Karin Jordan Studio

A New Way of Looking at Scraps

Sometimes when I'm making bee blocks or other scrappy projects I'm too lazy to use my scraps. I open the scrap drawer and then get frustrated when the fabric I pull is too small for the project. This is my way to quickly go through my drawer and pull out what works.

This is the back to my Supernova quilt; I created a colorful strip of Corn & Beans using only scraps.

I have a selection of cardstock templates in sizes that are commonly used in quilting. When I get new Sizzix dies, I take them out of the package and die cut the shapes and then label them with the size and die number. This is the 3.5" square die. I sit by my drawer, pull pieces of fabric out and simply see if it covers the paper template. It's then easy to make a pile that I know will work, and then do all my cutting. 

The larger the piece, the harder it is to find scraps that are big enough. If I didn't have the paper template for this HST, it's likely I would have avoided the scraps and just pulled fabric from the yardage on my shelves. 

Easy peasy, if not a little nerdy. :) The paper templates are also a good visual reminder of all the various dies I have, and I can play with them like a jigsaw puzzle to discover new combinations.

Quilt backs have become become fun for me, and I almost always create some sort of strip to go between the larger pieces, using the rule of thirds. I'll be able to share the final Supernova soon — there's just a bit more binding to do!

        

Tutorial: Adding Appliqué to a Ready-made Girls' Dress

Hi! I'm over on the Sizzix blog today with a tutorial on how to turn a plain, ready-made dress or beach coverup into something much more fun with a simple appliqué. I chose red, white and blue as the Fourth of July is just around the corner (how is that possible?!).

My five-and-a-half-year-old daughter still loves horses, and we are spending a lot of time this summer at the pool for swimming lessons. We found this cute little blue jersey dress for $8 at the Old Navy outlet in Kittery, Maine and in under an hour I'd added a red and white pony. No more boring dress!

All I used was the Sizzix Pony die by Jorli Perine, a prewashed scrap of fabric, some Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under® and a tight appliqué stitch. 

We bought a size Medium so it's a little big this year, however, she'll be able to wear it both this summer and next. 

Oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway on my blog for the $25 gift certificate to Fort Worth Fabric Studio - it ends on Tuesday, and International entries are welcome!

        

 

My 90-Minute One Hour Top

Earlier this month I blogged about how I love jersey knit. I've been waiting to get through a few quilty project deadlines so I could make a few pieces of clothing, starting with this One Hour Top. The pattern is by Fancy Tiger Crafts and there is an excellent Creativebug video with step-by-step instructions and downloadable pattern. The pattern is also available for free at Fancy Tiger Crafts. With the tricks I learned from the video and a few new supplies — double needle (wow!) and a jersey needle — it went together quickly and without incident.

I remembered to put a label on the back! Hawthorne Threads has an amazing selection of jersey knit. This is Everlasting in Strength and it's actually on sale at the moment. This top require 1.75 yards of jersey knit for all sizes; I made the XS/S — the video even shows you how to measure yourself for a good fit.

It's nearing the end of June, but there are still a few days to take advantage of this deal. Hop on over to Creativebug using this link and enter the code SUMMER2015 for free access to the site. You don't have to enter a credit card like you do with many free trials, and you can keep one class in your library forever. If don't have time to watch the video this weekend, at least use the discount code to log in and save it for later. I've been enjoying their online classes for a while now and highly recommend it.

Happy weekend!

        

Welcome Forth Worth Fabric Studio & Giveaway!

 

I'd like to introduce Fort Worth Fabric Studio as a new sponsor! I was psyched when owner Jodie Heinold approached me about a collaboration; she has a great eye for color and has a background in designing and selling children's boutique clothing, and I'd been seeing her shop pop up all over. :)

 

 

 

Forth Worth Fabric Studio does a weekly Friday Bundle Batch. This week it's called Dreamsicle, and the crisp orange and turquoise colors evoke sunny weather by the pool, popsicle in hand.  They also have a weekly Friday newsletter where you can keep up to date on all the latest happenings, including the Friday Bundle Batch. Click here to sign up; simply enter your email in the little bar on the top right of the page and hit GO. 

 

 

They just received Adornit’s You & Me collection — these are a few of my favorite prints from the line.

 

Lace zippers anyone?

 

 

There is a fun notions section, complete with an array of handmade Zakka Ribbon Tape. I like to use these as tags when I make clothing, stuffed animals and zippy pouches. Don't forget to check out the remnant section and the selection of 1930s prints in addition to some of my favorite fabric manufacturers such as Art Gallery Fabrics, Dear Stella and Robert Kaufman. You will receive rewards with every purchase. 

 

 

Jodie is offering my readers a $25 gift certificate toward anything in the shop! There are three possible entries per person. For the first entry, simply leave a comment below saying what your current summer sewing project is. My readers get a second entry - please leave an additional comment letting me know how you follow me — Instagram, Bloglovin', Feedly, Facebook, email, etc. Fort Worth Fabric Studio followers are eligible for a third entry — just leave another comment letting us know how you follow them. The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, June 30th at 9pm EST. The winner will be announced here. I look forward to hearing about what you're working on, and good luck!!!

 

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

        

Panda-Monium Blog Hop with Fat Quarter Shop

Hi and welcome to my stop on the Panda-Monium blog hop with Fat Quarter Shop! I was tempted to make a pillow out with this crazy cute new free pattern, but at the last minute I realized that it would be the perfect thing to hang in my son's room. He's three and a half and loves the color green, and I used Drip in Bayou from Jessica Levitt's Cascade line for Windham as the background. It's raining on my panda! I was initially concerned that it might be difficult to get all the directional fabric going the right way, but it turned out to be easy — I just had to think carefully before I cut those pieces. 

My friend Jess suggested a bamboo-like pattern for quilting, and I had fun free motion quilting the linear pattern with leaves. There is a free YouTube video tutorial to keep you company while you make this little guy; click here to check it out. There is also a kit that can be purchased that includes the original light pink background color. 

A friend brought me some flowers from her garden yesterday. My peonies are finishing up so these made my day. Happy Friday, and I look forward to seeing all your pandas!

        

My New Love: Reverse Appliqué with Jersey Knit

This project was started at Quiltcon in the appliqué workshop by Alison Glass. I've always loved the possibilities and flexibility of appliqué but had never done reverse appliqué and hadn't used jersey knit in this way. 

I brought Finca Perle cotton, one of Alison's prints from her Handcrafted line, some jersey from home and used one of the template series in her Appliqué book to draw the design onto the fabric. 

The best part is the reveal; cutting the fabric bits out after the hand stitching is completed on each shape. Some of the knots are left showing on the top side, suggested by Alison and also a design feature frequently used by Alabama Chanin (my other recent obsession — click here to check out their latest book). 

It's a fantastic weight for a blanket, and is soooo soft. I will definitely continue this process and make a skirt and perhaps a blanket. This sample will likely be a standard-size pillow, unless someone has a better suggestion. . . I could also add some hand stitching in the blank areas. Hm.