Tag Archives: #materialgirlfriends

Hi Lo

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On a rare occasion, you come across a fabric line that takes your breath away. Your heart begins to beat faster and you know exactly what pattern you intend to use. I am making a Quilt of Valor!

The Bandana Ballad by Michale Miller Fabrics sang a beautiful patriotic melody to my soul!

I had designed a simple quilt a couple years ago called Hi Lo.  It had 10 rows of rainbow fabrics. The row starts with a bright batik color and collided with a lighter hue of the same color. Sometimes when you see a design in black and white print, you see something new. What if? What if I had blue rows and red rows instead??  My heart sang again.  It is time to sew!!

Momma met me at Lisa’s house and the three of us began to sew. We are really fast when one of us cuts and presses and the others two run the sewing machines. Before you knew it the quilt design was beginning to come together.

We added one more row because I wanted a strong blue in the top left corner, now I have 11 rows making the finished size, 60” x 66”.

For our backing I used the bandanna border fabric.  I matched and aligned the fabric design in the seam in the back.  I used the leftover fabric from the backing for my binding.

I’m very pleased with how it turned out.

Lisa created a Hi Lo promotion on our Material Girlfriends Square Store. Enter HiLo in the coupon field when checking out and receive free shipping on your entire order. Check with Melissa and Leslie at our local quilt shop in Livermore, In Between Stitches for the Bandana Ballad fabrics. If you’re local, or just desperate for a road trip, In Between Stitches is where you can find many of the  Material Girlfriends patterns, including Hi Lo.

The first Monday of September is Labor Day. Already! Set out your red, white, and blue decor and enjoy sewing on this patriotic pattern.

We both miss you more than you’ll ever know. We look forward to when we can stitch face-to-face. In the meantime, stay safe and sound. Try out Zoom. We’ve found it a great way to connect with other quilters.

Hi Lo, Bye Lo!

Lo Ra Zmak

Peak into Batik Block #7

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Are You Ready? Let’s SEW! Michael Miller Fabrics has a free Monthly Quilt Along going on this year. Block #7 instructions are now available. Video tutorial by Lora and Lisa of Material Girlfriends! Tadah!!

This has been a fun Quilt Along. You can either cut your pieces using your Accuquilt machine using the 8″ Qube or you can cut your pieces in the traditional way. Both cutting instructions are included on the Michael Miller blog. Find all the info here blog.michaelmillerfabrics.com

When we were asked to give the Accuquilt system a go for this program, I was… less than excited about it. I liked cutting fabric the traditional way. They said Accuquilt was fast and accurate. So was I. BUT, I was blown away. It is VERY fast and accurate. In December, we were generously given the AccuquiltGo! – the hand crank one – as well as the 8″ die block for being Michael Miller Ambassadors. Since then we have purchased the larger version, AccuquiltGo! Big, plus the 12″ and 6″ Qubes, as well as a few others dies. The 9″ Qube is next on my wish list. I’d like to start adding an Accuquilt page to all my compatible patterns. The cutting system is amazing. Pricey, but amazing.

Material Girlfriends was given the honor to present Month 7! The block looks complicated. After all, it has 44 pieces! Challenge accepted, right? We created this video to break it down into manageable units. The Michael Miller instructions are very clear too. Check it out.

If you didn’t fall asleep before the ending of the video, you’ll see that Lora and I are making two Michael Miller Fabric Quilt Along quilts. I’m making the one in the lovely Michael Miller batiks and Lora is making her quilt using their sumptuous Cotton Couture solids. Both fabric bundles were sent to us in December and we have had a huge amount of pleasure working with these high quality cottons. They are just delicious.

We have five more months, five more blocks. Let’s have fun together! It is not too late to join in on the fun. In December, I’ll share instructions for an optional layout design as well.

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

What’s for breakfast?

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We have a love/hate relationship with SPAM®. I hate it in my email inbox. But I love it on my plate! Last month, Susan, from Michael Miller Fabrics, sent us an email with a link, asking if we’d be interested in creating a fun project from any of their new fabric releases. Lora was checking out the fabric lines from her house and I was looking at them from mine. I called her.

