Scraps, scraps, scraps!!!

I can't believe how many scraps I have!  It will be 3 years this month since I finished my first quilt, and the most shocking thing is how many scraps I have acquired in such a short time.  I have been taking a color therapy class with scraps at Urban Spools we have been making scrappy one color way slabs of fabric, our inspiration is from Angie D'Amore's quilt backing that she created last spring at retreat

Angie's quilt slabs from retreat 

and here is a pic of her completed backing with the fun white with black polka dots sashing 

Because I am trying to be more orderly and get rid of my scrappy clutter I am enlisting my fellow retreaters help!  I have sorted all my scraps into the various color ways and I am making grab bags in those color ways 

 there's lots more of these

 so grab a bag (feel free to bring scraps of your own to add) and make a slab!  

Please keep any remaining scraps that are in your bag, or if you really don't want them I will have a drop bin everyone can return them to and also grab from. 

We will make 2 different sizes, hence our 2 block lotteries, so we will have 2 lucky winners!

15 1/2 inch slabs and 12 1/2 inch slabs

Making slabs:

each block 12 1/2 inch block will start with a 

1 1/2 inch square white text fabric I have precut  

each 15 1/2 inch block will start with a

 1 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch white text fabric I have precut 

scraps can be any shape as long as you can cute a straight edge from at least one size to begin

scraps should be pressed 

always have two straight edges for for your seam 

and of course be sure to square your blocks

most importantly enjoy the color therapy process!!!

Charming Selvages

Hi all,   I hope you will enjoy this tutorial,  these blocks are super fun and easy to make.  

I have designed these as a block lotto for the DMQG.  

All you need to make these blocks are some 5 inch charm squares and some leftover selvages.   

First take your selvages and decide which direction you want them to go in.  

Then, flip over first selvage so that it is right sides together with the charm square.  Then sew a 1/4 inch seam (eyeball this, if all you have is 1/8 of an inch then sew that).  

Press seam, then if the selvage has a nice edge sew down other side right up to the edge.  I used the inside of my 1/4 inch foot as the guide. 

If the edge of selvage is tattered then I ironed 1/8 inch before stitching down 

Then take your next selvage and cross over the first 

Once you complete the 2nd selvage, you will need to square back to 5 inch.   

I can't wait to see what you make with these squares.  

~Lee 

"Saltwater 100"

Yay!  I have finally completed my  "Saltwater 100" quilt.  I was inspired to make this quilt from the book City Sampler by Tula Pink.  100 different  blocks was a big undertaking especially since at the time I started this I had only started quilting (piecing) 2 months before.

I thought constructing the 100 blocks would help me learn a lot of quilting techniques and boy, was I correct.  It has only taken me a year to complete this quilt.

I choose to do the entire thing in all 3 color ways of Tula's Saltwater collection.  After finishing 100 blocks I then decided to go with the Gridlock pattern to piece them together.

The backing fabric was purchased at Ihearttulapink.com.  I love Mr. Octo but was not certain I liked the pink Tula Pink signature on it (I thought it was a watermark when I purchased it, so my mistake), so I improvised and covered it with my initial.   I then surrounded Mr. Octo in more blue Octo Garden fabric.

Next, time to quilt!  I spent approximately  12-14 hours on the quilting.  Every block has its own modern theme.  I made waves and water bubbles in the sashing.  I even spent the time to hand bind this quilt (I hate handwork, lol).

I love this quilt!!!  I hope you do as well :)

~Lee

My first year of quilting!

I decided it might be nice to chart my first year of quilts. I began 2013 by taking beginning sewing classes at Urban Spools in Dallas.  Before that I did not own or know how to operate a machine. I completed the first quilt in April of 2013.  Soon after I became fascinated with FMQ.  By June 2013, Michelle at Urban Spools was teaching me how to use a LongArm machine.   I now have my own Handiquilter that I am totally in love with.  

I'm so grateful to have found a great team of teachers at Urban Spools.  Michelle, Sarah, Lisa, and Shannon have taught me so much about their craft.  I blame them (happily) for my newest addiction.    In 2013 I made 15 Quilts! 

Quilts in order of appearance: 

1) Once Upon A Time ( given as Graduation gift to Natalie) 

2) Super Hero ( given as baby gift)

3) Joel Dewberry quilt.  (My first FMQ given as gift) 

4) Nautical Baby (given as baby gift) 

5) Elephant Parade (given as baby gift) 

6) Sew Stitchy  ( used a moda.com pattern, given as gift 

7) A Wonky Picture Perfect Birds & Bee's ( currently hanging at my house) 

8) A Perfect Birds & Bee's ( custom - sold) 

9) It's A Shore Thing ( given as gift for Nancy's 40th)

10) Parisville Boho (sold) 

11) Road 15 Escapade ( given to Brian) 

12) Tshirt quilt (custom - sold)  

13 Christmas Escapade ( given to Keeley) 

14) Cats on Parade (  given to Cadence) 

15) Stars and Patches Christmas ( hanging out with me) 

This is the block I made up for my Simply Solids Bee.  It is inspired by Mondrian Artwork, with a Neon 80's twist!  To get inspired, I suggest listening to 80's music and just go with your Artistic flow.

Cutting instructions:

from Charcoal cut -

3 - 1 1/2 x 4 inch

2 - 1 1/2 x 5 inch

2 - 1 1/2 x 8 inch

1 - 1 1/2 x 12 1/2 inch

from White - 

1 - 2 1/2 x 4 

1 - 6 1/2 x 4

1 - 2 1/2 x 8 

1 - 3 1/2 x 4

1 - 2 1/2 x 5

1 - 1 3/4 x 5 

From Neon Yellow -

1 - 2 1/2 x 4 inch

from Neon Pink -

1 - 3 x 5 inch 

from Neon Orange - 

1 4x 4 

sewing instructions -

begin by sewing top row together:  Neon Yellow 2 1/2 x 4,  Charcoal 1 1/2 x 4, White 2 1/2 x 4, Charcoal 1 1/2 x 4, White 6 1/2 x 4

second row is Charcoal 1 1/2 x 12 1/2 - sew this to top row 

Next assemble 3rd row by sewing White 2 1/2 x 8, Charcoal 1 1/2 x 8

then sew the middle row of 3rd row together by sewing White 3 1/2 x 4, Charcoal 1 1/2 x 4,  Neon Orange 4 x 4, 

sew this row to the last  Charcoal 1 1/2 x 8 

now sew completed middle row to the other side of 8 inch 

charcoal.  

Then assemble last row of the 3rd row by sewing Neon Pink 3 x 5, Charcoal 1 1/2 x 5, White 2 1/2 x 5, Charcoal 1 1/2 x 5, White 1 3/4 x 5

sew this to the other side of the 8 inch Charcoal.  

Now that you have completed the third row sew this to bottom of second row.

That's it,  you now have a 12 1/2 unfinished Mondrian Neon Quilt Block!  

I hope these instructions help.