Guess what!  I had the best conversation with Brandie from Quilter On Fire Podcast!  Listen with me April 25.  We had such a fun chat about my business. She really asked some great questions and I so enjoyed the memories!  Find this and more at quilteronfire.com.  

Be sure to subscribe to my blog by email over on the right side of the page and you will be automatically notified when I post something new!  You can also follow @traditionalprimitives on Instagram and Traditional Primitives- Missie Carpenter on FaceBook! 

Thanks for stopping by today and Take Care! 

Missie

TraditionalPrimitives.com

Old School BOM- Basting EPP with Starch!

I’m thrilled to be involved in this Old School BOM project!  It’s always so good to learn some basics for quilting, as well as something new!  Thanks to Kim for including me and giving me the opportunity to show you all something “old school” done in a new way.   We'll be making an old school Hexie block with a fussy cut center.

When I started quilting one of the first quilts I wanted to make was a quilt with hexagon blocks.  I have an old quilt my Memaw made in the 30’s and it is one of my favorite antiques for sure.  Generally, Hexagon quilts are made using traditional hand piecing or the English Paper Piecing method.  The English Paper Piecing method is what interested me.  (EPP).  This means the quilter has a hexagon shape made from thick paper.  It is positioned on the wrong side of the fabric and the seam allowances are folded over the paper and basted in place.  I tried to baste hexie after hexie but I just couldn’t hold that paper still enough to have a good shape in the end.  The paper would shift and move at each turn and before long, I had no seam allowance left to turn over the paper!  No matter which tricks I used, I could not do a good job! 

Years later I was preparing some applique’ shapes using freezer paper and starch and it dawned on me that perhaps this would work for basting EPP shapes.  It worked like a charm, but after a while, I realized I needed some tools (notions) that were not available.  My husband encouraged me to start designing what I needed and we now have a line of EPP and Applique' notions for Starch Basting.  I've got a few videos on my website that tell you all about the technique and notions, and shows you just how to use them.  Take a look HERE and after watching you'll be ready to begin the block.  Try to watch the second video listed (from your PC or Android device) as it is the most recent.  If you don't have a PC,  you can watch the first video loaded.  The rest are nice to watch too! 

The basics of this technique are:  

1-Make the hexie template from a double layer of freezer paper.  

2-Cut fabric 1/4" larger on all sides of the hexie.

3-Iron the template to the wrong side of the fabric.

4-Paint the seam allowance with starch.

5-Fold the seam allowance onto the template and iron until dry with a mini iron.

6-Let the hexie cool and remove the template.  Repeat, repeat, repeat!

7-Sew the hexies together...YAY!

When you finish getting educated on this method from the videos, download the PDF file HERE .  You'll need to complete the checkout process, but don't worry, I will not ask for your credit card info or spam you!  This is just the way my website requires you to get the download.  Upon checkout completion a Purchase Confirmation box will pop up and you can get the download DIRECTLY FROM THIS BOX.  That's the easiest way to find the link.  😊 An email will also be sent with the link to get the download.

You can make the hexie with a fussy cut center as shown above, or if you'd rather have a block full of hexies, you'll need to make a few more and fill the center as shown below.  I can't wait to see how you make your block with your fabrics when you post in the Old School BOM FB Group!  Have fun and please let me know if you have any questions by asking in the FB group or by sending me an email through the comment form on the website, TraditionalPrimitives.com.

These blocks shown here are from a few of my fabric collections with Blank Quilting Corp- The hexies in the first picture are from my current collection, Abby's Treasures- in stores now!  The center and background in the first picture are from my next line, Ashton Collection, shipping to stores in October.  Be sure to tell your local shop to get this one ordered in time!  It has some wonderful prints and border prints!  The center in the second picture is from previous lines, Rustic Homestead and Ginger & Spice.  See more on my website on the Fabrics and Woolen Page as I still have some prints from these past collections available. 

Join the  Old School BOM | Facebook FB group and join the fun to learn the basics of quilting! Here is a list of the participating designers sharing our lessons, tips and tricks.  

