April 2014 | Go-Go Kim

sewing + social media + so much more

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

SSSSShhhhhh...it's a secret...

Okay not really ;o)  If you have not heard the AMAZING NEWS, my bestest...sweetest...most amazing best friend Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness has a new fabric line with Art Gallery Fabrics called Jungle Avenue!  She also has an accompanying Aurifil thread collection in 40wt called Big City, which is the BEST weight for all purpose sewing, bag sewing, garment sewing or if you are just looking for a little extra POP if you quilting.

When Sara found out she would be having a booth, she asked if I would make a couple of things and I said YES ( like ANYONE could say NO to Sara...LOL)!  She decided on pillows and so I started working on ideas and I think I have a complete winner with this one.  It has been raining for two days straight here so this is the best photo I can take so far.  I am almost done with the pillow ( still hand binding) and will be writing a tutorial for this very very soon.  It is so easy and fun using the Accuquilt!  

Isn't this AMAZING!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS SARA!!!! I LOVE YA GIRLIE!!!





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Saturday, April 26, 2014

Spring Break SEWjo Saturday

Spring Break was a whirlwind of activity around here topped off with a last minute trip to the dentist this morning.  I will be Queen soon with my very own crown!!!!!

I was thinking this week a lot about quilt labels.  I do label my quilts, at least I try.  I have this label for Thomas Knauer's son's quilt ( that saw all the action of Quiltcon) still in my sewing room waiting to be put on his quilt.  I have yet to make the one for my friend in France...I need an easier solution!



I did some searching on the internet and found a few solutions and no I just need to decide.


Spoonflower has this AWSOME tutorial and to have them printed up and ready to go would be a BONUS!


KarrieLynn from Freckled Whimsy  has this easy label tutorial that can be done at home and looked very nice :o) 

For a small fee you can get a Quilt Label Kit from Quilt Alliance.  It includes everything you need to document your quilt's history so it will never be lost!  I LOVE everything about the Quilt Alliance so even if you do not get the kit...GO JOIN or at the very least, sign up for their free newsletter!


I love this tutorial for a hand embroidered quilt label by Selfsewn but that is where I began, it is still a great tutorial!



I would love to hear how you label your quilts!


With all the craziness, there sadly is no giveaway this week.  I hope you will link up anyway and share some sewing love with all of our friends!

Let's get our SEWjo (sewing mojo) going!  This link up will be open from Saturday through Monday to give you LOTS of time in case you need to do silly other stuff like make dinner or driving your kids somewhere and then there is always making sure you have good lighting. The things we all have to go through...sigh ;o)

To participate in the party please... 
1. Share a project from this past week or TODAY!!! Link it up from your blog or, if you do not have a blog, your Flickr photos. It can be a  FABULOUS finish or a WIP ( any progress is always good)that you are working hard to get off your sewing table!  

2. Share a link back to SEWjo Saturday somewhere in your post. I would be over the moon if you grabbed the button and shared that too ;o)

3. Share some love with some of the other posters!!!!  Visit some of the linked up photos and get inspired by other quilty friends' work. And please leave some sunshine in their comments! Let's support each other!  



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Saturday, April 19, 2014

SEWjo Saturday 6

I did it!  I made something this week!  I crossed something off my list, and I am LOVING them!  My daughter in law ( have a ever mentioned how amazing she is?) asked for pillows last Christmas.  I started some and then found out that those were not her favorite colors...they are gorgeous but will not go with her style.  She saw the blocs I made from the Lucky Stars BOM by Elizabeth from Don't Call Me Betsy and asked if it was possible to use them in her pillows.  ABSOLUTELY!   The prints are all Amy Butler from various lines.  LOVING these!






I  echo and straight-line quilted the pillow fronts with Aurifil 50wt in a lovely light gray. The light gray blends in with all of the other colors perfectly.  It is simple and elegant.





I think more pillows may be in my future since these look so incredibly AWESOME on my sofa!



This week's incentive prize for linking up to SEWjo Saturday...10 Riley Blake fat quarters and a spool of 50wt Aurifil thread in green to Push Spring into actually happening.   I am still freezing!


