Creating from what you have....part 2

Goal Accomplished!!!

Got all strata's sewn and sub cut!

I Put them in 4's then put them in piles of 5's so that I could keep count!  (Let me jump ahead of the story for a minute.... All that prep and I still had too many blocks).

I'm using one jelly roll and gray yardage with 8 strips of printed fabric that blends with the jelly roll.  This quilt has very little waste!!  Bonus!

Not bad!!  Some of those pieces are big enough to save!!

Ok back to the project....

I took each 4's and layed them out with seams opposing.... First one up, second one down, third one up, fourth one down.   That way they will be easy to sew with the seems nesting. 

Once I sewed the first to the second, and the third to the fourth.... I sewed those together and.... Ta Da.... A 16 patch.

(Note the sad looking plant in the background.... It's not an easy life for a plant in my house.... Green is my favorite color..but no green on my thumb...)

I should interject here that I just let the colors fall where the may.  The only time I changed out a strip was if my printed fabric showed up twice in a block.

I really got into a good rythmn with chain sewing!   It went pretty quick!

Next thing ya know all blocks were done and ironed!!

So now the decision turned to the solid block between..... Do I go light..... Or dark... Hhhhmmmm

Nice

Nice

Got the hubby to weigh in on his opinion.......

And the winner is......

Gray!!

I cut my squares and set the stack of pieced blocks next to the solid blocks and I'm ready to assemble the top.

No laying it all out, moving blocks, second guessing layout..... Nope none of that..... Just let the chips (or blocks) fall where they may!

I took one of each blocks and with right sides together, I sewed together.  Without cutting threads I picked up two more blocks.  First pair I had the pieced block on bottom, next pair I had gray block on bottom.  That way, the top will end up with alternating blocks.  This quilt is going to be 9 across and 11 down.  So I continued chain piecing pairs til I had 11 sewn.

Basically I now have row 1 and two sewn.

Here's a picture after I sewed all 11 pairs.  Pairs are held together by the threads between each pair.

So back to the top to add the alternating 3rd block to each row....

When ya get to the last row.... Back to the top ...  Add next row... Making sure not to snip the threads holding the rows together.

And in no time......

Top is half done!!

Notice the vertical seams are done and the horizontal rows need to be sewn.  What makes this easy is that by not snipping your threads you just fold each row right sides together and sew the cross rows!

This goes so quick!!  I don't press until it's all done but I still nested seams by making sure the seams nest by finger pressing them toward the gray blocks as you get to each intersection as you sew.  Nope no pins either!!!

Ta Da.......

Quilt top is done!!  

I enjoy this method.... It's quick and easy but stunning results!!  

Ok.... Part 3.... The quilting will be in a few days.

For New Years Eve day/evening. My bestie and I will be doing our traditional sewing the current Bonnie a Hunter Mystery quilt!!  I haven't started mine yet so I'm hoping to get a fair amount done!! 

New Year's Day, I will be quilting a special project.... Can't give ya more than that right now.   

Then back to the studio on Friday !!

Happy Sewing!!

Jill

Creating from what you have....part 1

I had a customer stop at the studio with her children and asked if I could make a quilt for her sister.   I said sure, what would you like....

She replied "I don't know"....so I decided to ask a few questions.....  What's her favorite color...green and purple.  Ok.... Does she have special interests.... The kids got excited and said she loves her cat.   One added gray cat.   So that's what I was charged with...

I love this process!   Taking a few tidbits and creating a quilt!!  

I found this jelly roll by Robert Kaufman

Greens and purples..... Check

Now for the cats.... Well I have, on the Autopilot, a block I can quilt that is a cat. I will use gray thread.... I was listening... The cat is gray!!.. Check

So now I'm left with the blocks.... I've decided to do a 16 patch with the Kona solids (plus I added a few prints).

So I'm laying them out in 4's so I can make stratas.

Now to sew them together!

Got a few strips sewn so I'm pressing them ....

.

I am pressing my seams all to one side... 

Trimming off the beginning so I can cut into 2 1/2" segments....

Once I'm done with all that, I'll lay out 4 segments so that I will have my 16 patch.

Notice I layed each strip out so that I have my seams going in opposite direction .... That way they will nest when sewing.

Once they are sewn together.... A quick press and........

TA DA......

It's a 16 patch!!

My goal today is to get all the stratas sewn and hopefully sub cut....

Stay tuned for part two!!

Happy Sewing!!!!

Jill

Who's got a T-Shirt??

Yesterday I taught a T-shirt quilt class.   As I prepared for they class, I thought it would be a couple hours of teaching and helping students get their projects started....Wrong.....

Why I said wrong was..... I didn't put any thought into what we would really learn in class.

First lesson..... It's a small world.   Laurie, it turns out, had met Chris before.  Chris, Rachel, and I work together and Laurie works at a similar non profit.   So Laurie also knows several of our co-workers.

Second lesson..... What great memories this T-Shirts have!!!   

Rachel has a ton of her dad's shirts from all the runs he's participated in.   You could tell she was very proud of him and wants to give him this special gift for Christmas!   For not having any sewing experience, she is a quick learner and went to town!!

.

Chris told us about her daughters dancing experience and all the t-shirts that went along with it!!   Chris's creative side kicked in and wants to incorporate her daughters dancing costumes into her project..... What a great idea!!

Laurie's project was about her son's shirts and she was working on a wall hanging size t-shirt quilt.  Football fan and Irish heritage....what a greatcway to capture his personality!

It was very nice hearing all the stories and helping these great ladies with their projects!!

Me, Laurie, Chris, Rachel.....new friends at the beginning but feeling like old friends at the end!!

As I went through my bag of shirts I've saved from my wardrobe and my kids.... I got flooded with all the memories of times past.

What a great idea some one came up with to take something that may be a little worn, doesn't fit anymore and turn it into something to cuddle with and smile all over again!!!

Hope this sparks some of you to drag out those shirts or start saving them to turn into a memory quilt someday!!!

Happy Sewing!!!

Jill