July 29, 2018 by thedarlingdogwood

May Bee Block for Velda

Our May queen, Velda @ Freckled Fox Quiltery asked us to make her cake blocks–a pattern by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller Fabrics called Sweet Cakes.

Velda asked us to make a cake and give it a name. I wanted to make something representative of me, so I made her an Italian Cream Cake, the cake I had at my wedding almost 25 years ago.

Our Wedding 002 Italian Cream Cake is rich, filled with coconut flakes and chopped nuts, with a cream cheese frosting. You can find an original version recipe here and a lighter version recipe that is actually quite awesome here.

italian_cream_cake

For my block, I wanted to choose fabrics that were similar to those in the actual cake but also rich (like the cake itself) and elegant enough for a wedding. If you look closely, you’ll notice that most of them have a shimmer.

Italian Cream Cake 5 After making the block, I decided I simply had to add flowers to the cake so it would look more like my actual wedding cake.

Italian Cream Cake 4 Finding the right flowers (right size, right colors) took awhile but I finally did it. Then my sewing machine broke down so again the block sat around while I solved that problem.

Italian Cream Cake 1 The block is finally done now, and I’ll put it in the mail tomorrow. I hope you like it Velda!

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July 16, 2018 by anncpetersen16

Spinning Star Block for Jen

I will admit that I was’t really sure what to do with Jen’s June Bee request of ‘Maker’s Choice’. I thought it would be a good opportunity to design something, but my June was just crazy busy at work so I didn’t really have the mental space to dream up something new. By mid July I was really late and was looking for something kind of straight forward to do, but in the end I wanted to at least try something new. I gathered a bunch of blocks on Pinterest and considered a few, but I kept coming back to this one:

photo credit – Paula Storm designs

I’m pretty good at figuring out how blocks go together, but this one I just could not get. I tried a few times to find the pattern source for the block, but all the images I found on Pinterest only linked back to photos of the blocks. Finally on Saturday night I had a breakthrough and found the pattern and a tutorial here. It’s from a quilt along designed by Paula Storm.

This site has a link to a pattern page. The tutorial shows how to do the foundation piecing with freezer paper and how to do the middle block that includes an inset seam.

Here is my block:

Putting it together really wasn’t that hard, and the tutorial helped a lot. The only issue I had is that when I print the pattern page the 1″ scale on the page comes out about 1/8″ too small. I’ve never had this problem with a pattern I’ve printed from an online source and I’m not sure how to get it to the right size – it is already set to print to actual size on the printer settings. My block came out a bit small, but as it doesn’t seem Jen is going to put these together in to a quilt I’m hoping it doesn’t matter. 🙂 I might try and draw up my own version to get it to finish at 10″ and then make a few for a quilt of my own!

Let me know if you try out the block and if you have the same pattern size problem that I had. I’d love to see more versions.

Ann, Brown Paws Quilting

July 13, 2018 by yellowcatquilts

So far behind!!!

I am so sorry to be so far behind with my blocks! I promise to get caught up next week! It is so hot and dry here in Missouri that sitting at the sewing machine in my cool sewing room sounds like a good plan for next week!

This week, I taught at Art Camp all week…lots of fun…lots of cute kids and projects!

And I am caught up on pattern writing for now and on my Island Batik challenges are well underway….

I want to invite all of you to my Quilt Along which will begin on July 25. Here is the post with all of the information….hope you will want to sew along with easy classic blocks.

grace and peace….Sharon Happy Go Lucky

July 9, 2018 by quiltedblooms

Galaxy Star in Fandangle Fabric

Jen gave us the freedom to choose any block we wanted to make but gave us a few suggestions. In this post, she choose several from Quilter’s Cache where there are quilt blocks galore!

I choose the Galaxy Star 9″ paper pieced block.

For colors, Jen requested the tertiary colors and I have the perfect fabrics. These three prints are from Christa Watson’s new fabric line, Fandangle by Benartex.

The two tone on tone prints are Crosshatch in light grey and teal. And print is Triangle Trinkets in teal.

Fandangle Fabric for bee

I had fun brushing up on my paper piecing skills and even managed to keep the background fabric oriented correctly.

Karen made a woven star block for Jen and I’m looking forward to seeing more!

June 30, 2018 by sue7oaks

July Tutorial – 10-inch Toadstools

SB tutorial finished

Yep, July already! Well here anyway. This month we’re making a toadstool quilt for my great-niece Tilly, a term that makes me sound like I’m 150 😊. Velda and Emily have made me these blocks for Stash Bee already, where it was popular with my hive mates and a couple of you expressed that you would have liked it to be our bee block too so I’m here to please! I’ve changed my original plan and I’m now going to be making a larger quilt. Hope you enjoy it!

The block has been tweaked – up scaled, turned into a square, simplified slightly, and the tiny HST units have been removed (you’re welcome) – from this block by I am LunaSol. It turns out that it now looks very similar to this block by Patty Sloniger. When I couldn’t find the pattern in her shop I checked with her and she has given her consent to me using it so long as I acknowledge that she came up with it first. I’m more than happy with that!

