Lulu Leesa's Cozy Corner: April 2016

I got this new fabric at my door step last week, and I am absolutely adoring it. I usually tend not to lean towards lighter shades, but this retro 30's print was calling my name. Yes....I hear voices. It happens when you are a fabric addict a/k/a fabriholic. There is a psychological phenomenon in which little voices in our heads tells us to just buy it, because some day, we are going to need it...and you never know when that some day will emerge. Honestly, I'm sitting here completely exhausted from work, after 8 hours of sitting at a computer, one would think I had enough to do with writing; however, I can not resist to show off my current quilting project. Just chalk it up to insanity. Therefore, allow me to indulge.

Wilmington Prints - 40 Karat Crystals
Pnafores & Petticoats
By Kay England
2 1/2 " jelly roll

In any event, I purchased this fabric from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. and the line is from Willimington Prints www.wilmingtonprints.com Pinafores & Petticoats by Kaye England - 40 Karat Crystals. A perfect 2-1/2 inch cut jelly roll strips. This is actually my first time purchasing a jelly roll because I am usually too cheap to pay for pre-cuts when I can cut them myself. However, it would have taken an awfully long time to find all these beautiful coordinating colors on bolts, so therefore, I had to carefully considered my options. This option being the best, whereas, the alternative would have been me bringing 16 to 18 bolts of fabric to the lady at the cutting table in the fabric store. Then again, it might not be the lady at the cutting board who would want to skin me alive, rather, I would be more concerned with those that stood on the line behind me.This option most likely saved me from writing my own death warrant.

Then I was faced with the decision on what I could do with this fabric. Originally, I thought of doing the double wedding ring pattern. If you are not familiar with that pattern, it has a lot of curves. I was given an old magazine which had the pattern and templates in it but considering that I'm not actually legally married, I didn't want to jinx myself. You see, the double wedding ring quilt is given to a couple that are engaged to be married...and I believe, and someone correct me if I am wrong, that not even the future bride can have it before then, or be in its possession. I know...old superstition but hey, I still don't walk under a ladder so for now, I put that pattern on the back burner; unless someone I know is going to get married.

One morning, while having my coffee, I stumbled upon the YouTube Video form the Missouri Star Quilt Co. "Jenny's Studio Star Quilt" and it hit me! Yes, the light went on and I knew I had the fabric -- even the background fabric...so I started cutting. I realized, that I had the actual pattern from the magazine that I subscribe to from MSQ "Block." Sometimes I amaze myself. Simply put -- take a bat to my head and wake me up. The pattern looks complicated but the video helps and with a little patience in cutting, you too can be well on your way of making this block. Jenny calls it the Studio Star but it actually is quite an old block. The original name is "Sister's Choice" and it was done with HST (half square triangles). I like the way that Jenny came up with snowballing the corners for the same effect.

It is assembled in three rows, actually 2 rows and the middle is the sashing strip. The backing fabric I had bought at Joann Fabrics and it was sitting in my stash just waiting to be put to good use. I'll have to update you with more pictures as this quilt progresses because I never know what a quilt is going to actually look like until I play with the blocks.

It was about this time last year when my first quilt project began. Actually, it began just like most

things in my life. Spontaneously -- jumping in with two feet and not looking over my shoulder. For years I had an old Kenmore sewing machine hiding away in my closet. Just like everything, it was taking up space with everything else I seem to hoard, in hopes one day it will find a useful purpose.

Don't get me wrong, it surely has had its days when I made beautiful cafe curtains for my dining room with a sheer swag to drape over it. How proud I am to display the drapes and bragged about my sewing abilities -- it seemed to have stopped there.

Most of my time was spent on knitting, everything from Aran afghans (celtic knots) to socks. Yes, I said "socks." Using 3 to 4 double pointed knitting needles, I would (and still do) knit socks. The self striping yarns I found were amazing and for hours after work, and even during my lunch hour, I would sit and knit. It was a hobby you could carry with you everywhere. I would grab my skein and go! Tommy was in awe at the turn out and the size of the knitting community when I took him to the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival as I carefully calculated my route to the vendors. Well, more like squeezed through the crowd. It must have been the first time going to a function in New York that I didn't have to worry about anyone pick pocketing me.

Then....I can remember it well, I was browsing through videos on YouTube and I came across a video from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. - the disappearing four patch block and to me, it seemed simple enough. I must have played the video 5 times before I ran out to buy some fabric. I did not want to take on a quilt project but I sure could use a nice table runner. Why not -- that old machine is just sitting there and surely it needed some attention. This is where the moment happened. I watched the video again and took notes...measurements and before I knew it -- I was sewing "on point." I simply amazed myself.

