Category Archives: Stuff to make

Fabric Store Field Trip (First Quilt, Step 3)

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I can’t bring myself to actually buy fabric for my first-ever quilt. Putting down hard cold cash is such a commitment. And entering a fabric store as the guileless, eye-batting quilt virgin that I am, I may end up with a real schmuck (yards of polyester? cordoroy?). So, I’m settling for a noncommital trip to the fabric store–a lunch with the fabric store, not dinner.

One thing I learned: fat quarters don’t have anything to do with Mardi Gras (I imagined Fat Tuesday plus French Quarter). They are quarter-yards of fabric, usually 18″ x 22.”

Some things I still don’t get: Brigit and other quilters out there, what do you use for backing? And where do you buy it? My pattern recommends unbleached cotton muslin, but I’m not sure that makes sense for my quilt. What do you suggest?

Batting–where do you buy cotton batting? Is poly just too grody? (And is that how you spell grody?)

Quilt Colors! (Step 2)

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A month or so ago I resolved to make my first quilt–something that still seems like a sin of hubris. The Audacity of Quilting! So here I am, taking my second, wobbly step. I have a pattern (the Ollalieberry Ice Cream Quilt by Alicia Paulson of Posie Gets Cozy). To avoid the real next step (fabric selection), I sneaked in a half-step: palette!

For a long time, I’ve loved the colors of Ray Eames‘s Crosspatch fabric design (this is a sketch of it, from 1947). The fabric lends itself to quilt inspiration: all those little squares.

Inspired by Brigit’s origami paper sketches, I cut out squares of Benjamin Moore paint chips and played around. Very satisfying–I highly recommend paint chip collage. If only quilting were that easy . . .

The quilt calls for a mix of patterns and one solid, so this is a generalized color scheme not an actual one. I think I’d like the solid to be pale gray and the patterns to be pink/red/orange. Brigit, what do you think? Should I stick with white as the solid? I like all the pretty flower prints that Alicia uses in her quilt but know they wouldn’t fit into my house–so I’m guessing I’ll end up with brighter, geometric patterns.

Next step: fabric store.

Doll’s sleeping bag

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At my house we spend quite a lot of time studying the American Girl catalog. A certain member of my household–who has been saving her allowance since January–was verging on the obsessive. So, I thought making something for the girls would be a welcome distraction. These sleeping bags were perfect. They capture the mini-perfection of the real thing. My daughter picked out the fabric, and even did a little of the machine sewing–thrilling! To make your very own AG sleeping bag click here: Doll’s sleeping bag. If you can sew a zipper and do some very basic quilting then you can make one of these in an hour or two. (I made matching pillows from the leftover fabric–two rectangles sewn together and filled with fluff.)

So cozy!

Weekend Bag

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I have to say … I can’t believe I made luggage. Not that I have tested this bag’s durability through airport security, but it looks impressive. The pattern is by Amy Butler, and I can recommend it if you have patience and strong hands. There is a fair amount of wrangling involved in making this bag, but the instructions are very clear and are easy to follow–in theory. The fabric is Jennifer Jones’s Outside Oslo, which we both seem to love.

Andy Warhol Soup Cans

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New limited-edition Campbell's tomato soup cans with art and sayings by artist Andy Warhol are seen Aug. 24, 2012, at Campbell Soup Company in Camden, N.J. Campbell plans to introduce the special-edition cans of its condensed tomato soup bearing labels reminiscent of the pop artist's paintings at Target stores starting Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012.

Fellow Warholians, will you join me for a trip to Target this week? Campbell’s is selling its soup in Andy Warhol-inspired cans, available at Target for 75 cents! In four color schemes, no less. Do you think the soup will keep if I never ever open the cans? Or should I poke a tiny hole in the top and siphon out the soup?