The Gypsy Wife Is Back!

These are the blocks that I assigned myself for May, following the schedule I started in February.  I also fixed up a few problems I had with the colors and blocks for April.  Pretty soon I will be able to get to the June blocks, hopefully before the calendar flips to July!  We have copies of the Gypsy Wife Quilt book at the store, so give us a call (651-429-1039) if you want to sew-a-long!  You can start anytime it fits into your schedule.

The Gypsy Wife Quilt

I have been bitten by the Gypsy bug!  And I want you to be bitten, too!

There is a quilt by Jen Kingwell that caught my attention awhile ago, but I didn't have a pattern.  It looked like a lot of fun to make, but did I really need to take on another quilt project?  I already have more completed quilts and more quilts-in-progress than any one person should have!  But then, I saw the pattern at retreat and Nancy just flaunted it at me the whole time.  Who could resist?  

So, we found out that Jen Kingwell is now a designer for Moda Fabrics.  And at Houston Quilt Market last fall, we met her and loved looking at her samples and designs.  Below is the Gypsy Wife Quilt covering a table.

And both Debbie and I agreed that her fabric designs (below) were something we really liked, so it has been ordered for Bear Patch and is supposed to be released in April.  Keeping my fingers crossed that we will get an early shipment.

Gardenvale by Jen Kingwell for Moda

With her connection through Moda, her patterns are more readily available and less expensive without shipping from Australia.  You can call Bear Patch (651-429-1039) to order your own pattern.  Here's a picture of the entire quilt, not the designer's original quilt but made by someone else and posted on Flickr with other gypsy quilt pictures.

So, I have a plan.  Well, actually, I am following a plan made by someone else.  On the Factotum of Arts blog there is a schedule to make all of the blocks over a year's time.  I think I can do this!  How about you?!  We can stay in contact and share pictures back and forth via email and our blog.  It's easy to hop on the Gypsy bus because the first month's task is to pick fabric.  And the fabric I picked is not a complete picture of what I want to use, but it's enough to get me going.  And gives me a good excuse to both shop my own stash as well as pick up new goodies as they come to Bear Patch!  I'll take a picture of my fabric selection and put it here for you to see.  And maybe take some inspiration to start your own!

If you visit the Factotum of Arts blog, you can even print out the schedule for the year.  For February, the task is to make the blocks below:

February blocks

I have them up on the design wall so I can see if the colors are what I want and where I want.  There is one large block, and I even found a "P" (for Pam!) to put in the center to begin the process.  Then 6 small pinwheel blocks, with borders added to 4 of them.  So far, the directions have been good and the process painless.  And the month isn't even done yet!  Next month will be another large block and 6 different small ones.  Easy!

City Sampler Blocks 9, 10, 11, 12

Blocks 9, 10, 11, 12

We are still viewing blocks from Chapter One from the City Sampler book by Tula Pink.  The theme of crosses can be interpreted so many ways, and Tula Pink's blocks show a good variety.  Little crosses, big crosses, skinny crosses, fat crosses--there must be something for everyone!

Our sewist, Kristina, is going to give us a behind-the-scenes look at her own Room of Creativity!  She shows her tidy scrap storage, her not-so-tidy scrap storage, and a look at her beloved Bernina.  

This is where the magic happens!  Thanks for the pictures!  

I love to see other people's sewing rooms, 

I guess I am a sewing room peeper, but harmless.  

Kristina's blocks are composed of an awesome variety of fabrics, gleaned from her own projects and donations from others. 

 She even makes entire quilts, as well as smaller items, 

from her scrap stash.

  

Stay tuned for more City Sampler blocks soon.  

And now I'm thinking of asking other people to share pictures of their sewing rooms, too.

City Sampler 5, 6, 7, 8

Moving along with our block examples 

from Tula Pink's City Sampler--

Blocks 5, 6, 7, 8

I was very happy to see that I managed to get the little hedgehogs positioned right side up in block 5!  I am kinda fond of those little critters ever since my son had a pet hedgehog quite awhile ago.  His name was Nermal.  (The hedgehog, not my son!)  He was an odd little creature, but became friendly with the people he was familiar with.  I am just finishing up my own hedgehog quilt, soon to claim a spot on my bed once the binding is done.  

But enough about that!

These 4 blocks are part of the 1st chapter titled "Crosses", reflecting the style of design.  Many ways to display a similar look with a change here and there.

For a little more understanding of the process of this book, 

the author, Tula Pink, offers this explanation:

"You will notice...that the blocks are not named but simply numbered. This is intentional. I may have designed the blocks and given you the instructions on what to cut and where to stitch, but I have not infused the blocks with any meaning. This is your quilt. The fabrics that you choose, the colors that you use and why you are making it are what will give the quilt a purpose. Name your blocks, write in the margins, cross out the ones that you don't like, draw hearts around the ones that you love. In a perfect world, everyone's book would end up looking like a journal, coffee stains and all. The more adventurous ones might rename the book and write their own introduction. Tula Pink's City Sampler is a collaboration between you and me. I am the platform and you are the speaker, so stand on my shoulders and tell the future who you are and why you make."

Her comment about coffee stains is sooo appropriate and part of the story behind Kristina's block party.  A little more of the behind-the-scenes info!  Kristina acquired this book because of coffee stains!  A customer spilled a cup of coffee on our bookshelves (and promptly departed), leaving behind a mess of damaged books.  Unable to sell these to our customers, shop owner Debbie divvied them up amongst the people at work that day.  Kristina adopted this Tula Pink book, giving it a good home, coffee stains and all.  And now we all reap the benefits!

Stay tuned for more....