Spin Cycle Arrivals

It feels like Christmas every time I go to the mailbox, and find more Spin Cycle quilt blocks arriving from the Bees Knees ladies.
Through our bee I have gotten to know and have gained an even greater appreciation for this talented group.
Eight of the blocks have arrived with 3 more on the way.
(with summer and kids and back to school, I'm surprised any one had time to make their blocks :)
Are you familiar with these ladies?
Make sure to visit their blogs and see all of the wonderful things they are making!

Trish Poolson of Notes of Sincerity

Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life
*Sherri and Amy Smart are the leaders who gathered us all together into Bees Knees.

Amy Smart of Diary of A Quilter

Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side

Emily Herrick of Crazy Old Ladies

April Rosenthal of Prairie Grass Patterns

Erika Bartlett of Pink Suede Shoes

Sinta Borland of Pink Pincushion

And I've been busy making my own Spin Cycle blocks, so when the final envelopes arrive in the mail, I can start putting my quilt together.
These are nice big 12-inch blocks that really do go together quickly, and it's been a great way to use up some of my scraps.

If you would like to see all of the Bees Knees lined up, we have started a blog.

Spin Cycle pattern by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew.

Oh My Stars!

I've spent the last few weeks pondering the quilt I would like to make for the Crayon Challenge with my Nimble Thimble Guild.

As you may remember from post 8/5/12, our guild had each of us draw a crayon randomly from a bag. We have been "challenged" to make a quilt using this color as the main focus.
These quilts will be hung at our Christmas Dinner Party in December.
I was pretty happy to have drawn Tropical Turquoise, a beautiful blue.

Yesterday I went to my local quilt shop to match the crayon color with fabric.
The best selection was a solid cotton Kona, with the wonderful name Caribbean.
Tropical Turquoise + Kona Caribbean.
Even the names match.
I like it!
I then came home and went through a lot of pattern ideas.
I'm all about using my stash fabrics for every project I make this year, and came up with the perfect solution.

Oh My Stars!
Loved this pattern when I first saw it.
You can download the pattern as a PDF file from Calli from Make It Do

A great way to use up scraps, and the pattern was designed with the help of Calli's mother Leslie Ison.
I took my first quilting class from Leslie, a wonderful lady, who I admire greatly.
Like mother, like daughter.

Calli's stars are in a fun red, but for my quilt I will be using Caribbean Turquoise, which I think will turn out well, too.

Calli is also a fellow member of the Bees Knees, our on-line quilting group.
Another reason to make Oh My Stars!
Sending my support and love to the Bees ladies.

She's Back

Even though I just made a quilt block for Amy Ellis a few days ago, I've added another design by the talented AE.
This time Amy (Amy's Creative Side) has given a tutorial for block #12/ August with Bloggers Block of The Month.
Not wanting to be as late as I was with block #11, I got right on to making this fun design that was revealed only 3 days ago.

Amy wrote that she didn't have a name for this block, and was open to suggestions.
How about "Four Square"?
We used 4 contrasting colors, cut with equal dimensions for each 8 1/2" X 8 1/2" square block.


I love playing with my Kaffe fabrics, and have been making two blocks for each month.

It's never too late to join Blogger's Block of The Month.
Make sure to visit Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works for more information.

Steph's Group- August

The 4th Wednesday has become one of my favorite days each month.
We meet together with Steph's Group at a local church building for a fun day of quilting.
Everyone brings their machines or hand work, and one member of the group treats us to the most delicious lunch.
These ladies have known each other for years and years and even though I'm the newbie to the group, they always make me feel so welcome.
I was a little slow in getting my camera out, but I did manage to capture a few shots of Show and Tell.

Stephanie (on the right) worked on binding her latest finish.
Love this quilt!
Pattern: On A Whim by Thimble Blossoms

Fabric: Urban Cowgirl by Urban Chiks for Moda

So perfect for living in the wild, wild West.
Urban Cowgirl was inspired by vintage cowboy shirts and Granny's old aprons.

