Sunday, January 30, 2011

Lisa 9 patch block - quick tutorial

Lisa 9 patch Block 
Based on a block I found from imalisawork on flicker.  

Ingredients: 
Solid for corner blocks and sashing
9 printed fabrics







Step 1 - cutting


From 1 printed fabric, cut 1 squares measuring 2.5" - this will be the center square
From 2 printed fabrics, cut 2 squares measuring 2.5", each.
From 2 printed fabrics, cut 1 rectangle measuring 2.5" x 5", each.
From 4 printed fabrics, cut 1 rectangle measuring 2.5" x 5" and 1 square measuring 2.5", each.

 *Since I'm visual I usually cut 1 rectangle and 1 square from each fabric and just add that to my scraps for another project.

Step 2 - sashing cutting



From solid fabric, this will be the corner squares and the sashing. Cut the following:
4 squares measuring 2.5" - corners
4 rectangles measuring 1.5" x 2.5" - small sashing
2  rectangle pieces measuring 1.5" x 6.5" - medium sashing
2 rectangle pieces measuring 1.5" x 12.5" - long sashing


Step 3 - lay out

Use a 1/4" seam for all sewing throughout this block.

Just lay out what you've done and how you want to arrange these beauties. This is where the extra pieces come in handy.








Step 4 - Sewing
You'll be sewing a 9 patch at this point in time. Just make sure that you use the 4 printed fabrics with the extra 2.5" squares on the "outside" of the top and bottom rows.














*To the right is an experimental photo where I used  9 rectangles but I found the side piece didn't "save any time".  I therefore would eliminate this step as included in these instructions.*









Step 5 - slashing

Taking your extended 9 patch, measuring 2.5" from the outside raw edge of the rectangles.

I should have a clean 9 patch and 2 three colored blocks.
*You can use 2.5" squares for this instead of slashing but you will have to pay attention to make sure that the fabrics match up properly. *










Step 6 - sashing

Between the the cuts you just made,  sew the the medium sashing.  

Step 7 - side column construction 

On each of the side columns you'll use, from the top, solid 2.5" square, 2.5" x 1.5" short sashing, corresponding 9-patch color to match center, 2.5" x 1.5" shortest sashing, solid 2.5" square.  This should result in 3 pieces as shown in the picture below:



















Step 8 - sashing
Sew column A and C to large sashing. Then add these to column B (with the 9 patch).
Should look like this
Your unfinished block should measure 12.5" square.

*Many thanks to my {Modern 12} bee group for weathering through this first attempt of a tutorial

Sunday Stash Report- Week 5 of 2011

So I "technically" get a gold star since I didn't purchase anything.
Ahhh mini-gold star.


I got scraps from Sew Fresh Fabrics for a charity block.  And I also finished the block to send back to them. See my previous post.



 
I am SO super excited as this next week I'm going to Fabric Depot (for the first time).  I highly expect my next Sunday Stash to be AWESOME! I'm giddy thinking about it.
Sunday Stash Report- Week 4 of 2011
 
FABRIC

Used this Week: 0.10 yards
Used year to Date: 3.40 yards
Added this Week: 0.10yards
Added Year to Date: 29.85 yards
Net Used for 2011:  -26.45 yards (Negative = added to my stash)

YARN

Used this Week: 0 yards *I'm STILL working on something but won't claim it's used until the project is done. Fabric has my attention clearly.*
Used year to Date: 682 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2011: 682 yards BUSTED!

Click on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing.


Saturday, January 29, 2011

Sew Fresh Fabrics ~ Scrap Quiling Bee Block

I follow the Sew Fresh Fabrics blog.  I'm super lucky to participate in Round 1 of a charity scrap quilting be.  Yeah!












I was sent scraps for the for the girl quilt.  These are the yummy scraps that I got in the mail. 




My brain went into instant panic.  But then just gonna roll with it.

 Today I really should be working on my postage stamp quilt-along. I tried but just not feeling the love.  Instead I picked up these scraps and made my block.




I could see some changes I would make the the future. All about growth-right. 

If you are interested in participating Sew Fresh Fabrics will send you some shop's studio scraps....
So email them your info if you're interested to get on the list for future rounds!!


Thursday, January 27, 2011

Catching up on Postage Stamp blocks

Yep, what a week it's been.  Since my own health issues I've had to sit back and enjoy everyone elses blog.  I'm almost caught up reading everyone's entries - almost.





 I just finished slashing the strips and here's the first block of . . oh let's see  48.






 

Remember to go visit the Postage Stamp Quilt Along hosted by the Rachel of p.s i quilt, and the flickr group with all the amazing participants can be found here: The Postage Stamp Quilt Along - Flickr.

After this weekend you'll see oh so much more from me.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sunday Stash Report- Week 4 of 2011



That's right - I get a gold star for the week.
I didn't buy anything but I haven't 'finished' anything.  I am working super hard on catching-up on the Postage Stamp Quilt-along.  I'm almost there. 



