patchwork quilt along 2017 - month 3

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Hi everybody! It's time for the next installment of the Patchwork Quilt Along 2017 blocks. I think that these Box-In-A-Box blocks were the quickest things that I've sewn in years. They'll add a nice counterpoint to some of the more delicate blocks coming in future months.

I thought that it might be helpful to share how I've chosen my fabrics for the blocks. Each month I've tried to include a variety of prints: gingham, ditsy and large scale floral. I've reserved the medium and large scale florals for the blocks with larger pieces, and I am using the smallest prints for the blocks with the smallest pieces. I've also tried to have an even distribution of color each month (there isn't any green this month, so I'll make sure that I include it in next month's blocks). And while I'm using a Fleurs fabric bundle that includes white prints, I'm deliberately not using the white florals in this quilt because I don't feel that there is enough contrast with the cream background. They'll be put to good use in a future project!

Patchwork Quilt Along is sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and Moda Fabrics. You can find a link to the pattern here, as well as a kit to make the quilt in an alternate fabric collection. The monthly block patterns are free, but please consider making a donation of $5 or more to Make-A-Wish.

Thanks for stopping by today! I'll be back very soon with a winner of last week's book giveaway as well as some new projects that I'm working on.

Now go sew your Patchwork Quilt Along 2017 blocks!

  

more popsicles, and new things in my studio this week

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Hello everybody! I hope that you all had a great weekend. We did some unexpected gardening... or should I call it un-gardening? Our flowerboxes and potted plants were looking, how should I say it, exhausted. Or dehydrated, maybe. The plants have been extremely prolific but I think that they were just plain tired (and potbound). The bugs all knew it too, and lately they've been on the attack. So we did some extensive digging and cleaning and bagging and sweeping, and now we're down to one potted geranium. I like to think of it as just clearing the way for chrysanthemums and pumpkins.

Anyway... I managed to get some actual sewing done, too! I've been adding to my collection of popsicle blocks. The tilted blocks are done and now I just need to finish the simple, straight up-and-down blocks, and then I can sash them together. What's interesting is that when I started the blocks I used very subtle cream print backgrounds, but now I find that I really like the busier prints like the grey dotted backgrounds.  The pattern is by Fig Tree and Co and it's in the new pattern book Sherbets & Creams. You can check out the book and see the other patterns on Fig Tree's website here. I'm working with Moda Bella solids in a special Fig Tree bundle, mixed with cream backgrounds from my stash - Fig Tree, Minick & Simpson, Bunny Hill, Sweetwater, 3 Sisters.

And some new items found their way into my sewing studio this week! First, some really cute tins by Lori Holt for Bee In My Bonnet.

Are they the most adorable tins you've ever seen? The red tin also contains some notecards that correspond with the tin lids. They're sold as a set of 6 or individually here.

And then... more tins! These are the perfect size for holding a rotary cutter, scissors and thread, or let's be real here... they're perfect for holding sewing SNACKS (chocolate for me in one tin and Temptations treats for Miss Chloe Cat in another tin). Plus the new Jolly Bar Book by Fat Quarter Shop. It's been on my nightstand all week. Never mind that reading quilt books keeps me awake because then my mind goes to work, putting fabric combinations together when I should be asleep! (Same thing happens with cookbooks, only I start cooking in my sleep LOL!) The set of three tins is available here, and the Jolly Bar Book is here. 

And I bought a few new patterns and charm packs, too. I often buy charm packs just to see what the fabric looks like before I invest in yardage. This week I added Grand Traverse Bay by Minick & Simpson. I love a good blue and white quilt - so clean and crisp and classic.

And I also picked up a copy of Me and My Sister's Precut Primer book and a charm pack of their latest collection, Brighten Up! I've always liked their bright, happy prints and I'm trying to figure out how to make them work for me.

So that's what's new in the studio this week. Oh no, I forgot something! The Seedlings quilt is back from being quilted by Melissa, and it's gorgeous. Now I need to bind it. You can see it on my Instagram page here, and I'll show you more pics here on my blog after I've finished the stitching. Happy sewing, y'all!

crossroads quilt along - the big assembly

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I know that I say I love all my quilts, but I really love this one. Extra love for the Crossroads quilt! This month, the blocks were connected with sashing, and I arranged the blocks exactly like the pattern. The pieced border has 122 red half-square-triangles. And I have a little confession. The pattern directs you to make them using triangles-on-a-roll paper. But instead, I used my usual method which is done by placing two slightly oversized squares right sides together, drawing a line from corner to corner and sewing 1/4" away from the line on both sides, cutting in half on the drawn line and pressing them open, and then trimming the pressed HSTs down to exactly the right size. Use whichever method works best for YOU! And finally, I added the five borders.

