Steps to Tranquility Quilt and Free PDF Pattern!!!

  Today, I am thrilled to be sharing this brand new Steps to Tranquility quilt as well as a Free PDF Pattern for it!!! This quilt features the Love You S'More by Gracey Larson and is super 2 1/2" Strip friendly, so you can grab a Rolie Polie/Jelly Roll and get stitching!!! .

I am just loving making quilts for the family's new cabin and Love You S'More  is perfect for a fun camping quilt ;)    And the Shabby Beehive Cloud background was the perfect match to make all of those colors just pop!!!   As soon as I saw the fabrics, I knew I wanted to make my Steps to Tranquility quilt that I originally made back here. I just love the basic geometric goodness to it, and I knew it would be perfect for the mountain, since that is truly one of the most tranquil places I visit.

Steps to Tranquility is made with basic piecing. I altered the original design to make it 2 1/2" Strip friendly, and that makes it come together so much faster!!! I just loved whipping this up ;) It is made up of one basic block, a cornerstone block, and a sashing block. The three blocks come together to make this fun geometric almost plaid look. So perfect for a picnic ;)

The blocks really go together fast, and then it is just so much fun to lay them all out and play with the color and print placement. Before you know it, you will have a beautiful Steps to Tranquility quilt top that is just waiting to be loved.

And as I mentioned, there is also a free PDF Download of this pattern and I included 5 size options, so you can make this quilt in just the size you want without any quilt math. The quilt I showed is the Picnic size, and I already have a Lap size planned as well :) To get the FREE PDF Steps to Tranquility Pattern Download, just click here and download it ;)

   

And when it came time to quilt mine, I took full advantage of the simple patchwork grid lines. I decided to do a wavy crosshatch and it turned out oh so cute. And I love that it is not to dense either so that this can be a great snuggle up in quilt ;) Sometimes it is just fun to keep it a little softer.

And that is my Steps to Tranquility quilt!!! I hope you have enjoyed this post. Oh, and if you make your own Stitch To My Lou quilts, I would love to see them! You can share your quilts in any size with me on social media using hashtags  #happyquiltingwithmc and #rileyblakedesigns and tagging @happyquiltingmc or email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com. I can't wait to see your Steps to Tranquility quilts !!

Thank you so much for popping in today and each and every day. If you have any questions at all on making your own Steps to Tranquility quilt, don't hesitate to email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com

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

Sweet Blend - HQM Quilt 22

 It is Week 22 of the Happy Quilting Marathon and it isn't Saturday, yippee for not waiting to the last minute!!! And this quilt was a long time coming, I actually started it back in 2019, finished the top in February, and am just now quilting it.   So without further ado, here is Sweet Blend!!    

And not only was I waiting to finish this Sweet Blend quilt, my daughter was waiting for it to grace her bed.  I started this quilt when we painted her room over Spring Break 2019 so that she would have a more tween look ;)  Kami picked the pink background (Kona Primrose)  and I loved that it won't show the daily wear as much as a white background ;)   I am just so happy it is all done and she gets to enjoy it now.  She has been so patiently waiting, and I am just thrilled with how it all came together!!    

I used Amy Elli's Wanderlust Fabric.  Both Kami and I love the bold colors and prints in the line, and it worked perfect for this Sweet Blend pattern as there were an equal number of "low volume" prints as bright prints.  So great!!! I added a little more to the pattern to finish the stars in the center row, and then needed a sashing on the top and bottom so it would be bed sized.  So my quilt finishes at 72" x 90".    

And Kami's favorite quilting motif is Loose Feathers, so of course, that is what I quilted in the background for her ;)   I did arches in the diamonds that make up all the stars and it just came out so pretty!!!  And I love Kami was nearly jumping up and down with excitement while I was quilting it ;) 

And talk about yummy texture!!!   It is just going to be so perfect for her bedroom.  It really makes it look more Tween room now, and that of course makes my Tween very happy in deed :)   So next week, I need to finish her sister's quilt that I  started on the same Spring Break back in 2019 because now that one has their new quilt, I don't think I can put the other one off very long.  Good thing this Marathon will provide the extra motivation to quilt it up!!! 

And that is Quilt #22 - All the Trimmings ;)  22 Down and only 4 more quilts to go in the Happy Quilting Marathon :)   Ready to make Josie just as happy next week :)  

And that is it for today, thanks for popping in to share this finish with me!!! 

