Selling My Wares...

   An exciting opportunity has presented itself!  We have a local coffee shop that displays and sells paintings, photography, jewelry and an organic children's line of clothing by local artists.  I bring my kids in there from time to time for ice cream and they offer a wonderful selection of soups for lunch as well.
   A few weeks ago, I treated the kids to ice cream (before the cold snap!) and approached the owner about the possibility of selling some of my homemade quilty items.  It was an impromptu thing, and I showed him a few of the journal covers that I have and use in my bag as well as a cell phone case.  He was open to the idea and I told him I needed to build up some stock as I gave away all my most recent makes for the holidays.  [I also thought it might be neat to sell mug rugs there, since its a coffee shop].
   Fast forward to last week, when I was on-line creating a hard-cover family photo album on Shutterfly, which was having a 40% off sale on most of their photo books.  I had so much fun creating the family album (virtual scrapbooking), that I decided to also create a little soft-cover booklet of some of my quilty items.  It arrived in yesterday's mail.

   Those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile (all 41 followers of you!) know that I have a special place in my heart for cranes (the animals, not the construction kind).  I used to work with live cranes in captivity-- all 15 species from around the world-- and it was a profound experience. So I now have a special fondness for Asian fabrics with cranes, as well as origami cranes, which I love to make.   Here are a few crane creations...

This is actually just a quilt top (wall-hanging)--
once I complete my paper piecing class, my top goal for 2012
is to sandwich, quilt and bind all of my larger sized UFOs.

   So anyway, where was I before the crane divergence?  Oh, yeah.  If I'm going to be creating homemade wares to sell, then I need a label.  And Postpartum Quilter might be okay for a blog name, but I'm not about use that label on the things I sell.
   So I knew that I wanted to incorporate the name or theme of cranes in my label.  A few commenters (Thanks, Judith!) offered some good ideas, that helped me get started, but I really wanted to find the name that felt "just right" to me.
   Well, inspiration comes in odd moments.  Hubster is a huge Bruce Springsteen fanatic fan (sounds more civilized), and one of our favorite songs by him is The Rising (about the firefighters in the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2000).  Of course I have to include the music for you, should you be interested in hearing the song (its amazing)

Here is a link to the YouTube video, since I am unable to properly embed it:

http://youtu.be/OODQKaSNz8k

   As we were listening to the song, it came to me: "Rising Crane" [although it has now evolved into Rising Crane Creations].   Don't know if you can read it, but it's there on the cover:

Here's a glimpse at a few of the inside pages (20 total):

   So I now have my own little "catalog" featuring some of my makes that I can take to the coffee shop owner and discuss which items would be best for that venue.  Once I know what he thinks will sell best, I set about making some stock.

   Wish me luck!!

Happy Quilting to all of you!

My Bags Are Packed & Ready To Go- Part 2

Here are my bags...

   (Hubster says he wants me to reassure you that I am not leaving him!)
   The bag on the right is my sewing machine carrying case, which I took to my paper piecing class on Saturday.  (A more detailed post about my wonderful class is here).
   And the blue suitcase was for me and the kids to go to The Big Apple [New York City] overnight, from Sunday to Monday (The kids were off from school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.) We met my Sis, niece and nephew for the Gazillion Bubble Show: The Next Generation on Sunday afternoon.  It was absolutely amazing!
   I know, I know-- your'e probably thinking, "What is a bubble show?"  And it may sound kind of lame, but it was anything but!  I've attempted multiple times, unsuccessfully, to insert a YouTube clip here to give you an idea, but it will not embed correctly, so click on the name of the show above to link to the video.  Basically, it's a one-man show with [not your everyday] bubbles, music and laser lights-- and it is incredible.
   We are in the midst of a week-long cold snap here in the northeast, and you don't really want to be in the city when it is frigid out.  We were prepared with lots of layers, but the tall buildings create very strong wind vacuums.  Luckily, we only had to walk 8 blocks from the show to our hotel.
   We also visited the American Museum of Natural History.  I love that place!! It, too, was incredible and I am waiting for the photos to be developed from the disposable camera I used and then I will post photos from our visit there.
   I've been working on finishing the H-units for my paper piecing class (spikes in a circle).  Here's set number five (out of six):

   If you haven't read any of my recent posts, I will include photos of the other colors I've done, and the pattern we are doing:

   And now its time to make some hot cocoa for my two sick children who are home from school with nasty colds.  [I know you're not really supposed to give them dairy products when they are sick, but I think the warm drink will be soothing].   Happy Quilting!