“What do you think?” I asked. 

“How many fabric lines can we choose?” She asked.

“Only three,” I answered. She groaned. Choosing only three is the tough part. “Which is your favorite?” I asked.

“SPAM!” “Mine too!” Sew here we are! SPAM for breakfast. When the fabrics arrived we made two table toppers. It isn’t a new design. It is, however, one of our favorites. The block is an old Scandinavian Christmas tradition of weaving a red and white paper or wool together to decorate their homes. This traditional block is called the Scandinavian (or Nordic, Danish, or Swedish) Woven Hearts. Our pattern is called Interwoven Hearts. We like putting a modern twist on traditional blocks. This one is easy, fast, and a perfect fit for our tables. We have made this pattern in Valentine, Christmas, Shamrock, Baby Girl, and Independence Day fabrics. As I said, it’s one of our favorites. 

Michael Miller Fabrics used:

The Interwoven Heart that used the Michael Miller Spam Pop Art for the border used solids from their Cotton Couture line, Apricot, Berry, Lipstick, and Lemon. Cobalt was used for the flange and binding. Soft White for the background

The Interwoven Heart that used the Michael Miller Spam Life White for the border, used Spam Life Aqua, Gingham Play Tangerine, Spam Print, Garden Pindot Ink, and Cotton Couture Citrus for the flange and binding.

I wish we had kits for you but this darn pandemic… Anyway, I’ve tracked down an awesome fabric source for you. Look for the above fabrics at fabrics.com 

To celebrate SPAM®, we decided to have free shipping on the Interwoven Hearts pattern. And if you decide on any other pattern, free shipping for that pattern too.

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

SPAM® by Hormel

Let’s Start at the Back

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We always start at the front, so today, let’s start at the back.

Let’s choose our backing fabric first. I was quilting grandbaby quilts for two of my friends this week.  Both chose minky backs.  I LOVE minky!  It is perfect for cuddly baby quilts. Nancy fell in love with Michael Miller’s Animal Alphabet minky.

For the front, she chose solid Michael Miller Cotton Couture in complimentary colors.  The quilt pattern is called Fresh, in a book called Simply Retro by Camille Roskelley.

Katheline chose Michael Miller’s Rosebud snuggle solid pink minky for the back of her Granddaughter’s quilt.  So incredibly soft!!!
Her quilt pattern is called Bona Fide by Material Girlfriends.  I love how Katheline fussy cut her Michael Miller Fairy fabrics for the center of the blocks!

A few tips for quilting your quilt with a minky backing:

  • If you are quilting on your domestic machine spray baste AND use safety pins.  It does like to slide around a bit. Keep the quilt design loose. The best thing about minky is it’s drape, so don’t over quilt it.
  • If you are quilting with a long arm, be sure the stretch of the minky is from side to side and no stretch from top to bottom. Pin and baste the top and sides of the quilt top and then use your side clamps.
  • Don’t seam minky backing for long arm quilting. Never. It will lead to four letter words and/or heavy drinking.
  • On occasion, the long fibers of minky can be pulled to the top of the quilt as the stitch is made. If this happens, you can use a hair brush to brush the minky back.

Here are a couple more dreamy examples of other minky backed quilts:  Confetti Star by Material Girlfriends is backed with a thick soft long haired brown minky.

Recovery Quilt by Material Girlfriends, has a luxurious pea green minky.
A Material Girlfriend Mystery quilt called Bricks and Window is adorned with Michael Miller’s Silky Minky dot purple.
My family always grab the minky backed quilts first! It’s comforting, soft, and cozy. Another advantage is that unlike fleece or flannel, minky doesn’t collect pet hair! So I can cuddle with our old puppy and not worry about his fur clinging to my quilt.
So next time you think about starting a quilt, begin with the back!
Lora

Material Girlfriends Mystery – First Clue!

