Month: April 2019

A Merry Christmas To You Quilt-Along

A Merry Christmas To You, Quilt-Along Week #12

suznquilts

Week # 12

We’re moving right along on our Christmas Quilt-Along.

I hope you had a nice Easter &

since last week’s sewing was minimal,

I also hope that you’re up to date on your quilt progress!

Remember last week that I mentioned the “hard work” was done?

I wasn’t kidding.

This week is “Star Block” week.

Refer to page 5 to make the cute little blocks.

The instructions are so simple that they only take half a page!

I made 9 red star blocks & 1 blue star block.

If you’re wondering why one blue star block,

the answer is “because!”

Don’t ask dumb questions.

It needed a blue star block right there!

Please keep posting your progress on our “Sewing With Susan” Facebook group.

I love seeing your progress.

Enjoy sewing stars.

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

New lap quilt pattern, New Moda Fabric Collection, New Pattern Sample, quilt as you go lap quilt

The Jellyroll Joyride Continues With Origami

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Jellyroll Joyride Quilt #3

is with the Origami fabric collection by Janet Clare

for Moda Fabrics.

This is #3 of 4 collections that my daughter

helped me to make the foundations for

to make my new pattern,

Jellyroll Joyride for my booth at Spring Quilt Market

next month in Kansas City.

This morning I trimmed the strips,

then arranged them to get ready to sew.

After each strip is sewn onto the foundation,

it’s important to measure across the quilt in 3 places

to be sure the strips are being sewn on straight.

So I measured on the left side,

in the center,

 

and on the right side.

As you can see the measurement is 16 1/2″ each time.

Although I’ve made many of my Quilt-as-you-go patterns,

I still feel that it is important to check

my sewing so my quilts are straight when they’re finished!

Another thing that I want to mention

is that when I get to the center of the quilt,

I roll the foundation from both ends

to help manage the bulk of the quilt as I sew.

 

With Warm & Natural cotton batting

there isn’t a lot of bulk,

but rolling the batting & backing foundation

makes the sewing very easy to manage!

Soon I was sewing the binding strips together,

and then onto this quilt!

Tonight while watching TV I got my binding box out & went to work.

And now #3 is complete!

You really can make this quilt in a day!

And I Love this pattern!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

A Merry Christmas To You Quilt-Along

A Merry Christmas To You, Quilt-Along Week #11

suznquilts

Week # 11

We’re at the half way point this week, yay!

Week 11 of 22 for our Quilt-Along.

The quilt is more than half made & all the real “hard work” is done!

I hope you’ve been able to keep up each week,

but if not, this week is a good time to get caught up

because it’s a very small step!

Just 2 blue spools to make this week!

I thought it worked out perfectly this being holy week &

everyone having Easter celebrations to tend to this weekend.

Again, follow the “Spool Blocks” instructions on page 4.

Please keep posting your progress on our “Sewing With Susan” Facebook group.

I love seeing your progress.

Have fun making more spools!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

A Merry Christmas To You Quilt-Along

A Merry Christmas To You, Quilt-Along Week #10

suznquilts

Week # 10

I hope you are sewing my “A Merry Christmas To You” quilt with us.

Please keep posting your progress on our “Sewing With Susan” Facebook group.

I love seeing your progress.

I’m going to continue to be redundant here…

Keep spraying & pressing each & every fabric

with Mary Ellen’s Best Press!

We’re going to be making more spool blocks.

This week we’ll make just the green spool blocks.

Again, follow the “Spool Blocks” instructions on page 4

to make the 11 “green” spool blocks.

Especially if you’re changing the color in the spool blocks,

I highly recommend that you print & color in the blocks as you make them.

The color-in sheet is still on my website for you to download & print.

Have fun making more spools!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

New lap quilt pattern, New Moda Fabric Collection, New Pattern Sample, quilt as you go lap quilt

The Jellyroll Joyride Continues With Grunge Metallics, Epilogue

suznquilts

I mentioned earlier today that I started on the 2nd of

4 beautiful jelly rolls,

this one being the new Grunge Metallics collection by Basic Grey

for Moda Fabrics.

