Happy Mail

This week was the week for happy mail.

I participated in a Kokka layer cake swap with 25 other people and here the fabrics all came.

I bought a new patter by Logan over at Logan Makes a Mess  and strips that I initially thought would be used for another quilt of valor scrappy trip quilt but now that I've seen them I might keep them and use them for this skirt pattern or a quilt of my own. I love them!

Finally, a surprise, surprise, surprise. The wonderful and talented Barb over at Bejeweled Quilts by Barb sent me a pillow cover for a sewing chair pillow that she made.

She designed, sewed and quilted it for the Moda's Sliced Challenge early in 2012 and you can see her photos and comments here of FRONT and BACK.  Isn't this beautiful? Isn't she talented?

Isn't she super generous for surprising me with this? I am so excited since I will be replacing my stool very soon for a backed chair and this is going to be the icing on the cake (or should I say support on the back?). With that nifty buckle on the back, it will hold in place on the chair and not fall each time I stand up. You know how often we all do that with all the up to press, down to sew that we do.

Thank you, Barb. You humble me.

What a great week of mail.

Cheers!
Beck

Made In Cherry QAL - Finished!

Back at the end of 2011, Chelsea at Pins and Bobbins hosted a QAL called Made in Cherry.  We started cutting in Jan. 2012 and I had a top completed in Feb. 2012. You can see a post about the making of the top here.

Then it sat until Feb. 2013 where I decided it was time to get this thing quilted.

So, I remeasured the top because it looked way too long with the added white borders.  I was right. WAY too long. I pulled them off, left the colored square borders and loaded her up to quilt.

Knowing there was a lot of empty space, I wasn't sure what to do when I started but decided to start and just go with it.  I decided to do some straight line quilting in the open white space except in 2 of the triangles where I quilted echoing triangles.

I added a looping border next to the blocked border and on the blocked border, it's even simpler. Just an X through each block.

I am pleased with it even though it was a chore to quilt. Why? Simply b/c as I committed to the design, I envisioned it looking like crap.  I didn't even look at it once off the frame for fear I'd never bind it.  Honestly, I felt that ambivalent about it.

However, I am nothing if not honest and knew I had to take photos and post them here.  Still unopened, I grabbed 2 kids, told them to hold it up on a 30 degree and windy day and snapped a couple photos.

And fell in love.  I love how the quilting looks. I still think I could have done things differently but I also really  like how I didn't do all four side triangles in triangle echo but only 2. I like how the borders show up.  I love the loopy star quilting in the star (sorry, didn't show it) and that it's loose enough of a meander that the star still pops when looking at it.

Is it just me or did I do alright on this one?  (Yes, shamelessly asking for a complement... I'll be okay if you don't give me one. LOL)

Cheers!
Beck

eBooks by Fons & Porter, "Build Your Best Log Cabin"

Recently I was asked if I’d like to review a free eBook, "Build Your Best Log Cabin" created by Fons & Porter Love of Quilting and would I, once reviewed, be interested in writing a brief review? Of course I was interested!

ETA- I was given permission to share the link since it isn't yet on the web page so here it is. :)
http://www.fonsandporter.com/landing/free-log-cabin-quilt-patterns 

I’ve now had a chance to read through the eBook and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised. Not because I wondered if the eBook would be any good, I pretty much expected that. I mean, Fons & Porter Love of Quilting. I haven’t come across any patterns or instructions by them which have disappointed yet. Heck, all the foundation piecing I do now is courtesy of having learned from Fons & Porter Love of Quilting and I’ve got a love of foundation piecing now for it.

So, I was expecting good. I assumed it. Here’s what I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect the easy read. I also didn't expect to get a little background on the history of a log cabin or to receive some non-log cabin related tutorials such as bobbin quilting and binding with typing.

There are several quilt patterns included in the eBook and I find myself eager to make a log cabin quilt after reading through it and seeing how well Fons & Porter Love of Quilting have simplified the log cabin block by way of explanation for how the blocks are traditionally built. I am not typically a log cabin gal but I have ideas swirling now. I’ve got an idea to use the Bear Paw pattern by Ricky Tims that is in this eBook. I can’t stop thinking of which fabrics I should use for it and the only thing restricting me from pulling fabric is that I have too many projects going at the moment. Won't be long, though, before I start. I'm sure of it.

I found, as I read through the patterns that the tips and tutorials provided and were easy to understand. I think in picture and so often translate words into images when I read and therefore, it's important to me instrcutions are conscise but thorough so I should add that on the couple of occasions I caught myself pausing, the picture and diagrams quickly cleared any hesitancy I might have felt. I think this is why I’m so eager to make a log cabin quilt now, I have a “hey, I can do that” mentality now.

