Karin Jordan Studio

Sun & Sand Junior: A Quilt for Project Linus

When the editor of FaveQuilts asked me if I'd like to participate in their 2014 Project Linus Charity Quilt Drive, I knew right away that I wanted to make a version of my recent quilt Sun & Sand. I had fabric left over, and I hope it will make a child as happy as it's made Colton. 

This version has nine rows of nine 5" squares (4 1/2" finished) — 81 squares total. I alternated prints with solids for the center, and a sunny yellow border of squares replaces the triangles in the original version. I used the same fabric for the backing and quilted it in waves again. My waves are getting better and are becoming even more fun. I tend to stand up in front of the sewing machine with the quilt over my shoulder. I sway back and forth as the quilt goes under the walking foot; it's my slow quilting waltz. One, two, three. One, two, three. 

This is how my quilt photography is going these days. . . little toes creep into the frame, a ball bounces across as I'm about to take the photo, etc. I could have cropped them out, but I chose to leave them in. The quilt has spirit, much like my active kids. Finished size is 40 x 40". 

I am in love with the new Under the Sea collection from Monaluna. I'd love to make a Sun & Sand or Sun & Sand Jr. quilt using these fabrics!

  

        

Quilty Mail: Matchbook with 25 Random Things About Me

Here's what I made to accompany my Supernova quilt block that I sent to Jess. We were to share 25 random things about ourselves and I used a Sizzix Matchbook Notebook die to create this set of 25 cards. Now the cat's out of the bag as to why my blog is called Leigh Laurel Studios. I always said that if I were to change my name I'd use my middle name - Leigh. I grew up on Laurel Street in Oregon, which is were I fell in love with crafting, sewing and all things creative. Leigh Laurel is my creative alter ego. 

It was fun coming up with something for each card. I spent most of my free time hanging around on tennis courts growing up. Learning to juggle was inevitable.  

Please visit the Sizzix blog to see the rest of the photos and find out how I made this little package of silliness. If you missed my post about the Supernova Swap, you can see it here. To check out the amazing block that Jess made me, please visit her blog here. 

  

        

Tutorial: Boudoir Pillow with Appliquéd Stars

The 12 x 16" pillow is my go-to sham size. I've made many over the years — some embroidered, one covered in buttons sewn on by hand. The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays — that and Thanksgiving — so I thought a festive little star pillow was in order. 

This denim pillow has 14 appliquéd stars and a hidden zipper closure. For the full tutorial, please visit the Sizzix blog here. 

One of my favorite Fourth of July memories is the yearly party at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Pennsylvania. It was always a day of badminton, volleyball, popsicles, sparklers, catching fireflies and a drive around the neighborhood in the family's antique 1926 fire truck, waving at neighbors who'd seen it all before. What's your favorite thing about the Fourth of July?

  

        

The Supernova Friendship Block Swap

I honestly didn't need another project (sound familiar?), but when Jess from Quilty Habit posted on Instagram that she was looking for a partner in the Supernova Friendship Swap, I jumped right in and said yes. I'm so glad I did! Hosted by Stephanie at Late Night Quilter and Sandra at One Million Stitches, this is a fun way to design and make a quilt with a soon-to-be friend. Each month Jess and I make two blocks each. We keep one and swap the other. Once Jess proposed the blue quilter's linen for the background, we were off and running. The other neat part of this swap is that each month we include some information about ourselves in the package. I'll be sharing what I made to send Jess next week, as she hasn't gotten it yet!

The bias seams were a killer! I basted the seams where they were to meet up; this made it much easier. The pattern is by Lee Heinrich at Freshly Pieced. I used her tutorial along with a shortcut tutorial by Jo at Riddle and Whimsy. I was home alone (!) while sewing, so I blasted Supernova by Liz Phair. I'd been singing it in my head anyway, so I dug out the disc. Does that date me?

  

        

 

Craft with Kids: Magnetic Craft Foam Tangrams

I throw crafty projects for kids into the quilting and sewing mix from time to time. If I can keep the children engaged in an activity or game, I can spend more time at the sewing machine. We made these tangrams last weekend. So far, it's kept Annabel busy for hours. Colton likes it too, but at 2.5 his attention span only lasts for about 15 minutes before he has to get up and throw a ball. 

