same pattern - two totally different quilts

First of all - thank you for all the comments I've received on the giveaway and for all of you who follow and read my blog! If you're looking for the giveaway - you can enter here.

A long, long time ago I started the 9 patch quilt along with Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts. She was using scraps, but I didn't want so use mine for this project. I don't love the traditional nine patch design (with an x through it), but I had some purple (purple?) in my stash that I'd had for at least 10 years. I figured it was a good way to use it up and a new challenge - why not?

So I set to work cutting it into squares. I finished the quilt top and then put it away for at least a year. Just recently I figured out the perfect person to give it to because I really don't want it. I don't even really like purple. I started collecting purple and yellow because of this one print (the posies on white background). So I gave it to Emily - of Emerson Quilting - and now it looks like this:

Not my fave. But I'm pretty sure the new owner loves it. And that's really all that matters anyway.

After I'd already started the purple one I saw this one by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. It was around the time that everyone was going crazy for Katie Jump Rope and I talked myself into buying most of the line. I don't love the browns in that line with the rest of the fabrics, so I picked the ones I liked and started another 9 patch. This time with a white center and random colors all around. It is completely different and I like it much better!

I strip pieced this one rather than cutting out each square separately to begin with. I liked that much better and it came together faster. I did a scrappy binding and used the green posies (found on clearance) for the back. Emily also quilted this one for me and I love the quilting on it.

Lesson learned: If I don't like a fabric - I shouldn't try to make a quilt with it. (Unless it's for someone else - who will like it.)

A giveaway!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Did you miss out on Heather Ross's Mendocino line? I bought some thinking that I might, one day, have a little girl. Well, I don't think that will ever happen (if you don't know me - I am the lucky mom of 5 boys!)

And so I am giving these cute fabrics away to one of you - my lovely readers!

The winner will receive a fat quarter each of:

Mendocino Underwater Sisters in natural,

Mendocino Giant Octopi in natural,

Mendocino Underwater Sisters in blush,

Mendocino Giant Octopi in aqua,

West Hill floral stripe with gold leaves

You will get 1 entry for each of the following (leave a separate comment for each entry):

1. Leave a comment on this post about what you enjoy sewing

2. You are a follower of this blog or you read this blog in google reader

3. Become a follower of this blog

4. Blog about this giveaway (include the link)

5. Tweet about this giveaway

This giveaway will close Sunday night at midnight Mountain Time. Thanks for reading!

p.s. I have a pretty great fabric stash - if I do say so myself - and I am planning more great giveaways in the future!

man quilt tutorial

I really tried to get a tutorial ready with photos and everything, but it's just not happening. So I'll give you a very brief tutorial. Finished size is 63 x 87 - a perfect twin size.

What you'll need to cut:

70 shirting blocks - 9.5 x 3.5" (9 x 3" finished)

63 white blocks - 9.5 x 3.5" (9 x 3" finished)

6 sashing strips - 3.5 x 57.5" (3 x 57" finished)

2 borders for top and bottom - 4.5 x 57.5"

2 side borders - 4.5 x 89.5

I used 10 or 11 XL shirts (not including the white ones), but didn't use up all the fabric in them. You'll want to check the shirt for holes, worn spots (elbows), and stains.

I used the shirt front without a pocket, the sleeves, and the back. The back has the most fabric, so if you don't want to mess with smaller sections - just start with that.

I also strip pieced. So instead of cutting a block 9.5 x 3.5" I cut a 20 x 3.5" long strip. I sewed 6 of them together (shirt, white, shirt, white, shirt, white), pressed the seams, then squared and cut them into 2 sections 9.5" wide.

If you were going to use non shirting fabrics you'd need:

3 1/2 yards sashing and borders

2 yards total of 8-10 different fabrics

or 8 1/4 yard cuts

or 10 fat quarters

binding

Pyrex Explosion Sale

Do you like Pyrex?

Amy (my quilty friend) has a bunch of pyrex for sale on her her blog - Sukie. Go over and check it out!

Daisy Cinderella Set, a photo by Amy.Newbold on Flickr.

I scored this lovely set!

a man quilt

This quilt idea has been in my brain for A LONG TIME. I have been saving hubs' old shirts since he started working and my box is overflowing! A good friend of ours just had some serious surgery and needs a quilt for snuggling. These shirting fabrics were just the right thing for his quilt. I think I will make a twin one for hubs (since I've never actually made him a quilt!) All the fabric in this quilt was made from 100% cotton dress shirts except the outside border (I ran out of white.) Here is a closeup of the quilting my sister-in-law Emily did. She has recently acquired a long arm and has already quilted 4 quilts for me! She does an excellent job and is looking for more clients - if you're interested here is her blog - Emerson Quilting. Right now she is offering a 25% discount! I think this is my favorite quilting pattern. I will definitely be requesting it in the future.

A scrappy binding. I would have preferred it to be cut on the bias, just for the look, but I didn't have quite enough for that. The backing was just a solid white flannel. Nice and snuggly.

If you are going to make a quilt using men's shirts - I would suggest NOT using the ironed pleats (in backs and sometimes sleeves). These folds didn't come out even after I washed the quilt.

If you are interested in dimensions or a tutorial - please let me know in the comments!

Thanks for looking!

a new old quilt

Last time I went to my Modern Quilt Guild meeting - I brought this quilt.

I started this quilt before my oldest was born - so probably around 11 years ago. At some point I put it away because I decided the colors weren't boyish enough. But eventually I finished it. I'm not even sure when - maybe 3 years ago? Anyway - it took me a while.

I planned this all out in my idea notebook at the time. I picked 5 colors of embroidery floss that I loved and designed a different plaid pattern for each square (or partial square). I also designed a border that I never got around to doing.

The quilting doubles as embroidery and both the front and the back are white, so they are pretty close to the same.

Before starting the stitching I marked the squares with an erasable quilt pencil. For the stitching I used masking tape as a guideline. I also started in the center (using a ruler to find it) and worked my way to the outside of each square.

I love how this quilt turned out and I love that it was so creative and original. It's hard to be original these days when I find so many great ideas that someone else has already come up with.

Jack's Stripes

I finished this quilt a few weeks ago. I have had it on my list for years. Jack got a twin quilt for his bed when he was 2, but it got worn out a while back and I never really liked it anyway.

I just did a simple top (8 inch wide strips) - which took no time to sew together.

For the back I wanted to use only fabrics from my stash. So this was sort of improv pieced. I LOVE how it turned out. I think I even like it better than the front. It's nice that it's reversible.


The quilting was just very simple straight lines random widths apart. My lovely sister-in-law Emily quilted it on her new long arm! Thanks Em! (If you're looking for long arm work - you should check her out! Here.)