Quilt Market - Fall 2013

We have made it home from Quilt Market in Houston Texas!  What a time we had!  Quilt Festival is going on right now and I wish time would have allowed me to see all of the quilts but I did bring home some pictures to share with you!  My first set of pictures is of some beautiful Quilting!

The Quilt is called "Bouquets For A New Day My Way"

By Barbara Baxter and Quilted by Karen Shively

I absolutely LOVE the borders on this quilt!

Isn't this quilting spectacular?!

Check back tomorrow for a preview of a special exhibit of Betty Alderman's work!

Don't forget to 'Follow" me!

Happy Quilting!

Quilt Market

We made it to Texas!  Today is filled with classes!  Can't wait to see what new techniques they have to show us!!

Happy Quilting!

Houston Here I Come!

My bags are packed and I am on my way to Houston Texas!  International Quilt Market here I come!  I can't wait to see all the new designs and meet the designers!  I'm especially excited to see how Eleanor Burns is dressed this year!  Stay tuned for pictures!

Happy Quilting!

Gardner's Alphabet - A is for Autumn

Well now that the Snowman A - Zzzzz is done I just had to pick up another hand work project!  I probably should have picked up a smaller one but I couldn't resist Crabapple Hill's Gardener's Alphabet!  I've got A for Autumn completely done!

I've traced and colored B is for Bees and will be taking that one on the plane with me to Houston!  What are you working on?

Happy Quilting!

Margaret

Lots of Little 1/2 Square Triangles

Remember last week when I showed how to make 8 little half square triangles at once?  Well I had a reason for giving it a try and here is the reason:

I was really happy with how it turned out!  

It's all quilted, bound (thanks to my mom) and it hangs on the wall in my hallway!  This one of the quilts I'm making in a class I'm taking at O'Susannah's Quilts & Gifts in Watkins Glen NY.  I think I'm enjoying working with the tiny little pieces, I haven't completely decided yet!  I'll let you know after my next 7 quilts are done!!

I've got a busy weekend on my schedule!  I'm finishing up a stack of quilts for customers and getting laundry done so I can start packing for Quilt Market in Houston Texas!

Happy Quilting!

Margaret

A - Zzzzz Snowman

I finished the A - Zzzz Snowman designed by Crabapple Hill Studio!  I've had some questions on how I did it so here's a picture of the entire quilt and some close ups to explain!

The Stars - I filled in the stars with French Knots!  I did a 3 wrap French Knot and made as many as I could possibly fit into the stars.  I really liked the way they turned out!

Carrot noses, I did do some of them with the Stem Stitch but most of them were done with the Backstitch.

The Christmas Lights were done with the Padded Satin Stitch.  I like the way the Padded Satin Stitch looks, it (in my opinion) gives the Christmas Lights some dimension.

With the exception of where special stitches were called for the piece was worked in the Stem Stitch.  I like working with the Stem Stitch more than I do the Backstitch.  I feel like it goes faster and looks nicer.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Enjoy!

Happy Quilting!

8 Half Square Triangles At Once

Yes, that wasn't a typo!  I'm making a mini quilt and the directions while good left absolutely no room to trim/square up the half square triangles which when working with little pieces can be disastrous!  My half square triangles are 1 1/2" unfinished with the total block being 2 1/2" inches so I am working with really tiny pieces that have to be squared up!  Here's what I did:

I started with 2 - 4" squares

Placed right sides together

Drew a line from the upper left corner to the lower right corner

Then drew a line from the upper right corner to the lower left corner

Sorry that the thread doesn't show up better!  I sewed a scant quarter seam on each side of my drawn line

Another shot of the same block trying to get a better picture of the sewn lines...

Next comes the fun part!  Time to start cutting up the block!

First cut is right down the center of the block

Next cut is straight across the center of the block

Now cut on the drawn line

You now have 8 half square triangles!!!

Here they are all pressed open ready to be squared up

See how tiny they are?  I'm not certain how much I really like working with these tiny little pieces!

I just had to show you all the trimmings I got off those 8 square!

My next step was to sew them together in groups of two.  Make certain you nuzzle those seams together!

Notice anything wrong with this picture?

Had to get the seam ripper out for this one!  Learn from my mistakes, make certain they are all sewn together the same way!

All Fixed!

Here come the Pinwheels!

Sew together and remember to set your seams!

Press open

Square up for the last time!

A close up of the back.  Does everyone know how to open the centers of your block?

Finished size 2 1/2"

There you have it!  8 Half Square Triangles at once!!  

Happy Quilting!