Sunday Cleaning

It seems like every time I have a new fabric collection coming into the studio I do a cleaning......As much as it is my new collection "Novella" (due to arrive any day for me to dive into) I have to create a better place for my computer. I have worked on a lap top forever.....I am finally committing to a desktop. My new Apple Baby arrives on Thursday. I am so excited to have a bigger screen to work on and a faster computer. 

The problem today is that my original idea for moving my desk doesn't fit....I have been moving furniture since this morning and still haven't figured it out......My studio looks like a bomb of "stuff" went off....which makes me want to cleanse even more. But I find myself pacing around the studio trying to decide what to do.....Figured it would be a nice distraction to blog.

The mess......and I have bolts of fabric that have to find a home because the next batch will be here soon! And I admit I am a stacker. I stack things all the time. It is one habit I have that I am starting to find very annoying. Tough one to break but I am determined to at least minimize it. 

Must get motivated to keep at it!

Have a great Sunday!
XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer....

Happy Friday! One of my favorite desserts in the summer is Poppy Seed Cake....not just any Poppy Seed Cake but my grandmother's recipe. My mom makes it all the time and it is heavenly.....

For your Saturday night BBQ..... Download PoppySeedCake

It is such an easy cake it is perfect for the kids to help.....and as messy as we get when we cook we wear our aprons.....

This is a great simple apron and fun to make with your daughter or grandaughter.

Have a great weekend!

XO

Valori

Sketchbooks.....

I love my sketchbooks....I carry one around where ever I go. Kinda like my phone and wallet. The sketchbooks that I have found from Rag & Bone are the ULTIMATE! Perfect size, great paper, and beautiful covers.....

Rag & Bone use designer fabrics to cover their handmade journals. All of their product is made in the US. So cool! We send them my fabric and they cover the books and then we have unique journals in the shop. Kinda cool.....

Starting today Rag & Bone is doing a trunk show of limited edition designer books, journals and so much more! They used the Liv print from Cocoon for a series of books. I might have to go shopping.....

I have filled one sketchbook and am working on my second......I used to have a hard time keeping a sketcbook and journal but now I love it....

Images from my book.....

The paper is awesome....I travel with a little watercolor set and pull it out and paint in the sketchbook.

My new book is filling up quickly.....some new ideas for fabric.

Have a great day!

XO

Valori

PS.....not just a trunk show of amazing books but also a sale!

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2012....part 2

Hello.......

Here is the second instalment of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show photos......

It was only 8ish and town was full....

Even the Cowboys were out looking at quilts! How often do you see that?!

My friends little boy "Water Doctor" out for the day keeping the visitors well hydrated!

I always love the line outside the Sisters Bakery on Quilt Show day....all across the street.

Another look of Cascade Street.....

The first Annual Man Land Exhibit.....way cool to recognize our Men Quilters!

I will end with the Wizard of Oz....

What is truly amazing is that I started this blog in the morning and with all the interruptions I am sending it now..... I came upstairs to finish......hope nobody has noticed that I'm gone!!!

Have a great night!!!

XO

Valori

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2012....part 1

Happy Monday!!! I got my first canning lesson today with my step-mom. We made dill pickles! So domestic of me...in between the canning process I started working on my Spring 2013 collection of fabric. Makes my brain hurt to think that far ahead right now. I have spent so much time trying to keep myself in the now it is hard to think out that far.

The pickles are done, the lids popped (I guess that is good). Teague is still sleeping. It is peaceful so I thought I would share some Quilt Show photos from this year......

The day always begins with the Sisters Firemen hanging our Employee Challenge Quilts.

Mom and I out for our morning walk.....

I love the look down Cascade St, aka Highway 20, first thing in the morning. I think it was about 7:30ish.

I LOVE this quilt!

Rob Appell....sporting his Quilt Rescue t-shirt. He volunteers every year to help with Quilt Rescue. Very Cool!!!!

Still hanging.....

Rob hard at work fixing a quilt.....and we have barley made it 2 blocks.

