Archive for April 2013

I often look for inspirations from traditional quilt blocks, and my newest ribbons blocks were sparked by traditional bow tie blocks. Long time ago, my mom made a beautiful lap quilt with just the bow tie blocks, and I wish I had a picture to share it with you. I used to think that they look a bit like dog bones (sorry mom!) especially for they are positioned diagonally. Here is a picture of a bow tie quilt that I found on the web. It is made by Twin Fibers, and it's just lovely. The color combination reminds me of my mom's bow tie quilt too. 

 

Revisiting the earlier project and giving a second thought on how to do it differently is always a good idea. I have a special attachment to the Antique Key pattern since it was the first paper pieced pattern that I ever designed.  When I designed this pattern, I looked up many pictures of antique keys and came up with the most simplified version. 

I created this pattern on a whim last night. It is a fairly easy project since it is composed only of rectangles. You can adjust the length of this quilt if you intend to cover up your keyboard, or you can even add more rows and make it into a bigger quilt. I would use different shades and patterns of black and white fabrics to make this quilt eclectic. This pattern is available to download under "Free Downloads." Enjoy! 

Diamond Variations is my first block that is purely geometric. I was inspired by traditional log cabin blocks. You can develop tons of different arrangements by playing with color and pattern choices. You also have two options to juxtapose either square blocks or triangle blocks. 

 

My very first paper pieced project was a Marine Compass block that I found online. You can find this block at a website called Quilting on the Square, which has an extensive collection of compass blocks for free. What I love about this project is that you make four of the same block, rotate them, put them together, and you end up with this beautiful compass. 

  

My background in interior design and habitual visits to websites like pintrest and tumblr finally inspired me to make this dining room pattern. I was originally going to draw just the ceiling lamp, but I decided that completing a room would make it more interesting. 

Pendant No.6822 by Quorum

My husband told me about an online forum that encourages people to post cat pictures on Saturday and calls it a "Caturday."  So I thought, why don't I share some pictures of my lovable cat on Saturday as well? Here is Coccolithophore. He will turn 1 year old coming May. He has always been a very active kitty, and he loves to follow me around. 

If you have ever watched the movie, "Office Space," you will remember how obsessive Milton was with his red stapler. I can't blame him. A stapler is a fun object to work with. 

  Office Space (1999)

I have been looking for thin and lightweight papers to do paper piecing with, but it seems like every store I go to, there are only 20 lbs papers or heavier weight kinds. So, I finally decided to give it a go with papers for foundation piecing. I ordered the product below which was available through Amazon for $6.95 and came with 100 pages. The paper is grey-ish and feels like a very thin newspaper.

Today I added a Fairy-tale Mushrooms block to my etsy and craftsy stores. I wanted to create a pattern that complements my Snail block, and these mushrooms are well suited to that role. I imagine this block fitting nicely in a baby blanket or decorating a nursery.