Vintage Schnibble - Sew Fun

Sinta and Sherri have started up Another Year of Schnibble Vintage!

April's challenge was Hat Trick which I had in my Schnibble stock pile but had never made.  I used Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater.  I changed up the border from what the pattern suggested.  I still need to add a binding - will likely go with grey.

I am calling this quilt Sew Fun.

I had fun quilting - I put a flower like medallion in every square.  This FMQ was all done without marking the quilt top but I did practice on paper ahead of time.

One cool new must have sewing tool I have found is Pinmoors.

Pinmoors are a small cylinder of silicone that you stick the pointy end of the pin in.  This means I can use my normal straight pins for basting!  Hurrary!!

You can use these over and over again - they are self-healing so remove the pin and no hole is left behind.  Made for a painless FMQ session!

You can get you own Pinmoors here.  They come in all different colors.

I will also be doing a giveaway of some pinmoors next week during SMS giveaway days!


Happy Stitching!

Sea Glass - April ALYOF

My goal for April as part of  Another Lovely Year of Finishes was to get my quilt top sandwiched and quilted.

I did it!

The blocks came from the HST BOM from the 2012 In Color Order HST.  

The quilting was done on my home machine.  The border is all stitched in the ditch.  I find that all rather boring to do so I stretched it over a work week.  Each trip around the quilt took 15 mins so each evening I had a goal of at least one trip if not two.  That got the job done!

In the white section in the quilt center, I did FMQ.  Some feathers and some swirls.   I just went with it without marking the quilt.

I then outlined the colored HST in the ditch.  I had some fun on the back with some leftover HST.  I love the way the quilting looks on the back.

The quilt is named Sea Glass and is a gift for my cousin.   Next step is to trim, border and quilt label.  I've the month of May to get that done which shouldn't be a problem!

My FMQing isn't perfect.  I know my cousin will not care.  He is a great guy and deserves a quilt!

Happy Stitching!

Tulips, spools and coffee cups!

Late to the party, I am making a smaller version of the row-a-long from Lori at Bee in my Bonnet   (I am making a smaller size - 7 tulips, for example, instead of 11.)

Got two more rows done this week - the spools and the coffee cups.

Here is what I have so far

The tulip row is still my favorite.

I clearly need to do something about the butterfly row.  (Guess my math was a tad off!)

Next up is the cut row of apples and apple cores!   (That will likely be the last row I will make and then I'll decide on borders.)

Fabric is Honey, Honey by Kate Spain with a little bit of Good Fortune mixed in.

Happy Stitching!

Not My Job Description - Votes for Women

Two blocks to share from the  Votes for Women  block of the week.  Both blocks gave me trouble!   Both times, I cut things wrong the first time by cutting pieces an inch too short in one of the dimensions.  Once I corrected, things went together quickly.

First block (block 33) is called Contrary Husband

and the second (block 34) is called Coffee Cup: Not my Job Description. Quite the within my lifetime focus on women's rights in this weeks post.

For the final quilt, the blocks will be on point and each week I choose 3 from my block inventory to add the side triangles.  Here is what I have so far:

The dilemma I have is how to treat the blocks they didn't finish at 8 1/2 (unfinished).   Do I add a strip around them to square them up to size first and then surround it with the triangles?  Advise appreciated. 

(Fabric is Vintage Modern.  I've 34 blocks made, 15 weeks to go!)


Happy Stitching!

The quilting is done!

I estimate that it took me 10-12 hours to quilt my HST quilt on my home machine.

I quilting all the white bits with feathers and fun loopy things.

I quilted in the ditch around most of the color HST.

I learned that if I quilt towards the left, I put too much stress on my needle and the thread shreds and either breaks or leaves a little birds nest on the back.   So I only went up, down or right.   Made for some awkward moves but I got it done!  (This is only the 2nd large quilt I've done on my home machine.)

More photos on a sunny day.

I've got to clean up the thread tails and then onto label and binding and better photos!


Happy Stitching!

Under the needle

My Sea Glass quilt is under the needle right now.

I debated and debated what to do.

My first plan was concentric circle(s)  - a single series of circles.   I got concerned however about all that turning of the quilt and whether they would truly look like circles at the end.  I also didn't want the quilt to be too dense.

I kept staring at the space and felt I wanted to really preserve the way that these colors jump out while at the same time soften the quilt.

I decided to put various quilt motifs in the white spaces and then stitch in the ditch around the color

The border will be all straight line stitching.

Under the needle it went last Sunday - I just decided to start..

At this writing, I am about 2/3s done with the quilting.  Here is a view of the back - I just love the way it looks.

Fingers crossed, I will end up with just the right mix of quilting to yield the look I want.

Happy Stitching!

Red, black and grey blocks!

Finished the April block for the Blogger Girls Block of the Month.  There are 6 blocks in total and you can choose to make each block twice using very different fabric placement.  

