Two inches at a time....old school!

This school year has been hectic...and as a result, I've had no time to sew on my sewing machine.  But I did make time to do some English Paper Piecing and I'm so in love with this....I could easily do this until forever....no kidding!

I spent October basting the pieces.  I don't pierce the papers so I can reuse them over and over again.  Then I spent November making six pointed stars.  This is easily done during the evenings while watching TV--I was sad when I had them all together!

By Thanksgiving I was ready to start assembling all the stars and hexagons into the top.  At first I struggled to handle something like this, but once I realized that it wasn't fragile, I just started going to town on it.  This is a months worth of top piecing....The top is about 48" wide and will be 54" long when it is finished.

Here is an up-close shot.  I'm using 2" diamonds and 2" hexagons.  The hexagons are all low volume text prints, and the diamonds are brights from my fabric stash.

Here is the back.  I do pull the papers out as soon as all four sides are attached.

The only papers remaining at this point are the ones on the bottom row, the one I'm currently working.  I get all my paper pieces from paperpieces.com.

If you are like me, you're thinking "no way!" .... it would take forever.  But it really doesn't.  And it is so relaxing--like knitting or crocheting.  You get in a rhythm...and before you know it, you have a top done.  Try it, you might like it!

Happy Quilting!

Denise's Runaround Sue quilt....

Denise made this quilt as a Christmas gift so I put a panto on it last weekend.  The fabric is Basic Grey (by Moda)--Persimmon.  The panto is a gender neutral one....Blowin' Wind.  I love it!

The pattern is my Runaround Sue and is available here....

That is all the quilting that I've done this fall....LOL.  No time now.  I'm finishing my chalk paint project today and I'll post pics this week...and my EPP project is perking along as well.

Happy Quilting to all of you!

Winter EPP...rainbow style!

This year has been super busy at work.  I had to sell my prep (teach an extra class) due to overcrowding so I've been bringing lots of work home with me every night...way more than usual.  But on the flip side, it's an extra $55 for every class I teach so....more college money for Ryan!!

Because of this, I put away my sewing machine for a while and I've been doing some more EPP.  This will be a quilt for my classroom in the spring...maybe not this year, but sometime prior to retirement ;-).  The six pointed stars are rainbow from pink to blue (no purple) and the hexagons in between are all various low volume black/white text prints.  I'm really loving how it is turning out.

This pic is of a few arranged on the table, prior to sewing it all together....

I make all the stars and hexies first...I love basting the EPP pieces!!  It is a very scrappy quilt...

Anyhow, that is my hand sewing project.  Perfect for the evenings when we are watching Gracepoint, Psych, Franklin and Bash, CSI, Sons of Anarchy, Hell on Wheels, etc.

Ryan has been super busy with the marching band this year.  They desperately needed tuba players so he switched from the baritone to the tuba at band camp in August.  It was tough for him to carry around the tuba at first, but now he is a rock star at it.  ;-)  He also made the Symphonic Band (Varsity Band) as a freshman and that means a week-long trip to Chicago in the fall to play at one of the big symphony halls.  Awesome!  Here is a pic from a recent marching band show in Chino Hills, CA.....

He looks adorable in his uniform...and did you know that sousaphone is almost five feet tall....here is a pic of him after assembling it in the hallway... He is growing up!!  Bear in mind he just turned 14 and is about 5'10 and weighs 180 pounds!  How does this happen so fast???

Anyhow, outside of working our asses off and toting Ryan around to various performances and Student Council events, we are having a great time.  I've been working on a major chalk painting project and I'll photos of that later this week....hopefully!

Happy Quilting....

Rock Around the Clock Pattern!

I am finally getting around to publishing my fat quarter log cabin pattern, Rock Around the Clock.  I love this pattern because the blocks come together so quickly and the piecing is very forgiving.  It is the perfect quilt for a beginner--and a veteran who wants a quick and easy sewing project.

I've made the quilt four times...the cover, once for my Green Valley charity quilt, once in batiks (yet to be shown) and once in Pam Kitty pastels.  Honestly, because I have such a large stash of fat quarters, it is simple to get together some coordinating fabric and get busy with this quilt!

