Block Swap 2015!

Both Swap Groups are closed - thanks everyone!  I'll be back to regular blogging.

Modern fabrics should be bright - no pastels
Civil War prints should be medium to dark.

Here we go!

If you want to be in this years swap, you must send me an email at barb.vedder@gmail.com.  I will send you a confirmation.  Sign ups will close when I get the limit or September 1st, which ever comes first.

This year we will be swapping, 4" finished bow tie blocks.  You'll be making blocks and sending them to me.  I'll swap them and return to you.

I'm going to limit the groups to 40 in each.  If we get that number, then we'll be swapping 80 blocks for each group.  I won't know the exact number until I close the sign ups.

Once again we'll have two groups; Civil War fabrics and Modern fabrics.

Modern blocks will use light grey low volume print or solid grey with a bright modern fabric (no pastels).  Please use only good quality, 100% cotton.   Here are some blocks that I've made.

If you are wondering what I mean by low volume grey here is a pinterest board to give you the idea.

Civil war blocks will use muslin with one civil war reproduction medium or dark print.  Any off white muslin will work and work well with others.   Please use only good quality 100% cotton fabrics.   Here are some blocks that I've made.

Instructions:

Cut:
2 - 2 1/2" squares of printed fabric (the bow)
2 - 1 1/2" squares of printed fabric (the bow)
2 - 2 1/2" squares of background (muslin or grey)

Mark a line diagonally on the smaller square.  Take care, you may want use a sandpaper board as the pieces are quite small.  I glued sandpaper to a clip board for mine.

Sew the small square onto a corner of your background just to the right of the drawn line.  This allows for the tiny bit you loose when you press.

Press toward the dark side.  I like to use a hot dry iron for this as steam sometimes causes skewing of the fabric.

Trim away the background and the first layer of printed fabric.

Sew the 2 1 /2" printed patch to the to the background patch.  Press toward the bow fabric- please don't skip this step!

Sew the two units together.  Press the last seam OPEN.  Please press this seam open so they lay flat.  Last time a few swappers who didn't do this step.

Now admire your little 4 1/2" (unfinsihed) little bow tie block.

I added this information to a tab at the top for easy reference.

Here is some inspiration - but remember to use our swap fabrics~

You can see more on my Bow Tie Pinterest Board.

In Review:

• Send me an email and let know which group you would like to be in.
• Civil War Era reproduction fabrics with muslin.
• Modern Bright fabrics with grey or low volume grey print.
• I am setting a limit of 40 for each group.
• Follow my instructions carefully and use your very best sewing and pressing skills!
• Deadline:  in the mail to me on or before October 31st - no exceptions.

I hope you'll join!  I think it will be great fun!

I will send an email after sign ups close with all the details on final block count, etc.

I'm a big Fan......

of fan quilting!

As you all know, I designed and manufactured a large fan stencil because I couldn't find one on the market that was the large size I wanted.  I made my own for this quilt.

I was asked by my friend, Sheila, to do a tutorial on how to mark a quilt with this stencil.

Let's pretend this cardboard is a wonderful quilt top.

 I line up the stencil with the bottom and right side.

 I mark the first section, then the second section.

 Here is how it should look.

Then I move on to the third fan, lining up the first section of the stencil with the already marked whole fan.

 And viola'

Now I move up to the next row.  I line up the little quarter circle where the previous rows' fan meets. 

See how the stencil now dips into the previous fans?  You'll want to take care to end your marking lines where the fan below is.  I highly recommend that you mark the bottom while you are noticing.  It is very easy to forget and mark past the previous fan - Sheila ;)

 Once that fan is marked, move the stencil over and add the next fan.

Keep moving along right to left and bottom to top.  Of course you can mark them any way you wish, but this is a good basic fan placement design.

Here is how it looks when you are finished.

I used different sharpie markers to make this tutorial.  

I did big stitch quilting on my "Won't you be my Neighbor" quilt.

Here is a photo that I found of an old quilt.  The fans are colliding in the middle after being started on opposite sides of the quilt.  I would like to do one this way!

I offer my stencil at my Etsy shop, see button on the right sidebar.  Do you think this was helpful?   I think I'll make a page tab at the top for easy reference.

Happy Quilting!

Happy Town USA

Ta-Da.   I finished my House Swap Quilt.   I had finished the top in March - where does the time go?   I am naming it "Happy Town" because everything about this quilt makes me happy!

47x47" square

Happy Town I did 60 degree diagonal quilting lines about 1/4" apart.  I marked one line  and then used the edge of my walking foot for the rest.

There are some variations in the widths and angles, but I'm okay with that.

I ordered some of this really great striped fabric from my friend Thimble Anna's Etsy shop.

You can hardly see where I joined the strips (on the left binding strip).

The backing fabric was a giveaway I won on my blog buddy, Rachael of Blue Mountian Daisy blog.  It is all cat fabrics and I knew that I would use it this way one day.  And this was the perfect quilt for it.

I made a special label with a black kitty like Luna, who we lost last November.  We're still sad and miss her.

Other Breaking News - I've added some of my Hex Vex kits to my etsy store.  You can check it out here.

** Just added Tuesday - I've posted a poll on the sidebar.  Would you be interested in a Fall 2015 block Swap?  I have a block in mind and would have a repro and modern group like last fall.

I hope you are having a great start to your week!

Super Sweet Suprise!!

A very special something came in the mail from my buddy, Kelly of Pinkadot Blog.   A while back we had agreed on a little "trade".  Which I had totally forgotten about.

Here is the Sew Together Bag that she made especially for me.  I LOVE the outer ViewMaster Reels.  I have a big collection of them.  The pink and white type fabric is awesome too.  

A bird fob?  perfection!

 the interior is just as perfect!  I love all of her fabric choices.  Needle rest and what cute laundry lines.

Pretty lettered fabric (I love all fabrics with letters).

 Sweet little irons on polkadots.

 Adorable little colored clothespins (which I also have a collection of).

 The colored zippers are so cute and the inside pockets are lined with pink bird fabric....someone get the paddles I was having cuteness heart failure.

The ends are pink polkadots - get it??  Pinkadots???  TOO MUCH!!!

All packed up and ready to use!  wee~

Have you ever received a gift that was so perfect, you nearly wept?  That is how I felt yesterday.   Thank you Kelly.  Your workmanship is superior and the fabrics are just the best collection ever.

This trade is not over.....Kelly has upped the anti.

For a bonus she sent some Halloween leftover fabrics which I will use in a Hex quilt.

Here are my most recent 4" Stars In a Time Warp stars.

This Cracks me up.  I took this photo of Coco at the farm looking over the fields.  It reminded me of "Christina's World" by Andrew Wyeth.

coco's world

Funny Right?  

Here is my favorite summer thing to do.  Cut up all sorts of veggies, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and olive oil.  Top with fresh herbs and roast at 400.

 I eat this as a side dish, with pasta and goat cheese or over a salad.  Delicious!!

 Thank you again Kelly for my Sew Together Bag.  You are the STB queen!  I'll treasure it.

p.s. Thank you all for your nice comments about the publication of my Hex Vex quilt.  I offer a workshop on it and I'm going to add some starter kits to my etsy shop if you want to start one of your own.