Simplify

A Sweet (Escape) finish

Alternate title: How many photos is too many photos of one quilt? ;-)

Last week was a crazy week but also a good one. I got my Sweet Escape quilt back from my quilter Abby (isn't the quilting beautiful?) and finally got to finish it up. I am so SO in love with this finish!! It was so much fun to make as part of a quilt along I hosted over on Instagram (the #sweetescapealong), and I loved watching all the different quilts come together over the past month. If you follow me over there you are probably a little tired of seeing my quilt by now but I just had to put these pictures up on my blog too. It makes me so happy!

I know at some point I was better at narrowing down the photos for my blog posts but apparently I have lost the ability to choose favorites so here are all of them. A few from when I was binding and then a whole lot from when I finished. Really. All the pictures. Ha ha... 

 

You can find the pattern here, and most of the fabrics are from our B&C Wovens collection (which ships in June, last I heard) with a few other favorite navy fabrics mixed in. The gray is the gray dot from the collection I bound it in the chambray dot and backed it in the navy windowpane, all from B&C Wovens. I love love LOVE sewing with wovens! They give so much texture to my quilts. Which is really hard to see in photos, but I'll do my best. 

It's so fun to see it next to the pillow I made before I started the quilt! Remember this one? 

I've had a lot of people ask about the adjustments to the pattern (which is made with Moda precut honey buns) and they are pretty simple. To make one like mine, follow the materials list from the pattern with a few adjustments:

Materials Needed: 
* 15 fat quarters cut into 1.5" x 21" strips (instead of 2 Honey Buns) 
* 3-3/4 yards gray fabric (instead of white)
* 2 yards white fabric (instead of aqua) 
* 3/4 yard binding fabric 
* 5 yards backing fabric 

*Note I switched the white and aqua backgrounds for my version to make the main background color gray, not white**

I hope that helps if you've been wanting to make one of your own! But back to the pictures...

As I mentioned, I took a whole bunch of photos the day I got it bound...

...but out of all of them...

... this one is my favorite. I love those little helping hands. 

I love that they still tell me they love my quilts when I finish them, I love that they don't mind helping me get a good photo, and I really love they they all asked separately if they could keep this one. I might have to make a few more. 

 

Spring Sale!

I realized this afternoon that I should have posted this here on the blog this week and totally forgot! Oops! I guess I'm still trying to get used to blogging again. :-) But there's a spring sale going on in my shop this week so if you've been wanting to start on a new project use code SPRINGBREAK30 to get 30% off all PDFs in my shop. Have a great weekend!

 

Binding Summerville

I spent a weekend up in Utah at The Quilter's Lodge with a few of my very favorite quilting friends back in January and had the BEST time! Great food, great sewing, and most of all great company. Before I left I didn't have time to get a project ready to go so I cut off a piece of each of our new B&C Wovens fabrics and brought them with me.

B&C Wovens- Shipping to quilt shops in May/June

In December I had recolored a Summerville quilt in Wovens which I loved but I had also drawn up a Swoon in in the same fabrics and I couldn't decide which one to make. So I decided to make them both! That weekend I made nine Swoon blocks and cut out my Summerville quilt. 

I've been working on these two quilts here and there since I got home and you may have seen over on my Instagram that I got them back from my quilter, Abby Latimer, this week. It was an especially busy week over here but this morning I finally had time to start binding my Summerville quilt. And fair warning, I took way too many photos. It was just so pretty!

(See, I told you I took a lot of pictures.)

I had originally planned on piecing the border as its shown on the pattern cover but this floral from The Good Life was just too perfect and framed it so well! Mixing wovens and prints is my new favorite. And check out the texture from the straight line quilting Abby did. So good!

I used the small aqua stripe from B&C Wovens for the binding and the navy check from Wovens for the backing. I love this combo so much!! You really can't go wrong with a striped binding. And here it is all finished up. I kinda like this one, in case you couldn't tell.

And since always get lots of questions about my machine binding method, yes, I stitch in on the back and pull it around to the front and stitch it down. I've tried pretty much every binding method out there and this is by far my favorite. You can see more here in a video I made with Fat Quarter Shop last summer.

Here's a close up of it being pulled around to the front. I'll admit it takes some practice, but it is so quick and easy after you get the hang of it! 

