College Road Trip by the Numbers

Last week was my kids' spring vacation and after the winter we've had, I should have spent it somewhere warm, laying on a beach, while being served tropical drinks.  Instead, my daughter -- a junior in high school -- and I loaded our phones with music, filled the car with snacks, and headed out to visit prospective colleges.

Here's our first college road trip by the numbers:

We visited

4 colleges in 

3 days in

3 states in

3 different cities,

2 of which claimed to have been voted the best "Foodie City in America."

We spent

13 hours driving, surviving

2 near misses in Connecticut and managing to avoid

9 fender benders during the

60 minutes we spent traveling

6 miles in Boston at

8 o'clock in the morning.  During those

13 hours in the car, my daughter consumed

5 bags of Combos and I drank

17 bottles of water while my daughter, in a futile attempt to turn me into a hipster, forced me to listen to

3 episodes of "Welcome to Night Vale" -- a very strange and creepy, but occasionally funny (and I'm not just saying that to appear hipster-ish) podcast.

We attended

5 information sessions given by

10 perky college students and

3 only slightly less perky admissions officers and attended by

200 anxious juniors and their

400 extremely anxious parents and me (I, of course, was cool as a cucumber) and during which we witnessed only

1 instance of extremely overt student brown-nosing (surprising) and

14 instances of embarrassing parental brown-nosing (less surprising) and, much to our delight,

1 snazzy British father sporting a cravat.

We walked

15 miles during

6 tours guided by

7 impressive college students who, with perfect comedic timing, managed to deliver

50 charming and witty anecdotes while walking backwards.

During the road trip, we spent

23 hours on campuses during which we noticed that at 

9 o'clock in the morning, there are

0 students visible on campus, but that on a sunny day at

3 o'clock in the afternoon, there are

1,000's.  During that same

23 hours we also attended

1 amazing music theory class with

20 ultra-cool students and I spent

45 minutes seeking out restrooms, which I hope was thanks to the

17 bottles of water I consumed during the

13 hours in the car, and not due to

1 developing case of overactive bladder.

In all, my daughter and I spent

67 hours in each other's company during which we spent an exciting, but exhausting,

47 hours discussing campuses, admissions, applications, essays, SATs... and yet somehow, we managed to have only

2 spats,

1 of which occurred because my daughter punched me when she saw a "punch buggy" because she is, after all, 

16 years old and apparently has no idea that she has the strength of a

21 year old

6 foot

3 inch

200 pound specimen.  But despite my sore arm, I forgave her because she is, after all, my

1 and only daughter and our road trip, while amazing, and which made me so excited for her (and yes, a bit jealous), reminded me that she has only approximately

485 days left at home.  

...sigh

Just Keep Swimming

April 10th and I woke up this morning to another half inch of ice on my car.  Now normally this would really set me off, especially on the heels of the three inches of snow that we got the day before.  I mean really, April 10th?!

But not today.  Today I'm flying high and even the prospect of spending 20 minutes scraping off my windshield can't diminish my good mood.  32°, whatever.  Freezing rain, bring it on.  I just don't care because as of today I'm officially a Moda Bake Shop Chef!!

My first recipe, Just Keep Swimming, is featured today at the Moda Bake Shop.  After our annual trip to Maine last summer (remember summer??) I was inspired to try my hand at incorporating fish into my quilt designs.  This happy little project is one of the results.

Twelve tropical fish swim around colorful patchwork on this fun 16" x 16" little quilt.  Just Keep Swimming is a fast and easy project that basically requires only one mini charm pack and 2/3 yard of a background fabric.  I chose to make this version with a "Paradiso" mini charm pack by Kate Spain for Moda.  I love her bright colors and bold patterns and I think they look great against the Bella Solid Royal Blue -- perfect for summer.

Here's a slightly quieter version of Just Keep Swimming, also made with Kate Spain fabric -- "Horizons" this time -- clearly I love Kate Spain's fabric.

Not sure if you noticed, but the fish are swimming in opposite directions in the two quilts.  Just a little construction issue that I hammered out for my tutorial -- never fear!

Just Keep Swimming is definitely doable in a weekend.  And if you'd like to turn it into a pillow, I give suggestions about how to do so in my Moda Bake Shop recipe.

The only problem I had making Just Keep Swimming was trying to find some sand for my cover shot!  New Hampshire has been inundated with snow this winter and it's hard to even find exposed ground, much less sand.  But last week I visited a nearby lake and after trudging 200 yards along a beach through knee deep snow, I managed to find a 2 foot strip of sand.  I then proceeded to make a sand castle while wearing boots and a ski coat.  Which was surreal in and of itself, but to top it off, the sand was water-logged and heavy and the wind blowing down the lake was arctic and by the time I finished, I could barely see through the tears in my eyes and the mascara running down my face -- hence the less than desirable sand castle.  I'm sure I looked like a fool making a sand castle while bundled up for winter and sporting raccoon eyes, but I got my cover shot.  And hey, it almost looks like summer, right?

