March Sew Sampler Box!!!

Oh my goodness, I totally freaked out when I opened the March Sew Sampler box!!!  I mean, how can you know with all of this fantastic quilting goodness ;)    I know I say it every month, but I just love when this fantastic blue box arrives on my doorstep.  It really is like Christmas every month!!

This month's box had a gorgeous Fat Eighth Bundle of Wonderland by Rifle Paper Company for C+S.  And I just adore these prints!!!  My niece played Alice in a play a year back so when she comes to visit this summer I think I will pull these out and see if she wants to make something fun with them ;)   And I am excited to try out the Cotton and Steel thread from Sulky as well.  I have heard great things about it so it will be fun to give it a whirl ;)

And I love this gorgeous set of Rifle Paper Pocket Notebooks.   They are blank pages on the inside and you better believe they will be going right in my purse so that I have a sketch pad handy whenever I see a little quilty inspiration.   Rifle Paper Co just does things so pretty!!!

And finally, I flipped over this adorable Magnetic Pin Bowl by Pleasant Home.   I have been wanting one of these for so long, but just couldn't justify it as I already have a boring plain silver one.   But this one is just so perfectly cute and it even matches the Ruler Pal we got in another Sew Sampler Box.   I just love it!!!!  Now I just can't decide if I want to take it over to go on the long arm for pinning quilts to the leaders or keep it in my sewing room. (Maybe I will just have to get a second one, tee hee hee ;)  

And last but not least . . .  the monthly sampler block.  And you will never believe it, but this block is actually the 12th block.  Meaning Sew Sampler has been going for a year.   And Fat Quarter Shop sent a finishing recipe card this month as well because . . .

This marks the end of the Sew Sampler Series 1 Quilt.   I was so excited I just had to layout my blocks in the front room  (my sewing room floor is currently occupied by a secret project ;)  to see what they all look like together.   So fun!!!    I actually have enough HST's left to make another 8 blocks so that is my plan, then I can have a pretty big size quilt in a 4 x 5 layout.  Best get stitching some more HST's together can't I can wait now to finish this one up!!!

And now I am super excited to see what April's  Sew Sampler Box will bring because there will be a Series Two Quilt starting!!!!   EEEkkk, I just love surprises :)

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

OLFA Endurance Blade & Giveaway!!!

It's no secret that I am an OLFA girl ;)   My mother taught me how to cut out quilts with an OLFA rotary cutter, so of course, when I bought my first rotary cutter it was an OLFA.  In fact, it was the cutter on the far right :)   And the dual sliding one is my current favorite because it is so much easier to teach my left-handed daughter how to cut with it!!!  So, as you can tell, they continue to be my favorite Rotary Cutters!!!  

So when I was asked by the wonderful folks at OLFA if I would like to try out the new 45MM Endurance Rotary Blade I was all over that!!!   And as you can imagine,  I did a little happy dance when this lovely package arrived at my door ;)

The OLFA Endurance Blade has a tungsten tool steel blade with proprietary metal chemistry that is designed to cut twice as long to extend time between blade changes.  Now I don't know much about tungsten steel or metal chemistry, but I do know about "Cut Twice as Long" !!!  And with my hand currently healing from surgery, I am all about blades that stay sharper, longer :)

So, I was super excited to pop it out of its packaging and give it a test run :)   And don't you just love the Quick Change feature of the OLFA cutters.  So easy and fast!!!

And boy did I give it a test run!!!  Remember all of those strips I cut back here . . . well they all needed to be sub-cut and then, I ran out of strips and needed to cut some additional piles of strips.   So ya, there was a whole lot of string cutting going on!!!

And I was having so much fun, I didn't stop there.   You know how I just can't stop staring new projects right . . . Well I cut out another one.   I just love all of those happy polka-dots.

And the blade was so sharp, I figured why not rotary cut my Impressions Templates while I was at it.  Last time I cut these out I used scissors as I wasn't supposed to be Rotary Cutting that soon after surgery.  Wish I would have just gone with the sharp Rotary Cutter.  This was so much faster and didn't hurt my hand near as much as the scissors :)  Gotta love a sharp blade!!!

So ya, I gave the Endurance Blade  a pretty good work out for it's first day and I am super excited to keep on cutting twice as long before having to change the blade.   I know, I am crazy, but I really do love cutting out quilts (probably why I keep starting so many new projects ;)    And cutting them out with a super sharp blade just makes it all the more enjoyable!!!

So thank you so much OLFA for letting me try out the new blade as well as the 12” x 17” Folding
Cutting Mat and the Splash 45MM Rotary Cutter!!! You can find all three products at Jo-Ann
Fabric and Craft Stores, and fine quilt shops featuring OFLA products across the country.!!!  It was a whole lot of cutting fun!!!   Although, I am pretty sure I am going to need to order the Emperor Purple Splash now, because how cool would it be for my Rotary Cutter to match my purple walls ;)  

If you’re headed for Paduach, Kentucky for AQS QuiltWeek®, April 27 and 28, check out OLFA’s
pop-up trail tent to test out the new Endurance blade. QuiltWeek goers can participate in a special
project benefitting Quilt for Kids, a non-profit organization whose mission is transforming fabrics
into patchwork quilts for children in need.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

And the wonderful folks at OLFA  have a special GIVEAWAY for me to host as well!!!  OLFA is giving one lucky Happy Quilting Reader an  OLFA 45MM Endurance Rotary Blade as well as an OLFA Splash 45MM Rotary Cutter!!!

