Binding savvy

We are known here at Lilypadquilting for our honesty . . . we've shown you before that Snoodles, Padsworth and DragonDrop make mistakes and sometimes have epic fails.

Now, in return, tell me --- has this ever happened to you?

You know the drill.

You cut your strips. You place them at 90 degree angles to each other, right sides together. You sew across the corner . . . the graphic is all over the interwebs:

(That one is from Janet Wickell, at About Quilting)

But doesn't it frustrate you sometimes when the result is not quite as precise as "they" say it should be?

Well, it frustrated me. In fact, I've been known to throw things when it didn't turn out like I wanted it to. (Grin)

So, I went on a search and found this kind lady's video, and took her advice. So, if you would like to know how to get this kind of results:

instead of this kind:

then listen up!!

The first thing you need to do is lay your strips down along lines on your cutting mat, right sides together. See?

Then take your ruler and mark a line for stitching, on the diagonal, like so:

Next, without allowing the fabrics to move around a lot, pin so that they will remain still and submit to being stitched. Sometimes you have to threaten them, but other times they are quite cooperative.

Once you have stitched, you can trim to a quarter inch seam, and press open. 

Then I pressed the binding in half, and I'm ready to bind my project!

Ahhhh, I love it when a plan comes together! 

I hope to show you my finish soon --- not in time for the Lovely Year of Finishes party, but hey! Better late than never!


I'm linking up today with the lovely Katherine at Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop! (And her equally lovely co-host, Karren, at OhMyHeartsie!)


Love,

Calling all "Swooners"

Hi ya'll!

Oops, my Southern is showing. (Grin)

Y'all don't mind, do ya?  (Y'all know, of course, that I look just like that. Seriously.)

I have a question, and I'm hoping that some of you can help me!

Recently I confided to you that I'm working on a Swoon quilt for my sweet daughter. I showed you a block that was made with a technique that eliminated some of the seams in one area of the block.

Cool!

But the block turns out to be 16 inches finished. 

Not cool.

When I got finished patting and talking to my fabrics:

I was perusing the pattern. You do that, don't you? I mean, we can't always piece and quilt by the seat of our pants....sometimes we get asked to follow a pattern, and we. must. comply.  (Wink)

So, here is my dilemma.  The Swoon blocks are supposed to be about 24 inches --- not 16. (I see a 16 inch pillow top in that block's future, don't you?)

I usually add a smidge (that's a very technical term, you understand. Very precise. Padsworth, quit frowning at me.) to my squares when I make half square triangles. Then I draw my line down the middle and stitch on both sides, like I have shown here before.

The designer of the Swoon, Camille, is super gracious and answered my email very quickly, saying that she thought the fat quarters would allow me to increase the size of my cut squares --- OK, no problem there.

But I forgot to ask Camille what size to square the completed HSTs to!!!  Halp!  Can some of you help me out?

What size do YOU square them up to? If I can't make certain of what I need to do, I will be forced to make a sample block with muslin and scraps.....not as much fun as these pretty fabrics! (Gulp.)

I sure would appreciate some input from all of you!

Love,

How's your vocabulary?

If there is one particular thing that all of us at Lilypadquilting do well, it is getting into mischief. Snoodles, Padsworth and DragonDrop are always up to something --- mind you, nothing illegal, unless it is illegal to have this much fun! (Grin)

Today Austin at Catachresis told us about the Vocabulary Building Project, and this time Moses, the Studio Cat here at the Lilypad, wanted to take over blogging duties. He enjoys Austin's posts and looks forward to the Professor's Words of the Day, too.

Now, doesn't this look like fun? Texas, Jett, and Savannah are all ready and we are too.  (I hope the button works, but if it doesn't, you can click on the linkies to visit our three friends.)

Moses has been flipping the pages of the dictionary, looking for just the right word. Yes, we have traditional, huge dictionaries here. Crazy, I know. What can I say? We love books!

So, before Moses is completely exhausted and we need to revive him with nip, here he goes . . .

Purrrrrrrrrr! Moses, here, ready to elucidate (VBP) on the role of the ubiquitous (VBP) Studio Cat. Yes, ubiquitous, because there are many, many quilters who enjoy the tolerant supervision of a Studio Cat. Our forbearance (VBP) is well known, though some of us do our jobs better than others. 

It is prerequisite (VBP)for Studio Cats to assist their humans with the placement of blocks in their projects, as seen below.

Enjoying one's work is just something that comes with the territory.

Why does my human NOT like this arrangement of blocks?

Ahh, completed quilts are the bomb...so cozy. . .

 

Now, there are times when a Studio Cat will have taken such pride in his or her work, only to have it rejected by their human. Some humans even put their Studio Cats in "time out."

However, there is a simple solution to this. With a nod to Austin, I would like to have a "Moses' Word of the Day" here. I couldn't pawsibly do as well as Austin, but they say that imitation is the sincerest form of hero worship, so here it is:

Compel

A technique used by intelligent felines to demand what they want. It involves affixing glowing eyes in a particular stare, directed at their human, until they notice and (according to their training) rise from their chair and do the cat's bidding. Very effective, in my book.

Well (yawn) I think that is all for today. I believe that I need a nap, followed by some nip. I hope all of you are enjoying hopping around to the other linky party blogs and expanding your vocabularies!!

