Flying To Paradise Quilt A-Long: Part One

OKAY, LETS START THIS OVER!!!  I started this quilt a long and then broke my thumb--and many of you saw the picture of me in a cast.  I'm sorry for the delay....but now I'm back to 100% and can host this QAL project.  Thanks for your patience.  As a result, I am re-posting the first posts in the series to keep them all together.  I hope you enjoy your quilt.
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Welcome to the Flying to Paradise Quilt a-long.  This is the first post in this series.  Please feel free to take this blog icon and set up a link to this quilt a long.  As this is my first time hosting a quilt a-long, I would love to share photos of your progress.  We can do this by flicker or by my email.  If you'd like to share, email me at gsmower{at}netzero[dot]com or leave me a comment below.  Thanks!

This fabrics for this quilt a-long were from my blog sponsor, Connecting Threads.  To purchase the exact batiks shown--their Light & Bright Batik Fat Quarter Sampler (24 pieces), visit this link: http://www.connectingthreads.com/Kits/Light__Bright_Batik_Fat_Quarter_Sampler__D5182.HTML

Fabric Requirements:

•  25 Fat Quarters.
•  3 1/2 Yards white batik for the inner applique border and the outer border.
• 1 Yard fabric for binding.
• 5 Yards for backing.
• 1 Package fusible webbing for the appliques.
• 2 Packages double-fold 1/4 inch wide bias tape for the applique vine.

 Here is the quilt pattern diagram:

If you would like to purchase a completed draft of this pattern without the applique shapes, it is available on Craftsy for download on this link: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/flying-to-paradise-quilt-along-draft/65553 .  So...go get your fabrics ready, as we get this quilt along party started.  A special thanks goes out to Connecting Threads for being my fabric sponsor for this quilt.

Coming up next week, cutting your fat quarters to create the center patchwork.

Tutorial--Mitred Edge Receiving Blanket

We always seem to need a quick and easy gift for new babies, don't we?  My mother showed me how to make these simple receiving blankets when I was having my children.  They're great.  While normally they are sewn using  two pieces of flannel, it is easy and luxurious to substitute a piece of flannel-backed satin or minkee for the center fabric panel.  As I needed one for a baby shower last week, and yet another for this week, I thought I would make a tutorial for you.  After all, the completed blanket took less than 30 minutes to complete.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS:

1 Yard of two coordinating prints.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut the outer fabric square to measure 36 inches square.
Cut the inner fabric to measure 32 inches square.

Fold the outer fabric in half diagonally.

Measure down two inches from the outer corner, and pin perpendicular to the fold.  This creates a mitered corner.  Repeat with the other side.

Sew down both pinned corners, perpendicular to the fold.  Trim seam to measure 1/4 inch.  Repeat with the other side.  Unfold the outer fabric and repeat for the remaining two corners.

Open the outer fabric and place right-side down.  Turn the mitered corners out.  These will naturally turn the outer blanket to the front.  Set in the other fabric.  Turn the outer fabric under 1/4 inch and pin it so it overlaps the inner fabric about 1 1/2 inch (there is some "fudge" room here).  Pin it in place.

Top stitch  adjacent to the ditch and on the outer border, all the way around the border.

Cute blanket, eh?  These are so fun and so fast--multiples can be created at once by chain-piecing the mitered corners.

As an alternate version, I considered bringing the outer border to the front without rolling it under 1/4 inch.  Instead, it would be fun to leave it raw and snip with the scissors every 1/4 inch to make it a rag blanket border.  When I get that done, I'll have to show pictures of it as well.



I also thought the readers over at Crazy Mom Quilts would love this idea, so I'm sharing it with them too!

Until next time,

Happy Quilting!

Announcing the Nana's Pantry Fabric Line from Connecting Threads

I am pleased to announce the arrival of the Nana's Pantry Fabric line from Connecting Threads.  My Cascading Garden quilt pattern was chosen as a featured quilt pattern for this new fabric line last July.  I was so excited that I've had a hard time keeping it a secret until the fabric was released today!  It's really cool to get the fabric fresh from the company before anyone else can purchase it.

 

I love this fabric.  The colors are modern and fresh while the prints are classic and crisp--similar to the classic 1930's fabrics.  It was so much fun to work with.

Photo courtesy of Connecting Threads

Additionally, the pattern update is available starting today from Connecting Threads.  Go get your instant download and have fun sewing this beauty!

Here's the link to my online patterns at their store:  http://www.connectingthreads.com/cfPatterns/IDP/IDP_Pattern_List.cfm?id=C00043

Here are some close-up photos:

Close-up

Another close-up.

I think rick-rack makes great vines, don't you?

I'm also sharing this piece on Tuesday with quiltstory.com Wednesday with Lee at http://freshlypieced.com.

Until next time, happy quilting!

