July Studio 180 Design Block Challenge

 Some of the Certified Instructors are participating in a Block Challenge.  We are given a Block or Tool to use to make a block.  July was the first month.  Every Thursday of the month we post a picture on Instagram and tag the other CIs who are participating and tell a little bit about what we are doing.  The first week we show the fabrics we are using (Fabric Pull).  The next two weeks we show a sneak peak of the block (Sneak Peak #1 and Sneak Peak #2).  The fourth week we show the block (Reveal).  

July Challenge was the Four Patch.  I used the Four Patch Square Up tool.  What a difference it makes to make your blocks a little bigger and then trim them down!  It is worth all the extra effort.  This post is about my progress in the Block Challenge.  I made a baby quilt.  I do not have the binding finished because I want to hand stitch it down.  It is ready to stitch, but I had another quilt to finish last night (which I did finish).

Fabric Pull

These are the fabrics I chose.  They are baby prints from QT Fabrics.  They are now in the Sale Room at Quilters Journey.  

I made Four Patches with the gray and green prints.  I made them over sized.  I trimmed two sides with the green in the corner.  These are the two sides the I will sew to the other units.  I must trim the sides that will be sewn to the next units.  I trimmed with the center at 3, which would be for a 3" block.

Sneak Peak #1

Here is the pile of trimmed units.  I don't remember how many I made. 

I sewed these units to larger squares of the large print fabrics.  I did not take a photo of those, but you will see the block later.  I was pressing these units and laid them on my bed.  Sadie is guarding them.  I thought about using this photo as one of the Sneak Peak photos, but I didn't.  The caption would have been "Sadie doesn't want you to see yet!".  

Sneak Peak #2

A close up of the center of the Four Patch Block.

After sewing the units together, I trimmed them to size using the Four Patch Square Up tool by Studio 180 Design.  The center is at the 6 for a 6" block.  This time I trimmed all four sides.  I trimmed the right side and top, rotated the block, and then trimmed the other two sides.  They are now perfect 6" blocks to sew together.  

I decided all the blocks had to be laid out and sewn together the same direction.  The stripes in the circles all had to go the same direction.  

I sewed the blocks together into rows.  

I chain pieced to make the process go faster.  

After the rows were together, I pressed the seams.  One row I pressed the seams to the right and the next row I pressed them to the left.  This will make it easier to sew the rows together because the seams will "nest" together.

Then I sewed the rows together.  I pin at the seams between each block to make sure they line up correctly.  I remove the pin when I get to it and do not sew over the pins.

Reveal

Here is the quilt top, ready for quilting.

Here is a closer photo of the quilt top.  

I sewed before church one Sunday morning.  This is a photo of my shirt.  I was covered in threads.  Had to get the lint roller out to get them all off.  

The quilt top is on the longarm, ready to be quilted.  

I quilted it with a pantograph (all over design) using my computerized machine.  I used the pantograph called "Baby Curls".  It looks really cute.

Binding.  Striped fabric from the same line by QT Fabrics.  I cut it on the diagonal to get the stripe I wanted.  I use a walking foot to sew my binding on.  It helps feed all those layers of fabric through. I sewed the binding to the front of the quilt.  I will turn it to the back and hand stitch it down.  

Just have to finish the binding.  I will post a photo when I get it done.  Then it will be ready to go to a special baby.  I don't have one in mind yet.  One of the quilt guilds I belong to collects baby quilts for donations.  I can always find a place for it.  Baby quilts are usually quick and easy to make.  There are several places that need them.  So, there is always a need.  We have a new homeless shelter in my home town.  They are focused on young mothers, so this may go there.  For now, it will be another quilt in my Studio 180 Design samples.  But, first, I have to finish it!

Happy Quilting!

Terrie

Instagram:

@terriecamdenwelch

Hextravaganza Quilt

 Today I started piecing the Hextravaganza Quilt that is the free pattern that comes with the Star 60 tool by Studio 180 Design.  I have made one before.  It was the smallest size I could make with the tool.  This time I wanted to make to largest size I could make with the tool.  The diamonds are 9" finished size.  I cut the pieces yesterday, but didn't have any time to piece them together.  Here are some photos I took as I worked on the quilt.  It went together really fast.  

This is the photo on the back of the instructions that come with the Star 60 tool.  

Star 60 units are pieced and need to be trimmed.  I two different fabrics for the diamonds of the Star 60 units.  I trimmed all for them so I could piece them together into a hexagon.  All of the Studio 180 tools give directions to oversize the units and then trim them to size.  The first photo shows the Star 60 tool placed, ready to trim.  The next two photos show the units trimmed and the amount of fabric that was trimmed off.  Not much to trim.

