Mini Love Finish

 Have you ever started a project thinking it was going to be a quicky and then it takes much longer?  Well that's exactly what happened.  How could it take two days to finish a 12 x 17 wall hanging?!  Geeesh!  It all started by wanting to use up the scraps from the Amour de Cerise quilt and Simply Sweet table topper.

I surfed the internet for ideas and came up with a plan.  My little mini will include ideas from 3 different quilt designs.  I grabbed my favorite designing tools and with a little help from my printer for the letters ... TADA!

There's a quilt on the frame so I had to quilt this on my regular sewing machine.  And remember my walking foot broke last week.  Well what's a girl to do but take a free motion refresher course.  Oh boy...it's so much easier on the quilt frame.  Funny how quickly our muscles forget.   I had some tension issues and my soft flowing feathers were more like squiggles.  

Two days and two needle breaks later we have a finish!  I wanted to use every last piece of the L'Amour Charm pack so I made a nine patch from the scraps then cut it as if I were going to do a disappearing nine patch and used it for the bottom strip.  There's a few fabrics from my stash, but they all play pretty well together.   Now to give her a name, any suggestions?

I love white quilt backs.   Shows off everything, the good and the bad.   Even though the quilting is less than perfect I still love it.  Now that I've blown the dust of my FM on the DM I might try to do a few more minis this year.  

Linking up with BlossomHeartquilts for Sew Cute Tuesday

~ Lea Anne ~

Enough for one more...

After making a lap quilt and a table topper, there's enough scraps left for one more small project from the Moda L'Amour charm pack.  Here's a sneak peak at the last little cutie.    Do you keep making projects until all the scraps are gone from the original project or do stash them away?  This is a first for me.  Maybe I should do this more often.   It's a great way to keep those scrap bins under control.

The Miss Kate quilt is coming along.  After two cups of coffee, an eye crossing quilt staring session and making a huge mess pulling fabrics for a border, I think this quilt will be fine without a border but with a colorful binding.  Now comes the hard part of stitching down all the applique. Sounds like an all day job and a lot of coffee!  

Guess what?  there's scraps...I see another Miss Kate project in the near future.

The designing wheels are already turning.  Maybe this applique can wait.

~ Lea Anne ~

Thrifty Thursday

What quilter doesn't love stitching up a quilt from her favorite designer fabrics?  

I could start naming designers but today's post is all about thrifty quilting.  When I started quilting over 20 years ago all of my fabric came from big named stores.  Joann's and Walmart being at the top of the list.   I didn't know quilting shops even existed, let alone that there were designer fabrics.  My first two projects were made from old curtains and sheets.  Whatever I could cut up and stitch into a quilt was fair game.  I've even used Corduroy, because it was free.   Well not much has changed.   All the fabrics below came from Walmart, Joann's, and Hancock fabrics.  Pretty cute little bundle of sweetness!  The red stripe on the bottom is my favorite.  The great thing about Joann's is the coupons.  40 to 60% off everything.  Adding "cheap" fabrics along with designer fabrics can extend the stash without killing the budget.

I found these at a local thrift shop were just to cute to pass up.  I paid $2 for this adorable small bundle.  So are you a fabric snob?  Or do you see all fabric as quiltable?

~ Lea Anne ~

Simply Sweet Table topper and Marti Michell inset triangle ruler review

Last week I made a quilt top using Moda's L'Amour Charm pack.  If you missed it you can read about it here.  Believe it or not I made a lap quilt and had enough scrap 2.5" charms leftover for a small project.  This was a great opportunity for me to try out my new Marti Michell Diagonal Set Triangle Ruler and write a free small quick pattern to share with you.  Don't worry, if you don't have this ruler, the instruction for my Simply Sweet Table topper has directions with or without the ruler.  The link to the pattern will be at the end of this post.

Before starting the ruler review I'd also like to let you know that my background fabric is also quilt border scraps from the Amour de Cerise quilt.  

