Sliding Geese Mini, and a Giveaway

Good morning, friends!  Today, it's my turn on the Sew In Love With Fabric Summer Mini blog hop, and I'm so excited to share this little mini quilt with you, featuring the Patio Splash fabric collection.

These particular prints from the collection are called Color Strokes, and they are absolutely gorgeous.  They have the perfect amount of texture for when you are looking for fabrics that are almost solid, but not quite, which makes them extremely versatile.  They are so saturated and fun, and are perfectly summery!

I decided to design a mini quilt using flying geese, a classic quilting building block, but give it some interest by varying the sizes to create the sliding effect.

I have written a full tutorial for this mini, making it super easy!  Be sure to head over to Sew In Love With Fabric to check it out the full tutorial.  But before you go, I'm thrilled to let you know that Benartex is offering a fat quarter bundle of these luscious fabrics as a giveaway, so take a second to enter.

Just leave a single comment on this post to enter the giveaway.  I'll announce the winner at next week's Needle and Thread Thursday post (5/24).

By the way, and I also have FOUR other amazing giveaways going on right now which also run through next Wednesday evening.  To enter those as well, just head over HERE to check them out.

All of these giveaways have ended, and I'll announce the winners this afternoon in my NTT post!

Good luck to all, and happy (almost) summer!

Come Party, Friends!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!  We have been practically living at the baseball field this week, so I'm feeling pretty accomplished to have my latest quilt basted.  I haven't gotten to actually start quilting on it yet though, so let's jump right into with some features from last week's party!

These awesomely modern placemats are by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal-

Karen's Quilting shared this scrappy postage stamp masterpiece-

and Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic linked up this fun Dancing Plusses quilt-

So without further ado, it's time to 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!  :)

Pop Star for Keeps

Happy Monday!  I hope all of you mommas out there had a fantastic Mother's Day weekend!  I had a packed weekend, and part of it included finishing up this Pop Star quilt (pattern available HERE and HERE).  With 18 inch blocks, this one went together pretty quickly.

Little by little, I've been remaking several of my quilts to use as class samples, so this one is for keeps.  I decided to use a navy background on this one to give it a little wow factor, and I love how the colors just pop against it.  I'm still deciding how I want to quilt it. but since we are smack in the middle of our end of season baseball tournament, this one may have to wait a little while until I can finish it anyway.  We practically live at the ball field at this time of year, and I love it!

When Things Just Don't Work

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I really debated with myself on whether or not to share these two preemie quilts with you.  In fact, if I'm being totally honest, I really struggled with myself on whether to even finish them.

To give you the full story, I need to back up a few weeks.  In the midst of finishing up my book manuscript, I decided I wanted to work on something easy and stress-free, and decided to make a class sample of my Interference pattern.  I pulled a group of fabrics from my stash in a palette that I really loved, even if it was a little different from the norm for me, and I got super excited for a fast finish.

Even now, as I look at the stack I pulled, I think this color combination is awesome.  Unfortunately though, these fabrics didn't translate into a quilt I loved- at all.  I made a lap size quilt, measuring 55" x 66" and...I hated it.  I don't know if the colors and prints were just too busy or if the problem was something else, but I just didn't like the result.  Even though several of my guild members thought it was great, it never grew on me.  The quilt top sat in my cabinet for a few weeks while I decided whether to finish it or cut the whole thing up into scraps (no kidding- I almost did this).

Luckily, before I cut the entire quilt apart for scraps, inspiration struck.  Instead of calling this quilt a total loss, I split it into two preemie size quilts, and I will donate them to our local children's hospital with my guild this fall.  Though I never grew to love this one, the fact that several of my guild members loved it means that it is donation-worthy (I would never donate a quilt that everyone agreed was a total mess).  All in all, these little preemie quilts feel like a win (though I still need to make an Interference class sample).

Before we get to last week's highlights, I want to offer an apology to those of you who tried to link up but had trouble, or noticed that the linky list was missing altogether.  The problem was with the server of linky service itself, and it should be fixed now.  Thanks for your patience!

At last week's party, Sew Not Often Enough shared this beautiful finish, called Cool, Cool Water.

This gorgeous quilt was linked up by Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty-

and last, but not least, check out this lovely medallion quilt by The Lilac Cat-

Okay, ya'll!  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!  :)

Come Party!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, and happy MAY!  I can't help it.  All of those years as a teacher means that I get positively giddy when May rolls around, because it means that summer is just around the corner!  This week, I've been doing more secret sewing (for a different purpose than my book), and I hope to be able to share some news on that with you soon!  I'm not too sad about that though, because there was plenty of eye candy at last week's party to pretty-up this post.

