ON A CHRISTMAS GIFT MAKING ROLL

I'm on a bit of a roll.  I have had this Moda Winter's Lane by Kate & Birdie fabric in my closet for some time.  It is just time to move it out of there and  get it finished up.  I've finished off three runners already and these last three are in progress.  

  I'm linking up with WIP Lee of Freshly Pieced 

Gina Martin's Sanibel Projects

Three weeks ago I had the privilege of doing a Blog Hop with Gina Martin using her Sanibel fabric line.  Such fun, but she was so generous and sent so much fabric I had to do something else.

You can see the pillow covers I submitted on my April 7th post. 

I just finished up these two runners and quilt this week.  The quilt will be going to my quilt guild's charity project.  The runners will be for my grandsons to give to their teachers as end of the school year thank you gifts.

Since these projects are done I am linking up with 
Crazy Mom Quilts Finish It Up Friday   

A NEW ALISON GLASS PROJECT UNDERWAY

I came across this picture of this Alison Glass fabric quilt recently.  I have a pretty healthy collection of left overs of her fabrics.  It just appealed to me, and seemed a great idea to use up what I had left.

So I cut them all up into 3 inch squares.  I have another pile on the other side of my cutting table besides these.  

And here is my start.  I am using Kona Snow between the prints.  It is actually going a good deal faster than I thought it might.  I have just started with 9 patches and then sewed them together.  I have no choice but to finish it up, as my cutting table is littered with 3 inch squares.   

I am linking up with WIP Lee of Freshly Pieced.
Can't wait to see what Number 24 is up to at Silly Mama Quilts

A START ON CHRISTMAS GIFTS

My VBF Brooke of http://sillymamaquilts.com had a post earlier this month of a Christmas runner.  I really liked the pattern and decided to try it with my Winter's Lane fabric.  I've had this fabric hanging around for a good year and probably more.  It might be time to plan a few more Christmas gift ideas.      

I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE OCD

Let it be said that I like thread.  Well I like it a lot!  What a nice organized system I have!  (The large jar is binding for various projects.  I cut them when I start the project to make sure I have fabric available when I need it.) Doesn't really look like much of a problem does it? 

Well maybe I really do have a problem after all.

They say a quilter can never have too much fabric.  Let's not go there.  No way am I going to show anyone that addiction.  However, I guess at least for me a quilter also cannot have too much thread either.  I just bought three more new spools this morning from Hawthorne Thread!  

WE HAVE TWO WINNERS OF THE SANIBEL BLOG HOP

DAWN -- YOU WON THE JELLY ROLL.  I AM E-MAILING YOU.

VICKI H -- YOU WON THE TWO PILLOW COVERS.
I AM E-MAILING YOU.






CONGRATS LADIES I HOPE YOU BOTH ENJOY YOUR PRIZES.  

DONNALEEQ

SANIBEL JELLY ROLL AND PATIO PILLOWS GIVE AWAY

Summer is coming quickly in my part of the country and Gina Martin's Sanibel fabric is a perfect summer treat to work with. 

I decided do some decorative additions for a patio.  I have provided a tutorial to make these two 18 inch pillow covers.

Not only will I be giving away a jelly roll of Gina Martin's Sanibel, but a second gift of these two pillow covers will be going out to some lucky winner as well.

Leave a message telling me what you would make with the jelly roll and the perfect place at your home for these two pillows. 

Gina's Sanibel fabric turned out to be the perfect addition for patio decor.

Here is a close up of the patio pillows and a quick table runner I put together to match.  The table runner has already left as a birthday gift for a close friend.

Gina sent these beautiful summer fabrics to work with.  I decided to make two different patio pillows.

 I selected for my first pillow six fabrics for the top of my Log Cabin Pillow.

I cut a piece of batting about 22 by 22 inches square and marked a perfect corner to start my log cabin.  I then cut down the two sides to have a perfect 90 degree angle.  

I laid my first 3-1/2 inch square on my perfect corner, and a 3- 1/2 inch strip right sides together and sewed down the edge through the batting.  I opened it up and pressed.

I continued to lay out my log cabin using 3-1/2 inch strips.  Placing each strip first the side strip then the bottom strip right sides together, sewing through the batting, and then flipping them and ironing them nice and flat.
I continued to add my 3-1/2 inch strips, then the final 6th strip I cut 4-1/2 inches and completed my pillow top.

I trimmed my pillow top to 20 inches square.  The top and left side of my pillow were already straight, so I did my trimming on the bottom and right sides only.  I have left my top a bit larger than I need for an 18 inch pillow to allow for quilting that sometimes shrinks up the size of the top. 

I now cut a piece of fabric to back my pillow top, and pinned them together to begin quilting my top. I use large straight flower pins. 

I love thread, so decided to use a different thread color on each row of my top.  I am particularly fond of 28 wt and even 12 wt threads. 

I quilted my pillow top with alternate straight and serpentine stitches.

I trimmed my pillow top to 19 inches square.  My pillow will be 18 inches.  The extra inch will allow for my seams when adding my envelope back with a little extra for a nice plump pillow form.

For the second pillow I decided on a Wedge Pillow. I selected eight fabrics and white Essex Quilters Linen for the background.  I used a wedge ruler that was 3/4 inch wide on top, 3 1/4 inch on the bottom end, and 8 inches long. 

 I drew eight wedges on to Steam A Steam 2 fabric fusible, and applied the fusible wedges to the back of my eight different fabrics and cut them out.

I then cut a 20 inch square out of my white Essex Quilters Linen.  I folded it in half one way and half the other way and pressed it to provide lines to start laying my wedges down.

Once I had my wedges laid out in the above pattern.  I pressed them down to adhere the Steam A Seam.

This is a close up of the center of the wedges.  Note: I trimmed a points on four of the wedges to fit them into the center and tucked the two side wedges under the middle wedges.

I then cut a 3 inch diameter circle out of Steam a Seam, applied it to the face of my selected fabric, and cut it out.

The circle was applied over the middle of my wedges.

Using thread that matched my colors I appliquéd the wedges and center circle with a small zig zag stitch.  I then trimmed my completed pillow top to 19 inches square.

Now that my two pillow tops were complete I cut four 19 by 14 inch pieces of fabric for the envelope backs of my two pillows.

  I ironed on one 19 inch end of each piece a two inch hem and folded under one inch and top stitched the hem.

I then pinned my first pillow back on the top of my pillow front, right sides together.  

Lay your other envelope back the opposite direction on you pillow top, pin all the way around and sew all around the four pillow sides.    Trim the four corners to help when turning and getting a nice pillow corner.  Turn your pillow right sides out and press around the edges.  Repeat the back process for the Log Cabin Pillow top. 

 Here are my two completed pillows.

For more chances to win some of Gina's Sanibel precuts be sure to check in with these blogs for project idea and more prizes.

Tuesday April 7th--sallysangelworks.typepad.com

Wednesday April 8th--iamaquilter.wordpress.com

Wednesday April 8th--jesstoyequilts.wordpress.com

Thursday April 9th--sillymamaquilts.com

Friday April 10th--hadleystreetquilts.com

Friday April 10th--patternandhue.com

Sunday April12th--Prizes will be drawn