September Bitty Blocks

The theme I choose for September was "Circles, Dots or anything Round".  My first thoughts were either a beach ball or a 45 record.  But while I was pondering which to try I noticed that everyone else who was finishing fast were doing circles.  I didn't want to be the only one doing a real thing that was round rather than an abstract idea of a circle....so I waited.  I know...I didn't need to follow the crowd but I was too chicken to be the odd man out.  

Here they are:

I made the crazy pieced one with the white strip in the upper right hand corner.  That was my first one and I didn't like how it looked so I kept that one.  The rest I reversed appliqued and they looked nicer.

Here's a close up of three of my favorites:

As usual these ladies impress me with their ideas and workmanship.  

Still in love with bitties.   

Quilted Dress?

 This cartoon has been on my frig for years and I smile every time I see it.  I can laugh at myself as a quilter cuz how fun would it be to make a quilted dress....quilted anything!  

It's a joke, right?   :)

Well, apparently not!

Check out this Jasper Conran design:

Yes, you are seeing that correctly....a hexagon pieced dress that walked the runway in London last month.

I wonder if the model said "um".   LOL!!!!

Quilting has sure come a long way baby.  

Dots on Dots

It's my day to share on the Dots on Dots blog hop.  Its been so fun to see what everyone has created with this theme.  I made two blocks. One that stayed within the size guidelines and one that didn't!  :)  

The one that didn't is called "Roly Poly Owl" that I found on the blog "The Tulip Patch".  

Mary made hers with a GO!Baby cutter which I don't have.  Instead of making paper templates for the drunkards path I chose to use an acrylic set I already owned that finished at 4 inches...which is why mine is larger....it's 16 inches of cuteness!

The owls sew up fast and are easy peasy.   I'm going to piece this block into the back of my grand daughters "I Spy" quilt that needs to made and finished in time for her second birthday.....in about 3 weeks!  Yikes....yes, I've procrastinated on it!

The other block I made - which *is* 12 inches - is called "Blue Specs" from the Modern Blocks book...but I call it "I See Dots"....hee, hee. 

I co-teach a block of the month class at my local quilt store using the Modern Blocks book.  This is one of the blocks for Octobers class.  By using the dotted fabrics from the lines I'm using it works for the hop and my class!   

Here are the other blogs on the hop today.  Be sure to go see what they made.

September 18th

Sew Maybe I Can

Yayaquilter

A Stitch in Time

Ariane Quilts

Karen ~ Briarside Lane 

Joanne 9of12 

Traveling Quilter
Bacon Then Eggs 

And thanks to Madame Samm & Corrie for all the fun they bring!

Pretty Little Pouch

I'm in a swap called Pretty Little Pouch. I've been waiting and waiting for this group to start another round so I could join in the fun and they finally did.  When you have a minute...or 30....go check out the Flickr group cuz there are some really wonderful pouches that are being made. I am constantly inspired by the work.

Anyhoo.  Its another blind swap where you don't know who has you. I love swapping like this...love the stalking and figuring out part almost as much as I do the making.   Based on things I found out about my partner I created this cute little number!

On one side I embroidered a scene that I drew out based on the Japanese fabric I used on the bottom.  I embroidered on Essex linen....love that fabric!

On the other side I made a patchwork strip with itty bitty squares and added some straight line stitching with Perle cotton.

I added a pocket to the inside that is also doubling as a label.  That heart isn't appliqued on...I edited it over my partners name just in case she peeks at my blog.  

I used Elizabeth Hartman's "Perfect Zip Bag" pattern.  I've used it several times before...such a great pattern.

September Modern Blocks

 This is called "Missing Your Kiss".  Our first lesson in wonky type piecing.  There was a cutting error in my book that I alerted the students to. But apparently it was caught and fixed in subsequent printings.  Some of the students had the same printing as I did, and some the newer books.  So far that is the first error we've seen.

This one is called "In the Window".  I really liked making it.  I had some acrylic templates for the curved parts that I used instead of the one in the book.  It made my circle a tad bigger but the look is essentially the same.  

Students don't generally have time in class to finish each block which means I have to wait until the following month to see their creations.  I am so impressed with their progression and creativity.

Here are just a couple from this last time:

Dorothy is scaling down many of the blocks.  Here she made "Stuck in the Middle" at 6 inches and put four together to make a 12 inch block.   

