Missing you Beverly!

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I’m sitting here surfing some of my favorite web-sites and missing Beverly Maxvill.  I heard from a friend that she passed away a couple of weeks ago from Breast Cancer.  Another lovely women lost to that terrible malady.  Her cancer went undetected because she had no medical insurance.  (Don’t get me started on that subject!)

I’ve been looking forward to  seeing her new line of fabric.  Its being produced through Benartex.  They have an interesting but short bio of her Quilting/Artistic career on their web-site.  http://www.benartex.com/page/page/beverly-maxvill-280.htm  Check it out.  I love her line of fabrics and I wish she were around today to give her a call and congratulate her.

Without Beverly I don’t think I’d be as into quilting as I am today.  She was an inspiration to so many of us in the Macomb County, Michigan area.  Beverly was our “go-to” gal whenever we had a design dilemma or technical question.  She always challenged us to go beyond our current skills, learn new things and try new techniques. 

I remember I was working on a large hand appliqued wall hanging and while hand quilting it I cut a tiny hole into the background fabric.  I was very distraught about it.  She advised to look at it as a design opportunity and suggested covering the hole with a hand embroidered bumble bee.  Now its my favorite part of that quilt.  The lesson I learned – there’s nothing you can screw up on your quilt that can’t be fixed with a “design opportunity”. 

Thanks Beverly!  You’ll be sorely missed.

Don’t let Breast Cancer take another creative woman like Beverly Maxvill – http://www.karmanos.org/detroitraceforthecure/index.asp 

Beverly’s last days were made more comfortable at the Harbor Hospice in Muskegon, MI.  If you’d like to do something in her memory, a donation to them would have pleased Beverly.

Here’s a sale you don’t want to miss!

I just got the notification of this sale in my email box.  Sisters in Quilting always throw a great sale: 

Sisters in Quilting 2nd Annual Pajama Sale!  Saturday July 30th, 2011.  Here’s how is works.  You wear  your P.J.’s to the shop and based on the time you arrive you get a great store-wide discount.  7:00am to 8:30am gets you 40% off,  8:30am t0 9:30am gets you 30%, 9:30am to 11:30am is 20% and 11:30am to 3:30pm is 10%.  They have opened up their new space in the back of the store and will have more cutting stations and check out areas.  Breakfast will be served.  But,  y0u must wear your pajamas to qualify.    For address and regular store hours check out their web-site by clicking here.

Work Work Work

Work!  That’s all I’ve had time for the past couple of months.  Too bad that it’s the work I do I do to pay the bills and not to nourish the soul.  After so long away from doing any type of needlework, I really need a “fix” to restore my spirit.

I’ve been working on a Victorian Crazy quilt for longer than I care to admit.  I do love all the embroidery stitches but it’s not as portable or easy to just pick up and work on as a knitting project.  I’ve got the layout worked out and a theme going.  I’ve just got to have the time to sit and do some stitching. 

I’ve decided to include a central motif on each block that will remind me of a good friend or family member.   I’ve got about 3 16″ blocks finished and maybe 5 in the planning stages.  The layout will have 13 total I think (I’m going to do an on-point setting).  I’ve been collecting thread, charms, laces, buttons… all kinds of things that can be added to the quilt.  The shopping expeditions for this project have been a lot of fun.  My favorite places to get items for this quilt are vendors at quilt shows. 

Lee’s Lines is always a good source for items and inspiration.  At my guild’s last show she had a cute little antique stool that was covered with felted wool crazy patches and lovely embroidery.  I so coveted that stool.  I wished they were selling them as a kit.  The truth was though that they search for them at antique shops and flea markets.  I’ll be keeping my eyes open for something like that this summer.  You can count on that!

Another favorite of mine is the Stitching Post from Bay City Michigan.  She’s another source of inspiration and unique stitching items.  This year I got a seam ripper with a lovely turned wooden handle.  It was more than I usually spend on a ripper..but its a tool right?   Tools are an investment in your craft and last for years to come.  That’s how I justify it anyway.  I just love that particular tool. 

The basis for any Victorian Crazy quilt though are the stitches.  I’ve been using a set of 12 patterns from The Quilter’s Patch.  The shop used to be located close by my home but has since moved to Meers, Michigan.  The patterns are available on-line at The Quilter’s Warehouse.  Each of the 12 patterns has 26 unique stitches illustrated beautifully.  This series of patterns is a great place to start for a beginner and a great source for stitches for an experienced quilter.

Some other places for materials for this type of project are Victorian Purses by Sue.  I met this vendor at the Novi Sewing Expo.  She vends at beading shows too.  She has a complete collection of DMC and Presencia Perle cottons.  Another good source for threads is The Rocking Horse in Farmington, Michigan.  Their main focus is cross stitch and they have hundreds of samples all over the shop.  They also have a varied collection of threads, charms and buttons that work nicely for crazy quilting.  Worth a stop if you’re out there.

Happy stitching everyone and don’t work too hard.

Cristina’s Quilt Shoppe

I finally got out to Rochester Michigan to check out Cristina’s Quilt Shoppe.  What a cute store.  It just off the main drag in Downtown Rochester. It’s housed in a former residence so to the shop has surprise rooms around each corner.  They carry a wall full of each of black and white fabrics, batik’s, Christmas fabric, children’s fabric..on and on.  The shop is bright open and cheerful.  They have also converted the garage out back to a heated training room.  The books they offer are shown as always 20% off.  This shop is definitely worth the  trip out to Rochester!

While you’re out there, there’s plenty more shopping to do.  There’s another favorite stop of my – Skeins on Main for all you knitters.  They have an entrance in front on Rochester road and in the back from the parking area.  The shop offers an area of hand dyed and specialty yarn,  a small room filled with books and a wall of tools and accessories.  There’s an area in the back for customers and patrons to sit, knit and chat.  I wouldn’t miss it.

While I was out in the area I stopped at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm.  There’s an exhibit of Hand Hooked Rugs by the Great Lakes Rug  Hooking guild there now thru June 18th.  I’m not a “hooker”  but the exhibit was fascinating.  The president of the guild was on hand to tell us about the rug hooking process and provide a demo using 2 different widths of wool strips.  She also explained a bit about the tools used to create the strips and the different types of hooks used to work the rugs. The pieces in the show are amazing!  Each were museum quality and worked by members of the guild.  You can certainly see how this craft can be addicting.  The color possibilities are endless.  The rugs were made from recycled old wool clothes, purchased new wool fabrics, roving and even dog hair!   Some were hand dyed, dipped dyed, and over dyed.   Some fabrics were plaids or textured woolens.  If I didn’t already have so many other needle work hobbies I’d have been sorely tempted to take this craft on as another love.  My good friend was with me and I can see that she was similarly inspired.  You don’t have to be a “hooker” to love  this exhibit.

What’s new with Beverly Maxvill and The Quilter’s Patch shop?

I recently got an email from Beverly Maxvill of The Quilter’s Patch in Hart, Michigan.  The shop is gradually picking up new customers and is doing well at its new location.  Beverly has been really busy designing new patterns.  I can’t wait to see some of these.  Her designs are always interesting. 

She’s also got a fabric line coming out soon.  Her line  will debut at Fall Quilt Market in Houston 2010, with Benartex Fabrics. It is called Floral Fancies – A Folk Art Collection by Beverly Maxvill. It has two colorways each with 18 pieces. The colors are Red/Black and Aqua/Brown. There are also solids within the line called “Oatmeal Solids” which look like wool fabric and they are in 9 colors. Red, Green, Gold, Cream, Blue, Brown, Aqua, Orange and Olive. The line has 6-8″ Floral Basket blocks, 2 Floral Borders, 12″ Large Floral print, Medium Floral print, Small Floral Print, Leaf print, Currant Branch print and 2″ Penny Rug print. They are very cool. You can sign up on Benartex’s web-site  for updates and newsletters if you want.  I did!  I can’t wait to see the fabrics.

