Design Wall Monday - Retro Rubies

I haven't done a Design Wall Monday post in ages!  Mostly because I have the same quilt on my main design wall that was there ages ago.  Yikes!   Too many distractions with other projects.  

I do have an alternate design wall and that's where I'm gonna show one of my distraction projects. 

 Back in May I got excited about the Retro Rubies quilt a-long which I wrote about here.

I cut everything out but never did finish the top while the quilt a-long was happening.  I decided it was time to get that project done so I worked all weekend!

All the blocks are done and most of the sashing is on too. I just have a bit more sashing - 5 to be exact - and then I'll be done.  Woo hoo!  I'm calling mine Retro Sapphires.  :)

For some reason I sewed way too many curved blocks and had extras.  I used them to make another flower (with no sashing) and a label for the back.

Linking to Design Wall Monday with Judy here.

Penny Sampler Heart block

This weeks Penny Sampler lesson was on machine applique.  Rachel did a lot of "sketch" stitching on her applique blocks. Since that's something I've never done, I decided to use that method for my blocks.  The applique pieces are turned under using starch and ironing over a template.  Then you just straight stitch around three times...in a "messy" or not perfect way.  That was actually hard for me!!!   I naturally found myself going over the first line exactly and had to work at missing it.   LOL!    

I am using a blue Aurifil thread that I got in one of my goody bags from Spring Market.   It goes wonderfully with the blues I chose for this quilt.

This is a 6.5 inch single heart block....just one in the quilt.   There is also a 12 inch block with four hearts in the quilt but I'm not a fan of heart blocks so I think I'm going to skip that one.  Will decided later what will go in that spot.  

Can't wait for our next blocks!

Penny Sampler

Happy summer!   I have been absent from blogging for a couple of months.  I haven't done much sewing...a few odds and ends but nothing I care to blog about.  And summer has been fantastic here in the Northwest.  Clear blue skies and more clear blue skies.  That calls for lots of outside relaxing.  

I'm excited about a new project I'm starting.  One of my favorite blogs to read is Stitched in Color by Rachel Hauser.  I have taken two of her online classes - Curves and Handstitched - and totally enjoyed them. She is a really good teacher.  Her current class is called Penny Sampler.  The main focus is a wonderful Scandinavian inspired sampler quilt that Rachel designed. She is going to cover machine applique, paper piecing and precision piecing during the months of this class.  While I already know those three skills I am still taking the class because I LOVE the quilt.  :)

That deer fabric in the lower right hand side (Timber and Leaf by Sarah Watts for Blend Fabrics) was my focus fabric for pulling prints and some solids for the sampler.  Some I'm not 100% sure of....may use a tiny amount or may leave out altogether.  I love this stage of starting a quilt.   Class starts tomorrow and I can't wait to get started!

Lunch Boxes

I offered to make a quilt top for a project my boss is participating in and finished it in record time!   It's called "Lunch Boxes" by Modern Quilt Relish.   

I got the fabric on a Thursday (Kona solids in Mariner colors) and finished it on the following Monday....and that included having grand kids over on the weekend.   :)     Its a simple pattern so I knew it'd go fast.   I didn't volunteer to quilt it (not my thing) so it will be fun to see what it looks like when quilted.

It's "distractions" like this that keep me from finishing many of my own tops!!!!

Fabulous Little Random Things

Round two of the Fabulous Little Random Things Swap (FLiRTS) is over and now that my partner, Susan, has received her gifts (and loved them....phew!) I can show you what I made.

One of the items on my partners list was a fabric basket and round if possible.....and that's the one I chose to make.  Purple is her favorite color.

So tada:

Pink Chalk carries this great pattern called the Special Occasion Gift Tote by Sew Fun.  It was easy to follow and easy to make.  I'll be making another some day.

It's a nice size and has these dividers all around the inside.  I left half as dividers and the other half I made pockets.

In the swap we only need to make one item on the list (we list 5 things) but when I saw this zombie zippered pouch on Happy Sew Lucky blog I knew I had to make one!  My partner also listed a zippered pouch for a first aid kit and she has wonderful sense of humor....so I knew she'd love him as an extra.

Aren't his insides hysterical?   Oh how I wish I could have found some zombie band aids to put inside!

I also had chosen a fabric basket on my list of 5 things.   The wonderful gal who had me made this incredible basket for my collection of Perle cotton threads.  I was in love with it the minute I saw it in the Flickr pool.  

Sil does amazing paper piecing. I am always so impressed with the blocks she makes!   Can you see the cute spool quilting she did?  Love it.  Everything about this basket is perfect.  

Can't wait for the next round of swapping!   :)

Mail Sack

I made myself a new bag using the Mail Sack pattern by Pink Chalk Studio.

