.....And The Winners Are------

Hello from Lincoln Nebraska! I arrived safe and sound this afternoon and was picked up at the airport by Rebecka and whisked off for my tour of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum! What a place! I only wish we could have spent more time, but they were closing early due to the incoming snow....and I'll just have to make another trip to catch MORE of it. If you have a chance to come to Lincoln, Nebraska, this has GOT to be on the top list of things to do if you are a Quilter!

So....now for what you have been waiting for! I can NOT believe the response we have had between the two blogs! And I know there were those of you who couldn't figure out how to comment, or those who didn't have a google id, a wordpress id, or an open id...but there is a reason why you have to be registered. You see, it keeps spam and all kinds of riff raff at bay, and a google id IS a free thing...so though it is a pain to fill it out, it is all good!

As I write this post there are 575 comments over at Stash Manicure!! You guys tipped the scales! And the winner for Scraps & Shirttails II from OVER THERE is:

LORIS in California!!

Congrats Loris! Send me your snail mail address so I can send your copy out to you as soon as it is in my hot little hands! I sent you an email just a bit ago to let you know I drew your name!

And...we have one more to give away! From the 429 comments on my "Kiss in the Corner" post yesterday.....the winner is..........

VIVIAN in Iowa!!!

Vivian, I have also emailed you from the link on your blog, please contact me with your snail mail info so I can get this out to you as soon as it comes in.

THIS was so fun!! We'll have to do it again soon, won't we?!

Wontcha Let Me Take You On A -----

SEA CRUISE!!

There is so much excitement building due to the fact that the cruise I am doing with Pat Sloan in NOVEMBER 2011 sold out SO FAST!

I’ve been working with “Sew Many Places” to see what we could do to accommodate those who signed up too late and found themselves on a waiting list….

Would you believe it? Those who are on the waiting list are actually the LUCKY ones because they get to go to the FRONT of the line and CRUISE FIRST! Yes, the second cruise is happening BEFORE the first one, and if you think this is not confusing for me, well…you don’t know me so well!

Come on! Come on! Come on! You know you wanna go! It’s going to be SEW FUN! And never fear…..Sew Many Places is so great to work with. You can make easy monthly payments, and it is 100% refundable minus something like a $35.00 service fee. You don’t wanna miss this! Besides. I need you! My DH is thinking he won’t be able to come on this one because he is already coming on the other one and this one falls over month end---which---if you are a plant controller means something, if you are a quilter, it just doesn’t! Come keep me company, won’t you?

You know how FAST the November cruise sold out. We expect this one to do the same, so call (877)887-1188 and get the details now so you can get that reservation in!

I’ll keep you updated as I know more ---Didn’t I TELL YOU that 2011 was going to be the most awesome year yet?!

Kiss in the Corner!

Today is my day to be the guest-blogger on Stash Manicure! Those of you who have found me through my links there..I want to welcome you! Those who are regulars here…you need to go over there! You will find a sneak preview of the quilts that are in Scraps & Shirttails II, Continuing the Art of Quilting Green!

This book has all been about using stuff from my stash—bonus units left from other projects ((Oh yes, like all of those triangles that ended up in my Roll Roll Cotton Boll quilt!)) pre-cut strips, squares, and even strings! They all found a way into the quilts in the book.

There is one quilt that did not make the cut because we ran out of room! This gives me the perfect opportunity to share it here with you. Yes, the blocks I started while retreating in Oregon for the Sister’s Quilt show a couple years ago finally found a home!

My love of antique quilts drives me! Especially on-point-ones in Pennsylvania Dutch colors like this:

And soft pastel deliciousness like this one!

I just LOVED the large chunky cornerstones in this pink/white version and that is what inspired me to play with this setting.

Because I work with scraps, it is ALWAYS difficult for me to tell you how many yards of this-or-that you might need, because I just dig. And I cut. And I sew, and if I run out of something, I grab another piece. Often times yardage is hard to calculate because I might only use a 2 1/2” square of something…and just ONE of that is in my quilt, and to tell you to buy yardage for one 2 1/2” square is just silly. SO….work with what you have, if you run short, buy some more!

If you have approximately 2 yards of neutrals, 2 yards of scrappy colors, and 2 yards (8 FQs) of yellows, you should be good to go!

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Kiss In The Corner!

Block size: 4.5"

Quilt size: Approx. 60" X 67"

Shoo Fly Blocks! What is not to like about them?

This quilt starts with bonus half square triangles! You know, the kind you get when you are doing that snowball-techique where you put a smaller square in the corner of a larger square and sew on the diagonal? I save those, double sewing them with a scant 3/8” seam between the two seam lines and square them to the best measurement I can get out of them, always aiming for something that gives me a usable measurement to work with. I have BOXES that have been square-able to 2” and that is what I used here!

You will need 288 half square triangles that measure 2”, and they will finish into the quilt at 1-1/2”. They are the same size as the triangles in Roll Roll Cotton Boll! If you don’t have a stash of half square triangles of this size, you can use your Easy Angle Ruler and 2” strips to make them:

Match the strips with right sides together, and use the 2” marking on the ruler to cut 288 matched pairs. Stitch up into 288 half square triangle units. Feel free to use ANY method that will give you the number of half square triangles required!

Next Step! Sew a bunch of 2” scrap fabrics ((Mine are all recycled from clothing!)) between two 2” strips of chrome yellow. Press seams toward the yellow. We will be cutting “three-sie” units from these, as if we were sewing 9 patches:

Slice the strip panels into 2” sub-sections. You will need 72 of these three-sies! And while you are at it, cut 144 2” yellow squares to go with them!

Add a triangle unit to the end of each yellow square as shown! Press seams toward the yellow! Make 144.

Combine the triangle units and the three-sie units to make 72 adorable Shoo-Fly blocks as shown! These should measure 5” and finish at 4.5” when sewn into the quilt.

Pieced Sashings:

It’s the pieced sashings that add those cute wonky friendship star units to the quilt layout!

Piece a bunch more strip sets from 2” strips, with colors in the center, flanked by two neutral strips on either side. You need 168 2" sub-cuts for the sashings. Press seams toward the neutral strips.

I really loved using these fabrics together! Using recycled fabrics along with the regular quilt stash just adds such a softness, giving you an instantly vintage looking quilt!

Let’s put the “Kiss” in the “Corner!”

For this step I grabbed my trusty box of 1.5” scrap squares. This is the smallest size of scrap that I cut to any specific size, and I use these quite a bit! If you are cutting from 1.5” strips, or cutting individual 1.5” squares, you will need TWO squares for each sashing, or 336 1.5” squares.

I started out just pulling the recycled fabric ones, but as I went I found that there were other colors and fabrics that I wanted to throw in to make these little stars sing.

What I really LIKE about using these small squares, is that we won’t have any corners to match when we sew the quilt together. They will float a bit, surrounding the star within the neutral areas!

Start by laying a 1.5” square in the upper right corner of the three-sie unit as shown. Stitch across the red square, from corner to corner on the diagonal. Fold the red square back against the corner to check that it matches the edges of the neutral square. Trim excess approximately 1/4” beyond the stitching and press. Repeat for the opposite corner at the bottom left of the unit.

Make 168 pieced sashing units. *Note* all of your units must be identical to each other in placement of the two corner triangle “Kisses”!

Setting Triangles & Cornerstones:

From yellow prints cut:

Cut (59) 2” squares of various yellows for cornerstones.

(6) 7 5/8” Squares. Cut each square from corner to corner twice with an X to yield 24 setting triangles. 22 will be used in the quilt, 2 will be extra.

(2) 4 1/8” Squares. Cut each square from corner to corner once to yield 4 corner triangles.

(7) 3 1/4” Squares. Cut each square from corner to corner twice with an X to yield 28 small setting triangles. 26 will be used in the quilt, 2 will be extra.