As most of you know when making a quilt set on point those set in side and corner triangles can be quite tricky.  In the past we needed to cut a huge square  and then cut on the diagonal twice.  Most of the time our standard 6 x 24 ruler was to short and the measurements were odd.

Not anymore!  This ruler is great.  No more counting those 8th's and 16th's marks for that huge awkward square.  Just line up the bottom of your fabric on any line on your cutting mat.  Then on the ruler find the FINISHED size(in quilt) of your block and line it up with the bottom of your fabric.  For this project my finished block will be 6 inches. Carefully line up a straight ruler at the top of the inset ruler using the markings on the cutting mat.

Slide the set in ruler out of the way and cut.  So simple!

To cut your side set in triangles  place the ruler back on the strip and cut.

Making the corner triangles is just as easy.  From the same strip of fabric line up your ruler on the block size you need at the bottom and then line up the edge with the vertical line that is off center.

Trim away the corners on all pieces, it makes piecing them so much easier.

Look how lovely they line up!  No wings to clip and its perfectly centered.  I love this ruler!  It's not one that I'll use everyday but it's one that when I need it I'm glad I have it.  Well worth the money spent.  The best thing is I can use smaller pieces of scraps instead of needing yardage.

The free pattern for my Simply Sweet table topper can be found here.  The instruction are with and without this ruler.  Enjoy!

~ Lea Anne ~

Design OH NO!

Hi-didly-O Quity friends!  It's so nice of you to stop by today for a peak at my design mistake.  Oh it's not too terribly awful, just poor planning that will mean extra sewing.  It'll give me extra practice on that perfect quarter inch seam.

 Can you see the design flaw in the picture below?

 I know its hard to see.  If your like me your to busy looking at the Miss Kate prints and could really care less about my design blunder.  Can't say that I blame you.  So lets wipe the Miss Kate drool from our chins and really look at this top.  It's a simple plan of petals and squares that make a chain pattern.  Okay... because I want the points of the petals to line up perfectly with the 4 patches I'm adding them after the blocks are sewn together and will machine stitch them to the background.  See that red X? (Pretend the next row is attached).  That's where I would draw a line to line up the petal applique. So tell me why did I even cut the blocks and sashing?  I could have cut one long piece of fabric(the red box).  Slap in the forehead moment.  Of course this only occurred to me after cutting all the blocks and sashing. 

Maybe I can work those sashing seams into the quilting design.

Oh well, I still love the overall look of the quilt.  

Playing with the Miss Kate fabrics are the best part!

I'm linking up with Judy@Patchworktimes for design wall Monday and
Hugabit for Monday Makers.
Hop on over for inspirations!

~ Lea Anne ~

Slow Stitching

I'm linking up today with Kathy's@Katthy'squilts for Slow Stitching Sunday.  I've shown these quilt blocks many times over the last 4 years because I'm 

Slooooooooow

when it come to handwork.  You can find links to the pattern over at Erins Blog.

I work on it here and there and not always on Sunday.  This week there's been  about 4 hours or so in the evenings while watching TV. 

 This is one of my favorite blocks, its those daisies.  Miss Birdie looks as if she really like them also.

 One of the reasons(excuses) it's taking so long is I need new glasses.  So I've been using this for all my handwork.

Since this last block is almost complete I've been thinking about how to tackle  

 the center block and borders.  I'm still looking for the right fabric for the vase/urn in the center block.  I may end up altering the pattern and adding applique to a vase made from a solid fabric.  The applique borders may be left off also, at the rate I'm going that could take another 2 yrs.

 I found this picture(below) somewhere awhile back and forgot to add the info on who, what, when, and where.  Anyway...I love the sashing idea and thought it might be an option for my version of the My Tweets quilt.  It too would be a lot of applique....only time will tell how this will end.

Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

~ Lea Anne ~

A WORD, a GOAL, a LIST

Late yesterday evening I was working on the UFO above.  My phone is just an arms reach away so I'm reading and responding to new emails and blog post as they come in.  The house is silent, it gives my mind time to wander, think, contemplate life, well... my stitchy life.  Anything deeper than that is just a migraine, so why bother with the big stuff.  The forces that be are plenty capable of sorting out the big stuff.  So my deep thoughts took me to here

 BLOGGYLAND.  

It seems that at the beginning of the year everyone that has a blog has a WORD, a PLAN, a GOAL, they are keeping track of stash in and stash out, LISTS of this and LISTS of that.  And me I'm just here stitching along, flying by the seat of my pants with not a care in the world.  Doing whatever my A.D.H.D quilting style tells me to do.  

Example: the picture below.  

Yesterdays morning trip to the grocery store for milk and coffee.   I came home with my grocery LIST items(see I can make a LIST) and a few beauty's(not on the list) from the LQS(which is about 10 miles out of my way). 

I suppose if I had a business or insurance policy on my fabric I'd make a LIST  inventorying them.  Is there a prize for the most in or out, or for the most used in a year?  Maybe I'm just not serious about my hobby.  Oh don't get me wrong I'm not saying quilters shouldn't make these LISTS I'm just making excuses for why I don't.   To be so organized is great, it's just not for me.  Finding a WORD to define my year is hard enough but to start making LISTS is really pushing it.  And then throw in the daunting task of knocking out UFO's.  BRAIN CRAMP!  There's plenty of UFO's for a list 

here....

...and here.  

To be honest I'm quite proud of the fact that I took the time last year to organize them in the storage bin and tote.  Now I need to make an actual list of them?!

I drag them out from time to time just to see if something catches my eye and make a mental list, does that count in the LIST world?   Seriously who doesn't want them done but they are hidden away for very valid reasons, right?  The chances of me getting a few of them done this year are pretty good.  The chances of me adding a few more is also pretty good.  So I have a PLAN and a GOAL!  Sorta...right?

  Now what about that WORD that will define all I do in the next quilty year.

Honestly I can't think of a thing other than 

HAPPY

~ Lea Anne ~

Aurifil January Mini

 Have you seen all the FREE BOM's popping up around the quilty world?  It's so hard to pick just one or two, so I'm collecting 7.  Collecting is the key word, I'd like to complete all of them but let's be realistic....I'm fickle.  

The Aurifil 2015 Designer of the Month Mini 

sounded like it was right up my fickle alley.  No year long commitment in order to have satisfaction.  This little cutie went together start to finish in about 5 hours.  

 I'm sure you could do it quicker but I was working from scrap pieces of fabric instead of yardage so there was much more cutting and sewing involved.   Not to mention my walking foot broke the day before so I had to quilt this one with an open toe foot very carefully.  The pattern designer Gudrun Erla did a wonderful job writing the pattern, easy to understand and giving the pressing directions which was very helpful.  

I'm not sure why the picture below looks green, its really aqua.  It doesn't matter you can still see the stitches which is what I was after.  Seeing how my walking foot was broke I can live with a few long or short stitches.  

And of course I always choose a backing that is not on the favorite fabric list.

On mini's I always attached the binding by machine.  Now if I could just master the stitch in the ditch.

Well I'm off to find a spot on the mini's wall for my new little sweetie, "SPARKLE".  

~ Lea Anne ~

Now Serving Amour de Cerise

Good Monday morning sweet quilty friends!  I'm so glad you've all stopped by for a visit.  So grab a cuppa and a chair and stay awhile while I serve up some "Amour de Cerise".

She's such a sweet little quilt top measuring in at 69.5" square.   Now I must admit that when it comes to Holiday prints I'm usually not a big fan, but when they're free you can't complain.  It took awhile to gather up the courage to use them.  It was fun challenging myself and getting out of the fabric comfort zone.  You can read more about the fabrics and design here.

The low volume background....YUM!  I think I've found a new love.  Why was I so afraid low volume?  It may be that sometimes as quilters we tend to over think the process instead of just letting it take on it's on life.  By that I mean.... I was afraid the low volume prints wouldn't match up correctly when I started putting the blocks together.  I only used 5 different low volume prints so a little planning went into each block, making sure I had a few different prints in each block.  

