Positive Energy 100 Block QAL

I decided to join a quilt along and I got really excited about it. Then I discovered it happened last year. That explains why the price for the QAL was discounted. Even though it was from a year ago, the files and videos are all still available and the social media posts from the project tell me that many people are still finished their projects. So I'm all in.

After my first week I finished the first 10 blocks. 

And as of today, I finished the second group of 10 blocks. They were pretty easy so far but as I look ahead I see some applique and some bias trimmed blocks to come. I think I will set this project aside for the rest of the weekend and work on something else so I don't burn myself out.

I have a quilt I could longarm now but I'm struggling to pick a quilting design so I think I will let it sit. Instead, I decided to make up this Lori Holt block from her pattern Cut, Press, Sew, Quilt.

This was so quick to put together that I cut out the fabrics to make the Cut and Press blocks. It will be a lot of fun to finish all 4 of the blocks.

What's on the design board?

As we start the month of August, I realize I've been pretty busy during the last few weeks. Busy at starting things, anyway.

I started a Wisconsin-themed table topper for my sister-in-law who is visiting us from Marinette at the end of August. My nephew was in the UW-Madison Badger band during his college years and it just so happens that this year's Wisconsin Shop Hop fabric has a print of sheet music with the lyrics "On Wisconsin". That song is oh so familiar to any and all Badger fans. So it seems appropriate to make her a little-something with that fabric. I guessed how much fabric I would need and as it turns out, I do not have enough for the backing so I will have to get more on my next trip to the fabric shop. For now, it can hang nicely in the center of my design board.

I also started a cross block quilt. I really wanted to do something using low-volume background fabric and this was my attempt. I see now that I look at the photo I have some re-work to do on some blocks. There are some backgrounds that are way too busy to qualify as low-volume backgrounds so I will have to adjust those.

I also have some leftover scrap vortex blocks on the end of my design board. I will use those when I make the backing for my scrap vortex quilt but as of right now, I haven't decided what to use for the backing fabric.

Usually in summer I slow down on the quilt-making process. I tend to save up the finished quilt tops until fall when the weather is cooler. It's much easier to work with quilt layers on my lap when it's not so hot outside. Especially since I hate air conditioning which means if it's hot outside, it's hot inside. So far, I have 6 quilt tops that need to be completed. Whew!

Tiny Treat Totes

Tiny Treats Totes

I mentioned in an earlier post that I would be making more of these little treat bags. I have plenty of foodie fabric on hand for quite some time so it was fun to finally use it up. The download for the pattern and instructions can be found here.

Tiny Treat Totes

Tiny Treat Totes

I found the pattern for these cute little bags on the allpeoplequilt.com website. The instructions make 4 cute little bags. I like the use of grosgrain ribbon as handles. They are just sturdy enough for the size of the bags.

I have plenty of cupcake fabrics so I think I will make a whole bunch of groups of 4 of these bags. I am certain they are a perfect size for my granddaughters or as gift bags for their friends or even their teachers.

Tiny Treat Totes

Just throw in some candy and they become Sweet Tiny Treat Bags.

Tumbler Block Doll Quilt

Tumbler Block Quilt

I have Lori Holt's Thimble Ruler Set. There are 2 rulers in the set; one is a 10" ruler and the other is 5". I started to use the 5" ruler with the idea that I would make a quilt.  I seriously thought I could do that.  Then I started to cut the blocks. They were very small. So I stopped.

For a very long time I stared at the stack of cut blocks.  I cut them from one of my favorite fabric lines and looked at them for months.  I finally decided to sew them together and after stringing 9 of them in a row  I was exhausted.  I made a total of 8 rows of 9 little blocks.

After stitching them together, I had the cutest little piece of fabric.  Earlier in the year, I made my granddaughter a doll quilt and after looking at this, I decided it would make a fabulous doll quilt for the other granddaughter.  After all, I couldn't possibly make something for one of the girls without doing the same for the other one.

I added an one-and-a-half-inch inside border out of ecru and a two-and-a-quarter-inch outer border from the fabric line as well.  I had some leftover backing from a larger quilt I made using the 10" thimble ruler so I used that on the back of this mini-version.  I also did some straight-line quilting on the diagonal for a nice contrast.

I think my granddaughter will love it. And on another note, I have grown tired of this fabric line.  I purchased a fat-quarter pack that contained 35 pieces of the line and I also bought 5 yards of my favorites from this line.  It's time to put the rest away for a very long time and move on to other pretty fabrics.

Mini Log Cabin Blocks

I joined the SewCanShe.com 'It's a New Year Sewalong' and this year's block is the mini log cabin. I made mine from some leftover Sweetwater Noteworthy fabric I had laying around.  These blocks use 1-inch strips so it is easy to find pieces of scraps to use to make the blocks.  Once I made a bunch in a variety of colors I decided to make it into a mini-quilt for my granddaughter's baby doll.  She is one an a half and seems to be in this nurturing phase where all she wants to do is wrap the baby doll in something warm. So now she will have her own little quilt to wrap her doll in.

A Mini Quilt in Red, White and Blue

In an effort to use up my old red, white, and blue leftovers I found a tutorial for this cute little table topper.  Here is the link to it.  It was a perfectly sized pattern to use to cover the bistro table on my front porch. All my accents to the house are either wrought iron black or red.  I love how red things look against my blue and white house.  The color just pops.

So I cut the required strips to make the blocks and within 2 hours, I had the whole top done.  I took some of the larger scrap pieces to make the backing and dug up some leftover batting from my stash and by lunchtime, it was quilted.  I did have to use 5 strips of fabric to make the binding, there just wasn't enough long pieces of anything which is good - that means I am finally using it all up.  Yay!  The results look so good on my little table. 

As usual, the tutorial for this can be found on the Sew Can She blog.

Mini Charm Mini Quilt

I found this Mini Quilt tutorial over at Sit and Stitch a While's blog.  It used a mini charm pack and even though I didn't buy a charm pack, I just so happen to have one (it was a gift for purchasing fabric from westwoodacres on etsy).  You can find the tutorial here.


The fabric line I used is called Glamping.  Although I am not a fan of the graphics which probably says something about my ideas regarding camping; however, I do like the colors.  And this tutorial was a great way to use it up.

I also have lots of leftover white Kona laying around.  I've sent a few big quilts out to be longarmed and they always require lots of extra fabric on the back to load it on the machine so I used some of the stuff I cut off of those quilts to make this little cutie.  I also used the leftover charms from the pack on the back.

All in all, this sucker didn't cost me anything but my time.  I like projects like that, especially ones that turn out this cute. 

I think I should give this to my sister, it fits her personality and style perfectly.