Sister's Choice Quilts

Brown Blocks for Sampler Spree QAL All Done!

This Saturday I finished all the brown blocks for the Sampler Spree Quilt Along. Going forward, I am going to work on finishing up the blocks for each color one at a time. That way I can be sure not to duplicate fabrics too much, or leave out anything good. It's fun to see them all together. I have seven different "colors" (navy, light blue, teal, gold, light orange, dark orange, and brown). I plan on making 15 blocks of each color for the quilt top.

I did veer away from the Sampler Spree book for four of the blocks shown above. I have a Judy Hopkins block book that has instructions for making tons of blocks in various sizes which I used for inspiration and measurements. If you don't have a quilt block pattern book with loads of block ideas, it might be a good idea to get one. 

In other news, the big event of the weekend was Eva's first 7th grade dance, which had a 70's theme. I am so proud of how well she was able to nail the outfit. I'm pretty sure I had a blouse that was just like hers back in the day. She said she had a great time, but that "it was really loud".

I hope your weekend was excellent. I spent mine sewing and planning on how I am going to take charge of cleaning my house. More on that later this week.

 

It's About Time

This is a big announcement for me.  So often kind people who are interested in reading my blog ask me how they can follow me and receive notifications when I post.  Duh.  I am not very tech-savvy, and I have never known how to make that happen.  "I don't know, just check-in every weekday?" is not the answer folks want.  I have been blogging for 13 years, and I think it is time I figure out how to allow readers to subscribe. 

So, I enlisted my amazingly clever daughter Sara, and asked her, "Can you make it happen so anyone who wants to follow my blog can subscribe and receive notifications when I post?"  "Sure Mom", my make-it-happen daughter replied.  

So there you go.  In the taskbar right underneath my blog banner, there is a choice to "subscribe" now.  Woo hoo!  I have joined the twenty-first century.  Please go ahead and hit that button, fill out the information,  and you will receive an email when I post, and will be able to link directly to my most recent blog post.  I hope this will be a more convenient way to find me than whatever you have been doing up until now.  It goes without saying that your email will not be used for any other purpose.

In other more quilt-related news, Heaven help me, I have started another Sew-Along.  You'd think there was some kind of prize for the fool who has the most sew-alongs going on at one time. I'm a contender.  Thanks a lot Tracey.

Here are my first nine blocks.  If you want a stash buster of a project, here you go.  It is a sew-along called "Bust that Stash" hosted by Border Creek Station Ontario, Canada.  Go to the link, and download the pattern instructions and information, which are free.   My friend Tracey told me all about it and shared a picture of the gorgeous quilt she made.  She used all batiks for her quilt, and as you can see it is amazing. 

Don't you have a tub of batiks just sitting around?  Love their bright colors but never quite know what to do with them?  Here's your answer.  For me, I have a tub of fabrics leftover from various projects over the past few years, and I am embracing this chance to use them up.

I spent hours this past weekend cutting out my squares, all except the reds, which I have yet to do.  I figured why not get everything all cut out and then I will be good to stitch up a half dozen blocks every time I go into my sewing room.  So, go to the Border Creek Station site and print out those free instructions so you can make one too.  They give options for different sized blocks as well as different sized quilts.  I plan to make 144 6 1/2" blocks and set them 12 x 12.  I should end up with a bed-sized quilt if I do that.  Goodness knows if it isn't big enough to suit me, there is more fabric where that came from and I can always make more blocks.

Hope you are all coping well with your lockdown, where ever it is that you are.  Take care and stay healthy.

 

Quick Home Made Gift Idea- Microwave Bowl Cozies

This, for those of you who might not know, is a Bowl Cozy.  Specifically, a padded bowl surround that can be used in the microwave while heating up leftovers in a bowl.  You know how when you heat up your soup in a bowl in the microwave, it is too hot to handle when you take it out?  Well, this little item solves that problem.  Everyone loves them.

To make them, all you need is two 10 inch layer cake squares and two 10 inch squares of batting.  Be sure to use only 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread.  I have done a tutorial on how I make mine, and therein have linked to another tutorial I think is really good.  

