Posted on by agilejack

Finishing One… Thinking About My Next

We had some dry weather yesterday so I ducked out of work an hour early and went and played pickleball for a couple hours. I was exhausted when I got home so didn’t even think about going into my sewing room.

But today it rained almost all day. Bender and Rico were such good boys… snoozing all day long at my feet… not being frustrated at their lack of activity. But when my weather app said it was stopping rain at 5 pm and was supposed to be dry the rest of the night, we got dressed (yes.. I worked in my jammy pants and slippers all day!), got all our lights and reflectors on and headed out. It was nice and cool and the air was damp. We got about two thirds of our walk in dusk and then it was dark. I ran into a friend tat about that time and got to walk and talk with him for about a mile. That’s about the time a nice fine rain started. Good thing I had donned my rain coat and a cap! It was nice to have someone to talk to as we walked after walking alone so often — or at least not with someone who is able to carry on conversation

When we got home I fed the dogs and grabbed my own dinner and then hit my sewing room to start assembling the blocks of my current quilt. I managed to get three of the five rows sewn together.

I could have finished the whole thing tonight but I felt the need to recline on the sofa and watch some TV to rest after my work week. I’ll finish this up tomorrow night, most likely.

Here’s some eye candy. You really do have to see these fabrics close up to really appreciate them completely.

As I’m finishing this quilt I find myself thinking about what I want to make next. I’m not sure I’ve satisfied my appetite for this pattern. I think I just might make another one. Here’s what I’m thinking… I’ve been thinking of altering this pattern to be put together on point. I played with this a little on the design wall the other night.

Imagine that layout, with a few small changes, using some fabric that’s very special.

Several years ago I heard that they were going to stop making the Kaffe Fassett woven stripes fabrics. So I went online and bought a half yard of everything I could find. Here’s all those fabrics in a bin in my sewing room. there are 58 half yards here. That means there are 29 yards. That’s enough for at least four quilts, depending on how many scraps I generate.

These fabrics are so incredibly gorgeous. What makes them so special? The stripes are woven in, rather than being printed on. The colors are just amazing — deep and rich, yet very natural feeling. It’s really hard for me to think about cutting into these because I know I’ll never be able to replenish my stash.

One of the quilts I make from these fabrics WILL be mine! I can actually picture all those fabrics in my living room and would love to curl up under them every night!

Those stripes make me so happy!

I have Rico’s weekly sheep herding lesson tomorrow. Then later in the afternoon we have a dog agility training clinic down in Hopewell. I need to make a trip out to McMinnville, Oregon, to pick up a few pieces of fabric my friend and I need for an upcoming Aboriginal quilt. So I’ll head out there on my way to Hopewell.

The weather Saturday and Sunday are supposed to be dry, so I’m hoping to get some pickleball in on Sunday morning.

31 Replies to “Finishing One… Thinking About My Next”

  1. Those stripes are just yummy. I always wonder why fabric manufacturers stop making certain fabrics when they have been so spectacular. Those stripes are timeless!
    Glad you had a bit of human company on your walk tonight, even in the rain. My two dogs love their walks, but they don’t like getting wet. We practically have to drag them outside this time of year!
    Can’t wait to see what you do with the stripes and what Aboriginal fabrics you get!

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    1. Interesting question as to why manufacturers stop making products. Might have gotten to difficult or impossible to continue producing. Might not have been a strong market for them… which is hard to believe.

      My dogs don’t mind getting wet, and they LOVE getting toweled off!!! it’s the most exciting part of their day!!!

      Anne

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  4. Anne

    A member of your admiring lurkers here. Felt I needed to comment on the Kaffe shot cotton stripe fabric as I’ve made a pieced quilt with them. Know you are not counting on the stripes to be other than irregular, however, the fabric is as fine as a cotton lawn without the thread count. Fray like crazy. If I’d done another pieced quilt (4” finished ¼ sq. triangles) I’d add a stabilizer to aid in cutting and piecing. Your elongated 16 patch will not be as fussy and you likely will not want to add a stabilizer, however, you might cut a bit oversized to account for fraying and treat edges as though they were all bias cut. Perhaps run stitching around the edge of each block to add stability and durability as you construct and use. They are lovely and soft. Many thanks for your blog ( I found you on Wanda’s) and tales of the ‘boys.’ Smooth collie lives here.

    Jocelyn Wuester Fort Worth, TX

    >

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    1. Oh! Thanks for the tips. I’ve never sewn with these fabrics so this is great info as I strike out. I’ll think about using some stabilizer and will. definitely her intentional in how much I handle the blocks.

      Anne

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  5. Wow! Those striped Kaffe fabrics-awesomeness! Yes, it would be hard to cut into but easier to wrap up under sewn together 🤭. Love the on point layout!

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  6. Oh those gorgeous Kaffe Stripes! Have you ever seen the quilt called “Haze Kilim” made with those fabrics? It is so unbelievably beautiful… my absolute favorite quilt! Google it…and I am sure you will love it too!

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    1. I have seen that one and admire people who make it, but it’s not something I’d ever make! It’s a little too fussy and detailed for me in the piecing! I don’t enjoy that kind of piecing. but I do appreciate when others do it!

      Anne

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  8. I see a few I don’t have. I love the stripes also. My problem is with all Kaffe’s fabric I have I hate cutting into them 😞

    You inspire me!!!

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  9. If you have enough of the stripes for several quilts, my advice is start using them. I have worked with them both as triangles and strips and didn’t use stabilizer. If you decide to, spray sizing is what I tried when advised by a pattern. I am used to working on satin and chiffon and other delicate fabrics so these weren’t troublesome to me. I stopped using the sizing after the first hour. Overhandling the blocks is where fraying can occur but I didn’t have any more problem with these than I have with all of the other Kaffe printed fabric.

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    1. I assumed the commenter meant a spray stabilizer… at least that’s what I was thinking about. I sometimes use Best Press on KFC fabrics, depending on what I’m making.

      thanks of the info on your experience with these fabrics, and I think you’re right that I need two do something with them. there should be more joy in that than in just having them.

      Anmne

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  14. Anne, these woven stripes are glorious! I came onto the KF scene too late to purchase these, so will particularly enjoy seeing the quilts you make with these. I am also most interested in the shot cottons and who you sourced. I’d like to incorporate them into my quilting. Are you willing to share that information and do you have any tips in using them? I’ve read they are a bit thinner than most other quilter cottons, particularly batiks. Thank you in advance. You continue to inspire me!

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    1. I found a pretty good selection of Kaffe shot cottons at Missouri Star Quilt company. they had the most colors of all the sites I checked.

      I have never sewn with them. I may use some sizing or Best Press on them before I start cutting, just to be safe.

      Any KFC Fabric is thinner than batiks. Sewing on batiks is like sewing on cardboard after sewing on KFC fabrics. (BTW…I love batiks!)

      Anne

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  15. I look at that fabric and want to drink in the gorgeousness of it… I never think to just treat myself to a full set… I need to rethink that! Can’t wait to see what is coming!

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    1. Bought all those stripes when I heard they weren’t going to be produced any more. I don’t typically buy that much of one thing. But it broke my heart to think I’d never be able to get it again.

      Anne

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