Erin Underwood Quilts

So it is work to actually squeeze in time for what I want to do but I’ve managed to get a few things completed  – things I’ve wanted to do since last Christmas – and by last Christmas, I mean 2010!  That year  I made everyone in our extended family Rope Bowls out of covered clothesline. I even made a few placemats and have been itching to make some for our household ever since. Although they look simple enough, they are quiet time consuming. And I think my method cuts some of the construction time off but its still takes TIME!

I use my zipper foot to cover the rope like cording then trim the seam allowance down to 1/16th” – 1/8″.  As I zigzag the cording together to make the mat or bowl, the seam allowance virtually disappears. I admit there is a difference between the two sides of the mat or bowl but it doesn’t bother me.

So my plan was to use up all those tail ends of binding that I just can’t seem to throw away but soon went through all the blues – this project uses a lot of fabric and even more thread! I have resorted to cutting strips to keep on moving with this project. 2″ is the width that works well for me. As you can see, I’ve got three placemats and two coasters that I think look absolutely fantastic with my teacup! I need at least 6 of both so I keep plugging along during my “free” time… Meanwhile, I continue to work on this!

Its coming along nicely – an epiphany hit me at 4am! I’ve got all the math down – I’ll keep ya posted!

Pretty much this is all I’ve been looking at for the last few weeks!

Lots of pattern writing going on and its a must-do over the Christmas holidays since its the only time my In-Design guru will be home from college to help me when things don’t make any sense in this program! She has been a jewel – good thing she  knows her stuff although I think she’s beginning to have her doubts about me!

But before I immersed myself in computer lingo this month, I did do a little bit of sewing for Christmas! Love this pattern! Easy Striped Table Runner designed by Karen Montgomery. I don’t often buy patterns –  being somewhat of “I can figure that out” kind of quilter but this one was worth the investment! And it was as much fun or even more than doing a Stack-n-whack quilt! Each and every table runner was a beautiful surprise! I’ll show you a few since I have already delivered these and they have been opened!

Each Christmas, I try to make gifts – saves money and seems more meaningful to me than going out and shopping til I drop and breaking the budget too! I only wish that one Christmas I would spend some time making some of these fun gifts just for myself!

I would stop and do that now but I’ve only got so much time with my In-design guru and every minute counts!

Meanwhile, here’s hoping every one has a happy and healthy Holiday season – Blessing to all and Happy New Year!

While in Houston, I came across this demo in the Jenny Haskins booth. I’ll show you how it works here as I can’t find any thing about it at her website. She starts out with her product Krinkle Magic – her version of Texture Magic, a Superior Threads product – here are some demo videos on YouTube.

I’ll do my best to explain this wonderful 3-dimensional flower technique to you. This concept opens up a world of ideas with applique and embellishment! First you start with your flower fabric. I used a bastiste but you could use anything from cottons to silks and sheers. You will have to play with it to see the results. I made a sandwich of flower fabric, Texture magic, flower fabric – the flower fabrics have “right sides” to the outside of the sandwich. Then I hooped it and  stitched a flower. If you have a embroidery machine, you could just program in a flower design. I thread-painted mine.

Next I trimmed very closely around it. Jenny Haskins used synthetic fabrics and threads and has a “burning” tool that trimmed away the extra fabric quite nicely but could never be used with cottons!!

After its trimmed, you  attack it with steam! Do not let the iron touch the flower or the texture magic will melt into hard plastic. Also, make sure your iron is clean. I never use steam so when I filled up my iron and let it blow, it decided now was a good time to clean out all its pipes –

This was pretty disgusting as well as ruining my flower!! I had to even wash the ironing board cover!!! So make sure your steam is clean. I ended up steaming my flowers very carefully with the tea kettle!!

Here’s a cleaner version of the flower – note the leaf too! I made two flowers, one slightly smaller. They can be sewn together in as many layers as you would like your flower to be. You may even consider embellishing the flower center with beads or french knots or buttons… I had a lot of fun with this – hope you give it a try!

What a wonderful experience the International Quilt Show in Houston Texas is! The quilts were absolutely stunning! My favorite is Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Checks and Balances – take a moment to click on the link to see what I mean. Actually the photo is great but you miss a lot of the detail that makes it outstanding! If you ever get the chance to see it in person, there is so much more in the quilt that photos just can’t catch. Her skill in the construction and quilting is amazing. It did  not win best of show but remains my favorite.

The Best of Show Quilt, Harmony Within by Sue McCarty was a stunner also. When you click on the link, you will notice there’s an awful lot of gold in this piece. It is all threadwork! Gold thread in the black borders and gold thread in the red background. This piece actually has very little applique. And the most outstanding part of it is she created it on a Gammill 26″ classic Longarm with absolutely no bells and whistles! She is my hero! I am inspired to reach to her level, at least this week, that is – next week, I may be more realistic about my goals…

Off to Houston! I am very excited to see all there is to see and take a few classes in addition to all the girlfriend time I’ll get in! Leaving my adoring hubby home with the cats, dogs and chickens – definitely a vacation for me! I’ll let you know all about what I enjoyed and learned and was awestruck by when I get back!

Been working all week on this  one! The blocks are 12″ finished and yes – that is 24 fabrics coming together in the centers. Batiks worked best as they are flatter and more sturdy. Lots of pressing too! I’m thinking I may have to augment the centers with a decorative button or beadwork as a few of the intersections are just not as pretty as they could be.  But overall, I’m pleased. Yet another one of my 15 degree fan patterns that will be coming in May 2012. I think I’ll call it Graphic Fans…

Looks like I just might become one of those ladies who have cat fur all over her quilts!

They spent most of the afternoon here beside me – occasionally Jack, the striped one, would get up and try to chase the sewing machine needle but safety prevailed and he got booted out of the sewing room at every attempt.  Meanwhile, they are filling up my “leaders and enders” piles with lots of fur!

As I look at this picture all blown up on the internet, I suppose I should be concerned about all the “stuff” hanging around my work space. Rest assured, it all comes in handy! The blue, pink and purple fan blocks are coming together – maybe by tomorrow afternoon….

New class – fun feathers! I’ve worked all day on the class preparation and I think I’ve got a pretty good class set up. It premiers on Sunday at Bear’s Paw.

I’ll have to admit it was a bit hard to get all the typing and drawing of feathers completed since one of the kittens, Jack, has discovered that the computer screen is a fascinating thing to play with. All sorts of things move around on it! I’ll have to admit that perhaps the computer is a bit better place to for a kitty to hang around than his choice of entertainment last night!

At least the parts weren’t moving! And as you can see, he soon tired of that activity and moved to other places. If you look closely, you can see him trying to entice a cohort in crime to join him!

I am busily quilting away on this quilt – having a great time working a feather and pebbles fill into the background around the fans when I realize that its a bit crowded around my machine!

Someone keeps playing with my toes and someone else is absolutely fascinated with the toe player!

Its a new pattern to accompany my new ruler coming out with Creative Grids at Spring Market. I am particulary enamored with this quilt. Lots of paper-piecing geese but then NO curved piecing or applique when the background is constructed with my new ruler! Still needs the pattern writing completed and then quilted but for now – I’m off on a new project for the ruler.

Here’s what I’ll be working with…