Several distractions today,

including choosing just the right bobbin thread…

& did you know, when in doubt, go dark???

It’s true every time!

On the spool, the lighter grey looks to be a closer match,

but when laid upon the fabric,

the darker thread is a better match.

Next, I laid out all of the strips

in order of how I wanted them in the quilt.

Dinner was on time,

but the quilt was long from ready for binding,

so I continued to sew after dinner…

And now it’s complete!

Even the labels are sewn on, yay!!!

Love this collection!

Love this pattern!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

New lap quilt pattern, New Moda Fabric Collection, New Pattern Sample, quilt as you go lap quilt

The Jellyroll Joyride Continues With Grunge Metallics

suznquilts

Today I started on the 2nd of

4 beautiful jelly rolls

with the additional 2 yards of coordinating fabrics

from Moda’s future collections.

This is the Grunge Metallics collection also by Basic Grey

for Moda Fabrics.

I particularly like the dots in this collection.

There are 20 colors; 2 strips of each color.

1 strip has metallic dots,

the other has smears of metallic like the grunge fabric itself.

These are just some of them.

I’ve chosen these 6 to be the binding.

I went back & forth over whether or not they should all of dots or no dots,

& guess what?

That leaves the top with extra strips with dots or no dots………

It’ll look great either way!

Just make a decision already!!!

As I was preparing to start the quilt this morning

I was reminded of a conversation that I had not long ago.

Someone was mentioning how they don’t like

how jelly roll strips “shed” as they use them.

I told her I don’t have that problem.

I shake them out real well

as soon as I remove the adorable ribbon

& rubber band that holds the strips together.

Just shake & shake…

& shake…

until they’re done shedding.

Try this, it really works.

You don’t have to use a pretty Longaberger trash can but it helps, Lol.

& yes, I emptied the trash this morning before I took these pics!

It was time.

Next, I hang the adorable ribbon on the hook!

“Why,” you ask?

BECAUSE it makes me happy!

Now I must get back to work.

I have strips to trim,

then strips to sew

before I can bind this thing after dinner tonight while I watch TV.

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

New lap quilt pattern, New Moda Fabric Collection, New Pattern Sample, quilt as you go lap quilt

The Jellyroll Joyride Continues With Nova

suznquilts

A couple of weeks ago when I had Clare to help me,

we basted foundations in preparation to make 4 more Jellyroll Joyride Quilts.

I had already chosen 4 beautiful jelly rolls

& 2 yards of coordinating fabrics each

from Moda’s future collections.

The Nova collection by Basic Grey was my first choice to sew.

 I see that The Fat Quarter Shop has the jelly rolls on their site for pre-orders.

Isn’t this blue floral BEAUTIFUL!

I’m not a blue person, but I love this print!

Yesterday was the day.

I chose 6 strips for the binding and trimmed the rest of them to size.

Yes, I actually followed the pattern!

I picked out a fun movie to keep me company then set to sew.

By dinner time I had all of the strips sewn onto the foundation

& had the binding sewn onto the quilt,

then after dinner I watched TV

& sewed the binding to the back of the quilt by hand.

It’s the only hand work on this quilt

& if you don’t care for that bit of hand work

you can sew it by machine if you prefer.

 

Now it’s complete including the labels!

When I use one collection for the entire quilt,

I like to include a piece of the selvage with the collection name printed on it

& attach it with the label for reference later.

(I call this my artificial intelligence! Lol)

Isn’t it lovely?

I like that the ENTIRE collection is visible in the quilt!

Now you know why I’ve had this quilt pattern on my wishlist for a long time.

If you have a jelly roll that you’ve been hoarding,

waiting for the perfect quilt to showcase the collection,

you can find the pattern here on my website.

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

A Merry Christmas To You Quilt-Along

A Merry Christmas To You, Quilt-Along Week #9

suznquilts

Week # 9

I hope you are sewing my “A Merry Christmas To You” quilt with us.

