Feather Fun!

Feather Fun!

What do you get when you mix a new Feather Pattern with some
                   favorite Fig Tree and Company fabric scraps?           
                                                 Scrappy Fun!

Feather design  by Kristy at Quiet Play blog  (patterns HERE)

I was one of the testers for this brand new pattern by Kristy!  She will have it available for sale in her pattern shop Nov. 1 !

Ok,  for the perfectionists everyone  reading my blog right now....  

Yes, I did notice  that the background polka dots fabrics are actually 2  different fabric lines.   (Actually I noticed AFTER the block was finished. )

I did say that I was using my treasured bag of scraps of Fig Tree Fabrics, right?
So... it is  a Scrap Happy Block!!   

Scrappy Feather Block   

Doesn't it look cute with my Geometric Cat block  { also a design by Kristy at Quiet Play)

Geometric Cat and  Feather patterns  by Quiet Play

Oh!  I just got an idea.....I think I'll make a mini quilt.... using Quiet Play design favorites and my Fig Tree Fabric scraps!!

*************************************************************************

Remember to stop by here  on Thursday, to see what I made for the Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop!

Sneak Peek Look:

                                                                                       

Susie's Sunroom :  Another pup !

                                   The Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop at Sew Fresh Quilts-                 
                                 
                                                        

Hope to see you on Thursday!!

I'm off to my sewing room!

           

October Gems

October Gems

October has been a beautiful month...  there have been gorgeous days, filled with little hidden gems (when you get out of the sewing room and walk around to look for them! )

After trimming our overgrown Rose of Sharon bushes, we discovered that the extra sunlight gave some vital energy to encourage this gangly  Evening Primrose plant to bloom extra times...even into October. ( It usually stops blooming in early September!)
(I also see lots of little "starter plants" for next year... they will sprout up tall and bloom!)

Evening Primrose blossom .... late blooming in October ! It blooms at dusk for just one night!  See my pillows  HERE

Blogged here

The sky was a sapphire blue on the day we walked around on a land that has been preserved for farming.....

Blue, blue skies

We found this interesting Milkweed Pod in the dried grass ... that looked like a bird head on a stick!!

Milkweed Pod..... shaped like a bird's head

Isn't this amazing?

Brandywine Creek

Stone bridge

I also have been working on a few projects:

Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop

I am participating in the Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop!   
Lorna,  of Sew Fresh Quilts has this adorable new puppy pattern out.... and 40 bloggers are sharing their Dog Gone Cute projects during October!
   My day of the blog hop is Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015 !

Sew Fresh Quilts "Dog Gone Cute" Blog Hop here

Here's a little peek of my Dog Gone Cute project that I am busy working on  ....

These are 9 1/2 " x 6 1/2 " blocks.   The pattern also has directions for the larger blocks.... 18 1/2 "  x 12 1/2 " .

Two little pups       by Susie's Sunroom

You can check out more pups and projects, on Instagram:  #dgcqal  and #doggonecuteqal


The whole schedule of blogs for the Dog Gone Cute Blog Hop:

You 'll want to check them all out to see their adorable projects!  They are amazing and inspiring!  Lorna also has a Linky Party on Nov 3, for anyone to link up their project! You can get the pattern  {HERE} .   Lorna's patterns and  directions are excellent!!

Tuesday, October 6

Karen of Run Sew Fun

Kris of Kris Loves Fabric

Anja of Anja Quilts

Kelly of Quilting it Out

Tish of Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland

Thursday, October 8

Carol of Just Let Me Quilt

Nina of Inchworming

Doris of The Quilting Queen Online

Brandy of Pampered Pettit

Leena of Creative Instincts

Tuesday, October 13

Ruth of Charly and Ben’s Crafty Corner

Tanya of Tanya Quilts in Colorado

Laurel of Quilts by Laurel

Kathy of Kathy’s Quilting Blog

Deb of New Creative State

Thursday, October 15

Anita of Daydreams of Quilts

Gina of Quilts and Cakes

Beth of Words & Stitches

Rachel of Quiltineering

Julie of Mack and Mable

Tuesday, October 20

Cathy of A Quilting Chick

Selina of Selina Quilts

Shauna of Shauna’s World

Gayle of Pedal Sew Lightly

Kathy of Kayak Quilting

Thursday, October 22

Sandy of Upstairs Hobby Room

Heide of Heide’s Quilty Hugs

Britt-Inger of Hill Valley Quilter

Judy of How ART You?

Louisa of Sewmotion

Tuesday, October 27
Teje of Nero’s Patch and Post

Stephanie of Jak and Will

Valerie of Val’s Quilting Studio

Ellen of Georgia Florida Studio

Cristina of Pretty Little Quilts

Thursday, October 29

Abigail of Cut & Alter

Magdalena of iloveneutrals

Jenn of A Quarter Inch from the Edge

Anne of Batiks by the Bay

Susie of Susie's Sunroom

Tracy of Tracy’s Bits N Pieces

Farm Girl Vintage Sampler Quilt Blocks:    from the Farm Girl Vintage Book (here)

Lori Holt's Book "Farm Girl Vintage"
Sew Along here

Simple Star Block:

 I made four Simple Star blocks, for the corner blocks of the quilt.

I used the Pink Gingham fabric for the star points... this will be my binding and the backing of the quilt.  From my stash!

Simple Star Blocks-   for my corners

Spring Star Block:

This is one of my favorite patterns!

