Saturday, January 24, 2015

One More Runner!

The first class I'll be teaching in the Dallas area is the Wild Zebra Quilt at the store, Sew Let's Quilt It. Here it is in Table Runner form. This has 2 blocks in it...see how the stripes match up perfectly? I dare you to find the seam! This is NOT because I am an excellent machine piecer...because I'm not! It's because this pattern has a secret that makes it so easy to put the blocks together so easy and so perfectly. The appliqué is done by what I call Cut Away Appliqué and there is not difficult placement of stripes! You start off with two large pieces of fabric and end up with an appliqué design in no time!

 

This is the same technique used for the King/Queen sized bed quilt pattern found Above and on the website. Just multiply the blocks and you have a quilt as big as you want it to be! I will also teach my free hand appliqué stitching in this class. If you are in the area, be sure to check out the class on the web link above! Would love to meet a few of you!!

I've also made two blocks and put them into a tote bag. I really like this one! We can never have too many totes can we! The same tote below has the sides tucked in to give it a different look. I've really enjoyed carrying this around the last few days while running errands! I've even had a few comments on it while shopping!

 

This week has been a doozy with technical difficulties! I was so proud of myself today because I figured out how to instal a printer, hook up the wireless, move the modems and such around to a new room, and finally figure out some printing problems! I'm so limited in techie stuff, but this really made me feel good getting all this set up! Not exactly what I've needed to spend the last 3 days on, but necessary for sure. I'm moving my office to a larger space and it feels good to be half way there...computer? Check! Desk Organization? Not checked yet! I'll get to it when I can... Haha!

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by,

Take Care,

Missie

 

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Finished Table Runners!

 

I've been working hard to finish the new Table Runners for the workshops! This one below is called Grannie's Flowers and is for the Garland Guild's Workshop on English Paper Piecing-5 Ways and More. I will teach them all sorts of hints and tidbits about English Paper Piecing, including my favorite way of basting with Starch! The center is English Paper Pieced and the outer flowers are wool and cotton appliqué.

The runner below is the Pennies In My Garden Table Runner to go along with the larger quilt called Pennies In My Garden and it is wool and cotton Appliqué with layered pennies and florals. This class is for the workshop at Happiness Is...Quilting! And they will learn the way I like to build a layered wool quilt. These cotton penny parts have a finished seam allowance.

 

It was nice to make something smaller after making The Gardens Of A King last year. Sometimes it's good to do something simple for an easy, quick project!!
Don't forget you can find me on Pinterest, Yahoo Groups, FB and Here! Pick your favorite social media and follow along and participate as I create new patterns for you!

Take care,

Missie

 

Sunday, January 11, 2015

More Pennies Please!



Yep, you are seeing right! I'm making more pennies for a new Table Runner. As mentioned in an earlier post, I will be traveling to teach for the Garland Quilt Guild in Texas. While there, I will also be teaching at a few local quilt stores. One is called Happiness Is...Quilting! And the name of the store just makes you want to go right on in to check it out doesn't it! They've requested that one of the workshops will be a Table Runner based on the larger quilt, Pennies In My Garden. This one is going much quicker due to its size. The reward of a finished quilt will come pretty quickly due to it's smaller size. The other workshop will be all about Punchneedle. I'll provide tips and show how I make my mini Punchneedle Quilts! Both will be lots of fun and very educational for the students. If you are in the Dallas area, come and see me!!
Don't forget to look for my new Mini Punchneedle Quilt in the Spring 2015 issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects! Mine has still not arrived...I can't wait!!

Something else exciting is that I have started a FaceBook group for the makers of  my quilts and The Gardens of a King.  Like my business page on FB by clicking HERE and then scroll down to find the Traditional Primitives Group and request to join, then ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED INTO THE GROUP!  Then you will be accepted, if you've purchased the pattern and can join in on the fun!  You can post pictures of your progress on my designs. I hope to see pictures of many of my designs that you've made, but mostly I hope to see lots of blocks from The Gardens Of A King. I want you to find inspiration and praise from the blocks, quilts and punchneedle you've all made! You can compare colors, get ideas, see fussy cutting, etc to inspire you! We can have conversations and keep each other motivated! I'm so excited and I hope you will join me soon!! Click the link above, request to join and we'll see you there! This reminds me, I'm also now on Instagram for those of you who enjoy that. Please search for me as traditional.primitives and start following. 

See you soon in one or all of these fun places listed above!!
Take Care,
Missie


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Lookie Lookie! Primitive Quilts and Projects Spring Issue!

Look for a new Mini Punchneedle Quilt from me in the newest edition of Primitive Quilts and Projects Spring 2015 Issue...being mailed this week!

 

 

 

Kits will be available on my website very soon!

 

Thanks for stopping by and Take Care,

Missie

 

Monday, January 5, 2015

Aging Fabrics



 
There have been some questions on how I age my fabric with coffee, so I would love to share my process with you.  It's pretty easy! 
 
Preheat the oven to 250*.  Boil about 8-12 cups of water in a large soup pot on the stovetop.  While that is getting hot, heat about1 cup of water in the microwave and add 2-3 spoonfulls of instant caffeinated coffee.  Mix well until the crystals are dissolved.  This solution will be milky brown colored. 
 
After the crystals are dissolved, pour the thick coffee into the boiling water and stir.  Then add your fabric and cook it on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.  Use tongs to rearrange or stir occasionally.  The largest cut of fabric I use is about 1/2 yard.  You can "cook" several pieces at a time, but keep the cuts small so they will fit in the cookie sheet for baking.
 
