Dear Becca,

'One of these days I am gonna sit down and write a long letter to all the good friends I've known' (Neil Young) until then here you go Becca! I really enjoyed doing this...even the time I spent unpicking the white Kona. It was my pride. I thought I had it all down and went 'sew' crazy to then realize I oops'd.

I know I am one of the last to finish. I really wanted to find the right fabric and color. I like the feel of this fabric. It kind of whimsy meet vintage. At least I think so.

Here is your MICRO shot

I realized today that I never introduced myself. The originals know me and "hey! why not the rest?" This is me below. I would smile, but I found it shows how tired my eyes are...so here I am looking as fresh as I could possible do.

I thought about putting on make-up, but then no one would recognize me...?

I know...who I am (most days).
I want...kind caring children who are not afraid to be different.
I have...a coke zero addiction.
I wish...I could travel more.
I hate...a dirty house.
I miss...all kinds of things and people.
I fear...alligators and loss.
I hear...dogs barking and kids laughing.
I smell...dirty.
I crave...chocolate all the time!
I love...my Husband and children more than anything in the world...and then sewing.

(December 2012)

I don't have time to finish the rest so feel free to leave a comment finishing one for yourself!
I search... wonder...I regret...I care...I always...I am going...I believe...I dance... I sing...I fight...I write...I lose...I win...I never...I listen...I am scared...I need...I hope...

XOXO,

Teriney

a filmy love letter

Dearest Bex,

i knew this combo was exactly what i wanted to use as soon as i saw your tutorial.

consider it an homage of sorts, to our former lives. a better movie partner, I've never had.

hugs and smooches to you!

Thanks Becca

For answering my fevered questions last night.

For picking such a fun and sweet square. One that, despite my fevered questions, was simple and quick as well.

And for giving me a great reason to use this print! I think it's very "fifties apron". I love it, yet after I made a swishy little apron for my niece it just hasn't seen much use in my house (despite the heavy use of blue).

I hope you like it!











































Two notes:

1. I shouldn't sew at night. I get very literal and fussy.

2. I really dislike these pics, not because they were taken with my cell (long story why I couldn't use my regular camera), but because they make it look like a wrinkly mess. In person it's crisp and pretty, yet the pics not so much. Trust me!

QuiltCon 2013- Who's coming with me?

Is anyone interested in doing this??

I think it would be dreamy. It gives us plenty of time to plan, and for you southern folks- totally drivable:)

I can probably schedule a trip back to the states around this time...

Did I just say that? Planning a trip home around a quilters convention??

Yes I did.

http://www.quiltcon.com/

Come on......let's do it!!

I finished some projects! Woo Hoo!

Here are a few things I have actually FINISHED... nothing like being sick to get some "homey" things done! This is a quilt that I made for my daughter-in-law, Maria Mae. 

She is expecting twins next month!

Here is the back.

I used a Moda line, "Sophie" by Chez Moi. I love the line. I machine quilted it using a technique that I like to call "stitching in the vicinity of the ditch"!

Below is the binding. I tried it for the first time. It is one that Emily Sigler uses and is much better at. But, I'm happy with my first attempt. I love how it makes it's own "piping".

This small afghan is for Baby 'B", one of the twins. He or she is smaller than Baby "A". But it will be plenty big for him/her.

I have made 4 of these. Finished 2. Given away 1. I made them for my 4 granddaughters (as of fall 2011). They each have the same center design and fabrics. But the borders and bindings are different, same fabrics, different order. The back looks like the picture below, with a different color (matching one the borders from the other side) and a yellow stripe.  They are all getting one for their birthday. Megan's was February 2nd, Ruby's is the 29th. Megan's was a real success. Hope they all like them. 

This is last year's FIRST "square" in "Trading Pieces". I liked it so much, I kept going, making row after row of zig zags! I made them into a quilt for my grandkids to snuggle under. I "quilted" it with a giant stitch using embroidery floss. 

I loved the robot fabric that Marnita used in her zig zag that I used it for the backing. What a fun project this was.

I'm sorry to post so much. I am just so excited that I actually FINISHED some projects, I wanted to share. Now I don't have so many "tops" in my basket. You know how it is, you have all this fabric... you make some really great "tops"... then they all sit in a basket waiting for finishing. (Thereby moving fabric from one pile to another!) Well, I got some finished! Yippee! (Not that I am glad I was sick. But there is this bright side!)

"Ring Around the Rosie..."

I decided that I just had go with my original plan, and use "Little Apples" by Aneela Hoey. I LOVE this line. 

What a fun square, Becca. Hope you like my "Ring Around the Rosie" envelope.

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

I sang the song from "You've Got Mail"  in my head the whole time I made this. 

I enjoyed every minute.  What a delightful design, Becca!

This quilting thing is dangerous. I am now plotting to make my own envelope quilt. Or maybe a throw pillow for my bed or couch. (seriously, Mom and I traced the pattern to keep! :)

I love these flowers. They are on the back of my rainbow quilt. It's from Denise Schmidt's Joann line.

 Here's Becca's fabric close up. 

 Like I said, this quilting thing is dangerous. Literally!

yes, this is my pity picture. rotary cutters are dangerous. Just ask me...or Emily! :)

Letter full of Love

Adding to Becca's letters. I love seeing all of these letters come together! Everyone has done a great job.

(excuse my poor camera skills...someday I would love a nice camera and skills to go with it)

Much love,

Amy

Becca's Letter

Becca,

I think that you will either love this envelope or hate it.  If you hate it, I will make you a different one!  Wait until you see this baby in person before you decide though.  My photography skills (or lack of thereof) don't do the fabric justice. 

