Texas Monthly - Month 12!!

 Can you believe it!!!  It is the last month of the  Texas Monthly Block of the Month program!   This BOM is hosted by Stitchin' Heaven  and is so much fun!!!    Were making the borders this month and then it's on to finishing it all up, so exciting!!!   

So let's get going!!  There are 2 sets if borders blocks this month.     So let's get piecing and get to see this quilt top all finished up!!!  

Cutting

I like to start out by pressing all of my fabrics.  Then it is time for cutting!!!  I like to cut all of my pieces for both borders as well as the binding at the start. 

And with all your pieces cut . . . you are ready to move on to the first border.

The Inner Border

The inner border is 4 sets of mitered seams.  To do this, choose 4 of your 2 1/2" x WOF strips. (You can choose any colors you like, I just picked the ones to match the original ;)   Be sure and trim the selvages from your strips before starting.  On the wrong side of the 4 strips, mark a dot at 2 1/2" in from the edge of the strip.  Then draw a line from the top corner to the dot. 

 

Now you are ready to stitch your mitered seam.  Place a Marked strip onto a strip (again, you can choose any colors) with right sides together and with the strips at 90 degrees as shown.  Pin the strips together at 90 degrees and then stitch directly on the drawn line.  Repeat this for all 4 strip sets.  

Now trip a 1/4" away from the seam line and press the seam to one side.  It doesn't matter which ;)  You will now have 4 mitered strip sets.  

And it is time to add them to the quilt center.   Layout your 4 strip sets on either side of the quilt center as shown.  Obviously, these are larger than the quilt center, but no worries.  We are going to center them first and then trim the excess before we stitch.  

So to center the first two side strips, fold the quilt center in half as shown.  Mark the center points with a pin.  Then open your quilt center again.

Place your side inner borders onto the quilt center with right sides together.  Align the center of the Inner Border seam with the Marking pin on your Quilt center.  Pin the center in place on both inner side borders.  

Then align the rest of the 2 inner borders with the side of the quilt top and pin in place.   Trim the excess on the ends of the border.  I find the easiest way to trim is to simply flip the corner of the top over, align with the edge of the quilt and trim (shown on bottom left corner.)   Once you are all pinned, stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of both inner side borders.  

Press the seams outwards towards the inner borders.   Now we will repeat the same process for the top and bottom inner borders.

Find the center of the Top and Bottom of the quilt top.  Align and pin the top and bottom inner border's with the center and then the rest of the border.   Trim the excess on the edges.  Stitch a 1/4" seam on the top and bottom of the quilt top. 

And once again, press the seams outwards towards the inner borders.   Your quilt top should measure appx. 72 1/2" x 74 1/2" unfinished.    Now go ahead and set your quilt top aside for a minute so we can move on to piecing the outer borders.

 The Outer Border

FLYING GEESE UNITS

We start the outer border by making some Flying Geese.  We made Flying Geese Units back in Month 5 so this will be a snap ;)  Start by gathering your Outer Border pieces.   We will be making 2 sets of Flying Geese in each color, one with a White Goose and one with a Colored Goose.   We will make 8 sets of each in the blue, yellow, and purple, and 16 sets of each in the red. Note, this means you will have 16 red, 8, purple, 8 yellow, and 8 blue 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles that you will not be using for flying geese ;)  

On the wrong side of all the 2 1/2" squares mark a diagonal line.   For the rest of this, I will be showing the process on two flying geese units, the right side is the Colored Goose and the left side is the White Goose.  But you will want to chain stitch all 80 Flying Geese units for each step of the process as  it will save you a lot of time ;)  

Place a marked square onto the left side of the rectangle with right sides together as shown.  Stitch on the drawn line.  Trim a 1/4" away from the seam line.  Press the seam upwards towards the small triangle. 

Now repeat for the right side.  Place a marked square onto the right side of the rectangle with RST as shown.  Stich on the drawn line.  Trim a 1/4" away and press upwards towards the small triangle.  

With your chain stitching, you should now have 80 Flying Geese each measuring 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished with the total number of each layout as shown below.   I don't trim my geese, but if you decide to trim them exactly to 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" be sure that you leave a 1/4" seam allowance on the top and that your side corners point.  

ARROW BLOCKS

Now it is time to sew the Flying Geese Units into Arrow Blocks.   Here you can grab those colored 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles that were set aside.   And again, I will show the process with one, but you will want to chain stitch all  40 of your Arrow Blocks to save time.

