Spring Break

 

Walking On Sunshine

I love a bright quilt with lots of contrast. This one is just the ticket, plus the added benefit of being quick and easy to sew!

The bright yellow and orange batiks and dots look gorgeous with black & white prints. Walking On Sunshine is a simple, modern design, finishing out at 48” square.

I used dove gray thread to quilt just each side of the wedges with three lines of straight stitching. My walking foot kept everything straight and even.

This would look great anywhere in the house, but it may hang on my kitchen wall for a while. 

Do y'all remember that 1980's song?  Now that it's stuck in my head, I may have more pep in my step this week!

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6600 Sliced Square 6” finished
Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2½” binding

 

Dynamic Star

Dynamic Star
2024 Useful Remnants

Pink, green, and paisley fabric give this giant star a modern spring vibe. I started with two remnant pieces in the center, then chose coordinating colors from my stash for the other layers.

This is similar to a Morning Star or Texas Star block, but it's expanded to fit the whole quilt top instead of narrowing back to points. I used one of the shapes from Blue Wren's Dynamic Star die to cut all the triangles. The large size made everything go together quickly.

Layout on my design wall helped me keep the eight sections in the right order. I filled in the edges with a 2" strip to match up with the corners, then added setting triangles last. 

 

I decided on pink thread to quilt free motion curves inside each side of the diamonds. Finished size for Dynamic Star is 49½” square.

It was fun to design, cut, piece and quilt. I'd planned to donate it, but I may wait a bit so I can enjoy it myself. I'll definitely do this one again in other colors. 

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6954 Dynamic Star (smaller triangle)

 

Mom Mai's Attic

Mom Mai's Attic

Childhood memories inspired this Grandmother's Fan quilt. Colorful remnants of red, blue, yellow and aqua with natural muslin reproduce the vintage look of 1930's and 1940's quilts.

After stitching and assembling the blocks, I added a border of 2” x 3” rectangles sandwiched with 2” strips.

The center fan section is ruler quilted in a fishnet pattern, using natural thread. Borders feature straight line quilting with a walking foot. Mom Mai's Attic finished at 56” square.

I slept under a similar quilt at my grandmother's house. The family called her Mom Mai and she was a hard working farm wife. There were two big bedrooms on the second floor with multiple quilt covered beds, once shared by their six children. Her sewing room was tucked between them next to several cedar lined closets.

I often played with her spools of thread and buttons, sorting them into jelly jars. Lovely memories there of feed sack fabric, mayonnaise & crackers, cool well water, riding on the tractor, and the best homemade chocolate fudge I've ever eaten.

Dies used:

Accuquilt
55537 Grandmother's Fan 12” finished
55017 Strips 2½”

Blue Wren 6047 Rectangles 2” x 3” finished

Easter Lilies

This little quilt started out as a sample block. I always cut and stitch an example of every die immediately after purchase. This is to check that it cuts and sews together properly, in case I had to return it. The truth is, I just can't wait to play with my new toys.

Purple (one of my favorite colors) contrasts nicely with avocado green and natural muslin. I changed the original layout, trimmed to a square, and added borders. I quilted with an applique stitch around the curves in cream thread.

Easter Lilies finished at 18” square. Right now it's hanging on my front door but later may be used as a table mat.

I've bought several brand new dies lately at super low prices, thanks to my ever supportive husband. He found the sale and told me to stock up! Love that man! Most of the ones I bought, like this one, had been on my wish list for a while.

As usual, I have so many ideas and not nearly enough time to stitch them. Laundry, cleaning, yard work, and cooking have sunk to the bottom of my to do list. Again.


Accuquilt dies used:
55597 Alabama Beauty BOB 12” finished
55017 Strips 2½”

Calico Prairie

Calico Prairie

Soothing colors of peach, light coral, and dusty blue are perfect for showcasing this vintage quilt design.

I selected fabrics from my stash that could have been found in 1930-1950 era day dresses or 1970's prairie skirts. I believe I had a Gunne Sax calico peasant dress with these colors back in high school.

My dependable Singer 404, Elizabeth, sewed perfect seams...and there are a lot of them. Each 8” Full Blown Tulip block has 32 pieces! Once I assembled the blocks, I added 4” borders in the dusty blue to expand the size to 48” square.

A combination of free motion quilting and ruler work finished out this one with a creative touch. Calico Prairie gave me a chance to play with stitches and enjoy memories, a perfect way to spend my time.

