Triangle QAL Plan

Over the past week, I have spent several hours starching and pressing my collection of Winsome fabrics from Nancy Halvorsen.  I bought these fabrics before I had children and am excited to see what they become.  I have have never spent the time starching fabrics (especially not four layers of starch as Alyssa recommends in her video tutorial.)  But alas, this is my first triangle quilt and I want the points to match.

[fabric choice picture]

Paula at The Sassy Quilter is doing a Triangle Quilt Along and I wanted to join the fun.  I missed the first two weeks of selecting fabric and cutting the triangles, but I'm hoping I can get the rows pieced by next week's deadline.

Instead of only one size of equilateral triangles as the quilt along suggests I decided to first piece my triangles, then form the rows.  I was looking for a way to maximize my fat eighths and not end up with 400 four-inch triangles.

After seating the web high and low I found the Cosy Posy Triangle Pattern from the Moda Bake Shop.  Erica at Kitchen Table Quilting.  She started out with 2 jelly rolls and some yardage.  I have 35 fat eighths plus a few scraps.  I adapted her pattern to my fabric and came up with 6 different equilateral blocks that each measure 8.5" tall.

Hopefully mine looks as awesome as hers.

Now that everything is starched, I hope to cut and piece this weekend.  Hopefully I can show you the block designs soon.

Spring Break WIP

I am so glad the weather has finally turned and it actually feels like spring outside.  My husband and kids are home for spring break.  I get my turn at home with the kiddos next week.  I really hope there is some quilting in my future.

There are a few works I have in progress that I wanted to share today.

1. Layer Cake Quilt Along with Material Girl Quilts - Each week Amanda posts two new layouts for our half square triangle blocks.  So far there have been 12 blocks posted, I have 6 complete.  I better get moving.  I have loved following everyone's progress on Flickr.

2. Country Stars - I cut the fabrics for this quilt before I had kids and pieced the half square triangles using thangles.  A couple weeks ago I went on a girlfriends getaway and finally started piecing the blocks.  This quilt is going to make a great gift for my friend Sheena who has graciously agreed to watch my kids for the last four months.  I still need to finish piecing the blocks, then join them, add borders, baste, quilt, bind…  Hopefully this one gets done by the end of school.

3.  Rainbow Pinwheels - This is another project I cut before I had kids.  The pinwheels are really coming together, but I am still in the piecing stage for this two.

4.  Triangle Quilt Along with The Sassy Quilter - I have been wanting to make an equilateral triangle quilt for a while.  With a quilt along I finally have the motivation to get it started.  My goal this year was to use up my stash before I spend more money on beautiful fabrics, so for this one I'm using my collection of Winsome by Nancy Halvorsen.  I bought these prints before I had kids, and have used a few of them for gifts, but I'm ready to use this fabric up.  I started starching (something new for me) and pressing this week, I haven't even cut this one yet.  I'm following this group on Flickr too.

Two Quilt Finishes

This year I'm really trying to finish up some of the projects I started before kids and get them quilted.  I have almost a dozen quilt tops hanging in the closet because I can't stand, and I'm really no good at the basting/ quilting part of things.  Luckily most of them are small.

During March I got two baby blankets quilted.  They were both small enough that I could baste on my big sewing table.  I also just quilted them using straight parallel lines.

For the Christmasy one, I went on the diagonal.  (I have another quilt top, identical to this, that I might try some free motion on).

(Add Christmas Baby Pic Here)


For the Barcelona baby quilt, I quilted vertically with the strips.

(Add Barcelona quilt here)


I have a bunch of these strips left over - possibly another Barcelona quilt or bag in my future.  I got these fat quarters when my awesome quilt shop, Always in Stitches, had their 25 fat quarters for $25.  Each time this happens, I buy as much as I can possibly afford.  Last month I got a bunch of pink prints, a bunch of solids, and a few yellow and gray prints.

Back in the Habit

Week one of Material Girl Quilts' Layer Cake Sampler QAL went really well.  I managed to cut all of my pieces and get the blocks pieced on time.  It was also pretty cool to see other people's blocks and fabric choices as they posted on flickr.  She has a super quick way to make 8 half-square triangles.  Each block uses 16, so I got piecing.

The worst part (and best part) is trimming all of those HST blocks.  It is such a tedious process, I'm glad I don't have more than 32 to do in one week.  However, the points and blocks come out so nice and tidy - it's totally worth it.  Here are my two finished blocks, just in time to get two more patterns today.

I've also been working on these double pinwheel blocks from way back.  I pieced the first two blocks and several strips about 5 years ago (before kids).  It's amazing how much better my piecing accuracy has gotten since then.  I also realized how much I appreciate good fabric, that I couldn't afford when I bought this cheaper stuff.  I love how these are turning out.  My favorite part is the little mini-pinwheel on the back.  And they go pretty quick.

(Pinwheel Progress)

Lastly, I bought a couple of Noodle-head's patterns.  I want to make a couple road trip cases (one for my paper piecing supplies, and maybe a few for rubber band looms).  I also bought the super tote and found a free pattern for the cargo duffle.  Here are the pieces.  I hope to get this one finished for my sister's birthday in April (lofty goals, huh!).

I am considering the Lucky Stars BOM club.  I have never paid money for quilt patterns, as I am usually able to draft my own.  Elizabeth over at Don't call me Betsy has drafted beautiful foundation pieced star patterns.  I have never foundation pieced, so I am going to try out a free pattern before I pay for any.  Wish me luck!

I was really pleased that I was able to get this much done in a week where the family was a little busy.  My mom and her husband came for a visit last weekend.  Both kids were sick starting Monday.  And to top it off, it was finals week at school.  I get a new bunch of kiddos next Tuesday and am looking forward to these last 12 weeks.

Upcoming to do list:

• Layer Cake Sampler QAL
• Finish Piecing Pinwheels
• Cargo Duffle
• Road Trip Case
• Try Foundation Paper Piecing

Ready for the Quilt Along

Tonight I cut the 40 pattern blocks for the quilt along with Material Girl Quilts from my Christmas stash. I think the colors will look great together.  Red,  green,  gold and blue - all from Bernatex and Nancy Halvorsen's Christmas lines.  

The quilt along officially starts tomorrow.  I plan to cut the 40 white blocks and get going after the kids are in bed.  I'm really excited about my first quilt along and blog adventure.

Sew a Blog.

Sew… after spending a lot of time reading other's blog posts on family, food, parenting, and sewing; I've decided to enter the blogging world.  Right now, the blog is primarily for me to post about sewing projects and quilts that I'm working on.  I want a record and journal of my work.  Maybe the blog will evolve.  Maybe not.  Let's get started.