I used the fabric line Dandelion Daydream by Mayberry for this fantastic new Table Runner.  It’s not my typical choice for fabrics but when I saw it I knew I had to have it and make something with it! I just love these colors together – so classic and rich.   

Well – in my dreams I came up with a new ‘spin’ on the nine patch. Most of us quilter’s know how to make a Disappearing Nine Patch block by cutting the nine patch in half horizontally and vertically – well – what happens to a Nine Patch when you cut it in half diagonally – you get Spinning Nines!

Directions

Start by cutting out 1 set of 5 ‘dark’ fabrics and 4 ‘light’ or ‘medium’ fabrics into 3.5” strips WOF.  Cut these strips in half.  Pair up 12 of the strips – one dark to one light/medium and sew together.  Iron towards the darker fabric.  Add a dark fabric to the opposite side of the light strips on some and a light fabric to the opposite side of a dark strip on others.  Once you have these strip sets made cut them into 3.5” stirps the long way to create your nine patches.  You’ll want four squares made with 5 lights and 4 made with 5 darks.  Lay them out so the darks and lights go every other like a checkerboard. 

   Once you have a general layout figured out take your nine patches off the wall.  Here’s the ‘trick’ (not much of one). You’re going to cut your nine patch in half diagonally.  Do this with all the blocks you created.  Swap triangles with light centers with triangles that are dark.  You can see what I mean in the picture of the block above. 

I would recommend laying out all your triangles so you make sure you have opposite darks/lights.  You can see in the picture above something is wonky with the top two blocks.  When I stepped back and looked I saw it before I sewed everything together. 

Sew them together back into a square.  Square blocks down to 8.5”.     Once your blocks are all square, sew them together into a 2 x 4 block table runner.  How cool does that look!  I have decided to name it a ‘Spinning Nine’ Block. 

I decided that this runner just needed a simple straight line angled stitching.  I LOVE the look of this quilting and think it’s perfect for the table runner – my ‘Spinning Nines’   

I bound my final runner with the same diagonal print I used on some of my squares in my nine patch. 

Final Table Runner Size:  16” x 32”

Please let me know if you have any questions about how to make your own Spinning Nine Blocks!  I realize while I was putting this tutorial together I may need to take more pictures of my process.  I have more patterns you can do with this block/technique coming soon so be sure to stop back!

A highly impacting factor to the Celebration Quilt that we’re making for the 2012 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat Get Away Weekend is the Kaleidoscoping blocks we’re using in our quilt instead of the original pattern.  Below I showed you some mosaics of the Kaleidoscopes I made.  The first picture on the left is the original block – the pictures to the right are all the blocks that I Kaleidoscoped to use in my quilt.  It was so much fun!

Not everything worked this well though…here is a strip of blocks I didn’t use:

I didn’t use the original block on the left.  When I kaleidoscoped it it just wasn’t dramatic or impacting enough.  I didn’t use the block second from the right because it reminding me too much of a swastika and I didn’t use the block farthest to the right just because it didn’t fit.  But don’t worry – I will definitely be using this block somewhere – it’s just too cool!

I’m showing you these as a bit of a teaser…I have my quilt top finished!  Stop back in a few days to see what it turned out like :)

Happy Neighborhood is basically the same as Suburbs but I’ll go through it anyways. 

For this sashing, I also used the house print from Suzy Ultman’s Appleville Collection for Robert Kaufman.  Any house with trees print fabric you have would work as long as they comfortably fit in the 3.5” x 12.5” sashing strip.

Cutting Instructions:

1 – 3.5” x 12.5” sashing strip

Directions:

BEFORE you cut our your houses (3) and trees (2), iron on your preferred fusible to the back of your fabric (I’m a Heat ‘n’ Bond girl personally).  Once the fusible is on, THEN cut out your houses and trees(much easier than trying to add the fusible to the cut outs…)

Arrange your houses and trees on your strip in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing to you.  Iron on your houses and trees.  If you used a light fusible be sure to add some appliqué stitches to hold those houses in place! I love this one too!  And so simple!Here is the Happy Neighborhood Sashing between “House on the Bay” and  “Under the Moreton Bay Fig” Blocks from the Home Sweet Home Quilt.   

