GIVEAWAY DAY!!

"Modern Pinwheel Twist" quilt top measures about 60"X 60"

Welcome to Giveaway day!  Last year I was down with Meningitis so I spent the 3 days trying to comment on as many links as I could and yet still did not make it though the entire list!  I decided that this year I wanted to give something away as well!  I found so many new blogs to follow and was connected to so many people around the world.  Be sure to check out the master linky party at our super hostess Sew Mama Sew!  I have two winners to chose today!

So What am I giving away?
First person chosen will receive :
Enough fabric to complete the "Modern Pinwheel Twist" quilt top above!
1- "Oh My!" Moda Charm pack
1- Bella Black Moda Charm pack
0.75 yard of yellow fabric
1.5 yards of black fabric
1- 24"X 24" Red Square to cut out your square to fit
("Lil' Twister" tool not included)

Second person chosen will receive:
1 "Just Wing It" Moda Charm pack
1 "Crazy for Dots & Stripes" RJR Charm Pack

What you must do to be in the drawing?
I have plans to move in the spring, therefore I will have to set up my crafting area anew!  This time though I will have to take a small child into mind (Our baby girl is due in January/February!)  Make a comment below giving me a craft room organization tip or things to keep in mind when planning the organization of my crafting area.  What has helped you the most?  What has hindered you from completing projects?  You are welcome to become a follower however it is not required to be considered, nor will it increase your chance of winning.  I did not like the hoops some blogs required last year, so I certainly will not do that to you!

I am so sorry that I am not able to ship internationally this year (meaning I cannot drive currently because of my pregnancy, but I can walk to the US post office 1/2 a block a way.) so, this time the giveaway is only open to US residents who have a way for me to contact them (meaning you are not a no-reply blogger).

When will the winner be chosen?
The comment section will close on Friday, December 16, 2011 at 5p.m. PST.  I will chose the first winner from the best comment/advice I receive! The second winner will be chosen by random.org (you may only win one prize).  I will contact the winners no later than Sunday, December 18, 2011.  I will announce the winners when I have received a response from the email indicating the person has won.  If there is no way to contact a winner, another winner will be chosen.  Thank you for entering my give-away!

A Tumbler Quilt Top Tutorial

A tumbler quilt can be a quilt quick project that gives you a little more variety than a simple square-to-square quilt.  You can purchase a special ruler that you can use to cut your pieces, but I will also show you how you can make your own template.

Tools needed for this project:  an iron, an ironing surface,  hand-sewing needles, machine needles, thread, bobbins, scissors, rotary cutter, a rotary cutting mat, a cutting ruler, a pen/pencil, cardboard measuring 5 in. X 5 in., fabric in proportions listed for this project, binding clips (optional), and sewing gloves (optional).

Fabric needed for this project:

1.  1 (42-pieced) charm pack-prints or various prints cut to measure 5in. X 5 in. (41 blocks needed in all).

2.  1 (40 or 42-pieced) charm pack-solid or 3/4 yard of a solid or small print fabric for Main blocks.  (Note: Directions for cutting fabric yardage will be listed in project details).

3.  1/2 yard of coordinating fabric for Binding

4.  1 1/2 yards of fabric for Back

Note:  2 3/4 yards of fabric total for Main blocks, Binding, and Back fabrics if you would like to use the same fabric.

5.  3/4 yards of fabric for the Sashing; this fabric should be different than the other fabrics to show a nice contrast and frame the patterned blocks.

6.  A package of crib-sized batting or a piece of batting measuring 45 in. X 55 in.

Preparing the template:

Step 1:  Mark the pre-measured and cut piece of cardboard 1 inch from the left side inwards.
Make the same mark 1 inch from the right edge.

Step 2:  Make a line with a pen or pencil from the left bottom corner to the  mark one inch from the left top corner.  Connect the right bottom corner to the mark 1 inch from the right top corner.

Step 3:  Your template should be marked in this way, if it does not look like this picture start your template over. Cut along the marked lines to complete the making of your template for this project.

Using your template: 

Step 4:  From your charm pack or precut fabrics (cut into 5 in. X 5 in. squares) choose 1-4 squares stacked.  Placing the template on the squares, line your ruler up on the edge.  Careful not to cut the template, use the rotary cutter to cut through the fabrics.  Repeat this step on the other side.

Step 4b:  This is what your cut charm squares or mixed prints should look like.

Step 5:  To cut your pieces from the solid or small print fabric for the main print in this quilt You must first prepare the fabric.  Iron your fabric so that the salvage edges meet, then take the center fold to the salvage edges, iron it again.  This will make it easier to fit your fabric on a cutting mat and allow you to cut multiple pieces at once.  Once you have cut 5 inch wide strips from the quartered fabric, use your template and ruler alternately as pictured here to cut your pieces.  You will need 40 pieces cut from the fabric to complete this project.

