a couple quick quilts i've been working on

P.S.  I cannot wait to see what we're doing for JULY!!  The templates have me really excited.  I have had chocolate, vanilla and strawberry on my mind.  Can't wait to see what you have in mind!!

this ones for the birds

Flying your way Teriney,

I send this to you with mixed emotions. the first of the 9 squares I think I had beginers luck and I flew threw it....the second,third,fourth,fifth, sixth and seventh I had to do over a two week period because I was spending more time with the seam ripper then with my husbad :). I faced the wind tonight and it finally clicked how I am really supose to do pattern piecing (I think It took a little more math then my mom brain knew, but remembered), but the last two squares I LOVED doing and so here is my portion on its way to you right now.

(sorry, for some reason I can't rotate this little guy)

 much love- Sarah

for you, t-money

 i'm a little concerned about the temperature of some of these greens...

not all might be as cool as you were wanting.

but the helicopter was begging for a showcase....

 as were the vintage bears, then the robots. how could i leave out brothers robot?

some of my stash favorites are included in this block, and since you're one of my favorite people...it's a  perfect match:)...thus defending my lukewarm greens.

this was a fun one. let me know if you'd like me to redo it, with cooler choices. xo.

Ms. June

Teriney, this looks a lot better in person... I hope. Also, I LOVED all the fabric you sent.  Thank you!  How did you get so nice?

***Warning:  I post the following in spite of the fact that I have not checked with either one of my “filters” (my husband or my sister) before publishing.***  

I have had one too many (handfuls) of sour assorted Jelly Bellies, luckily, my sugar intake, though ensuring I deliver an 11 lb. gestational diabetes baby,  has led me to a genius idea.  Ladies, envision with me, “The 12 Squared Official Calendar”.  It has a nice ring to it, right? 

Each “quiltress” will represent her month (Robyn May, Teriney June etc.) with an inspiring spread… the month’s seamstress wrapped in her quilt.  I know, I know don’t all express your excitement and interest to soon! 

Obviously we will have to press out some of the wrinkles.  Like how I, Ms. November, will make the least sexy month of the year enticing to our fans.  

I know with a little hard work and a lot of sass we can make this calendar great.

So ladies, what do you think?   Let’s brainstorm this out!

Ta-ta,

Nicole

Amy's update

I'm loving how this is turning out! I'm still missing some and I need to make more so it's bigger, but I wanted you to see my progress. I LOVE IT! Thanks for your work girls! It makes me happy.

stacked the odds

I whipped this up for a very special lady. Her birthday is next week, I sure hope it makes it to her in time!

I've had the pattern for awhile, Denyse Schmidt, Stacking the Odds. Well, it's roughly based on that pattern.

I used several different fabrics for the rows, and my go to kona white for the edges and in betweens. I backed with an ikea striped print, and bound with Michael Miller's Mini Mikes. I can't believe how binding can finish when you slow.down.

It ended up about 58"x 62". It will go perfect in her bedroom. 

Windows for Teriney and last year's quilt!!!

First of all, here is my square for Teriney.  I don't really have any stories for these fabrics except that the lower right martian robot fabric was on my nephew's quilt.  Oh, and that snowcone was on a bandana I've had in my stash for years.

Hopefully Teriney likes it!

Secondly, I never finished my 12squared offset stacked coin quilt from last year because I was busy and really didn't need another lap quilt.  The other day I bought bright new towels for the kids and was wishing I had a more colorful shower curtain.  BAM!!!  The idea came to me to use the quilt top for a shower curtain and so I present to you...

The I-thought-I-was-going-to-be-a-quilt shower curtain. 

Now I get to see it everyday (as do guests that answer Mother Nature's call).  It's so cheerful and lovely and makes me smile every time I see it.  (our main bathroom is tiny, so it was hard to get a photo of the whole thing.  If you're not sure where your square is, go here)

Maybe I'll put this year's quilt together before a year goes by!  Or maybe I'll make myself 24 pot holders.  lol.

for you, Teriney

Thank you so much, Teriney, for the color samples and fabrics you sent!  It was so generous and lovely of you.  I included two of the fabrics you sent me so you could be reminded of how thoughtful you are.  The owl reminds me of my dear cousin Emily and I just love that owl so he had to be right in the middle.  I apologize if that big square is too big.  It didn't look quite so big until the seams were sewn in.  I hope you like it!  Now I am going to keep it safe until I get it into a mailer...this square was intense. : )  Love, Camie

Monkey Business!

 I made this quilt for my daughter, Grace, who is expecting a boy in August! (#12 for the Toblers!) I fell in love with the monkeys (Brother and Sister Design Studio) and then fell in love with the "dot to dot" (School Days by American Jane). It just makes you want to get a marker and go to town on it. The border is "Flag Day Farm by Polly Minick & Lauri Simpson. I got the red at Hobby Lobby.

