BB-8

This was...sew much fun!

If you are a Star Wars fan you will recognize BB-8, the droid introduced in The Force Awakens.  I first spotted this pattern by Hunter Design Studio when Sam hosted a quilt along for her The Droid is Not For Sale quilt.  I wasn't able to participate then.  But now my daughter, a huge fan, is pregnant and calling her little guy BB-8 so I just had to make the individual droid portion.  The pattern is well written and easy to follow.  It's all basic piecing and goes together quickly.  

Quilting decisions always challenge me and this quilt was no exception.  I reviewed studied the various choices made by some during the quilt along.  

Here are a few zoomed in photos so you can see my choices.

I quilted this with my Handiquilter and it was my first time using a ruler.  It wasn't as hard as I thought and now I wish I'd tried it sooner.  Oh well.

The backing is cozy Shannon Cuddle 3 fabric I found at Curly Girl Fabric on Etsy.

I just love how you can still see BB-8 on the back.

This past winter I jumped on a chance to pattern test for Sam's newest Star Wars pixel pattern, General Organa.  The pattern is now available complete with a few different options for finishing.  Sam lists both the General Organa and Rey and BB-8 patterns as  "pay what you can".  She donates all proceeds to Chick-Tech which she explains is "a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to retaining women in the technology workforce, and increasing the number of women and girls pursuing technology-based careers."

Originally I thought I would somehow combine this grown up Princess Leia with BB-8 but I couldn't work it out.  I'll save her for something else.  In the meantime she's hanging out on the design wall in my sewing room.  My granddaughter loves waving to her every time she makes her way into the room.  It's so sweet - so on the wall she stays!

 May the Force be with you!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Sew Fresh Quilts.

cortellini star

Hmmm...what to make?  The new mama was a soccer star... Daddy's a musician... 
I went searching, through blogs and Pinterest, and suddenly - BAM!
When I spotted this post  I knew what I would make for this newest little Cortellini - a star!

Katie doesn't offer a pattern for this or mention what colors she used.  So I just used her quilt as a guide and chose from my stash.  I counted up the different combos of half square triangles and was able to get started cutting and sewing right away.  That's always fun!

 

My original plan was to copy Katie's quilting, too, but at the last minute I spun my thinking to a spiral.  I did a Google search on spiral quilting and found some great tips.  I'm always amazed by how much free information is available from this amazing community.

On Very Kerry Berry's blog I found this template to get started.  It creates a 1" spiral.  I wanted tighter quilting so I printed it at 37% to get a 3/8" seam and be able to use my walking foot as a guide beyond the template.  I carefully pinned my template to my quilt sandwich and carefully dropped my needle in the center of it all.

Then I took a deep breath and a patience pill and followed some great tips from Flourishing Palms.  I set my stitch length very small and used my hand-wheel to take one stitch at a time, picking up the presser foot and moving the quilt with each stitch.  Again and again.  Finally being able to take two stitches, then three, very slowly, till finally I was moving right along.  I lengthened my stitch as I moved further out, constantly turning the quilt.  It was a good right arm work-out for me.  Advil helped!

On the back I used the popular Newspaper print by Carrie Bloomston.  I had to add a little to the width and there are no worries on matching the print with this one.  Yay!

Quilt stats:

42" square

RJR and Kona solids

Quilter's Dream Cotton Request Loft batting

Aurifil Dove Gray (2600) 50wt for piecing & 40wt for quilting

Ready to roll, around and around...

We're enjoying early spring over here.  Did you notice the wild forsythia in the background?  It hasn't bloomed like this in years.  Love it!

I'll be linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts Let's Bee Social and Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday. 

a magical geranium dress

When I received an invitation to a "magical" birthday party I knew it was time to order up Rae Hoekstra's Geranium Dress pattern.  These dresses appear in my Instagram feed now and then and they are all adorable. 

I've committed to working from my stash this year.  These sweet mermaids fit the magical theme but I only had enough for the skirt portion so I used a contrasting fabric on top.  Both prints are by Sarah Jane for Michael Miller Fabrics and quite soft.  I had enough of the feathers to use it for lining the top as well. 

The pattern includes several options.  I chose cap sleeves, the pleated skirt, and interior pockets!  

