November Quilt Square Quilt Along

The pattern that Jo chose for November was this one 

from Lori Smith’s #6 Quilt Square pattern.

I machine quilted this in a cross hatch pattern.

The back.

There will be no quilting here for awhile. In the morning, we head out on a 3 week journey. Along the way we'll visit some family, visit some friends, do a little hiking, and do some sightseeing. I might even get a chance to blog once in a while! I can't quilt because I have nothing that is small enough to work on right now. So I'll be knitting - wonder if I can get my sweater anywhere near done...

October Quilt Square Quilt Along

When the October Quilt Square at Jo's Country Junction came out, I was sitting in our family room looking out over our backyard. The trees were in full color. The pattern that Jo chose was the four stars of Lori Smith’s #6 Quilt Square pattern. I decided that I just had to use the colors of fall. 

I went through my batiks and packed a number of scraps to take on my little retreat. I pieced my autumn inspired stars that day and pinned it so it was ready to quilt.

I wanted to quilt it with leaves. I thought about maple leaves - my favorite - but my small ones look more like ivy and the larger ones were too big. It finally occurred to me to use a simple leaf like an elm leaf. I remember trying this for the January 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. 

January 2012 attempt to FMQ leaves

Here is a closeup of my quilt square.

October 2012 attempt to FMQ leaves

I embarked on my journey to learn to free motion quilt in January 2012. I think I have improved a little!

Here is one last photo - I think you can see the quilting..

September Quilt Square Quilt Along

Have you been checking out the quilt squares at Jo's Country Junction? Every month Jo posts all of the squares for the Quilt Along. It is so interesting to see what everyone has done - they are all so different!

For September we did the Nine Patch square from pattern #6 of Lori Smith’s Quilt Square pattern. The finished square is 12" so the pieces are rather small.

I thought it was time to think about Halloween!

August Quilt Square Quilt Along

I wrote this post on August 5. I had my August square done and quilted that early - amazing isn't it! Now, we are on a rather lengthy  trip and somewhere on the Kenai Peninsula, AK. I hope to have Internet access to link up on September 1.

The August Quilt Square Quilt Along at Jo's Country Junction was to make our choice of blocks from the ones left in Lori Smith’s pattern Quilt Squares #4.

I chose to use some Stonehenge fabric by Sunshine Cottage (Northcott). I bought this fabric a couple of years ago and could only get the brown/rust/cream color family. I decided it would be great for placemats which I recently made. With the scraps, I decided to do the block with 9 stars.

The only problem was with the flying geese. I don't know why but my pieces did not fit. Maybe it was because I was doing this in a hurry! Anyway, I had to cut all of the little triangles a second time. I didn't have enough fabric to really make this scrappy - I really like that look too.

I machine quilted this with Cucumber Vine from Leah Day at The Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along. 

July Quilt Square Quilt Along

The July Quilt Square Quilt Along at Jo's Country Junction was our choice from two star blocks. We are following Lori Smith’s patterns for 12" x12" quilt squares. This month is from #4 Quilt Squares.

So far, I have made all of my Quilt Squares from scraps - often using whatever is on my cutting table. This star is also from scraps but the choice was made by our weather! It has been record-breaking hot all summer so I wanted something in the 'warm color' family. And I love orange! 


There are lots of small pieces but I did not have any problems. The hardest part was keeping everything in order to sew together. I laid all of the pieces on the back of a piece of a flannel-backed tablecloth. Then it was easy to transport from cutting table to sewing machine to ironing board.


This little quilt is machine quilted in a loopy pattern.

Placemats, Practice, a Win, and a Finish!

I've been trying to practice my free-motion quilting a bit more. One of the experts from the 2012 Free-Motion Quilting Challenge suggested making placemats and using each as a practice canvas. 


So I made placemats using an idea that I saw and remembered(?) from a few year ago. Sew some squares together, then cut off half of the first column of squares on the left and sew that piece on the right side. Cut off half of the top row of squares and sew that piece onto the bottom row. Then cut into placemats. I used 6 1/2" squares so my placemats finished about 18" X 12".

Sorry I forgot to take a picture as I was doing this - hopefully you can get an idea from this picture.

I made 6 placemats - all coordinated but all different.

I used a pillow turn on each (no binding) and double-topstitched the edges. This one is quilted in an overall pattern of flower petals - I call it Cone Flowers.

