Missing Market

So today is the final day of International Quilt Market, and I have to say, I sure wished I was in Texas this last weekend.  I am so grateful that so many wonderful folks posted all about it on social media so I got to see all of the amazing new fabrics, patterns, and notions . . . but . . . .I realized this weekend how much I love getting to see all of my wonderful industry friends every 6 months and I really missed them!!!!  I missed all of the hugs, the chatting, the laughs, and the general catching up with such amazing good friends.  And I will admit, it got me a little blue and nothing chases away the blues like a bit of sewing . . .

So I told my daughter she could pick anything she wanted to make and we would do it.   She decided on making a quilt for her best friend for Christmas.  Her friend loves Black and White so we grabbed a 10" Stacker of Tuxedo by Doodlebug Designs for Riley Blake that had been languishing in my stash for way to long.   She laid out all of her fabrics and I loved watching her take painstaking care to make sure no same prints or colors were next to each other.  She really put a lot of thought into it.

Then she turned her layout into a quilt top!!!    I have to say, I was blown away with how much she has picked up from sewing with Grandma.  I tend to want to take over, but I kept reminding myself to just let her do it and we could fix anything that needed to be fixed along the way.  So she did all of her own pinning, pressing, and sewing.  Start to finish!!!   I was so incredibly proud of her.  She even did her own seam ripping when she accidentally sewed a row using wrong sides together instead of right sides together.  She did such a great job and I am just so bursting at the seams with joy over it!!!  She decided she wants to add a yellow border for some pop and to make it a little larger, so next up, rotary cutting ;)

In fact, (proud mom gushing here) she did so much on her own, that I was able to work on my own project at the same time she was working on hers!!!  I did some free motion quilting on my good ol trusty Bernina.  I don't quilt much on my domestic machine anymore,  but for small things I still like to give it a go, and I always remember how much fun it is :)  Good Times ;)

 I tell you what, this feels just like when learning to read finally clicked.  We struggle and struggle and struggle and then it clicks and they figure it out.   And now, the sewing thing is clicking and she feels more confident with the machine and it is awesome!!!  We could both just sew and sew and sew.  I see lots more Saturdays like this in the future!!  So ya, it really was the perfect remedy for chasing away the Missing Market Blues.   And I should add, while I was not there in person,  I did have a few projects there ;)  I will share those starting Wednesday after TTGD ;)  Be sure to pop back in because I just love getting to finally share some of that secret sewing ;)

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

The Village Square - Feed Company Edition

It's Friday and I am super excited to share a new finish with you!!!  And, on top of that, it is also Bloggers Quilt Festival!!!!  So let's get right to that finish!!!! This is The Village Square - Feed Company Edition and I am so, so, excited with how it turned out!!!!

The Village Square is one of the patterns from the Appliqued Chains section in my book Irish Chain Quilts ;)  Those little houses are so much fun to applique!! I love that I can raw edge applique them without using any stabilizer.  They are small enough that you can just hold them in place while you stitch them down and it gives them the cutest raw edges!!!

There was a few moments when making this quilt that I was scared it just wasn't going to come together the way I was hoping. I used a Feed Company Layer Cake by Sweetwater for Moda as I wanted it to have a bit of an Americana feel.  So while I was making the blocks and just looking at them individually I started to get a little nervous. (ya know how you always tend to second guess yourself at some point in making a quilt . . .  please tell me we all do that ;)   I can't tell you how excited I got when I put all the blocks together and it was that "oh ya, that was the look I wanted" moment ;)

I quilted this one the same way I did the original only quilting the background and not doing any quilting on the houses or squares.  I was going for a sort of Cobblestone effect, ya know, to add to the whole village square effect.    I just love how it makes the little houses and square pop out and really emphasis the overall chain design!!

Oh, and if you are wondering why I am making this quilt up again and why I whipped it up so fast (I started it last week)  . . . well I am teaching this quilt at the Cedar Chest Quilt Retreat in January and this weekend all of the quilts from the retreat are being hung at the Heritage Festival.  Well it sort of slipped my mind that my original The Village Square is currently traveling in a Shop Hop across the US . . . so I needed a new model to hang and fast.  Hence the new Feed Company Edition ;)   I have to admit, it sure was fun to have an excuse to make up this adorable quilt again.   So loving it and once again, I never cease to be amazed at how changing up the fabrics can so change up the look of a quilt!!!  I love that!!!!

