While I’ve been trying to figure out…

…how the heck Blogger’s new interface works, I made a rug!

It is made of two 100 ft. lengths of cotton clothesline wrapped with 3/4” strips of various batik fabrics.  
I wish I had started my center with a longer width of clothesline rather than the two 2” I did use. 
But I learned a lot and considering this was my first rug, I’m very happy with the end result. 

The squiggle section was a moment of inspiration that took a few minutes to figure 
out how to arrange it and make it stay.  I really like the look of it!

And just for grins and giggles here is my model Frank displaying the rug.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Stash Enhancement...the final word

For anyone interested in the continued topic of stash enhancing, in a previous post Kristi left the following comments:

"....wondering how much to buy since I'm fairly new to quilting. My main problem when I go to make something is I don't have enough background fabric for a pattern...do you buy background fabric

for each quilt you make or do you deal with background fabric another way?"

I buy my background like I buy my prints...in fat quarters and 1/2 yards.  I don't typically buy any more than that unless I just absolutely love it or its for a specific project.  And the reason why I do it this way is I often find that those impulse 1+ yardage purchases never end up being enough for the project I want to use them in.  So I just try not to do it.

And let's be honest, 9 times out of 10  when I start a new project it has DOZENS of different fabrics in it.  I don't remember the last time I did a quilt with only three or four fabrics.  I like to mix as much colors and fabric into a quilt as I can.  I just like the look of it.  Here are some examples.

You will notice though that all but one have yardage pieces that were used as a counter balance to all the rest.  I don't imagine these quilts would look as good without that background/setting anchor fabric.

I hope that answers your question Kristi.  Thanks for asking it.  I'm sure it was more more than you ever wanted to know but I couldn't help myself...just like my shopping...LOL.

Winner Time!

Congratulations to

Sandy of Textile House

You're the winner of the 400 Followers Giveaway!

Please send me your address so I can mail your goodies.

Thank you to everyone who entered and shared their how they shop for stash enhancement. 

It was very interesting reading all your comments.

Do you ever have a quilt idea...

...and start making it before you have a clear plan?  Please tell me I'm not the only one. 

Last month, right before retreat, I had an idea. I knew I wanted to do a quilt with Civil War-ish prints and I knew I wanted to do it with Birds in the Air blocks. But that's all I knew. I didn't know how many I needed so I just grabbed the bin I store all the fabrics I like to use for scrap quilts.

Here is my bin...

...and here is everything that's in it. 

To give you an idea of how much that is, I weighed the bin... 

15 1/2 lbs!  That is A LOT of scraps.

I decided on a size for my block...6" finished...and started sorting, pulling out the fabrics I didn't want to use and put them back in the bin.  From the rest I just started cutting.  Here is my pile of Birds in the Air blocks so far. 

I already have enough for two large quilts and I still have a few dozen to make.  I have one solid design that I'm definately going to do and a few ideas for what's left over.  EQ7 has been very helpful in solidifying my ideas.  I hope to have a quilt to share soon.

In other news...I made a little quilt top this weekend from block I found last week while tidying up.  The 3" nine patches came from JulieQ's swap TWO years ago.  How's that for procrastination?   The Dresden Plate came from a friend of mine.

38 1/2 x 43"

When I received those nine patches two years ago I had a couple of idea but nothing that really excited me.  And then last week...I don't know what happened.  Something just clicked.  Again I went back to EQ7 to layout the design.  Once I knew exactly what I needed for my design, I cut up more squares for nine patches and then I cut the alternating squares.

I have to say...I really love this little quilt.  I'm still debating on borders.  I want to just add a small 3" border that matches the setting triangles but my husband thinks it needs more than that.  He thinks it needs a red or brown border outside of that.  But then he wants to use it for a lap quilt and I want it for a wall hanging.  So I don't know what I'm going to do.  We'll just have to wait and see.

Hope y'all had a great weekend filled with lots of sewing!



400 Followers Giveaway!

Good morning my Fabulous 400 Followers! 

Are you ready for another giveaway?  Of course you are!

Before I talk specifics about the giveaway, I want to share a great question Kristie asked me in my last post about my recent fabric bender.  Kristie wrote "So when you are buying just for stash enhancement, how much yardage do you usually buy?"

Because I consider myself a scrap quilter, I like to buy fat quarters.  I will sometimes buy ½ yards if I really love something or it’s the minimum purchase amount which I’ve encountered on some websites.  And I only buy yardage when I need it for a specific project. 

I find this method works well for me.  The reason I do it because:  

1. I LOVE fabric and I’m addicted to color and I always want lots of it in my quilts.  2)
2. It allows me to buy all the fabrics I love and stay within my limited budget.

How they get sorted and organized once I get home is a whole different story...for another time.

Back to the giveaway!

To celebrate reaching 400 followers I am giving away

3 Scrap Quilt Patterns and 27 Fat Eighths

That's over 3 yards of fabric from Judie Rothermel, Bonnie Blue Quilts, Joe Morton, and more! 

These are some of my all-time favorite purchases from Whittle's Fabric.

This giveaway is open to FOLLOWERS ONLY.

Whether you live in the US or abroad, it matters not.

All that matters is that you are a follower.

To be included in the giveaway, simply leave me a comment.

And remember...if you are a no reply blogger, please be sure to leave

a way for me to contact you in your comment.

I'll select a winner on Friday, September 14th.

Good luck and thank you! 

I've been on a bit of a fabric bender lately

...and I think I'm addicted. 

I've stopped buying my beloved Civil War fabrics for the moment because they are coming out my ears thanks to purchases from Whittles.  So I've turned my eye to other "stash enhancements."

  I need a 12 Step group ASAP!

Fabulous Denyse Schmidt Fabric Goodess

(Flea Market Fancy, Chicopee, Hope Valley, and anything I can get my hands on at JoAnn's)

Gorgeous Solids!

(too many ideas for these beauties and not enough of it to do them all...argh!)

Oval Elements by Pat Bravo

(from Moona Fabrics via Red Pepper Quilts)

What is it that you love but buy too much of?

Winner Time...or is it WINNERS?!

Well its time to announce the winner of this weekends Quilters Blog Hop Party Giveaway! 

I want to welcome all the new followers! Because of you, I hit 400 followers this weekend.

Stay tuned for a 400 Followers Giveaway in the near future...fingers crossed.

With 259 comments and it being a busy holiday weekend, I knew I wasn't going to have the time

to respond to each one.  But today I've been enjoying the afternoon checking out all

your blogs.  Let me just say this, y'all are some talented people.  

Okay...back to THIS giveaway. 

Thank you to everyone who entered. I wish I had a gift for everyone but I'm not

independently rich and I haven't won the lottery...yet.  

But I HAVE decided to add a second winner! 

The first winner will have their choice of either the Owl Kit or one of the already made

potholder sets made by me that were shown in the giveaway post.  The second winner will get whichever prize the first winner didn't choose.

Sooooo....the first winner is

Painting 4 Him

...and the second winner is

Lori

from Fort Worth, TX

Congratulations ladies!!!