New Postcard from Cozy Quilter

This is Cozy Quilter's first selvage project. She made it for a quilted post card exchange that her guild does every month. If you put a post card in the "mailbox" at the guild meeting, you will receive a post card made by someone else about a week after the meeting. She has quite a collection of postcards made by other members of the guild.

I really like the rabbit on this card, and see the "Rabbit Factory" selvage below it? I think someone will be delighted to receive this one!

See Cozy Quilter's blog at: http://www.thecozyquilter.blogspot.com/

Selvage Stashes Revealed!

Here are Jodie Carleton's selvages (above and below). Regular readers of the Selvage Blog know that Jodie is the maker of THE selvage dress, parasol, and chair! I don't know - this collection looks suspiciously neat and organized! Maybe some of you bloggers in Ballarat, Australia should make a surprise home visit! What do you think? Those are very cute boxes, I have to admit. :)

You can see what Jodie's up to at: http://www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com/.

Karen Jones in New Zealand keeps her selvages in plastic boxes (below). Just looking at them makes me want to start sewing some selvages together. Wow, that is a beautiful log cabin selvage quilt in the background! Send us a photo of it when you're done!

You all know Wanda Hanson of http://www.exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/. I love her colorful quilts; and her selvages are pretty too (below). She's thinking maybe it's time for another basket. Oh, I don't know; I bet she can get some more on that pile.

I love this photo of Martina Odenthal's selvage stash (below). Is that little statue charming or what? Martina lives in Cologne, Germany. You can see her blog at: http://www.stufenzumgericht.blogspot.com/.

More selvage stash photos on May 2nd! Thank you, quilters, for sending them in.

A Quilt for Your Car?

It must be early morning because this car is still under it's quilt. What? Your car doesn't have a quilt? I found this amazing photo at Happy Cottage Quilter. Visit: http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/2009/03/dreamin.html

Now you have seen everything! (It's not painted on; it's a car-shaped quilt!)

Nicki Surprises the Circle of Friends!

Nicki Lee Seavey of Plympton, MA just finished this collage framed with selvages! Read her story:

" For the past 3 years the women who belong to the HGTV Quilting Forum have gotten together for a Quilting Retreat. It is known as the Circle of Friends. The first one was held in Minnesota, last year was in Texas and this year I am hosting the Retreat in Manchester, NH. Actually... tomorrow!! I decided to use some of the selvages the ladies sent me to surprise them with a collage of pictures from past Retreats. Using the selvages I created a mat to frame the pictures - I love it! I'm ready to pack it up and head out but just had to stop long enough to send you this picture."

What a great idea, I think they'll love it!

Be sure to visit the Selvage Blog tomorrow: You just won't believe it!!
And the first "Show Me Your Selvage Stash" post will appear on Wednesday.

Bookcase Quilt from the Netherlands is Finished!

Marquerite van Eijck of the Netherlands added some great applique to this wonderful selvage bookcase quilt, so I decided to show it to you again. I thought it looked great before, but she had other ideas. You know how quilters are! Isn't this a great quilt? Her selvages make very realistic books!

Lucie's Selvage Pillow

Lisa Rosenrot of Germany just made her first selvage project, a pretty pillow. I like those shaggy selvages and the raised flower. Nice job, Lucie! Take a look at her blog: http://lisarosenrot.blogspot.com/. It's written in German, of course, but the pictures are great!

Comfort a Child in Italy!

Italian quilter Roberta Sperandio is asking quilters everywhere to make quilts for children who have lost their homes in the recent terrible earthquakes in Italy. You can read about it on her blog: http://www.simplyninepatch.blogspot.com/. (Post dated April 20th; it's in Italian and English.) You can email her for more information at: roberta.sperandio@alice.it.

Carla's Selvage Chicken!

Carla of http://www.featheredfibers.wordpress.com/ made this funky selvage chicken. Apropriately so, since chickens are her trademark. Be sure to see her blog, especially if you love to admire gorgeous machine quilting!!

We'll be keeping an eye out for Carla's selvage creations; she has recently been given a boatload of selvages! Lucky chicken!

Machine Embroidered Selvage Bag!

Fiesta Girl in Florida was inspired by Jean's recent selvage tote bag. But then she added tons of machine quilting and machine embroidery! I would have thought that a selvage bag would be too thick to machine embroider so nicely...but she did it! She plans to use this bag to bring her toiletries to the beach.

She makes Florida sound nice! We've got spring blossoming trees though, so that's a start. Take a look at Fiesta Girl's blog at: www.quiltingfiesta.blogspot.com.

Selvage Quilts in German Patchwork Publication!

Quilter/lawyer Martina Odenthal of Cologne, Germany sent me this issue of "Patchwork Gilde." She writes a column called "Let's Surf," reporting on quilting blogs of interest. In this March 2009 issue she wrote about our Selvage Blog! She says we selvage quilters interpret the spirit of patchwork in a new way. Also, there is a book review by Bea Galler of "Quilts from the Selvage Edge." I am so excited how the idea of selvage quilting is appealing to quilters around the world. Thank you, Martina!

