News From the Studio, Episode 1331

Posted on May 19, 2015 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio News, What's New

Lots of news this time. I’ve been too busy to sit down and tell you about any of it up till now!

I just returned from Spring International Quilt Market in Minneapolis, MN. For the 6 or 7 weeks prior to this point, I’ve been sewing like mad, getting projects ready for both Market and for my classes at the Arrow Rock Quilt Camp.

Now that they’re both over with, I get a little breather, so I’d like to show you some of the things I was working on, and fill you in on some other happenings. Sorry this is long, but if you read to the end, there’s chance of a reward!

I always sew a few items for Dear Stella’s Market booth, and they always have the booth done up so cute. This time, I made them a quilt from Jack & Lulu’s new collection called “Bay Breeze“:

Picture 30341

You can see more pictures and read more about it HERE. Honestly, it’s hard to pick a favorite print from this line. I love them all! Girly octopi, seahorses, and pirate sharks — watermelons, pineapples, and gingham, they’re all so cute! The pattern for this quilt is called “Gimme Diamonds” by Four Paws Quilting, and you can get it HERE.

I also made THE most adorable little purses for them. From the outside, they look like little canteen-style purses, but on the inside — they’re actually sewing kits! I made four of them, and I think this one is my favorite, made from their “Summer Love” collection.

NestEggTote

You can see Dear Stella’s pictures of all four of them HERE.

They have pockets and elastic bands inside to hold all your sewing goodies, and room for pieces and parts of your projects, and they zip all the way open to lay flat so you can use it easily. I really really want to make another one for myself, but who knows if I’ll find the time?

However, I urge you to make one for yourself, because you’ll love it. The instructions are super easy to follow. Trust me, if I can make it, you can make it, because I’m not much of a bagmaker, and I pulled these off just fine. The pattern is called the “Nest Egg Tote”, and it’s by Carolyn Friedlander, and you can get it HERE.

You can see pictures of the insides on Carolyn’s website HERE and HERE, so you can see how it’s used as a sewing project tote. Too too adorable!

I made several new projects to use for my classes at Arrow Rock Quilt Camp this year, and I will be telling you about those and listing the patterns in my shop later this week, so stay tuned!

Even though I was supposed to be busy sewing, I decided to procrastinate take some time and put up a chalkboard surface on my sewing room door.

I had planned to turn the entire west wall of my sewing room into a whiteboard, but after using the room for a few months, I’ve decided instead that the west wall needs to be an additional design wall, which leaves me no space for the whiteboard idea.

However, since the door is usually always open, I decided that it might as well become a useful surface, rather than just looking like this:

SRdoor

So I purchased some self-adhesive (and easily removable, if necessary) chalkboard vinyl sticker “paper” from Houseables on Etsy. Super easy to apply to the door, and I was in business with a new chalkboard surface within minutes — I love it! (Now to get that other design wall put up!)

SRdoor2

Market was overwhelming, as usual, and I came home with lots of new ideas spinning in my head. And came home wanting to sew. And then I saw this:

MSWqal200

My friend, Cindy, along with some of her friends, is hosting a Quilt-Along for the “My Small World” quilt of Jen Kingwell’s design. While I know I don’t have time to attempt it, I’m passing along the information to you, because some of you might — I love everything Jen Kingwell does, so perhaps you do, too! The information about the Quilt-Along can be found HERE.

As happens every spring and fall, Amy Ellis, over at Amy’s Creative Side, is hosting the Blogger’s Quilt Festival. You should go enter a quilt, look at the other quilts, and when the voting begins on Friday, vote for your favorites. The show is always full of wonderful eye candy!

spring-2015-BQF

Yesterday, I was a guest on Pat Sloan’s American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast (along with Jen Kingwell!). If you missed it, you can still listen — the link will be up later, and I’ll update to provide that once I have it.

I also introduced my newest pattern, AmpersAnd. Please stay tuned all this week, as I introduce several other new patterns I’ve been working on!

I collected some goodies from Market, and I’d like to share the bounty and pass along some goodies to you, my faithful readers. If you’d like to win a package of surprise goodies, just leave a comment here on this post, and I’ll draw for a winner on Friday, May 22nd. Thanks for visiting!

UPDATE: The winner of the Market goodie package is Angie in SoCal!

24 responses to “News From the Studio, Episode 1331”

  1. Barb B says:

    Whew! You have been busy. Love the idea about the chalkboard door, using chalkboard paper. Also love the “&” quilt and the “canteen” sewing kit. I’ll be checking out all the other links you provided, too.

    Thanks for sharing. Now, take a deep breath “&” go!

  2. Betty says:

    It is time to take a breath and relax. You have been very productive with many items. The canteen style sewing kits are perfect. Thanks for your blog, I so enjoy reading it.

  3. Ginny Smith says:

    Looking forward to the ideas. THe purse has my head thinking. What can I use the idea for besides a sewing kit and what other shape would be better for me.

  4. Ginny Smith says:

    I think the chalkboard would be good inside a kitchen cupboard door as part of a calendar or a list of what is in the freezer so I don’t buy duplicates.

  5. Janet Volz says:

    You certainly have been busy. I am coming down your way on the 30th of May.

  6. Heather J says:

    Wow, you have been busy. I read about your podcast on Pat Sloan’s blog. 🙂

  7. So many goodies in this post, Shelly! Thanks bunches. Love your quilt and the sewing kit. Just what I need now – I must make 4 in the next two weeks. Thanks for the chance!

  8. Andrea O'Brien says:

    Sounds like a great month with exciting things to come!!

  9. Mary says:

    Wow! You’ve really had a lot going on. Hope you get to take a little time for yourself now and then.

  10. JanetD says:

    The chalkboard door will be super handy. I painted a door with chalkboard paint and it was so fun to have and use. And now I’m off to find the pattern for the Nest Egg Tote — super cute.

  11. Ellen tracy says:

    So many wonderful fabrics it would we tough to choose. It sounds so fun.

  12. Cindy says:

    You have been very busy. Cute bag! Like your chalk board. I don’t have a place for one though

  13. Sue Hook says:

    Wow have you been busy. The quilt along sounds like a lot of fun but I am not very good with paper piecing. I will think about this for a day or two.

    I must have one of those sewing kit purses – it is adorable!! I like that quilt pattern too.

    I subscribe to Pat Sloan’s podcast but it didn’t download yesterday. Hopefully today so I can listen – I am sure is it great.

    I love your AmpersAnd pattern. I am making a quilt from it will send you a picture as soon as it is finished.

    What a cool idea for your door. I would love to have a chalkboard to keep track of all of my projects.

  14. KT says:

    Wow, you have been busy! Looking forward to seeing your new patterns!

  15. Kim M says:

    I love the new AmpersAnd pattern and would love some quilt market goodies!

  16. Cynthia says:

    Wow. You have been busy. No wonder you haven’t had time to write. Now it is time for a little break. You have earned it even if it only for 5 minutes, pat yourself on the back and tell yourself Well done.

  17. Judy Smith says:

    Wow! You’ve been busy. I’d love to see your goodies from quilt market in. Y mailbox.

  18. Donna R. says:

    Lots of great information in this post. Thanks for sharing.

  19. Sandy says:

    Whew! You HAVE been busy!

  20. kay beach says:

    Go shelly keep up the good work! !!!

  21. Great patterns Shelly! You were so close by when you were at quilt market, Victoria too, but so busy. See you in July!

  22. Rose Marie says:

    My head is spinning and I didn’t even go and do all this. I hope the downtime is productive in the “resting” sense.

  23. Karen says:

    I really don’t know how you do so much all the time! Love that quilt and that’s a super idea with the chalkboard for your door.

  24. Cassandra says:

    I love that first quilt! It’s gorgeous!

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