Summer Project Update - A Design Crisis

 Well the Magpie has had me chopping squares like crazy and my bowl is really getting full...I it is time to start sticking the squares down!  I have no idea how many are in the bowl ... but in the thousands for sure!  I know it looks like a standard mixing bowl but it is huge...14" diameter...you have to compare it to your own mixing bowls to get the gist of how big that really is!

In the beginning there were only a few squares...

The bowl filled slowly but steadily...



The bowl is nearly full...how many squares do you think it contains? 



In anticipation of starting the ironing stage -  we came to the conclusion that doing it on point would just be too complicated for a king sized quilt  (the issue is seaming huge panels together).  My plan is to make 4 90 inch by 90 inch panels - then sew them which will reduce them to 60 by 60 and then sew those 4 together which will give me a 120 x 120 king sized quilt (don't worry I'll do step by step photos when I get to that!).  If I do it on point the joins would have to be diagonal and I think it is just too big to try something like that!  

Maybe next week we'll photograph Magpie's project too!

Christmas In July

Our Christmas Fabric is starting to come in.  We have this adorable grouping of flannel from Henry Glass which would be perfect for a quilt or winter PJs!

Click here to purchase it online:  I Love Snow Flannel

The next grouping is from Jacquelynne Steves of The Noble Wife.   Jacquelynne explained her though process as she designed this fabulous group on her blog and I wanted to share that with you:

I was actually sketching out ideas for this line at the beach this summer. It's a good thing I really like Christmas, it didn't take much to put me in a holiday mood, even in 90 degree weather. I remember sitting in the living room at the beach house, making up stories with my kids about the little forest animals, wondering out loud what they do on Christmas eve. I imagined them gathering in the forest for a tree trimming party, laughing and singing, and then solemnly processing to a midnight church service, while singing "The First Noel." Here is the "story" I wrote:

What happens in the forest on Christmas Eve? Do the inhabitants perceive what a special and divine night it is? Sometimes I imagine the little creatures gathering with their family & friends much like we do.... Making merry, basking in the comfort of one another's company, singing their favorite hymns and carols. Perhaps they gaze upon the indigo sky, and search for that One Special Star... and delight in the sentiments of the season- Joy, Love, Peace, Noel.

Click here to purchase the collection online:  Joy, Love, Peace, Noel

Summer Project Update - An Intervention

Alright - I promised updates on my summer project but could not find the camera because my family moved.  The camera has been unpacked so now I will give you the update.  I decided that I would make a postage stamp quilt (using 1 inch squares) for our new King Sized bed.  I have a very large stash of 1930s fabrics so I thought the best thing to do would be to alternate 1930s with Kona Snow  (a winter white coloured solid from Robert Kaufman that just happens to be my favourite background fabric).

First thing is first I am going to show some pictures of my 1930s fabrics...I really couldn't capture the sheer vastness of  how much of it I actually have.   Here is one small box of scraps.

Here is a picture of the giant tub in my unpacked living room - 
boy did it ever get grubby in storage during the move!
PS -  we finished unpacking that room on Sunday  :o)

Here is a peak inside the giant tub.

 I started out by cutting some of the smaller scraps and sorting them by colour into my muffin cups.

Somewhere around this time I figured it would be more fun to work on my summer project with a friend so I invited the Magpie over to quilt every Thursday night!

Magpie is nothing if not a realist and informed me that if I didn't pick up the pace and stop futzying around cutting one little square at a time that not only wouldn't I finish my quilt this summer -  I wouldn't finish it this lifetime  (ouch!).  Magpie gave me an extension on my project (until October) and set out a clearer path for getting the project done -  what would we do without friends? 

Step One:  Grab the biggest vessel in the house which happens to be our gigantic salad bowl.

Step Two:  Dump all squares into the bowl

Step Three:  Start strip cutting to fill the bowl as quickly as possible  (well I didn't quite get to that yet -  I kept cutting up my little leftovers but I will start ironing and cutting larger pieces this week).

Stay tuned for more progress as the Magpie tries to get me going faster in the blistering heat!

Tablerunner Kits

We have three super fun Tablerunner Kits available -  they are each 16.99 and contain everything you need including the pattern and all fabric  (including binding and backing).  It isn't too soon to start making Christmas gifts and these really are a great value!

