Happy Thursday everyone!  I don’t know about you but I am SO happy we had an extra day in February this year.  I can’t even start to begin to tell you about all the things I crammed into yesterday – whew! 


Anyway, now that it’s March, it’s time for me to introduce you to the Home Sweet Home Quilt Along Block 10 Designer – Michele Foster of the Quilting Gallery.   She was nice enough to fill out a little interview for me so we could get to know her a little before we get started on her super adorable block – seriously!  If you want, I’m okay if you quick scroll down for a sneak peak as long as you scroll back right away to meet this fantastic motivating and inspiring woman that brings so many quilters together!


What is your crafting style?
I don't really have a style per se. I love scrappy quilts, modern designs, traditional designs and appliqué.  I love trying new techniques. Maybe, over the years, I'll develop an actual "style". I rarely ever follow another person's pattern exactly and most often add my own personal touch or changes. Many of my projects include hand dyed fabrics as they, along with batiks, are my favourites.

How did you get started creating?
I started quilting many years ago, but took a long hiatus (10 or so years) to start my own business, move to another city (Ottawa, Ontario) and explore other crafting projects (I love to crochet too!). It was the quilts in a local quilt shop's window that first attracted me to gorgeous fabrics and quilting. Now it is the fabulous quilting bloggers  and tutorials that keep me at it.
Do you have a favorite piece? Why is it your favorite? 
I have several favourites, but here's one I haven't shown lately.  This was a wedding quilt I made for a couple of dear friends that got married back in 2008.  It uses the disappearing nine patch pattern.  I'd love to make one for myself one of these days.

What is your favorite crafty blog to follow/read?
Can I say my own?  LOL, I guess not.  Really, I follow several hundred blogs so picking just one is difficult; however, I will pick Erin Russek's One Piece at a Time. I'm a huge appliqué fan and Erin has taught me so much since I started following her a couple of years ago.
Which part of the creating process do you like the most?
I like almost all, but if I had to pick just one, it's the actual piecing of the blocks. Second choice would be the final hand stitching of the binding to the back of the quilt.
Which part of the creating process do you dislike the most?
Basting and borders.  I just don't have the physical space in my apartment to baste a large quilt easily. It's always a huge production! I also dislike attaching borders ... boring!
Favorite Adhesive: Depends what I need it for. I really like June Tailor's quilt basting spray.  I also use the Lapel glue stick often for appliqué and even binding.
Beverage of Choice: Coffee for the day time or rye and diet coke for the fun time.
Sweet or Salty? - Salty!
Number 1 on your Bucket List: Well, it was get a dog, which I did last year.  Milo is almost six months old. Now on my list is travel, travel, travel .. just need the moola to do it.

Stay in touch with Michele by following her in online endeavors:
Web site and Blog: http://quiltinggallery.com/
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/michele.foster
Quilting Gallery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Quilting.Bloggers
Flickr Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/quilting-gallery/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MishkaOttawa
Email: michele@quiltinggallery.com

And now that we know a little bit more about Michele it’s time to see her fabulous block!

A Home for the Birds

Click HERE to go to the Quilting Gallery’s website for instructions on how to create the next adorable block in our quilt! 

Don’t forget to add your picture to the flickr group once it’s complete:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/1850682@N20/

Previous Home Sweet Home Blocks:

• Block 1: My Home
• Block 2: Lapacek’s Orchard
• Block 3: House by the Bay
• Block 4: My Tilted House
• Block 5: Two Trees
• Block 6:  Tree of Life
• Block 7:  Under the Moreton Bay Fig
• Block 8:  A Wonky Modern House
• Block 9:  Scrappy Trees

Hi! I am happy to be sharing with you a block that I designed as part of a 36 block quilt along. It’s fun, easy to make and I hope you enjoy it!

I’ll start with a little background on the Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along. On Quilting Gallery's site every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for 12 weeks straight you will find one new designer with a new block and full instructions on how to make that block. To make it even better, a "Super Deal" is posted along with each block from places like Fat Quarter Shop! (You can find all the information for it here plus a fun contest.)

Onto my block…

All Wrapped Up

Fabric/Cuting Instructions:

I used a fat quarter set of Jason Yenter's Holiday line for In the Beginning Fabrics. Wintergraphix that I purchased from FabricFascination. I just LOVE this fabric and have been itching to try it out on something! This was just perfect!

1 - 12.5” square of Fabric 1

4 – 1.5” x 18” strips of Fabric 2

2 – 1.25” x 18” strips of Fabric 3

Step 1. Sew a strip of Fabric 2 to a strip of Fabric 3. Press towards Fabric 3.

Step 2. Sew a second strip of Fabric 2 to the other side of Fabric 3 (sandwiching fabric 3 between 2 strips of fabric 2). Press towards Fabric 3.

Step 3. Repeat this with the remaining strips of fabric.

Step 4. Take your 12.5” square of Fabric 1. Cut a wonky diagonal somewhere through the approximate middle portion of the fabric.

Now, it doesn’t really matter were – just make sure to be at least 2 inches from either corner.

Step 5. Sew your strip onto the left diagonal. Press towards Fabric 1. Leave a good portion of your 18” triple strip on the top and bottom of the square. It will help later when you need to square things up.

Step 6. Sew your strip onto the right diagonal. Press towards Fabric 1. Step 7. Turn your fabric and cut another randomly wonky diagonal through the fabric.

Step 8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 in this direction.

Step 9. Square your piece up to a 12.5” square. I also did this ‘wonkily’.The Finished BLOCK! All Wrapped Up! In this picture you can see that I always pressed towards the darker fabric.

This is my first ‘block tutorial’ and I realized after the first block that I didn’t take enough step by step pictures along the way. So, I ended up having two blocks by the time I was done! I think with a few more I’ll have a nice table runner or table topper perfect for the holidays!

DOWNLOAD a copy of the pattern HERE!

MORE about the Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along:

• Featured Designers (quick links to the blocks)
• Super Deals for Quilters (quick links to the savings)
• Blog Posts – Blocks and Super Deals are here!
• Upload your blocks – Flickr Group

Campaign Highlights

• Start: September 13, 2011
• End: December 1, 2011
• Length: 12 weeks
• 36 designers creating 12" blocks for quilters to make.
• Designer profiles, their blocks and a Super Deal for Quilters will be featured each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
• Quilters can complete the blocks and upload to our Flickr group to share their creations and for a chance to win hand-painted Buttons from Incomparable Buttons.
• Completed quilts and projects made with the quilt-along blocks will be featured in next January’s Weekly Quilt Contests.