x & +

This quilt has been on my to do list for many years.

There's something about the X and + design that intrigues me.

When I saw this version by Zen Chic...this was it!

I had Zen Chic 'White Christmas" fabrics in my stash

for many years and couldn't decide 

what it should be...this was it!

I added some green FQs to the "White Christmas" 

FQ bundle to get the vibe I wanted.

I love the block trays and stacked up

the pieces that would make the cut!

Sewing began and more

stacking of the block units happened.

Different sections...

Different blocks

Sewed together one bloxk

and oh my...this is it!

The design wall began to collect the blocks.

Growing larger and larger.

I tried to place as i sewed instead of making

stacks and then to the design wall.

It worked very well.

And it filled it full!

I have to put this all together

and then send it off to a longarm quilter.

It deserves to be beautiful!

WYNDJAMMER RED!

There really is a Wyndjammer Red fox that we 

love to see when visiting Ocean Isle Beach, NC.

Our condo rental is The Windjammer and the local

red fox always visits and beg for scraps.

This is my second Laura Heine collage quilt.

Frieda Fox is the pattern name.

I had lots of fabrics to use for the collage technique.

First step is to draw an outline to use as a foundation;

for all the collage fused pieces. 

After all the pieces are fused with Steam a Seam Light

I cut into usable pieces

and filling in the puzzle pieces begins.

I love this part!

Before I knew it...he was all together!

I did FMQ on the fox part and Echo Quilting around him.

Then Phil gets his obligatory photo with the finished quilt.

I am very happy with this one.

Wyndjammer Red will be part of my Quilt Exhibit

this October at Inniswood Gardens, Innis House.

My art will be displayed the entire month of October.

Meet the Artist Receptions is

Sunday, October 15 from 2 -4 pm

Come see me and my quilts.

GROWING BIRCH TREES

How does one grow a scrappy grove of birch trees?

It’s fairly easy and a wonderful way to use scraps!

Yes SCRAPS!

I decided to use my tiny Charley Harper scraps.

I added in other scraps that read as solids and

Played will with the CH fabric colors. 

After making 3 larger quilts with his fabric…

I had plenty!

Maybe I didn’t need the pattern and could have emulated the design but

Supporting our designers is sew important. 

I love Amy Smart’s patterns and a fun fav is

“Birch Trees”

You can find her pattern here 

Sew at quilt retreat last year I made one test block.

The hard part is deciding where to randomly make the vertical cuts

As the scrap steps are inserted kind wonky.  Couple tips…

TIP #1 don’t get too close to left and relight edges for making cuts

TIP #2 make the background color squares larger than pattern says

and trim to size once all blocks are made. 

The left and right side cuts should have been closer to middle strip.

I don’t have much seam allowances as shown in this picture. 

Keep that in mind when cutting your vertical angles.

I decided to use various solid FQs for backgrounds.

Plenty to choose from in my stash. 

The key to scrappy is STOP being a control freak.

I tried to use various size pieces in the strips (trunks).

Try NOT to use the same scrap more than once in each strip (trunk).

Mx it up..and remember strips (trunks) can go be flipped vertically

when designing the layouts for each block. 

You will make your strips (trunks) using all kinda size scraps

THEN trim into straight strips (trunks)!  

Once I had enough strips (and I made extras…

I grouped strips (trunks) together.

Be sure to mix these up by prints and width sizes. 

As I built my blocks..I did switch a few strips (trunks) around.

That’s the fun of designing with scraps. 

Once all blocks were complete 

I trimmed all to same size and 

Placed on design wall to determine 

background color placement.

Then sew, sew, sew.

I decided 12 blocks was plenty, 

but the pattern offers several sizes!

This can be a small lapsize, a nice baby/toddler size

OR a wall hanging. 

And the top is complete. 

I made a backing using GRUNGE

I will quilt this in my Bernina 740. 

That will happen this summer.

I love my Charley Harper scrap birch trees.

Now go find some scraps…I know you have them,

 and grow your own birch trees! 

CHRISTMAS PICNIC

NOT everything is a PICNIC

But February 2023 found Kim Hensley and I leading a 

PICNIN QUILT SewAlong over on Instagram.

This pattern by Sew Mama Sew is EPIC!

It's ONE block, built with several units, repeated over and over!

Many sizes and many fabric options.

When I saw this Christmas s version I absolutely LOVED it!

I had lots of big Christmas Scraps that could work for it!

Now Kim, found the fabrics here and bought them.

AND she is making 2 for the SewAlong.

I pulled my Basic Grey  Hustle and Bustle scraps!

And found a couple others to add into the Christmas mix!

Cut and stay organized!

I made two test blocks.

Left side was put together as the pattern suggested.

Right block was more scrappy...my choice.

The only fabric I kept the same

was the green dot.

Lots of chain piecing and this went together very fast.

I laid it all out on the floor.

I am loving this scrappy look!

And the flimsy is complete!

Backing, binding and batting all ready for longarmer...

who happens to be Kim!

all finished!

12 CHARLEY HARPER BIRDS WERE PLELNTY!

Remember the 20 block CH Winter bird top.

Well I decided I wanted to make it a bit smaller.

WHY?  Many reasons 

I am having a solo quilt show later this year

at Inniswood Gardens. and I want to make this a wallhanging.

I can quilt a smaller size a bit easter.

I will probably sell this one.

Sew 12 Blocks of CH Winter Birds seems plenty.

And I was lucky to get this pic with a snow fall.

Ohio did not have too much snow this year, not complaining.

You can see here I set my Bernina 740 to use an enlongated "serpintine" stitch.

I just eyeballed the widths apart.

I like to snap a pic of the machine screen so I don't forget the stitch info.

Length was 3.0 and width 6.4 (B740 has a 9 MM wide option)

The gray thread looks great

It looks great hanging in the guest room.

A perfect wall hanging size.

And here's my sweet hubby posing for his traditional and  "obligatory" pic.

I have taken a pic of him with every finished quilt for

many, many years.

My solo quilt show is the entire month of October, 2023

Meet the Artist event is Sunday afternoon

Oct 15, 2-4 pm

XYLLIAN HARTZ FINISH

What began as a bunch of leftover pink strips

gifted to me by Kim Hensley...

became a fun project and big surprise for me

at the end.

Sometimes the Heart(s) will surprise you!

I sent this pic to my son, Eric to show him what I was working on. 

He immediately said, if I had not promised this to anyone...

HE WANTED IT!

Eric is very artistic and musically inclined.

He plays guitar, drums, and has a private radio station where

He uploads eclectic music choices

He also loves pinks and purple colors!

His musical entity name is Xyllian Hartz!

I never knew that!

In my stash I found a couple very old

 Amy Butler prints from the "LOVE" line.

I quilted in on my Bernina using straight lines.

I used the text option on my Bernina

and put the label right onto the front of the quilt.

And here's the finished Xyllian Hartz Quilt!

It hung in my hallway as I had imagined.

I took this beauty to Franklin Park Conservatory for 

the perfect photo op with the orchid displays.

Oh the fun conversations I had that day!

But the biggest surprise of these Hearts

is that they will hang in my son's home!

AND I am delivering it to him today....in the beach!

It does a Mother's Heart good!