Modern Stash for March

Ginny is our hostess for March and requested a String X block for the Magnum P.I Hive.  I was so worried to post this block for her as she had asked for fussy cuts and scrappy.  The scrappy was covered, but the fussy cuts.....not so sure.  She posted that she loved it.  Woo hoo!

And a big whoops on me! I was supposed to make TWO blocks, not one so here is the second one!

Have you even seen a block for the first time and loved it? Well that happened to me when I was peeking in to snoop observe what the other hives were up to for March.  This is the block.

 photo credit > Kelly Keller

so this is the bonus block that I made for Christine.

Take a peek at some of the other blocks I have made here, here and here earlier in the year.

This bee is so awesome - I am really enjoying it.

QuiltCon - Part 1

QuiltCon was a blast! So much so that I will need to break up the posts to tell you all about it. 

Let's start with Friday evening!  Alyssa from Pile O' Fabric hosted a dinner for the participants of the Skillbuilder BOM and it was fantastic! Aside from actually meeting other participants and putting a face with a Flickr screen name (and a real name, and a blog name, and a modern quilt guild – so much to remember) we showed off our Skillbuilder blocks in our Flickr photostream to each other.

Alyssa was a wonderful hostess, as she had a couple of fun games for us to play.  One was to identify fabric (modern of course) and then Kona colors.  I thought for sure I would nail the Kona colors.  Umm, no.  I only got 1 out of 10 correct.  Oh well – it was fun anyway.  There was also a pin cushion swap but it was just too far down on my list to get done so I admired all the great pin cushions that everyone else got.

Heather, Anne and Maggie

Gillian, Lana and Pam

 Jami and January

Julie and Perla

Freedom Pattern has been released!

Esther over at I Patch and Quilt has designed her first paper piecing pattern, called "Freedom" from her "Star Collection".  I had the honor of being accepted as a pattern tester for her earlier in the month so it has been under wraps for a short while but it is tested and ready to go! This pattern is available at Craftsy now.  I encourage you to go download it!

She is offering this pattern FREE and has more patterns in the works, due to be released soon!

One of this things Esther includes in her patterns are a few sketches of the pattern in different color schemes, as well as some blank templates that you can color in to see what colors you may like to create this in. For a peek at some of the test blocks - click over to Flickr.

Freedom is unfinished at 8.5", which is an 8" block finished, perfect for a tote, zip bag, mini or pillow.

Enjoy!

February Guild BOM

The Modern Quilt Guild I belong to has a Block of the Month and in February we were asked to make this wonky pinwheels block created by Natalie at greenleafgoods.  If you like it, jump over the tutorial and stitch one up!

This is a wonderful block for scrap busting and once you cut out your neutral (or any color really) base squares, you do those scraps, press and sew! I do suggest you press opposite to the side for the rows though, you know....that nesting thing that sounds odd, but actually when you follow it - works! 

Hope you have a wonderful day today and if you are headed to Quiltcon, have fun - I'll see you soon!

Madrona has crossed the finish line!

As many of you, who are Modern Quilt Guild members know, we recently had a challenge using Violet Craft's Madrona Road Fabric.  At my quild we got fat quarters and were to asked to make a quilt with them.

The pattern I used was out of a Quiltmaker magazine and I thought it would showcase the fabrics nicely.

Now usually, I send my quilts out to be quilted, but since the deadline to show this was fast approaching and frankly, can you call yourself a quilter if you don't quilt? (I have for a good long time, but I still ponder the question).  It was time to step up and just do it.  After all, my machine can handle it, I should be able to also.

The pebble quilting design is one I have always admired so I just went for it. In full disclosure, prior to this sudden motivation, I had drawn one inch lines in all the gray space as I thought straight lines would be easier. That thought was quickly abandoned after I stitched, just one, line.  I ripped it out and pebbled my little heart out. For any future pebbling, the one inch lines are worth the time, to create guidelines to quilt in between.  My machine has a BSR so I plugged it in and went to town.  First I was only going to do one corner, then two, then just one triangle section.  It was sucking me in!  I just kept going and going.  Then....my machine decided she needed some juice. Ugh, not now, just a few more areas.  No, she needed her juice now.  So I gave her some oil, per her request and you know what, she decided she wanted to do something else. The nerve!! I couldn't get the tension right to finish and I didn't just have a few eyelashes, I had full on bird's nests. So..... she got abandoned for the evening. The next morning I did some piecing and then came back later with the BSR to finish.  Humming right along now.  Big sigh of relief.