I will have to end here...my little monster is calling! Keep your eyes out for part 2 and part 3....

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer....the end of July!

Good Morning.....we are getting ready to head out for a little family vacation but I had to share a fun pattern for the perfect picnic.

Skye....I made this quilt out of voile, cotton and then I made it into a picnic blanket.

I love it out of the voile...it is so soft yet cool.....perfect for a summer evening.

Here is the pattern for you to download and share.....

Download Skye_web

Hope you have a great weekend!!!!

We are hitting the road!

XO

Valori

Picnic in the Park.....part 1....

Hello....

Today is my brother and I's birthday, Jason is 43 and I am 39.....yep same birthday! It is a great day.....on this beautiful July day I thought I would start my series of images from the Picnic in the Park, Quilt Show and Save it for Sunday events! Three awesome events.....

The Picnic in the Park is the last event of the week of Quilter's Affair classes.....it is followed by an outdoor lecture. This year our featured lecture is from the Folk Art Chicks....Gwen Marston, Sue Spargo, and Tonye Phillips......But I wil start with a few fun pics and our traditional showing of the Employee Challenge Quilts.  This year's theme was Pieceful Village or something similar to that.....

Aunt June, Mom and I.....can you tell we are all related! Except my dorky smile.....

Music from our talented kids from Sisters!

Three tired but happy teachers.....Alethea Ballard, Emily Cier and Scott Hanson.....all vergins to Quilter's Affair and Quilt Show......

Mom and Vivi.....

The diners.....

The Chicks getting ready for their lecture!

Quilt Holders for the event....Lawry and Mindi - mother and daughter, Lawry has worked for my mom since Mindi and I were 7, & Colleen Blackwood - teacher and family friend.

My hubby and Rob Appell - our surfer boy teacher and good friend!

Let the Employee Challenge begin.....this is mom's quilt - she had the grandkids draw houses and she used them for templates then the kids picked the fabrics they wanted their houses made out of....too cute! She is so clever!

Quilts from our amazingly talented staff at the Stitchin' Post!! They did such an amazing job.....

Next on Picnic in the Park.....part 2, The Folk Art CHICKS!!!!!

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer.....

Happy Friday!!!! I have to apologize about last Friday and Simply Made Summer....it was a big day for Quilter's Affair. Of course I had the best intentions and I figured I could do it all and still get in a post. I came to the realization at 9 p.m. as I was working at the shop that I was just not going to get it in.

Tomorrow is my Princess Violette's 5th Birthday....she is very excited for her Bubble Gum Princess party. In our house you don't get gum until you are 5....hence the bubble gum part! We love parties......and the summer is full of them!

This week for Simply Made Summer I thought I would introduce you to the Sophia Table Runner....she would look great on a table for a party....

This is a perfect project for a beginner because it has simple piecing, color play with the large scale print and piecing, quilting and binding.Those skilled quilters will find it a fun quick project to add a little style to your table.

To top off a great setting you need napkins......I have perfect napkin pattern for you.

All you need is a fat quarter - 18" x 18" piece of fabric, squared up. Then all you do is pull the strings until you get an fringe edge.

Once you have pulled the strings and you have 1/4" to 1/2" around the entire piece you clean up the edges and your done. There is no sewing required. This is a great gift for the hostess. It is fun to do lots of different patterns in a pack that you give away. It is a bit time consuming but a good tv project or weekend by the pool.....

Hope you have a great weekend!

XO

Valori

July's first Simply Made Summer....

Hello.....FRIDAY!!! The last relaxing day until Quilt Show is over. Sunday starts the whole event off with the Fiber Arts Stroll, Monday is the beginning of Quilter's Affair Classes at the high school....and the week goes on....I am really excited for Quilter's Affair and Quilt Show this year. I think it is going to be a great year!

The Quilt Show office is now open and sorting quilts.....

They are so organized....it is truly amazing that 1500ish quilts come into this space get organized and then One Summer Day in July....Sisters, Oregon is transformed with quilts hanging all over town! It is beautiful!

We are having a bbq tonight to start off the party......

But before I get to my cooking and mixing of sangria I will share my Simply Made Summer for today.....

It is BERRY season around here and Oregon does have the most amazing berries. That being said I have to share my Summer Berry Crisp recipe. It is the perfect last minute dessert....takes no time at all and is truly yummy.

Download SummerBerryCrisp and the download for your recipe box....(I Hope)

Olivia and I made this crisp last night....unfortunately we didn't have any ice cream so in turn we put chocolate chips on it. When the crisp is warm it is so yummy with the chocolate. Fun new addition to the recipe.

Now when you make this lovely crisp you will need a pot holder to get it out of the oven....In case you are tired of your old pot holders I have a pattern for you....

My Flutterby Pot Holder Sewing Card......super cute and easy......can't go wrong with that!

Now I am off to prepare for a BBQ.

Have a great weekend!

XO
Valori

Simply Made Summer.......

Happy Friday! As summer continues I am hoping for warmer weather for my garden....luckily we have missed the frost but there is not much new growth.....Looking forward to July when we have warmer days.....

I have been working on the instructions for the knitted edging for the Summer Nights Shawl and am happy to say they are done and ready for you......

here is the download able version Download Knittedlaceedging

This was my test version....on this I used two colors and make it longer. The pattern is for the original shorter version.

I used Shibui variegated sock yarn......as my obsessive personality continues I am now knitting the edging out of 4 ply yarn for my voile Fina skirt. To adjust the pattern so that the lace is long enough I measured the bottom edge of my skirt and added stitches in multiples of 12 to make it the appropriate length. I will share when it is done!

This is the back side or other side of the knitted lace edging.....I think it is just as beautiful as the front. Just in case you didn't get the Summer Night Shawl pattern here you go.....

and if you want to share..... Download SummerNightsShawl-web

Another great weekend project the Sassy T-Shirt Dress for your favorite little girl. My girls love their dresses and love it when I make them something out of my fabric. I am not sure at what age this ceases to be fun but for now they love it.

For market I took a picture of the girls in the field and added butterfly kites to the sky. This was blown up to a 4' x 8' panel and became one of the walls of the booth. I just love it!

So easy to make.....all you need is a t-shirt and some voile or cotton and about an hour....

Have a great weekend!!!

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer from the Oregon Coast....

Hello all.....enjoying a little vacation from the hub bub at the beach with my family...It was wonderful weather the last two days and today is a little wet and cloudy. Typical Oregon Coast.....

We make an annual trip to the beach in between Rodeo and Quilt Show.....kind of a mental break for all of us. We are just missing my brother's family but they went to Hawaii instead. Yeah, don't feel bad for him at all!!!!

So, this week I wanted to share my Rosalie quilt.....it is a Hexagon quilt (my mom tells me that hexagons are really big right now). The best part o the sewing card is that there are two sizes with the same layout but just different size hexagons. You can make a queen or a throw.

This is the queen version using all of the Cocoon cottons..... I love the way it turned out.

I was out shooting some quilts for our summer postcard and I had to take Rosalie.....

Such a perfect spot to take photos.....it is SO Sisters.

To go with this beautiful quilt......a easy project for anyone - fabric gift box!

So easy to  make......

This will give you the instructions and one of the box templates....the download will have the full size template in two different sizes. Perfect hostess gift for the summer party. Download FabricGiftBoxes-web-1   Download FabricGiftBoxes-web-2

I like the inside of my box to be interesting also, so I printed on the inside.....you can stamp or put another piece of fabric on the inside.

Well off to hang with the family on this rainy beach day.....

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer......#3

Happy Friday!!! Another beautiful day in Sisters....I think Summer is finally here! Summer makes my weekends perfect....not stuck in the house when it is raining and cold. UUUGGGHHH!!! Summer keeps us outside...in the garden, on the deck just enjoying our lives!

But before we embrace the weekend how about a simple project to add color and style to your summer....Flange Edge Pillows. The pillows are only outside when I am or we are having company. I remake my covers once a year since having them outside fades the fabric..... I also change my fabric frequently since I have new designs out every six months.These are made out of Cocoon Cotton Linen...yummy to work with...

And now for the down loadable version.....there are two different pages. It is designed so that you can print one page out flip it over and print out the other page, trim if needed and fold in half for a card! Fun to give away with some fabric and a pillow form as a gift.

Download 5x7_FlangePillow-web-1

Download 5x7_FlangePillow-web-2

Now an update on the Summer Night Shawl with the knitted lace edge.....I had a lot of sitting around time last weekend when we worked the Rodeo Dance.....and I am excited to say the scarf is done! Made with Cocoon Voile...yummy! I am testing my knitting instructions on another shawl and then I will share the knitted lace edge pattern.

My only added touch will be to topstitch in around the edges about 3/4" in from the seam.

I think it will be nice....Next will be a wrap dress to go with the scarf that I can wear to a wedding in a couple of weeks....

Have a great weekend!

XO

Valori

And the Winner(s) are.....

Good Morning.....Wow, I had a great turn out on comments for the We Love Color book....104! Since I have two girls and so many comments I decided that I would pick two winners one will get the We Love Color book from C&T and the other will get some of my new Cocoon fabric.

Vivi picked first....for the Book....

The winner is......Adele....I will be emailing you!

Olivia's pick.....for Cocoon Fabric....

And the winner is.....Debbie....I will be eamiling you!

Thanks again to all of you that commented! Keep looking back at my blog....more give aways this summer!!!

XO

Valori

We Love Color......

Hello and Happy Monday!!! My weekend was full of planting in the garden and listening to my husband trying to get the little man to use the potty. Seven years of diapers is taking a toll on him. He is on a mission but I am not sure he is going to win! Teague is very stubborn.....and personally I don't think he is ready.

I am lucky enough to have been a part of the C&T Publishing Family since my mom's first book - Patchworthy Apparel....I was 7. Ha Ha....there are even some still out there. Since then I have created several books with my mom and even a few on my own.

Look at that baby.....might even be antique!

Last year I was asked to be a part of the We Love Color book by C&T and Kaufman fabrics. What an honor! I love to have an opportunity to make quilts that are not always for market or a pattern I have to do or with my fabric. Even better the quilt had to be out of solids....Kona Solids! Not a bad assignment!

And to be included with all of these amazing designers!!! WOW!

First, I have to say how much I love, love, love this book! There are quilts that I would love to make if only I had another day in the week without any responsibilities....don't we all want a day like that? Since the book is compiled of different designers the quilts are incredibly varried. To me that makes a great book. A book that you will pick up again and again to find inspriation from the quilt designs to the quilting and color choices.

The color inspiration for my quilt was a photograph of quilts and wool blankets all stacked on these awesome galvanized shelves. I think that it was in a book of mom's. I loved the way the colors moved in the photograph as well as the palette itself. Luckily I had all the Kona cottons to pick from, I mean honestly I don't see how you can't find a color that you need. You want to see a sneak peak at my quilt.....

It is one of these...can you pick it out?

I was asked what my favorite Kona color is......Azure - although I think that there are at least 4 other ones that I would consider a close second. When Olivia asks me my favorite color I always tell her, "all of them". Way too hard to pick...and my mood has a lot to with my favorite color of the day!

When you look at Azure what does it make you think of?  For me.....blue sky, the ocean on a white sandy beach...that is why it is one of my favorite colors it makes me happy!

Little did I realize the Kona has come up with 28 new colors....REALLY! Talk about options....

Meet Citrus! "Yes I am yellow but not just yellow but WOW yellow, kinda makes you pucker". Like when my son takes the lemon from my ice tea and sucks on it...

Now, the best part is that I am giving away a copy of We Love Color......yeah!! Leave me a comment and you will go into the basket. Just so you know how I do a give away....you leave a comment - make sure you email is available to me otherwise I have no way of getting a hold of you - I will assign it a number and then put pieces of paper with the number on it  in a basket and let one of the kids draw the number.  The drawing will be June 11th.

