Organization is key.

I don’t know about you but I spend more time searching for things in my studio than actually quilting. It can be so annoying when alls you want to do is sew or quilt. I have avoided sewing and quilting because my studio is such a disaster.

Here take a look and you will see what I am talking about.

See… Can you relate? I am determined to clean up and organize the room so I WANT to go into it and work. So, I started on my thread! This is how I use to store my thread.

Needless to say it really didn’t work and since my room is small… the floor space is very valuable so I utilized the door.

not done yet… but it is a great start. I got this at the Container Store.

Here is the list of items I used…

Elfa 77 3/4″ mount

Elfa Utility Residential Overdoor Hooks White Set of 2

Elfa Utility Narrow Medium Mesh Basket White

These baskets fit Aurifil thread spools perfectly! They have other sizes so you can measure your spools or cones and get the ones that work for you. I have no affiliation with Container store.. just a happy customer.

Stay tuned for more studio organization!

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

A Little Border Basic

Perfect Plumes

When I first started machine quilting back in 2004, I looked all over for a mathematical way to figure out borders. Something that would work all the time on every border. Unfortunately, I could not find one. I thought I would share with you how I figure out an undulating spine that goes around the entire quilt. I have found that it is best to mark these before you load the machine on the frame.

Click here for the video of how I figure out this spine!

You can use this spine for ferns, flowers, feathers… really any thing or maybe just to divide up your border or space to do different fills on either side. I’d love to know how you measure and mark your borders. Leave it in the comments below!

Something Exciting is coming…..

 

I can barely contain my excitement… you’ve asked and I’ve listened… Yeah…..

Make sure you are signed up to receive my newsletter, or follow my blog, instagram or Facebook… one of them or all of them… you don’t want to miss out…. I am hoping to be spilling the beans next week…. so stay tuned.

My New Book!!!

I am so excited!  My new book, Lisa H Calle’s Divide and Design, is coming out!  They are due to arrive here in my studio the week of Sept 19th!!

I am now accepting preorders for a signed copy….. all orders will go out the week of the 26th!  (hopefully sooner) If you order your book with any Quilter’s Groove Rulers, they will all go out at the same time so if you need your rulers, please order them separately.

This book will teach you my divide and design technique as well as give you 5 simple piecing/applique projects to practice on.  When using this technique I use a  variety of rulers to divide out my quilt.  I use the ProEcho’s … the small ones (Proechoes 3-7) and medium ones (Proechoes 8-12) are the most used! You can use whatever templates/rulers you have on hand.

This technique is not just  for longarmers!  If you quilt your own tops, this book is for you!

Here are a couple of peeks at some of the quilts…

 

This book goes over the material in my iQuilt class as well.  iQuilt is having a sale 40% off one  class!

Divide, Design and Fill for Beautiful Quilting or Mastering the Mini, Wholecloth that is!

Promotional Disclosure: *Use coupon code SEPT40 at checkout to receive your discount. Discount applied to the lowest priced class in the cart. Members receive an additional 20% off at checkout. Sale valid 09/08/16 through 09/13/16 at 11:59 p.m. (CT). Limited time only. Subject to change without notice. Only one coupon code may be used per order. Not valid on prior orders. This offer may not be combined with other offers.

 

I am off to AQS Chattanooga on Monday!  I hope to see a lot of you there!

What will you create?

Lisa

New York Beauty… con’t

Here is where we left off on Tuesday… its worth repeating… if you don’t like your dividing lines (the scrolls on this design that are dividing up the areas) you won’t like your end product!!

You all know that I love feathers so that is what I decided to go with…. however, this design would look good if you skipped over the design work and just did fills…

I added some  feather and some little pebbles along the scrolls.

I then decided ribbon candy would look good in the 1/4 circle.  What do you think?  it will make the unquilted areas there pop.   I added some more feathers on the top scrolls as well.  I love straight lines next to feathers so that is the fill I did around the outside but since I didn’t want to be precise when I got to the feathers…. I stippled next to the feathers.  ( I do the straight lines first then go back and stipple over them.)  I put also used some pebbles and a curvy fill.

I like to use a couple of different fills as it lends some more interest to the quilt.

What do you think?  Do you have a New York Beauty you would like to share?  We would all love to see it. Send it to Lisahcalle@me.com

I positioned the mirror in different corners.  I love all of them… which is your favorite?

Jean Greco sent me the next two pictures.  Thank you!  I think we all learn best from each other when we share..

 

What will you create?

Lisa

Friendship Star.. take?

Hi all,

I am trying to get caught up and organized after that sale.  It was a whirlwind and the feedback on the new site and new packaging was great.  Thank you.

I did not get a chance to draw up a new design but Dagmar Eu was kind enough to send me her design and I must say I really like it.

I am hoping to get back to drawing and quilting… I actually came close to turning on my machine but it hasn’t happened.  I am determined to work on my quilt next week, I need to get it off the frame to do a couple of samples.  This means that I at least have to baste it.