Sunday Stash Report- Week 4 of 2011

FABRIC

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 3.30 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Used for 2011:  -26.65 yards (Negative = added to my stash)

YARN

Used this Week: 0 yards *I'm STILL working on something but won't claim it's used until the project is done*
Used year to Date: 682 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2011: 682yards

Click on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Quilting Day - January 2011

My wonderful friend came over to have a quilt-day.  It started out that I had nothing to do.  Of course that never sticks around long.

I flipped through some of my books and we talked a bit. Finally inspiration hit - babies!  I know so many people that are having kids that this is an easy project to take on.  I picked up the newest book by Elizabeth Hartman and started looking for something "fun". It didn't take me long to find something, the quilt called: Superstar. 


Thinking specifically of the newest fabric I picked up this last week, as show in my last Sunday Stash Post, I wanted to use the pink and blue tied together with a green fabric.  So the next step was to figure out - do I have enough material. Go math Go!  I went into calculation mode.  I realized why I enjoy quilting so much. . it takes the science/math geek in me, organization, and wanting to create art.  Quilting smashes it all into one activity.  Check check and double check.  I then choose to check my calculations by cutting into one set of the color pairs I've picked out. 

I had a few brain freezes along the way, a little ripping of seems, but it all came out as planned.  Here is the start of a baby girl quilt.  These are 2of the 4 yellow stars and below the other color combos I have chosen. 


I'm hoping this quilt is small enough that I'll be able to machine quilt it myself.  Oh course that's after a wee bit of sewing I have left.

I love quilting days!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Sunday Stash - Week 3 of 2011

Oh what a week it's been! Work has been stressful.  I was sick a bit.  Thankfully the weekend has been lovely, so far.  This week has been a fabric week!
Here is a photo of everything I got.  










I went to my in-town local fabric store once I was starting the leg work of the Postage Stamp quilt I'm completing for the p.s. i quilt quilt-along.  I was lacking of good yellows and transitional yellow oranges.  So I purchased a few. Got enough for my stash building too.





I have joined a few on-line bees and am going to attempt to complete a few angel blocks for people who are missing blocks  Being an angel can be hard work.  Especially when I went to my stash and I found that I have NO whites.  I have white backing but nothing white on white.  I had to get some of that and found a few yummy black and whites.


I got a few fat quarters of items just because. . I love them!


*Edit* - Oh there are these yummy ones too. . . I love the one on the bottom here with the diamonds.  So i got a little from the line.  Oh the beautiful things I can make from this line.*End Edit*

 From my non-local fabric store, Stash in Walla Walla I kinda go crazy.  These lovely ladies stock the modern fabrics and I wish that I had a store just like them to work on all the day long.  The following purchases are from them.

I am completing a fabric swap at the beginning of next month.  The chosen color is green.  We will exchange 12" squares.  Mini stash building.  I purchased this lovely green.
 There has been a blog hop that is celebrating the next marketing holiday, Valentines Day.  While I'm not a fan of this I do love the colors and some of the projects.  So I got a little bit of these three colors.  YUM!





I picked a few charm packs from Stash which was reasonable.  But when I went to the newest local fabric store, Finishing Touches Quilt, on Saturday she is still have a sale on the pre-cuts.  Oh how could I walk away from the Central park Jelly Roll.  Rarrrr!  I flipped through the charm pack and am not happy with the animal line. No matter.  I will eventually add the oranges of this line to "my orange" quilt stash. 


Yeah for fabrics!

And today I've even started using some of these. . lots of projects in progress.
 Sunday Stash Report- Week 3 of 2011

FABRIC

Used this Week: 0.20 yards
Used year to Date: 3.30 yards
Added this Week: 16.25 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Used for 2011:  -26.65 yards (Negative = added to my stash)

YARN

Used this Week: 682 yards *Sold some of my stash on Raverly. Also I'm still working on something but won't claim it's used until the project is done*
Used year to Date: 682 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2011: 682yards

Click on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Twice as Nice Bee Badge

My grand friend from grade school is an impressive graphic designer.  She created a badge for the Twice as Nice Bee that I am involved with.  



Photobucket





If you are interested in contacting Kristin for personalized web, button, badge, pretty cool looking things she can be found at:  Modjeska Designs  or email Kristin(at)ModjeskaDesigns(dot)com

This is for my group of 12.  I can't wait to see what we come up with.  The first month is already pushing my limits. . yeah!

Postage Stamp Quilt-Along - Leg Work

Continuing on with the Postage Stamp Quilt along hosted by p.s. i quilt here here is the post about Leg Work


Here is what I've done for this week.  I was using fat quarters and, as Rachel posted on the flicker page for this group, I had a lot more work.  Oh it didn't help that I used my new purchase of plain white of 108" white fabric.  I got this on super sale and it's great but the width was a challenge at times.

