Tula Pink sew along: Snow Globes quilt top

Today is quite the busy quilty day around these parts!  If you didn't see it earlier, I have another free quilt tutorial over at the Moda Bake Shop today, stop over and check it out...

And when you get back, pop over to Sara's and check out my Snow Globes quilt top and pattern review!  I'm taking over Sara's blog today as part of the Tula Pink sew along, thanks for having me Sara!

I'm taking over Sara's blog today!  Pop on over and checkout the Tula Pink blog hop, and my Snow Globes quilt top!

Moda Bake Shop Simply Woven quilt tutorial

Exciting news today!  I have another free quilt tutorial over at the Moda Bake Shop for everyone on this fine Wednesday!  Head on over to the Moda Bake Shop and check out Simply Woven.  This quilt comes together very quickly using jelly rolls, a solid background fabric and a fun slice and dice block construction method.  

I was lucky enough to get to play with some Simply Color by V and Co.  I absolutely love the bright saturated colors in this line, and plan on stocking up on yardage in those chevrons and hombre solids.  Love. Simply Color is available this month, so be on the lookout for this great fabric line!



Be sure to stop over to the Moda Bake Shop, and leave me a comment to tell me what you think!

Quilt Stats

Quilt Name:  Simply Woven

Quilt Pattern:  Simply Woven, my very own free quilt tutorial available at the Moda Bake Shop

Quilt Size:  72" x 96"

Fabrics:  V and Co. Simply Color, Moda Bella Solid in white

Binding:  V and Co. Simply Color, Diamonds in Graphite Grey

Quilting:  All over free motion loopy quilting

call me...crazy?

I never thought in a million bajillion years I would ever be pulling out this pattern again, but I'm finding myself working on this:

I love my first weekender to pieces, but once I finished it I never imagined a second one anywhere in my future. While I was #notgoingtosewingsummit, I was avidly following along Instagram the whole weekend, and fell in love with the scrappy weekenders, that were popping up, inspired by the scrappy weekender Elizabeth made, and decided I needed to have one.  Now.

 

I dug out my blue, green, grey and yellow scrap bins, and went to town sorting out my favorite scraps, and stitching them using the quilt as you go method Elizabeth described here.



I have the two main panels stitched, with the pockets, top and sides to go.  With one weekender under my belt, I'm planning a few alterations to the pattern already, including a removable shoulder strap like this one, and perhaps leaving the side pockets off like this one, as I plan including lots and lots of interior pockets.  Including bag feet and a hard bottom is a must on this weekender, as the bottom of my first one has taken a good bit of a beating from use.



For now my scrap bins have fully taken over my sewing table, and I'm enjoying stitching away!  More to come on this guy soon, I'm still deciding on a cording and handle fabric, but I'm thinking some Crosshatch sketch in citron or maybe some Heath in grey may be just the ticket.

WIP Wednesday {10.10.12}

Ahhh it feels so good to be back.  I really want to commit to posting WIP Wednesday updates every week again, even when there's not much sewing going on, its like the one constant that keeps all the crazy out of control WIPs in check.  Kind of like stitchy inventory of sorts!

This week I've had a few quilty set backs, Bertha (my large and in charge sewing machine) and I almost came to blows on Saturday afternoon.   You see I was quilting away, happy as a clam, and all of a sudden, she decided that she wanted to break my needles!  I tried everything.  Threading my machine.  Rethreading my machine.  Changing the bobbin.  Rethreading the bobbin.  Changing needle size.  Changing machine settings.  Changing free motion feet. I even busted out my mini vaccuum attachment setting and cleaned out the bobbin case (helloooo lint.)  Alas, this was all to no avail.  That bitch my trusted stitchy side kick continued to break a needle about every 5 minutes.  Not only that, but she decided she didn't like the automatic needle threader, and that pulled stitches would be fun.  This was where I just. had. to. walk. away.  Bertha is now at the sewing machine doctor, so hopefully they can get her all straightened out and back to her quilty awesome-ness, and soon.  I'm missing her.  Terribly.

I've resorted to pulling out my back up machine to try and finish the quilting, but I realize I've been spoiled.  I sat behind my now seemingly mini machine, and it has absolutely no "get up and go."  How did I sew on this thing for so long??  Anyways, I'm not sure how much quilting I'll be able to finish on this quilt, as its pretty large (a generous twin size).  It feels a little bit like David and Goliath.  We'll see how it goes, I'm pulling for you David!!

In other news, the newest round of the 4x5 bee has officially kicked off.  I'm super excited, this bee always draws such awesome quilty peeps, amazing blocks are guaranteed!  In the midst of all the sewing machine drama  this weekend, I decided I'd work up a test block for my hive, that my little mini machine can handle.



I used Six White Horses Sharp Chevrons tutorial and I'm in love.  This block is paper pieced, I love the tiny detail and precision that paper piecing lends to quilt blocks.  So sharp crisp and clean.  I'll be pulling fabrics for the rest of my hive mates in case the quilting on mr. {mini} machine doesn't work out, I think he can at least handle a little paper piecing :-)

What have you been up to this week??  I'm hoping to keep myself nice and busy for the next few days to distract myself from the fact that I'm missing out on Sewing Summit this year.  Rest assured I'll be stalking/vicariously living through those attending via twitter and instragram!  Be sure to head over to Freshly Pieced and add your WIPs!

bee block catch up

I fell a little behind on bee blocks the last month or two, I always assume "I can work on those tomorrow" and then tomorrow turns into the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and before you know it, I'm frantically playing catch up.  Anyways, in the midst of repainting and "face lifting" our living room (pics to come soon), I did sneak a little sewing time to get caught up!

First off I have to share what has been pouring through my mailbox the last few weeks!  I'm in love with these blocks that the fine ladies of the Inspire circle of do. Good Stitches has made for me using my Techicolor Twist block tutorial.  I am so digging this quilt, the colors are just great, I'm waiting on one more block and have to make one more block, and then I can put together the quilt top!

This is my super late block, Amber requested these fun churn dash blocks for August in the Stash Bee using black, purple and white.  Working on this block made me realized how little purple and black I have in my stash!  I used some Pat Bravo Oval Elements in licorice, and is about as black as I could get.  Hopefully this works for Amber and it fits with her other blocks.

Also for the Stash Bee, Caroline requested fun scrappy log cabin blocks, and asked for fun bright fabrics.  Fun bright fabrics I can do!  I always enjoy digging through my scrap bins for blocks like this, hopefully she likes the fun text-y prints as well!

These blocks were for Andy in the Inspire circle of do. Good Stitches.  She requested two blocks in aqua and orange (colors I certainly am NOT lacking for in my stash!) using her very own Jumble quilt block pattern.  These blocks were so fun and quick to put together, I can't wait to see her finished quilt, it will make for a very cool pattern!