Bee Splendid in September

This months Bee Splendid block exchange is for Carrie.  A string quilt and anything goes 2- 12 1/2" blocks.

Carrie sent us Kona Snow, Peacock and Lagoon, assorted Kaffe Fassett prints and a few more to boot.


This was fun but more challenging than it looks.  I had to turn a blind eye to my symmetrical mind.  I was watching Coco Channel trying to get inspired to think outside the box.  Its hard to quilt and read subtitles, my French is not what it used to be, but I managed.


I will be getting them in the mail shortly.   




Love,
Aunti

Betty's Baskets

My neighbor Betty Preston just finished this beautiful quilt and brought it over for me too see.  She and her two daughters have a special retreat every year.  The daughters fly in and they rent a beach house and work on a similar project.   Last year, prior to the retreat, they picked a similar theme.  They did a block exchange throughout the year and put the quilts together at the retreat.  Each had different arrangements that they did with the similar theme and blocks.  So here is Betty's.

This quilt was hand appliqued, hand embroidered and hand quilted.  It is just gorgeous, so I had to share it with you all.

This is one of Betty's blocks that she designed and the border arrangement to match.  Sew creative!

I looooove the way she finished the outer border.  I am so proud to have a friend like her.

Thanks Betty for sharing!

Love

Aunti

Fruitcake in September!

Not normally a fan of Fruitcake, but this Moda Fruitcake is pretty yummy...fat-free too!  I bought 2 charm packs and some border fabric from the same line. 

20 unique blocks, each with 16 half-square triangles. 

Quick and Easy HST (Half-Square Triangles)

Place two contrasting 5" charm squares right sides together.  Draw a line diagonally down the center both ways.  Sew 1/4" seams on either side of both lines.  Cut in 4, then cut each in half.  Press  to the dark side.  You will have 8 half-square triangles.

Happy Labor Day weekend! 3 days of sewing! Whooo Hoo. Throw in a salmon barbeque in Chino and some R&R with my Pete and my Willie.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Aunti

Mini Design Wall

I wanted to layout 20 different designs with 16 half-square triangles and I knew I wouldn't get to sewing them together for a couple of days.  I wanted to be sure they were each unique designs and that they looked good together. 

So I arranged each block on top of the next and took a picture each time.  Then in my new camera took a picture of each as I layed it out. 

Then used the viewing function on my camera.  Mine is called Mosaics and I can see all of the blocks.  This way I can ensure that each is different.  I can actually see all 20 if I want, but the picture I took for you doesn't turn out so great.

So here is a picture from my old camera of my new camera.

I will be putting the blocks together this weekend!  Yeah a sew weekend!  Big surprise there huh?
Love Aunti

3/8" Two Sided Binding Posted

Hi All,
Here is the tutorial it should be free to all!

Two Sided Binding Tutorial
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzIhh09L_PINZGJmODUxOWUtY2FlZi00OGYwLTk3Y2QtNmU4MzQzMzA5ZTky&hl=en&authkey=CPXijY4O
Please give me your feeback and let me knwo if you still can't read it. 
Send me sample pictures and I'll post em.

Have fun!
Nicole

Two Sided Binding w/ Tutorial

I found this great dot fabric for the back of Patience's quilt and had plenty left for the binding.  But I don't really like to bind with the same fabric as the back...boring, even if it is big colorful dots.  So I came up with a simple way to create a two sided binding. 

This binding is made similar to a standard binding with a few extra steps.

Two Sided Binding Tutorial, click below
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0BzIhh09L_PINZTk2ZjczN2MtZDVmMy00NGZkLWEwZTctM2VjMzExMTFkMjgw&hl=en

I would love to hear feedback on these instructions.  You may want to try it out on a sample before binding a large quilt.

This tutorial assumes you have done a standard 3/8” binding before. If you have not, a great reference for a standard binding can be found on http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/  specifically http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/2010/01/perfect-binding-tutorial.html

Here is the finished quilt. I used www.jaybirdquilts.com Circle Around pattern and added a fun hawaiin print border I picked up from Beyond the Reef Fabrics.  I machine quilted with brightly colored variegated thread.

Happy Quilting

Aunti Nicole

A bit Sheepish

A few months ago I joined a new friendship group.  The group is called "Wool Gatherer's" and I would say rightly named on all accounts. 

wool·gath·er·ing  –noun

1. indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming; absentmindedness.
2. gathering of the tufts of wool shed by sheep and caught on bushes.

The group is a great group of women from the Orange County area. All are extremely experienced quilters. Our common goal is to have a support group while we emmerse ourselves into the art of woolgathering. Each week I hear of new tools and materials to use in quilting with wool. I am so engrossed in our meetings that I forget to take pictures to post for you or write down the tips that I hear, but I promise I'll try harder ;P and share what I learn here.

So this is my first piece 28"x20", pattern by Lake View Primitives called "Love in the Spring."  My nieces helped me pick out the bead for the sheeps and birds eyes.  It really didn't take too long once I shut and started sewing.  I mounted it to a thick piece of fusible that I had wrapped in Kona black.  

 My 2nd project is almost done and I'll post it as soon as its done. 

Have a great weekend.

Aunti

Nicole