Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Starting a Few New

We were out of town for the Holiday weekend so I was super excited to come home to start a new project that was waiting for me and to find  fabrics for another project sitting on the doorstep!!!  So naturally, I spent yesterday pressing and doing some cutting!!!

This first new project is for my Riley Blake Design Team Tutorial and I will be sharing this one soon (like as in next week!!)  It uses Lisa Tueller's new Halle Rose line and it is absolutely gorgeous!!  I love the prints and I absolutely love the colors!! Can't wait to share more ;)


And these lovelies were waiting on the doorstep!!!  Don't you just love BasicGrey's Grunge!!!!  I was so excited to see all of these colors come together in actual fabric!!  I can't wait to get this project started.  But sadly, this is all I will be able to show for a while.  Yup, another secret project :)


So yup, I am hoping to cut into this Grunge Goodness today.  That and of course I have to finish sewing my blocks for tomorrow's QAL post ;)  What are you working on today??
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day . . . let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!   The winner of the $25.00 Gift Certificate from The Scarlet Thread Quilt Co  is . . .   Number 242. . . Congrats Brenda!!   I have emailed you :) 
    

    



    
And on to today's


Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.   Fat Quarter Shop has just finished two new books from It's Sew Emma.   The first is Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet and the second is Winter Wonderland by Sherri Falls of This and That Pattern Company.   I just love those cover quilts!!!!  They are now available for pre-order are are fantastic!!! 


      


And the Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for a $50.00 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop!!!!  WOW!!! Oh yes, someone is going to have a super fun Shopping Spree ;)  



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 are currently in a Winter Wonderland or enjoying the Sunny Days of a Farm Girl ;)  

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Fat Quarter Shop love.   You can follow them on   FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestYou Tube or at their Blog.  You can Sign up for their Newsletter which will ensure you catch all of their amazing sales, or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Fat Quarter Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, February 24th  when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!
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Monday, February 16, 2015

Leaders and Enders

Several of you have emailed me asking about Leaders and Enders, so I whipped up this quick little tutorial.  Leaders and Enders are a great way to work on a quilt in the midst of all your other sewing.  It also makes it so you never have to clip threads at the end of your sewing and you don't have to hold on to your threads to start sewing.  It's a win-win ;)  I first learned about these in a beginner quilting class back in 2005.   And  Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville is the Queen of this technique and I am told she has several books with lots of ideas on how to use them ;)  I love Leaders and Enders!!! So here is how you do it.

For my Leaders and Ender's I choose to use 2 1/2" squares.  I sorted them in a rainbow and then have a stack of Low Volume prints to match them with.  These just sit right next to my machine so they are always convenient.


Start by sewing whatever you happen to be working on.   I was working on some Great Granny Squares Bee Blocks when I took these pictures.  (Bee blocks always let you do lots of leaders and enders because there isn't a ton of chain stitching ;)  When you get to the end of your chain stitched sewing, (mine was only 2) grab a 2 1/2" white square and a 2 1/2" colored square and with right sides together sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.  This creates the Leader.


Then clip your project, leaving the Leader in your machine.


Once again, Sew your project aka my bee blocks, and then at the end of your chain stitching, add another Leader by sewing a 2 1/2" colored and white square together.


Now your original leader has become the ender and it is done.  Clip the threads between your projects, once again leaving your new leader in the machine.   Put your sewn 2 patch in a pile next to your machine and your are ready to do it again.   I found it is helpful to leave my little snipping scissors on my sewing table behind my machine.  That way whenever I am ready to clip they are right where I need them ;)


So every time you sit down to sew you will have a Leader waiting for you that you will turn into an Ender.  At the end of your sewing always add a Leader.


And it just keeps going around and around ;)


 And before you know it, you have a huge stack of 2-patches.  My top ones are the ones waiting to be sewn and the bottom ones are already sewn.  And this is only after a week of using Leaders and Enders.


And then you can turn your 2 patches into 4 patches and the possibilities are endless from there.   I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and give it a try.  Trust me, you are gonna love it!!!  I think I will always have 2 1/2" squares next to my machine now ;)

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!
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Sunday, February 15, 2015

Snapshots QAL - Sew On & Sew On

It's month 2  of the Snapshots QAL and that means that there is a new block to work on!!!  This month, is Sew On & Sew On and how could I not absolutely love this month's block!!!  It's a sewing machine, Love It!!!


Two fun things came about when I was cutting this block out.  First off, I realized that some of the fabric was directional on purpose.  Yup, didn't realize that with the first block and went back to find that my cake stand words were a little askew.  And now that I had realized it, of course it bothered me enough to go back and unpick it and put new pieces in with words going the right way.   So if you are QAL, pay attention to the fussy cut and directional print directions ;)  

Also, I tried something new, marking the labeling letters on my fabric with a Frixion pen.  This got a lot of replies on Instagram and some of them having some scary experiences with it.   But I loved how easy it made finding the pieces I needed, there are a lot of very similar sizes in the same fabrics in this block.  So someone suggested labeling on the back of the fabric, and I figure that will be my win win situation going forward ;)  


So, do you want to make a adorable sewing machine block too??  You can download the pattern right here and then don't forget to donate the $5.00 for the pattern to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ;)  This is such an amazing cause and it is so fabulous that Fat Quarter Shop and Moda will be matching our donations up to $10.000.00!!  



Kimberly also made putting this block together even easier with this fabulous You Tube video.  Bonnie and Camille start it off with some of their special sewing memories as well ;)  Love It!!!




Be sure to  share all of your Snapshots progress on social media with #fqssnapshots and check out these fabulous bloggers for some Sew On & Sew On inspiration :)  


Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms
Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way
Pat Sloan of The Voice of Quilting
Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet
Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life
Melissa Corry of Happy Quilting
Thelma Childers of Cupcakes N' Daisies
Pam Viera-McGinnis of Pam Kitty Morning
Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs
Stephanie Kendron of The Modern Sewciety
Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Greg Jones of Grey Dogwood Studios
Jessie Fincham of Messy Jesse



Thanks for popping in today ;)  Have a Happy Quilting (and maybe sewing on) Day!!!
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Saturday, February 14, 2015

Happy Valentines Day!!!



And if today fills you with desires to start some projects in red, white and pink . . . Check out some of these fun filled Simply Charmed projects made by my wonderful friends for my Valentine's Hop 2 years ago.   Each one is Charm Pack Friendly and so fun to whip up ;)  


 Heather from Quilt Story with the Heart Garland Tutorial

 Melissa from Lilac Lane with the Be Mine Tote Tutorial

Angela from Cut to Pieces with the Pincushion Tutorial

 Natalia from Piece N Quilt with the Trio of Pillows Tutorial


 Corey from Little Miss Shabby with the Shabby Heart Pillow


Yup, I know I have a few Red, White, and Pink projects on my list for next year ;)  

Happy Valentine's Day!!!



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