Design Challenge :: Owl Baby Blankie

Welcome to the August Design Challenge post!

This month, I have a fun and super quick project for you.  All you need is one fat quarter bundle (6 prints) and some batting (about 20 x 26").

These are the prints I am using for this project.  You can pick up a bundle here (on sale through 9/3/12).

I started with a sketch of the design.  This was helpful and I have linked up a cutting diagram here since you'll be getting the top, binding, and backing all from just the 6 fat quarters.  :-)

Let's start with the hourglass blocks.  With the two blue prints, you will cut a strip 6" x 22".  Sub cut this strip to get two 6" blocks.  The rest of the strip is scrap.  Hold the larger pieces aside for the backing later.

Place the two squares right sides together and cut along the diagonal. Use a 1/4 seam and stitch the triangles together. Press toward the star print.

Then place the two squares right sides together, opposite fabrics together.  The seams should nest together nicely.

Pin in place draw a diagonal line in the opposite direction.

You will stitch 1/4" on both sides of the line. Then cut along the line.

Press open and repeat with the other two squares so you have four hourglass blocks.

Then place the block on your cutting mat - if you have diagonal lines, it will be helpful to use them.

You will trim 2.25" from the center of the block - so that you end up with 4.5" square blocks.

Cut the rest of your pieces.  (Refer to cutting diagram.)

There are two main blocks that you need to make ...

For the block on the left, piece the two squares and then the orange strip to the joined squares.  For the block on the right, join the large square to the chevron strip. You need 4 of the blocks on the left and 5 of the blocks on the right. They will look like this...

At this point, blocks should measure 6.5" x 8.5".  Join 3 blocks to create a row.

Then the three rows to finish the top.

Cute right?  (I love it!  I am thinking about making a bigger one for me!)

Now, grab the remaining pieces of your FQs so we can cut strips for the backing.  I used a little bit of all the prints - reserving ALL the orange for the binding.

Join all the strips together to create the backing.  I pressed seams all in one direction, but you may also wish to press them open. The backing should measure approx 22" wide x 28" tall.

Layer the backing right side down, batting, and then the top right side up.

Use the seams of the rows on the front with a strip on the back to make sure your backing is straight.  This way your stripes on the back won't be wonky!  :)

Pin baste and quilt as desired.

Trim excess batting and backing.

For the binding, cut the remaining piece of your FQ into 2.5" x 22" strips.  Join the strips together at the ends.

Then fold in half to creating the binding.

Attaching binding.  (I forgot to take pictures of this process.  But I have a tutorial here.)

And you're all finished!  Quilt measures 18" x 24" - perfect for a car seat or stroller.

The striped backing kind of makes it a two-for-one!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial!  If you have any questions, please ask in the comments or send me an email.  And if you make one of these little quilts, please share the link or send a picture - I'd love to see it!  :-)

Happy sewing!  :-)

Winners!

Hey there everybody!  I survived the first two days of school and got some time to consult with Random.org to choose some winners ... ready?!

First up, the Stitch & Share Challenge - Texture contest.  We challenged you to add some texture to a project and the winner is ...

Jane from Where Jane Creates!  Jane made some awesome faux cathedral windows with a folding technique.  I love the bright prints and colors she used too.  Jane - I will be emailing you so we can get a gift certificate to Sew Lux Fabric to you!

And for the birthday giveaway post ...

AND

Congrats to both of you.  I will be contacting you as well to get your mailing address for your Kate Spain Terrain prize pack!  :-)

Thank you all so much for participating with me here on the Sew Lux blog.  I really enjoy getting to know you all through comments and links to your blog.

Have a wonderful week!  :-)

School Time!

Hey y'all!  This teacher is headed back to school tomorrow ... I am sure when my alarm goes off in the morning my husband will laugh as he announces "school time!" just to get on my nerves.  :-)

But school doesn't have to be all bad.  I love my Craftsy classes.  Do you take any Craftsy classes?  If not, you should to try it out.  They have LOTS of classes on sorts of things, including quilting, of course.  They also have some free classes like this one ...

