Scrap Jar Quilt block Dare Completed

Karin, the Dirt Road Scrapper dared me to make just one, and I thought hmm, if I make one, I ought to make 9.  NINE the magic number is 9, keep that in mind, since that would be a great picnic size for two little girls.  And due to the the mysteries of how my crazy brain works (not really in any logical sense sometimes/ probably most times) I cut & cut and sewed a lot of components for those blocks and then decided to throw them up on the design wall just to see..... ( I still had a few more parts to sew together but was anxious to see things together).........and the crazy quilt angels who watch over me (who are a bit devilish) burst into laughter and laughed and laughed and so did I........I had 17 centers that I only need 9 of, and not enough of the HST's nor corner units for my 9 blocks, (there was enough for about 7 blocks of one component and 8 of the other,  lol).   SO, I cut & cut some more and sewed a LOT more and put things up on two design walls (one was the floor, lol)  And still was short pieces/parts for the components, those crazy quilt angels sure are entertained when I'm around.  Anyway after carefully re-counting, cutting and sewing,
here they are, yes THEY, lol.   Thank you to Staci, (see link below) & Karin, (link top and bottom) for blogging about Amber's Beautiful SCRAP JAR Quilt.  Thank you to Amber from A Little Bit Biased for coming up with this cute pattern and sharing it.  She has a free tutorial here  for you to try if you'd like to make one of these too. 

 Decided since I had 17 centers, no biggie to make one more plus all the other parts.  Yes they are still tops for now.  I am going to back them with denim, (& maybe no batting??) I think to make them more durable for the ground.  But I don't have any, so next time I travel back to civilization, I will pick some up.  :)They've been done for almost two weeks but I could not figure out how to take a picture of both at the same time since my design wall is only a the backside of a 3.00 flannel backed tablecloth and too small.  And I wanted Karin to see that I wasn't pulling her leg about all the piece/parts, but the only solution I could some up with, was one I was trying to avoid..........taking them outside and risk furry footed dust tracks and furry bodies lounging on them while I was trying to take a picture (imagine about a dozen farm cats all over quilt tops).  So it was when I was talking/emailing Carol about the Stacked Bowls Blog Hop and Karin's challenge that I thought, "oooh if I feed the cats, they will all run up the porch and start eating and I could run out quickly flop them down and snap away.  That MAYBE I could do it without the furry inspectors checking out what was going on in the yard" and told Carol that.  And amazingly enough it worked, I ran down to a shade tree to snap a couple.  So because it's shady, and I was in a hurry they are not the best photo's but the grass is still green under them and you can see that I completed the dare and my goal of one nine block top...... times 2, LOL!!!!

Now I completed these while dog sitting two pony-sized dogs who were really no help at all, had to go out to potty, came in  then they were bored.... wanted out again, too hot.... wanted in, sleep awhile, repeat..... over and over again, lol.  But while there I also zipped together some of the scappy grannies I've been accumulating making them as leader and ender blocks. So below the scrap jar tops is the scrappy grannies.  A baby sized granny, I'll add a couple of borders to and set aside for whenever someone needs a top or a quilt..

Then, do you remember my post about "Art is all about perspective?" well you can go back and read it if you want, but here is my version of HELTER SKELTER, a pattern by Abbey Lane Quilts, done from the perspective I like best, turned 90 degrees.  Still just a top, like all my quilts lately.  But it is just toooooooo hot to have lap full of batting and fabric whether it be machine or handquilted.  Hopefully some rain & cooler weather will be coming soooooooooon?

