Summer Table Cloth

Here is a tablecloth that I recently got back from the quilter.  About 2 years ago, I found a set of napkins at a yard sale for 75 cents.  I knew I wanted to make something with them, I just didn't know what.  

It finally came to me and this was the end result.  A tablecloth for my outside patio table.  We also have game boards for the game "bags" or "cornhole"....depending on where you live. :)  I had enough of this fabric left to make a set of matching green bags and a set of yellow bags.

I absolutely love the quilting that was done on this.  The back is white and every bit as cute as the front with those little black ants marching!

This would look adorable in a red and white gingham as well!

Quilted by Janice Dugger, Piney Flats, TN

As you can see, this still needs to be bound.  It is sadly on a stack of items that need binding :)

Back At It!

I have been away a long time on my blog, but not because I didn't want to blog.  Life has just gotten in the way!  Moved recently and been plugging away quilting as usual.  :)  

I do find that I miss blogging and want to get back into the swing of things.  I have tons of quilts to post since my last post. 

And, in other big quilting news...my mother has acquired a long arm quilter.  Let me just say, it is a life changer for me!  It has been so awesome having my quilts done on the long arm. 

We have sort of teamed up on quite a few projects and orders are rolling in like crazy!

The most recent order I filled was for a lady in Tennessee who has schnauzers.  She wanted a wall hanging with a schnauzer on it.  This is what I came up with:

I have to say that this is truly one of my favorite quilts I have made.  I absolutely love stars!  Any and every way that points can be arranged on a quilt, I want to make one!

My mother did an amazing job with the colors and pattern on this quilting!!

If you are interested in the templates for the applique or for a pattern or instructions on how to make this wall hanging, contact me via email!

Sampler Block #7 - Arkansas Traveler

I am a little early with this block post, but here is #7 in my sampler adventure.  I have actually decided to only do 8 of the 12, so there will only be one more post on the sampler series for the summer.  I do intend to do another set for myself with a completely different color pallet, though.

I wrote my mother a poem for mother's day back in 1999 that was about a quilt.  She has had it framed and hanging in her living room for the last 14 years.  We have often talked of making a quilt with it by screen printing the poem onto blocks, etc.

Well, my mother finally decided it was time and had the poem embroidered onto 4 white quilt blocks.  I have decided to give these sampler blocks to her to go with her poem blocks.  It is so fitting that the poem is about brightly colored quilt blocks that were pieced together with love and patience.  I am so anxious to see the samplers with the poem blocks finished.

At any rate, back to the block this week.  This one was not too difficult once I figured out exactly how to cut the angles I needed!  This whole project has been an awesome skill builder for me and I am so happy that I have done it.

The tutorial for this block was very nicely done and can be found here at Freshly Pieced.

Here is a shot of mine:

It pains me that I cannot do a shot of all 7 blocks together on this post, but I already mailed what I had done to my mother so that she could get started.

Happy sewing :)

Sampler Block #6 - Minnesota

This block was a lot of fun to do and went a lot quicker than I thought.  These sampler blocks are so tricky!  The ones I thought would be easy were most challenging and the ones I thought would be a breeze were a little more challenging.

They have all been fun, though.

This block was not really one of my favorites in the series.  It was also the first block that I did that I had doubts mid way through about my color choices, etc.  However, when it was done, I was madly in love with it.  :).  I think it goes nicely with the other blocks.  It looks like strawberry lemonade to me.

The instructions were easy to follow and you can find them here at Freshly Pieced.

Here is a shot of mine:

And a shot of all of the blocks so far:

Left to right top to bottom:

Lucky Pieces, Kansas Dust Storm, Minnesota, Mosaic, Star, Greek Cross

Gift - Storage Box

We have a new baby coming to the family this September and a baby shower July 14th.  Time really slips away when you are working on several projects at once, which I always say I am not going to do, but totally do anyway.

I made a quilt for the new addition, and some burp rags.  I had been wanting to make a gift / storage box to put everything in as well.  Something that I thought would look good with diapers or other baby supplies in.  I finally got around to it today.

This came together more quickly and more easily than I anticipated (I love it when that happens).

Anyone who knows me or reads my blog knows that I am not a fan of "baby" stuff.  This box was no exception.  I chose colors that I thought would work for a boy but no baby patterns.

For this project you will need:

1) Cardboard box
2) Sharpie
3) Spray Adhesive
4) Scissors
5) Canvas fabric in two patterns (I used a solid and a print)

First, I measured my box.  My sides were about 9" tall, so I called it 10" so I would have a little more than I needed.

Draw a line the length of the height you want (mine was 10") from each corner of your box.  Next, draw a line 1" to the outside of your first line.  

So, you have essentially drawn a square at each corner.  Now, you want to cut those squares off each corner like so:

Where your two lines intersected at each corner, but a slit into it from corner to corner like so:

At this point, I sprayed the bottom of my box and put it on my fabric.  I would caution you that with the adhesive I used, you want to set the box exactly where you want it because it didn't want to come loose when I sat it down!

I started with my narrow sides.  I sprayed the side of the box and just around the corner so I could wrap the fabric around like so:

After I had my narrow sides finished, I trimmed the extra on the top a bit and moved to the wider sides.

The extra width on each side of fabric that I glued around the sides on the narrow ends will be folded over on these ends before they are glued to the box.  I folded the flap in and finger pressed it, then opened it, sprayed the area and folded it back over like this:

Next I sprayed the side and pulled my fabric up like I did with the narrow sides.  The finished box looks like this:

Next, I made my inside cover that also overhung on each side.  I did not actually take photos of this process, but it is pretty simple.

I measured the dimensions of the bottom of my box and added 1/2 inch to each side for seam allowance then cut one. I measured each narrow side plus the number of inches I wanted my fabric to overhang (about 3 inches for me) and cut two.  Then measured each wide side plus the number of inches for overhang and cut two.

I sewed the narrow sides to the bottom, then the wide sides then joined them into a box shape.

Insert the liner with the right side facing you and then fold over your overhang.

These photos were taken before the overhang edges were finished.  I was trying it on to see that it fit correctly.

This is a lot easier than it looks to do and I think it makes a great storage box or even just a gift box!

Sampler Block #5 - Lucky Pieces

After struggling with my last block, I wanted to switch gears and do something a little less complex...haha.

This block turned out nicely and I love all the colors in it.  It consists of 16 HST and went together quickly.

The tutorial is here at FreshLemonQuilts.Com.

Here is a shot of mine:

Here is a shot of all the blocks so far....

Sampler Block #4 - Kansas Dust Storm

Well, all I can say after finishing this block is...."Whew".  This was one of my favorite blocks in the sampler and, by far, the most difficult block I have ever done.

I got mixed up and turned around on a lot of the templates on this one.  My advice is 1) Measure the one inch guide on each template after you print it & 2)  Label all of your template pieces.  I learned both of these the hard way!

After all the work and frustration, though, I was very pleased with how mine came out.  I used a very different color choice than the block in the tutorial at freshlypieced.com.  You can find the tutorial here.

Kansas Dust Storm

Mosiac, Kansas Dust Storm, Star, Greek Cross (left to right....and ignore my Carpentar's Star!)

 The instructions for this one were not written so much for the beginner as the ones for the Star block were.  So, if you are new to paper piecing like I was, I would recommend doing the Star block first before trying the Kansas Dust Storm block!

Happy Quilting :)