Behind the Scenes of a Photoshoot

December 9, 2011 Violet Craft

Peacock Lane Snowflake Petal Pillows featured on Sew, Mama, Sew!

Today I have a little tutorial featured on the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog using the

AccuQuilt

GO! Baby Fabric Cutter. Pop on over

there

to check out the tutorial and find out more about how I use fabric cutters in my work.

I thought it would be fun to show you here what it really looks like when I take pictures at my house.

Here is the final photo:

And here is what really happened. Actually, there were about a dozen that I deleted right after taking them with a streak running through the middle of the photo or a tail whisping past the edge.

"Oh, and what's that? Petals? Do they move? Do they FLY off the table when I hit them like THIS!? Yep, they sure do. What fun. Oh, did you put me down on the floor so I could run back up at them faster like THIS? Thanks for the help!" (Tulip)

*sigh* (me)

Who, me? What? I'm just sitting here, out of frame, minding my own business.

Beach Weekend Sewing

December 5, 2011 Violet Craft

A few weeks ago I had the awesome pleasure of being able to hit the beach with a few of my Yams. My first project was to do some pattern testing for

Elizabeth

. This is the

Perfect Zip Bags pattern

. Elizabeth supplied me with a sweet little pack of fabrics to work with and away I went. Afterwards I played photographer in the yard of our getaway house.

My Perfect Zip Bags

Perfect Zip Bags by

Monica

Gabrien

and mine

Perfect Zip Bags by

Monica

Gabrien also made a sweet little tote bag from a pattern designed by Monica for Better Homes and Gardens. You can find the pattern on their

All People Quilt site

. I love this sweet little pic I took! The tote is made with

Lotta Jansdotter's new line, Echo

Happy Sewing!

Kansas City, Here She Comes!

December 3, 2011 Violet Craft

Kansas City / Portland - Modern Quilt Guild Pot Holder Swap!

Dear swap partner, I hope you like it.

I sort of love it.

It's wonky and modern and I am in love with the quilting.

I want to make a whole quilt just like it now.

And it matches my vintage dishes perfectly.

*sigh*

Thankful.

November 3, 2011 Violet Craft

This is the Mr. Craft. He's the love of my life. Last month he took me on a little weekend away for my birthday. Our first time away without the children or friends in years. It was absolutely perfect.

I jotted this down while relaxing in the cabin:

"On the huge, snuggly sofa in a tiny, imperfect (and yet SO PERFECT) cabin along Hackett Creek across the road from Sandy River a few miles up the base of Mt. Hood, I sit humbled and thankful.

In the twelve hours we've been away from Portland and nestled into our lodgings under the giant conifers I've already had the pleasure of contemplating the joys of parenting and teaching my children, the love of my marriage, the amazing warmth and safety of my friendships, the nurturing of my creativity and all while snuggled on a sofa, feeding cheese to baby Salmon in the stream, exploring the wooden path to the ridge, gazing out the window at the woodlands, sitting in the lodge-style grill up the road or listening to the squirrels throw nuts at the roof in the early morning hours.

I could not name that many thoughts or sights in the past blur of a normal month at home.

I've thought not just of the smooth, amazing moments in those things, but of the struggles and the defeats and the visceral joy of the accomplishments. If we didn't fall, we'd never know what it feels like to get up and stand on our own two feet, accomplished. If I never crashed and burned, I'd not know healing. If my months weren't blurs, I'd not know the feeling of quiet reflection.

I am but an infinitely small piece of an infinitely huge space. But I feel like a giant. And I am thankful. "

mod petal pillows, interview, giveaway, oh my!

October 20, 2011 Violet Craft

When Gina Cadenasso, the proprietress of

Bolt Fabric Boutique

in Portland, OR asked me about doing a little

interview on their blog

, I was ecstatic. You see Bolt is a bit, ummm, awesome.

Gina has this special way of curating her inventory. I don't use that word lightly. Walking into the front door of Bolt you are immediately greeted with a feeling of style, fashion and urban make-ing. Gina has a way of editing collections down to this refined boutique of prints and notions that suit Bolt's aesthetic perfectly.

So when I discovered that Gina had chosen to include Peacock Lane in Bolt's offerings I was truly ecstatic.

And when she asked me to pick out a fat quarter pack to

give away on their blog

... well, I got so excited by what I had to choose from that I had to go and make new pillows for our living room... and a mini pattern to go with them!

