Whether a vendor or a shopper at this fall’s farmer’s market you can always look great AND stay warm!

As a vendor at the market I like to dress warmly but in eye catching items, like this beautiful hat from CamilleMarie:

Crocheted Cloche Hat Bundled Roses in Oxford Grey

I find that if I can keep my neck warm I have better luck staying warm overall.  Scarves are nice, but cowls like this

Pistachio Neckie from Marinade are really nice because you don’t have any long tails getting in your way. 

Now let’s look at keeping the torso warm.  I found this fantastic

Pokora Shirt from GaiaConceptions.  The fleece cowl neck can be pulled up into a hoodie and there are thumb holes to help at least keep parts of your hands warm.  How perfect is that!

Another really important part to keep warm at the market are your FEET!  If they get cold or wet it makes for a really long market. 

These Hand Knit Wool Socks in Mulberry stripes from ChelseysHeadtoToe would be perfect for keeping those tootsie’s warm!

Your outfit for the market wouldn’t be complete with out a fantastic large, sturdy, and of course, adorable market tote bag like this.

LaPomme Green Messenger Bag from IkaBags.  You would be able to carry lots of fresh fruits and vegetables home comfortably using this bag.

 

Now you’re all set to be stylish and warm on your next trip to the Farmer’s Market.

Wow and Whoops!  With all the craziness happening with me right now I completely spaced and forgot to do the 2010 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat $50 Drawing.  Everyone that entered a project in for a Project QUILTING Challenge had the option of getting an entry for this drawing.  These means that each person had a chance to get their name in the hat 8 times. Since I realized that I forgot to do the drawing I knew that I had to do it right away or I would forget, so I used a different hat. Cedi was tired out from all the name picking she’d been doing but luckily Capri didn’t mind pulling one more name.   And the winner of $50 to the retreat is Karen’s Crafty World!  Congrats Karen!  Hope to see you there (as I’ll be attending)!

I have been completely neglecting my blog, my etsy site’s and pretty much everything not related to apples in my life lately.  BUT, with the dreary weather and the Packer Game on we had a bit of a lull at the orchard.  I was happy to open up etsy and see my Skull and Cross Bone Charm Earrings on the front page!

Thank you to Yellowbugboutique for including me in her fun treasury!  And congrats to all the other’s featured!

What made you decide to join Project QUILTING?

I love Project Runway, so this was a perfect fit for me.  I also made a commitment this year to do something creative every day, and this certainly helped.  Like Kim, I’ve struggled to call myself an artist, but I’ve become a lot more comfortable with introducing myself as an artist and designer.  Well, every artist needs a portfolio, and Project Quilting seemed like a great way to help build one.

What was your favorite part about Project QUILTING?

My favorite part really had to be seeing what other people would come up with, and wondering how others would interpret the idea.

 

Which Challenge in Season 1 (you can include the 2 pre-season projects) was your favorite? and why…

I think my favorite had to be “Road Trip.”  It was the most ambitious project for me, but it was the first one where an idea sparked right away, and I had fun figuring out what was the right proportion for the film, how to make the canister, what items would be incorporated into each panel, etc.  It was literally 7 quilts rolled into one!

Which Challenge in Season 1 (including the 2 per-season challenges) was your least favorite? and why…

I think I would have to say “Stars Over America,” because that was a really tough time.  After making 6 quilts in a row (and winning public and/or judges’ pick for each one) I felt tremendous pressure to do something incredible & over the top.  I totally lost perspective, and I was exhausted. I do love the quilt, but not the pressure I put on myself to make it.

Which Challenges did you come up with your idea immediately and which took some marinating?

I’d have to say all of them – with the exception of Road Trip – took some marinating.  Most of the time I didn’t stitch an inch until a Wednesday or Thursday, and then I had marathon sewing sessions to get them finished in time.

Did you try any new techniques for your projects during these challenges and if so, what were they?

Tons!!  I think every quilt I tried to use a new technique.

Shoo Fly – using buttons on a quilt
Apple Blossom – free-form piecing, 3D appliqué
Rectangles – working with silk, using felt for batting, overcasting (serging) the edge instead of binding
Road Trip – using iron-on rhinestones, thread painting, layered appliqué
Recycling – couching braided cording, cathedral windows
Log Cabin – miniature paper piecing
Stars Over America – liberated star blocks
Office Supplies – fusing organza
Black & White – using upholstery foam in a quilt
Nursery Rhymes – shredding scraps, quilting in a frame

How has Project QUILTING made you a better Quilter?

For one, it gave me the courage to hack into some fabrics that would still be sitting on my shelf or in a closet getting stared at.  The Recycled Challenge helped me to say goodbye to & breathe new life into a ball gown that was steadily deteriorating, and the Rectangles challenge forced me to cut into my Thai silk taffeta.

Also – you cannot perfect a craft without practice, and having permission to play and experiment and brainstorm and problem solve was quite liberating for me.  It also helped boost my confidence in my own work.

What didn’t you like about Project QUILTING?

For me, I think it was too long – especially for the summer.  By Challenge #6 (which was really my 8^th quilt) I was really ready for it to be over.  It was like running a marathon!

Did you find the judges comments beneficial, annoying, or inconsequential?  Why?

I think the judges comments were useful overall, though I think you could tell when there was a guest judge involved.  It would be nice to get more feedback on how something could be improved. It’s a little odd to get only positive comments and a low score, so those should be explained.

Do you think the judging format should be more structured, less structured, stay the same?  and why?

I think that there should be a consistent number of permanent judges, and only 1 guest judge per challenge. It seemed that the more stable judges, because they’d built experience with the contestants, could see the growth over the season, and really look at how the quilter interpreted a particular challenge.

What was your favorite piece that you created for the Project QUILTING challenge?

My favorite piece was actually from the Nursery Rhyme challenge.  The technique was really fun, and I think it really shows how much I’ve grown as an artist over the summer.

What was your top three favorite pieces that someone else created for the Project QUILTING challenge?

The Log Cabin Tree from kimscraftyapple

The Apple Blossom quilt by PennyFabricArt (preseason)

The Round Quilt from the Black & White challenge by MoranArtandQuilts

What changes would you make to future Project QUILTING Seasons?

Make them a tad shorter (maybe 5-6 challenges instead of 8)

Consistent judges (3 permanent, 1 guest)

Maybe have a challenge where the Challenger picks an initial restrictive challenge, but the contestants can change one thing about it…. or a challenge where the contestants challenge each other.

Is there anything you’d like to add or comments you’d like to share with me and my readers?

I just want to say that Kim was a FANTASTIC host for this, and turned out so many great projects that I wish she’d been able to compete for prizes too!  Thanks for being willing to do this & for making this one of the most exhausting, interesting, fun, and rewarding summers I’ve had in a long time!

 

~ LoveBugStudios

 

An Interview with Me, Kim Lapacek 

What was your favorite part about Project QUILTING?

I have been a seller on etsy for about 2 1/2 years now.  I had been finding myself in the rut of “What can I make that will sell.”  Something I should know by now is that it’s nearly impossible to know what will sell.  Something you think is adorable, cute and just the perfect thing won’t sell ever and then something you make and feel like ripping apart will sell the next day.  Project QUILTING pulled me out of this rut.  Because of Project QUILTING I feel that I can now call myself an artist.  I always shied away from that word when referring to myself in the past but some of the pieces that I have created because of or as a result of Project QUILTING has made me feel that I can say that sentence:  I am an artist.  What’s even better, now that I’ve come to that realization I have started to actually sell pieces of art – because it’s different, it’s unique, and those that understand what goes into my pieces appreciate them.  Who would have thought that by going away from the ‘norm’ I would actually accomplish my goals in the first place?