Next set aside a cooking sheet that has about 3/4" raised sides.  I believe the official term is a rolled cake pan?  I am not much of a cook, so I am not sure exactly!  Anyway, use tongs to remove your fabric from the hot coffee and hold it in the air over the pan to drain most of the liquid out.  Then use a strainer in the sink.  Do not squeeze out the coffee.  Reorganize the fabric a few times to let more coffee drain out.  When most of the dripping has stopped, put the fabric into the cookie sheet pan.  Let the fabric cool until you can touch it without getting burned.  Drain any water that has pooled.  Try to lay it out sort of flat.  Then begin to wrinkle up the fabric creating dips and peaks.  I try not to make the wrinkles all even.  Instead I try to wrinkle it all mixed up so the aged marks will not have any organization to them. 
 
When you have the wrinkles like you want them, put the pan into the oven and bake until the fabric is mostly dry.  I must INSIST that you stay in the kitchen while it is cooking for safety!  Please check it every 15 minutes to make sure it s not burning a hole into the peaks of the fabric.  Set your timer!  As the fabric begins to get drier, check more often.  Once the spots get to a look you like and the fabric is still damp in the valleys, take it out and lay it flat on a towel or hang it over a drying rack until dry.  After the fabric is completely dry, iron it flat with firm pressure to get most of the wrinkles out.  (some may be baked in!)
 
That's about all there is to it ladies!!  It's pretty easy to age your fabric for the prim look!  Here's a few more tips below...
 
You will smell the coffee in the dried fabric.  If the smell bothers you, you can rinse the fabric with water.  Some of the coffee stain will wash away, so rinse quickly!  If you use soap, most of the stain will wash away.  The picture below shows how much coffee stain washed out with soapy water.  The staining is much softer and barely there, which might be perfect for some projects!
 
 
When I first did this aging, I thought the aged marks were created from the dips or valleys of the fabric where it sits on the pan.  After watching it bake in the oven, I realized the aged marks come from the peaks created when wrinkling and they are from the burning of the fabric!  As you arrange the wrinkles, keep this in mind.  Peaks that are shorter and spaced closer together will have aged marks that are closer together.  A large area of fabric that is flat on the cookie sheet will be an area without much coloring. 

 
The picture above shows the right side of the fabric that was facing up as it cooked.  You can see the streaky look of the dark tones going from very dark at the top of the wrinkle and fading as it gets further from the peak of the wrinkle.



The picture above shows the other side of the fabric which was facing down toward the cookie sheet.  The aged marks are not blended out from the peaks as much on this side.  It's just as pretty...just a different look!  Most often, I use the side that has more color...the side that was facing up while baking.
 
In this particular fabric, the darkest spots are burned stiff!  So much so that I needed to use a #10 or #11 Milliner needle to sew through it by hand.  This is a brushed flannel fabric.  I don't mind that the dark spots are so burned because I know I use these fabrics for small projects that are not necessarily heirlooms.  I'd never use an aged fabric for something with lots of hard work!  I have no idea what will happen to these burned spots over the years.  This is just for fun!
 
The project you see above will be called My Granny's Flowers and the pattern will be ready in a few weeks.  Check back for updates as I add wool flowers around the Grandmothers Flower Garden blocks in the center of the runner. 
 

 
I have another pattern using aged fabric.  The design above is called Aged Glory.  You can find it HERE on my website if you are interested!  It is a small wool applique wall hanging that is very simple to make...also very quick!
 
A few more notes for today's post...Be sure to look for a new Punchneedle and Wool Applique Mini Quilt from me in the next issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine!  You can buy these magazines at your local quilt store or subscribe from their website HERE.  I'll post more about it as soon as I am allowed to show pictures!  Yay!  So exciting!
 
Do you think one of your local stores would like to offer my patterns?  If so, please share my information with them and ask that they contact me.  My goal as a designer is to be able to sell my patterns to stores, but it is so difficult to find the right stores with a similar look as I try to grow my business.  If a store you recommend purchases patterns from me, I may give you a little surprise so be sure to email me if you recommend my designs to a quilt shop! 
 
Be sure to follow my blog from gadgets on the right sidebar to get updates as I make posts.  You can also find me on Pinterest as Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter.  I have also just started a Facebook Page and Instagram under the name Traditional Primitives if you'd like to follow me there! 
 
Thank you So much for stopping by today!
As always, Take Care,
Missie

 

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Hexie Table Runner!

 

It's finally time to start a little stitching!! Yippee! I'd say it's been about 5 weeks since I've had time to pick up a needle and thread, so I'm feeling good now that I have a few minutes to stitch a little! Let's see...it is 8pm... That means I have about 30 minutes until my eyes wear out and start watering! Haha!

 

These are a few leftover hexies from my Life In The Midwest Quilt. (You can see it by clicking on the name). I will be teaching my starch basting technique For English Paper Piecing at the Garland, Texas Guild in February, so I thought I'd work up a new class sample to teach. I just love the colors in the granny flowers...they are truely my favorites. The background plaid has been stained with instant coffee and baked to give it that really old look. My favorite quilts are done with these colors and textures. Plaids, florals, small prints...a mixture of Traditional, Primitive and Civil War fabrics...and next I'll add in my other favorite texture to add to a quilt...Wool. Yum Yummy!

What are your favorite colors and textures to make quilts with?

Happy New Year! And of course,

Take Care,

Missie

PS...I'm working on those tabs at the top of the page. Forgive me for a while longer as I can not figure out what is wrong with the links to make them work properly! I'm working on it! If you have any questions on Starch Basting or making The Gardens Of A King, don't hesitate to contact me. ;-)