Angie is giving away a quilt to celebrate 1001 posts!

You must go by Angie's blog to see her quilt that she is giving away.  Love it. 
http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/2014/09/applique-tuesday-not.html

I won Debby K's Quilter's Block-A-Day Calendar Companion CD!!

I'm so delighted.  I've been working on making these calendar blocks for a long time (and have given several of the calendars as gifts!) and now I have a CD!

The patterns are in two sizes and it has 12 extra blocks, too cool.  Thank you Debby! 
http://debbykratovilquilts.blogspot.com/2014/09/star-spangled-banner-day-5.html
This link has a free block and was the post that led to my win.  do be sure and check out her posts and follow her!

Christ Quilts new QAL and Giveaway

Check out Christa Quilts!  She's doing a new Quilt along and having a fabulous giveaway.  (I love solids!)
http://christaquilts.com/2014/09/18/giveaway-featuring-kona-solids-and-abacus-quilt-along-schedule/comment-page-1/#comment-42216
Looks like fun!

Day 2 of The True Evening Mystery from The Quilt and Needle!

Here are the pics of the next steps of Jess' Mystery from http://www.thequiltandneedle.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=2969&posts=14#M79315
You gotta love it!  Off to take another pic of finished top as the one I have is really bad!

 

Mystery Quilt at The Quilt and Needle!!

I had the wonderful opportunity to test this pattern.  They have started today at
http://www.thequiltandneedle.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=2969&posts=8#M79298
Here are my Installments from #1 and #2:

New FREE Stitch along with Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings!!

Lisa has started a new free stitch along.  It will have a new part every two weeks or so.  The first part is available now (and you can buy a wool kit for the block for only $4.00!!!)  The patterns will be free (thanks Lisa!)
Hope you join me!
http://lisabongean.com/2014/05/27/10th-anniversary-stitch-along-part-1/

Making progress on my EPP runner/table cloth

Still more hand-applique to go, but lookin' good!

El's Mystery is not a mystery any more!

Mark Lipinski (Love him, too funny) was the special guest at El's Block Party.  This year we've been doing a Mystery, making assorted numbers of star every month with special guests at class (Maryanne Fons, Alex Anderson, Nancy Zeiman via Skype with Daniela from Cozy Quilts pinch hitting and for April, we got Mark, best guest ever!  El Showed us what the quilt will look like (should finish by July......)

Here are a few pics of mine, so far.  I'm make 2

 

Hexie Project

Well, did another hexie project (3/4") EPP with papers from http://www.paperpieces.com/

These are the same size and the ones I WON!!!  Getting 100 paper hexies from http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/ because I remembered to 'link up' last week.  Isn't she a darling????  Guess I'll do that again!  I'm delighted since I used up so many of the ones I had making up little 'kits' with hexies (with hole punched out of middle for easy removal) and fabric squares so friends could get addicted too......Best project for working on waiting in doctor's or dentist office!  Good for doing while watching TV too!

Hexie projects I'm working on

Apple Blossom is a pattern from Paper Pieces that I'm doing in 1930s repro. Have all the EPP parts done, just need to applique the flowers, vine and leaves to borders and then stitch all parts together.  don't know why this got set aside......

This one is for another quilt with a medallion of scrappy squares on point, framing border and then 28 scrappy 'flowers' around the larger border.  Lots of fun.  Oh yes, these are 1" hexies.  Have another EPP project I'm doing with 3/4" (30s repros ) for Grandmother' Garden.

 

Then there's the 'tuna can' hexies (round fabrics, folded and stitched to make hexies.  This one will be done eventually since it doesn't need batting or backing (see pic #2 for 'back')

 

 

Irish hexies

Now for Irish hexies!  I'm making 32 (7 rows, 4 with 5 across and 3 with just 4) of these for a lap quilt.

You'll need Accuquilt hexagons and half hexagons plus equilateral triangle ruler or suitable rulers to cut you hexagons and half hexies.

Cut centers from Hexagon die (on left above), feel free to fussy cut them if you have a suitable print (I did!) I cut 32 centers.
Cut the 'rounds from the half-hexagon die (center and right above).  You'll need 6 half-hexies for each hexagon. (So, 6 X 32 for the quilt I made = 192!  Fortunately you can cut 12 at a time!)
This takes partial seam sewing (you only sew half-way on the first half-hex) then sew them around counter clockwise. 

 Add the half-hexies around:

 

last one

After adding the last one, finish that partial seam.