I loved watching the quilt come to life with each step of the assembly. It looks like the perfect antique that I hoped to find at the antique flea market that we went to yesterday at the local 4-H Center. Sadly, all I found were tattered, abused quilts - I wonder if those quilts were loved very much, or if they were just used for farming needs. Well, now I have my own "instant" antique quilt!

I'm so happy that I participated in the sew along, and I really hope that you've been sewing with us. All of the patterns are still available free of charge here, courtesy of Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop. A minimum donation of $5 to March of Dimes is requested for the use of each pattern, and your donation will go directly to the charity. This month's video tutorial is really helpful (and at least I learned how to use those trianges-on-a-roll!). Next month, we'll assemble the pieced backing - I'm using the kit, and I'm planning to tweak it a just a little :-) and then Crossroads can go off to my quilter!

Also - congratulations to last week's giveaway winner, Tammy Barnhardt! Tammy likes to decorate for Christmas with red and gold, but she's thinking of trying pink and teal. Thanks, everybody, for playing along!

holiday wishes blog hop

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Welcome to my stop on the Holiday Wishes book blog tour! It's time for Christmas in July with Fat Quarter Shop and author Sherri Falls. This book is full of great quilts (10 of them, including the sampler shown on the cover), plus a runner and a tree skirt.

I was curious to see if I could translate a Christmas quilt into a Halloween quilt, and I just happened to have a fat quarter bundle of Bunny Hill's latest fabric collection, Spooky Delight. I love those little goofy cats, mice and owls, as well as the dots and stripes.  After about a month of pondering (I am not kidding... I even had the book on my bedside table!) I finally decided on the Gingham Stars pattern.

Twelve "gingham" star centers coming right up! I used the smaller prints here, and I reserved the larger prints for the star points. The blocks measure a generous 18", so you could easily turn one block into a pillow, or keep going for a king sized quilt.

The top goes together very quickly once you've finished your blocks. Super simple sashing and no outer borders! (I backstitched all the seams that fall on the outer edges so that nothing will pop apart when it's on the longarm machine.)

The patterns in Holiday Wishes are very easy to understand, and the book has lots of construction diagrams. I always appreciate having arrows to indicate which direction to press my seams. (Hey, it's hot here, and my brain doesn't always function perfectly in the heat!) Of course, Sherri provides yardage requirements, but if you use a fat quarter bundle like I did, you'll definitely have a generous amount of fabric left over for another quilt (I'm planning to make a bunch of these cute scaredy cats with my scraps).

There are lots of other projects in this book that I'd still like to make (maybe even a Christmas quilt?!) so I'll keep it near my sewing machine. There's still plenty of time before Christmas, right? You can pick up a copy here. Special thanks to Fat Quarter Shop and Sherri Falls for asking me to play along!

happy birthday, farm girl vintage!

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Welcome to the birthday party! Look at the cute cake I baked for the birthday girl! Lori Holt's book Farm Girl Vintage is celebrating her first birthday. How much do we all love this book? Lori's patterns are always fun, and they come with very easy to understand directions. I want to make everything that she designs.

I'm still farming my blocks for the cover sampler quilt. I've completed over half of them, and I've added in a few of the bonus blocks that are available for purchase separately. Like the corn and tomatoes block. Oh how I love that corn block!

My blocks are 6" square. Now if only I could find nice juicy corn and tomatoes like this at a local farmstand. And the book also has a perfect flag block that you can make for the Fourth of July - it has a single friendship star.

Meet the mama hen block with her light blue wing. (Yes, she's missing her little embroidered eye. I'll add it later!)

I'm sewing with fabrics from Brenda Riddle and Fig Tree Quilts. I love how Brenda's pale Bespoke Blooms prints mix with my large Fig Tree collection.

I am having so much fun working on the blocks. They're like little gems, and every time I finish one I have to just step back and say "isn't this the cutest block." Luckily only the cats can hear me talking to myself! For the postage stamp below, I cut 36 different squares and hoped that it would be cute instead of a mess.