I have almost 2 full mason jars of buttons but not three that worked here so this project did require one trip to the store.  When I spotted these anchors in the perfect matching blue it was totally worth it!

In lieu of a tag, I used the alphabet function on my sewing machine to sign this in the seam allowance. 

This was an especially fun make.  There are more Geranium dresses in my future.  If you've made one I'd love to hear what options you chose and how they worked for you.

I'll be linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts on Wednesday and Crazy Mom Quilts on Friday.  
I look forward to seeing you there.

tumbled blocks

Well this was fun!

I participated in the Building Blocks Quilt Along hosted by Jess (@craftycop) and Jess from Bloomerie Fabrics.  I had purchased the Moda pattern when it first came out a few years ago.  I love quilting along with others so when I heard about this on Instagram I signed up.

section A

The pattern is divided into 7 sections.  We spent two weeks completing each section.  

section B

I used all Denyse Schmidt fabrics.  Some prints from her lines offered at JoAnn’s.  Some from her newest quilt shop collections. 

section C

The solids are all from her Modern Solids box.  (I purchased mine through Massdrop awhile ago.)
 

section D

The pattern assigns specific colors for each block.  I used it to guide me on some of the blocks.  On others I changed up the colors completely based on my available scraps.

section E

These individual section photos are what I posted to Instagram for the QAL.  They show how the pattern arranges the blocks.

 

section F

Well, almost.  The small 6" blocks in sections E & F are supposed to be all lined up in one long row.

section G

This is by far the largest quilt I have made.  When all my sections were complete I had to move some furniture around to have enough floor space to lay out all the blocks.  I spent about 2 weeks arranging my blocks:  building, tumbling, building, tumbling…seeking balance, not only in color, but also with the blocks sizes and patterns.

I finally decided on this.  I like it.  Now I just have to decide how I’ll quilt it…

the back

Linking up my progress from this fun quilt along with Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social
and the finished top with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish is up Friday.

It's been kinda cloudy over here.  I hope the sun is shining in your neighborhood.

instructions for Piper's quilt

First, thank you so much for all the lovely comments on Piper's Quilt, both here and on Instagram.  I've had several requests for instructions on how I made the quilt.  This is my first attempt at writing a pattern so, if you choose to make it, please let me know if something doesn't make sense and I'll try and help you further.

The flying geese units in this quilt are 2-1/2” x 4-1/2” unfinished or 2” x 4” finished.  

Use your favorite method to make the flying geese.  Here are a few options:

• This link shares 3 different ways to make your geese.
• Use this paper piecing template by Fresh Lemons Quilts
• Use the Quilt in a Day ruler.  Available here.  This is my favorite method.  It does involve waste but I get perfectly trimmed geese so I don’t loose too many points.

WOF = width of fabric

I have written these instructions using the colors I used for my quilt.  You are welcome and encouraged to change things up.  I look forward to seeing your creations!
 
You will need:
Approximately 1 yard light gray background for quilt center.

1/2 yard Medium Gray for Border 2 patchwork
Cut  5 strips 2-1/2” x WOF.  Sub-cut these strips into 2-1/2” squares.  You will need 72 squares.

2/3 yard Dark Gray - for Borders 1 & 3
Cut 4 strips 1-1/2” x WOF
Cut 5 strips 3-1/2” x WOF

Scraps of color to make:
48  flying geese units (See below for how many I made of each color.)
72  2-1/2” squares for the patchwork.  (I used 9 squares of each of the 8 colors.)

Quilt Center:
From the light gray fabric cut 4 strips 4-1/2” x WOF 
Sub-cut these strips into 4-1/2” squares.  Cut a total of 30 squares.
Use the rest as background fabric for your flying geese units.

Make 48 flying geese.  For my quilt I made: 
8 red (R)   
8 orange (O)
4 yellow (Y)
8 lime green (G)
4 light blue (LB)
8 medium blue (MB)
4 dark blue (DB)
4 purple (P)

Below is a photo of one Block.  For each Bock you will need eight flying geese and five 4-1/2” squares of light gray background fabric.  

Sew your pairs of geese together first.  Then sew the block together as you would any nine patch.
Make 6 Blocks pairing the geese as shown in the photo below.