Let's get our SEWjo (sewing mojo) going!  This link up will be open from Saturday through Monday to give you LOTS of time in case you need to do silly other stuff like make dinner or driving your kids somewhere and then there is always making sure you have good lighting. The things we all have to go through...sigh ;o)

To participate in the party please... 
1. Share a project from this past week or TODAY!!! Link it up from your blog or, if you do not have a blog, your Flickr photos. It can be a  FABULOUS finish or a WIP ( any progress is always good)that you are working hard to get off your sewing table!  

2. Share a link back to SEWjo Saturday somewhere in your post. I would be over the moon if you grabbed the button and shared that too ;o)

3. Share some love with some of the other posters!!!!  Visit some of the linked up photos and get inspired by other quilty friends' work. And please leave some sunshine in their comments! Let's support each other!  


Congrats to... Melissa!!!!!





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Thursday, April 17, 2014

My WIP on Thurs because Wednesday passed me by without a glance!



I had intended to be part of WIP Wednesday, did it happen...NOPE!  I am still working on projects I can't share ( yet) so I needed to find something I could share and also filled the category of  I need this crossed off my to do list.  I am starting to believe that list is really not something that I will ever get to the end.  I am not complaining since every stitch I take...I learn something new...every seam I rip...I know not to do that again...EVER! The second part does not always take but I still keep on sewing and loving every minute. 

This Wednesday was really cool since Amy and Becky came over to sew with me.  It has been a long while since we have gotten together for a sewing playdate.  The house was a mess but there is always room at the table for sewing machines :o) 


I decided to work on the pillows my daughter in law had asked for last Christmas ( yes, I am really that behind).  It is the one in the right hand of the screen.  All Amy Butler...all gorgeous!  I hope she will love them as much as I do.


And Becky brought these adorable bins to share.  I cannot say what they are for but can say they were not all for me :o(


I am saving the final photos of the pillows for Sewjo Saturday!


Do you have sewing playdates with friends?
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Saturday, April 12, 2014

SEWjo Saturday 5

GOOD MORNING!!!!

I never thought I'd wake up today!

This week I have been sewing but is sadly is nothing I can share. It will be from Pat Sloan's newest fabric collection with Moda and I cannot wait for it to be completed....SO SWEET!

There have also been changes in my sewing room.  I am slowly ( snail's pace) figuring out what works for me and what does not.  I donated about 3 bags full of fabric to a local organization and have been looking for inexpensive ways to keep my sewing necessities in view, in reach and still look good!

I was in World Market and had paid for my stuff ( no idea what I bought) and I saw this in the clearance section on my way out.  I just happened to have an Aurifil spool in my purse ( don't we all carry our own just in case?) and it was a perfect fit!  It is actually a wine rack and it was $17.  So I nabbed it and it rang up for $13!!! SCORE!!!!



Standing up, this is how it looks and it fits perfectly on top of my cutting table!


I also had to go to Target ( the $150 store) and found this really cool rack!  For $22 it is just what I have been looking for to store my rulers that seem to be taking over way more space than they ought to be!


And this is the photo that has CONVINCED me that I DO NEED to paint my sewing room again.  Katy is going to roll her eyes and heavy sigh at me ;o)  This yellow is too green...I am thinking BLUE...very very light blue. The other thing is an ironing board cover.  I am still so in love with the fabric it is just so difficult to think of anything else being on there.

So in addition to the regular links this week, I am adding one more ...

Link up a photo of a great inexpensive storage tip from your sewing room!!!


This week here is your incentive... One charm pack of Freebird and three small Aurifil spools!

Winner for this week is





Congratulations Staci!!!!


Let's get our SEWjo (sewing mojo) going!  This link up will be open from Saturday through Sunday to give you LOTS of time in case you need to do silly other stuff like make dinner or driving your kids somewhere and then there is always making sure you have good lighting. The things we all have to go through...sigh ;o)

To participate in the party please... 
1. Share a project from this past week or TODAY!!! Link it up from your blog or, if you do not have a blog, your Flickr photos. It can be a  FABULOUS finish or a WIP ( any progress is always good)that you are working hard to get off your sewing table!  And this week only, a inexpensive sewing room storage photo link!

