Thursday, February 28, 2019

Happy "I Like Thursday"


I have fallen behind on my


I made a count error on the pattern and had to do some ripping out.
I left one small spacing error but 
after much dithering I have decided not to change it.

I am also changing up the colors in the quilts on the line
and calling it all a "design option." 

I will catch up by next Wednesday, I hope.

Managing my quilting and cross stitching time and other needs
has been a bit of an adjustment.

I am caught up with swap blocks
and am working on a few other quilt along blocks.

In my quilt blog readings I just visited



I Like Thursdays @ Home Sewn By Us

which has a thread trail back to

I Like Thursdays @ Not Afraid of Color

I like Thursdays,
so I have decided to join in the fun.

This is my 1st "I Like Thursdays" post.



My quilty helper,  Maestro, has paw-sitively approved this post,
 and helped me make


This Block.

I like kitties and all furry friends.

This is my 59th blog post of the year.

I decided to post daily this year
just as a personal challenge.

Two months down, ten to go.

Thanks to all who read my ramblings!

:-) 


Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Katitude ~ Block Tutorial


Katitude Block
12 and 1/2" " Square


This is my first time using these "alphabities"
to help keep the pieces organized,  so I am still learning. 


Maestro thought they were new cat toys.


and re-arranged them for me. 

Cutting:

Focus Fabric (Cat Body and Tail)

A ~ 8 and 1/2" by 4 and 1/2" 
B  ~ 6  and 1/2" by 5 and 1/2" 
C ~ 10 and 1/2" by 1 and 3/4"
D ~ 3" by 1 and 3/4"
E ~  2 and 1/2" by 6"


C E into 2 triangles for ears

I use the
EZ TRi Tool Ruler
(affiliate link) 

Usually available at any place that sells quilting rulers.

Any "triangle in a square" ruler should work 
as long as you cut your strips 2.5"

Background Fabric

F ~ 2 and/1/2" by 6"
G ~ 8" by 5 and 1/2"
H ~ 3" by 1 and 3/4"
I and J ~ 12 and 1/2" by 1 and 3/4"
K and L ~ 10 and 1/2" by 1 and 3/4" 


Cut F into setting pieces
I use the
(affiliate link)

Sewing the block:


Ear pieces E and F 


Sew setting pieces to one side of each ear piece,
by aligning the seam as shown,
to make the 1/4 inch seam.

(There is a video in the ruler link showing 
how to sew these angled pieces. )


I pressed all seams open on this block.


Ear Pieces 


 Align and sew together.


 Trim to 2 and 1/2" by 4 and 1/2" 


Ear Head Body piecces.


Sew ears to top of head/body section (c) 


 Back Body pieces B and G 


Tail pieces D, H and L


Sew and flip one L square onto each corner 
of one end of tail piece D
by drawing a line and sewing along the line
 and cutting away corner.


Tail sections H and D 


Sew tail sections H and D together as shown.


Back body pieces B and D


Right sides together, align background section G 
perpendicularly to top right corner Body Section B,
as shown,
and draw a line,
then sew along line
the cut 1/4" away from seam line
as you would for a snowball block.


Head, Body and tail section C


Sew these sections together
and press seams open 


The center of your block will measure 10 and 1/2" square.


Add the block border strips,
sewing top I and bottom L first and then adding
sides J and K.


Press all seams open. 


These strips may be slightly wide.
Strips could have been cut 1 and 1/2" wide.
I like to allow room to square and 
trim the block to 12 and 1/2" 


I designed this block with the border strips as it is made for a swap
and I like my swap blocks to be easily trimmed to size 
to play nice with the other blocks.

If you sew a block from this tutorial
I would love to hear your feedback.



My quirky, quilty kitty Nutmeg, 
chasing sunspots in this photo,
 with her swishy tail 
is the inspiration for this block.

Happy Sewing!

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Lucky Winner: Me!



I was the winner in the 

I was sew surprised!