I have been in full production mode, and made eight of them in a couple of hours earlier this week.  They make great teacher gifts, gifts for work buddies, and are quite perfect for your grown nieces and nephews who are setting up first apartments or dorm rooms.  You know they eat something from the microwave every day, so these are just what they need.  For couples, I like to give two in matching or coordinating fabrics.

They are a great way to use up those layer cake squares you have sitting around.  These cost me nothing, as I made them with materials I had on hand. I bet you have the makings for a slew of them too.  I like to choose fabric combinations that suit the individual.  The guys on my list are getting grey and black ones and the girls are getting girlier prints.  They are completely washable, so when you slop your soup over the side, it's no problem to wash it off.

So what are you waiting for?  You know someone who needs these.

 

 

Loose Change

This scrappy nine patch quilt was inspired by a plastic bag full of 2 inch squares left over from another project, and the pattern "Loose Change" by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  The pattern is in a book called Miss Rosie's Quilt Collection.  The Miss Rosie quilt is made from 2 1/4" strip sets.  Since I had nothing but 2 inch squares, I made my nine patches the slow way and ended up with 5 inch unfinished blocks, which of course produced a much smaller quilt.  I compensated for that by making lots more blocks.  I made 154 blocks and the pattern calls for 128.  When you are using such a simple block such as the nine patch, there is all kinds of wiggle room as to size of the finished block and number of blocks you can use to make your quilt top.  I didn't follow the pattern at all, except to think "that's cool, I should use my scraps and make something like that". I am keeping the name "Loose Change" though, as it seems to fit.

I am planning to add an outer border, probably more of the tan colored fabric used in the setting squares.  My quilt will be a good sized lap quilt, probably 66x72 or thereabouts.  I like the cozy look of the quilt top and think it will be great over the back of my reading chair.  And just the right size to cuddle up in while I read and enjoy a glass of wine.

So here's the thing.  This was supposed to be a scrap busting quilt, and ended up anything but.  I started out with what I thought was a ton of two inch scrap squares.

As I worked, I kept thinking things like "I need a bit more blue" or "I have too much of that one red, I need more variety" or "I can't just use that little bit of pink, I need more to have it make sense".  So, I would go to the stash and cut a strip of this and a strip of that.  And of course I needed tons of background strips for a good mix of different tones and fabric prints.  I ended up with a box of scraps leftover that was three or four times the amount of scraps that I started out with.  That was a false economy if I ever saw one.  This was a fabric user project all right, but definitely not what I would call a "scrap buster".  I generated way more scraps than I used! I think I am hopeless.  

The quilt ended up really nice though, so I won't complain!  I'll show you all the finished version once I get the borders on.

Hope you all had a great long weekend.  I think I am over the worst of the flu and am itching to get back into a routine.  Ear is doing ok, but due to the perforated eardrum, my hearing is shot.  I can't hear anything, most notably my husband, who has kind of a hoarse whispery voice and can't seem to project.  So every time he speaks to me I say, "Sorry, what was that?"  TV is out of the question, unless I watch on my laptop with earbuds and volume turned up all the way.  This will pass, I've been through it before, it just takes a month or so.

 

Use It Up

I think my motto for 2018 should be "Use It Up". 

We had a great discussion about saving scraps yesterday, and I thank all of you who weighed in with what size scraps you save. It has really given me something to think about.

Many of us have scrap bins it seems, but not all of us actually dip into that treasure trove of leftover loveliness and make something with those scraps.  Well, how about, we do something to change that?  

I started browsing through some of my quilt books for ideas, and it did not take me long to find a perfect pattern to help me use up that bag full of 2 inch squares I discovered hidden away in a drawer.  This pattern is called "Loose Change" and is in a book by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. (Carrie Nelson) called Miss Rosie's Quilt Collection.  Her pattern calls for 2 1/4" squares and my scraps are all 2".  No matter.  I am making a gazillion nine patch blocks with these 2 inch squares and I will end up with a quilt that looks very much like the one pictured above.  This is going to be one of those quilts that ends up being whatever size it ends up!  

I think in honor of my "Use It Up" theme, this is going to be my first quilt for 2018.

So, did any of you come up with some ideas on how to use up your scraps?  Please share if you did!