And that is all for The Village Square - Feed Company Edition :)   Be sure to pop on over and check out all of the quilts in the Bloggers Quilt Festival!!! I just love that Amy does this on the same weekend at Quilt Market, it's quilty eye candy galore!!!!  Oh, and speaking of Market . . . be sure to pop back in next week as I will be sharing all of my secret Market sewing, so excited!!!!

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

Linking up this finish to Sarah's and Amanda's and Blogger's Quilt Festival ;)  

Two Times the Charm - Done and Done

So as I mentioned yesterday, I still need to make my new nieces baby quilt but . . . I can check off my good friends baby quilt as I delivered it to its proud papa yesterday ;)  So now I can share it here as well.   Two Times the Charm for Two Totally adorable Baby Boy Quilts!!!

I used my Charm Bracelet Pattern from the Improvisational Piecing section of Irish Chain Quilts for these two quilts.  I was planning on only making one but when I grabbed my Reel Time Layer Cake by Zen Chic, it just worked out perfect to make two, one "high volume" and one "low volume".

This is the Low Volume one.  I wish I knew what the background color was, but sad to say, I stuck the leftovers from another quilt in my stash without marking it and I can't remember what solid it is.  Sorry.   But it goes just perfectly with the "low volume" prints from Reel Time.  

And when it came time to quilt it, I decided on a cute loop de loop in the background and double arches in the print squares.  I love how it makes those little squares just pop right out of the quilt ;)  So fun!!  This quilt will be sitting in my sewing room for the time being until another special little guy comes along who needs a baby quilt ;)

And onto the "high volume quilt, which is totally a term I made up because I couldn't think of anything better than the opposite of low.  This is the one I decided to give my friend.   I just love the fun colors in this quilt and how much they pop, and they just happen to be the same colors mom and dad are doing the nursery in!!!!  Love it when it works out like that!!!

I quilted this one the same, even though it doesn't show up as much in the picture.  But it really does show how the quilting lets those little squares just pop up.  I hope baby enjoys rolling around on this quilt in a few months, so many bright colors to love ;) 

And then of course, I had to add a little applique to make it personalized.  Just one of those cute little finishing touches ya know to make it extra special ;)

And here is proud papa after I dropped it off to him at work ;)  This is their first little one and I am so, so, very excited for them!!!!   Babies are just the best!

I tell you what, there is just nothing better than a baby quilt!!!  I just love making them and I especially love giving them to new Mama and Papa's!!!  

Wishing you a very Happy Quilting Day!!!!

Cuteness Galore!!

My sweet little niece has arrived!!!  Isn't she just adorable!!  Ahhh, I can't get over the cuteness!!

This is little Emily Anne with her adorable family.  Yes, just in case you weren't aware, that is my twin sister :).  And remember little David and his scary little entry into the world, well that is him next to his mom, growing strong and healthy and so very happy to be a big brother :)  So excited for you Jen and your family as you welcome this precious little angel into your lives!!

Oh, and I suppose I better get cutting and piecing considering Emily's quilt still looks like this ;)  Good thing baby quilts go together fast ;)

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!

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 3 awesome Dena Designs Fat Quarter Bundle from  The Intrepid Thread is . . . . . .   Number #327. . . Congrats Nancy!!   I have emailed you :)     

 

  

   

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.   Fat Quarter Shop is amazing and they never cease to amaze me with everything they have going on at their shop!!!     You will totally want to make sure you follow them on some sort of social media this weekend as they are sure to have lots and lots and lots of amazing Quilt Market peeks!!!

And for today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Fat Quarter Shop is giving a $75.00 Gift Certificate to one lucky winner!!!!  Oh ya, someone is going to have some super fun shopping!!!

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 what you are most excited to see from Quilt Market this weekend.

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Fat Quarter Shop love.   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, You 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, October 27th , when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!