A Friday finish

Edited post in order to link up with Val's Quilting Studio Tuesday Archives.  The themes for the week is Baby and Barns.

Quilted and bound!  I'd love to say that's completely finished but I still need to label and add a rod pocket for hanging in the Studio.

Before I show way to many photos I want to thank Hershel and Debbie Wallace for letting me take a couple photos near their barn. 

Not only do they have a wonderful farm but also run Little Trails Horse Camp just down the road.   I also was treated with a tour of the old homestead house that they live in.  OMG!  It was like walking back in time!  I think I enjoyed the home tour more than my small photo shoot.  Okay back to the quilt....

There's so many interesting things to picture on this farm that I decided to just use one spot for this photo shoot.  I'll definitely be going back when I need a back drop. 

I came home to take the rest of the detailed pictures

 Wonder why I took this photo with the quilt upside down?  

 The instructions for the small basket block below can be found at Lynn Wilders Blog HERE.

 I did two different barn door designs.  The plan was to keep the quilting as simple as possible.

 The block below is my fave.  Its an EQ7 block.  This block will make another appearance in a quilt later in the year, but much larger.

 Of course whats a quilt without a few feathers....

 Red gingham has become my new favorite fabric.

 And the last pic was taken standing on a ladder...the things we do for a good shot...not sure it's all that good, but I went to the effort so I'm going to show it!...LOL

If you'd like to make a Barn quilt of your own you can find the instructions for it HERE.  Lori Holt is always having a great quilt along of some sort.  This quilt along isn't finished yet.  I just loved it so much I decided to go my own way and change a few things....yep I can't seem to stick with a pattern 100%.

Oh one more thing.  While talking to Debbie she wanted to know if I could make a quilt with this on it....OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE!

Of course I first thought, easy, I'll just take pictures and print them out on fabric, she promptly let me know that she didn't like that idea.  And that's okay, it just makes the quilt more expensive to do it as an applique.   What  a challenge this will be.  It's not a done deal yet, most commissioned quilts never get made because of the PRICE.  Which is totally understandable.

Until next time "Quilt out of Your Comfort Zone! 

Lea

Pin It

Design wall Monday

There's been progress in Podunk!  I've been bouncing back and forth between projects.  I try to get one cherry block done each day.  So far my plan is working.  

Here's the one that's missing, it's in the process...These little tips are really slowing down the process!  Wishing I'd planned a little better, these would have been so much easier to make before sewing the dresden together...Live and learn!

And here's what I'll hopefully get off the frame today.   Are you all seeing a pattern in my sewing lately?  Red!  I've already designed 2 more red quilts in EQ and have ideas for 2 more.  This will become my new sewing studio colors.  Of course red gingham will be part of each pattern.

I've link up with Judy over at Patchwork Times today, hop on over and see what others are working on, tons of inspiration!  Thanks to all that have popped in from Judy's linky party!  I always enjoy new visitors and comments, and feel free to stop by and say Hi from time to time!

Until next time "Quilt out of Your Comfort Zone!"

Lea

Pin It

Good news, Bad news, Good news!

It's been a busy few days.  And the good new is  The Quilty Barn along quilt top is finished!

 My love of gingham in the border flange

The only piece of fabric that almost matches and is just big enough for the backing.   I may need to attach extenders on the sides to make it work on  the frame

Last week I went yard selling with my cousin Stephanie.  Found these cute curtains for $2.  My plan was to make a dress or pillows.  My plans changed.

 So there's this old ugly lamp and shade....

Made a template and then a new inner shade out of Quilters Templar, it doesn't melt.

 removed the old 

And added the new shade

Now I need some brass polish

Now for the not so good news.  BEES! BEES! BEES!  6 lbs of bees!  

 Mr.Brave before the bees are released

 Preparing for attack

 I'm at a distance with the zoom on the camera, bees are everywhere!  I went in side after this picture because one of the bees came over and bounced off my head...ENOUGH for me!  I should have kept my mouth shut when he said he wanted chickens, chickens don't sting.  

 Back the good news.  I won 2 wonderful packages last week.  One from Patchwork Sampler, Thanks Rhonda I love, love, love Marmalade!  Now what to do with them!

 And another from Sewincrediblycrazy.  Thanks Amy!  These are great! I can print out a design to trace on the longarm...so many new ideas!

Since I've had such good luck in the last week I've decided to have my own first giveaway this Friday.  So be sure to come back!

Until next time "Quilt out of Your Comfort Zone!"

Lea

Pin It

Border Wars(non political kind)

All 12 blocks are finished(<---you can get the basic pattern over there) and ready to be sashed.  Now comes the hard part again , BORDERS!  I'm playing around with a few ideas while sewing the sashing to the blocks.  The grouping below is what I'm leaning towards.  The red gingham would be on the bias and just a small flange.

The gingham to me seems to give it a POP effect to the quilt no matter where it is in the layout.

But then the color has a popping effect of it's own also.

Switch it up a bit more....

 The one above seems to have the POP going on also.

 So many ways to arrange them!  This is usually where my projects get the biggest snag and end up sitting for months till I can make a decision.  I know I keep complaining about this, my hope is that someday I'll overcome the border wars!

Until next time "Quilt out of your Comfort Zone!" 

Lea

Pin It

Every little piece saved

Just wanted to share with you how I keep all my tiny scraps.

 Scrap corners we all have them.  When first starting quilting these little pieces of clipped corners would be trashed.  Then I moved up to saving them and  putting them in bags to be sewn together later. 

Now I've taken it a step further and sew them as I go.  This is a method for making flying geese that I learn while doing the Barn Along mention in my last post.

 The only thing I do differently, that isn't in the tutorial is make another stitched line by lining up my foot on the previous stitched line.

 Then cute right down the middle.  Lets hope your hand is steadier than mine...better cut back on the coffee!

 This little HST'S (below) measures in at 1.5.  These could be used in another 6.5 block for my barns.  Its a Tree of Life block at 6.5!  Too darn cute!  Go check it out here!

 So far I've collected several different size HST's from this project.  The wonderful thing is that they will work in the barn blocks because they come from the barn blocks!  The basket block from Sewninwildoaks uses 1" squares , I could make another by cutting some of these down!

You can find the instructions for this block here.  It looks like some sort of bug to me, I'm not sure of its name.  Any ideas on the name?

I'm linking up with Connie  over at Freemotion by the River, hop on over and see what other bloggers are up to, you never know you might find a new project idea!

Until next time

"Quilt out of your Comfort Zone!"

Lea

Pin It

Design Wall Monday...Weakness

It's a fact, Will Power has left the studio.  Honestly the amount of effort it takes not to start something new is just to overwhelming!  I've opened the stash cabinets in OCD fashion for weeks now.  Looking at the fabrics, flipping through magazines, books and web pages.  It causes more issues than it fixes.  So sometimes a gal just has to admit that she has an issue, except it, own it, and GO WITH IT!  It felt so good to just dive in and do it!  A weight lifted off my chest...A NEW project!  So exciting!  

 You can find this Barn Along here.  If you look in the sidebar of the blog you'll see a flicker link to everyones blocks and links to all of the barn blocks.  So far Lori has given 5 block instructions.  I'm in the mood to get these put together so I'm moving ahead with my own blocks from her site and other sites.  Her blog also has many great tips for drafting your own blocks, take time to look around, you won't be sorry!

This is one (above) that I worked up in EQ, LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!  Each block on the side of the barn is 6 inches!  The basket block below has 1/2 finished hst's!  Yikes!  Very much a challenge and out of my comfort zone.  Thanks to Lynn's great instructions and going very S-L-O-W  it came together with no issues.

 This little cutie patootie(above) is from Lynn Wilders blog.  I changed it just a bit by taking out the four patch in the corner, now I'm wishing I had left it in the block and made my basket handle red....Oh Well.  Oh you can find the pattern here.  

 Postage stamp, 1 inch squares of mostly 30's repo's.

The barn finishes at 14.5 

If you follow Lori's instructions these will be sashed and finish larger.

 Of course I can't stick to a pattern, so I'm playing around with other ideas on how to set these blocks.

 If you watch the video for block five(above) you'll see Lori using a product that lays on the bed of your machine to help sew a straight line on hst's without marking.  Instead of running right out and buying something that I may or may not like, I made my own.  Just laid out a piece of tape, marked down the center with a marker and ruler.  After placing on my machine I took a razor blade and cut the tape so I could open the bobbin door, and cut away the excess on my feed dogs.  Works like a charm!  And I didn't need to buy a thing!

Again today I'm linking up with Judy over at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Hop on over and be inspired by others handy work.  I always find something new that I'd like to make!  Go figure!

Until next time 

"Quilt out of your Comfort Zone!"

Lea

Pin It