Scraps, Inc. - Scrappy Goodness and a Giveaway

At the end of last year, Lucky Spool Media released Scraps, Inc. a compilation book that is all scrappy.  Several of the designers in this book are my bloggy friends and so I followed along closely with the Blog Hop and found with each stop I was saying, I need to make that quilt, oh and I need to make that quilt too.

Photo Courtesy of ©Lucky Spool Media, LLC. 

The designs in this book are as individual and creative as their designers.  My absolute favorite thing about this book is that even though every quilt is scrappy, they all still have balance and control in the design and color placement.  And that kind of scrappy just signs to me ;)

Photo Courtesy of ©Lucky Spool Media, LLC. 

I sort my scraps by color in these little totes.  I love how quickly I can just toss my scraps in the coordinating bins and they don't take up a lot of room in my sewing space ;)

Which makes it great, for scrap quilts like this Fire Whirl by Lee of Freshly Pieced or Unraveled by Faith of Fresh Lemons where you are needing to pull your prints by color.  Isn't it so fun that they are so scrappy and yet are so balanced with the colors!!  And of course, I love the pops of purple ;)  

 Photo's Courtesy of ©Lucky Spool Media, LLC. 

But if you sort your scraps by size, this book has got you covered too ;)  I loved that at the beginning of each project, it tells you if you will be working with Strips, Squares, or Both ;)  I love that it is just one little thing that makes starting a new project so easy!!

So for instance, if you wanted to make Amy from Diary of a Quilter's gorgeous Scrappy Courthouse Steps quilt you would go pull from your Strip stash ;)   Once again, I just love that Amy also uses the warm and cool colors to create a balance in her quilt.  

And if you wanted to make Jeni from In Color Order's beautiful Sunset Tiles quilt you would go pull from your Squares stash ;)   And this gorgeous quilt is super scrappy, but Jeni still uses those little white setting squares to keep it balanced and give your eye a place to rest ;) 

And usings Squares and Strips you can make up Amy Ellis from My Creative Side's stunning My Favorite Things quilt.   Which I think is the perfect summary of a scrap quilt.  They really are some of my all time favorite blocks, all brought together, and all in a scrappy balanced goodness.  Love this quilt!!!!

Photo Courtesy of ©Lucky Spool Media, LLC. 

And I love this book!!!  We all know that we create scraps like bunnies, so it is so fantastic to have a book full of amazing ideas on how to burn through some of those scraps and just love, love, love the finished look!!  I think it is time to start sorting through some of my bins and get Scrap Quilting!!!

And the kind folks at Lucky Spool Media are giving 1 Happy Quilting Reader their own copy of Scraps, Inc. Vol 1 .  Oh yes, I am not the only one that is going to start turning their scraps into gorgeous finished quilts!!  

For a chance to win, simply leave a comment below telling me what is your favorite way to sort your scraps??  Color, Size, Both, ect.

All entries are welcome and please, one comment per person.  The giveaway will be open until Saturday the 28th and I will announce a winner on Sunday morning ;)  

And if you don't end up winning, No Worries, you can still get this book, along with all of Lucky Spool Media's other Quilting Books at a great price as they are celebrating National Quilting Month with 15% off all Quilting Books plus an EXTRA 10% off at Checkout!!!  Just visit the Taunton Store, pick the books you want, and then at the checkout type the code EXTRA.  And then enjoy!!  This promotion will last until March 31st :) 

Thanks for stopping by today and have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - Winner is #67 - Lara B.!!!

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 Bloc-Loc Half Square Triangle Ruler Set  from Ollie and Evie is . . .   Number #334 . . . Congrats Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl!!   I have emailed you :) 

    

 

    

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.   And have you seen Fat Quarter Shop's new Quilt Clubs?? Oh so much fun!!!  I just love the idea of a new package of quilty goodness each month.  There are so many clubs to choose from, including the new Solid Fat Quarter Club, the Modern Fat Quarter Club, and even the Aurifil Thread Club.  

And speaking of Aurifil Thread, the Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for a Fat Quarter Shop exclusive Aurifil Taupe Box!!  Oh yes, 12 spools at 1422 yards each in beautiful neutral colors, that is a lot of thread goodness that someone will be taking home!!  

