Summer Moon quilt along - join us!

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Have y'all checked out this book? Summer Moon is a new book by Carrie Nelson, and the Fat Quarter Shop has big plans ahead! In October, they showed us the book and tantalized us with two different colorways: vintage and modern.

So, this month, the fun will begin -- there will be blog posts, and tutorials, and even videos! Here's a YouTube from the Jolly Jabber that tells you all about it!



Recently, I cajoled my dear sister and my sweet niece into joining me on the Summer Moon journey! Yay!

We are going to join in the fun and have a quilt along here at the Lilypad! Each month, you will have an opportunity to show off your progress on the quilt.

I love how clear the instructions are in this book - lots of information on fabric requirements, cutting instructions, and more!

I also love how there will be three of each block -- one small, medium, and large version of each pretty block! Whimsical? Yep! And here is how we will make all the blocks play together nicely: 

Different "frames" for each one, and then we'll assemble!

We are an easy-going bunch here at the Lilypad, and we are not going to try to do it in true Block of the Month style -- but you can if you like! Remember, that's the beauty of a quilt-along; you can go at your own pace!

I probably will do one block each month, instead of following the three-blocks-each-month schedule in the book. . . . I still work for a living (or to buy fabric!) so I am not going to stress, just have fun!

My colorway?
I went in my (re-purposed) cookie jar . . . . 

All oranges with low-volume neutrals for the backgrounds!

My sis chose these adorable fabrics:

So you see, you can choose the fabrics that float your boat and hop in and play!
Won't you join us?

Grab a book at this link, put together some fabrics that you just love, and let's get started! (If you need some assistance, like I did, call our buddies at the Fat Quarter Shop! Tell them what you are trying to accomplish, and they will suggest fabrics and even send swatches!)

I'll be posting some tips from my first block soon!

Love,

A pinnie for a pressie

(Let's get business out of the way first, ok? Some of the links in my blog posts are affiliate links, and if you click on them, I will earn a small commission, but your purchase price won't change a bit! Thanks for clicking through!)

Pinnie?
Pressie?
Nope, I'm not talking a new language. (Grin)

Recently I got, er, read, er, spent time drooling over  Carrie Nelson's (Miss Rosie's ) book, Pin Pals, and I've been inspired! In the first place, ya gotta love her alliteration: pinnies, poppets, pincushions, and pizzazz!

In the second place, these are just SEW cute!! There's nothing wrong with the ole reliable tomato with the emery-filled strawberry (in fact, I still have one, but it's in sad shape and sits just for display!) but these are so inspiring!
After all, we have scraps, yes?
YES!
And we also have orphan blocks sometimes, yes?
YES!
So why not use some of both, and create happy, colorful places for our pins?
YES!!

(I also have a copy of her newest book, Summer Moon, and I'm planning a quilt along here at the Lilypad to coincide with the fun that starts in May.... blog posts, tutorials, and more from our friends at the Fat Quarter Shop!)

But more on that later.....

.....for now, just let it be said that I'm working up practice blocks as I gather fabrics for that quilt, and instead of letting them languish as orphan blocks, I'm going to use them as the basis of pin cushions or "pinnies."

Here is the first practice one, an album block:

Here it is all trimmed up:

I used a thin batting and quilted by hand -- outlining the pieces with Aurifil 50 weight thread. Then, I chose a charm square of a coordinating fabric for the back of the pincushion:

As I stitched around, I made certain that my corners would turn nicely by stitching three stitches across the corner, instead of making a true ninety degree turn. I put a layer of steel wool inside so that every time pins and needles get poked in, they get a nice sharpening!

Then, to hide the stitched "turn spot" and also to add a cute touch, I dusted the cobwebs off my embroidery skills and did a feather stitch around the pincushion.

I forgot to say that when I handquilted the little block, I added the birthday girl's name in the album spot.

I think it turned out really cute, and I'm looking forward to using more of Carrie's tips from the book as I make more pincushions!

I hope you will take a peek at her book -- oh, and especially check out the Summer Moon book. I'll be posting soon about the upcoming quilt along!

Happy birthday, sis!

Love,

Finally! Buckeye Beauty? Road to California?

Isn't it a great feeling to finish a quilt?

