Watermelon Table Topper for Summer (with a tutorial) & UPDATE

I was looking for something cute and seasonal to make for a friend's birthday when I was inspired by a darling table topper in my Summer Fun Pinterest Collection. 

 I still need to buy some black embroidery floss to add some "seeds".

UPDATE:

I made another watermelon topper and did it a little different so will include some instructions in my tutorial for version B.

It would be very cute to give along with a watermelon candle.  If you're really ambitious here's a site that has a tutorial for making these darling watermelon candles!

Click here to learn to make your own!

Here's the topper from Pinterest and the original post is from Yvonne's blog here. She does beautiful work!

Here is the pattern by Shelley Robson at All People Quilt, that Yvonne used. 

At first, I didn't find the pattern and so I made my own and I'll share the tutorial with you, although I'm sure you might want to check out Shelley's tutorial above.

Sew Kitschy May Block

I sewed the Sew Kitschy May block this weekend.

I changed the style a bit.

It's so nice of Kristie of Quiet Play to share her wonderful talent.   The May block is available for free through the end of the month.

Triangle quilt in Plums and Charm Packs

Here's a peak at another triangle quilt I'm working on.  This time in mostly pinks and plums.

I also got these darling charm packs from Green Fairy Quilts when they had their sale a couple of weeks ago.  They are as much a treasure as any other!  I love to look at and touch the wonderful fabrics.  The Castle one is called "brushed" and it's softer.

Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

TWO Layer Cake Quilt Along quilts ready to link up

After seeing one of the other participants make a quilt with 12 of the layer cake blocks, I decided to maximize my quilting return and make another 4 blocks so I could make two lap quilts. 

It was windy outside but luckily I was able to get a half way good photo of the two quilts together for the link up photo.

Each quilt measure 57" x 71".  This one might be called "Faceted Purples and Platinum"

I added the striped and checker board borders in the respective blue and pink purples.  This one might be named "Purple, Pepper & Plums"

 

I have enjoyed quilting along with Amanda.  Here is the link in case you want to check out the other layer cake quilts in the link up.

Layer Cake Quilt Along nearing Completion (or not)

I got my last two blocks made!

As I was laying out the blocks and starting to sew some of them together, I thought....

Considering my goal is to make quilts for all of my family and several of them want purple quilts.....

Instead of sewing 20 together, I could sew 12 together and make 4 more blocks, and then I could have two lap quilts!

Four blocks doesn't sound like much, right?  Well there are 16 half square triangles (HSTs) in each block and so I have 64 HSTs ready to press open and trim!!

A tip from Wendy over at Ivory Spring is that she doesn't press all the components of her blocks open before assembling, but finger presses them... so I rifled through my sewing drawer and found a finger presser....

Not sure what the R and L mean (right or left handed?)  Anyway, I tried that method out for the last two blocks and found it to be pretty good and time saving!

I may group the 12 blocks into warmer and cooler purple groups that could possibly look similar to these layouts...

  I decided against sashing, as nothing was looking good in the audition-- maybe because I have too many different gray backgrounds.

I'm linking photos up in the Material Girl Layer Cake Quilt Along Flickr group.  There are some breath taking quilts in all sorts of colors and patterns to see!  

Blogger Girls II Blocks caught up Plus 2!

Blogger Girls II 6 1/2" blocks

 I strung up a line for the display.  (Daylight photo-- softer lighting)

April's blocks close up.

I've made 12 blocks even though the actual up to date count is 10.  The middle block on the left doesn't really fit in and a couple others have mistakes-- so I have extra in case I don't want to use some of them.  There are only 2 blocks left to make in June!

April & May Blocks

Here's the Blogger Girls Flickr page in case you want to see some of the other blocks people have made.

Quilt Doodle April and May quilt along

I'm working hard to get caught up on the quilt alongs.

Here are the Quilt Doodle completed blocks.

  

 

At the beginning of each month, it's fun to see what block Cindy will unveil next!  

Stop by Cindy's blog if you want here.

Or go to the Flickr group!