Criss Cross Stars done and contest

Criss Cross Stars is done!  Another quilt made entirely from my fabric stash.  There are 96 4 patch blocks and 160 half square triangle blocks in this quilt. I pieced the back on this one also which I really don't like to do but it sure helps use up the ol' stash.  However, my husband walked into my sewing room the other day, looked at my fabric and said "You haven't made a dent."  I have made 20 some quilts and he's right, my stash doesn't look noticeably different. 

I did something a little different with the binding.  Here's a close-up-

I used the backing that's left over after it's machine quilted, the extra width and length they need to attach it to their machine, to make the binding.   But since the back was pieced, the binding was pieced so I just matched it up and made it fit.  The photo is showing the back of the quilt with a portion of the front flipped over onto it.

Linda of L&R Designs then quilted it with a pattern called Plumage.  Check out her blog for quilting design ideas for your quilts.  I'm going to start a contest in the near future where you can win a pattern so check back for details!

Triangle Confusion

Finally, Triangle Confusion brings to an end the pile of half square triangles I started way back on Memorial Day weekend!

The block is loosely based on the Windblown quilt block.  I say loosely because I only used half square triangles and made it very scrappy instead of just two colors.  For most anyone looking at this quilt top, it is very confusing to pick out the block at first glance.  Thus, the name. There are a bunch of  secondary patterns created also-pinwheels, 3d boxes or cubes, square in a square...  The actual block is made from 16 half square triangle blocks.  After I figure out what  to use on the back, off to the long arm quilter it goes.

Craft Gossip feature

I'm featured on Craft Gossip!  Check out the site.  It has tons of information on quilting and about any other craft you can think of.  They say "CraftGossip.com editors post the best craft tips and ideas daily" and I think that sums it up very nicely.

On another note, Triangles Askew is finally quilted and the binding is on!!  I pieced the back from leftover blocks, background fabric, border fabric and a 2 yard cut of fabric from my stash. The binding was made from strips that were already cut (for some UFO probably). So, I'm proud to say that once again, I made a quilt from my stash.

This one was a hard one to figure out how I wanted it quilted.  But as usual, Linda of L&R Designs figured out a perfect solution. 



5 projects using 5" squares

We stopped at a quilt shop in Kansas City on our way to Texas last month and when I saw these fabrics the thought of an email from my daughter-in-law popped into my head.  Last January she had sent a link to some dish mats that she liked and wondered if I could help her make some.  I thought this fabric would be perfect for a dish mat or two.  The design for the mat also popped into my head as soon as I saw the fabric.

Her birthday last week was just the deadline I needed to make one for her.  If you are wondering where the 5" squares are, they are cut into 2 1/2" squares.  I used 5 coordinating nickel squares of assorted colors, 5 white ones, a fat quarter  and some terry cloth to make this dish mat.  The dish mats she saw are no longer available but the site she saw them on has a tutorial on how to make them.  My mat is not made like the one in the tutorial but it does have a terry cloth back as does the one in the tutorial.  I stitched along the edge on my first try at making this dish mat and did not like how wavy the edge looked.  On the one shown above, I stitched along the edges of the center section instead and like the result much better.

Since I had last said that I need to make some smaller projects, I continued with the kitchen theme to make some coordinating items.  I made 2 styles of pot holders,                        

                                             

     (Both use 4 nickel squares.) 
 

 a mug rug, and a couple of fingertip pot holders.

 These little pot holders are so easy to make and come in so handy that I decided to provide a tutorial-

1.  You need four 5" squares and one 5" square of batting.  Fold two of the squares in half.

2.  Layer one square right side down, batting, one square right side up, and the two squares that have been folded.  The folded edges need to meet at the center.  Place a CD on top of the stack and draw around it.

3.  Sew 1/4" inside the circle.  Cut on the drawn line.

4.  Turn inside out.  Stitch around the edge or tack the ends as shown.

     

These little potholders can also be used as coasters for your wine glasses!

Just 5 months to go

There are only 5 months left for my Double Nickel Quilt Challenge and my 55th year.  In honor of this, I have put all of the Double Nickel Quilt Challenge patterns on sale for $5.00 each for the next 5 months.  From July 9 to December 9, 2011, you may purchase any of the patterns as downloads for $5.00!  Don't forget to download the FREE patterns also.   They are an example of how I write patterns.

Boy does time fly! So where am I in this challenge?  I have made 21 quilts and 2 mug rugs.  Four of the quilts need quilted and 2 are ready for binding. I have a pile of hexagons, a pile of 4 patch blocks and a pile of half square triangle blocks waiting to be made into quilts. I have written 14 patterns.  My original idea for the challenge was to design 55 patterns using 5" squares meaning that I would just come up with 55 ideas and draw them up in Electric Quilt.  Well, that is not as easy as it may seem.  From computer to fabric does not always translate well.  So, I decided I needed to make the quilts.  I figured I could do this if I made small quilts.  After all, we have 20 young grandchildren that can use them.  But sometimes I get carried away and make a big quilt like the Nickel Snowball quilt which is finally quilted and bound.

Here's a closeup of the quilting design done by Linda of L&R Designs.  It's a wonderful pantograph design called "Bubbles" that I think fits this quilt perfectly.

I will never reach my goal if I make any more this big!  Expect to see many small projects from here on out.  They will still be projects that use 5" squares just smaller and maybe not quilts per se.  Even I don't know what I'll do next!