Houses

Still working on huuses.

More Houses Being Built in my Kaffe Neighborhood

Isn’t my neighborhood looking like fun?  I am having so much fun putting each house together.  I start with the house fabric from my Kaffe stash.  I then dig around and find a roof out of my 2 1/2 inch strips.  I then go into my 2 1/2 inch squares and try to find two that match for the chimney's.  I have a huge collection of white and black fabric so cut the sky out of it.  Lastly I dig around on my cutting table and find scraps to use for the door and window.

I still can’t decide how many I want to make – I could stop at 12 for a lap size quilt or keep going.  I am having so much fun, I think I will keep making them for a while.

Melinda

Tumbler Quilt in the Spotlight

Look at all the color at the shop.  My tumbler quilt has the spot of honor under the paint sticks.  I love the fabrics in the rack in front of the quilt. 

Here a a close up of the quilt – I love it!

Melinda

Sampler Class Update

Look at all the beautiful blocks brought in as homework last night.  We worked on the last two blocks and will start putting the quilts together next week.  So far, most of them feel like the drunkards path was the hardest.

Melinda

Get it Done–May 2013

I skipped April altogether but am trying to get back on track so I will list my four items for May.

1.  Finish the Swoon Quilt – at least get it pieced and ready to quilt.  I still have 7 blocks competed and one almost finished.  The last block has all the components made and is ready to be put together.  I have the scrappy border made and ready for the blocks to be finished.

2.  Complete first house quilt – the one with Kaffe fabrics and 2 1/2 inch strips.  Probably won’t quilt this one until after Las Vegas since it will fit in my suitcase better as a flimsy.

3.  Start the 2 inch strip house quilt.  Still need to decide on the theme for it.

4.  Finish the Saturday Sampler quilt – could be done today if I get to it.  It just needs the border, quilting and binding.  It is the bright blocks on the right side of the design wall.

All these are realistic goals but will require some focus.  I think I can do it!

For other lists, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Nancy’s Swoon Quilt

I got a photo of Nancy’s quilt at guild yesterday.

She made it from 30’s fabrics and I love it!  She decided not to use the sashing between the blocks but look at the cute half square triangles in the corners.  My favorite block is the one in the middle but I like them all.

Melinda

Community Service Day at Allatoona Guild

Today was the 5th Tuesday so it was Community Service day at guild.  We worked on string quilt blocks.  Here are the muslin foundations that are cut at 10 1/2 inches, along with some of the center strips.

We also have lots of strings and fabric that has been donated for people to use.

Here are some of the blocks in progress.

I bought a bolt (50 yards) of muslin several years ago on sale.  The price on the bolt is only $.99 so it was really cheap.  I cut foundations and more foundations and more foundations.  I think I cut more than 100 – enough for several quilts.  Now that I think about it, I probably cut more than 150.  Anyway, lots of blocks were started and people took foundations to work on at home.  I still have a lot left on the bolt for next time.

We had a wonderful lunch with Barb’s delicious Sloppy Joe’s, tortilla chips and salsa (I brought these) and dessert – Sue brought a great chocolate cake and there were other treats.

A good day was had and many children’s quilts were started.  I brought home 24 foundations to make a quilt here at home.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–April 29, 2013

My design wall is full!  Three projects are sharing it.

The Swoon blocks are still hanging out.  I have the eighth one almost put together so there will only be one more.  I have pieced all the scrappy borders so hopefully it will get finished soon.

Next are my Kaffe houses. 

Aren’t they cute – this is going to be quite a neighborhood when I finally stop.  They are fun and easy.  I can cut and sew one in about 20 minutes.  I made the two on the left this morning.  Not sure how many I am going to make but I think I will make 20 and see how it goes.  I need to take the quilt to Las Vegas in July but am not sure I want to quilt it before I go.  I will have more space in my suitcase if it is not quilted.