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

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 $25.00 Gift Certificate from Olie and Evie  is Number #177  . . . Congrats cottoncandie305!  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 . . . here is a favorite of mine called Citrus, isn't it just so happy and bright!!!  Along with hosting the giveaway, Jamie is also offering all Happy Quilting readers has a special discount of  20% off  Your Entire Order with the code "HappyQuilting" good until Friday!!!  Oh, so much fun shopping!!!

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some shopping goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is offering one lucky reader a $25.00 Gift Certificate perfect to use on anything in the store, including the awesome Lou Lou Bundle pictured above!!  Just perfect!!!!

You have two entry chances, the second being optional, 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 had to change your name, what would you change it to???  

 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, September 6th, when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Fast & Fun Lap Quilts Trunk Show!!

 Thank you so much for all of the love for my new Fast & Fun Lap Quilts book!!  You all are just so sweet, I am just thrilled that you love it as much as I do ;)  

Martingale , my Publishers did a Trunk Show of my quilts and shared it on You Tube and of course, I am just thrilled to be able to share it with you all.  It's always fun to get to see the quilts in person, vs pictures, and a video is a little closer to that in person feel ;)  So here are my Fast & Fun Lap Quilts  all made with 10" squares.  

And just a reminder, Fast & Fun Lap Quilts releases October 3, But  I actually have some advanced copies and have listed them in my Etsy Shop, so you can get them pre-release, so cool!!!   And of course, I will personalize and autograph them, and leave you with one of my sewing mantra's :)   Oh, and I know, shipping cost stink, so I gave you a little discount on the price of the book :)  

I will be sharing lots more about Fast & Fun Lap Quilts in the future.  So excited that it is here :)  

Be Fruitful - HQM Quilt 21

It is Week 21 of the Happy Quilting Marathon and exhaustion almost got the best of me today.   I quilted this yesterday and just needed to add the binding, but after fighting a cold all week, I ended up with a migraine today.   And let me tell you, it is hard to bind when you can not see the needle on the machine, tee hee hee.   I am sure in real marathon's, people feel way worse with only 5 miles to go, so I figured I best suck it up, and not trip so close to the end.   And I pushed through and here is Be Fruitful just in the nick of time!!!   

And let me tell you, I am so happy it is done because this is one of my "older" waiting around to be quilted quilts ;)  I actually made the plan for this quilt back in 2019 using the Be Fruitful block from the Goodness Grows Sampler.  I finished the quilt top in April of 2020 and planned to get it quilted right away.  Well . . . two years later and it's done!!! And isn't it just so happy :)  

I used the scraps from my Goodness Grows Sampler to make this Be Fruitful quilt.   And I just love all of Corey Yoder's fabrics and this Sugarcreek line was sure a cute one!!  To make the quilt, I simple made 16 blocks, and then sashing's with stitch and flip cornerstones.   The blocks are 15" finished and the sashings were 3" finished so the quilt ended up being 75" x 75" so it is a great picnic size quilt ;)  

And as I said, I wasn't feeling great (colds are no fun) when I quilted this, so I went for a nice and fast finish with all over loose feathers.   I just love how fun these are to quilt, I just flow all over the quilt with my little arched feathers :)  And you guessed it, 402 for the win on thread choice ;)  

And now this Be Fruitful Quilt is finally all finished and ready to be gifted.  I think this is another one that would make a  lovely wedding or graduation gift.  It's so nice to be getting a stack of these done so I am set for weddings and graduations for a little while now ;)   I can't believe how many of these were just waiting to be quilted, but this one was totally worth the wait!!! 

And that is Quilt #21 - All the Trimmings ;)  21 Down and only 5 more quilts to go in the Happy Quilting Marathon :)   Next week I have hopes to start earlier in the week and not leave it until the very last second, no way can I not finish now :)  

And that is it for today, thanks for popping in to share this finish with me!!! 

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

Introducing Fast & Fun Lap Quilts!!!

 It's here, I am so excited!!!  My advanced copies of my new book, Fast & Fun Lap Quilts arrived on my doorstep last evening ;)  I was so excited I just tore the box open!!!  It suddenly becomes real when you can actually hold the book in your hands.  