*Note* If you have the companion angle ruler, these small setting triangles, which go on the end of the sashing rows at the edges of the quilt, can be cut from 1.5” strips as shown:

I like using my specialty rulers when I can!

Layout:

This part becomes a design wall/floor process! I want to make sure that the colors fall where I want them to, so I lay out the WHOLE QUILT so I can rearrange blocks and sashings as needed:

Lay out the Shoofly blocks, leaving room for the sashings and cornerstones in between. Layout the yellow cornerstones where the triangles in the sashing meet to form the friendship star design. Finally, place the setting triangles, Large and small where they go, and then the corners.

Diagonal quilts are sewn in rows, starting in one corner, and working toward the center of the quilt with each row increasing in length. Stitch the quilt center into rows, and join the rows to complete quilt center. I like to piece the top in two halves, and then join the two halves together. This helps distribute much of the bulk as the quilt halves grow! Press well.

Using a large ruler with a good 1/4” marking, trim up the edges of the quilt with the edge falling 1/4” past all block corners. This helps get rid of dog ears, etc. Stay stitch around the edge of quilt if desired, about 1/8” from the edge.

Borders:

Inner border:

From random 1.5” wide red strips—Join lengths together on the diagonal to reach a border length of approximately 260” Trim excess 1/4” beyond the stitching and press seams open.

Outer Border:

From random 3.5” wide blue strips and rectangles –join lengths together on the “straight” by butting the ends and stitching to reach a border length of approximately 260”. Press seams open.

Stitch narrow red inner border to outer blue border with right sides together. Press seam toward the red inner border.

Lay the quilt center out on the floor, smoothing it gently. Do not tug or pull. Measure the quilt through the center from top to bottom. Cut two side borders this length. Measure the quilt from side to side across the center. Cut two side borders this length.

Stitch side borders to quilt, pinning center and ends and easing where necessary to fit. Press seams toward inner border.

Cut (4) 4.5” Squares from blue for border corners. Add a border corner square to each end of both top and bottom borders. Press seam toward the borders. Attach top and bottom borders to quilt, pinning to match centers and ends and easing where necessary to fit. Press seams toward inner border.

QUILTING!!

I quilted Kiss in The Corner with an edge to edge design by Hermione Agee of Lorien Quilting called Country Garden! I love the leaves and swirls and circles in this design! I used a sandy tan colored thread, and bound the quilt with lengths of 2.5” blue strips joined on the diagonal. That red fabric with the circles? It was a pair of capris! The blue corner square was one of my own blouses. Loved that print!

This light blue fabric was also a blouse of mine…next to it the dark blue paisley? That was one of those jumpers I had years ago…the ones that made us all look like school teachers? LOL! And next to it..that red leafy paisley? Another pair of capris! I’ve loved working with these recycled bits, every one!

Is there such a thing as too much yellow? I don’t think so!

Now for your part! I am giving away TWO signed copies of Scraps & Shirttails II, as soon as it is in my hot little hands! All you need to do is leave me a comment here on this post telling me about the favorite quilt you’ve ever made, and you will be entered to win! I’ll even give you “EXTRA” time to enter because Sunday is a traveling day for me! I’ll draw for the winner when I check into my hotel in Nebraska on Sunday evening!

You can enter a second time over at Stash Manicure, and we will pull a winner from the comments on my post there as well, also on Sunday evening! Ready? Set? Go!

Show and Tell Thursday!

Well, yesterday didn’t go as I planned! If you read the PS on yesterday’s post you’ll remember that I hopped in the car, put the key in the ignition, and…click click…rrrrrrrr…nada!

It’s a good thing that DH works only 6 miles away (A big reason we bought this house, we wanted a close commute!) and was able to come jump-start the car. It drove fine for the rest of the day, but I got a bit of a late start, and by the time I was done running my errands, and headed home, it was near 5pm! Still, it was so great to meet up with Nane and pick up the display quilts, and meet Karen for lunch and a quilt shuffle, giving her display quilt back to her..the big pass off! ((This is as close to football as I get!))