Now if I could just make sure what the name of the block is.... (Grin)

Over the years, we quilters have given many names to the same block patterns, or to variations of blocks. Kinda hard to know for sure.

Here is a link to my previous post where I showed the blocks themselves: CLICK HERE!

And here is my finished quilt!

I used Aurifil thread for my hand quilting -- gotta love a thread that gets pulled through many, many times, and doesn't shred or knot up!

No tiny stitches here -- my hands won't do 'em, and I like the casual look of "big stitching," anyway! I stitched in the ditch to make a grid. My four-patches and my half-square triangles finished at four inches, so that is what the grid turned out to be. Picture of that later!

Here is the back, to show you how I used up the last few blocks that I had made. One of them was embroidered with my name and the date, for family (or future quilters) to see!

When I started this project, I mentioned Karrielynne over at Freckled Whimsy as the originator of this PIG (project in grocery sack).
I printed out the directions a good many years ago..... feels good to have it finished and be able to use it for snuggling on movie night, or covering up to do some slow stitching!

What about you?
Have you finished an "older" project lately?

Oh! And if any of y'all know the correct name for the block, be sure to let me know!

Love,

A visit from . . .

. . . och, and it's sure I am that I had a visit last night from the little people! You know, the little people from the Emerald Isle!

Came in whilst I was sleeping, they did!

Aye, and what a frolic they had!

I'll be showing ye the evidence, if ye have time to listen . . .

It's a mission of compassion they were on, I'm thinkin'. They saw that we had no decorations for the upcoming holiday, bless their wee hearts!

So it's to sewing that they started, and decorating me mantel, too!

It's amazed I am, that I didn't hear the patter of their wee shoes, nor the hum of the machine!

Look, it's King Bryan, himself, a-dancin' a jig upon me mantel!

It's an expedition in the closet they were on, I'll wager, when they found that treasured piece made by me dearly departed father-in-law, rest his soul. He was a dear one, indeed!

And it's all those shamrocks I be looking at now . . . all different fabrics! What fun the wee folk must have had, divin' in me fabric stash!

Aah, and it's the shamrocks they were tossin' about in the sewing room! It's a tablerunner that they were after creatin'!

Used the perle cotton thread and the "big stitch" quiltin', they did! Turned out as lovely as a summer morn in the meadow!

Aye, and it's glad I am, that the little people came to visit! 

Sure, and we're ready for St. Paddy's Day! (Which coincides each year with the day of our marriage, now forty-one blessed years ago!)

Faith and begorra, I hope all of you are spending time in your sewing happy places! Don't be forgettin' the olde proverb.....a handful of skill is worth a bagful of gold!!

See you again soon! Beannaachtam na Feile Padraig! (Happy Saint Patrick's Day!)

Love,

(Singing as I leave, "Mush, mush, mush, tur-a-li-anny!")

Love this resource!

(Please check out the "Full disclosure" page on the blog -- some of the links you will see here are affiliate links!)

I've really gotten hooked on sewing with denim, lately. I even went to the thrift store and bought several pairs of (ahem) portly, er, quite large men's jeans so that I could cut up some more to use. (Grin)

And then I delved into the "stash" of classes and projects on Bluprint. Oy vey. I confess I spent a while looking and learning. The dishes did not get washed until the next morning!

Y'all did know that Craftsy is now Bluprint, right? Look at these cool projects that would be great in my scrap denim!!

I want to start this new tote bag:

Don't you want to jump in and sew, too? (Grin) Oh, I'm such an enabler!
This could be made in the waxed canvas, like the class details, or you could make it in denim! You get seven classes that are yours forever -- that's what I love about Bluprint! My class library can be accessed anywhere, anytime!

Is a messenger bag more your style? Try this class:

Here is the link to that class: click here for the messenger bag above.

Or, to change things up a bit, maybe I can use some of the denim scraps to make some cute and casual projects with animals!

I've made some of Elizabeth Hartman's cute projects before, and they are so fun and easy! Here is the link to her class on Bluprint!

If any of these have piqued your curiosity, just click on those links, or on the Bluprint ad on the top right-hand side of the blog page -- you'll be glad you did, cos they have awesome sales going on right now!!

Pardon me! I'm headed back there for more inspiration and fun!

Love,