On the right is the Saturday Sampler that I am trying to finish by Saturday.  I am putting the sashing on and the border will come next.  I hope to get this one quilted this week.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Pat Wys

Pat was the speaker at guild on Friday.  She brought lots and lots of quilts to share and I took many photos – most not very good photos.

Here are a few I would like to make.

Pat had two of many of the quilts in different colorways.  I am attracted to the clearer, brighter colors (of course).

I have the patterns for each of these.

Melinda

Another Easy Street

Michele showed her Easy Street at guild yesterday.  Here it is.

Here is mine – sorry about the bad photo of Michele’s.

Melinda

Kaffe Houses for Las Vegas

I am going to teach Scrappy Happy Houses from Bonnie Hunter in Las Vegas this summer.  Her pattern uses 2 inch strips and sets them with a tilted sashing.  I am going to make samples like that but I thought I would also use 2 1/2 inch strips and see how they turn out.  Instead of finishing at 7 1/2 inches, the houses will finish at 10.  Here are the first four of the larger blocks.

I am using black and white for the sky and sticking to one fabric for each block.  I have plenty of black and whites so each block can be different.  The actual houses are from my Kaffe collection and using brighter scraps for the doors, windows, roofs and chimneys.  Each house is such fun to sew together.

Since these are larger, I think I will sew them in a straight set instead of tilting them.  I wait to decide until I get more blocks finished.

Guild is this morning and Pat Wys is our speaker.  I always enjoy her and am looking forward to the meeting.

Melinda

Sampler Class 5

Last night was the latest class for the Sampler.  The homework for the past included three blocks.

Grandmother’s Flower Garden

A Bears Paw Variation

and Ohio Star

With much grumbling we worked on Drunkards Path and Dresden Plate.

Hopefully they won’t have too much trouble with the homework.

Melinda

Teaching at Allatoona Guild

Yesterday was Special Projects day at the guild.  I taught zipper screen bags and about 25 people showed up.  Here is my sample for the project.

We also made some project bags.  I found the inspiration for these on Lori Holt’s blog.   I can’t locate the tutorial for the project bags but here is the link to her tutorials. http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20tutorials

We made these for the goodie bags for our retreat last month and several people wanted to learn how to make them.  I used her tutorial but did add a small handle to the top of the bag.  The handle is simply about 8 inches of binding sewn to the top of the bag.  Very cute and useful.

Here are a few photos from the sewing room.

A little mistake was made on this bag – see it on the right?

This next one is the perfect size to pack up your rulers to take with you.

Lots of fun colors and fun bags. 

Melinda

Class 3 Homework from Sampler Class

Here is the homework from last week.  Can’t wait to see what they come up with tomorrow.

Melinda

Homework from the Evening Sampler Class

Look at all the colorful blocks!  I can’t wait until next week.

Melinda

Sampler Class Three

Here is the homework from last week.  Only two students were there so they will probably show up this evening.  At least I hope so.

Melinda

Blocks from Last Weeks Class

These were from the evening class.  Tomorrow is the third class.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–April 8, 2013

I am behind in everything.  I have been spending all my free time on the entries for the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild show coming up in June.  The deadline for entries was a week ago and we had 477 entries.  Lot of data to enter and entries to copy.  The jury meets this week so then it will be time to start writing the acceptance/rejection letters.  At least they are going out by email this year.

I did sew just a little on my Swoon quilt.  I got the #8 block up on the mini-design wall and started making the borders. After the first border of grey, I am going to add a scrappy border using a charm pack cut into 2 1/2 inch squares.  I then will put a small border of grey around the outside and the increase in size should make it fit my bed better.

Here is the next block waiting to be pieced together.  I had made all the parts while at the retreat.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Sampler Savvy

Not much to show this morning. A couple of the morning students will be coming tonight.

Design Wall Monday–April 1 ,2013

My design wall looks exactly like it did last week.  No progress due to the entry deadline for the quilt show.  I still have lots of entries to put into the database and with the postmark deadline on Saturday, I am expecting more entries today and probably tomorrow.

Here it is:

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda