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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Sun, SURF, and Sea

Today the second block of the 
Sun, Sand, and Sea Block of the Month is revealed
and
Carol over at Just Let Me Quilt
has the funnest block pattern to share.


It's called Sun, SURF, and Sea. 

The block is 12" x 24" and is pieced and appliqued.
Carol is so clever.  
I smiled the whole time I was stitching this block and my hubby even stopped and said how cool he thought it was.

If you would like the free (for the month of March) pattern for this block
check out Carol's blog Here.



I'm so lucky to be using 
Clothworks American Made Brand fabrics.
The colors so vibrant and they are so nice to stitch with!



The Sun, Sand, and Sea Block of the Month is
Hosted by Amy over at 

Amy designed last month's block, "Hello Sunshine"


You can find the pattern for her block HERE.

This quilt all ready has me dreaming of summer time!
I've seen some of the blocks to come- I'm next month's designer.  ;)


If you haven't already,
 join the
Facebook group
you can find it HERE.  
We gather on Facebook to share
our blocks and visit with other
participants.



Let's quilt together!

To applique, I use my favorite fabric iron on adhesive by Therm O Web,

Check out the giveaway for National Craft month on Therm O Web's site.





Sew Fresh Quilts

Friday, February 24, 2017

Make a Unique Baby Gift with NEW HeatnBond® Soft Stretch

It is so fun to applique t shirts with NEW HeatnBond® Soft Stretch Lite.  Everything  remains stretchy and soft! Today I have a tutorial over on the ThermoWeb Blog that will show how to dress up a plain shirt and pant set into a unique baby girl outfit.  There's even a simple knotted headband.  It's a quick and easy project with NEW HeatnBond® Soft Stretch.

This Elephant Appliqued Baby Girl Outfit is so simple and only requires a few items.  I can't wait to make another!


These are the suppies you will need:

Plain t-shirt and leggings (white)
1/2 yard of cotton jersey knit (green)
Aurifil 50 weight cotton thread (white #2024)
Parchment paper

Iron (I love my Oliso Pro)

sewing machine

sharp scissors

erasable pen
permanent marker

other general sewing supplies 


This is the pattern:

(click and right click to save or print. Enlarge fit a full piece of paper)



I made this little outfit for someone special.  Won't it be a cute little Easter surprise?




I'm afraid the flu bug hit me hard this week and I've been hiding in my little home waiting to say hello to the world again.  Today is looking good.  Hello!!  lol

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Come Together - Project Quilting Season 8, Project 4








The challenge for Project Quilting this week was "Brighter the Better."
(yes it is!!!)


Kim at Persimon Dreams hosts Project Quilting.
She announces a challenge and you have one week to create something quilty.
Prizes can be won and it's a great way to meet new blogging friends.

This is the fourth challenge of 6 for Season 8.
The Rules:

1. Your project must be bright and colorful - and the more colorful, the better! 
2.  Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline (February 12 through February 19, 2017). Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count toward prizes. 
3. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge (started on or after February 12 through February 19, 2017)

4.  Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements:
  1. Include patchwork.
  2. Include appliqué.
  3. Have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.
5.  Link up a blog post, flickr image, instagram post, or public facebook post  by Sunday, February 19th, 2017, at noon CDT.



When the challenge was announced, I listed all the projects I could do 
and 
had to just pick one out of a hat.  
This challenge was just too much fun.
I decided on a technique I hadn't tried before with a pattern (Peace and Harmony) I made years ago.

I drew a grid on HeatNBond fusible light weight interfacing and cut 1" squares of batiks and some of my own hand dyed fabrics.


Once the pattern was laid out, I started sewing and trimming seams.


Next I added a white border and cut about
  a billion 1/2" colored squares 
that had been backed with HeatNBond lite 
and I laid them (with my daughters help) into the swirling pattern and bonded them.
Thank you Trista!!


The quilting had to be spiraled (my feeling).  
The center was free motion and then I switched to a walking foot.
I used my "go to" color of Aurifil 50 wt.  (#2600)


The binding needed to be bright for this one.
I pieced the binding with the color changes of the pieces whirling around.




All through this process I kept thinking, "it's coming together" and then that Beetles song, "Come together" start playing in my mind (only the Godsmack version)
and that's when it hit me, 
there is the name of this quilt.
Little pieces coming together- maybe people should be like this.
Different colors and cultures coming together....

Come Together

Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge 4 - Brighter the Better
Made by Carla in Dodge City, Kansas
Size:  17" x 18"
Piecing with interfacing, Fusible Applique,  Pieced binding for color change
Freemotion and walking foot spiral by me


You can see all the other challenge projects and vote for your favorites starting at noon central on
February 19th
by clicking 


Come Together is #114
out of 120 entries.



See you on the flip side.

Friday, February 17, 2017

It's a Wrap and a Start


Finished!
The
In Our Garden Block of the Month blog hop was
Hosted by Amy over at 
last year and the final blocks were posted in January 2017.




I quilted and the binding is on to frame this year long masterpiece.


Thank you to Riley Blake Designs for the fabrics for this quilt.


Now it's' time for a new Block of the Month
and
the first block is finished.


I'm using Clothworks American Made Brand fabrics
and they are so nice to stitch with!



You can find the pattern for the block HERE.

The team for this year's BOM has put together another great quilt for 2017
and
I can't wait to show my blocks!


Splash may return!


Join us!
And 
if you haven't already,
 join the 
Facebook group
you can find it HERE.  


Let's quilt together!


Friday, February 10, 2017

In Our Garden Quilt Top Finish

Yeah, for Friday and a FINISH!!

A flimsy finish, but one that I am so excited about.


The
In Our Garden Block of the Month blog hop was
Hosted by Amy over at 
last year and the final blocks were posted in January 2017.



Every month one designer shared an applique block and a pieced block
and 
I want to thank each of them for all their hard work!

February - Blocks 1 and 2

March - Blocks 3 and 4
Carol – Just Let Me Quilt 


April -  Blocks 4 and 5

Bonus Block


May - Blocks 7 and 8

Bonus Block

June - Blocks 9 and 10

July- Blocks 11 and 12


August - Blocks 13 and 14


September - Blocks 15 and 16

Bonus Block


October - Blocks 17 and 18

November- Blocks 19 and 20

December


January

 I was lucky enough to receive Riley Blake fabrics for this quilt.


My blocks and quilt top are finished
and
I hope to finish quilting this 78" x 93" quilt this week
and
show the Friday finish next week too.

You'll notice the 3 birds baths in the middle and there is a couple of the May pieced blocks.
There is a reason for that.  lol
I designed those blocks and in the designing process I make them.
Why not include the extras. 
Not all blocks make the cut when designing, but I decided they were just fine for my quilt...
(the bottom center)

The team for this year's BOM has put together another great quilt for 2017
and
I can't wait to show my blocks!
Splash may return!


Join us!
And 
if you haven't already,
 join the 
Facebook group
you can find it HERE.  


These things are more fun with TEAMWORK
and
we gather on Facebook to share
our blocks and visit with other
participants.

I hope to see you there.


What a beautiful week it has been in blog land.
Thank you all for the generous shares, pins, comments, and emails on my 2 posts for Thermoweb


and 
Are You Ready For Some Football post
 for Project Quilting.


You have spread the love!!!  Thank YOU!