Guess my Favorite Color?

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Jenny

I would love to make a nice big string quilt one of these years. I have started a few blocks, but I’m not sure what I want to do next or where I want to go with these.

This Orange pentagon crazy patch is for the block of the month for my guild this year. You just draw a random pentagon, and add and trim until you have a block the size you want.

I have figured out a formula for how long it will take me to finish this quilt. I will finish the blocks in November, since that’s the last time our guild meets. I expect it will be done by next August, which is the time of our annual guild show.

So, based on these blocks, can you guess my favorite color? It used to be blue. . .

WIP to FO!

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Jenny

I finished my diamond quilt! I love this fabric line.

Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Jenny

I can tell I am totally restless to get this baby out, because I have almost finished this quilt. I never finish anything unless someone’s baby is due or the birthday/Christmas/Quilt Show is coming! This is it a couple of days ago, and once I finish sewing down the binding and the rain stops I’ll shoot the completed thing.

I love how versatile half-square triangles are for design.

Our Friend, the Stiletto

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Jenny

I would never sew in stilettos. However, I would sew WITH a stiletto. I didn’t know that they moonlight as a sewing tool until Christmas time, when a friend from quilt guild made these adorable things for everyone in the guild:

They are really useful for holding down little pieces of fabric in spots where my fat fingers just dare not go.

See? I think this stiletto’s grandmother was a shish kabob stick. And look where she is now!

Quick Quilt + Batting Scraps Tip

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Jenny

Ever wonder what to do with all of your million strips of leftover batting? Well, you should pull out your basting spray, and make a very small quilt that is batted with strips. Basting spray and strips of batting are a match made in heaven.

First, take your backing outside so you can get it nice and dirty on the cement in your back yard. Spray basting spray on it, and then arrange your strips edge to edge.

Next, spray the batting. Fold your quilt top in half, and spread / smooth it over your batting, then smooth your way from the fold up to the top. Basting spray is really forgiving. You if you get a wrinkle you can just pull up the fabric and smooth it down again. They should make something like that for skin.

After you’re all basted together, call your sister who likes to free-motion quilt, and enslave her to finish the quilting while you watch and eat bonbons.

I did bind this quilt, but I forgot to photograph it finished. It was in my UFO pile for a long time, and finally someone is due with a boy at a convenient time for me to finish it. I love how quickly a quilt comes together when the top is just one block. One. Done. Fun.