I quilted it on the machine with a wavy stitch... much easier to maneuver than the "stitch in the ditch".

I love it! I will have to go to Idaho often to see it.

Like pretty maids, all in a row

I mentioned on Kristin's post that I wanted to post a pic of the squares I have so far, and here I am doing it!!!  I say that with such amazement because I might be pretty quiet around here coming up.  (Teriney and Sarah...I promise I'll get your squares to you in good time....just perhaps not IN time.)  You see, we're moving to Denver in mid July and I am officially off my ever living rocker.  Not really, but things like quilting may or may not be able to be accomplished in my "free time".  Sigh. 

Anyway, here are the squares I have so far.  No worries if yours isn't done, sent, etc. (see above paragraph and my track record for last minute squares).  I just had to share how fun it's turning out! I also wanted to ease the fears of the many who worried about their fabric choices and square composition since the guidelines were so wide.

I honestly love it.  It's happy, bright, eclectic and just what I wanted. Thank you thank you thank you friends!

(And 'scuse the wrinkles...I've had them safely folded and tucked away and didn't press them for their photo shoot.)

June: Inspiration Square

Here is my INSPIRATION square...

I went through way too many other squares
and finally settle on one that I felt looked like me!

(I'll take a better picture)

This square is going to be patterned pieced, please don't hate me!

First the dirty business:

Colors: cool (vs warm) shades of GREEN / Kona white

I am going to send you paint chips to match the green and Kona White.

I love a lot of quirky fabric.

I do not love watermarked fabric, and super traditional...like country floral, 80's stuff

In advance, there are a ton of directions, just in case you need them.

Lets Begin!

 Take any 8 x 10 paper and mark a 5" line.

 Slide ruler to marked 5" line and cut off extra.

 Rotate paper. Align with edge, mark 5" and cut off extra.

Toss cut off.

Rotate paper again, and cut at 5" line.

Now there are  two 5" squares.

We need a total of NINE

Back to the ruler.

Mark lightly with a pencil 2.5" from the top and sides

Finding the center.

Like so.

From that center line draw TWO lines EQUAL distance from the center.

The lines can be any distance from the center.

Mark dark so that you can see from the other side.

Turn the square and mark TWO more lines, again EQUAL distance from the center.

I marked mine with a dash.

Find the top and number the sections like so.

This is the order in which to sew the white on.

Starting with piece number one.

Find the fabric you want to use.

Make sure there is ample room.

This is where pattern piecing can get frustrating,

thinking there is enough fabric

and then running short.

Lay the white fabric down.

Place the green fabric on top, right side down.

(I took this picture wrong so I had to redo, hence the red fabric)

Lay the 5" paper on top of the fabric.

Lines facing up.

I held mine up to the light to make sure I had about 1/4" seem allowance.

Sew on top of the line, starting where the two lines meet.

BACKSPACE at the beginning and end of stitch.

It helps the stitch stay when removing the paper.

Fold back paper at the line just stitched 

and trim off extra fabric, leaving 1/4".

NOTE:

This is where I have messed up a lot!

Be extra care full and don't cut off all of the seam allowance!

Iron Stitch.

(I don't know why I do this but they say it secures the stitch?!)

Turn paper over and iron open, like so.

 

Next place white fabric over green for piece number 3.

Sew along line, just as before,

starting at the intersection.

Repeat FOLD, TRIM, SECURE STITCH, IRON OPEN.

This time, piece four, as before, align white fabric on top.

But start at edge and stitch all the way across.

Repeat FOLD, TRIM, SECURE STITCH, IRON OPEN.

Repeat with the final piece.

Stitching from side to side.

Final FOLD, TRIM, SECURE STITCH, IRON OPEN.

Use the paper piece to trim off excess fabric.

Gently remove paper.

Like this...

Iron...then make 8 more.

Sew all 9 squares together to make one.

The final square is about 15".

(I hope that is okay)

DO NOT TRIM SQUARE DOWN.

IMPORTANT BITS:

Green Fabric should be less than @ 50% of square.

or in other words, more white than green fabric.

Stick to only FOUR corned shapes.

More or less centered.

The fabric should be green.

However, I understand there is some cross over colors...

just make sure when looking at it, it says green or will in the bigger picture.

I am sending paint chips and Kona white to you tomorrow, Monday.

Many thanks!!!

Any questions just ask.

To the few I promised fabric to back in Feb.(?),

It will be sharing a ride with the Kona & chips.

Sorry it has taken only forever!

XO

Teriney