A New Quilty Mystery ~ Coffee & Quilts

Coffee and Quilts are two of my favorite things

so when I saw this new mystery quilt along announcement:

Coffee and Quilts Mystery QAL @ QATW Forum

I decided to dig through my fabrics and join in the fun!

This is the main forum page: 

Quilting Around The World Forum

I am a relatively new and not very active member

but these quilters are a very nice and welcoming group.

You would register for the QATW Forum HERE

Basic Info about the group may be found HERE 

If you have any questions or problems, 

you may email the  friendly forum administrator 

@

gg@quiltingaroundtheworld.com

Sew I decided to dig through my fabrics and join in the fun!

Someone of this thread said ... 

"I don't need another project.
Oh look, a new mystery quilt!"

That is me.

I do not need another project.

I do like mystery quilts and this one can be made in a wallhanging size

so it should be quick and easy.

I am planning to make it a little larger with the fabric on the right

 which is a border stripe fabric

and my inspiration for my fabric choices.

These are stash fabrics from three different fabric lines

but they look great together.

Nutmeg agrees ... :-) 

When Nutmeg moves off the fabrics I can cut me some fabrics.

Clue #1 cutting is up!

Clue 1 cut ... that was easy ... :) 

A good time to find some fabrics and join in the fun.

Hope to see you sewing along ... <3 

I Like Thursday # 14 ~ I Like Red

Red is a Neutral  ~ Can this be true? 

For April's Fools Day, 

The Quilt Show 

declared

Freddy Red as the New Neutral for 2019

It was a joke.

Or was it?

On January 15, 2019, the 

had already published their

Red is a Neutral AHIQ Invitation

Since then their members have posted some amazing

#AHIQRed Quilts

These quilts are not jokes.

I am not a member of this group,
but I am sew inspired and intrigued.

I have these fabrics calling to me.

Maybe red is my next neutral.

This happy idea is stamped with the Nutmeg "Paw of Approval"

I like my new "happy" tin of binding clips.

I bought this Here on Amazon 

because I kept emptying my clip box while I was

Facing This Quilt

The red cherries and polka dots make me happy.

I like it so much that that I have made it into my
"Happy I Like Thursday"  icon ... see below.

I like my Maestro sitting with me this morning, each in our favorite red chairs.
She is trying to get my attention.

 Maestro loves her morning petting ritual
in our matching red chairs.



I have two of these chairs from the time
 when one was in my sewing room and one at my desk.
I bought the red ones because they were the cheapest color at the time on Amazon.
They are drafting chairs and adjust to counter height.
I apparently like the extra height even though I am not a tall woman.
I have my long arm adjusted higher than usual according to the man who set it up.
It helps ease my back pains.

Since it is Thursday I am going to journey over to visit the creative

I Like Thursday Bloggers @ Not Afraid of Color

and see what inspiring posts they are sharing.

I am also interested in hearing what they think about this
" Red As Neutral" colorful idea.

Happy Thursday!  

How To Face A Quilt Binding ~ Tutorial

Here is my tutorial for how I faced the binding on my

My Dream Big Quilt

The hanging tube for this quilt was  also constructed with the facing strips

that bind the quilt.

I started by squaring and trimming my quilt with the edges even.

There is no need to leave any extra batting or backing fabric when facing a quilt. 

Then I cut by my facing strips: 

Two 3.5" wide strips (sides)

and

Two 5.5 " wide strips (top and bottom) 

Length was determined by the length of the sides of my quilt plus 3"

I used the extra 108" backing fabric strips,

but any color may be used as it will not be seen on the front of the quilt.

I decided to make a hanging tube top and bottom of my quilt.

If I only wanted a hanging tube at the top I would have cut only one 5" strip 

I sewed a 1/4" seam attaching the 3.5" facing strips to either side of my quilt.

Right Sides Together

I used wonder clips to secure the pieces in every step and removed as I sewed.

Then I pressed the facing strips over the edge of the quilt
pressing toward the outside.

Then I "stay stitched" the seam by stitching a line 1/8" away from the pressed fold.

This stitching line is very important to the turning process.

You can see the 1/4 seam allowance under the presser foot if you look closely. 

This stay stitch line secures the edge.

It will not be visible on the front on the quilt as it will be turned to the back.

Then I pressed a 1/2" hem on the raw outside edge, carefully turned, pressed and clipped the facing strip as I went along.

