Pink Chowder: Bloggers Quilt Festival Quilt

Hello old and new friends! I am so happy you are here. Welcome.

I am re-sharing Pink Chowder today as my entry in the Bloggers Quilt Festival hosted by Amy's Creative Side. I decided to enter it as a large quilt.

This is my favorite quilt I have ever made. I finished it a couple of months ago and I still just stare at it sometimes thinking, "I made that" (picture a wondering look and an awed voice). 

This quilt is me. 

It was born from a late evening desire to start a new project, when I just started randomly grabbing some of my favorite and most precious fabrics. I brought that giant stack of fabric to a retreat with my best sewing people and then I met the Accuquilt die cutter and the, then brand new, clam die. I knew I had to learn to sew curves just so I could turn my stack of fabric into a clam quilt. 

The reasons this is my favorite quilt of all time:

1.) I learned so much sewing this quilt. These are my first curves ever. It was my first time using the Accuquilt.

2.) I used some of my most hoarded fabrics on this quilt. Now when I look at it I get so see little happy surprises everywhere. Reminding me to use my hoarded fabrics!

3.) Some of my best sewing people gave me scraps to use in this quilt. Now every time I see those clams, I think of them. 

4.) It is pink and aqua. 

5.) There are cats on it. 

6.) I did it. I felt like I was really starting to get this quilting thing while working on this quilt. The quilting looks so good, the clams came together so well, and the colors just make me smile. It gives me such a sense of accomplishment.

Thanks for stopping by! Thanks for being patient about seeing this quilt twice on here. I think you are the best. I love this community and this festival illustrates everything that is good about the online quilting world. I only just wish we were at a real quilt festival 'cause then we could meet. Maybe have a coffee? I would love to hear about your day. 

Pink Chowder Stats

Size: 72" by 72"

Pattern: I used the Accuquilt to cut my clams, but you check out The Quilt Engineer's pattern on Craftsy here. 

Fabric: Too many to list. Just so many bits of precious in this one. 

Quilting: Organic matchstick quilting with Aurifil Thread done by me on my home machine.

Finished: January 2014

Ladies Night. Challenge Issued.

Sometimes in the midst of the crazy something amazing happens.

A couple of weeks ago (a long, long time ago), in a land far away (in the North Carolina mountains), I began my clam quilt. I fell in love with the colors.

Fast forward to the following weekend, I went to Sew Lux World headquarters to help Chrissy with some stuff. Before I even realized it was happening, I was pulling bolts off the shelves. We were smitten and decided to make a bundle.

Then Lee (over here at May Chappell) was smitten too.

So Chrissy issued a challenge. Who can say no to a challenge?

We decided you all should play too.

Don't say no. Don't say you have too much sewing to do for Christmas. Do this for yourself. Do it to maintain your sanity.

Make something amazing.

Because a challenge has to have some guidelines, here are ours:

Challenge Rules:

1. Make a project with one of the three Ladies Night Bundles (or use your stash to make your own ladies night bundle in one of the three color schemes).

2. Link up your finished project on the Sew Lux blog by December 23th (the link will open December 10th). The project must be finish. A quilt must be a completed top and anything else (tote, pouch, pillow, etc.) should be completely finished

Three winners will be announced on the Sew Lux blog on December 26th. Like a Christmas present! Just for you!

Prizes will include gift certificates to Sew Lux Fabrics, patterns, some handmade goodies, and surprises (spoiler alert, I am going to make something epic to giveaway, 'cause that is what I do).

Easy, we are not big on rules!

Here are the color ways:

The Ladies Night (curated by me). 

Ladies Night 2 (by Lee).

Ladies Night 3 (by Chrissy).

Do it. Make something amazing and sew it off (see what I did there with the pun?).

I may even start today. I know what I am making. It will be epic. We are all on the instagram and you should play there too if you can/want to. I am @stitchingandbacon and we are going to be using #isewwithsewlux and #ladiesnightchallenge

PS - All of these pictures were taken by Chrissy (except the one with the clams, that's me). Love you Chrissy! Lee designed the logo. I smiled and looked pretty.

