Inspiration strikes finally!

My design wall looks a little different tonight! Yeah!

(the Navy goat is for Dustin bc he asked)



Ok so tonight I posted to my blog and was trying to clear the backlog of blogs I needed to read before I went to bed.  And there it was...my inspiration ... on Mommy's Nap Time!

So I'm talking about what the next step was with my Habitat challenge

I have had this mess on the wall stuck with what to do.  So I sewed sets of two segments together. Then I got out the 12.5 inch square and cut each out four squares and was left with these

I love it!  It was exactly what I was trying to achieve.  After cutting the squares I was left with a pile of misshapen triangles.  So I got out my smaller 8.5 inch square and cut them into 1/2 square triangles and ended up with these

I will probably play a little with the combinations of triangles.  I think I may float the large and one small on the front in the dogwood gray and no border probably a scrappy binding.  And put the other small on the back with a medium blue from my stash.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

Ive been reorganizing my stash..it still is not neat enough!

Blue scraps challenge part 2 and a question

 Hey blue scrapers!

I have been working on the table runner(I think thats what it is going to be).

Ignore the hst, they are for another project. 

So I took the scraps and sewed a little and laid out some more strips and I have something that looks like this.

I still have some muslin strips to add to the long sides. 

 I also found this blue plaid print in my 90s stash for the backing with a roll to front binding.

Do you think this works?  I would appreciate any comments.

I like the scrappy modern free spirit of it-I didn't really measure, just kind of cut and sewed.

BTW I've been wanting to ask everyone what hint or technique or tool you learned about in 2010 that really helped you be a better quilter.  For me it is spray starch,

 I love this stuff!

 a teacher in a class I took introduced us to it.  I have been using this very inexpensive brand from Walmarts and I love how effective it is in setting seams.  It seems to make my blocks come out better.  Which is good because as you can see above I can get a little wild...

Keep dreaming…Colleen

IKEA fabric haul

ok Im ticked off because once again I spent time writing a post only to have it disappear when I pushed publish.  I thought it was saving drafts!  Is it only me?  Ugh!  Once more...

I forgot to share my fabric haul from IKEA.  You can order online I found my deals at the store in Charlotte, NC.

This first print is from their home decor line.  The line has traditional stripes as well as large modern graphic prints.$7.99 a yard-you cut it yourself!

My mom picked this wonderful blue with white floral print that has orange details.  Im thinking birthday present.

The next three were 47" by 118" bolts for $5.99 on sale!

I loves this red!  It has a wonderful white snowflake like floral with pink and green dots.

This blue with snowflake print was too cute to pass by.

I loved this blue and white snowflake print because, well its snowflakes!

Last is this wonderful aqua and red print with the whimsical graphics. 

Im thinking a backing or border or sashing for the quilt Im planning for my Sherbert Pips charm pack.

Many people have been asking about the comic boards I use to organize my stash.  You can find my post about them here

I also found these websites with other examples using comic boards.
Sew Fantastic. folds her fabric ends and pins them.
Heathers Custom Sewing organizes her whole stash.
smashed peas and carrots shows her beautiful stash in her own IKEA Billy cabinet.

Well time for bed as I have to go back to work tomorrow :o(

Keep dreaming…Colleen

A wonderful handmade ornament from the ornament exchange. Let it snow!

Blue Scraps challenge...and my stash

 I joined up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at Soscrappy.  She called for us to dig into our blue scraps and make something. 

She gave some ideas on her blog of a mug rug or some blocks.  I pulled out my blue scraps and my white/neutral scraps. 

I just sewed and cut and ironed and used my Dresden wedge ruler. 

 I ended up with this.

I think that I may take these blue and white scraps...

And piece strips on the ends to create a table runner. And these scraps

To piece a backing.

 I need a gift for an upcoming family get together next Sat, and this may fill the bill.

BTW check out this stash!

These are my new Billy bookshelves from IKEA. They were on sale for $99 with the glass doors.  I will put those on after I finish straightening the mess. FYI I used comic boards to create all of these lovely mini bolts.  100 for about $7 or 8 .  Check out my how to here. I need to get another pack because I still have some fabric to fold. 

All the little containers stacked up the middle and off to the side are my scraps and fat quarters.  I still need to sort through and organize them better.  It is delightful to be able to see all the fabric I have. 

