Quilt Studio Organization

It's always a challenge to keep things tidy. Stuff piles up - new patterns, new fabric, fabric scraps, UFO projects, quilts needing binding - you know how it is!  But I feel like I'm closer to being organized than I ever have been.

In order to stay organized in my studio, I have to get organized in my mind. I've separated by studio into zones and activities. 

Zones - Cutting, Sewing, Pressing, Design Wall, Storage, Group work, Teaching, Trunkshow, and Vending.

I think I'll do a post for each zone. They each need some work - some more than others. Also I should make a deal with myself to put things away after I use them. That's how things get out of control. Fast.

So, today I'll start with Cutting. It's actually one of the easier zones and mostly picked up. 

My Cutting Station is a series of IKEA cubes mounted on a
platform with castors and toped with a wooden top. The cubes are used for fabric and notion storage and I'll deal with that later. Cutting tools - rotary cutters and scissors are in a plastic drawer set in one of the cubes. Rulers are in a couple of places - hanging on end caps of the cubes with 3M hooks, in a ruler stand made by my Dad, and hanging from an iron rod by S hooks. 

So, what needs doing? I have lots of rulers I don't use - especially specialty rulers. I keep fabric scraps on the cutting table that need to be "filed". Project totes for in-process quilts sometimes are perched on top of the cutting table.  My cutting mat needs to be smotthed out or replaced. So that's pretty clear and not too overwhelming. 

Rulers first - 

1. Do an inventory

2. Put unused and duplicates into box for sale or donation

3. Enter rulers into my excel spreadsheet

4. Think about other possible projects for single use rulers

It took me a couple of days, but I have finished the rulers - I had an inventory and some are "missing". I think they are in project totes with fabric and pattern. I got rid of about 10 rulers and updated my inventory. 

I tidied up the hanging rod and drawer that holds rulers and
templates. 

 OK, first zone done and I feel pretty good about it.

Curious about Studio organization? Let me know.

New 2026 Sew Along with Denise

 I love Sew Alongs. They help keep me accountable and moving forward when there seem to be soooo many projects (which is always).

I've wanted to make both Floral Felicity and Park Place for a while now. They are both from Sew Kind of Wonderful and are both really cute. The curves are gentle, eaasy to cut and sew (no pins or glue needed). I did a post on FaceBook asking your opinion, and you have spoken - it's going to be Park Place.

So here's how it will work - send me an email (djps1957@gmail.com) that you want to join in. Its free to join. You can get your pattern and ruler (Wonder Curve Ruler) from me (Etsy Shop), your local quilt shop, or favorite on-line store.

We'll start with introductions and fabric choices (FQ and scrap friendly) in July. Then every month for 5 more months I'll do a demonstation via Zoom on the first Monday of every month. There will be multiple blocks per month, but they will have similar techniques. Go at your own paste - no shame allowed if you don't get the blocks done that month.

I will make a FaceBook group for us to post our fabric picks, progress, and celebrations. 

Are you in? Its free, (except for pattern and fabric), its low pressure, and will be lots of fun. Let me here from you!

Curious about the Wonder Curve Ruler? Here's your chance.

 

50 Quilts from 50 States - Texas

 

Continuing the 50 Quilts from 50 States journey - we head south to Texas. And I designed a BIG quilt for a BIG state.

I have made several trips to Texas to visit friends, camp on Padre Island, in the hill country, and at Big Bend National Park, go to the Houston quilt festival, attend quilt workshops, and have a personal quilt retreat near Galvaston. Its a huge state with so much variety of landscapes and lifestyles.

I thought I wanted to do a row quilt with all the symbols that are quintessentially Texas - cowboy hats, boots, bluebonnets, horses, stars, and the like. I saw all these things and more on my trips.

So starts the designing. Most of the motifs lent themselves to foundation paper piecing, but others were better done in applique. I could envision an on-point squares border.

Quilted by Brenda at Chris's Corner quilt shop in Ottawa.

This pattern would make a terrific block (row) of the month quilt and is a great skill builder because of the various techniques used. 

If you like this quilt, or any of the particular motifs, it is available on my Etsy shop - either as a paper copy or a downloadable pdf.  

Curious about Texas? Take a trip, or make My Favorite Texas Things Quilt.

