Tag: Susan Marth

A Giveaway!, Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

And The Winner Is…

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It’s fun to see all of the color combinations of your

Dresden Quilt Workshop Samplers

that are being sewn & shown!

Thanks for participating in my very first Quilt-Along!

I absolutely love my quilt!!!

Jen Kingwell’s fabric is perfect &

Tamara’s quilting is stunning as always!

I know there are more of you sewing but not showing and that’s OK,

but it sure is fun watching your quilts grow a block or 2 at a time.

I decided to draw the old fashioned way,

with slips of paper with everyone’s names

& I decided to draw from my Michigan souvenir!

According to the Shedd’s happy elf,

the winner is:

I know where you live & work Karen so I can deliver!

Just let me know if the BOO pattern is OK or if you’d rather have a different $10 pattern.

There are many to choose from on my website.

Thanks again to all of you Dresden Quilt Workshop Sampler quilters!

I appreciate your support!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

A Giveaway!, Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

A Give-Away For Our Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilters!

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Anybody want to win some quilting loot?

(Sorry but you must be a U.S. resident to participate.)

To participate, you’ll need to:

be sewing the weekly steps of my Dresden Quilt Workshop Sampler

 &

be a member of my Dresden Quilt Workshop” Facebook Group.

Just show us your Dresden Quilt Workshop Sampler pieces Week #1-Week #6 completed.

That’s it!

If you’ve not already become a member of Dresden Quilt Workshop click & go now.

For those of you who are already caught up,

you’ll just need to comment on the post I’ll be drafting over there.

What’s the loot, you ask?

One of my BOO patterns,

A single-finger pump bottle of Mary Ellen’s Best Press

& A Dip & Dab Roxanne Glue-Baste-It.

If you already have one of my Boo patterns, another pattern will be substituted.

In case you have a bit of catching up to do…

The drawing will not be until Sunday at 6 p.m. (CST).

Yes, it’s going to interrupt my Sunday football, Lol!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Week #7

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Week #

Please keep posting & sending me pics of your blocks!

If you’re not part of my Facebook group, Dresden Quilt Workshop,

head over there & sign up so you too can share & see all the progress.

This week we will a refer to

Widgets page 35.

We will be making 2 Widgets blocks.

The cutting instructions will be for 4 blocks, but you only need to make 2.

That’ll be enough decisions for 1 week, huh???

Lol!

Decisions, decisions…

Too light…

Too dark…

Just right!!!

Once you find “the one”

Apliquick Bars & Roxanne Glue Baste It  can help you immensely!

Just look at those seemingly perfect 2″ circles!!!

These actually come together really quickly!

Widgets #1

& Widgets #2.

I guess this one didn’t give me any static trying to work out the fabrics,

or maybe it just beat me down, because I didn’t take any pics of those decisions.

I hope you’re enjoying the process as much as I did.

Don’t forget to post your pics.

We all want to see your progress!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

Dresden Plates, My Sewing Room, New Notion

Sewing In The Sunshine

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I love bright sunny days, especially when they come into my sewing room!

This morning I’m making a Tiny Dresden plate with the sun literally on my shoulder!

I love it when the sun comes into my sewing atelier.

It makes me smile.

Much better thoughts than when I’m thinking about summer being almost over and winter on the horizon…ugh.

Happy thoughts, happy thoughts!!!

I have a new fave tool too.

Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop mentioned these scissors on one of her IG live sessions a while back so I thought I’d try them.

Very nice!

I know why they’re her favorite now.

They’re perfect for trimming my little Dresdens.

The very small, sharp point gets right up there next to the seam.

No thread tails here!

This morning in the sunshine I also finished sewing the binding onto the two preemie quilts that I demonstrated straight & bias binding on for our guild last night.

I made them quickly yesterday morning with a couple of orphan blocks from my Baby Love book.

Since Sue H. didn’t know I had a “baby” book I’ve added pics of the covers & a link.

It’s on my website’s “Book” page.

Lots of baby quilts including; pieced, appliqued & one of my signature quilt-as-you-go quilts plus a bag perfect for a diaper bag & bonus pillow that the applique is “free” when you make the “Baby” quilt. The letters are the negative shape that results from cutting out “Baby” for the quilt.

The preemie quilts are ready for some TV time.

Do you make charity quilts?

Our guild is very good about making all sizes of charity quilts.

I don’t do as much as I should, but I did make this one and donate it last month.

They can be quick & easy (or not so much)

& fun too when you have nice tools!

I’m so glad I also found this Dritz Might Steam Iron.

It’s so light-weight & HOT!

Perfect for the hours of repetitive ironing on my Tiny Dresden petals.

I just added the scissors ($18.50+ shipping) to my notions page on my website

& the iron ($32.00 + shipping) is there as well.

Back to the sunshine!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Week #5

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Week #

Please keep posting & sending me pics of your blocks!

I love seeing the fabric choices that everyone is making.

If you’re not part of my Facebook group, Dresden Quilt Workshop,

head over there & sign up so you too can share & be insprired.

