Thursday, May 26, 2011

Sunday Stash Report -- and Nicklene's Christmas present is done!

Even though Sunday came and went, I still want to post my Sunday Stash Report.

We have some friends from the Netherlands who host a wonderful Christmas dinner party every year. Nicklene decorates with Christmas china, Christmas candles, and a Christmas tea set. Last Christmas I decided that she needed cloth Christmas napkins:



My Sunday Stash Report:

fabric purchased this week: 4
fabric purchased this year: 36 yards
fabric used this week: 4 yards
fabric used this year: 181.75 yards

Stash reduced by: 145.75 yards

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along, part 2

So how did you like last week's block directions? Did you make any blocks?

This week we are going to put the blocks together into the quilt.

Again, it has yet to stop raining here in New York, so the photos were taken inside and are full of shadows. I am explaining but not complaining, as my heart goes out to the latest victims of the series of heartbreaking tornadoes in the United States.

Instructions:

Lay out your blocks in 5 rows of 5 blocks.

Sew the 5 blocks from the first row together, alternating the long borders so no seams match.


Sew 5 rows together, alternating the blocks so only the corners have matching seams.


Helpful hint:

Press the seams from your first row in one direction (left) and the seams from the second row in the other direction (right). When you join your rows together, your seams will line up nicely.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Giveaway Winner

It is time for the Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along giveaway..

A number was randomly selected (by my husband) and the winner is....

At 2:29 AM, Blogger Celeste said…

This looks like tons of fun. I love your brights for your sample.


Celeste, I don't have your email address. Please email me (link through my blog profile) and I will mail out your lovely thread!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along, part 1

*** This giveaway is now closed***

Welcome to the Stop, Drop and Roll Quilt Along! I am hosting this for the Old Red Barn Co. Flickr group. Come and join us!

The first step for the quilt along is to gather your materials. To make a 42-inch square quilt, you will need:

for the block centers:
25 charm squares or 2/3 yards fabric cut into 25 charm squares (five-inch squares)

for the block borders:
75 charm squares or ten ¼ yard cuts cut into 75 charm squares (five-inch squares)

for the backing:
2 2/3 yards

for the batting:
throw sized batting

for the binding:
½ yard

The block finishes at 8 ½ inches. If you would like to make your quilt larger or smaller, note that each block requires one center charm square and three border charm squares (or six half charm squares).

Before I show photos, I need to mention that like a great deal of the United States, New York is, has been, and will apparently continue to be cloudy and rainy. My photos are quite dark and dreary. Sorry! We are under a flood watch, but nothing like the devastation in other parts of this country. I will take new photos should the sun ever decide to grace us with its presence again.

I gathered a few charm squares into groups:



Instructions:

Keep each center charm square whole, but cut each border charm square into two pieces, 2 ½” x 5”.



Select a center square and six rectangles for each block.



Once you have arranged your block, you are ready to sew.

I recently (last week) discovered my new favorite piecing thread:



It is DecoBob. by WonderFil. I have used this thread for quilting before, but the man from WonderFil told me to use it for piecing. Well, I came straight home and did just that! It is a beautiful 80-weight polyester thread that is thin and strong. I pieced for several hours with it and am absolutely tickled!

I think you will be tickled with this thread, too, and that is why I am giving away those two spools of thread to one lucky commenter. Leave a comment below between now and Sunday and I will pick a name on Monday morning.

Once you have picked your sewing thread, sew a rectangle to the left and right side of the center square. Press seams toward the rectangles. Sew two rectangles together (2 ½” x 9 ½”) for the top and bottom borders. Press seam to one side.



Center that seam over the center of the middle square. There will be approximately ¼ inch of extra fabric on each side. Stitch top and bottom border to the block. Press seams toward the borders. Trim the block to 9 inches square.


I think this is a simple little block that will work great with those charm squares you have been collecting.

Next week I will post instructions for joining the blocks into the rows and joining the rows to make the quilt top. After that, we will dig into the free-motion quilting!

For a sneak peek, I made this quilt top from a variety of bright charm squares that I had on hand:


Is this darling? When you are choosing your fabrics, try to make blocks of different colors or different color values so they stand out when placed next to each other. I know that you will blow me away with your creativity. I cannot wait to see your photos!

Come on over to the Old Red Barn Co. Flickr page and post photos of your fabrics.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win two spools of DecoBob thread.