Update On An Old Post

It's an update on an old post!  Mackenzie and Kathy contacted me last week to get permission to enter this quilt into the Utah State Fair.  Pretty exciting!  I hope it gets a ribbon.  I'm glad the customers are entering it as I am not gutsy enough to enter it on my own.  There are some amazing quilters in Utah.
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The original post from November 22, 2011:

Here are photos of my latest custom quilt job completed for Kathy W.  She won the quilt top in a charity auction, and was actually pieced by her friend Mackenzie.  I love how it turned out.   Kathy chose for it to be quilted in a very classic style, desiring it to mimic the look of hand quilting.  We decided to use continuous curves on the heirloom sampler blocks and checkerboard sashing.  Micro-stippling was used to help the hand embroidered applique "pop" out from the back ground.  The heirloom look was completed with echo styled feathers in the outer borders.  Enjoy the photos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Sew" What Have I Been Working On?

So, I've linked up to WiP Wednesday.  I thought folks would like to read how I quilted the top I showed there (#133).  www.freshlypieced.com

Here is the quilt top I posted.

Here's a fun post about what projects I have been working on.   If you notice, lately I have not posted photos any customer's quilts.  (Don't worry, I'll still quilt for my customers!)  The reason is that I read an article stating that it is technically against copyright laws to post some one's work--especially if they have used a commercial pattern.  Unfortunately, I don't know what commercial pattern most of my customers use to create their tops or which portions of them are considered "in the public domain".  (FYI, usually antique quilt blocks are publishable as they are considered "in the public domain".)  So, because I respect our society and it's governing rules, you'll get to read about my projects--which I know I have full copyright license to show!  :)

I have quilted my "Lightning Bolt" pattern quilt top.  Truthfully, I have always LOVED quilts done with baptist fans.  Unfortunately, this edge-to-edge design is a lot more complicated than most people would think.  Nesting several concentric circles, then quilting a smooth long line or arc is quite a challenge.  I wanted to use a YouTube method (see my post on "learning to quilt from YouTube") with templates, but my presser foot's shank got in the way.  So...I resorted to marking the ENTIRE quilt top, then slowly and carefully tracing the thread paths.  I was happy with the outcome although it is not perfect.

Sometimes I think I am a nut-case about quilting borders.  Could I settle for quilting just one style of borders?  No.  How about two?  No, why not go for broke--it's my quilt anyway!  I did alternating swirls on the outer border.  A bump-back feather vine on the inner border and "E's and L's" in the middle border.  The inner-most border was the one I got the most excited about.

I don't mark the alternating swirls border.  I have practiced enough circles to create a concentric loop mimicking the width of the border and free-hand the whole thing.  It's fast!

Here's how I DON'T mark my feather vein, I use a long-arm ruler to "sew" down the marking.

I pounce-mark the spacing for the "E's and L's" border.  Occasionally marking isn't necessary as you can look at the patchwork seams (if they're every 1 to 2 inches or so) to see the increments needed to create the same width of loops.  That trick wasn't possible on this quilt.

Pouncing one-inch increments on the border.

Sewing a cursive "e" then "l" filling the space.  After the row is completed, I erase the pounce chalk with a leftover piece of quilt batting.

Here is  a photo of the back side of the quilt.  Yes, I normally do printed quilt backings, but I had this high-quality cream Kona fabric laying around from someone who ordered a Temple Quilt then cancelled the order.  Hey, if I have it, I'm gonna use it up!  :)

I must say that I really do love the way this quilt turned out.  It was so quick and simple to piece yet turned out beautifully.  The pieced ribbon border makes the quilt appear to be a lot more complicated than it really is. It's a great project from pre-cut Layer Cakes (10 inch stack of fabrics--Moda Marmalade was used in the sample).  Alternately, 21 fat quarters and 3 yards of fabric for the background (red) areas could be used.

Now...on to another project.

Some of you have been following my LDS Young Women's Quilt Project.  Yes, Teresa, I was finally able to convince my Laurel class that they could do this project.  Currently, most of my YW have completed their applique blocks.  That being said--I finally finished my demo.  FYI, the complete instructions for all but the last three blocks are loaded on the "YW Quilt Project" Page on the above tab bar.  I decided to change the last block to a tree-to celebrate YW Camp.  Afterall, who can forget camp!  It's a "right of passage", and mischief...and well, "Those that know don't tell...and those that tell...don't know!"  J/K  Camp is something special.

Now..on to another quilt:

After taking the time to custom-quilt the large Lightning Bolt quilt, I decided to simply edge-to-edge my next quilt.  I came up with a "Dahlia" design I liked very much.

The one continual "conundrum" I run into with edge-to-edge quilting has to do with thread color.  Just curious, what is your thread color preference?  Mine is to match the thread color to the majority color of the quilt top--in this case (and the Lightning Bolt quilt's case)--bright red.  I was worried that it would stand out on the Cuzco Layer Cake fabric pieces.   Yes it did a little--but I was surprised that it wasn't as much of an "eye sore" as I thought it would be because the prints were so large and busy.  When I first planned how I was going to quilt this project, I planned on using a patriotic variegated thread in the print fabrics, quilting the whole thing--then changing thread colors to bright red for the back-ground areas.  The new Dahlia quilt design challenged me to do an edge-to-edge job and I'm glad I did.

Now...one last project.  My cutie pie wanted a "ballawinga" (ballerina) Tu-tu to dance in.  We whipped this puppy together in about 20 minutes and she loves it!  The silly girl has worn it every day with her swim-suit (I need to go purchase a leotard).  Apparently she doesn't care about the one-foot of snow outside this winter!  :)

I love my "ballawinga"!