When I was growing up in Oregon, my father had an architectural firm called Tangram Architects. We had these little puzzles sitting around the house. Originating in imperial China (early 1800s), they're called the seven intriguing pieces. Each piece is called a tan. Thousands of designs can be created from these seven pieces. Since we all like puzzles at our house, it's fun to build things without being constricted to the four straight sides of a traditional puzzle. I also like to think of it as early quilt design practice. 

We used seven colors of craft foam and the Sizzix Tangram die. I did all the prep work in advance, and Annabel and Colton turned the handle on the Big Shot — a job they fight over. 

Two Avery magnet sheets and seven Sizzix Adhesive Sheets turned the craft foam into magnets.

Four tangrams can be created out of one magnet sheet. For each tangram, cut a 4 1/4" square magnet sheet, a 4 1/4" piece of adhesive sheet and a 4 1/4" piece of craft foam. Remove the paper from the adhesive sheet and adhere the sticky side to the paper (non magnetic) side of the magnetic sheet. Use a pencil or a finger to smooth out the sheet and remove any air bubbles. Remove the backing off the adhesive sheet and with the sticky side up, carefully align the edges of the craft foam square. You will now have a magnetic square of craft foam! 

Place the square craft foam side up onto the tangram die, making sure all the edges of the blades are covered. With cutting pad in place, die cut the tangram. Repeat all steps for all seven colors, making sure to always die cut with the craft foam facing up so that your tangrams will all be the same (the parellelogram will be wonky otherwise). 

Since there are seven pieces, or tans, in one tangram and seven colors of craft foam were used, you now have seven complete sets of tangrams. 

There are a variety of sites online that show pictures that can be used as a guide. This is a running fox.

A sitting fox. 

A boat! 

We use all seven sets mixed up together to make our own designs. Annabel has been making free form robots in pink and purple. Colton likes to line up the shapes in rows of squares, triangles, etc. They can be used on a fridge or dishwasher, or on a cookie sheet. We have alumininum cookie sheets so the magnetic part doesn't work, but it's fun to sit on the floor and play anyway.  

Has anyone seen the new tangram fabric by Rashida Coleman Hale for Cotton + Steel? It's part of the Moonlit collection. Hawthorne Threads is accepting Cotton + Steel pre-orders, and Marmalade Fabrics is accepting pre-orders for monthly bundle subscriptions. 

For more kid-related projects, please click here. 

Have a fantastic Father's day weekend!!

  

        

May & June Modern Bee Blocks: Stacked Windmills

As luck would have it, the Stacked Windmill block was chosen from Modern Bee by Instabee hive 15 members for May and June. Instead of just doing the one that was due for May, I cut all the fabric for the two blocks at the same time and wound up finishing them both. It is SO nice to have all my bee blocks done early this month. This block was for Casey in Ontario; she asked for mint, gray and white. I hadn't ever used Joel Dewberry's True Colors in Wood Grain Gray before — it came in the grey print color wheel bundle from Marmalade. I like the texture it adds. 

Melissa in West Virginia chose a fun range of colors for her blocks. Jenean Morrison's Beachwood Park in Rendezvous Gold is my go-to yellow print. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do when I run out; it's getting scarce.

After a debacle last month where Kona Snow scraps got mixed in with Kona White, I've thrown out all my 'white' scraps and started over with labelled ziplock bags. How do you keep your solids straight?

  

        

The Riley Blake Designs Quilted Cotton Blog Tour

 

The Riley Blake Quilted Cotton Blog Tour kicks off today. I'm at the end of the tour and want to share the schedule so you can check out the stops along the way. If you're here as part of the Plum and June New Quilt Blogger Blog Hop, hi! Please see my post here. 

 

 

The quilted cottons are surprisingly soft. These pictures show the print on both front and back. The black and cream mustaches have black and cream polka dots on the other side, for example.  

 

  

 Here's the schedule:

6/5 - Jedi Craft Girl

6/10 - Nancy Zieman

6/12 - The Sassy Quilter

6/17 - Just Let Me Quilt

6/19 - Simple Simon & Co.

6/24 - Haberdashery Fun

6/26 - Sew We Quilt

7/1 - Jina Barney Designz

7/3 - Leigh Laurel Studios

7/8 - Riley Blake Designs

 

 

The entire line is available here at Hawthorne Threads. 

 

 

It was hard to decide which to use. . . which of these four do you think I chose? 

I also participated in the Riley Blake Union Jack Blog Tour. The tutorial for the soft blankets I made (complete with photos of Paddington Bear) can be found here. Enjoy the tour!

