~ Save the Bees BOM #5 ~ 2 GIVEAWAYS! ~

***Giveaway Closed***
This month it's all about finishing your Save the Bee's BOM.  After watching so many creative quilters come up with some amazing block ideas, I can't wait to see how everyone will finish their quilts.   Watching these inspiring quilters post their creations in the Facebook group Sew Quilty Friends is one of my favorite things to at the end of my day. That's what I love about Jacquelynne's yearly BOM, she encourages everyone to be creative. Follow her pattern exactly or by all means dress it up however you like, there's no rules!   Every month a block is published with several different options, a pieced or applique quilt block, an embroidery block or a plain block using our favorite fabric.  You're really getting several quilts with one BOM.   Don't forget to visit Jacquelynne's blog today to see her creative ideas for finishing up the BOM.

This year instead of making a large quilt my blocks each month were turned into mini quilts that will added to the mini quilt wall in my studio or new office.  With each block I tried to think outside the box by adding unique little touches to make them my own.  Block 1 I stuck exactly to the pattern as written but I did tons of fussy cutting to give the block a whimsy feel.

Block 2 was also made exactly as written.  Normally when I do applique I like for my thread to blend into a project.  With this block I decide go a little thread crazy and use a thread that was a few shades darker.  This makes the applique really pop out off the quilt. 

Block 3....Well.......I just jumped off the rails and did my own thing when I stumble across a cute panel print quite by accident.  The colors blended well with the previous blocks and it looks like I spent hours paper piecing hexies.  

Block 4......Since I jumped way off track last month, why not just get a little crazy, go wild and have fun designing my Baby Buzzy.   Baby Buzzy is FREE for you to use in your quilt.  You can find the templates and a description on how I made my Baby Buzzy mini quilt by clicking here.  Or you can download the templates in my Craftsy shop.

During this BOM I also designed a cute little pin cushion.  The pattern is FREE in my Craftsy shop.  You can read more about the pin cushion here.

For more chances to win, visit each of the blog listed below!  Each blog has there own set of rules for entering so read them carefully!

The Crafty Quilter

Podunk Pretties  - you are here

The Quilting Nook

The Sewing Loft

Flamingo Toes

Kathy's Quilts

Freemotion by the River

A Quilting Life

This month there's two giveaways.  One for U.S residents and one for International residents.  Both giveaways are being sponsored by Sarah J. Maxwell and Studio 37.  The U.S. winner will receive  a Fat quarter bundle of Pretty Little Posies and International winner will receive a bundle of printed patterns.

1.  One prize per person per month- you can't win on my blog and on another blog in the same month.

2.  You must enter by the end of the day December 9th.

3.  Winner will be chosen at Random, and must reply to the email within 24 hrs or a new winner will be chosen....NO EXCEPTIONS

4.  To enter on this blog you must do one or all of the following.  The more you complete the more chances you have to win.  Each is counted as one entry.

      - Like my Facebook page....click here = 1 giveaway entry

      - Follow my Facebook page = 1 giveaway entry

      - leave a comment below. + 1 giveaway entry....you don't need to go to Facebook to be entered.  In the same comment let me know if you did either or both of the previous entries on Facebook. Make sure I have a way to contact you by email, If you're unsure just leave your email in the comments.  After the giveaway has ended and the winner has been contacted I will erase all comments on this giveaway blog post.

 

I'd like to thank all you for visiting my blog over the last few months. I've enjoyed each comment and watching your creative minds make some amazing blocks.  I hope the end of this BOM does not mean this is the end of our time together.  Hopefully this was the start of many new friendships for years to come.  You're Welcome in Podunk anytime!  I'm looking forward to our visits and sharing our love of quilting together.  

#SaveTheBeesQuilt #SaveTheBeesBom #JacquelynneSteves #quiltalong #beequilt #podunkpretties

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~ Cutting Time from Cutting Time ~

Part 2 of the Good Fortune Mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter was revealed on Friday.  One of the reasons I like Bonnie's mystery quilts is the speed at which the clues are released.  The yearly mystery starts on Black Friday and a new clue is released every Friday until the big reveal.  The final clue and quilt reveal can be at anytime it's all part of the fun of this mystery.  But usually it will end  around New Years, give or take a week or two.  Another great thing is you don't need to sign up for anything.  You simply go to Bonnie's blog.  The clue is posted on her blog as a tutorial or there's a PDF you can download and print.  If you would like to join in the fun or just see what all the hubbub is about you can find all the information about the Good Fortune Mystery by Clicking Here.  