Jan 12, '21- Kim Lapacek Persimon Dreams- Block 1 Patched Friendship Star

Feb 12 '21- Nancy Scott- Masterpiece Quilting

Mar 12 '21- Quilt Jane

Apr 12 '21- Missie Carpenter, Traditional Primitives

May 12, '21- Natalie Santini, Sew Hungry Hippie

June 12, '21- Kerry Goulder, Kid Giddy

July 12, '21- GoGo Kim

Aug 12, '21- Lee Chappell Monroe, May Chappell

Sept 12, '21- Yvonne Fuchs, Quilting Jetgirl

Oct 12, '21- Pat Sloan

Nov 12, '21- Katy Cameron, The Littlest Thistle

Dec 12, '21- Sherri Falls, This and That Patterns

Thanks for stopping by,

Take Care,

Missie

TraditionalPrimitives.com

Where Has The Time Gone?!?

Posted by Missie Carpenter on Jul 24th 2020

Wow!  Is it possible that 2020 is more than half over already?!?  I can’t believe what a year it has been.  We started off with a bang at the Road to California Show, then The Rusty Barn Show in Phoenix, a quick stop at home and out to Virginia for the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival and the Academy of Appliqué.  And then the pandemic got ahold of our country, we has a grand baby born in the midst of it and we've been working from home since March.  Wow, what a year with many ups and downs, cancellations, sadness and joy.  
After returning from VA we were able to self quarantine for 2 weeks to make sure we were clean and healthy in order to meet our new granddaughter Kenzie.  She is now 4 months old and brings so much joy!  Here she is with her Mama- such a happy baby- and I could say the same about her Mama!  We are so blessed and thankful to be well.                                                       

With our time spent at home so much now, I’ve enjoyed the slower pace we've had due to no shows.  (Even though we have missed the shows terribly!).  Slow stitching has returned and I’ve been working on a few projects I will be able to share with you very soon.  I was able to use some of my previous 3 lines of fabrics with Blank Quilting- Ginger & Spice, Rustic Homestead and Barn Dance along with some strike off's of my 4th and next line Abby's Treasures!  Barn Dance should be in your local quilt shop now and they may have a bit of Rustic Homestead left to sell as well!  If they are sold out at your local shop, I do have some left.  I have plans of adding what I have on hand to my website soon, but if you can’t find it in a shop, please contact me through my website and we can figure out what you need.    ( TraditionalPrimitives.com )

Barn Dance is so fun and festive.  Available in fat quarter bundles!  

Abby's Treasures will be shipped to stores in December.  It's my favorite collection to date!  Please share this news with your local shop to make sure they have it on order.  

We must do our best to focus on the good things in life and stay as healthy as we can.  I hope you are all well!  Stay well and thank you so much for stopping by today!

Missie

TraditionalPrimitives.com

• #TraditionalPrimitives
 
• #quilting fabric
 
• #Blank Quilting
 
• #Barn Dance
 
• #Rustic Homestead
• #Ginger &Spice

My Day for Splendid Sampler 2!

Well, today is my day for sharing my block in the Splendid Sampler 2 book!  I'm happy to share my block, Full Circle with you!  It's about coming full circle with English Paper Piecing after trying to love it for so many years.  Those of you familiar with my blog know that I have my own way of basting EPP, but the newcomers from The Splendid Sampler may not know about it.

Early on when I learned to quilt back in the late 80's one of the first quilts I wanted to make was a
Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  I tried basting with needle and thread and just couldn't do it well.  Over the years I'd try again, and still I didn't like it (and frankly was no good at it!).  Then the shortcuts for EPP basting came along and they just were not for me for one reason or another.  I went on to enjoy applique' as my favorite quilting technique for many years.

One day I decided to do a Dear Jane quilt and I decided to make it using applique'.  (I was not a "piecer" at this time and applique' was my favorite thing!) . When I came upon a sharp point I decided to use starch for basting the applique' and it clicked that I should try starch basting for English Paper Piecing.  After all, many of the blocks in Dear Jane should really be pieced.  It worked great and has lead to developing all sorts of tips and notions for using while Starch Basting English Paper Piecing.