See Martina's blog: http://www.stufenzumgericht.blogspot.com/. She is a lawyer and a quilter, so her blog name refers to the courthouse steps quilt block.

Rita Joins the Selvage Quilters

Rita of Wellsboro, PA was inspired by her friends Anya and Susan (selvage quilters you have read about here) to make her first selvage project, a toilet tissue holder. There's no going back now, Rita! Especially with friends like these!

Anya's New Hot Pads

Anya decided she needed some new hot pads, so she whipped these up using a bit of her huge supply of selvages given to her by guild members. Her son's comment: "Who cares what they look like, they're covered up anyway." Well Anya, we know what they look like, and we like them. :)

See Anya's blog at: www.hillscreekquilter.blogspot.com.

Selvage Winner Announced!

The lucky winner of the Free Selvage Give-Away from the Fabric Square Shop is....

Carrie P. of North Carolina!

She will receive a nice big package full of selvages. Yayyy, Carrie! Stay tuned because Laura plans to do this again!

Have you taken a look at Laura's online shop? She sells precut quilting fabrics (5" charm squares, 10" layer cakes, jellyrolls, etc.) all from the latest and most beautiful fabric collections. She has all the latest Kaffe Fassett, Philip Jacobs and Martha Negley prints, Fresh Cut by Heather Bailey (you've read about her on this blog), April Cornell's delicate florals from Moda, Joel Dewberry's modern designs, Barbara Brackman's Civil War Crossings, American Jane, and tons more. Make a cup of coffee or tea first, trust me. Looking at her site makes me want to drop everything and make a quilt. Visit: http://www.fabricsquareshop.com/.

Laura sold out all 30 gallon bags of selvages on Tuesday! But she's harvesting more so don't fret. Click on "What's New" to find the selvages, and "Coming Soon" for the Moda Selvage Scrap Bags.

Also check out her wares on Etsy and eBay:

eBay Store:
http://stores.ebay.com/Materialgirlchic-Fabric-Square-Shop
Etsy Shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5616898

Our lucky winner has a blog too! Visit: http://www.apassionforapplique.blogspot.com/.

Susan's on a Selvage Binge!

Susan is churning out the selvage projects! I really like what she has made. Nice job, Susan! Her selvage stash was getting low, so her friend Anya gave her some. She just couldn't stand watching Susan pick through the trash any more. Now that is a true friend!

See Susan's blog: www.hangingonbyaneedleandthread.blogspot.com. She and her friend Anya are always up to something fun.

Selvages for Sale...and a Free Give-Away!

Laura Sampsel of http://www.fabricsquareshop.com/ in Stow, Ohio sells precut squares of gorgeous quilting fabrics. And you know what she has left over...selvages! They're already packed in gallon-size bags ready to be shipped for $13 each. They are 1.5 inches wide x 4" and 6.5" long. Shipping is free in the USA. How cool is that?

You need longer selvages? No problem! She also carries Moda Scrap Bags too, and she checks to make sure they have selvages. Am I taking care of you or what?

FREE GIVE-AWAY: Laura has a priority package of selvages ready to send to a lucky winner. Simply write a comment to this post; nothing fancy, since it will be a random drawing. The winner will be announced on Thursday the 23rd. Good luck! Remember to check back to see if you've won!

Be sure to visit her website, eBay store and etsy store. You will be dazzled!
Website:
http://www.fabricsquareshop.com/shop/ Click on "What's New" in the sidebar.
eBay Store:
http://stores.ebay.com/Materialgirlchic-Fabric-Square-Shop
Etsy Shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5616898

Selvage Placemats from Germany!

Griselda of Germany is making a set of placemats each month using the scraps from the projects that she worked on that month. So, by December she will have 12 sets and a diary of her quilting. I love how she added embroidery to the selvage! Very creative. This is the first time she has used selvages. Nice job, Griselda!

See her blog: www.machwerke.blogspot.com.

Time's Up! Scissors Down! Show Us Your Selvage Stash!

Okay quilters, we know you have a selvage stash! Maybe you are waist-deep in selvages or maybe you have just a wee thimble-full. How do you store them? Are they pretty as a picture, or do you request that your name be withheld from the post? Surprise us. Take a photo and email it to karengriska@optonline.net. I'll post a bunch of them here on the Selvage Blog.
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This photo? Oh, Puh-leeeeeeeze, that's merely a whimsical illustration!
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P.S. Jodie Carleton (maker of the selvage dress, parasol, and chair) we really want to see yours! Everyone, please go to http://www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com/ and ask Jodie to email a photo. :)

Selvage Spider Web Quilt

Jacquie of Kansas City, Kansas was inspired by genuis/Selvage Queen/creative selvage freak woman Jodie Carleton of Australia, and she started this selvage spider web quilt. (Just so you know: the "freak woman" thing - those are Jodie's words.) Jacquie is selecting colorful selvages that will show up well against the light pastel solid. Nice job, Jacquie!

