Charlie's Baby Quilt

I am expecting my fourth granddaughter in January.  I posted a couple of months ago the fabrics for her baby quilt.  I have now finished the quilt and delivered it to my daughter at her baby shower.

I ordered Lily Pulitzer fabric from Etsy for the dresses.  I found some wood grain fabric for the dress forms.  I cut out the 16 dresses and the 16 dress forms and using Appli-Kay Wonder from Floriana, I ironed on the dresses and forms onto white fabric.  After they were ironed on I used the blanket stitch on the sewing machine to finish the applique edges.

The pattern called for the white blocks to have four different fabrics bordering each of the blocks.  I decided that this would make the quilt too busy, so I decided to use only one fabric to border each block.

I used the same fabrics that my daughter used to make her crib skirt, to border and back the quilt.

I imitated the swirl pattern in the white background fabric when I free motion quilted the quilt.

Here is the finished quilt!

Linking up with Amanda @ Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

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Week Three: "Grandmother's Flower Garden" Quilt

This week was very busy, so I didn't get as far as I would have liked to.

Match Play

Big news!!!!  I won my final match for Matchplay.  I am now the Ladies Matchplay Champion for Piedmont Club!!!!!!

OK. So, the "trophy" I am holding isn't the trophy.  Just wanted to hold something.  The actual trophy has not come in yet to the club.

Week Two: "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt

 I do apologize for the lack of post lately.  It is due to a lack of knowledge of computers and technical difficulties.

 This is my week two progress on my "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt.

Grandmother's Flower Garden

After spending many hours on the internet, I came up with a pattern to make my "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt.  I really liked both the green background and the white background so I decided to incorporate both into my design.

So, I decided to make a double flower with white hexagons around the flower and then a row of green around the flowers.  I also decided to make all the centers in yellow.

Now that I had my design in my head I went to the internet to download some hexagon graph paper. I went to the bottom of the page and used the 5ish to the inch black link, and printed the paper.

 Using colored pencils I mapped out my design.  This may change, but it is a start.

Now it is time to start my "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt.

I am going to try to post my progress each week on the blog.  So look for updates every Tuesday!

 Week one progress!

Hexagons

When Martelli had templates on their Redline Direct, I bought a set of hexagons. At the time I bought then I had no idea what I was going to do with them.  Then I saw a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt on line and knew that I had to make it.

 Well, for starters it is pieced together using the English paper piecing method.  If you don't know what that is, here is a video that will help you understand English paper piecing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHe-MJavMqI.

I decided to start by making a pin cushion that I found in McCall's Quilting Magazine (Nov./Dec. 2013) to get me started with hexagons.

I used Martelli hexagons to cut both the paper and the fabric.

I used the 2 inch fussy cut template to make my paper pattern.  After I make one sheet, I then copied the paper several times and then cut out all the hexagons.

 

I first cut a 2 1/2 by 3 inch pieces of fabric, then using the template, I cut the hexagon shapes.

 

Next I pinned the paper shapes to the fabric.

I have stitched the edges down and now I am ready to whip stitch the hexagons together.  I stitched mine down differently than in any of the other videos.  I tack down ONLY the corners (with a stitch and then a back stitch) making sure that I do NOT go through the paper. This helps preserve the paper so that it can be used over many times.

Next I pressed them and right after I press them and before I sew them together, I take out the papers (which can be used again).  This is different than any of the youtube videos that I watched.  I just don't see the need for the paper when sewing them together.

I sewed all the sides together except one.  I stuffed it with crushed walnut shells, that I got at the pet store, before whip stitching the last side of the last hexagon.  My finished pin cushion!

Martelli Red Line Direct

Martelli is selling their mats and Christmas Stocking templates at 50% off this Thursday October 10th.

QUESTIONS: Call 850-433-1414 9a - 4p, Monday - Friday Date & Time Thursday, October 10, 2013 Midnight to Midnight, Eastern Time Remember to adjust for your time zone!

