New fabric, big prints…

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If you haven’t looked at the fabric page at pieceocake.com lately, you have missed seeing the big prints that I’ve recently added, along with some interesting smaller-scale prints…

SetGiggles

There are BIG numbers in 4 different colorways, flowers, dots, and more…

SetNavyCross

While I put these together into fat quarter bundles, you can buy them separately. If that’s the case, go to the fabric page and click on the swatch that interests you.

SetWingtree

This is probably the oddest of the fabrics I’ve added. It’s called Junebug, by Alexander Henry. I suspect I will use it on a quilt back, but it could also show up on t a quilt front. In fact, it would be fun to use in the free Really Simply 9-Patch pattern (click here, scroll down, click the link).

JuneBug-400

I put Junebug with a black print and with the saffron Numbers… I have no idea why I like these together, but I do.

SetJunebug

 

I only got one bolt of each of these new fabrics and won’t re-order. If any of them make you happy, order while I have plenty. I’ll send a newsletter in a week or so and there’s no telling how much of any print will be left :-).

Admiring the skills…

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My fingers are nimble, for which I am grateful, but beyond that, I am a clumsy person. My family and friends know that it’s true. So I was impressed by the skill and grace that these young men have…

I don’t live in a skateboard-infested place so I’ve never understood the antipathy that some people have toward skateboarders. My (genetically-related) sons did not master skateboards, so I’ve never had a reason to have a strong opinion about the banning skateboarders. After watching this, I’m thinking that maybe we should cut them some slack, or at least give them a place to do what they do.

 

4:00 AM…

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I listened to a few TED Talks over the weekend. I really enjoyed this one!

4:00 AM is not a time of day that I want to be awake, but there are those days when I do wake up at 4. Sometimes I wake up with a new thought, or I wake up stewing about something, or I wake up with the realization that something that I thought was going well was, in fact, not. I’m apparently not the only one who has this happen at 4 in the morning.

If you can’t see the video in this post, click here to see Rives‘ Ted Talk.

You have the power…

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If you, like me, would like to live in a world that exhibits more civility, just say no to the junk with you clicking finger.

If the video is not opening for you, click here to see Sally Kohn‘s TED Talk.

 

I’ve been sewing…

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I’ve been working this week on a quilt (in 2 sizes) for the revised edition of the Piecing book. I do wish I could show you what’s on my wall, but all I can show is a little bitty teaser…
BlueTeaser

Actually this quilt is not little. It’s going to be 90″ x 90″ and I am both looking forward to/and not looking forward to quilting it. I have high hopes that, once finished, it will look good on my guest bed. After I set it together tomorrow I’ll know for sure.

I don’t know about you, but I have a really hard time making a quilt that looks good in a particular space. I start with that intention, but then as I make the quilt, the quilt takes over. Colors and values can change. The finished quilts always look good but they may, or may not, look good where I expected to use them. Such is life.

In the construction of this quilt, I used an HST (half square triangle) method that is very accurate. This is the one where if you want a finished size 6″ square, you cut squares 6 1/2″, and trace across them on the diagonal, then sew on that line.

When you use this method, there is some waste… unless you sew together the triangles that you cut away. Which I did!

LeftOverTriangles

I’m not entirely sure what will happen with these HSTs (that need their dog-ears trimmed and then need to be pressed open). I might use them on the back of the quilt. Or not. Tonight, I’m too tired to think about it :-).