And while you might know me as the town mouse from NYC who packed up and became the country mouse in Indiana, would you believe that my mother grew up with a chicken coop in the backyard? I remember always seeing that coop behind my grandparent's house in Connecticut, and I was afraid of those clucking sounds. Here's 9 year old Bunny, my own original farm girl, with her baby brother and their pet rooster Whitey.

Just look at those chicken feet!

So I had to ask mom to tell me about Whitey. Well, he was the family pet until he pecked her. And then Whitey became Sunday dinner. Oops! But my grandparents always had fresh eggs from their chickens, and that was where I first saw brown eggs. And with those eggs, of course, my grandmother baked amazing cakes, which always had buttercream frosting, and often raspberry or lemony custard filling. That's what inspired the colors of my layer cake block. (I'm lucky to have several of her frosting recipes.)

Would you like to bake your own cake block? The pattern PDF is a free download at Fat Quarter Shop, and it comes in 6" and 12" sizes! No need to preheat your oven or sift the flour! Just visit the Jolly Jabber blog here for more information. The Farm Girl Vintage book can be purchased here, and the corn and tomatoes block pattern is here. And Lori always has something fun going on at her Bee In My Bonnet blog, too.

Finally, I'd like to invite you to see the cake blocks that many bloggers have "baked" for the birthday celebration. Feel free to visit their parties. And don't forget that you can see my daily sewing updates by following me on Instagram (I'm @greydogwoodstudio).

crossroads quilt along - intersection block

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Hi y'all! Just a short, quick, sweet post today to let you know that it's time for the Crossroads quilt along again! This month we're making the Intersection block. In the tutorial video, Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts and Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop discuss the intersections in their lives. But we're at another type of intersection, too - we've now finished the vintage-inspired blocks, and next month we will start the chain blocks that will pull everything together. Are you sewing along with us? You can still catch up! Check out this blog post for all the details on how to download the pattern (it's free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes).

beginner charm pack placemats

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Hi everybody! I'd like to share with you my new placemats! Or should I call them mini quilts?! Ohmigosh these are SO easy and quick to make. I suppose that's why quilt and fabric designer Sherri McConnell teamed up with Fat Quarter Shop to design "Beginner Charm Pack Placemats." To make FOUR placemats, all you need is one regular sized charm pack (the 5" charms) and enough fabric for a narrow border, plus minimal fabric for backing, binding, and some batting.

I used Little Miss Sunshine by Lella Boutique for Moda Fabrics, and a few pieces from her previous collection, Gooseberry (I had to have that print with the geese in it!)  I wanted a summery look for my placemats, so I used the warm prints and saved the navy and olive charms for a future project.

To get four placemats with the same prints, I actually bought two identical Little Miss Sunshine charm packs, although you wouldn't need to do this if you use all the prints in a collection. Or of course, cut up your stash! I'd love to make these again in Fourth of July red, white and blue. Or maybe with Halloween, Christmas, or even birthday party prints.

I quilted them on my Brother sewing machine with a 1" diagonal grid that I marked with a Frixion pen. I love these pens because the ink disappears with the heat of an iron. I probably wouldn't use them on an heirloom quality quilt, but they worked just fine for my placemats.

I also used a coordinating but contrasting fabric on the back (it's also from the Little Miss Sunshine collection). Now I can have two looks from one set of placemats!

My regular readers might notice a whole bunch of props in today's photos! I've been prop-challenged up until now, but the only way I'll get better at it is to keep trying, right?! I always see all those beautiful photos online and wonder how people do it. I hope that you like my props... now I'm going to need a prop closet LOL!

So, here's some specific info on how to make the placemats. I watched a tutorial video with Sherri McConnell and Kimberly from Fat Quarter Shop here. It was really easy to just write down the supplies, but here's what you'll need:

  • One charm pack
  • 1/4 yard contrast fabric for side borders
  • 1/2 yard binding
  • 3/4 yard backing (I bought a yard so that I'd have some left over)
  • I used two packages of fusible fleece batting

I followed Sherri's instructions for piecing the placemats, and then finished them with the following:

  • 2 - 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" side border strips for each placemat
  • 7- 2 1/2" x width of fabric strips for binding
  • 4 - 13 1/2" x 20" rectangles for placemat backings

I hope that you'll give these placemats a try. I really enjoyed working on them. Now I need to actually USE them on my table and not fear the vinaigrette splatters!

crossroads quilt along - month 4 - and a giveway winner!