50% OFF! Promo code: RL1309 Single use per customer. Valid on purchases thru online store. Not valid with other offers. Get started now at: www.martellicatalog.com OCTOBER 10, 2013 ONLY!  QUESTIONS: Call 850-433-1414  9a - 4p, Monday - Friday

Quilting guild

Quick note.  I joined the Haymarket Chapter of Quilters Unlimited.  Looking forward to becoming a participating member of the guild.

My Applique Class

Last Saturday was my second Applique class.  I finished the first block while traveling back from Disney on the train.

It's not perfect, but this is my first block.   I should get better with each block.

I thought I was ahead of the game by having everything already cut out for the second block, but when I got to class a lot of the people already had the second block finished and was already working on the third block.  We are all working at our own pace and I love that. Not sure how much I will have done by the next class but I will keep you updated.

Original Sewing and Quilt Expo

Today I went to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in Fredericksburg, VA.  For those of you who think it is more about sewing than quilting, you couldn't be more wrong.  I would say that 75% of the show was dedicated to quilting. I had a great time wondering through all the booths.  For this expo I concentrated on patterns.  Boy did I find a lot.  Let me share with you some of the things that I picked up.

I have always wanted to do a nativity quilt.  I probably won't have it finished before this Christmas, maybe next Christmas.

I figured this would be a great go to table runner.

I always wanted to learn the tea leaf pattern.  This looked quick and easy.

How could I resist this with two daughters and three granddaughters. The words are covered up by the flash, but it says "Sometimes I miss my sister".  I'm thinking I'll make it for my oldest granddaughter.

OK, I know it is not quilting but how cute is this petite wallet and this checkbook wallet.

I have been admiring this in the Keepsake Quilting catalog for awhile.  Can't wait to try it.

This was done by the same person that designed the "Up North" quilt.

I think they are supposed to be wall hangings but I think they would make great table runners.  One of my goals is to have a table runner for every season.  These will help a lot.

I also stopped by the Martelli booth.  I met Linda Winner and she was telling me that they have redone all of their instructional videos.  She was really excited about them.  The best place to find her videos is www.youtube.com/lindavideos.

While I am talking about Martelli, there is a Redline Direct coming up on October 10.  Up next is cutting mats.  These mats last a life time.  I don't know about you but I go through mats.  I'm getting one from the show, it is the demo mat, but since they last forever I don't mind that it is used.

Ladies Club Championship

This past weekend I played in our Ladies Club Championship.  I had a great time.  I played with a great group of ladies both days.  One of my close friends shot her best ever on the first day to lead the net championship with a 61.  I was tied for second net with a 70.

 On day two I got to play with two of my best friends.  And as we all suspected nobody was able to catch Joan and her 61 from the first day.  My other friend, Carole, had a better second day than I did to come in second net.  I ended up third. 

Joan after shooting a net 61 and 75.

From left to right

 Jane (Gross runner up), Lori (Club Champion), Joan (Net Champion), and Carole (Net runner up)

Binding Halloween Quilt

Today I thought that I would talk about how I bind a quilt.

First off I cut my binding 2 1/2 inches wide.  I can't tell you how easy cutting binding is with the Martelli strip ruler.

As you can see I have numbered the slots in one inch intervals.  I have also made a line every 2 1/2 inches for cutting binding.  These marking make it so much faster and easier to cut all my binding by placing both my ruler and fabric on the table once.  I can cut five strips WOF (with of the fabric) without moving the ruler.

Now that I have my binding cut, sew the strips together to make one strip. Now it is time to attach the binding to the quilt.  I use Martelli's Zip Bind system.  I have tried other ways of binding and with the other methods I never had a good looking corner.  With Martelli's Zip Bind System,  I have never had a bad looking corner.  Now with that said, I don't follow her system to the end.  I find that once I get the binding sewn onto the front of the quilt, the back comes without an effort, so I do not follow her instructions on finishing the back.

I am going to take you through how I bind my quilts but highly recommend you looking at her video first. 


Fold binding in half WRONG sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam lengthwise.

Stitch as close as you can to the outer edge of the quilt.  This really helps keep the edges flat and clean while adding the binding.

Using the Stitch-N-Ditch Binding foot set at a scant less than 3/8 inches.  Start stitching on the binding by starting in the middle of one side leaving about a 6 inch tail.

