Stripped Top - Building Blocks Tuesday

I don't have any new blocks to share today, but I did finish up a quilt top this week.



This is just a simple Strip and Flip.  I can't believe that I've never made one of these before!  I actually have enough strips sewn together to make a duplicate, which is great since I need some additional practice on the longarm.

I'm still looking for guest hosts for Building Blocks Tuesday!  If you are interested in guest hosting Building Blocks Tuesday for one of the following weeks, please comment below.  It's easy!  You just write a post with some blocks that you have made and I will send you some code to add to the bottom of your post for the linky.  You do NOT have to have your own linky account!  Then just publish your post on your reserved Tuesday!  The linky will stay open all summer, so there is a good chance you will get some increased traffic for both posters and linkers.  Who's in?

• June 21st
• June 28th
• July 5th - Mary at Quiltingisinmyblood.com
• July 12th
• July 19th
• July 26th
• August 2nd

Celine at EspritPatch.blogspot.com has also offered to fill in for a few weeks once the schedule starts filling up and gaps are more apparent.


What blocks have you been working on this week?  I would love to see.  Link up your fabulous blocks.  You put a lot of hard work into them - show them off!  This free linky will stay open until the first Monday of next month, but I will repost it every Tuesday until a new month starts.

Rules:

1) Please link up only to the page on your blog showing your wonderful blocks, not just the blog homepage.  Flickr and Instagram pictures are also OK.
2) Make sure to put your blog name as the description so people know where they are going or the name of your block!
3) Please grab my button and post it in your blog post or sidebar.
4) Visit other linky participants!

Thanks for reading,

Jennie


***This post may contain affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links, I may be compensated, but at no additional cost to you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Owl be right with you - Building Blocks Tuesday

Perhaps I should rename these posts "Building Blocks Someday", since it seems to vary widely when I will actually post.  Between an unexpected trip, and just generally being busy, I didn't have much of a chance to sew.

Fifteen minutes here, and fifteen minutes there and I am done with my owl blocks from the Fancy Forest pattern by Elizabeth Hartman (**affiliate link).  It is hard to choose a favorite.  With the bunnies it was easier because they are essentially made from just one fabric, but the owls incorporate all the fabrics that I've chosen to go into the quilt.  Some of them I like, others I don't.  I was telling Myra that I am not happy with every fabric that I've picked for this quilt; but, I'm hoping that when the entire top is done, the fabrics that aren't perfect will just blend in.  Fingers crossed!

That's what happens when you are determined to use stash.  Sometimes you have the perfect fit, and sometimes you don't.  I've gotten better about stashing dark and light fabrics, instead of just all medium toned ones, but this pattern works best if you have a range within one particular color.  For example, the green owl on the second row is supposed to be a range of olive-y greens, but I really only had 3 fabrics that fit into that particular color.  Clearly with the grays, I did much better.  Oh well, like I said, we will see what it looks like all together in the end.





Todays "delay" in getting the Tuesday post up has reminded me that summer is just around the corner.  I usually take a little hiatus from Building Blocks Tuesday during the summer as I don't get much sewing time with the kids home from school (plus traveling, etc.).  Getting to the point, I'm looking for guest hosts for Building Blocks Tuesday!

If you are interested in guest hosting Building Blocks Tuesday for one of the following weeks, please comment below.  It's easy!  You just write a post with some blocks that you have made and I will send you some code to add to the bottom of your post for the linky.  You do NOT have to have your own linky account!  Then just publish your post on your reserved Tuesday!  So easy (says the lady who can't seem to post on time this week)!  Who's in?

• June 21st
• June 28th
• July 5th
• July 12th
• July 19th
• July 26th
• August 2nd

I am planning on keeping the summer linky open for the entire summer; it worked out so well last year.

What blocks have you been working on this week?  I would love to see.  Link up your fabulous blocks.  You put a lot of hard work into them - show them off!  This free linky will stay open until the first Monday of next month, but I will repost it every Tuesday until a new month starts.

Rules:

1) Please link up only to the page on your blog showing your wonderful blocks, not just the blog homepage.  Flickr and Instagram pictures are also OK.
2) Make sure to put your blog name as the description so people know where they are going or the name of your block!
3) Please grab my button and post it in your blog post or sidebar.
4) Visit other linky participants!

Thanks for reading,

Jennie


***This post may contain affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links, I may be compensated, but at no additional cost to you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Who you lookin' at? - Building Blocks Tuesday

Here is my first owl block!  I am so close to finishing the rest, but just couldn't do it for today.

What blocks have you been working on this week?  I would love to see.  Link up your fabulous blocks.  You put a lot of hard work into them - show them off!  This free linky will stay open until the first Monday of next month, but I will repost it every Tuesday until a new month starts.

Rules:

1) Please link up only to the page on your blog showing your wonderful blocks, not just the blog homepage.  Flickr and Instagram pictures are also OK.
2) Make sure to put your blog name as the description so people know where they are going or the name of your block!
3) Please grab my button and post it in your blog post or sidebar.
4) Visit other linky participants!

