CHRISTMAS STARS

 

I've been playing around with a couple of these blocks. This is the pattern the SBS group is using for a Christmas Star Swap. I don't think I'll have time to do the swap (sorry, Mary Ann), because I have so much on my plate already, but making a couple of the blocks was quite fun. I may use them in a table runner for Christmas.

Meanwhile, I need to get my already done swaps made into completed projects, not to mention Christmas sewing for family members. I just noticed how close Christmas is...........yikes!

I've been busy making sets of spool blocks for a swap. So far I have eight sets, and I may stop at that, but the are like potato chips -- very hard to stop.

BARGELLO ROCK???

 

I found this rock along the Lake Superior shore. It so reminds me of a bargello quilt. I wonder if that's where the idea came from?

Much easier to strip piece, slice, shift, and resew in quilting. Must have taken quite a bit for Mother Nature to create the slicing, shifting, and reattaching in this rock!

PRESSING DURING QUILT BLOCK CONSTRUCTION

A while back, on one of my groups, we were discussing things that influence how your quilt block turns out. How you press the block is really important to a successful block. I tried to describe in words how I do it, but I realized pictures would really help. So, I decided to put this tutorial on my blog. I surely don't claim to be an expert, but this is the way I have found to work best for me.

First, lay your fabric, just it comes from the sewing machine (with the right sides of the fabric together) on your ironing surface. Be sure that the fabric you want the seam to go toward is on top. Usually that is the darker fabric (but not always).

Press to set seam.

Flip the top fabric back to open seam.

Press the seam open. The seam allowance on the back will automatically be going toward the dark fabric.

Seam all pressed.

Back view.

I hope someone may find this helpful.

FINAL BLUE/BROWNS

 

 

These are my final two sets for the blue/brown swap. They are Chimney's and Cornerstones. All 50 blocks are now making their way to Joan's for the swap. Can't wait to see what I get back in Nov. I kept one of each of my blocks so that was 60 in all. Now on to something else, LOL!

4TH SET OF BLUE/BOWNS

I made one set of H-1, Log Cabin, in scrappy fabrics, and another in Fossil Ferns, all but the center chimney.

This is an easy way to do log cabin, foundation piecing, as Jennifer suggests. Just takes lots of different fabrics!

LABOR DAY ART WORK

 

 

 

 

We were treated to this fantastic sand sculpture display on our beach, created by two young couples. They were so talented!The hairy guy is my favorite. What is that he's smoking???

STILL MORE BLUE/BROWNS

I love the name of the A-3 block, Bright Hopes, especially in a wedding quilt. I used blue stripes with the browns in this set and also made a set of all swirly fabrics.

DISTRACTIONS

 

 

All these wild blueberries are creating quite a distraction from quilting! I'd better be getting back to quilting, or I'll need to be sewing tents to wear soon!

We pick wild blueberries on our own property, and I make my pie completely from scratch, crust and all. All guests so far have asked for the recipe. Yum!