It is twin sized and will most likely be a Christmas present, this year.....or next? It's brighter than appears here.  The picture was taken in a dark room. .maybe I should try outsmarting the cats again and try for a sunny place?  I don't have any pics of what I put on the design wall this morning but I will post pics on a later date,  Still need to get a flower girl dress done, (is kind of boring going back to regular sewing on navy satin when I've been creating such colorful things!) and finish a baby quilt.  I did the top for a few weeks ago, no pics of that either until after the shower.........mom-to-be has decided on a turtle theme.......so ........no .............hurry.......  ;-) 

And to Karin and Staci, the confused quilter if you have not started sewing your components together, watch the corners, over the course of 18 blocks, 72 corner units, 3 of them almost got me, had one side sewn when realized it was wrong and had to unsew, but the quilt angels snickered again as I sewed the 4th one in wrong on 2 sides!!!!   LOT's of FUN, thanks for the challenge!!! Let me know if you have any others..............;)  Later,  Cyndi

Karin challenged me......no, she DARED me!

but not about this pic,

These are patriotic headbands I made last minute, literally, (it was a last minute thought,lol) for my youngest granddaughters, sorry no pics with them on their heads.  My camera is never where I need it and phone is just about as bad.
But they were cute little patriotic cornballs, one said she was a rock with that headband on and proceeded to jump around dancing with an air guitar,  then the other one started dancing too lol.... the rock star is 5, her sidekick cousin is 4!

This is about what Karin dared me to do.  (insert picture of scrap jar pieces/parts on design wall that the themostat sits in the middle of, lol)

sorry it's so fuzzy

Recently I've seen Scrap Jar Quilts pop up over the internet here and there.
 Beautiful and scrappy, they are.  And then I ran across Staci's Scrap Jar quilt she was starting with Karin and left a message and she said I had to go see Karin's progress, which of course I did and left a message there too.  Then Karin threw down a dare to this country girl......  And I accepted her challenge/DARE to do ONE..... I'll take that dare and do that times 9.  LOL!  Nine is the perfect size for 4 & 5yr old's picnic quilt!!   They're big blocks (16")!  BUT then due to my weird, silly habit of cutting and sewing, and cutting and sewing, and pressing some here, and trimming some there, then sewing more and NOT counting as I go, LOL.. really this is a seriously bad habit I have and it goes back for years, maybe forever.  

Anyway back to the Scrap jar blocks.........When I threw the parts up on the design wall to see what I had done and how they would look, I had 17 center blocks. ( I ONLY needed 9) Had trimmed HST's for about 3.5 blocks plus a few untrimmed and corners for most of the original 9 but not enough for all.  LMAO!!!!   Now I am now making 2 picnic quilts.  I have 17 centers, so why not.  So last night I sewed and sewed more pieces/parts (really, that is a word. lol)

Here's a glimpse of my crazy process..........

Cut some of the pieces/parts apart this am before work......am pretty sure looking at the reds on the right, I may or may not have counted, again, if so, not accurately.  Seems to be more waaaay more reds LOL!!!!!!   What can I say I love to feed my sewing machine!! If there's extra, they'll get used for something, if not.......back to the cutting board with the blues, lol.
One time I lovingly cut of all sorts of purples & lavenders, hundreds, pale to dark parts for my middle daughters desired queen size purple kaleidescope quilt............. I have made 3 queen size quilts from those pieces and still have enough left for 2-3 more.  That has to be the worst case of overcutting I did and it still makes me laugh!! 

More later on a different day about the completion of the scrap jar blocks, for now HOP over to Staci, the Confused Quilter and Karin, Dirt Road Scrapper,'s blogs and see what they are up to. 
Have a great one !  Cyndi

I decided it was time to play....... on a blog hop, you want to join in?.

 here is a link to the BADGE    Carol is the managing hostess, of this event, below is her email so you can join in.........act QUICKLY you must register by June 30 to get the pattern. 

soswift6@aol.com  

 

 Madamme Samm( has pics of what she's working on),  and Carol hop manager are putting this blog hop together for all who want to play.

It' soooooo cute, a small project for those overwhelmed with big projects. 

 

http://www.sewwequilt.com/

Art is all about perspective........... and YOUR idea of what that means........ :)

I saw this picture from a PVQG quilt group in Brunswick and thought OOOOO I want to make a quilt like that. 

