Sun, Sand, and Sea - Block #3

Welcome!!

April is here and it's time to reveal my design for the 

Sun, Sand, and Sea

Block of the Month.

Sun Birds
Who enjoys the Sun, Sand, and Sea more than we do?
Birds!!

Some birds have more fun than others...

This block measures 12 1/2" x 24 1/2" unfinished and is pieced and appliqued.

Before I share the pattern, I have to thank some fantastic sponsors.

Thanks to Clothworks, I'm stitching with  American Made Brand solid fabrics.

The colors so vibrant and they are so nice to stitch with!

To applique,

 I ONLY use my favorite fabric iron on adhesive by Therm O Web,

 HeatnBond® Lite. 

 For this block I used the EZ Print Lite sheets and it's so much easier than tracing all those little pieces.

To stitch around all those little pieces

 I used my "go to" color of Aurifil 50 wt.  (#2600).

Block #3 - Sun Birds

You can download the PDF pattern from my Craftsy pattern store HERE.

or

click on this button.

Here are the first 2 blocks for the 

Sun, Sand, and Sea 

Block of the Month

and

 information on how to find the patterns:

Block #1 - February

You can find Amy's blog post HERE and the pattern HERE.

Block #2 - March

You can find Carol's blog post HERE and the pattern HERE.

If you haven't already,

 join the
Facebook group

you can find it HERE.  

We gather on Facebook to share

our blocks and visit with other
participants.

Let's quilt together!

Tomorrow - My Big Reveal

The weekend is here.

Here is a sneak peek  of my quilt block for the

Sun, Sand, and Sea

Block of the Month.

I've had a blast designing block #3.

Stop by tomorrow to pick up April's block pattern.

The Sun, Sand, and Sea Block of the Month is

Hosted by Amy over at 

Sew Incredibly Crazy

This is block #2 for March. It's called "Sun, SURF, and Sea."

If you missed it, be sure to stop by

Just Let Me Quilt

today

to pick up March's Block of the Month pattern.

This was block #1 - "Hello Sunshine."

Amy from Sew Incredibly Crazy has the pattern for

February's block - Click HERE. 

I'm so lucky to be using 

Clothworks American Made Brand fabrics.

The colors so vibrant and they are so nice to stitch with!

To applique, I use my favorite fabric iron on adhesive by Therm O Web,

 HeatnBond® Lite.

If you haven't already,

 join the

Facebook group

you can find it HERE.  

We gather on Facebook to share

our blocks and visit with other

participants.

Let's quilt together!

See you tomorrow.

Blocks of Time - Project Quilting Season 8, Project 6

This quilt brings Project Quilting - Season 8 to a close for me.

It is hard to believe it's over.

Kim at Persimon Dreams hosts Project Quilting.

She announces a challenge and you have one week to create something quilty.

Prizes can be won and it's a great way to meet new blogging friends.

This is the sixth challenge of 6 for Season 8.

Challenge 6:  Time is UP!

The first 5 projects this season have been on the small scale for me

and 

that just wouldn't do for the sixth and final project.

I had made up my mind before the challenge was announced that I would make a larger quilt and use this never ending pile of scraps doing it.

Once the challenge was announced, this quilt popped right up in my head
 because I am always fighting the clock.  I added the colors so there would be a secondary design of an hour glass and the third design of the clock.

The Rules:

1. Your project must be inspired by time, deadlines or the end.

2.  Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline (March 12th through March 19, 2017). Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count toward prizes. 

3. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge (started on or after March 12th through March 19th). 

4.  Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements:

1. Include patchwork.
2. Include appliqué.
3. Have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

5.  Link up a blog post, flickr image, instagram post, or public facebook post  by Sunday, March 19th, 2017, at noon CDT.

Anyone who knows me knows

I am so scheduled everyday....

As a hair stylist, my time is scheduled in blocks of time.  

Some of them small, some large, some simple, some complex, and some are more colorful than others.  Just like this quilt.

Deadlines are just a way of life every hour of every day.  I should of called this quilt,
"Escape the Clock."

I made my own fabric blocks by just randomly putting scrap pieces of fabric together.

There is something so freeing about doing this.  (Escaping the Clock?)  
The blocks and borders are pieced completely with random shapes and sizes.

Once the drawing plan was finished, I tied a pen to a string and pinned the string in place to draw a circle.

Next, I used bias tape and HeatNBond Lite to make the circle.  I ripped out the seams where the bias tape crossed the white strips and tucked the ends and then sewed the seams back up.

I drew the hands of the clock (which are pointed to the time usually post my quilts, right before the deadline - hehe) and printed numbers for raw edge applique, once again using HeatNBond Lite.  I changed the 12 to a larger size once I saw the quilt in real life.
 Next I used a blanket stitch to finish the edges.

 The results...  

neater scraps and empty bobbins.  (I used up random bobbins too)

Blocks of Time

aka
(Escape the Clock)

Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge 6 - Time is UP!

