Cutting, Sewing, Trimming, Oh My :)

Today I plan to be Cutting, Sewing, and Trimming, and it is going to be oh so much fun because, it's not all on one project!!!   I love getting to work through various stages of different projects each day, it keeps things fun and exciting, especially because it means I am playing with lots of different fabrics ;) 

For Cutting, I tried not to add another project to the list, but I just couldn't help it!!!   I will be sharing more tomorrow on this project, but for now, know that it is seriously busting my (Oh) Scrap Low Volume bin and I am so excited about that, because it was overflowing like crazy!!!   (and I might have given you a little hint on what is coming tomorrow in the parenthesis ;) 

And then the Sewing today will be this happy stack of blocks using Amy's  new Sunnyside Ave.  I will be sharing a tutorial next month for this, so it's time to get this project finished up :)   And I have to say, I am super excited for this bit of mindless chain stitching in my day because I have a hour left on my audio book and it is getting so good, I just can't wait to see how it ends!!!

And finally, the trimming!!  I was thrilled to get 2 more layers added on my Petite Points pattern and now it is time to trim this layer so I can add the 4th ;)   It is so fun to watch these blocks come together and I can't help but smile when I think of all the pink and red scraps I am busting with this project ;) 

So that's my day, and I am sure it will end with some Pressing this evening.  It's going to be a Happy Quilting Day indeed :)

How about you, what are you working on today???

Loose Feathers!!!

So I just finished up one of those "secret sewing" projects and am getting it ready to ship off to a magazine, but I was so excited about the quilting of it, I just couldn't wait to show you all!!!  So I took some pictures of the backing  since I can show that and here it is.  Yup I quilted Feathers!!! 

I have been reading over Natalia's book, Visual Guide to Free-Motion Quilting Feathers trying to build up my free motion quilting feather confidence and practicing on some little pieces.   I just love the way feathers look in a project, and when it came time to quilt this one, I knew feather's would be perfect.  But the design called for more of an all over Feather, and that's when I remembered . . .

This fun little video tutorial that Rebecca Silbaugh did over on Instagram for Loose Feathers using  her wee ones manga-doodle.  It was the perfect design!!!  I practiced on some paper a few times and then choose a thread that was a perfect blend with my quilt and just went for it ;)  And oh my goodness, it was so much fun!!!! 

This is a different approach to feathers than I have done in the past as you quilt from the bottom to the top of each feather.  Once I got that down, I figured out changing sides of the feather and more importantly, when not to change sides when you wanted to curve at the bottom of the quilting frame.  Sounds a bit tricky, but honestly, I was feeling pretty good by the end of the first row and I knew that this was going to be a new favorite quilting design!!!  It just flows so well and the traveling became so fun once I got the hang of it. And yes, a few times I got myself a little stuck, wedging myself in a tight spot, but I just traveled out and reminded myself that the thread color blended well and no one will ever find those few little spots ;)    

This Loose Feather quilting went relatively quick as well, especially as it was my first time trying it !!  This is a giant queen size and I would guess it took me somewhere between 3-4 hours to quilt it.  So fun and fast, double bonus!!!    I am just so excited I gave these beautiful loose feathers a try!!  What a wonderful reminder to me to just go for it, because hey, by the time you get to the end of the quilt, you will be a master at that particular design ;)

I hope you have a very Happy Quilting Day and maybe try something new for you too!! 

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day so let's have some fun :)  And a quick note - I am giving Anonymous comments a try again in hopes to help some of you that are having troubles posting comments.   Just be sure to leave an email address with your comment so if you win, I have a way to  contact you ;) 

But first, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Warm Terrarium Roll Up from Fat Quarter Shop  is . . .   Number #94. Congrats pharmgirl75!!!   I have emailed you :)      

 

  

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Four Peaches Fabric .    Did you know that Wendy curates gorgeous handpicked collections called Peach Blossoms!!  These are one of a kind bundles in Fat Quarters and Half Yards that are only available until they are sold out.  And right now they are all 50% off!!!    And Wendy is celebrating the end of Finals (she's a nursing student) with $10 off Designer Fat Quarter Collections, and $3 off Paper Patterns.  You are so going to want to Pop on over and check out these deals!!!   

And Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for one of those fun handpicked Peach Blossoms collections.   Four Peaches Fabric is giving one lucky reader a Somebunny Loves You Fat Quarter Collection :)  Such an adorable and colorful selection of fabrics and just in time for Easter!!!! 

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 the one specialty quilting notion you can't live without. (by specialty, I mean other than your basic seam ripper or rotary cutter ;) 

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Four Peaches Fabric Love!!!!   You can Sign Up for their Newsletter.    You can follow them on  Facebook or Pinterest.    Or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Four Peaches Fabric Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, March 20th when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Teaching Times - Cedar Quilt Retreat!!

 I just love getting to teach at the Cedar Chest Quilter's Guild Retreat  because it's home ;)   I can't tell you how much less my brain has to think when it comes time to pack and I know that if I forget something, I can run home in 5 minutes and grab it, tee hee hee ;)  But seriously, it is so wonderful to be able to teach classes here in Cedar!!!  I love that I get to see friends that I see all around town through the year as well as friends that aren't from around here but that I have gotten to know over the last 8 years of teaching at this retreat (one of these years they are going to decide they are bored of me ;)

The first class I taught was my End of the Rainbow pattern from my Irish Chain Quilts book ;)  This is always a fun class to teach!!!   There are just so many different ways to really get into improvisational piecing, and I love seeing how excited everyone gets when it clicks that they really don't have to have perfect 1/4" seams :)  The fabric starts flying and everyone starts laughing and having a great time ;)   These ladies were just amazing and they really got a lot accomplished in class.   So fantastic!!

And here is a closer look at each of their blocks.  I just love seeing all of the different fabrics everyone chooses to use in their blocks.  Some used big pieces and some used tiny scraps, and some even decided to go with non-crazy patch opting for regular pieced blocks, which are just going to be so fun as well !!!   And I just love seeing what color everyone decides to start with.    (And sorry about the lighting on some of these, the classroom was small and we didn't have a lot of room to move around so we just took pictures where we were sewing ;)

The next evening I taught my brand new Pave the Way Pattern which I shared on Friday.  (it's still on sale for a few more days :)   And this was such a fun class!!!  I am always a little nervous the first time I teach a class because although I check my patterns over and over, if a mistake happens to slip through, it is normally a class where it is pointed out to me.   But yippee, not an error could be found, and everyone did such a great job!!!    And there was some serious block making going on, which is double impressive as this was an evening class which always is a bit harder to get a lot done as we tend to get tired, but ya, they cranked it out ;) 

And I was so excited to see all of the different fabrics that everyone choose for the blocks!!!  Especially where this was the first time with this pattern.    It never ceases to amaze me how much it changes things up just to change the fabric that is being used.  And I just love that this quilt uses white in the design so everyone tends to choose another fun color for the background, which was so much fun to see!!

And last but not least, one of my favorite things about the Cedar retreat is they always have a Show and Tell night where students can show off their finished quilts from previous years.    And this year, there were quite a few finishes shared!!!   Sadly, I had to get one of my kiddo's to an appointment right at the start of this evening and ended up in the very back, so sorry some of these pictures are a little blurry, but you get the general idea of these gorgeous finishes!!!  There were 2 Moroccan Lullaby quilts from last years class as well as 2 Corkscrew quilt finishes from last years class.  And then the beautiful Petal Pop quilt from 2 years ago and the In Your Neighborhood quilt from 3 or 4 years ago, I can't quite remember ;)   All just beautiful finishes!!!   I can't tell you how excited it is to see these started in class, and then for them to come back the next year or so and get to see them all done ;)  It's just the absolute best!!!!       (FYI,  all these patterns are available in my Etsy Shop  if you see one you want to make :)

And one final finish.  Remember back here when I mentioned how excited I was to see a student use Navy Grunge (I love Grunge!!!) in the background of her End of the Rainbow quilt . . . Well Loriann finished, and  it is absolutely amazing!!!  I just love how the happy bright rainbow colors just pop on that Navy. Such a beautiful finish and I am so glad I got to see it all done ;)

And what a wonderful week this retreat was!!!   I know I say it every time, but I truly just love being able to teach!!!  It is so wonderful to get to share my love for this amazing industry and the wonderful way it allows each of us to create in our own way ;)   I can't wait for next year!!!

And if you are in the Utah Area, the Panguitch Quilt Walk just opened their registration and I will be teaching two classes there in June ;)  

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!

Pave the Way - A New Quilt and Pattern!!!

So do you remember my Pave the Way baby size quilt that I managed to piece in a week, but then got sick and it all slowed down???    Well, it has been sitting on the "To Be Quilted" pile for a little over a month now, but on Wednesday I decided it was time to finish it up!!!  And I just love, love, love it!!!!

I am so glad I decided to go with the black background, thanks all for your help with that!!!  It really makes these Tula Pink Spirit Animals bundle  just pop, and especially with that white inner border on the blocks :)   This was just the perfect fabric combo for this quilt, so fun!!!

I just love the way this design takes two blocks that are so similar, you have to look twice to realize they really aren't the same block.  It creates a lot of whimsy in the design that I just love.   And I absolutely love the secondary design created in the background space between the blocks, such a fun space and a wonderful little pop of the colorful diamonds in the center ;)

And when it came time to quilt this, I knew because of the black background and white centers, that I was going to have to do some thread changing and custom quilting.   So I did small little swirls in black thread in the background, tiny pebbles in the white borders with white thread. And finally, in the prints I used a wonderful grey to blend and quilted some echoed paisleys (tutorial here) and double arches.   It took a little while longer than usual because of the changing threads and tiny designs, but ya, it was so worth the time ;)

And it made for some amazing texture!!!   I am so glad that I decided to remake this Pave the Way quilt, especially with the black background.   I can't believe how much of a different look it gives the design, and that is what I love to show with all of my designs.   You really can make it your own with your favorite fabric combinations ;) 

And now, I am super excited to announce, that with the completion of this baby size Pave the Way, I did the math for a few other sizes as well, including the original, and am happy to add Pave the Way into the Happy Quilting Pattern line!!!  The pattern can be found in my Etsy Shop,  and like all my new Pattern Releases, it is on Special!!!!  This week Pave the Way will be marked down to $5.50!!! Next week, it will return to it's regular pattern price of $8.50 :)

The original Pave the Way quilt was made back in 2015 and is an altered version of the lap size.  It was made in Farmhouse by Fig Tree Quilts.     I have wanted to turn this quilt into a pattern for a while now, and I am so excited to finally get to say that it is done!!!

Like all my patterns, Pave the Way has size options so you can make the quilt size that fits you ;)  You will find 4 size options, a Baby, Lap, Picnic, and a Queen size.  The blocks  really do go  together fast and it is beginner and expert friendly alike, perfect for anyone who just wants to have some fun sewing time  :)

And just like all my patterns, this is a full color pattern that can be printed in either page format or book format.  It is filled with lots of wonderful illustrations to guide you along each step of the way.   You are going to have so much fun putting this together ;)  And of course,  if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to email me ;)  

And that is the new Pave the Way quilt and pattern and I am so excited to release it !!!!  Again, the pattern can be found  found in my Etsy Shop and will be on special for $5.50 all this week ;)

Thanks for popping in today and I hope you have a very Happy Quilting Weekend!!!

Linking up my new Pave the Way Quilt finish to Amanda's and Sarah's and Myra's :)