Jacque's 500th Post Giveaway

Yesterday was one of my best quilting buddies, Jacque's, birthday! She is also having a 500th post give away. Stop by and check it out!
She also has something for rug hookers if your not a quilter.

Another Half-Square Triangle Tip/Tutorial and an Antique Repro Mini

I made this mini from scraps leftover from this top.

I'm using some of my antique reproduction fabric. I love these fabrics.


I have a little trick I use whenever I make a block or piece that has corner triangles to trim away. These pics aren't great. I took them a while ago, but I hope you can see what I mean.

I am a big scrap saver and when I do this with the triangles they are ready to be sewn. It makes an instant Half Square Triangle. I don't have a bunch of triangles in my scraps that will likely never be used.

Okay so for the blocks in the quilt layout above you sew squares onto the top and bottom corner of your bigger square. What I do is mark my diagonal line on the small square then I measure 1/2 inch away from it and mark another diagonal line.


Then when I sew, I sew on the diagonal line and on the 2nd smaller diagonal line.


I cut down the middle (1/4 inch away from each sewn line).


Then you have a Half Square Triangle already to use as leader/ender projects or whatever you like. I made the mini for a fun and quick little project. I just know that I won't use my triangle scraps if I don't do this. This works good for Flying Geese too depending on the technique you use to make them.

Whirlygig Top Finished

I finished the top for the Whirlygig Quiltalong, or am I? I think I want to make it bigger. I'm mulling over a few different ideas. We'll see what happens.

I also am so thrilled that I won the give away that Cathy was having. The fabric is beautiful and I am just so excited. So in the spirit of giving and receiving I will have a give away soon. I will also be working on the tutorial for the bag. I just didn't get much done this weekend due to a nasty stomach bug. Hopefully that's over and we can move on. Yuck!

Whirlygig Quilt Along...

I got my fabric cut and a 4 blocks made for the Whirlygig Quilt Along that Cathy over at Quilting on Turtle Hill is hosting. Everything is going together much faster than I anticipated. I used some of my Arcadia layer cake that I have been saving. I think I'll use the rest for a stacked coins quilt or another whirlygig quilt but with a dark background since most of the layer cake pieces I have left are light. I think this will be lots of fun. If you want to join in the Flicker group is here.

Finished Diaper Bag for Flying Geese Quilt

I finished the diaper bag that matches the Flying Geese Pinwheels Quilt. I absolutely love it! It turned out way better than I expected.





Here's a close up of the front pockets.



This is an inner pocket that I made extra large to fit the changing pad (I'm going to make one) and the travel wipes case.



This is the smaller pocket on the other side. Smaller for your keys or wallet etc..



This is the back.


I like the splash of linen.

I would like to put up a tutorial for this bag and the one I made my MIL. It might take a little while. I have to go back over all of my measurements and everything. I just sort of wing it when I make something and jot notes down along the way. So I have to pull all of that together.

Flying Geese Pinwheels Crib Quilt

I was able to spend a lot of time sewing this weekend. It was so nice. My husband fed me, took care of everything, and I stayed in my pj's and sewed.



I made this crib quilt for a friend.



The crib sheet was my only inspiration and the rest was up to me. It was so much fun. I saw the block in Eleanor Burns' book Pioneer Sampler, that Jacque let me borrow. It's called Louisiana in the book, it's a 12 in. pinwheel made with 3x6 Flying Geese. The book uses 3 colors. I chose 2.

I am having a hard time getting decent pictures lately. No sunshine. Sorry.



I bound it with Love!(Amy Butler that is)

I am making her a diaper bag to match. I'm excited to see how that turns out. I love the quilt! So I hope the diaper bag looks good too.

Finished Quilt, Tote Bag and Friday Night Sew-In Mishap...

Well the Friday night Sew-In didn't go as planned. I basted my MIL's quilt and quilted about 1/4 of it when my machine died. I've been waiting for the day. I've had to baby her for a while now. She was old and I've made many quilts with her.

So I had to wait to get a new machine to finish the quilt. I wasn't sure what to get. I finally got a Bernina Activa 220. This has been my "dream machine" for a while. I am very fortunate to live near a Bernina dealer (who happens to be an Amish man) who doesn't charge MSRP. About half actually. I was still nauseated to pay that much for a machine. To me, it's crazy. But I hope it lasts a very very long time. I am worried that it won't. I'll just have to see how it goes.

So here is the quilt all finished and washed and crinkely.


I also made my MIL a tote bag to take with her to treatments. I added a couple of pockets to the front outside to put in books or cd's or whatever she wants. I'll give it to her tonight. I'll post a tutorial for the tote bag soon.


Thank you for your continued prayers.