Scrap Play, Winners, and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I've been working on a new quilt for the past couple of days, and though I am terrible at keeping quilty secrets, it is a must.  Being a grown-up is hard sometimes.  I can give you a sneak peek though.  Gosh, I never seem to tire of sewing a rainbow!

That's all I can show you for now, though I hope to give you another little teaser when the quilt is put together.

Before we get to the highlights from last week's party, I owe you four winners!  As always, the winners were drawn in the order that the prizes are listed in my post.  First up, the winner of the super cute Lori Holt tins and notecards, provided by Fat Quarter Shop is comment number 27, Sue Green!  Next up, the winner of the $25 gift certificate to LouLou's Fabric Shop is comment number 6, Anita.  The winner of the third giveaway, the Autumn bundle provided by Fort Worth Fabric Studio is lucky number 15, Claire Sutherland!  And last, but certainly not least- the winner of the Bloom Where You're Planted bundle from Fort Worth Fabric Studio is Janie, comment number 97!

 

                         

Enjoy your prizes, ladies!  Now, let's get to some of the fantastic projects shared as last week's party, and oh my goodness, there were lots! This Little Mermaid mini by Jess at Quilty Habit is just perfection.  Look at the detail!

This cheery beauty is by Smiles From Kate-

And finally, this hexie stunner is by Maryse Makes Things.  That border is the bomb, and the quilting adds so much great texture!

Alrighty y'all; let's party it up!  Link up the latest happenings in your sewing space!

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!  :)

Boho Baby and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!  In case you missed it, yesterday I have four giveaways going on right now, so be sure to go HERE to enter!  Yesterday and today, I have been having fun playing with the leftovers from my Boho Beads quilt, and turning them into a simple and chic baby quilt.  My cousin is expecting twin girls in January, and this one is destined to be well snuggled by one of them.

On the back, I used a stripe of coral medallion fabric, along with Kona Shale, which really offers a little bit of calm to this bright and busy quilt.  The binding is Cloud 9 Cirrus Solid in Amber, which is just perfect for making some of the yellows and chartreuse in the prints really pop.  And I always like to quilt baby quilts with a wider stipple, to keep them soft and easy to snuggle.  This finished quilt measures 40" x 45," and I love how the simplicity of the pattern really lets the fabrics shine.

This little quilt is not my most exciting news from my week though!  This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to present a trunk show and teach my Bubble Bath class at a quilt retreat in Hattiesburg, MS.  It was an amazing group of quilters, and we shared a lot of laughs throughout the day.  It is always neat to see how others interpret my patterns!  Here are a few fun pics from the day.

By the way, I would love to present a trunk show or teach to your group.  I'm booked through 2016, but I am currently taking bookings for 2017.  Check out my Teaching page (at the top), or just send me an email for more information.  Let's have a quilt party!

Last week's NTT had some amazing projects linked, like this Knots of Color quilt by A Dream and A Stitch.

or this Cotton and Steel quarter log cabin by Deb at New Creative State-

and Jayne at Twiggy and Opal turned her daughter's art into this stunning mini!

Y'all rock it out every single week!  Let's party, friends!

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!  :)

**PLEASE NOTE- recently, there have been several spam links on our parties that are not quilting and sewing related.  My initial reaction was to delete them immediately, but my linky service provider has asked that I leave them so they can be investigated and permanently blocked.  I will remove those links after my provider has all of the info he needs but it may take a few days.  So, please do not click on any links that are not clearly quilting related, and thank you for your understanding!

Ask Me Why I Love My Sewing Machine!

In August, I had the pleasure of presenting a trunk show to the Tennessee Valley Quilters Association for their annual Assembly Day.  This is a group of several guilds in Tennessee and northern Alabama, totaling around 500 members.  Kaye England, a prolific traditional quilter and author, was the other speaker at the event, and she and I had some time to chat (she is a hoot!).  When she and I discussed sewing machines, and she found out how much I love my BERNINA 550 QE, she suggested that I check into the Ambassador program.

              
I am so proud to announce that I am a new BERNINA Ambassador, which means first and foremost, that I openly and wholeheartedly support the BERNINA brand.  It also means that I'll be contributing projects to We All Sew, BERNINA USA's blog, among other activities.

I have been vocal about how much I love my sewing machine, and the BERNINA brand in general since purchasing my BERNINA 550QE over three years ago, but I am excited to now have a formal partnership with such a great company.  So go ahead- ask me why I love my sewing machine!

Something a Little Different and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  Yesterday, time spent in my sewing space was all about solving an immediate problem.  I usually don't wear jeans when I teach because I want to look a little more polished.  I have learned though, that certain shoes may be comfortable for a few hours, but they just don't work for an all day class.  It occurred to me that I needed to invest in some cute quilting/fabric related shirts, so that I can wear my jeans and Converse, and stay comfy while walking around for hours.  I figure I'm good dressing casually as long as I keep it quilty.

My first attempt at solving that issue was to order two cute shirts from Patchwork Threads.  Their designs are so cool, and I was excited to get my order.  Unfortunately the sizing was way off for me.  Granted, this is my own fault for looking at the sizing chart and estimating, rather than taking exact measurements.  Lesson learned (and now I have a couple of cool sleep shirts); but I'm teaching at a retreat in Hattiesburg, MS this weekend, so I had to take matters into my own hands.

I pulled out two of my favorite tees, some of my most treasured fabric bits, and went to town.  Gray t-shirts are a casual basic in my closet, and I probably have four or five of them at any given time.  I used Heat n Bond Lite to appliqué (so easy to use!), and just stitched around each piece.  Playing around with the layout of the petals was so fun, and I'm glad I offset the rosette to add interest.  I saw a similar shirt a LONG time ago, and loved the look, but I am so sorry that I don't remember where I saw it (let me know if you do, and I will update with a link).