Here are all the pieces for the center Hexagon for the quilt.  The Star 60 units have all been trimmed and the pile of scraps is from trimming those units.

I pieced pairs together.  Three of the units have the green on one side and the peach on the other.  The other three units are opposite.

I added the third Star 60 unit to make a half hexie unit.

One set has two green diamonds and one peach diamond.  The other set has two peach diamonds and one green diamond.

I sewed the two halves together to make the hexagon.  NO Y SEAMS!

I trimmed the outside edges to add the companion triangles.  On three of the hexagons, I trimmed where the peach diamonds are and on the other three I trimmed where the green diamonds are.

Then I sewed the companion triangles where I trimmed.  The green triangles went next to the peach diamonds and the peach diamonds went next to the green diamonds.

I laid these on the floor to take a photo, because they are so big.

I had to trim the triangles so they would fit nicely together.  I did not take photos of trimming these units.  They were big and it took a little figuring it out.  

I sewed two pairs of two units together.

Then I sewed a third triangle to the two units.  This made the half hexagon.

I sewed the two halves together to make the hexagon center of the quilt.  

Tomorrow I plan on sewing corners to the hexagon and borders as the pattern shows to make it square.  I have a peach polka dot that I am going to use.  It is a little darker shade than the fabric I already used in the quilt.

Love this pattern!  Thank you, Studio 180 Design for adding this pattern to the instructions of the Star 60 tool.  Can't wait to try some more ideas that a floating around in my head.  

60 Degree Quilts

 60 Degree Quilts

I have started doing some research on 60 degree quilt patterns.  Why? you may ask.  Good question.  

I am a Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor.  The newest Studio 180 Design tool is the Star 60.  I attended the Reunion last month and we worked with the new tool.  Sarah showed us SO many things you can do with the tool.  It is not like any other 60 degree ruler.  There are some similarities, but there is so much more with the Star 60 tool.  So, we made some blocks and made some projects with the tool.  I LOVE IT!!!  

When I got back home there were other things that needed to be done...deadlines to meet and family stuff that was going on.  But, this week I have some time to play.  I just want to cut lots of fabric and start sewing.  But, I need a plan.  So, I started looking at some quilt designs.  I thought about the Seven Sisters block.  I wondered if I could make it simpler with the Star 60 tool.  I looked on Pinterest.  I found some photos and also instructions that I could print out.  Then I did a search of 60 degree quilt blocks.  There are so many quilts!  So many patterns!  So much to think about!  So much that I want to do!  Where do I start?  Where does it end?  (Actually, I hope it doesn't end.)  There are so many things you can do with this tool.  I hope you will check it out.  

Here are some photos of the blocks we worked on and the two projects I completed.  Hope you enjoy them.

Fabric Books and Stained Glass

Well, new adventures!
My friend, Mary Jane and I went to a couple of stained glass classes over the summer.  We liked it so well that we bought supplies to do it at home.  We both put money down to purchase the grinder, which is the biggest expense, then I bought the cutter and a few other things and she bought the soldering iron and a few other things.  We worked last Thursday evening.  My soldering needs a lot of practice.  Cutting wasn't too bad.  That is what scared me the most during the first class.  Our grinder works really well.  I made an angel this time.  Mary Jane didn't get finished with her project.  She has a lot of little pieces, but it is looking really good.
I have discovered Fabric Books.  It is really not new to me, but it is something I want to start working on.  I joined a new Facebook group and it had over 800 members in just 2 days.  It is simply called Fabric Books.  So many people have posted beautiful pictures of the books they have made in the past.  Some are a little too fancy for me.  I have cut some leftover backing fabric into rectangles and marked pages on them.  I drew a butterfly on one page using a stencil that I had.  I plan on sewing scraps of fabric on the pages, embroidering, using the stitches on my sewing machines, applique', and writing scriptures on the pages.  I made a list of the books I would like to make.  They include:
   - Using the signature squares from our wedding
   - Psalms
   - Proverbs
   - 2020 Book
   - Quilting Samples
   - Crazy Quilt Blocks from swap
   - Applique' Blocks using Stained Glass Patterns
   - Letters

Some page ideas I had include:
   - Presencia Thread Samples
   - DMC Thread Samples
   - Other specialty thread samples
   - Sewing Machine Stitches
   - Stencils
   - Colonial Pattern Company Transfers

Well, that'a a start.  I have found some interesting ideas on the internet.  Including: 1 Year of Stitiches and Take A Stitch Tuesday (TAST).  TAST will start again in January, so I will try to follow them starting in January.  I have looked at some of their stitches and tried some.  They are really interesting and will be fun to learn.

