Annette Tait's Rabbit Bag and Baby Felines - Wow!

I love Annette Tait's "art-accessory rabbit bag!" That is so creative! See how she makes the raw edge extra shaggy? Just when you think you've seen it all, here's something to really rock your boat.

And she's not done - Take a look at her baby felines below! See the selvages? Can you believe it?

Read her own words below:

"I am also introducing a new line of soft sculptures into my etsy shop and the 3 initial ones I made up, baby felines, have just been posted, as a surprise gift, to a lovely friend who loves selvedge too and introduced me to your blog last month. Her cats love her sewing materials - so I made 3 kittens with characteristics of each of her cats and sewed selvedge spots onto them.
(They come with their own names and stories).

It's great to stop by and see the latest selvedge ideas! My mouth waters :)"

See Annette's websites for more of her amazing creations:

http://www.dragonhouseofyuen.etsy.com/
http://www.dragonhouseofyuen.co.uk/
http://www.dragonhouseofyuen.blogspot.com/

Kathi's Adds "One of a Kind" Tape!

Kathi Price of Frisco, Texas found this nice "One of a Kind" tape on Etsy, and look how she added it to her selvages. What a great idea. I really like the fonts on this tape. It's cheerful look goes well with the Christmas stocking!

I'm hoping fabric manufacturers will start making their selvages more interesting. Then the selvage quilts we've already made will have that "old-fashioned" look, and our new ones will be even better!

See Kathi's blog and beautiful "One of a Kind" merchandise for sale on Etsy:
http://kathiskreations.blogspot.com/
http://kathip22.etsy.com

Keep up the good work, Kathi!

Meet a Selvage Quilt Named "Garcia"

Quilt Diva Julie of Memphis, TN just finished her new selvage quilt named "Garcia." Why Garcia, you ask? I wondered, too. When she showed it to her law firm co-workers and asked for name suggestions, someone said "Garcia" because the colors (especially the print on the back) reminded her of Jerry Garcia...his music and ties. Everyone agreed and the issue was settled.

This quilt is machine quilted and has been laundered. Why did we think (in the old days, a few years ago) that selvages would twist and buckle and do other bad things? I love how she adds such nice color in her selvage arrangements.

This is one beautiful quilt, isn't it? It makes me want to drop everything and make a selvage quilt.

Amy's Charming Selvage Stash

Isn't this a beautiful presentation for a selvage stash? Amy is so artistic and creative. Be sure to visit her blog: http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/ It really is a sweet delight for the senses. The photo below is just a sampling of what you'll see there.

NEWSFLASH: Amy may be having her new baby TODAY! This is her due date. This baby will be her third. Yayyy, Amy! Let's all click over to her blog to send our best wishes!

Carrie's Selvage Winnings!

Remember the selvage give-away from the Fabric Square Shop that we had back in April? Well Carrie P. won the selvages and she posted these photos of her prize on her blog: http://www.apassionforapplique.blogspot.com/. Quite a nice haul!

Laura sold out her whole selvage inventory in one day (30 one-gallon bags!), but she'll be stocking up again. Check her offerings of gorgeous pre-cut quilt fabrics and selvages at: www.fabricsquareshop.com.

Alda Creates Her Own "Selvage Fabrics"

Alda of Germany started with her selvages in a box (above), and then created her own squares of selvage fabric. Notice how they have color themes? She's not saying these are quilt blocks; they're fabrics ready for future projects. She just increased the size of her fabric stash!

See what happens when a quilter gets a good idea? (below) I wonder how long it would have taken to build the pyramids in Egypt if quilters got the idea? It makes you stop and wonder!

See Alda's blog at: http://aldas-gepatchtes-und-gesticktes.blogspot.com/. She writes in English too so we know what she's up to! Thank you, Alda;)

Selvage Birds by Rachel Pantos

Rachel Pantos of Topeka, Kansas made these selvage birds for her mother for Mother's Day. She used a pattern from: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/. Her mother plans to display them in her sewing room. Aren't they creative? I really like the fabrics she chose too.

