A Beautiful Pillow for this Lucky Girl

Last December I was a super lucky girl!!  I won a very special prize during the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day and it arrived this week after a little trip over the "pond"!!!  See what I mean by being so lucky . . .

Alison of Little Island Quilting made this beautiful pillow just for me.  Isn't it just fabulous!!  She asked us to give her three words to describe what type of pillow we would like.  I don't remember my words . . . but she sure interpreted them great!!    I love the colors, the design, the quilting!!  I love it all!!

  And look, she even finished it with an invisible zipper.  I wouldn't even begin to know how to do that!

This will be my beautiful pillow's new home.  This is Mom's chair, and it is only fitting it be adorned with this special pillow!!  Thank you a million times over Alison!!  You are the greatest!!

And one last thing.  Alison is having a bit of a hard time at the moment.  He stunning quilt that was sent to Quilt-Con has been lost in the mail.  So if you have a moment,  pop on over and write her a little something to help try and cheer her up.  I know it would mean a lot and I am sure we can all understand how hard this would be.  Here is hoping it get's found soon.

Valantine's Day Tutorials

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!!!

So last year at this time I was finishing up my first Blog Hop.  The Simply Charmed Blog Hop :)  It was so much fun.  Makes me realize I need to do another one some time. (You know, when I have a minute or 2)   I thought I would be fun to share the tutorials from the hop today.  I mean, after all, they are filled with lots of hearts and hugs and kisses :)

Melissa from Happy Quilting with the Knotty Little Apron Tutorial

 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

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

 Natalia from Piece N Quilt with the Trio of Pillows Tutorial

Jessica from Twin Fibers with the Valentine Card Keeper Tutorial

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

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

 Corey from Little Miss Shabby with the Shabby Heart Pillow

Have a Happy Valentines Day and be sure to give an extra hug or kiss to the ones you love!!!

A New Video Tutorial - FMQ Traveling Loops and Hearts

Have a little Valentine's projects in the works??  Trying to decide how to finish it up??  If so, you might be in the same boat as I was yesterday.  In finishing up my new Valentines quilt (Tutorial coming to the MBS soon, just waiting to hear on the date :)  I decided to try a new Free Motion Quilting design that would represent this holiday full of love.  So what represent love more than hearts??  So I created a little all over design that travels with loops and has adorable little hearts tied in.   And since I thought it might be helpful to you as well, I made a little video.  Enjoy ;)

I hope this helps in finishing up and of your Valentine's projects :)  Boy oh boy, do I like to procrastinate :)  Nothing like day before the holiday :)

X Marks the Spot

For this month's Beejeebers block Jamie asked us to make a Scrappy X Block.  She wrote up a fabulous tutorial here for it and it was a quick and a whole lot of fun to put together.  Double Bonus!!

I love scrappy blocks.  Using all these bright colors just made me smile!  I steered away from the tutorial just a bit here as I didn't bother to take the time to trim my scraps to size.  I just started piecing together whatever I had until it made a long enough row.  I love piecing like this.  There is something so freeing about it!!  And anything that uses up more scraps from my overflowing bins is always good.

 I trimmed the rows to the designated sizes and then it was ready to add background.

Before I knew it, I was done.   Jamie's quilt is going to be so fun with so much scrappy goodness.  Can't wait to see it all done :)

On a side note, I just love lattice quilts.  They are so pretty in their simplicity.  Keep an eye out, there will be a lattice tutorial with a twist soon :)

Starburst Quilt-A-Long - Finished Quilt Top

**  NOTE  - This post is part of a series of posts for the Starburst Quilt-A-Long.  If you would like to join (and have a chance to win one of the $75.00 Gift Certificate grand prizes sponsored by The Intrepid Thread ) you can find a list of the post links here :)  Once again, here is the schedule, but if you want to work ahead you can use the tutorial  just be sure to take pictures of your weekly assignments so you can link them up for weekly prizes :)

January 14 - Cutting Post
January 21 - Goose in the Corner and Half Square Triangles
January 28 - Flying Geese
February 4 - Building Blocks - At least 2
February 11 - Finish Blocks and Sashing
February 18 - Baste it, Quilt it, Bind It
March 4 - Starburst Parade and Grand Prizes

Alright, We need a winner for last week's assignment!!