The thought of basting the whole quilt to take it off use to send shivers down my spine but now with the BERNINA longarm…. no more.  The basting stitch is wonderful.  I like the 2 stitches per inch when I am basting and it does it like a dream.  I ‘ll keep you posted but in the mean time, I am going to ask you for your help…. the New York Beauty block is up next and I would love to get some pictures of what you all have done with it.  Can you all send me some pics?  email them to me at lisahcalle@me.com with your name and the date done and i will make sure that is embedded in the pic.

What will you create?

Lisa

Friendship Star – Take 1

Today is the last day for the 15% off sale over at lisahcalle.com!  Don’t miss out!

I have skipped over the Hunter’s Star since the Lemoyne star was so much like it.  I am going to slow down on these posts as I want to actually have some time to quilt my next competition piece.  So I will be posting progress pictures of that.  I am hoping you all will give me some motivation to finish it… or at least get a move on it. LOL   So I will post blocks pictures on Monday and Friday and see how that goes.  I’d love it if you all participated.  Any takers?  If you send me Friendship star pics I can post them on Friday.   I know short notice so, no pressure.

Here we ago…

Step 1 :  Divide up your block.  This is the first thing I would stitch… along with all of my stitch in the ditch work.  As you probably have noticed I use a lot of ProEchoes  in all different sizes because its nice to have a lot of different curves to chose from.  Remember they are on sale right now…. just saying…

Step 2: Add some design work… no surprise what I chose.

Step 3:   decided to add a chain of pebbles… this is where the ProPebble 1/4 comes in handy.

Step 4:  I’ve added some extra curves in to frame the pebbles and straight-line stitching with the ProLine 16.  Then I added some sand stipple right next to the feathers which help them pop.  I also added some partial circles (using the Propebble 3/4 in the corner… once they are next to the other blocks they will form a circle.

Step 5:  finished up with some more straight line fill on the outside of the feather echo and then some more sand stipple in the corners.  Some crosshatching in the center ( 1/2″) and some circles in the triangles.

Here’s a peak of what a couple of blocks would look like together.

Hope you like it.

What will you create?

Lisa

Storm at Sea – Take 3

Here is the last design for the storm at  sea… let me know what you think..

Step 1:  I used some wavy lines and scrolls to divide up this block.

 

Step 2:  Some fun continuous curves…

Step 3:  Straight line echoing around the exterior…

Here is the view of the “quilt”

 

I’d say this is lightly quilted for me.  LOL

Next up is the Hunter’s Star block!

 

Have you made it over to lisahcalle.com yet…. don’t miss out on the sale.

 

What will you create?

Lisa

LeMoyne Star- Take 3

So sorry this is late… between last week at BERNINA University and this week teaching at Quilt Odyssey, I got a little behind.   I am hoping to catch up and get ahead this weekend.

It was requested that I tell you how I would stitch these out so I will start doing that as well.

Step 1:   This was how I divided up this block to begin with… if I were working on customer quilts, I would stitch out the final design and not stitch out based on the steps that I show you.  When I am working on my own quilts which are mainly competition pieces, I stitch out in the steps. So I know everything is going to work.

Step 2:  Add some feathers…. you can do ferns as well or feather variations and it would look great.

Step 3: I wanted to keep this one fairly simple so I added some more continuous curves.

If I were stitching this all out,the small circle in the center would come first.  Then I would do all of the continuous curves  as well as the stitch in the ditch.  Then would come the scrolls and feathers.

Hope you like this one… its a cuddable!

Next up is the Storm at Sea!

What will you create?

Lisa

*Celebration sale starting next week at lisahcalle.com

Ohio Star #1

Hi all,

I ave been enjoying the block designs and hope you all do too.  Please send in your request.  My goal is to post 3 different designs of each block.  If you have a request, please let me know and I will add it to the list.

Forgive me as I don’t remember who requested the Ohio star.  I tend to have a heavy hand in my quilting so the first design is a full on custom but you can stop in any of the stages.

Step 1:  Divide up the areas.  I like the wavy lines in the corner blocks as it adds a lot of movement to the block.  So grab your rulers and play.  I used the ProSpine Small for those lines. I would also SID around the block and all the pieces as well.

Step 2:  Choose your main design element.  Was it any wonder I would choose feathers??  But you could choose anything you like.  I decided on a one sided feather so I could do something different on the other side.  If this were a customer quilt and time was important, I would have also put feathers on the opposite side.

Step 3:  Those small triangles needed something and I love straight lines but you could also fill in with sand stipple or pebbles.

Step 4:  I decided to carry on with the straight lines.  I used the Proline 8 which gives the 1/8″ spacing.

Step 5:  There was still some fabric that needed to be quilted.  I like to put the sand stipple next to my feathers as it really makes them pop.  I would also go in and do some echo quilting in the star so it didn’t feel left out.

Let me know what you think.  Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself out here.  Love to see what you all are doing and some more suggestions for blocks.

Wednesday I will try to lighten up the quilting a little…. it might be hard but I’ll give it a go.  LOL

What will you create?

Lisa