Wine Lover's Tablerunner Kit

Butterfly Magic Tablerunner Kit

Let's Eat Tablerunner Kit

Close Up of Let's Eat Tablerunner

Close Up of Wine Lover's Tablerunner Kit

Close Up of Butterfly Magic Tablerunner Kit

Click here to purchase the kits online!
Wine Themed Tablerunner
Butterfly Magic Tablerunner
Let’s Eat Tablerunner Kit

Free Shipping Special

We are offering
Free Shipping
All Week Long! 

http://www.sew-sisters.com/
Free Shipping within Canada and the USA. 
Does not apply to Block of the Month Programs.

Beat the heat and enjoy some shopping at Sew Sisters!  We will pay the shipping costs for you within Canada and the USA!  Combine that with our  Clearance Section Prices and you have an amazing deal!
Click here to shop our Clearance Section with over 300 fabrics at 6.99/metre or less.
Click here to shop our Last Chance Section with fabrics priced at 3.99/metre.

More New Fabrics!

We have finished counting our inventory for the year which means a few things...first we are moving some things to clearance- so keep your eyes on our Clearance Section for lots of new markdowns (more coming in the next week or so!).  Second -  we have tonnes of new fabric arriving...125 bolts from Northcott, 140 new batiks, 100 from Robert Kaufman, 50 or so from Free Spirit/Westminster.  Gail is working away to get them online as fast as possible!

Here is a grouping called Rain Forest.  It features vibrant colours and is accented with metallic gold accents.

Click here to purchase online:  Rain Forest

The next group is Rad Racers which features bicycles and accessories -  just in time for the Tour de France.  We even have a pillowcase kit available for you!

Click here to purchase online:  Rad Racers

Rad Racers Pillowcase Kit

Gobble Til You Wobble!

  If this adorable wall hanging doesn't bring a smile to your face I don't know what will!  This cute little quilt kit that contains all the fabric (including backing and binding) and the pattern to make a 14" square wallhanging.  The woozy turkey is appliqued and the funny message "Gobble Til You Wobbble" is hand embroidered.  Perfect to decorate your home in the fall!

Click Here to Purchase it Online:  Gobble Til You Wobbble

Fabric Arrivals This Week

This week we have received quite a lot of new fabric in to fill out our colour wall.  Of note are two groupings from Northcott.  The first is a very versatile collection of browns that fits in well with many Home Dec projects.  Click here to purchase it online for only $9.99/metre:  Deco Metric

The second is a bright grouping suitable for tweens or anyone who like a bit of colour in their life!  Click here to puchase this group online for only $9.99:  Mod Garden

Redwork Winter Twittering Block of the Month

 We have another beautiful block of the month program to offer to you.  Redwork Winter Twitterings is a charming wall hanging that celebrates winter with flair. This quilt is full of beautiful detail: from the adorable birds to the snowmen, and extending to the garlands and snowflakes you will really enjoy this hand stitchery project. This quilt combines 12 stitched panels with a lovely pieced setting.


The Quilt finishes 36”x 44”.

This is a twelve month block of the month program you will be billed a $15.00 registration fee then $14.95 per month for twelve months. You will receive all fabric for the top, binding and borders, the patterns and the floss. Your patterns will be given to you preprinted on Transfer-eze so you won't have to do the tracing yourself! Don't worry we'll provide full instructions on using the product.

The postage cost for this program is $3.00 per month within Canada or $5.99 per month to the USA.

Click here to register online:  Redwork Winter Twittering Block of the Month

Here are some detailed pictures of the stitcheries!

Summer Project - A Decision Has Been Made!

Alright!  Summer is here and I had to make a hard decision. Each summer I tackle a big project...I guess there is an argument to be made that since my family moved this week that should count as my summer project but I have decided to make a big quilt too!  My goal is to make a king sized postage stamp quilt using my embarassingly large stash of 1930s repros  (I would take a picture and show it to you but my camera is still packed in a box somewhere - I promise to take a picture of it ASAP).

I was seriously considering doing Crab Apple Hill's latest Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage but since I haven't finished the Winter Twitterings quilt yet I didn't think it was such a good idea to take on another big stitchery. 

For years I have been admiring vintage postage stamp quilts and this is the year I am going to make one! 

This one is from http://www.galenfrysinger.com/patchwork_quilts.htm

This one is from http://suegarman.blogspot.com/2008/01/teeny-tiny-pieces.html

This is one currently listed on eBay ...  http://cgi.ebay.com/antique-1800-postage-stamp-quilted-quilt-86-x-96-/230640514520?pt=Quilts&hash=item35b33ef5d8

Well on and on it goes -  I could spend hours looking through Google Images!  I have started cutting up some 1.5 inch squares and so the project is on!  I'll keep blogging my progress through the summer!