This leads me to the block Full Circle...symbolizing how I struggled to love English Paper Piecing and now it's my favorite way of piecing!  I can now say in all honesty that I am a piecer.  I love handwork and it works great for me and many others. 

Watch this video to see exactly what got me so excited about EPP~ click HERE.  The block Full Circle has an English Paper Pieced center and the rest of the pieces are Applique'd using the same method of Starch Basting.  (You will also find this video on my home page in the top right corner if you want to watch it again at TraditionalPrimitives.com )

You can use traditional English Paper Piecing Basting to prep your block, but here's the way I made my block if you want to learn a shortcut for basting:  Copy the pattern onto Premium Freezer Paper and then iron two pages together with shiny sides down.  Then cut out the shapes right on the lines.

Next prep the triangle pieces by ironing the shiny side of the template to the back of the fabric. Paint two of the seam allowances with starch using the Starch Brush and fold the seam over and dry with the iron.  Leave one seam un-prepped and flat.

Next prep the center hexie shape using the starch basting method.  

And then move on to prep the petal shapes.  Only starch baste one side of each petal. 

And lastly prep the background outer circle.  Clip the curves so that the seams will turn nicely when you press them dry on the backside.  

Follow the directions in the book for using the star shaped template as a guide for placing the petals in the proper position and glue baste them in place.  

Use basic English Paper Piecing stitching to sew the center triangles together and then glue baste them in the center of the star shape and stitch in place.  

Stitch the petals in place also.

And lastly stitch the outer circle background in place!  

The block above is the one pictured in the book on page 78 and the one shown below is the one I've made for my quilt using my 1st fabric line Ginger & Spice from Blank Quilting.  My fabrics are a touch traditional and a touch primitive, just like my quilting style and business name, Traditional Primitives.  I'm very excited to be using them in this project.  You can find Ginger & Spice in your local quilt shops now if you are interested in having them for yourself!

Featured this week with my blocks are my favorite little scissors for clipping threads.  These little sheep scissors come in black or silver- a tough decision on which one is cuter!  Need a perfect gift for your favorite sewing friend?  These scissors would make a wonderful keepsake!

You will find the notions mentioned on the Notions page of my website, TraditionalPrimitives.com and there are more videos beside several of the products.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I hope you have learned a little something today and enjoy making your Full Circle block.  Get it done soon and enter the contest Pat mentioned at SplendidSampler.com- Good Luck in the contest to win 12 spools of Aurifil thread!

If you don't have your book yet it's available in quilt shops now!  Join us in the FB Group as well.  It will be so much fun to stitch this Splendid Sampler 2 together!

For those of you who are new to my blog, please feel free to read back on older posts and get to know me.  You'll find me on FB as Traditional Primitives from Missie Carpenter.  Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by and as always, Take Care,

Missie

Shop by clicking on TraditionalPrimitives.com!!

Another Splendid Sampler 2 Block!

The last post I showed you two of the blocks I've made for the Splendid Sampler 2 and today I'll show you one more real quick.  It's called For the Love by Sharon Burgess.  This one is English Paper Pieced- just up my ally!  Of course I used my Starch Basting Technique to baste and it went together lickety split!  What a pretty flower it makes!  These are a few more of the fabrics from Ginger & Spice, my line with Blank Quilting  :-}

Are you joining in the fun of making this quilt?  Join the FB group and get started!

Take care and thanks for stopping by.

Missie

#SplendidSampler #BlankQuilting #TraditionalPrimitives #SplendidSamplerDesigner #TheSplendidSampler2 #TheSplendidSampler #aurifil #quilting #31dayblogchallenge2018

Life Brings Changes and Life goes on...