SB tutorial fabric selection

FOR FABRIC CHOICES I would prefer a red and white print for the toadstool tops if you have it or black and white if you don’t, low volume prints on white or off white for the background, a mid to dark grey print, blender or solid for the stem and a pale grey print, blender or solid for the gills. Since Tilly is coming up to her third birthday feel free to add prints with some novelty value.

SB tutorial cutting

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

From the red print

Cut one rectangle 5 ½” x 10 ½”

Cut two 1 ½” squares

From the pale grey

Cut one 1 ½” x 10 ½” rectangle

From the darker grey

Cut one rectangle 4 ½” x 3”

From the low volume

Cut two rectangles 4 ½” x 4 ¼”

Cut two 3 ½” squares

SEWING IT TOGETHER

SB tutorial flip triangles

Mark the diagonals on the two low volume squares and the two red print squares

Line the low volume squares up in the corner of the red print rectangle so the line cuts across the corner, and the same for the red print squares on the pale grey print rectangle. Stitch along the marked line. Trim and press.

SB tutorial layout

Stitch the two low volume rectangles to either side of the darker grey rectangle.

Stitch the three sections together to form a toadstool.

And we’re done!

POSTING TIPS

Please also add an airmail sticker or write it on the envelope to avoid the two month delivery time.

I know you guys will do a stunning job and I can’t wait to see them!

June 23, 2018 by Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Tu-Na Quilts: A Woven Star for Jen

I started out last week thinking about using a different pattern for Jen’s bee block but at the last minute I saw this pattern and knew it would fit perfectly with her theme. Jen blogs over at A Dream and A Stitch but you can read Jen’s Bee Block request post here.

Jen asked us to make any block in any size using tertiary colors. I think these are tertiary colors. Well, I hope these are tertiary colors. She wants to make all of her bee blocks into mini quilts to hang in her sewing studio, her new one after she moves.

This block is called Woven Stars and is a free pattern from Stitch Supply Co.

You can find the free pattern here at the Stitch Supply Co.

Jen is moving to Montana. Since I’m from North Dakota, that makes us practically neighbors. So I feel the need to warn her about some of that wildlife she’ll find. Us North Dakotans know for sure that all of our deer come from Montana.

I’ve driven thru Montana many times and know that that little fact is true. They are everywhere in both of our states: on the roads, in the hills, in the gardens, in the woods, in the backyards, in the cities, and always around the next bend on the highway standing in your lane looking up at you as you drive towards them.

This block is 16.5″ unfinished.

I thought I’d include some deer in Jen’s block just to remind her to always be on the look-out for the deer and the elk and the mule deer and the antelope and even the moose because even in the dark they all look alike and make big dents in your car.

What I Learned Today:

Tu-Na Helper knows what a purple thang is! I was finishing Jen’s block as he came into my sewing room. “You’re using your purple thang,” he announced. And we both giggled. If you haven’t read my story yet about my purple thang, you can find it here.
Our apple trees are loaded with apples again this year. They are small and green yet.

Question: Have you been annoyed by a deer or other 4 legged animal? They sure like my roses preferring to eat them in the rosebud stage. They also eat tulips and asparagus and apples and strawberries and even daylilies. They are always on our road and sitting in our apple orchard waiting for the apples to ripen. They’ve become so tame they don’t even move out of our way. Yes, we’ve discovered several times just how much damage deer and mule deer can do to a car. Let’s just say, it ain’t pretty!

If you enjoyed reading this and would like to read more of my adventures and even follow me so you won’t be left out, please see my blog Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats and subscribe by email, WordPress, or Bloglovin. I’d enjoy having you join my family of blog readers.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

WIP at Silly Mama Quilts

June 20, 2018 by sue7oaks

June block for Jen

circle of geese

When Jen asked for a block of our choice for this month I knew exactly what I was going to make because when I posted my Stash Bee Geese Trails block from Piece and Press block for March queen (also) Jen (@jentexas) on Instagram (see it here) she said it was on her list of makes. I know how long my own list is and how frequently it gets updated so here it is – a tertiary coloured Circle of Geese. I used a different pattern this time around, the Circle of Geese from Piece by Number, and increased the size by 125% so that it turns out at 16” finished. I wasn’t intentionally going to place the geese in rainbow order and that’s just as well because somehow the plan I did have went awry anyway. Hope you like it Jen!

June 5, 2018 by Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Tu-Na Quilts: This One’s for Velda

I was anticipating baking a wonderful cake in May. I spent the first two weeks thinking about what kind it should be.

I knew I would wait to make it until I was back in ND when I’d have more time. Once I arrived, I opened my fabric pantry and proceeded to pull out various ingredients to search for just the right combinations.

I settled on whipping up a chocolate cake. To help me create the most perfect one, I asked Mr. Google for some guidance.