 

Which Challenge in Season 1 (you can include the 2 pre-season projects) was your favorite? and why…

This is a tough question.  I learned different things from each challenge and each was fun in it’s own right.  The Shoofly Challenge was fun because it was fresh and new and brought me back to piecing.  The Apple Blossom Challenge because I had been wanting to appliqué something similar but it just never made it to my immediate list, same with the log cabin challenge – I had wanted to try that block but hadn’t gotten to it, and the Stars Over America – I kept meaning to converge some commercial’s with hand-dyes but again…never made the list, and when the challenge showed up I immediately thought of my outer space fabric for converging.

I have to settle on my favorite was the Rectangle Challenge.  The piece that I created in this challenge was completely organic – it created itself and it told me how it should be.  I started to fuse and quilt rectangles down and all of a sudden it said, “I should be a kite.”  When I thought it was done, it yelled at me - “No I’m not! I still need something and you have some rectangles left to use.”  And of course, it was right – it needed some fun swirls.  It also created a challenge for me that lead me to discover just how much I like to paint my own fabric to use in various projects.  I also had a lot of fun weaving the ribbons and fibers for the kite’s tail…I love that I can twist and turn it however I please since I did it over wire. 

 

Which Challenge in Season 1 (including the 2 per-season challenges) was your least favorite? and why

 

The Road Trip Challenge.  I had such a hard time coming up with a doable idea for this challenge.  I had a lot of great ideas that I would be able to complete to my liking given a month…but not in a week.  Then I started something I didn’t love and had to start something different.  I do love the bag I came up with – it works fabulously and the laminated maps have held up through a couple of rainstorms and spilled water bottles. 

 

Which Challenges did you come up with your idea immediately and which took some marinating?

Immediately:  Shoofly, Apple Blossoms, Recycle, Log Cabin, and Stars Over America.

Marinating:  Rectangles, Road Trip, Black & White, Nursery Rhyme, Office Space (sort of…once I went to the store I knew what I was going to do)

 

Did you try any new techniques for your projects during these challenges and if so, what were they?

Apple Blossom – Thread Painting, Three-dimensional pieces on my quilt

Rectangle – Fabric Painting

Travel – Laminating Fabric

Log Cabin – Log Cabin Blocks, ‘Pillowcase’ binding

Stars Over America – angelina fiber

Office Space - Grommets

 

How has Project QUILTING made you a better Quilter?

Like I said earlier – it has made me realize that I should do what my heart and mind tell me to do…not what everyone else is doing or not just something that I think will sell. 

 

What didn’t you like about Project QUILTING?

Hmm…I guess I didn’t like how nervous I would get towards Sunday when no one posted their projects yet.  I know I gave you all a week but I would have been devastated if no one got them done.  Luckily, that never happened!  I’m just a worrier by heart.

 

Did you find the judges comments beneficial, annoying, or inconsequential?  Why?

I liked to read the judges comments.  I listened to what they had to say and analyzed if I think it would have helped my piece – sometimes I thought, “Oh, yeah…that would have been neat,” and other times I still thought I had done the right thing.  It’s always good to hear others opinions and try to grow from them. 

 

Do you think the judging format should be more structured, less structured, stay the same?  and why?

I was fine with the judging.  I think they did a great job and I know that many weeks they had some very hard decisions to make.

 

What was your favorite piece that you created for the Project QUILTING challenge?

My Shoofly Challenge piece.  Even though I’m a quilter this was an ‘outside of the box’ piece for me – I’m not a piece quilter.  I started as one but lately I’ve veered away from this and have gone the appliqué path.  So for me to come back from all the more ‘arty’ projects and create this piece…it just holds a special place for me. 

 

What was your top three favorite pieces that someone else created for the Project QUILTING challenge?

Karen’s Scrapbook

 

Lovebug’s Crooked House

PennyFabricArt’s the Juggler

 

What changes would you make to future Project QUILTING Seasons?

I know one change that I’m going to make – it’s going to be shorter.  Maybe 5 or 6 challenges instead of 8 (10 with preseason).  I loved every project but it definitely got to be a long season – lesson learned and an easy fix!

 

Is there anything you’d like to add or comments you’d like to share with me and my readers?

I just have to say that I am so happy, honored, and grateful for all the support that everyone has given to my Challenge.  It would not have been what it became without the participants, the judges, and of course the fans.  This has just been great all around and even though I’m exhausted I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Thank you.

Since I have to be equal for my girls, they each picked 5 names each – who would pick the eleventh?  That’s easy!  Our challenge giver and one of our judges – Diane!  And the last random prize is

Giveway 11:  pretty little mini quilts from PennyFabricArt

Congratulations to StudioCherie!

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

 

I still have to pick the winner for $50 to the QuiltsbyBarb Quilt Retreat Weekend, but I have a bit of prep work first so I hope to have this posted later tomorrow night or early on Thursday – thanks for your patience!

After a bribe of candy, Capri drew the winner of

Giveaway 10: THANGLES Blueberry Stars

and she picked Kelsey Rose!

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

Capri was all set so she’s drawing the winner of Giveaway 9: THANGLES Mini Trio

And even though I took a terribly blurry picture – the winner is PamelaQuilts!

 

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

And since Capri was still getting ready for the party we had, Cedi picked the winner of

Giveaway 8: THANGLES Orion Star Quilt 

Congratulations to DebiDesigns!

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

It was Cedi’s turn to pick the name of the winner.  She was getting tired of being photo’d and held back from a party she had to go to so I had to bribe her with candy… And to help people get excited about the upcoming 2010 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat I am adding some fun thangle sets to the giveaway! (What is a thangle you ask? – check out this: http://www.thangles.com/howtheywork.html)

Giveaway 7: Thangles – 2.0” Finished – Makes 450 Half Square Triangles from 2.5” strips

And she chose SpringWaterDesigns!

 

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

It was Capri’s turn to choose the winner of Giveaway 6: That Purple Thang and one of my personal favorite quilting books - ‘Nickel Quilts – Great Designs from 5-inch Scraps by Pat Speth and Charlene Thode’  Although Capri held it upside down, she choose SARAH B!

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

The girls were getting antsy so we just snapped pictures of the winner for a little bit… and the winner of

Giveaway 5: An Add A Quarter Ruler, 5” Lightweight Craft Scissors, That Purple Thang and a Spool of YLI Soft Touch Black Thread

And Cedi chose… QUILTIES!

 

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

A customer just walked in so I can also get the Fourth Random Prize announced.  It was Capri’s turn to choose the winner of

Giveaway 4: Quick & Easy Block Tool (I have this and LOVE it!)

And she chose… QuiltingDiva!

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

Finally getting back to my computer.  I’ll sneak in random prize #3 for the first season of Project QUILITNG between sorting apples…

Cedi picked the third winner and for this she made sure to keep her eyes shut (this is my favorite picture…)  Whoever she chooses will win…

 

Giveaway 3: The Quilter’s Pocket Reference – An Easy Guide to Yardage and More by Peggy Scholley and a ‘That Purple Thang’

And the winner is Karen’s Crafty World!

 

Congratulations on your win!  Please email me (lapaceksorchard@gmail.com) with your address so I can get your package all ready to ship!

And I’ll move swiftly onto the second random prize for the first season of Project QUILITNG.

The next named drawn (by Capri) will win:

Giveaway 2: RainbowFabrics is Donating $25 to her etsy shop.

And if you look really close – Capri drew PennyFabricArts! 

Congratulations on your win!  I’ll get you information on how to claim your prize from RainbowFabrics soon!

I meant to start posting these yesterday, but as always apples and allergies got in the way…no worries, my adorable kiddo’s have already picked the winners!  Now I just have to start posting and collecting addresses!

First thing I had to do was write everyone’s name on a slip of paper.  Each time you entered the challenge you received an entry for these awards – so if you participated in all 8, your name was written 8 times – participated in 3 challenges – 3 entries and so forth…

Here’s more about Giveaway 1:

Karol from FabricCandy has donated a set of Five Fat Quarters of the Ava Rose Collection.

Cedi drew the first name…and as we’ve learned in past random drawings she tends to choose… Kathleen’s Quilts!

 

Congratulations on your win!  I’ll get you information on how to claim your prize from FabricCandy soon!