Tutorial- scrappy Blue Sqs (5 pcs)

I still don't know the name of this block. I am going to call it "Blue". If you choose to make one please call it what ever you like.


I am making my version using 2 1/2" strips (I had some handy and of course if you make a practice block you might as well just make a whole top!)

Below are my 'notes'. I thought I would share a little of how I 'think' when working on a project.

As a Disclaimer: I tend to be more concerned with the process then the outcome. This top may or may not be completed in my life time. Sometimes jotting it down on paper is all I need TO DO.
For this one, I also constructed a couple of blocks (so far I like them) and continued to cut enough strips it consider this a KIT.

Sewing is so fast an easy that I have now upgraded to a 'Work in Progress'

I intend this post to be one to show off the making of the piles so to speak.

Everyone has their own level of organization. I tend to start out headed on the scrappy path and then out of time switch to quick and easy.

Although I would love to say there is only one of each fabric in this top, that is not true, I did try to limit it to 8 blocks with a fabric (only b/c I like to cut in multiples of 4 or 8).

Even with a favorite fabric showing up in several blocks they can look different by pairing with a different mate.

Here is the Lights & Darks set.

I didn't split the centers into 8 Lights, 8 Med, 8 Darks (on paper that would have been the logical thing to do) It was just quicker to use what I had cut out so I didn't pay attention to how many of each.

Because I already had some strips cut, I pulled from my scraps other material to supplement.

I then cut 2 1/2" strips trying to make piles of L,M,D (when you do your top, you can sort by RW&B, or any color combo you like)

After I had enough strips I sub-cut into 6 1/2" and 5(ish) and 2 1/2" sqs.

I will do a follow up post showing how to sort these out to get a scrappy disbursement of the materials

I am all about keeping it fast and easy (and enjoying making the block/top/quilt). I will also do a post showing block construction tricks that speed it along. This morning I pieced 24 blocks in a 1/2 hour.

cont....how to make the sets.

New block for me and a new block with a twist!

I don't know what the name of this block is, I am sure it is making it's way around the quilting circles. The top I saw was just beautiful and I had to do a double take to figure the 'block' out.

Jennifer did tell me she was making 12 1/2" blocks but that was after I decided to do mine using 2 1/2" strips.

I think I have enough in blues to make a nice top. If my cyber friends vote to see me make this top, I will do a tutorial of how I make the block and more importantly HOW I decided on the fabrics! (I might just do the tut. anyway b/c if I don't write it down I may forget when I get ready to put it together-lol)

Lets call this Quilt # 1 inspired by Jen.

On to possible Quilt #2 inspired by trying to short cut Jennifer's inspiration:

Here's a hint as to how I process- I assign numbers in place of colors, for some reason I like numbers better and the color can be substitute in later-

Can you guess the block?

Here's another hint, I am stripping 2 1/2" red and whites, then sub-cutting at 4 1/2". The blocks takes FOUR of these sets and a same size accent sq. (In my block I went with blue)

Can you see it?

I have made several bow tie quilts and had never thought to piece my bow pieces.

I was trying to figure a short cut on Jen's block and stumbled on to an interesting alternative.

Problem is now (as with every block) I need to figure out how to make it and how to set it.

For this Quilt II, there are two different possibilities, the first is as designed, set alternating and creating a frame around the blue center. (can you see it in my drawing?)

The second block idea is alternate the Red and White and set the block in a Rail-Fence style.

I'll call this one Quilt 2-b

Ok, let the games begin- which one if any do you want to see me work on next?

be good cw

RW&B pt 1

Normally when I post, I add my photos first and then write my 'story' round them.

For some reason tonight I have several ideas I want to get in print and am not sure where I am going to start.

Instead of sitting at the keyboard waiting until my brain figures it out....I decided to just start writing and 'see what happens'

Here goes----

Last week, good friend Pam told me about a shop having a 'yard sale' on items not getting moved to the new location. I did a brag post on the huge amount of scraps (fats, strips & yards) that I brought home.

I am proud to say that it is all sorted, some has been re-gifted and some has been set aside to age.

I saw a top the other day that got me to thinking that I wanted to make a similar piece.

I will do a post on that block after a bit.

My motivation was to use some of my new scraps and create a quilt that has a Red White and Blue feel to it..

I drew out what I wanted and tonight sewed up a practice block.

As usual I now have several ideas of how I want to proceed.

I am thinking about showing the blocks and the thought process and letting cyber friends vote for a layout or design. Kinda like a 'flip a coin' without the flipping.

