Tag: summer quilting

Just Quilty Stuff · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

14 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Summer Quilting

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Hey there! I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend!

My big plans were having a multi-generational family garage sale on Friday and Saturday. I haven’t had a garage sale since before the Pandemic, so I really had no idea what to expect. We ended up with a very interesting assortment of items from the regular household stuff and clothing to antiques and collectibles to automotive items to vintage toys to beautiful collectible glassware and pottery and everything in between (except for quilting stuff, as I’m saving that for a later fabric yard sale). The comment I said frequently during the sale was “We have a little bit of a lot of different stuff.” And, boy, was that true!

While I was at the garage sale, I was thinking about what to write for the blog this week and I was inspired to come up with a fun list of ideas to make the most of your summer quilting because I know how difficult it is to fit quilting in during all the hustle and bustle of summer.

While I was at the garage sale and taking money, I was also working sewing down some binding which was something I could pick up and put down easily. By the way, I bound 3 out of the 4 snack mats I took with me to the sale. Not too shabby.

14 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Summer Quilting

Villa Rosa Designs Rose Card Patterns

You can find the May Pattern Set HERE

OF COURSE, I had to have our VRD Rose Card patterns on the top of the list! As you probably already know, we have around 700 current patterns with new patterns coming out every month from our very talented group of designers. If Villa Rosa Designs was an entry in a dictionary, you know the definition would be FAST & FUN! With patterns for accessories, table runners, baby quilts, small quilts, throw quilts, and even large bed quilts — we really DO have a pattern for everyone for whatever purpose or occasion they need to make a quilt for! You can find our entire catalog of physical Rose Card patterns HERE or our digital Rose Card patterns HERE.

Kits, Kits, and More Kits

NEW Pascali Kit, get it HERE

Kits are a real time saver because the fabrics and the pattern are packaged together. Did you know Villa Rosa has kits galore both in the physical quilt shop in California and in our online shop? You can find our current kit offerings HERE.

Precuts

Grab your favorite 2 1/2″ strip set, 5″ charm squares, 10″ squares, or fat quarter bundle………. VRD has a pattern for that! LOL! Using precuts is a HUGE time saver because some of the cutting is already done for you. AND you can pair your precuts with a great VRD Rose Card pattern.

Small Projects

You can find our Fast & Fun Accessory patterns HERE

Think small in the summertime — place mats, snack mats, mug rugs, small accessory patterns, throw pillows, wall quilts, and table runners are all great options for summer quilting. I personally find that summer is a great time to start working on small fun Christmas gifty items that can be whipped up in little pockets of time.

Easy Piezy Projects

Get Lickety Split HERE

My advice is to save that complicated Double Wedding Ring Quilt for Fall and Winter and focus on Fast & Fun projects for the summer. Selecting easier projects that only take a couple days or even a couple hours to make will keep you moving right along instead of feeling stuck with a single more complex project for the whole summer. Check out my Go-to list for Fast & Fun Rose Card patterns that go together in a snap HERE.

Try a Take-Along Project

Find Quilting On The Go HERE

Prepare a take along project (hand piecing, applique, embroidery, whatever you like) and have it ready to go for summer trips, picnics, vacations, appointments, kids’ events, etc. You might even want to prepare several small projects for on the go, so you can just grab one on your way out the door. You will be amazed at how those little pockets of time will give you additional quilting time. Maybe it’s time to try a little English Paper Piecing with Hexies. Just Sayin’….

Projects in Different Stages of Completion

Image created with Photoshop by moi

Not everyone will agree with me on this one and it might not work for everyone, but this is how I roll. If you have a quilt or 2 cut and ready to piece, another couple that you are quilting (either hand or machine), several that need the binding sewn on or tacked down, along with your take along project (or projects!) — you will never be bored and you can work on whatever project that fits into your current time/space.

On the go? Grab the quilt that needs the binding done (I’m thinking smaller projects here, not big bed quilts) or one of your take along projects — like maybe a hand applique pillow front.

Have an hour or two? Start piecing that quilt you cut out or maybe you can machine quilt a table runner.

Need a project in the evening while hanging out with the kiddos or friends? Maybe one that needs binding fits the bill or perhaps an ongoing project you already started hand-quilting?

Bored with one project? Then work on another one.

Use your time wisely by choosing the project that fits into specific pockets of time.

Try to Keep Your Sewing Space Organized

Image created with Photoshop by moi

You will notice I said “try”? I know how hard it is to keep your space uncluttered and organized from my personal struggles in my own space (which, by the way, looks like a quilt shop exploded). If you can find what you are looking for when you need it, that itself will save you time. Then you can get quilting faster and you may even have a little bit more time to work on your project in between swim practice and dinner if you’re not hunting for your scissors or thread or a new machine needle because you broke one.

