Spending Time with Granny....

.....that's what I'll be doing this weekend :)

Hand Pieced Quilt-A-Long Block #3 Ohio Star

This week I chose another favorite traditional quilt block, Ohio Star. When I first began quilting this was the first block I would think of when I thought "quilt".

To begin cut :
1 - 3 1/4 x 6 1/2 inch strip from your background fabric
1 - 3 1/4 x 6 1/2 inch strip from your print (star points)
1 - 2 1/2 x 10 inch strip from background fabric
1 - 2 1/2 inch square from print (center)

Mark a 1/4 in. seam line on all of the edges of your pieces. For the 3 1/4 X 6 1/2 in. strips also mark a line down the middle of the strip at 3 1/4 in. Mark 1/4 in. seam lines on each side of this center cutting line. Then on each square mark an X from corner to corner for your diagonal cutting line. Mark a 1/4 in. seam line on each side of all of your diagonal cut lines. On the 2 1/2 x 10 in. strip mark 2 1/2 in. cutting lines along the strip and mark 1/4 in. seam lines on both side of these cutting lines.

Cut apart pieces on cutting lines. There should now be 1 print square, 4 background squares, 8 background quarter square triangles (QST) and 8 print quarter square triangles (QST).

Take 1 background QST and 1 print QST and sew them together to make 8 of these.

Put 2 of your QST units together to make a square like this unit. Make 4 of these.

Lay out your square like this. I sew horizontal rows. Then sew my rows together. Press gently. Enjoy!

I love seeing your blocks! They have all been great and so different! If you haven't yet, come join our little flickr group! You can start any time and all are welcome :)

Block #1 Churn Dash
Block #2 Jacob's Ladder

WIP Wednesday...WIP Denial

I often feel I have nothing to share for WIP Wednesday but how can that be? I sew a lot. How can I have nothing to share? I have something called WIP denial. It's a condition (disorder?) where you know you have WIPs, you see the WIPs, you deny the WIPs, you start new WIPs. Oh, it's a real sickness I tell ya. I have it. BAD. I thought this would be the perfect time to REALLY list my WIPs. I know there are many. I  ignore most of them. I think a WIP list is in order. This could get ugly (and thready and wrinkly)!

Behind door number one we have quilt tops! I usually quilt my quilts right away. What's changed? I don't know, but now I have a pile. One from Old Red Barn Co. quilt along...from 2009. Bad me!

Now let's move onto baskets and the like. In this basket we have the long forsaken  solids quilt. See, wrinkled, threads all over the place. Neglected, and I like this one too. Why have I not worked on this? I don't know.

Next basket. Bliss stars. Love them. Left them. Why? I don't know. Repetitive chain sewing maybe? 

In the same basket are my Hope Valley  Flying Geese Pinwheels from 2009. I did, actually, start working on these again last week, making 10 more pinwheels. I really want to finish this one!

I also have these Twister blocks from that basket too. Don't know what's going to happen with these yet. 

Farmer's wife blocks...ongoing...slow....love them though!

My cocorico bee block for Melinda. Her theme was Vintage Christmas. I love this one. Just needs some button knobs and it's ready to go to its new home :)

Quilt along blocks...Swoon and the Hand Pieced blocks.

Granny Squares...fun..loving them. 

Blocks for Crazy Mom Quilts 36 patch quilt along. These are fun and I will finish this one!

....and hand sewing projects. 4 right now. Hexies, diamonds, petals and a patchwork embroidery. I found my whole bag of Whimsy (fig tree) that I lost last year. I had no idea what happened to it. I found it while getting out Christmas decorations this year. Seams it got put in the attic with all of the decorations when they were put away last year. So I'm working on something with that too.

So this was a long post! If you weren't sickened by my lack of finishes and you stayed to read this far. I thank you! 

Is this a lot? normal? Do I have quilting ADD? hmm...