The cover quilt pattern is made with 17 fat quarters and measures 58" x 58".  However, alternate quilt sizes are available to suit your needs.

You won't be sorry with this pattern--if you've always wanted to try out a basic log cabin pattern, then this is the one for you!  Enjoy...

Available on Craftsy here.

Green Valley HS stuff...

School started and I've been sooo busy that I've barely had time to sew.  I did have to make a quilt for the band Pasta Dinner and Silent Auction.  The quilt is my new log cabin pattern, Rock Around the Clock, done in the high school's colors--kelly green and blue.  There is also a gift basket...the theme for this package is "Family Night--Green Valley HS Style".  There are mugs, mug rugs, a game, puzzle, candy, snacks, a movie, etc....all the stuff you'd need for a nice family night.

Here is the pic...a little blurry, sorry!

And here are some belated pics from a quilt that Denise made....Baby Butterflies in GVHS colors for her classroom.  I quilted it at the end of the summer, but didn't get the photos together until now.

Allover swirls...easy peasy!  It is baby quilt size...36" x 40", I believe...

This will look great in her classroom!!  Long live the green and the blue!!  Happy quilting!

Another Log Cabin....green and navy!

I've decided to name this log cabin pattern Rock Around the Clock....and this is the third one I've made!  I love the green, navy and gray combo....excellent and modern ;-)  It measures about 59" x 59".

The panto was called One Cloudy Day and I thought it was perfectly neutral...lots of texture, but gender neutral.  I tend to lean heavily towards girly quilts and it was mentioned that more boyish quilts on some covers might sell more patterns.  So I'll give it a try...

I got the idea for Rock Around the Clock from the clock fabric in the center of the blocks.  And since with a log cabin you go 'round and 'round, it seemed like a good fit.  Once I get it bound and some cover pics taken, the pattern will be released!  Yeah....I'll keep you posted.  Happy quilting!

More EPP....flowers!!

We went out of town last week so I took along a little English Paper Piecing to do in the car...wow, it is amazing what you can get done when you focus for a few hours.  The night prior to leaving I penciled cut lines on the back of my 2.5" strips so that I could cut hexies in the car...what you see in the box is what was leftover after I basted a ton of these things! I must have cut out a few hundred fabric hexies...

Then I got basting a bunch....six of the same fabric for the outside of the flowers and one for the center.  I was making little piles and stuffing them in plastic baggies.  You can see all that I basted and some flowers that I had previously finished.... I love the basting part ;-)

I've got no idea of what I'm making.  ???  Hmmm...I just keep going.  Fun, huh??

I'm still working on the 3rd sample quilt for my fat quarter log cabin quilt.  I'll show a block pick tomorrow when I get one done.  My son has been out of town at a Student Council retreat so I've been slacking on my sewing (we typically watch some Sci Fi  TV and I sew like a mad woman--right now I'm lost without him!).  But I'll try to focus tomorrow....

Boo hoo...two weeks until teachers return to school in Las Vegas.  ;-(  Big weepy tears....

But only 1,039 days until retirement :-)

Happy Quilting!

Vintage Featherweight Seam Guide and Cleaning Kit

My friend Maria sells these cute little acrylic guides for Featherweights.  Her husband works with acrylic and he made her a bunch for her Etsy store "My Gramas Inspiration".  They have a dainty little lace pattern on the back so your Featherweight will look cutie patootie at sew-ins or retreats.  Check it out...

She pointed out that is fully adjustable--see the cut out in the middle?  1/4" or 1/2"...whatever!!  How cool...

But she also sells these ever-so-handy Featherweight Cleaning Kits.  Look at all the goodies you get in your kit:  3 mini screwdrivers, two extra bobbins, a long pair of tweezers, a cleaning brush, an oiler and some grease!  Did you know your featherweight needed grease--and where to put it??  Well, Maria does, and this kit was put together by her and her Engineer husband to assist her when she took her machine to sew-ins.  It has everything you need to keep you Featherweight in tip top shape.  You can see them in her Etsy store.

That oiler is worth everything, in my opinion....and ready to install grease??  Awesome!!