Have fun making your own little quilt!  And if the weather is getting you down, just keep swimming...

"Hothouse Flowers" - Free Pattern

Happy Spring!

And I say that with a grain of salt.  It's been sunny here, but windy and cold.  There's a chance of snow in the forecast, again, and I don't even want to talk about how deep the snow is in my yard.

But in honor of the "official" start of spring, here's my Hothouse Flowers quilt.  It's a Web Extra for Quilters Newsletter's April/May 2015 issue and you can find the free pattern for this distinctly unwintry project on QN's website.

Hothouse Flowers is a scrappy 30" x 30" quilt featuring oversized hand appliquéd flowers.  I originally made it as a wall quilt, but this month, in defiance of the weather outside, I've been using it on my kitchen table.  I'm kind of a rebel.

I love the gorgeous colors of the batik flowers and their fussy cut centers, but I have to admit, the best part of making this quilt was naming it.  As usual, I asked my family for name suggestions and this time they were particularly inspired.  The following names were the top contenders:

Flower Power (seen it)

Floral Fantasy

Petal Power

Petal to the Metal (clever, but a smidge masculine)

Lazy Daisy (been done)

Bellicose Rose

Mum's the Word

Crocus Pocus (seriously, the flowers look nothing like crocuses!)

Gerber Fervor

Pistil Sizzle (in case you're having trouble remembering your plant anatomy, the pistil is the female reproductive organ of a flower)

Flamin' Stamen (you guessed it, the stamen is the male reproductive organ of a flower -- obviously my family was getting a little out of control)


And finally, and perhaps the most outrageous:

Pollination Quilt-Nation


Clearly I was on my own; so "Hothouse Flowers" it was.  Maybe it's a bit sedate compared to some of the above, and it's certainly not as memorable, but at least it's appropriate and doesn't conjure up memories of high school biology... shudder.

Feel free to choose one of my family's suggested names for your version of Hothouse Flowers.  I mean, how could you go wrong with "Pollination Quilt-Nation?"

Happy Quilting!

Think Spring - Free Pattern

My vacation from blogging seems to have lasted just a bit longer than the week or two that I intended and I blame this winter.  Endless cold days and being buried under four feet of snow forced me into a kind of blogging hibernation.  But yesterday the sun came out, the temperature reached 40° and I realized that it was time to emerge from my cave, whereupon I heard birds singing, drove through mud on our dirt road, and grilled chicken on the barbecue for dinner.  Reinvigorated and hopeful, I decided to celebrate these unmistakable signs of impending spring with this quick little project:

I chose to insert this sweet quilt into a 5" x 7" frame, but if you prefer you could make it into a small wall hanging or turn it into a pillow.  Using the following directions, the unfinished quilt top dimensions will be 7½" x 9½".


You'll Need:

Green print:  10" x 10" - cut (2) - 2" x 4½" and (2) - 2" x 9½"

Cream print:  10" x 10" - cut (1) 3" x 6½" and use remaining fabric for foundation piecing of crocus blocks.  I found that if I cut 2" x 2" squares and cut each diagonally into two triangles, that the triangles were big enough to use for the cream sections of the crocus block (ie. A2, A3, A6, A7, A9 and A10).

Scraps of purple prints, yellow prints, and additional green prints if so desired (the 10" x 10" square of green print gives you enough to use that green in the crocus blocks as well).

Batting:  9" x 11"

Also needed:
Washout marking pen, spray basting adhesive (really helpful), purple embroidery floss - I used DMC's #3740, black, white and yellow embroidery floss - if you'd like to include the bee, and a 5" x 7" frame

(if you choose to turn this project into a wall hanging or pillow, you'll need additional fabric for the backing, binding, etc.)


To make the crocus blocks:

The 1½" x 1½" crocus blocks are paper pieced and I borrowed the block pattern from EQ7.

You'll want to print out or copy four foundation patterns (find the template here) and make sure that they measure 1½" x 1½" from solid line to solid line -- 2" x 2" from outer dotted line to outer dotted line.  1½" square seems small, but it wasn't unmanageable.

If you are new to paper piecing, here's a link to a Fons & Porter tutorial to help you out.

