Fruitful Hands finish! and news of a giveaway!

Warning!

This is a photo-heavy post! Lots of pictures (but I can't guarantee that they are all in focus. LOL)

I finally was able to finish my Fruitful Hands tablerunner, and I want to show it to you!

I've shown you this fabulous line of fabric from my favorite designer, Jacquelynne Steves. (By the way, she has another new line coming out as we speak, and there is a contest, too! More about that later, OK?)

I showed you in earlier posts that I was making churn dash blocks, and putting them together with the blocks from her lovely panel . . .

This is how I played with them -- part of the design process here, complete with gears turning and smoke coming from my ears. Oh, you want a picture of that? Not on your life. Padsworth and DragonDrop know better than that.
I wanted to do something different, so I played with putting the blocks "on point."

Aren't those fruits and veggies gorgeous? I mean, I love fruits and veggies anyway . . . I'm getting hungry now. My mom really never had to tell me to "eat every carrot and pea on your plate." Oops, that didn't come out quite right. You didn't get it? Just say it out loud once or twice....it'll hit you in a minute.  (Grin)

I bet that some of you are thinking that I will place setting triangles in between those churn dash blocks, aren't you? Naaaah! That's too predictable!

Here is what I did:

After I joined all the blocks together, I outline quilted the edibles, and then did a freehand doodle in each corner.

Then I did some very small, tight meandering in the backgrounds of the churn dash blocks. My thinking here was that I really wanted the focus fabric on each of them to "pop" and look great.
How do you think that turned out?

Now, here comes the fun part. Since I opted to leave out the setting triangles, I have "inside" and "outside" corners to bind . . .

Remember the binding I made? Well, here is the tutorial that helped me apply it! Heather Mulder Peterson is another of the talented Henry Glass designers, as is Jacquelynne, and she has a seriously cute little guy that helps her with her work!

Her tutorial was super! I only had to get out my friendly seam ripper one time, and I didn't fuss at all. In fact, Moses the Studio Cat slept peacefully all the way through . . . so you know it must have gone pretty well!

And here are my results:

Um, yeah. Not the best shot. Try this close up?

Sweet, huh? I thought so! Try this next one on for size . . .

Not sure why that edge looks wonky . . . maybe because it's an indoor shot, and the runner is hanging on a ladder!

And one last shot in the sunshine:

I think I got a little too happy with the sunshine, and over-exposed it, but at least you can see most of it . . .

Now, I mentioned a new line of fabric from Jacquelynne way up there before this cavalcade of photos started, so let me fill you in on that!

(Imagine a trumpet fanfare here) It's a quilt contest! And a new line of fabric called Happy Town! And you can win $500! And get your quilt displayed at Market! AND help a fantastic kids' charity, too!

Talk about a WIN-WIN-WIN situation, that is one for sure!
Check out this quick summary of the contest, at this linkie! 

The rules and the submission form are there, and you can get even more information on The Noble Wife blog....and that is where the giveaway is taking place. She has some bodacious prizes up for grabs, and you won't want to miss it . . . Hop over there and check it out --- you may be a winner!
(It won't ensure that you win, but tell her that Snoodles and Padsworth sent ya!)

Love,

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,

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,

 

Let's have a giveaway! No, two giveaways!

(This giveaway is closed now.....thank you for your interest!)

Oh, how exciting!  I do love me a good giveaway, don't you? And I think you'll LOVE this one! Actually it's two giveaways in one!

Our extra-special sponsor, fabric designer Jacquelynne Steves, is providing TWO fat quarter bundles for you lucky Lilypadquilting peeps!

This fabric line has really captured my heart. I love the colors and the fruit and veggie motifs. Jacquelynne has featured a potholder tutorial on her blog using the fabrics, so you might want to hop over there and see. 

Each bundle will contain sixteen fat quarters from her "Fruitful Hands" collection --- the same yummy fabrics that I've been working with, on my secret project.  Feast your eyes on these:

Prints in stunning colors . . . 

More lovelies . . .

And one bundle will have the panel included --- just take a peek here:

So, there you have it. One bundle of sixteen fat quarters and the panel, for first prize, and another bundle of sixteen fat quarters for second prize! (I bet that you are excited now!)

Hmmmmm. What tidbit of information shall I extract from you, to be entered into the drawing . . . How about if you fill in the blank in this sentence: "I've tried and tried to make Grandma's (or Mom's) Christmas______________, but I can't. I swear she hasn't told me all of the ingredients in the recipe." (Grin)  Is there one specialty that you've not been able to duplicate? The exact flavor has eluded you? Haven't you wondered if they really told you everything that went into it? 
That will be your entry into the drawing!


You don't have to be a follower to enter, but we sure do love our followers, so if you are a Lilypadquilting follower, you can have a second entry!

We'll leave this giveaway open for a week -- then Mr. Random will pick a winner, and we'll announce it!

Good luck, everyone!  (Whispering) Oh, and I hope you will understand.....with the Christmas activities and such, I may not be able to respond to all of the comments, but I will read them and I love you all!

Love,

   

Interrupted sewing . . .

I was working on my project using the Fruitful Hands line of fabrics by Jacquelynne Steves (you will want to stay tuned for the giveaway happening soon!) and I was interrupted.

Life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it? (Grin)

I thought I would give you a peek at what I'm doing, and I hope to show you more soon.

DragonDrop helped me spread these out. He's a great admirer of Jacquelynne Steves!

There is a lovely panel that I cut some parts from:

And then I narrowed down my fabrics for the project:

Here is a block almost completed -- our old friend, the Churn Dash block:

Now, you'll have to bear with me . . . I'll be back soon. Got to get darling daughter moved. (Sniff)

I'm linking up today with Katherine's Thursday Favorite Things hop!



Love to all of you,