Step 6:  Starting with a "mixed print" tumbler piece alternate blocks until you have 9 rows with 9 blocks each for a total of 41 "mixed prints" blocks and 40 "main print/solid" blocks.  The important step is to get the blocks down; you can then take time to rearrange to suit your liking.

Construction of Rows:

Step 7:  With right sides together you line up the sides of the blocks, making sure that they do not overlap on the ends.  Iron all seams towards the "main print/solid."  You can sew several pairs together one right after the other, snip threads between pairs and iron without having to stop and start after each pair.  It is sort of like a factory's assembly line.  This will cut some time off your project!

Step 8:  With rights sides together, aline the pairs so they can be sewn together.  Continue this until the whole row is complete.  Move onto the next row until you have 9 complete rows.

Step 9:  Now it is time to connect the rows together!  With right sides together, pin in place the two rows, if you have ironed all seams to the "main print/solid" the rows should nest into one another.  Even so, it is wise to pin them together so they do not shift in the sewing process.

Step 9b:  This is what your quilt top should look like once you have assembled all 9 rows together.

Step 10:  Folding the quilt top in half with the flat ends together, lay it on your cutting mat.  Place you ruler where each narrow part of the tumbler meets.

Step 10b:  Using your rotary cutter, cut along the ruler to form a straight edge.  Repeat this on the other side of the existing quilt top.

Step 11:  Prepare your sashing and binding fabrics as described in Step 5 of this tutorial.  For the sashing fabric you will want to cut 4 pieces of fabric measuring 5 in. X WOF (Width Of Fabric)

Step 11b:  This would be a great time to also cut your binding fabric.  I will explain the different binding cuts and techniques in "Finishing a Quilt Tutorial" that I will work on next.

Step 12:  First, trim the salvage from one end of a sashing strip. It is very important that you attach the sashing to the longer side first!  With right sides, pin the long side to a sashing strip; pinning will help the seams to stay put while attaching.

Step 12b:  There will be a little bit of excess fabric on the end.  You can use a rotary cutter or a pair of scissors to trim this off, just make sure it is straight.  Iron the seams towards the sashing.

Step 12c:  This is what your quilt top will look like after you have attached the sashing to the two longer sides.

Step 13:  Attaching the sashing to the ends of the quilt top will repeat Steps 12a & 12b.    The reason for attaching the longer sides' sashing first is so that all the measurements and pieces form a quilt with a full back (for a regular sized piece of fabric).  If you would like a bigger quilt you can play around with the sizes and perhaps cut your sashing pieces vertically instead of horizontally.  You may need to cut and add blocks to your existing number if that is the direction you would like to go.  You may also need to make the quilt backing from several pieces; next week's tutorial will explain.

Completed:  One quilt top measuring about 41 in. X 50 1/2 In.

The neutral version in green, teal, light blue and a touch of Red

The feminine version in pinks, purples, lime green & peach

WIP: Baby girl Tumbler Quilt

Well my thoughts about blogging three times a week has dwindled to 1.5 times a week!  It is going to take a week or so to get my fabric ironed, measured, organized, and put away in the right location, so I am going to delay posting a stash report for a couple of weeks, and then I plan to post weekly about sewing through my fabric collection!

This week I have focused on a quilt for my brother, Nick's, new daughter.  I am hoping to figure out a way to incorporate her name or initials at least into the design.  I will write up the directions for this quilt on Monday; you can use a little scrap material up or to make it quicker you can use a pre-cut charm pack.  I am hoping to have this project completed by Sunday, but it takes the time it will take!

On another note:  Nugget is starting to move around at a particular time!  Right now its between 8PM-9PM and he/she is very active.  I am debating on fabric choices for a quilt for Nugget as much as we are discussing names.  We still do not know the gender and we are not sure that we will share that until they are born; after all, I was supposed to be a boy all the way up until I was born!  For those of you that have asked about tummy pictures, I may post one this next week.  See you all next week!

Sun, Quilting, and a New Job!

My goodness it feels like it has been a long time since I last posted!  In the area where we live we have been experiencing over 100F degree weather every day for almost 3 months.  I pretty much slept for the month of July, but I also made it outside a couple times to go swimming.  So, for the first time in 9 years I actual have a tan with my very own tan lines!  That may not seem all that great, but when sugar has a deeper tan than me, one has to get excited about these sorts of things.  I have great Native American bloodlines that only show up in the sunshine. 

On other topics I was finally able to tear myself away form a nap long enough to work on a Quilting project.  I was really bummed out after my in ability to finish my 84 Churn dash blocks for Block swap I signed up for a couple of months ago, I felt like I had to get something accomplished! I have shown you glimpses of my newest finished project in the past when showing off my formerly organized craft room.  I call it a "Paper Clip Quilt".  This quilt was made using "Oh My" Charm Squares, Strips of a black print fabric, a solid forest green for the backing, a neat orange print from the same "Oh My" line of fabrics for the binding, and orange cotton thread for the meandering quilting.  I have been experimenting with Bright colors against the color Black, so this is the first of several projects that I have in the works.  Let me know what you think and what suggestions you might have for me.

