Bee Blocks - December

This month's Impov Wonky X blocks for the Hope Circle of do. Good Stitches were familiar territory after my addition to Paula's Round Robin quilt. Ellen McKee requested orchid and teal similar to the colors in the Art Gallery Indelible line.

This month's Impov Wonky X blocks for the Hope Circle of do. Good Stitches were familiar territory after my addition to Paula's Round Robin quilt. Ellen McKee requested orchid and teal similar to the colors in the Art Gallery Indelible line.

Stephanie Palmer of Late Night Quilter instructed the New Quilt Blogger Bee to create Anna Maria Horner feathers in jewel tones. She asked us to include some white strips and a charcoal shaft. The background has been omitted since she plans to hand appliqué them to her quilt top.

Pam Wilde of Sewing Wilde offered an alternative tutorial. Meredith of Olivia Jane Handcrafted also has a tutorial to lessen fabric waste. If paper-piecing is more your style, Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts has taken the pattern that direction.

Personally, I cut the pattern pieces out of freezer paper, which I used as a foundation, as in paper-piecing. I cut the finished pieces 1/4" from the edge of the templates so I could turn the edge under using starch and my iron.

Have you made, or are you considering making, either of these blocks?

Today's Tidbits

Today, I figured I share with you some lovely things I found on the web that I would want to know about, if I were you.
If you are into paper piecing, the holiday spirit, and free patterns, I recommend this quilt along.

Speaking of free holiday patterns, check out these offerings from Craftsy:

Or, if your holiday sewing schedule is already overloaded, pick a year-round color scheme for these classic stars (also free).

Happy Holidays!

Sewing with Children

I have a confession; I have sewing minions. Not really. But I do have little ones who have their own options as to how a sewing machine should be used.

I heard the Fiber Arts Fiesta is going to have a children's exhibit, so I thought I'd help my five-year-old son turn his drawing of a princess into a quilt. I enlarged his drawing and traced it to paper-backed fusible and to clear vinyl using a permanent marker. P.S. Images need to be mirrored if you mind the final result being reversed. I bubble cut around the pieces and fused them to solid fabrics chosen by my son, Bryce. He cut out the pieces on the line with scissors and placed them on the background fabric using the clear vinyl as a guide.

I fused a piece of fusible batting 1/2" smaller than the top to the back of the quilt top. I placed this right sides together with the backing, and used a pillowcase method to deal with the edges of this quilt, as binding is not something I am prepared to accomplish with a preschooler. My son added some details with a fabric marker. For the love of your quilt, do not use permanent marker! I set my machine to a wide Aziz-zag with a minimal stitch length for my son to add the arms and wand. My son did straight-line stitching to quilt the quilt. Yes, I know they aren't technically straight. However, he's five, so I'm going to call it improv curves in the entry description, for his sake. In hindsight, I should have had him do before fusing down the pieces so he wouldn't have to start and stop to avoid sewing over her royal highness. He also insisted on the grass in the lower left.

Here's the artist.

Being the little sister, Linnea wants to do everything everybody else does. Below is evidence of her presence.

Ah ha! Crud, if you ask me, that little green button isn't the most convenient when you have a one-year-old.

But she looks so innocent!

Don't be fooled.

And never, ever leave the machine on!

Do you have minions of your own?