JoanFord — Hummingbird Highway

Pockets, and Pouches, and Bags, Oh My!

February 27, 2020 By JoanFord Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago, my friend, Joan Hawley (none other than THE Joan Hawley of Lazy Girl Designs) surprised me with a very special gift. . . a Molly Maker Bag featuring fabulous lime green and turquoise HUMMINGBIRD fabric! Now, I wonder what made her think this would be a perfect bag for me!

Turns out Miss Molly (the Molly Maker bag pattern) is designed for my current circumstances exactly!

As you know if you've been following along for a while, I'm headed out on a quilt cruise to Hawaii in April. We'll be busy sewing up a storm on a brand new project I've designed just for this trip (it's a top secret mystery so no pictures yet).

We'll be working diligently on the quilt project during (about) 10 sea days, but I'm sure there will be sneak-away times when I'll be looking for a quiet corner on deck or in my cabin to stitch. And I'll have all my supplies packed and ready to go in Molly. Plus, I have those long plane trips between Syracuse NY and Seattle WA on either end of the trip. A girl's gotta sew!

The Molly Maker bag is the main bag in this ensemble. But Joan used up every last bit of the Hummingbird print on two additional companion pieces (variations on the Becca Bag)

Molly is beautifully suited to travel because she opens up allowing me to see what I've got without having to dig and shuffle. And then closes up with a tie to keep all my maker-ware tidy and inside.

My laptop is coming with me on these next trips. Yep, I've got to check in from time to time. I need a laptop bag! Barb B. shared her version of the Scrap Top Pouch and Carrier she recently finished. The pattern is in my book ScrapTherapy, Scraps Plus One!

I simply love this tote! Barb, you did an excellent job! I might have to dig out my Scrap Top Pouch for this trip.

All these cool bags made me take a deeper look at the variety of bags and totes stuffed with stitchy goodness that I can stash in every corner of my suitcase(s).

I have my share of pencil bags from the stationery store stuffed with mini projects, thread, and floss.

They won't take much room.

Or my vinyl zipper pouches have just enough space for a project or two . . .

The review won't be ready until later this year because of the aforementioned and oft repeated upcoming travel schedule. Don't worry I'll link you over to it when it's available. Or like and follow this facebook page so you don't miss any of the upcoming reviews if you are a quilty book nerd.

This adorable, colorful canvas zipper bag is a gift from a friend who recently returned from a trip to Iceland. Would you believe there is an entire project ready to go in this little square canvas bag? The pouch is about 8" square. A no-brainer, that should come, too!

My friend Marcia made this wool applique birdie bag a few years ago as a gift. Isn't it cute?

It's stuffed with a collection of blue and brown threads for one of my monster projects that is moving along at a snail's pace. Not sure the monster project will fit in the suitcase, but I *wish* I could bring it along!

And who doesn't love a little sparkle? The cute mini ice cream money pouch that fits inside sparky holds the the first of this year's holiday ornaments. Sparky holds the supplies for the ornaments. Yes, I've already started the 2020 holiday card-stuffers, and no, they aren't ready for prime time yet.

I suppose I'm going to have to narrow the choices and choose only a few to take with me on my two upcoming trips (the first is the quilt cruise and the second is a vacation to Europe). But not yet. I'd like to think that I can make room for all these little pouches of wonderfulness.

A girl can dream, right? Which ones would you bring, and which ones would you leave home?

Tough choices ahead!

Happy Stitching!

Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird

Broken Record

February 20, 2020 By JoanFord Leave a Comment

I know I keep talking about this stuff over and over again (like a broken record) without really SHOWING you much! So here goes: I'm headed out of town in mid-April, and won't be truly settled back into the swing of things until early June.

Because that's a big chunk of travel, I've been busy working away at getting myself and the projects on my desk well ahead so I don't have to worry too much about things while I'm gone.

The good news is that everything is progressing very nicely; the bad news is that some of it is top secret and I can only share bits and pieces.

For example. This stack of blocks is the entire quilt project for the first leg of my travels. I am working on sewing them into rows at this moment.

In mid-April I head out with Quilting Adventures Pro (formerly Quilt Retreat at Sea) to Hawaii, the beautiful 50th state of the union. En route, we'll be constructing a brand new, bright and colorful quilt just like this one!

The quilt pattern is an original design called Sea Lilies, and its center is entirely laser pre-cut. The quilt will be revealed to those on the trip one step at a time. No peeking allowed.

It's awesome! I wish I could share more. . .

And these four-patch pin-cushions. I started talking about them way last year.

One of these days I'll show you the complete tutorial on how to make these cute, scrappy critters.

This found stack of oodles of pin cushion parts has been my sew-off project while working on the cruise project and FLOCK kits.

You know what I mean by 'sew-off project' right? It's that in-between 'other' project that keeps your chain piecing going while you're sewing along on the main project (in my case the cruise quilt).

Well, I've got a healthy stack of cushion tops and bottoms waiting for some surface embroidery embellishment and final stuffing and assembly. I think there may be over 100 here! Oi!

Here's something new!

The local quilt shop is doing monthly book reviews, and I've been asked to review this book, Pin Pals by Carrie Nelson. It was released a year or two ago. All the projects are pin cushions! And they involve teeny-tiny pieces . . . Right up my alley, as many of you probably already know.

It doesn't feel right to review a book until I've actually sampled some of the projects. That being said, I'm mixing some of these mini-piecing projects in between the relentless four-patch pin cushion project.

Huh! And this is also new! And really, REALLY exciting (and here I thought I was going to have nothing but yesterday's news today!)

If you're in Stitchery Crossover holding pattern, I must tell you I've already been working very hard behind the scenes on the re-mix. You'll see these fabulous colors again!

. . . And again, and again, just like that Broken Record. However, I promise, the tune is VERY pleasing! (At least I think so!)

Happy Stitching!

Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird

Un-Between

February 13, 2020 By JoanFord Leave a Comment

A couple weeks ago, I was feeling 'in-between' with a few of the projects that I have been working on for a while. While several projects in my sewing room have been moving forward little by little, I pushed this one forward this week for a very satisfying FINISH!

This heart-shaped stitchery, soon-to-be pillow was in the cross-hairs this week.

The stitchery pattern is from Issue 352 of Cross Stitcher Magazine (this is a link to a downloadable version of the issue, not affiliated). The pattern is "Heart of Winter," and the stitched border and added fabric borders are done using my Stitchery Crossover technique CLICK HERE for more info).

I finished the stitchery, added the quilting fabric, and decided to add covered piping using the Piping Hot Binding tool and technique by Susan Cleveland.

If you've ever used this technique, then you know that is super fussy, but VERY effective at adding a fine covered cord to bindings or pieced elements of your quilty projects.

Part of the process to add the piping feels downright upside down, but Susan guides you through the process, step-by-step so, if you follow the steps, you are pretty much guaranteed to be happy with your results.

Pow! With one seam sewn, I had to take a peek at my progress!

That piping is spot on! I love this technique, and I don't use it enough.

Note to self: use more piping hot binding!

With my sights on a pillow, I added the piping and a 3" flange (borders) to the trimmed 14" (14-1/2" unfinished size) quilted pillow top, then made two panels for the back (the half-panels overlap and allow the pillow form to slip in through the center flap opening).

This is the view from the back as I'm sewing around the pillow edge. The pillow from the book ScrapTherapy, Cut the Scraps is made this way.

Once the pillow front and back are sewn around the edge (with right sides together) and turned, you add a seam around the flange edge (above) - in this case where the piping is - so the pillow fits snugly inside of the poofy pillow area, leaving the flange flat.

With all the sewing done, one last pressing before inserting a pillow form.

The all-caps shouting on these pillow forms always make me stop and think before I remove that stiff label.

They say that there are no quilt-police, but are there pillow-police that are ready to hand out citations for this kind of thing?

And there you have it! The pillow, stuffed. Project finished. Box checked!

. . . Next?!

Happy Stitching!

Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird

Goodies

February 6, 2020 By JoanFord 2 Comments

I have been working (sorta) diligently behind the scenes on a 'refreshed' look for the Hummingbird Highway website. Scoot over and take a look, if you like! This change has been in the works for a long time, on again, off again, between everything else I've had going on, and I finally pulled the trigger just yesterday. Many thanks to the very talented and very patient Holly Knott for her creativity and hard work to make it all happen!

As long as I was distracted with various projects this week, including, but not limited to the website update, I took a tiny time-out to make this super-simple recipe for Chocolate Covered Cherries Cake. Thanks Sue, for reminding me about this one! (And for ruining my already-non-existant diet!)

Just a few simple ingredients to make this luscious treat:

Chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling, a couple eggs, and some flavoring. A little milk, butter, chocolate chips, and sugar for the gooey frosting on top! All pantry stuff. Grab the recipe below. Yum!

Something sweet for your Valentine, perhaps?

Click Here to Get the Recipe!

The recipe file should download automatically. Be sure to check your downloads folder for the pdf document.

Speaking of Valentine's Day, just a quick reminder that this adorable little wall-hanging pattern called Sweet Hearts (only 22" square) is available for immediate download from the Hummingbird Highway webstore.

In addition . . .

I am trying to add a few of these smaller patterns to the PDF section of the website from time to time. This one, Under the Tree was added this week.

"Why a Christmas pattern in February?," you might ask.

Some folks like to plan ahead!. . .

You know the drill, buy the Christmas pattern now, buy the holiday prints in July, procrastinate, then sew a dozen of the dern things for last minute gifts like a crazy person on December 23rd.

But there is another thought tangent going on here. Under the Tree is absolutely a winner for holiday decor, but don't you sometimes wish you had a little something special to hang up for a special birthday get-together? . . .

Switch out the colors and make this one up in bridal party colors to greet the shower guests . . .

Better still, make up one block for each month of the year - use blue snowflake fabrics for January, hearts and roses for February, March is all about green, bunnies and baby birds for April . . . you get the idea. Add some sashing between blocks and you've got the makings for a whimsical fun quilt!

Happy Stitching!

Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird

Pockets, and Pouches, and Bags, Oh My!

Broken Record

Un-Between

Goodies

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