I love Elizabeth Hartman's work and she is great at her quilting math.  So when I saw that her "Creative Quilt Backs" pieced backings class was FREE, I immediately signed up.  Check it out here.  And if you are a visual learner, like myself, its all video-based so you can see it for yourself.

Don't forget that today is the last day to add a texture project to our Stitch & Share Challenge Linky as well as to comment on the Birthday Giveaway post.

Happy Sewing!  :-)

In Progress

Loving how my Design Challenge project is coming out....

Finishing tomorrow so be on the lookout for a tutorial next week.

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Birthday Giveaway

Hi again ...

So today is my birthday!  And I'm sharing some presents with you all!  :-)

Kate Spain has some of her Terrain designs featured on some items at Michael's Stores. She shared about them on her blog several weeks ago, shortly after which I hunted them down!

I will be giving away these two ink pen & pad combos along with a few other little surprises.  Want to win one?  Just leave a comment on this post telling me EITHER your favorite handmade gift you ever received OR your favorite handmade gift to make and give.  I will choose two random winners after 5 PM on Sunday, 8/26/12 and announce them here on the blog on Monday, 8/27/12.  One comment per person, please.

Have a wonderful day!

New Moda Bake Shop Kits

Hi again!

Just wanted to share that our friend Jennie at Clover & Violet has a new Moda Bake Shop Project that went live today.  Check out this cute Stroller Organizer she made!

(Photo courtesy of Clover & Violet)

See the free tutorial here and grab a kit from our shop here. We have both boy and girl kits available and they are currently on sale through 8/31/12.

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Coloring Squares Guessing Game Winner

Hey there!

I just consulted with random.org to select a winner for the Coloring Squares Guessing Game.  :-)

Congrats to Gill, who was lucky commenter #7 .... 

... Gill has won this fun bundle.... 

Surprise!  I will be your July Design Challenge participant! :-) 

I chose these six prints for a fun and quick baby project (tutorial coming next week) since I have FIVE different friends expecting between October and January.  (And, no Rhonda, I am not one of my five friends!  LOL)  So far, at least three of them are expecting boys.  Since I like to collect pink and polka dotted fabrics, I needed to add to my stash.

So, be on the look out for my tutorial next week!

Happy Sewing! :-)

WIP Wednesday: Chevrons

Hey y'all!  How's your week going?

Now that I have finished the FSU quilt and can "officially" make "whatever I want" (LOL) I've started lots of different things.  The first thing I made was a little chevron quilt and I thought I'd share a sneak of it...

I just need to hand stitch the binding down and it will be all set. :-)

This chevron quilt uses strips instead of half square triangles.  (I'm too lazy sometimes to want to match all the points and deal with the bias edges.)  And its only about 2 yards of fabric total for this one - all these are from my stash, actually.

Would any of y'all be interested in a tutorial for this one?

Don't forget to take a guess at my other WIP (comment on this post).  I'll choose a winner tonight and post tomorrow.

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Modernista Homemade Swap Received

Happy Monday!

We had all of our "welcome back" meetings at school today ... and this year it was actually pretty fun! The school I work at is a great school and we had a lot to celebrate from last year.  Our principal and assistant principals had a big celebration planned for us to start our day of meetings... part of which included us all doing the cupid shuffle (kind of like an updated electric slide).  Just imagine your high school teachers dancing on the auditorium stage!  It was fun.  :-)

Anyway, I wanted to share the package I received from Cherie in the Modernista Handmade Swap a few weeks ago.  (I posted the project I made here.)

I got a super cute little pin cushion and fun embroidery hoop.

