Kaleidograph

Have you guys seen this new Kaleidograph Toy?  It was new to me, but once I started playing around with it, I'm hooked.  Basically you have different cards, all with different shapes and colors, and you stack them to create patterns.  (it also comes in black and white, which would be very cool too).

I love this sort of toy.  My daughter and I started playing around with them and we couldn't wait to share our creations.   We took pictures of some of our favorites.

  So, I had to make one into a quilt block...I sat down with my graphing notebook and started sketching and calculating, and honestly it made my brain hurt.  I put it aside for a few days and decided to just go for it.  Improv-style.  No planning--and it worked!  It's not an exact match, but I like it that way.  I'm not good enough for an exact match.  

Here's my block:

 Here's my inspiration:  

 What do you think?  I can see a few places I wish I would've used green...but I love that it got my juices flowing.  I would love to do a whole sampler quilt from these creations.

find it here.

Christmas Decorations Blog Hop!

The folks at Stitch Craft Create recently sent me a digital copy of this book, Handmade Scandinavian Christmas, and I'm excited to share it with you.  (Can you believe it is already this time of year??!!) 

First of all, this is a pretty book.  The images and photos are exactly what Christmas is in my mind.  In Texas, we just don't have snow, and usually we pretend it is cold enough to light a fire in our fireplace.  Despite the weather, we still like to decorate and make our home festive, even if the outdoors doesn't feel like a snow white Christmas.  

Many of the ideas in this book use natural supplies, things you can find in your backyard, and if they aren't found in your backyard, most can be found in your craft box.  And, there are A-L-O-T of projects in this one book.  It is chock full of ideas with directions for each, that really serve as inspiration.  You can take their ideas and make what you want.

I made a list of all the projects I wanted to try, and have 2 to show you.  My 5 year old helped with both of them, and loved it.  

First this wooden star, made from tree branches.  Mine doesn't look as nice as the one in the book, but that is the beauty of this type of project.  It doesn't really matter.  It still looks great.  We made both a 5 point star and a Star of David.  We also added glitter, because 5 year olds love glitter.  I also think these would be fun to spray paint.  Gold would be lovely.

  

Next we made these paper balls.  Let me say that these were EASY, and I think you could really spruce up a tree with them.  I didn't have any cool colorful scrapbooking paper, so we just used white, and I still like them.  I think I will purchase some fun paper and make these with my other kids over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

 I don't know that they will survive multiple Christmas', but that's okay.  We will just make more.  I think they would even be fun as garland.

 this image is from the book, to give you an idea of what colorful paper would look like.

You can find the book here. (or ebook)

and other handmade Christmas items here.

Stitch Craft Create has some really fun non-holiday books too, here.

follow along the blog hop:

Sat 1st – Crafts from the Cwtch (crochet candle holders)

Sun 2nd – Patchwork Posse (ribbon baubles)

Mon 3rd – Moogsmum (paper bird garland)

Tue 4th – Yarn Demon (crochet snowflakes)

Wed 5th – From the Blue Chair (Washi tape cards & baubles)

Thur 6th – Straight Grain

Fri 7th – A Quilt Is Nice

Sat 8th – Haak & Smaak

Mon 10th – Knits and Crosses

Tue 11th – A Bright Corner

Wed 12th – Imagine Gnats

Thu 13th – Thimbleanna

Fri 14th – The Creations of Crazy Dazy

Sat 15th – Ric Rac

Sun 16th – Chickpea Sewing Studio

Mon 17th – Ellison Lane

Tue 18th – Olivia Jane Handcrafted

Wed 19th – Boolah Baguette

Thu 20th – Made Peachy

Fri 21st – Pieced Brain

Sat 22nd – Rose Hip

Sun 23rd – Sewing Is for Girls

Mon 24th – Miss Print

Tue 25th – Feather’s Flights

Wed 26th – Follow the White Bunny

Thu 27th – Dotty Doily

Fri 28th – Guthrie & Ghani

Sat 29th – Cut to Pieces

Sun 30th – Molly Flanders Makerie

Pineapple quilt

I have nearly finished my pineapple blocks, and I'm really excited about this quilt.

tutorial found here (NO PAPER PIECING!) 

Fat Quarter Shop has a really great promotion going on.  All Art Gallery Fabrics are on sale.  Art Gallery has some really cool prints right now, with new designers all the time.  If you have never worked with Art Gallery Fabric, you are in for a treat.  Their fabric has such a great feel and drape.  Some of the softest fabric out there.  Check them out.

use code:  AG2014

Fat Quarter Shop :: blogger's choice bundle

 That's my name on a Fat Quarter Shop bundle!  This is exciting stuff.  Fat Quarter Shop contacted me and asked if I'd like to create a custom bundle for their shop.  I just couldn't say no--this is one of my favorite parts of quilting, pulling fabrics to put together.

...And then when I actually started looking at fabrics, I realized this is kind of hard.  There's so much pressure, what if they don't look good together--fabric shopping on the computer is tricky.  I made my choices (this was actually months ago), and I kind of forgot all about it, until this bundle arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago.  

When I opened the package, it was so fun to see them in person.   I tried to pick some colors that I wouldn't usually pick (the bright blue and the black) and I actually love them.  A refreshing mix, that I think have a fall-ish vibe to them.

Speaking of fall, I really want to make a Halloween quilt, and many of these prints would be perfect in a Halloween quilt...only problem is, I cannot settle on a pattern.  I have several Ghastlies prints that I would really like to use, but I just haven't felt like I know what to do with them...

-----giveaway closed----------
So... I have a bundle to share with one of you.  Just leave a comment with a pattern you like, or one that would work well for Halloween, or just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Monday (Nov 3).  

My bundle can be purchased here.

teepee quilt

My daughter just finished up a unit in school on Native Americans, so this quilt naturally looks like a teepee city. I had no reason for making this baby size quilt, I pulled fabric and just started cutting triangles. I wanted to do an isosceles triangle this time instead of equilateral (here and here), and I like them both. The equilateral is definitely easier to cut out (with a ruler). To cut the isosceles triangles I used this ruler.

I never really know how to quilt triangle quilts, I always feel like they need some curves, but I still want the triangles to be the star.  

I decided to do wavy lines, about 1/2-1 inch apart.  They work great, gives it texture, but still soft.

 Words for binding.  I debated binding for several days, and then finally went for it with this text-y print and I think I love it.  I thought it might be too much contrast with the cream next to the grey/black, but it works.

Pineapple

I was not looking to start a new project, but then I saw this tutorial and couldn't stop myself.  

 My plan is 20 blocks to make a good lap size, but we will see.  These blocks are definitely labor intensive and lots of getting up and down to iron and trim, but it's totally worth it.  It's a stunning block.

drunkards path

My drunkards path blocks are a quilt...yay.  I'm making some progress getting my WIPS under control.  It feels so good.  I would love to revisit this pattern again, maybe with bold circles and low volume back-ground.  Or switched.  I'm looking forward to quilting this one...I'm thinking spirals in the circles, so they really stand out.  Hopefully our weather will cool down so I can baste something!

I used my go cutter to cut these out.  Such a time saver, and everything fit together perfectly.

This block might be one of my new favorites...it is so versatile.  I recently checked this book out from the library and felt so inspired.  So many wonderful ideas.

p.s.  I stepped in three fire ant piles while taking this picture.  Miserable little creatures.  I just hate them.