Quilting Priorities for July

Every month I set quilting priorities for that month. These include classes I'm teaching or taking that need prep, retreats, quilts I need to work on for a trunkshow - you know those kind of things.

For many months, the priorities have been all about the KC Regional Quilt Festival. I taught eight classes and they all went really well. I met some new quilters, and got to visit with old friends.

Now that Festival is over, I get to pull out some UFOs, work on some class samples, and even start some new quilts.

So here is my priorities list for July:

 - Enroll quilters in my Log Cabin Sampler QAL and send fabric requirements

- Go to the KC Maker's 5th Birthday party and see my friend Eileen Urbanek's trunk show

- Sew binding on to 3 quilts

- Arrange to have 3 quilts quilted

- Work on Tuscan Vintage class sample

- Start 2 new 3-D/Opical Illusion quilts

- Pull out 1 old UFO and get 'er done

- Add 3 patterns to my Etsy shop

- Add pictures of all my Judy Niemeyer quilts to my website gallery

I find setting a focus for the month really helps - I have quilting ADD and could easily get lost and end up getting nothing accomplished. 

How do you decide what to work on? Are you determined to finish a quilt before starting another? Do you have BOM quilts or Round Robin projects every month that need your attention? I'd love to hear your strategies.

Curious to know how you stay focused

  

New BOM Coming This Summer - Log Cabin Sampler

  

Curious about Log Cabin Blocks?

I was planning to make a log cabin quilt to represent Tennessee in my 50 quilts from 50 States project because my grandparents lived in a white-washing log cabin at the City Reservoir in Johnson City Tennessee – they were the reservoir caretakers.

So as I was exploring log cabin blocks, trying to decide which one(s) to use for the Tennessee quilt, I was excited and a bit overwhelmed by the shear number of different log cabin blocks. Every time you change colors or layout, the block gets a new name. So I decided to make a log cabin sampler.

It was so much fun to figure out the blocks, the colors and the layout. There were also various techniques to try – accurate cutting, trim tool ruler, and foundation paper piecing. 

I thought this project would make a fantastic BOM to do together. It will be offered on-line (FaceBook and email) starting in July – I’m not sure when yet, so stay tuned. The pattern will be available for download from my Etsy Shop for about $10 or I can send you a hard copy for $15 plus shipping. I plan on making a video each month featuring that month’s block and technique. There will be a special FB group you can sign up for to share progress and questions.

If you would like to participate, please send an email to me at djps1957@gmail.com and I’ll put you on the list. I’m excited to make this quilt again. Hopefully you’ll join me.  

 

Stay Curious

February 2025 Newsletter

 It’s February – Love is in the Air - Love for Family, Friends, Fur Babies and All Things Quilting.

 You are on my newsletter list because you were at a program I did at your quilt guild or you signed up for my newsletter online or at an event. If you don't want to get these newsletters, please let me know at djps1957@gmail.com.

 Curious about what's going on? Here's the news:

New from The Curious Kansas Quilter

I’m always working on new ideas and have several in the works at the moment. Besides finishing up some UFOs (just finished one from 2016) and working on some new skills, I am working on a new trunk show – Optical Illusion Quilts. It will be available after May this year.  The big news is that I am teaching at the KC Regional Quilt Festival in June this year. The classes have been posted and are ready for you to sign up. Check out my technique classes here.

Curious about EQ8?

Electric Quilter 8 is a program that enables quilters to design quilts and audition fabrics for your quilts. I have taken multiple group and private EQ8 lessons, but it just has eluded me. I have my suspicions as to why but let’s say I was probably too impatient. Learning and using EQ8 for designing my patterns is one of my major goals this year. Currently I design on paper and then use work processing to draw the diagrams. It’s cumbersome and my patterns lack a professional look.

So, I signed up for Kari Schell’s Tech Know Quilter EQ8 course.  I started this week with the basic lessons and I feel really confident that I’ll get it this time. I’m planning on transitioning my patterns to EQ8 starting with my new-ish pattern Cross Roads. So stay tuned!