(The weatherman says we have sleet and freezing rain on the way . . .Snoodles has a fire going in the fireplace that I believe I will nap in front of, and she has hot cocoa on the stove, too. I hope we don't lose power, but if you don't hear from us right away, we'll catch up soon!) Meow!

Love,

Moses the Studio Cat  

   

The Golden Quilter Awards

Hi everybody! Padsworth here!

I have an important announcement to make!

I have a new job -- a new gig!

I know you think that I spend my days helping out Snoodles here at the Lilypad . . . and if the truth be told, I do!  I have to hold the lamp just so, so that she can see her sewing:

And I have to find just the right color of thread for her:

And supervise the free motion quilting:

And tons of other important jobs. But over at SewCalGal's, where the Golden Quilter Awards will be held, they really needed an emcee.

Someone with savoi faire.

Someone with dignity, and decorum.

An elegant frog. (One that can wear a top hat.)

Moi!!

So this year, I will be the master of ceremonies at the Awards!  These awards are a way for all of us to recognize and cheer for those wonderful people who give so freely to the quilting community....they make our world a more inspiring and fun place to be. There will be lots and lots of fun, so be sure to check out SewCalGal's blog and add your nominations now!

Love,

Can't wait to show ya!

Padsworth and DragonDrop are so excited!

Well, to tell you the truth, I am, too!

Block one of the Swoon quilt for my bestest (and only) daughter is done!!  

Lookie, lookie!

"The Boys" had to get into the picture, too . . . they are enthusiastically proclaiming that this is, indeed, a Swoon block. I think they had their doubts for a while. (Grin)

Here is the whole block, before all the seams were completed:

And here it is (can you hear that trumpet fanfare?) DONE!!!

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about -- the green finally looks right! (Note to self: photo taken on floor has colors more true-to-life!)

I hope that you are able to spend some time in your happy sewing place, too!

Woot! I'm linking up today with Katherine at the Thursday Favorite Things hop, and with her co-host, too! Yay!!

Love,

Makin' progress . . .

Hi, everybody!! 

I'm makin' progress on my first block for the Swoon quilt, and I thought I would show it to you. I'm really loving this block, and the colors that my daughter chose for her quilt. By the way, there's a wonderful quilt along that I've joined up with, called the Bestie Quilt Along -- you might want to scoot over to see Candice, or Jackie, or Jana and see what we are all up to! 

There's even a Flickr group so we can all see some inspiring photos and cheer each other on, too!

I mentioned that I was following this tutorial, and here are some of my units I'm preparing . . .

There goes my camera again! I swear that Kona green is NOT that olive-looking!! 

Oooh, I'm loving that blue and the white together! I'm a traditional girl, don'tcha know?

Here are some of the units being laid out in the correct formation:

Ta-da!! You can see the center star! 

I hope to have more to show you soon!

Love,

Run, don't walk, to our sponsor!

One of our awesome sponsors is having a wonderful sale --- you won't want to miss this one!

Over at the Green Fairy Quilts store, Clint and Judi are offering savings on fat quarter and fat eighth bundles, and free shipping, too!

(I'll pause a moment here to allow you time to climb back into your chairs.....)

Yep, they've discounted the bundles by 20%!

And with free shipping, you are going to make out like bandits! So run! Or let your mouse scamper! Cruise across the interwebs and have a great time shopping!!

Love,

A special project for a special person

Sorry that it's been kinda quiet here at the Lilypad . . . there have been some things that have kept me from my quilting and from you special peeps. 

I will have some things to show you, though, very soon. As I catch a moment here and there, I pick up a portable project and work a little . . . have you done that, too?  It's a busy year already!

I've started a special quilt for a very special person --- my daughter! She zeroed in on a "swoon" quilt that she saw, and so I am raiding my stash and have more fabric on the way!  

I found this super tutorial over at "Double Nickel Quilts" and loved it. (Thanks, Candace!)  You might like to check it out, too. I've cut some squares to start (insert trumpet fanfare here) Block One!

I don't know why the pretty green Kona Bay fabric doesn't show up very well there (it's really not that olive-y), but I really like the three colors together.

I'll show off some progress as soon as I can!

Love,

A lovely year . . . I hope

I hope that you will join me in hoping for a lovely year in 2013 -- I'd like to personally request (and I have requested) that everyone enjoy a heaping helping of happiness, hope, and healing this year. (While the alliteration may be both amazing and humorous, the thought and the accompanying prayer is fervent and sincere.)

I've joined in on two activities that I think you might like to check out:



Our dear friend, Barbara, over at the Three Cats Ranch, is continuing her efforts at enabling all of us who see projects that we simply must drop everything and start. Thus, the NEWFO challenge -- where it's OK to start yet another new project!

And here is the motivation to finish those projects:

Another dear friend, Melissa at SewBittersweet Designs, is co-hosting the Lovely Year of Finishes events with Shanna, at Fiber of All Sorts.

Hopefully with this much encouragement, I'll be inspired to get things done!  So, without further ado, here is my entry for the January goal-setting party!
I'm going to do my best to get this tablerunner completed and on the table! (Grin) 

I figure that those cheerful Fruitful Hands colors will cheer us up in the winter months!
Join us in the fun, won't you?

Love,