Hopefully you enjoy!
Nicole

becca's got mail

here's my envelope for Becca...

(the print is Moda Little Apples by Aneela Hoey)

I cut the Kona white fabric wrong, so I had to go buy more.  But it was okay - I needed some anyway.  

What a fun square!

Dear Becca,

This was a learning experience for me for sure!  As you can see I'm a little bit "off".  I thought it was due to the template-the diamond was 5 inches by 5 1/2 inches but it wasn't until after I finished the quilt square and went back to the tutorial online that I realized  how entirely off I was!  I was following your tutorial on paper versus computer since my computer is not anywhere near my sewing machine so the blue lines weren't very visible on my tutorial.  I started sewing my polka dot fabric to the very top lines in the template.
I am happy to send this square to you but if you'd rather send me another template I would be more than happy to give it another try.  In fact, I'll make two to make up for the trouble.  I know what went wrong and I know I can do it just right next time.
This square was really a lot of fun to make!!
Love,
Camie

A Little Clarification...

Don't be jealous...

I just got back from a lovely weekend in L.A. 

Spent an amazing afternoon in the fabric district and loaded up on some great additions to my stash.

Additions, you will hopefully benefit from as the year progresses!

Jen, mentioned that as she made my square part of the directions were a little vague,

so, here's a little clarification:

When you get the part where you are sewing on the white Kona, there will be extra fabric, because the Kona pieces aren't precisely cut.  After you attach a section of Kona, you can trim the extra fabric off, leaving a nice 1/4" seam allowance instead a bulky bunch of cloth sandwiched between muslin and the top piecing.
Also, you should never cut the muslin.
Hope that makes sense.  I'm not very good at writing out instructions, but if anyone else runs into trouble, just give me a call or drop me an email.

xo

Becca

tardy petals

so sorry they're late. i can't believe how rusty i felt sitting down at my machine. it felt good though, so familiar.

like an old friend.

and, going through my fabric stash was pure heaven.

there are so many memories wrapped up in my stash of scraps and yardage. i thought that was interesting, and, if possible, made me love sewing and fabric even more.

anyway.

 hope the colors are okay. i'll drop them in the post today!

To: Becca Love, Jen

Becca,

I finished your square last night.

(PS I still feel terrible about calling you while you are on vacation.)

You wanted us to pick a fabric that represented our style.

Trouble is, I saw this lecien fabric (Woodland by Natalie Lymer), and it made me think of you.

After I finished it, I hoped the fabric was not totally off base.

It was a breeze to sew(minus a little slice in the muslin from an over zealous rotary blade. oops!)

The more squares I complete, the more secure I become with my quilting abilities.

Eagerly, I anticipate seeing all your envelopes together.

Love ya,

Jen

PS If you decide you need some extra squares, I would be willing to sew a few more.

When you said January...

...you meant February, right?

I spent a lot of January organizing and organizing and organizing our spare room in the hopes of sitting in an idyllic little nook in my house and sewing my squares while whole wheat bread baked in the next room and my children quietly played with wooden toys all around me.

It ended up that I spent most of my free time working in that room during the month and, while I've made some major improvements, it is still not finished. So instead I sewed these squares amidst the rubble of 2 moves in 4 months (in June and October) after my kids were in bed. It's no doctor's note, but does it take away some shame of finishing them on February 1st?

These were so fun to sew. I hope you like them Emily!

(The photographed horribly in the house so I took them outside with a towel and took the pics on my driveway. Classy!)

Simplified Foundation Piecing Tutorial

Becca's Envelope Tutorial

I'm not really sure if this is technically foundation piecing, but what ever it is, I hope these instructions are helpful!

Getting started:

}Cut a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square from a cotton print

}Cut the following from a solid cotton fabric:

3 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 5" triangle (cut 2)

1 1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangle 

1 1/4" x 6 1/4" rectangle

3 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangle

}Cut the following from white Kona cotton:

14" x 4" rectangle (cut 2) 

15" x 3" rectangle

approx. 7 1/2" x 10" rectangle (cut 2, using what's left over)

Now for the fun part!

}Center your 5 1/2" square on top of the template .
}Line up the shortest solid piece (1 1/2" x 5 1/2") with the top left side of the center square.  There will be a 1/4" of fabric hanging over the lines of the template.  These lines are your stitch guides.

}Sew all three layers (muslin, print, solid) together with a 1/4" seam allowance. 

Make sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of all your seams!

}Line up the longer solid piece (1 1/4" x 6 1/4") with the top right side of the center square.

}Stitch down and press open.

}Line up the 5" side of a triangle piece with the bottom left side of the center square.
}Stitch down and press open.
}Repeat on the other side.

}Line up the last solid piece with the bottoms of the triangles. 

}Stitch all the way across.

}Trim the bit of center square that is hanging down.

}Press open.

}Now, it's looking like an envelope!

}Line up one of the 7 1/2" x 10" Kona pieces with the top right side of the envelope.  

}Stitch the Kona down just along the length of the envelope.

}Trim the seam allowance to 1/4".

}Press open.

}Take the second 7 1/2" x 10" piece of Kona and line it up with the left top side of the envelope.

}Trim seam and extra portion of Kona from the previous step to 1/4" and press.

}Line up one of the 14" x 4" Kona pieces with the left side of the envelope.

}Stitch, trim, press.

}Repeat on the right side of the envelope.

}Line up the last piece (you're almost done!) with the bottom of the envelope.
}Stitch, trim, press.

Here are a couple I've made.  Don't feel like you have to "match" my colors.  I may not even end up using these. 

Thanks a million!  I can't wait to see what you're envelopes look like!

xo

Becca