Get Ready for Some Eye Candy!

   I attended the 2nd of my 3-part paper-piecing class today!  It was great fun and so inspiring to spend time with other quilters and to learn from such a talented instructor [The class is being taught by Jackie Kunkel, of Canton Village Quiltworks].

   The pattern we are doing is Judy Niemeyer's Total Eclipse (You can see the pattern in the bottom right of photo below).

These are Sharon's fabric selections for the pattern

   At the start of the class, everyone shared their progress over the week.  In my opinion, each and every one was AMAZING.  [This happens to me in swaps, too-- I see everyone else's work and I fall in love with it-- even if it's not something I would have picked out myself.  Does that happen to you, too?]

   Here are Sharon's circles:

   Here are some of Sharon's scraps made into wonky blocks (great idea!)

    And these are Cathy's stars, in autumn hues (I was unable to do these justice with my camera):

   These stars are very vibrant-- the colors are really alive in these:

   Next are Sally's bright stars:  [Sally's blog is Grendelskin-- she will probably also be doing a post about the class]

   And here are lovely Rita's (as in The Beatles' song, "Lovely Rita..."-- Jackie implanted that idea and song into my head-- I will never forget Rita's name from now on!)

   These are Joan's circles and stars:

   And Maria's:

   This is not Maria's first time doing a Judy Niemeyer patter.  Earlier in the fall, she completed an amazing tree skirt that she brought in to share:

    And here are Barbara's stars and circles:  [Barbara's blog is A Corgi to Quilt By, link here]

   And I, of course, was too busy working and taking photos of everyone else's creations, that I forgot to take pics of my own.  These are some photos I took on Friday at home.  Jackie took photos of everyone in the class as well, and you can read her [upcoming] post and see her photos here [Jackie's post will be up tomorrow morning, but she has posted some great photos on Facebook]

Edited to add later in the morning (in sunlight)-- a few more photos:

  So there you have the update for class #2.  What do you think-- eye candy, right?  I am so glad to be taking this class.  I'm learning a ton!
   Hope you're having a great weekend!

Do Over--Quadrupled!

Hi All--
   I've been a little preoccupied with the "homework" for my paper-piecing class because I want to be prepared this time (as opposed to the first class, when I did not have all my fabrics cut beforehand).  But its looking like I'm not going to be as fully prepared as I would have liked due to challenges I've experienced along the way (Thank goodness for my trusty seam ripper and that Judy Niemeyer's template pieces are generous in size and allow for some error).
   I do have a little progress to share.  Here ya go...

   Yesterday (actually Wednesday now) was an "Eeyore" kind of day-- I ended up ripping up just about as much as I sewed.  I kept taking little breaks and trying to come back to it, but I kept making mistakes.  And then I was feeling more [self-imposed] pressure that I was not making progress, so I tried to pick up the pace a bit, but that only contributed to more mistakes (and more seam-ripping).  I know this is supposed to be enjoyable and not stressful, but I so want to be prepared for the next class (in 2 days tomorrow-- Eep!).
   And here is evidence of my non-progress:

garbage pail with scraps, mistakes, threads, etc.

Do ya like my sexy house slippers?  I wear them whenever I'm in the house.

Here is one of my foundation papers that I sewed through so many times it finally fell apart.

Time to go to the store and buy some removable tape-- I will need this later!

These are three (of 8) quadrants in this color that I have to redo the last few steps. 

(See where the foundation paper is showing through?)