For this sashing, I used the house print from Suzy Ultman’s Appleville Collection for Robert Kaufman.  Any house print fabric you have would work as long as they comfortably fit in the 3.5” x 12.5” sashing strip.

Cutting Instructions:

1 – 3.5” x 12.5” sashing strip

Directions:

BEFORE you cut our your house, iron on your preferred fusible to the back of your fabric (I’m a Heat ‘n’ Bond girl personally).  Once the fusible is on, THEN cut out your houses (much easier than trying to add the fusible to the cut out houses…)

Arrange your houses on your strip in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing to you.  Iron on your houses.  If you used a light fusible be sure to add some appliqué stitches to hold those houses in place!

 

And it’s as easy as that – and doesn’t it look great!?

Here is my Suburbs Sashing between Marcia’s Crazee Patch House and The Happy Tree Blocks. 

The next sashing I’m going to show you for your Home Sweet Home Quilt is very similar to the Window Panes Sashing with just a minor difference.

 

Cutting Instructions:

Fabric 1 (light): 2 – 1.5” squares, 2 – 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles

Fabric 2 (dark): 1 – 1.5” square

Fabric 3 (light): 2 – 1.5” squares, 2 – 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles

Fabric 4 (dark): 1 – 1.5” square

for the ‘trunk blocks’

Fabric 5 (trunk): 1 – 3.5” x 1.5” rectangle

Fabric 6 (grass): 2 – 3.5” x 1.5” rectangles

Fabric 7 (trunk): 1 – 3.5” x 1.5” rectangle

Fabric 8 (grass): 2 – 3.5” x 1.5” rectangles

 

Sewing Directions:

Step 1:  For the Window Trees: Sew the two light 1.5” squares of Fabric 1 to either side of the darker 1.5” squares of Fabric 2.  Iron away from the center square.  Repeat with Fabrics 3 and 4. 

If you want more specific instructions check out the Window Panes Tutorial. 

Step 2:  For the Trunks, sew the 2 Fabric 6 rectangles to either side of the Fabric 5 rectangle.  Iron towards the lighter of the two fabrics.   Repeat with Fabrics 7 and 8.

Step 3.  Sew the Window Trees to the tops of the trunks and then sew the two sets together.  And Walla! 

 

Here’s the Window Trees Sashing between Block 10 – A Home for the Birds and Block 11 – Happy Tree 

 

If my count is right – this is the 18th sashing of the 49 sashings…I’m about 37% of the way there :)

Once again Amy’s Creative Side hosted a HUGELY successful Blogger’s Quilt Festival with 621 Quilts on display from Blogger’s all over!  I was happy to share with everyone my freshly finished Bloom Quilt (21).  It is now time to nominate quilts for different categories and of course – vote for the viewer’s choice (ahem…Bloom is number 21)…

 

To cast your vote for your favorite go here:  http://amyscreativeside.com/2012/05/18/bloggers-quilt-festival-spring-2012/

Blooming Poppy YoYo’s Lap Quilt

Here are the categories for nominations (only enter the number corresponding to the quilt via the festival – ie – my Bloom Quilt is 21 so I would put 21 in one or more of the categories…) : 

• Favorite Baby Quilt
• Favorite Throw Quilt…hmmmm…21 would work in this category…
• Favorite Bed Quilt
• Favorite Group/Bee Quilt (note to self, be sure to have Home Sweet Home done in time for next years festival…)
• Favorite Two Color Quilt
• Favorite ROYGBIV (Color Wheel) Quilt
• Favorite Applique Quilt
• Favorite Pieced Quilt
• Favorite Hand Quilted Quilt
• Favorite Home Machine Quilted Quilt
• Favorite Professional Quilted Quilt
• Favorite Art Quilt – I would say 21 would work here too
• Favorite Doll/Mini Quilt
• Favorite Wall Hanging

Here’s the link to the nomination page:  http://amyscreativeside.com/2012/05/23/quick-note/

 

Here are a few links to quilts that I checked out that really stuck in my mind…

http://cadouri-din-inima.blogspot.com/2012/05/bloggers-quilt-festival.html

 http://www.joyofallcrafts.com/home/2012/5/21/bloggers-quilt-festival.html  http://pileofabric.com/post/882927-bloggers-quilt-festival-bring-on-the

There are so so so many more quilts that are amazing – I just wanted to show you a few of my personal fav’s.  Thanks for all your support!

Welcome to Tuesday night and my last blog post of the day…just trying to catch up.  Not much progress but wanted to share with you all anyway…

2012 8-inch Sampler Quilt from all different Quilt Along’s, Block’s of the Months, and my Own Ideas!

I have two of every block made for the Blogger’s BOM – in just 3 days another new block pattern should be coming out – can’t wait!

I finished the 10 blocks from the New York Beauty Quilt Along!  I was definitely getting the hang of these by the end BUT I definitely think I’m going to keep at just 1 each for this quilt – but boy – do I LOVE them!

I still only have the sole Mariner’s Compass Block done from the aid ofChris Lynn Kirsch’s class and her new self-published book, Compass Capers.  I will definitely be making at least one more of these for this piece.

I did a really fun ‘star’ block from the Crumb Along.  It is such a fabulous way to make a quilt!  I may have to make more than two of each of these…we’ll see what happens…

I also created 2 blocks from a new method that I’m pretty sure I created – can you tell which ones they are?

I’m up to 33 8-inch blocks (I didn’t picture one so I could fit in 8 x 4 grid)made and I am so so so LOVING this quilt!

You can see what everyone else’s blocks for the Quilter’s BOM look like in the flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bloggersbom/pool/with/6789066490/

and for the New York Beauty Quilt Along in this flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1900096@N20/

and for the Crumb Along: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1722689@N25/

The Craftsy Block of the Month

No new progress on these.  I made my blocks too early in the month…I’m already anxiously waiting for the next two…Just 9 more days…

And here’s the Craftsy Block of the Month Flickr Group if you want to see what others’ looks like:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/craftsyblockofthemonth/

FabricFascination

Next up: the BOM from FabricFascination.  Sometime’s BOM’s are nice to just have the fabric all sent already precut for you – and that’s exactly what I’m doing with this one.  A new block for May!  This one was easy peasy!

• Overview of the Block of the Month Club
• Block of the Month Pre-Cut Kits
• Block 1:
  • Blog Post
  • Pre-Cut Kit
• Block 2:
  • Blog Post
  • Project from Block
  • Pre-Cut Kit
• Block 3
  • Blog Post
  • Pre-Cut Kit
• Block 4
  • Blog Post
  • Pre-Cut Kit
• Block 5
  • Blog Post
  • Pre-Cut Kit

I’m not sure if anyone has noticed but I now have blog sponsors!  Yeah! It’s such an exciting step in my blogging life.  Now I can also justify all the time I spend on my computer to my husband (or at least some of the time…)

 

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I shared with you possible cornerstone fabrics for the Home Sweet Home Quilt Along you can find at one of my sponsors sites – the Fat Quarter Shop and tonight I want to share with you some great house and tree fabrics I found at another sponsors site – Hawthorne Threads. 

 

All you need for your cornerstones is a 3.5” square.  If you aren’t crazy and decided to use straight fabric for your sashings instead of the 49 different designs – you can always cut these fabrics into 3.5” x 12.5” for sashings (or whatever size you choose for your quilt).