Use Your Leaders and Enders to Maximize Your Sewing Time

This is a great idea I borrowed from Bonnie K. Hunter. In fact, Bonnie has written 2 books about this idea — Adventures with Leaders & Enders: Make More Quilts in Less Time! and More Adventures with Leaders and Enders: Make Even More Quilts in Less Time! The concept is that you cut out an entire quilt (Bonnie is all about Scrap Quilting) and then you sew the pieces together for one quilt as the Leaders and Enders while piecing a second quilt. You will be amazed at how many more quilts you will be able to put together with this technique.

What are Leaders and Enders, you might be wondering. Scraps of fabric to begin and end your chain-piecing so that your machine doesn’t “eat” your fabric at the beginning of your first unit (bet you know what I mean by this!). Bonnie’s idea is all about making simple scrappy blocks by using the pieces of one quilt as the Leaders and Enders for a second quilt — literally a two-fer! You go, Bonnie!

Schedule Sewing Days with Your Pals

Image by studiogstock on Freepik

Sewing with friends is always a great idea — not only are you quilting, but you’re getting social time with your pals, too. Go ahead and actually schedule time on your calendar to quilt with your posse. Bring a project to work on and something for a pot luck. Why not make it a theme night — Taco Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, or maybe Fast & Fun Friday? By combining social time with quilting time, you get the best of both worlds at the same time!

Take a Quilt Class

Image created on Photoshop by moi

Learn something new or brush up on your skills. You are prioritizing quilting by scheduling it into your busy summer. Make that class even more fun by taking along your best quilting bud.

Join a Quilt Guild

Photo by Levi Guzman on Unsplash

Yup, join a Quilt Guild where all the quilters hang out once or twice a month. Again, you are combining social time with quilting time as well as making quilting a priority. You can even tote a take along project with you to meetings. You’ll enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded folks and you might learn a thing or three from other members.

Maybe you don’t have a guild near where you live? You could join an online guild. Or maybe start a guild in your area!

Teach Someone to Quilt

Image created on Photoshop by moi

Have you ever heard the quote: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”? Do you know who said these important words? If you said Ben Franklin, then kudos to you!

So, teach someone to quilt!

Kids or grands need something to occupy their time besides video games and their cell phones? Teach them to make a simple quilt! Know someone who always wanted to make a quilt, but doesn’t know how? Teach them! Or maybe you know an expectant parent or grandparent who wants to make a baby quilt for that special little bundle? Don’t hesitate, teach them! You can even make the same project that you are teaching, so not only are you getting in some much-needed quilting time, you are also sharing your love of quilting with someone else.

Quilting Road Trip

Image from Vecteezy

Yay! Get your motors running! Head on out on the highway — er, on a Quilting Road Trip or FART (Fabric Acquisition Road Trip). Whether you’re going on a quilt retreat, to a quilt show, or hopping from shop to shop, enjoy some quilting R&R with your fav quilty pals. Don’t forget your take along project for the road….

I hope these fun ideas help you to squeeze a little more quilting time into your busy summer. If you have any additional ones to add, please leave a comment to share. Thanks!

Just keep quilting……just keep quilting…..just keep quilting………………………………….

Until next week —

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @VRD

Just Quilty Stuff · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Summertime Quilting and a Little English Paper Piecing (EPP)

rosecards2 Comments

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday!

Quilting in the summer. Do you find it as hard to do as I do? Do you get the summer sewing blues or are you a year-round quilting dynamo?

For me, I start off just fine in May and June, but by July, I’m just not into it anymore. That is until September rolls around, then I can’t wait to fire up my machine and sew, sew, sew with all those wonderful rich autumn fabrics. Over the years, I’ve discovered that I’m basically a three-seasons quilter.

The good news is, there are lots of ideas to keep us sewing all through the summer.

Quiltalongs

Have you thought about joining a Quiltalong? I know that many start in the summer and continue into the fall while others start in January. Check with your local quilt shop, if they don’t have some kind of summer sewalong, there are lots online. Just search for “summer quiltalong” online to see what you find. 🙂

Summer Classes

While you’re at your local shop, why don’t you see what classes they are offering for the summer? Maybe there will be something really fun you can do. Don’t forget that quilt shops are usually air conditioned too which makes sewing a lot more comfortable.

The reason I mention air conditioning is that my basement dungeon studio isn’t air conditioned. I have to rely on a couple fans to move the air around. This does not help me feel motivated to sew, instead it makes me feel motivated to take a nap. LOL!