Mod Petal Pillows

I chose a fat quarter pack consisting of the following five prints for

the giveaway

Quilting Treasures - Juicy Blossoms in Orange

Bluehill - Savannah - 7443 - Green (5)

Lecien - Cocoa Eraser Dots

Moda - Basic Grey - Max and Whiskers - Maybley Fur in Black

Lecien - Rosalie Quinlan - Sweet Broderie - Daisy Chain in Orange

I couldn't quite stop there though... my shopping pile also included:

Daisy Janie - Geo Grand - Crystal Ball in that yummy bright citron-y green

Andover - Melissa Averinos - Dazzle - Shadow Stripe in Teal (for the backing)

Kona Cotton in Ash for the middle square and border

Kona Cotton in White for the dash of sashing

I thought you might also like to see what this same pattern would look like done in the fat quarter pack of Peacock Lane that Bolt is also

giving away

! In this example I've swapped out the Kona Ash and replaced it with Kona Medium Gray (or even Charcoal). The prints are fussy cut pieces of Meadow in Pink, Meadow in Gray, Falling Flowers in Aqua and Parade Day in Gray.

Shopping List (makes two 19" square pillow covers):

1/8 yard each of five to seven prints

1/4 yard of Kona Ash for center background and border

1/8 yard of Kona White for sashing

1 yard of print for backing

3/4 yard of batting

3/4 yard of no-show lining for inside of quilted pillow fronts

thread to match

water soluble marking pen

2 pillow inserts - 22" square

(optional) 1/8 yard of Wonder Under or other paper backed two sided fusible web

Cutting List:

Various Prints: 40 @ 3 1/2" squares

Fusible Web: 8 @ 3 1/2" squares

Kona Ash: 2 @ 9" squares; 4 @ 2 1/2" x 15 1/2" strips; 4 @ 2 1/2" x 19 1/2" strips

Kona White: 2 @ 3/4" x 9"; 2 @ 3/4" x 9 1/2"

Backing: 4 @ 18" x 19 1/2"

Batting: 2 @ 22" squares

Lining: 2 @ 22" squares

Mini Instructions:

(please keep in mind this is a quickie mini tutorial - for detailed explanations of how to cut, piece, quilt and bind, I would suggest the many awesome blogs that detail those techniques... might I suggest my personal favorite,

Elizabeth Hartman

)

1. Cut all pieces according to Cutting List (1/4" seam allowance included in measurements)

2. Trace Mod Petal Template on paper backed side of fusible web squares. (Template should print out at 2.7" wide x 3.3" tall) Fuse web to eight 3 1/2" squares. Cut out.

3. Fuse petals to center squares in your desired arrangement. Play with this! There are many fun ways to arrange the petals. Example leaves a 3/8" space between the petals. Attach with desired edge stitch. Example uses tight zigzag stitch.

4. Piece two Mod Petal Blocks by using the diagram. Press all seams flat.

5. Layer a 22" lining square face down, a 22" batting square and the Mod Petal Block face up.

6. Quilt as desired. Example uses straight line quilting 1/4" from the seams. Trim to 19 1/2".

7. Hem one 19 1/2" edge of all four backing pieces. If backing is directional, hem one top and one bottom for each pillow back.

8. With quilted pillow top lying right side up, layer one pillow back right sides together with hemmed edge running horizontally across the middle of the pillow top, aligning raw edges along the top. Layer the final pillow back piece with right side down, hemmed edge running horizontally across middle of the pillow top, aligning raw edges on the bottom edge. Pin.

9. Stitch 1/4" from edge around the entire outside edge of pillow cover layers. Turn right side out and enjoy!

Now go! Enter! Win! Sew!

Ahh - it's all SO good.

The Quilt Show visits the Craft House

August 18, 2011 Violet Craft

I can't really believe this happened. Two weeks ago I had the distinct pleasure of having a visit from

The Quilt Show

. Shelly Heesacker, the producer of The Quilt Show contacted me several weeks ago about being a guest on their show. To be honest, I was thrilled and totally confused at the same time! Me? Little 'ol me? Why me? She actually asked me if "I would be interested". Are you kidding me????? I think I somehow eeked out my most professional, yes. Which lasted for about a second before I started gushing my thanks and gratitude all over her.

As it turns out they are doing a segment about local places and people in Portland. And somehow the stars aligned and some very sweet people mentioned this here quilter and *POOF*! I'm on The Quilt Show. Booyah!

It was a crazy, wonderful day. Shelly was here with her team for several hours and we filmed a couple different sections including an interview where I answered all sorts of questions and my studio where I got to show off Peacock Lane for Michael Miller Fabrics, my Indygo Junction patterns and some new things I'm working on right now.

We also toured my house and there are a few silly surprises as well. The segment won't air until the middle of NEXT YEAR - I can not believe I have to wait that long to see it!!! I will make sure to let you know when it is available.