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 is your favorite neutral color to piece with??  

 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, March 31st  when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Monday Monday

Well, Sad to say it is one of those kind of Mondays around here.  I woke up with a nasty cold and have spent the morning with a box of tissues :(  Guess that is what happens when Spring shows up ;)
My original plan for today was to sew my blocks together for the Irish Chain Twist QAL.  They have been waiting all weekend for me.  But honestly,  It just takes some of the fun out of sewing when you don't feel good, ya know.  I don't want to finish this on a groggy icky kind of day, I want it to be fun and happy.

Instead, I suppose I can tackle these  Oh ya, taxes.   I got the last of the documents I was waiting on Friday in the mail so now, I really can't procrastinate them any longer.   And if you feel miserable, you might as well get a miserable task done right ;)  

Oh ya, we can find some silver lining in this ;)  Any maybe, just maybe it will be a 24 hour thing and I will be feeling good and happy tomorrow and ready to put my Irish Chain Twist together so it is all set for Thursday's post ;)

So take that Monday, you won't get me down ;)   How is your Monday shaping up??

Cutie Pie Baby Quilt - A Tutorial and Giveaway

This morning I am so excited to share with you a new finish.  I am calling it Cutie Pie and wouldn't it just the most adorable quilt to wrap up your little Cutie Pie in :)

Cutie Pie is made using Shabby Fabrics brand new Pre-Fused Laser-Cut Applique Shapes.   Now, if you have been around for a bit, you know I love applique, and so when the gals at Shabby Fabrics asked if I would be interested in a Bloggers Challenge using these new shapes I was all for it :)  

Shabby Fabrics has lots and lots of shapes to choose from but I just loved the hearts ;)  The great thing about the Applique Shapes is they are cut and fused which takes out the tedious time of applique, making this quilt go together in literally a day.   Perfect for one of those last minute baby shower gifts ;)  So let's show you how to make your own ;) 

You will Need:

1 X Large Hearts Solids Pre-Fused Laser-Cut Applique Shapes Pack
1 X Large Hearts Print Pre-Fused Laser-Cut Applique Shapes Pack
1 1/8 Yard of Background Fabric (I used Basic Shades in White by Riley Blake Designs)
5/8 Yard of Border Fabric  (I used a print from Best Day Ever by April Rosenthal for Moda)
3/8 Yard of Binding Fabric  (not pictured)

STEP 1 - CUTTING

From your Background fabric cut:
    (23) 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" squares
    (4) 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles
    (4) 1 1/2" x Width of Fabric (42") Strips

From your Border Fabric cut:
    (4) 4 1/2" x Width of Fabric (42") Strips

Remove your Fusible Laser-Cut Shapes from their package.  Select 1 of the Solid Hearts to be set aside as you will only need 23 for the project.   I used this heart as a quilt label, so cute ;)

STEP 2 - APPLIQUE SQUARES

We will start at the ironing board so gather your Background squares and your Applique Hearts.   Fold your Background square in half and finger press the fold.  Then fold it in half once again and finger press the fold.   This will give you reference lines for centering your applique.

Remove the paper backing from your Applique Heart.  It will peel right off.

Using the folds as guide lines, center the Applique Heart on your Background Square as shown below.

Press the Applique Heart in place adhering it to the Background square.  Be sure when pressing to use an up and down motion rather than a side to side motion so as not to shift the applique.  Repeat for all 23 Applique Hearts.

Secure stitch all of  your Applique Hearts in place.  You can use a straight stitch, zig-zag stitch, blanket stitch, ect.   My favorite is a blanket stitch and I used a soft grey thread that would blend with all of the colors ;)  If you are new to secure stitching, you can see my Applique Video here that describes it in more detail ;)

STEP 3 - ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP

With all of your hearts stitched down you are ready to sew your quilt top together ;)   Lay out your Appliqued Squares and your Background rectangles as shown below, using the rectangles to offset every other row.   I alternated prints and solids but you can lay out the hearts in any color order you like, just be sure to end up with the same square/rectangle layout as below.

And now, you are going to sew the squares into columns.  To do this, simply place the first square in the first column onto the second with right sides together.  No need for pins, just align as you go.   Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.