At the same time, my dear, close friend was battling lung cancer. I would frequently right through Facebook, sending pictures with the progress and my sheer amazement that by sewing these 4 blogs together and cutting them up again to sew them back together was an epiphany. Something was happening before my eyes, of course my friend, with cancer taking over the body, I still had the words of encouragement to go on, the unconditional support to pursue it further. The night I completed the table runner I message my friend on facebook. No response. Quite unlikely but considering the pain and the medications, I figured my friend was resting. It was not until the day after that I received the news that my friend passed that night. In fact, it was round the same time I took this photo and sent it to my friend that my friend's sweet soul left this planet. I looked back at this picture and noticed an orb in the center of the table runner. Could it be possible -- could it be. My first stitch in the ditch with a walking foot. My first experience with batting. My first time ever venturing to this legendary craft of quilting -- and I have lost my biggest fan, my encouragement, my support -- my friend. Shattered from the death -- I struggled to move past it, but then I could hear the voice. I could still hear the words of "don't give up." Certainly, I couldn't stop there. Something was driving me, pushing me to do something more challenging...and so it began.

It was about one year ago this month when my quilting addiction began. I went back to the Missouri Star Quilt Co. videos and watched how to construct the "Lattice Quilt."Oh, I can do that! Of course, I have no real knowledge behind me about sewing on the bias and I didn't even have a 1/4" foot on my machine. I thought this could be something I could do...it doesn't seem too difficult, but oh, if I only knew then what I knew now about sewing bias cuts and squaring up and starching fabric before sewing the blocks together! I managed to figure it out because I made so many blocks, the quilt top came out to the size of a twin size bed. Heavens!!! I didn't know it could get so big with the borders. I did take more time out to learn about nesting seams. Needless to say although I struggled a bit through it, I completed this quilt.

Then I had to learn about the "sandwich." I don't mean food, I mean this thing they call a sandwich. The quilt top, the batting and the backing. How in the world was I going to put this all together. My knees aren't what they used to be, and after spending some time on the floor, I could barely get back up. I used basting spray (which you really don't need to do when you are pin basting), and it got all over the place, including on my hands. My hands began to resemble some kind of wild prehistoric animal because the batting was now glued to them. I must have stuck myself a few hundred times while attempting to pin baste this sandwich, and I also carelessly pinned my carpet to the back of the quilt. I can recall at this moment, I had an extensive vocabulary and grunted as I had to remove the pins in some spots. Lucky for me I have learned a different method of putting the quilt sandwich together. I've evolved!

In any event, I made it through it and starred at my old Kenmore. There was simply no way I could manage this quilt under that machine. Go back to what you know best Lisa. You have the patience. You knit socks for goodness sake. So, it takes longer than expected but you can hand quilt. I had to watch more videos, bought myself a large hoop, thimble and some quilting thread and I was off "rocking that needle." To be honest, it was the most relaxing experience for me. There is something about having a quilt on your lap -- the comfort and feel of it. More so, it is the craft of creating something by hand that becomes overwhelming. When it is done, when you step back and look...you can say you did it yourself. The warmth and comfort, the passion and love, the endless hours of work all seem to come together under the quilt. It is for these reasons and so much more, that I continue to make the quilts. Not for myself, but for others, and to that, I can only credit a higher power that gave me the gift to do so.

Below are some more of the quilts I have made, but I believe my biggest accomplishment so far
was Tommy's quilt. (photo on the left)

This quilt is nearly King size, with about 1000 pieces with HST (half square triangles). I had no idea how this was going to come out. I did some math, I drew out what I wanted it to look like but it came out better than expected. In fact, originally, I was going to do sashing with flying geese in between the blocks but as I stood at the table with four blocks already completed, I was showing Tommy some of the ideas I had with the sashing and then he moved the blocks. When he did , I saw another pattern and stopped the idea of the sashing. I put on the brakes and a light went on! We both looked at each other in awe on how the blocks seemed to have changed every time you looked at them. As if there was some sort of movement. This quilt took me about 8 months to complete from start to finish.

I used the Union Blues charm pack designed by Barbara Brackman for Moda along with a variety of other mixed stash fabrics. This is what I most recently finished and hand quilted. Just in time for his birthday.

There is so much to write, and in time, I'll keep posting more of my projects but for now, below are a few more quilt projects I have completed within this year.