Not Another Jelly Roll 1600 Quilt!

Yuppers. Can't stop making them.

This time I did the rectangle variation. Instead of joining the strips with diagonal seams, I inserted a 2 1/2"x4 1/2" rectangle between them. I've seen some online with rectangles, squares etc. Don't know who originally did it with rectangles but it was a great idea!

 The fabrics were from my stash of what my friend calls "no color colors". The dark, muted colors paired with the stripe make it a perfect quilt for a guy.

I only had 1/2 a yard of the stripe and was lamenting the fact that it was getting used up. Why is it that I always buy too much of a fabric that never ends up being useful and never have enough of the "good" ones? A return trip to the quilt shop and a lighter wallet solved that issue.

Lately I've been buying quite a few striped fabrics. It's all the fault of Mari at the Quilting Edge. Her quilts are amazing. She works with stripes and solids and the results are unbelievable. One of these days I'm going to try her quilt as you go technique for making improvisational quilts. I especially like her quilt as you go Log Cabin. Her tutorial for quilt as you go is really well done.

Anyway, I'd like to say that it's the last Jelly Roll 1600 you will see here, but that would be a lie - they are just too fun to make!

Happy Stitching
corina

I Love Leaves - real and fabric!

I love everything about fall - the trees, the colors, the crisp air. I'm at the age where I appreciate the cooler temps. I can sleep in because I don't have to race out to walk the dogs (just like me, they can't take the heat). I can sit on the couch and watch old movies, wrapped in a cozy quilt, drinking hot chocolate. But most of all I get see this out of my window...

The leaves just glow

 I love this tree. For 6 years we've been battling a fungus that causes its leaves to turn black around the edges and the twigs to die off.  Finally it looks like we are winning. It really filled out this year. It makes me so happy to look out the window and see it.

A few days ago I received the loveliest gift in the mail. Kristie from Obsessive Crafting Disorder hosted a Bag Lady Week. Every day there was a new guest post and giveaway, along with a tutorial for making everything from little hexie purses to simple bags etc. I won this lovely tote made by  Felicity from Felicity's Quilts. 

There are a zillion cloth bags and totes in my home that have never made it out the door. This one goes with me everywhere! I absolutely am in love with it. I would marry it if I could. Taupe is my favorite color, leaves are my favorite motif, the sewing is beautifully done - couldn't get any better! Thank you both! The tutorial is on Kristie's blog. Check out Kristie's blog and Felicity's blog. You won't be sorry you did!

Lined so beautifully and a pocket too!

It's been a great week!

Happy Stitching
corina

More Jelly Roll 1600 at the FNSI

 I find it very hard to cut into fabric I really love, hanging on to it for months (or in this case, years). What usually happens is that by the time I'm ready to use it, I don't like it anymore! Luckily that didn't happen with my Kansas Troubles fabric. I get a good feeling looking at them.

I can't seem to get enough of the Jelly Roll 1600. This one I've added a flange and 6" border. Originally I was going to applique flowers in the corners, but they just didn't go with the simple lines of the quilt. Circles to the rescue. I love circles (half of my quilts seem to have them). Go to the Heirloom Creations blog if you want to instructions on how to make your own Jelly Roll 1600!

For the FNSI I started stitching around the circle appliques. I've used a blanket stitch in a color that matches the applique. Maybe next time I'll try a thread color that stands out a bit more. Seems funny to do all those nice stitches and not have it show up. For those of you who don't know about the FNSI (Friday Night Sew In), click on this link for Handmade by Heidi. It's a great way to schedule in some sewing time with a bunch of blogging friends (and a prize draw!).

If any of you live near Winnipeg, Manitoba you might want to check out the Assiniboine Circle Quilt Club Fall Quilt Show. It's happening next Sunday, September 25th at the St. Francois Xavier Community Centre from 11-4.  I'm showing a few quilts, including this circle quilt so I guess I better get going on the quilting of it! I would love to believe that it will be ready, folded by the door, the day before the show. However, from past experience I think there will be a frantic push the night before to finish the binding, stitching into the wee hours.

Happy Stitching
corina

Funky Jelly Roll 1600

I've finally fused the groovy flowers on my Jelly Roll 1600 quilt. I'm loving the bright colors. I will probably sew them down with a blanket stitch in black, but that won't be for awhile yet.

 I'm thinking this will be my last bright quilt for now. Tomorrow morning they are forecasting a low of +2 and even worse, a wind chill of -2! Weather is wonky lately. Wasn't it just last week we had +35? Anyway, the cooler weather brings the desire to work with warmer colors. I'm cutting strips for - you guessed it - another jelly roll quilt, in warm Kansas Troubles fabrics. I'm thinking it will have a more traditional look, with a border and applique. I'm anxious to start sewing on it, but I'm on the silent auction committee for our quilt show on next weekend and there's a ton of things left to do. At the moment, I can't even get to my kitchen table as it's covered in donations. My favorite part will be arranging everything in baskets and wrapping it all up.

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cooler days and the colors of the leaves. No more Slurpees, it's hot chocolate time!

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

Vintage Patterns, Wins & Where Did the Time Go?!

No, I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. This past month was super busy and blogging took a backseat (more on that near the end of the post). There has been no sewing but I did come across some vintage patterns when I was tidying up my sewing storage. I bought these at a garage sale a few years ago. My idea is to put them in frames and hang them in my sewing room. I really love the Jacki O style pattern.

 

Guess they had pretty tiny waists back then!

 I was lucky to win 3 giveaways this past few weeks! The first was lovely fabric from Tilda's Twisted Life. to celebrate her 100th post (she has designed a lovely quilt called X Marks The Spot, you should pop by her blog and see it). Thank you so much Melinda!

Check out this lovely prize I won from Lynne at Lily's Quilts (great site - lots of tutorials too).

I thought I won a sample pack and a simple little color card for Aurifil thread. When I opened up the package I was blown away by the color card. The colors are actual threads wrapped on the cardboard and it is huge. It came with a pack of 5 spools of different weights of thread. One of them is a variegated black and white (they must have seen all the B&W quilts I've been making!)

The last giveaway was a bundle of fresh lavender from Sue Hauser of Alderwood Quilts.

They have a wonderful online quilt store (especially love the selection of patterns they carry) and they also own a lavender farm!! I couldn't actually receive the lavender myself as I live in Canada (you know - shipping plants across border issues), but I was able to give the bouquet to a blogging friend, Linda from Stray Stitches. I'm sure many of you are familiar with her wonderful blog. It is because of her that I've won so many giveaways! Instead of searching out giveaways, I just go to her blog and there is a list of them for me to check out! Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have said anything - might diminish my chances of more wins!

The reason I haven't been around lately is that my best friend who has bravely endured whatever cancer has thrown her way these last 12 months has had another major surgery. Actually she had 2 within days of each other, as there were complications and they had to go back in and fix it. I'm happy to report she is out of the hospital and doing better!

Between the hospital visits I was painting the trim on our house. Not the best thing to do if you are afraid of heights! It's also pretty hard to paint when you are glued to the stucco in fear! I wanted to surprise my husband though, so I bravely made it up three rungs of the ladder, knees a knocking all the way (you can stop laughing now).

Now that life is a little more settled I am gearing up for more sewing. The FNSI is this Friday and I am sooo looking forward to it. Don't forget to sign up!

Happy Stitching!
corina