2. Share a link back to SEWjo Saturday somewhere in your post. I would be over the moon if you grabbed the button and shared that too ;o)

3. Share some love with some of the other posters!!!!  Visit some of the linked up photos and get inspired by other quilty friends' work. And please leave some sunshine in their comments! Let's support each other!  



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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Modern Quilt Perspectives { Winner announced}

I LOVE this book.  I loved this book before it was even in my hot little hands!   It was easy to fall for  since I had been lucky enough to see a preview for the introduction to Modern Quilt Perspectives in an email.  I was hooked on the concept Thomas was introducing. Putting your voice in your quilting.  I happen to LOVE the challenge of a quilt block or learning a new technique.  I see art quilts as something that is unattainable to me.  I have yet to see myself as an artist...this book has changed my thought process.



Thomas is a very passionate person. I need to restate that a little better and with a bit more emphasis...Thomas is a VERY PASSIONATE person.  He is extremely real about who he is and all the insane brilliance that gives him his gifts. I love his originality, his passion, his ability to take the abstract and be able to explain it in lay terms to people like me.  I need all the help I can get!


Along with the tools and techniques he uses in his daily sewing, this book is filled with very real life issues from anyone's life to Thomas' personal life.

His quilt Mitosis is an example of his personal life being represented in a quilt.  In this beautiful simplicity the " The clinical gray background only serves to set off the abundance of color, just as the doctor's office gives way to the extraordinary reality of a child. "  Simplicity speaks volumes when you understand the story behind the artwork.



The reality of this wonderful quilt is not as lovely as the one above.  Excess is a memorial quilt to the victims of domestic abuse.  I have had dear friends that were victims of domestic abuse.  This quilt speaks to me and hopefully to you. The 1,600 squares represent a woman's life lost to domestic violence.  Putting a voice to a situation, like this one can help.  Quilting arts can make a difference by giving a voice. I have learned that quilts do not have to be overly complex to convey meaning.





I have to add in this fantabulous quilt that was pieced by Audrey Bidwell ( Blue is Bleu) Split Personality.  It is rather drool worthy.  Bridging the Traditional to the Modern, having them coexist and have a cuppa jo together is a thing of brilliance!  Thomas is great at brilliance!






There is so much more in this book than I can even begin to possibly share.  It is really more like a novel with epic quilts thrown in.  It is a must have for any collection.

What originally sold me on this book, what made me fall head over heels in love with the ideas presented was this quote from Thomas...

"I am of a new generation of quilters who did not come to quilting through a relative, friend, or indeed anyone with whom I had an immediate local connection. My community is first and foremost global; my conversations occur on the internet though various technologies. Most of my lessons have come from YouTube or other online tutorials. This virtuality, though, does not make my relationships any less real; we share our creative and personal lives together as we learn from each other and exchange the things we make. As such, the core practice of quilting has changed vary little over the centuries."
Thomas is without a doubt an inspiration to me both artistically and personally.  I love him and I love his choice in footwear too! Gray Doc Martins... COOLNESS!




For other reviews please visit these other fantabulous blogs
The Modern Perspectives Book Tour
March 14: Thomas Knauer
March 15: Lisa Sipes
March 16: Robert Kaufman
March 17: Victoria Findlay Wolfe
March 18: Katy Jones
March 19: Bill Volkening
March 20: Kelly Biscopink
March 21: Audrie Bidwell
March 22: Mary Rachel Kolb
March 23: Rachael Gander
March 24: Sew, Mama, Sew
March 25: Cloth Paper Scissors
March 26: Cheryl Arkinson
March 27: Quilting Daily
March 28: Fat Quarterly
March 29: Pellon/Erin Sampson
March 30: Sew Modern
March 31: Rachel May
April 1: Quilty
April 2: Amy Smart
April 3: Quilter’s Connection
April 4: Teresa Coates
April 5: Generation Q
April 6: Cloth Paper Scissors
April 7: Sara Lawson
April 8: Kim Niedzwiecki
April 9: Rashida Coleman Hale
April 10: Thomas Knauer


To show how much I support this fantastic book, I am having a giveaway!!!  I want to share with you a hard copy of Modern Quilt Perspectives and two large spools of Aurifil thread! 











The winner of the giveaway is  Jennifer!  Congratulations, I will be contacting you shortly :)




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Saturday, April 5, 2014

SEWjo Saturday 4 ( and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Adam!)

