Catching Fireflies - Summer Fun Sew Along

Oh, how I love summer.

So many fun things to do and enjoy the outdoors.

Today, we are celebrating

sweet summertime with a sew along.

I'm so excited to join the 

talented Thermoweb designers

 for the

Summer Fun Sew Along.

Today I am sharing this quilt block:

There are 4 quilt blocks and the patterns are all free.

The fabrics I'm using are from

Island Batik

and the thread I used to stitch around the applique is

Aurifil thread:  50wt #2620

I'm using

 HeatNBond EZ Print Lite 

to print the patterns right on the fusible adhesive to create all of the quilt blocks. 

 Just print, fuse, cut, bond, and stitch.  It's that easy.

Head over to the Thermoweb Blog

to download the 4 FREE patterns

and

Quilt Along

 with us.

I'll have a project with all the blocks to share on July 28th over on the Thermoweb blog.

I've been having some summer fun.

Blog Hop Announcement - My Favorite Quilt Block

We took a little break, but it's time to start thinking about fall.

Today I am happy to announce a new stitching blog hop.

There are about 2 months to sew something and join in on the fun.  

It's another easy theme that should have you thinking of lots of things you could make.

Your favorite quilt block should be your inspiration.

Show it, explain why you love it, and make it a project.

What kind of project?

Anything you like.  

Make a tutorial for the block (or not), make a quilt (or not), make a pot holder, make a mug rug, just make us smile to see your favorite quilt block.

Interpret it any way you like.

The blog hop rules:  

sorry, there has to be a little organization...

Sew something that includes "your favorite quilt block".

It's up to you!  Inspire us.

Post your project on your assigned day.

Have a giveaway or don't have a giveaway. It's totally optional!

Visit everyone's blog on the list and leave a sweet comment.

Are you in?

Send me an email with the following information:
Your first name
Your email address
Your blog name

Your blog URL

Let's get to stitching.

Carpenter Star - Quilts of Valor Blog Hop

Welcome to Creatin' in the Sticks

and 

my day in the 

Quilts of Valor Blog Hop.

Jennifer over at Dizzy Quilter is hosting this blog hop

and

Island Batik has been super generous and provided the fabrics

from the new

Freedom fabrics collection designed by Kathy Engle.

I've always wanted to participate in the 

Quilts of Valor Foundation.

The mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing 

Quilts of Valor.

My first step after joining the 13 other fellow 

Island Batik Ambassadors

to make quilts for our local

Quilts of Valor groups

was to check out the QOV Foundation website

for quilt requirements and ideas.

The first free pattern listed is a Carpenter Star quilt

which became the inspiration for my own design.

With this beautiful package of fabrics by

Island Batik

I decided to take advantage of the 10" x 10" precut squares

and

made 9 1/2" half square triangles.

I also used 2 yards of White Basic for either 9 1/2" squares or a few extra squares to make the half square triangles.

My Carpenter Star is 72" x 72"

and

is a great size for wrapping around the shoulders of a service member.

Hobbs provided the Ambassadors with batting

and I chose to use the Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting.

I quilted it on the Handiquilter with Glide thread in stars and loops with the pro stitcher.

It was moving to take pictures of the quilt

at the 

Veteran's Memorial here in Dodge City.

Be sure to visit the other

Island Batik Ambassadors

making quilts for the

Quilts of Valor Foundation.

July 1

Becca Fenstermaker — Pretty Piney

Denise Looney — For the Love of Geese

Gail Sheppard — Quilting Gail

July 2

Pamela Boatright — Pamela Quilts

Anne Wiens — Sweetgrass Designs

July 3

Bea Lee —Bea Quilter

Carla Henton — Creatin’ In the Sticks

July 4

Emily Leachman — The Darling Dogwood

Joan Kawano — MooseStash Quilting

Jen Strauser – Dizzy Quilter

July 5

Steph Jacobson — Steph Jacobsen Designs

Leah Malasky — Quilted Delights

Anja Clyke — Anja Quilts

Maryellen McAuliffe — Mary Mack Made Mine

As I was finishing the quilt, I reached out to my friend Joyce.

She just opened a quilt shop here and just became a Quilts of Valor shop.

Her shop, Birds of a Feather Quilt Shop, also has Island Batik fabric.

She provided the label pictured above and also wants to display the quilt

until the shop has it's first presentation ceremony and Carpenter Star will be given to a Veteran.

I snuck down and took a picture through the window of my quilt on display.

What an honor and I hope the quilt will encourage other quilters

to jump on board with more donations.

This has been such a great experience and I am so happy that someone touched by war will receive this quilt as a comfort. 

Thank you, Jen and Island Batik, for putting this blog hop together and including me.

 I hope to do more in the future.

I just love the Island Batik Freedom collection

and

there's just something about red, white, and blue.

Be sure and visit Jennifer Jennifer over at the Dizzy Quilter for an awesome giveaway!

Have a safe and happy 4th!

Sweet Summer and Waving Stripes - A Time For All Seasons Block of the Month - July

Today is the first day of July

and time for new blocks 

for

A Time For All Seasons

Block of the Month.

Our team of designers is so excited about this

Block of the Month

 and

love showing new blocks each month.

We have 2 new blocks for July and I am the designer this month.

Sweet Summer

Applique your own sweet summertime watermelon.

Click HERE for the pattern.

AND

Waving Stipes

This is the pieced block for the month.  Make a dimensional block with color.

Click HERE for the pattern.

These blocks are only FREE though the month of July.

At Midnight eastern time on July 31st they are available in my Etsy store for a small fee.

I hope you enjoy the blocks as much as I enjoyed designing and writing the patterns. I appreciate all of you for your super sweet comments and your support. Happy stitching.

You can find a list of the fabric requirements and more information about the

Block of the Month

by clicking HERE.


I love printing the applique patterns right on the fusible adhesive with

 HeatnBond EZ Print Lite 

(no tracing!)

I'm stitching around my appliques with

Aurifil 50 wt thread #6730

Join us for this fun Block of the Month. 

 There are over 3000 friends on the Facebook group and we are having a blast.

Everyone is so encouraging.

Make the blocks and share them and win prizes.

Come have some fun with us
and
follow along with the designer blogs.

A Time for All Seasons - June Blocks

Today is the last day of June

and I have the blocks finished

for

A Time For All Seasons

Block of the Month.

Our team of designers has been so busy with this

Block of the Month

 and

love showing new blocks each month.

I'm just a touch behind in sharing this month.

Carol at Just Let Me Quilt

is the designer for June

and

there are 2 blocks.

Dad's Tie Overload

and 

Sailing into Summer Solstice

Aren't they the cutest?

Find Carol's pattern information by clicking HERE.

She even has a bonus block for the month of June!!

(I'll have to show that one later...)

You can find a list of the fabric requirements and more information about the

Block of the Month

by clicking HERE.


I love printing the applique patterns right on the fusible adhesive with

 HeatnBond EZ Print Lite 

(no tracing!)

I'm stitching around my appliques for the most part with

Aurifil 50 wt thread #6730

It's a nice neutral color for all the pieces and the thread is awesome.

Join us for this fun Block of the Month. 

 There are over 3000 friends on the Facebook group and we are having a blast.

Everyone is so encouraging.

Come have some fun with us.