Like this awesome triangle quilt for Slice of Pi Quilts-

Or this beauty by Myra at Busy Hands Quilts, called Brick Cottage Lane 2-

And how about this fun quilt from Tanya Quilts in CO?  I just love those pops of green!

Alrighty, friends!  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!  :)

Folk Dance Encore and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  With my roses in full bloom, it's my very favorite time of year to take quilt pictures, so I hope you'll indulge this slightly picture-heavy post.

As I mentioned in my last post, this quilt is a remake of my original Folk Dance quilt, and I'm keeping this one as a class sample, as well as for trunk shows (pattern available HERE and HERE).

I thought a dense, allover flower quilting motif would compliment the Anna Maria Horner fabrics nicely, and I have to say- I am as proud of this quilting as any I've ever done.  I even had a quilty friend ask if I had bought a longarm machine.  Nope- all quilted on my domestic BERNINA, but I take that as a huge compliment!

Even though I used 25 different prints in this quilt, I am saving the remainder of these fat quarters for a king size quilt for my bed.  I did use the smallest leftover pieces on the backing though, and it adds just a little bit of flair.

This quilt has a full rainbow of color, so I could have chosen almost any color binding.  This Kona Oasis was already in my stash, and I love how it frames the twirling skirt blocks, so it was a no-brainer.

Okie dokie, friends!  I owe you some winners from last week's April sponsor post!  First up, the two winners of the adorable Hello Spring embroidery from Fort Worth Fabric Studio are comments 20 (Lee), and 16 (Mary).

 

Next, the winner of the $25 gift card to LouLou's Fabric Shop is comment number 52 (Angela Bowling).

And last, but certainly not least, the winner of the $25 gift certificate to Lady Belle Fabrics is comment number 34 (Susan L.).  Congratulations to all four of you, and happy stitching and shopping!

Time to check out the eye-candy from last week's party!  This stunner is by Cyndi at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework-

Katie Mae Quilts shared this lovely quilt.  Definitely check out the post for some close ups of the quilt, but I couldn't resist including this gorgeous rainbow shot here.

Speaking of beautiful photos, check out this quilt from Elm Street Quilts.  A gorgeous quilt, and I love the beautiful setting!

The talent showcased at NTT week after week is simply amazing.  Without further ado, 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!  :)

Back At It, and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  Well, my quilts, manuscript, and other materials for my book have been shipped out to Martingale, and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted right off my shoulders.  Though I'm sure I'll have plenty of contact with my editor and some revisions to do before the book is released next spring, I'll be getting much more sewing time now that the big push is over.  Woohoo!

After all of that work, I needed some fast, fresh inspiration.  Anna Maria Horner to the rescue!  I've been hoarding AMH prints for the past several months for an eventual king size quilt for my bed.  By hoarding, I mean that I have amassed 120 different fat quarters (umm, that's 30 yards of fabric- yikes!), and though I am not quite ready to tackle a giant quilt right now, I couldn't help but cut into several of them.  This quilt is my Folk Dance pattern, designed to look like bright, twirling skirts, and it took just over a fat eighth of 25 different prints (including a couple of Amy Butler fabrics for good measure).  I sold my original Folk Dance quilt before I began teaching quilt classes and presenting trunk shows, so a remake was in order, and these prints were the perfect choice for a celebration quilt.

It also occurred to me that I never got the chance to share this fun mini with you here.  My guild organizes a couple of swaps each year, each with different themes, and they are always SO fun!  The theme for this particular swap was Savvy Solids.

This mini has 24 different solids and each strip only measures 3/4" wide, making the entire mini 18 inches square.  Most are Kona colors, but there are a few Moda Bella solids, and even a couple of Cloud 9 Cirrus solids as well.  I quilted it very densely and matched the thread as closely as possible to each solid.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but the thread actually makes its own soft rainbow in the background.  I love this little mini so much that I almost kept it for myself (and I definitely plan to make a second one someday), but it makes me happy to know that the recipient truly loves it.

Don't feel sad for me though, because the swap mini I received flat-out rocks!  I was lucky enough to receive this mini made by prolific modern art quilter Paula Kovarik, who is also a member of our guild.

So, let's get down to the eye-candy from last week's party!  This improv sampler from Diann at Little Penguin Quilts is awesome!

Just look at this fantastic mini created by Lori at Crossquilt.  Lori is one of my guild friends, and I always love getting to see her projects in person.

Check out the Grape Fizz quilt from Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty.  It's gorgeous, and the addition of the single print amongst the solids is a great design choice.

And I just can't help but share this improv quilt with stunning quilting by Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts. Be sure to check out her post for close-ups of the quilting.

Wow, friends!  I am floored by your amazing work week after week.  This week, it was particularly difficult to choose features.  I hope you're having lots of fun in your sewing space this week, too.  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!  :)