Stringpiecing fun

 There was a lot of stringpiecing fun going on last Saturday during the Stringpiecing Extravaganza. The quilters could choose which stringpiecing design they wanted to make, learning how to make all three in the process. Elsie wanted to make the Tangled in the Kite Strings version, using her batik scraps. Very vibrant beginnings!

Tangled in the Kite Strings (available on Craftsy)

 Bettie and Karen liked the Corner the Stringpiecing Market the best, and make some good progress on their quilts.

Corner the Stringpiecing Market (available by contacting me

I did a demo on making the Summer Fun Stringpiecing quilt as well, so they would be able to make that one at a later date. This one incorporates pieced hexagons with whole hexagons and is great fun. 

Summer Fun (will be on Craftsy soon)

Bettie also brought her Bluebird quilt to show and have quilted at Cut Up and Quilt. She used all scraps!

Bettie's scrappy Bluebird quilt

I spent some time yesterday working on a new quilt from the Cultural Fusions book...love how these blocks are turning out! I'm combining 2 layouts into one, as I liked them both and think it will look awesome. (Ok, maybe I couldn't decide between them either.) I love free cutting, and this book lets us do just that.

Wonky Rail Fence blocks

 I have 3 days off from school this week for spring break so plan on sewing up a storm!

Ready for a Summer Fling!

 Or they will be once they finish their Summer Fling scrappy quilts.It started out as a gloomy, rainy day, but these quilters got to work quickly and started turning out scrappy hexies! That put some bloom in the room!

 I had sewn some selvages together just for fun and cut those while they sewed to show how they could be used as well. I made other class model blocks to cut and show for class, so I will be making another version of this using all of those.

Selvages used...so cute!

I also cut some more non-piecied blocks, but used busier prints than last time (I found some strips that were just right!). I think I like this too. I am mixing some of the black/tan blocks in that I made using leftover jelly roll strips too. I really need to clean, but now I just want to sew these together!

 It would actually go together much quicker using a jelly roll, as the strips would be wider and already cut. Plus you could use a fabric collection that suited the person you were making it for.

My design consultant, Smokey

I do love scrappy quilts, how about you?

Original Summer Fling 

Rainy, quilty afternoon....

 Yesterday I hosted a UFO Saturday...it was the perfect day to stay inside and sew. Brenda brought her Lone Star to work on. She had the two halves made and partially sewn together. She was having trouble sewing the two sections together so we figured out what the problem was and she got it sewn. Next she cut out her corner squares and side triangles...they are large, so it's nice to have more space in the classroom to do that! Then she started sewing them in.

 Jane spent some time arranging her Honeycomb Waffle half blocks until she had it the way she wanted. She made some blocks with some color mixed in with her gray/black filler blocks, which add an interesting touch. Jane loves colorful batiks, can you tell?

Dianne worked on her Beads, Buttons and Baubles quilt. She did a lot of cutting and prepping so will soon be ready to put the rest of her blocks together. 

 Brenda finished her Lone Star center....wowser! I love these huge stars and they look gorgeous in all color combos. I have two people interested in taking this class, so if you live in the area and are interested, let me know....I will schedule around the interested quilter's schedules if possible. I also have a quilter who wants me to teach the Honeycomb Waffle, Too class again. I love teaching this class, so if you are interested too, let me know!

 Jane got her rows sewn together vertically, so is probably sewing them together this morning. She was undecided when we left yesterday about her top and bottom setting triangles. She had cut some black ones, bu thought they might be too dark. She will have to decide soon!

I had sewn together some more strips the other night in anticipation of my Summer Fling Stringpiecing Workshop next Sat. at Cut Up and Quilt, so I cut them out in between helping the others. I will probably have enough for a small quilt or if I don't I will have to make more so I don't waste them....this happens to me a lot, ok?

I had some black/tan leftover jelly roll strips so I sewed them together as well. Not sure how they will look mixed in with the more colorful ones, but hopefully I can use them together. Then I cut some solid blocks out of the pink polka dot fabric I used on the back of one of my Peas in a Pod quilts. I still have some solid colored blocks left from the original quilt, too. 

It was a fun day of sewing, chatting and sharing ideas. I think we planned several more quilts while they worked on these! Isn't that always the way it goes?