Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Blocks 6 - 10 from Tula Pink

Enough days have passed to have pieced together 5 more Tula Pink blocks from her newest book " Tula Pink's City Sampler 100 Modern Quilt Blocks".

I'm still only allowing myself the luxury of piecing together one block a day at most.  I've had a few "bad hip" days and have not been able to sit down at the sewing machine as much as I like.

Regardless....five more are finished....aren't they cute?






Keep in mind that these blocks are only 6 1/2" square.  Some of those pieces are only 1" finished squares.  I don't have a specific color scheme in mind....just using whatever scrap piece I have that will work.

If my hip will allow....I REALLY need to sit and sew the binding on a quilt I've finished for my eldest daughter's birthday coming up on Sept. 2.  It is so large that I've not been able to get a good photo after taking it off my longarm frame.  Maybe the next sunny day I can hang it off the back deck railing and snap a quick picture to share.

Until then....happy sewing!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Lesson 7 Complete for AFAQAL

It's a good feeling to be caught up again this week on the Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along.

Here is Lesson 7......


The link for the free instructions is......


Other quilters have been doing a "mock up" of their future completed quilt tops by taking the blank color pages the designer provided and inserting the actual photos of completed blocks/sections.  I attempted to do the same and must be missing something.  (No big surprise!)  

I ended up creating a Word Document and inserting my blocks into it....but in order to share it, I had to print it off, scan it and make it a jpeg file.  I know there is an easier way to do it but I'm not grasping it quite yet. 

Here is my mock up...done the hard way....my printer ink isn't working great so please ignore the strange lines through some of the blocks. LOLOL


Not too shabby...huh?  

Keep smiling!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Log Cabin blocks in Red and Black

Decided to do a little experimenting with a box of red scraps and another box of black scraps.  Wonder what a log cabin block would look like in these two colors rather than the traditional dark/light combination.

It looks something like this.....


The blocks ended up being 9 1/2" squares so this particular layout results in a quilt top that will be approximately 36" x 54".  I COULD add a little border or two and finish it as a lap quilt or sofa quilt....but before I do that, I'm going to go digging again and see if I have enough remaining scraps to make enough blocks to go around it one more time.  Who knows....I may be able to get a Twin size quilt out of this before I'm completely finished.  We will see....time will tell. :) :)

Keep using those scraps!!!!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks

I needed another project like I need a hole in my head....but then again....what's one more project...right???

A handful of my online quilting buddies decided to get a new quilt book and work on it together.  It's called Tula Pink's City Sampler:  100 Modern Quilt Blocks.

Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks

Why did I agree?  Well...first off...there is NO TIME LIMIT....we just work at our own pace whenever we feel like it.  Secondly, this book of modern blocks are only 6 1/2" square and the project is a great scrap buster for all those teeny, tiny little strips of fabric that I just can't make myself throw away.  Last, but not least....I'm trying to become better acquainted with the "modern" quilt designs.  I hope I'm never too old to learn new things.

The handful of quilters doing this simply posts photos of completed blocks as we finish them....no rush....no pressure....yet plenty of ooohs and aauuhhs from other crazy, multi-project master quilters. LOLOL

On a personal level, I've found it very relaxing and fun to pull out my box of little scraps at the end of the day....when I'm tired of working on a major project....and before I climb into bed to sit and hand sew as I watch that last show before calling it a night.  I only allow myself to make one block a night...no matter how much fun I'm having....this approach keeps it fresh and new and I don't get tired of it. :)  From start to finish, I can have one little block cut, pieced and pressed in about 15 - 20 minutes.

Here are the first 5 blocks finished.  The blocks and instructions are simple, great for scraps and leaves plenty of room to use your imagination as you play.  I certainly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of getting it.






More later!  Happy Sewing!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Week 6 Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along


Thank goodness!  I'm all caught up again....at least for another week!  Now I can work on my other projects and not feel any self-imposed pressure from this weeks lesson.  heeheee

For the instructions for Week 6 of the Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along...go to this link:


He is a photo of all the blocks from Lesson 1 - 6 on my design wall....in the general layout of how it will go together in the end.  Each lesson fills in another blank. :) :)


I'm so excited....now I get to go play in my sewing room and do anything I want to do!!! LOLOL  Actually, I REALLY need to load another quilt on the frame and start quilting it.

Keep quilting!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Week 5 Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along


Here I've been rushing around trying to get caught up.  I even stayed up late last night to finish the above section which is considered Lesson 5 of the Aiming For Accuracy Quilt-Along.  Then guess what....I had a few hours rest and realize that this next week's Lesson 6 was posted earlier today.  Hopefully I can get it finished this early and be caught up for several days before the next lesson is released next Thursday. :) :)

The link to get the directions for the photo above (Lesson 5) is:


Here is what my design wall looks like today....


And the fun continues.....see you next time!