"Stitchalicious" by Mindy Sue Meyers

Mindy Sue Meyers created this fiber art show called "Stitchalicious" for her MFA thesis. The show was held at the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. All these goodies are made from household items, so up close they aren't as tempting as they look from a distance! See more photos on her blog at; http://www.mindysuemeyers.blogspot.com/.

I thought this would make a nice New Year's Eve treat for all you "Onion Chair" enthusiasts out there! Isn't blogland full of amazing delights and inspiration?

Tutorial for Cool Zippered Bag

Check out this excellent tutorial to learn how to make a zippered purse like this one! This is from Anna Torborg in Minneapolis. Click here for the tutorial: http://www.twelve22.org/2006/07/zipper_tutorial.html Thanks, Anna!

Anna is a publisher, gardener, photographer, crafter, long time blogger, and she has a great sense of humor. Check out her website at: http://www.twelve22.org/

Zippered Selvage Purses

Ann Marie of Hillsboro, Oregon made all of these goodies to give as Christmas gifts: potholders, pillow cases, a quilt, and lots of zippered selvage purses. I like how each purse has a color theme...so you can coordinate with your outfits, of course! She says, "I am loving this selvage stuff!" She's making more now.

The blog address has a typo; if you correct the spelling, it won't work. Go to: http://www.runandsewuilts.wordpress.com/.

Check back here tomorrow to see an excellent tutorial for making a zippered bag!

Jodie Carleton's Newest Idea!

You remember Jodie Carleton; she's the Australian quilter who made THE awesome selvage dress. (It's so wonderful, I keep a photo of it on the sidebar at right.) Well, she has a new idea for using your "tape-measure stash." What? Yes, she says use your tape-measure stash! Oh, I am so far behind Jodie! She has a 10-Minute Tutorial on her blog for making these bracelets, and that includes 5 minutes for finding your hammer! I am definitely going to make some of these.

Visit her blog at: www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com. (Regular Selvage Blog readers may recognize Jodie's hand model; it looks a lot like the rather aloof Cecelia! See: selvage scarf. The dress is modeled by her daughter.)

Australian Fiber Artist: Sarah London

This charming crocheted granny-square blanket is almost enough to make me switch over completely from quilting to crocheting! When I was little, my mother and grandmother made some blankets like this, and we used them for a long time. So that helps to explain why I'm so taken with this, but her color selection is wonderful too. Very "early twenty-first century," wouldn't you say? The old ones I remember were multi-colored, and had black borders around each block.

This was made by Sarah London of New South Wales, Australia. You can see more of her creative fiber art on her blog at www.sarah-london.blogspot.com.

Martina Odenthal Creates Selvage Cuffs

What a clever idea! Martina Odenthal is a very creative quilter in Cologne, Germany. Visit her blog to see exactly how to make these cuffs, and you'll find lots other inspiration there as well. If you don't read German, you'll have to rely on the photos, but a "picture is worth a thousand words."

The name of her blog http://stufenzumgericht.blogspot.com/ means "courthouse steps." That is particularly appropriate because she is a lawyer in addition to being a quilter. She is a multi-talented lady!

Martina's Christmas Angel

Martina also made this Christmas decoration using some of her Christmas selvages. She held a drawing on her blog and it was given to one of her readers. What a pretty little angel charm!

Merry Christmas to You

This Nativity scene is from the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. This was a live performance, and it was breath-taking. The light in the sky over the manger is referred to in the Bible as "shekinah glory," and this representation was truly impressive!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Christmas Day!

Christmas Eve Surprise in NYC

What a happy surprise to walk around the corner and see these big red ornaments, such a delicious splash of color. (This is in the neighborhood of 5th Avenue and 50th Street in NYC.)

I hope your Christmas is filled with beautiful surprises that delight your heart!

There will be one here for you tomorrow!

Yikes! My Sister's Felted Scarf

Here is Eileen's scarf after felting! You can't see any individual stitches; it's all smooshed together.

Above: This is what she'll see when she opens the box! Yikes!
Below: This is the "before" photo, so you can see it started out pretty normal.

At Thanksgiving my sister Eileen told me that she has started wearing brown these days, a new thing for her. So naturally, I decided to knit her a brown scarf for Christmas. (I recently saw an ad suggesting that giving a scarf is like giving fruitcake. But Eileen's son plays football at Brown University, so she's out there in the cold and needs a brown scarf, right?)

I just knitted the scarf with no fancy pattern, since I planned on felting it anyway (and knitting fast is so much fun). I used size 7 needles (4.5mm) and regular worsted wool. Then, I threw it in the washer and dryer on the hot settings. It's as thick as a carpet! And the fringe reminds me of Chewbacca, from Star Wars! It won't lie flat, even though I steamed it a little and tried to flatten it under my upside-down Big Board overnight.

Yes, this scarf is a little scary, but I'm wrapping it up as if it was a nice scarf. The card even says "I made this for you with my own little hands." I hope we laugh ourselves silly; that will be worth it! I'll keep you posted.

Miniature Quilt Cabinets - Warm Your Heart

I have been making these little quilt cabinets as gifts and boutique items for some upcoming quilt shows. The unfinished wood cabinets are about 5 inches tall, and can be purchased at Michael's for only $1 each. I paint them with acrylic craft paint called "Craft Smart" also from Michael's. The quilts are just little rectangles of fabric with batting inside - sewn up and folded to look like a stack of quilts. I think old fashioned fabrics with tiny prints look best. In the middle photo, I added some yarn to the quilt collection.

