Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sunday Stash #236 Feedsack Fabric and More

Original Feedsack Fabric
The Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair was on this week and weekend (ends today) and as always is a great day spent with like minded quilting friends and fabric fiends. I spent quite some time viewing the quilts but also wandered the aisles in search of fabric ... and there was plenty to be found as well as nifty notions and gadgets galore.

Feedsack Fabric

For me it was all about feedsack fabrics ...

Feedsack Fabric

Feedsack fabrics featured here are pieces from American vintage sacks. I don't have a project in mind for these fabrics as yet, but they are so lovely and still in great condition (no stains or tears) so I will definitely need to think of a project to feature these precious pieces.

Maze and Vale Hand Printed Fabrics

I also met Leslie Keating, owner and designer behind Maze and Vale and picked up these beautiful hand printed fabrics. Leslie uses natural fibers upon which to print her own designs using environmentally friendly inks and fine cottons (as well as linen blends). Leslie is now also running workshops in block printing and freeform patchwork from her Melbourne based studio.

Japanese Fabric Yoshiko Jinzenji Rose Rose Rose
Japanese Fabric by Yoshiko Jinzenji for Yuwa 
Also this week - arriving by mail - these text and low volume prints by popular Japanese fabric designer Yoshiko Jinzenji for Yuwa which are available from:

Miss Matatabi (Etsy)

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

A Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway ~ The Aurifil Piecing Box

With much gratitude I received a surprise parcel in the mail from the Fat Quarter Shop!
Aurifil Piecing Box Threads - exclusive to the Fat Quarter Shop
This box of Aurifil Piecing threads is exclusive to the Fat Quarter Shop and includes 12 spools of 50wt cotton thread (1422 yards each) in some of the most common colors used for piecing. Well, they're certainly the colors that I use almost daily.

Aurifil Piecing Box Threads - exclusive to the Fat Quarter Shop

When piecing with great quality quilting cotton fabrics it is important to also use a quality thread, and for general patchwork piecing neutral color threads that match your sewing project are often used - neutral colors ranging from black and navy right through to cream and white. Aurifil Mako 50 wt is silky smooth and fine and at the same time strong and durable.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kimberly and the team at the Fat Quarter Shop are giving away one exclusive Aurifil Piecing Box to one lucky RPQ reader. That's 12 spools of thread!

Aurifil Piecing Box Threads

To be in the draw please leave a comment on this blog post. Only one comment per person/per email address - email me if you are not able to leave a comment (redpepperquilts at gmail.com) and I will leave a comment on your behalf. International entries welcome!

The draw will take place at 8pm on Friday 27 June 2014 (Australia EST) and the winner will be announced by edit to this blog post. The winner will also be notified by email.





Thank you for all of your entries!
ENTRY HAS NOW CLOSED
====================
The lucky winner of the box of Aurifil Piecing Threads is:
Congratulations Candace! Candace has been contacted by email.

Thank you Kimberly and the team at the Fat Quarter Shop for such a generous giveaway!

Good luck everyone,
Rita

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Drunkard's Path Quilt - A Finished Quilt

A Quilt in Pictures
Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts
Drunkard's Path Quilt
60 inches x 60 inches
Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts

This quilt! I am so thrilled with how this quilt has turned out, and I have gained so much confidence when it comes to sewing those curves. I am glad that I have persevered with sewing curves and worked towards a method that works well for me. Even if that means using no pins and trimming the blocks if so needed.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts

I have used many of my favorite (favorite!!) fabrics to make this quilt. I have many fabrics in my stash that I love, most of which are only small pieces, a fat quarter or less, which I have collected over the last 8 years or so. I don't have any hesitation in using these special fabric in my projects. It feels right that they're used in a handmade item that will be used and so loved. It also brings me great happiness to work with these fabrics.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts
Backing fabric: Pam Kitty Picnic Tiny Toile in Lime Green 
The quilt is quilted with simple straight lines running edges to edge horizontally and vertically as well as a set of diagonal lines that run through the center of the circles. This quilt is all about the fabrics and the quilting is minimal and functional. That's not to say that it isn't quite heavily/densely quilted.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - binding - Red Pepper Quilts
Binding fabric: Timeless Treasures Black/White Stripe
Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts

The Drunkard's Path block is such a versatile block, and the layout possibilities with different fabric combinations are endless. I see more of these quilts in my future and can't wait to play with design, patterns and different size blocks.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts

This quilt has already sold and is now on the way to a new owner.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
Drunkard's Path Quilt - work in progress and Sewing Curves - No Pins Tutorial
Black/White Stripe Binding Fabric Information


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Sunday, June 22, 2014

Sunday Stash #235 Arizona by April Rhodes

Arizona by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics
Arizona by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics
Arizona by April Rhodes is a limited edition collection for Art Gallery fabrics and is inspired  April's love for the South West; shades of desert gold and peach against a dusty sky and designs influenced by tribal symbolism.

Arizona by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics

The collection is made up of just 8 versatile prints some which are larger scale in design and would make great feature fabrics for say bags and home accessories, and of course quilts. I also note a touch of metallic on the triangle print (with minty green background), which I know we'll see more of in fabric collection due to arrive in stores over the next few months. I am not the biggest fan of blingy, shiny, glitter, metallic but so badly want to learn love it on fabric. I can be convinced ...

Arizona by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics

Arizona by April Rhodes is now in stores and available from:
Pure Elements - coordinating solid fabrics for Arizona - Art Gallery Fabrics
Coordinating solid fabrics Pure Elements by Art Gallery Fabrics from L to R:  
Sweet Mint, Nocturnal, Linen White,  Peach Sherbet, Apricot Crepe, Honey.
Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Work in Progress

Drunkard's Path Quilt - sewing curves without pins - Red Pepper Quilts

Other than my recent adventures with free hand cutting and curves sewing, I haven't dabbled in curved piecing for quite some time. My last quilt that involved lots of curved piecing was the Gobstopper Quilt made in January 2010 and although that quilt worked out really well, I don't have the fondest memories of piecing it. All those pins!

Drunkard's Path Quilt - sewing curves without pins - Red Pepper Quilts

Let's face it. Right or wrong, I am just not a pinner. So this time around I went for a complete no pin plan, and it was a revelation!

Drunkard's Path Templates
28mm Olfa Rotary Cutter
I have used Drunkard's Path templates to make the blocks (5 inch finished block). And because I don't like tracing templates, nor cutting fabric with scissors, I have used a small rotary cutter to cut directly around the templates.The small diameter blade (28mm) is great for cutting around tight curves and templates. No tracing, no scissors.

Red Pepper Quilts --> Sewing Drunkard's Path Blocks - No pins
Sewing Drunkard's Path Blocks - No Pins
Click on image or Right Click on Image and open in a New Tab for larger view.
NOTES:
I use a quarter inch presser foot and short stitch length.
Image 1: Place the two pieces in front of you as pictured in first image.
Image 2: Flip the concave piece (on the right hand side) onto the center piece, right sides together. Align edges along the top. Drop presser foot and take one or two stitches and back stitch.
Image 3: Gather up the concave piece into your left hand, hold lightly so that it can unfurl as you stitch without stretching. Align the edges of the two pieces and stitch slowly.
Continue to stitch slowly, stopping as is required to adjust the fabric pieces and align edges of the pieces together. Stitch all the way to the end.
Press seam allowance (see second last image).