The kiddos and the husband even got into the filming and the girls got a little instruction on sound.

I think I was walking around on clouds for about a week after this. I had so much fun and am still amazed that they chose me to be a part of the show. Thank you Shelly and The Quilt Show!

Peacock Lane is Arriving in Shops Daily!!!!

August 16, 2011 Violet Craft

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I. AM. EXCITED.

Peacock Lane has starting popping up all over online. I am so excited to see it showing up in the shops AND projects! I got my first link to a quilt done with Peacock Lane today and it was simply thrilling to see what someone else has created out of my fabric with their own hands. If you make something with Peacock Lane, please, oh please add it to my

Flickr Group!

Look at these beautiful precuts from

westwoodacres on etsy

. She was kind enough to let me borrow her images for my blog post - and from what I have found so far, she is the ONLY one cutting layer cakes, charm packs and jelly rolls of Peacock Lane. It makes me want to buy them just because they look so pretty and perfect!

A Quilt for Ellie

August 3, 2011 Violet Craft

Just a couple of short weeks ago some very dear friends of ours adopted the most perfect baby girl. Her name is Ellie. I made her a selvage to selvage strip quilt in the turquoise, yellow and gray prints from

Peacock Lane

. You can't see it in any of the photos that I took, but I used free motion quilting to quilt her full name, her birthday and the "label" into her quilting. The rest of the quilt is quilted using straight line quilting.

The back is a solid piece of Parade Day in gray.

Obsession on Point - The Flea Market Fancy Quilt

August 2, 2011 Violet Craft

As I have gone

and

about in previous posts since almost exactly one year ago, I have been collecting Flea Market Fancy fabrics from friends and swaps and shops for quite awhile now. I finally amassed enough of the entire collection to create this square in square on point quilt.

This quilt was my recent submission for the Portland Modern Quilt Guild's

special collection display

at the

Sister's Outdoor Quilt Show

in the beginning of July. This was my Quilt Story for the submission of my quilt:

"For over a year I have been obsessed with Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy collection; out of print and hard to find; not my first and not my last obsession.

I have begged, borrowed and swapped with over two dozen online and real life friends to complete the entire collection. I cut into my obsession and created this quilt which I love dearly for all of the beautiful colors, prints and the love I feel when I think of all of the friends that helped me to gather and create it.

I cut into my coveted stash. Have you?"

One of my favorite blocks: Grey Seeds set into Blue Daisy Dots - I had BARELY enough of the grey seeds to complete the two blocks that contain it. I would still LOVE any more of those and the blue seeds that I can get my hands on.

The quilt has a 2.5" ruffle binding around the entire perimeter. The quilt back is Pink Daisy Dots on top and Green posies on bottom with a "label" strip of Kona Snow between them. The "label" reads, "Obsession on Point ~ Pieced and Quilted by Violet Craft ~ June 2011". The label was digitized with Generations Embroidery Software and embroidered on a Janome Memory Craft 300E. You can also see that I left the selvages exposed around the quilt label strip for posterity. It was quilted using a loose free-motion stipple on my Bernina Virtuosa 155.

Special thanks to

Heather

John

Elizabeth

and the

Flickr Swappy Poo group

. And everyone else who ever let me take their very last smidge of any print I could get my hands on. I am cooking up another quilt with those little smidges! I couldn't have done it without you all!

I love this quilt to pieces and hope it will be with our family for a very long time.

Peacock Lane visits Fort Hays State University

June 29, 2011 Violet Craft

We are back! And oh my goodness, my to-do-list is HUGE.

While we were in Kansas I was able to go back to my college and spend some time on campus with my best friend and our kiddos. My girls are wearing the

Urban Prairie Dress

which is one of my brand new patterns with Indygo Junction.

Peacock Lane

Bouquet in Green and and Falling Flowers in Red.

Peacock Lane

Parade Day in Gray and Falling Flowers in Turquoise.

I haven't closed the comments yet on my charm pack give-away so

get on over there

and comment. I'll be closing and posting a winner on Friday, July 1. Sorry - no specific time... at my whimsy (or actually, at the time that fits in between having two kiddos home for summer vacation and trying to work and enjoy the summertime!) :)

A Vacation Giveaway!

June 21, 2011 Violet Craft

Hello!

We're on vacation traveling half way across the country (you can follow along on

Twitter

). We're photoshooting

Peacock Lane

in the countryside along our route and having a great time in the wheatlands.

In the meantime, I promised you a little giveaway! Well, this is actually a BIG giveaway - a whole fat quarter pack of the entire collection! While at Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City I was honored to have Daria from Boutique Cafe interview me for her blog and podcast series. We had a really fun time and although I sound a little bit like a dork, I am so excited to share the interview with you here! We are giving away the fat quarter pack over at BoutiqueCafe so make sure to head on over to her

post

about my interview and comment, comment, comment!

And as an added bonus I will be giving away a charm pack here as well so make sure to comment right here on this post and also at

Boutique Cafe

I can't wait to share our vacation pics with you when we return (internet access is sketchy out here in the middle of every

where.)

Happy Summer Vacation everyone!

Let's Do This!

June 1, 2011 Violet Craft

I am happy to announce my

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day!

winner!

I have read all of your comments. All 623 of them! I am humbled to say the least. Thank you so much for your well wishes and lovely comments about Peacock Lane. I loved reading the stories of your own love for peacocks and elephants.

I realized from your comments that once again I have been talking in my head and not on my keyboard. So I'm going to take a moment to answer a couple of questions. Yes, I designed the fabric prints! I drew those sweet elephants and peacocks all by myself. I am as proud as my peacock!

Peacock Lane will be shipping by early July (and hoping for end of June!) As SOON as I hear it's out there, I will update you here with the information.

When I designed Peacock Lane it was important to me that each one of the prints was able to stand on its own, to own the focus of a garment or be a strong focal point in a quilt. I plan to dedicate a post for each one of the prints and speak to its inspiration, how I saw it being used and why I created it in the way that I did. Each one of the prints is important to me in some way. I want to give each one the time and care to explain what I felt in creating it. I can only hope that it's interesting to you too and that I don't bore you all the way to the unsubscribe button. ha! During these posts I will also be showing projects that go along with them and have some free patterns as well.

Now I want to play my own game. I was so excited to see many comments from my home states (old and new!) and so many international posts as well. I spent hours reading all of your comments and lost myself in your blogs. Thank you all so much for sharing!

I was born and raised in Dodge City, Kansas. I am now in Portland, Oregon and although I LOVE my Portlandia, I wouldn't mind getting just a little closer to that glorious Pacific coast with just enough space for a couple of chickens, maybe a goat or three and a donkey in a pear tree... oooh!... AND a pear tree. And a barn... did I mention the crafting barn? Yes, it's not just a barn, but a CRAFT-ing barn. With a loft bunkhouse for guests. What's a crafting barn without room for your friends? A girl can dream!

And without further ado...

The winner is comment #257 from Cathy who said:

Wow, I love your prints! I'm from Miami and I live in North Carolina now.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 5:21:00 AM

Congratulations Cathy! I really hope you share what you make with it - I'm dying to see someone else sew with Peacock Lane!

Now, let's see who is paying attention. There's another giveaway happening right here this week. Keep checking back or follow along and see if you can win the next one!

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day!

May 23, 2011 Violet Craft

**UPDATE** - Sorry if you could not comment! I have fixed my comment settings and it should allow you to comment now if you don't have a google/blogger account. I swear that it was not set that way previously so I don't know what happened.... Blogger-Ghost! - Comment away! If you are an anonymous user, make sure to include your email address so I can let you know if you'

ve won!

Welcome Sew, Mama, Sew readers!

I am so happy to participate in Giveaway Day. I have a super duper giveaway if I do say so myself. I'll be giving away a fat eighth stack of my new fabric collection, Peacock Lane for Michael Miller Fabrics.

Peacock Lane is a brand new release due to ship at the end of June/early July... SO you'll be the very first one to receive any of the yardage direct from my sample yardage. Get it while it's hot!

All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me where you are from and where you are now... and if you want to, where you hope to go next! I'll use random.org to choose a winner!

If you'd like to subscribe to my wittle 'ole blog, well I'd surely love that, but it's not required. I'm happy to ship internationally as well.So... without further ado... a little Peacock Lane anyone?

Peacock Lane

May 16, 2011 Violet Craft

Dear friends,

Please allow me to introduce you to Peacock Lane, my new fabric collection for Michael Miller Fabrics.

I just returned from Spring Quilt Market 2011 in Salt Lake City where I debuted the collection. This is little 'ol me standing in front of my display. I had a lot of help from some really great friends to get everything sewn on such short notice. I'll be posting more detailed photos and explanations of each of the projects in the coming weeks.

It has been so hard to keep Peacock Lane under wraps for so long and I am just so very excited to show you everything that I've been working on for the last year.

Peacock Lane is 24 prints divided into two colorways that all combine together beautifully. The first colorway, Cherry Chip, consists mostly of raspberry and cherry pinks grounded in chocolate browns.