Sew Red for Women

I was so excited when Leah from Burgundy Buttons asked me to be part of this amazing Blog Hop!!  And  I just jumped at the chance to be a part of something that is for such an amazing cause!!!     Have you heard about it???  Here are some of the deets.

What is the hop about?
Well, it's about hopping!  And raising awareness about heart disease!

Each month, Sew Red for Women will feature an original quilt block designed ecspecially for you by some of today's most inspiring designers & bloggers.  We will provide a special link to hop on over to the blogger and/or designer's site for details and instructions for completing the featured block. And you just might learn a thing or two about heart disease while you're there!

The hopping begins on February 3rd, which happens to be Wear Red Day!

Who's Partcipating? And when?

February 3  Leah of Burgundy Buttons

March 3  Fat Quarterly's Tacha of Hanies Quilts

April 3  Katie of Swim, Bike, Quilt

May 3  Melissa Corry of Happy Quilting

June 3  Charlie of Qubee Quilts

July 3  Jessica of Twin Fibers

August 3  Melissa of The Polkadot Chair

September 3  Amber of A Little Bit Biased
October 3  Amy of Diary of a Quilter

November 3  Amy of Amy's Creative Side

December 3  Sherri of A Quilting Life
January 3  Lynne of Lily's Quilts

What an amazing group of talented quilters!!!!  I am so excited to get to work with these people!!

What fabric are we using?
 While we do not yet have a final fabric supply list as the designer's are still creating thier block, we will be using fabrics from Chemistry by Cosmo Cricket and coordinating Bella Solids.  Naturally you may use any fabric you like!

As the blocks are released, Burgundy Buttons will offer a block-specific fabric pack for purchase while supplies last.

Will there be a flickr group?

What fun is it if you can't show off?  Share pictures of your block and finished projects with the group at http://www.flickr.com/groups/sewredforwomen/

We are so excited to bring you this heart friendly hop and raise awareness about heart disease at the same time!  Please help us save lives by sharing information about this event on your blogsite, twitter and facebook!  Grab a button from the Sew Red for Women Blog and add it to your side bar!

Together we can make a difference!

TNT Thrusday

This week I had a lot of fun Trying New Things.  I worked with grommets for the first time!!!  It was actually a lot of fun.  I borrowed my Mother-In-Laws little tool and I think I will have to add that to my list of things to purchase for my sewing room.  What did I use it on???  Well I can't say exactly but I will say it is for my Simply Charmed Blog Hop Project.  I am so excited for it :)

So that was me Trying New Things :)  What have you tried this week???  Link on up :)

<br /> <a border="0" href="http://happyquiltingmelissa.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERmOwnuoN_yJzxwDc-0EeiilcFD1-q0nwIYFJi8QgWQomMNyUe-mWSSLzpB1MHklEHvw7R3SgK4qNy-XzyNo0-QVoY6bWsu3_ACS-uXIDSqii5EEEEgawSE6dBGJI0DWhpWddnS0yvLs/s1600/TNT-thursdays-blog-button.jpg"/></a><br />

A Super Productive Week :)

This week was a super productive week for me.  I had 4 completions.  Yippee Skippee!!!  And I have to say, it was a lot of fun.  I am so happy to have finished up some projects that have been long outstanding.  One I already showed on Friday, Jocelyn's Crib Quilt.   

I also finished up this Hugs and Kisses quilt for my Grandmother.  The pattern is my Hugs and Kisses from the Park Moda Bake Shop Tutorial.  The design was inspired by my grandmother but the original colors didn't match her room very well.  So I made this one in Pom Pom de Paris which not only matches her room but it also matches her style perfectly.  My grandmother is coming down (she lives in Canada) to visit my mother next month so I can give it to her then :)    I am so excited!!!

I also managed to pull out my Stars Quilt-A-Long blocks.  I finished up the #3 blocks and got started on the #4 blocks.  I really want to get this quilt put together in the next little bit.  It is a little sad when you do the Quilt-A-Long and you don't finish the quilt with the group :)

And this is for a new project that I am totally excited about.  My 6 year old daughter asked me if I would teach her to quilt.  She wants to make a quilt for her 2 year old sister.  So we whipped up a little design and made some time this week to pick out fabric.  I had her start by picking out her favorite print (the butterfly one) and then we picked out other fabrics to match.  She pretty much made all of the fabric choices with just a little help from me.  I think she did a great job!!  This week we are going to start cutting.  Here is hoping nobody ends up needing stitches :)

So . . . . That's what I have been up to.  On to the line-up :)

Designing Stage

• Twister Toddler Twin Quilt
• Solids Quilt for Free Motion
• King Size Serenity Quilt
• Circle Meets Square Quilt
• 4th of July Table Runner for Sister-In-Law 
• Secret Project MB
• Secret Project QQ
• Moda Bake Shop On the Go
• Moda Bake Shop Take it All

Piecing Stage

• Stars Quilt-A-Long
• Jessi and Me Quilt 
• Going Places Quilt
• Lone Star for Grandma's 80th Birthday

Quilting Stage

• 
  

Completed Stage

• Secret Project for Simply Charmed Blog Hop
• Hugs and Kisses Quilt for Grandma
• Customer Quilt - Hexie Fun Version 3.0
• Jocelyn's Crib Quilt

                                       

Disappearing 9 Patch Variation Tutorial

I had a few people ask about how I made this crib quilt.  I bet you didn't guess that I made this using a variation of the Disappearing 9 patch.  You use the same technique but by placing your colors different you get a totally different look :)

  ***Note - I realize you can also make this pattern doing a 4 patch center and then adding side sashing with corner blocks but this is just how I have made it.  But I am always a fan of ways to speed up sashing :)

Here is how to make it:

For a 22 x 44 crib quilt You will need:

4 Strips 2 1/2" x WOF of your focal print (white border)  (You can made these strips wider if you want a larger border :)
16 4" x 4" Squares of your focal print (white )     5/8 Yard Total
28 4" x 4" Squares of your first sashing print (pink)     3/8 Yard Total
28 4" x 4" Squares of your second sashing print (green)     3/8 Yard Total
       
If you want to change the size of the quilt you can either make the borders bigger or change the size squares you start with.