To find out when the other designers are blogging check out Kaufmans Blog....

Have a great day!!!!

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer.......

Happy June!!! It is a beautiful day here in Sisters, the sun is out it is going to be 80 today....can't wait to get into the garden.

This is the first day of Simply Made Summer a series of postings full of projects, recipes and ideas for a great summer!

My new skirt pattern Fina is a perfect summer skirt.....I made it out of the Cocoon Linen and I am in the process of making one out of the Cocoon Voile. I think it will be so soft and yummy as it gets into the heart of summer. For the Fina photo shoot I made skirts for all of the girls and we went out to the meadow. It was a cold spring day but they were awesome.

We had fun....

And the final cover photos is.....

Now once you have a beautiful skirt your going to need to reward yourself with something yummy.... how about some Sangria!!!!  Download SummerRedSangria

Enjoy!!!! Have a great Day!!!

XO

Valori

The end of May....

As this month comes to a close - honestly I can't believe that it is almost June...almost Quilt Show in July. Wait I have to remember not to get a head of myself....there is still a lot of fun to come about in June. June 1st I am starting "Simply Made Summer".....every Friday for 12 weeks I will post some great projects, recipes and free downloads...might even be some giveaways!!

My goal to do a pic everyday and post everyday has somewhat fallen....I do take the pics but just don't get to posting as much...... I thought I would share some pics from market. It was a great time!!! Coming home is always good......the kids were excited to see me as was my husband! The morning after I got home I was up with Teague early and we were in the kitchen listening to music. The song Kandi by One Eskimo came on and he puts his sippy cup down on the floor and stretches out his hand to me to dance with him. My heart melted! What a sweet little boy he is....such a mamma's boy! (I love it)

Ok Pics from Quilt Market!

The beautiful Amy Butler....Love that girl!

waiting for take down.....there is always a lot of hurry up and wait! Of course as I look through these few images I realize I need to take more....Have to remember that for Houston when "Novella" comes out.

Have a great weekend!

XO

Valori

May 11....Vivi's Dress

Vivi came into my studio this afternoon after her nap and said to me, "mama when are you going to make my dress?" she has been asking me for a dress for weeks, a long dress. So, rather than putting her off, again, I stopped drawing and helped her pick fabric. My mind was in, "what is the quickest way to make her a dress and still be cute!" I cut a large rectangle and put some elastic in my bobbin and started gathering the top. Within an hour and a half the dress was done.
Here is my sweet Vivi in her new dress.... Once Olivia was home from school she immediately wanted one. Tomorrows project!
XO
Valori

All belted up....

I am very lucky to be a part of the shop, along with a place to buy fabric and yarn our gift shop provides for all sorts of good finds. In January we were at gift show buying for Twigs and came across these awesome belt buckles..... Besides the fact that the designs were really cool the company did custom buckles! Oh lala!!!
Yesterday our six custom Valori Wells Designs buckles arrived! Thought I would share.... Hopefully we will have them up on the Twigs web site this week.

XO
Valori

Purging....

Purging..... As a VERY sentimental person and avid collector purging is hard! Ross and I have been working on the house. Just feeling like less is more! It is a process especially for me. The house is starting to feel so good, so light.

I felt like my studio has been weighting me down. I keep having dreams about packing and cleaning. It is amazing all of the anxiety I feel in the dream and then when I wake up. Conclusion..... I am purging my studio. Trying to get rid of things I don't need and packing up some of the sentimental objects the are cluttering my space. It is a process and I have such a short attention span (no wonder my kids are that way) that I get bored easy.... Find myself doing other things. Like blogging! I look around and even the places that I have purged and cleaned still feel full. Frustrating! I am just trying to work my way through the space then go back if I need to. Oy Vey!

Now back to cleaning.... And PURGING!!! That needs to be the key word!
XO
Valori

Cocoon Sample yardage....

My huge box of Cocoon cotton and voile arrived.... Lilly has decided that it is her fabric. I can't wait to get my hands on it....
XO
Valori