Eggs - An Obsession

(source: Pinterest)

 Something you probably don't know about me is that I have a strange obsession with eggs. It all started when we got chickens three chickens years ago. My father in law "rescued" them from an elementary school at the end of the school year (which reminds me of the time in first grade when I got to take the hermit crab home over summer vacation but it sadly died after a week). We were their lucky new caretakers.They laid eggs. Eggs, I didn't buy at the grocery store or farm stand. Eggs, fresh eggs, everyday. Eggs, just outside my door. Eggs, all colors, shapes and sizes! I love them all. Unfortunately a chicken hawk got our chickens, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The name was a joke as we had no intention of eating them, they were pets. Pets who gave us eggs. My obsession is in full swing right now after receiving my McMurray catalog. Oh I'm dreaming of our "someday farm". With all of this egg gawking....

...I had to put eggs in a quilt! My husband actually suggested making a bird quilt with them. I used blues and greys (not as bright as I normally make my bird quits. Is it because a boy suggested it? hmm? I think I was going for something he liked and laid off the pink.) He even noticed how the bird's eye is the center of the flower. He was paying attention! I still have to quilt and bind it.  Another keeper for my "someday quilt wall".

 I hope "someday" comes soon!!!

Linking up with Quilt Story today for Fabric Tuesday! 

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Fat Quarter Shop Fly A Kite Jelly Roll giveaway!!!!

I used Random.org and the winner was # 16! Anita!
Congratulations Anita! An e-mail has been sent!

A Quick Catch-Up!

Hope your weekend is going well! I wanted to pop in and say hi and show a few finishes. I made another Valentine's Day birdie quilt.

I didn't stitch this one as heavily as I usually do and I really like how it turned out. I was looking back on some of my first bird quilts and remembered I used to quilt some of them with these swirlies. So I added some to this quilt and I love them.

I attached baker's twine again. It's so easy and I like it better than a sleeve for something that isn't being hung permanently. I did put this one in my shop which is always hard for me to do. I kinda fall in love with all of these little quilts.

I finished my Jacob's Ladder block for the hand stitched quilt along.

It went together in a jif, I thought.

Now I have 2 blocks. I am so happy with them. I can't wait to pick a block and fabric for next week. I am so happy that many of you have joined me in this. It's lots of fun.

Here are some links for the quilt along.
Flickr Group
Block #1 Post
Block #2 Post

And lastly but not leastly.. :) I started a Flickr Group (they are really fun) for anyone making Granny Square quilt blocks. That group can be found here. Bring some tissues and prepare to drool :) Totally inspired by Jolene from Blue Elephant Stitches' Scrappy Granny Squares quilt.

Okay I think that's it. Please come and join us in any of the above groups. All are welcome :) Have a great weekend and happy sewing!!!

Hand Pieced Quilt-A-Long Block#2 Jacob's Ladder

I'm happy to see that many of you have joined the hand piecing quilt along. Don't forget to join the flickr group if you haven't already. Everyone's blocks are looking good.

 For the block this week I chose Jacob's Ladder. Another one of my favorite traditional blocks.

I was thinking while lying in bed at 3am this morning about the little 1 inch (finished) squares and how there are 20 of them. I didn't want to stretch the fabric too much so I thought I would make a grid and draw all of the lines and then cut them. It worked great! and saved time! I am used to strip piecing and quick sew methods for both 4 patches and half square triangles but when hand piecing I don't think that is a great idea because your stitches unravel rather quickly once you cut into that seam. You know what I mean?

I also did the same thing for the half square triangles. (note this picture shows 8 half square triangles, we only need 4, I will use the other 4 in another block)

So my measurements for the grid of 1 1/2 inch squares measures 3 x 7.5 inches
and the half square triangles grid measures 5 3/4 square ( will give you 8, 4 for this block and 4 for future use) or 2 7/8 by 5 3/4 inches if you only want to cut 4 hst's. 

These are your pieces:
10 background squares - 1.5 inches
10 print squares - 1.5 inches
4 background half square triangles - 2 7/8 inches
4 print half square triangles - 2 7/8 inches

I'll start by piecing the 4 patches, then the half square triangles, and then sew them into rows and lastly sew my rows together. I didn't sew this one together yet because I would actually like to be a participant in the quilt along :)
Basic how to can be found on week #1's post here.  Have fun and have a super fantastic weekend! Can't wait to see your blocks!