 I don't use pins, but if I did, this is how it would look!

Cut oodles of triangles.  I used the EZ  ruler and cut strips 4 1/4":

Love those engineered corners!

 I cut 62 (for 32 blocks), trim those tips!  They fit perfectly!!

 

 

  begin row  To put together a quilt you'll use the triangles.  Odd rows just use 1 triangle on each end, and 2 for the rest in the row--top right and bottom left. 

end row 

 add several of these (3 for my quilt) between the ones with just 1 triangle!

Even rows you start and end with 3 triangles (2 on the left side for start of row  plus upper right and 2 on right side plus lower left for end of row) with two triangles for the rest of the row. 

 then add more of these between them (I added 2 on my even rows):

 

Put all rows together

 looks odd, but works perfectly!

Sew rows together -- edges will be zigzag!:

leave it like this if you're into Modern Quilting!

or

trim the sides leaving 1/4" of the even-row triangles and a little over half of the odd-row hexies on each side.

 Haven't figured out what to do with the 'left-overs", but I will!

I added framing border cut at 2 1/2" and border cut at 6"

 

Enjoy!

WorldWide Quilting Day--National Quilting Day

Hope everyone is quilting today!  I'm off to make some more Irish hexies/half hexies--tutorial to follow to follow!  Here's a table topper made with just 2 fat quarters and Kona Black!

 

You'll need Accuquilt hexagons and half hexagons plus equilateral triangle ruler or suitable rulers to cut you hexagons and half hexies.
Cut 7 centers from Hexagon die (black above) and the 'rounds from the half-hexagon die (yellow and swirly red above).  You'll need 6 half-hexies for each hexagon. This takes partial seam sewing (you only sew half-way on the first half-hex) then sew them around counter clockwise.  After adding the last one, finish the partial seam (This is easier if you press towards the hexagon center).  To put together a quilt you'll use the triangles.  I cut them with EZ ruler (tip is already cut off at the top!) and 4 1/4" strips.
Love these perfectly cut pieces!

Row 1 (2 hexies) sew triangles on upper right and lower left for first one and 2 bottom 'corners' on second one.  Sew these together (NO INSET SEAMS! yeah!!)
Row 2 (3 hexies) sew one triangle on upper right for 1st one, upper right and lower left on second on and lower left on 3rd one. Sew together
Row 3 (2 hexies) sew triangles on upper left and lower right on 1st one, both upper 'corners' on 2nd one.  Sew together.

Sew rows together.  Add borders.  I used 4 1/4" for mine.  Let me know if you need more pics for the steps!  (Sorry, forgot to take them)

Now for Irish hexies!  I'm making at least 36 (probably 41 so top and bottom both have 5 across) of these for a lap quilt.

You'll need Accuquilt hexagons and half hexagons plus equilateral triangle ruler or suitable rulers to cut you hexagons and half hexies.

Cut centers from Hexagon die (on left above), feel free to fussy cut them if you have a suitable print (I did!) Cut the 'rounds from the half-hexagon die (center and right above).  You'll need 6 half-hexies for each hexagon. This takes partial seam sewing (you only sew half-way on the first half-hex) then sew them around counter clockwise.  After adding the last one, finish the partial seam (This is easier if you press towards the hexagon center).  To put together a quilt you'll use the triangles.  Odd rows just use 1 triangle on each end, and 2 for the rest in the row--top right and bottom left.  Even rows you start and end with 3 triangles (2 on the left side for start of row  plus upper right and 2 on right side plus lower left for end of row) with two triangles for the rest of the row.  Put all rows together then trim the sides, leaving 1/4"  of the even-row triangles and a little over half of the odd-row hexies on each side.
More pics to follow, once I get these done!

 

 









Happy 5th Anniversary to Angie! (she has a give-away too!)

Go to http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/ to see Angie's blog and enter her give away.  5 years blogging!  Congrats Angie!  (Love the quilts on most recent page--lovely eye candy!)

PS sorry I've been away--too much traveling, but quilt project coming soon!

Hi all--Jo's Country has a give-away

http://www.joscountryjunction.com/moda-bake-shop-day-candy-wishes-with-giveaway/comment-page-1/#comment-58973
Isn't Jo's quilt cute?  I too have done some quilts from mini-charms.  Here's the top of 'Double 4-Patch' (Quilt in a Day Signature pattern) using a couple of  'Glamping' min-charms.  Sew much fun, as El says!