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It's month 4 of the Crossroads quilt along. This month's "Family" block represents the bonds that quilters have with our families. It's also traditionally called the Mother's Choice block, and you might also notice that it is similar to the Weathervane block. But whatever we call it, it's a cute block!

They're cleverly disguised, but there are 32 flying geese in these blocks. Maybe they represent the family of flying Canada geese around my home?! (It's definitely easier to WATCH live geese than to SEW flying geese!)

Watch the video tutorial with Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts and Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter shop here, and download the block pattern here. A donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes for the use of the pattern. I'm using the kit with Fig Tree's Strawberry Fields Revisted fabrics. It's available here.

I took this past week as a vacation "sewcation" and it was very productive. I spent the week sewing something that I'll show you in a few months - my fingers, arm and neck hurt from all that rotary cutting and pressing. I was also able to FINALLY finish planting the flowerboxes, hanging baskets and flowerpots on our balcony. The geranium and lavender plants are covered with flowers and the herbs need to be harvested (who knew that sage grows as quickly as a weed?!) The strawberry plants are already bearing fruit, and they're yummy. (Never mind that the berries are the size of my fingernail... they still taste much better than the local Amish market's "first strawberries of the season" that I should have never baked into a tasteless strawberry pie.)

And I'm sorry that I forgot to announce a winner for the Maggie's First Dance quilt along pattern giveaway. Congratulations to Liz Horgan! And I hope that you'll join me for the upcoming sew along hosted by Jacquelynne Steves. You'll find all the details on my blog right here.

Happy sewing!

crossroads quilt along month 2

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Welcome back for the second month of the Crossroads Quilt Along! I am sewing along with Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop to create a great vintage-inspired quilt, and to raise funds for March of Dimes! And this month, we're making Diamond blocks.

Even though I've been quilting for many years, I still like learning new techniques. For example, the square-in-a-square elements of this block (the taupe print with the strawberries, set on point). I've always pressed my seams out, toward the solid. Then I've always watched helplessly as my feed dogs gobble the unit up when sewing it to an adjoining unit. (I do hope that this makes sense!) But this pattern tells you to press your seams open and guess what - no feed dog gobbling!  And while I don't use taupe or brown prints often, I think that they'll provide some interesting contrast in the finished quilt.

And now for the obligatory let's-put-all-my-blocks-together-for-a-group-photo shot. Or maybe this is just an excuse to trot out those cute pink and aqua houses again!

Now for all the specifics. The pattern is free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes. You can download the pattern and see which other bloggers are sewing along with me by clicking here. Please consider making a donation by clicking here. Use your own fabulous collection of fabric, or purchase the kit that I am using here. And don't miss the block tutorial video here.  In the video, Joanna Figueroa and Kimberly Jolly discuss what diamonds mean to them (it's all about family). And are you one of those Strawberry Fields fabric junkies like me? There's also a video where Joanna talks about the similarities and differences between the new Strawberry Fields Revisited and the original Strawberry Fields collections. You can watch that video here.

Be sure to show us your blocks! When you post them on social media, be sure to tag them #crossroadsquiltalong. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have fun making your own diamond blocks!

three figs

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Hi everybody! I may have been quiet lately, but I have been sewing, appliqueing, binding and designing. I've got lots to show you, but I need to start somewhere, so how about with a trio of new Fig Tree projects?

First is the upcoming Fig Tree Crossroads quilt along. I hope that you're excited about it! The kit arrived from Fat Quarter Shop and the fabrics are beeeautiful (never mind that I haven't even untied the fabric bundle LOL).This is going to be so much fun. As usual, the quilt along will benefit a charity, and this year we'll be raising funds for March of Dimes. The quilt was designed by Joanna Figueroa exclusively for Fat Quarter Shop. You can choose to sew with your own fabric collection or purchase the kit. There is LOTS more information about the sew along here, along with the fabric requirements. The first block pattern is the house (yay!) and it will be posted on February 15. I can't wait to get started! And I hope that you'll sew along with us.

Isn't this the most beautiful wool bundle ever?! Fig Tree has partnered with Weeks Dye Works to create this Retro Farmhouse wool bundle. There's also a new Aurifloss collection that matches. When people describe fabric as "yummy" I always think, no, you cannot eat fabric. But... isn't this wool... yummy?! It's part of a 12 month wool BOM that just started. I've heard that the program is full, but wool bundles (and wool mini quilt patterns) are available here. 