Visit Rachel's blog at: http://www.kitchengonetothedogs.blogspot.com/. She also likes dogs and the outdoors. Her sister Sara is in my guild. I'm going to find her. (It's a big guild.)

Help Make Quilts Featuring Words!

Tonya Ricucci is writing a book about quilts that feature words! She's asking quilters to help her by making blocks featuring happy 4-letter words. The blocks should be colorful and measure 6.5" x 12.5." That's my block above. Isn't that dot over the "i" perfect? I think the "G" needs some pearl bead embellishment, but I'll leave that decision up to Tonya.

Fabric selection was a peice of cake using Moda's "Happy Camper," part of the American Jane collection.

If you are a fan of improvisational piecing you know that it's just a matter of doodling with fabric, tweaking as you go. Check out her blog at http://www.lazygalquilting.blogspot.com/. She plans to use these blocks for a quilt to show at lectures. Maybe we'll see our blocks in her book. Who knows?

Good luck, Tonya!!

Christmas Stockings - With Selvages!

Kathi Price of Texas says it's never too early to think about Christmas, and I agree! Aren't these stockings beautiful? Colorful, crisp, light and airy. Very 21st century!

See more of Kathi's projects at: http://kathiskreations.blogspot.com/ and
http://kathip22.etsy.com/

Karen in NZ - Prizewinning Selvage Quilt

Karen Jones of New Zealand made the award-winning log cabin selvage quilt above. The theme was "Go Green," and she won First Prize in the Intermediate category, and Best Traditional quilt. The show was judged by Sandra Meech. Yayyy, Karen!

I really like this quilt! She made courthouse steps blocks, and then put them together in a barn-raising arrangement. And notice that there is just one red center square! I love that. (Nice balance with that red ribbon on the other side!) :)

Karen's friend Carol also made a selvage quilt (below) for the same event. You can't tell that she used selvages unless you can see it up close, because she used the printed selvages without writing. What a nice scrappy improvisational look. Good job, Carol!

Meet Veronica Santos of Spain!

Veronica Santos of Spain was inspired by a spider web quilt that she saw on http://www.quiltville.com/ so she made a beautiful one for herself. That's how quilters are, no matter what corner of the world we live in! We hear you, Veronica! And what a beautiful quilt it is!

She also made this clever selvage bag (shown open above, and shown folded closed below). What a good idea. I also like the use of the zig-zag stitch. You can see more of Veronica's quilting on her blog at: http://www.lascosasdevero.blogspot.com/. I can't read Spanish, but I enjoy the photos!

Imagine Using Your OWN Selvages!

I mean selvages from fabrics that you designed yourself! How cool is that? Read what Karen Snyder of Long Beach, WA has to say:

"When my first fabric line came out about three years ago, my friend Monica made a sample for me for Quilt Market. She carefully cut off all the selvages and gave them to me. I've had eight more fabric lines, and I'm still saving selvages--but the cup is the only thing I've made so far. The Washtub prints I used in the cup were by Andover. I now design for Timeless Treasures. I have a new line coming out next week at Market called Sweet Pea. I've also written four quilting books, published by Krause. You can see the fabrics and books on my web site, www.annalena.com."

Take a look at that site; it's really nice. Bravo, Karen!

Feedsack Selvages!

Did you know that feedsacks had selvages? I didn't! Where else can you learn so much about the lowly selvage?

Marydon of the Blushing Rose Boutique in Westminster, MD sent this photo, and she says:

"The entire fabric is the same right up to the edge/selvage ... only a rare few have writing about the textile mill. I have attached a pic of a rare one."

You can visit her boutique at: http://www.blushingroseboutique.com/. In addition to other merchandise, she and her husband offer vintage feedsacks for sale. Thank you, Marydon!

Meet Diane in Tampa, FL

Diane in Tampa, FL made this selvage bag. I like her diagonal selvage block arrangement, and the orange pocket on the side. She even covered a button with selvages.

