Midweek Makers 273

Welcome to Midweek Makers! My share this week is a couple more blocks up on the design wall to go with my palm tree. These are umbrellas, seen from the top and the side.

At this pace, my son's beach quilt is going to take awhile! And that's ok, because I want to enjoy the process and not rush it. So, expect a block here and there, with other projects sprinkled in between.

Now let's see some quilts from last week!

Kathy's Quilting finished this very refreshing yellow and orange Citrus Quilt,

this incredible mini La Passion hexie quilt from Den syende himmel,

and this American fabric themed motorcycle quilt from Ulrikes Smaating.

What's your share this week?

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Have fun!

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American Dream - the SAHRR Quilt

Here she is, my Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) quilt, American Dream.

 

Created completely by me while participating in Quilting Gail's Stay at Home Round Robin (SAHRR) 2021 quilt-along with 6 other quilters who chose blocks for each round. 

A traditional Round Robin sets up the order of quilters and their block choices, passing the quilts around in the group for each quilter's round completion. This is my second time with SAHRR, making Fiesta Garden and The Moon and the Stars last year. It's also my fourth round robin quilt, since I enjoy the process so much!

Some of my fellow quilters designed their quilts in EQ. Me? I worked with what I had, no pre-planning, which made a few rounds look a bit odd to me. If you're interested in reading about each round, and all the joys and struggles, check out these posts:

SAHRR rules

Round 1 piano keys

Round 2 cross

Round 3 flying gees

Round 4 checkerboard

Round 5 wonky stars

Round 6 log cabin

Round 7 pinwheels

What do you think of the name? I usually have a difficult time naming quilts, but this one popped into my head within seconds. With the Americana theme, the house, a couple rounds that could be interpreted as grasses of the prairie, owning a home is certainly an American Dream. This quilt represents that perfectly!

So, how about a few more pictures? The center,

one of the corners,

and a closeup of the quilting, with the Happy Times pantograph.

Did I mention the size of this quilt? It's a big one, at 88" x 88". It's currently draped over the back of my living room loveseat, folded in half and still spilling off the sides! But the good news? It used up a lot of fabric, calculated at around 12.5 yards - woohoo! Just the back alone used up a ton of yardage.

At this size, American Dream it would make a great picnic quilt. It's already looking great on the grass. Wouldn't a basket full of wine, cheese, and other goodies be perfect here? And with plenty of room leftover to sit too!

I'm linking up my finish over at Quilting Gail's linky party, and if you also made a SAHRR quilt, I look forward to seeing it there. Can't wait to visit and read all about your creation!

Be sure to visit each of my fellow 6 quilters, or should I say, partners in crime!

• Gail @ Quilting Gail
• Chris @ Chrisknitssews
• Emily @ The Darling Dogwood
• Anja @ Anja Quilts
• Roseanne & Sue @ Home Sewn by Us
• Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Until our next SAHRR,

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

Maine - Pine Tree State

Welcome to the US Block Tour and the state of Maine - the Pine Tree state!

 

It's my turn to showcase Maine, and present a free block for the US Block Tour - I hope you've been collecting! Be sure to keep reading as there's a giveaway too!

First, a bit of background as to why I chose to represent Maine though I live in California. I was fortunate to move there at the age of 10, spending the next 6 years living in wonderland, as my home was on an island in one of Maine's numerous lakes. I wish I could show my long-ago pictures of this beautiful state, but they're buried deep in the closet. So, please bear with my picture-less story.

On that lake, I learned to swim and ice skate, and still swim regularly to this day.  In the summers, we had numerous big family bbq's that included sailing on my Dad's boat, and water skiing with a boat borrowed from my brother's girlfriend. Those are some of my fondest memories!

Winters, though, were a different story. Shoveling snow, stuck cars, and an impassable island road were some of the highlights I would rather forget. Let's just say I don't miss snow!

For me, there are a few things that make the state of Maine special, such as lobster, moose, lighthouses, and pine trees - lots of pine trees. It's this tree that gives Maine it's nickname, The Pine Tree State, and the reason for my block.

With a finished size of 6", the block is easily paper pieced in three sections, using a background fabric and three greens. Scrap pieces work perfectly to make this tree, or several fat quarters would make a whole forest.

To add my Maine Pine Tree block to your collection of US quilt blocks, just click on the Maine Pine Tree link below for the download.

