Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Get A Clue: I'm Just Wild About Nancy Drew!

When I found out that Moda was launching a line of Nancy Drew-themed fabrics, my young-reader-self crawled out of hibernation and starting jumping up and down!  Nancy Drew.  I credit these books with sparking my love of reading.  Birthdays, holidays, sick days:  all I wanted was another Nancy Drew Mystery.  Naturally, I jumped on this blog hop bandwagon as soon as I learned about it!
I decided to make a throw-sized quilt, something that you could curl under on the sofa while watching "Murder, She Wrote" (which is a ritual around here on occasions when my daughter is here visiting).

First, I asked my architect friend to enlarge this figure, as derived from one of the cloth designs.

Placing the image over a lightbox,
I traced the shape onto a piece of the ND fabric that
had been pre-fused with Mistyfuse.



I worked on the reverse (fused) side of the cloth, tracing with a 
Pentel Gel Roller Fabric pen (which I adore BTW!)

Here is the complete tracing on wrong side of fused fabric.

Now, I cut the shape out.  It was easy because I was using my fabulous 7" Havel's Scissors
with the micro-serrated blade.  You should try these scissors because they are amazing for this type of work!!
Here's Nancy!  
She is ready to be fused onto the book panel.


So far, so good!
I like how this looks!
Here, I am "free-cutting" block strips with my wonderful Havel's 7" scissors.
I've had these babies for years and they are as sharp and amazing as the day they 
came out of the package.  Seriously great scissors!


I made a bunch of pieced blocks that I later changed my mind about.
These are now on the back of the quilt...
before...
I changed my mind and switched to the blue-yellow colorway for the quilt top.

after

Here is a corner block, under-construction
I wrote the quilt label on a piece of plain yellow pre-fused cotton, 

After fusing, I stitched around each edge.....

The label is the yellow block with blue border in the center of the quilt back.
I decided to place the label prior to the quilting.
I used all the extra pieces of ND fabric to create a scrappy-pieced quiltback.
I like how it looks!
Here is the finished quilt,
long-arm quilted by my friend, Danielle Wilkes.
I machine-stitched the binding.



Here is the quilt "in action":  tucked around my daughter,
who was visiting from out of town.
We have a  ritual of watching old "Murder, She Wrote" episodes on Netflix.
I think it was even more fun all cozied-up under "Nancy"!

I had so much fun making this quilt!  For even more great ideas about how to use this fun fabric line, please stop by today's other blog hop participants' sites:  
Feathered Nest Studio

Here is a link to the entire blog hop on a day-by-day basis:
Just Let Me Quilt

Please leave a comment and be eligible for a gift!  I'll draw a winner from the people who comment!
ltj

Oh, and PS:  The winner will receive a pair of Havel's scissors as well as a Pentel Fabric Gel Roller pen!  Woo Hoo!







118 comments:

  1. What a fun quilt! I love the large Nancy you did, so perfect!

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  2. What a great quilt, I like the way you used the book panel.

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  3. Nice cozy to snuggle under while helping to solve the Nancy mysteries. Love the fabric you choose to create Nancy out of.

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    1. Thank you! That black fabric is part of the "Get A Clue" collection.

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  4. The quilt is definitely cozy and perfect to use while reading your favorite mystery!
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. Great quilt, I too love how you added the Nancy in action silhoutte. CUTE! JAne

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  6. What a great quilt! I like watching murder she wrote with my Mom too. :)

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  7. Very pretty quilt. Very nice. Thanks for having a give away.

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  8. Love your quilt. I also really like the quilt label. I think reading Nancy Drew books inspired my love for reading too.

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    1. Recently, we listened to one as an audio book while driving, read by Laura Linney (the actress). Very fun!

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  9. Love your creativity, and I find it amazing how you can just change your mind in the middle of making the quilt. It would be so nerve wracking to me.

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    1. Welcome to my world LOL! It happens a lot in my studio....sadly!!

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  10. What a wonderful quilt! Great job!

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  11. Hi Leslie....I just love your quilt...it really came together nicely. thanks for the giveaway too

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  12. Fabulous quilt! Nothing better than to snuggle under something that you love.

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  13. Fabulous quilt! Great job and happy snuggling under your new quilt.

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    1. I think I'll do just that when I return home from teaching!

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  14. Wonderful quilt. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. A cozy looking quilt, thanks for sharing the photo of it in action :)

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    1. You are welcome. I always enjoy seeing "process" shots, myself.

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  16. Lovely quilt! I especially love the way you did the label! pbstrand@msn.com

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  17. Your quilt is so wonderful. Thanks for sharing

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  18. Your quilt is great Leslie and I love the pic of your daughter peeking out from it !

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  19. Sheesh, great job. I wish I have long-arm access!

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    1. A good longarm quilter is someone worth finding! I'm very fortunate to be friends with a good one!