 

Mark a line on your binding a scant less than 3/8 from the bottom edge.  Sew to that line and back-stitch to lock stitches in place.

 

Using you Minute-Miter (medium size for 2 1/2 in blinding strips), placing it on the edge as shown.

Fold the binding up on top of the binding that is already sewn to the quilt.  Pull the Minute-Miter to the right so that the bottom is even with the folded side of the binding.

Now fold the binding to the left so that the raw edge is even with the bottom of the quilt.  Use the Zip gun to clip the binding in place 1 1/2 to 2 inches to the left of the Minute-Miter.

Next, remove the Minute-Miter by pushing it left, up and then right.

 

 Pop

 Pinch

  Fold

 Starting at the edge of the corner start stitching again.  Stitch until a scant less than 3/8 inch and repeat the process.  Repeat for the next three corners until you are 6 to 8 inches from where you started.  Overlapping the binding by the width of the binding.  In this case 2 1/2 inches, and cut so that your overlap is now exactly 2 1/2 inches.  Open up your binding and place right sides together at a ninety degree angle and sew a diagonal line from top right to bottom left.  Trim to a quarter of an inch.

Refold the binding and stitch in place.

When you stitch the back side of the quilt, the corners should look like this.  The miters should be going in opposite directions.  Snouts vs no snouts.Once you have your corner nice, I whip stitch the back of the quilt.  Again watch the video for a more detailed description.

Golf at Dominion Valley Country Club

This past weekend I played golf for the first time in almost three weeks.  There was a tournament at our course so we played at Dominion Valley.  It is rated a little harder than Piedmont. 

I was very happy with my ball striking.  I didn't score that well on the front nine but had a great back nine.  Looking back on it, the reason I played my wedges so well is that the greens were very slow.  It was easy to keep the ball on the green with my short irons.

Tomorrow I am playing Piedmont.  This will be my last round before the club championship this weekend.  Wish me luck.

September Disney Trip

I'm sorry that I haven't posted for a couple of weeks but I have been visiting my dad in Jacksonville, FL and then went to Disney.

My dad turned 87 on September 3. I try to visit him every year around his birthday.  This year I gave him an Iphone for his birthday.  He has been working hard trying to learn how to use it.  The good thing is that he already has a Ipad and we synced the phone to the Ipad so he had all of his apps and the home screen looks familiar to him.

I don't know about you, but I don't know many eighty something  year olds who can handle an Iphone and an Ipad.  Congrats to my dad for doing so!


Here are a few photos from my trip to Disney.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

My Granddaughter, Raelynn at Disney

All the wonderful food and drink in Epcot.  Avocado Margarita with guacamole in Mexico, Wine flights at the wine cellar in Italy and who could pass up a Turkey leg in America.

Magic Kingdom, getting ready for Halloween and the new Fantasyland.

Who can pass up all of the shopping in Disney.  I had to have the Tinkerbell sunglasses.

Martelli Redline

Tomorrow is Martelli's Redline day.  All cutters, blades, template, and rulers are 50% off. Please take advantage of this.  You will not be disappointed in these products.

50% OFF! Promo code: RL1308	Single use per customer. Valid on purchases thru online store. Not valid with other offers. Get started now at: www.martellicatalog.com
September 12, 2013 ONLY!  QUESTIONS: Call 850-433-1414  9a - 4p, Monday - Friday

Quilting While on Vacation

Heading to Florida to see my dad and then to my favorite place on earth, Disney World.  I can't take my sewing machine with me so I will switch to hand quilting.

 After my hand applique class I am taking this to work on.  Will also try to start the next block but I will need more instruction to finish it.

This is a yo yo quilt that I am making for my oldest granddaughter, Raelynn.

 

By my calculations I need 1600 yo yos to make this queen size quilt. I cut all of these circles by hand.  I would draw a circle (using a template) onto the fabric and then cutting out each one of the circles.  

Again Martelli has come through with a great invention.  The circle template.  I saw them at a trade show and bought a set.  I am just sorry I didn't find this product earlier.  The rest of the 1600 circles will be cut with Martelli's circle template.