The picture below is a few of the HST's for this clue arranged into a sweet little pinwheel.  Playtime is an important part of quilting, right?.....LOL!

The suggested color pallet for this years mystery is bright and happy.  But I've chosen to go a different pallet.  Not an easy decision to make.  Happy and bright is the best colorway!  You can see more about my color choices and Clue 1 here.  After making a few Clue 1 units (48 I think), I decided to narrow down my browns by eliminating the smaller scraps.  

The reason for this is TIME.  I would like to keep up with this mystery. Finishing each clue before the next is released.  Cutting one HST at a time is very time consuming.  Not to mention I'm also piecing another Bonnie quilt at the same time.  You can see the start of my version of On Ringo Lake here.  Since I'm trying to make 2 quilts in record time you would think I would have thought this through and  chosen the fastest and easiest methods for cutting and piecing.  Nope, I had this crazy idea to use the Easy Angle  It's the same as the Essentials Triangle Tool that Bonnie suggests in the directions for clue 1.  The Easy Angle is the ruler Bonnie USED to use for making HST's.   

Here's the video  Bonnie made  that sold me on Easy Angle ruler a few years ago. 

Both rulers are great if your working from strips and have nothing to do but cut fabric for hours on end.  Unfortunately I don't have that kind of time.  Bonnie says to slow down and enjoy the process.  Well sometimes one persons enjoyment is not another's.  Seeing these two quilts quilted and bound by the end of January.....Now that would bring me great joy!    I need to find a quicker way to get this weeks clue done fast.  A few years ago I saw a method on the Fon's and Porter PBS show.  Joe Morton was the guest for the day.  She shared a new to me way of making 8 HST's a time, Magic 8.  Yes 8 at time!  Just make an X on the back of 1 fabric layered with a other fabric square of the same size and ZIPPITY-DO-DAH you have 8 HST's.   It's been so long since last using this method I can't remember if my results were as accurate as the Easy Angle. I'll be doing a test of this method later in the week.  If you would like to try the Magic 8 method here's a good tutorial and printable chart for making them by Karen of Laugh Yourself into Stitches blog.  She also has a YouTube video for the Magic 8 here.

Look at this!  Each one is perfect, no trimming!

All I had to do was clip one little wing from each HST.  They really do turn out perfect.  I just love the two brown prints in the picture below.  Since I'm not working with my normal bright colors I'm looking for things about the fabric or the quilt to keep me excited.  If I lose that excitement the quilt will quickly become a UFO.  You've heard the saying "Its the little things".  How true it is.  Finding enjoyment in the small things can change your whole world.  So while I may not be a fan of brown fabric I do love nature and the colors of fall.  So these little bits of orange and tan nested among the brown remind me how much I love to go walking on sunny but cool fall day.    

Linking up this post to Quiltville Blog.  Hop on over to see oodles of Good Fortune inspiration!  Or better yet Join the party!  Click here!

There's a Giveaway on my blog this week.  Click here to read all about it!

#goodfortunequilt #quiltvillemysteryquilt #bonniehunter #bonnihunterquilt #easyangleruler #podunkpretties Pin It

~ It Seams Too Short ~ TIP

Early this morning while working on the On Podunk Pond (On Ringo Lake)  nine patches I kept having the same problem over and over with my blocks.  As hard as I try to accurately press, cut  and piece my quilts, there's always a few little errors and tweaks in every quilt.  Some errors can be fixed while others can be hidden the quilt so no one will ever know.  

This morning the problem was a pesky little 1/16 - 1/8 inch overage on several units.  The red arrow below points to the problem. The green arrows are pointing the perfectly nested/matches seams.  I thought I was very careful with my cutting and piecing.  But just to make sure I quickly measured the squares and the seam allowance.  They both are correct, so what that tells me is my pressing is off. 