Small Projects

I really don’t think summertime is the time of year to work on big projects, unless you really have to. It’s better to stick to smaller projects so that you can fit your quilting around your summer activities and still finish some of your projects. Place mats, table runners, wall quilts, pot holders, mug rugs and more are wonderful summer projects. You could even work on some small items for Christmas gifts, if you were so inclined.

Here are some of our smaller Villa Rosa Designs Rose Cards, perfect for summer sewing:

Get Mary Jane HERE

Get Amanda Jane HERE

Get Tabitha Jane HERE

Get Let’s Eat HERE

Get Slice of Summer HERE

Get Berry-Licious HERE

There are tons more fun and fast Villa Rosa Designs Rose Card patterns HERE.

Shop Hops

Shop Hops are often in the summer, so make sure you join your local Hop. You won’t regret it. Take a friend or two and make it a quilting buddy adventure.

Maybe your local shop is sponsoring a bus for the Shop Hop? If so, don’t hesitate — ride the bus. Then you can just focus on having fun and no one has to worry about driving or navigating or getting lost.

It’s a good idea to have a list of things you are looking for with on a Shop Hop or you will find yourself tempted by every pretty thing you see.

Take Along Projects — English Paper Piecing (EPP)

Maybe you do a lot of traveling in the summer. Do you have a take a small sewing project along? My favorite go-to project for travel is my Hexies. Are you familiar with Hexies?

Hexies are (of course) fabric pieces cut into a hexagon shape that you sew together. You can sew Hexies together by machine, but that is definitely NOT for beginners. Sewing hexagons together by hand, now, that’s something most people can do. Have you ever tried it?

There are several different ways to sew Hexies, but I like to use the English Paper Piecing (EPP for short) technique to sew my Hexies together.

Here’s a great video tutorial by quilter Carolina Moore about the basics of English Paper Piecing:

I couldn’t find her book Learn to English Paper Piece from the video, so I am guessing it’s out of print now, but I was excited to see that she has a brand new Paper Piecing book coming out next month in August! Woohoo!

You can pre-order Carolina’s new book HERE.

EPP really is a great project to take along with you when you’re on the go. The supplies can fit in a small bag — wouldn’t it be super cute to make a little bag for your EPP out of EPP??? Depending on your bag, it might actually slip down into your purse or tote too. You can even take them with you on that Shop Hop you’re going on!

The supplies you need for EPP are pretty simple and easy to find. You probably already have most of them lurking in your sewing area:

  1. Paper or plastic templates in your desired shape/size
  2. Fabric shapes that are larger than your paper pieces
  3. Thread, needle, thimble
  4. Small scissors
  5. (Optional) Fabric glue stick if you are going to glue your Hexies like in Carolina’s video
  6. Something to store your supplies in

These Hexie paper templates are currently my favorite find:

Get your 1 1/2″ Hexie papers HERE.

Do you see the hole in the center of the paper Hexie? Do you know what that hole is for? Snaps to you if you do! If not, let me tell you about it.

When you place your paper Hexie in the center of your fabric hexagon shape, you can use a straight pin in that hole to hold the paper Hexie on the fabric so the paper templates doesn’t slide as you work you way around the paper Hexie, either sewing or gluing the edges. One time I bought a set of paper templates without the holes, and boy did I regret it — I ended up punching a hole in each and every one in the package. Sadly, my hole punch wasn’t exactly big enough so my holes are all off center, which means that sometimes I run into my center straight pin while sewing around the Hexie. Ugh, not fun.

Once upon a time, when everyone was going wild for Hexies, Moda and other fabric companies were making precut fabric Hexies. They weren’t hard to come by back then and totally sped the EPP process up because you didn’t have to cut out the Hexies — you just started sewing. Sadly, you don’t find them around very often anymore. Bummer.

Here’s a precut pack from Kona cottons, if you’re interested. I found them HERE.

English Paper piecing isn’t just for Hexies, though. You can use the technique to sew lots of other shapes, too. And when you mix and match different shapes together, you can create some amazing EPP quilt blocks!

You could try Pentagons —

Or Elongated Hexies, which are kind of funky —

Maybe you’re more into Octagons —

Who wouldn’t want to make some Dresden Plates —

These are just a few of the fun EPP shapes out there. So, you’ll probably never get bored with EPP unless of course you’re trying to make a California King Size quilt entirely by hand with EPP. Good luck, you crazy quilter, you!

Me, I keep things simple and only do Hexies. Those other shapes scare me! LOL! Mostly I make small projects with my Hexies like small table mats, runners, and other little things.

