Five Shadows

My Path was a bit windy this week. I just got to my Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along blocks today, and now I’m not so sure my plan is going to work. I might have to do some tweaking and playing around with them to get them to feel right.

The white seems too bright to me. Maybe a gray would work better. And even tho I’ve shown these 4 blocks with green and blue set stones, my intention is to only use color set stones in about 1/4 of the blocks. More playing for sure, or maybe the white will grow on me?  I’m just not jumping for joy with the look right now.

Earlier this week I worked up another Curve it Up block which just happened to have Drunkard’s Path units in it. See the Star Points – Drunkard’s Path units!

I do like the subtle kind of white to white going on in this block. See Block 1 here.

For the Demo this weekend at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, Indiana, I will be talking about how to use Creative Grids Storm at Sea Ruler using this quilt made by Linda Ridgeway.

And since I like changing things up a bit and showing other uses for rulers, I also made these three blocks.

Oh I just love love love the way this color wheel turned out! I used 12 fabrics from Moda Marbles, Grunge, & Solids, and Jenny Beyer prints for the wheel and Moda Grunge for the background.

All the pieces for these blocks were cut from the Creative Grids Storm at Sea Ruler. I used the Flower Filigree line from Quilting Treasures for the star blocks.

My path lead me on a short road trip this week with Daughter #1 to visit Daughter #2. Among the day’s adventures was a stop in at Crimson Tate! Heather and David are just as personable in real life as they are on their Facebook page! It was nice to meet them and chat for a bit. I could have bought one of everything in the store (if one only had the where-with-all to do so!) but settled for these two lovelies! If you are ever near Indianapolis, Indiana, stop in and visit them!

I’m linking up to Vicki’s Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along.

Tonight starts a new class at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, Indiana. I’ll be teaching Jenny Pedigo’s Curve it Up book using her Quick Curve Ruler. Tonight we will learn how to cut and piece the curves for this Churn Dash Block.

I’m using Sphere fabric by Zen Chic for Moda to make the quilt, but will be using fabric from my stash to show how to cut and sew the blocks together. I should have two quilts by the end of the classes!

Remember the chair upholstery class I’m taking with my daughter?  Here is what I have been learning/accomplishing on it. First off the chair is just about naked. Let’s just say it is jutted. I have stapled new webbing to the bottom (over the old webbing) as instructed, I would have preferred to remove the old and just have the new. But ya got to do what the teacher says. I have re-tied the springs into place and added a new spring to improve the seat. Again, the teacher said to leave the old string – several of the strings are broken, and just re-tie the springs. When it was all done, he said if the old had been removed it would have been a cool picture! Dah! Oh well! And the springs are now covered  with burlap.

Not photoed is the new batting and foam that form the seat, and the upholstery fabric stapled partially in place. It’s coming along.

And here is an old over due project, I had hoped to have completed by yesterday. Sigh. Maybe another week, and I’ll have the top complete.

This quilt was intended for my son and daughter-in-law for their second anniversary. It was yesterday. The pattern is from Elm Creek Quilts, Remembering Victoria. I started it so long ago that I can’t remember if it is supposed to be a queen size, which means enlarging the pattern, or if I was just going to follow the pattern. But, since there is still yardage left after cutting out all the pieces, I’m thinking I’m supposed to be upping it to queen size. That means I’m only about half way there on constructing the blocks. I’ve got to get cracking on this!

Linking up to Connie’s Linky Tuesday over at Freemotion by the River

..

About one quarter of my Drunkard’s Path units are sewn together.  I only cut out that many, and now that I’m sure of what I’ll be doing, I will cut out the rest of the pieces.

And take a look at this! I finished up the last 10 or so units on my new-to-me Singer Featherweight! She sews such a sweet 1/4″ seam!

Hubs bought this gem Saturday via Ebay! I had mentioned to him that Vicki, from Field Trips in Fiber, had a Featherweight for sale on Ebay, and never mentioned it again. Saturday he said there was an hour left to the bidding. Up to that point, I had not been aware that he was even watching the bidding. Then a hour later he said it sold for $340.00. I asked who bought it, and he says,”You!”  !!!!!!   Talk about one excited girl!  Vicki got her shipped out on Monday and she was on my door step Wednesday afternoon! And of course I had to try her out right away!

Thank you, Hubs!  Thank you, Vicki!

Other news – I’ll be teaching a class starting next Tuesday night at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, IN. We will work through Jenny Pedigo’s booklet  Curve it Up, using her Quick Curve Ruler. I’m using Sphere by Zen Chic for Moda for my Curve it Up quilt.

I’m linking to Vicki’s Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along. Go take a look at what the others are up to in the Drunkard’s Path world!

I’ve been playing with Jenny Pedigo’s Quick Curve Ruler this past week. I had just bought several of her patterns when Vicki Welsh announced her Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along. Perfect timing!

I have decided on Two Step Topper in black and white. But I’ll be adding a twist or two – stay tuned – because it is just so fun to change things up a bit.

I continued playing with Dot to Dot. Both are designs by Jenny at Sew Kind of Wonderful and printed by Cut Loose Patterns. I used a Moda Kate Spain Horizon Layer Cake and just love how it is turning out!

And the fun continued with Metro Hoops. Jenny has a Tuesday Tips page on her blog and I found it helpful for accurate cutting and piecing of this block. I’m using Moda Best Day Ever Jelly Roll by April Rosenthal.

The fun will continue this weekend as I get to use these examples to demonstrate Jenny’s Quick Curve Ruler at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, IN. Stop in from 10-3 Saturday and introduce yourself to me if you happen to traveling through or live close by! I’ll be in the kitchen with donuts and coffee and a fun demo!