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I’m ready! Are you? We’re starting the Material Girlfriends Mystery today! This is what I selected. I cut my twenty-four 10″ white squares to go with my layer cake. I received this beautiful Strata 10″ square set, by Michael Miller, in December. It was in that huge box they sent us for becoming Michael Miller Brand Ambassadors. I then selected twenty-eight Medium/Dark squares from the Strata layer cake. You only need twenty-four but I’m the self proclaimed Queen of the Mis-Cut. Beside, now I’ll have design options!

This is what Lora selected beautiful batiks from her stash. “I am using my Go!Accuquilt to cut my 10”squares. Love how fast and accurate it is!”
You can find Clue #1 at InbetweenStitches.com on the Material Girlfriend Pattern page. Click on the pink “MysteryQuilt?” icon and it will reveal Clue #1. The first clue is cutting so if you are just jumping in, and you’ve not selected or cut your 10″ squares yet, no worries. This one is a quick Clue.
Absewlutely,
Lisa Norton

Don’t Ruffle My Feathers

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We were sent some beautiful batiks by Michael Miller Fabrics for the Peek into Batiks Monthly Sew Along. Check out the program here Peek into Batiks

These are the fabrics being used. I LOVE THEM! While waiting for the program to start, we just couldn’t keep our hands off.We made this cute 12 1/2″ block, “Don’t Ruffle My Feathers”.

In the Michael Miller Ambassador box we received in December, there was a bunch of ruffles included, 1″ Ruff Ruffles. My first response to the ruffle was, “What the heck am I suppose to do with this?”. Challenge accepted. We used the ruffle for the owl’s chest! The ruffle is a 100% cotton with a raw edge. Lora decided to try a permanent marker dye technique she had read about. Too fun!

You’ll need about 2 yards of ruffle. Start by wrapping the ruffle around a piece of cardboard. Then select Sharpie Markers in the colors you’d like to dye your ruffle. My ruffle is with tan speckles. Lora’s ruffle is yellow, orange, and pink to match the batik she wanted to use.

After you speckled the heck out of the white ruffle, spray or sprinkle Rubbing Alcohol on the dyed ruffle. This blurs the pen inks. Rinse with water until the water runs clear. Allow to dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lora’s ruffle turned out great! It matched the batik fabulously. While you’re waiting for the ruffle to dry. Print out the appliqué pieces here. 12×12.DontRufflyMyFeathersOwl.Applique, DontRuffleMyFeathersOwl.AppliqueSheet1, DontRuffleMyFeathersOwl.AppliqueSheet2 (Limited time only so don’t wait to download!) Be sure to tile at 100% size the 12×12 sheet and print 100% size the pieces sheets. Cut your background square at 12 1/2″.

I really like using Heatn’Bond EZ Print Lite Fusible sheets for double sided fusible appliqué. You can put your reversed appliqué images (already done for you in the download images above) on the glass of your home inkjet copier/printer. Then put one sheet of the EZ Print Lite Fusible product in the tray. Copy your images directly to the fusible web!! No tracing.
Next you’ll trim out your images, 1/4” from the outer edges and then “window pane” the larger images by trimming a 1/4” on the inside of the lines. This gives your appliqué a soft feel instead of being stiff from too much fusible product.

Fuse for just a couple seconds to the wrong side of your fabric. Trim out on the line.
Trim your dyed ruffle just a bit wider than the chest of the owl. Beginning at the bottom, sew a ruffle on about every inch allowing about half an inch of ruffle to show with each layer.  Lora added 11 rows of ruffle. Trim off the excess ruffle on each side. Remove the fusible paper around the edge and it is ready to fuse to your background! 
Since the background is dark, it is easier to layer your appliqué pieces on a white fusible teflon sheet on top of the 12×12 positioning sheet. Position your owl and branch pieces and then lightly fuse the pieces together with a light tap of the iron. Just enough to hold the pieces together. Then peel the entire fused unit off the teflon sheet. Lay on the 12 1/2″ square and fuse into place.

Add a blanket stitch in coordinating threads around the edges of the appliqué pieces.
Yes, Lora put the 12 1/2″ square on her long arm. Quilt as desired, bind and enjoy on your wall or stand or make into a pillow or tote!