I didn’t know Fons & Porter Love of Quilting offered these short eBooks (this one is 24 pages with mostly pattern instruction) for free on their website or that you can download them off the website once you are registered there (also free with no obligations). I plan to explore the other eBooks soon (Batik Quilt Patterns, Civil War Quilt Patterns, Blockbusters: 100 Quilt Blocks, Handmade Christmas Ornaments) to see what other inspiration strikes thanks to these little gems!

If you find yourself with a little time, I recommend stopping over at Fons & Porter Love of Quilting and having a look at what’s available. The Build Your Best Log Cabin eBook is not available just yet online at the . I’m guessing you will be pleasantly surprised, too.

Cheers!
Becky

QOV Scrappy Trip Around the World

It started on New Year's weekend.  A few people on Instagram decided to sew a scrappy trip around the world using the tutorial from Quiltville.com.  It spread like wildfire along the IG community and became a hashtag monster of its own, #scrappytripalong. Many drank the kool-aid, so to speak, including me. I made two tops total!   The truly scrappy one is waiting to be quilted but here's a sneak peak.

The second one was made for a donation to Quilts of Valor.  These came together pretty quick and I love how you can get different top looks out of the quilt.  Just check out the Flickr page set up to show all the photos (that's how many popped in to join this unofficial sew along).

So, I created strip sets, sewed them together per the tutorial and then finally ended up with a block. Then I had two blocks, three, and four.

 The quilt was starting to grow.

I'm excited, I'll be attending a local sew-in for QOV this upcoming weekend and I'll be able to hand in my quilt then but before I was to do that, I needed to take photos for you. The thing is, I had a dog interfere. He wanted to model, I think. He was actually posing so, I figured I'd let him have his day and publish his handsome mug.  I hope you enjoy.

And now some quilt details!

Cheers!
Beck

I'm going to join a quilt guild

I've spent a lot of years with the internet quilting community. Heck, you wonderful people on the other end of this web link have been my guild.  However, I made a commitment to myself a while back that once Hubs retired from the military and we settled for a few years in one place until the kids graduated, that I'd start meeting some of you and some new quilters in real life.

I started with the Sewing Summit and a class in TN.  At the end of Dec., I was invited to an impromptu day of sewing at a fellow and local IGer's house.  Kim at My Go-Go Life graciously hosted myself, Katie of SwimBikeQuilt, and Amy of AmyLouWho fame.  I was able to get a little quilt binding done and I most certainly was able to enjoy the company of friends (meeting Kim for the first time).  During the conversation shared, Katie reminded us of the DC Modern Quilt Guild meeting coming up and I marked it in my calender.

(Amy, Kim, Katie)

In the same mindset to meet people in real life, I attended today's DC Modern Quilt Guild for a day of sewing, guild business and show and tell.  I was so pleasantly surprised to see there were a few blog authors I read or have read, Flickr feeds that I stalk or IG users I chat with as attendees.  The atmosphere was open and welcoming and even though I arrived late, sewed a bit on the floor and didn't have any official show and tell (I was able to show the blocks for 2 projects I have... the members asking to see what you are working on if you don't have a finish handy), I really enjoyed myself.  I will gladly join up and plan to submit my dues next month for the year.

It's always so nerve-wracking to walk into a place where you aren't sure of the environment or if you will be comfortable or welcomed. To be pleasantly surprised. It's also very nerve-wracking to stand up and introduce yourself, hold up a couple blocks in their rawest form to show other quilters, many who you have an inferiority complex about (whether true or not).  Honestly, why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we always have this insecure question of, will my work be good enough?  I make a lot of mistakes and I love my quilts for them b/c they are unique and yet, I still have that nagging fear of acceptance.  ugh...

I digress... I held up these 2 blocks for what I was working on. One, a bit of an impromptu sew along over on IG.  The hashtag, for you IG users, is #xplusalong.  This is the second impromptu sew along this month, the first being a scrappy trip around the work (using a tutorial from Quiltville.com) and I decided that when I did these, because they are quick blocks, I could make these my Quilts of Valor quilts this year for donations.

 

The second block is this never-ending Jinny Beyer quilt for my sisters.  I am committed to completing this one this year and openly asked anyone to feel free to question me on its progress if it crosses your mind.  I want all the incentive/help to stay on target as I can get.  

The attendees gave me warm and fuzzies, with oohs and ahhs and asking for me to hold them up for pictures.   It's so nice to have oohs and ahhs and the nice thing is, it's freely given by you and everyone else because I found myself sufficiently interested and impressed in what everyone else was working on and/or their finished projects and the creative process through all.

Is this what I've been missing all these years by not being a part of a guild or have I landed into a good one with a great group of folks willing to share, listen and enjoy each other and each other's creations?  

I'm a happy bean at the moment. Thank you, Katie, for reminding me of the meetings and thank you DC Modern Quilt Guild for being so welcoming and warm.  I'm really looking forward to being a part of this group this year.

Cheers!
Beck