Author: Sheila

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Wow! If it’s not a Pandemic, it’s a Forest Fire!

  • Filming!
  • Pandemic Project 1
  • Pandemic Project 2
  • Pandemic Project 3
  • Pandemic Project 4
  • Pandemic Project 5

Aside from making piles of face masks, I was able to work on some projects over the last months of the pandemic. These are the smaller ones that have been finished. I enjoyed each one! Snuggling in for some stitching and a movie in the evenings was therapy from the news! Notice they are a bit smaller than my usually more ambitious projects! It seemed hard to settle on a big project being so distracted with the news, but I was able to focus on these small pieces even during a pandemic, and feel like some progress was being made. Another, larger project will be featured in a separate post, and two others are in process (one on the design wall and one on the floor)!

And now the forest fires! Oregon is engulfed. So many friends have been evacuated, some have lost their homes, and all of us are experiencing unbelievably poor air quality which will last for weeks. I’ve made my home available to friends in evacuation areas, donated food and toiletries, and today dropped off some quilts. There are many changes to deal with on a daily basis, but I’m feeling grateful that our family is safe and our home is not at risk.

So, let me tell you about the projects shown above! The filming was for a promotional video done with QuiltFolk as they featured my DIY Barn Quilt Kits in August. You may even recognise Michael McCormack, publisher and vidoegrapher, and Bre who handles logistics, media, shipping and photography! We spent a fun morning together.

Project #1 was a Row by Row quilt designed by my friend Tracy Hickey and available at Piece By Piece as a pattern or kit.

Project #2 is a fun embroidery project by another friend Laura Wasilowski, of the Chicago School of Fusing! Great all-around person, awesome sense of humor and just plain fun and talented! This was a free pattern she offered early on in the pandemic.

Projects #3 & 4 are little Sue Spargo wool/embroidery kits I ordered on line from The Stitchin Post. I think I will frame them. The colors suit my sensibility and I will find the perfect spot to show them off.

Project #5 is a covered/wrapped clothes line table mat. I’ve made a few of these and just love the scrappy way the colors work together. The print of each fabric ends up being hidden, but the color comes through. You might notice that I’ve started leaving the tail ends of the rope exposed, and frayed! It gives it a fun whimsical look that I enjoyed, so I will definitely do that again.

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New Product! Introductory Price!!

I’m so excited to tell you about the new DIY Barn Quilt Kit I have available on my site now! It is special because it is prepared for an exterior application, perfectly water-proof and weather-resistant, it will last for years! Best of all, you get to choose your favorite block, and have the fun of making it yourself! They are available in onsies, and twosies–that’s as a single, or as a pair.

Included in each kit is a pre-primed 24″ x 24 board, a sample foam brush and a set of 4 stainless steel mounting screws, as well as the downloadable instruction booklet, sample patterns and access to a video tutorial coming soon! Doesn’t that sound fun? Who wouldn’t want to dive into this fun project? Go to my SHOP page to see these two great offers!

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In the Time of Quarantine

A friend from All People Quilt has put together a great article called, “Getting Creative in the Time of Quarantine” on how the pandemic has affected us as quilters recently. It is very reassuring to see that many of us are experiencing the same feelings and issues. There are also many suggestions, and a chance to get a glimpse of each of the designers who were able to participate in this forum. I loved looking up their accounts and following each of them, that way I’ll be able to keep up with them in the future too! By chance, I was included, so you will just have to go to the article to see my smiling face! Thanks to Lindsay Mayland of Happy Hour Stitches for gathering all this info, and sending it out to the world!

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Whoa! That was fast!

Having just recently sent out MANY Color Wheel Footstool Kits, all over the US, I was surprised when pics of this first finished footstool was sent to me! Becky A. has a charming fabric collection, with perfect sewing and construction of the footstool, and also the perfect model to show it off! Isn’t Ginger cute, you can tell she loves the footstool too! You can find the Color Wheel Footstool Kit on my SHOP page with some other irresistible projects.

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Color Wheel Footstool Tutorial

Never enough footstools!

There have been a LOAD of Color Wheel Footstools shipped out over the past 2 weeks, after a wonderful blitz of attention it got from being the feature of Quiltfolk! I wanted to make sure you can all find my tutorial for sewing the panels that make up the Color Wheel Footstool. Click the Link to find it on youtube, it will make it easy to complete your panels!

Click Here!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3abIhFeSpE

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New Add-on Class!

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I’m just putting feelers out to see if there is enough interest to put a class together in Eugene soon!

  • Saturday October 19th
  • Peace Presbyterian Church, 3060 River Rd. Eugene, OR
  • 9:30-3:30pm
  • $100, all inclusive.  You only need an apron and your lunch!
  • Take home a FINISHED project!

Please contact me to register or for questions.

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So, these Barn Quilts!

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It’s no secret that I love spreading Barn Quilts all around, but I can’t possibly do it all myself. So, teaching classes is how I plan to spread the Barn Quilt craze, helping folks decorate our world with color and the good feelings that come from sharing your creativity.

Here are just a few of the Barn Quilts that were created last Friday at the Skyline Grange, north of Portland!

Some of the questions that came up were interesting, such as. “What is the correct size to make a Barn Quilt?”  Well, in my classes we make 2′ x 2′ squares.  They can be completed in a 6 hour class, and some complex designs are included, though most are fairly easy to draw.  For example an Ohio Star is offered, but not a Feathered Star which is too complex a design for your first Barn Quilt.  I think of the classes as an opportunity to learn the technique, not to make the family heirloom! To answer the question requires some explanation.  The 2’x2′ squares fit well on a pump house, garden shed, garage or fence, but might get lost on a big barn.  It also depends on the distance the Barn Quilt will be seen from.  Also, a more complex design may be more suited to a larger board such as 3’x3′, or 4’x4′.  I’ve seen a wide variety of sizes of Barn Quilts while I’m out driving and no matter the size it is a nice surprise to spot one! I feel like the answer should be this: There are no rules!  Make and use the size of Barn Quilt that suits your space!  I have small 1’x1′ squares available, and have seen that they can sometimes be made 8’x8′. I’ve seen that some are painted directly onto a barn which must be a little challenging, considering the rough barnwood.

One of my favorite reasons to love these classes, is that I get to see the finished project!  Nice work.  My next classes will be at the NW Quilt Expo in Portland on September 26 & 27, go to their website to register. After that I’ll be at the Stitchin’ Post in Sisters, OR  (October 8th) and at Tillamook for the Partners for Rural Innovation Center on October 12th.

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Curious about Barn Quilt Painting Class?

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If you’ve ever seen the fun Barn Quilts that are appearing on barns and homes, read on!

It’s always a nice surprise to spot them as I’m driving, and makes me feel like I would really like those people! 🙂 But, making one for yourself is a little daunting. There are so many supplies to figure out, patterns to explore, and decisions to make. You are the perfect candidate for one of my classes!

I teach Barn Quilt painting in a 6hr class. Starting from a blank (pre-primed) board to a finished Barn Quilt ready to hang.  The Barn Quilt is completely water and weatherproof, no need to seal it later, just choose your spot, hang it up and enjoy!  I provide all the needed materials for class as well as instruction throughout the day.  I am a very well prepared teacher which makes for a relaxing and productive day.

Traveling throughout the PNW to teach, driving is the only way I can get all the supplies to each location. Please check my calendar for upcoming classes. Hint: if you want to see a class in progress, to get a feel for what it is like, stop in at the Stitchin Post in Sisters this Friday 5/17/19.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want a class in your area, or want to register for a local class.