I love the English paper pieced star that she included.  I always love those intricately pieced stars and roses and only wish I could squeeze that into my schedule!  I also think its neat to think about how the hand piecing  (and hand quilting) ties us to our quilting ancestors. :-)

Thanks, Cherie, for such a fun package!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Coloring Squares

Happy Weekend, y'all!  :-)

It's been a busy week packing orders, setting up my classroom for the year, rearranging our shop room to accommodate more bolts, and planning some fun things I will be sharing here on the blog later this week.

Thought I'd give you a little sneaky-peeky at one of the things I am planning for you. I printed some graph paper and grabbed my marker bucket to design this ...

Using a few different prints for this project.

Can anyone guess what I will be making for this tutorial?  Take a guess ..  I will draw a random entry  on Wednesday, 8/22/12 after 5 PM for a special prize.

Off to start stitching ...

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Shop News: New Fabric & New Markdowns

Just wanted to pop in and share what's been going on in the shop this week.  

New collections are here (yay!)...

Chicopee by Denyse Schmidt

Ladie's Stitching Club by Oliver + S

Oh, Deer! by MoMo 

And our Riley Blake Medium Chevrons are restocked. 

And since we need some space for all the new bolts and future bolts, we've moved over 20 collections to $7.50 or less - some as low as $5.00.  

And we're always adding new last chance (bolt ends & remnant pieces).

Happy Sewing!  :-) 

Twisted Flowers

Hi y'all!  Happy Wednesday!  I am so in denial about tomorrow being the last day of this teacher's summer break.  :-/  "Back to the real world..."

Anyway, since we are challenging you to add texture for our current Stitch & Share Challenge, I thought I'd show you another recent project I made that incorporated texture.

For this pillow, I used Vanessa's technique for these messy flowers. I signed up for the Craftsy class, but I think they are also in her book. There are lots of similar tutorials online, but you're sewing as you go instead of hot gluing them down.

I will be honest and tell you that my original intention was to flower the whole thing ... but I was running out of fabric and more importantly out of time.  (Notice the pins at the bottom of the pillow... I hand stitched it closed on the way to the housewarming party!  Anyone else do that!?)

While taking these photos, I realized red is a pain to photograph well.  But I think you get the idea.  The whole thing was made with Bella Country Red.  I hand stitching some pearl beads to the centers and I think that really ups the ante on this from pretty to even prettier.

A few days after gifting it, my friend shared that it was already being enjoyed. :-)

So, ready to add some texture to something yet?  I have a few more ideas to show you before the end of the challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Introducing the GGP

Hey there friends!

I got out of dodge for a long weekend at the beach and am back to the real world today.  We did enjoy a nice stay oceanfront courtesy of some friends and it was so nice ... especially since teacher workdays start back up on Friday.  (gasp!)

Anywho, I am excited to share that our friend Jennifer of That Girl, That Quilt is kicking off a new quilt along - the Giant Granny Panties Quilt Along!  See the intro post here.

We're thrilled to work with Jennifer on this project by offering up kits for the project.  We have four different options and they are all currently on sale through Saturday, 8/18/12.

There's something for everyone, but quantities are limited.  I am having a hard time deciding myself!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Off Track Owls

Hi again!  Recently, I (finally) finished another BIG quilt.  A friend of mine asked if I could make a twin size quilt for her little boy who was going to be getting a big boy bed.  Of course, I agreed and she selected some cute owl fabric and the Off Track pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew.

Once I pieced this I knew that quilting it wasn't going to be an option for me if I wanted to maintain some sanity.  (It's wayyyyy to big about 70" x 90" ... my 6'4" huband is holding it up in these photos.)  So, I asked the fabulous Marlene of KISSed Quilts to help.  She was easy to work with by email and answered all my questions and sent some pictures of some different thread options.

She did an amazing job!  She even trimmed it down for me ... thank goodness!  :-)

I bound it with Free Spirits Designer Houndstooth in Chocolate which worked out really well.

I love the way she signs her work, too.  Super cute!  :-)

I got this quilt mailed off last week and I hear it was well-received.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Sewing!  :-)