I’ve also got a weird thing going on. Around lunch time my eyes started feeling itchy. A couple hours later they were puffy, gritty and red and narrowed to little slits I don’t know if this is an allergic reaction, but my first thought was “Benedryl”. We ate dinner, I got in my jammies, and I went to BED by 8:30pm because the light from the TV really was too bright for my poor eyes.

I slept 12 hours! And they are still sticky and puffy this morning, but not as bad I don’t think. Kind of a fluke thing.

SO! Due to lack of ANYTHING quilty yesterday, and no stitching going on in the basement today---I want to do a Trunk Show Thursday!

I received a lovely email from Claire with some photos of quilts she’s made! She writes:

Dear Bonnie,

I wanted to write and say how much I have enjoyed your website and your book Scraps and Shirttails.  This year, I whipped up a Sister's Choice for a wedding gift.  It came out great.  I recently finished 2 quilts from your book.  My father passed away last December, and I made these quilts from shirts (some his, some not) as Christmas gifts for my mother and my brother in his honor.  Everyone loves the blue and white one, especially my husband--I may have to make another one for him!  I am really hooked on "shirt-quilting" and plan to make at least 2 more of your patterns.

I am attaching photos.  Your website and techniques are really popular among the ladies in our guild--thanks for bringing us so many fun quilt ideas!

Claire, Common Threads Quilt Guild, Columbus, OH.

Claire! Thanks so much for sending the photos! they are just BEAUTIFUL and I love what you have done with them!

 

Click these to biggie size them!

I love the springy colors she used for her sister’s choice quilt….this pattern is one of my faves! We’ve all got 6” 9 patch blocks we’ve swapped either on the net, or via our guilds, and they are the perfect starting point for this quilt. Super simple block, but it looks so great when the quilt is set together! I don’t even think some quilts need borders, and I like how she just bound this one when it was the size she needed!

The other two Awesome!! I love the “Swing Your Partner” with the red border, and the “Union Square” quilt is made with the center block from the “Shirttails” quilt. Both of these are from “Scraps & Shirttails I”. I LOVE the red accent cornerstones in the Union Square, and see how effective that red stripe inner border is? It’s just a bit of a hint of a color, and wow…what a nice finish! And look! She’s used the buttons in the center of each red cornerstone!

Here is the center of this block with the “Brooks Brothers” label plainly visible! Crisp blues and whites with a hint of red….I just love this!

Claire, thanks so much for sharing your beautiful quilts with me. It’s wonderful to get a glimpse into your world, and find out just where these quilts end up!

Tomorrow –Friday!—Be ready for the LAST INSTALLMENT of Roll Roll Cotton Boll! I’m sure by now you have all figured out what we are doing with those pieced parallelograms….but this is the big finale!

It’s Still Here!!

I can’t tell you how many times during the day I had to pop back over here just to check if this new blog was still here! Yep! It is!

It’s also a bright sunny NC January morning! And that means it’s an errand day for me. I’ve got to go meet Nane at the bagel shop and pick up some quilts that Karen and I have had on Display with our Bee in Yadkinville through the month of December! I get to be the go between because Karen and I are meeting for Lunch later at our favorite Indian place—Nawab!

And there are all other little piddly errands too, post office, bank, prescription drop-off and fill at Sam’s Club, and perhaps a hair trim in there somewhere for me. It just all adds up to a day AWAY from the computer, which I think I need!

Look at these lovely fabrics that Janette sent me from Australia!  I am SO in love with this Kangaroo fabric, and I’m brainstorming on sewing something really fun with them. I’d love to combine all of these beautiful florals with a bunch of plaids and stripes. Just need to find the right pattern! ((And some time?))

I’ve gotta scoot! Just have a terrific day today Y’all!

PS. Well so much for that! I just went to get in my car, and it's deader than a door nail and won't turn over!? Seems like it is time for a new battery -- DH is on his way home to give it a jump-start and see if we can also add a trip to get a new battery added into the line-up today. This is the 2nd time it's done this in a couple weeks and 2 times is 2 too many!

