Sunday 24 July 2016

Slow and steady Sunday!

Happy Sunday to you all!

Well I have been away from blog land for a little while but thought I should share a few things I have been up to today and recently.   

Although today was cold it was fine enough for me to snap a photo of Gelati Stars for you all.  I am deciding how to quilt this, jet me know if I should hand or machine quilt it in the comments please. I'm really glad I decided to do this quilt as a mystery for you all to join with me.  It's certainly been lots of fun.  So many thanks for joining or following along. 


Recently I went shopping for a few new text fabrics for my glacier star, these will be used in my outer flying geese and sky units.  Below are the units that have been completed so far.  I'm really excited about this quilt top.  I have decided to do the extension borders. 





Today I finished bagging all of my fabrics into each of the lessons.  During the next few weeks I will prepare my papers and final pieces.  


I was lucky to spend some time with hubby over the weekend and had this gorgeous hazelnut, chocolate gateau to share over coffee.  Was delicious!

Now my final project today was a little bit of free motion quilting on my blossoming news quilt.   Tomorrow I plan to finish the las birder and to do the binding.  So if all goes well I will be able to reveal this quilt complete for you this week.



For all who are going to Melbourne Craft Fair I will be there on Thursday through to 
Saturday so if you see me or spot my quilts say hello or tag me in your photos will be great to meet some of you in person.  

But until then I have lots if things to complete and organise.  So I will keep focused and keep my eye on the prize and not be dismayed!

Keep creating and enjoy the colours you are given in life,

Wendy!



Monday 11 July 2016

July BOM! Are your ready?

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all ready for this block, sorry it's a bit late.  You have had a mystery last month which has taken a little bit of time.  I still have to get a good photo of the top now that it's all together for you.

Now for the block!  This month we are doing a split 9 patch!

You will need two colours or two values.  I have only used two colours.  

So you will need to cut from each colour 
3 X 4 1/2" squares
3 X 4 7/8" triangles

This is what you will have once it is all cut out!
Then we will piece the triangles to make square units.  We can then sew the units into rows.  I have press the seams towards the full squares and not the triangle squares.

This is the block in rows ready to be sewn together!

And here is the block all sewn together!  One split nine patch.

I am behind in my hand piecing blocks but over the next couple of weeks these shall be all caught up.  How are you doing with your blocks?

Here are all of mine together, I am really loving how these are coming together.  

So be looking out for th next couple of blog posts I have some exciting things happening!  So u til then, take care and have fun with the Block of the Month!

Keep smiling and sewing,

Wendy.

Friday 1 July 2016

Yahoo! Winter Mystery Quilt Along Reveal!

Happy Friday!  Plus a big Hug and a Kiss for the first day of the month!


Well I hope you are ready to do the last bit of cutting and sewing for this block and quilt!  So lets get to the sewing area and be off and sewing steadily for a quilt top.

Cutting Instructions

From your backgrounds you will need to cut 72  x 3.5" squares.

Sewing Instructions

Take out the four patches from the first clue and make sure they are all facing the same way.  As in the top right corner has either the dark or the light (depending on your background).  Place the background square on top and sew as per photos below.  We are about to make double four patch blocks before assembling our block to make the quilt


ready to sew four patches to backgrounds.
Press Seams towards background square
four patches and backgrounds sewn
Once these are all sewn we then pair them to look like the following photo and then sew these seems together to finish the block


Ready to sew four patch together
Make sure you butt your seams together so that you get a nice point meeting at the centre of the block
Sewing together
Press blocks open and gather all of the other blocks


All units of the blocks assembled to make the new block for the quilt

Now for the Reveal!  We have been making Crossing Ohio!  Have you crossed Ohio?  or have you crossed a new bridge whilst making this quilt?  I would love to hear!

Ok lets lay this out for you to see!
Crossing Ohio Block
Layout your block like this, I then work from the top and chain piece, I have the right piece placed on top of the centre and work from the top of the block and chain each one and remove leaving the little chains between.  This is called Webbing a block, it really helps us not to twist things when they are going together.  
Starting of sewing the complete block


Still all joint and ready to join other three pieces

opened so you can see what it is like part webbed
I now pin the last side pieces to the webbed centre piece.  I do this so that I am able to flip the block and not forget to flip the other parts of the block so that I am sewing with the least amount of fabric going through the throat side of the machine.

Pinned ready to sew
All parts now webbed and opened for you to see
Now back to the machine and sew those last two rows together to create the block

Sewing the last rows together

TA DA!  its all sewn!

 


Crossing Ohio all Sewn!
Now I love this block as it makes a secondary pattern through the quilt.  I have chosen some border fabric which is in a photo above with the units of the blocks and also a binding.  During today I will sew this little quilt together to look like this and I will be putting the borders on and I will explain how to do this for you all.  So either later today or early tomorrow you will have another blog post with the finishing touches!


Crossing Ohio -Winter Mystery Quilt Along!

This is how it will look with a bit of a look at my border.
Now I am actually thinking of Calling this little quilt of mine Gelati Stars. what will you call yours?

I hope you have all had as much fun as I have doing this and I am wondering how many of you have guessed what it was going to look like?  Do you like it or hate it, we all have different taste, I'm just interested in your thoughts?  Also would you do another one with me?

Ok off to the machines and consider these questions.  If you find it hard to leave a comment on the blog just let me know in the group or message me.

Have fun and Enjoy the first day of July!

Wendy!