Oh! I don't think I've told you yet!  I have a new little helper these days. This is Cosmo and he is a little rescue kitty we adopted in November. We love love love this little guy! And he loves my quilts just as much. He can't stay away from them. It gets a little lonely in my sewing room sometimes while everyone is at school and work and its been so nice to have him to keep me company. I'm an official quilter now, I guess? ;-)

Anyway, here she is, all pieced, quilted and bound. That was so much fun! Now what should I make? 

 

Welcome back! A little house update.

Last month marked 7 years since we bought the maybe house. And no, I can't believe it either. I've had so (!) many requests for a house update but I've been hesitant because aside from one big remodeling project (adding a loft over the living room) that we started in the fall, you can see it hasn't changed a whole lot! Mainly because we haven't forgotten how much work it was, even seven years later, but also because we really are happy with most of the changes we made to the house when we moved in.

We still have the same floors, same paint colors, and a lot of the same furniture (though I would LOVE a new sectional!) as when we moved in. Over the years we've added some trim and character plus a few new things, mainly rugs and accessories. I tried to list most the sources, so click on a photo if you want to know where something is from. But usually it's Target. Target clearance, to be exact. ;-)

I tend to shift back and forth between a colorful and neutral palette, and I would say right now I'm in more of a neutral phase (gray, navy, and white) but with spring on the way I'm starting to crave more color. I have a big colorful quilt hanging on the wall in my office and it makes me so happy! (Why didn't I get a picture of that? Oh yeah, my office is a wreck this week!). But to clarify, when I say color, I don't mean yellow. It took way too much effort to get rid of the yellow over here!

A photo from day 1. Look at those little tiny boys!

A few disclaimers: I am definitely not a professional house photographer and today was darker than I typically like for photos. BUT the house was clean and I had 20 minutes until the first kid got home (and made a mess) so they will have to do! Also, I know remodeling/home dec isn't everyone's cup of tea so I promise I'll be back to quilting in my next post! Home dec is such a fun hobby for me and I have so enjoyed working on this house and gathering things that I love over the years. If you want to see where we started check out the house the day we bought it in this post, then some before and afters and 6 months down the road. We think it's come a long way!

Uggh. Not sure why these pictures aren't formatted right on my phone (and possibly the RSS feed if you are seeing this in your email. They were formatted perfectly on my computer! Anyway, back to it...

Entry:

You might remember that there were two niches that were made of drywall (below) in the entry, but I've been dreaming of turning them into built-ins for years! We removed the shelf in the middle and trimmed them out making bookshelves and adding wainscoting. The walkway above the shelving is new too, and goes to the new loft above the living room (more on that further down).

Before adding trim and a walkway to loft

After- new walkway

I love the built-ins so SO much. It added so much character to our very builder grade 90's southwestern style home. This is the drawing I gave my contractor and he did a wonderful job bringing it to life.

Here's another view of how it connects to the living room. 

The trim around the opening is new and I love it too, but the most exciting part is definitely that brand new ceiling in the living room! The living room was two stories tall before (so much wasted space!) and it was always dark since we couldn't have any ceiling lights and were stuck with just a lamp or two to light the space. Four can lights AND a large light in the center make it so much brighter now! The room above that ceiling was just a bonus.

These were my drawings for the trim around the opening. It was kind of a spur of the moment idea when we were halfway through  so I drew right over the in progress photos and I'm SO glad we went with it! Didn't Bruce do a great job?

Living Room

I love how much cozier this space is now, especially at night, and I love how much light the new transom windows bring in. (I apologize for saying the word love 800 times in this post.)

My oldest son has played this piano thousands of hours since we got it a few years ago. It has been worth every penny!

Still so in love with this Sweet Escape pillow- I can't wait to show you the matching quilt I'm working on!

Dining Room-

The living room leads into the dining room which is pretty much the same as before (I think) except one thing. I decided to switch things up late one night and switched the gray bookshelf from the upstairs hallway and my aqua hutch. And in the spirit of full disclosure, my husband and I moved both of them to SEVERAL different rooms (upstairs and down) before I decided on this setup. Ha ha... poor Jarom. He's a good sport. At least it was free, right? Moving things from one room to another is my favorite way to redecorate!