After the Madrona finish, the thread got swapped out and I moved on to the Skillbuilder blocks.

On a personal note: I found this post by Violet Craft very moving as she talks about designing this line and what it means to her.

Winner Winner!

Do you ever enter into giveaways? Me too! This one has a little story.

I was perusing my blog list and I was checking out Rita's latest low volume quilt with pink and she had a giveaway, hosted by Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  As I filled out my comment I thought, wouldn't it be ironic if I actually won.

I did.  Yeah!  So Fort Worth Fabric Studio, by way of Australia, mailed me this gorgeous fat quarter stack of Raspberry Mixers to Fort Worth.  Funny how it works out.  I am at a loss as what to make so please, if you have any ideas, tell me!!

Thanks to Red Pepper Quilts for offering the giveaway and Jodie and Fort Worth Fabric Studio for providing it - I appreciate it!

The First Two

What's this you say? My Skill Builder blocks, fondly known as Soundwave (top) and Magnum (bottom).

Confession time: I have never used safety pins to baste before. Gasp! I always use the 505 spray so this was new.  And...I have never free motion quilted before this month so all kinds of new beginnings for me.

Although I enjoy the look of dense quilting, I'm not sure that I like to do it.  You can see on the right side of the Magnum block I attempted to spread it out a little bit and made it bigger and it went just fine, right up until I turned the corner.  That's ok though, I am just learning and it doesn't bother me one bit. 

The Meander pattern looks so easy, you just move your needle around.  Yeah right. In my head, the mantra that got repeated over and over was "don't cross a line, don't run into stitches...don't cross a line, don't run into stitches".  It's funny to me now.  

This series is QAYG  - which stands for Quilt as you Go.  You quilt each block before you sew them together.  It's awesome! You see before I quilted these, I quilted my Madrona Road challenge quilt all in one night, using dense pebbles.  Groan! The result was fantastic but my fingers were sore.  After doing a bigger piece, these 15 x 15 blocks are like butter!  

I used the gloves and they were fabulous, but I am hoping to get a Supreme Slider at Quiltcon after I have the chance to actually test it touch, place fabric on it, etc...before I buy.  

Ok, back to the Skill Builder.  Have you heard of it? Are you participating? Jump right in if you haven't.  Alyssa has such complete lessons, tips, you tube tutorials and just great advice and she is providing this for free.  Hello? Super generous - please join us - the lessons are fabulous!!

Solids are Awesome!

You know how I feel about solids (and if you don't just re-read the post title), which is why I signed up to be an alternate for the USA group of the Simply Solids - a modern {bee}.

Well guess what - I got in! It is so exciting. The February inauguration block is for Erin who is also our most wonderful hostess.

She has been awesome so far! Not only did she open this up for international ladies (we have an Ireland/UK group, Canada and Australia) but she also got some prizes donated from wonderful sponsors. On top of that she also does a thread, each month, of what all of the groups (and we have 9 or 10 of them) are doing so we can, at a glance, see the variety. 

As a swap hostess myself, I know that takes time and I really appreciate it! So...my block for Ms. Erin has already been returned to her but I wanted to show it off  to you! In case you want to see what I made for March, check it out here!

Lucky Stars - February

Hey Hey, Do you remember my color, I mean design scheme for this paper pieced series? If not, read about it here.
Following the theme for consistency, this is my February block.  I am really loving how these are turning out.

If you would like to join in on this paper pieced Lucky Stars block of the month, you can still sign up, just head on over to Elizabeth's for additional details!

Yet another BOM for 2013!

Just in case you got the idea I don't have too many obligations this year let me clear that up for you as I add another one to the list ~smile~. The Fort Worth Modern Quilt Guild has a Block of the Month all through the year and you get points for each block you make, by the deadline.  Then at the end of the year, if you make a quilt with all the blocks you get more points.  I am extremely competitive so there was no way that I could let this challenge pass me by.  These are my first two so I am two points closer to the prize!