July 2016 | Go-Go Kim

sewing + social media + so much more

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Moda Love Quilt Finish!


I finished my second quilt of the year!   

The Moda Love Quilt is a free pattern provided by Moda fabrics (thank you Moda) that is available in three sizes for you to download to GO!   This is a fantastic pattern for a quilt gift or just a fun fast finish! 

I made the charm pack friendly version for a baby gift.  It is the perfect size for a play mat for a wee one to learn to roll about on or take a nap.  It is a convent size to fold up and take along for baby outings without being heavy.  



The fabrics I used for this quilt are Desert Bloom by Sherri and Chelsi for Moda Fabrics.  For the background fabric I used Zen Chic Modern Backgrounds for Moda.

The piecing, quilting and binding were all Aurifil 50wt thread.   Especially when sewing for children, you want to choose the materials that the most safe.  Aurifil consistently maintains an Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certification. The OekoTex Certification is an International synonym for responsible textile production. Aurifil follows the standards throughout the textile manufacturing chain right from the cotton in the fields to the Aurifil thread on your machine. These threads are made with care to make sure from raw material to the lovely workers in the factory and finally to you and your family, this product is safe! 


The back of the quilt is a simple and scrappy colorful plus surrounded by Zen Chic Modern Backgrounds!

Katy and I were both kind of smitten with the back of the quilt. Simple and beautiful!





The binding is a lovely scrappy bias cut binding I made using some of the left over fat quarters.  I sewed them together to make a big enough pice of fabric to cut into bias cut strips.  It made for an unusual binding that I am LOVING!



The colors are so perfect.  The only change I would make for the next time I make this quilt ( there will be a next time) is to add a border.  I had finish in my head and did not think about cutting the points off when adding the binding.  I am hoping the baby will not notice. 



If you missed the Sunday Stash photo of Desert Bloom a few weeks ago, here it is again!  This collection will be available November in your local quilt shops and favorite online shops!


I will find out in just a couple of weeks if the mom LOVES the quilt.  The baby shower is very soon.  This is one of my most favorite quilts of all time! 

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Thursday, July 28, 2016

Where My Money Goes!

I love my local quilt shops!  I am sure they love me too ;o)



via GIPHY

This also applies to me and local craft shops as well!  Support your local shops!
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Wednesday, July 27, 2016

WIP Wednesday Back in Business!

Time to get back to regular sewing! For the past couple weeks I have been focusing on that kind of sewing that really cannot be shared. It is difficult to beiin the throws of "secret sewing" and still maintain other sewing at the same time. This is true especially during the Summer months when kids are home and need to be fed, entertained and fed some more! Growing kids eat so much!


I was able to finish up the Secret Sewing on Tuesday ( happy dance) and today was ready to jump back into a regular routine ( minus the feedings of the children) of sewing!


First on the agenda was dragging out my Economy Blocks to start adding to them again! So very pretty!




They are all fussy cut Heather Ross or Munki Munki center and Liberty of London frames.  The colors are gorgeous. I have been very pleased with the way that all of the prints are working together to create a one of a kind look that is very busy but does not appear to be crazy! 

For my paper piecing I used Aurifil 50wt thread.  The 50wt is thin to keep your blocks flat and super strong for durable stitches.  

You can find out more about my Economy Block adventure and the link to the free pattern here.





I grabbed my Aurifil Block of the Month Blocks and finished cutting the corner stones and sashing to continue with my Quilt As You Go using Maureen Cracknell's tutorial



Also, my blocks for The Splendid Sampler have been neglected!  I will be catching up ion the next few days and will be posting photos of some of my colorful creations! 



This is the pile I was under on Saturday!  It weighed a ton when it was all complete!  It was a JOY to do but I am looking forward to being back to regular sewing! 


Lastly, this is what my kids surprised me with for my birthday!   I have never had such a GORGEOUSLY decorated birthday EVER!!   I was stunned!  They thought of everything and even gave me a card that made me cry.  

I also celebrated my birthday with a FABULOUS Giveaway!  If you have not entered to win, be sure to visit Monday Motivation for your chance to win an amazing prize package!




Hoping your sewing week has been productive!  

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Monday, July 25, 2016

Monday Motivation Happy 50th Birthday Giveaway!

Welcome back to Monday Motivation!  Today is my 50th birthday!

The thought had crossed my mind to do a thoughtful, insightful, soul searching post about being at the mid of my life.  BORING!!!!!  I tossed that idea for a FUN GIVEAWAY!

I hope you will join me in the excitement of the day and participate in a fabulous giveaway to help make my milestone birthday a great day for everyone!!!!







I AM FIFTY!!!!!  LET'S CELEBRATE!!!!!







Oddly, to make the number 50, it takes 25 spools of Aurifil thread!  Makes me wonder if it takes 50 to make the number 100 but I am not going to push it any further than 50 at the moment!

ALL of these GORGEOUS threads are part of the giveaway!