And finally today is the new Fig Tree Strawberry Fields Revisited Frivol. So what's a Frivol? It's a collectible tin decorated with polka dots and strawberries. It comes stuffed with lots of goodies - 42 7" squares tied with Moda's signature tape measure ribbon, a pattern for a churn dash quilt, an individual block pattern, and a surprise. The surprise is two strawberry quilt labels. I bought the tin just to get those labels! (And of course I love the fabric, too.) Oh how I wish that Moda would print bolts of assorted labels! There are many more pictures of the Frivol items on Fig Tree's blog here. I ordered mine directly from Fig Tree but it appears to have sold out. You might find it in your local quilt shop, or you can order one here.

You might think I'm crazy, but there's ANOTHER Fig Tree BOM that should be shipping soon. Yikes, I am going to be busy. And remember last year's Fig Tree vintage mystery BOM? It's being quilted right now, and I cannot wait to see it.

And now I must get busy sewing! 

snapshots month 12 - picnic basket

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Hi there! Did y'all enjoy/survive Thanksgiving? We took a quick, three day trip to see family in Ohio. We definitely spent more time in Cincinnati traffic than at the dinner table! We came home with LOTS of leftover turkey (thanks, Carole!), so now comes the fun leftover part. So far, there's been a basic turkey dinner with newly made garlic mashed potatoes, turkey noodle casserole and 12 cups of turkey stock for some unknown future use (if you happen to have old Martha Stewart Living magazines hanging around, the recipe is in a February 1995 article on making stocks). What can I make next?

I'm now back at home and back to sewing! Here's the FINAL Snapshots block called Walk In The Park. Never mind that I've probably only had a handful of picnics in the park... it's a cute block! You can find this month's pattern download here. And take turkey sandwiches on your picnic.

My Snapshots quilt top has been completely finished and I shipped it out to Kaylene for quilting. She sent a sneak peek of the quilting today and it resembles loopy nautical ropes. I'll show it to you just as soon as it comes back to me.

Kimberly and Fat Quarter Shop are now auctioning the signed, original Snapshots quilt on eBay to raise additional funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Quilts from Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill and Pat Sloan are up for bidding, too. Get the full scoop and links to the auctions here.

And I almost forgot something! I have two winners for the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks giveaway. Copies of the magazine are now on their way to Renee Lange and MaryAnn Scanlon. Congratulations!

fat quarter baby blog tour!

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The Fat Quarter Baby blog tour begins today! Fat Quarter Baby is the first baby quilt book by It's Sew Emma for Fat Quarter Shop. The book features 20 crib-sized quilts, perfect for baby... as well as for grown-up babies! There are ten quilts for baby girls, and ten quilts for baby boys. Any of them could easily be made larger by adding more blocks.

I chose to make "Laura" because it's full of STRAWBERRIES. I think that my strawberry fabric obsession is well documented. So here's Laura:

It's just five large, appliqued strawberries and four 4-patches. I knew right away that I'd be using Fog City Kitty and Sunrise Studio fabrics with all those ripe strawberries. So, I have strawberry printed strawberries - I think that makes these double strawberries? This quilt needs just 9 fat quarters, some background fabric and a tiny bit of accent fabric. You'll even have plenty of leftover fabric! (I think that I could probably have made two of these quilts with the unused fabric.)

My applique skill is still a work in progress, but I'm learning. Luckily, Lori Holt showed three applique techniques on her blog a few weeks ago. I opted for the lightweight, non-fusible Pellon method, and it was super easy. I even had fun making the strawberries!

I stitched them to the backing fabric by hand. I do like to just sit down and quietly stitch before bedtime. (Now if could just find somebody to thread those miniscule straw needles for me...ugh!) Or you could easily applique them by machine, too.

Add a few little speedily pieced stems and leaves and you're done!

"Laura" was a super-speedy quilt to make - it took me just a few days to piece and applique the top. 

Check out the other bloggers on the tour - in the next few days, they'll show you the other 19 quilts in the Fat Quarter Baby book. You'll want to make all of them! I'm also a bit partial to the whale and bowtie quilts for boys (in other words, I want my own bowtie quilt!), and the tiara quilt for girls. Get the whole scoop and links to the other bloggers on the Jolly Jabber blog here. The Fat Quarter Baby book is in stock and can be ordered here.  The fabrics that I used are Fog City Kitty by Pam Kitty Morning and Sunrise Studio by Holly Holderman. You'll find them all here by the yard. And finally, there will be a Laura quilt kit, featuring Fig Tree's upcoming collection, Strawberry Fields Revisited (I love this collection!). The kit will be available in January here. 

