Homeward!

Some of you may have seen Natalie Barnes new fabric line called Homeward by Windham Fabrics.  In July 2018, she asked me if I would like to make a quilt for her "look book" to show the versatility of her fabrics.  

The pattern she selected was Double Struck Star by Krista Moser.  As the original pattern had 3 color ways, I came up with 3 within 

The pattern was pretty simple and went together in diagonal rows.  The pattern has you cut off the points, but i thought they added interest.  The fabrics have a really nice hand to them and I love working with them. Quilt size 53"x75"  

I did the quilting as well.  

So this is the page from the book but I would encourage you to check out the whole look book.  Its so fun to see how the fabrics lend themselves to so many traditional and modern quilts.

My mom, Jane St. Pierre, was also featured in this look book several times including the Upper left image check them all out at the link above....and that's mine on the bottom.

Her new line 

\

Jelly Roll Race

In January our Busy Bees quilt group wanted to do a jelly roll race.  We did a test run with a group of 6 and this is the first one.  Since rarely do anything in its simplistic form, I inserted a folded rectangle in between each end to end.  Then opened and pinned each one to make cathedral windows.  

The Jelly Roll is Hushabye Hollow by Lydia Nelson of Dreamy Quilts for Moda.  

This was a gift for my neighbors Grandson.  I got permission to share the photos because they are so dang cute.  The quilt was huge and Theo looked a little lonely so Ren joined in the show. 

So we finally did the actual jelly roll race.  I chose this Grunge Jelly Roll - Moda.  For the prep, I added a square in a square block in between each end to end.  The race a lot of fun and we had about 12 participants.  Most of which who have finished their quilts!  I shared a long table with another Bernina person and that table was shaking so hard I could not thread the needle.  Crazy people!  Lots of yelling and whooping!  

Those of you who know me, know I follow Judi Madsen's work and have several of her books.  I love the concept of secondary design.  So I used this opportunity to give me a focal point.  

This one was given to a charity auction and helped to send a kid to Camp!

It you have a jelly roll and need to get a quilt top done in a day, give this a shot.  

The prep.  No planning, just sew your strips end to end in a very long strip.  

Round 1 Take the two ends and sew wrong sides together.  It will likely be twisted, but when you get to the last few inches you can press flat and cut with scissors.  First round takes about 40-45 min.  

Round 2 repeat, each round cuts time in half, Repeat until you get the size you want.  

If you pinterest, you will find jelly roll race variations. If anyone wants to know instructions for my variations, let me know and I'll work up a tutorial to share.

I hope you get a chance to sew this week!

Love

Aunti Nicole

Happy 2013!

Hi All,

Wow what a busy year!  I can honestly say that 2012 was not a lazy year.
In May I bought a Tin Lizzie and have been cranking out UFO's like mad.

In July 2013, I was sick of sitting on my duff and got off it.  My best friend Dione and her husband own a Crossfit Zen gym in Manhattan Beach and helped me find a crossfit organization in my area.    I joined Citizen Crossfit  and haven't stopped moving since.  The people at Citizen and Crossfit Zen are really supportive and they push me just enough and scale down what I can't handle.  I went from being tired old couch potato to the best shape I've been in for 20 years.  I feel great and have made some great new friends in the process.   I could go on about this (So says my husband) but this is a quilting blog afterall...onward!

Working out 5-6 days a week and changing my eating habits have taken up a lot of my free time.  But its all time I was wasting before with things like sleep and procrastination.  I actually now have more energy for quilting, yeah!

This huge 9 patch was a block exchange with my EZ Quilters group.  I ended up with my mom's leftovers after she made hers.  I think I only have about 6 blocks left.  It took me a while to figure out what border to put on it and my friend Donna said, maybe it doesn't want one.  So I asked my quilt, "Really, you done?" and the quilt just sat there there, so I guess it was done.

It was oddly enough the exact width of my long arm rails  7' which those of you who long arm know that means 6" in each side are not getting quilted. Grrr.  But I did it anyway.  I pinned the side to the top and then clamped it to the lower rails and hang it over the edge.  Then I just move it a couple of times. The biggest challenge is to make the back nice and smooth.  Just takes patience, which I'm learning.   I keep forgetting to take a picture of it.

I put a little piece of striped fabric for a flange before adding the binding.  A colored binding might have taken away from the quilt and a plain binding was just too plain.

I finished this before the holidays and my plan is to give this to my niece Madison who graduates from high school this year.  Done early? are you kidding?

So I've been on vacation for 11 days, today is the last day.  We got to go up to the mountains Mt. Shasta/Weed for Christmas and spent some time with my folks and my sister Dana and her chillen.  It was so nice to spend time with them all.  Sniff sniff, I miss em already.

Yesterday I finally got back into my quilt room and cranked out 3 projects.
The first was a philanthropy quilt top made by someone in our guild.  I try to quilt one of the unfinished tops as often as possible.  The fun wiggly design breaks up the stripes and plaids.












My friend Sharon made this for philanthropy and asked me to quilt it for her.  I have had it a while so it was time to get this one done too.  The basket with flowers was my mum's idea.

Finally, Sharon's friend Cathleen asked me to quilt this for her friends baby.  Such a bright and happy quilt.  and now its done too.  

