So Close

A day late and well more than a few dollars short these days, but I finished my Crooked Coins quilt top! Made with the fabulous Kate Spain Verna fabric and Moda's Bella white.

I had joined Amy's Creative Side's One Week Challenge to finish a project in a week. I missed it by one day, but so glad I had that motivation to get it done. I can't wait to quilt and bind it. 

Tutorial coming soon! 

My First Quilt (in 15 years)

I realized I never posted pictures of the quilt that got me quilting again. After perusing blogs one day I found the Old Red Barn's Quilt-a-Long and knew that I wanted to join in. I had so much fun! And the community was wonderfully supportive. I haven't stopped thinking in quilt since.

I had made a couple of quilts 15 years ago, even a King size that I hand quilted! But I just wasn't overly inspired to stick with it. I just love today's modern fabrics and quilts, so inspiring!

This was my first time doing a hand-sewn binding and machine stipple quilting. The stippling was scary at first but now that is my favorite part! 

 Quilts have all of the elements I love about sewing/crafting. There is fabric (hello), design, putting it together, and making something that is useful and that lasts. And each one is different.

The fabric is Michael Miller's Flights of Fancy by Paula Prass.
I'm really proud of this quilt and really glad to be introduced to quilting again.

Executive Homemaker!

My free printable Strawberry Jam Labels were featured on Executive Homemaker! A place where you can organize your life so you can get to the fun things about being a mother, wife, and woman. Fun!

  Enjoy!

Christmas in July

I am so loving this crafty-bloggy world. There are so many amazing, talented and generous people out there! One fun thing are the fantastic giveaways people offer. I was lucky enough to win one from Whipstitch!

It is Anna Maria Horner's new book Handmade Beginnings and it is SIGNED! Plus 5 fat quarters of her wonderful voile fabric. This is perfect because I'm making baby gifts lately. Seriously, it was like Christmas for me! Thank you Deborah, it made my day!

Now I've got to think of a fun giveaway for my blogiversary on Aug. 1st. Hmmmm....

Meandering Path Quilt Tutorial

 

 I am so excited to be sharing my first quilt tutorial! I fell in love with Moda's Botany fabric by Lauren and Jessi Jung and knew I wanted to make a simple, modern quilt with it.

Here's what you're going to need:

 

 One Botany Layer Cake

One Botany Charm Pack

1/2 yard coordinating fabric for binding

4 yards coordinating fabric for backing

Batting
Finished quilt size is approx. 60" x 72"

Step 1:

Cutting

Take the entire Layer Cake and cut each square in half.

 

You will have two 5" x 10" rectangles.

 Cut 1/2" off one side of each rectangle. Your rectangles will now be 5" x 9 1/2".

That's it! Now the fun begins.

Step 2: 

Layout

There are seven rows where the rectangles are laid out vertically, and two groupings where the rectangles are laid out horizontally with an alternating Charm Square. Some of the vertical rows have Charm Squares at the top and bottom so that the rows can be variegated.

I made this illustration so you could see the layout. From left to right the quilt has two vertical rows, a horizontal grouping row, three vertical rows, a horizontal grouping row, and then two vertical rows.  

 Step 3:

Sew the Rows

 The first row has a Charm Square, 7 vertical rectangles and then a Charm Square. 

The second row has 8 vertical rectangles.

 

Next is the horizontal grouping row. Each row has one Charm Square and one Layer Cake rectangle. Alternate between having the Charm Square on the left and on the right. There are 16 rows.

Don't forget to press your seams! I like to press mine open.

Step 4: 

Sew the Rows Together

When you sew the rows together be sure to match the corners. 

On the outside rows and center row you can match the corners when you pin the row on like this: (Blogger won't turn this picture the right way, sorry!)

Voila! Your quilt top is complete! 

 Now it's time to Baste....

Quilt...
(I quilted the vertical rows with a vertical stripe and quilted the horizontal grouping rows in a stipple. I love the contrast and how it allows the different rows to stand out.)

and Bind.

 You're done, yay! Let me know if you make it, I'd love to see it!

 

Take the Challenge!