I hope you are having an awesome week!

I am sad to say, I have no finishes this week!  It was a super busy week for me but I did manage to tidy up some stuff and get back to my list of WIPs ( the never ending project pile).


This is ( will be) the Deployment Quilt from Rachel Griffith's book Made With Love. It was started last November when Michael left and then the anemia happened...I am more than behind but I WILL get caught up! So, this project is out and up and will be done very soon!  It can be his WELCOME HOME quilt :o)


Today is also this guy's birthday!!!  Today we will be going to the Science Museum to celebrate!!!  So, if I do not get a chance to comment on your fun projects today, it will be because I am making bubbles or looking at dinosaur bones :o)



The giveaway incentive this week is a fat quarter bundle of Dear Stella fabrics and a sample set of Aurifil thread that includes all of the thread weights for you to try! For your chance to win this bundle, just link up!  One random winner will get this AWESOME bundle!


BUTTERFILES!!!!



Let's get our SEWjo (sewing mojo) going!  This link up will be open from Saturday through Sunday to give you LOTS of time in case you need to do silly other stuff like make dinner or driving your kids somewhere and then there is always making sure you have good lighting. The things we all have to go through...sigh ;o)

To participate in the party please... 
1. Share a project from this past week or TODAY!!! Link it up from your blog or, if you do not have a blog, your Flickr photos. It can be a  FABULOUS finish or a WIP ( any progress is always good)that you are working hard to get off your sewing table!

2. Share a link back to SEWjo Saturday somewhere in your post. I would be over the moon if you grabbed the button and shared that too ;o)

3. Share some love with some of the other posters!!!!  Visit some of the linked up photos and get inspired by other quilty friends' work. And please leave some sunshine in their comments! Let's support each other!  

Thank you everyone again for linking up!!!!  I will be looking at everyone's projects and sharing some love as soon as I can get caught up after the birthday weekend!!!

Congratulations to Ella and Nesta!!!  Love the Zakka Block Quilt!



i am already looking forward to this weekend!!!!


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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Sewing with Adam

Adam has always been so interested in my sewing.  He is is the only one of the children to only have known me as a mama with a machine and tons of fabric.  He knows which scissors not to touch and, as all children of quilters know, he walks AROUND the quilt blocks or basting job that is right in the MIDDLE of the floor.  This is normal for him.  In an odd way, that makes me very happy.

I was not surprised when he first asked to push the foot pedal while I was sewing nor was I shocked that he really likes to use charm squares to make different designs.  This is his normal, he lives sewing.


I was surprised when Bernina  said yes to the idea of me writing a guest post for We All Sew sharing my tips for sewing with Adam!   It was so much fun to do and I look forward to working on more tips and tutorials with Bernina.  I hope that the tips will help everyone enjoy sewing with their children, grandchildren nieces or nephews as much as I have enjoyed sewing with Adam :o)


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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Vintage or new...gifts are such a beautiful thing!

I have been overly blessed with such amazing friends that out of the goodness of their hearts bestow upon me the most thoughtful gifts.  I appreciate their kindness so much!!!


Vintage is my thing, along with about 1 zillion others, lol!  I post photos of vintage clothing that I lust  after all the time on Facebook!  I think 40's 50's and 60's clothing is so AWESOME!  I need to clear off my calendar and schedule in some vintage garment sewing. Not sure if to will happen but I can try.  

Laurie, a sweet friend on Facebook, sent these to me when she found out they were my size and even added in a very interesting article from the times.  I was OVER THE MOON opening up this box!!! 







This gift was a COMPLETE surprise in my mailbox!  I had been drooling over this handsome devil on Instagram and someone...cough...cough...that may have won my giveaway this week...made it appear! LOVE!!!!


This one was not for me at all but for  Katy.  Apparently the "Katy's" have a club, LOL!!! Katy Cameron from The Littlest Thistle asked about  her namesake's favorite colours and THIS gorgeous bag showed up!  SAY WHAT!?!  I am a wee bit envious but I get the whole " It's a KATY thing".  They are special ;o)  Thank you Katy!!!!! MUWAH!



Thank you my friends!!!!  I hope I do enough to let you know how much I DO appreciate you.  I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
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