So, let me share how Fast & Fun Lap Quilts came to be.   I had so much fun writting Charming Baby Quilts (my previous book that is all about using 5" Squares to make Baby Quilts), that I figured it needed an "Older Sibling".   So I set out designing lots of lovely Lap Quilts all made with 10" squares.  And I was quickly surprised with how much you can get from 1 Layer Cake.   So that became the theme to run with, and I just love how it all came together.   So, as you can probably guess, each of the 9 quilts in Fast & Fun Lap Quilts are made with 1 Layer Cake and a background fabric.  So fun!!! 

And here is the Martingale , my Publishers, description of the book.  I just love that they take my meandering words and make them sound so great, thanks my friends ;)   

Start with Squares...end with success!
Transform 10" squares into quilts that are fun to make, yet have an intriguing, complex look. Perfect for beginners and advanced stitchers alike, each of the nine projects includes pointers on making the most out of your fabrics, helpful techniques for block construction, and other tips for success.
Lap quilts make ideal gifts for special occasions, and they're a great way to show someone you care about them. No matter if you make cozy quilts for gifts or to keep on your couch, they're great for snuggling! Grab your stacks of 10" squares (or visit your local quilt shop to stock up), and start stitching fast and fun quilts that you're sure to love.

Fast & Fun Lap Quilts releases October 3, so there isn't to much longer to wait for them to be in your local quilt shops.    But like I said, I actually got some advanced copies and have listed them in my Etsy Shop, so you can get them pre-release, so cool!!!   And of course, I will personalize and autograph them, and leave you with one of my sewing mantra's :)   Oh, and I know, shipping cost stink, so I gave you a little discount on the price of the book :)  

I will be sharing lots more about Fast & Fun Lap Quilts leading up to October 3rd, and  have a fun Book Tour planned for it's official release followed by another Fast & Fun Lap Quilts Surprise for the new year :)  I just can't wait!!!  

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 $25.00 Gift Certificate from Thousands of Bolts is Number #89  . . . Congrats valerieandquilts!  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!!   Also,  Select precuts, notions, books and patterns, yardage and 108" backings are discounted 10%.  In addition, Olie & Evie is now offering flat rate shipping of $9.00 on orders!!!

And Rhonda's has a fantastic Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!!     Olie and Evie  is giving one lucky winner a $25.00 Gift Certificate to use in her shop!!!    So awesome, someone is going to get a wonderful shopping spree for some end of the year fun :)  

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 When are you most Productive??

 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, August 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!!!

Vintage Windmill - HQM Quilt 20

 It is Week 20 of the Happy Quilting Marathon and I can't believe we have made it this far!!!   Just wow!!!   Today's quilt top is actually one of the three that inspired the Marathon idea and is called Vintage Windmill and the pattern is by Krista Moser and I just love, love, love it!!!  

I mean, stars and rainbows . . . does it get any better than that!!!! For this quilt I used V & Co. Ombre Fairy Dust and I just love how perfectly it worked for this pattern.  I cut a strip from the top and bottom of each fat quarter and it made for the perfect bright/light in each star. And of course, putting them in yummy rainbow order just adds to the ombre effect ;)  

I took this class at the Quilty Friends Winter Retreat in Feb, so I am happy to say that this one isn't even a year old!!  Yippee, a newer Marathon finish!!! .   The Vintage Windmill pattern finishes at 63" x 68" and makes a great lap size quilt.   I actually added an extra block in each row and an extra row, so my quilt finishes at 78" x 85".  I just couldn't decide which ombre's not to use, so I just used them all in the extra blocks, easy fix!!!   (p.s. yes, I know, I put the triangles at the bottom of the quilt in backwards, but they didn't bother me that much so I just left them, I just wanted to get it done ;)  

When it came time to quilt it, I took two favorites and combined them together.  Echoed swirls combined with echoed paisleys, and they just are so fun and happy and curvy together.  I just love how they dance over the quilt and add such a happy texture.      And random note on the picture, sorry it is a little crooked, I got sap on my hands taking the picture above, and was trying to get this last picture without getting sap on the quilt, such is the way things go sometimes ;)  

And now this Vintage Windmill in Ombre Goodness is all set to be gifted.  Not sure who will be receiving it yet, but I think it will make a lovely wedding or graduation gift, don't you ;)  It just makes me so happy, who knows, maybe this one will just stay home and be a fun curl up on the couch quilt, I do love me some rainbow and star goodness!!! 

And that is Quilt #20 - All the Trimmings ;)  20 Down and only 6 more quilts to go in the Happy Quilting Marathon :)   We are getting so close, I just can't wait!!! 

And that is it for today, thanks for popping in to share this finish with me!!! 

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