So I picked up a set from her directly, but you can check out her Etsy store and get your own ;-)  You'll be happy you did!  Happy Quilting...

Practice quilt....

I'm working on a log cabin quilt from fat quarters...for a new pattern, of course.  This was the first try--all in Pam Kitty fabrics.  I love the look of it!

And an up close shot of the quilting.  The panto is called Daisies and Loops and it is one I hadn't done before.  Quite adorable, if I may say....

I'm working on a second version in batiks--half lights and half darks--to see how that turns out.  The pattern is written, but I need a cover quilt.  Or two...who knows!  Anyhow, I'm just sewing today--I hope you are as well.  Happy Quilting!

Buttercup quilt class ;-)

Yesterday I taught my Buttercup quilt pattern at a local quilt shop, The Christmas Goose.  I had five students and we had a great time cutting out the blocks, then eventually sewing.  All in all, it was a good day.  This was the first quilt class I've ever taught and these ladies made it easy peasy!  Here are some pics of the finished blocks....

And here are pics of the students while they worked.  They were so diligent...it was like a final exam during Algebra!  Very serious....LOL....

They were such a nice group of ladies...it couldn't have been better!  Thanks so much for being great students!!!  I also discovered that teaching someone quilting is far more enjoyable than teaching math...who would have thought???  LOL...

I also brought my recently quilted Buttercup toddler quilt that I did in Riley Blake fabrics--Saddle Up, I believe.  Once it is bound, it will go in my Etsy shop.

The panto was Spring Garland, I believe....easy and fast!

Anyhow, that is all for today.  I'm working on a new pattern so I'll post more later this week.  Happy Quilting!

The Hustle Quilt Pattern is Available!

I love to buy precuts and this is a pattern that is perfect for layer cake squares and charm squares, or fat quarters!  It only requires thirty 10" x 10" squares and thirty pairs of matching 5" x 5" charm squares, plus background fabric.  If you have a large stash of fat quarters, you can pick 15 of them and cut your own squares.

The cutting is easy and with some clever piecing and seam pressing, you will find that all of your blocks nest together nicely for the final assembly.  This quilt could be made bigger or smaller by adjusting the number of layer cake and charm squares you use.

As the blocks come together at the end, you will find a secondary pattern is created by the corners--a modern "plus" sign.  Some really great quilting in those areas would make this quilt shine ;-)

No special rulers are required.  You will also find a coloring diagram in the pattern.

The pattern is available in PDF form on Etsy or Craftsy.  Happy Quilting!

Another Hustle Quilt...

This was the original quilt I tested out The Hustle pattern on...I love this fabric.  High Street by Lily Ashbury for Moda.  I still have a few scrap bags leftover for another project...

And an up-close shot so you can see the quilting...it is a panto called Lovely Leaves.  ;-)

I need to bind it and photograph it for the cover of the PDF pattern.  I'll show it as soon as it is available online...hopefully in a few days.  This one was done with a layer cake and two charm packs.  I definitely like the variety in the fabrics...but it could also be made with 15 fat quarters.  I hope you are enjoying your summer, I know I am!!  Happy Quilting!

Denise's Dog Quilt...

Denise is a real dog lover and she made this quilt for her newest rescue dog, Louie (I hope I spelled that right).  The colors are very soft and it almost has a vintage feel to it.  I quilted loops and stars on it...

She rotated every other row of dogs to there wouldn't be a top or bottom (at least I hope that is what her plan was ;-)

All of the dog panels have words next to the dog...

This is just perfect her dog.  He will love it, I'm sure!  Happy Quilting!

Lucille in Red, Yellow and Blue!

I remade my Lucille pattern this week in semi-patriotic colors.  I threw in the yellow for some brightness and I love how it turned out.  I used a panto with stars and swirls on it...

And a sexy, up-close shot....you can really see the quilting. ;-)

I'm working on another quilt right now but I don't know if I would be able to write a pattern for it.  It is a bit complicated and I'm not sure it would make sense to anyone but me....but who knows??  I've got to do some binding tonight but I'll have more pics later this week...Happy Quilting!

Photography....

