Needle and Thread Thursday!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I'm a little late on this week's party, because my announcement yesterday deserved the spotlight!  You definitely want to read it if you missed the news.

Since finishing my son's graduation quilt, I haven't started a new project.  After returning from vacation, I just haven't decided what I want to make.  So, let's get right to the highlights from last week's party!  Sew Preeti Quilts shared this striking quilt-

Take a look at this lovely quilt from Something Rosemade-

Oh my goodness!  Karen at Quilts...etc. shared her progress on this gorgeous hexie quilt-

And finally, this soothing blue beauty was shared by Rebecca Grace Quilting-

Okay, friends!  It's time to show me what you've been working on this week.  Before you link up, be sure to check out my last post though!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

It's Finally Here!

Hey there, friends!  If you're looking for Needle and Thread Thursday, I will post it tomorrow morning, but this announcement deserves its very own post!

I am SO very excited to let you know that my latest book, Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs is finally available for preorder!  Technically, the release date isn't until June 21st, but as the author, I'm expecting to get my copies a little bit earlier.

I'm so, SO proud of this book.  If you're a regular around here, you know that I love making pieced quilt backs for my quilts.  Sometimes they're very simple and sometimes they're a little more intricate, but I always, always piece my backs.  It allows me to keep my scraps in check, and I know that my back will coordinate perfectly with the front of the quilt.

So, I wanted to write a book that made pieced quilt backs accessible for everyone.  So, those of you who stare at your pile of leftovers and aren't quite how to use them, this is your book.  You quilters who worry that a pieced back is too much work and your brain just doesn't want to expend the effort to figure it out, this is your book, and for those of you who have tons of fabric in your stash, but end up buying more for quilt backs because you think you don't have enough of the "right" fabrics, this is your book.  It's even for those of you who make pieced quilt backs regularly but feel stuck in a rut of always making the same design!  Here's a rundown of everything this book has to offer-

*30 (!!!) unique pieced quilt back patterns-

     15 patterns use scraps from the front of your quilt.  These are organized by scrap size so you can easily find a pattern that fits the leftovers you have available.

     15 patterns use stash and yardage.  If you don't have any leftovers, you can choose a quilt back that uses fabrics that coordinate with the front.  These are organized by the number of fabrics used.

*EACH quilt back pattern is written in three sizes, lap, twin, and queen.

*Full quilt finishing instructions, including how to keep your pieced quilt back straight and in-line with the front of your quilt while basting.

*18 (!!!) FREE bonus quilt patterns!  These lap size quilt "front" patterns coordinate with the pieced quilt backs, and are downloadable directly from the publisher with the book purchase.

So, where can you get it?  I'm happy to report that Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs is available from all the usual places you might buy a quilt book- Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Connecting Threads, Missouri Star, and maybe even at your local quilt shop.  If they don't have it in stock, please ask about it!

Also, you can get a signed copy of the book from my Etsy shop HERE.  I'm expecting my books in mid-June, so go ahead and get those orders in, and you'll be one of the first to get yours.  Thanks so much, friends!

Welcome Back to NTT!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends.  It's been a whirlwind two weeks.  We have a high school graduate!  I'm going to brag a little bit and include that he graduated summa cum laude with a final cumulative high school GPA of 4.34.  He has worked so hard with several Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment (college) classes.  He will technically enter college as a sophomore, and we couldn't be prouder of him.  His academic achievement is great, but the kind, compassionate, hardworking young man he has grown up to become is even better.

We celebrated his graduation by leaving for a beach trip the next day, and after all of the hustle and bustle of graduation and family visiting, the peaceful week at the beach was very much appreciated.  Plenty of sunshine, perfect temperatures, and crystal clear water make it impossible not to relax.

Check out this stunning sunset I captured on our last night.  This photo is completely unedited (I didn't even crop it)- it really was that beautiful!

Another unrelated milestone happened during all of this, though I only realized it after the fact.  My blog just turned TEN years old (and NTT will turn ten next month)!  My very first blog post was on May 3, 2013, and I feel like such a big milestone is worth a mention.  