  

So what do you have to do to enter . . .

-Simply leave a comment telling me if you could design your own rotary cutter, what color or  combination of colors, would it be??  

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Wednesday, March 29th , when I will announce a winner here.  

And another something you will want to know about, especially if you are feeling lucky!!!

Want to win a one-of- a-kind quilting adventure for two? Starting April 17, visit
www.OLFA.com/QuiltCruise to enter to win OLFA’s Quilt Cruise Sweepstakes*.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes startsApril 17, 2017 12 p.m. CST and ends at 7/15/17 11:59:59 PM CT. Must be a legal resident of 50 US/DC and at least 18 years of age. For Official Rules, including how to enter, prize details and restrictions, visit www.olfa.com/quiltcruise. Prize includes transportation to cruise departure port. Void where prohibited.  Sponsor: OLFA, NA distributed by World Kitchen, LLC, 9525 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Suite 300 Rosemont, IL 60018

Thanks for popping in today and each and every day!!!  You guys are the best and I am just so very grateful that I have this little spot to get to share my passion for all things quilting :)  I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!

Note - I received products in exchange for this post, but the opinions expressed are 100% my own.

March Bee Block is Buzzing!!!

This month for our Bees Knees group, Tamara asked us to make an adorable Disappearing 9 Patch block using adorable Bee fabric!!!  How cute is that :)

Disappearing 9 Patches are so much fun and super fast to make!!!  They were some of the first quilts that I learned to make.   It is simply starting with a 9 patch, and then cutting it in half vertically and horizontally, flipping 2 blocks, and sewing them back together.   And just like that, adorable disappearing 9 patch quilts!!!    

 

And then I tried a new little twist of making the 9 patch blocks, slicing them, but then instead of sewing them back together, adding some fun sashing.   I love the added modern flair it gives it ;)

And I still kept playing with this block!!!  I discovered that by playing with the placement of the colors in your 9 patch blocks, you could create all new variations.   These look like they are 4 patches that have been sashed, but nope, just a disappearing 9 patch block that is so much faster than sashing ;)    I did a tutorial way back when for these that you can check out here if you want to make your own ;)  

Anyhow, if you haven't tried a Disappearing 9 Patch block yet, you totally want to add it to your "To Make" list.  They are so much fun and super fast and the possibilities are endless!!!

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

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

But  before we get to today's giveaways . . . First,  we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!   The winner of the Coney Island Jelly Roll from Fat Quarter Shop is . . . Number #189. . . Congrats JANET!!!!! I have emailed you :)    

    

So on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Shabby Fabrics!!    Shabby Fabrics is having a Super Spring Sale that you are not going to want to miss.  The more you buy the more you save!!!  It ends Thursday night so be sure and check it out  :)  

And the Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for a Fat Quarter Set of Sugar Pie by Lella Botique for Moda !!!   Isn't that just so pretty in pink!!!   This is just such a fantastic line and someone is going to have these pretties arrive on their doorstep, so fun ;)

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 you favorite kind of pie :)

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Shabby Fabrics love. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest, or Instagram.  You can Sign up for the Shabby Fabrics Newsletter (top right hand corner) or Follow their Blog,  or you can Visit the Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Shabby Fabric Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, March 28th , when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Luck of the Irish!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!   Are you all wearing your Green????

So if you have been following my blog for a bit, you know that the quilt that my family is sitting on in this picture is a pretty special one.   This was the first quilt my mother made, and she learned to quilt so she could make me something to treasure for my wedding.   Fast forward 20 years and my mother taught me to quilt as well, starting of love of all things piecing.  Hence, it became the inspiration behind my book, Irish Chain Quilts.    And it's Green!!!

So yesterday, as I was stitching away at my sewing machine, I looked up to see my Moda Calandar and this gorgeous Luck of the Irish Quilt, which just so happens to be a Double Irish Chain, just like the one my mom made me 17 years ago.  And it just hit me, I should make one!!!!   And then I realized, I  have this gorgeous Greenery Pantone 2017 Color of the Year Bundle from the lovely folks at Fat Quarter Shop that will be absolutely perfect for a super fun scrappy version!!!   I mean, how perfect is this!!!    What better day to start an Irish Chain Quilt than St. Patrick's Day, and a green one  in the year of Greenery Color of the Year . . . It seems like it was just meant to be!!!  

So I am pulling this bundle out today and pressing and hopefully getting it cut up as well.  I am super excited to start this new project and I am looking forward to reminiscing on the time I spent with my mom while she made the original  quilt while I work on this new one :)

And it really is a great day to start and Irish Chain Quilt.   I have several Free Tutorials for versions of Irish Chain Quilts right here on the blog.  If you are looking for a more Traditional Irish Chain Quilt, I have the Scrappy Single Irish Chain as well as the Scrappy Triple Irish Chain.   And if you want a little twist there is my I Spy Quilt, that has a fun Chain running throughout, or the Bonnie Rose Quilt that has a single chain and fun snowball blocks that let you highlight favorite prints.  

        

        

And of course, you can find lots and lots of Irish Chain Quilt ideas and inspiration in my book.  If you have my book already I am sure you have flipped through it and bookmarked a quilt or two.   Well . . . 

What do you say???   Maybe you just might want to start an Irish Chain Quilt with me today???  What better way to bring you the Luck of the Irish!!!! 

I hope you have a very Happy (and Lucky) Quilting Weekend!!!