Cubes, oh yea!

Saturday was the second session of both cube classes. I was excited to see that all the ladies in the Hollow Cube Too class had been working on their cubes, so we could really get a good idea of what they would look like.

 We cut the background pieces and saw those cubes really stand out!

 Dianne mixed her colors and is using a dark purple for her background. I forgot to get a pic when she had it all up there.

 Ida Mae is using the polka dotted black for her background....it really brings out the colors in the quilt.

 If you look closely, you can see that she switched out just one wall on some of her pink and green cubes....can you find them?

 The Tumbling Block class went well too, many pretty colors and interesting designs.  We figured out a great way to get an entire vertical row off the design wall to sew....just tape it! Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures until we had taped the rows together.....they both promised that they would bring them back when finished!

Mary is using a random layout, should be really pretty!

I spent all day yesterday cleaning....I went under and over all surfaces in the kitchen.... it looks so good I hate to cook and dirty it up again. This past month has been so busy that I haven't done a good job of deep cleaning. I cleaned the whole downstairs, except I forgot the ceiling fans! I still need to tackle them and the upstairs bathroom, but it will wait for another day.

Do you put labels on all of YOUR quilts?

At the last class for the Four Patch Petunia Minicourses, I asked if anyone wanted to learn how to finish their quilt. Patty and Kelsey were going to quilt their quilt, but the other three were anxious to learn the finishing steps. So Thursday night we met to learn how to layer and tie the quilt. Christie's quilt top (above)is so bright and cheerful, it will make her happy just to have it nearby! Bunnie and Kellie are still working on their quilts as they want to make them larger, so they are practicing the finishing steps on smaller quilts. I didn't get pix of them last night, but will next week. Hopefully when they get theirs finished, they will bring them in for a photo op! Next week....binding!

How many people label all of their quilts? I think it's a great idea, but honestly it doesn't always get done. I like to make labels using the photo fabric, so that I can add a picture or graphic to it. I needed a label the other day, so decided to crop a part of a quilt picture for the background. Then I played with the color a bit and added the words, in this case my name and date. Six fit on a page easily, so I just printed out 6 of the same one. I have finished several quilts in the past few months, and haven't attached labels, so these will come in handy. If using the photo fabric, be sure to follow the directions on setting the colors.

 After you have set the colors, you can either press the edges under carefully 1/4" or line it and then flip it right side out. That is what I did, as I think it's easier to do that then to fold the edge over consistently.

 Then hand stitch it to the back of the quilt.

Ok, now be honest....do you attach labels to all of your quilts? 

Roses in October

 I love it when people bring in their finished quilts from a class they took....this one is no exception! You might remember the blocks Jane was making during the Funky Rock Stars class a little over a week ago...she was using up lots of batik scraps. Isn't it gorgeous? I love how she used all blues in the background and a large variety of color in the stars.

 Tuesday night was Sampler #15 night....we worked on the Patchwork Rose block. I love this block, and might have to make something else using it. I don't know if it's the play on size, with the outer half square triangles being larger than the inner blocks or what, but I think it's really pretty.

 You can see the students are using a variety of fabrics and backgrounds. We had a couple of people out sick the other night....hate that the cold/flu season is here along with cooler weather.

I missed getting a pic of Rose's block...will try to get pics of all of their finished sets of blocks next month as they are progressing nicely.

We are gearing up at school for our big move back to our remodeled building. I am not really looking forward to packing all those books again, but am really ready to just do it, instead of talk about it!

Cubes, cubes and more cubes....

The ladies got a good start on their Hollow Cubes,Too blocks on Saturday.  I like to teach some classes in two sessions, like these 3D cubes. There are a lot of steps to making cubes, especially the hollow ones, so if they can concentrate on the construction of the actual cube, without worrying about how to finish it, it's more manageable.

Plus there is a lot of strip sewing and cutting involved in making them and it's good incentive to work on them through the week when they know they will be coming back the next week to work on putting it together. I hope by next Saturday they will be ready to begin sewing some pieces together.

Here is my design wall to show the process to the students as they made their first cubes.

Lots of pretty fabrics as always! We are using the book ABC 3D Tumbling Blocks and More! by Marci Baker. Her techniques make this interesting quilt very doable.

