Candy Cane Bouquet - Done!

I know I haven't been in blogland much lately.. and I am sure I have missed some wonderful posts, but I have just been super busy (Like all of us this time of year!) with a new boss at work and all that comes with that!  But I wanted to share with you a UFO finish!  Yahoo!

This quilt, Candy Cane Bouquet, by Laurie Simpson was on my 2014 UFO list.  So I am really happy to have it done and actually hanging up for this holiday season!

Love the mix of cotton and wool.

I started this quilt last year.  You can see the post about it here.  The pattern was in the Winter issue of Primitive Quilts.
I don't have a lot of other quilting projects ready to post right now... so I thought I would just share some Christmas quilts, etc. from the past.

Table runner in the living room with misletoe and pinecone fabric.

In the front hallway, a runner from Log Cabin Star blocks won at a quilt guild party many years ago.

Two friends cuddle together on a Christmas quilt.

A table topper that was a challenge to make.  This is about 9 years old, but still looks great on the coffee table in the family room.

Gracie just like to snuggle amongst all the Christmas pillows!

I still have Christmas sewing to do (oh, my!)..so I better run!!

Happy Stitching

Deb

Liberated Stars - Tutorial

I was on vacation this week.  Actually a staycation..  but none the less anytime at home, without the commute and headaches of work is definitely a VACATION.  So I did quite a bit of sewing (of course - duh!) and some entertaining and some general relaxing.  In fact, right now I am sitting on the deck with a bottle, I mean a glass - LOL, of wine.  My last hurrah before work and reality hits tomorrow.  It is a gorgeous late summer day here.

One of the projects I worked on and finished this week was a table runner from the Liberated Star blocks I have been making.  I grabbed 5 blocks, sewed them together and added a piano key type border to each of the long sides. 

 I machine quilted around each block and then big-stitch hand quilted in black cotton around each star and in the center.  I love the colors and motion that all these fabrics create when they come together.

 

A couple of people have asked about these blocks... so here we go - a quick (I hope) tutorial on how they are made.

My blocks are 9" finished.  So to start, I need to cut 8) 3 1/2" squares for my background (the blue fabric pictured here), and 4) 4" squares, cut in half to make 8 triangles (the red print fabric).  I also need  1) 3 1/2" square out of the red fabric for the star center.

Now, here is the fun and liberating part.   Put that triangle at an angle across one of the background fabric squares.  Sew with a 1/4" seam allowance from the edge of the triangle.

Trim away the excess fabric from the corner of the square.  Press the triangle toward the seam allowance.



Add the second triangle on the opposite side of the background square, again using a 1/4" seam allowance.  No matching seams, no right or wrong angle or placement.  Liberating!   I usually string piece these and do the blocks "assembly line style".

Star production line!  It goes really fast.

 



Again, trim and press.

Now I need to trim my blocks down to 3 1/2" square.

With the blocks trimmed, I can now start sewing them into rows with the other 3 1/2" square blocks that I originally cut.

The rows go together easily using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Next, I sew the rows together!

My Liberated Star block is complete!  See how the points of the star vary.

Before I know it, my star block is joined by the other star blocks I was working on!  It's a small constellation! LOL  Can you imagine how fun these would be in pastels or brights for a baby?

You can vary the size - as you can see with the 6" stars I did just for fun!

These were done with 2 1/2" background squares and 3" squares cut diagonally into triangles.

 

They are addictive!!  Right now I am up to 48 blocks!!  I think I need a quilters intervention!

 

Happy Stitching!

 

Deb

Design Wall Wednesday

Just a quick update on what is happening on my design wall lately.  I feel like I have really been neglecting my blog lately.

 I have been working on the Liberated Star blocks.  Some new additions to the design wall.  I am not sure when I am going to stop... I just love making these fun and colorful stars.  I currently have about 30 blocks done.  They measure 9 inches finished.

No longer on the design wall, but I did finish the table topper from 4 of these blocks.  I big stitched with black perle cotton around each star and inside the center square. 

Looks great on our coffee table.

And... a table runner for a gal at work who just bought her first house.  Her kitchen cabinets are painted that teal color, the walls are the avocado green and tan.  Nice!

And last, but not least, some funky houses on an antique cutter quilt background,

Tomorrow is our 32nd wedding anniversary.

 

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie!

 

Deb

Catching Up!

It's been awhile since I have posted a blog.. but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.  Just focusing on some other things around here along with my quilting.  Quilters never have a lack of anything to do and our hands are seldom idle.  So, I won't bore you with everything that I have been up to lately, but will share the quilting highlights!

I have a friend that has a birthday this week.  Dawn is a quilter who love flamingos.  So what do you get a such a person for their birthday?  ... you make them a flamingo quilt!  This was really fun to make and even more fun to give!  I should have taken a picture of the back - it's flamingo fabric, of course!

I also have been working on this baby quilt.   I was so pleased to finish the machine quilting on this today.

Then I added the binding.  Love polka dot binding on baby quilts!

Of course someone decided to take over my chair when I was at the cutting table!

Finally, I decided to add some texture with big stitch quilting in a nice green on the brown strips. 

This will be so cute for a little one.  

Happy Stitching!

Deb

Buzz...Buzz...Buzz.... Another UFO Flys Away!

I had an Aha Moment (a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension) a few weeks ago.  I was reading a blog where the quilter had just finished big stitching a quilt.... "easy to do..... fast.... nice result.... etc."  And then it hit me.  It was the perfect solution to a table runner I had started .... um... four years ago..??  (Yikes!)

This table runner has been pieced and basted together and set aside because I just couldn't decide how to quilt it.  You know how that goes....  The big stitch solution was perfect and I immediately pulled it from the UFO pile and grabbed the perle cotton I had on hand.  

It was fast, and it was fun!!!  And when I wasn't quilting it, Lucy thought it was the perfect hiding spot to nap.

It was done before I knew it and I added the binding.  Double fold binding that is hand stitched down on the back.  What a simple solution for this cute table runner.

The bumble bees were hand appliqued, the legs and antennas were machine buttonhole stitched.  It is based on a quilt, Honeybee, from the book Winter Rose, by Barbara Brandeburg.  After a quick wash, this will be ready to go on my kitchen island.  

However, Lucy looks disappointed that her hiding spot is gone. : - ) 

Happy Stitching!

Deb