I’ll keep in touch with Beverly and let you all know when her new patterns are available.  She’s got a new web-site in the works and plans to post the  patterns there when they are ready.  She always was a busy and creative designer!  I’ve missed her and her shop terribly since she moved to the western side of the state.  She always has a solution to your design challenge…or your screw up.  I really enjoyed our little chats in the shop.  Ha well!  Things change and so must we.  With the wonders of the internet…its almost like being there!  (except I can’t “pet” the fabric)

Sisters in Quilting in Marlette, Mi

I was able to get away for a quick trip to Marlette to visit one of my favorite quilt shops there,  Sisters in Quilting.  Last time I visited the shop was during their annual 50% off sale in December 2009.  Boy, that was a sale!  The entire shop was 50% off.  They had people waiting accross the street to get in.  I purchased quite a bit of fabric for our church project then and a couple of pieces of fabric for me.  This trip was to get some coordinating fabric for it. 

The shop is small but packed with lovely fabrics.  I was able to get some Moda fabric to go with a panel I purchased earlier.  I had original intended to use the panel for purse but I’ve changed my mind.  Once I saw the Crabapple Hill pattern called “Over the River and through the Woods” I decided to make that quilt instead.  There are blocks in the Moda panel that will work well in the center of the star blocks in this patter.  I love to embroider so this will be a fun project.

The shop also carries every purse and bag pattern you could hope to find.  They got  a lot of samples bags made up so you can see how the bag will turn out with each pattern.  That helps a lot to understand the bag’s construction and to determine ahead of time if the pattern will function the way you need it to.  They were working on sample for a bag called the “Professional Tote” while I was there.  I had to have that pattern since the bag is so versatile but they were out of it.  I hope to hear from them soon that’s its in stock again.  I’d love to get up there to the shop to pick it up and pick out some fabrics for it.

a peak inside the shop

The shop has some really great quilts hanging up on the walls and around the fabric shelves.  Each one is so lovely you’ll be inspired to buy some fabric and get to work on your own version of the quilts.  They carry some beautiful fabrics that coordinate well with each other.  The owner does a great job in selecting fabrics for some lovely quilts.

some of the shop’s samples

Lovely Moda prints to go with my panel

The girls in the shop were getting everything ready for a “slumber party” sale the following day.  That sounded like a lot of fun too.  Wish I could have made it back there for that.  I don’t think the husband would have understood though.  Men just don’t understand the need to expand your stash!

 

Happy shopping!

If you love to Hand stitch Quilts…

I remember when I first started sewing back in 4th grade.  We won’t say how long ago that was!  I never wanted to do anything by hand.  I was young and in a hurry to get it done!  Using a sewing machine was an adventure and challenge to master.  Getting your seams straight and even is a skill that takes practice (or special tools).   In high school I took 2 years of tailoring and design.  That’s when I began to appreciate the results hand stitching can give you.  

Later, when I started quilting I thought I knew all I needed to know to make a quilt.  I was wrong.  The perfect 1/4″ seam allowance eluded me for the 1st 2 or 3 years.  It’s amazing how just a tiny variation to the 1/4″ can effect the overall size of your quilt.  I enjoy sewing and piecing  by machine but its a solitary process most times.  I like to have company when I’m sewing and hand sewing makes that possible.  The other aspect I really enjoy about it is that you have much more control when hand sewing.   You won’t lose those lovely points in your star blocks. 