Drunkard's Path Quilt - sewing curves without pins - Red Pepper Quilts

No pinning, no matching points along the way, no glue basting, no clipping curves. This worked well for me and was way faster than pinning, but much more importantly I actually loved sewing these units! As always, you should do what works best for you. Sew and be happy.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Work in Progress - Red Pepper Quilts

The fabrics that I have used are many of my favorites, some that I have been hoarding and collecting for a number of years and are now hard to find. Many of the fabrics are Japanese imports but if you look closely you'll also see many modern designer quilting cottons as well as a few retro prints.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Work in Progress - Red Pepper Quilts
144 Drunkard's Path Blocks
Quilt Top measures 60 inches x 60 inches
The design/layout for Drunkard's Path blocks are endless. Half of my blocks have been made with a dark center fabric, and the other half with a light center fabric. I have then laid out my blocks so that the light/dark fabrics alternate as well as so that four blocks form a circle; a fairly traditional layout.

Drunkard's Path Quilt - Work in Progress - Red Pepper Quilts
Drunkard's Path Quilt - Work in Progress - Red Pepper Quilts

If you have any questions regarding the no-pins process please don't hesitate to ask and I will reply in the comments section.

More soon.
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Drunkard's Path Quilt - A Finished Quilt

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The Weekend in Stitches: Modern Triangles - A Patchwork Pillow Cover

Weekend sewing looked like this:

Modern Triangles - Patchwork by Red Pepper Quilts
Modern Triangles - Patchwork by Red Pepper Quilts

These traditional patchwork units with a modern design/layout have been on my mind for a while ... and that which gets into my head needs to come out eventually. Rather than try out this free style design on a large project, like a quilt, I decided to go small scale first.

Modern Triangles - Patchwork Pillow by Red Pepper Quilts
By freestyle I am referring to the placement of the half rectangle triangles. Although I did have a general design in mind I arranged the triangles freestyle, creating a "pattern" in progress (as opposed to sketching and coloring a design first). I think I work better by doing rather than planning, which in my case might lead to overthinking. Straight from my head to my hands and the sewing machine. 

Modern Triangles - Patchwork Pillow by Red Pepper Quilts

The solid fabrics used are all Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons, and I have added just a few printed fabrics for interest. No project escapes the addition of black gingham at the moment! Or text fabric for that matter, but text fabrics have been a much longer obsession.

Modern Triangles (quilting detail) - Patchwork Pillow by Red Pepper Quilts

Quilted! When making a pillow cover I still make a "proper" quilt sandwich which includes the pillow top, batting and a layer of cotton backing fabric (the back of which will be visible from inside the pillow cover). I also pin baste the pillow top in the same way - taping the layers to the floor and then pinning the layers together. (I have previously written about my basting technique here).

Modern Triangles (front and back) - Patchwork Pillow by Red Pepper Quilts

For the back of the pillow I have used a single home decorator weight fabric by Heather Moore (Skinny la Minx). The pillow cover has a zippered side seam for easy insert removal and cleaning.
Modern Triangles - Patchwork Pillow by Red Pepper Quilts

This pillow is for sale and is listed in my Etsy Store.

You will find the listing details here: Modern Patchwork Pillow Cover


This design will need to be worked up into a quilt!

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Etsy Store
More Red Pepper Quilts Pillows
Sunday Stash #164 - Skinny la Minx

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Sunday, June 15, 2014

Sunday Stash #234 Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra

Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra for Cloud9 Fabrics
Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra for Cloud9 Fabrics
Sunday stash is brought to you today by the mail delivery of the week: Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra, and for second week in a row a Cloud9 Fabrics collection and therefore 100% certified organic quilting cotton - such a lovely base fabric, great to work with.

Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra for Cloud9 Fabrics

Lotus flowers, frogs in a pond, snails and butterflies ...
The collection consists of 12 fabric, 7 different designs both large scale and smaller scale. I love the cheerful and saturated color palette and as an added bonus there are a number of prints that are great for boys! I also rather adore the snail fabrics, as well well as both prints with the clean white background. Perfect for my low volume stash. 

Lotus Pond by Rae Hoekstra for Cloud9 Fabrics

LOTUS POND BY RAE HOEKSTRA  is in stores now and available from:

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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