Playing Dress Up and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I'm delighted to share my latest quilt finish with you.  It is a class sample of my Paper Doll Dress-Up pattern (available in my Craftsy and Etsy shops), and because the colors and fabrics remind me of airy summer dresses, I am calling this one Playing Dress Up.

This is a color palette I've never used before, and I love how light and crisp it is against the Kona White background.  Best of all, every single one of these prints came right out of my stash.

I quilted this one with a gentle stipple with a soft, minty green thread.  I think the softly colored thread adds just a little unexpected loveliness to the quilt.

I used up all of my leftovers on the back, and paired it with this awesome mint green wood grain print, from Moda's Into the Woods collection.  I've been eyeing this fabric in my local shop for awhile, and just hoping I could fit it into one of my quilts because I love it so much.  Look how perfectly it blends!

I had just enough Kona Navy in my stash to bind this one, and the dark binding creates a great frame for the quilt.

Okay then!  Time to check out some of the projects from last week's party that caught my eye!  Like this Cotton and Steel beauty from Deb at New Creative State.  Welcome back to the party, Deb!

Next, check out this amazing quilt by Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts.  Friends, at first I thought that pattern was printed on the fabric, but boy, was I wrong.  Those little strips are all pieced!  There are plenty of closeups, as well as a link to the tutorial for this quilt in her post, so go check it out.

And finally, this improv quilt by Sophie at Luna Lovequilts is awesomely fun and modern!

My goodness!  So much inspiration.  Y'all knock my socks off every single week.  Time to show me what you've been working on this week!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Paper Doll Dress-Up

Whew!  Well, we've made it through our first week of school, and I am one tired Momma.  My wild thing is in 7th grade, so he is pretty much self sufficient in the mornings, but it is still a bit of an adjustment to trade the lazy days of summer for a regimented schedule.  Certainly not a bad thing, but it just takes a little while to get back into the groove.  It also means that I have more defined sewing time, which is great; and this week I put that time to great use by making a class sample of my Paper Doll Dress-Up pattern, the very first pattern I ever published.

My original Paper Doll Dress-Up quilt was made with Bonnie and Camille's Scrumptious collection, and though I decided to make this one with fabrics directly from my stash, I tried to pull a palette that would have the same sweet and fresh feeling as the original.

Of all of my patterns, this one has always held a special place in my heart.  Besides the fact that it was my first, I really love the pretty cross shape with the halo around it, as well as the secondary curvy medallions that emerge when the blocks are put together.  Best of all, these blocks are big, which means that the quilt goes together pretty quickly.  You can find my Paper Doll Dress-Up pattern in my Craftsy and Etsy shops.

I already have this one basted and ready to quilt, and that's on my schedule for tomorrow, when a new week means I will have the house to myself once again.

Invisible Progress and NTT

Sometimes (but not very often) when I'm working on a quilt, I make a single block at a time, from start to finish.  I do this most often if I have other things to do, and I can only sneak in a few minutes of sewing time here and there.  More often than not, since quilting is my full time job now, I prefer to do as much chain piecing as possible and streamline my trips to the ironing board.  When that happens, I get all of the block units finished and pressed, and then it's almost like the blocks get finished all at once.  Even though I'm making steady progress though, it doesn't really look like much for awhile.

As it so happens, this quilt is one of those that has taken a little while to get to the stage of actually putting the blocks together.  I'm actually SO close to having the whole top finished, but I decided to go ahead and snap a quick photo of my progress so we can get our party on.  These colors aren't photographing very well inside, but they are really happy and fresh, and everything except the white came from my stash.  I've been making a concerted effort to use up what I have, and I'm starting to see it pay off.  I'm so very close to getting this one together, so be on the lookout for a prettier pic soon.

Okie dokie!  I'm so excited to share the highlights from last week's party, because there were some really beauties linked up.  Check out this quilt called Inside Addition by Sue at Sevenoaks Street Quilts-

I just love the simplicity in this quilt by Something Rosemade.  So fun and modern!

and just look at this stunner by Kathy at Kayak Quilting!  Those little pops of red just make the quilt sing, and the photo setting is so picturesque.

I know you're all ready to party, so let's do it!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Needle and Thread Thursday!

Happy almost Thursday, friends.  Around here, kids and teachers are gearing up to go back to school next week (the tradeoff for getting out before Memorial Day).  I sad to say that I haven't sewn a single stitch in several days, but I have been productive in another way.  When I quit teaching two years ago, I hung onto all of my personal books and teaching materials, just in case I decided I wanted to go back to the classroom.  As you can imagine, 15 years of teaching across four different grade levels, I amassed quite a lot, and I decided to hold a huge teacher sale to go ahead and part with all of it.  So, I've been unpacking, sorting and pricing like crazy!  My next quilt is in the works and I'm planning to get started as soon as the sale is finished, but for today's party, we'll just get right to the highlights from last week.