I guess that is about it for now.  I will try to post photos of my progress with my Fabric Books and Stained Glass as I go.  I also need to start posting pictures of the quilts I have done, both my quilts and the quilts that I quilt for others.  Those are my goals for the future.
Happy Quilting!
Terrie

December 2016

It's hard to believe that 2016 is almost over.  It has been an interesting year.  Full of ups and downs.  I guess every year is like that. 
Some of you, like me, are looking ahead to 2017.  Maybe setting goals, looking for a new job, a new start.  Maybe looking forward to retirement, a wedding, and new baby.  Whatever it is you are looking forward to, I hope it is better than anything you may be dreading in 2017.
Every year at my local quilt guild, we do a UFO Challenge (Unfinished Objects).  Those UFO's always haunt me.  What am I going to do with them when they are actual quilts?  Yes, I will be happy when they are finished, but what am I going to do with them.  Well, I decided that I have to list them on Etsy and try to sell some.  So, that is my goal for 2017.  To finish some of those haunting UFO's and to list them to sell on Etsy.  I do have some family members (mostly on my husband's side) that do not have quilts.  His niece and nephews decided to all have babies one year, so I got behind on the baby quilts.  None of the adults have one.  His brother has asked for one, so he will get one for Christmas.  I have one for one of his nephews, too.  But, there are still more to give. 
Anyway, I wanted to talk about the UFO Challenge for 2017.  I didn't do very well with the 2016 Challenge, in fact I didn't get a single quilt finished on time.  I did get one of them done and another one just needs binding (which is the one I want to give to the nephew, so got to get it done for Christmas), but the one that was done was not done on time.  It's not that I didn't quilt quilts, I did.  I quilted a lot for Quilters Journey (my quilt shop) and I had several customer quilts to do, still have one to get done.
So, Mary mentioned at the Quilt Guild meeting a few months ago that I have Tubs of quilt tops, which I do, I just don't let many people know that.  Now they know, at least the Guild and you.  So, for the UFO Challenge, we are to list 6 quilts and number them.  We roll the dice and which ever number it lands on, you work on that quilt for 2 months and try to get it finished.  You put in $6 when you turn  your list in.  If you finish your quilt on time, you get your $1 back for that quilt.  If you don't finish it, your money goes in to the "Pot".  At the end of the year, you get your name put in for the drawing for the "Pot" for each quilt you finish.  So if you finish all 6, you get your name in 6 times, if you finish 1, you get your name in 1 time, etc.  So, I donated all my money last year.  This year I am not going to donate all of my money!  Last year I had 2 lists.  Some years I have had 3 lists.  This time I have 3 lists.  They are all worded the same. 
Here are my lists:

1. A Quilt from Tub #1
2. A Quilt from Tub #2
3. A Quilt from Tub #3
4. A Quilt from Tub #4
5. A Quilt from Tub #5
6. A Quilt from Tub #6

So, I have to make any of 3 quilts from the tub that the number is rolled.  This time it was 2.  So, I pulled out Tub #2.  I took pictures, measured, and wrote down the quilt and measurements.  Here is what I have.  Tub #2 had 8 quilts in it. 

The first few pictures are of Tub #2 and as I opened it and took quilts out.  I laid them all on my quilt machine table to take a full photo of them.  I have a couple of Civil War Reproduction quilts.  Those will be the last to quilt because they are so large.  I have a couple of Lil' Twister Wall-hanging quilts, a Jelly Roll quilt, a Take 5 quilt, the "Make Do" Mystery quilt we did with the Salem Guild a few years ago, a Friendship Triangle Swap quilt from Quilt Sampler, and the last picture was a quilt that was not in the tub, but I saw it laying around and took a picture of it, too.  It is a quilt I bought off of Ebay a few years ago.  It is a pretty good size quilt.  Thought I would add it to the mix, too.  Shouldn't take long to quilt it.  I have already quilted the "Make Do" Mystery quilt.  It still needs to be trimmed and binding added.  I will do that later.  I have too much to do before Christmas.  I am making my nephew a quilt.  I have to finish the binding on it.  I have a quilt for Chris' (my husband) nephew that still needs binding, which I mentioned earlier.  It was one of my UFOs last year that didn't quite get done. 
Finish!  I think that will be my word for the year 2017...FINISH.  That is my goal.  To finish as many quilts as I possibly can.  I want to get my 6 tubs down to 1 tub at the most.  Maybe 0 tubs!  Wouldn't that be great!  We shall see!

Visit again to see my progress through the year.

Happy Quilting!

Terrie