Too much fun! Yes, I suppose we’ll have to order more fabric for the Sew Along, but I’m okay with that.

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

The glass is half-full, and the other half was delicious!

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My niece and nephew-in-law are in New Zealand on their honeymoon, and that was the bumper sticker on their rented car. Lots of wisdom in bumper stickers.

When Emily shared with us the wit on her rented wheels, the tagline buzzed around my brain for several days. I loved the thought. It speaks of a positive outlook and gratitude for the past.

I decided to make it my 2020 slogan.

The glass is half-full,
Because 2020 is “the year of vision or clarity,” we started planning for 2020 in November! We have so many plans for new patterns, books, programs, and shows. Lora and I became Michael Miller Brand Ambassadors for 2020 too. They sent an AccuQuilt machine and dies, plus GOBS of colorful fabric. We’ll be starting a Block of the Month Quilt Along with Michael Miller in January. More info on that soon. I can’t wait for 2020 to get started. It will be a fun year for Material Girlfriends.

To look back at 2019, I pulled out a quilt from one of our patterns called Deep Reflections. Appropriate for thinking. I want to say 2019 was all roses and not a single struggle, not a frustrated tear, not even a sour note. But of course, that wouldn’t be truthful. There were many days of hard work and little to show for it. Without encouragement and support from our spouses, Lora and I probably would have faltered or sunk to the carpet more often than we did! But I choose to reflect on the past year with an attitude of gratitude – what a great year.

Lora and I grew as a team. We are so strong together. And funny. And creative. We love working with each other.

Material Girlfriends Patterns company grew. We broke all our records and surpassed our 2019 goals. I used up all my fingers and toes, trying to count all the new patterns we made this year. We’ll say over 20 so Lora doesn’t have to take her shoes off. We are THIS close to finishing our book, “Circle is the New Square.” Our first fabric line was manufactured (2nd line scheduled for July 2020). We had a booth at Houston’s Quilt Market and Festival for the first time. And we met more quilters in this one year than ever before. The quilters are what make this half delicious. Lora and I are so relational that if we didn’t have the interaction with all the wonderful quilters out there, creating quilts would be a bit flat. Quilters indeed make my life delicious.

Is it too early for a pre-dinner glass of wine? I’m ready to fill it to the top, wrap up in Deep Reflections and smile over the wonderful year I had with you all.

In 2020, may your glass always be half full, and the other half delicious.

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

 

I Have an Idea

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“I have an idea,” Lora said.

My first thought was with a smile, is it going to get us in trouble?

Lora and I are identical twins, but we’re not ‘two peas in a pod’; instead, we are like ‘two sides of the same coin’. I’m Heads and she’s Tails. I know how that sounds, lol. I don’t mean I’m the brains of the operation, nor does Lora follow me around as a tail. I’m a Starter, and she’s a Finisher. I do most of the design work. We both piece, and then Lora finishes the quilt with her amazingly artistic, free-motion quilting. When Lora says she has an idea, I take note. Even though she doesn’t design often, when she does, it’s brilliant.

“What’s your idea?” I asked. We had just finished Lisa’s Finishing School at In Between Stitches. It is a fun, Open-Sew-with-Help, type class, every first and third Saturday evenings. While unplugging irons, checking doors, and turning off lights, we were discussing my “Design To-Do” list. Or mostly, I was discussing, and Lora was politely not listening.

“I have an idea,” she repeated. “Just a sec.” and she runs off into the already darkened quilt shop. She finds a paper towel and pen, and after a moment of sketching, she hands me the paper. I laughed right out loud, “This is fantastic! Too funny and very cute. I’ll keep this and draw it up into a Christmas Bite Size pattern.” It didn’t take me long to re-draw her sketch and write up the instructions. At our first opportunity, we sewed it up.

Lora’s quick sketch

Re-drawn by Lisa

Drawn again on the computer with Illustrator by Lisa

Lora worked on the elf appliquéOops! I almost sewed it right.