*** This giveaway is now closed***

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Always Believe -- Feathered Scalloped Border

Grab your copy of Mark Lipinski's Fabric Trends and turn to Always Believe, designed by my friends at the Quilt Basket.

The Quilt Basket put a tutorial on their blog of how to scallop the border and I filmed a video of how I quilted it.

First, the details:

I used Konfetti from WonderFil, color TU 37 shell. It is a gorgeous variegated thread of subtle pinks and creams.

I used a size 16 needle.

Now, the video:



The next series of videos I am filming will focus on free-motion quilting on your home machine. Check back often!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Design Wall Monday

As shocked as I am to admit it, I actually have something new on my design wall:



The block is for a quilt along I am hosting for the Old Red Barn Co. I will be posting a tutorial and videos weekly for the next several weeks. Check back often!

The applique is a border for Pat Sloan's Meadow Breeze quilt. Someday, I hope to actually finish that quilt!

Head on over to Judy's blog to see how everyone else is doing.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Sunday Stash Report -- and Marla's quilt is finished!

Last week I had the honor of attending the wedding of my dear friend, Marla. She was a beautiful bride and has a handsome husband. I gave them a quilt and hope they think it is beautiful, too.



I pieced the top in my hotel room in Virginia last week, in between the tornado warnings. I quilted it when I got home and finished the binding with hours to spare. (Yay me!)






Close up of the block quilting:









I found the perfect back at Patchwork Plus in Dayton, Virginia:




The quilting may show better from the back:




My Sunday Stash Report:

fabric purchased this week: 5.25
fabric purchased this year: 32 yards
fabric used this week: 12.75 yards
fabric used this year: 177.75 yards

Stash reduced by: 145.75 yards

Head on over to Judy's blog to see how everyone else is doing.

Be sure to check my blog later this week. I am hosting a quilt along for Old Red Barn Co. and will be posting a free pattern and tutorial as well as videos on free-motion quilting on your home machine. I hope you join in the fun!




Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Always Believe

If you haven't yet purchased a copy of Mark Lipinski's Fabric Trends, run out and do so immediately. My friends at the Quilt Basket designed a quilt for that issue. It is GORGEOUS! It is so hard quilting for publication because I fell in love with this quilt months ago and have not been able to tell you about it... until now.

The Quilt Basket not only designed the quilt and wrote the pattern, but they put a tutorial on their blog of how to piece the block. In that same spirit, I filmed a video of how I quilted the block.

First, the details:

I used Konfetti from WonderFil, color TU 37 shell. It is a gorgeous variegated thread of subtle pinks and creams.

I used a size 16 needle.

Now, the video:



Next week I will show how I quilted the feathered scalloped border. Be sure to check back!

Sunday, May 08, 2011

Sunday Stash Report

fabric purchased this week: 6 yards

This week's incoming fabric wasn't purchased, it was a birthday gift from a dear quilting friend:


I can not decide which fabric I like best!

fabric purchased this year: 26.75 yards
fabric used this week: 9.75 yards

At long last, I finished my Lucky Charms quilt!:



fabric used this year: 165 yards

Stash reduced by: 138.25 yards

Head on over to Judy's blog to see how everyone else is doing.

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Lucky Charms quilting -- The End!

The last ten weeks have been so much fun! I loved quilting this quilt, and making the videos, and sharing them with you. But now, the quilt is done and it is time to show you the finished product:



The back of the quilt surprised me:



I like the back as much as the front!

Next week I am taking this quilt to MQS in Overland Park, Kansas and the quilt will be auctioned to support the IMQA. If you are in the area, come to the auction and support this great organization.

I will miss this quilt when it is gone, but I am consoling myself by planning the next one.

Check back often! I hope to have a new video next week.

All Lucky Charms quilting videos:

Lucky Charms part 1

Lucky Charms part 2

Lucky Charms part 3

Lucky Charms part 4

Lucky Charms part 5

Lucky Charms part 6

Lucky Charms part 7

Lucky Charms part 8

Lucky Charms part 9

Lucky Charms part 10

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Sunday Stash Report

fabric purchased this week: 0
fabric purchased this year: 20.75 yards
fabric used this week: 10.25 yards
fabric used this year: 155.25 yards

Stash reduced by: 134.5 yards

Head on over to Judy's blog to see how everyone else is doing.