Accuquilt dies used:
55616 Full Blown Tulip 8” BOB
55054 Strips 4½”
55017 Strips 2½”

Graceful Stars

Here's a sweet baby quilt that I made for a friend's first grandchild.

Soft pink prints, dots, stripes and gingham are paired with white and cream to make adorable mill & star blocks. 

I quilted a scallop stitch in light pink thread with a walking foot. Graceful Stars finished at 41” square. 

Sweet dreams, Lyla Grace!

Accuquilt dies used:
55601 Mill & Stars 8” finished
55017 Strips 2½”

Times Past

I nearly forgot about this little remnant quilt! I sewed it back in October, then put it away without sharing it on the blog.

The fabric in this reversible table mat reminds me of vintage brocade. The muted brown, tan, green, and rose colors work beautifully with black accents. 

I used isosceles triangles plus half square triangles to make kaleidoscope blocks for one side. The reverse is half-square triangles of the brocade print with black gingham, plus two borders.

I did all the piecing on Violet, our restored and painted Singer 99. She's a joy to sew with. Quilting was fun with free motion meandering stitches in tan thread using the Janome.

Times Past is 24½” square, an old fashioned classic look for a change of pace.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6396 Isosceles Triangles

Accuquilt
55009 Half Square Triangles 3" finished
55031 Half Square Triangles 4” finished
55017 Strips 2½”

Wine Country

Here's another lap quilt made with a busy print fabric in grape, tan, and green. The overall design is almost modern, even though the material has a vintage country vibe with little star blocks.

Solid olive green makes the triangles stand out next to the signature shapes. I normally don't sew two fabric quilts, so I forgot how relaxing they can be. No worries about color placement, just merrily stitching along.

I sewed the blocks on Black Betty, our restored Singer 201. She's a sweet quiet machine that makes such pretty seams. 

For quilting, I switched to the Janome for her walking foot accuracy. I sewed straight stitches in green thread, following the zig-zag lines. Wine Country finished at 48" square. Quick, easy, and done! I celebrated with a glass of sangria. 

By the way, leap day is this Thursday. What will you do with your extra day? Here's a link to a previous blog post for some fun ideas to celebrate!  

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6656 X-Quisite 6” finished
Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2½” binding

Sewing and wine

make me happy

Fabulous Triangle Stars

This quilt design! I just had to make this as soon as I saw it.

The original quilt pattern was created by Barbara H. Cline, who featured it in her book, Amazingly Simple Triangle Stars. Blue Wren Notions got her approval to make a die to cut the shapes. Information and links below.

I used a bold herringbone print in aqua/navy, with a tiny aqua/white floral plus crisp white. I pieced it on my little Featherweight, Annie. Exact die cuts made sewing easy and everything fit together perfectly.

I quilted on my Janome 9450 with aqua thread in diagonal rows of 4, using a straight stitch. Fabulous Stars is 49½” x 57” in size.

Barbara's book has many different versions with beautiful secondary designs. I started out simply, but I will definitely be sewing this again soon in other colorways. I love it when designers and manufacturers work together to share ideas and create partnerships.


Blue Wren dies used:
6909 Triangle Stars 7” finished triangle block
www.a1craftandquilting.com.au

Barbara H. Cline design
www.delightfulpiecing.com

 

Sweethearts Dance

Purple and white scraps plus a new die and a classic block equals a happy little quilt for Valentine's Day.

The Interwoven Star is pretty when alternated with a simple heart block. I framed them with 2” solid lavender sashing strips. Backing and binding is a lavender mini gingham. My little Singer Featherweight (Annie) always stitches perfectly.

I quilted in narrow channels using light purple thread and a straight stitch. I finished this one very quickly, starting on Friday afternoon and finishing up Sunday morning. Sweethearts Dance is 32” square, small and adorable.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6364a Interwoven Star 8½”
Accuquilt
55018 Value die 2½” square & half-square triangles  
55017 Strips 2½” sashing & binding

Happy Valentine's Week!

 

Primavera

I've been thinking about spring since the ground hog predicted an early one.

I finished this pretty quilt late last month after getting the Windmill die from Blue Wren. Such a fun, quick and easy one to sew. The layout takes a bit of thought, much like some of the jigsaw puzzles I work. My design wall came in handy.

Lovely pink, green, and cream print remnants create windmills scattered across the front and framed with natural muslin. For quilting I used a spiral ruler and pale pink thread to stitch in the centers of each windmill, then down to the next one. It's just right to emphasize the breezy movement of the blocks.

Primavera finished up at 48” square. I can't wait to try another version of this one. It will make a cute baby or donation quilt. But that will have to wait until I finish the quilts I've already cut from my other two new dies. 