I've made this bag 3 times now and love how easy the pattern is to use.  My boss is a great pattern writer!  I made the smaller size this time and added an outside pocket.  Took a bit of time to fussy cut the outside fabric where I put the zippered pocket so you couldn't see the seams.  Turned out pretty good.

Retro Rubies

When I first saw Alyssa's Retro Ruby quilt and the announcement for a quilt-a-long, I knew I was going to participate!   I like the quilt....love piecing some curves....and I wanted to try out some of the new In The Beginning solids we got in at Pink Chalk.   This is the bundle I chose:

 I can never have enough blue!  

The blocks are very straight forward. Only two curves to sew.  They sewed up fast....love that!!!

Four blocks make one "flower" shape.  This is them together without the sashing between.  I'll be adding that once all my blocks are done and arranged how I want them.   I'm making the wall hanging size so I only need to make 20 more.  You might actually get to see the finished top before too long..........if I don't get distracted by another "have to make it" quilt.  LOL!   

Mitered Baby Blanket

I sewed a quick baby blanket for my best friends daughter who is due with her first baby any day now!

I used cotton voile on the front and flannel on the back.  The voile makes it silky and a bit more lightweight.

See this perfectly mitered corner?  I followed the directions from this site. It seems like its not gonna work but if you follow the directions carefully you'll surprise yourself with how easy it is. 

I also crocheted her a blanket but completely forgot to take a picture.  I'll have to ask her to snap one for me once the baby is born.  :)

Round and Round

I first saw this Round and Round block on Kristy's blog Quiet Play and loved it!!!    Once we got the pattern in at work, I bought it....went home and cut out one blocks worth and started sewing.  The pattern calls for charms squares so I used this pack of Happy Tones.

I had tons of Kona White in my stash so used that with the charms.   The block sewed up pretty fast.  And its huge!  23 inches to be exact.   :)

I'm going to make this block into a pillow.  Then I'm going to make another one with a different background and turn it into a baby quilt.   More on that when I get it done.   

April Modern Block and the Finale

Yesterday was the last class of our year long Modern Block class.  We introduced students to 21 blocks, many techniques and the modern quilt movement.   I can't believe its April already and its now over.

This is the final block - "House on a Hill".  It was the introduction to raw edge applique.

I ended up using this block as my label for the quilt.  I wrote the particulars in the space under the house.  

I decided to make up two different settings for my 21 blocks and make a two sided quilt. 

This is what I came up with for one side:

And this is the second side - my favorite setting!

I used Kona Navy for my background and used up some scraps for the binding.  I had a local machine quilter, Shelly Nolte, quilt it for me with an all over pattern.  I used a wool batt which gives it a bit more loft than normal.  I really love it.   

Past Bitty Blocks

I haven't posted pictures of my last groups of Bitty blocks that I swapped!  It's about time.  

Snow People was the theme for January.  I made the gal in the bikini in the upper left corner. Miss Sassy Pants!   My favorite of this group is the one with the bird on his nose.  

February's theme was Monsters.   I had so much fun making mine.....he's in the upper left corner.  Mine is my favorite of this group.  :)     My grand sons loved looking at these.  Each time I pulled one out they'd say "I want that one"!    I got out the crayons and paper and had them color their own!  So cute.  

International Quilting Day

Today is International Quilting Day and SewCalGal is hosting a virtual Sew-cial.  We are suppose to share our sewing day.  I have my 8 year old grand son over for the day and he wanted to finish the I Spy quilt he started the last time he was over by himself.    That means I can combine many things I love -- loving on a grand kid, teaching and quilting!

Here he is from the last visit with his squares on the design wall and sewing rows together.

 

We used a fleece blanket for the back and no batting. I sewed it together like a pillow and turned it.  Then we machine quilted over the seam lines in a wavy pattern.  Here he is learning some of the machine quilting.

Good hand placement!  :)

Look Mom...I'm doing it myself!   

All done!!!!   

I'm sure he is as proud of himself as I am of him!

Working with kids takes a lot of patience and a lot of letting go.  My theory is develop the love of something and excellence comes after.  

Hope your day is full of fun sewing.

Get A Clue with Nancy Drew

What a fun week its been seeing so many wonderful projects on the Nancy Drew blog hop and today is my day to share!   I got an idea for my project the very day Madame Samm announced the hop.  Being the procrastinator that I am I waited till this week to make it!  Ha, ha, ha.  

Every good detective needs a journal to write in when they are snooping!

I love to make journal covers. Lately I've been having fun with quilt-as-you-go kinds.  

I like to not over think when I make them.  Just grab a piece of fabric and sew it down.....sew my quilting lines without marking or measuring....eyeball it, baby, eyeball!  :)   Its pretty freeing, actually.

This is the back.   Do you notice the sunshine?  I got lucky and was able to photograph when the sun decided to make a rare Northwest appearance.  

An inside peek.