  

        

It's the First Day of The 2014 New Quilt Blogger Blog Hop!

Welcome to day one of the 2014 New Quilt Blogger Blog Hop, organized by Beth at Plum and June. If you're new here, hi and thanks for visiting! My name is Karin; I grew up in Portland, Oregon and now live in Exeter, New Hampshire with my husband and two energetic kids (4.5 and 2.5). After a variety of careers — magazine editor, home & garden boutique owner, antique American folk art gallery director — I'm now a stay-at-home-mom who balances creative endeavors with family. I believe quilting is genetic (it was inevitable!); my great great grandmother was a quilter and I've been drawn to fabric ever since I can remember, which is a long time because I turned forty a few months ago. It's a gift to be able to have a creative blog and meet like-minded people online. When it's nice out and I'm not in the house, my favorite place is out in the garden, pruners in hand, or throwing a ball with the kids.

I designed this Sunny throw quilt for Pellon. I used fabrics entirely from my stash, and it has one bright yellow sunny square surrounded by greens and oranges. I have a thing for orange binding!

Throughout the month of December last year I participated in the Cat Quilt-along. I adore Kate Spain fabric, and this small quilt was fun to make with her Sunnyside collection. One cat head a day throughout the month was terrific — I used it as a warm up in my studio when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the December projects. 

Here's a peek into my studio. I've got two semi-portable design wall panels that can be moved around. This is one panel that leans up against my Ikea Expedit bookshelf. On the wall is a king-size plus quilt that's still in process. As of right now I have 45 of the 90 blocks completed. Anyone interested in a #largequiltsupportgroup on Instagram? lol. A tutorial for the design wall can be found here. I honestly don't know what I did without it, although I do recall a lot of cat hair and child feet... The two little ecomomy blocks on the bottom were made for the block lottery in my quilt guild.

Meet Fruit Ninja! I will soon be releasing this new paper-pieced pattern, inspired by the popular iPhone game of that name. Paper piecing is one of my favorite things to do; I love the precision and the possibilites. These watermelon colors are cheery and remind me of summer. Oval Elements appear in many of my projects; the colors are fabulous and they just seem to work everywhere. 

This is Sun & Sand, a quilt I made for my son that I just finished for Sizzix — I'm a new member of their design team. I do a combination of crafts and quilting for them, and it's been a wonderful way to push myself and expand my creativity. It's a lovely team, and there's so much to learn from all the talented people on it. 

Beth has come up with a great list of questions for us, as a get-to-know-you part of this fun blog hop:

• My blogging tip is to be honest. If it's possible to be real and show successes and failures, offer advice as well as ask for help, then that goes a long way in making a blog I'd like to read.

• Quilting tip. Hm. I've learned that when I try and skimp on fabric I wind up wasting more than I would have had I not tried to cut corners. 

• Are you involved in any quilting bees? I'm in do. Good Stitches Harmony Circle, Modern Instabee Hive 15 and am starting the Supernova Frienship Swap with Jess from Quilty Habit. 

• Dream vacation spot - anywhere with sun, sand and water, painted toenails and a fruity drink in hand.

• My all-time favorite book is Rebecca. I own it in leather.

• Favorite TV show - a toss up between Midsomer Murders (who wouldn't like a British mystery series in which someone gets crushed by a large wheel of cheese?) and Modern Family.

• Random fact - I'm half Latvian (my father is from Riga), 1/4 Canadian (Ontario area) and 1/4 American (mostly Doylestown, PA) if it can truly be divided in such a way! 

Thank you SO much for stopping by. I look forward to reading what everyone else has to say!! Please be sure to visit the people on today's blog hop. It's a great group of quilters; the back and forth has already been wonderful and I have a feeling all sorts of great things will emerge in a short time.

Jen Hollis @ Bower Bird Patch

Afton Warrick @ Quilting Mod 

Jessica Welesk @ One English Teacher

Barbara Konkle @ Suzy Homemaker 

Cynthia Brunz @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Mary Gregory @ See Mary Quilt

Laurel Rosenberg @ Drowning in Fabric

Linda Hanafee @ Talking Lunchbox Quilts

Rebecca Bird @ One Wee Bird

Anne Beier @ Hudson Valley Quilts

Diana Mattoni @ Red Delicious Life 

Terri Ann @ Childlike Fascination