CHRISTMAS IN JULY

It's a Christmas in July Blog Hop
hosted by Carol over at Just Let me Quilt

I wanted to make a couple Modern Christmas tree blocks

for an upcoming guild swap
and selected these fabrics 
(outside of the Christmas red and green box)  

It began like this...Man, these are gonna be great blocks

for the Columbus Modern Quilters Block Raffle.

THEN, I did NOT lay out the pieces right for cutting.

Correct layout for cutting - both pieces RIGHT SIDES UP

I laid them out RS Together...

I often engage my rotary cutter before my brain.

I could still sew them together, but then had to trim them down

smaller than what the finished block should be.

 What will I do with these blocks now?

THEN the "Christmas in July" block hop 
ah-ha moment happened.

I added red fabric all around so I can square them up

to 9 1/2" squares and make pot holder loops

 


I found some dark gray fabric in my stash for the backing.
Cut 2, 9 1/2" squares

You need 2, 9 1/2" squares of Insul-brite 
and 1, 9 1/2" square of cotton batting
for each Pot Holder

I used the Pot Holder video tutorial by Crafty Gemini
just click here for full instructions.

This was my first attempt at Pot Holders
and they turned out OK.
I think next time I may leave the batting out.
They are very thick (which is good for heat) but
 sewing 5 layers (more on the loop corner) is a pain.

I did stitch around the Christmas tree 
to give it a little quilting dimension.

All in all...they are OK
They are for me and my oven!
I have two more to make...or maybe they will
become mug rugs...😏

I still want to make the Modern Christmas Tree Block Quilt 
and have been collecting fabrics.
I did make these blocks for the
Columbus Modern Quilters raffle...

I didn't win.😔

If you want to see the Modern Christmas tree blocks 
and the amazing quilt you can make...
 Amy Smart, Diary of a Quilter has provided a tutorial
Click here for the tutorial.

Stop by and see the other participants today...
Head on over, give em some Holiday love
and get some ideas for your Christmas sewing!

July 25

Quilt Doodle Designs

Kwilty Pleasures (me)

Creative Blonde

Just Because Quilts

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Quilter in Motion

Made By Marney

and here are links to the other elves...

July 23

Creatin' in the Sticks

MooseStashQuilting

Lily Patch Quilts

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Melva Loves Scraps

Sew Many Yarns

Cynthia's Creating Ark

July 24

Wont-To-Be-Quilter

Words & Stitches

Home Sewn By Us

Desert Sky Quilting

Thimblemouse and Spouse

Seams To Be Sew

Clever Chameleon Quilting

July 26

Quarter Inch Crafter

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Ms P Designs USA

Selina Quilts

Beaquilter

Mountain Quiltworks

July 27

Life in the Scrapatch

Quilt n Party

Days Filled With Joy

Quilt Fabrication

All Thingz Sewn

Just Let MeQuilt

CARD MAKING

I have been reeled into the world of card-making.

A few friends have been doing this for a very long time

with a very large Card Making Company.

Once a month, someone in the group is hostess

and she makes lunch.

We all design and kit a card for all to make.

(and order stuff - our demo gives us credits so we

can earn free product - nice)

Here are some examples of what we have made.

My first card..from supplies I already had.

No surprises here...right?

My second card, also from supplies I had on hand.

I have had this Fairy "The Magic of You" stamp for a long time.

Third card...except for the saying...

supplies I had on hand.  Very sewy!

Fifth card...yep, supplies I had on hand

The Mermaid Stamp was sent to me as an extra

in a Beach theme swap.

Now we get to the SERIOUS cards...

designed by the pros...

but I put them together at our card making sessions.

Well you get the idea...I am buying more stamps and inks

and tools...yep that koolaide is good.

I find it silly NOT to use the supplies I have

but I will upgrade some inks and card stock

and I have bought a few new tools that will help

me in my endeavors.

My friends have been generous and given me

some of their supplies to "get me started"

(like I needed that 😉

BUT these two Scrapbook rolling cases

were given to me!

Card making is like making a small quilt.

It still takes time...but not as much time as a quilt

and I get to be creative. And spend lots of money!

Geeze...what was I thinking?

I still am not receiving your comments into my email inbox.
I do come by here and read them.  Thank you!
Responding to your comments is not a task I can easily do.
 Thanks for understanding 

BABY OH BABY

This is the 3rd baby for my Smith friends and
the 4th baby quilt they have commissioned me to make.

I must be doing something right!

Baby #3 will be a boy due for delivery this October.

A big brother and sister can't wait to meet him.

Daddy wanted a fox theme and I shared 

these fabrics and colors...approved! 

Perfect Ten pattern by Swirly Girls Designs

is my "go to" novelty print pattern.

Why invent a new wheel when this one

rolls just fine!

A design wall is helpful to layout this pattern

that requires attention to sew the rows together. 

I love seeing how the colors will play together.

All this fabric was in my stash.

Sewing is easy, but again....pay attention to the layout!

I had some dark gray Kona in my for the binding.

This just might be my favorite part of the quilting process.

You can see in this picture I did a straight line quilting.

I like to set my Bernina 740 machine stitch length at 4.0 

and use the dual feed foot.  

Its almost always Quilters Dream batting for my quilts.

It finishes at 46" x 58"...nice size for baby to toddler!

Waiting on Daddy to give me some verbiage for the label.

The backing is a light gray on white print, 
a wide back remnant, that was also in my stash.

I added some scraps of the quilt fabrics to make it pop.  

Sew you know...this is the second quilt I have made using

"Outfoxed" fabric by Lizzy House.

Here is the first one I made several years ago!

A Villa Rosa Designs pattern, Moondance

and you can find their card patterns here.  

They are only $2 and I have many of them. 

For this cute little boy, Miah...

and Mama sent me a picture of him on the quilt.

Miah, now has a little sister AND he

started kindergarten this year!

Making baby quilts is the most fun because

*fabrics are such fun

*babies make my heart happy

*the quilt will become a family heirloom

 I have been sewing my stash this year.

This  quilt makes #7 lap size or larger quilt 

I have made since January!

HE'S A YANKEE DOODLE DANDEE!

I have a Yankee Doodle Dandee who lives next door

to me and my front porch!

A perfect neighbor born on the 4th of July!

He lets the neighbor borrow his power washer,

his mower, he snow blows our drives,

He looks after our homes when we are away

be it a week or 3 months. 

I decided to make him a quilt to thank him

for all his does for my family...

and to help celebrate his birthday!

I found these "Freedom" charm packs by Moda

in my stash along with the solid cream fabric. 

I selected the free pattern from 

 the Fat Quarter Shop

Charm Pack Cherry quilt pattern

find it here

It wasn't quite big enough to suite me...

so I added a 3" border all around.

Then the top and bottom got a 5" border 

with more charms and cream fabric.

"Peas and Carrots" by American Jane...

that was perfect for the backing.

ahhh...this has been in my stash for about 10 years.

This is a very quick quilt to make...

and you can adjust to a size you need

by adding or removing charms.

I did a simple meander with a few stars to FMQ it.
And check out the label...
"TBDNITL"
stands for "The Best Damn Neighbor In the Land"
it's an Ohio State thing...

The end result...a very masculine
red-white-blue birthday quilt!

for a Yankee Doodle Dandee kinda guy!

Happy 4th of July America!

Happy Birthday Mark Wilson!