This is Glee's "Fussy Cut" block.  She didn't like the yellow she used so she painted  over it.  Our first surface embellishment!

I'm learning too!  I am excited each month to share new techniques and see what the class came up with from last months.

July Bitty Blocks

I got the last of my bitty blocks for July the other day so can now post a picture of all of them:

Aren't they adorable?  I made the dog with the glasses up there on the right.  I took an Amy Bradley design from her Dazzling Dogs quilt pattern and reduced it down to the 3 inch block size that we make for the Bitty Block Committee.  I even had some fun dog text fabric for the background.  

I took August off since we were on vacation and I knew I wouldn't be able to finish in time.  Now to think about a design for Septembers theme of "Dots, Circles or any thing Round".

Bowls with Borders Blog Hop

It's my day on the Bowls with Borders blog hop....my first hop and I'm so excited to share.   

I knew from the very start that I wanted to make snack mats for my grand kids.  Something small and fast so I'd finish!  LOL.   These little guys are 9x11 inches. This is a paper piecing pattern from Regina and was lots of fun to make.

  

Front of snack mats:

I made them with black backgrounds because....well...because they are kids!   :)   I added some patchwork to the sides and embroidered their names with Perle cotton.  

The back side:

I found a product at Joann's called "Therm O Web, Iron on Vinyl" and made the backs wipe-able.  It worked really well.  It doesn't turn out as soft as professional laminated cotton but this lets you coat any fabric you have in your stash.  

Strawberries, anyone?   

Thanks to Regina for the pattern. I had a ball using it.   

Thanks to Madame Sam of Sew We Quilt and Carol of Just Let Me Quilt for being our organizer/cheerleaders extraordinaire.

Now go check out today's other hoppers and their bowl creations:

August 15th

Binks

Robin S.

Trish

Quilting Along Life's Way

Sew Me Something Good

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Happier Than A Bird Quilts

Dizzy Daze

Bee Tree Designs

Daisy Days

A Quilting Sheep

Knitting Bag

I made this super cute bag with some of my favorite Valori Wells fabrics that I've been hoarding for a while now. :)  The pattern is called "Amanda Knitting Bag" and was pretty easy to follow.  I had never done the boxed bottom the way she had me do it but I just followed her directions and it turned out nice.  

There are lots of pockets on the outside.....none on the inside so I did add one there.

I couldn't resist this amazing elephant print of Valori's for the lining.  I love it so much!

For next time I would change two things.  The zippered pocket is really tiny so I'd make it bigger.  And I'd make the handles bigger because I like being able to put bags over my shoulder.

August's Modern Blocks

I forgot to take pictures of my blocks with my camera so had to do so with my phone during class.  Forgetting things seems to be the theme of my life ever since I entered my 50's!!!      They're a little blurry but that's ok...you'll get the gist.   :)

 This is Selvage Strings.  I matched up my center strings rather than letting them be random sizes.  And while the outside strings are random sizes I did put the same background in all four corners.  

This is Fussy Cut.  The only thing I did different for this block was not put a fussy cut square in the two corners.  This was a fun block to make.  :)

This is Fussy Cut in my alternate fabrics that I make for class demo's.  

I took a few pictures of our students blocks that they made last month.  I thought I'd show you the creativity that is blossoming!

Pinwheel block made with background as a four patch.

Pinwheel block made with strips pieced into the blades.

Fussy Cut block as a mini...she scaled it down to 6 inches!

That's it for August!   Next month we tackle wonky and curves....can't wait.

Design Wall Monday - Hugs and Kisses

I have a super cute quilt on my design wall right now. It's a pattern by Jaybird Quilts called "Hugs and Kisses".     I have bought Hawaiian fabrics the last two times I traveled to Hawaii and my best friend also picked some up for me on one of her trips there.  I used them for this quilt.   Blocks are all done but not put together yet. 

                                                                          Here it is:

And here is a close-up of 4 blocks so you can see the fabrics better:

I love Judy's new motto that she said on her blog this morning - “Why Finish Something When I Can Start Something New?”    That is so true for me....but I'm determined to finish this one as it holds fun vacation memories for me!

You can peek at other projects on design walls this morning at Patchwork Times.