Hand piecing a quilt can be a lot of fun.  I first began to learn hand piecing techniques when I took a beginer’s quilting class given by Beverly Maxvill when her shop was in St. Clair Shores.  (She’s currently in Hart, MI).  Beverly teaches most quilting techniques by hand.  In the class we did a 9 patch project.  We used templates for cutting the patches for the block and templates to mark the stitching lines.  Beverly’s class was designed to show you that there were hundreds of variations in a 9 patch block.  We started out with 5 fat quarters.  What fun! We used the templates to cut out the patches using the templates.  Then we could play with the arrangements of colors and 9 patch designs till we found a block we liked and began stitching. 

I’ve done a few projects using the techniques I learned in that class with Beverly.  When I redecorated my kitchen I made a table runner all hand stitched and quilted to go with the border that was the inspiration piece for the room.  

Hand pieced and quilted table runner

I came out pretty nice I think.  It goes well with my kitchen and all the points are there!  I love hand piecing for that reason. 

Later I took another workshop with Beverly that taught hand embroidery.  There were 4 workshops, each with a basic stitch theme.  At the end of the workshop I had enough 6″ blocks to make this wall hanging. 

Hand embroidered Wall hanging

Each workshop had a fully embroidered block design, a floral motif and a Christmas motif.  I originally took the workshops so that I’d be able to make a crazy quilt.  I’m in the process of making one now.  

Beverly Maxvill offers a block-of-the-month type series of patterns for a crazy quilt.  What I love the most about this series is that each block pattern provides 26 different embroidery stitches.  Once you have all 12 block patterns, that’s a wealth of stitches!   I’m planning to make 13 blocks for a quilt I have in mind.  I plan to create my own center motifs based on some of my friends and family and life events as that is traditional with this type of quilt.

I also took a class from Cindy Blackberg that combined both the embroidery and hand piecing.  She uses rubber stamps to mark her patches for cutting and stitching lines.  I like this technique because it takes much less time to mark and cut the patches.  It very accurate that way as well.  I had been using all-purpose or cotton thread for hand piecing.   Cindy recommends using hand quilting thread for the hand piecing part. 

Block from a Cindy Blackberg design

That turned out to be a good idea too.  Less thread tangles and breakage during stitching.   (Left is a block I made from that class. )  Another tip I picked up in her class was the marking pencil she uses.  A washout graphite pencil that’s available on her web-site.  (Sew Together in Richmond also carries it.)  It makes a clear line and is easily removed later.  It’s the best marking tool I’ve ever used and I’ve purchased enough of them to know!  I’m completely sold on it. 

I plan to use that pencil on my next applique project too.  Another form of hand work for quilts I enjoy.  My favorite author for hand applique work is Carol Armstrong, a resident of the U.P.  Her designs are all based on nature.  Her patterns for birds and wildflowers are lifelike instead of the simpler rendering you see in Baltimore album type quilts.  Her layouts are fresh and imaginative.  I love all her books.

Enough talk!  I’m ready for some action.  I think I’ll pull out my crazy quilt and do some stitching!

In support of the small shops

Since this is my first ever blog I thought I’d tell you a little about what I hope to accomplish with it.  I’m a quilter, knitter, seamstress, beader and rubber stamper.  I love all needle arts!  I also work full-time.  (sigh)   So when I don’t have time to persue the activities I truly love to do, I shop.  I stop in at quilts shops, knit shops, quilt shows, stamping and scrapbooking shops.  You never know what you might find in a small shop in the city or in the country.  Each one is an oasis of creativity.  They inspire me every time.  I love them all.  

Two things have been my inspiration to start this blog. 

1. With the economy the way it is we are loosing some wonderful  small independent shops.  Too many are struggling to stay afloat.
2. There doesn’t seem to be a single location you can turn to let you know when wonderful events might be happening.    Maybe its a nationally known speaker or trunk show.  Or maybe its a quilt show or fiber festival.  Too often you hear about them when they are over and it’s too late to attend. 

So here’s my plan.  With this blog I hope to create a resource for all my fellow needle artists to turn too for inspiration and information.  Stay tuned.  We’re just getting started.