That Darn Cat!

I guess “Boys Will Be Boys” no matter what the species!

Night before last I noticed that Oscar was pretty much back to mimicking the activity of a door stop ---- Not eager to move too fast, and he yowled when we tried to pet anywhere near his tail!

From there we noticed that he can not even LIFT his tail, and you know cats use their tail for balance and stuff, right? A cat that can not hold its tail straight up in the air is a cat with a tail problem!

Further inspection proved that he has been in a bit of a scuffle, most likely with another cat in the neighborhood. ((I shudder to think it would be a conflict with a raccoon or a possum!)) And there were a couple healing scabs on his tail, and in his forehead ---- was that an imbedded cat claw point? Oh, OSCAR!!

The base of his tail was hot and puffy, but no sign of puss. We had a bottle of antibiotic in the fridge left from his chest-fluid-ordeal and started him on that. I’m giving it until tomorrow to see if he is getting any better or not. Cat-spit is SO nasty even to other cats!

I think even though he is “laying low”…he is doing better. He snuggled on the bed with me and resumed his purring this morning. Oscar! Can’t you just stay out of trouble and stay happy and healthy for just a little while?!

So on to another topic….someone PLEASE keep me away from any and all recycled fabric sources! I don’t think I have the strength to say NO if you invite me to go, so I need you to be strong for me and not encourage me to come along!

It seems that when things are in boxes, bins or closets, and stay behind closed doors and lids, they are out of sight and mind and seem so MANAGEABLE! But what happens when you start digging for stuff? I needed red and blue recycled fabrics for borders and a binding, and while digging I was pulling stuff to send Tonya too…and in a matter of minutes I had THIS:

OH oh oh! I forgot about most of these until I unearthed them! See that red paisley thing on the top? ((Click the pic to biggie-size it!)) It was a pair of capris, and the fabric is GORGEOUS! Very much resembling that French General line or whatever it is….it just looks….OLD…and very French! I whacked off a leg and put it in the box to Tonya and saved some for my borders….and that batik-y looking blue shirt beneath it….off goes the sleeve! I don’t have time to dis-assemble everything right now, too many other irons in the fire, so I’ve packed away whole boxes of clothing to cut down! It lives in BOXES in the “under the stairs” closet here in the basement. Out of sight…out of mind, right?

 

More bins and boxes of pieces/parts and I tell you, this is not ALL…The tubs to the left are the shirts I’ve already cut down, just waiting for projects! These are mostly backs and fronts…the sleeves and yokes have been stripped into useable sizes already..and the cardboard box to the right? Never let it be said that Bingo-Bonnie won’t give you the shirt off her back…..errrmmmm….make that sleeves, collars and yokes! This box came as a surprise in the mail, and I was able to use some of these pieces and parts in the borders and binding of the quilt I’m finishing too! Thanks Bonnie!

Does January put you in a de-junking frame of mind? With me, it’s like someone has flipped a switch --- and I go into purge purge purge mode. It starts with putting holiday stuff AWAY! I didn’t have much to do this year, but I moved the Christmas dishes back to their resting place, and put the “every day” dishes back within reach..and from there it just went to the next cupboard, and the next and…..uhoh…the dreaded tupperware graveyard!

THIS!!  ALL OF THIS! It had to go…..this is all the lids with no bottoms, all the bottoms with no tops….and it was hogging the whole cupboard and always a mess and I could never find anything! So….GONE! Bye bye! And I feel so much better!  ((And behind them you can see the bread box my mom painted for me years ago..I love it!))

This also lead to going through the pantry cabinets and checking ALL the food items for things that had passed their expiration date. Yes, I admit it. I had stuff that expired in 2008. Have you done that lately? You don’t have to fess up if you don’t want to, but I found an un-opened box of saltines way in the back that I thought was NEW!! 2008. GAH!! Sometimes I think it is not such a good idea to stock up if I am going to forget that I even HAVE this stuff…especially if it is perishables!