Terrific Tutorial Tuesday

I've been working on some scrap quilts lately, so my focus this week (and maybe several more weeks) is on scrap quilts. As a scrap hoarder collector, I'm always looking for scrap projects that strike my fancy. If you, like me, have some scraps you'd like to put to good use, check out these posts.

Over at My Poppet blog, Cintia has a couple of projects I think you'll like. The first project is a hexagon table runner. It is a great "on-the-go" project--nice for the summer. She has a great way to finish the edges. (Finishing the edges has always been a problem for me, so I was very interested in this edge finish method. I think it might actually work for me.) Take a look at it here--Hexagon Table Runner Tutorial.

The second project is a project I love, because there is not really a pattern--just a suggestion. The "directions" really allow YOU to decide how the quilt will look. Cintia calls it The Haphazard Quilt. I'm definitely interested in making one of these.

The last quilt I'd like to share this week is basically a Chinese Coins quilt. I have made several of these; they are SO easy to make and look great. Another BIG plus is that there is no matching of points or seams. The Chinese Coins quilt I made for my daughter YEARS ago is still the one she snuggles under to watch TV. I believe this particular one is called a "Strippers" quilt and was made by Michelle Foster. This quilt uses lots of scrap strips, and you can use up some of those REALLY ugly fabrics--you know, those fabrics that you can't bear to part with but you don't know why you ever bought them. You won't even notice how ugly these fabrics are in this quilt. Now, I would probably sew my strips into sets and sub-cut them into the vertical rows; this pattern calls for cutting each strip to the row width as you go. I'm sure which method would be best depends on the number of scraps you have along with their length. Check out both of these posts--Strippers Post 1, Strippers Post 2.

Isn't scrap quilting fun!

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Warning--Not Quilt or Art Related!

I have just gotten back from Arkansas where my son's first child was born. I have a precious new little granddaughter. I was honored to be able to see her take her first breath, and Ryan's wife (Tara) honored me further by naming the baby June Beth after me. I'm a shamelessly proud grandmother (Mimi), so I HAVE to share a picture with you.

My husband and I have been blessed beyond measure. This little girl may end up with more quilts than she knows what to do with!

 

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Shhhhhh...

My son and his wife will be having a baby girl any time now. My husband and I are SO excited. We are anxiously looking forward to this precious little one. Of course, I made a quilt; you can see the post about that here. I was looking through a "Special Issue! Modern Patchwork 2012," a digital magazine I bought on Zinio, and was surprised to find this pattern in the magazine. (The magazine doesn't only come in digital form. You can buy it at your local quilt shop.) This time I made a cute little door hanger. Of course, I had the fabrics in my stash.

I hope they like it.

 

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Terrific Tutorial Tuesday--New Block Pattern

I am always on the lookout for interesting, different scrap blocks. This is one I really like. It is a "modern" quilt block. I'm not quite sure what that means; I just know I like the block and think I can use a lot of my scraps if I make a quilt using the block. Check out this tutorial; it is very well written.

Octagonal Orb Block Tutorial

 

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Batik Challenge Finished

I finally got something finished. Our guild has a batik challenge going on. A pattern was provided, but we were encouraged to do something different if we chose. Of course, I chose to do something different. I needed a spring/summer table runner, so that is what I made.

I used the quilt-as-you-go method from a tutorial on The Quilting Edge blog. I've mentioned it before; I really think it is the best quilt-as-you-go tutorial on the web. Be sure to check it out at The Quilting Edge on her "Tutorials" page.

 

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Product Review--Clover Soft Touch Thread Pic

It's been awhile since I have reviewed any products, but I had to tell you about this one. The Clover Soft Touch Thread Pic is a GREAT tool. I know that because I just had to use it.

It is a long story, but the short of it is I had to clean something off of a table runner I was getting ready to bind. The background of the table runner is white. When it got wet, I saw a little dark blue thread that had gotten caught between the layers. I try to be careful and remove all the stray threads, but this one got by me. OH NO...WHAT SHOULD I DO? Then I remembered I had purchased a tool just for that purpose. The REAL question was, though, could I find it. YES!!!! I took the cap off, inserted the tool, and easily pulled out the stray thread. The tool didn't leave a puncture mark.

I was REALLY thankful to have this tool. If this type of thing EVER happens to you, this tool is WELL worth the price. The best price I found was on Etsy ($5 + $2.50 shipping), but you can find it a lot of other places.

Here is what it looks like...

There might even be some other uses for this product. The Etsy site says that in addition to what I used it for you can hide broken threads, pull threads to the inside of a project, correct mistakes in corners, use it to hold your project in place while stitching, and push edges for quick turn applique projects.

Give this one a try.

 

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