Okay, y'all!  I hope you've had lots going on in your sewing studio!  We'll party in a little bit, but first, take a look at some of the eye-candy linked up at our last party.  Rita at Quiltpiecer shared this pretty quilt-

This simple, sweet quilt is from Kat at Scrapbook Quilts-

And this patriotic beauty is from Alycia at Quiltygirl-

Okie dokie, friends!  Let's do this!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

May Sponsor News

Hey there, my friends!  Things are pretty crazy here at my house, but in the very best way!  As you may already know, my son graduates from high school on Friday, and we have family arriving this evening for the event.  Before that happens though, I definitely want to fill you in on some of the great things happening around the web.  Let's jump right in, shall we?

LouLou's Fabric Shop has literally thousands of bolts already on sale (they have a huge selection!), and now through May 19th, you can get an extra 10% off your entire order with the code spring. 

                

LouLou's sale section has SO much- yardage, bundles, precuts!  You can find pretty much anything you need.  I'm loving this Happy Days fat quarter bundle on sale right now.

Have you visited Lady Belle Fabrics lately? There's always something new there, like the Daisy collection from Maureen Cracknell.  Her color palettes are always so lovely.

               

If you're looking to score a sweet deal, how about this Bungalow collection from Amy Gibson?  It's in the sale section for a great price!

Okay friends!  It's time for you to head off and show some love to these amazing shops.  I'll be back here in a couple of weeks with Needle and Thread Thursday 5/24!  Happy shopping!

Southwest Scenery and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  BIG things are happening here.  My son's last day of high school was yesterday, and believe me when I say it's bittersweet (he is exempt from his final exams because he has all A's, so he is out a few days early).  I'm so very proud of him, and I'm excited to see the culmination of all his hard work, but closing this chapter of life holds a little sadness too.

Since we're expecting family in town next week for his graduation, I've been working hard to get my latest quilt all finished up, and I am absolutely in love with it.  In case you missed my last couple of posts, this quilt is destined for his dorm room this fall, and the colors were chosen to coordinate with THIS set of posters.

I'm almost as excited about the back as I am the front (but not quite)!  I sewed up all my leftovers to create a second landscape, this one in striated layers.  It is truly a two-sided quilt!

I chose to keep the outdoorsy feel of the quilt and gave it lots of great texture with free motion wood grain quilting. I haven't quilted this motif in awhile, and it took a little time to find my groove, but it was well worth it.  The quilting is fairly dense, and the solids show it off so well.  The black binding echoes the black frames of the posters, and is a great complement for these colors!

We have a solid navy quilt picked out for the main quilt on his bed, and this will be used as an accent.  It measures 72" x 72", a great throw size.

Before we get to the highlights from last week's party, I want to let you know that NTT will be taking a break for two weeks.  My son graduates next Friday, May 12th, and then we are leaving for a grad trip the day after!  With family coming in town next week, there is just so much to do to prepare for our trip and our company!  NTT will be back on May 24th, and I hope you'll have lots of things to share!

Okay then, friends!  Here are a few of my faves from last week's link-up!  Sew Preeti Quilts shared this fun quilt-

Love this one by Anne-Marie at Stories from the Sewing Room-

And these blocks from Rebecca Grace Quilting are fantastic.  I can't wait to see more!

Keep up the awesomeness while I'm gone, friends!  And 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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

A Western Landscape and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I've been working like a crazy person this week to get my latest quilt top finished.  Graduation is just over two weeks away, and I really want to get this completely finished before then.  I am in love with the way it turned out!

I knew I wanted to make a landscape quilt that would echo the National Park posters we have for his dorm room, but I deliberated (a LOT) on the design.  I thought about using HST's or strips of some kind, and I even considered doing improv, but equilateral triangles won out.  The consistent solid triangles add simplicity to the quilt and allow the unique color layout to take center stage.  Speaking of layout, I played around with it for a couple of days, rearranging triangles here and there until I was pleased with it, and I really love it.  My son does too, which is the most important thing!

These triangles finish at six inches, so the entire quilt measures 72" x 72", a generous size for an extra quilt at the foot of his bed.  Since dorm rooms are small, we've decided to use a solid quilt for the main quilt on the bed.  An entire bed with this design would definitely overwhelm such a small space.