Winner Announced Here

This gorgeous fabric is from

Island Batik


These fabrics were designed by

Deb Tucker and Studio 180

I am not sure what I will make with these beautiful fabrics.

Maybe this ...

Twilight Paths Quilt

Free Pattern Link Here



For now I am juts enjoying the colors and designs
brightening my sewing room.

What would you make?


Monday, February 25, 2019

Baby Quilt Progress



The quilt top is done!



This block is the 



In the end I did not follow the layout shown in the book.


I opted for a more graphic, modern version 
and used the extra units I made in the corners of the borders.

So I am calling this quilt 
Starry Lanes 
because the setting creates an elongated diagonal star.

I am going to leave this on my design wall while I think
about how to quilt it
as I catch up on some blocks
for swaps and BOMs.

It is very windy here in the northeast and it is cold on my back
in my sewing room because of the large west facing windows.

So I may sit in the warm chair 
and do some cross stitching today.

Happy Stitching and Sewing! 




Sunday, February 24, 2019

Slow Stitching Sunday



Slow Stitching Cross Stitch

For the
Quilter's Cottage Cross Stitch Along
which was last updated in the link above.

I missed completing the Week 3 Challenge section on time.

In part because there is a error in the count
between the post of the left and the first quilt on the line.

This snowballed into a error on the clothespins and the quilts placement.

There was some ripping out
but I left the post for the moment.

For those of you who are not stitching the pattern and would not see it,
there should be TWO spaces between the post and the quilt.



I am dithering over whether I need to take it out and
cannot stitch the post on the right until I make up my mind.

I am now working on Week 3 and 4 at the same time.

I hope to have it done by Wednesday.

Time will tell.

I am taking a few minutes to cross stitch.


I have been  Slow (Machine) Sewing my

Sunny Lanes Baby Quilt

I almost have all the blocks together
and hope to have the top done by the time I call it a night

... or tomorrow morning.

It is cold and very rainy here today.

A good day for stitching and

Slow Sunday Stitching


linking up with all the beautiful works
@
Slow Stitching Sunday @ Kathy's Quilts

May you have a Happy Sunday.



Saturday, February 23, 2019

Are you a Diamond?



This blog hop is being hosted by the lovely


I have no idea what to make for this one.

Thee are sew many possibilities. 

I need to think about this one while I sew.


I am still working on the Sunny Lanes Baby quilt.

No Scrappy Saturday for me today.

I have fallen behind in my cross stitch along, too.

When I get the top together I will take a break and sew 
or stitch something else.

May you have a happy quilty day.

Hope to see you joining in the Diamond Blog Hop Fun! 


Friday, February 22, 2019

Dust Off A Quilt Book ~ My Day!


Sunny Lanes Baby Quilt 


"Easy Four Patch Quilting" 
by Joanne Stauffer and Sandra Hatch





I have made this block by this name before for a block swap from


but never sewed it into a quilt.

I like the instructions in the book much better. 



Lots of strip and chain piecing.

I started it here

My kind of sewing!


I made one change from the pattern
I added tags to some of the four patch blocks  HERE


The 47" by 59" baby quilt calls for 12 of these 
Sunny Lanes Blocks.

I am sorry that I do not have a finished project to show you.



I am still working on this quilt.

I have been suffering from sinus related headaches this month.

This is not uncommon for me in late winter,
when the house has been closed up for months.
It slows me down even more than my normal snail sewing pace.

Silly me,  my love of books, blog hops and quilting
had me signing up for two blog hops in the same week
and I know how slow I sew.


Please visit all the quilter book lovers posting today ... 


Friday Feb 22nd

Bea at Beaquilter
Barbara at Bejweledquilts
Pat at Life in the Scrapatch ( you are here)
Marian at seams to be sew


This fun blog hop is hosted by
Bea @ Beaquilter

I am really enjoying all this lovely quilty blog hopping this week ...


... while I am sewing Sunny Lanes.

I hope this have this baby boy quilt done soon.

The baby was born in January :-)

Happy Blog Hopping!