Apple Core top cut out

I am still playing with my new BABY GO!

I had such a good time showing it off to my quilt group.

Bet we get to see a lot of new apple core tops in the future.

This die is fast and fun to cut out.

I had scrap strips left over from another project. It was easy to fold them over and cut 4 to 8 pieces at the same time.

I figured out a chart to see how many pieces to cut. Normally when working with larger scraps, I tend to cut what I have and then see what size I want the top to be. (One can always add border later!!)

A couple of hours later and I have enough pieces for several Holiday quilts.

Here is one section laid out. I hope to sew these as 4 patches/16 patches and then in Nine.

I think the challenge is going to be to sew the directional prints in a way that doesn't drive me nuts.

I have a new BABY it's a GO!

I found my new BABY on the Shoppersrule.com site. It was priced lower then any I have seen.

I was able to get a couple of dies and several mats too.

The triangle die will be used to cut my scraps to do the 1,000 triangle quilt tops. My first one will be will Christmas Holiday scraps.

This die would be better for me if it cut more then two of each size. There are 3 sizes and two cuts each. I have sewn all three and prefer the larger set.

I can see myself making several tops over the years with this die.

This is the pile of scraps from several years of sewing. I hope to pull the larger pieces and cut apple cores then wedges and finally triangles.

Plan is to get three or four new Holiday print tops out of this stash.

I have cut enough of the tumblers to make an outer border on a top I sewed a couple of years ago. The more I look at the border pieces the more I want to cut extra and make a tumbler block quilt top.

The apple core has always been a block I wanted to use for a top, I just didn't want to cut them out. The BABY GO has a die to cut 6 1/2" pieces. These will be an on going project for me to take on the road.

I also purchased a 2 1/2" strip die. I have not tried it out yet but plan to play with it later this week.

The BABY is fast and fun and should let me cut pieces that I would not normally want to do.

My preference would have been to purchase the industrial unit but I just can't justify the expense vs my use.

I have been thinking about doing crumb blocks with the scraps from this session of cutting. If I get everything cut from the Christmas prints I should have quilts, tops, kits and scraps to keep me busy for awhile!- cw

how Small is too Small?

Good friend, Dawn gifted me hundreds of these little mini 4-patches that she got from a friend.



She knows that I love scrappy scrappy and would have just the right project for them.


I have been wanting to start a hand sewing project to have something to work on this winter. Adding 2" black borders to the center and then 2" of 4-patches will give me areas to do a little applique' or embroidery later.
Now it measures 36" x 40"

Here are a few more that that I played with today to gift back to Dawn.



A little mini wall hanging. I love her so much I am going to let her machine quilt it herself!

This one is a 6 1/2" block, look at the tiny tiny 9-patches between the grey sqs.

There is a lot of sewing in these pieces. I wonder what the original maker was planning. I hope if/when she sees what I have done she is pleased.

If you ever have a friend that wants to pass on scraps, give me a call. I love to add to my stash!-

I really enjoy picking up other's UFO's and finding a new way to finish them.

Deborah Cohen's Trinity Celtic Knot Quilt Pattern 2009

Deborah's quilt began with her desire to celebrate what makes marriage work.

For her two colors express how the partners contribute and the third represents faith and love completing the pattern.

Her fascination with Celtic knots gave her a way of expressing three interwoven ideas. She interpreted this in simple squares.

I started my quilt top as a mystery last year.

At the time we made 'chunks' consisting of 9 nine patch blocks.

We could make our squares any size we liked. I choose a 2" sq. I have had several requests to sew another. I plan to use this pattern again in a 2 1/2"sq. using different colors..

This pattern and more about Deborah were published in the Australian Quilting Mag. earlier this year. If you find the issue, please save it for me!-

What did you work on for your Friday Night Sew-IN?

Kellys Quilt w/Borders

15" Blocks. Fans are raw-edge appliqued.

Blades were cut Stack and Whack style (layered and sissor cut)

Border of 2 1/2" background and 5" original print.

I hope to use a light purple on the back and for the binding.

86 x 86 " (ish)

Now to just talk favortie D-I-L into coming over and quilting this new keepsake.

I have been working from stash this year and had a couple of three or four yards of this rather large print. Kelly loves these colors and volunteered to take the top off my hand if/when I got it done.

I dug it out of the on going pile and started it for my Friday Night Sew-In project. Tonight I stayed late after class and finished sewing the borders on.

I think I need to make a scrappy one for myself. The large blocks are a lot of fun to do.

auction finds cont...

Half of the yard at this auction was lined with boxes of misc. Many went for $5.00 for choice, then many more for $3.00. Half that was left for $1.00 a box. I did NOT get any from that round. The other bidders staked out their 'finds'.

I did however get the rest of the lot for a $2.00 nod of the head.

Thought hubby was going to kill me. I am still surprised he loaded it all up. (Not surprised that he had tie-downs in the back seat)

Bless his heart, I think he even enjoyed the trip home.

Conversation included: How much do you think it will cost to just take this all to the dump? along with: Do you think it is burnable?

Sarah is coming over today to help me unload it all to the basement. We will sort it and just see what $2.00 can purchase. The fun part is going to be re-gifting it. Good news is that if we don't get it done, then I will have a good start on being a Hoarder- maybe I can get a TV show!

Looks like I am going to have to take a day off work just to dust!

Cookie Jar was NOT in the boxes for $2.

I actually picked this one up after the table was picked over at a $3.00 for choice.

Since he sits near my "design" wall, I think I will use him to hold my clothes pins.

Auction--there goes the NO BUY!

Couple of Disclaimers:
1- I suggested we take the car (I never buy anything big enough to need the truck)

2- I really don't like auctions (that is starting to change)

3-I learned you can fill a truck with a $2.00 nod of the head (I'll save that for a future post)
As always there were a couple of things I wanted to bid on. I know that I will not win them so bidding is just to say "I tried".
I scout for items of interest. Speak in code to the hubby (things like, I would like the blue quilt top with state flowers if it can be bought for less than $50. To which he will reply: You don't need it.)

That's our system and it works well. I look, sometimes get a bid or two in, but rarely bring anything home.
I figure if I like it enough to bid on it, everyone else participating will like it more.

For some reason today's event was set up for me to learn a thing or two. There were three quilt tops for sale, I won choice at $20. I took the embroidered state flowers and a double knit bow tie. (I love double knit- I hope to spend a year or two quilting all my yard sale/auction finds some day)
The State/Flowers top may get re-set at a later date. A few of the seams have personality. I think I can quilt them out but just for giggles I might choose to explore a different setting.

Can you figure out which state I live in now? (hint: MO)

I also ended up with a box of sheets, some of which I may use as filler on a couple of my double knit tops.

We had specifically gone to this auction to look at a couple of items of interest to the hubby. I didn't see anything I wanted when reading the add in the paper so I brought a couple of quilt books to read while he watched the sale.

I really think I would have be satisfied with just the two tops but we had time to kill before his 'Want List' came up for bid. Opening bids were all higher then his Intended Purchase Price. (Fine by me, more $$ for me to spend!)

I will do a post later showing off just how much one can get in the back of the pickup. Good thing hubby keeps tie downs on hand.- cw