Diane is originally from Las Vegas and now lives in Florida, but she loves snowmen! I guess they seem nice and cold to her. Makes sense to me. Visit her blog at:

http://sewmanmaniacquilter.blogspot.com/ Get it? Sewman = Snowman. I'm just showing off. :)

Meet Sharyn of Kalama Quilts

At the top of Sharyn's blog: http://www.kalamaquilts.blogspot.com/, it reads: "Where we eat to live, and live to quilt." So right off the bat, you know she has her priorities in order and you can relate to her. Her blog is thoughtful, hilarious and definitely worth the trip. Make a new cup of coffee or tea first. Seriously.

Take a look at the card that she made: it has paper selvages! I never saw that before. It even says "Cut Off Strip" right on it, in case we are wondering what to do. :)

Quilt Diva Julie's Stash

Here is Julie's selvage stash! (Julie lives in Memphis, TN) She says:

"When one of our local Walgreens stores closed (in order to open across the street where they could have a drive thru), my husband happened by on the day they were selling off store fixtures. He bought 4 of these 5-drawer units and the extended countertop (which is perfect for a cutting surface) for under $75.00!"

A very fine husband indeed, Julie! I mean "wonderful storage drawers!"

Take a look at Julie's blog: http://quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com/ She has the coolest stuff on her blog. I check in regularly!

Monika's Bag: Peace on Earth

Monika Schiffgen of Germany made this beautiful travel bag. She included a bit of the selvage which reads "Peace on Earth." She says, "Such a beautiful name and a very nice font." What pretty Moda fabrics. And such an elegant bag, Monika.

Seen Enough Selvage Stashes? I Didn't Think So!

Isn't Terri's selvage stash elegant? She says: "I just love the way the colors show through these beautiful glass apothecary jars and since my father and mother were pharmacists, it brings back memories of them at the same time."

Visit her blog "From Here to Quilternity" at: http://www.quilternity.com/


Nancy in Connecticut stores her selvages in the drawers above, according to length. Pretty fancy! Then, she stores her finished selvage blocks in plastic bags (below). Well, okay Nancy, but how about whipping them up into a nice quilt? They're really pretty. Show us what you make!
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Check out her blog at: http://quiltingquandry.blogspot.com/.

Kathy's stash (below) is small but growing. Kathy is a quilter and a firefighter! You don't hear that every day! She lives in Maine and enjoys the outdoors and gardening.
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Check out her blog at: http://beewitchinstitchin.wordpress.com/

When I saw this photo, I thought "Wow! She has a lot of the same fabrics as me!" I told her that in an email and she replied, "Well, that's because you sent me some!" Really? I don't remember that at all. Yikes. I wonder what else I'm up to (that I don't know about!).

Still more selvage stashes on the way! Stay tuned.

Time-Lapse Selvage Stash (Physics)

Lynne in New Hampshire sent three photos of her selvage stash. Above, see her stash as it looked in February. So neat and tidy.
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Below, in the March photo, you can see she's stocking up for a project. Super-Critical Mass!

Then Lynne made two pretty tote bags that you saw on this blog. She says she was eager to clean up after those projects, so she just stuffed her selvages back in the box (April photo, below).

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While that's true, according to the physics of selvage quilting her stash will never return to the neat state shown above, and she will never have a smaller selvage stash, no matter how many projects she does. Our knowledge of selvage physics is still in it's infancy, but these surprising principles are being verified every day. Does your experience agree with this?

Thanks, Lynne for your contribution to art and science.

Oops! Selvage Editor Needed!

Sophy's Roses just don't sound as pretty when pronounced "Soppy's Roses." When this typo was made, maybe they thought, "Oh well, who reads selvages?" Well we do! We're not the Quilt Police, we're just sayin.

Thanks to selvage quilter Joan Jordan who noticed these interesting selvages in her stash and emailed us a photo. (See her purse and postcard on this blog).