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  20. Wow, your quilt is reversible! Well done.

    Thanks for the scissors hint for the applique deal as I hate those little hairs you get regardless of what fusible product you use. Will be looking for the type you named too. Thanks also for the chance to win a little giftie though I have a snowball's chance there!

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    1. The giveaway IS a pair of these scissors, as well as a Pentel Gel Roller Pen!! Woo Hoo!

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  21. Wow! I love your idea of fusing the Nancy image onto the fabric. A very striking quilt! I came to your blog to see the Nancy project, but I loved the rest of your posts too, and your website. Like Nancy, I've made an exciting discovery! Thanks for all the inspiration and eye candy!

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    1. ;-)
      Thank you for your kind words and I am thrilled that you enjoy my blog. Please drop by often! I'm always up to something around here.
      Right now, I'm actually in Phoenix teaching workshops, but I'll be home next week!

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  22. Love how you made your Nancy Drew quilt reversible ! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. I think quilts that are either two-sided (or have fun and funky backs) are really great. Especially useful quilts. Why save all the fun for the front?!

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  23. Great quilt... the blue and yellow look so great on the front... and awesome idea to use the spare pieces on the back.

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    1. I love the red color way, too, but changed course in the process, so I was happy to include the blocks and other pieces of the collection in the back. Two for one!

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  24. I like what you did with the back of the quilt. My husband and also like to watch old episodes of Murder She Wrote.

    Thanks for the chance to win. Susan

    senstrings (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. MSW is really fun to watch. Amazing all the actors you see in the episodes, now famous, who had bit parts in that series!

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  25. Fabulous quilt! Thank you for the link to Pentel too. Yay Netflix, for me it's Agatha Christie :D

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  26. Great quilt! I need a pair of those scissors!

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    1. You DO need these scissors! I used them in the workshops I have been teaching this week in Phoenix and everyone fell in love with them!

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  27. Pretty quilt...really like it in the blue/yellow colorway. Those scissors look amazing!
    Thanks for shating and the opportunity to win.

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    1. Keep your fingers crossed: the scissors are part of the giveaway!

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  28. Great quilt - thank you for sharing!
    Did you know it was impossible to access your blog from a couple of links? "permission denied" was the message until I came via Madame Samm!

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    1. How strange! I have no explanation for it but I do apologize! So glad you persisted. Thank you for dropping in (even though it was hard!)

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  29. I am getting weird messages thru blogger today myself? And can't leave messages on many... Hoping this goes thru. I love your quilt, and seeing it tucked in around your daughter makes it what quilting is all about. Fabulous project! Fun post!

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    1. You came through, and I am sorry that you had trouble. I wonder if there was a bad link on one of the other blogs? I don't understand what the problem is. Thank you for persisting.
      I agree with you: I love making all kinds of quilts: useful ones and hang-on-the-wall pieces. I never met a quilt I didn't love.

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  30. I love your guilt, great on the free cutting, that is my way, but I usually mess up.

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    1. the free cutting is much, much easier to accomplish after the Mistyfuse is on the cloth. It almost acts as a stabilizer, making the free-cutting seem more stable.

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  31. Love your quilt and instructions. Thanks.

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  32. Great quilt. It looks so pretty. And that is fun to watch Murder she Wrote with your daughter. My daughter and I will do the same thing when she visits. We have a tv series that we only watch when we are together.

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    1. I love that. We only watch MSW when we are together!

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  33. That is such a wonderful quilt and very inviting to cozy-up in...love it! Your daughter makes a very cute little model, too. Thanks for hopping with us! :O)

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    1. Thank YOU for including me. I love hopping with you!

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  34. Fabulous quilt ... just perfect for a cold, rainy day to curl up with and read a book with a cup of hot cocoa or coffee. Thanks for sharing your quilt with us.

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  35. I'd love to be cozied up with this quilt watching old mystery series too.

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  36. It was fun to see the evolution of your quilt in pics. It turned out lovely and how fun to get to share in the snuggling with your daughter. Special.

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  37. love the cozy quilt nice job

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  38. This fabric is fabulous! I have several first editions that belonged to my aunt. I love the nancy silouette and adore misyfuse. Have not tried the gel roller pens but will now!

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    1. I think you will love these pens! My students this week really liked them and had never heard of them.

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  39. What a great quilt to curl up under! Love your Nancy cut out and thanks for the tool tips!

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  40. Your Nancy Drew silhouette is AWESOME! Thank you for sharing.

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  41. So nice your daughter was visiting. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  42. Love the quilt! And I love Murder She wrote! I am currently reading Nashville Noir! Have fun with your daughter and your nancy quilt!
    Thank you for sharing!

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  43. Love the quilt. Great pen, I will have to get one. I love how you signed the quilt.

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    1. The great thing about these pens is that, no matter what type of cloth (even canvas!) the ink rolls on nice and smooth. I've never found anything better and I have used them all.

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  44. I'm pretty sure I read every Nancy Drew book ever. Wish I had had your quilt to snuggle under.

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    1. Wouldn't that have been a great addition to the Nancy reading experience? Can you imagine?? I love to think of you, dear friend, snuggled under a Nancy quilt and reading. It makes me smile.

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  45. I really like your quilt; your sense of design is wonderful! Piecing the back is such a good idea for using the extra fabrics.

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    1. I like making fun quilt backs. I think I have a bit of "quilt back vanity" but why not make the back fun? Plus: it makes me feel a bit better about using those blocks....sigh.

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  46. What a fun quilt - and perfect for your scary tv shows. :) blessings, marlene

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  47. I am wishing I was your daughter. Love that quilt.

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  48. Great tutorial - you did a wonderful job! Thanks for sharing!

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  49. Love your quilt too!!! Bet your Daughter has claimed it as her own...YOU will never get to try it out now! LOL Toooo fun! :)

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    1. Here's the deal: She (they....I have 3 beauties) have to come see me to cozy up in the quilt!!

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  50. Nice job with the quilt. It's alway a challenge. I guess thats the fun of these blog hops though.

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    1. Blog hops, like entry deadlines, often help me get the job done!!

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  51. Love the quilt and enjoyed watching the process. Great use of the panel.

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  52. That's a cool idea for a quilt! Thanks for sharing.

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  53. Awesome quilt!! How big was the finished piece?

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  54. I enjoyed your blog. This has been a fun hop. Thanks for the parade of pictures along with your story. I think your daughter is having way too much fun with the quilt. LOL thanks for the chance to win.

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    1. I think she was having some fun! BTW I love your "handle": my 4-legged studio companion is named Bizzi!

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  55. Now that is the quilt to under when watching all my old favorites like Columbo, Hunter, Spenser for Hire, Cagney & Lacey,of course let's not forget Charlie's Angels, Hardcastle & McCommick,Equalizer and Magnum PI just to name a few great 80's Classic Detectives. Thank You for sharing your wonderful quilt with us and for the chance for the pen and scissors. I do a LOT of applique and know what you mean by the "hairs".

    Sincerely,
    Tricia

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  56. Your quilt turned out so good! I'm glad you and your daughter got to use it 'in action" while she was visiting! Thanks for sharing it with us on the hop!

    -karrie

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  57. What a lovely quilt! I really like the combination of fabrics that ended up on the top. Not too sure about the back, but fun nevertheless. And I appreciate you showing your label - I have trouble labeling my creations, and I shouldn't.
    Thanks so much for sharing

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    1. Don't blame you for being uncertain about the back, but I was simply using up the remaining fabric from the line.
      I can't encourage you enough to label your work. Someday, when you aren't around to tell the story of your quilt, the label is all you have to tell the story.
      xoxo

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  58. I also grew up on Nancy Drew, and used the book fabric around the bottom of my Word Wizard robe that I wear when I volunteer at the elementary school.

    Really enjoyed your presentation at the AQG show Saturday morning, and your quilts were beautiful! We 'chatted' briefly on your way out - I'm the one finishing up 15 months of chemo. It was a great day - I sure loved finally feeling well enough to get out again and do stuff! - topped off by winning the Grand Prize in the Quindow Scavenger Hunt: a 1250 embroidery machine. Guess my quilts will soon be getting more embellishment... :-) Bobbi

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    1. Oh Bobbi, THANK YOU for stopping by the blog. I'm so happy that you enjoyed the lecture, and more importantly, that you felt well-enough to attend the quilt show!
      Take good care and stay strong!
      xoxo
      Leslie

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  59. Love it Leslie! no mystery there.

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  60. Using my iphone "Randomizer", the winner of the blog hop giveaway is # 46, LJ! Please contact me via email to receive your prizes.
    Thanks so much, everyone, for stopping by the blog hop and leaving a comment!

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  61. Leslie, this is too cute! Now to check out your blog and your work. Wow! Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

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  62. I loved Nancy Drew too, Leslie. I immediately recognized the iconic silhouette, and love the way you placed it over the other book cover images. What a wonderful snuggle-up lap quilt!

    (Can you tell I'm still procrastinating on my deadline piece? LOL!)

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Linda!
      You know, I constantly amaze myself at what I can accomplish whist avoiding something else....

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  63. This is my first time on your quilting blog, I have just purchased a machine to try art quilts. I am a late bloomer (had a horrible sewing teacher in school) at sixty years old but hey, they say - you are never too old to learn!

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    1. Dianne, I'm glad you dropped by! Glad you are "in recovery" from the sewing teacher! Just dive in and swim. Please drop by often and let me know if there is anything I can offer in the way of encouragement. This is a great little subculture, no matter why type of quilt maker you are! The most important thing is to have FUN.
      L

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