Borders

Had some time this weekend to make little progress on my Countdown quilt.

I added a 2" strip of white and am thinking of a 2 inch strip of the green followed by a wide (5 inch) border of the white.  (Green is showing at more than 2 inches in photo.)

I also purchased my fabric backing on sale.  This is one of my favorite prints from Sweetwater's Countdown to Christmas line - just love the reindeer!

Happy Stitching!

Countdown assembled

I've assembled the quilt top for my Countdown to Christmas quilt - still need to name this quilt.

Next step is a good pressing and then cut down the sides to give them a straight edge.


Then, I've got a decision to make.


The pattern calls for a 2in inner border of a color from the quilt and then a 5 1/2 in outer border of another quilt color. I am thinking of actually doing that outer border in the white and then perhaps a pieced inner border.


What do you think?


Happy Stitching!

Countdown layout

There is a lot of red in this quilt!

I've not yet pieced the leading triangles of white and then there is considerable white in the border.  But, too much red?


Happy Stitching!

Christmas Countdown quilt progresses

Got all the triangles cut for the quilt I am making from the Quiltmakes book (pattern by Joanna Figueroa).


Clearly two of the three sides of the triangles are cut on the bias so you need to be careful which side you place where.  

Had a blast chain sewing them together and assembling 'blocks' of 4 triangles which when pieced in rows correctly will form the pattern.

Hope your week is going well.


Happy Stitching!

New Toys

I am very excited about my new project - this quilt called Twinkling Stars designed by Joanna Figueroa.  

Two new rulers are making cutting 432 triangles actually FUN!


The first one is useful for cutting the 4 1/2 inch strips.

This one cuts 60 degree triangle.  It is a nice non-slip ruler.

And here is the trial hexagon assembly I did to help me figure out how the heck I was going to chain piece this without driving myself crazy.  (Clearly, not all of this is actually sewn together in this photo.)

Happy Stitching!

New quilting supply store - my library?

Although I've made only a few quilts from an actual pattern in a quilt book, I love buying these books and find them good sources of inspiration. When checking on my library's reservation system for a new bestseller I wanted to read, I took a look through the list of quilting books.


Look what I found!!!

I really liked three of these books and would consider purchasing them to add to my library.  They are all quite different.


Dare to be Square Quilting by Boo Davis is a wonderful book.  The quilts are different and fun!  There are owls and skeletons and very fun quilts.

Farm Girl Quilts by Tammy Johnson and Avis Shirer is a beautiful book.  I'd love to make the quilt on the cover.  It is a combination of piecing and applique.  There are two other quilt in the book - Mrs Nolan's Chicken Farm and Snow on Furrowed Ground that are beautiful two color quilts I would love to make.

This next book is call The Quiltmakers and is a collection of quilts from 8 quilt designers - Lynette Jensen, Petra Prins, Carolyn Forster, Lynette Anderson-O'Rourke, Lynne Edwards, Joanna Figueroa, Janet Bolton and Marsha McCloskey.

One of my favorites was this Feathered Star patchwork by Marsha McCloskey.

In this last one, I found the quilt project I can adapt for my Countdown to Christmas layer cake.  I just love it.  It will show the fun prints off well and seems like quite a lot of fun to assemble.


The quilt is called Fresh Vintage and is by Joanna Figueroa.

The pattern calls for yardage but I am confident I can adapt to a layer cake.  Each layer cake will yield 6 of those triangles if I cut very carefully.  I am going to use the solid red as the dominant color.  The Countdown to Christmas has some black prints.  I intend to use some of these in the quilt but this pattern will not require me not to use all of them.  

Time to sharpen the rotary cutter!

Happy Stitching!