Moonbeams Quilt Along - Release 1 - Dove Blocks

Today is the day :)   It's the first block release of the Moonbeams Quilt Along and I am just so excited!  This is Fat Quarter Shop's 11th Annual Charity Quilt Along and they are always my favorite :)  The 1st Friday of each month will be a new release for blocks and today are the Dove Blocks.   And how cute are these blocks, so pretty!!!

I am using Imaginary Flowers for by Gingiber for my blocks.   I just love how bold these prints are and I think they are going to make for a super chic Moonbeams quilt!!   And of course, If you want your Moonbeams Quilt to be just like the original (and don't want to wait for the pattern releases :)   there is a  Moonbeams Quilt Kit and Backing Set featuring Strawberry Lemonade Fabrics by Sherri and Chelsi for Moda Fabrics.    But of course, this quilt will look amazing in any fabrics you choose.  You can find the Fabric Requirements for the Moonbeams Quilt Along here!!! 

So are you joining in with the Moonbeams Quilt Along fun???   You can download the block pattern right here and it is requested for each pattern you download to donate $10.00  to the Make a Wish Foundation :)  And I am super excited to say that even though it has just started,  Fat Quarter Shop's annual charity QAL has already raised over $10,000!!!  The goal is $100,000 which will allow for 16 wishes to be granted.  How awesome is that!!!  And Moda Fabrics and Fat Quarter Shop have joined to match up to $30,000 :)  So many amazing wishes :)  

Be sure to share all of your Moonbeams progress on social media with #moonbeamsqal and check out Fat Quarter Shops post for the Dove Blocks for lots more Moonbeams Inspiration!!! 

And that's it for the First Release in the Moonbeams Quilt Along!!!!      

Thanks for popping in today ;)  Have a Happy Quilting Day!!

February Sew Sampler!!!

Even with a bonus day in February, this month has flown by!!!  But that's okay because with with the end of the month comes a new Sew Sampler Box as well!!     The theme for this month is Trending Tradition and it is just such a cute box filled with gorgeous quilting goodness :) 

How pretty is this Thick and Think quilt pattern!!!!  It is made with a Thick and Think Quiet Grace 2 1/2" Strip set by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass Fabrics.   Kim's fabrics are always so pretty with their bright lights and dazzling darks ;)  

And the notions for this month are just great!! I am so excited about this Sewing Machine Light!!!  At the last retreat I was at, I was thinking, I need a travel light for open sew time.   And wouldn't you know, it just showed up in my Sew Sampler Box, so great!!!   And the quilting needles will go straight to mom, since she is the hand sewer :)   And you know, I just love me some thread, this is Gutermann thread and what a pretty Copper color!!!   

And just a note, there are currently some openings for Sew Sampler boxes, so no need to wait;)   A new year begins in April, so now would be a great time to join in and get ready for the new QAL!!  

And that is February Sew Sampler Box.  I am so looking forward to March, and hopefully quilting some of the projects I finished in February so I can add more to the pile, like this Thick and Think quilt ;)  

Happy Quilting!!! 

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!

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

First we need to pick a winner from last week ;)  

The winner of the Pick any Lou Lou  Bundle from Lou Lou's Fabric Shop  is . . .#693  . . Congrats . . nanaofcka!     I have messaged you ;) 

  

      

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Thousands of Bolts .   Thousands of Bolts has incredible prices that will have you super excited!!!  There are thousands of bolts to choose from and all at amazing prices, staring as low as $5.39 a yard!!!   And they have just introduced dozens and dozens of new fabrics to the inventory!!  Be sure to check it out :)    

And for Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway,  Thousands of Bolts is giving one lucky winner at $25.00 Gift Certificate!!!  You can get just what you always wanted :)   And good luck picking because there are literally thousands of bolts to choose from!!!!   

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 could live in a book, what book would it be??? 

 ENTRY 2 - Lets show Thousands of Bolts some Love!!!!   You can follow them on   Facebook or Instagram.  Or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Thousand of Bolts Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next March 5th, 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!!!

My Favorite Purple Tools

 This morning I got working on a new project that is all grunge in all the purples!!!  You know how I love purple ;)   Well, I had to laugh when I realized that the three tools I use the most in my sewing room are also all purple, I mean, are you surprised??  

I love my Olfa Splash Rotary Cutter for cutting.  The blade is super easy to change and the grip fits perfectly in my hand.  Olfa Splash comes in lots of colors (and yes, I have all of them :) but the purple cutter is the one on my sewing room cutting table!!!   

