My Little Favorite bag

 

I spent a little time with my machine this weekend and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

A while ago I picked up this pattern by Kati Cupcake.

And promptly decided that if she could be Kati Cupcake then why could I not be Tasha Tart.

 Of course tart sounds a little more risqué then cupcake (what other luscious deserts start with T?) 

however, maybe, if I played my cards right with that name,

Strawberry Shortcake would call for a chat.

 

But probably not. Oh well.

This is the inside. I love all the pockets, as many on the in as on the out.

The fabric is Seaside Cottage by Heather Mulder Peterson and I like it very much.

 

 

 

In all honesty and full disclosure there are two things I am not:

 1. a pattern person and

 2. a pattern person who loves a lot of little details.

 

There are 2 things this pattern was:

 1. a pattern (stating the obvious) and

 2. a pattern with a ton of detail.

 

In and effort to be what I am not I followed the pattern and

all its details and could not be happier for it.

It was worth every extra second.

The pattern was amazingly well written and this bag is sturdy.

Every detail added to its integrity and overall appearance.

 

Just look how pretty it is outside!

 I may even make another sash out of the white flower fabric to change it up a bit.

In two weeks I fly out to Seattle for some job training

 and this bag will be perfect to haul my

entertainment accoutrements on the plane.

Tumbler meets the Sippy cup, a quilt top

One of the greatest gifts of retreat are the people you meet.

 I went this year only knowing a few people and each year

when I leave I know a few more.

My work table partner was Betty and Betty had an amazing aesthetic for

design and my taste in fabric. Save for batiks which I cannot yet love.

She was also one of the kindest persons I have met.

I needed earphones...she had an extra pair.

And she gave them to me. Just like that. 

Have you ever meet someone and you just instantly hit it off?

Like you have been friends forever?

That was how I felt about Sarah, Natalie and their mother.

 

Betty Jenny and Sarah

 

We just hit it off. We had a blast chatting and laughing.

I was often mesmerized by the sewing ability of Jenny,

she was whipping out quilt tops at lightening speed

and was the stealthiest cutter I never saw.

 Sarah and Natalie where the same way,

except Sarah was working on the tiniest pieces ever.

 

At some point they told me they had a website,

a brick and mortar shop and an on-line business.  

Cool I thought, I shop on-line, a lot, I will have to check it out.

Then they showed me some of the rulers they created and sold.

Wow, I thought, you guys are good.

It just so happened they had a ruler for the tumbler block that fits perfectly on a charm pack with little waste.

 

Tumbler meets Sippy cup. Quilt top.

 

Even better,

 I brought charm packs

and planned to make a tumbler

 using a cardboard template,

 but acrylic is all the better.

 

 

Then Jenny, did a trunk show

and I was blown away.

I feel a little naïve now,

  but Jenny actually has a ton of tutorials ,

on just about any quilt pattern out there.

 Not only does she show you

how to create the block

 but most likely it will be

faster and easier.

She specializes in

 

using all pre-cuts.

I had always been drawn to pre-cuts

but they perplexed me.

And sat on the shelf.

This opened a whole new world for me.

Believe me I got caught up in watching

her tutorials for a couple of hours

when I got home.

I could listen to her talk all day.

Plus, she has and amazing singing voice.

 

 

 

 Their quilts are beautiful. Jenny is a born teacher.

Not to mention that when you talk to Jenny, she seriously makes you

feel like the most important person in the room.

When I got home it occurred to me that Jenny had heard some of the

questions I asked a hundred times, yet she responded to me as

if it was the first time she heard it.

 

 

The case above,

is for knitting needles for my daughter.

I show it because

I had admired Natalie's blocks made of

Ty Pennington's new line.

She had a stack of blues and greens that

she wasn't using and the yellow and birds above.

She gave them to me.

Just like that.

A. Mazing.

I used what I had left to

make Lilli a needle case for Easter.

 

If you are in the market for anything quilting you have to check out their site, Missouri Star Quilt Co, the tutorials (also on YouTube) and their blog.

 

 



I love retreat

.

Wow, I don't know where to start.

There are so many things I want to say and remember about this last weekend. Not to mention so many wonderful people to talk about. First, though, I have to thank my sister Cindy. There was a time many years ago that I teased her about quilting, I may have even called her a grandma for it. (most likely not a real insult since we would both like nothing better then to be called something that means the greatest women to have lived- our grandmother and our own mother)

I digress, Cindy taught me to sew when I was but a wee little lassie.

 She bought me my first sewing box- it was made of blue plastic and inside was a removable divided tray. I think I was about 8 and it was filled with notions and fabric. I loved that box. It smelled like a fabric store and had sharp objects in it (I wasn't usually allowed to have things like pins and needles). There may have been a good reason for the latter but that, my friends, is a story for another day. Cindy also taught me how to piece, how to baste and how to bind a quilt. She has answered countless questions over the years and many of the same ones twice- I do that.

She has also made each of my children beautiful quilts and a few for little ole me. The point is if it had not been for her I would have never found this fabulous outlet, been invited to this retreat and had the opportunity to not only spend time with her but also meet other wonderful people!

 

Cindy and Me a VERY long time ago

 

I love this picture, there is a 17 year age difference between us but it only made us closer.

 

 

Here she is at retreat. She eventually decided to become a pirate and grow a thick

mustache, not to be out done but such infamous pirates such as The Dread Pirate Roberts.

Fabulous career and the bounty is abundant.

 

One would likely conclude, considering all of my best laid plans

 (see the previous post)

and having two and a half days to sew,

that I would have accomplished a lot.

Well if you 3 swoon blocks falls into your book of accomplishments

 under the a lot tab then I most certainly did accomplish something.

 

 

However, if 3 blocks is all in a days work then I must have spent

an awful lot of time chatting, eating, laughing, admiring and learning.

 

And I did. I can't wait to talk about the ladies I met and all the

cool things I learned. So much fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Going

 

The enticing smell of granola scents the air as I type. My bags are packed and my map is printed.

Every day this week I woke up with one thought, get through the workday with joy and tend to my family at night. Quick. Because on Friday I am off on my journey. My journey to Iowa for .....wait for it.... RETREAT. I have felt like a child all week, giddy with anticipation.

The laughter, the buzz of so many machines, the wonderful ladies (and a few gentlemen), the food,

all at a beautiful setting on Lake Okoboji (did I mention the food?). Even saying the name makes me happy.

 Three days and two nights with nothing to do but bond with my machine.

And my fabric. I am taking a few friends with me, such as the above

stack of quilts to be quilted.

Meals are provided, snacks are everywhere and prizes all geared

for the retreater. This years theme, oh yes- there is always a theme- is

pirates...argggg maties I cannot wait.

 

 

 

 

And this amazing bundle that arrived last week. 

Its destiny to be a new quilt for my son (if you click on the link, the pic was last year and he is not broken any more, though his brother is) per his request. His 13 year old

self even picked it out. Good taste in fabric is worth passing on to ones

boys. He requested a chevron pattern. Yes!  HQT no problem.

 

 

 

Then there are these. I have had a love hate issue with this quilt. I became frustrated with it,

(I must be the only one who experienced this) last spring and decided the best defense

would be to give it the silent treatment. That is until last week when I felt the

would be quilt had learned its lesson and I picked it back up.

After punishing it for so long, a reprieve is in order so she is coming along too.

 

For good measure a little more fabric just in case. Have a fabulous weekend,

I know I will!!!!

Love Natasha

Low Volume Almost Finished

 

I suppose having the top done is a pretty solid accomplishment. I really love how this quilt turned out. The pattern is from Sunday Morning quilts and was really fun to put together. Even more fun was finding fabrics. I am still on the look out for them. I use mostly cottons with some flannels. There is a ton of different fabrics in this quilt and it is so soft. I think most are pretty low in volume but sometimes it is hard to tell. There are a few middle volumes in there as well.

 

 

 

 

Though,  the overall effect is on target. Now, photographing this baby was another story. I wanted to use the clothes line but the snow was too high. I tried the side of the deck but the grape vines that were not tamed last fall made it all lumpy.

 

 

So I settled for a low tree branch. I want to back it in flannel but am having trouble finding what I want. Its like shopping for a winter coat and all you find are bikini's, dead of winter but warm gear is out.

 I have until the 22nd, I am planning on quilting it at retreat.

I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to that!! Two solid days and one half of quilting and shenanigans with other quilters. BLISS.

 

 

In what precious spare time I have I am focused on prep for retreat, I want to have plenty to do even if I do not accomplish as much but I like to dream big!!

Love Natasha



Winner

 

I recently discovered this wonderful blog, Silly Mama Quilts, I entered one of her scrap giveaways and won! First time visiting and a win...wow... It just so happens that not only does she have a great blog but she lives near me. Below is a glimpse of my win.

 

 

 

I am really excited because this happened to come on a day off that I plan to spend quilting.

As it happens, I am short fabrics for my low volume quilt (weird)

and there are several pieces that I can incorporate right away!!

 

 

I love the letter piece above and wish I had more!! It reminds me

blanket I had as a child that was a whole cloth thing made to look like a quilt.

 

 

As it is my day off I decided a quick trip to the quilt shop was in order,

 I had some mitten money burning a whole in my purse.

 

 

Also, I start a new job tomorrow and decided this was the perfect treat!

I adore the vintage coffee fabric! Not sure where it will end up but isn't it cute? 

 

 

Okay this is the best! I had to buy a yard because that is about the repeat!

It cracks me up... I love the kitchy-ness about it. the articles are hilarious.

One of the articles....

Woman Uses Husband as a Pincushion! written by Jill the Ripper

Learning

For a long time I have fully resisted the urge to take up any type of yarn work. I have felt that I had enough hobbies and unfinished works that adding to it, would be, well, adding to it. However, while working on my mittens I needed more yarn.

I was seduced by the gazillion skeins of soft, pretty, crisp ovals of yarn all wrapped up and tidy on the shelf. I had always concluded that if I were to learn a yarn sport it would be crochet, I love the little trims and motifs you can create. So during the holidays I picked up my hook, (from previous attempts at learning the craft) and gave it a go.

 

This pink little number with its concave sides that look like they have been chewed on, is my very first attempt.

I did a lot of chaining and taking apart over and over, until I felt comfortable. Then I learned the next step of single crochet (I think) or I sorta learned it. Then I ripped it out and did it again and again, again. It took forever, what with all the starting over.

When I finished I thought I would  move on to double crochet, but decided to make myself do these “washcloths” at least three times.

 I have trouble with the sides.

With the second one, my focus was less on the stitch-that started to become natural- and more on keeping my stitches relaxed, and finding the rhythm of the stitches. With crochet, there isn’t the gratifying clink of the needles as in knitting but there a rhythm that ensues.

My sides look better but they are still wonky.

I also decided it is good to learn a new skill, to force your brain to think in a new direction. Plus, I used finger muscles I didn't know I had.

Today I celebrate my Birthday,
oh, what am I doing you wonder?
 I have a job interview!
I am actually looking forward to it as I like to interview, so we will see. And maybe bake myself a cake.