Also, in the giveaway is Hey Dot by Zen Chic for Moda!

The bright colors and dots on every piece is amazingly clever! This is a layer cake folded to get the photo!



Oh My Goodness!  Look at all of the COLOR!!!!!



For the icing on this non fat, sugar free, DELICIOUS giveaway cake...

And Aurifil Color Card!  This card has 270 STUNNING thread samples to make a perfect selection every time!




Are you ready to play?

One very lucky winner will receive 25 spools of Aurifil thread ( colors and weights as shown) , Hey Dot by Zen Chic for Moda ( as shown) and one color card!

The giveaway is open to all of my international friends!  The giveaway will close 01 August and the winner will be announced on or about 03 August ( the kids are still home for Summer break so it may be 04 August).

If you are a no reply Blogger, please leave your contact information in your comment.

There are many options to enter.  You do not have to do them all for a chance to win.  The more options you choose, the more chances you have to win :o)


I am so very happy to be around another year and even happier that I get to celebrate it with YOU!






a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Sunday, July 24, 2016

Sunday Stash #187 Manderley

This week I am so excited about Sunday Stash!  The Fabric Line I am sharing is by two women in the quilting industry that I really adore!

Jane Davidson from Quilt Jane and The Splendid Sampler teamed up with Frances Newcombe to create the delightful fabric line Manderley for Moda fabrics!



"Their collection is named after the mansion in Rebecca, the 1938 novel by Daphne DuMaurier that was adapted into a thriller/mystery film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. Though the story’s themes align with Jane’s love of mystery—a young woman marries an older man and moves to his slightly sinister seaside manor—the fabrics are anything but gloomy and focus on secret gardens, Asian-inspired decorative elements, seashells, and flowers, all done in fresh hues. For Quilt Market, they took their story and worked it into an incredible range pillows, bags, coasters and quilts, including those Jane designed just for Manderley."






You can read more about Jane and Frances on Moda's Cutting Table!  There are also some incredible photos from Quilt Market for you to start planning for when this fabulous collection is released in October!  ( you can be put on the list now notification at Fat Quarter Shop).



I paired it up with some amazing Aurifil 50wt threads to show how perfect the colors look together!

Pure happiness!







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Friday, July 22, 2016

Vintage Quilt Beauties

Today was an unexpectedly non productive day.  The plans I had made to sew were dashed by a sick teen and a sick car.  Thankfully the sick teen is now on meds to make her better and the sick car is at the shop receiving a new timing belt.

So, add some sunshine into the day, while I was near downtown Fredericksburg,  I took photos of two of my most favorite vintage quilts that I own.

Vintage quilts are incredible!  The fabrics are fun, they are usually very bright colors and the hand stitching is amazing.

This double wedding ring is completely hand stitched.  There is no label to give any of the history for this well loved quilt.  I adore the colors and even the wonkiness that has come from years of use.

The pops of the reds, greens and vibrant blues are stunning!  The fabric placement and colors have such a modern feel!




And check out this beauty! The scalloped edges in purple make me swoon!  You can see the batting deterioration clearly in the photo.  Despite the wear this quilt still maintains its vibrant colors and sassiness!

I had considered ripping out the stitches for the binding and restitching them.  The quilt is hand stitched but the binding was machine sewn.  It is not a beautiful binding, done in a white thread that is almost offensive against the gorgeous purple.  It is still under consideration.

This quilt also had no label.  No way to tell who made it, where it is from or who received it.



I hope your Friday is filled with beauty, non sick people, non broken cars and maybe a few vintage quilts!

Oh, and ALWAYS put a label on your quilt!



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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Freaky WIP Wednesday

Today is Freaky WIP Wednesday!

I was hard at work on my current Work In Progress and this happened!  Have you had this occur while sewing?


Isn't this crazy?  I finally took this photo after the fifth time it happened.  It is like the needle is being rethreaded while I am sewing.  I have tried everything numerous times and am still uncertain of how it is happening.

Everything is smooth...then all kinds of crazy!

Thank goodness when I unflub it and rethread everything goes back to normal.  Hoping to have this project completed by Friday!  Wish me luck!



I also had a few minutes waiting for my possessed iron ( it was going crazy today too!) to warm up and I decided to make this funny :o)

Whatever it takes to keep the sewist happy!


How was your Wednesday?  Hopefully you were more productive than I have been!
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Monday, July 18, 2016

Monday Motivation {Sewing Tips}

Welcome back to Monday Motivation!  After sewing for some time, sewists run across ideas either on their own or  they are offered up from friends or family.  These are ideas that save time in your creative life.  Discoveries in how to be more efficient are always welcome! These little nuggets of wisdom present the opportunity for more time to sew!


This week Monday Motivation is a collection of Sewing Tips to help free up time, save money and help you be more productive in your sewing!






Using index cards or file folders to create the proper measurements for easy ironing is a great idea!

Check out how this quick tutorial from  Show Tell Share.






