The Name Game: Springleaf Studios

I'm super excited to have Anne Deister here today from SpringLeaf Studios. Anne and I have been in the same bee for a few years, and last year at QuiltCon 2015 in Austin we were roommates! We got along so very very well.

Standing in front of her quilt at QuiltCon--I love this picture. :)

Then in July, Mark and I went to a reunion in western Kansas. Fresno to Denver is the best connection for us, and on the way home, Anne and her husband, Justin, had dinner with us near the airport.

How did you choose the name for your blog?

It took me forever to finally decide on a name for my blog. I knew right from the start that I eventually wanted to design and sell quilt patterns so I factored that into the decision making process. When I finally landed on SpringLeaf Studios it just felt right. I love leaves. I use leaf motifs in the decor of my house and take photographs of leaves everywhere I go. 

Green also happens to be my favorite color, especially bright yellowy spring greens. As for the 'spring' part of the name it's not only my favorite season but had the added bonus of offering great visual imagery. Leaves bouncing up and down on springs. This image of springs really helped sell me on the name SpringLeaf Studios. If I could animate my blog I'd have the leaves bouncing up and down just a little. For now though I settle for fabric leaves hanging from spring coils in front of my studio window valance.

Were there other names you considered, and can you share them with us?

Recently, I was cleaning files and came across the list of names I was considering. I very briefly thought about using some form of my own name. Even though my name is Anne, many people pronounce it Annie just because of the e on the end. I thought perhaps I could play on that with something like Annie's Obsession or Annie's Studio, but decided it's just not really me. Other names that popped up repeatedly used words like simply, chickadee or fresh in them. It seemed everything I came up with at first was already taken. That's what happens when you come to the party late but it all worked out for the best anyway.

Now that you are known by SpringLeaf Studios, are you happy with it or do you wish you could change it to something else?

SpringLeaf Studios is totally right. I'm quite happy with it and love that I've been able to turn the leaf design into my avatar as a visual means of identity and branding.

I think naming can be one of the hardest things about any endeavor. My problem now is naming quilts and patterns. Besides the blog name ideas, I also found a list of words I like as potential quilt or pattern names. Glad to have come across that list as I think I can put it to use soon with some new patterns later this year. 

Thanks so much for inviting me to play the Name Game with you Cindy. Meeting you online and then in real life as QuiltCon roomies has played a big part of my quilting journey. Thanks ever so much for your friendship. I means the world to me.   : )

And it means the world to me as well, Anne!

I highly recommend checking out Anne's Color Inspiration series. There is a tab at the top of her blog page. Scrolling through all her gorgeous pictures will be time very well spent. You can also follow her on Instagram (@springleafstudios).

Friday Finish: Rosette 3

While this quilt is by no means finished, and won't be for awhile, each time I finish a rosette, it is a major accomplishment!

This is Rosette 3 (out of 12) from the New Hexagon Millefiore Quiltalong, all rosettes designed by Katja Marek. I have found a renewed interest in working on this, and hope to complete it by the end of 2016.

I'm using only fabric designed by Denyse Schmidt. And this rosette measures 38 inches from side to side.

I'm linking up today with Crazy Mom Quilts, TGIFF, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Fort Worth Fabric Studio.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

52 Quilters: Week 12

Do you follow 52 Quilters on Instagram (@52quilters) and on their blog? Each week a different quilter takes over their feed, and this week it's my turn! You can read the introductory post here.

And there is a little tour of my sewing space here.  I'll be back with more posts later in the week.

Delta Breeze: A tutorial

Did you know this weekend is International Quilting Weekend? I like the idea of a weekend devoted to quilting, although I try to spend a lot of my weekends with my sewing machine.

I made this quilt last year, using Soho Solids by Timeless Treasures. The tutorial for the blocks was on their website, and I thought it might be a good idea to share it here as well.

There are only two blocks, each based on the classic bear paw block. They are simple to make, and the solids give them a lot of visual "pop." Twisting and turning the blocks in different directions will give you lots of design options.