Thanks for reading,

Jennie


***This post may contain affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links, I may be compensated.

An InLinkz Link-up

Bunny blocks - Building Blocks Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to go to my first quilting retreat!  The guild I belong to up in the local mountains hosts an annual retreat and I finally signed up for it.  It is held at the Ability First / Camp Paivika facility that I have mentioned a few times as the main beneficiary of the guild's charity efforts.  I've been to the camp before for luncheons but never stayed overnight.  It was lovely!

In addition to being able to sew all I wanted until all hours without anyone saying, "you're still sewing?", I also got to know some guild members better and I didn't have to cook anything all weekend!  Being kid-free was also a nice change!  I had such a great time that I can't wait until next year's retreat, 'cause I am IN!!

It seems that a common issue when packing for a retreat, is that we tend to pack more projects than we can possibly complete.  I didn't really see that as an issue as long as I was managing my expectations of actually getting them done.  I packed: 1) a project that I really needed to get started because I had promised it to someone ages ago, 2) a new project that I was very anxious to get started, 3) a mini quilt that needed quilting (in case I felt like doing something other than piecing), 4) a project that at this stage didn't require any stitching at all, only drawing, and 5) some EPP, in case the power went out or something.  I only hoped to get started on Project #1 and #2, and I did!

Here are some of the fruits of my labor for the weekend!  This adorable bunny block from the Fancy Forest pattern by Elizabeth Hartman (affiliate link**).



Isn't he cute????  And of course, bunnies have a tendency to multiply.....



I just adore these bunnies!  I also started on the owls for the pattern, but didn't finish them.  Perhaps I will have at least one of those to share next week.

I will warn anyone planning on doing these creatures that they are tedious.  NOT difficult! Just tedious.  I spent the entire day before the retreat cutting my fabric into strips, and I didn't even get to the subcutting for the blocks.  A good part of each morning at retreat was spent doing that cutting for the block I planned to make that day, then I would piece the blocks the rest of the day.  It took all day on Saturday to make these bunnies from 7 am to about midnight.  I did make a mistake late in the evening and spent a couple of hours fixing my mistake (on 7 of those darn bunnies!), but even so it took quite a while to get these bunnies done and some of the other animals in the pattern have even more pieces!  As I said, I started on one of the owls from the pattern, and one eye alone has about 14 pieces.  Even with that said, watching these faces come to life as you stitch them together is so much fun!

Elizabeth also has a new class on Craftsy called Patchwork Piecing: Woodland Animals (affiliate link**), which has a bear and deer pattern. I am SOOOOOO tempted!!  The bear in particular is so cute!

What blocks have you been working on this week?  I would love to see.  Link up your fabulous blocks.  You put a lot of hard work into them - show them off!  This free linky will stay open until the first Monday of next month, but I will repost it every Tuesday until a new month starts.


Rules:

1) Please link up only to the page on your blog showing your wonderful blocks, not just the blog homepage.  Flickr and Instagram pictures are also OK.
2) Make sure to put your blog name as the description so people know where they are going or the name of your block!
3) Please grab my button and post it in your blog post or sidebar.
4) Visit other linky participants!

Thanks for reading,

Jennie


***This post may contain affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on one of my links, I may be compensated.

An InLinkz Link-up

Inspirational Sunday (8) - via QuiltConWest 2016

Hello Everyone!  Today, I thought I would share some quilts from the Minimalist Design category.

First up is one of my favorites, called "Sunburst" by Yvonne Fuchs of Tehachapi, California.  It is machine pieced and machine quilted without a frame.





This quilt was inspired by one of the design sparks in the QDAD (Quilt Design a Day) group on Facebook.

Next up is "You and Me" by Kristyn McCoy of Ilderton, Ontario, Canada.  It is machine pieced and machine quilted on a frame.





Not only did she use last year's Pantone color of the year (Marsala), she learned this quilting technique from a class with Krista Withers at QuiltCon 2015.  Since I was about to take Krista's class that day, I wanted to have an example of what her technique looked like executed by someone else.





This quilt sold for $400.

Next up, "Thoroughly Modern Jacquie" by Katherine Jones of Chigwell, Tasmania Australia.  It is machine pieced and machine quilted without a frame.




Take a look at how perfect that straight line quilting is!




This quilt sold for $600.

"Antlers" by Nancy Purvis of Garner, North Carolina is next.  It is machine pieced and machine quilted without a frame.  It also uses the wrong side of the fabrics to make the antlers look folded.





Finally for today, "Bubble Gum" by Margaret (Kathy) Greer of Port Angeles, Washington.  It is machine pieced and machine quilted without a frame.  All circles were created using reverse applique with freezer paper.





This quilt won 1st prize in the category!


That's all I have for today.  Thanks for reading!


Jen