Blogger Fan Freak Out

I am a quilting  blog addict. When I decided to tackle my first quilt in January of 2012, I began trolling the internet so I could learn. The very first blogger that I followed was Old Red Barn Co; her fabulous quilt tutorial got me very excited (though I have yet to use her tutorial). I quickly found many other bloggers, and my very favourite (and many other people's favourite based on her popularity) is Rita of Red Pepper Quilts from Australia.

Here is my point. I have been posting #sugarblockclub photos on my Instagram account and the other day *squeal* Old Red Barn Co (whom I follow on Instagram) liked my photo! When I freaked out about her liking my photo, she commented on my block, my comment and she FOLLOWED me! Holy crap! And then, to top it off, when I posted the picture of my collection of blocks using Red Pepper Quilt's Blogger Bundle I tagged her and she COMMENTED! With hearts!

I'm seriously doing a Quilt Blogger Fan Freak Out!

I know, I know, geeky. But what can I say? I felt like a celebrity had talked directly to me. TWO celebrities! (In the quilting celebrity world that is!)

Jealous?

Lynn

More Sugar

I have been working away on my Sugar Block Club blocks, hoping to get caught up with all but the paper piecing. 

I got to work on another block by choosing and then cutting into these fabrics (note that the majority of the fabrics I'm using come from a Blogger Bundle from Pink Castle Fabrics by Red Pepper Quilts).

The orange dot fabric looks more red in these photos, but it is actually a lovely, deep orange.

Making these little blocks was actually very satisfying.

In between cutting and piecing, I went from liking the newsprint fabric for the middle to the text fabric that I used in my May block for the middle. The scale seemed to work better and I'm happy I switched it.

This is the finished block. Love it! I do need to make sure I use less orange in my next block, though.

And here are all the finished blocks together. I will be redoing the paper-pieced block (top left) but I'm not planning on doing those any time soon.

I am slightly worried about the cohesiveness of the blocks once they are all put together but for  now I am just trying to enjoy the process (and trying not to curse Allison of Stitchery Ditchery Dock too much for her tiny cuts and intricate piecing).

Lynn

Sugar Block Catch-Up: One Block at a Time

I am pathetically behind in my Stitchery Ditchery Dock Sugar Block Club Block of the Months. This is partially because after my first attempt at paper piecing I am avoiding the paper piecing for as long as possible. Also, with all the quilt deadlines, it seemed indulgent to stop and make even the non-paper pieced blocks. I tried to rectify that today by getting my (February? March?) block done:

My fabric choices and pieces cut. I don't love that Allison's pieces have odd sizes (like 1 7/8") but I'm doing my best. Maybe I need a Sizzik? Or Go Baby?

I think it was from Allison's blog that I learned how to mark squares.

Here are the pieces ready to assemble. A reminder that I am using a Blogger Bundle from Pink Castle Fabrics by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. I think she would be proud of my choices!

And here is the finished block! The points aren't perfect but they aren't bad, either, and I love how the fabrics work together. 

And now I am feeling super inspired to tackle another block! I did pause and do some cutting for a quilt due too soon in the future, but I think the next Sugar Block block is next on the list! (The non-paper pieced one that is!)

Lynn

Lily Garden: A Finished Quilt

This past Christmas I gifted a quilt to my mom and my grandmother, then 88, was very jealous. I decided that for her 89th birthday this past June 5th I would surprise her with a quilt of her own.

This quilt, Lily Garden (my grandmother's name is Lily), has been a nightmare. I should have known better than to use fabric I didn't love. I was using it because it came in my Fat Quarter Blogger Bundle of the Month Club and I didn't know what else I would use that combination to create. I have since become much more relaxed about "breaking up the set" when getting a blogger bundle, and this quilt is why.

It also had constant issues. I made up the pattern/layout and then hated it and changed my mind. The thread kept breaking when I was quilting it. The thread kept breaking when I was trying to hand sew the binding on the back (I gave up and went machine). But...it is done! It is on the way to Grandma's house (through the woods and past the Big Bad Wolf?) next weekend with my mom.

I hope she loves it! (And trust me, at 89 if my Grandma doesn't like it, she'll be sure to tell me).

Scrappy binding of small, flowery prints from my stash that I wouldn't probably use otherwise.

Lily Garden: front

Perhaps it looks nicer horizontal?

Backing: Two prints from my stash (origin unknown) and lots of my absolute favourite Kona solid: Artichoke 

Detail of both prints and quilting on reverse of quilt

Bundled and ready to head to Grandma's

Phew! I'm glad this one is done. Remind me to only quilt with fabrics I love from now on, okay?

Lynn

Linking up to Finish it Up Fridays over at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Thank You Kate: A Finished Quilt

My daughter, a precocious and happy four-year-old, is finishing her first year of school this week. She will be a Junior Kindergarten graduate. I can hardly believe it! She loved school and she loved her teacher, Kate. I decided to make a quilt as a year-end teacher gift and forgot about the fact that I am a teacher and June is crazy and how did I think I would have time to make a quilt?

I did finish (in the nick of time) but the quilt is smaller than I would have liked. Ideally it would have been a much more generous lap-sized quilt but I had to go with what I could finish, and this was the size (more of a smallish lap). I imagine (or wish) that she will use it curled up on the couch reading a good book. It is what I would do with it!

Here is Thank You Kate:

Backing: a print from Good Fortune by Kate Spain and a strip of a Kona Solid (not sure which one right now...it came in my Pink Chalk solids box)

The binding is Lilac Pearl Bracelets. The quilting is very simple- the forgiving S stitch on my machine with long stitch length.

The front and back look awesome together.

Used: Two charm packs of Kona White, two charm packs of Kate Spain's Good Fortune. Design: My own. It involved cutting all the charm squares in half and then reattaching them, then turning each block to get the pattern.

A close up of the pattern.

Yes, it is a bit small, but I think it is very pretty and I hope it conveys to the teacher how appreciative I am for her efforts in ensuring my daughter had a great first year of school.

Lynn

Linking up to Finish It Up Fridays over at Crazy Mom Quilts!

June Kona Solids Bundle and Teacher Quilt Progress

 My Sew Sisters Kona Solids Fat Quarter Bundle of the Month was based on this drool-worthy picture:

Doesn't it make you want some berry cheesecake?

From left to right: Crimson, Berry, Eggplant, Raisin

The colours are more distinct in this photo than they are in real life. The Raisin is really brown, actually, which I didn't pick up just by looking at the tiny swatch on my Kona Colour Card. It reminds me why I love this club.

Also, I have (by necessity) made progress on my daughter's teacher's quilt. I'm going with Thank You Kate for the name of the quilt, and I will post pictures of the finished quilt in a separate post. I wanted to comment on my first-time experience with this:

Aurafil

I have read about it on pretty much every blog I follow but it was not readily available at my LQS.  When I went on a little shop hop in the region with some quilty friends, we went to a speciality thread and notions store (Triangle Sewing) and I picked up a bunch of Aurafil to try. I love it. It goes through my machine like a dream and creates almost no thread dust. I wasn't too adventurous with the quilting of this quilt due to my time limitations, but I can't wait to try FMQing with Aurafil in my future!

I picked some Lilac Pearl Bracelets from my stash for the binding and had just the right amount. Phew! After a marathon of hand sewing the binding I can't believe I'm done in time!

Is there anything Pearl Bracelets can't do?

It is already packaged and ready to go for the teacher on Thursday. I hope she loves it!

Lynn

Kona Solid May Bundle

I completely forgot to post about my May Sew Sisters Kona Solids of the Month.

The inspiration photograph

From left to right: Grass Green, Tan, Bison, Chocolate.

I think the Grass Green is sort of horrible- too vibrant for anything I might choose. The chocolate is quite nice, though. 

My June bundle came too. I'll post about that soon. Five more days of work until vacation...and six days (well, really five) until I have to have my daughter's teacher's quilt done. Ach! 

Lynn