Well, lots has happened since my last post.  My first line of fabric with Blank Quilting has been shipped to stores! YAY!  Ginger & Spice is out there in quilt shops so be sure to find out if your local quilt shop has it in stock.  It was so exciting to see it in person and have it in my hands!  The colors are rich and deep.  The fabrics feel so wonderful.  I'm so proud to have designed these and look forward to seeing them pop up in quilts out there!  If you use them, I'd love to see what you create with them!

My family has enjoyed watching our first grand son grow up a bit each time we see him.  He is just a precious boy...  We went on a vacation in late August to one of our favorite places in the Destin, Florida area and this little guy really enjoyed the sand and water!

We all had a wonderful time together enjoying each other's company and the area.  My mom was doing so well and took a turn for the worse with her health while there and unfortunately we had to say farewell to her as she passed onto her next life, back again with my father and brother and all the other family members who went before her.  We miss her terribly but find comfort that she is forever young and healthy once again.  I wouldn't normally put all this out there, but just can't let it go unmentioned.  She was such an influence in my life and in my kid's lives... I wouldn't be who I am without her having been my mom and I'm so very thankful to have had both of my parents for as long as I did!  Such a blessing...  They encouraged me to be the best I can be, to be creative and to be the parent I am to my children today.  

It's been a busy, busy time since this moment.  Life goes on and she would want us to keep on keepin' on.  She had so much spunk and energy and I hope to have as much spunk and energy as she did up into my 84th year should I be blessed enough to live that long!  

After this life changing event, life got very busy with settling things but also teaching and traveling and Quilt Market was fast approaching!  My friend Julee P offered to help me out and she kindly made one of the free quilt patterns offered at BlankQuilting.net that I designed for Ginger & Spice.  That's what I call a generous friend!  In 10 days she did most all of the applique' on this quilt shown below!  I understand a few of her quilting buddies also chipped in and helped on a few blocks.  So Big Thanks goes to Julee and also Karen, Chris and Norma as well for helping me prepare for Market and Festival!  I loved having the quilt there to show off my fabrics!  Contact your local quilt shop and make this quilt yourself~It's easy applique'!  If your local quilt shop did not happen to order the fabric line, you can find it on my website by clicking HERE!  Once again Thank You Thank You to Julee!!

One of the teaching engagements this fall was with the Des Moines Area Quilt Guild, my local guild.  It was an honor to show my quilts from the early days and share funny stories about learning to quilt.  As the quilts were shared, the ladies laid them on the pews to my left.  After it was over it took my breath away to see them all laid out.  I love sharing what I've learned along the years.  If your guild needs a lecture and workshops please have them contact me.

My time was also filled filming with The Quilt Show!  It was a great day with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims filming my episode that will be aired June 2nd.  Amazing what all goes into making a wonderful show for us quilters.  The whole team did a great job with me to make it a great experience!  The filming took place at Piece Works Quilt Shop in Winterset, IA.  A great shop!  Put it on your list of stops in Iowa if you are ever nearby.

Next up was Quilt Market in Houston.  The weather was good and we met lots of new friends and caught up with the friends met in previous years!  I was very pleased to be able to finish and show my new quilt design English Wedding featured below.  This quilt is made using my starch basting technique for English Paper Piecing as well as cotton and wool applique'.  It's scrappy and happy and a joy to make!  The pattern and kit are available on the website and you can see it by clicking HERE.

I also introduced a new wool and cotton applique' table topper called Boho Star.  This quick little project is quite easy to make and has the added interest of Primitive Boho Buttons on top of some of the pennies.  This one is proving to be very popular and the buttons are part of it's success.  They add such a cute touch to a simple little design!  Since life had been so very busy I enlisted the help of a fine seamstress I've met on FaceBook.  LaNan Eldridge did a fine job stitching this sample for me!  Thank you LaNan!  You can find the pattern and kit by clicking HERE.

There's one thing I have learned in my lifetime...life does bring changes and life does go on.  We gain strength from each event in our lives and learn to be stronger and more determined to enjoy life while we are here to enjoy it!  I will miss my original family (My parents and brother) with all my heart but I will keep on enjoying my life to the fullest!  I'm so thankful to have my own wonderful family~ My wonderful husband and daughters, son in laws and grandson~Yes...life goes on!