 The next is McTavishing.

I forced myself to do one of spirals - it is the hardest for me and I need LOTS of practice.

This has a center spiral where I could practice shadowing. The edges are stippled.

Next are a couple of flowers with feathers on the edges.

 And last (why did I turn the camera?) is feathers - all free hand.

 The backs are all like this. 

I won this quilt hanger in Jo's Country Junction Quilt Square Quilt Along. Woohoo!!!

Hanging on the hanger is my square for July, all finished!

June QSQA

The June Quilt Square Quilt Along at Jo's Country Junction was the Corn and Beans Block. I like this block - in fact we have a 24" Corn and Beans 'barn quilt' on our porch.

I made my 12" block from blues and neutrals.

My block is 1/4 the size of our barn quilt and has 4 times as many pieces!

After quilting my block, I didn't like the tension on the quilting so I tore out the stitches. Then my sewing machine died. After a fuse in the transformer was replaced, I was set to go. An hour later, my machine died! Some belt has now been replaced. I have to pick up my machine tomorrow. I have started researching new machines - is the handwriting on the wall? I think I'd better be ready and informed in case I need to go shopping.

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 5

I made Block 5 - Trip Around the World - for Jo's Country Junction's Quilt Square Quilt Along at the beginning of May. It's a good thing since this has been a crazy month! This block is from Lori Smith's Quilt Squares Pattern #4. I'm currently working on QOV quilts so once again, I just used fabric that was on my cutting table. I machine quilted this 12" X 12" quilt with double stippling that I learned in the 2012 FMQ Challenge with May expert Leah Day. 

You might want to head over to Jo's Country Junction and check out all what everyone else did.

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 4

I've finished Block 4 for the Quilt Square Quilt Along at Jo's Country Junction. We are making blocks from pattern Quilt Squares #1 by Lori Smith of From my Heart to Your Hands. My 12" X 12" squares are all different. I have made Log Cabin, Bear Paw, and The Star Block.
  
The April challenge was to do the block of our choice. I    chose the Nine Patch and used some scraps from my stash. I machine stippled the quilt and then decided it needed the red binding.

  
Next month we are switching to the Quilt Squares #4 pattern by Lori Smith. 

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block Winner!

I am enjoying doing the Quilt Square Quilt Along over at Jo's Country Junction. Each month there is a drawing for prizes. I just won the book Back To Charm School donated by Country Threads!

I go to Quilt Camp at Country Threads every year -

 you know I'll love this book!

Stop over at Jo's and check out all of the March Star Blocks. They are all gorgeous!

Thank you, Jo and Country Threads!

This is my very first blog win!

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 3

I've finished Block 3 for the Quilt Square Quilt Along at Jo's Country Junction. We are making blocks from the pattern Quilt Squares #1 by Lori Smith of From my Heart to Your Hands. My 12" X 12" squares are all quite different - I'll use them as small hangings or table mats. The first one was a Log Cabin and the second a Bear Paw. In March, our block was The Star Block. 

I had left some batiks on my cutting table so I just decided to use them for this block. I can be really lazy sometimes! I just need to get it quilted!

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 2

It is time to link up my second square for the Quilt Square Quilt Along over at Jo's Country Junction. (See button in the right column.)

This month the 12" by 12" block was a bear paw and I decided to use my stash and be patriotic. This is the square before it was quilted.

I didn't have any problems until the block was together and I began quilting - it must have been that day! First I marked a pattern on the quilt with chalk. When I began to quilt it, the marking came off and I was lost. So I tore that stitching out. Then I decided to stipple the little quilt in a variegated denim blue. Well I didn't like that so I tore it out. Next, I decided to stipple in white. That worked fairly well but my stitches were not good - I tore out many of them and finally decided to live with it.

Next came the binding. I had this neat fabric that was red/white/blue with small stars. It seemed perfect. I didn't audition it - I just sewed it on. And I didn't like it! So I removed it. I auditioned the blue binding before I put it on.

At least the block now looks fine!

Maybe I'll use it as a candle mat 

or maybe I'll hang it...

 I'm really glad that most of my days are hassle free!

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 1

I have the first block done for the Quilt Square Quilt Along over at Jo's Country Junction. It is a log cabin block and measures 12" X12".

I machine stippled this little quilt. I am definitely a beginner at FMQ so I am determined to practice!