To start, you are going to make Eight 9-Patch blocks.  4 of the first color layout and 4 of the second color layout. 

Now cut across the center of the block left to right, and then without moving the block, cut across the center of the block from top to bottom. Repeat for all 8 blocks.

 Now rotate the 4 newly cut squares 180 degrees to get the following layout.  Sew the 4 squares together.  Repeat for all 8 blocks.

 Now lay out your 8 blocks as follows.  Sew the blocks into rows and then your rows into the quilt top.

Add your border, sewing on the long sides first.  Then add your short sides borders.

And then your done and you have one adorable crib quilt!!!!

And since I was at it . . .  I figured I would add the same instructions for making a baby blanket. You use the exact same process.   Here is a picture of one I made a while back :)

For a 40 x 40 baby blanket you will need:

18 5" x 5" Squares of your focal print (pink)     1/2 Yard Total
32 5" x 5" Squares of your first sashing print (purple)     2/3 Yard Total
32 5" x 5" Squares of your second sashing print (yellow)    2/3 yard Total
           
If you want to change the size of the quilt you can either make the borders bigger or change the size squares you start with.

To start, you are going to make Nine 9-Patch blocks.  5 of the first color layout and 4 of the second color layout. 

 Now cut across the center of the block left to right, and then without moving the block, cut across the center of the block from top to bottom. Repeat for all 9 blocks.

Now rotate the 4 newly cut squares 180 degrees to get the following layout.  Sew the 4 squares together.  Repeat for all 9 blocks.

 Now lay out your 9 blocks as follows.  Sew the blocks into rows and then your rows into the quilt top.

And you are done!!!!

Hope you enjoyed :)  If you have any questions just shoot me an email :)

The Simply Charmed Blog Hop

Today's the day!!!  The secrets out!!!  Announcing the Simply Charmed Blog Hop!!!!!  Isn't Valentines Day great!!!  A day focused on telling those we love just how much they mean to us.  Fabulous!!!   And what better way to show someone you care than to give them something special made by you just for them!!

So that is why I asked some of my amazing friends from blog land to join me in bringing you the Simply Charmed Blog Hop.  10 days of Valentine tutorials and giveaways kicking off on February 1st.  So here are the amazingly talanted ladies that will be joining me!!!

February 1 - Melissa from Happy Quilting with the Knotty Little Apron Tutorial

February 2 - Heather from Quilt Story with the Heart Garland Tutorial

February 3 - Melissa from Lilac Lane with the Be Mine Tote Tutorial

February 6 - Angela from Cut to Pieces with the Pincushion Tutorial

February 7 - Amy from Diary of a Quilter with the Scrappy Nine Patch Table Quilt Tutorial

February 8 - Natalia from Piece N Quilt with the Trio of Pillows Tutorial

February 9 - Jessica from Twin Fibers with the Valentine Card Keeper Tutorial

February 10 - Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt with the XOXO Zippered Pouch Tutorial

February 11 - Jane from Want It, Need It, Quilt with the Circle of Love Tutorial

February 13 - Corey from Little Miss Shabby with the Shabby Heart Pillow

February 14 - Happy Valentines Day and the Grand Prize Winner Announcement!!!!

Thank you so much to each of these ladies.  I have had so much fun working with each of them on this Blog Hop.   They are all so very talented and the projects they have created are just amazing!!!  Trust me when I say, you are all in for a treat!!!

The Simply Charmed title came about because each of us created our project using 1 Charm Pack and  added yardage if necessary but only for backing, lining ect.  The bulk of each project is made using just the 1 Charm Pack of Always and Forever by Deb Strain.   And trust me,  you are going to be amazed with what you can create using a single charm pack!!! 

And what fun would a Blog Hop be without Giveaways???

Thanks to the generosity of our amazing sponsors, there will be a giveaway along with each of the 10 tutorials.    So when the time comes, make sure to enter at each of the contributors tutorial post for your chance to win some major fabric cash.

     

Fat Quarter Shop has graciously sponsored the fabric used in making the tutorials.

They will also be sponsoring the Grand Prize of  a $200.00 Gift Certificate to 1 lucky reader.

Burgundy Buttons has graciously sponsored three $25.00 Gift Certificates for 3 lucky readers.

 The Intrepid Thread has graciously sponsored three $25.00 Gift Certificates for 3 lucky readers.

       The Green Fairy has graciously sponsored three $25.00 Gift Certificates for 3 lucky readers.

A huge thank you goes out to each of our sponsors!!!  They are a huge part of making this Blog Hop.  So pop on over to their shops (their icon's are links) and find the special Charm Pack or 2 for you.  (And whatever else might tickle your fancy :)  

And last but not least, we would love it if you joined the Simply Charmed Blog Hop Flickr Group.  This will be a place to show us your amazing projects made using the Simply Charmed tutorials!!!  We can't wait to see your own personal take on these special gifts :)

So are you ready to hop along with us???  Are you excited for February 1st?????  

Well then grab a button and spread the word!!  

Let's see how far we can spread the homemade love this Valentines Day!!!! .

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