So I contacted Jessica at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop since she is in that quild (she and her mom have a super cute quilt shop filled with LOTS of quilty goodness) and asked her if it was an original or a pattern....  Yea.... I was in luck, it was a pattern.  (I wasn't going to have to figure it out on my own.)  Now my friends & family know I don't buy many patterns because I usually just wing it and do fine.  But I was feeling lazy and ....... yea lazy.  So Jessica sent it, and a box full of sew sweet goodness that I ordered!!!   When I opened the box first thing I grabbed was the pattern........... HMMM, something's wrong here................ here's the pattern........blocks tall and skinny.........

Helter Skelter by Abbey Lane Quilts

They were sort of the same but yet not quite, and no not just the colors, DH!!!

Like I said it's all about perspective................The quilt on the picture I had seen was held up on the SIDES not the top which I didn't really think about until I got the pattern..........so it took me a sec to realize what was wrong.  On it's side was the look I wanted.

So here is what I started last night of Helter Skelter

on the design wall from MY favorite  perspective.  

I am planning on 5 blocks wide by 8 or 9 blocks down.

Will be Top #8 for the summer,(aiming for twin sized on this).  I am in a sewing frenzy.  I just can't stop feeding my sewing machine.  It's been starved for real affection for a LONG time.  So I  have given it lots of love over the last 6 weeks.  :)    I may not post here very often.   But I am keeping up with most of your posts.  I am a sponge and reading and absorbing lots of quilty, stitchy, crafty things from blogs, you all are doing some fantastic things, keep it up!

Isn't it amazing how a 90 degree turn changes the perpsective.  How are things from your perpective......... try turning them on their side and take another look.  Cyndi

Busy busy busy,

I have not forgotten about you, but the last 60 days or less I have made 3 quilt tops, one large diaper bag and pattern, 10 bibs, 60+ headbands but sadly only 6 or so of the roses that go them. 3 seat belt pillows last night and Working on new Halloween twiller! And two more quilt tops. So not idle, just busy. Will post pictures soon, makes posting much more interesting :)

Well today my youngest babies, turn 30..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY Elizabeth & Sarah!

This is just a quick post, a few sneak peaks of what I've been working on.

so much to do and not enough time............

3-d tulips under construction.........sort of a fail ..........leaves will be okay but back to the drawing board to fix the flower part.  Sorry about photo qualities on both pics........... I am terrible at photos, but you get the general idea!!

and below, a peak at part of another twilling topper, almost ready for print!

FREEBIE-FAT CAT

I hope you tried some twilling by now, here's a simple FAT CAT for you to try. 

I would try twilling the main parts of the cat with three strands of regular floss, and use regular stitches for the face details with 2 strands, but is up to you. If you don't twill, stitch him however you please.  If you would like to learn to twill , click on the words see this post   Just something quick and fun, a great stitch to know.  Its a very cool, textured stitch, see my header.

Click here for a link to google docs for a printable copy.

Have fun!! cyndi

twilling patterns almost ready

More about them in a few days... still editing directions, covers and the " how to twill " inserts for patterns.   Yikes, all those things are time consuming!  I want to be stitching!!  but for now..................

Here are some better sneak peeks of my first few twilling toppers!! 

SUMMER SPIRIT

FALL PUMPKINS

SRPING FLING

WINTER WHIMSY

Now I cheated on this one.  It was my first sample going to a quilt shop and I was nervous about my twilling ability.   I chickened out and only did tidbits, the twigs and scarf stripes.  My second effort was the Fall Pumpkins, followed by Summer Sprirt, then Spring Fling.   I have sketches for several more of these TWILLING TOPPERS almost ready and am getting the FAT CAT pattern ready, but have to get these ready to sell  first, why is there not 120 hours or so in a weekend, if only, lol!. 