In the picture below the red arrow is pointing to the stitch line.  The blue arrow is pointing to the edge of the pressed seam on the red fabric.  Do you see the problem?  There shouldn't be a big gap between the two arrow points.  The problem is poor pressing.  It's an easy fix.

To fix it I just finger press the seam correctly.   No need to rip out stitches!  Just roll the red fabric over a  little bit more.

Now it fits perfectly!  YEAH! 

I guess I should tell you I never use an iron when piecing.  My fabrics are starched and pressed before cutting and then pressed again with an iron when  the quilt top is complete.  During the piecing process I use finger pressing only.  And by finger pressing I mean fingernail pressing.  Even when attaching long borders it's finger pressed.  As with anything there are exceptions to the rule.  I will press with iron for blog pictures.  In the picture below the stack on the right is from yesterdays blog post so they were pressed to lay nice and flat. The stack on left are the ones I made in the middle of the night and they are finger pressed.  

Any of you get up in the middle of the night and sew? I do it often.  There's only so much TV a gal can watch in the middle of the night. When I sew in the middle of the night there's no TV or radio, just me and the hum of the sewing machine.  Solving all the worlds problems one stitch at a time.  I think most quilters use quilting as therapy.  All hobbies are outlets for creativity and stress.  The intense concentrating on what you are doing allows the mind to either drift off and do some mindless work or contemplate whatever weighs heavy on your heart and mind.  The mindless work is the most therapeutic/meditative.  Am I the only one?  I bet not!  Who else out there in quilty land loves to quilt alone in silence?

#quiltingtip #onringolakequilt #bonniehunterquilt #bonniehunter #quiltvillemysteryquilt #podunkpretties #quilting2018 

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~ Setting the Bar ~

This week has flown by hasn't it?  Here it is Friday and my goals for the week once again have not been met.  I'm not sure if I have an unrealistic view of what I can accomplish or the world is out to get me!  Since I'm not completely crazy, yet, I'm pretty sure that I set my bar way to high.  These goals may have been attainable back in my 20's when I was one of those stay at home super moms that juggled every household chore plus managed to take care of the yard, and an ill mother in law,  bake cookies for school school functions.  I could list many more Super Mom activities but you all know, I'm sure more than a few of you were Super also.  Well anyway the flitting and fluttering from project to project has produced some results so all is not lost.  My closet Yoga muscles are keeping me awake at night so why not just make the best of it by working on my On Podunk Pond quilt.  All of the nine patches are cut and partially pieced as of 3:30 AM.

The new plan is finish piecing all the nine patches and add the last coat of paint to my new office.  That seems like a reasonable plan.  Now lets hope the powers that be agree.  Hopefully it's a 3 day weekend for those powers.  I get more done when they are concentrating on someone or something else.

I did make a big error in cutting. My middle of the night math is not so great.  Oh well it's just fabric and I'm sure I can use them eventually.  If not in this quilt then I'll just add them to the scrap bins that never seem to empty.

My fabrics are all pressed, waiting to become a beautiful quilt..  I put away the fabric for the Good Fortune Mystery Quilt so they will probably need to press again.....GRRR.... what was I thinking, I have 3 bars on this quilt frame!  That's enough room for 3 or 4 groups of fabric.   I'm sure you noticed the big pile of wood in my Studio floor. The house is in a constant state of clutter with all the projects going on.  Move the pile of trim to the sewing room while I paint the office.  Move the pile of wood to living room so I can get to my fabric.  Someday it will again be nice and organized, everything in its place.  Someday.... 

Right now I need to get these walls painted so when Mr. Podunk gets home they'll be dry.  He's going to add the new trim to the windows and run a new electrical outlet to the closet.  This weekend I should be able to start laying the wood floor with his help.  Or maybe its the other way around.  He can lay the new flooring with my help.......yep I like he sound of that much better!......LOL!

#quiltvillemysteryquilt #goodfortunemysteryquilt #bonniehuntermysteryquilt #onringolakemysteryquilt #podunkpretties 

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