Thanks for visiting today and please come back again!  I have some fun news to share soon!

Take care, Missie (and Jeff, pictured above)

Splendid Sampler 2 and Next Show!

Have you heard about the Splendid Sampler book from Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson?  It was a HIT! It was so much fun they decided to do a second book, Splendid Sampler 2.  The whole concept of the book is a collaboration of designers who design a block for an awesome Sampler Quilt.  Well. I am so excited to let you know I have a block in the Splendid Sampler 2!

Pat and Jane host a sew along and post new blocks and blog posts from the designers each week. Sounds like such fun to join in the fun and I can't wait to be a part of it!  Take a look HERE to read all about the excitement to come.  

I'm also pretty excited as the time is getting closer for my first fabric line, Ginger & Spice from Blank Quilting to be ready for shops.  I can't wait, I can't wait!  You can take a look HERE and be sure to tell your Local Quilt Shop to get their order in.  I am busy designing a few special quilts to debut when the fabric is available...fun, fun, fun!

Next we are headed to Paducah, KY for the BIG Paducah Quilt Show!  This will be our first time vending there and I would love to meet you if you have plans to enjoy the town.  Traditional Primitives will be upstairs in the convention center in booths 3608-3610.  This is the same room as the prize winning quilts so be sure to come by when you are upstairs!  I'll be doing my demo for Basting English Paper Piecing with Starch and using the special tools created to make this technique SO easy!  Take a peek at TraditionalPrimitives.com and make your shopping list for when you arrive.  

As always, thanks for taking the time to stop by!
Take care,

Missie

It's Been a Very Busy Fall...

My Goodness, time has passed once again and I finally have a few moments to get a blog post done.  The last I wrote we'd been to Spring Market and were enjoying lots of time with our new grandson.  He's still cute as a button of course and we are amazed at how fast he is growing.  He'll be crawling around any time now so I'd better get our living room area ready for a 9 month old by Christmas time!

I have a few new products that we introduced at Fall Quit Market ~ The first is Premium Starch!  For those of you who have the Starch Brush, this is the easy fill solution for you!  The Traditional Primitives Premium Starch is packaged in a bottle that will squirt easily right into your Starch Brush.  Voila!  Easy fills every time!  You'll find it on the Notions Page at TraditionalPrimitives.com.  It's wonderful to have on hand.

I have also written a booklet about my Starch Basting Technique for English Paper Piecing.  It answers the questions I repeatedly get when I teach workshops.  So far it has been very well received!  It has close up pictures to show you just what you need to see to answer those questions that come up as you are learning this technique.  You'll be a master before you know it!  You will find it at the bottom of the Notions Page.  Click Here.

The most EXCITING news I have to share with you from Market is the fact that I have my first line of fabric that was introduced by Blank Quilting Corporation called Ginger & Spice!!!  SO exciting!  There are 24 fabrics in the line and of course they are my favorite colors to work with.  Here's a little tease of the folder that fabric shops are seeing now.  The pattern on the front will be one of two free patterns I designed available on the Blank Quilting website.  

You can take a look at the fabrics up close on the Blank Quilting website by clicking HERE.  Please pass the news of a new Traditional yet Primitive line of fabric on to your favorite quilt shops and have them contact their Blank Quilting reps or call the company to order.  Thanks for spreading the word!  It will be available in Quilt Shops in July '18.

It was great to see some friendly faces at Market.  It's nice to see some of the same folks year after year now that I've been a few times!  And also great to meet new friends too!  I enjoyed meeting a few ladies I know here from Blogland as well.  First is Sallieanne from the UK.  We are standing in front of Dreaming of Spring because she made a similar small quilt of a pattern I'll mention a bit later.  We met last year at Festival and have kept in touch!

Next up is Paula who brought her version of The Gardens Of A King.  So pretty in brights!!  I love it when you ladies bring your quilts to show me!  In case you have not heard, I have a FB group for those who have purchased my patterns and I invite you to share your quilts there with others.  You can join it by clicking HERE and requesting to join.  Please let me know if the link does not work!