Please keep posting your progress on our “Sewing With Susan” Facebook group.

I love seeing your Tiny Dresden plates.

Hopefully you’ve been able to keep up with us

& all 18 Tiny Dresden plates are made.

I’m going to be a bit redundant here…

Keep spraying & pressing each & every fabric

with Mary Ellen’s Best Press!

We’re going to start making the spool blocks.

This week we’ll make just the red spool blocks.

Feel free to make them whatever color(s) you want to make them,

just know that the instructions are written for the spool blocks

that are red in my large cover quilt.

This way you know where they are in the quilt

when deciding what fabrics to use.

Follow the “Spool Blocks” instructions on page 4

to make the 10 red spool blocks.

I recommend cutting all of the fabrics for all of the spools now,

then all of the fabrics will be ready to use when you need them.

If you haven’t already printed off the free color-in sheet I offered earlier,

this would be a good time to do so to color in the spool blocks that you’ve made.

It’s still on my website for you to download & print.

Have fun making spools!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

 

Dresden Plates, Workshops

Another Guild Presentation = New Quilting Friends

suznquilts

I had a great couple of days with some lovely new quilting friends

from the Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild in Springfield, MO last week.

I first met many of these ladies at their guild’s quilt show last September.

My daughter & I had a booth there selling my patterns.

Their quilt show helps support the most incredible

& unusual set-up for a quilt guild that I have ever encountered!

They actually rent a storefront in a strip mall 365 days a year.

Their membership is about 300.

They have two business meetings on the same day each month,

one in the morning & another the same evening for their members that work during the day.

They also have a lot of satellite clubs that meet at different times throughout the month; several charity sewing groups, a Featherweight sewing group, a modern sewing group & a group of strippers for heaven’s sake, lol! And that’s just a small sampling.

I’m telling you, they have it all!!!

They invited me to setup my goodies & speak to both groups.

They have a beautiful “In Between” raffle quilt

shown here behind Vicky’s Bonnie Hunter sew-along quilt.

While on my journey there I was able to stop at a few antique malls

including Relics in Springfield.

It’s huge with lots to see!

I found this cool “hanger” for drying tops.

The interesting part is that it’s adjustable.

I’ll probably hang a quilt or two on it.

Between lectures (with suggestions from my lunch pals)

I was also able to visit The Vintage Peddler.

This place is awesome!

They have lots of lovely, thoughtfully displayed booths.

I found several items that I needed there…

including these HUGE display hangers.

That’s a 30″ wide table that they’re hanging on.

I showed these to some of my new quilt friends during our workshop the next day.

One of them asked what I’m going to do with them…

Hang quilts on them of course!

We laughed that I could hang all 12 of my Tiny Dresden quilts on the two of them; one from each clip.

I could also hang one quilt per hanger:

or…

or I could hang one larger quilt like these between the two hangers…

I also found this metal shelving unit that comes apart to store flat.

I’m always looking for display pieces that are durable

& don’t take up a lot of space for travel purposes

whether for quilt shows or trunk shows & workshops like theirs.

I will for sure be taking this to the Kansas City Quilt Festival in June.

(this is where I initially met some of my Ozark Piecemakers friends

who thankfully persuaded me to join their quilt show last year!)

Perhaps I’ll find a purpose for it in my booth

at Spring Quilt Market in May

which is also being held in Kansas City this year.

We’ll see.

Our workshop was a fun day as well,

with 100% of the quilters successfully completing

at least 1 ore more perfect little Dresden plates!

Look at the smiles & the complete plates.

(Some of them are smiling because they think they tricked me into making their center circles while I demonstrated with my Apliquick Bars, Lol!)

Little do they know I love making them.

I’ll make them for your group too if you invite me to teach a workshop.

You can see my lecture & workshop offerings here.

I hope you are all making more plates.

Please send me pics when you do.

It really is all about having the right tools for the right job.

Thanks new quilting friends!

I hope to see you again soon!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan