Sunday, January 31, 2016

Time to Quilt It!





My Snowman in the Cabin Window quilt top is done!

It is square and measures 42"

I am switching my machine to my quilting foot tonight so I can quilt this wall-hanging.

For fabric requirements and how to's ...

FreeTutorial Click Here

I hope to have that done by tonight so I can make tomorrow's challenge block
 on time and move on to a new project.

Linking up with



Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion by the River

Happy quilting!

365 Challenge ~ Block 31







Flock of Geese

3" Block Finished


Those small HSTs are trimmed to 1 and 1/4" 

I think that might be the smallest HSTs that I have ever sewn into a block.

I am pretty happy with how these little geese are flying.

:) 




Saturday, January 30, 2016

The Scraps, Ma'am, Nothing But The Scraps


The Scraps


The cut


Piecing The Cut


The Block

This is a 6.5" Postage Stamp Block
made with Thirty-Six 1.5" squares

I made this block to use up small scraps for the


RSC16


Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy

Lots of great quilts in progress in the links!

:) 




365 Challenge ~ Block 30





Grecian Square Block

3" finished block

" ... stitched together with good intentions ..."

 <3 

Friday, January 29, 2016

Promises (and Wishes) To Keep



It is for a promised guest blog tutorial 
@

It is not done.

It is (mostly) done.

I have only the outer border to sew onto the top,
the backing to make,
the sandwiching and quilting,
the binding,
and (maybe) some embellishments ,
and the tutorial to write.

Hmmmmm ...

Considering that the design process is the biggest part of the work,
I shall call this mostly done,
although the quilting on my home machine is always the most labor intensive part for me.

The center of the top actually sat on my design wall, 
sometimes rolled up out of view,
 but never out of mind
for many months,
until I took it down a few days ago to press it and give it a little loving.

I was sew excited about this beautiful fabric and project last spring.

The beauty of these fabrics are speaking to me again.

In truth, they have been speaking all along
but I was not listening.

A lot happened and I did not sew a stitch for months 
but I am not going into all of that.
Some of it is private and depressing stuff
and I let myself get bogged down in it.



Shari @ BCQC has got to be one of the most patient, understanding people on the planet.


They have beautiful fabric, wonderful patterns,  great sales and are really good people.

Shari would like me to finish this tutorial.

I would like to finish this tutorial.


I  really *WISH* to keep this promise.

Wish me luck ... ;)


365 Challenge Block 29 +




Churn Dash!

3 inch finished block

I also caught up with six blocks ...



January 1st thru 6th


365 Challenge

I am really loving sewing these small blocks!

:)


Thursday, January 28, 2016

"In Our Garden" Gate Opening Soon!





 Long Twin Size  Layout 

Finished quilt will measure 73" by 101" 


 Estimated fabric yardage needed for just the 

background, sashing, borders and binding according 

to my EQ is as follows:


 4 yards block background (cream), 

2 yards inner border and binding (red),

 2 yards outer border (floral),

 1.75 yards sashing (green)

  .5 yards sashing posts (blue) 


In addition, you will need fabrics for the block details. 



 I added a little to each estimate to allow extra cutting errors, etc. 


A fat quarter bundle or stash scraps would work for these.



Hope this helps you to plan your quilt.


Sew Incredibly Crazy



is busy organizing and getting ready to opne the garden gate on February 1st.

In the meantime she is offering a great giveaway on her blog ...



This giveaway is now closed. 


Sew much excitement!

Are you getting ready to sew?

Hope to see you sewing along with us ... :)


The Daily Block




3" block finished

I am really happy with how this one worked up.

I have always liked the Shoo Fly Block.

A scrappy Shoo Fly or Churn Dash Quilt has been on my quilty bucket list for a long time.

Maybe someday.


Time to go back and play catch up with the earlier blocks before the month runs out.

That is my quilty plan for tomorrow.


What are you working on?



Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Snowman in the Cabin Blocks Done!





My 9 Snowman in the Cabin Blocks Done!

I have enough blocks now for the wall hanging that I have planned.


These smiling faces were waiting for me when I got up today.

Last night I did the hand sewing of the button eyes and details.

Sewing the embellishments on before finishing the piecing does mean extra care while sewing and pressing, 



but I enjoyed seeing that cute snowmen faces while I worked.


I lined up my blocks and sewed one round at a time.


I trim and square my blocks after each round.


I find this keeps my blocks looking square and to size.

Here are my last nine blocks:



Block 4



Block 5



Block 6



Block 7



Block 8



Block 9

I had a lot of fun making these blocks!



I am going to study the placement and layout on my design wall for a day or two
to see if I want to add sashing and to decide on my outer border fabric.

Hope to be quilting it by the weekend.


Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A Good Morning of Sewing!




The last six Snowman Applique Centers are Done !

These are for my


that I started HERE



To streamline the process, I like to use an "assembly line" method
so I made the last 6 center blocks one step at a time.

First I cut the 6" circles for the heads and appliqued them down.


My applique technique is improving!

I set my machine to a small stitch and it looks neat.


I change colored threads as I went along to minimize the thread changes.

I did the carrot noses last.


Ready to sew on the button eyes and mouths!

Then on to assembly lining the log cabins.


This morning, I also made ...




3.5" unfinished

I am pretty happy with how this one came out
and it took me less than a half hour from cutting to pressing.

I can do this!

It has been a productive day of sewing so far.

I hope to have the snowman blocks completed tonight and ready to piece into the top.

Have a happy, quilty day!

:)


Monday, January 25, 2016

Good Karma & Quilty Mojo ~ One Day at a Time




Yes, I am getting off to a late start on this one ...
but there is plenty of time to catch up ... ;)

I am finding my quilty mojo again.

One Day at a Time.

I decided that this HUGE challenge would be a good project for this ...



One of the reasons that I am off to a late start is about finding and committing fabric.

At the beginning of the year I went through my fabric stash looking for fabric 
that would meet the requirements of this project.
I settled ... (or so I thought) ... on bin full of lovely batiks.
The more I looked at it the more I did not start sewing blocks.
The batiks were nice but they just did not feel right.

My fabric choices these days are tending to bright and light.

I went back to stash shopping ...


... Katniss inspected and approved these fabrics ...

a  FQB bundle of 


and a roll of 


and a sizable piece of

Stitch by Michael Miller in Mint Green.

I have had this bundle a little while waiting for inspiration to strike.

I have a few of these bundles collected over the years.

I like to look at them sitting in my sewing space.

They make me happy.

I  don't know about you, but I have a lot of trouble breaking into 
one of these neatly stacked and wrapped bundles.

Do your ever feel this way about your fabric bundles?



Katniss decided that I really need to take the ribbon off of this one ...
and give it to her, of course.


So here it is in all it's beautiful fabric glory!

I admired it a few minutes sitting in my sunny window.

Katniss has dragged the ribbon off to her basket lair.


Then I picked some fat quarters for that first block.



The units in these blocks are tiny ... 


... trimmed to 1.5" square.


These are 3" blocks.
(3.5 unfinished)

It is not perfect but I am calling it good.

I am content to sew it to size with the state of my eyes.

First block done and labeled.

Ready for tomorrow's block.


I am going to have to find more light fabric for the background.
So I think I have decided to splurge and order
some yardage of the natural white  Good Karma fabric,
that is front and center in this photo.
It is a really good compliment to the Stitch fabric.
I will be using it for a year.

Back to the snowman blocks for the rest of today's sewing.

Have a happy, quilty day!

:)

Friday, January 22, 2016

Farm Girl is Here!!!


These fabulous fabrics are from





This is Farm Girl !

Farm Girl is a new January release!

These fabrics are  "have to have" for me.

I love these prints!

If you like these fabrics as much as I do, time to find some for yourself now
at your favorite local or online quilt shop.


Look at these luscious flowers that Farm Girl grows!


Also, yummy cherries all ready for canning!


Cute calicos for the best dressed Farm Girl.

To these wonderful prints I am adding some wonderful basics:


These are Shades

My photos taken in weak northern light do not do any of these fabrics justice.
The colors are rich and textured.
My hubby, who does not like solids, loved the beautiful tones in these fabrics.
I will be getting more shades to add to my basics stash
so I have lots of colors on hand.

These fabrics are for a very special quilty project.
(hint, hint ... think "garden" ... ;)
You will be seeing a lot of these fabrics on my blog in the coming months.

For a quick and easy and cute quilt project:



Riley Blake Designs has this Free "Down on the Farm" Project 

Cute ... cute ... cute!

Thank You, Riley Blake Designs!... :-)