Layout the following three units in the same color: a Colored Goose Flying Geese Unit, a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Rectangle and a White Goose Flying Geese Unit as shown.   Place the Top unit onto the center with right sides together.  Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edge.   Then place the Bottom unit onto the center with right sides together.  Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edge, and be sure to stitch directly through the center of the Thread X to get a perfect point.  Press the seams inwards towards the 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangle.  

With your chain stitching, you should now have 40 Arrow Blocks each measuring 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished with the total number of each layout as shown below.   Again, if you decide to trim, be sure and leave your seam allowances and corner points.  

PIECING THE OUTER BORDERS

Now it is time to start piecing the outer borders into rows.  Place 5  Arrow Blocks in the following color order in a row.  Layout 8 sets just like this and chain stitch all 8 sets.  Place the second Block onto the first Block with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.   Then place the third Block onto the first/second Block with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.  Continue in this fashion until you have sewn all 5 blocks into a row.  

And a little helpful hint, if you flip your blocks over when you take them to the sewing machine, you can see the thread X and sewing directly through the center of it will give you your perfect points ;) 

Once you have all 8 rows sewn together, press the seam allowances open.  

Now all that is left is to add in your White squares and rectangles.  Layout your 8 Arrow Rows with the White squares and rectangles as shown below.  The side borders have the larger rectangles in the centers and the the top and bottom borders have the squares on the ends.   

Sew the pieces into the 4 border rows.  Press the seam allowances towards the white squares and rectangles.   And now you are ready to add the Outer Border to your quilt top!!!  

ADDING THE OUTER BORDERS TO THE QUILT CENTER

This is just like adding the inner border, but on a larger scale.   Layout your 4 Outer Borders as shown below.  

Place the 2 side borders onto the sides of the quilt top center with right sides together.  Align and pin the sides.  Stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edges.   And note, when stitching the seam, if you sew directly at the bottom of the Fabric V's on all your flying geese units, you will get nice perfect points.  

Press the two outer side borders inwards towards the inner borders.   Now just repeat for the top and bottom outer borders.  Place the top and bottom outer borders onto the top and bottom of the quilt top center with right sides together.  Align and pin and then stitch a 1/4" seam (catching the Fabric V's)  along the pinned edges.   Press the seams inwards towards the inner border. 

And your Quilt Top is complete!!!  Isn't it just gorgeous!!!   It should measure appx. 80 1/2" x 82 1/2"

Great job!!!  Isn't this just so exciting!!!!!  A year of stitching together and what an amazing finish to show for it!!!!   All that is left now is to Baste it, Quilt It, and Bind it ;)  If you are new to quilting, I have some Video Tutorials here that can help you with finishing up your quilt!!! 

I can't wait to see all your Texas Monthly quilts done!!! 

If you have any questions on this tutorial, please don't hesitate to email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or leave a comment.  

 Hope you all loved stitching along, I know I sure did and I can't wait to get this all finished up and gifted to a special Texas friend ;)  

Simple Sewing

 It's been a crazy few days, but I have managed to squeeze in a little simple sewing!!!  And nothing is more simple then sewing strips!!   Remember those Jelly Rolls from back here . . . I got them all sewn into blocks and here is a little sneak peek :)  I can't wait to see this one come together.  I just love the Fat Quarter Shop Short-cut Quilts, they are so fun and fast!!  I will be sharing more of this one in January ;)  

But first . . . Christmas!!!  After Jessi finished up her Charming Tote  I thought they would make a wonderful Christmas Present for some special people.  So I ordered 2 special Charm Packs to fit just right.   And they came the other day and I couldn't wait to whip up the Charming Tote sides ;)    The first one is in Notting Hill by Amy Smart.

And the second one is in Gingham Foundry by My Mind's Eye.   I just love both and I just picked out the lining fabric this morning so I am hoping to get these finished up soon and in the mail :)

So I am off to go cut some linings.

Hope you are all having a very Happy Quilting Day!!!

P.S. . . . I am sure by know, you all know these are like my favorite Tote to make and there is a free tutorial for Charming Totes over here . . . but just in case you don't . . . . there is a free Charming Tote tutorial here :)   

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

 It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!! Let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Low Volume Christmas Bundle from Olie and Evie  is . . .   Number #362 . . . Congrats wkmyers1!  I have messaged you :)  

        

 

               

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Green Fairy Quilts.  Green Fairy Quilts is your home for pre-cut goodness and they always have amazing sales going on every weekend on a selected pre-cut or notion!!!   And did you know that Green Fairy Quilts has a Deal of The Day, I just love these!!!    And Green Fairy Quilts is still having their CYBER MONDAY SALE with pre-cuts 50-75% off!!!!  It only goes till Wed. so get it while it lasts ;)

And for today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway, Green Fairy Quilts will be giving one lucky reader 3 Moda Scrap Bags!!!  These bags are filled with Scrappy Goodness of some of your favorite Moda Lines, and it will be such a fun surprise to see which ones you get!!!!  

