Almost Here!!! - Quilt Fest 2017

It's August now so that means the Utah Quilt Fest is just a little over a month away now!!!  I am so super excited!!!!   This is my second year teaching at this amazing event and after last year's amazing experience I am counting down the days to return again this year.  

I am teaching three classes this year starting with my End of the Rainbow in the afternoon on Wednesday, Sept 20th.   This quilt has such a special place in my heart and I am so excited to get to teach it at this awesome event.   It is such a fantastic scrap buster and can also double as a special memory quilt, which it does for me.  There is a scrap of fabric from every quilt I had ever made up to the point of making this quilt found somewhere in that rainbow goodness.   I can't wait to see what special memories are tied into my classes quilts ;)

And then that evening I am teaching my In Your Neighborhood class.   I just love teaching this class.  The design is so fresh and modern and even though it looks a little complex, it really goes together much easier than you think it would.  Kind of like building pieces of log cabins and then all of the sudden, you have an entire neighborhood ;)  I am so looking forward to this class, it is always a super fun one!!!!

And finally, on Thursday morning I am teaching my Moroccan Lullaby class.   This will be the second time I have taught this particular class and I can't wait because last time everyone just loved it!!!   I love the big blocks because people can really get a lot done in class, and there are a few little secrets we go over to get those perfect points every time, even with those small strips.  And I just love seeing the different fabrics people choose for this quilt, especially when someone uses a darker background, wow do they just pop!!!!

And the fun thing is . . . I still have a few spaces left in all three of my classes.   So if you are in the Utah area or want to take a nice trip to Utah in beautiful fall, you might want to consider checking out the Utah Quilt Fest.   It really is such a wonderfully fun time of quilting goodness!!!   And if you come, consider popping into one of my classes, I would love to see ya there!!!!

Happy Quilting!!!!

Mini Improv Spools

So this month in our Bees Knees group, Kimberly asked us each to make an Improv Paper Pieced Spool block (based on Konda Luckau's tutorial here ) for her.   And well, the block  just so happened to morph into an adorably  cute mini as well!!!   How fun is that :)   Here's how it happened.

It basically can be summed up by the statement that Kimberly Walus is a sweetheart!!!  Along with asking us to make a block, she sent an additional package of print strips so that we could make our own Improv Spool Mini.   How sweet is that!!!!   So I grabbed my Add a Quarter Ruler and just made both blocks at the same time which was nice for the paper piecing because I could do it more assembly line style ;)

Before you knew it, I had Kimberly's block all done.  Isn't it just so cute!!!  I love that low volume purple heart background she sent ;)    And the awesome thing was,  my block followed along with Kimberly's and so it was all ready to be quilted and bound into a mini.  

And I am just thrilled with how it turned out!!!!   I am so glad I just went right from block finish to mini finish.  I tell you, sometimes you just really need the joy of a fast finish and this just had me smiling all morning.   And I even found a piece of leftover binding that was the perfect length for the mini (about 2" to spare :) and  that was the exact fabric I picked for the spool tops earlier.  How perfect was that!!!  

I quilted the mini with a scallop stitch using my walking foot.   I just marked the sides at 1/2" and stitched in horizontal lines.   I just love the added texture and I think the design really matches the mini well.  And I have to say, how perfect was that Stitch fabric from Sweetwater for the background.   It just made me smile ;)  

And now my little Improv Spool Mini has joined the other purple mini's on my wall.   I just love to see this collection continue to grow.   And I especially love that each one reminds me of a special story and even more so, a special someone ;)

Thanks Again Kimberly!!!  And another happy bonus, my bee block is done and it is only August 4th!!!  That just might be a new record :)

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

Bella Skill Builder - Quarter Square Triangle

This post is coming a day late because of Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day, but I am happy to say that my blocks were still done yesterday!!!!   Because it was August 1st and that means it is Bella Skill Builder time!!  I am just so loving the rainbow of blocks I have and can't believe we only have two months left of this awesome quilt along hosted by the Fat QuarterShop and Sherri McConnell!!!!  And this month's skill builder blocks are all about Quarter Square Triangles!!!

For this month's tone on tone blocks, I layed out all of the blocks I have so far and tried to choose some pretty solids that I didn't have represented yet.   So it is soft pinkish reds and beautiful blue greens.      For the small version of the block I used Bella Strawberry and Raspberry (which really makes me crave some fresh berries) .  And for the large version of the block I used Bella Bermuda and Lagoon.   

Now you will notice right off that my blocks don't really look like this month's blocks.   Since I am doing a different layout I need to keep all of my blocks 12" square.  So I decided to just focus on the Quarter Square Triangle part and cut out the Half Square Triangle part since we already had a month of focusing on those :)   I just love how quick these quarter square triangles went together!!!  I just made HST's that I then put together in opposite layout and then used the same HST sewing process to make them Quarter Square Triangles.    And oh my goodness, was my Cute Cuts ruler just perfect for trimming these to size.   The diagonal lines made it so easy to match up with the seams and I just love the little "grit" on the back of the ruler that really helps to keep it from moving while trimming!!!   Thanks Sew Sampler for introducing me to another awesome ruler!!! 