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6554 Windmill 8” finished
Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2½”

 

Trail Mix

Trail Mix

What a fun quilt to make! These Snail's Trail blocks are made up with old fashioned red prints and bright yellow batiks, along with a neutral gray mini dot.

The small pieces were super easy to chain sew on my Featherweight. I added a 2” red border to frame it up. For backing, I stitched a few extra blocks to use with a long strip of dots plus one of the red prints.

I quilted with a medium red/orange variegated thread. It's just the right contrast to showcase those stitches. Ruler quilting on the Janome with the curvy Elvira ruler creates a nice symmetric design. Trail Mix finished at 52” square.

Accuquilt dies used:
55196 Snail's Trail 8” BOB
55017 Strips 2½”

Colors speak louder than words

Third Chance Triangles

Third Chance Triangles

Some of these fabrics may look familiar if you've been following my blog for a while. I dipped way down into my scrap baskets for these adorable triangles and stitched them up on Annie, my sweet little Singer Featherweight 221.

Those bright colors really shine on a natural muslin background. The Pine Island die from Blue Wren normally has the triangles tilted in a square. For this project I turned the finished blocks on point, flipping every other one. Sides and corners are filled in with 6" half square triangles. I added borders and binding in black and cream dots.

I quilted diagonally across the quilt, using natural thread and a scallop stitch on my Janome MC9450. Third Chance Triangles finished out at 50” x 54” size. I love the modern look! 

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6555 Pine Island 6” finished
6720 Magic Strips (borders & binding)

Accuquilt 55001 Half Square Triangle 6” finished

Crossways

Crossways

More remnants? 
Oh yeah!

I'm still using my dies to cut scraps into the shapes and sizes I use most often. This 48” quilt features rectangles with half square triangles on one end, and flying geese.

Light peach solid combines nicely with lots of bright colored prints in a lattice or trellis pattern.  For the backing, I stacked a row of rectangles in peach colored prints on the edge of a length of gingham. I quilted with peach thread in a serpentine stitch.

Crossways went together quickly with the medium sized pieces sewed into 12” blocks. I finished it just after Christmas. 

It's very cold and snowing here in Tennessee and should continue until tomorrow. I love snow and we don't get it as often as when I was a kid. I can't wait to see if it gets deep enough to make snow cream! 

Accuquilt dies used:
55436 Flying Geese 3” x 6” finished
55411 Rectangles 3” x 6” finished
55017 Strips 2½” for binding

Snuggle up in a quilt

and watch it snow

Pineapple Tidbits

In my spare time I've been sorting and cutting remnants left from all those quilts I finished last year. These little narrow bits were perfect for the Pineapple block.

Using natural muslin made the colorful prints seem even brighter. The nine blocks went pretty quickly considering there are lots of pieces in there. I added a 4” border of aqua to finish this wall hanging at 40” square.

Natural thread was used to channel quilt in straight stitch 1” apart. Pineapple Tidbits is so pretty hanging in my hallway. I can see using this die often for scrap busting those pieces I just can't seem to toss. I'm already working on it!

Accuquilt dies used:
55485 Pineapple BOB 10” finished
55054 Strips 4” finished
55017 Strips 2” finished

BE YOURSELF.

People don't have to like you,

and you don't have to care.

Ready For A Reset

Happy New Year, everyone!

Taking a look back at 2023, it seems I was a busy lady with lots going on. After checking my lists and inventory, here's a summary of last year's work:

• Quilts & projects finished: 54
• Quilts donated or gifted: 21
• Fabric acquired: 647 yards (purchases + gifts)
• Fabric used: 253 yards
• Fabric left (not including scrap boxes): 2651 yards

So, I have plenty left to stitch. It's difficult to turn down free or low cost quilting material. I'm thankful for my friends who generously share fabric and sewing machines with me, and for my sweet husband, who actively encourages me to get whatever I want, from fabric to sewing machines and quilting supplies.

Quilting is my passion! I design and sew for pleasure and to keep my brain active. I don't take custom orders, publish or sell quilt patterns. I know I could earn money selling, but that would take the fun out of it and cut into my sewing time. I just want to enjoy my hobby, not run a business. Been there, done that.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog. Although people have asked for videos and more content, it will remain the same weekly post for now. That takes up quite a bit of time already and I don't want to expand.  

So, I've reset the counters, made a few resolutions, cleaned my studio, and started off the year sewing.

Hope you all have a fabulous 2024. Take time for yourself, and do what makes you happy!