Then I hand stitched the facing strip to the back of the quilt.

You can see the 1/4" of the quilt front turned to the back of the quilt.

Here is my first side faced.

You cannot see any binding fabric or stitches on the front of the quilt.

The outside edges of the side can be cut even with the edge and do not need to be stitched 

as this edge will be closed when attaching the top and bottom facing. 

Clip strips to the top and bottom of the quilt,

right sides together

allowing 1 1.5" overhang on either side.

This will turned under after the next step.

Sew strips to top and bottom of the quilt

leaving the overhang open.

Press the facing strip away from the front on the quilt,
pressing toward the outside edge.

Stay stitch the top and bottom 1/8" from the pressed edge
securing the strip to the seam allowance on the back.

Press a  1/4" hem and then press the overhang inward to finish the raw edges.

Machine stitch securing the overhang to the facing seam.

 Machine sew hem on tube to secure.

Secure all overhang edges in the manner.

Machine sew a 1/4" hem on the outer edge of the facing tube strip.

Turn the facing to the back.
This also turns 1/4" of the front of the quilt to the back.
Use Wonder Clips to secure.

Ready to hand stitch the facing and hanging tube to the back.

Leaving the ends of the tube open ... 

Hand stitch the hanging tube facing to the back of the quilt.

 Katniss was my quilty kitty supervisor for this process.

My finished facing.

My new wall quilt!
I really like this facing alternative to the traditional binding
as it does not add an additional design element to the quilt.

I hope you find this quilt facing tutorial useful.

If you have an questions, please contact me.
My email address may be found in my header under
"Contact Me".

Happy quilting! 

My Quilting Adventures ~ Quilt Two ~ At Last

Here ... 
loading on my quilting machine ...
at long last ...
 is my  ...

Blueberry Park Fat 8th Fruitcake Quilt

which has been unquilted ...  de-threaded ... pressed.

This one has been a long slog through the weeds

Read Here for My Ribbeting Adventures

but now it is bright and blooming ...

and almost ready to quilt.

It has been a happy quilty weekend.

I also pieced

all my Beothuk Star QAL  blocks

and this is ready for piecing the top

More photos of that one for the next Linky Party.

It has been a beautiful weekend for being outside and enjoying spring.

Tomorrow the rains return.

A good day to stay in and quilt.

It is all good. 

May your week be happy and quilty.

Remember and Honor

My Eye of the Eagle Quilt

Reposted in honor to those who have served and who now serve our country,

including their families,

for whose sacrifice I am ever grateful.

May you and yours have a Happy Memorial Day <3

No Sew Slow Sunday

It was a day to play outside with the pretty flowers.

Gerbera Daisies in the big pot we placed on the stump of the old maple

we had cut down a few years ago because it interfered with the power lines.

Gerbera daisies  and I do not always respond well to my less than green thumbs

according to This Planting Guide

they should do well in this very sunny corner of the front yard.

Time will tell.

Maybe I will sew a few little blacks together before sleep,

maybe not.

May you be enjoying a slow Sunday, too.

Sweet quilty dreams. 

Saturday Sewing ~ Seaglass

This morning these lovely green and blue pieces of my sea glass fabrics
for my

Beothuk Star QAL Quilt

were all over my cutting table.

I briefly considered putting these away for another day 

and'sewing scraps for my usual scrappy Saturday.

I briefly considered going into my quilting room to quilt.

Then I went outside where the sun was shining and did not get back to 

making my quilty decision until after dark.

It was a lovely day outside and we did yard work,

ran errands, lunched out and just sat and enjoyed the yard as much as possible.

Here is Block 2 

This evening I just picked up the sea glass pieces and pieced out.

Because I opted not to cut the centers of my star,

I am devising my own construction method.

I discovered I needed to do this after I sewed 

Block 1

So my seam ripper and I had a fun time taking off the bottom row of this block 

and sewing it into the center strip instead.

Here is one side  of my quilt and the center strip.

The last two corners should go together quickly now.

I am actually ahead on this quiltalong.

My top will be together soon. 

Perhaps tomorrow ~ perhaps not.

I am feeling the pull of the tides as I sew these blocks.

Maybe it might be a good weekend to answer the call of the sea

and take a walk on the sand and look for real beach glass and eat seafood on a dock.

That is something we have done many a Memorial Day Weekend.

May you enjoy your long weekend, too.