On the charcoal gray tee, I wanted to give the effect of an improv stripe, but I didn't actually want to sew the pieces together.  I worried about added bulk affecting the drape of the shirt.  Instead, I arranged them ticker-tape style, and although it looks more plain in the photo, it is super cute on.  I've never really been big on applique, but these were really fast and fun, and best of all I can be comfortable while teaching.

Last week's party really rocked, y'all!  Some of my favorites included this Maribel Bowties quilt by Made by Chrissie D.  Chris shared lots of process photos for this cool Drunkard's Path variation, so hop over there if you missed it!

This pretty quilt is by Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty.

and Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts linked up this sweet baby quilt.  I love this Drunkard's Path layout, too!

Time to link up, friends!

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!  :)

**PLEASE NOTE- for the past couple of weeks, there have been several spam links on our parties that are not quilting and sewing related.  My initial reaction was to delete them immediately, but my linky service provider has asked that I leave them so they can be investigated and permanently blocked.  I will remove those links after my provider has all of the info he needs but it may take a few days.  So, please do not click on any links that are not clearly quilting related, and thank you for your understanding!

Boho Beads

Boho Beads is finally finished, and the bright, bold colors make me want to do a little happy dance!  In case you missed my last post about this quilt, I designed it to look like funky bead curtains.

There are a couple of things in this quilt that are out of the norm for me.  First of all, the background fabric on this one is Kona Coal.  I do like gray backgrounds, but I usually gravitate toward a lighter shade.  Even though I was hesitant to use such a dark gray, the colors really sing against it, and I'm happy with the choice.

Another break from my comfort zone is the quilting.  To give the beads some movement, a friend in my guild suggested that I quilt this one with some free motion curves, waving gracefully down the quilt.  This friend is a rockstar longarmer, and I knew her suggestion was spot-on, and best of all, achievable on my domestic machine.

The curves are pretty organic (which just sounds better than saying they're imperfect, ha!), and they move in varying widths down the quilt, creating a cool ripple effect.  The result is great, but it took much longer than stippling.  Like waaaay longer.  Usually, I match the quilting thread to the background, but since I knew I didn't want to darken the prints, I opted to quilt with white thread.  It really adds to the movement.

Per the norm, the backing is pieced from the leftovers, and I even made a scrappy binding!

Making this quilt was so much fun, and I am so excited to say that it is available in my Etsy and Craftsy shops!  The pattern is written in three sizes, and includes cutting diagrams and full color illustrations for every step.  This is a perfect pattern for a fun-loving, free spirit!  Check it out!

Sailor's Star Pattern!

Happy almost weekend, y'all!  If you're looking for this week's NTT, it is still going on right HERE!

I don't know about you, but here in West Tennessee, we have been blessed with some truly glorious weather lately.  Those of you who are in Florida, this Louisiana girl feels your pain.  I have lived through my share of hurricanes, and I hope Matthew moves through as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Lately, I've been burning the midnight oil to put the finishing touches on my Sailor's Star pattern, and I'm happy to report that it is now available in my Etsy and Craftsy shops!

The star blocks have the beautiful shape of a compass rose, but one of the best parts of this quilt pattern is the secondary pattern that emerges in the negative space.  The graceful curved illusion is so pretty and fresh, and that space is perfect for showing off your mad quilting skills.  Best of all, this quilt is made with straight piecing only, so it's perfect for all you curve chickens like me.

The pattern is written in Lap, Twin, and Queen sizes, and includes cutting diagrams, as well as full color illustrations for almost every single step.  If you're looking for a star quilt with some pop, give this one a try!

Party Time!

It's Needle and Thread Thursday time!  I've been working on a brand new quilt for the past couple of days, and I am in love with the way the colors glow against the Kona Coal background.  I designed this one to look like funky hanging doorway beads, and I'm calling it Boho Beads.  For those who are wondering, I will be releasing this pattern!

Because I just can't help myself, take a look at this close up of the yummy fabrics in this quilt.  It's so hard to resist a stack of rainbow goodness.

Before I can proceed any further, a trip to the store is in order for more starch (hence the lack of pressing in the picture), but I can't wait to get this one quilted!

Without further ado, it's time to check out the inspiring projects from last week's party (and there were plenty!).  Celine at Espritpatch linked up this scrappy beauty.

Lori at Crossquilt showed off this pretty Stacked Squares quilt.  Love those colors!

and Diana at Red Delicious Life shared a cathedral window bed runner in a really unique color palette.

Okay friends!  It's time to share the latest from your sewing space.  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!  :)

Sailor's Star

Okay, so no Friday finish post for me last week as I had hoped, but a Sunday finish post is almost just as good, right?  My latest quilt is all done, and I'm super excited about how it turned out.

I really pondered over the quilting on this one, and with all of that negative space, I almost pulled the trigger on quilting different motifs, but in the end, I gave into my standby and did an allover tight stipple.  It isn't flashy, but it really is my very favorite for letting the design of the quilt really take center stage, and you know I'm all about embracing what I love!

If you're familiar with my patterns, you know I love to incorporate designs that give the illusion of curves, that are actually created with all straight piecing, and this one definitely does that.

As usual, all of my leftovers were put to good use on the back.  It's hard for me to call them scraps because they are such large chunks.  Most times when I purchase fabric, I buy at least a 1/2 yard, specifically so I can have a piece for the back.

As luck would have it, the remnant bin at my local JoAnn had a 1 yard piece of Cloud 9 Cirrus solid in Amber, and it worked perfectly for the binding, with plenty leftover for another project.  Score!

The pattern for this quilt is already in the works, and I'll be sure to let you know when it is available.