The 2 Blocks winner who gets a $25.00 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop  is . . .#6 -Lori- Congrats :)

I am so excited for this week!!  This weeks assignment is to finish your quilt top!! I just love seeing it all come together!!    

THIS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT - PART 1 - FINISHING BUILDING BLOCKS

The first part of this week's assignment is nothing new.  Use last weeks tutorial to finishing sewing your remaining 2 Big Blocks :)  From the looks of flickr, many of you have already done this :)

THIS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT - PART 2 - SASHING YOUR BLOCKS

First off I just want to mention that this is just the way I sash this quilt.  If you have another plan in mind of how you want to finish your quilt top please do so.  You can still enter it even if you don't finish it the same way.  This is your quilt, you do with it as you like :)

Okay, so now, onto the little sashing tutorial :)  I love this part because it comes together so quickly and then you have a completed quilt top!!  So exciting!!

 Start by laying your 4 blocks out.  Then take your 2 smallest sashings and lay them as follows. We will be adding them between the blocks to make 2 rows.

Place the sashing on the first blocks of each row with right sides together.  I do not use pins but if you are a beginner or just like using pins go right ahead and pin along the raw edge.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the raw edge.  If you are using a light fabric, you should be able to see through the sashing to make sure your seam is sewing right along the Burst points.  Always press your seams for sashings towards the sashings.  They lay nice and flat that way :)

Now you can finish the rows by laying the second block in each row onto your attached sashing strip with right sides together and raw edges aligned.  Optional pinning now :)  Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the edge.  Be sure to sew right along the tips of your Burst points to ensure you keep those nice points :)  Press.

 And now your rows are complete and you are ready to add the sashing between the rows and to the top and bottom.  Gather your 3 medium sashing strips and lay one along the top of the first row.  Lay 2 strips on the second row, one on the top and one on the bottom.  All rows should be right sides together and aligned along the raw edges.  Pin if desired.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edges and then press.

And now you can sew the 2 rows together.  Lay the first row onto the attached sashing and second row with right sides together and raw edges aligned.  Pin if desired.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge once again making sure to sew right along the tips of the Burst points.  Press.

And your almost done!!   Lastly, gather your 2 largest seams.  You know where this is going :)   Place them on the right and left hand sides of your quilt with right sides together and raw edges aligned.  Pin if desired.  Sew a 1/4" seam along either raw edge and press.

And your quilt top is completed!!!  Yippee Skippee!!!  Now just sit back and admire!!

 So that's it!!!  Finish your Quilt Top and your assignment is complete!!!  And now you can enter to win the weekly prize :) This linky will also be the linky for the GRAND PRIZE.  See further down for details :) 

The Weekly Prizes are sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop and a huge thanks goes to them for their support of the Starburst Quilt-A-Long.

This weeks  prize is an Amy Butler Spots Charm Pack!!!  I know you all love polka dots as much as I do :)  

So what do you have to do for a chance to win??  Simple . . . Just link up your Quilt Top at the end of this post :)  You can link to a blog post or a flickr picture, or whatever.  Just make sure to link up by next Monday morning as I will be announcing a winner at the beginning of next weeks post :)

**This linky will also serve as the GRAND PRIZE linky.  Those that finish their Quilt Top or Pillow Top or whatever will be entered to win one of the $75.00 Gift Certificates at the Intrepid Thread.    Quilting and Binding your top is not required for the Grand Prize Linky but will be required to be showcased in the Parade on March 4, just as a little encouragement to keep this top from becoming a UFO ;)  

So  if you don't get your quilt top done by next week you want to be sure and still link up here by March 4th so you are eligible for the Grand Prize.

And don't forget to add your Quilt Tops to the Happy Quilting Quilt-A-Long Flickr group!!!  

And remember - Questions??  Please don't hesitate to send them to me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com

I can't wait to see everyone's tops!!   Have a Happy Quilting Day!!