You have two entry chances here on the blog, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.   Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me if you have a themed Christmas Tree or A whole bunch of everything Christmas Tree??  

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Green Fairy Quilts love.   You can Sign up for their Newsletter which I highly recommend as it will ensure you catch all of their amazing sales!!  You can follow them on Instagram or Facebook,  or you can visit the Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Green Fairy Quilt Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, December 7th, when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

You can also pop over to my Instagram and/or Facebook to enter there as well :)  

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

A Little Quiet

 Hi Quilting Friends,   Sorry it has been a little quiet around here in the last week.  I went out of town for the Holiday and was so busy before hand, I didn't even think about setting up pre-written posts before I left.   Which meant I totally missed my annual Black Friday - Cyber Monday posts.    So instead, I have decided I will be having a "Holiday Sale" soon.  I am working on a new pattern and would like to get it released with the sale, so I am not sure exactly what date the "Holiday Sale" will be, but just keep an eye out.  It's going to be a great one!!!

And just because every post should have a quilt picture . . . here is a sneak peek of one of my secret projects.  Can't wait to share more!!!

I hope you all are having a very Happy Quilting Day!!!  I know I for one am super happy to get back to my sewing machine and get stitching!!!  

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

 It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!! Let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Festive Figs Lou Lou Bundle from Lou Lou's Fabric Shop  is . . .   Number #115 . . . Congrats nanaani_creates!  I have messaged you :)  

       

 

               

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Olie and Evie.  Rhonda's shop is so fun and full of so much amazing quilting goodness!!!!  Of course, there is the amazing fabric shop we all know and love along with longarm quilting, gift certificates, preorders, and an awesome Clearance Sale!!  And right now, get 15% off for this whole week, (excluding preorders, clearance items, and select curated kits)   Be sure to pop on over and check it out!!! 

And Rhonda's has a fantastic Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!!     Olie and Evie  is giving one lucky winner a Low Volume Christmas Bundle by Corey Yoder for Moda.   These are just such beautiful prints and perfect to get one lucky winner all set for some seasonal sewing ;)  

You have two entry chances here on the blog, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.   Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me if you have made a quilt with a Low Volume Background??  

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Olie and Evie love.   You can follow them on  Facebook, Instagram  or Pinterest or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Olie and Evie Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, November 30th, when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

You can also pop over to my Instagram and/or Facebook to enter there as well :)  

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

3 New Sew Sampler Swirls!!!

This week I have been all about Sew Sampler box projects!!  I have had these "kits" sitting on my counter tops just waiting to be cut into.  So I finally dove in, and before you know it . . . 3 new quilt tops all swirled and waiting to be quilted!!!  I had so much fun just sewing these up.   Sometimes it is just so fun to sew up these projects that I can just follow a pattern and don't have to think about taking pictures or writing patterns.   ** Not that I don't love to do that for you all too, this is just a good mental break :)  

I absolutely fell in love with this Mon Cheri Pattern from last month's Sew Sampler box!!    In fact, I loved it so much, it is what prompted me to finally get going on these!!  Isn't  that Whimsical Romance Fabric Line by Keera Job for Riley Blake Designs just beautiful!!!  It is the same fabric I used for my Moonstones Quilt that I shared a Free PDF of a few weeks ago and I think it is so cute in this quilt.  It is the perfect fit for this adorable pattern :)  

And then from August Sew Sampler box, I whipped up this In Stitches quilt top.  Won't this just make the most adorable baby quilt!!   And when I say whipped up, it really does indeed whip up!!!   I had this top done in half a day, so fun and fast!!   The quilt uses a Stitch Jolly Bar and background, so it was super fun to just grab a background and get stitching :)

And last but not least, I finally started sewing up my Sprouts Sprouted quilt!!!  This is from the March 2019 Sew Sampler box  and last month I decided to use up some Sherri and Chelsi's Seashore Drive scraps (from a secret project, this line isn't available yet ;) and make up the Sprouts pattern, only I upsized the block, so it is Sprouts Sprouted ;)     And I love the low volume background, so fun!!!

So now, it is time to make up some quilt backs and get to some serious Happy Quilting!!!   Like seriously, I need a quilting marathon!!!   I think this makes over 20 quilt tops waiting to be quilted :)    Glad to be in great company with all you fellow quilters with a pile of "to be quilted" tops!!

