Monday, April 30, 2018

Lovey Dovey Quilt Block

Today I'm going to show my Lovey Dovey quilt block.  This Block was designed for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, which is no longer in publication ~ so sad!  

 Lovey Dovey is a fusible applique block.  Here are all my pieces traced onto the fusible web.  I like to use Heat 'N Bond Lite.

 These are some of the fabrics I pulled from my stash to make the Lovey Dovey block.

 Wing piece.

 A few of the patches, ready to be fused to the background block.

 Here is the design, partly fused.

 Here all the patches have been fused in place on the background block.

 Next to zigzag stitch around each patch with matching thread.  I love doing this.

More zigzagging.  So pretty!

This is the completed Lovey Dovey block.  I've been working on a wall hanging featuring four Lovey Dovey blocks, and I'm also going to use this design for my Island Batik Ambassadors project this month, so look for more Lovey Doveys flying your way soon!

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today!

Jennifer Thomas



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Sunday, April 29, 2018

Log Cabin Quilt Update

 I finished the concentric circle quilting on the Log Cabin quilt this week.  The binding has been machine stitched and is ready to be folded over and hand stitched to the back of the quilt.  

 The quilt top had a few wrinkles to smooth out as I approached the corners.  

 I stitched my circles about 3/4" apart.

 Almost there!  Corner four.

 Sewing binding strips together.  I used the same fabric for my binding as the border of the quilt.

 Folded neatly to machine stitch the binding onto the front of the quilt.

I'm so pleased with the look of the quilting!  I can't wait to finish it off one evening on the front porch.  Click here for the Log Cabin Quilt Block Classics Tutorial.  Have you ever sewn a Log Cabin quilt?  Leave a comment below.

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today!

Jennifer Thomas



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Thursday, April 26, 2018

New in the Curlicue Creations Shop ~ Week of April 24, 2018

Red Heart Boutique Changes Yarn, Color Onyx, 3.5 oz, Worsted Weight Yarn

A beautiful worsted weight (4) yarn in a Black color.

87 percent acrylic, 12 percent wool, 1 percent other fibers. Net wt 3.5 oz, 100 g. 187 yards, 171 meters. Machine wash warm gentle cycle. Dry flat


Red Heart Boutique Changes Garnet Yarn
Red Heart Boutique Changes Yarn, Color Garnet, 3.5 oz, Worsted Weight Yarn

A beautiful worsted weight (4) yarn in a Dark Red Garnet Maroon color.

87 percent acrylic, 12 percent wool, 1 percent other fibers. Net wt 3.5 oz, 100 g. 187 yards, 171 meters. Machine wash warm gentle cycle. Dry flat



Lion Brand Yarns Hometown USA Denver Rocky Mountain
Lion Brand Yarns Hometown USA Yarn, Color Denver Rocky Mountain, 5 oz, Super Bulky Weight Yarn

A beautiful super bulky weight (6) yarn in a purple violet color.

100 percent acrylic. Net wt 5 oz, 142 g. 81 yards, 74 meters. Machine washable and dryable.



Dynasty Fuzio Toast Yarn
Dynasty Fuzhio Yarn, Color Toast, 1.75 oz., Bulky Weight Yarn

A beautiful bulky weight (5) yarn in a beige blond sparkle color.

78 percent acrylic, 22 percent nylon. Net wt 1.75 oz, 50 g. 38 yards, 35 meters. 


For all these and more, click here to visit the Curlicue Creations shop.

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today!

Jennifer Thomas



Are you following the Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop? Visit Andi Barney today: April 26 - Andi Barney- https://www.andibarney.com/


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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Looking Back ~ Vintage Quilts Inspiring New Creations ~ Free Spirit Wife

Disclaimer:  The fabrics in this post were given to me by Island Batik.
 This is my Island Batik Ambassadors challenge quilt for April 2018 ~ Free Spirit Wife.

 The theme for April was Looking Back - Vintage Quilts Inspiring New Creations.  I had a tough time deciding what to design for this challenge.  I looked at vintage quilts on Pinterest, I looked at vintage quilt magazines, and I looked at blocks in EQ8.

 I decided to play with this classic block, Contrary Wife.  I confess, I was more attracted to the name of the block than the actual design.  I don't know the story behind the name, but there is more than one quilt block design with this name.  I prefer this one.

 I used up most of what I had left of my favorite fabrics from this Island Batik box, the Sunflower Serenade collection.  Boo-hoo!  I love these colors.

 I took the original Contrary Wife block, sliced it, recolored it, and set it askew to create my new design, Free Spirit Wife.  I'm not sure if the Free Spirit Wife is any less contrary, but she is having a good time with her contrary-ness!

 I made four of these large blocks.  Each block is 20" x 20".

 So vibrant in the Sunflower Serenade fabrics!

 This is the Free Spirit Wife quilt top before quilting.  

 I pieced together my backing using a few Island Batik fabrics from my stash, including this gorgeous panel designed by Leah Day.  This panel came in the October 2017 Quilty Box.

 I pinned my quilt sandwich together with one layer of Hobbs Heirloom Batting 80/20 Blend.

 I chose this Superior Threads King Tut in Red Sea color for my quilting.  It looks more like a Pink Sea to me.

 With the off kilter blocks and the small center square I felt this quilt would lend itself well to concentric circle quilting.  I bravely did my center two circles with the Red (Pink) Sea thread.  