As a disclosure for me Red can be any red in this case the reds are leaning towards civil war repos

Whites can be any lights (as you can see mine in this box are tans and creams)

And Blues are what is on hand

In case you worry I won't have enough, rest assured, my scrap wall can fill in where I am lacking from this busted NO BUY.

Part II will be showing off the top Jennifer made and my thoughts on how I would do a similar one (If that is what the cyber friends vote for me to do)

Before you start feeling the pressure, know that I am prone to making TO-DO's and Kits so even if you persuade me to commit to something, don't hold your breath.

Be good. cw

Judy Martin Sale ends July 30th

Just got an e-mail and thought I would pass the info on. Everyone has been influenced by Judy's work even if you aren't aware of it. Let's break our NO-BUY's and let this gal get a bathroom! http://www.judymartin.com/Viewer-Photos.cfm see what other quilters are doing w/Judy's patterns.- cw


Greetings quilters,

We’re about to begin a MAJOR remodeling project. To help pay for it, we’re going to convert some inventory into cash. How? A big sale, as in free shipping, a free book, and a dollar off every item. Because of the considerable expense of shipping overseas, we have to limit this to U.S. sales only.

Needless to say, there are details you need in order to proceed. Go to http://www.judymartin.com/landing-page-remodeling-sale.cfm and read all about it.

The deadline is close of business on July 30, 2010.

You would be doing me a big favor if you pass this on to your quilting friends or any quilting communities to which you belong. (I’ve put off dealing with the remodeling for years because of the expense, but it can’t be put off any longer. Most college rental properties have better bathrooms and kitchens than I have!) This offer is not just for our newsletter subscribers; it’s intended for anyone who wants a deal on good quilt books and products.

Judy Martin
http://judymartin.com/

Friday Night Quilt-IN-

I laid this thrift store find out to see what needed mended. For the time being I am going to leave it as is. There are about half dozen small places that could use a bit of hand work. I will either put it in the pile of other 'fix' me ups or maybe hang this one in the guest bedroom. It really is pretty enough to get its own quilt rack!

Several of the quilters are doing a Quilt-IN tonight. I have four projects that I want to be working on, I just don't seem to 'have time'. Today I decided NO EXCUSES, just turn off the phone and take a couple of hours to re-discover my quilting side.

My BAD is I didn't 'work' on anything from my TO-DO List!

In my defense I was able to put away a lot of misc. piles that had been growing over the past couple of months.

I cut up this quiet book panel and sewed it up to make a small 36 x36 baby top. I hope to use the orange for the back, quilt it and bind in orange. I make a lot of small quilts from the quiet book panels. Normally I will either set the pgs in a 4 x 6 using alternating plain blocks the size of the pg. Or I will set 3 x 4 using setting strips and setting sqs. This is the first time I have just sewn the pgs all together. (I think I like this smaller size- it should make a nice drag along quilt for a toddler)

These next two are made from material I picked up at the $$ bag sale. The sqs were already cut and sewn into strips. I took them apart and made a couple of 'puppy' tops.

I know that is not a term we call quilts but last year I made my friend Pam a couple of small quilts when her dog had puppies. Pam likes them so much she asked me to make another 6 for gifts for friends. (She supplied the material, cute doggie prints of course- and I am sewing the quilts and doing the quilting.)

These two small tops will be added to my on going pile of future doll quilts. The first is a D-9 the second is 4-patches. Both are 24 x 36 (ish)

Not to exciting of a Quilt-IN but I did get to do a little mindless sewing. I was starting to miss the hum of the machine.

After I get Pam's puppy quilts finished maybe I can talk myself into doing a project or two from my list.

Save your scraps for me!- cw

Thrift store finds

Hand sewn and hand quilted. Too wonderful to pass by. There are a few places that need mended. I think I may have blocks from the same period that I can applique over the worn spots. I love this quilt so much I bought a couple of quilt racks so I would have something to hang it on.

Good Bye NO Buy.

Twin size = good shape=$20.00

I think this was most likely made in the late '50's from scraps.

Full size UFO- top. I will quilt and use as a donation piece. Panels set with cheddar and 5 borders. I can practice 'quilting it out'. I may un-sew a bit on the borders to square them up.

Always a fan of good feed-sack material. These four are in excellent condition. I have a couple of drawers dedicated to this collection of materials and 'some day' will have to start on the many projects in my head to use them on.



I don't normally pick the solids (trying to bust what I have on hand first) but these are all good size pieces that I should be able to work into a scrappy project.

Do you remember Cabbage Patch Dolls? This one was .50 cents. Karlee is going to help me make a dress for her. I am hoping that 'make' a dress means look for one in the doll drawer that fits.- we'll see.

