Swirling Leaves - Grunge Fabric Colors

 Oh my goodness, thank you so much for all of the quilty love you have shared for my new Swirling Leaves quilt  I shared on Monday!!!   You all sure know how to make a girl feel good :)   I have had so many of you email or comment saying you want to make this quilt, and some that want to make it look exactly like mine :)  And I have to say, that just makes my heart happy.  

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

So I have been responding to fabric color requests as they come and then realized, it probably would make more sense to just post the Grunge Fabrics I used here.    So the fabrics I used for my Swirling Leaves Quilt are . . . . 

16 Grunge Fat Quarters 

REDS                                                     ORANGES                                    YELLOWS

 Romance 30150 74                                  Pumpkin  30150 285                       Yellow Gold 30150 260 

 Maraschino Cherry 30150 82                  Tangerine  30150 263                      Elafin    30150 115 

 Geranium   30150 290                             Papaya   30150 261                         Mustard     30150 282 

 Radish    30150 139                                 Clementine  30150 284                   Chiffon 30150 15 

 Cherry   30150 265                                  Rouge  30150 272                           Sunflower   30150 281                                                                                                                                Lemon Grass 30150 92

                                                                                      

6 1/2 Yards of Lead Grunge 30150 309 for Background

7/8 Yard of Hot Cocoa Grunge 30150 89  for Binding

8 1/4 Yards of any Grunge or 3 Yards of any Grunge 108" Wide Back for Backing

I hope that helps, and if you make your own Swirling Leaves quilt I would love to see it!!!  You can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to social media with the hashtag #happyquiltingwithmc ;)  I can't wait to see your Swirling Leaves Quilts!!!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

I hope you all have a very 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 Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the $25.00 Gift Certificate from Thousands of Bolts is . . .   Number #267 . . . Congrats Julie Bailey!  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 . . . a Lou Lou Bundle is 8 fat quarters curated by Jamie and they are always gorgeous!  I love this new Citrus Bundle, isn't it just perfect for summer!!!   And be sure to also check out Lou Lou's  Awesome Sale Section !!!    Such Fun Shopping :)  

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some shopping goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is offering one lucky reader a $25.00 Gift Certificate perfect to use on anything in the store, including the awesome Lou Lou Bundle pictured above!!  Just perfect!!!!

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 your favorite Citrus Fruit or Summer Berry??  

 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, August 17th, 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!!!

Swirling Leaves - A Cover Girl Quilt!!!

Today I am so super excited to share a secret finish that I made at the beginning of the year and it has been so hard to keep it a secret because I just love it!!   We all know I love Chain Quilts, well, I took a favorite chain and added some Fall Foliage to it to create Swirling Leaves!!!   Isn't it just so pretty!!!   

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

And guess what . . . It is a Cover Girl!!!!   I totally squealed when my friends at American Patchwork and Quilting sent me this image :)  I have to say, 10 years ago when I started this blog, I never dreamed of seeing my quilt on the cover of American Patchwork and Quilting!!!  Wow, just wow!!!    You can find out about all of the amazing projects in this Oct issue of APQ right over here.    And it is available for purchase wherever quilting magazines are sold, including online stores like Fat Quarter Shop.  

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

Swirling Leaves finishes at 90" x 90" so it is a great size to snuggle up with a good book or use as a queen size bedspread for fall :)    I know it looks a little complicated, but it is actually very easy when broken down to simple blocks of leaves and chains!!    You are going to love making this and giving it your own fall flair!!

Swirling Leaves is  Fat Quarter Friendly.  I decided to use Fat Quarters and Background in my favorite Grunge, and just picked out a variety of orange, yellow, and reds.  To see the exact Grunge Colors I used go to this post.     But of course, it would look amazing in prints or solids as well.  Just grab 18 Fat Quarters and your favorite Background fabric and you are good to go!!!  

When it came time to quilt mine, I decided on all over swirls.  I mean, if you are going to call the quilt swirling leaves, you might as well add some swirls to the quilting, right!!!   And I just love the added texture it gives to that already super textured grunge.   So great!!!

And I am just so thrilled to finally get to share this quilt!!!   It really is a fun one to make, and I always love getting to work with fall color themes, they are just so warm and good!!!   And I have to say, don't you just love the way APQ pictured this quilt . . . talk about warm and good, I totally want to sit in front of that fire wrapped up in this quilt :)  

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

And that is my Swirling Leaves Quilt!!!    I hope you like my new Swirling Leaves Quilt as much as I do.   And if you make your own, I would love to see it!!!   You can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to social media with  #happyquiltingwithmc ;)  I can't wait to see your Swirling Leaves Quilts!!!

 I hope that you have a very Happy Quilting Day, I know mine is sure starting with a smile :)

Need a Quilting Marathon!!!

 So in this last week I was tidying up the sewing room and realized that I had 6 sets of finished blocks all in different piles waiting to be sewn into quilt tops.   I don't know what hit me, but I decided that was just not gonna fly anymore.  So I got busy!!!  I sewed all 6 sets of blocks into quilt tops and made quilt backs for them all as well.  Then I was on such a Finishing tare, I decided I need to also finish the quilt tops and backs for the three new WIP I had just started.  So, I added 9 to the "To Be Quilted" and was blown away to find there were already 10 waiting!!!!   So ya, 19 Projects that have the quilt top, backing, and binding made and are just waiting to be quilted :)

Yup, I need to have a Quilting Marathon!!!  If only that were an Olympic Sport, tee hee hee.

I am hoping to start working through this soon, the kids go back to school in 2 weeks so I think I can really start making some progress then.

Can't wait to share more soon . . . and speaking of share, I have a secret sewing project that I will be sharing on Monday, so be sure to pop back in next week!!

