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Friday, March 25, 2016

OMG: It's Finished! Prizes added to March Linkup!

One more week to race toward our end-of-the-month goals!
This is where my Southwest Summer Tote stands at this time:
Yep, it is bright alright. I don't think it will ever be misplaced - lol!
I have gained a whole new respect for bag-making this week. Step-by-slow-step, I'm working my way through the directions as per The Better Bagmaker by Nicole Mallalieu.

The bottom did level out with the weight of the layers. Looks swell using the metal feet I picked up from Bagmaker Supply too.
These are the 1/2" size - they remind me of over-sized, very large brads. Easy to install.
Yesterday I finished the straps & handles, and I am working on the lining pockets - almost ready for final assembly!

OK, Time to celebrate our March 'Goal' achievements!
Perhaps you would like a bit of incentive first? We have some exciting prizes in the pot:

Bagmaker Supply has offered a $20.00 discount to one lucky prize-winner this month!

Apparently Bagmaker is not the only one who likes what your are linking up with!
Way to go OMG Partier's! We have two new additions this month:

Fat Quarter Shop has generously offered a monthly $25.00 gift certificate!
Have you ever won a FQS gift certificate?
That is what instigated my first order with FQS, and I've been a fan ever since. (yes, I am a regular stalker of the Daily Deal, are you?). Seriously, they are so very generous as top-notch supporters of the online quilting community!

Thank you, Thank you, Fat Quarter Shop!











And guess who else would like to donate to the cause?
Christa Watson, of ChristaQuilts, has generously offered one copy of each her books!
Machine Quilting with Style will ship to one random winner this month!
Christa's new book, co-authored with Angela Walters, The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting will be awarded in April - hot off the press!

Please take a few minutes to visit our sponsors to let them know we appreciate them!

And because I appreciate YOU, I curated this pretty Springtime Roll-up for the prize pool too!

Good Luck to everyone, I am looking forward to seeing all the finishes and hope you will take some time to check them out as well!




Thursday, March 24, 2016

Quilt Las Vegas Pictures & Orphan Adoption Winner!

I went to the Quilt Las Vegas show on Saturday, and guess what?
This time I took pictures!
They're the point-and-shoot type, but hey, I'm not above sharing them here ;) 
When it comes to viewing quilts, we are not too finicky, right?

First, let's congratulate Diane B., whose name was drawn randomly from comments regarding the Orphan Adoption! With the help of Diane's sewing group, the baby quilt (kit) that she won, should be done in a jiffy! A win all-around! Thank you Cynthia, for this wonderful event!

Quilt Las Vegas shows about 300 quilts each year, at the Henderson Convention Center about 15 miles from The Strip.
The theme of the show this year was "Reflections". 
This beauty took First Place in that division:
 Downton Abbey Inspired, by Lauren English, 65" x 90"

Creative and fun, and obviously the judges loved it:)
The next quilt is my favorite in this category. It is a different interpretation of the theme:
Panna Jane, by Cindy Nickerson, 60" x 60". Designed by the quilter as a reflection of her own, late mother. I admire the workmanship, was touched when reading that her own daughter helped in the design process by actually drawing the blocks, I love the use of her own, beautifully-dyed wools, and Cindy's work was impeccable. The quilting, by Andrea Marquez, is of perfect design too.

I've really enjoyed the Inspirational Sundays series at Quilter in the Closet lately, have you caught any of them? Jen has been featuring QuiltCon pictures, by category. I thought I would break my photos up in a similar, yet smaller-scale way (since I don't have all that many!). 
The plan is to finish sorting and share a few more quilts next week!

Meanwhile, 

If you enjoy viewing quilt show pictures, Jen does a great job! Check out Inspirational Sundays.


Saturday, March 19, 2016

Orphan Adoption Quilt Kit / Fabric Giveaway!

Are you ready for another Quilty Orphan Adoption event?
Are your UFO piles excessive? Too many for one quilter to complete in a lifetime?
Seriously, I want to move on already!

One of my favorite linkups, hosted by Cynthia from Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, allows us to match a UFO up with a suitor. If you enjoy making donation quilts, this is a linkup you will LOVE!
Quilting is more fun than Housework
This time around, I am looking for a recipient for a sweet baby quilt!
The kit includes fabric from Mama's Cottons 2, a thirties-style line produced in 08-09 by Connecting Threads. The prints are of medium-weight and perfect for a 32" sq. baby quilt!

Fabric and pattern are included for the Windmills blocks, the large border, and the backing:
The 1/2 yard of orange fabric is missing (for the inner border and binding).
Someone must have needed it(!)

Of course, you can make any pattern you wish if you win the kit!
Do you know someone special you would like to make this for? Do you make donation quilts? Does this call to you for any specific reason? I like thinking the quilt will be completed, and wind up somehow where it was 'meant' to be. The romantic in me I suppose ;)

Please leave a comment and let me know! A winner will be selected on Tuesday, March 22nd. If there is more than one great fit, I will do like Cynthia and draw a name from a hat!

The package weighs one pound. 
I will ship free within the U.S. (or internationally if you are willing to pay the post!).

Not affiliated here, just a love-struck fan who cannot get enough:
Happy Mail from my Sew Simple Saturday winnings over at Sew and Sow Farm!

Thank you Jan!!


Saturday, March 5, 2016

Kite Tails Quilt Block Tutorial

Each month, I am making two blocks from my scraps, in the colorway of the month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

The blocks are similar to a traditional pattern called Kite Tails.
To create one 12" block:
Start by selecting FIVE background fabrics (or one!). Trim each to 3.5" wide x 19".
Select FIVE print fabrics. Trim each of these to 1.5" wide x 19".

Lay them out in an order that pleases.  
(Note: The second colored strip will end up being in the center, running diagonally across the block)
Using a 1/4" seam allowance, join all the rows to create one rectangle, approx. 19" x  21" wide.
Press the seam toward the skinny, colored strips.

Align the pieced unit on your cutting mat, and cross-cut Twelve(12) 1.5" wide strips.

Starting from the bottom of the 12 strips, slide them to the right, so that they stagger.
(My pink strip was short, please pretend there are two full squares of pink are present at the top-left!)

It'll look like this:
A note about block direction: So far, I am making all my blocks the same direction, sliding the strips to the right as I go up. I may switch later in the year, to make half of my blocks slide to the left)

OK, next we need to "square it up", to prepare the strips for piecing.
I think of this as a vertical 'datum line' that needs to be created,
The line will run vertically up, from the left edge of the second print (this print will be the bottom-left corner of the block)
My method to create this line is to remove the stitching from the that first seam, on the bottom row.
Seams will need to be removed every third row, running vertically from there.
 
Once these are removed, the second and third strips can be cut with a rotary cutter.
BTW, use a seam ripper very carefully for these.
So as not to distort the pieces, I cut several stitches from one side,
then remove the thread from the other.




Create a vertical line on the right side as well, removing stitches and cutting each strip, upward from the left-edge of the fourth colored square.

Next, use the pieces that have been removed to fill in and complete the rows, until your strips line up on the vertical edges.
Once you have them all laid out, go ahead and join them together!
Match and nest the corners as you sew the rows together.
I use a smaller stitch size here because I'll be pressing these final seams open.
Oh My, look at all those leftovers!
Ta-Da!

Using leftovers to make borders as I go:

I had thought I would create a way to make the block that did not create so much waste, but instead I am using the leftovers to make blocks that I plan to use in the quilt layout - probably the border...

Line up the leftovers and cut them apart through their centers.
Use your seam ripper to remove any background pieces that are too small, and sort all the pieces into stacks so you can complete as many units as possible.
For now, I am joining these together in groups of eight, the perfect length for a block when these are set on point.

Want to add a heart to your blocks?

Just replace one square with a piece 2.5" by 1.5".!
So Cute!

Did I mention I LOVE making these blocks!
Every month, I look forward to the new color announcement so I can reveal more of this quilt!
RSC16 
Until April, they are safely stowed..

 Sew Simple Saturday is a great place to share tips and tutorials!
Sew and Sow Farm
The linkup is hosted by Jan at Sew and Sow Farm, on the first Saturday of each month!

Jan is launching a Little Dresses for Africa SewAlong,
with a tutorial and more information posted today!
Sew and Sow Farm






Quilting is more fun than Housework
Quilter in the Closet

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

February Winners: OMG!

I made a weebit of progress yesterday on the bag that is my March OMG !

Then I caught wind of a block drive for a good cause, and I worked up two donation blocks. 
There was a "call for blocks" posted by Jen, at Quilter in the Closet.
Blocks are being collected to comfort the families of police officers in Colorado! One officer was killed and another wounded in the line of duty.  Please read more about it HERE.


 

Now, about those winners!

The yellow and gray bundle:
Congratulations to #39, Cassandra, who blogs at the Not So Dramatic Life!
Go To The Bagmaker Supply Etsy Store

Next, the winner of the $20 coupon to Bagmaker Supply:
#7, Vicki, who blogs at Vickis's Crafts and Quilting!

Congratulations to Vicki, and to Cassandra!
Thank you to Bagmaker Supply, and to all OMG Quilty-Friends!


Quilter in the Closet

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

OMG, It's March!

Time to set One Monthly Goal!

Playing with fabric is perhaps my favorite activity. I love creating stacks and placing them around my quilting room. And you know, every now-and-then they actually turn into a project :)

The goal I"ve selected for March began as one of those bundles nearly one year ago. I finally cut into it last summer, to create my Southwest Summer Block (tutorial here). In February I ordered hardware from Bagmaker Supply, and now I plan to finish a tote bag this month!  I am making The Marrakesh Overnighter from The Better Bagmaker by Nicole Mallalieu.
I started quilting the panels for it this weekend.
I also attached the metal feet to the bottom piece, but I am not sure the template plastic I used is going to work out.
Nicole recommends using template plastic for the base, but I don't think hers has been rolled in a tube for ten years...
This piece gets topstitched over several more layers for the bottom base - I am hoping it will flatten out a bit.
Should be easy enough to remove it though, if I need to - those feet are simply large brads.
 
Working with those bright blue, orange, and green colors inspired the pull for the March OMG Giveaway Bundle!
Did I mention how much I enjoy curating bundles?
This one began with the Heather Ross Briar Rose print, with the little shamrocks:
Very March-like I thought, and I went about selecting ten more prints for the bundle of 5" strips. They're all described in an Etsy listing at Red Letter Fabrics.

Bagmaker Supply has also offered a $20.00 discount to one lucky prize-winner this month!
Please take a moment to visit their shop if you are interested in zippers and professional looking supplies for finishing purses!


What do you have in the works for March? 
Spring cleaning?
Consider giving away one of your UnFinishedObjects, by joining the Orphan Adoption scheduled to begin on the 18th at Quilting is More Fun than Housework!

Quilting is more fun than Housework

OK Quilty Friends: Time to set goals and Linkup!
For complete rules, please see the OMG main page.