And finally I alluded to an upcoming new job!  As I may have mentioned in the past I contracted Meningitis this past April and I have been off work for the past 4 months recovering.  I am doing much better these days although a much more subdued person than I once was.  I used to describe my marriage as that of a balloon man with myself in the role of the Balloons and my husband as the man who keeps me anchored and grounded.  I now feel like its better described a man with a cat that sits in the sun shone window all day resting; occasionally he drags me outside for a walk. We are happy to announce that I will have a new job starting in February of 2012.  I will be a stay at home mother!  We are very excited about the possibility of a child in our lives.  We will add pictures to the "Nugget" page as we get them.  Please put your comments below instead of posting on facebook so we can keep the surprise going!

WIP Wednesday

I've seen others who designate Wednesdays on their blogs as a time to talk about "Works In Progress" or sometimes called WIP Wednesdays.  It' a great way to get one on a schedule for blog postings or just to get the chance to alliterate.  I am currently working on a project where you sew the squares together along with  3" sashing all around and then you use a tool to cut squares out of it.  I ends up making a sort of wonky pinwheel.  Now this is the first time I have used this tool so I am still not sure that a) I know what I am doing or b) that I will be successful, or c) that I will still know what I am doing when I am finished.  In an effort to use more alliterations I am hoping to show you a finished project by Friday; maybe called "Friday Finishes".  Hmmm...I may have to work on that one.  Now I do have other projects that I have in progress, but this is the only one I have started in the past week.

Project 2: In Memory of my Children

It is Mothers' Day and I had thought that I would be big and round with our twins by now counting down the 2 months left. It never occurred to me that we would lose them or that we would be married seven years without having children, but that is life. But remember, I am a mother too.

I may not hold my own children in my arms, but I have held many of yours. I have taken care of many children over the years, picked them up off the ground, soothed their anguished cries, fed them taught them, entertain them, and cheered them on. I have loved them. And today I realized that although my children are not living or growing, I am still a mother too.

About a week after we lost the children, I picked this fabric out (with the help of my Mother-in-law) to a make a quilt in their memory. I used 1 charm pack(fresh flowers), 1 jelly roll (fresh flowers), 1 yard of yellow print fabric, and 1.5 yards of the Smiling flower green fabric that is from the same line of fabrics as the charm squares and Jelly roll fabrics. To be honest in the beginning I had no plan what this quilt was going to look like. I just started pinning "Thangles" to my jelly strips and hoped for the best. I started by making some star blocks and while doing that I figured out that the same pieces also make a heart block as well. The slashing is solid Red Cotton used also for the back and for the binding. I stitched the quilt using an abstract flower stitch that I made up as I went along. This Quilt is big enough for a lap at 50"X50". For now I plan to hang it on the wall of my craft room.

Challenge: Project 1 finished

Hooray! I have finished my quilt at last. I started this project in March hoping to figure out a new trick for making pin wheels that I learned from a video on Youtube. Believe it or not this quilt originally started out as pin wheels blocks, but after accidently sewing the block together wrong twice I decided to make it into diagonal rows, but then I once again sewed the wrong side together and realized it made another square shape. There are actually squares in side squares and triangles on this quilt. The fabrics I used for this quilt are a "Origens" charm square pack (42-5"x5" squares) by designer Basic Grey, a pal green/white print from JAF (Joann's Fabrics) and a brown/white dots fabric also from JAF. I did a meandering loop stitch for the quilting, which holds everything together quite nicely. Another adventure in using charm squares to make a project. First Project down in the challenge and time to take a nap!

A Start and a Finish...

Hello, this is my first blog posting. I love to read postings about quilting and other crafty type items so I thought that would be what I wrote about as well. I am hoping that there will be improvement in my writing as time progresses, but for now please take me with a box of salt and a little bit of sugar.

This quilt I like to call the "Modified Postage Stamp" type quilt. I had seen there was a "Postage Stamp Quilt-a-long" being held by a bunch of bloggers online this past January. I do apologize that I cannot remember who they were. From their idea I modified the pattern to use charm squares instead of Jelly rolls and added the Aqua fabric between blocks and around the outside of the blocks. I had some "Lovely" Charm squares (by my favorite fabric designer Sandy Gervais) and I wanted to do something that would showcase all the pretty colors and patterns in the fabric. The Aqua fabric that runs between the squares, also used for the binding, was a simple print that I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics. This is the first of my baby quilts that I have made to put in my stack for selling. This year I decided that I would not give everything away as I normally do. I am also finding some neat little projects one can make for babies and as gifts. I will share some of those links in the future as I find them and try the projects out.