Another Project by Helen Wolf

My friend Helen Wolf (of Charm Girl Quilters and Wolf Gang Quilters in Doylestown, PA) made this charming little business card holder for me. The rust/brown striped fabric at the top edge is also the lining fabric.

We have guild cards in preparation for our upcoming quilt show on March 27, 28, and 29th at the Pearl S. Buck house at 620 Old Dublin Road in Perkasie, PA.

More "Crazy Quilt-Style" Stockings!

I know I'm over-doing it a bit with these stockings, but they are so much fun to make and I think they are so beautiful! Crazy quilts and Christmas decorations are perfect outlets for our inner child who jumps up and down and claps her hands over bright prints and gaudy embellishments! So I say, "Go for it!" Maybe we'll get serious in January. (We can always fall back on crazy quilts.)

See Jeanne McBrayer's Great Big Tote Bags

Jeanne McBrayer of Wake Forest, NC saw the "Great Big Selvage Tote Bag" on this blog a while back, and decided to make her own non-selvage versions. Aren't they pretty? She's been quilting on a Gammill since 2003 and the quilting on these bags is gorgeous. I love how she adds a splash of color next to the black and white fabrics. She's giving these bags away as gifts.

To see more of Jeanne's projects visit her blog at: http://www.allthingsquilty.blogspot.com/. Um, Jeanne, what are you going to do with your selvages? We're just wondering:)

Selvage Rug by Leni B.

Leni B. of Bayside, NY knitted this selvage rug on #10 needles. She says "It was quite a job, but I was driven to do it." That's how it is sometimes! We hear you Leni:)

I love the improvisation in this rug. In "Twined Rag Rugs" by Bobbie Irwin, I learned that this color arrangement (non-arrangement, really) is called hit-or-miss. I like the red-orange at one end better than if the color layout was symmetrical.

Thank you to Betty J. in Oklahoma City who alerted me to this post on Leni's blog: http://www.nanasblogspotcom.blogspot.com/.

Meet Wanda Hanson of Northern Illinois

This is just a taste of what is in store for you at Wanda Hanson's wonderful blog: http://www.exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/. She just ordered "Quilts from the Selvage Edge," so we'll be keeping an eye out for some selvage creations. This is one creative lady!

Another Stunning Quilt by Marge Hasart!

Here is another stunning selvage quilt by Marge Hasart of Eau Claire, WI. She calls this one "Circles and Strips." I think the best quilts are the ones that keep your attention for a long time, and this quilt certainly does it for me! There is a lot going on here, and I love it. Take a look at that quilting in the tan outer border - more circles. Perfect. Yayyy, Marge!

Marge is planning to make more selvage quilts, so stay tuned.

Selvage Ornaments by Linda Robertus

Linda Robertus of Brisbane, Australia made these charming ornaments to give as gifts. She was inspired by Elena's little trees shown at right. I love all the ornaments that are showing up on this blog lately! To see Linda's blog, visit http://www.q-linda.blogspot.com/.

Sharyn's Christmas Cards - Made with selvages!

Sharyn from Washington made her first selvage project: Christmas cards! Aren't they beautiful? These cards have a loop at the top so they are ready to go right on the tree. She tells how she made these on her blog: www.kalamaquilts.blogspot.com.

Sharyn says she was inspired to made these ornaments after admiring Elena McDowell's selvage tree ornaments (shown at right, on the sidebar). I love it how we inspire each other!

Another Selvage Class from Quilting Weekly

Did you know that you can take quilting classes in the comfort of your own sewing room from QuiltingWeekly.com? They even have two selvage classes. The new class features this selvage tote called "Raking Leaves." I really like this bag. Those are some tiny selvages! For more info visit: http://quiltingweekly.com/homestudy/

More Christmas Stockings

I made two more Christmas stockings, these for a dear friend who is getting married on January 3rd. I gave them on Thanksgiving so they could be put to use right away. The novelty fabrics that I've been collecting with all the candy, festive fruits and desserts were just perfect for this project. (Proving once again that we need to keep a stash of "no particular purpose" fabrics that we love.)

Marge Hasart's Windmill Quilt!

Take a look at this stunning quilt made by Marge Hasart of Eau Claire, Wisconson. I love how the blue sashing makes a lattice in the foreground, and the selvages make a lattice behind. The pinwheel arrangement makes the selvages look woven. I love the colors, and the pieced sashing squares are a nice touch, too. Wonderful job, Marge!

Christmas Stockings

I just finished this Christmas stocking and I wanted to share these photos with you. I cut two stocking shapes from muslin, then covered them with festive fabrics (by machine, stitch and flip). Next I embroidered along all the seams with Perle cotton (#5) and added beads. Finally I sewed the front and back together (right sides together) being careful not to let the needle hit any beads! Using shirting fabric, I made a lining, and inserted it into the stocking. To finish, I folded the pretzel fabric at the top to the inside and handstitched. The ribbons were added so it can be "hung from the chimney with care, with hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there."

I like how this stocking came out, but if I make any more I think I'll add more embellishments. This stocking will be auctioned to benefit the Empire Quilters guild in NYC.

Playing in Winter

Do you see how the above photo was taken? I was in the passenger seat of my car and noticed that the horizon and the snowy ground in front of me matched up with the view in my rear-view mirror. The interrupted tree trunks are a clue that something is amiss!

Please don't skate on this pond. It looks inviting, but it would scratch the sunroof of my car. I never get tired of looking at tree branches.