Thanks for visiting with me today! I'll be back on Wednesday with... my first published quilt pattern in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12! I can't wait to share my block with you, and there will be a little giveaway, too.

snapshots month 10 - car

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Wow, we are on month 10 of the Snapshots charitable quilt along! This month we are making a sporty red car on the way to the beach with a surfboard on the roof. The block is called "Gone Surfin." But wait... I have a tree on my roof! Ok, let me explain.

I don't surf. I don't own a surfboard. But I recently "Gone to Indiana" in a new Suburu. And since this quilt is a snapshot of important moments in our lives, I thought about moments that are important to me. Christmas is important, with lots of significance as well as opportunities to decorate, eat and relax. So how about adding a Christmas tree to my car?!

I'll tell you all about how to make a Christmas tree just like mine. First, a small disclaimer. Y'alll know that I'm not a professional pattern writer, but I think you'll be able to follow along. First, digitally drive over to the Fat Quarter Shop and download your free Gone Surfin block pattern (and please consider making a $5 donation for the use of the pattern to St Jude Children's Research Hospital here.) Build your car just like the pattern specifies.

Now of course, you can go ahead and make the really cute surf board. But If you want to try a tree, here's how I made mine. For the "branches",  you'll need to make 5 flying geese that measure 1 3/4" x 3" unfinished. Use your favorite method, like maybe (2) 1 3/4" background "sky" squares and (1) 1 3/4 x 3" green "branch" rectangle for each goose, sewn with the stitch and flip method. Or I used the Mini Fit To Be Geese ruler. Sew the 5 green flying geese together in a row.

Next, build your tree trunk. I sewed a grey print measuring 1" x 5" between two background white prints measuring 1 1/2" x 5" each. Press towards the grey trunk.

Now add the pieced grey trunk unit to the base of the flying geese branches unit. Trim the short end of the trunk so that the entire tree unit measures 3" x 10 1/2" - voila, it's the exact same size as the surfboard! Now add the "C" background rectangles (refer to pattern cutting directions) to both ends of the tree. It will now measure 3" x 16 1/2" long. Then add the completed tree unit to the car and you're done!

In the craziness of my recent move, I completely forgot to show you last month's Quilty Cat block! (Chloe and Mia said that this is their favorite block, but maybe they're a little biased.) You'll find the pattern download right here, next to the car pattern. I've also started to add the sashing to each block as I sew. The assembly pattern is already posted on the Fat Quarter Shop link, so why not? It will make it a whole lot quicker to assemble the quilt top very soon!

Oh, one more thing. There are still some Snapshot fabric kits available here, as well as a backing set. I've enhanced the kit with other Bonnie & Camille prints from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go sew!



like riding a bike

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Wow, it's month 8 of the Snapshots quilt along! How did it get to be mid-August already?! And I am officially declaring this block my favorite one so far (until next month).

I'm loving this block so much because honestly, I didn't think I could do it. All those little pieces. That handlebar. That seat. Well, really, it's completely do-able with the super clear instructions. There are lots of stitch-and-flip pieces here, so it's made completely with squares and rectangles. It just looks complicated. I just read the directions several times and sewed very slowly and it all came together perfectly.

If only real bicycles came in prints! Since this quilt is a collection of snapshots of my life, you might wonder how a bicycle fits into that scheme, right? Well, when I was a kid I bicycled everywhere. After the bicycle with training wheels (and lots of tears, just ask my dad), I then got a purple bicycle with a sparkly purple glitter seat. Yes, sparkly purple glitter. And it had those streamer things on the handlebars. But it was the mid 1970's and I'm sure that it was the "grooviest" bicycle ever. Then came the green metallic 10 speed Schwinn and I rode that thing EVERYWHERE. I remember bicycling miles to go to my favorite preppy shops in Pittsford, NY. (Imagine me wearing pink and green while cycling on my neon green bike. All true.) I had all the nifty gadgets - toe clips, gadgets, bottles, saddle bags. I'd also ride it though the farmland in Victor, NY, past the cows and corn. Alas, my favorite transportation was abandoned when I moved to NYC.

But now that I'VE MOVED TO INDIANA, there might be a new bicycle in my future! And I can ride it through the corn fields, just like yesterday once more.