Two days ago I decided I could whip out another project and use up some more fabric I bought.  My cute little journal cover certainly didn't dent the layer cake I bought.  I decided I wanted a tote bag.  I know you've seen tons already but I *had* to have one!  

Side one:

Side two:

That's it!  Thanks for taking the time to stop by.  

Thanks to Madame Samm and Carol for such a fun blog hop.

Be sure to visit the rest of the last day crew:

Friday, March 15, 2013 

Little Mushroom Cap

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Daisy Days 

Julia P. at That Other Blog

The Day Before This Day

Sew Far

 Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

Les passions de Cliodana

That’s Sew Julie (moved from 3/8)

Sew We Quilt

Stargazing block fun

First a little back story.  One of our students, Dorothy, in the Modern Block class is a hand sewer and applique Queen.  Piecing on the machine is often a challenge for her.  And she LOVES little things.  She has often made her blocks smaller than 12 inches.  

While another student, Elizabeth, was making the smallest star in Stargazing (its 3 inches) last month, she commented on how she would never want to make anything smaller.  

This is Elizabeth's "Stargazing" block:

Dorothy said sure, why not? I could go smaller.  We all knew she was serious and could do it!

Here is Dorothy's "Stargazing" block version.  Its only 8 inches and those two tiny stars are 1.5 inches!

Elizabeth then decided to go the opposite direction and she made a large version:

This was made with a layer cake. She used the same piecing process as the block pattern. I didn't measure it but the middle of that big star is a 9.5 inches. I'm pretty sure the smaller ones are 6 inches each.

  It was great to see these two ladies have fun playing with the block.  This is what I love about teaching!!!

March Modern Blocks

Wow!  We're almost done with this year long adventure of making blocks from the Modern Blocks book.  One month to go!   

March class was about revisiting our earliest skills learned.

This block is called "Envy" and was about partial seams again.  

This block is called "Mondrian" and was about precision piecing - lots of seams.

I didn't take student pics this time as I plan to do so next month during our final class.  But I did get some pics of last months block "Stargazing" that I will share in another post.  Two students had fun with it and you'll enjoy seeing what they did.  :)

Tote bag finished

I finished the embroidery I was doing and this is what it was for.  Its the pocket on a tote bag I made for a swap.  I used Kathy Macks "Winslow Market Tote" pattern.  I've made this bag before and it goes together so nicely.  My partner wanted her tote to be floppy so I didn't add any interfacing to it. 

Turned out cute.  I'm pretty sure my partner will like it.....hope I'm right!   :)

Embroidery

I'm doing some more stitching for a tote bag I'm making for a swap.  I had so much fun with the hedgehog pattern by Penguin & Fish that I decided to do their fox pattern.  I enlarged it a bit to fit the pocket dimensions of the tote.   Aren't those fox fabrics yummy?  It's from the Timber & Leaf line by Sarah Watts.  They aren't my usual bright rainbow colors but I love them.    :)

Back to my stitching.

January & February Modern Blocks

I forgot  to post pictures of my blocks for the class I co-teach using the Modern Blocks book.  So its two months worth again!

January's class focus was half square triangles. 

This is called "Diamond Ripples"....lots of practice here as there are 36 bias squares in this block!  I do love the scrappy look.  I only changed the bottom left hand corner.

This one is called "Front and Center".    

Our students didn't have any trouble with either of these blocks.

February was an introduction to wonky stars.   These were fun blocks to make.  Most of the students did ok with the technique and enjoyed it.  

This is called "Stargazing".  I loved making this block.  I even made another for a comfort quilt being made for an online friend.   I made no changes.

This one is called "Three Wishes".  The pattern calls for a little star in very center but I chose just to leave it plain.  I loved the long wonky points in the frame of  the block.  I'd like to do that with a whole quilts worth of blocks!

We only have two months left and then we're done.  Can't believe our year is almost done.  I will make my final blocks on retreat next week.  I already have my favorites picked out for a top and will piece that at retreat also.  

More pics to come!

P.S.  Quilted Strait (where we teach) wrote a nice blog post on our class that some of our students blocks.  Take a peek.  :)

Hedgie Pouch

I just finished my pouch for the current round of the Pretty Little Pouch Swap.  

This is one side:

Isn't that hedgehog adorable?  I love him!   I used the Penguin & Fish pattern for the embroidery that I got here.  I love the instant gratification of downloadable patterns.   I stitched with Perle cotton onto Kona Essex Linen.  More love!    I used Elizabeth Hartman's "Perfect Zip Bag" pattern...also a downloadable and also bought from Pink Chalk.

Here's the other side:

Did a wee bit of paper piecing and some fussy cutting.

My partners inspiration mosaic was all aqua's and red's.....and she said she liked polka dots.......she should like the fabric choices.  :)

I'm mailing it off tomorrow.  Can't wait to hear what she thinks of it.