June Bitty Blocks

Can you tell what June's theme was?  :)   Such a fun collection for Happy Hour.  I love them all but I think my favorite of this bunch is the coconut cup with bendy straw.  Mine is the second one on the bottom row.  Pear Vodka Rickey's are a favorite cocktail of mine from this year.  I sent the recipe along with the bitty.  Here it is so you can make one too:

1.5 oz. Pear Vodka (Absolut makes a good one)

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. simple syrup

Put in shaker with ice...shake and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with a pear slice.  

It's 5:00 somewhere....go enjoy.  :)

July's Modern Blocks

Here are the two blocks we taught in July's block of the month class at Quilted Strait.

This one is "Pinball Machine".  Instead of just two colors like in the book, I decided to use five.  Turned out nice I thought.

"Pinwheel"   This block was too plain for me so I had to mix it up.  Since Pinball Machine is a log cabin variation, I decided to make the pinwheel triangles in a log cabin fashion.  I also made the center circle smaller.  I really like how it turned out.

 This is "Pinball Machine" made in my alternate fabrics that I use to demo in class.  The outer border fabric was just a 10 inch square from a layer cake so I had to piece in some fussy cuts to make them long enough.  

I'm having so much fun making these blocks....and in seeing our students gain confidence to try new things and breaking out of the box.   :)

Bee Blocks Done

 I finished all my blocks for the [3x6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee.  I made the Diamond Stack block and think they turned out pretty good.  They aren't all perfect but close enough for me.  :)   Most of the gals wanted yellows and I discovered I have a huge gap in my modern fabric stash -- hardly any yellows!   I really have to remedy that.....more shopping, yeah!

Here are the individual blocks.  For some reason all the pics have a blue tint to them....and I took the pic outside on a sunny day.  Anyhoo...the backgrounds are all white...really.  

For Fran who wanted red, pink and aqua.

For Laurie who wanted aqua, yellow and light grey.

For Heather who wanted grass green, orange, yellow and light blue.

For Jane who wanted yellow and white.

For Loretta who wanted pink, yellow and orange.

For Michonne who wanted yellows and brown.

There ya go! That's it for this round. Can't wait for next quarter so I can try out another fun block pattern.

Test Block

I made my test block for the [3x6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee today.   It's called "Diamond Stack" by Anna of Six White Horses blog.  Her tutorial was pretty straight forward and easy to follow. But the cutting and sewing were a bit time consuming and I can't decide if I want to make 6 of them.   Will think on it tonight.

It's fun that the diamond can be up and down like this:

Or on it's side like this:

Which do you think looks better? 

May Bitty Blocks

These are the Bitty Blocks I received for May's theme of "houses".   Aren't they wonderful?  Mine is the  Hawaiian hut with palm tree.  I picked up some Hawaiian fabric while vacationing at the beginning of May just for this idea.  I still can't decide on a favorite this month!

Check out the other bitty blocks being made by this great group of people here.

Modern Blocks Revisited

Each month that Rhonda and I teach the Modern Block of the Month class we make samples to hang in the shop the month before.  That way folks can know what we'll be doing and whether its a month they want to participate in.   I showed those blocks yesterday. 

On class day we each teach one of the blocks construction.  And for that block we make a second sample but don't sew it all together.  That way we can show how to do the various units.
I'm using a different set of fabrics for these.  I have collected lots of Aneela Hoey fabrics and am pairing them with solids and grays for backgrounds.

This is "Follow the Leader".  I fussy cut some triangles out of one fabric for the center to form a distinctive pinwheel.  I also rotated the flying geese to face away from the center in a single column rather than in pairs.  I love the way this change in construction looks.

This is "Best Friends".  I fussy cut a center...so cute.  I also pieced those inner rectangles rather than have them be one fabric.  I also love this change.

It's been fun to see what I can come up with to change the block a bit to show students how to make something their own.

Modern Blocks

Rhonda and I are teaching a year long block of the month class at Quilted Strait.  We are excited to journey alongside our students as we explore the Modern Quilt movement via the contributors in the book "Modern Blocks".

 The book covers all kinds of techniques and our students will have had a taste of all of them by the end of the year.   We choose two blocks each month to make in class....often teaching different methods of making units.  For example, using the "no waste" method of making 4 flying geese at once.

I'm using "Reunion" by Sweetwater for my fabric - with some "Circa 1934" by Cosmo Cricket and solids thrown in too.

Here are the blocks I've made so far:

"Best Friend" block.  1990 date in center is the year Rhonda and I met.

"Follow the Leader" block

"Boxed In" block.

"Meagan's Star" block.


So cute, right?    :)