I have this group of friends. I made another bag.

I have this group of friends.

We all met at Sew South last year and then we reconvened last summer to sew up in the mountains (at the very kind invitation of Lee). Somehow the group just clicked. It was magical. I seriously have not laughed so hard in my life, nor have I worried so much about flood insurance.

This winter, since we were meeting two months before Christmas, we naturally decided to do a Christmas gift exchange (#averysurmachristmas).

It was a blind swap but you know a lot of these ladies figured out out who had their names.

I am sneaky though. I had Lee (May Chappell) and I knew what I was going to make her as soon as I got her name. I totally convinced her someone else had her name and even had her help me pick out some of her gifts.

Lee seemed to like my It's a Cinch Tote. So I made her one. Basically the same way, in fact I referenced my notes.

Fabric outside is Echino dots and Essex Linen. The main lining is Art Gallery Indian Summer (ask me how easy it is to used art gallery's slippery fabric in a zipper), and the whole thing is done with Aurifil thread. Mostly it went pretty well, except for the part where I had to re-topstitch the zipper three times, broke a whole pack of leather needles, and broke my walking foot. Otherwise it was perfect.

I also made her a little pouch (in a hotel room in West Virginia, important fact).

I got her a kitten calendar too, but she didn't take a picture of that.

All of these pictures were stolen, with permission, from Lee. Who finishes swap gifts when it is still light enough to take pictures? I bow to your superior sewing and time management.

PS - I am in Maryland again this week. Currently, I am watching Duck Dynasty.

PPS - I have two boss level quilts in progress right now. I can't wait to show you pictures. I also am stoked to have time to work on them. Teaser, I am sewing curves.

PPS - I am going on three trips this month and I am likely to go on two next month for work. Probably about 4 states. Not glamorous at all.

PPPS - Chrissy made me stuff and it was awesome. See below photo (no photos of the other stuff, cause I am silly). Seriously though, everything was awesome.

Back with Something Minor to Report

When I started blogging I read a couple tips for bloggers. One of the things I learned is that a blogger should never apologize for an absence. Apparently, people don't like reading other people's apologies.

I am sorry I have been MIA

I have always been a bit of a rebel (this statement is not really that true).

I think I was busy, but I can't remember what I doing.

Meanwhile back in the sewing room, I had a super productive sewing weekend. I finished the binding on a quilt, but I have not managed to work up the energy for a photo shoot.

I finished a rocking border for one of the medallion traveling quilt groups I am in (seriously, I am in two medallion alongs right now). This is a secret quilt, so I can only show a peek. You will have to trust me, it is boss.

This is Paige's quilt and I do not think I am going out on a limb when I say, we are heading exactly in the direction she pointed us.

Then I made the center/starter for my SURMA medallion traveling quilt group I am doing. This one is with my mountain sewing ladies, although we prefer to think of ourselves as members of Sigma Sigma Upsilon. It is not secret, so I can show you my work every month (for you savvy instagram people #surmasewing).

My medallion theme is "I love color." I am going for a color block/low volume theme, where each border is a scrappy version of a different color (chosen by the maker that month). I decided to make the center my favorite color, BLUE!

The block was made using the Ice Star pattern, which is free from Sew What Sherlock. Full disclosure on this buddy, it was a great pattern, very easy to follow and gorgeous, but it took FOREVER.

I am showing you this picture to give you an idea about how many pieces it took.

My center is now out in the wild, I will not get to see it in person for about a year... But I will get to see pictures.  Yay!

I have some neat projects in the works. I promise I will come back soon.

Tonight I am in a hotel room and I am exhausted. I think I might even be too tired for reality TV... bizarre...

My next post will be cuteness overload, so prepare yourself (I feel I should mention it will not be my cat, although he is cute).