Family Room- 

I think this one is the same, just different pillows, rug and a few new accessories here and there. I would love to replace that sectional in the next few years, but this one is doing pretty well for being seven years old and used a TON. There was a teenager sleeping on it approximately 4 minutes after I took this photo.

I still love this fireplace and mantel so much. We finally used the fireplace this winter and it has made this room so cozy when we watch movies at night. 

Kitchen-

The biggest changes in here were swapping out the white appliances (one at a time as they broke), making the countertop one level, adding the trim to the island and windows, and new countertops and backsplash. I would love new cabinets someday, but for now we are still making the painted cabinets work. The paint is wearing off in a few spots but I just keep touching it up and crossing my fingers!

Downstairs bathroom:

The biggest change in here was that I hand painted every inch of the white grout gray and will never (ever!) use white grout on a floor again. It was such a pain and always looked dirty even when it had just been cleaned. We are still using the measuring tape growth chart and it's one of my favorite things I bought for this house 7 years ago for sure. 

Bedroom:

This room got a new upholstered bed, a light (finally!) and some window trim. My quilt ladder has a few of my favorite quilts on it and they get used every night. Especially the double sided lawn quilts in the summer. They are my favorite!

Loft- 

This is the room we added above the living room, and you can see the progress of that (very messy) project below.

From the top of the stairs (note the weird decorative beams):

So this is all bonus space, which was quickly snatched up by the teenagers. They love to have friends over to play video games in here. It's not a huge room but again, totally a bonus.

And I love this room because I now have two big closets to store my sample quilts and extra fabric!! They were stored in a corner of our guest room before this so these shelves were such a treat! Now, painting the shelves and the doors? Not as much of a treat. Totally worth it though.

This is the view from the new walkway to the existing hallway. I can't remember what it was like before we added this on. Fun fact, I spent 8 million hours sanding, staining, and painting this banister in December.

And last but not least (my favorite room) the sewing room-

The happiest room in my house, hands down! The biggest changes in here were the mini wall, and many more B&C fabric collections. A post with more pictures and info about this room is on my blog list for later. I love it in here. So much.

That pretty much sums it up! Which changes were your favorite? Would it be weird if the living room ceiling was mine? Yes? That's okay. I love this house and am so proud of how much work we've put into it over the past 7 years. It really has been such a fun project.  A fun project I really REALLY hope we never have to do again! ;-)

 

All grown up - the family update

Those of you that followed my blog years ago know that the last time I posted about them, my boys were just little guys. 

And since then? They have grown into big guys. (Yes, Aiden is taller than me now!)

Aiden is 15, in high school (!), and is counting down the days until he can drive. Canon turns 14 in a few months, still loves everything BYU and is SO ready to start high school in the fall. Nicholas is now 8 years old and was baptized in January. He absolutely loves reading and pestering his older brothers nonstop. Seriously, nonstop. 

We are still in the home we started remodeling back in 2012 and we've made a lot of changes and updates to it (including a big one late last year) over the past few years to make it our own. I'll be sure to include some house updates here over the next little while in between the fabric and quilts and all the other stuff.

But first I'll have to dust off my now 9 year old DSLR (is that even right??). Time flies.

 

The one where I talk about my sewing machines

Stitched with Love mini quilts in Little Snippets and B&C Solids (plus a corner of Lighthearted!)

Of all the questions I am asked, the one I get most often is how I hang mini quilts on my wall. That one is easy. Plain old clear push pins from Target. Simple! But the next question, which sewing machine I use/recommend is a much more complicated question. And it just so happens to be the subject of my blog post today. So lets talk sewing machines. Ready?

Disclaimer: I really I am not a sewing machine collector and my machines have been purchased over 12 years. That being said, I really am not justifying having 4 sewing machines. It's silly, I know. But I love them all for different reasons. Please don't judge. I also only know what I have used and am very hesitant to recommend a machine unless I've sewn on it for an extended period of time. So while I'm sure there are wonderful Babylocks, Brothers, other Bernina models, etc, I don't know them well enough to advise one way or the other. This post is based on my experience only. I would love it if you would chime in below if you have a machine you love. Maybe that will help someone who is looking? Okay, end of disclaimer. Oh wait, this post is kind of long and I definitely ramble a bit. Sorry, that's the real end of the disclaimer.

