{"id":132,"date":"2021-01-15T04:27:03","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T04:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rivervalleyquilter.com\/?p=132"},"modified":"2021-01-15T04:27:03","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T04:27:03","slug":"whats-under-your-needle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rivervalleyquilter.com\/index.php\/2021\/01\/15\/whats-under-your-needle\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s Under Your Needle?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What\u2019s under your needle today?\u00a0\u00a0Are you piecing, or planning?\u00a0\u00a0Laying out blocks to complete a top?\u00a0\u00a0Are you quilting or binding?\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m so curious as to what\u2019s under your needle!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, after my morning chores, a few phone calls and emails and a couple hours of standing at my long arm, I\u2019m piecing.\u00a0\u00a0Paper piecing to be more exact.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s what I love to do\u2026in fact I crave my time at the machine, working on several different patterns at a time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure there are many people who think I\u2019ve got a screw loose, and they probably aren\u2019t far from the truth.\u00a0\u00a0But my passion for creating quilts is super focused on paper piecing.\u00a0\u00a0And Quiltworx patterns by Judy Niemeyer are the highlight of my quilting world.\u00a0\u00a0I find my mind and my heart breathe a sigh of contentment when I sit down at my sewing desk to work on the current projects.\u00a0\u00a0It is definitely my happy place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Becoming a Certified Instructor for Quiltworx is something I\u2019ve been working towards since my first trip to Montana in April of 2018.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s January 2021, and I\u2019ll be finishing up this adventure a year from now.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s a huge time commitment.\u00a0\u00a0And in every way, in my humble opinion, equal to a Bachelor\u2019s degree from a college.\u00a0\u00a0Each of the patterns that I complete is easily equal to the cost of a college class and it\u2019s required books.\u00a0\u00a0Especially if I only buy the newest fabrics for each of my projects.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2026I love, LOVE all the gorgeous and newest fabrics, but I\u2019m also quite budget conscience.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m especially proud of the fact that I have been able make several of my portfolio patterns directly out of my stash.\u00a0\u00a0Out of my STASH!!!\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m over the moon about that.\u00a0\u00a0Here are a few that I\u2019ve been able to do that with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here is my version of Lincoln Log Cabin. It’s 31″ square and a super fun and fast project to make.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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I love my Twinkle Star! It was sooo much fun to make. And at only 38″ square, it’s a great size for gift giving too!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next is a summer color way of My Two Baby Sisters placemat. Another quick project with endless color options.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This is Star Baby…waiting for her turn on the long arm. I LOVED putting this together! Another sweet little wall hanging. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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And here are Tea Time Placemats, also waiting to be quilted. This pattern is awesome! And comes with enough papers to do a set of 4 for your table. Can’t wait to make some in autumn colors too!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Golly! There are more than I thought that came from my stash.\u00a0\u00a0Actually, there are even a few more, but I\u2019ll save those for another time.\u00a0\u00a0Using from my stash is something I\u2019m pleased with .\u00a0\u00a0And it\u2019s also something I think will be a helpful to encourage my students to do.\u00a0\u00a0Of course\u2026when my students are shopping for fabric I\u2019m only a phone call away to ask a question, if I\u2019m not already there helping, guiding and suggesting options to add to their selection process.\u00a0\u00a0Who\u00a0doesn\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0like to shop for fabric??<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, leaving the bunny trail that took me away from my original question\u2026What\u2019s under your needle?\u00a0\u00a0This is what\u2019s been under mine for the past several days.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m working on just a few patterns all at once.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s a skill set that I\u2019m honing and finding it to be quite productive.\u00a0\u00a0It can be a bit confusing at first, but it only takes a little while before it becomes second nature. I love working on my projects this way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I have two 4 foot tables that I use for my pattern staging. Here’s the first one. On the right is my version of Clockworks, which is a Quiltworx Cut Loose Press pattern. And on the left is Color Spectrum I have nearly all of these blocks completed…next will come setting the blocks to make the top.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Here is the second 4 foot table. I’m working on my Dinner Plate Dahlia here. Granny Sassy Designs put this kit together for me, and she does an AMAZING job! I’ve loved this color way since the first time I saw it. I’m over the moon about this beauty!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This is how I stack my projects as I work on them. Each time I go through the stack I do the same step to everything regardless of the project. For example, each layer will get ironed all the way through the stack, then on to trimming and placing the next piece, then sewing them together, repeat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Here is what the stack looks like exploded out layer by layer. I know what each of these belongs to, and where they are in the process by just looking at the top layer. Oh! And there’s an Impatiens placemat in there too. That’s 5 patterns across these 8 layers. Not everyone wants to work in this way, and that’s the beauty of it all…we all get to enjoy our own process with no judgements.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For me, it breaks things up enough to keep me from being bored if there is a lot of repetition (as in a large quantity of the same thing).\u00a0\u00a0It also lets me make significant progress on a project if I employ the same method on a single pattern.\u00a0\u00a0Yep…there must be a screw loose in there somewhere. But boy to I have a good time with it! Yippeee!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope you are having a stitch filled day with lots and lots of enjoyable moments and a sense of accomplishment in being able to put needle to fabric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May your bobbin never be empty!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s under your needle today?\u00a0\u00a0Are you piecing, or planning?\u00a0\u00a0Laying out blocks to complete a top?\u00a0\u00a0Are you quilting or binding?\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m so curious as to what\u2019s under your needle! Today, after my morning chores, a few phone calls and emails and a couple hours of standing at my long arm, I\u2019m piecing.\u00a0\u00a0Paper piecing to be more exact.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s … <\/p>\n

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