Beautifully quilted by Steph's friend Marae Harris

The backs of Steph's quilts are almost as nice as the fronts.
Steph likes to use up every extra block and scraps of fabric left over from the fabric line.

Peg is already getting ready for Christmas.
Pattern: Tree's Up! Lights On! by Pieces From My Heart
using the fun Stack and Slice method.

Thanks ladies for another fun day!

Split Ohio Star Block

I'm quite late in completing the latest block with Blogger's Block of The Month.
July 25th was the big reveal for Block #11 Split Ohio Star designed by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.
Oh well, better late than never.
And I did manage to slip in and complete my blocks just in the nick of time before the next block will be revealed tomorrow.
Whew!
(by the way, just where did August go?)

I really like Victoria's tutorial on how to make the Split Ohio Star.
I make two of every block now.

I've placed the blocks I've completed so far up on my design wall, and it makes me happy to see them playing together.

It's been fun to pull out my Kaffe fabrics each month for this fun Quilt Along.
Now I'm really curious to see how Jackie will instruct us in putting them together in a setting.
Maybe tomorrow we will know more?

Amy Ellis' Block

It's pretty fun being part of the Bees Knees Quilting Bee.
Every month we are sent a packet of fabrics from a Bee Member and asked to make a block.

For August we made our blocks for the very talented Amy Ellis (Amy's Creative Side)

Amy sent us linen scraps from the Japanese fabric line Enchino by designer Etsuko Furuya.
Oh, so lovely to work with!
I've never worked with linen before. It was a little heavier than cotton, but sewed up beautifully.

Amy's instructions contained the request that we make a
12 1/2" Log Cabin Style of block
It could be a traditional Log Cabin, a Square In A Square, or even a Courthouse Step pattern.
She also requested that the solid fabric be used prominently in the block.
I chose to make the traditional Log Cabin, with a small variation.
For the center square, I fussy cut the bird motif from one of the Enchino prints.

And then added a mix of graduating strips that ranged from 1-inch to 2-inches in width.
I am quite pleased with how the block turn out.
I hope Amy is too!
I'm excited to see how the other 10 Bees make their blocks and how Amy will bring them all together in a quilt.

It's a treat to rub shoulders with so many talented ladies.
I follow everything Amy makes, and love her book Modern Basics.
Modern Basics can be found on Amazon.com HERE.

You can also learn more about Amy and all the wonderful things she makes on her blog Amy's Creative Side.

these Bees Knees ladies are the best.

Bari J.

The newly organized Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild is drawing people from all over the Phoenix Metro area.
Bari Ackerman (Bari J.) has recently moved to Arizona from the San Francisco Bay Area, and joined us this last Saturday.

Bari is a well known fabric, sewing pattern, and surface designer.

I remember becoming most familiar with Bari when I fell in love with her book
"Inspired To Sew" (which can be found on Amazon.com HERE)
Oh, so many lovely things to make inside her book!

We were especially fortunate when Bari brought a basket full of her newest fabric line LillyBelle, and offered a fat quarter for each of us.
It was so hard to select just one!

LillyBelle released through Art Gallery Fabrics

Bari is known for her "funky Vintage" style, with bright, feminine prints.
I selected a wonderful floral.

Now to decide where to use this beautiful fat quarter.
Bari just got through completing 14 projects in 21 days with LillyBelle.
She shows some pretty great projects over on her blog Bari J.

And even though she reached her goal, on Saturday she was doing some pretty impressive hand work on another new project.

Bari has some nice tutorials and how to video's over on her blog.
Make sure to run over and say hello.

Wool Needle Book

For our August meeting with the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild, Alyssa brought all of the supplies and taught us how to make a really cute wool Needle Book.

Lessons were given on handwork, and Alyssa really did a great job.

Wool is such a fun medium to work with.

A nice little case to keep all of your supplies together.

Even with so many still out of town and on vacation, we had a good turn out Saturday, with 20+ in attendance.

Alyssa was very organized and a good teacher.
Her instructions were clear and well written.
Thank you for all of your work Alyssa!

If you are interested in the pattern, or kit to make the Needle Case, you can contact Alyssa at her blog Pile O' Fabric.