he's pretty happy with it (or so he says).

EDIT 9/2/2011: went back and re-read this - had a laugh that i noted the mister's long-distance rides were anywhere between 12-18 miles. since then, his riding skills have VASTLY improved and he averages 40-60 miles per day and he's also completed a century). 

the panda sews: an a-line skirt

the final installment of my sewing class was held today. i went in with 1 1/4 yards of fabric and a zipper, and five hours later, i left with a skirt.  it boggles my mind that i was able to make something i could actually wear.  dare i say, it's better quality than the clothes at old navy (though that's probably not saying very much).  we followed the amy butler barcelona a-line skirt pattern, and i chose a joel dewberry fabric called "floral fields" for my main fabric. i made a trim at the bottom, since i didn't really want to hem the bottom up (i didn't want the finished skirt to be any shorter). yippppeeee!  i definitely plan on making another skirt or two in the near future...

don't my knee caps look funny?