*I rearranged the order a bit. . since this is the leg work I could still change my mind*



This pace is something I'm really enjoying.  And I'm done with this week so I'm still on a roll.  Weeeee


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Postage Stamp Quilt-Along


Flicker Group
 Another quilt along?  Why yes.  Why not.  So I've been gathering items for a orange quilt.  And amazing how many I've obtained.  Trying to gather oranges it's amazing the shades within this colorway.

So many of these just won't fit in the quilt that I want for myself.  It's good to be picky!

This past holiday, my girlfriend gave me some orange fabric. She gave me a fat eight pack of some yellow and oranges.  I added this with some of my recient purchases (and some of the many in my stash) and it will be PERFECT to use in the p.s. i quilt newest quilt along called "Postage Stamp"


So this is what I have planned.  I think together it's more than lovely. It may change with my planned day o' quilting with my girlfriend.



Sliced Coins Quilt-along

Look look! don't call me betsy is having a quilt along.  This past week she released the fabric requirements.  Oh I'm excited I can use this stash of fabrics.  I'm not sure who the recipient will be. . . don't you choose this later?

I got these on one of my massive fabric binges last year while I was in Portland, Oregon.

So this is the stack of fabrics that I'll be using.  I'll make a lap quilt.  The wonderful thing is that this type of top is exactly what I was planning on using for this fabric.  Yeah!

The solid will be a brown.  It will be wonderful!



Oh and my craft room is clean again. . it's been a good weekend.

Sunday Stash Report - Week 2 of 2011

I'm starting 2011 cheering and totally thrilled with the projects I want to complete. 

As for fabric, I've fallen off the fabric wagon again.  Le'sigh. 

Kona Your WorldI've obtained my Kona Fabric for the swap.  I got these on Monday afternoon and here's the fat quarter pile to exchange Monday evening.  It's lovely Bahama Blue! See my previous posts HERE or HERE

My totals in and out maybe skewed but no matter. This totally makes me feel as if I've accomplished a grand feat.  I so can't wait to see what I get back!


 So while ordering for the Kona swap, I might have purchased some other items during the end of the year sales from sewfreshfabrics  and sewdeerlyloved  oh and also from my local fabric store. 

Here is a photo of the additional Kona's I now have on hand and a few prints for good measure.

And some prints.  Specifically some that are adding to my constant search for oranges.  Oranges that will be made into a quilt for me me me.


While these don't fit the bill perfectly they plus a Christmas gift from my bestest girlfriend will go into a quilt.  I'm hoping the Postage Stamp Quilt Along that Rachel @ p.s. i quilt is hosting(post to follow later)

All I can say is YUM!
Sunday Stash Report- Week 2 of 2011

FABRIC

Used this Week: 3.10 yards
Used year to Date: 3.10 yards
Added this Week: 13.5 yards
Added Year to Date: 13.5 yards
Net Used for 2011:  -10.40 yards

YARN

Used this Week: 0 yards *I'm working on something but won't claim it's used until the project is done*
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2011: 0 yards

Click on over to Patchwork Times to see how others are doing at the beginning of a new year. 

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Gen X Quilters' Kona Your World Fabric Swap

Today I sent out my Bahama Blue fat quarters for the internet fabric swap.


I can't wait to see what other Kona solids I get.  Check it out at Gen X and gather be sure to get there before 12/31/10 if you are interested yourself.

Kona Your World

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Pondering being Queen Bee

I've joined {Modern 12} Bee for the remaining 8 months. As I'm planning to be part of the new Twice as Nice bee this year.  This group I would get TWO blocks from each person.  Rarrrr.

The colors I'm in love with keep changing depending on what I'm working on.



With these two bee's going, I need to figure what I'm really wanting or "needing".  You know it's all about need.   

My first idea is to use Elizabeth Hartman's Scrappy Hedgerow Blocks
I'm still not thrilled about fussy cutting or providing anything specific for people to use.  I'm sure I'll get around any fussy cutting!  My inital color ideas include orange, teal, and white.  Oh how I adore orange.  I'll be making a few examples of what I'm thinking for the other bee's to see.

Second idea is the Elizabeth Hartman's Spiderweb Block I really like this as it has some scrappy-ness involved. I've seen a few of these with gray that really draw my eye. This could easily be for a nephew.

My third idea, at the moment, is Elizabeth Hartman's Simple Triangle. I'll have to do some of these triangles to see how much I "love" it after I complete a few.

On to more bee-ing and learning.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

January {Modern 12} Bee Block

Such a busy year so far.  I'm bursting with excitement. 

I've been asked to join the {Modern 12} Bee group.  Using fabrics from our own stash in the block the queen bee chooses.


While I feel very intimidated if this meets the proper specifications here is my January block. She choose a pattern from 'The Sometimes Crafter' blog called Stacked Quilt block.




Yeah for new beginnings! Here be sure to see the Flicker Group for all the blocks from the {Modern 12} bee group.