Oh dear! I’m so very late! I signed up to make some charity quilts and I thought I had until the end of October, but I found out Saturday that they are due by September 30th! Oh no! I was a month off! I am usually not a procrastinator, but this time I have really messed up. That means I have put the babies quilts on the back burner, once again, sigh, and have amped up the charity quilt production. No pictures yet!

And just because that is not enough to be doing, I’m going to be teaching 3 classes at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN this Fall! Tee hee! So excited about that!

Toes in the Sand Quilt Top.  The Pattern is by Jaybird Quilts and uses the Hex N More Ruler. I love love love this ruler. We have kits made up in Batiks, or gals can buy their own color way. This will be a 2 part class to learn cutting with the ruler and machine piecing the shapes (hexies, half hexies, diamonds, and triangles) and will included some in-set seams.

Charm Party Tote by Quilts Illustrated. This nice sized tote is constructed from a favorite charm pack.

Beginning garment sewing – easy PJ bottoms. Flannel and an easy drawstring casing.

I’m linking up to Freemotion by the River Linky Tuesday.

I finished up two more baby quilt tops over the weekend. The first is a print with drawn cats, dogs, chickens, butterflies, and flowers. The back and binding will be a turquoise stripe.

The next one is a bubble print and the back is going to be a Batik otter print. This top is my new favorite!

Wednesday, August 27, another little babe joined our extended family. He was a bit early, but is doing well, still in NICU. That means I am still 2 quilts behind. I plan to make a receiving blanket for him  first and then a quilt will be added to that list I just can’t seem to reach the end of! I’ll pick up fabric Thursday from Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN. His name is Jonah, and I know just what fabric I want and how I’ll use it!

I’m linking up with Connie over at Freemotion Quilting by the River Linky Tuesday.

The rest of the week I’ll be quilting up some of these baby quilt tops!

While working up a demo using Creative Grids 45˚/90˚Triangle Ruler, a co-worker mentioned that she was actually using the ruler to make Atlantic Link. She lent me a few of her blocks to use for the demonstration this Saturday at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN. This ruler can be used for cutting half square triangles (HST) and quarter square triangles (QST) from strips measuring up to 5″ wide.

I’ve worked up a few samples (not photoed) for both HSTs and QSTs using this ruler. It was nice to not have to ‘reinvent’ the wheel, so to speak, this week when working up the demo. Thank you, Vicki, for lending me your pretty Atlantic Link blocks!

This past week was mostly spend helping my daughter prepare for her freshman year of college! We shopped, we ate out, we spent time with her sisters, we cleaned (not enough!) and packed! Then over the weekend her dad and I helped move her into her dorm. Our youngest off to college! The years really do fly by!

I’m linking up to Connie’s Linky Tuesday, over at Freemotion by the River. Stop on by and see what all the other quilters are up to this week!

Machine applique. I like it because I can get a project/top finished pretty quickly. If the applique pieces waited for me to get to hand work, there would be along wait! This top is complete, and waiting for quilting. I just straight stitched around the leaves and blanket stitched around most of the other pieces. I build, meaning the tail and feet are appliqued in place first, then the body, next the head and arms, etc. And I change top thread color to match or coordinate with the current piece being appliqued in place.

14″ square. Little bits – the acorns are about 1 1/2″

I also used the little squirrel and his acorns to embellish a tea towel. And another tea towel with just the leaves and three acorns. But, oops, forgot to take a photo before sending them off. And they turned out so cute!

Pattern: Give Thanks by Briarwood Cottage.  I altered the pattern, replaced pieced border with a solid border, and added the leaves.

Linking to Freemotion by the River Linky Tuesday.

This project was used as an applique demo for Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN USA.

Yesterday’s litte project was a little coffee sleeve I made up for Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN. I’ll use it this Saturday to demo a simple machine applique technique using fusible web. We put together kits using Cafe´ Milan and Chef’s Choice fabric lines and  included “This & That” Quilt Pattern: Coffee Crazy, fusible web, rick rack, and batting. (The pattern uses hand embroidery, not applique. I’m switching it up.)

Funny thing is, when I went to set up for the photo – I don’t drink coffee! – so I searched my house for a Star Bucks cup, but alas! the daughters have let me down this time! There was not one to be found sitting around with a sip or two of stale coffee left in the bottom. I came up with a  ”Plan B ” and used a clear plastic cup with iced tea. Hmmm. I don’t think anyone needs a coffee sleeve to protect themselves against the cold of iced tea, but I guess it gets the point across of the sleeve wrapping around the cup!

In this photo, you get a better look at the fabrics.

Next up! Hubby’s garden!  It is looking great right now!

It has me dreaming of a watercolor quilt in pale lavenders with vibrant Cone Flowers appliques on top. Who am I kidding! I’ll just add that to my never ending and long growing list of ‘want to make’ quilts!

I love how some of the petals are drooping and others are ‘sunbathing’!

How is your Summer going? Are you enjoying all the beauty in nature?

I’m linking up to Connie’s Linky Tuesday on her Freemotion by the River blog.

Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe of Roanoke, IN recently received their shipment of Jaybird Quilts Sidekick Ruler and several patterns featuring the ruler. Julie Herman, the designer, has once again produced a ruler for accurate cutting and piecing. The two patterns I used are both very well written, easy to understand, and make for quick cutting and accurate piecing. The ruler gives you 3 shapes that can be cut into 4 different sizes. And it can be used as a companion ruler with Julie’s popular Hex N More Ruler.

Rock Candy:

Giggles:

I’m taking Creative Quilting with Your Walking Foot Craftsy Class with Jacquie Gering. The Giggles quilt above is the second quilt I have finished with her walking foot techniques. Fun class! And I’m so happy to have a completed project!