And I ended up with a beautiful Ohio Star Quilt block that was just perfect for practicing my Quarter Square Triangles.  Which honestly, I haven't made in a long time because I always just think to make them as flying geese, but this method made it so easy to make and I so want to try and incorporate them more in my designs now!!! 

And then of course, I had to make a smaller version of the block.  Those little quarter square triangles finish at just 2".   How cute are they.   And i just love the secondary designs that are created by doing the opposite layout of fabrics from block to block.   It is just so fun!!!   I could just make these stars forever :)

And that is the Quarter Square Triangles block, the seventh set of blocks in the Bella Skill Builder!!!!  Be sure to download  the free pattern and watch youtube video.  And also pop on over to the  Fat Quarter Shop's blog, Jolly Jabber  for lots more Quarter Square Triangle (and Half Square Triangle)  Block details and wonderful Block eye candy from lots more blogger friends ;)  I hope you are enjoying the  Bella Skill Builder fun as much as I am!!!

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!

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

But first, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  And I need to make a correction to last week's post.  I accidentally gave you the link to the European site.  For my Stateside Readers, you wan't to follow along with Quiltmania  here :)   

So now, the winner of the Quitlmania three summer Edition Magazines is . . .   Number # 100. . . Congrats BarefootThunder!!!   I have emailed you :)        

  

  

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop .    Did you know that Jamie makes a new Lou Lou Bundle every Tuesday . . . you so want to check these out!!!  Along with hosting the giveaway, Jamie is offering all Happy Quilting readers has a special discount of  15% off your purchase  with the code happyquilting good until August 6th!!! (excludes pre-orders and items already on sale)  Oh, so much fun shopping!!!

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some shopping goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is offering one lucky reader a $25.00 Gift Certificate good to use on anything in the store, including an awesome Lou Lou Bundle!!  Just perfect!!!!

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 telling me, What was the first quilt you made?  

 ENTRY 2 - Lets show Lou Lou's Fabric Shop some Love!!!!   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.  Or you can follow their blog or  visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Lou Lou's Fabric Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, August 8th  when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Several Small Trips Quilt

Well . . .  Thanks to you all helping me decide to take Several Small Trips with my Trip Around the World Blocks from the first of this month,  I can now say that my Trip Around the World Quilt is done and I thought it only fitting to call it Several Small Trips ;)  And I just love, love, love it!!!!

I have made several of these blocks for Bees before using Bonnie Hunter's awesome tutorial.  So way back here I decided it was about time I make my own Trip Around the World quilt. (and yes that is way back :)   So I had some bee mates help out and got some blocks back, and then they sat, and sat, and then sat some more.  And it wasn't until this month that I finally pulled out some scrappy red, black, and white strips and made enough blocks for a quilt top.  And I had forgot just how much fun these blocks were to make.   I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to make more, because they really were a blast and went together super fast.      And now, I can finally say, I have made a Trip Around the World quilt and I am just so thrilled!!!

I made this in Red, Black, and White because it will get donated to my Alma Mater at some point to help raise funds for student scholarships.   Again, I am so glad my school colors are red, black, and white, because they are just so classic in a quilt!!!   And I especially love seeing those colors in all of their scrappy goodness in this quilt.  I don't even know how many prints are in it, but there are a lot!!!  It just makes me so happy.  And I kept the scrappy goodness going with the binding, using up lots of little bits and pieces of leftover binding from other quilts in beautiful red, black, and white :)   So fun!!!

When it came time to quilt it, I just had to do simple arches.  I just love they way the look in all over patchwork.  They just let each little square pop and I love the secondary orange peel design it creates as well.   I decided to change threads for the black, red, and white so that it helped to make the Several Small Trips design pop even more.  It took a bit longer as it meant a lot more cutting threads to start and stop, but it was so worth it!!!

Isn't that so fun how the quilting just makes each square pop!!!  I just love the way those arches frame each square.  Almost gives it the feel of a puff quilt, without all the hassle of stuffing batting, tee hee hee.   I am just so happy how it just really helped to add to the overall design of the quilt.  

And I just had to share this fun backing I found.  Our local Quilt Shop was having a clearance on some red and black prints, I am not even sure what line they are from.   But I thought, how fun to do half and half for the back!!!  I just love how the design changes scale across the print, and how the combination of the two fabrics with the scale created such a fun and unique backing.    And I have just enough left of both prints for 1 more quilt back, so I am sure I will be doing this again sometime ;)   It's just so fun and a perfect fit for the scrappy goodness that is this quilt!!!

And that is my Several Small Trips quilt!!!!!   It measures 72" x 72" as each block finishes at 12" square so it will be just perfect for a stadium blanket for some SUU Alumnus.    I am just so happy to have finished this quilt and couldn't be more thrilled with how it all came together.   It was so much fun to make and I am already thinking I need to add it back to my list of quilts to do.  It is just so classic and a fabulous scrap buster!!!   If you have never made one, I would highly recommend you give it a try.  The possibilities are endless and it is just so much fun ;)

And that's all for today!!! Thanks again for popping in and sharing this finish with me today :)  You all are just the best!!  

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

Linking up this finish to Amanda's, Sarah's, and Myra's, ;)