Friday, September 28, 2018

Fall into Secondary Patterns with Island Batik.....


I should have called this post--better late than never!!! The assignment for JULY was secondary patterns. I had this design all ready to go and then as happens with everyone--LIFE!!


I started with these gorgeous fat eigths from the Pumpkin Patch collection that were given to me by Island Batik. You will also see some hand dyed wool I had in my stash that coordinate perfectly with this batik collection.


The 1 1/2" die #55470 from AccuQuilt made quick work of cutting all these little squares.


Love these stacks of gorgeous color.....


Spinning all the seams on the back make for a nice flat laying quilt top!!!


Now time to play....should I choose this combination....


....this one might be fun....


....could be a cute baby quilt...but I am going for a table center....


....this is the secondary design I was looking to find!!!



Now for some more fun---add some wool applique shapes using Fall Medely die #55041 from AccuQuilt. This makes such amazingly quick work of cutting this shapes!!


For these Ambassador assignments, I have been challenging myself to use some of the great features on the Bernina 790. Freemotion applique and quilting on the domestic machine uses a different muscle memory than doing it on the long arm quilting machine!! But I persevered and made it through. Not perfect--but a great challenge to myself!!


Extra fat eights from the Pumpkin Patch collection on the back.


Such quilty goodness!! I even changed thread colors 3 times!!


All ready for fall...let the crazy of harvest begin!!


It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the Spring, who reaps a harvest in the Autumn. B. C. Forbes

Genesis 8:22

"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease."




Wednesday, September 26, 2018

StarSpin Flowers with Island Batik....


Stars is the Island Batik Ambassador assignment for September--any size, color or shape!!! I just love wide open assignments!! The fabrics used were all supplied to me by Island Batik.


I started with these glorious colors from the Victoria and Albert collection from Island Batik--they should be in your favorite quilt shop now--if not ask for them!!!


I used the Victoria and Albert collection to make Peace Seeker for the Island Batik Spring/Summer 2018 catalog. It even made the back cover!! You can find the pattern here.


Oh how I love playing with the AccuQuilt Qubes!! I pretty much won't design or make a quilt without using them anymore!! 


Just look how CUTE these little pieces are from the 6" Corners Qube!!!


Oh the decisions....on point or horizontal....and which fabrics to use?!?!?


Dark green and horizontal made the cut---along with a nice shade of taupe Aurifil for the quilting.


Straight line quilting for the win!!!


Just look how the fabrics match almost perfectly to the hydrangea bush in our landscaping.... the only way I can explain this is that it must be a God-Thing!! I may have been too excited and took a few too many photos.....


Playing with focus...just like life...what we focus on becomes what we see most in life...


Thanks again to Island Batik and Aurifil for the amazing products to do this cute little project!!!


Border Quilt Along....checkerboards....


Checkerboard borders!!! Oh how fun they can be.....if I would have just followed the instructions as Patterns by Jen so nicely created for her Borders Quilt!!


....but this stack of 10" sqaures was on top of the pile in the gray tote....so just going scrappy with them!!!


Stacked them up no more than six layers on my AccuQuilt 2 1/2" strip cutter die....and cut the 10" sqaures into strips.


Layered the cut strips perpendicular to the blades on the die and cut again...


With just a couple passes through the GO! Big--multiple 2 1/2" sqaures. I did run a few stacks through the cutter again--as those pesky pinked edges really mess with me!!!


Love me a fabric closeup!!


Just keep piecing....piecing....piecing. Here is when I ran into a bit of trouble--no fault to Patterns by  Jen!! As I said before--those pesky pinked edges get me every time I work with precuts!!! I should have checked that my 1/4" seam allowance was true and working with these pieces. I didn't and ended up doing a bit of unsewing and resewing to make the borders fit correctly.
This is a Borders Quilt--so I had better make sure that each border is the correct size with each round--or my quilter---me---might charge me an extra fee for ruffled border!!! LOL


Now this photo shows a bit of ruffling--but it does lay flat and the measurements are correct. Hopefully I follow Jen's wonderful instructions better on the next round!!! Come back on October 10 to find out!!!
Make sure to go to Jen's blog for more information and links to all the other inspirational bloggers!!


Becca - Pretty Piney
Joanne - Quilts By Joanne
 Marija - Mara Quilt Designs
Stephanie - Quilt'n' Party

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

The Borders Quilt......quilt along....


Welcome to the first round of The Border Quilt by Patterns by Jen...you can find the pattern here on her Etsy shop or to find more information on the quilt along--you can go to her blog here.


I was so excited when Jen let me know I was going to be a part of her Borders Quilt quilt along!!
All kinds of questions went through my mind--what colors should I use, how many borders
should I add, what will I talk about??
Then I turned away from the computer and my gaze landed upon this quilt I made a few years ago at a retreat with Eyta Sitar as the teacher. Inspiration!! I had so much fun just using random colors pulled from the suitcase of fabric I had brought along to use.


So here you go--the Borders Quilt is right here in this gray tote!! I have been collecting  various size cuts of bright, colorful, modernish fabrics and storing them here under my ironing table for a few years--and now is the time to use them!! No planning just random mix and match using the fabric that speaks to me on the day!!

Now if you are more the planning type sewist--go check out Jen's blog here where she has so generously provided a fabric planning for you to download.


Over the summer, Jen has been interviewing the bloggers that will be a part of her quilt along. Brilliant solution to her problem of fabric not arriving as scheduled.
You can find the interview she did with me here.


So here it is..my center for the Borders Quilt. Since I am going to be going randomly scrappy with the Borders Quilt, my thought is to keep the center simple. This word fabric from Art Gallery was just the right one!!


Stay tuned for what might inspire the next round!! And check out all the other bloggers participating.


 Vicki - My Creative Corner3 
Becca - Pretty Piney
 Joanne - Quilts By Joanne
 Marija - Mara Quilt Designs
 Alison - Little Bunny Quilts
 Stephanie - Quilt'n' Party
 Daphne - Daphne Greig