Karin Jordan Studio

Sizzix Tutorial: English Paper Pieced Rose Star

Hi! I'm over on the Sizzix blog today with an EPP tutorial using the new Rose Star die with some Alison Glass prints. There are 49 little pieces in this 9" block, but I discovered a shortcut that enabled me to sew part of it together with the sewing machine. 19 pieces of EPP sounded a lot better than 49!

It was a great project to take to the pool to work on while the kids were in swim lessons. I would like to spend more time with this divided hexagon option, maybe using some solids? Meanwhile, I now have this colorful block and need to figure out how I'd like to use it. Worked into a mini quilt? Potholder? Appliquéd to a bag? Suggestions welcome (and appreciated!).

 

        

 

Craft With Kids: Boy & Girl Dolls

Whenever I can include my kids in a creative project, we all look forward to it. Mine are too young for the actual sewing of these dolls, but they took the lead in choosing all the felt and fabric. I never would have thought to add a bright pink pocket and tie on top of Grove in Vine by Alison Glass but it works! Leave it to the three-year-old boy. I'm curious to hear what their names will be. :)

The pieces of the dolls are all die cut using the new Sizzix Doll die by Kerry Goulder a k a Kid Giddy. There are a variety of options (belt, bow, buttons, tie, pocket, heart, glasses, pigtails) to help customize the dolls, and you can cut the hair however you like. Even better is that there is a how-to video where Kerry takes you through the process step by step, also keeping you company as you work. I highly recommend using a stuffing fork, especially for the arms, legs and head. The one Kerry and I use can be found here. 

I stuffed the arms and heads with bamboo stuffing I'd had for years and then I switched over to some Poly-Fil stuffing sent to me by Fairfield and it was a tremendous improvement. I shied away from polyester stuffing a while back as it made me sneeze; the Fairfield Poly-Fil didn't bother my nose! Next time I might try adding some weighted stuffing beads in the bum to help the dolls sit. Kerry recommends basting the head to the body and I decided to hand sew it on instead of trying to wrangle it through the machine. The only other thing I did differently was to turn the dolls right side out before adding the legs. I also turned under and pressed a 1/4" hem at the bottom of the body before adding the legs, which helped align the hand-sewn closure. 

 

        

 

Supernova [insert cranked-up Liz Phair riff here]

This is my most over-Instgrammed quilt, and also the one that's taken me the longest to complete. It was worked on with not one but two friends, making this one of my most treasured projects to date even though it is not my design (it's a free pattern by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced). I will admit to blasting the eponymous song by Liz Phair at various times throughout production. 

Jess (Quilty Habit) had the stroke of genius to use the blue quilter's linen as a background (thank you!). It's a great backdrop; come to think of it I never asked whether or not she was inspired by Tardis blue. . Hm. I gave it to my friend Mary (See Mary Quilt) with the following instructions: Do your thing. And she did! There are swirls, partial sunbursts, angular sections — you name it. I wouldn't be surprised if I find Waldo someday. 

I recently shared the back panel I created using scraps, Sizzix dies and my Big Shot Pro. Click here if you missed that post. It's backed in a print from my stash — Maze in Blue from the Fun & Games line by Riley Blake — and bound with Jewel in Clementine by Lizzy House for Andover Fabrics.

I told Jess at the beginning of the project that this was going to be a go-to quilt in our house, and it's already been tested by the quality control team here. I just hope they share! Rumor has it that the one Jess made has been claimed by her husband. :)

 

        

Magnetic Kona Color Card in Quilt Now Magazine

The magnetic Kona Color Chips that hang on the wall in my studio are in issue 12 of Quilt Now magazine. I was about to turn my Robert Kaufman Color Card into a velcro contraption until I saw the empty metal bulletin board sitting unused in a closet. It's now colorful art for my wall; the chips can easily be removed and rearranged. 

If you have yet to pick up a copy of Quilt Now, I encourage you to do so; there are a ton of fun projects in each issue. 

Have you chopped up a color card yet? It's a little scary, but well worth the effort!

        

Seven Washable Grocery Bags

I've made seven of these bags, which is amazing as I tend to have a hard time making a second of anything. The pattern is by Michelle Patterns and is easy to follow, even for beginners. The grocery bags are lined, reversible, have reinforced seams and are washable. Way better than a plastic shopping bag that may or may not have holes in the bottom! I first saw this apple print in the Hawthorne Threads newsletter; it's Chicken in the Kitchen by Alexander Henry.

For these three bags I used Fruit Stand by Jane Farnham for Camelot Fabrics. I'd originally planned on making a table runner out of it, but I think it works better for shopping at the farmer's market.

 

The last two use apple fabric from my pre-washed stash; the green striped handles remind me of watermelon. I may not make any more of these for a while, but now I can pretty much do them in my sleep. The pattern comes with three sizes of bags and all of these are large. I bet the small would be super cute. . .