November Quilting Summary

A blogger who I follow blogs an end-of-the-month summary which works well for her. Sometimes I don't have the time or fortitude to blog on a regular timeline and I can get lost in what I have done each month. I thought I would post (if only for my own record) the projects I have worked on this last month.

The trip to Houston--I still want to post about what I saw and who I met.

Before I left on the 9-day trip, I had to sew a few items that had deadlines.

I made the scrapy star blocks for the Gridsters' Queen Bee. They were fun and I like using my scraps. I always feel I bought the fabric and should use all of it that I can! You can find the pattern HERE.

I embroidered some Christmas items for the consignment shop.

Coasters

Pencil Toppers

Candy Cane Reindeer

Dish Towels

My daughter and I made a quilt for her new nephew one weekend.

I attended a free watercolor class at the library on Saturday, November 17. A local artist, Lori McElrath Eslick, taught the class. I hadn't done any watercolor painting since high school and it was fun. We traced her illustrations and worked through techniques she explained for these two pictures.

And I finished my entry for The Modern Quilt Guild Michael Miller Challenge. Here's a close up.

Threads That Bind Community Sewing Group

The Threads That Bind Community Sewing Group met today. 

This is a group that a few of the ladies from the church organized

and anyone in the community is welcome to come sew with us. 

We meet the 4th Monday of the month with the goal of making some quilts to give to various organizations within the community. We are still in the quilt construction stage and have only a few finished quilts at the present time. 

Three ladies came today. We accomplished a few things. 

I machine quilted a baby quilt and a toddler quilt that we sewed last month. 

I used my walking foot and stitched 1/4" away from the seams and then went diagonally on the baby quilt.

I still have to quilt diagonally on the toddler quilt. 

Diane and Charity worked on cutting and sewing 8-1/2" blocks from 5 fabrics to make a large disappearing 9 patch quilt. 

I finished a few of the blocks at home and laid them out on the floor, just to see. 

This quilt will be about 66" square when completed. 

Do you make quilts for causes? 

Have you found a great pattern that is easy for most people to sew? 

Quilt Patterns I Have Designed

Val's Quilting Studio's Tuesday Archives is featuring "Original Patterns by You!" Those who are linking are posting about patterns they have designed for their own use or for sale whether using wool, paper piecing, applique, bags, totes, and/or quilts. 

I am copying parts of the blogs that I have written about some of the patterns I have designed. Some have been for my own use and others I have for sale. It has given me the idea to put a list on my blog of patterns I have designed.

I enjoy designing my own patterns for a number of reasons. The first is that it satisfies my creative urge. Also, I want to be able to photograph and display my quilts without seeking permission from the pattern designer of a pattern I use. I can share my patterns freely with my friends and with those whom I teach. Lastly, although not prolific, I have some for sale which gives me a little bit of "quilting money" to fund my passion of quilting. 

My pattern, Rings Placemat Set, was designed for Cut Loose Press. Cut Loose patterns are available to Local Quilt Shops through Checker Distributing. If your local shop doesn't carry them, ask them to put in an order! Here is a photo:

 

Another pattern I designed for Cut Loose Patterns is 

Tree-Mendous Possibilities

It is 2 patterns in one!

By adding just one more fabric after making the "Tree" quilt, you can make a second quilt! And there is almost NO waste.

Start with a layer cake and a few extra pieces of fabric. 

(Or use your fabric yardage cut into 10" squares.)

It is an easy quilt to make. But don't stop there! 

  

Change it up a bit by substituting other materials such as photos on fabric, childrens' art work or handprints, signatures, redwork or embroidery, why even t-shirts would work!

Why not use the letters: BFF at the bottom and have photos of the best friends in the branches? How about a growth quilt?

This pattern has "tree-mendous possibilities". 

And, below, is the second quilt that can be made with the leftovers plus another fabric cut.

Another quilt I designed has hearts as the border. I wanted it to have the appearance of a postage stamp.

I designed this footprint baby quilt to use the bear

fabric as the outer border. But there are other animal footprints in the pattern so other animal fabrics can be used.

This pattern and 4 others for sale

at Patternspot.com under Patchwork Breeze as the designer.

The Kittens in a Basket quilt is my 1930s pattern I designed for a guild challenge to use reproduction fabrics.

If you'd like a free pattern, try the the CURIOUS CATS block found at PatternSpot.com. I had fun designing it. My inspiration came when I found a photo of a block on the internet. I sketched it, but did not write down the website or blog it came from. It made me think of cats watching something interesting. Maybe fish or mice or bugs!