And some new friends from down under...Margaret Mews, Judy Newman and her daughter.  Such nice ladies.  We had some nice conversation!  These ladies have books published with Quiltmania titled Quilts from The Colonies and Quilts for Life Made with Love.  Such LOVELY books!

It was wonderful to meet some of the folks from Blank Quilting Corperation too.  I have really enjoyed working with Diana who is pictured on the left side of the photo.  It's always good to put a face to the voice on the other end of the phone!  Janice, Amy and Cliff are on the Sales Rep team!  Friendly folks!!

\\

Heidi is another gal who worked with me on Ginger & Spice...

It's always good to see the friendly smile of Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings...So many friendly folks in this business I never would have met otherwise!

And look who is at my booth interested in what I am doing!  It was an honor to show Yoko Saito my method of basting English Paper Piecing with starch.  She purchased some of my tools and I do hope she enjoys the technique.

I thank Jeff and two of my girls, Trisha and Katie for helping out during Market and Festival.  I couldn't do it without their help!  We had such a great time working together.  I am so thankful they enjoy helping us out with our little business.  We will cherish these memories in the years to come.  Trisha loves helping us as often as possible.  She is a stay at home mom and if you've purchased a Hexie Pressing Mat from us, she most likely made it.  She does a good job and loves chatting with the customers.  It's nice to hear her talking and able to answer more and more questions properly the more she joins us!  It was Katie's first time at a retail show with us and she stepped in and gave me a break from the demo now and then and that was super helpful.  It was her First time to do the starch basting technique and she did good!  We kind of blend in with the quilts, but look close and you'll see us!  Haha!  

                                

It was fun to hear the girls telling about ladies who would come in one side of the booth and speak with one daughter for a while, then progress on over to the other side of the booth and encounter the other daughter.  Often times they were surprised to see her on the other side only to realize that it was the other daughter!  They look so much alike!  We are constantly asked if they are twins, but they are 8 years apart in age.  I think that happened more than a few times at Festival!  We have another daughter, Melanie, and when she is with the other two they are asked if they are triplets.  We are constantly calling them by the wrong name!  Here they are together in August at Melanie's wedding. When they wear their hair long and straight is when most folks ask if they are triplets.   Anyway, I thank them all for their help!

After returning from Quilt Market I went to my first ever retreat!  My friends Julee, Karen, Chris and I went over to Shipshewanna, IN for a retreat where we took a class from Di Ford (who I also saw at Market).  It was so much fun to meet new people at the retreat and of course to take the workshop from Di!  Such a warm and friendly, talented quilter.  We had lots of giggles and got a wee bit of quilting done during the 4 day retreat.  Fun fun!

I was thrilled to have a few quilts published in my favorite magazines this fall.  First was Two Ole Crows in Quiltmania's Simply Vintage Autumn...  I am sold out of the magazines, but we do have the pattern which is called Vintage Friends.  This pattern contains two designs.  Two Ole Crows and A Pair Of Hares which is a cute little bunny runner.  Quick and easy projects!  Find the pattern or kits HERE.

                                      

The most recent quilt published in Primitive Quilts and Projects Winter issue is called Warm 'til Spring and was SO much fun to make!  I loved every exciting minute sewing it together!  It is made in an unusual way which avoids any tricky piecing of the background.  Makes this a fairly quick quilt for such a large size.  The wool applique can be done by machine or hand.  Notice the couched yarn for added accent.  SO fun!!  You can find the Magazine and the Kits HERE.  It's a large twin size and can easily be made larger for a bigger bed or smaller for a super warm lap quilt.  This is the quilt that Sallieanne (above) brought a picture of to show me.  She made it mini!  So cute!

Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?  I certainly do!  Thank you all for your continued support and kind words, which keep me inspired to make new goodies for you!  

As always,

Take care and thanks so much for taking time to stop by today!,

Missie