To assemble the quilt top:

After making the four crocus blocks, stitch them together horizontally and press the seams open.  Then stitch the cream print 3" x 6½" to the top of the row of crocuses (or is it croci??) and press towards the cream 3" x 6½".  Stitch a green print 2" x 4½" to either side of the center unit, pressing towards the green.  Finally, stitch a green print 2" x 9½" to the top and bottom of the center unit, pressing towards the green.  Remove the paper from behind the crocus blocks and press the finished quilt top well.

To finish the quilt top:

Referring to my framed quilt and using a washout marking pen, trace the "Think Spring," bee, and bee trail onto the quilt top.  I used a lightbox left over from my scrapbooking days for this step.  Then lightly spray basting adhesive to the 9" x 11" piece of batting and smooth the quilt top over it, right side up.  I like to embroider with the batting in place because it gives the stitching dimension and prevents the floss ends, etc. from showing through your fabric.

For the proper scale, when you print the above embroidery pattern (find the template here), the rectangle should measure 2½" x 6".  Use two strands of embroidery floss and a running stitch for the embroidery.  The dots above the two i's are french knots and I only used one strand of black floss for the bee's trail.  Trim the edges of your quilt and don't forget to wash out the marking pen.  And here's a close-up of the bee to help you out:

To insert the quilt into the frame:

Remove the contents of the frame - back, any padding, glass, etc.  Center the glass behind your quilt top and wrap the edges of the quilt around it.  You can tape the edges to the glass if you like or simply reinsert the glass and quilt into the frame -- the extra width helps to hold it in place.  Then put the back of the frame in place, taping if necessary.  And that's it!

I put my little quilt on the kitchen windowsill where it not only reminds me to hope for spring, but it also blocks out the view of the acres of snow in the backyard!

Only 10 days until spring!!

Heart-to-Heart - Free Pattern

Happy early Valentine's Day!

I've had Valentine's Day on my mind for days and now my workroom floor is buried under stacks of pink, red, and white fabric.

There are the salmon pinks:

The light pinks:

And the candy pinks:

The reds:

The whites:

And the solids:

I've got a pile of pink wool:

And a yummy pile of pink embroidery floss and heart buttons:

I've lost not one, but two, quilting rulers somewhere in the chaos (unless one of my kids is playing a trick on me) and it occurs to me that I may have a bit of an obsession with pink.  Can't help it!  I'm a sucker for pink!

My workroom looks like it's been coated in Pepto-Bismol, but it's unbelievably inspiring!  Somehow if I throw enough fabric on the floor, I eventually come up with some good ideas.  It's messy, but it's my process.

And the result?

Well, I landed on the candy pinks and whites and came up with this sweet reversible pillow:

This scrappy little pillow measures 12" x 12" and it was very easy to make.  I love it in the pink and white, but it would also be great in red and white, red and pink, or even purple and red.  Go crazy!


If you'd like to make my Heart-to-Heart pillow, you'll need:

Pink prints:
26 -- 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
8 -- 3" x 3" squares

White prints:
26 -- 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
8 -- 3" x 3" squares

12" x 12" pillow form

(Obviously if you don't have as many pink fabrics as I do, you should treat yourself to a Valentine's Day shopping spree at your favorite quilt shop.  I won't tell!)

Assemble the half-square triangles:
1.  Gather one pink print 3" square and one white print 3" square.
2.  Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the white print 3" square.
3.  Layer a marked white print square atop a pink print 3" square (right sides together).  Sew the pair together with two seams, stitching a scant 1/4" on each side of drawn line.
4.  Cut apart on drawn line to make two triangle units.  Press open each unit towards pink print.
5.  Trim each half-square triangle to 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".
6.  Repeat with remaining pink print 3"squares and white print 3" squares to make 16 half-square triangles total.

Assemble pink heart pillow side:
1.  Referring to photos of pillow lay out 4 pink print 2 1/2" squares, 22 white print 2 1/2" squares, and  8 half-square triangles in six horizontal rows.
2.  Join rows to make pink heart pillow side.
3.  Press seams in one direction.  The pillow side should measure 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" including seam allowances.

Assemble white heart pillow side:
1.  Referring to photos of pillow lay out 4 white print 2 1/2" squares, 22 pink print 2 1/2" squares, and  8 half-square triangles in six horizontal rows.
2.  Join rows to make white heart pillow side.
3.  Press seams in one direction.  The pillow side should measure 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" including seam allowances.

Assemble pillow:
1.  After carefully pressing both pillow sides, lay one atop the other with right sides together.  Pin.  Stitch 1/4" from rough edges around entire edge of pillow, leaving an 8" gap at the bottom for turning.
2.  Press seams to set, clip corners, and turn pillow.
3.  Insert 12" x 12" pillow form and blind stitch opening closed.  Voilà!