Jayne at Twiggy and Opal shared this fresh beauty.

and this delightful quilt was linked up by Alison at Little Bunny Quilts.

and this quilt by Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty is simple, but oh so sweet!

By this time next week, I hope to have some progress on an actual quilt to share with you, but until I can squeeze in some sewing time, I'll have to live vicariously through your projects.  Let's link up, y'all!

Okay friends, let's do this.  I hope you're getting lots of sewing time lately!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Modern Coins and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Just after last week's party, we left for what my husband likes to call "the tour of the Gulf Coast" to see both of our families in Texas and Louisiana; which culminated in dropping off my wild thing to spend the week at my parents' house.  He spends this time with them every summer and I love that he looks forward to it so much.  Since getting back on Sunday evening, I have been taking it easy, and though I'm missing my sidekick this week, I must admit that the quiet house is nice.  In the past couple of days, I took the scraps from my Indian Summer quilt and made a quick, modern coins baby quilt in a flash.

I pulled a gray Denyse Schmidt polkadot from my stash for the backing, and added a coral tonal stripe for a little bit of fun.  The DS print is one that is no longer available, and I had a tough time parting with it.  A wide stipple keeps this quilt nice and soft; perfect for baby snuggles.

I had just enough Kona Kelly Green leftover from my Indian Summer quilt to bind this one, and I just love the pop of the vibrant green with all of those rich Amy Butler prints.  This little quilt measures 42" square, and I love how it turned out!

Before we party, let's check out last week's party features.  This quilt by Tisha at Quilty Therapy is called Scrappy Unicorn Rainbow Sprinkles, and it is so happy!

These fun flamingoes are by Tanya Quilts in CO;  perfect for summer!

and this scrappy flowering snowball quilt is by Dreamworthy Quilts.  Love it!

Okay friends, let's do this.  I hope you're getting lots of sewing time lately!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Indian Summer and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!  This week, I've been working like mad to make a class sample of my Unruly pattern for a class I'm teaching at the beginning of August.  As with many of my early quilt patterns, I made the original Unruly quilt before I began teaching classes, and I no longer have the quilt.  That's okay though.  Of all of my quilt patterns, this one is by far the fastest and easiest (pattern available HERE and HERE)!

Most of these fabrics are from Amy Butler's Dreamweaver collection, but there are a couple of Soul Blossoms and Love fabrics as well (and even a few that aren't Amy at all).   The colors are so rich, and the warm golds and reds play so nicely with the cool teal and periwinkle fabrics.  This quilt was such a fast finish that it's already quilted and bound, and hanging in my local shop where I'll be teaching the class (and yes, I was in such a hurry to get the quilt to the shop that I neglected to take photos of the finish)!  This quilt measures 54" x 72", and I'm calling it Indian Summer.  I promise to get some photos of it "in the wild" as soon as I get it back.

Okie dokie, friends!  Let's check out last week's party highlights.  This quilt by Something Rosemade is super cute.

Jen's Crafts and Quilts Scrapbook linked up this happy go lucky quilt, called Colorful Directions-

and Linda at The Pieceful Kingdom showed us that it's never too early to start on those holiday projects.  Love it!

Alright y'all, let's party!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Hello, Summer! and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!  Though summer arrived in the south awhile ago, I couldn't resist naming my latest quilt, Hello, Summer!  The colors are just so fresh and happy, and the vibrant hues feel right at home with the temps in the upper 90's (as we have had recently).

Lately, I've been on a roll with making quilts of my own design and writing patterns, which is great, but it's nice to have a mental break once in awhile and make something that doesn't require so much math.  This Road to Tennessee quilt was a perfect choice.

I pieced some of my leftovers on the back, along with some orange marble fabric in just the right shade, and keeping with the mental break theme, I decided to quilt with a nice, relaxing stipple.

The Kona Artichoke binding frames this quilt nicely, without taking attention away from the pretty patterns in the RTT blocks.  This quilt measures 56" x 64" and it was just the recharge I needed during a hectic summer!

Before we get down to business, I owe you a giveaway winner!  Comment number 6, Lisa Marie, is the winner of the cute, patriotic fabrics, provided by Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  Congrats!

Now then, without further ado.  Check out some of the awesome projects from last week's party.  This quilt by Little Bunny Quilts is just beautiful!

 This colorful, fun quilt is by Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.

and lastly, this selvage pineapple quilt is by Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts.  So creative!

I can't wait to see what you're working on this week.  Let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)