solid friendship quilt top

Posted on May 14, 2014

solidfriendship

I always feel I have to explain my quilt names, which I suppose means they’re not really named as well as they might be. I’m stumped each and every time, and nearly every time I show Morgan a photo and ask his opinion. Unfortunately he’s usually as stumped as I am (maybe more stumped? Next time I’ll list his suggestions and then you’ll see!). After asking him about this one, I pointed out that it was reminding me of a friendship bracelet, and a quick google image search told me I was right. The fabrics are Alissa Haight Carlton’s Modern Solids, so ‘solid friendship’ it is.

solidfriendship3

But I’m getting ahead of myself! You may have seen that Alissa designed a line of solids called Modern Solids II – they’re crossweaves (warp and weft threads are two different colors which come together to make the color you see), and as such have a beautiful depth that other solids don’t have. She was so nice to send me a fat quarter bundle ages ago, and while I wanted to immediately sew with them, well, you know how things go. A while back I drew up a little design while coloring with Max (oh man – it was 4 months ago!), but then it was set aside again. After I finished my Liberty Jubilee quilt, I was inspired to pull this one back out, since it also used half rectangle triangles.

solidfriendship2

I drew out the design multiple times, using colored pencils to kind of give me a guide for the colors, and from there it was pretty easy to determine how many I needed of each color. Half rectangle triangles are not quite as easy as half square triangles, but I love the look (I talked a bit about making half rectangle triangles in this tutorial). A Bloc Loc ruler seems as though it would make this process easier, but I don’t have one, so this time around I attempted to paper piece it. It mostly worked, though please don’t look closely, because there are definitely a lot of points that don’t line up! Luckily it’s not that noticeable from a distance, so overall I’m still pleased!

solidfriendship4

My usual quilt holder-upper was working, so Max attempted to fill his shoes. A good effort for sure, but he might need to get a bit taller first!

Posted in Fabric, Posts about Quilts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Hazel – 10 months

Posted on May 12, 2014

Around about this age it becomes a bit tricky to get a decent photo of a baby on a quilt! This time around I bribed her with a shopping rewards card that had just arrived in the mail. Good fun.

hazel-10months

Anyway, I’ve said it before, and I have to say it again – Hazel really is the happiest, most easy going baby. She’s still not a great napper (she’s still not even great at sleeping during the night, which is, um, tiring…), but it’s hard to complain when she’s so pleasant all the time. She’s desperate to walk (to keep up with Max?) and squeals in delight when she catches sight of her walking toy.

m&h10months

And Max even seems to find her amusing from time to time – progress!

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Welcome, HoneyBeGood!

Posted on May 9, 2014

I’m pleased to welcome a new sponsor to the blog, HoneyBeGood! I always enjoy learning more about the online shops I buy from, so I asked the owner, Karen, to share a bit about her shop and how it came to be.

The name HoneyBeGood is mostly whimsical but it does reflect a serious commitment. “Honey” is a nod to the slower, sweeter way of life in the south where the eco-chic fabric boutique was born. “BeGood” is the deep wish many people have to live sustainably, to purchase products that are better for the planet and for the people who work to produce them. Put them together and you have a fun place for people to shop for the good stuff, the best quality organic fabrics that make for happy living!I am a professional designer and I have always quilted for friends and family as a hobby. Over time I became concerned about the way cotton is produced. Unsustainable global practices, from the use of toxic chemicals to the introduction of genetically modified strains of cotton and unfair labor practices in many cotton producing countries made me determined to purchase only from sustainable sources.

The genesis of HoneyBeGood came about when I realized just how difficult it is to find a good online source for a wide range of organic cotton fabrics. So I decided to become that source.

All of the cotton fabric sold at HoneyBeGood is certified organic either by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), or the Organic Content Standard (OCS). We also carry hemp-blend fabrics and OEKO-TEX® recycled polyester thread by Gutermann.

Every effort is made to ensure fair labor practices were put in place in the growth and manufacture of the goods we sell. GOTS certified products currently represents the gold standard for ensuring organic content and fair factory conditions. As the organic cotton industry develops, HoneyBeGood plans to devote much of its efforts into marketing Fairtrade sewing products as they become more widely available.

lotuspond

HoneyBeGood just received Rae Hoekstra’s newest line, Lotus Pond, and they will have Eloise Renouf’s Shape of Spring in May and Carolyn Gavin’s Petit Fleur in June. I’ve enjoyed browsing this lovely online shop – it’s set up so that it’s very easy to navigate, which is key for me when shopping online. You can search by designer, or type of fabric, or you can easily jump to the bundles or sale section. I also appreciate that they offer free shipping on orders over $50, and there’s even tiered discounts for those larger orders. I hope you’ll pop over and take a look at this great shop!

Thank you, Karen, for sharing a bit more about your shop!

HoneyBeGood will be back on the blog soon with a giveaway, so be sure to check back!

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