I started out with a limited edition fat quarter stack called Plume. I added the following neutrals: 1 1/2 yards each of Fog, Milk, and Linen, and 1 yard of Dove. I decided Dove was a bit too gray so it became part of the backing.

Top row, L to R: Velvet, Sailor, Petunia, Wave, Capri

Bottom row, L to R: Jade, Scuba, Island, Vine, Honey

Neutrals, top to bottom: Fog, Milk, Linen, Dove

The quilt is 48" x 48", and each block is 8" x 8" finished. The extra neutral yardage gave me enough for both the backing and the binding. If you would rather not piece the backing, then you will need neutrals totaling approximately 2 yards for the blocks, 3 yards for the backing, and 1/3 yard for the binding.

In addition, you will need the following:
Rotary cutter, quilting ruler, mat
Starch, pins, neutral thread
Batting: 54" x 54"

Spray starch (or a starch alternative) onto the back of your fabrics before you cut to help stabilize the bias edge of the half square triangles.

For this quilt, I made 27 of Block A and 9 of Block B, but it would certainly be easy to make more or less of either one. 

For each Block A, cut the following:

I like to cut the squares for the half-square triangles (HSTs) just a bit larger so I can trim them for accuracy. When you have sewn the HSTs together, trim them to 2 1/2" x 2 1/2". Then construct Block A like this:

Block B is very similar. For each block, cut the following:

Make the bear paw unit, trimming your HST units to 1 1/2" x 1 1/2",  and then construct the rest of the block like this:

For each Block A and Block B, I made a variety of color combinations, mostly two colors with a neutral, and several with one color and a neutral, and even a few with neutrals only. Then just twist and turn the blocks until you find a setting that makes you happy. Sew the blocks into rows, and then sew the rows together.

Because of all the sharp points, my machine quilter, Darby Myers of  Quilted Squid, used a nice and curvy Baptist Fan design.

 

For the backing, I pieced together the leftover neutral yardage (Milk, Dove, and Fog, plus my first practice block) and then used the remaining Linen for the binding.

I hope you enjoy making your own version of Delta Breeze.

If you like to binge watch shows while you are sewing, you will want to check out The Quilt Show, which is an online quilting show and magazine all in one. You will be able to access and watch the shows for free from their first seven seasons, and there are prizes to be won!

An interesting side note is that each year, Alex and Ricky choose a "quilting legend," someone who has had a great impact on the quilting community over the years. Every year, Mark makes the plaque that is presented to the legend. Each one features the star from The Quilt Show logo, but he customizes the colors to fit the recipient.

I'm so proud that his artwork is in the homes of people like Jinny Beyer, Michael Flynn, Libby Lehman, and Alex Anderson herself. In fact, one year Alex and Ricky highlighted his work on the show, and all of the audience members received a pendant. It was pretty awesome.

These are our Glassy Quilts. Each one consists of a fused glass "frame" and a handmade 3" quilt block. We no longer make them, but if you are interested, we still have some available. 

If you make a version of Delta Breeze, one of my favorite quilts from 2015, please let me know--I'd love to see it. And be sure to check out The Quilt Show this weekend. Happy sewing!

The Name Game: Green Groves

I'm trying to feature "green" names for the rest of March so I'm very happy to have Karen Groves here today from @greengroves.

How did you choose the name for your Instagram account?

Karen's sister made this logo out of scrapbooking paper for her etsy shop

My husband and I met at college in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is a beautiful town full of trees and happiness. Our last name is Groves, so when we were first married we thought it would be really clever if our email address was "arborgroves" since it incorporated the name of the town we loved so much, with a play on words with both words meaning "a group of trees." We later changed email providers and had to come up with a new name.  We decided on "greengroves" which was even more fun for a number of reasons. It still conjures the image of a nice clump of trees, it has a nice alliteration, and we are both very earth friendly people so "green" is a good descriptor.

"Lil Scrappy" mini quilt for a challenge to only use scraps--Karen's kind of quilting!

Were there other names you considered, and can you share them?