I have joined the One Thing, One Week challenge at Amy's Creative Side! 

Pick one project and get it done! I want to finish the top of my Crooked Coins quilt. I have until Tuesday, I'm going to do it!

All Star Baby Quilt

I had scraps left over from making this baby blanket and wanted to use them to make a quilt for my nephew-on-the-way.

The fabric is All Star by Riley Blake. I just love this line for a boy. It has been discontinued but I'm excited because they do have new color ways coming out. I also had a bit of Heather Ross' blue VW fabric in my stash and I think it worked well with it.

I made as many 4 1/2" squares as I could, drew a diagonal line down the middle. Sewed a quarter inch on each of of the line, cut down the middle line and voila! New squares with two different prints. I sewed the squares together, added a 1 1/2" blue border and then a 4" border. I quilted a quarter inch from each edge of the blue border and stipple quilted the rest.On the back I used the large star print in a flannel for extra softness. :)

 Now it's time to start working on some bibs and burpies!

Button, Button...

I love buttons! I have had the standard jar of buttons in my stash and have always wanted to display them by color.

I found these darling little button jars by Doodlebug Designs and along with a great coupon I had, got them for a steal! The best part is that they're made of plastic. I don't have to worry about them falling and since I have three little girls that love to play with them, they're safe too. :)

While most of my buttons are new, some of them have sentimental value. My grandmother's jar of buttons was passed down to me and I treasure each of those. And one year for my birthday my beautiful friend Sheridan went to some antique stores and collected all the pink (my favorite color) buttons they had(one of my favorite gifts ever!).

I love my buttons and my friends...

Progress

I am ever so close to being finished with a couple of projects! I can't wait to get them wrapped up because I have a few others I want to get started on :).

Almost done hand sewing the binding on the Meandering Path quilt. It's my late-night-after-the-kids-get-down-catch-up-on-my-t.v.-shows project. I'll post the tutorial when I'm done!

My sewing machine project is this All Stars quilt I made with the scraps from this quilt. I love when I have enough fabric left to make something else. I also added some scraps of Heather Ross' VW fabric that I think blended nicely.

Waiting for my hubby to get home tonight from a week of working in California. We're so grateful for this new job but trying to figure out how/when to move the family out.

My son Sam will be coming home tomorrow after a week-long Scout Camp. Can't wait to give him a big hug and treat him to whatever he wants to eat! It will be so nice to have my men home!

Happy 4th!

I am so grateful today to live in this beautiful nation, to enjoy all the freedoms we have, to be with my wonderful family, and to have the opportunity to be in church today and give thanks to my Father in Heaven for all of it.

 I ♥ America!

Quilting Complete!

I have been silly to think that with the kids out of school I would have more time to work on projects. I forget that I have four munchkins at home all day that need a cruise director. And if I hear "I'm bored" one more time...But we're having a fun summer that involves a lot of swimming, park time, ice cream and movies. So I'm not complaining.

I have been able to squeeze in some time finish the quilting on my Meandering Path quilt. I have been sewing strait lines for a week! The last lines look much better than the first.

The horizontal blocks are quilted with a stipple and the vertical blocks are quilted with straight lines. I love the contrast and it makes the different blocks stand out more. I'm loving it! On to binding...

Strawberry Jam and FREE Printable Labels!

Nothing says summer like making jam! It's a fun new hobby I finally learned last year and we have enjoyed yummy jam ever since. I found strawberries really cheap last week and made my first batch of jam of the year.

Don't these strawberries look delish? I had to sneak a couple...

After canning a double batch I wanted to make some cute labels to go on them. I have made the scallop labels in the past but wanted to try a couple of new ones too. 

I thought I would try square. I made one kind of country looking and one a bit more modern. I like them all so much that I couldn't choose just one! I printed them all out. I just think it makes the jars look even more inviting and there is no more guessing as to what kind of jam you have.

I am making my original circle scallop available as a FREE download! Just click here and you can download and print out your own Strawberry Jam labels. Yay! all you need is a 2" scallop or circle punch. I'm also including the lid topper that you punch out with a 1" circle punch. You can also cut them out with scissors. Enjoy!