So you see I have stayed busy.

I hope you all have a wonderful and prosperous 2013 and may you find the time to quilt!

Love Aunti Nicole

Budding Quilting Star

My niece Megan (right) is here with her sister Marisa.  Megan has entered her quilt in my Mom's guild show.  Her piece was hand appliqued and she did a fantastic job.  Her applique stitches are invisible, a talent that takes years to master.  I am so proud of her!  And look.. are those ribbons?  I'll have to find out the scoop on that...

I managed to do a bunch of quilting in August.

Just put the last stitch in a baby quilt for my cousin Julie.  She is due this month.

 






I have been working on a UFO challenge and just cranking them out.  Here is one that I did for my Aunt and Uncle.  This was UFO #3 on my list two more to go.

Here's a bigger picture of that one.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8378787154792953915#editor/target=post;postID=4134521522125988271


This 9 patch is what I'm currently working on.... Its almost together, at least it will be today I hope.  I'll post when I have more progress, and hints of a border...

Plus I've been doing a little quilting for some friends.

I started Croffsit a couple of months ago and have been focusing on eating and working out.  Strange how addicting exercise can be, but here I am at 6am on a long holiday weekend and my body is ready to go, of course my brain says quilt quilt quilt.  If you have never heard of crossfit, its a combination of endurance, gymnastics and weight training.  The work out is different and challenging everyday.  Each exercise is scalable meaning, I can't do pull-ups so they have a giant rubber band to help me get there at my pace and smaller weights for me, since I have never done weights.  Each workout seems impossible, yet you do get to the end and feel great!  ok well tired and great...sore but great!  lol.  Crossfit is everywhere, look up local crossfit box and I'll bet you've got one near you.

A lot of catching up to do on the blog so I'll spread it out over the next couple of posts.

I hope you get to sew some on this wonderful holiday weekend.

Love Aunti Nicole

4 Patch Posie - Hawaiin Style

At Road to California this year, I picked up this beautiful  fabric from Beyond the Reef.  What to do, what to do?  

I was at an EZQ meeting last month and my friend Sharon did a 4-patch posie and convinced me that it was much easier than stack and whack.  

and she was right!  The blocks only took me a couple of hours.  The setting again a couple of hours.  

It so fun to see how different each block turns out.





I a making this one for my Aunt Debbie.  Will probably quilt it with lt blue and grey thread.

That's all for now!
Hope you get to sew this week!

Love
Aunti Nicole

A Precarious Position

At the very top of my over crowded quilt rack, sleeps WillieNo!  Don't worry, he won't fall, he has his little needle claws dug deep into my QUILT!  

Benefits of this spot you ask?

• Afternoon Sunshine
• Highest position possible in the room.
• Gets the stink eye from Me
• And head shake and sigh from Pete

All very valuable in picking the perfect site.

Meanwhile I finished a quilt for our Flying Geese Quilt Show in October.  This is Fractured Fruitcake Sampler.  Here is a little tutorial for the blocks.  Click Me!  They are pretty simple, made from half-square triangles.  The tough part for me was keeping the quilting symbol.  I usually complicate everything to add "interest" but being done in time feels good too. 

 So per my husband's suggestion simple quilting, simple binding and of course he was right, but don't tell him I said so.





















Turns out that brown is a guy Christmas color, who knew?   Pete and my cousin Tom seem to like this one a lot.  We won't point out that there are pink and purple in the border as well.  hehehhee.

Anyway, fun project, cheery Christmassy and done!

Thank you all for stopping by.  Hope all got to do some quilting this weekend!

All my best,
Aunti Nicole

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

Nines in Nines - WIP

This is a wedding quilt I'm working on but I'm not saying who its for ;]

I saw a beautiful quilt at our Flying Geese Quilt show last year.  It was so striking hanging at the show that I had to make one. 

I am recreating this quilt from a picture so I'm sure the measurements will be different.  When I find out who made the original quilt I will thank her for the inspiration and post her name here as well.  Mine will have fewer blocks but will be set a little differently.

In this image are the ingredients for blocks I've made.  The blocks are simple 9 patch blocks.  Using a whole lotta 1-3/4" squares from scraps to make 80 dark 9 patches and 36 light nine patches.   Strips of 1-3/4"x4-1/4" to make the triple strip sets.  And finally 64 dark 4-1/4" squares and 9 light 4-1/4" squares.  If anyone wants the exact numbers, email me and I will write up the instructions.

All these ingredients make two sets of larger nine patches.  So here is what I have so far.  I am working on the setting triangles right now.  It is different than the original in that I'm not making any more darn 9 patches, lol.  Well maybe a few for the setting.

This has been a great stash burner.  A couple of tricks I have learned here and there have helped make this go together smoothly.

1. 
   
   After sewing a seam, iron it closed first, then open and iron toward the dark side.  It actually helps the make the blocks lie flatter in the end.
2. 
   
   I used a 1/4" seam allowance, important that you check it when you start and a few times along the way to ensure you are still sewing that 1/4" seam.  If you are 1/4" challenged, like I am, then by all mean just be consistent throughout the entire quilt.
3. 
   
   Measure and trim your 9 patch blocks after you have created them before placing in their larger block setting.

 Check back in a week or maybe two to see the finished top.

Have a great week!