    

To make this block look 3D you have to have a combination of three fabrics that are light, medium and dark or it won't be effective. Sometimes that is the hardest part...coming up with a good combination of three fabrics. 

 Later in the day I taught a second quilt class, the Tumbling Block quilt. I have taught this one before, but it never ceases to fascinate me. You make this block using strip piecing methods as well, so there is lots of cutting, sewing strips and recutting. It's worth all the work when you have a finished quilt to admire!

 They are going to see how many sets of cubes they can get sewn and cut before next Saturday, and spend some time playing with them to get some ideas on how they would like to arrange them.

You need to choose sets of 3 fabrics for this quilt as well, in shades of light, medium and dark.

 I am so excited to see what both groups of ladies have ready by next week!

Pillows

 Awhile back, my daughter, Rachel, got a new couch. It came with throw pillows that she didn't like, so she asked me if I could cover them. We went shopping for fabric and this is what she came up with.

 I just made some envelope style pillow covers yesterday, two of each color.

 Her couch is an off white, so they will look nice on it. I had some of each fabric left, so I made a pillowcase out of it.

Fun, simple sewing! I also went fabric shopping, but more about that another day.

Funky Rock Stars

I spent a great weekend doing all things quilty. I taught the Funky Rock Stars blocks on Saturday...had a great time watching scrap piles shrink while they made stars. Love these stars and they will make some wonderful quilts.

 I spent all day Sunday at the computer writing patterns for Laurentia Star, Sampler 16. I had written some of them awhile back, but wanted to get them finished and off my to-do list. I am happy to report that I did get them finished! ya-hoo!

Working with the ladies made me want to start making funky stars again....it's so much fun!

Proud beginners

Thursday night was the last night of the Four Patch Petunia Minicourses. They made the Sawtooth Star, which took a little longer to make two blocks of  than the other blocks had in the weeks before.

 Kelsey and Patty with their blocks....This grandma/granddaughter duo is having so much fun making this quilt. I can see they will spend many happy hours sewing together.

Bunnie was ready to sew the final seams together by the end of class. Her fun kid's prints are going to make a gorgeous quilt. She said I can take her picture after she finishes it....I am going to hold her to that!

Christy came early and we got her started on her blocks, but no picture. I am going to hold a finishing class in a couple of weeks, so I will get pix then.

Today I am teaching the Funky Rock Stars quilt....should be fun seeing all of these scrappy blocks come together!

A little quilting....

 I got the quilting finished on this version of the Peas in a Pod quilt this week.

 This one is very bright and cheery. I like mixing the curvy quilting with the straight lines of this pattern.

These large dots seemed perfect for the back of the quilt. I am working on the binding now.

Last night the students in the Four Patch Minicourses class worked on their last blocks...more on that later, haven't gotten the pix downloaded yet. 

A new start...

 The new Sampler Club started Monday night....the ladies had great color choices. Brenda is using all blues and whites, and Jane is using gray and brown batiks. These are two of the student's finished center blocks.

 I worked on some models for Saturday's Funky Rock Stars class last night, then double checked the pattern for errors and printed the copies for Saturday's class. I love anything that uses leftovers from other projects, so this will be a great class.

Circle and Spin class

I spent a great day teaching  my Circle and Spin pattern Saturday. You can see the beginnings of some gorgeous quilts.

I taught this class at Cut Up and Quilt, the new quilt store here in town. Love the gray design walls, though we started to run out of space with all the work being done!

As they worked through the issues of sewing with curves, they became more confident and started to really enjoy it.

It was fun to see the different fabrics the ladies had chosen as well.

The all purple quilt was being made with fabrics Cathy's daughter had picked out over the last few years. Lots and lots of purple!

It was interesting just to watch the blocks multiply.

Some of them could've done some swapping!

Two different quilters' blocks, but they could go together nicely!

Southwestern flair is very evident in this group.

I got the quilting finished on the quilt yesterday, plus the patterns written and printed that were next up. It is a good feeling to get some of these things finished! Tonight we start the Laurentia Star Sampler Club...it's a great group of ladies so it will be an enjoyable night!