Saturday, August 27, 2011

New duvet cover in progress and a new pressing table

I made the duvet cover I have on my bed when I was living in a postage stamp sized apartment in Brooklyn a few years ago. I called my little apartment there Carb Corner. :) It was 3rd floor walkup above a bagel shop and across the street from a bakery. Every night the bakery would bake bread for the next day, so walking home from the subway after a night out, all you could smell in the air was butter and fresh bread. And then I'd wake to the smell of fresh bagels in the morning. I think the only reason I didn't double my weight was all the walking!  But I digress (and am now craving bread...)..Back to my duvet...I think it's really gorgeous and it's definitely one of my favorite projects.

My duvet with my beautiful Zoe cat who I miss so much... Sniff.

But I've been hankering for a change and have been collecting fabric for the last few months with big plans for a new duvet cover for my bed. It all started with the new collection of Denyse Schmidt fabrics for Joann Fabrics and I've been steadily adding to my pile of fabric with visions for my duvet. Last week I started digging through my collection of quilt books to figure out what pattern I wanted to make. Then I remembered an awesome string quilt from Elizabeth Hartman's book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork. It's a great book with some fantastic patterns and great tips.

As I was working on cutting strips the other night I realized that I needed a few more yellow and a few more red fabrics. (Well, maybe not 'needed' exactly ...) My friend Margaret, who owns Form and Fabric, just moved into a new space and even though her business is online only, she was nice enough to let me come drool over her fabric and pick up a few additions for my duvet. She's got a bunch of new stuff that I was dying to take home with me, but I was very controlled and managed to leave with only a few 1/2 yard cuts.


I'm making good headway on my blocks and have half of them complete. I've never done any foundation piecing and it made the process so easy. And my blocks are so tidy! I can hardly wait to see the whole thing come together. The green blocks are next. :)


One of the things that I quickly realized making a string quilt like this is that there was an awful lot of up and down to the ironing and cutting table. And then I remembered a little pressing table I spied somewhere on Flickr. So I traipsed off to Target and found this great little table for $15. I cut 4 pieces of batting and covered 1/2 the table with some of my Urban Circus fabric. A bit of folding and a staple gun later, voila a pressing and cutting table! I can even slide a tiny cutting mat under the fabric for storage. And the whole table can slide right under my sewing table when not in use. Love it!



So stay tuned for more duvet progress!  What's on your sewing table this weekend??

13 comments:

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

I am in love with your new cover already, and the little ironing table is a brilliant idea!

Reene@Nellie's Niceties said...

What a cool cutting/pressing table! I expect your new quilt will be fabulous too :)

memmens said...

Not living in the Carb Corner anymore I guess you're not so concerned about your weight otherwise you should be getting up and down to the ironing and cutting table! Great table, wish I had one!

Nicole Follow the White Bunny said...

What a beautiful cat, I'm sorry you have to miss her! I'm actually finishing a baby quilt this weekend which has some of your Urban Circus Fabrics in (and some other fabrics too DS, Saffron Craig, solids etc). Sewing on the binding by hand. :) Looking forward to seeing more of your new duvet cover!

mle said...

Yes, lots of ironing with those string blocks! Your little ironing table is so great!

Eileen {bluebirdluxe} said...

Fantastic table! Your quilt is looking gorgeous! :)

Karamat said...

Those blocks look great! Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

Pam said...

Can hardly wait to see what you put together. Wish I had been with you when you visited Form and Fabric! I would love to mingle through all of her nice fabric. I have purchased from her before and was very pleased.

Cynthia Strickland said...

I love your first duvet and can't wait to see your new one. Based on the fabrics and the blocks, it is assured to be pretty awesome! You are quite an inspiring person. I am working on a quilted tablecloth for my dining room table. It is pieced and ready to be layered and quilted. A few of the fabrics in the quilt are my own designs. The whole idea is to add some needed color to my dining room!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ckayes/6089090597/in/photostream

Jeannette said...

That is a great idea! I often have the same trouble up & down and thought about something like this...and i have that exact table left over from my son's college days!

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Kelly O. said...

that little ironing table rocks! I must get me a staple gun!

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