Deciding on the hat embellishment. Pom-pom all the way.

If you’re not familiar with the naughty elf tradition, you’ll want to google “Elf on the Shelf” and “Elves Behaving Badly.” They are the inspiration for this funny block. The skinny elf causes mischief when you’re not looking or when you’re asleep. I almost sewed up the Variable Star the correct way. Lora caught me before sewing it correctly wrong! That little elf was up to no good! Lora quilted this 12″ Bite Size quilt on her long-arm. Yes. She. Did.

On December 15, 11am-4pm, Lora and I will be teaching a lecture/project class called “How a Quilter is Pieced” at In Between Stitches. The light-hearted lecture and small trunk show are about the different quilting personalities, and then we will sew up this cute naughty elf block. The pattern and kit (just like the example shown) are included in the class fee. Join us! Last time I checked there was about 6 seats left.

We had never offered a digital download pattern before so we thought this would be a good one to try. We are calling this naughty elf “Christmas Mischief Bite Size Pattern” for $4.95. Lora posted a few pictures online, and the digital pattern orders were astounding! Lora is brilliant. Don’t worry, if you prefer to have a hard copy we can get you one of those too.

Time to bust out the Christmas decorations and some nog. Christmas is just around the corner. I hope you enjoy a little Christmas Mischief too!

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

 

 

DYSLEXICS UNTIE!

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Yes, I’m dyslexic. So is my son, sister, brother, and other family members. Where I’m more on the moderate to mild end, my brother and son tip toward the moderate to severe end of the dyslexia scale. Dyslexia is genetic and it has been estimated that 15% of Americans are affected by it.

What is Dyslexia? The Mayo Clinic defines,

“Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language.”

Also from the Mayo Clinic, some common dyslexia signs and symptoms in teens and adults include:

  • Difficulty reading, including reading aloud
  • Problems spelling
  • Mispronouncing names or words, or problems retrieving words
  • Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing
  • Difficulty summarizing a story
  • Trouble learning a foreign language
  • Difficulty memorizing
  • Difficulty doing math problems
Esher

Bummer man. What they don’t tell you is that a huge number dyslexic adults that grew up in the US educational system, believed they were stupid. Yet, dyslexic people are just as intelligent as the non-dyslexics. Dyslexic’s brains are just wired differently. I’ve been reading a lot about dyslexia lately and have found numerous articles online about the BENEFITS and the GIFTS of dyslexia. Yes!

Did you know dyslexics have a spatial genius, an ability to see patterns, and take in a whole scene far quicker than “normal” learners? In The Upside of Dyslexia by Annie Murphy Paul she wrote,

“in some situations, it turns out, those with dyslexia are actually the superior learners.”

Wow. Feeling a little validated there. Thanks Annie.

I’ve had many students that are thrilled at their ability to excel in quilting, confess to me they always thought they were stupid because they couldn’t excel in school. Taking a quilt class was a huge personal risk because of their academic history. The more students I met, the more I found students with dyslexia. I was quite surprised that dyslexia only affected 15% of Americans. It felt that I had at least 30% in my classes.

Annie Murphy Paul also wrote, that although people with dyslexia are found in every profession, including law, medicine and science, observers have long noted that they populate fields like art and design in unusually high numbers. 

Ah hah!! That’s is why my classes seems high in dyslexic quilters. We’re artists!

Echer quilt, 1997, by Ineke Poort (Netherlands)

If you’re a dyslexic quilter, you rely more on the diagrams than the written word. If the instructions are written, read them a couple times, even out loud. It will help. Or get your non-dyslexic quilting friend to help you figure out the instructions.

If you’re a non-dyslexic quilter, grab a dyslexic quilting friend when you’re laying out your blocks. She’ll be able to see the ones upside down or to help spread out the color placement of your blocks.

If you are one of those dyslexic adults that fear failing or cringe at the thought of critical teachers because of your scholastic history, shrug that off and take a class. Check out my class list here and check out the classes available at your local quilt shop. Remember, in some situations, it turns out dyslexics are the superior learners!

Absewlutely!

Lisa