This week we will again refer to

A Blooming Day quilt, page 27.

This time we will be making 2 Dresden Eight-Pointed Star Blocks.

Start by making 2 Tiny Dresden blocks,

then make and sew them into 2 Dresden Eight-Pointed Star Blocks.

Note, the cutting instructions are for 3 blocks and you only need to cut for 2 blocks.

That’s the hardest part this week.

But it’s not hard, right?

Just a fun challenge!

Get to cutting!

FYI, as I was looking at the above diagram I thought it looked like it was about 1/4 colored in so… my brain had to do the math.

Who knew I loved math so much?

Anyway, the entire pieced top (minus the border) is 3,249 square inches.

After you make 2 these blocks, you will have made 800.55 square inches.

So, yes, approximately 1/4 of the top will be pieced when you make this week’s blocks!

It’s going quickly, don’t you think?

Just Keep Sewing…

& posting your progress!

Susan

 

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along Week #4

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Week #

Please keep posting & sending me pics of your blocks!

If you’re not part of my Facebook group, Dresden Quilt Workshop,

head over there & sign up so you too can share & see all the progress.

This week’s blocks are not really in Dresden Quilt Workshop per se.

We will a refer to

Tiny and Mini Dresden Plate

Assembly Techniques, starting page 16.

We’ll be making the other half of the 4 Dresden Filler blocks from Week #3.

As per cutting instructions, page 17,

cut 4 matching sets of

6 Mini Dresden petals each.

You’ll need to cut 4 strips approx. 3 1/2″ x 12″

& use the Mini Dresden Plate Template to cut the 6 petals (24 total).

Sew the 4 sets of 6 petals each together to make the 4 half plates.

For a bit more visual to do this, refer to

Construction, page 47, following steps 2-5,

EXCEPT note that you’ll need to applique a 2″ center circle to the half plates.

(The instructions there are for Tiny Dresden half plates.)

Remember I called this a “challenge” from the start… no whining!!!

It’s fun though, right?

After you’ve removed the paper centers as directed,

cut 2 squares for the block backgrounds 10 1/2″ x 10 1/2″

that have been sprayed & pressed with Mary Ellen’s Best Press.

These will get trimmed later.

Cut them both in half diagonally.

This will yield 2 background triangles each of 2 fabrics.

CAREFULLY press each triangle in half to find the center.

You don’t want to stretch the bias edges.

Next, align then glue each half Mini Dresden plate to the center of each triangle.

Stitch in place with a tiny blind hem stitch,

or whatever stitch you’ve decided to use for applique,

with thread matching the Mini Dresden petals.

Align the center of the triangle with the center of a Dresden Filler block.

Stitch together with a scant 1/4″ seam.

Trim blocks to 9 1/2″.

Here are my 4 blocks.

That’s all for this week.

I hope you’re enjoying making your quilt as much as I enjoyed making mine!

Email me if you have any questions.

SuznQuilts@aol.com

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

Dresden Plate Quilt, new fabric collection, Tiny Dresden quilts

Meet Flower Garden Gatherings

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At market I fell in love with Lisa Bongean’s

Flower Garden Gatherings by Moda.

It’s a rainbow of color!

I got samples a while back & finally set to cutting up the whole jelly roll into…

Yup!

~~~Tiny Dresden petals~~~

I must have cut close to a million of them.

OK, maybe 1,650 like the jelly roll of Jo Morton’s New Hope that I cut up & sewed back in January.

Aren’t they lovely???

Betsy agreed to hold them tangle-free as I work on 100 or so at a time.

There are so many that you can’t even see poor Betsy.

So far I have about 28 plates made.

My cutlery trays sure come in handy as I trim & press & move from ironing board to sewing machine to cutting table.

Can’t wait to show you more designs that you can make with little Dresden plates.

Are you sewing my Dresden Quilt Workshop Sampler with me?

You can see lots of color options on our Dresden Quilt Workshop Facebook group.

Please join & follow along to sew this awesome quilt.

It’s free.

You just need to buy the book, Dresden Quilt Workshop, & follow my blog.

It’s on my website if you still need a copy or if you want a kit.

Thanks for stopping by!

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

 

Dresden Quilt Workshop Quilt-Along

Just 1 week ’til the start of DQW Quilt-Along

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Just 1 more week!

Are you sharpening your little Dresden skills???

I recommend that you prep your fabrics

like I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.

In case you’re just now joining us,

that means spraying & ironing them with Mary Ellen’s Best Press.

I also mentioned for those of you that are using the same

Circulus & Lollies Sweet fabric collection like I used,

to cut 3″ strips of each of the stripe fabrics & hang

them like I did on these adorable little hangers so you can see them all at once.

Those 3″ strips of the stripe fabrics

can be used for the border.

The finished quilt is 62″ x 62″.

You’ll need a bit more than 6 strips for the border.

Do you see the one strip that is all black & gray stripes?

I didn’t want to use that one in the border.

If you don’t want to use that one either,

you’ll want to cut another strip

to use in its place as well.

(7 strips total)

Thanks Heather for reminding me to note that to everyone here!

I suggest hanging the extra strips on a hanger too

so you don’t accidentally use them before you get to the border!

Am I the only one that in a few weeks would wonder…

hmm… why did I cut this? & then use it for another part of the quilt???

Lol… NOT!

My memory stinks, so any little trick I can use to

remind myself of something I better use it…… NOW!!!

Another prep step you can do now:

(Circulus & Lollies Sweet users)

cut all of those stripe fabrics apart on the black & white or blue & white lines that separate the stripes.

Aside from the border strips I didn’t use any of the stripe prints more than 1 print at a time.

So, I cut them apart to make them more convenient to use.

But hey, it’s your quilt!

Do your own thing!

In case you already cut all of the stripes apart BEFORE cutting off enough 3″ strips for your border,

contact me & I can probably help you with that!

Aside from prepping your fabrics, please read in Dresden Quilt Workshop:

  • Perfect Tools for Perfect Little Petals, starting page 9
  • Mini Classroom, starting page 12
  • Tiny & Mini Dresden Plate Assembly Techniques, starting page 16

This will help you to jump right in next week when we start cutting & sewing.

Learning how & why I do what I do for perfect little Dresden plates will help you to have similar results!

Send me an email if you have any questions.

SuznQuilts@aol.com

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

Dresden Plates, My Life, New Pattern Sample

My Rainbow Progress

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It has been fun sewing my Grunge, Seeing Stars rainbow these past two days.

I finished the plates, then made the centers at our guild meeting yesterday.

When I got home I appliqued the centers in place

(after I replaced Mr. Too Dark Blue… he’ll have to wait for a different project)

You can see for yourself that there was no contrast between him & the pretty black center fabric.

So, I replaced him with a grey plate,

then I stitched the centers in place & dampened the centers to remove the paper templates.

During dinner we got to watch them dry.

I put them on our kitchen table & turn on the ceiling fan.

It makes the drying time quick!

(An advantage of the kids growing up & moving on is that

we don’t need the whole kitchen table for dinner anymore.

I also spend less money on food… but at times the quiet is deafening!)

After our dinner was cleaned up I glued the plates to the background squares

then got out my box of Sulky threads & played the matching game.

That was fun!

Typically I use one spool of thread, Sulky Medium Taupe #1180.

It blends with all of my “muddy” colors so well,

but these bright fabrics read as solids & all 12 petals are the same

so I wanted to match them as closely as possible.

Did you know that if your thread color is a little darker than your fabric that it actually matches better?

Try it!

Next, I stitched the plates in place.

Theresa asked about my applique stitch,

so I’ve added a couple of close-up pics here:

It’s a tiny blind hem stitch.

It takes a few straight stitches, then a zag to the left.

I adjust the stitch length really short & the width really narrow.

I had a hard time getting a pic where you could actually see the stitches

because they’re so small & the thread matches so well.

That’s the reason I use this stitch.

In my opinion it resembles a hand stitch.

In fact I’ve had multiple quilters with their noses close to my quilt adamant that I’d done the stitching by hand!

(Obviously they don’t know me at all! They just see my work!)

The stitch shows up better on this aqua plate

where the color of the fabric changes to a lighter shade.

BTW, the Sulky thread is 30 wt. cotton.

Now this morning I’m ready to assemble the rest of the blocks.

I can’t wait to see them all come together.

Must get off computer & go sew lol!!!

I hope you’re doing some stitching today too.

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan

Dresden Plates, My Life

Petal Work Progress

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As of this morning, this is the progress that I’ve made

since showing you the 1,600+ cut petals

made with the New Hope Fabric by Jo Morton for Moda Fabrics.

 

There are 6 half Tiny Dresden plates in each stack,

48, half Tiny Dresden plates in all.

To keep the strings of petals tangle-free & wrinkle-free,

I’ve had Betsy holding them.

She’s very good at her job!

Each string started out as 4 jelly roll strips that I cut into the 41 petals each (160+/-).

This is a VERY busy corner of my room, eh???

This morning, I pulled another string from its resting spot.

See  how wrinkle-free they still are?

It makes them much nicer to work with when they’re not wrinkled or tangled.

Anything to make the task less annoying is what I’m all about!

A while back I started wondering why I still cut the strings apart with scissors… no more!

It’s much quicker to cut them apart with my rotary cutter (of course!).

I cut off about a dozen at a time

and trim the seam allowance with my rotary cutter, duh!

Why didn’t I do this earlier?

I don’t think I’m lazy,

I just like to do things the quickest

& least annoying way possible!

Once trimmed, the petals are tossed into one of many cutlery trays.

This keeps the petals from escaping to oblivion when I need to move them to the ironing board in the next step.

Next, I cut off another dozen or so petals from the string

and so on, and so on… until the sting of petals is gone.

All ready for the next step!

Now I must go press, turn, press again, then sew.

A great job for a cold, dreary day.

I think I’ll go pick out a movie to keep me company.

It will make this task more enjoyable.

What are you doing on this chilly day?

Just Keep Sewing…

Susan