Just Stopping By...

  It's been incredibly busy/crazy (in a great way) around here lately.  My school semester started this week (I'm teaching 2 English classes at a local community college), and I'm nearing completion of some big projects I haven't been able to share as of yet. But just like a breath of fresh air, one of my summer finishes arrived home the other day.

The fabrics are Fresh Cottons by Fig Tree & Company for Moda, and the pattern is "Vanilla & Blooms," also by Fig Tree & Company.

The quilting is gorgeous, and I can't wait to put my feet up for a few minutes and stitch the binding on this quilt!  I'll share full pictures when it's finished! Have a wonderful day!

Pattern Testing...

One thing I've been working on for the last week is some very exciting pattern testing for Kimberly at Fat Quarter Shop.

Each year Fat Quarter Shop hosts a Mystery Designer Block of the Month.  I always participate and love each of the quilts I've made from these patterns.  The blocks are always wonderfully designed, and Fat Quarter Shop always includes plenty of fabric.
 

I've been working my way through the patterns...of course I can't show any of my blocks since it's a mystery; however, I can tell you I've completed 5 blocks already and hope to have them all completed in the next couple of days. This really is the best Designer Mystery Block of the Month yet!

This year's quilt features the fabric Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille for Moda. If you want to join in you can find out all about it here.

Have a wonderful day!

Hopscotch

Just before Christmas I got the chance to sew with Vintage Modern, a new Moda line by Bonnie & Camille! If you loved their earlier lines Bliss and Ruby, well then Vintage Modern is like the icing on the cake! I seriously heart this fabric...it's one of those lines where it's love at first sight!

It was so much fun to piece "Hopscotch" for Camille (yes, I pieced the quilt, but she did the amazing straight-line quilting pictured above)!  Camille just released 4 new designs, including this one, and they're all on my "to-do" list)! "Hopscotch" is a jelly roll quilt, and there isn't a single "y" seam to sew.

Thanks so much Camille for the photos (by the way, I think that green chair in the first photo needs to come live at my house so I can photograph all the rest of my Vintage Modern sewing on it)!  You can see Camille's other new quilts here.

Wordless Wednesday...

Well...almost...seems I can't post without saying something.  Thank you so much for all the motivation to work on this some more! 

A "Work in Progress" Day

You might remember these scrappy stars, made with left-overs from my Denyse Schmidt Swoon quilt. I wasn't able to make as many as I had wanted, so I've been trying to decide on another block to put with them.  A little while ago I picked up some more Denyse Schmidt fabric and came up with a plan.  Since there was no deadline for this project, it's been sitting a little while.  It sure felt good to work on it again!

I know I like the style of block I chose, but I'm still not sure if there is now too much red.  I'm thinking about a scrappy binding that will tone down the red just a little.

I like the look of the blocks with another scrappy star block in the picture, so maybe I'll be okay as long as I have more star blocks than red/white blocks. Besides, I really do like red!

Since it was "work in progress" day I also sewed up the latest Fat Quarter Shop 2011 Designer Myster Block of the Month that recently arrived. This month's block was created by Sherri Falls.

I have eight finished blocks now with only four to go! This is really going to be a fun quilt! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

A Little Sample Sewing

Just stopping in to share some of my recent "secret sewing" that doesn't have to stay secret anymore! Last week I got to piece together a sample for a fun table runner...out of some very whimsical patriotic fabrics!

Introducing the Windy Point Park table runner made with Stars & Stripes by Mind's Eye for Riley Blake--did I mention these fabrics are really a lot of fun...I already have a few things in mind for my scraps! Kits and the fun pattern available here at the Fat Quarter Shop.

Tomorrow is my "works in progress" Saturday...can't wait to catch up on a few things!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Four Square Layer Cake Quilt

Today I can finally share some of my recent sewing! My Four-Square layer cake quilt made with Reunion by Sweetwater for Moda is on the Moda Bake Shop today! A big thank you to Korindi of I Heart Photography for taking some pictures of this quilt for me.  I tried to get photos of the quilt in my backyard, and it just wasn't working; Korindi was able to get these great photos just down the road from my house where there was an old clothesline we used to hang up the quilt!

This is really a fun and simple quilt to make.  The tutorial posted today at the Bake Shop where a pdf copy of the tutorial is also available.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Goals and Giveaway Winner

I just finished a project with these fabrics...Reunion by Sweetwater for Moda.  LOVE this line. I'll be able to share very soon (later this week)!

And, I've been trying to formulate my quilting goals for 2012 so I can officially start working on them.  After reading so many amazing posts about goals and after re-evaluating the goals I set the last couple of years, I've narrowed it down to just a few things I want to work on.

• First, I need to organize my small scraps by color. I really want to find an "open" way to store them as well--can anyone recommend a wire basket system?
• I don't have too many unfinished projects...but I would like to finish the few that I do have.
• I want to make at least a couple of scrap quilts.
• I want to start making Christmas gifts now.
• I want to make labels for my quilts that are missing them.

I've decided that I'll use my Saturdays to work on these goals...first Saturdays will be for organizing, second Saturdays for working on works in progress, on third Saturdays I'll work on scrap quilts, fourth Saturdays will be for Christmas sewing, and fifth Saturdays will be for label making.  I'm hoping that by sticking to this schedule I'll be able to remember my goals and work on them each week.

Finally, congratulations to the winner of The Quilting Garden giveaway--the winner was TheWoolenRabbit .  I'll be contacting you to get your address. 

Be back soon with quilty stuff!

Favorites on Friday

I've been thinking about sharing a few of my favorite things with you on Fridays.  Sometimes I'll share notions, rulers, and patterns.  At other times I'll share tips and ideas.  So to get started, today I'd like to share five of my favorites! Please note: this is not a sponsored post...these are just items I've come to use on a regular basis--they make a quilting life so much easier!

First up is the Quilter's Rule Quick Quarter and Quick Quarter 2. You can see from the photo above that they are identical, except that one is larger than the other.  These little rulers are exactly 1/4" from the center line.  So whenever you have a pattern that calls for you to draw a diagonal line and sew 1/4" from either side, you can use this method instead.  You line up the center holes with the diagonal points of your fabric and draw a line along either side of the ruler.  Then, when you sew, you just sew along both lines.  These rulers make this method so much easier for me!

Next up on my favorites list is the Fit to be Quarter ruler by Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts. I don't make a half-square triangle or quarter-square triangle without this.  This ruler is so helpful.  I've used other similar rulers, but this ruler allows you to size blocks accurately in a large range from small to larger blocks.

Paper Pieces...love these for their accuracy and simplicity.  The 1 1/2" hexagon seems to be my favorite right now. I used to spend hours copying and cutting my own templates from freezer paper...what a timesaver these little papers are!

Another couple of rulers from Monique--her Fit to be Geese and Mini Fit to be Geese.  You'll never make a wonky goose again. Ever.  Again, you have the options for a large range of sizes between these two cleverly designed rulers.

Finally, I'd like to receommend That Purple Thang. This little gadget is great for getting sharp points in corners on pillows and bags.  I used to use pins and ended up sticking myself and bending lots of pins.  This tool works great without causing any injury to the user.

So that's my five favorites for today.  I'm hoping to sew A LOT this weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

The Quilting Garden Giveaway

What better way to start the New Year than with a giveaway!  Ronnie from The Quilting Garden is offering these 7 wonderful fat quarters from the Flora collection by Lauren & Jessi Jung for Moda.

To find out all about the giveaway and to enter please GO HERE!

Note: Comments entered on this post will not be eligible for the giveaway.  You must click the link above to enter.