Scrap yarn was used for all the polka dots

All my friends were talking about how amazing Instagram was, and I was dying to join in on the fun, but alas, I did not have a smart phone or tablet.  When my friend upgraded her phone she gave me her old iPhone. I told her I didn't think I would use it because we weren't going to switch plans.  She said, "You can use it with wifi. You can join Instagram." Well hello there, gimme that old phone! The first thing I did after I downloaded the app was check to see if the user name "greengroves" was taken. I was so excited to see that it was not. It was meant to be! So no, I never considered another name and feel very grateful that I was able to stick with my favorite alter ego.

A scrappy baby quilt made for Karen's nephew, Henry

Confetti--more scrappy recycling

Now that you are known by Green Groves, are you happy with it or do you wish you could change it to something else?

 A quilt made entirely of selvages (Note: You KNOW I love this one!!)

Remember these?  Paper chain made from Starburst wrappers. Repurposing!

I am very happy with it.  I think it suits me perfectly. I love the great outdoors, nature, and trees. Also, as a crafty person, I strive not to create any waste with the projects I do, and nothing makes me happier than to make something out of other people's scraps and cast-offs. If any crafter could be called "green," I sure fit the bill. So, I am happy to be @greengroves. Yay!  

Stamp art--stamps are too pretty to throw away!

Be sure to check out Karen's Instagram feed, @greengroves, and also her Etsy shop!

More green-themed Name Gamers coming up:
Anne from SpringLeaf Studio, 3/21
Bonnie from Green Letter Day, 3/28

The Name Game: Sewletta

I'm so happy to have Colette here from Sewletta. There are a lot of new faces on Instagram, many of whom don't have blogs, but they sure are posting beautiful pictures on Instagram. When I decided to revive The Name Game series, I mentioned that it would also be open to those who only had an Instagram account. So you will definitely want to check out Colette's IG feed (@sewletta). 

How did you choose your name for your Instagram account?

I can't say that I actually chose it. For as long as I can remember, my sisters' nickname for me was Letta. It always makes me feel happy when they call me that. I started really sewing about a year ago and caught the quilting bug last summer. My sewing adventures needed to be shared without bombarding my friends with pictures of pretty fabric. Enter Instagram! I wanted to choose an Instagram name that would include who I am and what I do. I tried a couple other variations on my name, but once I arrived at Sewletta, it just felt right. 

Were there other names you considered, and can you share them with us? 

I tried a few variations on my name, but none of them sparked. I tried See Colette Sew, Colette Can Sew, and Letta Sews which finally led to Sewletta. Thank goodness! 

Now that you are known by Sewletta, are you happy with it or do you wish you could change it to something else? 

Sew happy! I don't ever plan to change it. 

Thanks for playing along this week, Colette. 

Check out Colette's IG feed, @sewletta. 

For the March edition of The Name Game, I'm planning to go "green." So look for these upcoming in the upcoming weeks:

Green Groves
Springleaf Studios
Green Letter Day

Friday Finish: Semaphore

It's been quite awhile since I had a Friday Finish! Actually this is the first one I'm posting for 2016.

When I received two charm packs from Lecien Fabrics' 1000 Colors Collection, it took awhile to decide what to make. And then my friend, Elizabeth, came up with a really great design, which she ultimately named Semaphore. It was absolutely perfect for the charm squares, and she let me use the pattern for these fabrics. Lecien also sent a hand-dyed sushi roll of Island Style. This comes in an array of really beautiful and rich colors, and that is what I used for the little squares.

I had Darby use a wavy pattern for the quilting. I liked the idea of semaphore flags waving in the breeze, aboard a ship. Anyway, I think the quilt design really complements all the half square triangles.

I believe that Elizabeth will be writing a pattern for this quilt. I think it lends itself to nearly any kind of fabric. Wouldn't it be sweet in some soft florals and a nice pastel? It's a great pattern for those charm packs you have been collecting!

I seemingly never get tired of using our backyard storage shed cottage for photo ops.

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, TGIFF, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Fort Worth Fabric Studio.