I heart Hexies!

I am kind of on a hexagon kick right now, or so affectionately called "hexies". They are just so modern and fun! The cool thing about them is that you can do so many different things with them. 

If you aren't into EPP (aka English Paper Piecing) you can turn your beautiful hexies into a "ticker tape" style quilt, where you stitch them down as you quilt your entire piece. For example, I found this great project on an awesome site called Modern Handcraft! 

Here are the project specifics: Machine Stitched Hexagons! It just so happened that I had the same mini charm squares as her (also from Spring Quilt Market)!

The other cool thing about this project was that I got to test out the new floor for creating my quilt sandwich! Worked like a charm!

I tape my backing fabric to the floor so that it does not move while I am trying to baste the layers together. The tape is kind of hidden in the photo, but that is why the new floor is SO much better than the carpet! 

If you are a fan of EPP, you could create something like this:

Okay, so I don't really have a pattern in mind for this, though I did kind of steal the idea from Tula Pink! I am in LOVE with her "Hex on the Beach" quilt, but cannot find a kit anywhere to save my (sewing) life so I am making my own. I am using slightly larger hexagons, and probably a few less than what she uses for the kit, so I guess it's not really a copy, just more of a borrowing?! Yah, I don't know?! 

Any way.. here is my progress so far. 

Hmm.. so I guess I kinda of covered it with stuff..but all those pieces stuck together.. thats what I've done! :P I have all of my tools laid out for you to see too!

I just picked up The Bottom Line thread, which is super strong and straight wound so it doesn't curl off the spool (helps to avoid tangles). I am using Millners size 10 needles, small Gingher scissors and the Sewline glue (to secure the fabric/hexagons together). I carry all of my supplies in a handy dandy Seams Like Home vinyl bag! 

We got stuck in the Alaska summer construction on Sunday night coming back into town from Palmer so I had an extra hour and a half to work on this project! Though that extra time in the car wasn't on the top of my list as Ms. Avalyn was very vocal about how unhappy she was being stuck in the carseat for so long!

The fun thing about EPP is that is can travel, which is nice for long car or airplane rides, or even just a great way work on a project while re-watching your favorite TV Series (Yes, I am watching "Friends"!) or movie. 

The only bad thing I've discovered about EPP is that I miss out on bonding time with Gertrude. :P 

CONTEST ALERT!!

So, I am curious, how many of you are EPP fans and how many are not?! Leave a comment telling me why you LOVE EPP or why you DON'T and there may just be a little prize floating around here for one of you! :) 

Happy (hand or machine) Sewing,

Enjoli (and Gertrude) 

P.S: I just discovered and awesome (kinda new) magazine! It is called Love Patchwork & Quilting, it is from the UK. You can get it at Barnes & Noble, though about 2-4 weeks behind the release date. OR you can get it through e-magazine on your Apple Newstand or Nook (I think, don't quote me). 

It is an awesome magazine and last months issue had a whole section on EPP (which you can safely blame for this post!) :) Check it out, I love it.. PLUS they always have a FREE Gift! Even for us e-zine subscribers!

Moved Back In!

Well all, I am happy to say that Gertrude and I have moved back into our small but wonderful sewing room! It is now totally dedicated to our creative adventures and not hindered by pesky dressers and hangers getting in the way.

I have actually had some time to sew, and I think Gertrude is happy to be "working" again! 

So far, we have:

- sewn bean bags for a friends kids' birthday party

- sewn background and the first row of the Park Bench project 

Ok, so it seemed like the list would be longer, but we (and by "we", I mean "I") have been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing.. Gertrude just sits and watches, she doesn't even offer to help.. seems unfair.. oh well!

So, here you go.. my (ok "our") new and improved sewing room:

I am so in love with the painted door! The color just makes me smile and welcomes me into my Happy Place!

So, as you can see, there is still a little organizing to be done, but I think I've figured out where everything is supposed to go now.. though that ironing board has me stumped! 

So LOVE that cube! It can hold my mini ironing board plus some of my fabric and books! The tower next to it is super convenient for holding my little notions items (elastic, cording, zippers, buttons, etc.). The cabinet on the far left was a total Salvation Army score, I got it for $15 and it is just perfect for holding my interfacing, see below!

Isn't it just perfect?! Plus the top is just the right size for my small rotary mat! YAY!

I'm not going to lie, I really don't want to ever leave this room again! :P  Alas, someone has to make sure the kids don't destroy the rest of the house! 

Any who.. here is a peak at a few of my favorite things in this room:

Ahhh.. my precut stash..actually this isn't all of it.. I do love me some precuts though!

Best Iron ever, but really I love the little key rack for holding scissors!