 

 Visit the International Quilt Museum

This gem, located just 3 hours or so north of the KC area in Lincoln Nebraska, is well worth the visit. I’m only a little bit biased due to the fact that I’m a new member of the Board of Friends of the IQM (International Quilt Museum). I’ve seen several exhibits in the last couple of years including Paula Nadelstern, Sue Spargo, feedsack quilts, and Victoria Findlay Wolfe. Current exhibitions include Whimsy II: Quilts of a Feather, Studio Showcase: Judy Kirpich and Karen Schulz, Without a Net: Quilted Sculptures by Susan Else, and A Golden Age of Quilters: 1870-1940. Exhibits are constantly changing, so multiple visits are a must. The museum is reasonably priced, but is also free during the first Friday of the month. Another time to visit is November when the Friends hold their annual fundraising Art Market.  Potters, glass artists, wood carvers, basket weavers, folk artists, and fiber artists have their beautiful art on display and available for purchase.    

 

Just for Fun

One of my favorite actress/comediennes is Miranda Hart. She starred as Midwife Chummy in Call the Midwife and in the title role in Miranda (both British shows). I resonated with her character in both shows. She has come out with a new book – I Haven’t BeenEntirely Honest With You.  This book describes her struggle with some long undiagnosed long term health concerns and what she learned about herself and life along the way.  I listened to the book on Audible and it was narrated by Miranda herself in her funny, self-deprecating, totally British way.  I found it the perfect combination of real issues tackled in a somewhat light hearted way, humor and some good lessons (she calls them her “Treasures”). It is a great audio book to listen to while sewing or organizing the studio. Highly Recommend!!!    

 Upcoming Events

February –

6 – Miami County Quilt Guild

8 – Denise’s Saturday Sew Day at StitchOn

15 – Kira with the Stripology Ruler at Quilters HQ

27 – Topeka Country Quilt Guild

 

March

11 – Flint Hills Regional Quilt Guild

15 – Denise’s Saturday Sew Day at StitchOn

22 – Playing with Log Cabin Blocks at Quilters HQ

26 – 28 – Central Oklahoma Quilt Guild

 

April

3-5 – Ad Astra Shop Hop at Quilters HQ

19 – Denise’s Saturday Sew Day at StitchOn   

 

Stay Curious!

The International Quilt Museum in Lincoln Nebraska

 I am lucky to live in Lawrence Kansas - for many reasons. I've realized lately that one of the best reasons is that it's only a three hour drive from the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln Nebraska. And I have been taking advantage of that nearness for the last couple of years.

I have been up there three times in the last two years. The exhibits change several times a year, so multiple visits are a MUST. The first time I made the pilgrimage was to see Paula Nadelstern's exquisite kaleidoscope quilts and hear her lecture. I've taken a class from Paula and have loved her unique kaleidoscope quilts for a long time. 

Paula uses fabrics with elements that have bilaterial symmetry, which she found difficut to locate early on. She turned that challenge into an opportunity to develop her own fabric line - which of course I love and collect. I highly recommend you check out her website at the very least - better yet, see her works in person. Actually, I have so much to say about Paula, that I think she'll get her own blog post - stay tuned.

The second visit featured the work and exhibit tour of

Katie Pasquini Masopust, with whom I've also had the priviledge of taking an on-line workshop. Katie uses fabrics as well as paints to create modern art quilts, usually in a series. To me, Katie's pieces are more Art than Quilt and really beg to be looked at up close for all the interesting surprises. Katie was recently inducted into the Studio Art Quilt Associates Quilters Hall of Fame. Stay tuned for more Katie as well.  

The third trip was to see the huge graphic quilts of Victoria Findlay Wolfe and the fun and whimsical wool applique of Sue Spargo. The quilts of these two fantasitic artists could not have been more different. Victoria's huge quilts featured a limited color pallet and strong graphic lines and shapes. I've had the priviledge of taking a workshop with her at the Woodland Ridge Retreat Center in Wisconsin. Victoria will definitely get her own post!

Meeting Sue Sparge is still on my bucket list. Her wool applique quilts are so adorable. I'm working on two in the form of Block of the Month quilts from Quilting Bits and Pieces in Eudora. So I was super excited and inspired to see Fresh Cut - the original. I studied her piece for quite a while.  

I'm sure I'll be coming back often - I have just joined the Friends of the IQM Board. We've got lots of great exhibits and exciting events happening - I'm sure I'll be writing about many of them. 

Curious about the International Quilt Museum? Check out their website and plan your visit. Let me know when you're going to be there - we may run into each other!