Made by Carla in Dodge City, Kansas

http://www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/

Size:  60" x 80"

Fabric building (random piecing), Fusible Applique, Bias tape applique
Stipple quilting by me

I am sure I am forgetting something, I stayed up very late to finish this one.

You can see all the other challenge projects and vote for your favorites starting at noon central on

March 19th

by clicking 

HERE

Blocks of Time is # 116

Update:  Voting has ended and it was a winner!!  Thank you to all that took the time to vote!!!!

Scrapbusting with an EZ Print Eggshell and Bunny Applique Door Greeter

I'm afraid I have a scrap problem and this time of year I am always inspired to make projects with all those bright and beautiful pieces of wonderful that I've held on to all year.  Today I want to share an "eggcellent" way to do a little spring cleaning / scrap busting using HeatNBond Lite  EZ Print sheets.  Instead of traditional clamshells, I've created eggshells for the season and they are so easy to applique on this mini quilt by printing the patterns instead of tracing.

You can find the complete tutorial to make this or incoorporate the template into your own project over at ThermOWeb today.

I call this one "The Eggcellent Eggshell Door Greeter."

This quilt is quick to make when you print the eggshell templates on HeatNBond Lite  EZ Print Sheets. 

I'm super excited to share this pattern with you over on the Therm O Web Blog.

Please check it out and while you are there,

Check out the giveaway for National Craft month on Therm O Web's site.

It's been quite a week here in the sticks.  The fires have been too close for comfort and I'm afraid my hubby's parents have lost some outbuildings from the fires.  The amazing firemen saved the family home and we are so thankful.  Please pray for the hardworking first responders and firemen as they fight wildfires.  They are my heroes!!!

I just heard of another blogger that could use some hugs and prayers.  

Our friend Colette has lost her husband in a traffic accident.  Please keep her in your thoughts!!

Looking Fly - Project Quilting Season 8, Project 5

Looking Fly is my newest quilt made for Project Quilting.

When inspiration comes from the heart it just seems so right...

Kim at Persimon Dreams hosts Project Quilting.

She announces a challenge and you have one week to create something quilty.

Prizes can be won and it's a great way to meet new blogging friends.

This is the fifth challenge of 6 for Season 8.

Challenge 5: Well Dressed Man

The first thing to come to mind when I heard the challenge was my son.  He's been a sharp dresser since he started picking out his own clothes.

Then

and now.

The Rules:

1. Your project must be inspired somehow by menswear or a man.

2.  Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline (February 26 through March 5, 2017). Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count toward prizes. 

3. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge (started on or after February 26, finished by March 5th). 

4.  Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements:

1. Include patchwork.
2. Include appliqué.
3. Have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

5.  Link up a blog post, flickr image, instagram post, or public facebook post  by Sunday, March 5th, 2017, at noon CDT.

My son, Randy, provided me with lots of inspiration for this quilt, although he doesn't know it.  I went over to his Facebook page and started snooping through his pictures.  Moms do that...

I had seen the shirts patterns in EQ7 and had always wanted to incorporate them into a quilt.  This was the perfect opportunity.  I found out it wasn't going to be easy once I saw all the y-seams and piecing challenges, but by the last block I had it mostly figured out.  lol

Parts are foundation paper piecing and other parts (neck and background) are just strategic piecing.

Each block was inspired by a memory or a picture. 

 I won't bore you with all of them, but this is a fun one.

Here is the picture.

My little Alfalfa!

My little Alfalfa quilt block.  

This is the only block I did fusible applique on.  I used my favorite, HeatNBond Lite , and just drew the bow tie and fused it on the pieced shirt.

The rest of the quilt is completely pieced.

I wanted the quilting to be like pinstripes, so I used my walking foot and quilted diagonal lines.  I used my "go to" color of Aurifil 50 wt.  (#2600).

I  also wanted to jazz up the binding and tried a flanged binding for the first time.

Lorna of SewFreshQuilts has a tutorial that I used, but I like my binding a little thinner.

I used 1 1/2" and 1 1/4" strips.

It was so fun to use scraps and find just the right fabrics for each and every block.

I used every fabric for a reason, from his favorite team to his favorite color to little memories or thoughts.

So, this  one is for my son who is always "Looking Fly."

Looking Fly

Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge 5 - Well Dressed Man

Made by Carla in Dodge City, Kansas

http://www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/

Size:  22" x 22"

Strategic and paper piecing, Fusible Applique, Flanged binding
Straight line quilting

I have another man that supports me so much and without him these pictures wouldn't be possible.  Hats off to my partner and bestie in life. 

A behind the scenes shot...

These things don't happen without team work...

 Thank you!!!

You can see all the other challenge projects and vote for your favorites starting at noon central on

March 5th

by clicking 

HERE

Looking Fly is #73