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

P.S.  Just in case you are worried, I have also cut out 5 new quilts in the last week, so never fear, I don't think I will ever run out of Works in Progress :)   

Texas Monthly - Month 8

It's a new month and with that means a new block in the Texas Monthly Block of the Month program!   This BOM is hosted by Stitchin' Heaven  and is so much fun!!!    And we are moving on to Month 8 today :)   

So let's get going and there are 2 blocks this month and this is probably the easiest month we have had so far :)  So this is a great month to pull out some older blocks as well if you need to do a little catch up ;)   So let's get piecing!!!  

Cutting

I like to start out by pressing all of my fabrics.  Then it is time for cutting!!!  I like to cut all of my pieces for all of my blocks at the start.  Just be sure to keep them in piles separate for each block.  

And with all your pieces cut . . . you are ready to move on to the first block.

The Churn Dash Blocks

Churn Dash blocks are super classic and super fun and fast to make, especially with a little strip piecing.   Which is where we will start.   Gather your White and Purple 2" x WOF strips.  Place them with right sides together.  

Stitch a 1/4" seam along the long edge.   When strip piecing, I like to use a smaller stitch length so my stitches don't unravel when the pieces are subcut.   It's totally okay if your strips do not match perfectly at the ends.   Just fold the WOF Strip set in half, and cut a straight edge along the two edges.  

Now press your strip set towards the Purple strip.   Take care when pressing a strip set that you don't stretch the material.  I like to press from the front and run my finger along the edge of the seam just in front of my iron.  This keeps bubbles out of the seam and ensures no stretching.    

Once you have pressed the strip set, fold it in half again and lay it on your cutting mat so the top is aligned with a horizontal line on your mat.   Measure in 3 1/2" from your straight edge and cut a side unit.  

Continue measuring in 3 1/2" and cutting sub-cutting side units until you have a total of 8 Side Units measuring 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".   The remainder of the strip can be scrapped.  

And now we are moving on to Half Square Triangle Units.  (Note, the cutting instructions are for no trimming HST's, but if you prefer to cut your HST squares to 4" and then trim down after sewing, you can see this tutorial for details :)    Gather your 3 7/8" White and Blue squares.  Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of your 4 White squares.   

Place a marked square onto the Blue Square with Right Sides Together.     Stitch a 1/4" seam on either side of the drawn line.  I like to chain stitch all 4 squares on the right side of the line, and then chain stitch all 4 squares on the left side of the line.    Cut directly on the drawn line to make 2 triangles.  Press towards the  seams towards the Blue Triangle and then trim the dog ears to make 8 Half Square Triangle Units total all measuring 3 1/2" x 3 1/2". 

And now, the units are made and we are ready to piece the block.  Layout the 4 Half Square Triangle Units, 4 Side Units, and 1 White 3 1/2" squares as shown.   Layout 2 blocks to look just like this. We will chain stitch the next few steps so we make both blocks at the same time.  

Place the center column pieces onto the left hand pieces with right sides together.   Align and pin if desired.   Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edge of all the units of both blocks. 

Then, place the left hand column pieces onto the center pieces with right sides together.   Align and pin if desired.   Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edge of all the units of both blocks. 

Press the top and bottom row open.   Press the center row outwards towards the Purple rectangles. 

Place the top row onto the center row with right sides together.   Align and pin the seams.   Stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of of both blocks. 

And now, place the bottom row onto the center row with right sides together.   Align and pin the seams.   Stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of of both blocks. 

And just like that, you have two classic Churn Dash Blocks that should measure 9 1/2" x 9 1/2" unfinished.  

So now you are ready to move onto to making the . . . 

Blue Truck and Alamo Pieced Panels

And these are super easy and quick.   Gather your Blue Truck Panel, the Alamo Panel, and your 2 White 3" x 9 1/2" rectangles.   We are basically just going to trim the panels and then add the White strip to the bottom.  

So let's start with the Blue Truck Panel.  We will be trimming this to 7" x 9 1/2".  So I find it easiest to use a 9 1/2" Square ruler.   Center the ruler on the panel by measuring 5/8" to the top of the roosters head at the top of the panel and 5/8" from the 7" line to the bottom of the grass on the bottom of the panel.  That centers it horizontally.  To center it vertically measure 1" in on either side to the edge of the grass hedge.  Now that you are all aligned, trim along the 3 sides of the panel.  

And then just flip the panel 180 degrees, align the ruler with the raw edge on the sides and with the 7" mark on the ruler with the "top" of the panel.   Trim the bottom of the panel along the edge of the ruler.  

Onto the Alamo Panel.  Again, we will be trimming this to 7" x 9 1/2".  Center the 9 1/2" square ruler on the panel by measuring 3/4" to the top of the blue sky at the top of the panel and 3/4" from the 7" line to the bottom of the building on the bottom of panel.  That centers it horizontally.  To center it vertically measure 1" in on either side to the edge, the right hand the building sticks out a bit, and the left hand align with the side of the tree.  Now that you are all aligned, trim along the 3 sides of the panel.  

Once again, flip the panel 180 degrees, align the ruler with the raw edge on the sides and with the 7" mark on the ruler with the "top" of the panel.   Trim the bottom of the panel along the edge of the ruler.  

Now take your trimmed panels and place the 3" x 9 1/2" White rectangle along the bottom of the panel with right sides together.  Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edge on both panels and then press towards the White rectangle.  

See, super fun and fast!!!  Now you have two Pieced Panel blocks that should measure 9 1/2" x 9 1/2" unfinished.  

And that is it for  Texas Monthly Month 8!!!   It's always nice to have a fast block every once and a while :)

If you have any questions on this tutorial, please don't hesitate to email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or leave a comment.  

Hope y'all enjoy making this month's blocks! 

 Looking forward to Next Month!