These have been on my "To Do" list forever!!!

I have always wanted to make a denim quilt!!!!   It really has been on my list forever.   So I started saving my kids old jeans a ways back, and then kind of forgot about it.  Well, Guess what I found when we were doing our remodel and I had to completely clean out my sewing room . . . that's right, the giant stack of jeans that are still just sitting there. 

 And right on the top of the stack, the Charming Circles ruler.   Which made me recall some years back I started seeing Cathedral Window Denim quilts and decided it would be the perfect denim quilt, because wouldn't you know,  I have always wanted to make a Cathedral Window quilt as well!!!   Double Bonus!!!   So I bought the ruler and put it with the jeans, and once again, forgot about this project. 

So after finishing the remodel,  I decided I wasn't' going to put the tote of jeans away.    Hopefully then I wouldn't forget about this project idea.    And then life got crazy and we are all now homebodies . . . so what better time to dig in to the bucket of jeans right.   And I even got the kids involved.  We have been having fun cutting up all of their old jeans and remembering how small they once were.   Oh, and side note, after a lot of trial and error, we found the easiest way to cut up jeans is to take out the back center seam first, and then cut down the two center leg seams.   And once you get the cut started, most of the time you can just rip them along the seam.  That was the kids favorite part!! 

So then you have 4 main leg parts without seams that are easy to work with.  But we quickly found that the circle ruler normally only fit on the back part of the leg as that was larger than the front part of the legs.   But I didn't want to waste all of that denim.   So can you guess where this went . . .  Another quilt!!!  Yup, I grabbed my 5" ruler and found it fit perfect on the front part of the leg, and how fun would it be to make a simple denim patchwork quilt as well ;)

So for the last few days, we have been working our way through the denim bucket and we now have a stack for Charming Circles and a stack for 5" squares.    And the jeans are all gone.   Now it's time to move to the rotary cutter.  I am sure we won't have enough to make both quilts the size I want them, but it is great to get started.   And the new plan is to cut up the jeans as they grow out of them, so I don't ever get a huge bucket stacked up again.     

I am so excited for this new Long Term Project.   It is going to be so much fun and I am thrilled at the idea of finally checking off not one but two, "To Make" quilts on my bucket list!!!!

Tutorial Throwback Thursday - Shine

 St. Patrick's Day was this week, and I totally forgot and didn't even where green.   So crazy.   But we can still celebrate it here onTutorial Throwback  Thursday !!   You all know I love Irish Chain Quilts, and have already shared the basic Single Scrappy and Triple Scrappy versions . . . so today, I thought it would be fun to share another twist on an Irish Chain Quilt . . . So for today's throwback, we are going back just 2 years to the Shine Quilt!!!

Shine is a wonderful twist on a single Irish Chain Quilt adding a simple 9 patch to the center of the chain.     And the quilt is super easy to make and oh so fun!!!     The entire quilt is made with Strip Piecing and I even have a Subcutting Speed Up Tutorial  to make that part go fast as well.    It finishes at 66"x 82" so it makes a great snuggle size quilt and would work great on a twin size bed as well!!!    And there is even a printable version of this Shine tutorial, so great!!!!  

And I love that this quilt uses ombre!!!!   I just love the beautiful shades of color you get with an Ombre Jelly Roll.   And the fun thing is, V & Co. has made lots of variations of Ombre, including their newest Fairy Dust that will be coming out soon, and it has metallic stars, so excited!!!  It really is the Ombre that just makes this quilt Shine!!!   And it is the perfect use for a Ombre Jelly Roll.  

In fact, you even use every little bit of the jelly roll strips as the extras are used for a scrappy binding.   Isn't that just so fun!!!!   I always love a scrappy binding!!!     And I quilted Shine with an all over swirl, because it is just fun and easy and fast.   All the things that go with this quilt!!! 

And that is my Shine Quilt!!!     I hope you have enjoyed today's Tutorial Throwback Thursday!!!    To make your own Shine quilt  just click on any of the project name links for the free step by step tutorial.    And when you are done,  I would love to see your Quilts!!  You can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com, post it to social media with #happyquiltingwithmc  or or add it to my flickr group here ;)  I can't wait to see your Bonnie Rose Quilts!!!! 

Thanks for popping in today!!!   I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!!

Day by Day

Well, it has been a crazy week to say the least.  How are you all doing???   I hope you are well and managing the ups and downs of this virus.    My kids are home from school and start online schooling today.  Yesterday I found out that both the UQSM Quilt Retreat and International Spring Quilt Market have been cancelled, which I totally understand, but still made me sad to miss seeing so many quilting friends.     But hey, we still have toilet paper ;) 

And life still keeps going.    Monday and Tuesday my kids were already out of school for end of term, and my husband had taken work off so we could go up the mountain as a little family vacation.   What a respite this was!!!   With things just getting a little more crazy each day, it was so refreshing to just get away and enjoy some time with family.      And yesterday morning, I was out on the deck and snapped this picture.    A storm was about to blow in and I was a little sad at how grey and gloomy the morning was.   But then, I looked way out in the distance.    I was touched by the idea that even with all the gloom gathering we can always find a light on the horizon. 

