> ~ Insights by SewCalGal ~

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Valentine Sewing Party













Today I'm attending the Valentine Sewing Party.  Anyone can join. We're essentially working on Valentine related projects and all participants will be posting on their blog throughout the day to share insights of what they are working on...and the party!  I haven't been introduced to all of the participants yet, but here are some that I know are participating.  I'll update this list as I meet others!

Alice - Alice In Quilter Land
Beatrice - A Needle In A Haystack
CJ - A Stitch &
A Prayer -  Aunt Polly's Porch   
Amanda - Busy Little Quilter 
Carol - Carol's Craft Blog
Kelly - Charming Chatter   
Cora - A Crafty Moment
Lisa - Crafty Little Mama
Sandie - Crazy About Quilts
Kris - Dandellion Quilts 
Dawn-Marie - Friendship Around The Fire
Kim - Kim Sherrod Studios
Karen - Log Cabin Quilter
Lori - Lollydo
Michelle - L7 Quilt Co.
Mary - Mary on Lake Pulaski
Melinda - Melinda's Fabric Fancies
Moneik - Moneik Quilts
Mary Anne - Moon Beams In A Jar
Nat - Not Just Nat
Rene - Luv2Kreate
Joan - Projects of An AcadienneOuvrages d'une Acadienne
Chrys - Paper Roses
Paws for Stitching
Stef - Quilt Buddy  
Katherine Quilter Going Bananas 
Diane (and her Sis) - Quilting Is Blissful
Annie B - Seize The Day
Cindy - Sew Cindy 
Kim - Stillmeadow Quilting

Participants will be posting updates throught out the day, to their blogs, to show their progress today.  Like a Parade of Valentine projects!  So, you may want to pop by the blogs of the participants to enjoy seeing what everyone is working on. 

My first project is a wallhanging.














I must confess, I will be offline mid-morning as I need to go to a meeting.  So, most of my sewing will begin mid-day!  But while I'm out, I hoping everyone can help me out.  I'm not that great with colors. I initially thought I'd make this wallhanging with all the hearts the same color (the darker pink fabric for the hearts and borders, with the light pink being the background. 















I'm now thinking of using a variety of fabrics for the hearts.  So let me know what you think of these colors? 














Do you think I should keep all the hearts of the same fabric or go for a mix?  And if I select a mix of fabrics for hearts, do you like the fabrics I'm thinking of cutting into hearts?  With the AccuQuiltGo I can cut these hearts out in a few minutes!   Any recommendations?


Update:

I am having fun quilting with a great group of quilters that have come to the Valentine Party today. I arrived late, due to needing to attend a last minute meeting this morning. Not sure how late everyone wants to quilt today, but I'm on a roll so I think I'll be continuing to party all night long? Anyone up to turning this into a slumber party?


I've been asked by others at this party if like the AccuQuilt Go cutter? YES! It is a fantastic product. I just get on a roll cutting, cutting....actually I spend far less time cutting than I did previously. And I've been very happy with the ease of use & accuracy.
Earlier in our party I had shared that I had initially thought I'd make my Valentine wallhanging using two fabrics, but was struggling if I wanted to use a variety of colors as shown in the AccuQuilt pattern I'm using. To clarify, this pattern was given out for free for AccuQuilt Fans on Facebook awhile back.

I ended up cutting more hearts using the AccuQuilt Go, spending only a few minutes to cut a number of hearts in a variety of colors.
















I placed some of my colored hearts on my wallhanging canvas.


















My husband likes the variety of colors, but neither of us like the light shades.


















We also like it when all of the hearts are the same fabric.

I wish I had a better photo to share, but I'd rather spend time quilting right now than tweak the lighting and try to get better photos {sorry}.

What do you like? A mix of colors or the solid fabrics.
I've also made some pillowcases today, but haven't taken any photos of them to share right now. Next time!
 
7pm update: 
I realized I wasn't participating in the Valentine Party appropriately. I created another post for update(s) vs updating this post.  I'm now trying to clean up my blog and delete my most current post, and merge into an update in this post.  I get "it" now!  Sorry for the few of you that left comments on my post that I'm now deleting.

8pm update:
Finished dinner with my DH.  Fresh asparagus, french onion soup and cornish hen.  Yummy.  I'm lucky to be married to a great cook, who kindly prepared dinner while I participated in the Valentine Party.  Have finished washing dishes and am heading back for a bit more sewing tonight.  I hope to get one more update w/photos before I stop this evening.

9pm update:
I wanted to share a few more photos.  Today I made some Valentine pillowcases from my stash. Yes, the accent print on one is short...but that was what I had in my stash.















And I made two pillowcases that have absolutely nothing to do with Valentines Day, but I do love cats and have some cat loving friends!  Plus I used fabrics from my stash!

And I embellished several dish towels with scraps from the hearts that I cut with the AccuQuilt!  Super easy way to turn scraps into usable items that can be fun in your home, or for gifts!



I've had great fun with the Valentine Party sew-cial.  Have met some delightful quilters (who also blog) and have been inspired by all of their projects and insights they shared.  I particularly appreciate getting feedback for color & fabric selection today!

Thank you to Charming Chatter and everyone that came to the Valentine Party today.  I had a great time.  But I'm a bit tired, so I'm going to call it a day.  But I'm looking forward to reading the blogs of all the participants and seeing what they create today and in the future!

I'll share insights on how I finish my Valentine Party Wallhanging(s) and other projects on future posts at http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ 

Good night fellow quilters!






28 comments:

Kim said...

Welcome to the party! I think those colors you pick go nicely together.

Lollydo said...

Are you going to use the AccuQuilt pattern? Which fabric is your focus fabric? It's hard for me to tell for sure, but the floral pattern on the far right look like it would do well witht the colors in the first photo or the fabric with the hearts cut out would look good also. Your range of fabric in the second photo seems broad to me. I would narrow it down a bit, but you may have a vision in your mind that makes it all work out beautifully. In that case, DON'T LISTEN TO ME and go with your own inspiration. Can't wait for you to get back!

SewCalGal said...

I'm still stuck in my morning meeting, but have internet access, so I'm at least watching the Valentine Quilt Party. Hopefully I'll be home soon, and able to work on my Valentine projects!!!

Mrs. Jackie Sue said...

congrats on your win!
http://sew-fantastic.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-favorite-things-8.html

*hugs*
Jackie

Kelly@ Charming Chatter said...

Yum, this is too cute. Can't wait to see the finished project! Such fun! I'm off to add you to the "partier" list! Hey, what's your first name -- so I can add it??

alice said...

I love all your colors. You have convinced me I need to do another table runner with the purples.I hope you have finally gotten to do some sewing. Do you love you shape cutter? I keep staring and drooling at them. Have fun! L,A-

Barb said...

Looks like alot of fun, I have already come across a few Valentine sew in's today....

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

Can't wait to see what you chose Darlene!

Dandelion Quilts said...

Purples are always nice.

Nat Palaskas said...

You asked! If it were me I will go for mix colors, the more is the better hahaha!!! Get back to that meet and NO peeking - Hugs Nat

CJ said...

I am awful with colors too. I usually end up going with a line of fabrics to avoid that stress. Sooooooo you have the Accu Cut...COOL!
Pretty sweet meeting when you can be on the internet during it. ;)

Karen said...

Do you have one of those machines that cuts out shapes?

Jonathan said...

I think all the fabrics you chose are lovely! And I would lean towards different color hearts, although just one color would be pretty too. :-)

Polly said...

I can't wait to see it all finished! Come over and see mine! Polly :-) http://auntpollysporch.blogspot.com/2010/01/voila-madeline-is-done.html

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

How did you make out today???/ this has been fun and I will be back to see how it all turns out---have a great day tomorrow!!
Hugs, Di&co

Cindy said...

Okay, is this Accuquilt thing-a-ma-jig something I need to ask hubby for come Christmas 2010?

Do you have to buy templated for each shape?

If you wanted me attention, you got it. Now you go sew and quit teasing us with this gadget.

Luv 2 Kreate said...

Love your projects!

Kim D. said...

Lovely hearts in both color ways. It's always good to make two and give one for a gift. I'm not participating, but it's been a fun looking at all the eye candy.

Pokey said...

I really love color and scrappy, but your one color pink heart/snowflake is quite nice!

Béa said...

Sorry I miss you yesterday, because of the time zone...I can't wait to see how you finished your project ! Happy sewing.

Kim said...

I like everything you put together. Lot's of LUV quilting going on here. :-D I like the multiple color heart snowflake and an over-dye of some kind might be interesting to do for the shades you don't care for so much. I am sewing this morning ~ picking up where I left off last night.

Dandelion Quilts said...

I like the design...really neat.

annieb said...

Love the wallhangings- think the pink one is my favorite.

Kelly@ Charming Chatter said...

Oh, Darlene! I love the one with the hearts all the same color. It's my fav, but the other one is really cute, too! Thanks for sharing about the Accucutter! How great that your hubby cooks! Thanks so much for joining us at the party -- it was so fun!

Quilter Going Bananas said...

I think you had a productive day! See you at the next party :^)

Chris said...

Holy cow - You really got a lot done in one day. Beautiful work. I especially like the one with all the red hearts. Could also be done with alternate red and pink hearts on a white background.

Unknown said...

I love the wallhanging with the multicolor hearts!!!! I love to make pillowcaes too.......I have heard that the accucut is great....I hate cutting fabriis my least favorite part!

Michelle said...

Whoa, what a party...I'm still trying to recover. I just love a man who can cook!

I just LOVE your cutter...those wall hangings are just too cute! I'm going back through to make sure I get to check everyone out. This whole party process was like a juggling act...sewing, posting, check on everyone & eating...it was FUN!