Then, place the third square onto the now sewn together first and second squares with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.

Continue in this fashion, adding 1 square at a time to the column until you have sewn the entire column together.  Press the seam allowances downward.

Now repeat this process for each of the columns in the quilt top.  You are then ready to sew the Columns into a quilt top.

And this is just like sewing the columns together but on a larger scale ;)  Place the second column onto the first with right sides together.  Pin along the edge, there won't be any seams to line up, you are just keeping the columns together.   Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.

Then, place the third column onto the now sewn together first and second columns with right sides together.  Pin along the edge and then sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge.  Continue this process until all of the columns have been sewn together.   Press the seams to the side.

And now the Center of your Quilt Top is all done and it should look a little something like this.  So cute!!  And it's time to add some borders ;)

 STEP 4 - ADDING BORDERS

Grab your 1 1/2" x WOF Background strips.  We will add the top and bottom border first.

Place your strips onto the top and bottom of the quilt with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge.  Once again, no need to use pins, just align as you go.  Trim the excess Background strip using the edge of the quilt as a guide.  Press the seam allowance towards the Background strip.

Then add the side 1 1/2" x WOF Background strips in the same fashion.  Place the strips onto the sides of the quilt top with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4" seams along the edge, aligning as you go, and then trim the excess strip.

And then just one more border to add.   Add the 4 1/2" x WOF Border Strips onto the quilt top using the same method as above.  Add the Top and Bottom strips first using a 1/4" seam allowance and pressing the seam towards the Border strips.

And then add the 2 side borders.  Trim the excess strip and press the seam allowance towards the Border Strip.

And just like that your Quilt Top is done!!!  Isn't is so fun to make something so cute in such a short  amount of time!!!!!

 STEP 5 - FINISHING THE QUILT

Now all that is left is to Baste it, Quilt It, and Bind It :)  Yup, a whole lot in one little sentence.  If you are new to finishing quilts you can see my Finishing Quilt Video Series here, it will walk you through each of the 3 steps in great detail :)

When it came time to quilt mine, I decided on an echoed paisley all over stitch in the border.   I have a video tutorial here on how I do this stitch ;)  

And then in background, I quilted some adorably small swirls  (video tutorial coming, I know I have said that forever, I just have to get a few more deadlines out of the way, but I promise I haven't forgotten ;)  

I used my favorite color Pearl, 402, So Fine Thread by Superior Threads for the quilting.  I almost always use this color when quilting on a white background.  It just the perfect amount of blend, showing the quilting without detracting from the quilt design.  I love it!!!

I love how the dense quilting in the background gives the hearts a faux trapunto look.  They just want to pop right off of the quilt ;)  So fun!!!

Cutie Pie finishes at  40" x 40", just perfect so snuggle baby in ;)  I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and if you make your own Cutie Pie quilt I would love to see it!!  You can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to my Flickr Group here ;)

For lots more Prefused Laser-Cut Appliqued Shape inspiration, be sure to check out all of the Bloggers Challenge!!  You can see their posts here :)

Challenge introduction post on The Shabby 

Paula at The Sassy Quilter 

Daniela at On the Cutting Floor 

Erin at Why Not Sew? 

Deby at So Sew Easy 

Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts 

Marni at Haberdashery Fun 

Melissa at Happy Quilting - Your Here

Mahriam at Three Owls Handmade 

Melissa at Polkadot Chair 

 And one last thing before I sign off . . . Didn't someone say something about a Giveaway in the title!!!  Shabby Fabrics is giving away a pack of Pre-Fused Laser Cut Applique Shapes to one lucky Happy Quilting Reader!!!

         

We are going to do this giveaway the same way we do the Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Days :)  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 would choose the Solid Pack of the Print Pack:)  

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Shabby Fabrics love. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest, or Instagram.  You can Sign up for the Shabby Fabrics Newsletter (top right hand corner) or Follow their Blog,  or you can Visit the Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Shabby Fabric Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, March 24th, and I will announce a winner Wednesday Morning, the 25th:)

Thanks so much for stopping in today and Have a Happy Quilting Weekend!!!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - THE WINNER IS #164.  Congrats DEBBIE!!!  I have emailed you ;)

Linking up to Quilt Story :)