My Bernina 430- binding Swoon Sixteen in Hello Darling

As many of you know, I sewed for many years on my Bernina 430. It was/is a wonderful machine which I have sewn millions of stitches on. It has lots of stitch options, and was especially helpful when I was doing more applique because it has a beautiful blanket stitch. I love machine quilting on it too. For so many years it was reliable, it worked hard, and it was the only machine I needed. It was a wonderful machine. A few years ago it started having trouble starting up when it was plugged in. I talked to my local shop about it and they knew just what it was but I still haven't taken it in, as it is an expensive repair and I haven't needed this machine as often as I'm usually on my Juki. It is on my list though. This issue aside, I have nothing but good things to say about the 430. 

A Bernina 880 on loan from Bernina a few years ago making Vintage Tulips

I tried other new Berninas here and there through the Bernina Ambassador program a few years ago and if I am being completely honest they just weren't a great fit for me. I'm not a bells and whistles girl, I like simplicity. I didn't use the fancy features and I was often frustrated. That being said, while they weren't a great fit for me, I know a lot of people who love sewing with them and make really wonderful things. I guess what I'm trying to say is find a machine that fits your needs! 

Singer Featherweight at home on my favorite shelf

My second machine is a Singer Featherweight and I know at some point I knew what year it was made and more info about it but I can't seem to locate the info right now. If I'm being honest, I bought it because it is beautiful. I saw one like it on Ebay and couldn't stop thinking about it for months. Eventually I found this one and the price was right so I caved and it came to live in my sewing room. I had it serviced locally when it arrived and it does work and has a beautiful stitch, but I mainly stick to my modern machines. For now. 

My favorite machine- Juki TL 2000i

A few years ago when several friends of mine were getting Jukis, I didn't think I needed one. I was happy with my Bernina 430 and wasn't really looking. Until late one night at a sewing night with friends (Three years ago this week actually!). I tried one for the first time and it was love at first stitch. It. Was. SO. FAST. It felt like it was twice as fast as my machine. VERY late that night/the next morning I ordered one on Amazon and my Juki TL 2000i came two days later.

I absolutely love this machine. What do I love about it? The stitch, the thread cutter on the pedal, the throat space, the height it sits on my table, how reliable it is, and most of all, how simple it is to use. I turn it on and it just works. Every time. Note that it is a straight stitch only machine, so it is ideal for piecing, but this might be a deal breaker for some. I ordered a 1/4" foot for it off of Ebay that night, but honestly it is terrible and falls apart regularly. A replacement foot has been on my list for forever but I haven't found one yet. Juki owners, let me know if you have one you love!

The first time I watched Gilmore Girls. Those were the days...

I chose the 2000 over the 2010 because it was less expensive and the big difference between the two is speed control. Since I like to sew full speed that wasn't a selling point for me so I stuck with the less expensive model. No regrets there, it is perfect for me! But if you would like a speed regulator, maybe go with the 2010. 

When I got my Juki I was thinking I could take it with me when I traveled to retreats. I was very wrong. This thing is solid and heavy (!) and is definitly not fitting in my carry on! Enter, Bernina 215.

My travel machine- Bernina 215 Simply Red edition. 

My local shop Quiltique talked me into this one (it wasn't hard- I mean, it's red!) for retreats and it is a great little machine. Nice and solid, not too fancy, and stands up perfectly in the bottom of my rolling carry on.

Action shot at a retreat last month. Hi Nicole!! (Mat also made by Nicole, isn't it darling?)

Things I love about this machine? The size, the stitch, the 1/4" foot (can you beat the quality of Bernina feet, really?), and it sews over everything. I prefer piecing minis on this machine over my Juki because it tends to handle small pieces better. I also prefer this machine for straight line quilting, even through there isn't a ton of throat space, mainly because the Bernina walking foot is better than the one that came with the Juki. 

Straight line quilting the Sweet Escape pillow I made last week with my 215

Hmm... what else? I think that's pretty much it. Did I cover everything? Hopefully so! Hopefully this helps some of you who have asked. Oh! And feel free to chime in below if you have a machine you love. There are so many amazing machines out there!