Spring Star Block       

Summer Star Block:

This was a tricky block for me....  I must confess that I made the block twice.   I didn't want to lose the points when I sewed the blocks together.  I marked in the book:  " Need seam allowance space for the points!"

Summer Star Block

Sunday Morning Block:

Sunday Morning Block

Sunny Sunflower Block:

Sunny Sunflower Block

Tumbleweed Block:

This is another of my faves!

Tumbleweed Block

Union Jack:

Now this beautiful block is not in the book!  My talented designer friend, Amanda, The Patchsmith, designed this block!  It is available as a 6 '' block, 12" block and table runner pattern!!   I wanted to include this block in my Farm Girl Vintage block, as Amanda has been making the quilt in this sew along beside me, and  in honor of all of my UK quilty friends!  It is one of my favorites!!

Union Jack block      pattern by The Patchsmith   {Here}

Water Turn Block:

Well, if you know me at all, you'll have guessed that I added a lot of notes on this block!

I did make it twice, to get the flying geese units perfectly sized.... to keep the points from disappearing into the seam allowances.  But I love it!   I wrote:  " Watch points in ALL steps!  Measure and cut exactly in each step!"

Water Turn Block

Welcome Block:

Welcome Block

Winter Star Block:

This is one of my favorites!   And, yes, I did end up making it twice!

(I seem to learn something the second time!)

                                                        Winter Star Block

The 4 Seasons Stars together:

                                     Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Star Blocks

Woolly Sheep Block:

I fell in love with her!!

                                             Woolly Sheep Block

Next, I added some sashing strips and cornerstones, to sew my blocks into rows.

And before I could say, " Bob's your uncle!".....  it was sewn together!

                        My Farm Girl Vintage Sampler Quilt blocks coming together!

Stay tuned for more finishes!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:   Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts and
                       Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts  and
                        Fabric Tuesday  @  Quilt Story   and
                        And Sew We Craft Together @  And Sew We Craft

Cardinals

Cardinals Modern Mini

I love making holiday projects early.   I also  have found that if I don't make my Christmas projects "way- before" ( that's not a real word, is it? ) Christmas, I end up making no major projects. 

Do you sew this way, or do you "sew well" under pressure?

I was delighted to make a modern mini pattern during September. It is a cool  design from the new issue of the digital magazine Paper Piecing 1/4 "  ( issue 7  Oct-Dec 2015).

The designs are by Janeen, over at Quilt Art Designs blog!  Her modern designs are incredible and fun, and take me out of my  traditional "comfort zone" !  

Paper Piecing 1/4 "   issue 7  Oct-Dec 2015  (Here)

*** This new issue  # 7 includes-  Pine Cones, Cardinals, Santa, Deer, Baby Rudolph, Stars, Christmas Bells, Modern Mini Ornaments , and more!!   ***

Cardinals-            design by Janeen  at Quilt Art Designs      { here }

Size -   14 "  x 18 "     Mini wallhanging or quilt

Foundation Paper Piecing -   Intermediate level

Fabrics-    White    Lotta Dots- White on White tonal   from Connecting Threads 
                Cardinals-  scraps Moda fabrics
               Pine Needles-   Lime Green  Kona Cotton  Michael Miller
                
Batting-   Warm and Natural   (scraps sewn together)

Thread-   Aurifil White  50 weight

Cardinals        made by Susie's Sunroom

I was so excited to put all of the sections together!   Can you see the white dots on the white background fabric?  I wanted it to feel like it was snowing on Mr  and Mrs Cardinal.
This may become my favorite winter background fabric. ( Lotta Dots by Connecting Threads)

The flimsy top

I was "auditioning" binding fabrics,in the above photo .  I  liked seeing  something that felt earthy and bark-like.

  I  also had to figure out how to quilt and  fill up  the "negative" space on this design.
I decided to pick a focal point :  the center of the  spray of pine needles in the top right corner . Then I would continue lines of quilting outward from this point.    
I hoped it would give a feeling of  light radiating from this point, and also of snow blowing from  this direction.

I used my  trusty Walking Foot and Aurifil White 2024 thread,  for machine quilting the flimsy top .   It didn't take long to mark my lines with creases , using a long ruler and a Clover Hera Marker tool.  (here )

The  quilting focal point is the spray of pine needles
 in the right hand corner of the quilt 

This is a close up of Mr and Mrs Cardinal.   I love the details that Janeen put into each of these birds!  The eye sections have 9 and 10 sections in them, with  just a teensy bit of white!           

Close up of the Cardinals              

The binding was sewn  on the front, by machine, using my walking foot.  Then I  pressed it into place,  and sewed it  by hand onto the back.  ( I love using these small,  but mighty, Wonder Clips. )   I finished the hand sewing in one evening on this small quilt.  This  last bit of sewing the binding by hand is very comforting to me.  It really connects me to the "quilt part" of the project !

It's  ready for sewing the binding to the back of the quilt!

This  Cardinals Mini project even  got the "husband seal of approval !"  

Stay tuned for more projects coming from this issue 7  of Paper Piecing 1/4 "  !


I am linking up at:    Paper Piecing Party @ Quilt Art Designs      and
                               Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!  @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict  and
                                Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio  and
                               Let's Bee Social  @ Sew Fresh Quilts   and
                               And Sew We Craft Together @  And Sew We Craft     and
                               Sew Darn Crafty  @ Sew Many Ways

I'm off to my sewing room!

Pattern provided by QAD Publishing