Favorite Binding Tutorial from Connecting Threads

I have finally decided that I have a favorite binding joining tutorial.  It's from Connecting Threads (who just happens to also send me one of my favorite catalogs)  It's called the Bumpless Binding Finishing Tip.  Here's the link:  http://www.connectingthreads.com/tutorials/Bumpless_Binding_Finishing_Trick__D41.html

House Blocks for October Block Swap Adventure

My block swap partner for the October Block Swap Adventure was Julianne from California.  We decided as partners to swap two blocks this month.  She requested house blocks from this pattern: 
http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/house_quilt.htm - scrappy with blue sky.
Here's the two blocks that I made for her:

FNSI Results

Here's my FNSI results for 10.26.12.  I completed step 5 of the Heather Spence Mystery Quilt by e-mail (Jack of Hearts).  The mystery continues.  Here's the block:

And here are some layout options:

 

 

Friday Night Sew In 10.26.12

This Friday night I will be working on the Heather Spence "Jack of Hearts" Mystery by e-mail quilt.  It's about time for part of the mystery to be solved.  Can't wait to get my clue this afternoon!

OSU Bucks Modern Block

I had these Drunkard's Path blocks left over after they did not work on my Totally Groovy quilt.  I had cut them with my accuquilt die and then cut them to size.  But they still did not work with that pattern.  I put them together in a modern-looking block.  I like it.  It will either go on my orphan block quilt or I have a lot of these colors left and I will make a whole quilt.  Go Ohio State Buckeyes!

Totally Groovy Ohio State Quilt Finish! & Giveaway Announcement

The Totally Groovy QAL quilt is complete!  Whohoo! Go Buckeyes!  What a great finish.  I loved the fact that this pattern was perfect to use my favorite team colors.  The possibilities are endless.

But I LOVE LOVE LOVE the back.  My niece and new son, Kasen, (& family) will love it too.  The enzones say "Ohio State" and "Kasen".

 

Colors of course are scarlet and grey (Kona Bright Red, Kona charcoal, a white on white ivy print, and an organic light grey).  I found an awesome complete bolt of the light grey at a garage sale!  Here are some of the straight-line, organic quilting details.

 

The quilt label is embroidered from the alaphabet on my Husqvarna Viking sewing machine.  It says, "GROOVE by Kathy Snider, East Canton, Ohio, 2012".  The entire quilt was quilted in grey thread. 

Can you see the modern "O's" in this pattern?  In the above pic the dark grey and white reminds me of the Ohio State University's famous horseshoe stadium.

 

The Totally Groovy QAL was held at Alyssa's blog, Pile O' Fabric
The GROOVE pattern was designed by Emily Cier.  What a great modern pattern!  You can check out all of her patterns for sale in her Etsy Shop Carolina Patchwork.  Thank you Alyssa & Emily for such a great QAL.  I will definitely use this pattern again.  When I signed up for the QAL, I needed another QAL like I needed a hole in my head.  BUT I am so glad I did.  Wow, what a fun quilt!

 

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Oh, did I mention a GIVEAWAY?  Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog.  Yes, this blog will be having a giveaway in the up-coming week.  One winner will win software from My Memories!  Come back and check it out!

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October Block Swap Adventure 2012

Here's a sneak peek for Julianne in CA. It was a lot of fun making her blocks this month. We decided as swap partners to swap two blocks. Here's one of the blocks. I'll have to keep her in suspense on the other one.

 

This will be in the mail to Julianne (in CA) either Monday, 10/22, or Tuesday, 10/23.

 

Football Field Progress

I made some progress on my "football" field for the back of my Totally Groovy QA quilt this week.  I like it!  Now I need to decide if I should cut it down to regulation shape or just leave it as a green/white field.  There will be some applique involed.   Decisions, decisions.  Hmmmm.  I'll have my husband help.  LOL

 

Okay, update... I actually did consult with the spouse.  He told me to cut it down to "regulation" porportions and do the applique.  He also recommended straight-line quilting instead of quilting footballs in the lines.  I'm not sure he knows what straight-line quilting is, but that's the route I'm taking.

Piano Key Border for my Mystery Quilt

I'm caught up with the clues for the Mystery Quilt by Heather Spence (Jack of Hearts).  Of course I want to make this quilt bigger (like always) and made my first piano key border today.  Thanks again, to my Accuquilt GO! Baby 2.5" strip cutter.  Pieces were cut with accuracy and quickly went together.  I should be the spokesperson for Accuquilt, but I'm not. This is just my opinion through experience using it.  Love ya, Baby!

Using Accuquilt Strip Cutter for Squares Tutorial

Today while working on a quilt I came to the instructions that told me to take all the 2.5" pieces that I cut and to put them together alternating colors.  I don't want to take credit for this method.  I got the idea from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog.   I can't find her actual post, so here's how I did it.

First of all, when I saw the instruction to cut all of those 2.5" pieces I waited and only cut 2.5" strips.  I love strip piecing especially for four patches, nine patches and such.  I used the Accuquilt 2.5" strip cutter and my Accuquilt GO! Baby (love that thing!)  I took my 2.5" strips and sewed them right sides together.

 

I pressed the strip open.

 

 

Sew strips together to make sets of four.  Press again.

Using your rotary cutter, cut strips set of four into pieces at least 5.25" wide.  I cut mine about 5.5" wide.

 

Carefully line up the strip set pieces on the 2.5" strip die cutter.  I use the edge of the straight edge of the cut fabric and eyeball the edge of the dye to get them as straight as I can.  Make sure the whole cutting area of the die is covered.

 

Go ahead, layer on some more pieced, keeping in mind that there are seams and how many layers the Accuquilt die can cut.  I try to stagger the seams so that it does not get to thick in spots.

 

Find your favorite five-year-old helper to crank them through.  (Remember to put the mat on top of the fabric before running them through the GO! Baby).  It's very easy to crank.

 

 

 

Remove the happy, accurately cut pieces from the dies.

 





 

Look at them when they are stacked.  They are all so straight!  Think how great the accuracy of this strip set will make your quilt look.  For reference, one strip set (four pieces of WOF) cut using this method made 14 pieces like the one shown below.

 

 

Here's how much waste there was for eight WOF pieces which yielded 28 pieces like the one above.

To me the accuracy is worth just a little more waste.

 

This helped me make this awesomely straight strip, which was one of the steps in the Jack of Hearts Mystery Quilt by Heather Spence Designs.  The proceeds of this Mystery Quilt by e-mail go to a family affected by cancer.  Check it out!

 

 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial and found it helpful.

 

 

 

 



 



GO OSU Bucks! -- Totally Groovy QA

I love the way my Totally Groovy quilt turned out!  This QA was held at Pile O Fabric . com  I have a feeling I will be doing more quilts like this once I give it to my niece and her family.  They are HUGE Ohio State fans, hence the scarlet, greys and white.  She just had baby #2 last month.  Check it out:

GO Ohio State Buckeyes!

 

For the back I will add the baby's name in block letters on a bright green football field with white lines and football.  I think with the green backing that I selected that straight line quilting will be best.  We'll see what that brings... hopefully soon.

 

 

What a great job on the Groove pattern from Carolina Patchworks!

 



 

 

Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin

This week I worked on the last round of a Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin Quilt. Here's a sneak peek of what I did this week.  This mini is on it's way home tomorrow!  The big reveals will be coming home soon. I'll post updates next month. I don't want to spoil the fun, but I am soooooo excited to see all the finished quilts. I got an e-mail saying that the shipping label was printed for mine. Whohoo!

Two more Split Stars for the October Block Lotto

 

You can find the pattern for these on the Block Lotto site.