I had so much fun searching ‘house’ and ‘tree’ on Hawthorne Threads – here are just 12 of my favorites…

Starting in the upper left corner:  Farmhouse Patchwork in Blue, Bird House in Dusty Blue, City in Green, Pear Tree in Blue, Peeps Towers in Turquoise*, Houses in Multi, Tree Blooms in Aqua, Sweet Street in Grey, Pine Trees in Winter, Tree Farms in Aqua, Squirrels and Trees in Sorbet, Spring Street Panel in Blue

 

Do you have a favorite of my house and tree finds!?

It’s been a weekend full of cuteness and sadness but now that things are getting back to normal I have some fun posts to share with you. 

I was so excited when I found this quilt at the first Vintage Flea and Find Market hosted by Glitter Workshop. 

So – the quilt is pretty big so please forgive that I didn’t get the best overall picture of it…but here it is!

All the pieces you see are tiny 2-inch hexagons cut from scraps of polyester and they’re all hand pieced together.I am so so so in love with the  color, the texture, the fun of this quilt!

The quilt does not have a back.  I’m not sure if I should try to find a piece of vintage fabric and back it and tie it or if i should just leave it as is…  any thoughts?

I don’t have the best tutorial or any for that matter for this sashing.  I’m showing you this to demonstrate that you really can use pretty much any leftover to create at least something.  Here’s the Split Hexie Tree Sashing between Block 14, Under the Apple Tree and Block 8, A Wonky Modern House.  I started this block with just a plain single strip that was 12.5” x 3.5”. 

And now I have to go back to one of the blocks for the Craftsy Block of the Month by Amy Gibson – Hex Stripe.

 

For this block we had to make 13 Hexagons and then put them onto the square for the block.  As you can see the Hexagons go over the edge of this block.  When I cut them off to square the block I was left with some cute ‘split’ Hexagon shapes.   

 

When I put them side by side I saw that they made a super cute tree! 

 

I simply machine appliquéd the two pieces onto the strip fabric and made an adorable Split Hexie Tree Sashing for my Home Sweet Home Quilt!

I started this quilt way back in February of 2011 when a friend of mine on etsy sent me the link for Amy Butler’s Bloom Pattern.  As soon as I saw it I knew that I had to make this!  It was one of my ‘nesting’ quilts that I made during the end of my pregnancy with my last little girl, Persimoni Mae.  You’ll see that I tweaked my quilt just a pit from Amy’s pattern but I think it’s still pretty amazing!
**PS this is quilt 21 for voting purposes...
I’ve actually had the 300+ yoyo’s (303 actually…I found 3 more and just sewed them on last night) sewn on to the top for a bit now but it took me until last night to finally get up the energy to trim all the threads sticking out of the blooms.  It feels so good to have this one under my belt though!

I just love all the color, all the texture and all the dimension this quilt has.  Yeah!  Yeah! Yeah!  I named it Blooming Poppy Yo-Yo’s. 

I don’t think it’s big enough for a bed but it does fit nicely on our futon. 

Since this quilt has taken so long to make I thought I’d make a quick little mosaic of it’s progress from start to finish.  Feel free to browse through the all the photo’s I posted to flickr during my progress. 

Don’t miss out on all the rest of the fun and amazing quilt entries in the
2012 Blogger’s Quilt Festival hosted and organized by AmysCreativeSide!
AND – be sure to add your own quilt to the festival fun!  You have until June 1st!  AND be sure to go and browse all the other amazing quilts that are part of the show!
This spring Amy has have added categories, and a viewer’s choice quilt to the list of prizes! The schedule for the festival is this:

• May 18 – 21 Festival begins!  (Linky is open)
• May 22- 25 Nominations are made
• May 26 – 30 Vote for your favorites
• June 1 – Winners announced

If you’re new to my blog and want to follow along with my other projects (I have quite a few going on now and quite a few in my mind too) be sure to…
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