How to Quilt it?

I finished reading my book for the evening (a Sharon Sala young adult offering was what I was copyediting,and very good it was too, I didn't want the story to end.) Then I decided to do some quilting.

So I pulled out my block of the month wallhanging that I did with the twelve stars from 2011. Added a one inch border to the edges, with four little pastel corner squares. Cut me some white for backing, a square of bamboo/cotton batting, and got it all sandwiched and pinned together. Then I froze:

How on earth should I quilt the thing? It's only 26 inches square, so I'll do it myself on my domestic machine instead of sending it out; but I'm petrified to set needle to cloth! I could put the walking foot on and quilt in the ditch easy enough, but somehow I don't think this one is calling for straight lines. Help! What's easy enough that a beginning machine quilter could tackle it without messing it up? Suggestions?

Storywonk

Have you ever thought you could write a novel that’s just as good as the ones you’re reading? Or better? Then you tried to write and got bogged down at getting it all down into your word processor. Your romance went flat or your characters dull. You want to pick up some writing tips and skills, but who has time for classes in this busy world? Here’s a solution:

Go to www.storywonk.com and check out their seminars, classes and workshops. Minimal fees, and you can enjoy them in the comfort of your own home, in your jammies, if you want. Most events are scheduled on Sunday afternoons, if you have plans, you can download them later. The classes have assignments, whereas the seminars are one afternoon only.

Why am I frontin’ for Storywonk? Well, for one, I like Lani’s books. I glommed onto her after reading Dogs and Goddesses, a book she’d collaborated on with Jenny Crusie and Anne Stuart, another couple of my favorite NYT bestselling authors. Then I picked up some of Lani’s own books and enjoyed them too, especially one titled The Fortune Quilt. I started following her blog online; always real, sometimes evocative, sometimes amusing, generally entertaining. AND, she’s having a contest. Out of all the people who repost about Storywonk, she’ll pick a few for a chance to attend a free seminar. That’s what I’m aiming for. Free.

Maybe go enter the contest yourself. Take a look at some of the topics and educational opps that Storywonk’s offering. Maybe you’ll be the next NYT bestselling author I follow on facebook.

Braid-Making

I've been braid making tonight! I think I'm about half done with the lengths I'll need.

This is the kind of project I'd never have done without the Accuquilt. Cutting all those right and left tilting wedges by hand? eww. But the cutter makes it so fast to cut hundreds of them. And sewing them together goes fast and accurate too, since all the little dogear corners are already cut off for you.

I can't show you the quilt these are going to border yet, we have to keep it a secret until the day before Quiltmaker magazine subscriptions are supposed to come out. But I'll have a dark navy skinny border between this and the quilt center, then more dark final border on the outside. So even though this looks like a really scrappy hodgepodge of fabrics, surrounding it with navy will tame it down some. And even though you see some fabrics directly across from each other in the pic, they won't be on the final quilt. I'm planning to have the top braid pointing right, the side braid pointing south, the bottom braid pointing left, and the other side braid pointing up. Does that make sense?

Books and Potholders and Quilting

Been busy! Have you?
First, I got a PACKAGE today - a book from one of my favorite authors, Sharon Sala. Doesn't Toby look like he's telling Libby, "Another book? Where's Jane going to put all these?" Anyway, Sharon sent me that pink one on the end, and it's autographed, too!

I've been adding some of my favorite authors to my facebook friends because it's cool to see updates from them and learn about the day to day lives of these famous folks. I told Sharon I was looking to order Blown Away because I couldn't find it in the stores. I'd already bought Torn Apart and Swept Aside (the aqua and the yellow books, second and third in the series) and told her I didn't want to read them until I'd read the first. She very kindly offered to mail me the pink one, Blown Away. I'm already 150+ pages into it, until I made myself stop so I wouldn't gulp it all down in a day.

Sharon writes really good romantic suspense. At least these three are, some of what she's written could be romantic comedy. Both Whippoorwill and Amen Trail by her made me laugh out loud. :) If you haven't ever read anything by her, give her a try.

In other news, I'm also making a couple of Valentine themed potholders for gifts. Super simple project. I'll put a couple thicknesses of terry or flannel inside, and some of that silver ironing-board cover for a backing so they'll be heat proof.

The eight of us on the Quiltmaker Magazine Scrap Squad already have our next pattern to make, and I'm busy cutting strips and squares from all my scraps. Here's a few of the fabrics I'm using. That navy blue is the only thing I purchased, for background. The rest will all be from stuff I already have. I really like the design we're making this time. Sorry I can't show you more of it, but it's a secret until the magazine comes out. Stay tuned!