Recognize that Fat Quarter Pack?! It is the one I scored at Spring Quilt Market! Still can't bear to take it apart! Just have to find the right project!

One of my little helpers, guarding the books!

Okay, I'm not going to lie.. I thought this was pretty genius! The hook I used to hold my handmade bags is actually a curtain tie back! :P I put it on a stud and it is SUPER strong to hold my handmade stash!

 So, this concludes the Sewing Room Tour,  any Questions?! :) I had such a blast working on the floor and getting everything set back up.. though I have to say that getting to sew in the room again is AWESOME! 

Speaking of.. here is that photo I promised of my progress on our Park Bench project!

I'm not going to lie, as much as I have LOVED working on this.. I can't wait to give it to my Mom to quilt! She does some pretty amazing things and it is going to be stunning! 

Keep an eye out for it at the shop in the next month or so! :) 

Happy Sewing,

Enjoli (and Gertrude) 

Gertrude's Room Re-do

It seems that whenever I get an idea for a "home improvement" project, it is always during a period of our life that is particularly crazy! Maybe it's because I feel like, "It's already hectic, so why not throw a bit more craziness into the mix?!" Or maybe it was because I was coming down from my disappointment with our recent camping trip (which will now be referred to as "the trip that must not be named"). 

Any way, I decided that instead of using my walk-in-closet to house clothes (two small dressers and some hangers) I wanted to convert it to be entirely used as my sewing room! And by I, I of course mean, my husband! I had in my head the idea that I didn't want carpet anymore, but a wood laminate or something that looked more "studio-like"! Who knows where I get these ideas in my head from?! 

Knowing that my hubby had Friday off, I broke the news to him on Monday. He had all week to prepare himself! :P Surprisingly he didn't object that much! Probably because he got to move the cars out of the garage and break out all his toys! 

So, here is what we did to Gertrude's room: 

Laying "Cabinet Grade" Plywood Floor.

Now to stencil!

Starting to look good!

Polyurethane coating and trim are on!

Time to put everything back!

Clearly I need to do some cleaning and organizing!

I was getting so anxious to get the room back together because I had a Father's Day project to get done. I had to move Gertrude downstairs to the dining room table to work; I think she enjoyed her time in the natural light though! I'm hoping that now that I have this "little home-improvement" project out of the way, I can get some actual sewing done! :P I miss the hum that Gert makes when she is happily working!

Hope you're all enjoying the sun (and getting a bit of sewing done!),

Enjoli (and Gertrude) 

Camping, Kids & Hexies!

It started out well enough...

I even had a few moments of peace in which to stitch up a some hexies in the evening sunlight!

Captured a few moments of play..

Unfortunately these beautifully captured moments are NOT AT ALL the reality of our weekend! 

Mommy & Daddy came back exhausted, kids came back cranky ... and we all slept for 3 hours upon arriving home. 

In hopes of recovering the weekend we stopped at Bearly Threaded Quilting in Cooper Landing so I could partake in a bit of retail therapy .. what do you think? I think it really helped! :) 

Hopefully I will be fully recovered by the middle of the week and can let you all in on a few projects that are close to completion! 

Have a great week!

Enjoli (and a Gertrude in desperate need of attention!) 

Jealous Gertrude

So I spent about half of May traveling. The second week of May was spent in Pittsburgh at Quilt Market (which was awesome) and the last week 

was spent in Denver training on the new Bernina E16 (which was awesome-er!). 

So, Sis and I got to Denver at 10:30 am on Tuesday morning (on a red eye from Anchorage.. ehh). Since we had the day and were hopped up on coffee we decided that we should check out the Denver Zoo, which was AMAZING! We saw so many animals, Zebra, Giraffes (real ones), Lions, Hyenas, tons of different types of Birds & Monkeys and even a Rhinoceros! 

Of course, in my excitement I forgot to take pictures.. this was the only one I got! 

Needless to say, our first day in Denver was busy and fun!

But the training was definitely the best part! For anyone who likes embroidery, the E16 will blow you away! In all honesty, I've never really seen a multi-needle machine up close, but Bernina has really outdone themselves with this one!

So this is our beauty! We were trying to figure out what to name her..if you have any ideas let us know!

This is the user interface for the machine. You can put in all your thread colors. The list of thread choices is endless! It will color in the design as you go. None of this is "new" for embroidery, but the fact that you can see it really BIG is cool! That and you can add effects to your design all in the program! 

I think my favorite part of the machine though was the hat attachment! OH MAN!! SO COOL!

I really wanted to steal the hat, but there were so many witnesses!

Seriously, how cool is that?! 

I asked my hubby which of the kids I had to get rid of so I could get an E16. 

He said: Gertrude.  :( 

Looks like I won't be getting one just yet..though I'm holding out for Bernina's Long arm machine! :P