                                              Maine Pine Tree

Need to catch up on block collecting? Here's blocks 31-34: 

Colorado, block 31, by Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio,

Ohio, block 32, by Appliques Quilts and More,

Connecticut, block 33, by Seams Like a Dream Quilts,

New Jersey, block 34, designed by Pretty Piney Quilts

If you already receive my QFab monthly newsletter, all of the block links are included each month. Not signed up yet? Just fill out the form under "Follow" in the sidebar to sign up for the monthly QFab newsletter and/or posts to your inbox. Then head over to these compiled lists, complete with images for the previous blocks, 1-30:

Keeping Up with the Free USA blocks (1-9)

More Free USA Quilt Blocks (10-14)

More Free US State Quilt Blocks (15-20)

More Free US State Quilt Blocks (21-30)

Be on the lookout for these upcoming blocks: 

New Mexico, designed by Windmill Quilts, coming April 4, and

New Hampshire, designed by One Quilting Circle, on April 11.

Now for the giveaway. One lucky reader (open to all) will win their choice of a free QuiltFabrication PDF pattern valued at $8. View my Etsy shop and choose your favorite - the free PDF will be delivered via email. To enter the giveaway, click the link below to head to the Rafflecopter widget, answer a few questions, and cross your fingers to win!

           Enter to win (1) free PDF QuiltFabrication pattern, value $8

Good Luck and happy travels across the country!

 

My Favorite Patterns

Salt and Sand Hop!

Welcome! Thank you for visiting on my day of sharing for Just Let Me Quilt's Salt and Sand blog hop! 

Usually, I have a fantastic project to show off since I'm always inspired by the themes that Carol of Just Let Me Quilt and Carla of Creatin' In the Sticks dream up. I find their hops a ton of fun!

So when the Salt and Sand hop was announced, I immediately emailed Carol, telling her I'm in, AND I had a project in mind. All I had to do was make it!

That project was a 12" block I had designed, Surfboards in the Sand, but hadn't sewn up.

This was the perfect chance!

And I should have stuck with that idea. Instead, I started down a rabbit hole of designing blocks to go with it for a complete quilt. Such a deep, deep, DEEP hole!

After spending 4 sometimes-frustrating days in front of EQ8, I showed my almost completed quilt design to my surfing/beach loving/Santa Cruz resident son, who promptly fell in love. His only request? Make it to fit a Queen size bed.

That request prompted 3 more days of designing and tweaking, leaving little time to make anything for this hop. Turns out, my original idea of including the surfboard block in the quilt was thrown out, which gave me no reason to make it.

Instead, I opted to make one of the blocks for this new beach quilt: a palm tree with sand and a separate bit of ocean. Together, they fulfill the theme of the Salt and Sand hop.

Now I know this block is not very exciting by itself, but trust me, once I get this quilt made I'm sure there will be lots of oohs and ahs! Here's a few quilt details I can share:  it comes in three sizes, lap, twin, and queen                                                       it involves applique and paper piecing for an intermediate quilter                         it's a row quilt, containing blocks never seen on a quilt                       

When will it be done? I'm hoping within two months. I have a lot of test sewing to do, plus taking pictures and video. Fortunately, my son can wait!

For more Salt and Sand projects, be sure to visit my quilt friends who are also sharing today:

March 26

Just Let Me Quilt
Websterquilt
Quilting Gail
Samelia's Mum
Quilt Fabrication
Little Penguin Quilts
Just Sew Quilter
Inflorescence

And visit Just Let Me Quilt for the full list in case your just joining in!

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

Midweek Makers 272

Welcome to Midweek Makers! 

My share is from the book giveaways last week. First, the winners: Congratulations to Caroline, who won the Sewing Unicorns, Dragons, and Mermaids; Susan, the winner of the Everyday Embroidery for Modern Stitchers book bundle; and Kathy, winner of the Sew a Classic Americana plus papers. Enjoy learning, creating, and stitching!

I'd also like to share the results of the questions I asked in the giveaway, which will help me in directing future quilt designs. I sincerely thank everyone for taking the time to answer!

Surprisingly, making quilts with multiple blocks was more popular by 2-1, than using one or two blocks. And making quilts with 6 or more applique blocks was favored 3-1.

The most common quilt size made was for the bed, then runners and wall hangings, followed by lap quilts and baby quilts. Charts were preferred over written instructions, though close at 26-17 or about 3-2.

For fun, about half add extra stitching detail to their quilts; the number of red, white, and blue quilts made ranged from 0-5, with an average of 3; and the price paid for a quilt pattern was anywhere from $7 to $80, with the average around $10-$30. I'd be really curious to know what pattern cost $80!

And that's all of my sharing - let's see some pops of color on neutral backgrounds.

From Time 4 Stitchin, this Tic Tac Go quilt,

a long awaited finish from Rebecca Grace Quilting,

almost finished applique elephants on a scrappy background from With Strings Attached, 

an Island Batik scrap challenge finish by Sew Preeti Quilts,

and finally, this block from Songbird Designs.

