granny square

My granny square quilt is finished.  I posted the quilt top a while ago, and actually finished the quilting a while ago, so we have been enjoying this quilt through this COLD winter (yes, I know, cold in Texas isn't really that cold).

I fell in love with Jolene's quilt first and couldn't resist.  I did start and then come back to this quilt, because it just wasn't coming together for me.  I talk about my modification here--once I got that figured out it went together fast, and these blocks are fun to make.

I made mine pretty big, 6 blocks by 7 blocks, and I used low volume fabrics for my background, which I think I like.  I used up a ton of scraps, and overall I like it, but I think I might be over the low volume business.  I'm kinda missing the vibrancy of color on white.  I do like how the low volume makes it a bit more subdued and muted.

I guess I didn't take a full picture of the backing... I pieced together some fabrics from my stash, but the majority of it is this pretty purple plaid I picked up at JoAnns.  I like it as backing, and it would also make a great binding fabric.

bound in this fun stripe, I love the color combo on this stripe and how each stripe is about an inch.  Adds some variety to my striped binding obsession.

I ended up hand stitching the binding because my machine was in the shop, and I have to confess...I am a long time machine binder, but I kinda really love the look of hand-sewn binding.  I'll probably be doing it more often, maybe.  It definitely takes longer.

for quilting, I did straight line quilting down the x's of each block.  It worked out well because those x's all line up.  I quilted a quarter inch from each side of the seam.  Tedious and a little boring to do, but I love the overall effect, plaid-like.

I'm keeping this quilt, I just don't want to part with it.  It's one of my favorites.

qtools

I recently received some fun new notions to help with sewing/quilting, and it's funny how you don't think you need notions until you actually use them, and then they become 'must-haves'.  The On the Dot Markers are used to align your ruler.  I have tried doing this many times with tape or sticky notes, and haven't made it work, but these work for me.  I think it's the hole in the middle.  

(I hate that my rotary cutter is not closed in this pic...)

I am perfectly pleased with them, and they are reusable too.  I had one small problem with one dot moving/sliding around, but I wiped off my ruler and cleaned the dot, and it has stuck perfectly ever since.

The 'Dots' are coming in really handy with trimming my economy blocks.  I don't have to think about where to place the ruler!

find them here.

economy block

I'm probably the last person join this quiltalong, but that's okay...better late than never.

I have loved seeing all the different economy block quilts showing up around the web and instagram.  I also love that I dug deep into my scraps for these blocks and plan to use mostly scraps.  Hopefully I will see a dent.

tutorial found here (or if you want to make a bigger block, search around, I know lots of folks are making them bigger)

apple core!

While I'm talking about curves and my GO! cutter, I have a finished quilt to share, that turned out really great.  I worked hard on this quilt for a while and then we moved (the move before this last move) and I lost my motivation to sew rounded seams, and it was put away for a long time.  When I finally decided to just finish it, it actually went together really fast and turned out really great.

I used fabric from Denyse Schmidt's line, Hope Valley, this line has really grown on me.  I vacillated between loving it and not loving it, but in the end, I really like it.  The colors are unique and work so well with each other and with so many other fabrics.

I started out pinning my apple cores, and then stopped...I've said it before, I don't like pinning.  Perfection is not worth the effort.  It all ended up coming together just fine, and I'm sure I owe that to the GO! cutter.

I backed it in the ubiquitous numbers print from IKEA, which I love,

 and bound it in a black and white stripe.  (for my birthday last year, my sister in law sent me a LONG roll of black and white bias binding, all sewn up and ready to use.  Isn't that the best gift?  I need to remember it).

drunkards path

Before my machine broke and had to take a trip to the shop, I received a new die for my Accuquilt Go! Cutter.  

I'm kind of afraid of circles, I tend to avoid them at all costs...but the GO! really does make them less intimidating--I'm still slow, but at least the cutting is precise and everything lines up.  Plus it speeds up the cutting process, and that is by far my least favorite part.

I don't even pin these.  I know I probably should, but I just don't want to.  haha.

I'm going to stick to mainly solids for this quilt, I'm enjoying the effect.  Not sure on size, or if this will be the final layout, but I'm loving it so far.

I'm really digging this heart die for Valentines day.  I've never used my cutter with flannel, but I'm sure it would work, and these would make a cute banner.
(or this one)

Another pow wow

Well, my sewing machine is in the shop, again--this is the third time for the same problem.  I'm kinda wondering if my machine is dying...I sure hope not, because, dangit, sewing machines are expensive! 

So, I haven't been sewing, but I have been sorting and cutting scraps.  I've got a sore back and shoulders to go with my organized scraps.  But, I have finally taken the time to photograph quilts to share here.

Another baby quilt.  I LOVE this pattern.  I made a similar one almost exactly a year ago.  I have got to make this one bigger.  It goes together so quickly, and is fun for me.  

I used this super cute Heather Ross print for the backing...

 Bound in an older blue stripe.  I'm really into striped bindings lately.

I quilted it in concentric circles and I really love the look, but do not love the process.  It's fine once I'm out of the middle, but the center is kinda torturous for me.  So much shifting of quilt through the machine. 

x and + quilt

I'm back.  I finished up my x and + quilt a while ago, but it was a christmas gift,  so I am just now able to share it here.  This was one of those quilt alongs that I started last year.  

I really love this quilt, I loved making it and love the finish.  It's so very scrappy, but there's still some order!

for the backing I used a large solid piece (I think it's kona putty) and then added strips of fabric I had in my stash

It's pretty hard to see the quilting, but I did swirls (I love quilting swirls) on the x sections and zigzags on the +.   I like how it turned out.  There's a few things I will do differently next time, but it turned out just how I pictured it.

I went back and forth on the binding...almost settled on a navy blue, but ended up with a black and white stripe (a la Red Pepper Quilts).  It just works so well on scrappy quilts.