 Then I stitched around, and around, and around.
The Red (Pink) Sea thread blended nicely with the Sunflower Serenade fabrics.

Free Spirit Wife Quilt

Quilt Stats:
Quilt Size:  47" x 47"
Block Size:  20" x 20"
Fabric:  Sunflower Serenade, Whipped Cream, by Island Batik
Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 80/20
Thread:  Superior King Tut Red Sea

Thank you for stopping by!  Please leave a comment below, it would make my day.

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today!

Jennifer Thomas
Curlicue Creations

P.S. Are you following the Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop?  Visit Robin Koehler's studio today:  April 25 - Robin Koehler - http://nestlingsbyrobin.blogspot.com





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Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Spring Clean Studio Blog Hop 2018

Hello!  Welcome to my ~ oh my! ~ it's a mess maker space!  It's day Two of the Spring Clean Your Studio Blog Hop, and I'm so glad you stopped by.  This hop has been organized by Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com.  Thank you, Cheryl for inspiring me to clean my sewing studio.

This corner is not too shabby!  Just a few boxes on the floor and a collection of various items on the shelf over the quilting frame.  I really need to find a home for everything, though.  Every time I need the frame I move all the stuff from the floor to the cutting table.  Every time I need the cutting table, it all moves back to the floor in front of the quilting frame.  

What is going on over here?  A few more stacks of boxes and books, books, books.  Do I need immediate access to this many books?  Surely this space could be better utilized.

Honestly, many of the books and boxes simply moved from the studio to the camper.  That's a Spring Cleaning project for another day.  I'm not going to show you a pic of the inside of my catch all clutter storage camper.  No way.

My book case area now looks like this.  I pulled out two of my favorite pink sewing machines and put them on display.  I have a few wooden boxes of fabrics, sewing boxes, an iron from my iron collection and a pair of dust bunnies to remind me to keep it clean!

This is another completely nonfunctional corner of my studio.  Look at that stack of quilts!  What is going on here?  I know I can make better use of this space.

After cleaning!  I can actually access my pattern notebooks without danger of being buried under a quilt avalanche.  Everything has been dusted and decluttered.  I put the books that I actually use in this area.  I can once again enjoy my pink hutch and have a little extra much needed workspace.

This is where I spend the majority of my time, cutting and sewing.  My sewing desk is made out of an old industrial metal desk.  I had lots of clutter gathered on the hutch behind the desk and in my little white cart.

This is my after picture.  Not a huge difference, but better, I swear!  Lots of room to create.  Clutter and dust free.

My studio has three doors.  One to the kitchen, one to the living room, and one to this small screened in porch where I do my ripping and hand stitching in peaceful serenity.  One of my favorite things is my "Annie Lee's Grave" sign mounted over the door.  If you're a history buff, Annie Lee was the daughter of General Robert E. Lee.  During the war, she fell ill and came to my area to visit the hot springs for healing.  Alas, the hot springs were not sufficient enough to cure her malady; she died and was buried nearby.  In more recent times her grave was vandalized with graffiti.  Her family went through a fight and eventually won the rights to bring her body back home and rebury her.  My husband was given this sign along with some other vintage road signs while removing a hive of bees from a soon to be demolished farm house.  I love it.

I'm sorry I don't have a before pic of this area.  This is above the doorway in a super skinny hallway that leads out of my studio into the living room.  I had a cross stitched picture here before my cleaning.  It just melted into the shadows and I wanted to change the look.  I stole this shelf from my kitchen, the sign from my camper, and pulled together a few more things to create this cute look.

That's all folks!  After ten years of creating in this room, I got some of it cleaned up.  I hope you enjoyed my Spring Clean Studio tour today.  Be sure to visit the other fabulous studios on the tour, one every day.  I can't wait to visit everyone!  Please leave a comment.  Your comments make my day.

Blog Hop Schedule

April 23 - Lori Crawley Kennedy - http://theinboxjaunt.com/

April 24 - Jennifer Thomas - http://curlicuecreations.blogspot.com

April 25 - Robin Koehler - http://nestlingsbyrobin.blogspot.com

April 26 - Andi Barney- https://www.andibarney.com/

April 27 - Misty Cole - http://www.mistycole.com/blog

April 28 - Carolina Moore- http://alwaysexpectmoore.com/

April 29 - Heather Pregger - https://heatherquilts.blogspot.com/

April 30 - Linda Bratten - https://lindabcreative.blogspot.com/

May 2 - Teresa Coates - http://www.crinkledreams.com

May 3 - Lisa Chin - http://www.lisachinartist.com/

May 4 - Jamie Fingal - http://www.jamiefingaldesigns.com/

May 5 - Sam Hunter - www.huntersdesignstudio.com

May 6 - Jessee Maloney - www.artschooldropout.net/blog

May 7 - Rhanda Parrish - http://www.sewartsyfartsy.com/

May 8 - Sarah Vedeler- https://meaningoflifedesigns.com/

May 9 - Jessica Darling - https://jessicakdarling.com/

May 10 - Melody Crust - http://www.melodycrust.com/

May 11 - Debby Brown - http://higheredhands.blogspot.com

May 12 - Cheryl Sleboda - http://blog.muppin.com

Be Creative ~ Sew Something Beautiful Today!

Jennifer Thomas




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