What Did I do for National Quilting Day??

We'll the list is long . . but we will just skip to the evening when I had checked off all the To Do's on the list and was able to move to the Want To Do's list.  And it of course had Quilting right on the top!!!

So I started quilting up my newest Bake Shop Quilt.  (Not to be revealed until April, Sorry).  It's a twin size so I started quilting and just kept going and going.  I too an occasional break to check the scores of the games (I do love me some March Madness) but by the end of the night (late night :) I was done!!   I had so much fun doing some more swirls.  They are just a hoot!!  I also tried out a new little loop that I loved.  I will so be doing it again!!  And yes, of course I will show some sneaky peaks, but just little sneaky peaks :)

How's Your Irish Luck??

Today is the day!!  Time to announce the winner of the Giveaway!!! Just as a reminder, this one super lucky person will get this beautiful set of Fat Quarters from the Penny Lane line by Riley Blake!!  Oh, La, La!!!

And the person with some Irish Luck is . . .

JayTee 24said...

Congrats!!! Isn't new paint beautiful???

March 9, 2011 9:48 AM 

Congrats to JayTee.  I have sent you an email :)

And since we are on the subject of Penny Lane . . .  I thought you might all enjoy a little sneak peak of my soon to be released tutorial project using Penny Lane.  Look for it on the 28th :)

The Birthday Girl Strikes!!

Well she is officially 2 so that must mean something "Terrible Two"ish has to happen.  And did it ever!!  I went upstairs yesterday to find my sweet little now 2 year old girl sitting on her sister's bed with crayons in her hand.  This is what she was sitting on.

Instant panic followed by that horrible sinking feeling in your stomach.  I was too late.  It isn't horrible, but it has been colored on none the less.  I set my beautiful little girl in her crib so that I could walk out of the room and calm down / cry.  Anyone have any good suggestions on how to get crayon out??  I am so scared I am just going to set it into the fabric or make it bleed.  Help :)

UPDATE - Thank you all for your great suggestions.  I am trying them out on scrap fabric and will let you know what works best :)    Oh, and I should mention . . . Today is the last day to enter my giveaway if you haven't had a chance yet :)

Birthday Baking and Moda Baking!!

Yesterday by little one turned 2!!!  Hoolay smokes time flies!!  My older daughter saw a picture of one of those cool new rainbow cakes and told me I should make a "girlie" one for Kami.  This was my interpatation of "girlie" version.  I think it looks pretty alright :)

Unfortunatly, I am horrible at stacking cakes and keeping them even, so to help I use extra icing.  I went a little overboard on this particular cake using 2 tubs of frosting.  That's right, that little cake has 2 tubs of frosting.  Can we say sugar headache.  However, I don't think the Birthday Girl minded all that much :)

And since we are on the baking subject, I thought I would give you a little sneaky peek of what will be coming at the end of the month!!  I just love these prints!!  I can't wait to share the whole quilt :)

Oh, and it's the last days to enter the Celebrate Giveaway :)  You can find it here :)

Happy Quilting Quilt-A-Long Finishing Up Instructions

Okay, so most of you probably don't need this last step, and there are several that have already done it, but I figured just to complete it off, I will post some instructions on how to put your blocks together into a top.  So here we go, the last step of the Happy Quilting Quil-A-Long!!

Start by laying your blocks out in your rows.  Go ahead and play with your blocks until you get a look that you like.

Once you get a layout you like go ahead and mark your blocks so you don't forget what goes where.  I usually use pins.  I have a slightly cryptic way of how I place my pins so that I know where they go.  Do what works for you.  You can also just take a picture and then refer back to it.

Okay, so once you have your blocks marked you are going to start pinning them together.  Take Block 1 from Row 1 and lay it over on top of Block 2 of Row 1 with right sides together.  Don't spin it or anything, just flop it over :)  (how's that for a technical term.)  No go ahead and pin your seam line together.  Make sure to pin your seams first making sure to line them up.  After that pin your ends.  If you have any bubbles just smooth them down with your finger and put in a horizontal pin.  

Repeat pinning with all of the first block for all of the rows of your quilt.

Now it is back to some stitching.  Once again, stitch a 1/4" inch seam along your pinned line.  Make sure to remove your pins as you go and smooth out seams from underneath.  Continue to chain stitch all of your sets.

Clip your threads between blocks and then go ahead and press your seams open.  Once again, this is just to help keep the bulk down.

So now you will have a stack that looks like this.  Don't you just love those little "nubbins between the sashing.  (I actually like them so much I made my seams a little larger to highlight that feature, so my nubbins might be slightly larger than yours :)  I love how it makes the diamond sashings in the middle float :)

So now lay your blocks back out with the rest of your quilt layout.  Use your pins or your pictures to ensure you have everything back the way you originally laid it out.

Now it is just repeat.  Go ahead and lay your Block 3 onto your now sewn together Block 1 and 2 in each row.  Pin all of your blocks.  Then go ahead and stitch your 1/4" seam along all the sets, clip your threads, and press.  Repeat this process for however many blocks you have in your rows :)

So now your rows are all put together and now you just have to attach the rows to each other.  And it is the exact same process just on a larger scale.

Lay your entire Row 1 onto your Row 2.  Pin along the seam line.  Once again, make sure to match your seams first.  Sew a 1/4" seam along your pinned line and press open.

Now just repeat the process for each row, adding one after the other.  And there you have it!!!  Your completed top!!!  Yippee Skipee!!!

Alright, Make sure to add your completed top to Flickr.  I will give everyone 2 weeks to finish your tops.  On  March 28th we will have a parade of tops and announce the winner of the Burgundy Buttons Gift Certificate.     I can't wait to see all of your finished tops!!!  I hope you have enjoyed the Happy Quilting Quilt-A-Long.  I know I have!!