And this is my all time favorite seam ripper!!!   It is a hand-turned wood seam ripper made by a wonderful couple from Gunnison Utah who vend at lots of the Utah retreats I teach at.  They are the Westenskows and they have a little etsy shop here ;)  Their hand-turned tools are just beautiful, and they have a "flat spot" on the underside so they don't roll off the table, I just love that!!!   They come in natural wood colors as well as dyed wood, and you know I needed a purple one ;)   And my favorite thing about these seam rippers . . . anytime my blade gets dull, the Westenskows will replace the blade with a new one at retreat.    So great!!! 

And finally, my favorite thread snippers, and lucky me, they just happen to be made in purple!!!  These are the Gypsy Quilter's EZ Snips.  I have tried so many thread snippers and these are by far my favorite.  They are a little pricey for thread snips, but they are well worth the cost.  I love that they are spring loaded so I don't have to "open" them each time I snip. And I have been using this pair for over 5 years now and they still cut smooth and quick.  

In fact, I love these tools so much, I know have 3 sets of all of them!!!    One set for my sewing room . . . one set for my traveling sewing machine case . . . and one set for my teaching bag of tools!!!    And can I just say, it is so nice to have the tools you love anytime and anywhere you are quilting ;)   And the fact that they are all purple . . .well that is just a super happy bonus!!!! 

What are your favorite tools and just because I am curious . . .  does anyone else collect their tools in their favorite color ??  Leave a comment below ;) 

GO! Pineapple Lemonade Quilt and Free Pattern!!!

  I am so excited to share a new finish today!!! Isn't it just so happy making!!!   I have always wanted to make a pineapple quilt, and when AccuQuilt asked if I wanted to make a project using their new GO! Lemon Die, I knew it was time ;)   I mean, what better than a pinapple quilt with added lemons so you can make Pineapple Lemonade!!!!      And there is a free PDF Pattern that you can download right here :) 

I used yellow print scraps from my stash for the pineapple blocks and yellow solid scraps for the pinapples.  I just love having all of the shades of yellow, and doing the lemons in solids really made them pop.   So fun, and a great scrapbuster!!!   And of course, cutting with AccuQuilt is super fast especially when working with so many scraps ;) 

I used 4 yards of White Paper Grunge for my background fabric.  You know how I love grunge, and White Paper grunge is probably my all time favorite!!!  And this project will use up about 2 1/2" yards of yellow print scraps and 2 1/4 yards of yellow solid scraps.   I can actually get my yellow scrap bin closed now!!!    The Pineapple Lemonade Quilt finishes at 50" x 60" so it is a great lap size quilt.   

I think the reason a Pineapple quilt has been on my list for so long is because all of the cutting in so many different sizes.   I just love my AccuQuilt for cutting scraps!!   And especially for applique.  Can you imagine having to trace and then cut out all this applique by hand.   You also attach the fusible before you cut, so it is super easy to layer and stack your applique to the quilt and then fuse it .   Below is a list of the dies I used, see which ones you already have in your die library and maybe add a few more ;)   

APPLIQUE DIE

 GO! Lemon Die (55630)            

PIECING DIES

GO! Pineapple - 10" finished (55485)      

   GO! Strip Cutter-2-1/2” (2” Finished) (55017) - Binding

And when it came time to quilt it, I wanted to do something dense because the applique was over the whole quilt and I did not secure stitch around each applique.   Rather I decided to secure stitch it with the quilting.  So a nice dense wavy crosshatch keeps all of the applique nice and neat.  I love all of the texture it adds to the quilt as well.   

And that is my Pineapple Lemonade Quilt.   I hope you love it as much as I do ;)   Isn't this picture AccuQuilt took of it just so great!!!  I love seeing it styled in a home setting.    And if you want to make your own, you can download the free PDF Pineapple Quilt Pattern Here.   And when you are done I would love to see it!!!    You can share a picture on social media with #happyquiltingwithmc and tag me at @happyquiltingmc or you can always email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com.  I can't wait to see your Pineapple Lemonade Quilts!!

Oh, and fun little side note . . . if you want to see this shared on YouTube, you can visit the Die Launch video.  It is shared towards the end of the show at 27:45 minutes in :)  It is just so fun to see your projects loved so much, just makes me smile.   

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