I totally Love, Love, Love playing with stuff you can build with. Throw in a couple of marbles and I am ready to quit my day job and play all day. Kids had a blast figuring out how to assemble the pieces to keep the marbles moving from level to level.

I also got a couple of coffee cups (I am way too addictive to coffee cups) and a tea pot with strawberries on it for Kelly to use with starter plants.

We have the best Thrift Store ever. I always find something and the prices are too good to be true. I have had a very busy couple of weeks with clients. This was a nice break getting a few minutes to shop. Grandkids are spending the night tonight and we hope to sort and put away all the goodies I brought home.

Yard Sale-Home Spuns

I am not sure what I want to do with this pile that was gleaned from the $$ bag quilt shop yard sale I busted my self-imposed NO BUY on last weekend.

Should I:

1- measure the fats and scraps and put them on a shelf to age?

2- strip cut them and make a piano key border for a future home spun quilt top?

3- request pattern ideas from my cyber-quilter-friends? (then lose them on a shelf w/a pattern?

4-do a contest and gift them to the winner to do 1,2 or 3 with?

What to DO, What to DO, What's a gal to DO?

YardSale Find- don't look if you are busting stash!

Good friend Pam suggested I run down to one of her favorite shops and check out the 'yard sale' they were having.

Hubby ran down with me. We did a couple of errands, had lunch with my sister and her girls and got to the shop just before they closed!
I love scraps so I spent my time at the $$ per bag table. There were several sizes of bags, I started with a smaller one and quickly realized that it was not going to work.

Since it was so close to closing and the gals knew the bag prices would be 1/2 price the next day, they let me fill a large one for $20.

I weighed it when we got home and .....drum roll...... 26.5 lbs.

It was not even packed full. I started out being selective but then just started putting it in by the handful. I ended up with over 50 of these fat quarters of Christmas labels. (They will be re-gifted as stocking stuffers for the quilters in my group)

I sorted by 'colors'. At first I was looking for lights, so that pile has a lot of cream, yellows, tans etc... it also grew to include browns.

The greens and red were mostly repos and I have enough to do several pieced tops.

My favorite find is all the pre-cut strings and 2 1/2" strips. My head is spinning on what I hope to use them for. Another Benito box top maybe?

Strings are being added my collection and should get worked in to my TO-DO list soon.

Strings are 1 1/2" irregular, most are Width of Fabric~

Strips are mostly 2 1/2" WOF with a small pile of 3"

The flannels have been sorted out and bagged to mail to cyber-friend Erin.

The homespuns were put aside to gift out but after looking at them I may make another scrappy version of the 7-shirts quilt.

I may also do a separate post on them and figure out a give-a-way.

I have no clue how much fabric I am adding to my 'collection'- I am so glad I don't keep track, bet this not only blows my self-imposed NO BUY but it slows down my stash-busting too!

V.B.S. 2010 Chatter

Chatter with his new teeth! Big hit at VBS

Vacation Bible School starts tomorrow! Lane and Karlee helped me make the mascot.

(This is supose to be a Chipmunk)

Where did Karlee go?

No Pattern, No Problem

I still need to puff up the nose a bit and figure out a 'smile'

Here is a link to last years 'Cooper'

Wonder what we are going to get to make next summer?

Raelynn & Dustin July 3rd

Last year when when oldest daughter, Christin Raelynn eloped with her hubby Dustin they started planning for their vow ceremony.

Raelynn has always wanted to get married in the park with family and friends.

Sarah made the best cakes ever. The plan was for them to not melt in the July heat. Lucky for all attending that we had the nicest rain to keep the temperatures bearable and the bugs away.

Pictures are all out of order- here is the new couple lining up to greet the guests.

This is the part where her dad walked her down the isle. When asked who brings this woman to this man, Carl answered: Her mother and I do. To which the speaker then asked: "And who are you?" (I have to add that since they are all ready married, Raelynn asked my dad to do the ceremony-he is a bit of a jokester)

The ring bearers did not have the real rings, they stayed at the back with their mom until the question was asked if there were rings. Then they ran to the front with their pillows. It was so cute. Here is Ben 2 1/2

Bride being escorted by her Father.

and....the flower girl getting ready to go down the isle.

The bridesmaids are so cheery after only getting a couple of hours sleep. They even moved all the chairs from the seating area to up on stage so the guest could sit out of the rain.

What great group of young people.

I will do a better layout with the pictures later. These are some of my favorites. Special Thanks to all the aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents that came to share this wonderful day. The best wedding in the rain I have ever been too.