The above instructions for assembling the pillow are pretty basic.  Feel free to line the pillow with muslin or to insert a zipper at the bottom.  I actually did use a zipper and I struggled because the seam allowance was only 1/4" -- not really enough to machine sew the zipper in place.  After I ripped out a few attempts, stormed out of my workroom, and eventually calmed down, I finally managed to hand stitch the zipper into place.  I'm not sure it was worth the effort, but if you're a fancy zipper kind of gal, go for it!

Have fun and Happy Valentine's Day!

Quilters Newsletter's Best Tradition with a Twist Quilts blog tour - Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of Quilters Newsletter's Best Tradition with a Twist Quilts 2015 blog tour!

QN's Best Tradition with a Twist Quilts special issue is now available at quilt shops, bookstores, newsstands, and on line at Quilt and Sew Shop.  Inside you'll find a great article by Victoria Findlay Wolfe, 6 helpful designer tips, and patterns for 21 beautiful projects.  At the core, all of the quilts are traditional, but each has a twist that makes it unique, new, and surprisingly modern.

My quilt, Cornflower Crossing (p. 16), is a fast and fun project made using only one block.  That block is based on a simple nine-patch block -- so easy and one of the first blocks quilters learn to make -- what could be more traditional?

And my twist?  I've kept the block construction the same, still 9 patches, but I've changed the sizes of the patches to create an asymmetrical nine-patch block:

I also rotated the blocks to give the quilt interest and a sense of motion.  As is often the case, rotating the blocks created an unexpected secondary pattern -- if you step back and squint at the quilt, you can actually see cascading leaves:

Another twist:  I chose to use only 2 colors for this quilt.  There is a subtle linen texture in the French General "Le Bouquet Français" fabrics that I used, but they read as solids.  I chose these fabrics rather than prints because I was concerned that prints would fight the design rather than showcase it and because I wanted to keep the quilt from becoming too busy.

Blue and white not your thing?  I played around in EQ to give you a few more color options...

A buttery yellow would have been my second choice because I've always wanted to make a yellow and white quilt:

And here's the yellow and white inverted, hmm...:

Here's red and white, maybe for Christmas:

And here's a 3 color version, that I'm kind of liking.  It reminds me of plaid:

Choosing a quilting pattern for this quilt was tricky.  With such a graphic, geometric design, my mind went immediately to linear quilting patterns that would echo the lines of the quilt.  But instead of accentuating the design, the linear patterns seemed to muddy it.  I had an aha moment when I decided to go in a completely different direction and try a curvy, meandering quilting pattern.  Anne Bright's "Wild Mouse" pattern dances across the quilt without detracting from the clean, simple design.

There's one final, fun twist to my quilt.  Look closely at the photo and check out the backing fabric:

Here, let me help:

It's an oversized toile-inspired floral -- totally traditional and definitely unexpected on the back of a modern, graphic quilt.  But I love the juxtaposition of business in the front and party in the back (at least on a quilt!!) and I couldn't help myself.

And now, patient reader, if you'd like a chance to win a bundle of P&B Textiles' "True Blue!" fabric leave a comment on this post before 11:59 pm MDT tonight (1/28/2015) by clicking on the word "comments" below.  You'll be redirected to a "Post a Comment" window.  Once there, either scroll to the bottom of the window or click "Jump to Comment Form" and follow the directions to leave your comment.  I'll draw one name at random, so please make sure I have your email address.

Good luck and happy quilting!

***This contest is now closed.  Thank you for all of your comments and don't forget to visit the QN blog today (1/29) and tomorrow (1/30) for links to other designers' blogs and more chances to win!  Good luck!***

QN Best Tradition with a Twist Quilts 2015 Blog Tour Update

Welcome to Day 1 of Quilters Newsletter's Best Tradition with a Twist Quilts 2015 blog tour!

I know you may have been expecting me to help kick off the tour today; instead I'm actually going to be posting tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th.  But the good news is that the blog tour is now underway and there are two chances to win today.

First check out Brenda Miller's blog:  "Among Brenda's Quilts and Bags" for a look at her beautiful Skip a Beat table runner.  With its foundation-pieced heart blocks, I think it would be perfect for Valentine's Day.

Then head over to Janet Jo Smith's blog "Threads of Thought" at dyesmithy.com.  She's made a lovely two color quilt, Lady in Red, using her own gorgeous hand-dyed fabrics.

And finally, don't forget to check back here tomorrow for my post (I promise!) and a chance to win a P&B Textiles fabric bundle!

Good luck!