See Jacquie's story about this quilt on her blog at: http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com/2009/03/selvedge-apprentice.html

Selvage Hat from Rome, Italy!

Doesn't this whimsical hat by Silvana Flamini of Rome, Italy make you smile? What a great job she did; I love the shape and the addition of the buttons. Nice job, Silvana!

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Take a look at Silvana's blog: http://unpopercelia.blogspot.com/. She is a wonderful chef as well as a textile artist. If you can read Italian maybe you can also create some of those delicious dishes she shows!

Writing Checks is Fun Again! (Almost)

Kathi Price of Frisco, Texas has made herself a new checkbook cover using selvages and her signature blue and white stripe fabric. I love that multi-colored striped binding and the Moda monkeys. Nice job Kathi!

http://kathiskreations.blogspot.com/

http://kathip22.etsy.com/

http://kathiskreations.artfire.com/

Marky's Selvage Sleep Mask!

Is this a cool idea or what? Marky Kuba of Eau Claire, WI writes:

"After attending a quilt retreat where I didn't get much sleep because of ambient light coming into the room, I went home and made myself a sleep mask. It didn't take long to realize this project would be a good one for selvedges. Here's the end result. It's just as effective as it is pretty, and so appropriate for quilt retreats!"

What pretty blue selvages, too. And it will stay nicely in place with that pin at the top! Just kidding. :) I'm planning to make one of these! I may use fleece on the back...nice and soft.

Selvage Shopping Tote

Here's the latest from artist/quilter Lynne, of the Patchery Menagerie blog:

"I love tote bags. I've been using reusable canvas grocery bags for 17 years, but many stores now accept a bag you bring in, so I decided to make myself a shopping bag. Many of these new bags have a small loop on one side so the checkout person can keep the bag open. For general shopping, a big grocery-sized bag is too big, so this one is smaller and, of course, made from selvages."

Very cool, Lynne! I love how you arranged the colors, and put black and white at the top. This is so pretty; I think I would even remember to take it with me on shopping trips!

Be sure to visit Lynne's blog to see more about this bag, (including the giant polka dots on the inside) at: http://patcherymenagerie.blogspot.com/2009/03/shopping-bag-how-to.html. She has 2 posts on this bag, so be sure to see them both!

Joke's Selvage Backpack

Joke van der Veen of the Netherlands has been busy! She designed this backpack, and what a great job she did! I love how she puts selvages of the same color together. This is also how she designed a tote bag last year. Her signature style is very distinctive. Nice job!

Anya's Lastest Selvage Creation

Anya of Wellsboro, PA made this selvage version of a Sassy Bag (pattern by Lazy Gal Designs). Wow, look at that diagonal selvage. Take a look at her blog: http://hillscreekquilter.blogspot.com/2009/03/im-in-need-of-intervention.html

Anya is wondering if she needs an intervention regarding her selvage "enthusiasm." What do you think? Nah, we would tell you if we thought you had a problem, Anya. You seem fine to us!

Happy Easter to you!

Happy Easter to you and your family!

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If you would like to learn about the meaning of Easter, visit this site: http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/the-meaning-of-easter-faq.htm

Joan Jordan's Selvage Purse

Take a look at this stunning selvage purse made by Joan Jordan of Atlanta, Georgia! She shows the whole process of making the purse on her blog and it's very interesting: http://connectingthedots-jj.blogspot.com/2009/03/hooked-on-selvages.html. I love how she arranged her selvages, and added three rounded buttons at the top. (She's thinking of rearranging them into a stop-light pattern. I think that's a great idea.) There are pockets on the sides and a zippered pocket inside. This purse has it all! Great job, Joan!

I was interested to read that she started making the selvage blocks before she knew what she was going to use them for. That makes sense to me! I think Joan would like the Onion Chair, don't you? See: http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-can-this-onion-chair-give-us.html

Easter Card from Martina!

Martina Odenthal of Cologne, Germany sent me this charming selvage card for Ester. It has her trademark tape measure, and a delightful little bunny. She wrapped it in bubble wrap for the overseas trip. Check out the lace along the selvage edge! That's the first time I've seen lace added to a selvage arrangement. Very clever, Martina!

Be sure to visit her blog: www.stufenzumgericht.blogspot.com.

Susan White's Easter Egg-Potholders

Remember Susan White of Kansas, member of the Quilter's Knot group? She decided to make selvage potholders in the shape of Easter eggs for her friends. What pretty color combinations, and I like those striped bindings. When I hear about this group, I want to move to Kansas. Nice job, Susan. Happy Easter!

Quiltin Jeanie's Tote

Front (above), and Back (below).
And filled with all the money she saved by creating with selvages!

Jean in Council Bluffs, Iowa has finished her first selvage project. At first she didn't think she wanted to make anything with selvages, but you know how it goes. When I first saw the inside of this bag, I thought it had money in it! The handles are made out of money too. Very clever.

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Take a look at Jean's beautiful blog: http://www.quiltinjeanie.blogspot.com/. She also shows photos of the process of making the bag. Scroll down to March 31.