I found a recipe for Red Wine Chocolate Cake. The recipe taunted, “Give in to two of your guilty pleasures with this double whammy of naughtiness.” That must mean the wine and chocolate or in Velda’s case, fabric and thread.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Then there was The Best Chocolate Cake described as, “A blend of dark chocolate and strong coffee making the sponge deeply delicious.” I wasn’t so sure about the coffee addition but I thought the fabrics sure looked rich.

The Best Chocolate Cake frosted with Creamy Homemade Chocolate Frosting

I found a recipe for a Chocolate Oreo Cake. It looked mighty delicious and fun.

Chocolate Oreo Cake with Classic Vanilla Bean Frosting and Sprinkles

Maybe, Velda would like a classic white cake with a chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles.

: White Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing and Sprinkles

Making good food, just like good quilts, can’t be rushed. I arranged and rearranged and then something quite unexpected happened; May turned into June. My hunt for the perfect recipe combination continued.

An Andes Mint Chocolate Cake might be an interesting choice for Velda’s delicious quilt. I could definitely see these fabrics using one of the patterns with multiple layers of cake and frosting. It would be sew pretty!

Andes Mint Chocolate Cake topped with Chocolate Ganache

Hmmm, this was good but maybe Velda’s bakery needed something that was worthy of a prize. Continuing on my search, Sandy claimed, “One bite and you’ll see why this velvety beauty was named ‘the best chocolate cake recipe’ and won first prize.”

Sandy’s Chocolate Cake with Whipped Buttercream Icing

It sure looked good and was very colorful but was not quite what I thought Velda might like. Besides that, I for sure, and probably Velda, didn’t know this Sandy. I continued to scroll down the list letting Mr. Google show me a few more winners. The Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake recipe insisted, “It will please the biggest chocolate lovers.”

Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake with Creamy Chocolate Frosting and Non-Pareils

I wasn’t exactly sure how big of a chocolate lover Velda was; I suspected she liked it from her comment on this post. But then I saw a picture of a cake I once had made—a checkerboard cake. It was fun to make and actually looked like a checkerboard when it was cut, at least that’s how I remembered it.

Chocolate and Vanilla Checkerboard Cake with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting

After much deliberation, I finally decided on a perfect recipe. Velda, your cake will be on it’s way to you in tomorrow’s mail. I hope you enjoy it.

German Chocolate Cake with Creamy Coconut and Pecan Frosting

See Velda’s post here for information on where to locate this free cake pattern. She asked us to make her a cake and name it. Oh, what fun this no-calorie splurge was!

What I Learned Today:

I know what most of you are thinking—Karen has too much time on her hands.
I know what the rest of you are thinking—Karen has a lot of fabric.
In reality, I have difficulty making decisions.
I like to put fabric combinations together.
Now, I want to make a cake quilt, a chocolate cake quilt. After rereading this post, I think I have almost all of the blocks already planned.
Chances are pretty great that I’ll still be arranging and rearranging them.

Question: How do you eat your chocolate? I like mine in any form: liquid in the form of chocolate coffee creamer or dark chocolate shakes, semi-soft in the form of Chocolate Mousse, and solid in the form of Ritter Sport Chocolate Bars (they have a large variety of chocolate ones; I’ve been to the factory in Germany).

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

WIP at Silly Mama Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

June 1, 2018 by adreamandastitch

Friends are the best part of Quilting

Once upon a time, there was a woman that had a new sewing machine. She knew she wanted to start quilting, but didn’t know how to do it. She was very, very excited about all the different ways she could cut up fabric and put it back together again.

This woman has been gone a long time, changing into a woman that quilts every single week and even makes her own patterns from the pieces of fabric that now fill her rooms.

But she will never forget that first website she found with all of the beautiful blocks that were not as intimidating as full size patterns were.

I am stepping a bit outside the normal quilt zone a bit this month. In my opinion, the best part of becoming a quilter has been the amazing community and friends I have met. And all of you are some of the very best!!

Now, my sewing space has always been an after thought. A corner of my bedroom. But, I want to decorate that space to become a true creative corner, so I need things to hang on the walls. 🙂 That is my plan for the blocks this time around.

I am fairly open to the block choice and the size. To tie it back to that little story in the beginning, I have picked a few blocks that I like from Quilter’s Cache. Feel free to choose from them or browse and pick one of your own. I have linked a handful of them below.

For colors. I love my tertiary range. Teal, Chartruese, Plum, Magenta, Burnt Orange, Golden Yellow. Along those lines. For backgrounds: White, Black, or Grey in solid or tone-on-tone (ish) would be great. Here is a color palette page I have started.

I “borrowed” this photo.

As a little extra, if you want to include a label of sorts for me to add to the back I would be so appreciative. Hand written or your regular label would be amazing (nothing fancy needed)! I want the wall to be filled with friends and I will be making sure I add the labels to the back when I quilt them so I know where each one came from.

Here are some of the blocks I like from Quilter’s Cache – no need to limit yourself to these, but it will give you an idea & it is the styles I like, NOT the colors 😉

I really hope you enjoy making a block that suits you. Like I said. Any size, any block, any color. I cannot wait to fill my wall with all the pretties! 🙂