When complete each Block should measure 12-1/2” square.
Sew all the Blocks together.
This center section of your quilt top should now measure 24-1/2” x 36-1/2”

First border:
Cut 2 of the  1-1/2” dark gray strips 36-1/2” long.  Sew these to the long sides.  Press to the border fabric.
Cut 2 pieces of dark gray fabric 1-1/2 x 26-1/2”.  Sew these to the top and bottom.  Press to the border fabric.
Your quilt top should now measure 26-1/2” x 38-1/2”

Second (patchwork) border:
You will need a total of:
72 gray 2-1/2” squares
72 colored 2-1/2” squares

Sew each color 2-1/2” square to a gray 2-1/2” square.  (Chain stitch these to save time!)  Press seams to the color fabric.

Sew these sets together into long patchwork strips being careful to vary the colors. 
Make 2 strips using 17 sets and 2 strips using 19 sets.  Press each seam (either way or open.)

Sew the longer 19 set strips to each side.  Taking care to make sure the long side with the gray squares on each end is against the edge of your quilt top on both sides.  Press to the narrow first border.

Sew the 17 set strips to the top and bottom.  Again taking care to make sure long edge with gray squares at each end is sewn to the quilt top.  This way your patchwork is consistent - and you will end up with a colorful block in each corner!  Press to the narrow first border.

Your quilt top should now measure 34-1/2” x 46-1/2”.

Third border:
Using the 5 dark gray 3-1/2” strips:
Cut two of these strips 40-1/2”.
Sew the remaining three strips together short end to short end.  From this long narrow strip cut 2 strips 46-1/2” long

Sew a 46-1/2” strip to each side of the quilt.  Press to the outer dark gray border.

Sew a 40-1/2” strip to the top and bottom of the quilt.  Press to the outer dark gray border.

Your quilt top should will now measure 40-1/2 x 52-1/2”.   It’s ready to quilt, bind, and enjoy!

If you make one please send me a photo:  runsewfun (at) gmail (dot) com
Share on social media using #rsfpatterns.

holiday gifts

For my final post of 2016 I thought I'd share the hostess and holiday gifts I made this year.

These Open Wide pouches were a hit!  I took them to a Christmas party and just dumped them out to let everyone pick their own.  I wish I had a video to share the screeching and excitement of the recipients as they dove to the pile for their favorite.  A sweet memory for the maker!  
The Open Wide pouch tutorial by Anna Graham of Noodlehead is free and available here.  

A hot-pad.  This Broken Arrow block pattern is by Alison Glass and the fabric is from The Highlands collection by Violet Craft.  I quilted it with Insul-Bright.

Since pattern testing the Lake House Quilt by Michelle Curtis last summer I've been wanting to make an oar table runner.  I made these with the same Carolyn Friedlander fabrics as the oars in my quilt.  (And I photographed them on the same boat.)  These were both gifted so I still need to make one for me!

Finally, this is a collage of my top 9 Instagram posts for 2016.  (These got the most "likes" and I couldn't be happier that my granddaughter is number one with all of you, too!) 

Thank you for all your support and encouragement.  Sharing is fun! 

Happy New Year!

for piper

Another new baby means another new baby quilt!

Bright colors on gray was requested for this one so I used these Modern Solids 2 by Alissa Haight Carlton that I had in my stash.  (A few colors are still available here.)  The three grays are from different Carolyn Friedlander lines.  

I started this quilt by making flying geese in a three different sizes.  For some reason I just couldn't get them to all fly together in a direction that pleased me.  Then the Modern Quilt Guild started their block of the month lessons in October and the littlest geese all sorted themselves out in Double T Blocks.  (I'll use the other geese another time.)  I brought a little more color in with a checkered border - not so modern, but I think it works here.

I used my walking foot to quilt straight lines about 3/8" apart which is, conviently, the width of the foot.  This quilt is 40" wide so that computes to 106 lines of quilting - phew! 

The backing is this beautiful Flock print from Michael Miller Fabrics, also from my stash.
The binding is two sided.  This is the second time I've used my friend Pam's tutorial.  Her measurements work perfectly.

All those quilting lines sure make for a beautiful drape! 

 Wishing everyone a very happy holiday!

UPDATE:  I've posted instructions to make this quilt here.  

Linking up with:
Sew Fresh Quilts Let's Bee Social
Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday