Monthly Archives

February 2014

work in progress

rainbow starflower and stuff.

Rainbow Starflower by Kim Soper/Leland Ave Studios

Fabrics for Rainbow Starflower

One of the reasons I started this space was to (hopefully) connect with other people who love to cut up little pieces of fabric and sew them back together like I do.  Even though I feel like there are so many quilters out there, it’s really hard to meet anyone my age and in my area that likes to quilt! Do you have the same problem?  So another way I’m trying to meet other quilters is by joining my local quilt guild. After Victoria Findlay Wolfe came to speak at my local quilt shop, they decided to establish a Long Island chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild. So, that is the one I’ve joined. It’s all really new, and we’ve had a lot of snowed-out meetings, so I’m hoping with the spring will come the chance to meet lots of new people!

As guild members, we are each working on a block per month to bring to meetings, each of which are chosen by the Board from the Gen X Quilters’ Quilt Block Library. So far, we’ve completed the Bow Tie block, the Cross Block, the Wonky Star and Stacked Block (you can see mine here). For this month, we have two blocks to work on: The Rainbow Starflower and the Cross Roads.

The tutorials are great, and really easy to follow. My only problem is not knowing what block is coming next — I feel like its hard to make the fabric choices without knowing what type of blocks we’ll be making. I guess I’m a bit of a control freak! To help alleviate some of the guess-work,  I’ve decided to use mainly Carolyn Friedlanders Botanics fabrics mixed with coordinating Kona Solids. Since I am not sure what the blocks will look like together, I figured using all the same fabric line will help it to look consistent!  Am I being too conservative? I rarely work from all one line of fabric, so even this is making me question my choices. . . hmmmmm.

work in progress

signs of spring.

kim soper/leland ave studios

Charley Harper Square Album Four Patch

These Charley Harper birds are making me so happy! I am just in love with the playfulness of these blocks! Can you feel me smiling as I write this?!? I’m just getting started, so I’m not sure how big of a quilt I’m embarking upon, or how many of these Square Album Four Patch blocks I’ll create. But right now my mind is reeling with all of the fun color and fabric combinations that I can assemble and it’s actually making me giddy, because, well, I’m thinking of spring, I’m thinking of fabric, and. . .I’m a big dork!

Charley Harper close up

Charley Harper another close up

work in progress

working with florence.

Quilt for Jane by Kim Soper/Leland Ave Studios

IMG_1598

I have to be honest with you — oranges, burnt oranges and orange-reds are not colors that I would normally gravitate toward. But after working with Denyse Schmidt’s Chicopee line to make this baby quilt for my friend Melanie’s fourth baby girl, I wanted to work with more of her fabric, whatever color it may be. Even though it’s outside of my [color] wheelhouse, I am really happy with the graphic quality of the quilt. I mixed in a lot of grays that I purchased in a bundle from Pink Chalk Fabrics, and I think the coolness of the grays made the fiery oranges really pop! I’m looking forward to basting and quilting it up this afternoon, because I have a new project waiting in the wings!

creativity

hi, there!

I’m excited to be here! I started sewing about 5 years ago when my mom gave me a sewing machine on the first Valentine’s Day after my oldest son was born. So, I guess you could say this is my 5-year sewing anniversary! I’ve pretty much dabbled in a few different areas — quilting, bag making, and some clothes-making — but quilting is my one true love. I decided to create this space so that I can take part in the sewing community in a more tangible way. I’d like to grow in my skills, make some new friends and share what I’m making, too. So, thanks so much for stopping by! I’m so glad you popped in!