"So This is Quilting. . . ."

My Young Kindred is here for a few weeks for Summer visit.  She, like me, has an affection for Cotton.  We stroke cotton like a soft kitten.  We pair it with it's soul mates.  We ooooh and ahhhh over it like a newborn babe.  We are:  Just. That. Smitten.  I have a Younger Kindred ~ Goldilocks ~ who seems to be following in our footsteps.  Makes my heart skip a beat.  And flutter.  And burst.  All at one time!

I know my Young Kindred ~Sarah Sponda ~  is hooked, hooked like in "hook, line and sinker".  She's a keeper.  No throwing this one back!

Last summer she started her hunt and mostly completed her cast for her rag quilt.  School and a rebellious sewing machine kept her from completing the script. So when it came time for summer vacation this year, she sent the cast ahead (no room in her luggage for them)  and upon her arrival started the exciting task of assigning lines!

But, there's always a but, it hit her.  The quilt bug.  She discovered two other "quilting" projects she wants to do before she leaves.  Let's see now, she came with one in hand, composed two more. Hm.

She didn't have enough batting to start her rag quilt and she was chomping at the bit to get started on something.  I could feel it in her body language, so I finally asked her if she wanted to do a quilt block.  She jumped at the opportunity. Um, did I just hear the Cotton Angels sing?  But (there it is again) not just a simple block mind  you.  Nope. She had seen a lady re-purpose an old "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt and that's what she wanted to do ~ make a Grandmother Flower block. Keep in mind now, we are at project "FOUR" and only two days into her vacation!  She scoured my vintage goodies and came up with some fabric to do two blocks.

Wiping the sweat from my brow (hexies could be a daunting undertaking for a newbie), I printed a hexie, she traced it to cardboard, then traced it to fabric and finally here we are:

 

Sewing it all together!

 

She looks at me and says:  "So this is quilting."   Doing the Happy Dance.  She got!  The concept and the sewing!

 

 

Ta-Da! !

 

One beautiful flower block!  One happy girl.  One proud Mom-mom! ! !

And then it was to Hob Lob looking for more fabric for more blocks.  She's addicted.  I can't help her. 

I unashamedly admit,  I'm an enabler.

 

With that said,  I will leave you with this:

 

So this is quilting

What have we done

Four projects later

She's not finished one.

 

So this is quilting

What have we here

Look at that fabric

Isn't it dear

 

So, happy, happy quilting

And fabric shopping too

Let's continue the love here

Bring in the old and the new!

 



 

Sew Until Next Time,

Lovely Daydreams From the Land of Cotton

 

 

Doodling

Some days in the Land of Cotton all I want to do is doodle.  Today was a doodle day.  I found a cute heart quilt block on a cute quilt blog.  It is one of the simplest heart blocks I've seen.  It has fewer pieces to cut which means less piecing, which means less time consuming, resulting in more blocks.

Don't be afraid to try this block.  It is so easy and she has given very precise, yet simple, instructions for cutting and sewing.  I will say this, however, gingham is a funny little girl.  No matter how precise I cut my pieces and sew them together, we are almost always shy the 12.5 inches I need in an unfinished block.  It may be because I have to use a little steam since my iron won't play fair and give me hot enough dry heat.  (note to self:  invest in good heavy iron)  I'll just have to make adjustments in the border strips if I bite the bullet and make a little throw using gingham.  This particular block, luckily, will go into my sampler pile.  She will fit in well with all first time auditions.

To visit this cute little blog and to get the specifics for this block just mosey on over  here.
I bet she would love your visit.
Have fun!

Sew, until next time,
Lovely Daydreams from the Land of Cotton

Rags and Stockings

I've finished Rag #3.  She's adorable, if I say so myself!  Of course, I can't show Her or Rag #1 or Rag #2 until they have made their debuts in the land of horses at the end of this month.  But. . .
I can show you side profiles of them :). 

I so hope the girls like them.  I do have more to make for that part of the world, one for another Little Lady and one each for her two little Sugar Cubes.  I know Mama Cube will understand if I do Little Lady A and Little Boy Blue's first.  She's a good Mama like that.   I just have to start the auditioning of quilty pieces and the main characters for each.  They shouldn't take long to make, it's just the auditioning process that creates little detours along the way!  Those characters can be, well, characters!

In the meantime I've been putzing around with a Christmas Stocking block.  I have some tweaking to do to make it suit my fancy, but I think I like the overall appearance.  

What do you think girlies?  Is it a keeper?  Or should I go a different route?  I definitely have to work on the ribbon hanger.  It has a mind of it's own!

Well that about sums up my play time with cotton.

Sew, until next time,
Lovely Daydreams from the Land of Cotton

Shamrocks and Rags

Although I am smitten with rag quilts right now, I do play with other patterns.  I see something I like in the World of Quilts and want to copy it.  Sometimes it's easy peasy, sometimes not quite.  I found a Shamrock block some time ago ~ before my old computer went to cyber heaven.  Upon its demise it took with it all my photos, all my favorite blog spots and documents (translate: patterns)!  I can't find recipes I had tagged in blogs nor can I remember all the  DIY blogs I was following!  So, I'm back at square 2.  ('cause I did remember one or two blogs ~ yay, me)

Anyway, back to the Shamrock block:

It instantly became a favorite!  I love the simplicity of it and it was rather easy to piece together!  Mostly squares and squares with the corners lopped off.  The stem is just two triangles sewn on either side of a one and half inch strip and cut to size.   The unfinished size of this block is 12.5 inches.  The fabric is OLD 80's fabric I had in my stash.  Most of the "sample" blocks I've been playing with come from that stash.  I think once I've made enough I shall turn them into a large sample quilt.   But I think I will make a lap quilt using the Shamrock block pattern.  It will be perfect for St. Patty's Day.

I did find the original site:   http://generationqmagazine.com/2012/03/playdate-shamrock-block/.  Glad it was a free tutorial!  Last thing I want to do is steal someone's work.  But even without the directions the block is pretty easy to figure out :). 

Rag #3 is coming along.  I have began the tedious job of cutting, cutting and more cutting.  I have a couple more fabrics to sign on to complete the top.  But the fabrics on hand can start getting into character until then.  It is so exciting!  I can't wait for curtain call!

 I am going to do Rag #4 in unison with Rag #3 since they are both in the Pink family.  The challenge will be to keep the cast in their designated spots and not mingle with each other!

So, as it all unfolds I will be the ever diligent director.  I will post "trailers" as I go so as not to spoil the whole show!

Until then,
Lovely Daydreams from the Land of Cotton!