49 Colorful Summer Blocks Done!

The 49 Blocks for my Kaffe Fassett Quilt are done!

These are easy blocks,
8" squares of these big beautiful prints,
 framed with 1.5" strips of the spot fabric
to yield 10" unfinished blocks.

I like to sew the blocks directly to the width of fabric strips.

Cut the blocks apart.

Sewing opposite sides in this manner.

Then press, trim and square each block.

I do like to cut corners and reduce steps,
but I always carefully press, trim and square each unit or block
before sewing them together.

It is well worth the extra effort to make sure my quilt will be square and even.

Another area where I do not cut corners or costs
is with the materials I use ...

like these gorgeous

Kaffe Fassett Fabrics


I sew with only quality fabrics and threads and needles ...

... like this Aurifil Thread and
these Schmetz Chrome
Professional Grade Needles.

I have been using this

Aurifil 2021 Large Thread Cone

for several years.

I buy the large cones,
6,452 yards of 50wt Aurifil 100% cotton thread,
in Natural White.

The wrapped cone pictured is my back-up.

The one on my machine I have been piecing with for over a year.

I also wind my own bobbins with this thread.

These large cones last me least 8 months or more,
depending on how much I sew and the projects 
I am working on.

The Chrome Needles are a wonderful new find.

I have been using only Schmetz needles for years,

but only recently tried the chrome ones when I found them on sale at

Schmetz Needles on Sale

My veteran Janome loves these chrome needles
and runs much smoother and quieter.

Since this was a Notion on the Month Sale,
I stocked up on my favorite sizes and types ...

Schmetz Chrome Microtex Sharp Needle

Schmetz Chrome Quilting Needles

Schmetz Chrome Topstitch Needle


If you want to take advantage of this sale,
do so today as I think the sale on the needles 
may end tomorrow night.

Now that my blocks are done,

I am ready for the next step,

sashing and sewing my flimsy together. 

This pattern is a free download from 

Fat Quarter Shop and Free Spirit and Rowan Fabrics

Jewel Frames Quilt Pattern

Or maybe my quilty muse will want to play with a different project

for a day or two.

Happy Summer Sewing!  

Summertime ...

... and the sewing is easy.

The fabrics are colorful and fabulous and fun.

These gorgeous Kaffe Fassett prints

are on my cutting and sewing tables today.

I am making an easy quilt with these.

Colorful ... fun ... easy 

are my plans for the summer.

Whatever appeals to my quilty muse on any given day is where I will be.

I may or may not be posting on my blog much.

It is summer sew-cation here in my quilty corner.

May all of you have a happy summer.

<3 

Clementine Quilt Along ~ Block 6

Clementine Quilt Along Block 6

Strawberry Star

This one was fun to sew.

All of these blocks have been a skill building challenge for me.

This is the last set of blocks for my red and white quilt.

Woo-hoo!

I will soon be sewing my top together.

I know I am going to love this quilt.

I have been sewing these blocks for the 

sponsored by the 

Fat Quarter Shop

For all the info please visit the

Clementine Quilt Along Main Page

For this month's block pattern go to today's post on the

The Jolly Jabber

The Clementine Quilt Along benefits
 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 
This charity quilt along pattern measures 70.5″ x 90.5″. 
Fat Quarter Shop asks only for a $5 donation to St. Judes 
each time you download one of the patterns.

There are some very inspiring quilts in the making in the links.

This block was my favorite to sew.

I really like this star pattern.

Strawberries are in season locally and my hubby brought home these
baskets of juicy berries this week.

Yummy!

Strawberry Stars Forever! 

Color Palette Play

My Blue Hydrangeas are blooming!

I love these colors so I have decided to try to make a quilt with them

I went to 

Palette Builder 2.1 by PlayCrafts

Here is my pallete ... 

Here are my colors!

I love that this even tells me what Bella Solids match these colors.

You can even move the circles to chose the colors you wish to highlight.

Have fun playing with your own photos!

:-) 

FQS Snowballs Quilt Along ~ Night Hike

My Night Hike Fat Quarter Snowballs Quilt!

Started with this wonderful  Night Hike by Heather Givans for Windhan Fabrics
Fat Quarter Bundle
and background fabric, binding fabric and backing.

The Fat Quarter Bundle came presorted into lights and darks,
making the fabric requirements for this quilt even easier.

The  pattern called for six light and six dark fat quarters,
but I wanted to use more of these fabrics,
so my top looks scrappier than most.

I love scrappy quilts!

Here is my completed top

I chose Kona Spruce for my background
,
which was a perfect match for the darkest green background in the fabric line.

To make your own version of this quilt, use the

Fat Quarter Shop Snowballs Quilt Kit

or choose your own fabrics.

Video Tutorial and pattern and other versions of this quilt may be found
on the Quilt Along page at

The Jolly Jabber


Free Shortcut Quilt Pattern from the FQS Here

Here are a few more photos of the making of my quilt.

As my regular readers know, I always like to "cut corners"
when piecing blocks like these Snowball blocks.

I do not draw lines.  I cut my 1/4 inch seam before I sew.

I soon had all the snowball blocks to make my quilt.

I did the same for the Diamond blocks,
cutting the corners with my Mini Folded Corners Ruler
starting on one corner and working my way clockwise around.

When it came time to quilt my quilt,
this motif on the fabric gave me an idea.

I cute freezer paper templates for the compass points.

Then I made a compass circle using a large platter as a quilting template.

Then I continued making circles outward to the edge on my quilt.

Here is a close up of my quilted compass.

I used  Aurifil  Spruce for my quilting thread
which perfectly matched the background greem fabric.

I used my favorite binding technique,
Two Fabric Flanged Machine Binding

Here is my backing and finished binding.

I love my new Night Hike Quilt.

It is a good size for a lap quilt for a cool summer evening.

Thank you to the wonderful people at the 
Fat Quarter Shop
for another wonderful Quilt Along! 

Happy Summer!