Phew! That's a lot to take in today - let's get to the party!

• please link to your post not your home page
• please link a quilt related item
• visit with the others and leave some comment love

Have fun!

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Click here to enter

March- April 2021 Book of the Month

Though it's a bit late into the month of March, I going to forge ahead with another quilt book to feature, which will carry over into April. This time, it's Stunning 3-D Quilts Simplified (affiliate link) by Ruth Ann Berry.

Stunning for sure! The quilts in this new book look so complex, but they're easy to design and sew due to isometric paper. What's isometric paper? It's a grid made of 60-degree triangles. As Ruth states in the book, who knew? 

I'll admit, that when C&T Publishing graciously sent this book, I wasn't very interested - these quilts looked way too complex. But having just designed the interlocking chains in Lucky Clover, I'm now in the right frame of mind to find the cover intriguing enough to give the book a second look. 

And boy am I surprised! I couldn't believe all 12 projects in the book use 60-degree triangles - how easy is that? With proper value placement, simple to complex 3-D designs are possible as never before - who knew?

Here's a project from the book, a simple table runner.

Thinking about this runner made of 60-degree triangles, it looks pretty straightforward, right? It certainly looks like something any quilter could make.

Keeping those 60-degree triangles in mind, let's jump ahead to a more complex design like this one, which graces the cover of Stunning 3-D Quilts Simplified.

Wow! Fascinating, isn't it? I don't know about you, but I find myself tracking the path of all of those colors every time I look at this. And it's all made with 60-degree triangles - amazing!

This is such an intriguing idea, I think I'll have a go with these triangles to make a 3-D quilt. Within a week or so, I hope to share some other exciting news which will make one of these quilts a breeze. Until then, I'll decide whether to make a project from the book or design my own. There's more to come in April!

Until then,

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

A Bit of This, That, and Upcoming Events

Hello everyone! I'm emerging from an EQ8 design marathon to share some sneak peeks and info about upcoming events. There's a lot of great quilty stuff coming up that I don't want you to miss!

First up is the Salt and Sand Blog Hop, hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt. The fun starts Monday, March 22 and runs through Friday, March 26, which is my project reveal day.

No sneak peek on this one, cause I haven't made it yet - I'd better get moving, right? But I will say that the hop inspired me to design a really big quilt, full of different beach themed blocks. My plan is to show one of those blocks, though I can't wait to see what everyone else created!

After the Salt and Sand hop wraps up, it will finally be my turn to reveal my free Maine block, block #35, for the Around the Block USA Tour, plus an updated links list for blocks 31-35. 

(For blocks 1-30, see the Free US States blocks post.)

Here's another sneak peek, which should be pretty easy to guess what it is if you know anything about Maine.

The very next day, Monday, March 29, is the big showing and opening of the linky party at Quilting Gail's for the finished Stay at Home Round Robin quilts - I can't wait to see them all!

Wednesday, on Midweek Makers, I'll announce the winners of the quilt book giveaway from last week, plus a few results from the polls and surveys - thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

And coming on April 6, there's another block from Quilt Block Mania, which I fell so in love with that I made one for myself. Teasing you with yet another sneak peek - can you guess what it is?

Also in April, Carla of Creatin' In the Sticks, is hosting an In the Kitchen Stitchin Blog Hop, which will be full of creations for the kitchen. I've got my fabric and idea - I just need to make it, which means no sneak peek here either!

See? I told you there's lots of great quilty stuff coming in the next few weeks - enjoy, and 

Happy Quilting!

My Favorite Patterns

Midweek Makers 271

Welcome to Midweek Makers and Happy St Patrick's Day!

Today it's all about green, which includes all of the green items that currently decorate my house. There's these runners,

though technically, the one in the lower right is actually a wall hanging. I just didn't have space to hang it.

And in the kitchen, dining room, and front entry, there's these. I put out anything that was green!

And on the table and behind it, clover placemats and Celtic knots.

Yes, I'm definitely in the green spirit! 

But wait! There's more! How about these green projects from last week's party?

From Chris Knits Sews, this beautiful runner,

this pretty butterfly themed runner from Vicki's Crafts and Quilting,

a green log cabin snowball block from Time 4 Stitchin,

and a pretty green applique flower over at Karen's Quilting.

That's a lot of green for today - Happy St Pat's or even spring!

And what do you have to share this week?

• please link directly to your post
• please link a quilt related project
• visit with the others and leave some comment love

Happy Quilting!

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Click here to enter