I hope you are all having a very Happy Quilting Weekend!!

Lake Powell Quilt Retreat!!!

 This last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to teach at the Lake Powell Quilt Retreat and it was oh so much fun!!!   This was my first time teaching at this retreat in Page Arizona and it was so wonderful to get to meet so many new wonderful quilty friends!!!   I really loved that at this retreat, when you are not in class, they have tables set up in the hallways, and everyone just quilts and laughs together.  So much fun!!!  

The first class I taught was my Thursday evening and it was my  Scraptastic Stars pattern ;)  This is always a great class to teach as we play with scraps :)   I love bringing along lots and lots of 2 1/2" squares from my scraps that everyone can go through and add into their blocks ;)  It is just so fun to see a little scrap of my quilts added into theirs.   And everyone's blocks turned out just so cute!!  It was a great class ;)

Friday afternoon I taught my Nordic Nights pattern.   And yes indeed, we got our curved sewing on!!!  Everyone just did amazing, and for a lot of them, it was their first time piecing curves in quilting.   Just so awesome!!!  I just loved seeing all of their amazing blocks come together and I can't wait to see these quilts all finished up ;) 

And speaking of finished quilts, Friday evening was an awesome Trunk Show and Shelly was one of the gals sharing.  She has taken my classes at other retreats, and so she shared a bunch of quilts from my patterns.   That was so fun to see and she was so sweet to say how much she loved my classes.   She has been making her way through my Charming Baby Quilts Book and shared these 4 amazing baby quilts!!  Aren't they just so fun!!!  I love the red backgrounds, so great!! 

Then Shelly shared this Coins in the Fountain quilt from my Irish Chain Quilts book.  I love it in the neutral colors, just gorgeous!!!  It was so great to see a quilt from my first book, that was a while ago so it was a great throwback ;)  

And then Shelly shared this beautiful Nordic Nights  quilt that she had started in one of those mentioned classes.   Isn't this just so fun in Kaffe, so bright and bold!!!  It was just such a treat to see so many of my quilt designs made by Shelly, she is just a sweetheart :) 

Oh, and one last note ;)   While at the Lake Powell Quilt Retreat I actually took a class as well.   Mimi and Diane were teaching this super adorable Strawberry Social class from The Pattern Basket.  And is this not the cutest class set up ever!!!   This was such a fun class and I really enjoyed it ;)    And best of all, I totally used scraps, yippee for another scrap buster!!! 

I started with one block, and of course, I choose the fabrics that reminded me the most of Strawberry Shortcake.  Don't these fabrics totally remind you of her little tights and dress, so fun!!!   And if ya can't tell from the picture, I totally enlarged the block :)   I wanted to make a twin size quilt without having to make a ton of blocks, so I just made them bigger.  Ya know me, always changing things up ;)

And I was having so much fun with this, it totally became a Quilt in a Day!!!   I couldn't sleep past 5 am so I went to class a "little" early and got started chain piecing.   I continued chain piecing in class, and then got right back to it after my Nordic Nights class ;)   By 10 pm, I had a finished quilt top!!!   So, so, so much fun :)   Now just to get this quilted up!!! 

And that was the Lake Powell Quilt Retreat in a nutshell.   I am already looking forward to next year and sewing the days away with so many wonderful friends.   

And I would love to sew with you all some time.  You can click on the Teaching Tab at the top of the blog to see a list of places I am teaching, I am mostly in the West, but who knows, maybe someday I will get out East ;)  

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!

  

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

 It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!! Let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Red Barn Christmas Layer Cake from Fat Quarter Shop  is . . .   Number #447 . . . Congrats gracie_bird!  I have messaged you :)  

      

               

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop .    Did you know that Jamie makes a new Lou Lou Bundle every Tuesday . . . a Lou Lou Bundle is 8 fat quarters curated by Jamie and they are always gorgeous and there are so many to choose from!  And right now, use code "HappyQuilting" to get 20% off all Lou Lou Bundles until Friday!!!       Such Fun Shopping :)  

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some Lou Lou Goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is giving one lucky reader a Festive Figs Lou Lou Bundle perfect to use for this festive time of year :)  What a great bundle to win!!! 

You have two entry chances here on the blog, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.   Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me a Festive Family Tradition from this time of year??  

 ENTRY 2 - Lets show Lou Lou's Fabric Shop some Love!!!!   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.  Or you can follow their blog or  visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Lou Lou's Fabric Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, November 23rd, when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

You can also pop over to my Instagram and/or Facebook to enter there as well :)  

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!