Now I know that you want/need to make your own bicycle, too. Here's how to make yours:

  • the free pattern download is here
  • the kit that I used is here, featuring Daysail prints (I added some Scrumptious and Miss Kate
  • consider making a small donation to St. Jude's Children's Research hospital here
  • tag your block with #fqssnapshots on social media to share your blocks

little joys quilt along - present block

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Yay! It's week four of the Little Joys quilt along with Elea Lutz! And this little bow-tied present might be my favorite block... this week. (Every new block becomes my new favorite, and that's why I love sampler quilts. No chance to get bored!)

Who doesn't love a pinwheel block topped with a quarter-square-triangle bow? And I finally got to go crazy with the two pink prints. Once again, I tried as hard as I could to have as many fully intact deer as possible in the green print, so I cut my HSTs slightly larger than the pattern and then trimmed them down.

I hope that you're sewing along with us! The pattern download is free from the Fat Quarter Shop, and you can find it here. I'm sure you know that I'm sewing with the kit as a base, and then I added in half yards of the two pink prints.

So now all the blocks have been sewn! And not a moment too soon, I might add, because I've packed up nearly all my sewing supplies in anticipation of my relocation move next week. The only quilty thing that isn't packed is my Little Joys quilt project and supplies. Next Wednesday we'll add sashing and borders! Thanks for stopping by today!

Oh, I almost forgot... if you share your blocks on social media, please use #LittleJoysQuiltAlong and #ILovePennyRose so we can all see your blocks.

little joys quilt along starts soon!

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It's time for the annual mid-year Christmas In July quilting fest! So throw a log on the fire (ok, maybe not!) because the Little Joys Quilt Along starts soon!

It's the perfect time to begin a small Christmas project. It's a small quilt (34" square) and the pattern is free! We'll have our quilts finished way before December!

Photo credit Fat Quarter Shop

Photo credit Fat Quarter Shop

Cute, right? We'll make 9 blocks using the adorable new fabric collection, Little Joys by Elea Lutz for Penny Rose Fabrics. I'll be using the kit from Fat Quarter Shop with fabrics as shown, but I might add some of the pink prints, too, for extra joy. The block patterns will be free and can be downloaded each week, so you can make the quilt with your own fabrics. (Wouldn't this be fun in 30's repros, or the new Holly's Tree Farm collection?)

Find all the details here, including a handy PDF with fabric requirements, plus links to the other bloggers who will be participating in this quilt along. The pattern for the first block will be posted on July 8 so you have plenty of time to gather your festive fabrics!

snapshots month 6 - triple scoop sundae

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Can you believe that we're already on month 6 of the Snapshots quilt along?

Oh yes, summer has arrived! Let's cool down with a triple scoop ice cream sundae!

You all know that I am truly a dessert fanatic. But my very favorite treat is ICE CREAM! I used to live in Burlington, VT and I would visit the original Ben & Jerry's shop weekly. It was in a converted gas station, and they played movies on the roof during the summer. So you can imagine how excited I was to finally make this block. I made three scoops in my favorite flavors. First is a strawberry scoop with drippy sauce and sprinkles. Next, a pistachio scoop. I love pistachio ice cream, and that goes way back to childhood car trips with my parents. We'd stop at Howard Johnson restaurants and I'd always order Mr. Twist (spaghetti and meatballs) and pistachio ice cream. And finally, the blue scoop represents another childhood favorite - bubblegum ice cream.

(Ok, the absolute truth is that I live for chocolate ice cream with marshmallow and chocolate sauce. But this quilt doesn't have any brown prints, so I picked my next best favorites! Remember, this quilt is all about snapshots of our lives!

I hope that you are sewing along with us. Snapshots is a monthly sew along that also doubles as a fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Each month's block pattern is a free download. This month's block pattern and a video tutorial are available here. Please consider making a $5 donation to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital here. Use your own stash fabrics, or purchase the kit with Daysail prints here. I used the kit as a starting point and then customized it with some prior-season Miss Kate and Scrumptious prints that were already in my stash. Be sure to tag your blocks with #fqssnapshots on social media so that we can all see your blocks! Happy sewing! And now... I'm going to eat my ice cream! It's Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream.


classic and vintage block - delectable mountains

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My favorite quilt patterns are always based on the classics. They're perfect, well-loved patterns that we don't always see in today's modern world. I'm happy that Fat Quarter Shop is putting a spotlight on the Delectable Mountains block in their latest "Classic and Vintage Series."