 The fabric on the left is my 90's stash.  On the right the top shelf  is my feed sacks, batiks, and repros from the 90's too.  The 2nd and third shelves are mostly new fabrics I have been collecting.  Then my solids including hand dyed. Next to the bottom are baskets I am organizing fat quarters into. The bottom is my Christmas fabrics.  Be looking for my January stash giveaway coming up in a week or so.  I will be choosing some fabric from my blue 90s stash.  I may just coordinate my giveaways to the Rainbow Scrap challenge.

Keep dreaming…Colleen

the orginial lucky duck

Giveaway winner! and a challenge completed

So I did the random generator thing and picked #54! 

Yeah!!!!...????ohhhhh.  Colleen!



  There were only 53 comments not 55!  Opps!  My bad!

So I picked again, and drum rollllllllllll #30.....Joanna of Needle, Thread, Happiness is the winner!

Joanna said, "I learned about your giveaway on Linda at Stray Stitches' blog. The lapquilt you won is a great prize. And I am addicted to Christmas fabric. I love all of the collections, and especially love vintage. I'm posting your giveaway on the sidebar of my blog. "


If you you are looking for some stash busting ideas for your vintage Christmas fabric then check out the comments on the original giveaway post. I have made my on todo list.


So now for Amy's Creative Side-One Week, One Thing Challenge . I finished it! Yeah me! I machine quilted and put the binding on a lap quilt that is a gift for someone.

Which means I can't show you anything but this little snippet.

Here is a picture of it folded up with my current UFO boxes, first new modern quilt, the Christmas mix tape quilt I won, and the top quilt is the one I finished this week. 

Look back for a full picture after I give it to _______shhhh! Also another 1990's stash giveaway at the end of the month. I am thinking blues maybe or some novelty-there is that Mystery Quilt going on by Bonnie Hunter.





Keep dreaming...Colleen aka 'butterflygirl'

the sand box

     Do you remember when you were a kid and nothing was more fun then the sandbox?  The feel of the sand running through your fingers,  pushing that shovel into the sand, throwing the sand at your friend,  filling up a bucket, and then dumping it out.  Life in a sandbox was about exploring and seeing what you could create.  Since I have set up my studio I have been playing in the sandbox.  Alot.  Except fabric is my sand . 

I am inspired to try many new things and one day I started making stuffies.  I saw them everywhere -  in small gift stores, magazines, and online. 

So I suddenly had a great desire to make one or six.  Of course the challenge of thinking about fabric both texture and pattern led me to explore and evaluate my stash.  Don't you love a challenge?  It molds your thinking and allows you to to create in ways you never dreamed of. 

I kept thinking about the cat and dog blocks my grandmother Myers had made.  I like the simple yet graphic design.  They would make great stuffies!

So I started with a combination cat or dog like shape.  I like hand drawing the pattern on ordinary scraps of printer paper.  I save all those extra pages that always print with junk on them.  I pulled this ugly green floral stripe flannel from my stash for the body. 

Then  I found a scrap of floral upholstry fabric for the face. 

I cut out two bodies and faces.  After zig zag stitching the faces on I embellished them with buttons and embroidery floss.

I went back to my stash and found other fabrics of different textures and prints and colors. 

And drew some more patterns - like these bunnies.

And so a gang of stuffies is born from the scraps of my stash. 

Keep dreaming...and playing in your sandboxes...Colleen

Fabric stash dilemma

So I unloaded bins and the shelf in my closet and put my entire stash on my new cutting table. 

But then I was left with the dilemma of how to fold and better store all of this fabric.  So I did a little research and found Polar Notions mini bolt boards.

This seemed the perfect solution but on my budget it was not an option.  Then someone online suggested using comic boards.  So I went to my local comic book store and picked up a pack of 100 for around $7.  They come in slightly different sizes and are archival quality with either one or both sides coated.

First I like to fold fabric in half twice based on the longer width.  If the fabric more then 2 yards you may need to fold additional times to get it into a manageable length.

I then fold over about 3 inches of fabric and slide the board into the fold of the fabric.

Then fold the board over and over until you have all of the fabric wrapped securely.

Polar Notions sells a clip to hold the fabric in place.  I didn't use anything.  I really like how well in holds the fabric and how neat it makes the shelves. 

 

Now all I have to do is finish the rest of my stash...sigh*

Keep Dreaming...:o) Colleen