FNSI Results - 6 Minute Circle - Free Shows

My FNSI was spent getting a display board ready to teach a demo at the guild on the 6 Minute Circle. It's a technique in the book Pieced Curves So Simple by Dale Fleming. I love the technique for making perfect circles everytime, WITHOUT having to cut perfect circles in fabric. The baby quilt above was made last year using the technique.

If you cut apart your perfect circle, you have 4 perfect Drunkard's Path blocks!

I was quite nervous about showing the technique today at the guild, but I did enjoy the whole experience.  By the time I repeated the 10 minute demo a total of 5 times I had it down pat (the first group I showed it to only got to see the 6 minute HALF CIRCLE, LOL). If you ever have the chance, you should check out Dale Fleming's book Pieced Curves So Simple, you'll be glad you did.

It's International Quilting Weekend. The Quilt Show is celebrating by allowing free views of their over 100 online quilting episodes. The show is hosted by Alex Anderson (formerly of Simply Quilts) and Ricky Tims. They have special guests that show the latest techniques. The shows are free until Sunday (possibly Monday too, as they try to cover all the time zones). Usually the majority of shows are for paying members, although they do have a basic free membership which allows you limited access to some shows. There are over 8000 member quilts that you can view too.  If you have a few hours to spare on Sunday you could watch some pretty interesting shows (I'm not affiliated with the site, just like some of the shows).

Happy Stitching
corina

Lots of Strips for the FNSI

It doesn't look like I accomplished much this FNSI, but I actually cut enough 2 1/2 inch strips to last a lifetime (or at least a couple of weeks). I'm not 100% sure what they will be used for (yeah right, you all know by now what they will turn into!).

 
One of my favorite blocks is the Jacob's Ladder. While searching for images of quilts made with them, I came across a gorgeous one from Piece O' Cake Designs. I liked everything about it, including the colors. Even though I could figure out the arrangement, I wanted to do a quilt that told me all that I needed to know. No figuring out how many squares, how much fabric etc. I couldn't find the pattern on their website so I emailed them. Within a couple of days, they emailed a free  PDF file of the quilt! Thank you Becky of Piece O' Cake Designs!! Here is the link to the quilt that someday will be draped over my favorite chair Jacob's Ladder Quilt.

Happy Stitching
corina

FNSI Sunflower

 I belong to the Assiniboine Circle Quilt Club and our quilt show is on September 25th. The theme for our show is sunflowers and I had planned on entering 2 sunflower quilts. One is only a background so far, and the other was just a bunch of petals cut out. Time to panic. Thank goodness for the FNSI. I finished cutting out some leaves and have temporarily placed the sunflowers on one of the quilts. The sunflowers are not sewn together, just lightly tacked together with Elmer's glue. Once the placement of the flowers and leaves is final, they will be tacked into place with the glue, then raw edge appliqued in place.

I had started this quilt in a class. I believe this is based on a Phil Beaver's design. In the beginning I was cutting out the petal pieces exactly as the pattern but that was way too finicky for me, so I just freehand cut the rest. The pattern had a rooster in it - too barnyard for me. I love roosters but not for this quilt. As of yet I have no idea how to do the stems. The original plan was to use some kind of braided trim but I think it will end up being just fabric. The sunflower centers will probably have some beading (if I can get my act together!). I'm completely drawing a blank on how to free motion quilt the background. Any suggestions?

I always think I know what I will work on for the FNSI, but invariably change my mind by the time it rolls around. Maybe I have a fear of project commitment!

Happy Stitching
corina

Friday Results

I really enjoyed my first Friday Night Sew In. I've made some progress on my batik quilt, which is now called Moody Blues. The layout is just rough and I haven't decided if I want all the pieces to be strip pieced, or to keep some of them a single fabric. I'm thinking I like the way the first blocks I made were arranged in my previous post. There will be alot more rearranging in this quilt's future. It'll talk to me when more blocks are done.
 

It sounded really simple to sew a bunch of strips together and cut out a few shapes, but it takes a lot longer than anticipated. Now, I'm not in a rush and I know it takes me a long time to decide on fabric,  I just didn't think it would take me as long as it does to arrange strips from light to dark etc. I swear I must have rearranged one of the strip sets a bizillion times! The great thing about it all is I LOVE DOING IT. I'm finding my favorite part of quilting is not really the actual piecing together and quilting, it's playing around with the fabric.

I did say I would tidy up my room a bit before starting...NOT. In fact, I made it even worse? or better? I've got strips over chairs, on the floor, on the design wall, hanging off the cupboard doors, even one of my dogs walked out of the room with a nice blue batik strip on his back!

 By the way, those Kansas Troubles fabrics are back in the closet. Maybe one day they will get to come out and play.

My First Friday Night Sew-In!

I just signed up for the Friday Night Sew-In. I've never needed an excuse to sew, but did need one to clean up!

Whenever I set up everything in my sewing room neatly I vow to keep it organized, even during a project. That hasn't happened yet. Maybe I'm just more creative in a mess? Well, this afternoon I will tidy up a bit. While doing that I'm going to decide on which project I will work on. There is a stack of Kansas Troubles fabric that has been waiting patiently for the right project to come along. Maybe today is the day, or should I say night?