A friend recommended that I get a photo backdrop stand to improve my picture quality.  Evidently, having Ryan and Rebecca try to hold the quilt straight, get their feet out of the picture, get their fingers out of the picture, stop bitching about how their arms hurt, etc. isn't very professional and doesn't yield good quality pics.  So I bought a stand from Amazon and set up my own photo op in my backyard.

Another sad problem with trying to photgraph in the desert is finding nice locations, like parks (with no kids running in the background and no dog poop) or other scenic places.  And I don't want to drive forever since my photos tended to suck and it would have been a waste anyhow.  But this is what I set up in my backyard this morning....

And I took 10 pics and got a winner, I think.....

It is a new quilt pattern and this would be the cover pic.... hopefully!  I'll let you know....

Happy Quilting!

Finished Buttercup Baby...

Now a sexy, outside shot of the Buttercup Baby quilt....by the way, did I mention I got a new camera?  It came recommended by the Photography teacher at my school so I went with it--I'm really impressed.  It is  Nikon CoolPix S3600 from Target...with a beefed up memory card.  It had to have a "10" in the circle and have at least 8 GB of memory.  The camera needed 18-24 megapixels.  I got it for around $120 and I'm liking it so far....You be the judge...

Anyhow, I'm off to finish another new pattern quilt for the quilt shop.  Wish me luck...I have Rebecca working on it as well!  Happy Quilting!

Buttercup Baby Quilt...Greens and Blues!

I absolutely LOVE the green and blue color scheme...so fresh and fun!  I made the bonus baby quilt from my Buttercup pattern in assorted blues and greens from Bonnie and Camille fabrics...I quilted it up this morning using the Flight of Fancy panto--it is my new favorite!

And an up close shot panto shot...

The baby quilt only takes 6 fat quarters, 1/2 yard of sashing fabric and some background fabric!  Easy peasy....this is the third baby quilt I've made from this pattern and I think I'll make another in a red, white and blue scheme for 4th of July!  Maybe from my large collection of plaids.... ;-)

Anyhow, off to do some binding...Happy Quilting!

Buttercup--A New Pattern!

I finally finished the proofing of my new Buttercup pattern!  Yeah...here is the cover...

And an up close shot...It takes the equivalent of one fat quarter per block so it super easy to buy your fabric....number of blocks = number of fat quarters.  And they are BIG 16" x 16" blocks so they get made quickly, once you get the hang of it...

I also made a few baby quilts and included a Bonus Baby Quilt in the pattern!  Six fat quarter and you're good to go...

Anyhow, I absolutely LOVE this pattern!  It is for sale on Craftsy in PDF form here or on Etsy here, if you are interested.  Yeah!!  Happy Quilting!

Buttercup Toddler Quilt....

I'm in the process of proofing and finalizing my new Buttercup pattern.  I made a bonus quilt (baby/toddler size) to include in the pattern and I made two versions.  This is the second one....pink and gray Riley Blake prints....I was trying to get the blocks organized and put into separate baggies...I think I might have had an afternoon cocktail because it didn't work out quite like I planned in the end....LOL

Here is the completed quilt...it really looks like red and gray, but it is hot pink, I swear...

Maybe this shows the colors better?  Anyhow, it is a cool pattern...and it uses one fat quarter per block.  So a six-pack quilt like this one uses 6 fat quarters...and some background/sashing fabric, of course.  But it makes purchasing the fabric soooo easy....

I used the panto Spring Garland.  So soft and subtle....anyhow, I should have the pattern finalized and cover photos done early this week.  The wind was blowing so hard this weekend I couldn't risk taking the quilt outside for photos at the park....no way!  So I'll try Monday or Tuesday....

Happy Quilting!

New Pattern--sneak peek!

I've been working on this pattern on and off (mostly off) since February.  I got inspired to finish it up so it is now in the quilting stage....and I'm 75% done writing the pattern....it is a long one.  Check it out!

And Rebecca put together a few wayward Granny Square blocks for another baby quilt.  It will go in my Etsy shop tonight...

I'll post more tomorrow.  Maybe I'll have the new quilt quilted...it will be called Buttercup.  I think... ;-)
Happy Quilting!