I am so grateful for this wonderful world of quilting, especially during these times.  There is nothing like sitting at my machine with some soft music playing to just bring me peace.    And the good news is, I won't run out of projects or fabric :)   It's nice that my normal homebody routine can just keep going on, and my kiddos are even planning some projects, so that will be fun to have them join me!!!!   

I hope you all stay safe and can find some joy in these ever changing days ahead of us.    There are things that are hard and can get us down each day, but I truly believe we can find silver linings, and glimmers of hope.   I never thought I would be grateful for so much social media, but I am so happy that we can all stay in contact, even if it isn't face to face ;)     Let's just take this day by day and see what amazing things we can create in the process!!!! 

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!! Let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Good Times Jelly Roll from Green Fairy Quilts is . . .   Number #1 . . . Congrats Material Girl!!!  I have messaged 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 . . . here are the latest, aren't they just gorgeous!!!  Along with hosting the giveaway, Jamie is also offering all Happy Quilting readers a special discount of  20% off Lou Lou Bundles with the code happyquilting!!!  Oh, so much fun shopping!!!

And speaking of Bundles, for Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway,  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is letting you Pick any 2 Lou Lou  Bundles!!!  That's right, the winner will get to choose their favorite  2 Lou Lou Bundles that Jamie has in stock!!!   Oh my goodness, how will you ever decide :)   What fun the winner will have this week!!!!   

You have two entry chances here on the blog, 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 a random hobby you have always wanted to try but never have.  

 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, March 24th, when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

You can also pop over to my Instagram and/or Facebook to enter there as well :)  

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

And two reminders . . . 

For those of you making Little Lou Charming Baby Quilts, Thank you so much!!!     You still have a few days left to be entered for the prize, so be sure and stitch up those Little Lou Charming Baby Quilts :)

And two It's the last two days of the Championship Round of the Pillow Fight Contest and voting is open.  So if you haven't already . . . please pop over and vote ;)  

Bloom-Topia Quilt Along - Release 4

Here we are, another release day for the "bloom" blocks!!!! Today is the Fourth Block Release of the Bloom-Topia Quilt Along hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop :)   These blocks are both super fun and easy, and the alterations are just bigger piecing this time!!!

So for Block 6,   We are making 2 Star Blocks that are 12" and I used more prints.   So I really didn't use the piecing instructions from the pattern at all.   Here is what I did.   I cut 16 Print 4"x 4" squares for Half Square Triangles, 8 Background 4" x 4" squares for  Half Square Triangles, and 8 Background 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares for the corners of the blocks.   In order to make the fabric layout I did, I had to cut my HST squares on the diagonal once to make 2 Triangles.  Then I matched 16 Background to Print Triangles, and 8 Print to Print Triangles.   Sew a 1/4" seam on the long side, and trim to 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".  Then just layout your star block and sew it together like a 16 Patch.

And for Block 7, again we are going to piecing 2 Blocks that will finish at 12".  And this is pieced exactly like the pattern, just larger and only 2 blocks.  So for the Print fabrics . . .  For F cut (2) 6 7/8" x 6 7/8" squares, For G Corners cut (2) 4" x 4" HST squares  (trimmed to 3 1/2"),  For G Bow-ties cut (4) 4" x 4" HST squares (trimmed to 3 1/2") and use 2 of 2 different prints.    And that leads us to the Background fabrics . . .  For A cut (6) 4" x 4" HST squares (trimmed to 3 1/2"),  For B cut (4) 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares and For C cut (8) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares.   Then just piece according to the pattern.  

So are you joining in the Bloom-Topia fun???  If so, you can download the block pattern  and it is requested for each pattern you download to donate $5.00  to the Make a Wish Foundation :)  This is Fat Quarter Shop's annual charity QAL that is raising funds for an amazing organization.  What a wonderful way for us all to make a difference !!  And there are new finishing patterns being released today for reaching the next donation goal!!! 

And just as a reminder, if you are new to finding the Bloom-Topia Quilt Along, this is the layout I will be making and are the alterations referred to above ;)     I am using a Breeze Fat Quarter Bundle by Zen Chic for Moda Fabrics with Gris Grunge as the background!!! And there are still a few Bloom-topia Quilt Kits and Backing Sets available if you want to make your's like the original ;) 

And like always, Fat Quarter Shop has made an awesome  You Tube video tutorial that walk you through making the blocks.  There are some great helpful hints and you can see it put together step by step!!!   

Be sure to share all of your Bloom-Topia progress on social media with #bloomtopiaquiltalong and check out Fat Quarter Shops post for Release 4 for lots more Block Inspiration!!!

And that's it for the fourth release in the Bloom-Topia Quilt Along!!!!   I will continue to share a new set of blocks on the 15th and 1st of each month. So what do you say, want to come Bloom-Topia Quilting Along??  You are going to have so much fun!!!

And just to make it easy to find . . .Here is a list of all the places to find my alterations

Layout Fabric Requirements Alteration
Release 1 - Block 1 and 2 Alterations
Release 2 - Block 3 Alterations
Release 3 - Block 4 and 5 Alterations

Thanks for popping in today ;)  I hope you have a very Happy Quilting Day!!


Oh and one last thing . . . It's the Championship Round of the Pillow Fight Contest and voting is open.  So if you haven't already . . . please pop over and vote ;)