Happy New Year!

One New and Some Finishing up Projects.

First completed Project of the Year!  I started and completed this patchwork quilt in about a week, using a French General Layer Cake, called Joyous Noelle, I got years ago 

I made the little Reindeer Pillow in 2014.  I want to make a row quilt with a row of reindeer like this one along with some snow flakes and other sweater type Fair Isle motif rows.  Wow already setting goals.  Not really, seems to be those thoughts are going through my mind all the time.  This year to complete many from the past, plus some new ones!

Quilted with a holly and swirl design from My Creative Stitches.  There are quite a few squares that have charming holly in them, although there are also squares with snowflakes so I could've gone with a snowflake them panto also.

The layer cake only came with a few of these lovely squares depicting vintage motifs

I had to add some 10 inch squares from material I had on hand and this woodland one coordinated well and I love the whimsicalness of it!

This is made with 10 inch squares, 8 across and nine down, plus the borders.

This pub topper was a quilt along with The Fat Quarter Shop quite a few years ago.  I added the sashing with the star cornerstones and added the borders and quilting a year or two ago.

I started packing up my Christmas stuff and had this on the pub table with no binding.  I saw it needed a quick wash so completed it with green binding before washing..

Here ar a few up close photos

I snapped a few more pictures I did of this Christmas/wintery quilt I made in a couple of weeks just before Christmas.  Another using layer cake squares and yardage.

I already blogged about it but the pictures don't look very pretty so I cleaned the camera lens on my phone and snapped a few more.  Isn't this up close scene pretty?

This block is whimsical with woodland creatures and foliage

Some more woodland creatures from my stash and you can see the Christmas trees panto

 

Whimsical Fall Topper

I found this post unpublished so figure I'll go ahead and publish it for now and I'll do another one next fall when I add the binding.

I see I put in a few cutting instructions and you can see a bit of my creative process.

I created my own design but was inspired by two quilt toppers, which you can see further down in the post.

Some Cutting Instructions:

For each 9 inch finished Churn Dash block, make four 3 1/2" HSTs, four Bar blocks (made with two rectangles, one color and one background, 2 x 3 1/2", and a center background square that is 3 1/2"

For each Pumpkin block, cut one pumpkin color 8 x 9 1/2", one stem is 1 1/2 x 2", and two background 2 x 4 1/2" rectangles (which are sewed to each side of the stem.  To round the pumpkin, use four 2 1/2" squares.

For the bigger 9 patch blocks, cut 3 1/2" squares as shown and sew together and trim to 9 1/2"  Note:  If I make this again, I will make the colorful squares in the corners and the center, instead of the background squares.

For the 4 patch blocks; cut 2 inch squares (2 color and 2 background)

For the friendship stars:  Cut four 1 1/2" background squares and one 1 1/2" colorful square for the center.  To make the four HSTs cut a 2 5/8" square of each background and colorful fabric and sew together around the perimeter and then slice diagonally twice, press open and trim each square to 1 1/2"

For the Flying geese (to make four) cut a colorful square 4 1/4" and cut diagonally twice.  Of background cut two 3 1/2 inch squares and also cut diagonally twice.  Sew the smaller triangles to each side of one colorful triangle to create a 2 x 3 1/2 flying geese block.

Use the stitch and flip method to create the rounded upper parts of the heart and the lower angle.  Remember each side is a mirror image.  Sew together and trim to 3 1/2"  Note:  on my heart which is pictured, I used a 3/4" square instead of a 1" square but I think it would look better if it were a 1" square.

Inspiration for my Fall Topper.  The first one is called Pumpkin Patch by Buttermilk Basin and the 2nd one is called Pumpkin Dash by Lori Pengally.

  

I mostly love the border of the first one and the second one I also love but wanted to make one with less applique.

I ended up turning my churn dash blocks on point.

I added some applique to give it a bit of whimsicalness.

The little birds facing the heart are so cute!

I added some friendship stars and flying geese, pumpkins in the corners

See how it would be better if the colored blocks were in the corners

Originally the plan was to have the big maple leaves in the corners but eventually decided to just have some little ones in the final border.

You can see there are all sorts of possibilities and there's even a cat head to the right of that bottom pumpkin, but he didn't make the cut along with the maple leaves.

Fun but a little frustrating trying to make the final plan

I love designing and look forward to many more fun and whimsical designs in my future (but just a little applique as it's not my favorite!)

 

A Couple of Christmas Quilt Finishes

I started and completed this quilt within a few weeks.  Patchwork ten inch squares go together fairly quickly.  Added some borders and stripe-y binding.

Sort of a trip around the world layout

Some of the fabrics have a Christmas theme but with the blue squares, it gives it a winter-y look, so I'm going to keep it on the bed for a few weeks.  Time to make a Valentine quilt maybe?

I had made this tree with half square triangles (I think it might be a laundry basket pattern) a few years ago.  This year, I was happy to make lots of 12 1/2" star blocks to add around the border and make it queen size to make a gift for my friend.

Free motion embroidery and striped binding

 

After washing.  It shrunk about 5 or 6 inches.  

Maple Leaf Block Instructions

To make the 9 1/2 inch maple leaf blocks:  

Some basic instructions

HSTs cut each, background and color 3 7/8” squares (cut diagonally once) to make two OR cut a 5 1/2” square and cut diagonally twice) to make 4.
The stem: cut 3/4” X 5 1/4” and use two background triangles.
Plus you’ll need one 3 1/2” background square and one 3 1/2” color square 

If you have this Easy Angle ruler, you can cut the shorter leaf section as shown (3 1/2 x 6 1/2").  I always like to have as few seams as possible.  To make the longer leaf piece make one that is 3" longer. If you don't have this ruler, you can make four 3 1/2" HSTs using the cutting instructions.

Proceed to sew the pieces as shown.

Continue sewing together until your block is complete and square up to be 9 1/2"