Memorial Day + Giveaway

If you're visiting my blog for the first time, welcome!

It's Friday and we are starting the Memorial Day weekend!  I think it's pretty cool to have a holiday to show remembrance for veterans, police, firefighters, and any loved one.

I feel very excited to be able to celebrate the weekend with hosting my very first giveaway!

Julie at The Intrepid Thread shop is sponsoring my giveaway. You can visit her shop in California, or visit her online shop at www.intrepidthread.com

I have purchased fabric from her before, and my experience was wonderful. Julie has a great eye for color, puts together colorful custom bundles, and is easy to work with if you need a custom bundle or special idea. She carries many different fabrics from many designers, with something for everyone.

My favorite collections that the shop carries is Cuzco by Moda, and Pieces of Hope by Riley Blake for Autism Awareness (if you're stopping by for the first time, I'm not too shy about sharing that my son has Autism).

The Intrepid Thread is offering a fat quarter bundle of Field Day by Josephine Kimberling. It's a sweet collection with florals and butterflies, perfect to start a sunny summer quilt!

To be entered to win, please leave a comment below and answer my question: have you made a memorial or celebration quilt for yourself or another person? (For example, is it a Quilt of Valor, a special family member, a child that has passed?) Leave a comment by noon, Wednesday May 29, Mountain Daylight Time. I will choose a random winner during the evening of the 29th. 

Please leave your email if you are a no-reply blogger.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Rachell

Swoon cutting

Oh goody. I got my first block for the Swoon cut out tonight. It will be my test block to try out the red background.

I also decided on the pairs of fat quarters for all of the blocks. Each block requires two fat quarters plus background, so 9 blocks and 18 fat quarters.

Pieces of Hope Swoon

Along other my husband's station quilt (see Maltese Dresden), my next quilt will be my son's Autism quilt. It will be twin-sized, and Thimbleberries' Swoon pattern. (aaagghhh, all if a sudden, I can't find the pattern; it's got to be around here somewhere!)

It will also be made from the Pieces of Hope Autism collection by Riley Blake.  I love this collection! I just have a wild urge to snap up as much of it s I can, because it's almost gone! Riley Blake did just announce they'll release Pieces if Hope 2 next February 2014.

I've thought and thought about what background to use, because the collection is such a pretty rainbow. Then I thought, why not red? Red is my little guy's favorite color. I am just worried that the orange prints will either clash with the red background or blend too much. Now, looking at the picture, I'm thinking it will be alright.  Your thoughts?????!

Maybe make a sample block to try it out?

I'm also thinking that I want the backing to be the red puzzle print on the left, above. I need a lot more, so If you find any, will you send some my way?

Then I was trying to figure out some color combos. Each star needs two fat quarters + background. Fun, huh?

QM mug + announcement

Hello! Happy weekend! I've had a crazy week and worked nearly full-time...crazy for a PRN!

Anyway, didn't have a lot of time for quilting except in snatches. Got the fusible center ready for Maltese Dresden. Last night after getting home from work, I trimmed and squared the Starburst. It was 1 am, and it wasn't much, but it made me happy to do something quilty. Tonight I finished the binding on the second fire truck quilt, and made binding for Starburst.

Two weeks ago, was the blog tour for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol 7. Wow. That's a lot of blocks! I enjoyed reading stories, meeting new designers and seeing more of my favorite designers. I managed to win one giveaway: a mug with all 190 blocks, and a copy of the magazine! Whee. Seriously, someday I'm going to do some samplers with my favorite blocks.

Speaking of giveaways, I have an announcement! I'm getting close to my one year anniversary of my blog. I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway for my anniversary. And the opportunity presented itself! I will be hosting my very first giveaway. Look for it this next week. 

Whew!

I believe that I finally have all the quilting finished on my Starburst!! Yay!

I kept taking breaks for life, work, and inspiration. Inspiration came in the form of Angela Walter's Craftsy class "Machine Quilting Negative Space", since this design has such large, beautiful negative spaces that need filling. 

I decided on my favorite motif, Follow Your Dreams (www.quiltstencils.com) in the center of the star, corners, and small corners in between the burst points. Then I used a sweet Passion Flower motif in the triangles around the small Follow Your Dreams. I settled for wavy lines from the center star out through the burst points, to stretch and help the points "burst" outward. My favorite fill from Angela's class was the spirals, and it was pretty easy to pick up after lots of practice sketching on paper with pen. Also, I've done spirals before. 

Then I continued the spiral in continuous lines down the side borders and next to the inside off the top and bottom border. I used my favorite continuous flower in the centers of the top and bottom border. They just don't show up well, since this gorgeous purple orchid print is so busy and shaded.

Now my machine is switched to a piecing foot, the binding strips are cut, but joining the strips and trimming the quilt will have to wait until tomorrow. Goodnight all!

Maltese Dresden with a friend

Look what my friend Terra and I accomplished tonight! I taught her how to make my Maltese Dresden!



Trevor and Terra are on the local fire department and EMS here with my BIL and hubby, and Trevor and Tara got married last year.

Trevor and Terra came over to hang out last week, when they saw my Maltese Dresden and got super excited! They wanted one, and I said I'd show them how to make one--Trevor said his grandma taught him a bit about how quilting.They were so excited, they bought fabric this week.

My hubby went on shift today (Thursday). It was a hard day physically and emotionally for me, so I needed a friend's company. I called Terra and asked them to come over. Trevor got a callback, but Terra came over, and we started with the Dresden center medallion. We decided to set them on point this time, instead of square, like my original.

We talked and chatted, had Mountain Dew and chocolate, and made appliqué. She has done some sewing before, but nothing like her own grandma, who made quilts for Terra's wedding!

One for me, one for her! Set on point, with the corner triangles cut and ready to add.
We got the Dresden quarters cut, pieced, curves trimmed, and fused onto the backgrounds.

Here's my original Maltese Dresden, with a straight set.

I can't wait until next week when we can get together again! Quilting with friends really is so much fun!

Quiltmaker Blog Tour

Hi!
This week has started out so much fun, and promises to finish fun, because it's the week of the blog tour for Quiltmaker Magazine's "100 Blocks" Volume 7. I can't believe we're already on volume 7! That's 700 fun quilt blocks of all types and skill levels. There are so many blocks that I want to try out, and so little time.

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/

I'm trying not to spend all my time on the blogs, and get a little done on my own quilts! Have fun seeing all the blocks, meeting designers, hearing their inspiration for their blocks, and getting inspired! Oh, and enter the giveaways for free copies of the magazine and other goodies. I hope I win something!