New Shop!

Well, it’s official. I’ve opened up my new shop at BigCartel. I’m pretty excited. Without Etsy’s help, I have a lot of work ahead of me in the promotional department. I’m currently waiting for the domain forwarding to go through, so that when you type in lieslmade.com you’ll show up at my new shop instead of my Etsy one. (In the meantime, you’re welcome to visit at lieslmade.bigcartel.com.)

There is a little nagging voice in my head that says this was a bad move, to leave Etsy. But it’s something I’ve wanted to try for quite a while. Besides, if it doesn’t work out, I can always return to Etsy.

Anyway, I’m slowly but surely going to get things listed in the shop. I don’t have as much stock as I’d like, but I’ve been busy working on other things (like the Series.)

Stripey Lonestar Quilt Block Tutorial

Good morning. Here is the latest block for the Series. I’m quite smitten with this one. Click the above photo to be taken to the tutorial document. I think it fits in with the quilt really well–I’m still on the fence about the Dresden Plate Block. I wonder if I should redo it more like this one, to make it mesh better with the “scrappy” feel of the quilt?

Here is the progress so far. What do you think?

Bunting.

I’ve spent a lot of time rooting around my scrap boxes for this Mini Patchwork Sampler Quilt I’m working on. Before I go and use them all up (ha! Yeah right!), I figured I should grab a few to complete the bunting I’ve been wanting to make for ages.

There isn’t a single stitch in this project. I cheated and used glue instead. The fabric scrap edges are raw. I figure it hangs on the wall and doesn’t get wear and tear so nothing fancy needed.
I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to design. A photo wire and a small calendar are the only other things on my wall. Someday I might like to put a ledge shelf above my bed but in the meantime, this’ll do nicely.

Sneak Peek.

Hello.
Thought I’d share with you some sneak peeks of things I’ve been making for the January re-launch!
I’ll be back tomorrow with a wee giveaway for you crafty folks.

Mini Patchwork Spider Web Block Tutorial.

The next block in the Mini Patchwork Sampler Quilt Series is the Spider Web Block. It’s a fun block and uses some itty bitty scraps. Instead of making a long post here on my blog I’ve decided to whip up a Google document. And you can easily print it if you need to. Just click the photo above to access it!

Mini Patchwork Fence Rail Block Tutorial

The first block we are going to make for the Mini Patchwork Sampler Quilt Tutorial Series is the Fence Rail block. (I originally was wrong in calling it the Rail Fence—though, but before that I was calling it “Kinda Like Our Sidewalk Block” because that is kind of how we laid out our bricks.) Anyways, let’s start this simple, fun block, shall we?

You could make the left/top strip in each three strip square a solid color, like white, then you’d be able to have a zig zag pattern. I didn’t think of that when I pieced this block though. (What can I say? I was so excited to use up my print scraps!) Here is a photo to show you what I mean.

You can also do the strip method, where you sew three 1 1/2″ strips together, then cut them down to 3 1/2″. I did it one at a time because, like I said, I’m trying to use up all those small scraps.

This tutorial creates a traditional 12” block.

Cut a scrap of paper that is 1 1/2” by 3 1/2″ for your template. I like doing it this way because I can hold the template up to the various scraps to see if they are big enough. Pin it to a scrap of fabric and cut out.

Repeat 11 more times and lay out as seen.

Stitch two of them together, along the long side, with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Press seam allowance open.

Stitch the third piece to the previous pieces.

Repeat for the other three squares as seen.

Stitch the top two together then the bottom two together.

Now, stitch the top and bottom together.

Repeat these steps three more times so you have four squares total, as seen.

Now stitch the top pieces together, then the bottom pieces.

Finally stitch the top and bottom pieces together. And voila, you have your very first block and managed to use up 48 itty bitty scraps.

Any questions? Let me know!

Mini Patchwork Sampler Quilt Tutorial Series.

There are so many great quilt blocks out there I’ve been itching to try. I just don’t like the idea of making the same block repeatedly for one quilt. So, why not a sampler quilt?

I’ve decided to make it different than your average sampler quilt. All the blocks will be mini versions of themselves, because I have so many itty bitty scraps to use up. Basically, I’ll make each 12” block a four-block block of itself. (If that makes sense!?)

Originally, I intended to do this slowly, one block at a time over many months and when I finished a block share it with you here on the blog. But I thought: why not show you how I made the block with a tutorial.
Yes, I’m planning a Mini Patchwork Sampler Quilt Tutorial Series.

I’m hoping to make 20 blocks, so with sashing and border, I can make at least a 6’ by 7’ quilt. So far I have about 13 in mind. (If you have any suggestions for interesting blocks, speak up!) Every week I’ll share a new mini patchwork block tutorial. (I’m hesitant to call it a “mini block” because they will be the traditional 12” block when finished.) So it should take five months total. Totally sounds reasonable, right?

The tutorial series is only for the blocks themselves, in the end you’ll have to have the knowledge and creativity to finish the quilt as desired—piecing the top together, quilting it, binding, etc.

This post will be home base, where I list all links to the blocks as they go live.

Blocks
Fence Rail Block
Spider Web Block
Chevron Block
String Block
Log Cabin Block
Dresden Plate Block
Flying Geese Block
Postage Stamp Block

Portfolio.

This came about very organically. I didn’t measure—just grabbed a zipper from my stash and a piece of fabric and ran with it. Turns out, it’s the perfect size for my sketch pads, including a rather large one (that I don’t use nearly enough!) I slapped a vintage linen on there to granny-chic it up a bit.

I’m hoping to make some simple zip-top totes like this in various sizes for the shop. However, I’ve decided not to put any new designs in the shop until the New Year. In the meantime, everything is on sale while I play around with different ideas.

Adventures in Fading.

I have a lot of fabric, fabric that I don’t completely love. See, I’m a pale color person. Most dark color prints just don’t do it for me. I was given something like 7 yards of the frog fabric. And my grandma gave me those two really psychedelic cotton sateens.

So, I gathered up scraps of all the fabrics (and even ribbons) I thought I could improve. Some I knew were synthetic or synthetic blends, but figured I’d try anyway. The scraps soaked in the bleach water for varying times—some just five minutes, some ten. The synthetics, not surprisingly, didn’t change. But the cottons resulted in some fresh new looks I love! Then I rinsed them and washed them in the washer. Finally, I left the scraps hang in the sun so they would fade even more.


These are the cottons that worked.

This one is my favorite!

These panels were originally predominately black! Look how pretty they look now!

Now I know which fabrics change and how so I can go ahead and fade the yardages. My head is already swimming with ideas for these “new” fabrics.

September Craft Book Challenge.

I made some bunting for my studio a little while ago. I was inspired by the bunting in Handmade Home. It’s made from secondhand corduroy and calico scraps.

Sorry for not being so wordy today. My brain is a little fizzled from a busy weekend.

See you tomorrow.