I really, really like this one latest block - it is my favorite so far.

Here are the 4 blocks I've done:

And since I was having so much fun with Sweetwater's Mama Said Sew fabric, I decided to break open my charm packs and make the April Another Year of Schnibble with the same fabric.   The pattern is Hat Trick and you can get more information here on Sinta's blog.

P.S.  This is my 400th blog post!!  Happy dance.   

Congrats to Jo who won my charm pack of Enchanted Garden.

Happy Stitching!

V4W - Mr Roosevelt's Necktie

An easy to assemble block for this week's block from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  This is block 32 and called Mr Roosevelt's Necktie.  (No seam ripper required likely because I took the easy way out and avoided any y-seams and pieced the more simple option!)



I've given myself the goal to to tidy up 3 blocks each week to set them on point for the final quilt.  Loving the way this is looking.  Here are the 3 blocks I tackled this weekend.

So there are 49 blocks in total, 32 pieced and now 6 in total ready for placement.


The April Showers blog hop continues and the full schedule can be found here.  Thanks to our first rate cheerleaders - Erin and Mdmn Samm - for another outstanding blog hop.

Happy Stitching!

Butterflies

Butterflies!

to go with my tulips.

and my two houses.  I will need to make another, probably a pink one!

Fabric is Honey, Honey by Kate Spain with a little bit of Good Fortune mixed in.

Patterns are from Lori from Bee in my Bonnet and the row-a-long she hosted on her blog.  I am making a smaller size - 7 tulips, for example, instead of 11.




The April Showers blog hop continues and the full schedule can be found here.  Thanks to our first rate cheerleaders - Erin and Mdmn Samm - for another outstanding blog hop.

And THANKS to all the people who left me such wonderful comments on my post on Monday.  It really made my day!!

Happy Stitching!

A Day in the Life of Me..... told through Mug Rugs!!!!

It's raining................................

Raining mug rugs that is!

I decided to create mug rugs for every part of a typical Saturday in honor of today's April Showers blog hop!

7 am: Barely awake, first task is a cup of tea and a quick peek at the weather for the day.  (My DH is a meteorologist so he drew me up an accurate weather map for a lovely spring day in NC.  Sorry Seattle about all the rain.)

9 am: Steal some time at my machine, fueled by jelly beans.

Noon-ish: Lunch with my teenager daughter.

4 pm: Afternoon snack on the back porch, enjoying the sunshine and imagining flowers in the garden

9 pm: Who doesn't love a great episode of Dr Who?  Just take your glass of wine with you as you duck behind the couch to miss the scary bits.  

11 pm: Time for sleep and counting sheep .......

These were a lot of fun to put together!

Now pour that cup of tea, put your umbrella by your side and go visit all the bloggers I am lucky enough to share today with

MONDAY, APRIL 8: Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy

Patty @ A Stitch in Time   <<<<< that's me!

Jenny @ Squawk That

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio

Lisa @ In The Boon Docks

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin: the project girl

Beluah @ Sowing Stitches

Karen @ Bungalow Bay Quilts

DeAnna @ Georgia Girl Quilter

The April Showers blog hop full schedule can be found here.  Thanks to our first rate cheerleaders - Erin and Mdmn Samm - for another outstanding blog hop.




Happy Stitching!

April Showers Blog Hop starts tomorrow!!

I can't wait until Monday for the start of another great blog hop  Thanks to our first rate cheerleaders - Erin and Mdmn Samm - for superb organization and encouragement.

MONDAY, APRIL 8: Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy

Patty @ A Stitch in Time  <<<<< That's me

Jenny @ Squawk That

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio

Lisa @ In The Boon Docks

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin: the project girl

Beluah @ Sowing Stitches

Karen @ Bungalow Bay Quilts

Cyndi @ Stitch, Stitch, Stitch

DeAnna @ Georgia Girl Quilter

TUESDAY, APRIL 9th

Gina @ Sew Much and More

Sharon @ Vroomans Quilts

Theresa @ Bumbleberry Stitches

Jennet @ The Feathered Nest Studio

Patti @ A Yankee in Queen Liz's Court

Gene @ Gene Black - Alabama Artist

Susan @ Susan's Scrappy Domain

Bente @ I Like to Quiltblog

Deb @ Quilting & Other Craft Therapy

Megan @ AnnieOak Designs

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10th

Hayley @ Mrs. Pickles

Karen @ Sew Much 2 Luv

Mélanie @ Les passions de Cliodana

Cindy @ Quilt Doodle Doodles

Jamie @ Busy Bee Quilts

Judy @ That Other Blog

Regena @ The Distracted Domestic

Amy @ Domesticity and other Ponderous Things

Denise @ My Whittle Adventures

Heather @ a Reformed Heath'n

Marica @ ~Englating~

THURSDAY, APRIL 11th

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Jill @ Apple Avenue Quilts

Cathy @ Cathy's Chatter

Quilter Kathy @ Kathy's Quilts

Marsha @ Quilter in Motion

Pat @ Life in the Scrapatch

Connie @ Shepody Mountain Crafter

Vickey @ Gingersnaps Quilts

Danielle @ A Geeky Crafty Life

Gwen @ Get More Done...Today

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After!

FRIDAY, APRIL 12th

Bobbie @ From This to That

Leslie @ Les Quilts

Kristen @ Meadowbrook

Lavonna @ ZellerWear

Lynn @ Thimblemouse & Spouse

Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy

Martha @ Living Life

Shawn @ Creative Inspiraciones

Rhonda @ Sunrise at Ravelly's!

Toye @ Quilting Adventures of a Ginger

MONDAY, APRIL 15th

Cathy @ Cate's Linens

Nicola @ Sunshine Reflections

Martina @ Sunshinequilting

Judith @ Frimart

Anita @ Anita's quilts en handwerken

Linda @ Sew Nicely

Kris @ krislovesfabric

Laura Ann @ The Fuzzy Hat Quilter

Carol @ Just let me Quilt

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Mary @ Crooked Gulley Art Quilts

Marisa @ Passion et Couture

TUESDAY, APRIL 16th

Cathi @ Quilt Obsession

Jane @ Jane's Fabrics and Quilts

Heidi @ Nutz4Redwork

Cherry @ Cherry'sPrairiePrimatives

Christine @ Quilt Monster in my Closet

Vickie @ More Stars in Comanche

Pauline @ Stekje

Jan @ Jan's Art Friendzy

Nissa @ Nissa Made Stuff

Robin @ As Sweet As Peaches

Lyndsey @ Sew Many Yarns

Eleni @ That Other Blog

Wednesday, April 17

Jen @ Quilter in the Closet

Marjorie @ Marjorie's Busy Corner

Elita @ A Pieceful Perspective

Green @ So Sew Green

Mara @ Greco Mara

Wendy @ Why Knot Kwilt?

Gmama Jane @ GrandMama's Stories

Debby @ Debby Kratovil Quilts

Britt-Inger @ Hill Valley Quilter

Connie @ Freemotion by the River

Beth @ Words and Stitches

Kathy @ iHeartSquishy

Thursday April 18

Merry Gay @ Merry Gay in Stitches

Mary @ Sew Maybe I Can

Joanne @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Linda @ Buzzing and Bumbling

Mary @ NeedledMom

Sherry @ Peanuts Patchwork

Fredrika @ Feltfree på Åsly

Shauna @ Welcome to Shauna's World

Sharon @ Dancing thru Threads

Madame Samm @ !Sew WE Quilt!

The April Showers blog hop full schedule can also be found here.  




Happy Stitching!

Tinted Chains - Votes for Women BOM

An easy to assemble block for this weeks block from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  This is block 31 and called Tinted Chains.  (No seam ripper required but I did have difficulty cutting - kept reading the dimensions wrong!)

I finally made decisions on how I am going to set these blocks - on point.   Using a great calculator I found here, I figured out I needed two 6 1/2 squares to get the right sized triangles to make these blocks go on point.

My goal is to get 3 blocked off each week which should get me caught up and into quilt top assembly before we get to the final blocks - 49 in all.  By adding the triangles each of the blocks went from 8 1/2 block to 11 3/8th.  

Some of the blocks - included this one - may not go on point because they are intended to somewhat directional.  I will sort this out as I go.

For now, the first 3 look great - if I do say so myself.  (smile)

Happy Stitching!

My ALYOF goal for April

SeaGlass - onto the quilting adventure.

I've posted a lot about this quilt during the whole process.

There were the monthly block updates since this was a BOM from the 2012 In Color Order HST.

Finishing the quilt flimsy was my ALYOF goal for March and I had many a border dilemma that I posted on and got some great advise.

It is a gift for my cousin and will be gifted on or about June 1.

I am going to quilt this one myself so my April goal for ALYOF is to get the quilting done.  (This will leave me time in May to deal with the binding.)

My current plan - but given how many times I changed the border design means this is up for many alternatives as well - is to do circular quilting.  Not sure if this is one big spiral or is concentric circles - likely the latter.  I may carry that into the border or may do straight line quilting there.

I'm excited to be starting but also quite nervous as well.  I typically send my large quilts out to a LAQ but I wanted to do this one myself.  I did one other large - lap size - before and it turned out fine.

The first thing I need to do is to give the quilt top a really good pressing.  I hate that step.  (Perhaps I should have made that my goal for April!)

Wish me luck!

Linking up my April goal to complete the quilting with  Another Lovely Year of Finishes. 

By the way, if you've not entered my giveaway for a charm pack of Enchanted Garden, please visit my previous post.

Happy Stitching!