Straight pins can become not so easy to glide through fabric and that can cause frustration.  I sometimes run them through my hair ( I trick I learned when I was cloth diapering my kids) to make them easier to use or here is another cool trick from Make It and Love It!




Need to sharpen your scissors or rotary cutter?  So Sew Easy has a few tips on how to make your tools sharp again!




Bobbin issues got you down in the sewing dumps?  Craftaholics Anonymous has a troubleshooting list to help you be rid of bobbin woes!



Not sure what interfacing or stabilizer you should be using for a project?  Create Kids Couture has a good list of her favorite interfacings and stabilizers for different projects. 





Sewing machine needles come in many sizes and varieties.  Heather from Feather's Flights gives the basics of what you need to know to choose the right needle for the right fabric! 





How do you know you have the correct seam allowance?  Depending on what you are sewing, seam allowance is critical.  When making a quilt block, if your 1/4 in seam is not 1/4in, when you finish your block it will be the wrong size ( not fun!).  




You have two feet and your sewing machine has many many more!  Do you know the names and uses for all of the presser feet that your sewing machine came with?  Raechel Myers has a run down of many of the common feet that are standard for sewing machines. 



The right tool for the right job is a common phrase that was used by my father-in-law who was a General Contractor.  He was absolutely correct.  This pule even applies to sewing pins.  Threads has a wonderful article on How to Use Pins the Right Way.  



Moda has a collection of free cheat sheets full of great information from the best way to use precuts to how much batting you will need! 



If you have never made a quilt, Pat Sloan has a wonderful post on How to Read a Quilt Pattern



Thread tension is always a hot topic!  Understanding how the top and bottom threads work together to create perfect stitches is important.  Threads Magazine explains how your machine works and what you can to to make those perfect stitches! 










Are there other tips you have that you would like to share?  I love hearing about tips and tricks that can make sewing easier!




Join me for more fabulous tutorials, inspirations and humor that I share everyday on:


















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Sunday, July 17, 2016

Sewing Fills My Heart...


A full heart is always a good thing :o) 



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Saturday, July 16, 2016

Desert Bloom Moda Love Quilt Top

Last week for Sunday Stash I chose to highlight Desert Bloom by Sherri McConnell and Chelsi Stratton for Moda Fabrics.  It is a lovely collection of fabrics perfect for many projects.

I found out that my really sweet neighbor is having a baby girl in October.  There will be a baby shower in a few weeks and Katy and I were invited.  Trying to decide what to give to a new mom and baby is always a little challenging.  You want to make sure it is something that is special.  Also that the item will be useful.

I had a lightbulb moment and thought of how precious a Moda Love Quilt made with Desert Bloom would be for the new bundle of joy!




This is the full collection of colors with coordinating Aurifil 50 wt thread.  So pretty! 


The Moda Love Quilt is a free pattern that is very pre-cut friendly!  It is available in three sizes making it the perfect go to pattern for a mini, lap ( baby) or large quilt! 

This quilt goes together very fast.  The quilt top can be completed in only a few short hours.  Mine took a little longer because I ran out of bobbin thread in the evening and simply gave up until the following day.  

Frustration is a part of real life sewing! 

When I came back to the top, it was about an hour and then it was done! So easy and lovely to have a quick finish that looks amazing! 



The background fabrics are Zen Chic Modern Backgrounds for Moda.  They appear to be white but up-close they have beautiful writing. I am sure I have said it a million times, Modern Backgrounds are the perfect background fabrics!  





When planning for the new baby quilt, I may have already cut more fabrics for another one!  I have to warn you...the Moda Love Quilt pattern is highly addictive!



Now I must get back to my secret sewing project (I cannot wait to share it) and deciding on the quilting for the Desert Bloom Love Quilt.

How would you quilt it? Crosshatch like Hazel's Courthouse Steps quilt? Or something else?




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Wednesday, July 13, 2016

WIP Wednesday

Do sew everyday?  The biggest goal for me this Summer is to sew daily.  I have been making sure to schedule in sew times during the day to make a bigger dent in my projects.  It can be for 15 minutes or three hours.  I give the kids books or projects and ask that they not disturb me.  I can see into all the rooms in the downstairs from my sewing room.  I am never really very far away!

Luckily for me this week is Summer enrichment at the local school.  The nine year old is learning cooking and that gives me time to sew without interruption for two hours.  I have made great use of this time with a few different projects!

To start off are more Economy Blocks!  I will be making these every week until I have enough for a quilt!










I am also working hard on secret sewing!  It is difficult with secret sewing because you REALLY want to share but cannot.  Here is a very small sneak peek at the stack of lovely I am working on that will be released in the near future! 



And I could not resist making Hazel a new pair of pants using the scraps from a skirt I made combined with the binding from her quilt!  All Robert Kaufman gorgeous!  I used Aurifil thread to stitch these up in no time flat using the pattern from Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings.




What are you working on this week?
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