My newest project, a new quilt design.......

I have been pretty sporadic at posting on my blog since before Christmas.  The main reason is, I've been working on different projects and mainly I've been working on a new quilt design.  Here are some sneak peaks at my attempts at making the "perfect" block.

First, to cut the correct angle for the half square triangle part of the block. I was using Fons and Porters Half and Quarter Square Triangle Ruler.  It came in handy.

Then, what colors do I want to do the half square triangle to be?  I have some pink and cream for a nice contrast.

Oh, Then add a 60 degree triangle in a nice scale print.  I like the green floral print for this.  Do you see a kite?  Excellant!  That is the part of the block design that I started with.

Then, put the first 2 blocks together.  Hmmmm.....not sure I like what happened on the corners of the pink and cream half square triangles.

Next attempt for all 4 of the blocks when I put them together.  Nope, looks like a did a bad piecing job.  The judges would point that out at a quilt show.  Don't want that.

Also tried to use green and a different light on the outer pieces instead of the same dark.  Green is my choice here.  For the design I am going for, the 2 different colors won't work for my design.  What design?  Oh, you will have to be very patient for me to reveal the whole look of the quilt.  I can say, there are 2 design elements that come to play once the blocks are pieced together into a quilt.  You will have to wait............lol

Ok, after many attempts at making the block so that the points of the pinwheel are perfect, I am close with this version of the block with 4 blocks pieced together.  Mind you, I started with the kite, put 4 blocks together and what happened?  I have a pinwheel in the center.  Isn't it amazing how you can spin a block in different directions to get a totally different design?  You can do the same with your choice of fabrics.  It can make a pattern look totally different than another one.

Next step is going fabric shopping (oh I hate that) and see if I can come up with colors and designs of fabrics that is something close to the fabrics that I have used in my sample blocks.  I really like these fabrics for this quilt, but I was using fat quarters from my stash that I sometimes use for making sample blocks.

You will have to hang in there to see what I come up with.  More to follow in the next months. Stay tuned.

What are your newest projects?  Cleaning up your UFO's?  Something new?  Organization in your sewing/quilting space?  Share here if you like.  I would love to see what you are working on.

Happy quilting!

Glenda

So much ado about something.......

So this week we start off with the red and white quilt that I had previously shown you some of the blocks that I was working on a couple of months back.

And, as you can see, I have the top finished.  After many attempts of sewing the Kansas Troubles blocks together, only to find I had put some of the pieces together wrong and ripping the seams, to sew them together again..... I finally managed to get it completed.  I really like how it is looking.

Jeff already has some ideas for the quilting.  He will be starting on it in the next month or so.  We will have it completed by the June 2016 Tulsa Quilt Show where there will be many red and white quilts on display this year.

Here are a couple of closer views.  You see, even the most seasoned sewers don't always get things together correctly and have to take apart seams and sew them back together.

Then, I was looking at some of the fabrics in my stash to see if I could come up with a more neutral generic or male style table runner.  This is what I managed to do.

A simple 4-patch on point with some brown plaid sashing.  The back and the binding are the same brown plaid.  I know you can't see the quilting on it, but Jeff did a wonderful quilting job on it.  He liked it, so I think it passed the criteria that I was hoping for.

It will post on my Etsy site soon. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThreadedHeartsStudio

 Then, Jeff finished the quilting on this Turkey table topper.  It is a panel that I did some stitching on, then he did a stipple around the picture on the cream background.  It really makes the turkey and pumpkins stand out and be 3-dimensional.  Totally cute!

Of course, you can also use it as a wall or door hanging as well.

It will also post on my Etsy site soon. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThreadedHeartsStudio

Head on over to see what is new since you last visited.

I have definitely been focusing on finishing up projects, samples and orphan blocks in order to make something out of them.  I've been also working on a cute pillow that I should have to post soon as well.

This is definitely the love of my life as far as hobbies/business goes.  I spend most of my home time sewing or quilting.  I love being able to share the hobby/business with Jeff.  He loves coming up with patterns that will work on customer quilts as well as my quilts to make them beautiful and have their own special look.  We always know that someone will love our works of art as much as we do.

What is your passion?  Hopefully you have something that makes your heart sing and takes the ordinary out of your normal day to day activities or work.  If not, you should seek out one that you love.  There is nothing like handing something you made or helped in the finished product of something handmade to your customer and seeing a big smile or tears because they love what you have done, knowing they will love it forever.  What a way to spend your day.  :-)

Hope you are enjoying your January and hope you continue reading what projects will be finished next.

Happy Sewing/Quilting/Hobbying!

Glenda

It's the day before Christmas, and all through the house.........

 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse......

Is this your favorite Christmas story?  I know it is mine.

These past few days/weeks, there has been a lot of designing, sewing, quilting and the such around our house in preparation for the Christmas season.

This is my newest quilt, Heart and Home.  It is off the quilting frame now and awaiting time for me to prepare and sew on the binding, hanging sleeve and put its label on it.








I really did some custom quilting on this one to make the parts stand out.  Let me know what you think of the quilting.  I would love some feed back, good or bad or just other ideas.

This is a quilted table runner is for Jeff's youngest son.  He asked for a table runner in red and black for his coffee table that his dad made for him last year.  I really like how it turned out.  I think I need to make another one or two in different colors.  It was easy and fast to make.  I used the backing fabric as the binding as well.  I guess I didn't get that picture taken once it was finished.  I think he'll like it.  Hope so, anyway.

Now, on to cooking, baking and cleaning house for company tomorrow.

It looks like it's going to be ham, shoepeg corn, scalloped potatoes, broccoli, rice and cheese casserole with some purple hull peas.  Let's top it off with some banana cream pie, pumpkin bread and pumpkin cheesecake.  Doesn't that all sound delicious?

What is on your agenda for Christmas dinner?  I'm sure it will all be just yummy.

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and blog followers!  Hoping for a healthy and prosperous New Year in 2016!

Happy quilting!

Glenda

Heart and Home quilt

I've been working in my studio on this newest quilt, Heart and Home.

Aren't the colors just the best?  I have really enjoyed working on it these past couple of weeks.

With the heart in the center, it makes you think of home, doesn't it?  Perfect to hang on the wall or snuggle under, right?

Here it is on the quilting frame.  I'm doing some real custom quilting on it.  This block is called flower box.  Doesn't it look like a flower box in your garden?

 Here is the heart block and the tree block.  You can see some of the quilting I have done on it.  Echoing around the heart, then added some meander fill on the bottom half, with rays at the top.

The tree block I added a swirl with a basket at the bottom and a star at the top.  This one isn't finished yet.  I will add some more quilting before it will be finished.

Working right now on the house block.  It has a door and 5 windows.  I am working on bricks for the main walls of the house and there will be shingles for the roof and more bricks on the chimneys.  Won't that be cute?

 Not sure how I will finish the outer borders just yet.  It's a work in progress.


For today, I had to take it off the quilting frame so Jeff can put a customer quilt on to quilt before the week is out.  A last minute job for a Christmas gift.

I will get back to this one next week sometime, I hope.

What are you working on now?  More Christmas gifts?  What is that special someone going to get under the tree this year?

Happy quilting!

Glenda