Sundance Dresden Pillow

I have been quilting for almost 15 years, and I have never made a dresden plate block, until now.  It's shameful.  I don't know why I waited so long...well, I do know--I've always kind of been afraid of them, a little intimidated.  

But this pattern was NOT scary.  The technique for the dresden plate is a little different from normal piecing, so it was a fun change for me.  The pattern is for a pillow, but this would make a lovely mini quilt.

Pattern can be found here, at the Fat Quarter Shop, and there's even a video if you are a visual person.  I love that we can find a video for almost every task that we need.  I am definitely a visual person.

A couple tools I used to make this block easier:

dresden plate ruler, bigger perfect circles (this was awesome.), appli-glue (wonderful for getting your plate, and circle to stay put until you stitch them down.

If you are interested, Fat Quarter Shop has a kit for the pillow (from the video).

more farmers wife blocks

I'm slowly plugging along, working on my farmers wife blocks.  I go through spurts.  Sometimes I love making them and sometimes I really want to work on something else...So far I haven't used templates (as the book recommends), I've just been using math to figure out pieces, but I'm running out of blocks that I can figure out.  I'm going to have to go to templates or foundation piecing.

All my blocks together.

I haven't decided how big I want it to be.  Probably lap size.

half square triangles (HST)

Tiger Lily, by Heather Ross, and half square triangles will always be a good combination (even on a wrinkled quilt top).  The half square triangle is one of the most basic blocks in quilting making it one of my very favorite blocks.  They are easy to make and versatile.  I appreciate intricate piecing, but I sure love simple.  (I use this method for making my half square triangles.)

I loved this quilt so much (and I need another baby quilt), that I decided to recreate it with prints.  I think I like it just as much, especially with these sweet Heather Ross fabrics.

Color

Several asked for colors from my Sunset Quilt, and here they are.  As you can see, I'm not a solid purist.  I like and purchase all for different reasons.  

• Kona, by Robert Kaufman, has every color under the sun and are the most affordable.  Plus I can find many colors locally without having to order online.
• Moda has a lot of colors too, and it seems that their repertoir is growing.  The feel and drape of the Moda Bella Solids is really nice, and it's getting easier to find.
• Art Gallery Pure Elements have the smallest variety, but the feel is my favorite.  It's so soft.

I used two very similar yellows because I didn't have enough of just one, but you can't really tell, they look pretty much exactly alike.

I have had that Timeless Treasures dark crosshatch print for YEARS.  I've cut off the name of the print, so I only know the manufacturer.  I love how it plays with the black.  Its very subtle.

Sunset Quilt

Another baby quilt for a friend and this one was a little hard to part with.  I really like it, and think I need to duplicate it in a bigger version, and try different colors, particularly one for a boy (quilt meausures 40x48in).

 Inspiration for this quilt found here.

 I almost bound it in a pink polka dot, but then I remembered I had these sweet, tiny hearts, and they were perfect.

I quilted around each square.  I mostly quilted in the white, so my white thread wouldn't stand out on the black

Sweet little Heather Ross Ballerinas on the back.

(fabric colors: here)

Cross Quilt

Everytime I see a quilt like this on instagram or on a blog, I want to make one myself.  The contrast of black and white is so striking.  Plus, black and white totally works for boy or girl.  

It seems like all my friends are having babies, and I've been busy making quilts.  I love baby quilts.  such fast projects, and this one was just that!  Quick!  I sewed the top together in a short afternoon before my kids came home from school, and then quilted it in about the same time.

I love this minty print by April Rhodes (Triangle Tokens), a perfect gender neutral print.  This might be my favorite fabric right now.  I love the color and the little triangles (some are gold!).

 bound in a goldish yellow stripe.

also wanted to let you all know that Fat Quarter Shop is having a big sale on the ever popular Cotton + Steele Fabrics.  Check it out!  Sale ends Sunday, Oct 4.

use code: CS2015

Good Neighbors Pincushion Party!

 Everyone's favorite blogger, Amanda Jean, has released her first fabric line, with Connecting Threads, called Good Neighbors, and it is available NOW.  Good Neighbors looks exactly like what you would expect from Amanda.  It's bright and cheerful, and works well with fabric that is already in your stash.  (The stripes are my favorite)  

I'm sure you have seen all the pin cushions that have popped up on blogs and instagram, and I too have made one.  This is actually the 1st pincushion I have ever made, and it was fun to make, I'm not sure why I haven't made one sooner, maybe because I hate pinning.  

Mine is based on the Cheerio quilt block, but I shrunk it down to 4 inches.  I decided to keep it scrappy, an ode to Amanda's love of scraps, and I love how it turned out.  The pincushion pattern can be found in this book, I just used a different patchwork square.

I have a charm pack to giveaway, so leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Friday.  (US and Canada only please).    Give away CLOSED!

If you have a minute, check out all the cool pincushions made with Good Folks: 

(Or on instagram:  #goodneighborsfabric)

9/1/2015 Amanda Jean – Crazy Mom Quilts
9/2/2015 Anna – Noodlehead 

9/3/2015 Mary – Mary on Lake Pulaski
9/4/2015 Svetlana – Sotak Handmade (you are here)
9/5/2015 Debbie – Esch House Quilts
9/6/2015 Holly – Bijou Lovely
9/7/2015 Carla – Grace and Favour
9/8/2015 Faith – Fresh Lemons Quilts
9/9/2015 Vanessa –  V and Co.
9/10/2015 Anna –  Thimbleanna
9/11/2015 Krista –  Poppy Print Creates
9/12/2015 Erin –  Why Not Sew
9/13/2015 Lee –  May Chappell
9/14/2015 Alex –  Tea Ginny Designs
9/15/2015 Cheryl –  Nap Time Quilter
9/16/2015 Penny –  Sew Take a Hike
9/17/2015 Amy –  During Quilt Time
9/18/2015 Debbie –  A Quilter’s Table
9/19/2015 Anne –  Spring Leaf Studios
9/20/2015 Melissa Corry –  Happy Quilting
9/21/2015 Amber –  One Shabby Chick
9/22/2015 Nettie –  A Quilt is Nice
9/23/2015 Adrianne – Little Bluebell
9/24/2015 Cindy –  Live a Colorful Life
9/25/2015 Amy –  Diary of a Quilter
9/26/2015 Chase –  Quarter Inch Mark
9/27/2015 Rene –  Rene Creates
9/28/2015 Erin –  House on Hill Road
9/29/2015 Nicole –  Modern Handcraft
9/30/2015 Teri –  Connecting Threads