Since I used thirty(!!!) different solids, I have a ton of leftovers for the back, so figuring out how to use them is my plan for tomorrow!

Now, let's get to the highlights from last week!  This beauty is from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

I love this one shared by Rebecca Grace Quilting-

Anne Marie at Stories from the Sewing Room linked up this fresh spring quilt-

And these shades of blue are so striking in this quilt by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl-

Okay, y'all!  It's time to show me what you've been working on this week.  I can't wait to see!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

A Dorm Quilt and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  We're getting super close to high school graduation around here (it's under a month away now!), and we have started giving serious thought to what my son's dorm room will look like.  Or, I have anyway.  My son mostly tells me not to go overboard with decor, and other than that, he's fine with whatever.  Well, I found these amazing posters on Etsy and (with his approval), we're building the dorm room around them. 

(fyi-there is a glare from the window on the top two posters creating some weird reflections)

The colors in these posters are a bit more muted than some of the brighter National Park posters I've seen, and he really liked the more subdued, controlled palette.  The blues, grays, oranges, and tans are right up his alley.  When we took our month-long family vacation out west two summers ago, these were his favorite five places we visited, so there is a personal connection to this theme as well.

I pulled solids from my stash, and though I had plenty of blues and grays, my rusty oranges and browns were seriously lacking.  I am still waiting on a couple of darker reds to finish off this collection, and then I guess I better get to work on a design plan!  I know it will be something very simple because that's what he likes best.

So, without further ado, let's get right to the highlights from last week.  This lovely quilt is from Linda at kokaquilts-

Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting linked of several pretty projects!

This awesomely scrappy quilt is from Alycia at Quiltygirl-

And this amazing quilt is from Sew Preeti Quilts-

Wow!!  I love browsing through all of the gorgeous projects week after week!  Let's get our party going!

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 within your 

    post.  

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 Blossoms and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  This week, I spent a relaxing Easter weekend with my family, worked outside in my yard quite a bit, and still found time to finish up this little baby quilt.

These little strips measure 1.5" x 11" finished.  It's a weird size, but since these are leftovers from my Blossoms and Buds quilt, the size was pretty much dictated to me.  I love the way the creamy Kona Bone background makes these saturated florals pop.

I quilted this one with a relaxed spiral floral design, and not only does it echo the design of the fabrics, it's a great complement to the straight lines of the piecing.

The quilting is dense enough to give it lots of great texture, but not so dense that it doesn't drape well.  This is a baby quilt after all, and a snuggly quilt is of utmost importance.

I had a leftover piece of this stunning wide back print, and it was perfect for the back.  I widened it out with an aqua print I had in my stash, though I had a bit of a measurement mishap.  If you look closely, you can see a very narrow strip along each side.  

Somehow, when I made the backing, it turned out about an inch too narrow, and I didn't realize it until after I had already laid out the quilt top over it for basting.  Since I had already started the process, I decided to go ahead and finish basting the quilt, and fix it after the fact.  After basting, I unpinned one long side at a time and sewed on an extra strip to widen it out.  I can't believe I did that!  I just goes to show that everyone makes mistakes and that's okay.  Most things are easily fixable, so don't freak out!

The fabrics in this quilt gave me lots of choices for the binding, so it was so easy to pull this purple crosshatch out of my stash.  I love it because there are a couple of fabrics in the quilt that are actually two shades of purple, so it coordinates beautifully.

Every single bit of this quilt came from leftovers or my stash, and I love that!  The finished quilt measures 36" x 44", so it's a perfect size for donating to the NICU of our local children's hospital.  I'm calling this one Boho Blossoms.  These Anna Maria floral fabrics are so colorful, and the designs have a very boho feel.

Last week's party didn't disappoint (it never does!), so let's get to the highlights.  This beautiful quilt top is from Jocelyn at Canadian Needle Nana-

This sweet and scrappy quilt is from Shannon at The Flemings Nine-

Karen at Quilts...etc. shared this lovely rainbow quilt-

And finally, this spring stunner is from Sew Preeti Quilts-

Oh my goodness!  Y'all made it SO hard to choose features last week.  Let's bring on this week's eye-candy!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)