So, after spending months considering a purchase of Whitewashed Cottage by 3 Sisters, I finally bought the fat eighth bundle last week. I knew that it would make pretty mountain blocks. The fabric reminds me of sunwashed gardens and picket fences. (I write this as I sit in my dark, air conditioned living room... far, far away from sunwashed gardens and picket fences!)

This block actually looks more complicated than it is. The block pattern is free, and you can download your copy here. There is also an inexpensive pattern to turn your blocks into a quilt here. You'll definitely want to watch this short video. Kimberly walks us through how to construct the block, but I especially like the part on how to trim the block. I watched it as I was making my blocks, paused it at the trimming part, then scrolled back and watched the trimming part again. There's even a quilt kit with everything that you'll need for a Christmas version of the quilt here.

As I was making these blocks, I wondered exactly what is a Delectable Mountain, anyway? it sounds like a tasty treat, right? Well, no, it's not! A quick Google search took me to John Bunyan's book, The Pilgrim's Progress. It's a Christian allegory in which a Puritan named Christian travels through the Delectable Mountains on his way to the Celestial City. Many of you might already know this story, but I haven't read it. And somehow this book inspired the quilt block. 

Luckily we don't need to read the book in order to enjoy the quilt!

I'll be back on Monday with TWO new Snapshots quilt blocks! This month we're making the ice cream and camera blocks! See you soon.

let's cook! snapshots block 5

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It's Snapshots sew along time again! This month's block is Kindred Kitchen. It's the perfect vintage apron!

I had to add a fun stripey pocket to the apron.

Don't tell anybody, but I just wear a tshirt and khakis while cooking - NO apron. Maybe this goes back to a bad baking experience at a job that I had when I was in college. I was the baker's assistant at the food hall. I was responsible for making "monster-sized" chocolate chip cookies. I would load the oven with many, many sheet pans full of cookie dough, and the pans would be rotated in the oven by a conveyor belt. The only problem was that  I couldn't remove the baking sheets from the oven fast enough, and cookies continually burned. I was fired and told that I would never make it as a baker. Now who gets fired from baking cookies?!

Are you ready to get started cooking up your own cute apron? The full details about the Snapshots sew along are on the Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog here. The pattern download is available here, and please consider making a small donation to St Jude's Children's Research Hospital here. Get creative and sew blocks from your stash, or use the kit which features Daysail fabrics. Plus, there's another fun, monthly video with Kimberly, Bonnie and Camille that you can watch here.

And I still can't bake cookies, but I know how to eat them.

snapshots block 4 - puppy love

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Who's ready for puppy love?

It's Snapshots month 4! Can you believe that we're already one third of the way through this quilt?! Ok, time for a quick refresher. Snapshots is a monthly sew-along, hosted by Fat Quarter Shop and Moda Fabrics. Each month we'll make a block that represents a snapshot of our lives. (Is it still called a snapshot if it's taken with a portable electronic device? Yikes can you imagine a quilt-of-the-future called "Selfie" with blocks that look like selfie sticks?)

Mr. (or Miss) Puppy really went together quickly. Just assemble the head and arm unit, then the cute basket and bow unit...

Then stitch the three strip units together. I'll sew the button eyes down after it's quilted. I think my longarm quilter might appreciate that.

Of course, it helps if you have a friend to help. Mia is wondering why I'm sewing a puppy block. (Relax, Mia, because there's a kitty block coming up in a few months!)

Snapshots is also a fundraiser! The pattern download is free and you can pick up your own copy on Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog here. A donation of $5 (or more) is requested for St Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Such a great cause, and quilters have broken the goal twice! The first goal was for $10,000 and then it was increased to $20,000. So far, over $21,000 has been raised!

My little puppy started with the Daysail fabric included in the kit, but I switched the basket print for an aqua floral Miss Kate print.

The Puppy Love block is a snapshot of my life in two completely unrelated ways. There was always a dachshund or miniature schnauzer in the house when I was growing up, and I have memories that are happy and funny and a little wistful. And then there's Donny Osmond's "Puppy Love". I was obsessed with Donny & Marie (you already know I'm a little bit country!) and I finally saw them in concert a few years ago. As I sewed this block, Donny's song Puppy Love ran through my head. YouTube video to the rescue! Here it is, but don't blame me if you start singing along.

And don't forget to check out the other bloggers participating in this quilt along. I can't wait to see all their creative puppy blocks. And I hope that you're sewing along too! Be sure to use the tag #fqssnapshots when sharing your photos on social media so we can all see them.