I do have a doll quilt I made with small Hexies (I don’t know what I was thinking, really). I think they are 1/2″ Hexies, by the way. Because it was my take-along project, it literally took me years to make the top. I think I started it in 2010? But that’s okay, I don’t usually have any specific deadlines for my EPP projects.

I’ve been trying to hand quilt my little Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt now (for years…) but let me tell you, hand quilting is really not my thing. Not at all. I bow down to all of you hand quilters out there.

It’s funny but I have many little bags and boxes with EPP Hexies all ready to grab and go. Maybe a little excessive, but then again, I always have an EPP project….or two….or three going and ready so I can just grab it, pop it in my bag and off I go. Below you can see the EPP bag I am sew in love with right now! My quilting pal, Mary Lee, made this great zip bag for my birthday after I hinted very strongly. LOL! Thanks, Mary Lee!

It’s an byannie.com pattern — Double Zip Gear Bag 2.0. You can find the pattern HERE.

Sigh…..if only that ginormous bed quilt would magically fit into a cute little bag so I could tote it around and finish the binding….

Well, that’s it from me. Stay cool and keep on quilting this summer!

Until next week —

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia

Quilt Stories · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Food, Quilting, and Math

rosecards2 Comments

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Now that the summer season is almost 2/3rds over, I hope you are taking the time to have a little fun, whether that means having a cookout in the backyard or going on a vacation somewhere exotic, make time to have fun with your loved ones.

Me, I love summer cookouts, picnics, and family reunions! Yes, I know these events are all usually about the food, but if you knew my family, you would understand that food is always a central part of any event or get-together. Over the years, I have tried to incorporate quilting into these events, too. Usually, I take along some portable hand-sewing project — binding or hexies. This is a great way to break the ice from starting a conversation with a far away relative or someone new. Quilting brings people together, just like food. And I am deliriously happy when I can have both together!

We even have snacks at my quilt guild meetings! Do you like my vase of wildflowers? I picked them from alongside the road.

Quilting and Math

I am thrilled that I’ve been getting some quality time with my sewing machine recently. Finally. And every time I design a quilt on my computer using Electric Quilt 8 software and then create the quilt in fabric, I am still completely amazed that everything goes together!

Quilting is simply a form of math. Have you ever thought about it that way? Every time we use a ruler, a template, or follow a pattern, it’s all about the math. Maybe we don’t have to do all the figuring when using patterns or templates because someone already did the math for us, but it’s still all math.

My stash of rulers.

I find it ironic that after all these years, I work in a field that is so completely immersed in math. I can still remember all the struggling I did to understand math after I finished Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Geometry was a total disaster for me. Why did I have to prove that a square was truly a square? Ugh. Thank goodness for teachers like Mrs. Hank, who was my math teacher for 5 out of 6 years of high school (excluding that awful year in geometry). Mr.s Hank would be totally amazed that I do math everyday. And I even like it. Now.

Thanks, Mrs. Hank!

Later as an undergraduate at Allegheny College, a private liberal arts school, I found the only science/math cluster available that did not require taking any math classes — archaeoastronomy! My cluster of 3 classes included 2 astronomy classes and a physics course with a lab component. It was like I was allergic to math for a long long time and suddenly quilting cured my allergy! I am not afraid to say — I LIKE MATH. I’m thinking of getting a t-shirt made to celebrate quilting and math……what do you think?

As a quilt designer, when I start a new project, I fire up my Electric Quilt software. I usually start with a favorite simple quilt block in a friendly size because not only do I detest measurements like 5 and 7/16th, but why would a design a project that requires that kind of cutting measurement in the first place? No one would buy my patterns. To see more about my design process, go HERE.

Once I’m satisfied with my design, I print out the cutting information from EQ8 and I get started making the project. While I make the project, I write down notes such as how many strips to cut in what size. Then after I make the project, I write the pattern. Through this process, I’m using lots and lots of math! Yes, I actually have to write the pattern, EQ8 does not do that, it’s up to the designer to translate the design into words.

Here at Villa Rosa Designs, I create diagrams and write patterns for other designers or for special projects. Sometimes I have to sit down with my pencil, paper, and a calculator to figure out or double check the math. Quilting and math go hand-in-hand. Without math, there wouldn’t be any quilting!

I find it a little sad and quite humorous at the same time that historically, quilting has been considered to be a woman thing. Today, more and more men are getting involved in quilting, whether as designers or as makers. They have discovered the amazing partnership between math and creativity/art that quilting offers. And besides, quilting is for everyone!

So for the rest of the summer, make sure you have some fun.

Eat. Quilt. And do math.

Until next Thursday —

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @VRD