   In my own defense (not sure exactly who I'm defending against here--( I guess my own insecurity and the other more experienced quilters in the class), it occurred to me that I have somewhat of a disadvantage being left-handed.
   But with all my mistakes, I did finally get into a "flow" today and was able to make some progress!  [relatively speaking, that is-- progress for me, but not by most quilter's standards]   My "strategy" is to save the ripping out that remains (see  the three quadrants in the photo above)  for later-- right now I just want to start on the next set so I have stuff to work with when class meets on Saturday.
   Just to give you an idea of how dire the situation is, we are supposed to have 24 full circles completed, and right now I'm at 3 and 3/4  correctly finished.  So you can see that I have no time to sit here writing this post-- I'm off to my machine to kick some butt.  Wish me luck!
   Hoping that your quilting/sewing has been a little more productive than mine!!  Have a good day :0)
Edited to add:
   Earlier in the day, we were having computer problems with our desktop (which is the best computer for me to edit my photos on).  I opted to post this with pictures that I sent to myself via email and then copied and pasted, but many could not view them.  So I did a "do-over"photoshoot today and am updating the post with those.
   You may have noticed that there are rocks on the circles (which are composed of 4 quadrants each)-- that is because it has been a blustery day, and an all around weird-weather day.  A big cold front is moving in here, and about a half-hour before I took these photos, here's what it looked like off our back porch:

  So at the end of the day today, I now have 5 3/4 circles (of 24 total) and am almost finished with one more.  Here's a sneak peak at the one I'm working on, but it is dark here now (and much, much colder than earlier-- and still very blustery), so this was taken inside under my Ott-light and my full-spectrum lamp.  The color is waaaaay off, but I'll stick it in anyway:

   Thank you to those of you who read my "original" version of the post (and couldn't view any photos) and for commenting anyway!!
   Tomorrow afternoon is class and I'm feeling more prepared than I did earlier today-- and I still have more time to piece tonight and tomorrow a.m., so I should have enough at least to use in class.
   Have a good night!  And if you live in the Northeast, hope you're keeping warm!

My Bags Are Packed & Ready to Go

 

    I may be dating myself here, but do you remember that Peter, Paul & Mary song from the 70s with those lyrics?
   Perhaps I should insert a YouTube video here, to enlighten you?...

    The opening lines of the song are the title of this post.  [If you're not familiar with this folk trio, they also did a version of "Puff the Magic Dragon"-- and if you're not familiar with that song, then...
   a) you're not American OR
   b) I'm way older than you are
How do I remain comfortable with my [older] age, you ask?
   It's pretty simple:
   a) Ignorance is bliss
   b) I don't really feel that old [if you really want to know, I turn 46 next month]

But I [totally] digress...
   My bags are packed, yes. [see top photo above]  They are not traveling far: from the dining room table, to the sewing table [which is against one wall of the dining room].

   I had my first paper-piecing class on Saturday, and yes, I just finished the "prep" for the class today.  Hoping I can catch up during the week, but I assure you, I will not be ahead of the class when we meet next Saturday.
    For reference, here's a photo of the entire quilt/pattern:

Here are my fabric selections for my "H" units (like Mariner's Stars in a circle):

Here's my progress so far:

3 H units = 3/4 of one star
and the last piece on each quadrant needs to be ripped out
b/c I put it on wrong!

The second type of unit for the quilt is the KM unit below:

Here are my fabric selections for the KM units: 

FYI: I ordered all of my fabrics (except a few of the browns) from Jackie's on-line shop, Canton Village Quiltworks.  Jackie is our instructor, and many of you may know her from her shop, her blog, her long-arm quilting work or her publications in a number of popular quilting magazines [noted in the left sidebar of her blog]. She also sponsors many quilting bloggers.  Right now she is offering a wonderful giveaway of Kaffe Fassett Paperweight fat quarters in a variety of colorways.  [I'm actually using the purple and green paperweight in this quilt]. 

 I've accumulated a nice bunch of selvages to add to my growing collection:

It's 10:30am here, and I don't have to pick up the kids til 3pm today, so I have a few hours now to get sewing on my units.  Wish me luck/productivity!!

Have a good day, and happy quilting/sewing to all of you!