My original plan for this quilt was to add applique in the border.  After about two hours of quilt staring, planning and playing with ideas, the girls

(me, myself and I) decided it would make the quilt far to busy and that the quilting would need to speak for the borders.

There's just enough charms left to make a matching table runner.  So later in the week I'll share a free pattern and a tutorial on how to use the Marti Michell Diagonal Set Triangle ruler.  Until then if you want more quilty inspiration, hop on over to Judy's@Patchworktimes for a linky party. 

Just one more picture,  just because I like it!

TaTa Dear quilty friends!  Happy Stitching!

~ Lea Anne ~

Inspiration

As many of you know a little over a year ago our family came together as hospice caretakers for my Gramps.  Some took care of the yard work, others the finances and then some of us the daily personal care.  During this time some us also reconnected as friends.  Nothing like the death of a prominent family member to either pull a family together or tear it apart.  My Aunt Brenda took time off from her job to be his main live in caretaker, I became her lovely assistant(wink wink).  I always took along some hand applique and my computer for designing quilts in EQ. There was little time for either.   Well yesterday I received this picture on my phone.  My Aunt Brenda is making her very first quilt! She's off to a great start by mastering the HST's.  Pretty darn good for newby!   I like to think her inspiration was me, although she never said.  It just tickled me pink to think there will be another quilter in the family.  

 We never know who or how we'll touch other people lives in our journey.  

There were a lot of memories made in those few short weeks, some were good and some were bad but I wouldn't change a thing. 

The picture below is 

My mom, Gramps and Aunt Brenda.   

Happy Stitching Aunt Brenda!

~ Lea Anne ~

Amour de Cerise

Translation...Cherry Love.  Need I say more.  You gals know me and you know my Cherry obsession.  The nine patches are L'Amour charm pack by Sandy Gervais for Moda and the background fabrics are Redwork Renaissance by Chloe's Closet for Moda.  I ran out of the background fabric needed for the border so....I made a quick trip to the LQS yesterday only to find they were closed due to a water leak.  Praying and crossing my fingers all the way to Joann's for fabrics to match the designer fabrics.

The powers that be were listening!  I also picked up the red polka dots.

The raw edge applique is made using Heat and Bond Light and 100wt Invisafil thread (my favorite thread for applique and quilting) and a teeny tiny, little itty bitty blanket stitch.  GLASSES REQUIRED  for this old gal!  

So here's my plan.   There will be a tiny bit of applique on the vine border below.  I'll be designing it by good old paper and pencil.  This quilt will also give me the opportunity to use my new ruler, Marti Michell's inset triangle ruler.  I'll let you know how that goes next week. 

~ Lea Anne ~

L' Amour quilt

Yesterday was clean the Studio day and finishing up the Peppermint Posie Quilt top.  It's now a top and stored away for quilting later in the year.  Okay I don't know about you but when my hands start fondling fabrics the quilty wheels start turning.  After hours of fabric straightening and fondling a plan was set in motion at around midnight.

I wish I could remember where and when this cute little charm pack came into my possession.  

Charm packs are a great way to see all the fabrics in a line without committing to a large quantity.  They're also a great for a design challenge.

So let me back up a little in this story.  As I cleaned yesterday I was also having an email conversation with Barbara over at Wonttobequilter.  She's working on a scrappy nine patch...SWOON!  I love scrappy and nine patches.  Here's a few quilts I've made using nine patches and scrap 2.5 squares.  

I'm sure if I dug deeper into the picture files I could find more because the nine patch is a go-to block I've made several times.   Anyway....here's a sneaky peaky at my Barbara inspired nine patches from a charm pack.  The nine patches will be set on point with some applique in the body and border of the quilt.  Of course I had to pull some yardage from the stash(shown in the first picture of this post).  A tip for working with charm packs and making nine patches....Reduce the seam allowance, instead of a scant I'm using a super scant so they can be squared up later.

I'm linking up with these great bloggers today!

Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday

and 

Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's be Social

~ Lea Anne