Keep warm and dry! It started snowing at 5:30 this morning and has continued ever since.  It's not accumulating too bad about 3-4" so far.  I was hoping it would snow enough they'd send us home from work.............nope :(.     Anyway, done with my lunch hour.  Keep on stitching!!  Talk to you soon,  Cyndi

A Twilling Breakthrough



It's been a really long time, well over a year, since I have picked up a needle and thread and actually completed something. I've been in a deep dark hole that threatened to swallow me and I have been struggling to climb out of it.  I tried starting several new fun things from other designers, but nothing really got me hooked again until this fall when I heard abour a lady named Pauline.  Ms Pauline was teaching Twilling, "what's twilling??" you say.   Look above and you'll see it........there's some of it in each of the above photos.  She had already stitched out a couple of my older patterns. She did one of my beginner redwork patterns below simply called the pumpkin, and she TWILLED most of it except for the tiny details.  Look below, isn't her stitching beau tiful, so clean and smooth.   I was fascinated!!  I love texture.....

She had asked the quilt shop owner if she thought I could come up with some patterns designed more for the twilling stitch. Well, I had never done twilling so we met each other in her twilling class.  "POOF" my creative fire was re-lit, crazy stitchy ideas started crashing around in my head and I started drawing again.  Then came the stitching.  I've designed several things for the twilling stitch, have done some more redwork designs, and am having trouble finding time to get it all on paper and fabric.  The designs, directions etc. all need to be in pattern form, ready to go to the quilt shop soon.  Below is what I've done in redwork.  There will be 12 cats of the month.  For you bloggers I think I'll have helpful "SEWING" FAT cats as blog freebies beginning soon, I hope........depends on time, it maybe March.  Sorry about the quality of the photos.

"FAT CATS" shown here are April, February and March, they are not quite ready to sell but will be soon.  I ran out of grey thread for the fuzzy cat on the bottom right, but decided to show it anyway. 

Now, here's how to do the twilling stitch ............ 

See if you can understand how to do it from these directions below.   There's a place to click below photo for a link to a printable copy.

If you want a printable copy click here 

UPDATE  if you would like a verson for lefties and righties go here

It will take you to google docs where you can print it out.  Please let me know if you can figure out how to do the stitch from these directions.  This is my first rough draft at the twilling directions.  I want to put it or similiar one in with my patterns.  Would love feed back about them.

I'll have more in the next few days on what I've been drawing with this twilling stitch in mind.............!?!?!?  I hope you approve.  It's a fun stitch, and gives my favorite type stitching (redwork) another form of texture. 

Below is the picture of the first thing I did away from the class, away from Pauline's guidance..........yikes! I chickened out when I started my own project in twilling, and only did bits and pieces of it in the twilling stitch (the arms, scarf stripes,) the rest is in my more comfortable redwork .....outline/stem stitch, mixed with  backstitch etc.  Once I got more comfortable with it, the other projects I designed were worked mostly as twilling.  You'll have to come back to see.....see you soon.   :) cyndi

directions to Pennies for Rylee

I'm sorry that I have not posted these before.................I believe these are the original directions to Pennies for Rylee and any pages I forgot .  I tried re-doing them on EQ earlier this year but it gave me different fabric amounts and I have not had time to refigure them myself.  I used scraps on my version.  But I have usually found that EQ calls for extra fabric.  So, I'm hoping my original directions' fabric requirements are right.

Link to rest of "Pennies for Rylee" Directions: 2 pages

 (PLEASE  IGNORE that they are listed as pages 3 & 4, there are ONLY 2 pages)

directions page 3 - Part 1

directions page 4 - Part 2

 and other pages

page 15 link

page 12 link

below are some links to some quick winter stitching.............

some of the H O W hexagon ornaments of the week from last year (see labels for more HOW's)

santa and mouse

silly winter birds

snowman and a  pretty bird

winter owls

Fat Cat, Pudgie & a snowlady

(by the way Fat Cat & Pudgie will be returning as a regular size pattern of the month or a set,

depends on the quilt shop??)

Jake the dog and a sock monkey

little girl and winter bee

sock monkey Christmas

Christmas chickens

and last but not least the Snowball Bonus #17

Have a wonderful holiday season! I miss reading all of your blogs in blog land.  Please let me know if any of the links do not work...........They are at google docs which sometimes has problems if too many are trying to download at the same time.......you may have to try again later.  Cyndi