Bella by Lotta Jansdotter

Bella is here and in stock !!!

  
Lotta Jansdotter's second line for Windham Fabrics is a bright, modern and sunny collection, with bold and simple designs in beautiful shades of citron and grey, turquoise, melon and cobalt blue.  

I absolutely love this line and can't wait to get sewing !!

Here is a link to Lotta's page.  Find out how "Bella" was born and how Lotta takes the designs from paper to fabric

Lotta Jansdotter's workbook

A few weeks ago, I started sewing 2 inch Hexagons

I loved "Bella" for this project and I added a lime green and red to it.  So, I'm going to continue sewing -  I'm not sure just how to put the hexies together, but I'm sure it will come to me.....

what are you making out of Bella?

Home for the Holidays BOM - What you need for Wool Applique'

Wool Applique' 101
For the wool applique' portion of this project you will need the following:



Wool thread or embroidery floss to match your wool - I used Auriful 12 weight -  100% Lana wool thread for both the embroidery and the applique'.  We have this at the shop in large spools - 300 or so yards per spool for around $10 per spool, or one of the fun things that we sell at the shop is 10 yards spools of wool thread in a variety of colors for $2 each.  This is a good way to collect the colors of thread that you may need without spending a lot of money. 
If you are using embroidery floss, use #310 black for the words, and colors of floss to match your wool.  I used brown 898, green 934, a dark neutral 640 since I didn't have wool thread in those colors. 




Freezer Paper - My favorite is Quilter's Freezer Paper Sheets

Black Pigma Pen - I like to use a permanent pen to trace the patterns onto freezer paper, and to trace the words onto the background fabric.  I'm using a black pen because we are using black thread.  A mechanical pencil will work also, but it makes a mess of your hands and the lead can smear onto your fabrics


Applique' Glue - any kind of glue or glue stick will work, just choose your favorite



a 7 inch Embroidery Hoop - I prefer a spring-loaded hoop

 









Size 7 Wool/Embroidery Needles - I like the length of the size 7 Foxglove Cottage needle for the applique'

Needle Threader - this is a must

Scissors - a great pair of sewing scissors like Gingher or Dovo Scissors



My next post in this series will focus on the embroidery stitches, methods for tracing and cutting out your wool appliue' pieces, and how to place and stitch your wool onto your background fabric.


to be continued........
Joni    :)

Home for the Holidays BOM - part #1

Step #1 - Felting Wool: 

Working with hand-dyed wool is wonderful.  
Because of the dying process, it has already been "felted".  It's ready to use whether you buy it in squares, fat quarters or by the yard - and yes all the wool in your Home for the Holidays kits are either hand-dyed or have already been felted for you - so no worries

If you are using wool in any project, first make sure it is 100% wool.  If you have purchased wool by the yard, or you are using a recycled wool skirt or jacket from the local goodwill, it will more than likely need to be "felted" or washed.
Larger amounts of wool can simply be washed in your washing machine in HOT water ( I will usually set my washing machine to a hot soak cycle first, to allow the wool to absorb the hot water)  then rinse in COLD water, and repeat.  Spin it well and toss in the dryer.  Wool has a tendency to have an odor when it is washed, so I generally add a little detergent to the wash water to help with the smell.

Smaller pieces of wool (like squares or fat quarters)  You can hand wash in the kitchen sink.  Fill one side of the sink with HOT water  (again with a little detergent)  and the other side with COLD water.  Soak and agitate the wool with your hands until it has absorbed the hot water - and this might take a while -  the key is the agitation.  Then soak the wool in the cold water.  Then repeat with clean Hot and Cold water.  This shocks the fibers, shrinks them and the hand agitation "felts" the fibers.
Remove as much water as you can and toss in the dryer, or simply lay flat to dry on a clean towel overnight.

Once you felt a few pieces of wool yourself, you will be able to tell right away which wool fabrics need to be felted or not, just by looking at the weave and by feeling the wool.  It should be a tight weave and be soft like it has been washed.


If you are not sure if you are buying wool that has been felted or not, just ask your local quilt shop.  They will gladly tell you if your wool is hand-dyed or not and whether or not you need to  "felt" your wool before working with it.

HOT lanta

By the way, in case you haven't seen me at the shop in a day or two, I have been in Atlanta, GA for the last three weeks, and can I just say HOT lanta.

I'm loving the yummy fresh peaches, the beautiful southern-style homes that have HUGE wrap-around porches, and of course -- all the quilt shops -- Not as many shops here as the lucky people in Utah have of course -- but I can sniff out a Quilt Shop anywhere

Little Quilts is in Marietta, GA by the way  - www.littlequilts.com

and people are really friendly out here and call you by your first name, 

but with a MISS in front of it....

Thank you Miss Joni.... How are you today Miss Joni?     Ha Ha -  I love it



But just to give you a little taste of what August in  HOT lanta Georgia is like -

I would really like an ice cream right about now ..... but I think this truck is all out


See you soon - and keep quilting ladies

Harley & Me

spent the day sewing and watching Marley & me on TBS.... and cried for two hours!!

reminded me of my own naughty dog.... "Harley"

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself"