America...Sew Beautiful..."Party-Point Celebration!" Phase 1

 Hey quilter's...hope your having a great weekend. I hope the weather is being kind if you're having graduation ceremonies. I remember 2 yrs. ago when my daughter Graduated with her Masters Degree and we had the craziest storm hi in Houston Texas. Yes...just in time for us getting out of the car going into the auditorium. We looked like a bunch of wet rats. I will admit she was the prettiest young lady going across the stage to recieve her diploma. Yes...I'm one proud momma! So no matter the weather....enjoy this precious time...you may have a crazy story like me to tell later in life :-) Well along with graduation celebrations we have Memorial weekend...4th of July & Labor Day Holidays approaching. Trust me...they will be here before long. I will be celebrating a 3-Part Series "America...Sew Beautiful" for our  holiday entertaing plus home decor. I love decor that you can use more than once and I believe "I naild it" as my grandson would say. :-) I'll be sharing two fun-ctional runners...the first with a very fun texhnique...the second coming soon featuring a new technique I created then we're going to make a "lap quilt" together. Yes...I'll be showing how fun & easy it is to make a lap quilt from a panel. This would be a great beginner project for you or teach the kiddos to sew/quilt on a small lever for a summer activity. It's hard to believe summer will be here soon & you'll be seeking those actitivities to entertain the kiddos. I always say "time flies by fast" and it definately does in my sewing room. So let me tell you about the first fabric collection. It's American Beauty by Riley Blake Designs. I'm using the 10" stackers along with half a yard of the white paisley and then I chose  a yard of blue print for my backing and accents. The yardage amount will alow you to make both runners. Make one for you and give one as a gift :-) That's what I'm doing. My son-a-law served two tours in Iraq so this design will be for her table. They love to honor him and decorate for these special holiday's and remember others who have and are serving as well.The pinwheel design was inspired by my sweet grandson of how he loved to hold the patriotic pinwheel flags and watch them blow. Tears! Special times we'll cherish forever. For the quilting...I used Aurifil 50# thread to piece and quilt the designs and all supplies can be found on Missouri Star Quilt Comapny's webiste. My link will save you 20% off $50. or more for the month of May. I love it when the extend a great discount! Plus if you know me I'll be sharing a "trivet" to compliment the runner along with some easy & d'lish recipes too! I thank y'all for following and keep chcecking in because we have a lot of exciting projects happening. Enjoy!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

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Paid Partnership w/MSQC

Follow me on Instagram...Facebook & Pinterest (links upper right on home page)

Party Point Celebration Runner...

Tip...This design can be easily enlarged to accomodate your entertaining needs just by adding more blocks!

Here's all you do...

For each block....

* Select 2 blue 10" squares for the 4 patch square.

* One red 10" square.

* One white print 10" square.

Note...alternate the fabrics for each block.

Tip....I layed out all the fabric squares to get an idea of how I wanted to group my squares. This fabric collection is so stunning! :-)

*  Rotary cut one blue 10" square in half...equals 2...5 x 10" pieces.

* Rotary cut one 5 x 10 in piece in half to equal 2... 5 x 5 " squares...set the other aside :-)

* Repeat for the other blue 10" square.

* Lay in a 4 patch design with fabric hues opposite of each other.

* Rotary cut your red & white 10" square in the same manner.

Make the Party-Points...

* For each block you will use 2 5x5 squares of red/white fabrics.

* Fold one 5 x5 square in half..press...fold in half again to form the triangle...press.

* Repeat for all 4 squares.

* Place your "party-points" per design...matching the raw edge side of the triangle to the square.

* Pin and sew a scant 1/8" seam to secure the triangle in place.

Note... Sew squares 2gether to form the four patch design being careful when joining the pinwheels. It will be a tad-bit bulky in center so "sew slow" to secure. :-) 

* Sew top 2 squares with right side 2gether using a 1/4" seam...press

* Repeat for bottom 2 squares then join the 2 rows together at center. press.

Repeat for all 3 blocks or as many as you desire for your entertaining needs.

Check back soon for Phase 2 & finishing.

Talk soon,

Cat

Great gift for Mother's Day...Graduation or Just Because!

Hey quilter's....hope your week is going well. I wanted to share with y'all a recent project that I finished using a fun tote pattern by Missouri Star Quilt Company.The pattern "Updated Three Totes One Charm Pack" is super easy and using one charm pack. I used Island Batik..Pin Dot Floral & accented with uncorked fabric by Windham Fabrics.I pieced and quilted with Aurifil 50 weight thread #2588 & 2134. I know with Mother's Day...Graduation...Summer birthday's we're all looking for a unique gift and have to say this would be a great one. The pattern instructions are easy to follow that it would be a great Summer Project to teach the kiddos to sew. You know me...I'm all about sewing/quilting it forward. I added an inner pocket using my scraps to hold keys...cell phone..."Chuck" :-) The pattern is sew versatile that I could even see this as a great "Baby Shower gift" for a new mom. Nothing like sporting a unique diaper bag when shopping :-) The pattern can be found on Missouri Star Quilt Co. website along with the fabrics & threads needed to complete the bag. My link to MSQC will save you 20% off $50. or more for the month of May. I thank y'all so much for following and have a super special "scrap-a-long" coming soon. Have a great week!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

MSQC Affiliate

Paid Partnership w/MSQC

Follow me on Instagram...Facebook & Pinterest (links upper right on home page)

"Updated Three Totes One Charm Pack Pattern" by Missouri Star Quilt Company

"Hexagon-Heirloom Fun-ctional Table Runner"

 Hey quilters....hope your having a great week. I've been play "project catch-up." I was waiting for my accent fabric to arrive to finish my "Fun-ctional Table Decor" using Ingrids Wildflowers Heirloom embroidery kit by Missouri Star Quilt Co. This kit is super fun plus having a special tribute to Jenny Doans grandmother makes it extra special. My grandmother taught me to embroider as a child so embroidering the squares brought back a lot of memories for me. I "dabbled" in embroidery thoughout my adult life...initialed "hankies" for my dad for Christmas every year but not serious until this kit came about. I wanted to challenge myself in 2024...try new tips & techniques so this design is very special for me to share. The kit comes with a beautful quilt that is a tribute to "Ingrid" but I knew with my projects that a quilt would be a bit difficult to finish. I wanted to make sure that I did a special tribute to this awesome kit as well. I love "fun-ctional decor"...I love entertaining & especially when I can have a "centerpiece" that is fun-ctional. I used the Missouri Star Quilt Town white to really show the embroidery detail and the uncorked by Windham Fabrics for my accent & backing. I'm very casual when entertaining so this design highlights that but you could use any fabric to accomodate your decor. My design can be easily enlarged just by adding more blocks. If you haven't tried embroidery this would be a fun kit to start with...it's very therapeutic & you will feel the love with every stitch you make. If you're thinking you don't have  'Hexagon Templates."...no worries...I used the instruction cards & the tin for the template designs :-) Remember less-stress-quilting! I do have more designs coming soon using the other flower design so you have plenty of time to catch up if you don't have the kit already. As always...I thank y'all so much for following and if you need supplies my link to Missouri Star Quilt Co. will save you 20% off $50. or more for the month of May. I love how they exteneded this discount for us to share. We have so many fun Holiday's approaching and if you're like me...well lets just say "I take my time." :-) Enjoy!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

MSQC Affiliate

Paid Partnership w/MSQC

Follow me on Instagram...Facebook & Pinterest (links upper right on home page)

Here's all you do...

* Press your hexagon block making sure all seams are flat on back.

One inch Borders...

* Rotary cut accent fabric strip 1 1/2 x 7 ish. Your first one will be roughly 1 1/2 x 4 1/2 as you add your borders you will rotary cut longer strips. 

* Starting at upper right corner sewing clockwise directions...sew your strips to hexagon with right sides 2gether using a quarter in seam allowance. 

* Press & square up as you go

* Repeat this step for 2nd border.

* Repeat same method for 3rd border but w/ uncorked fabric.

Quilting...

* Rotary cut your backing...low-loft batting & insul-bright using the bottom of the Heirloom kit.

Tip...( I used a heat-erasable pen then rotary cut on the lines) 

Layer...Backing facing down...insulbright & batting then your embroidered block right side up.

Pin or clip to secure layers before quilting.

Quilt as desired.

Tip...I quilted in the ditch to accent the "Hexagon design" I started with the "upper right corner" quilted clockwise as in the same direction as you pieced the borders.

Border/Binding...

Yes...the strip in this step is wide due to my border/binding technique. 

* Rotary cut a strip of uncorked fabric to 2" x 7" to start with rmembering your strips will lengthen as you go. Sew in same method as previous borders. Square up & Press.

* Starting at upper right corner fold back border to back leaving a 1/2" binding on front.

* Fold binding on back in half to secure the fold. Clip or pin as desired.

* Continue this method going clockwise until you're reach back to top of block.

* Qult as desired on front of block to secure the fold on back.

Tip...I used Aurifil #2134 & a "crazy stitch" to make sure to catch the seams on the back. No worries if you don't catch all seams on back just use a permanent washable fabric glue to tack areas. :-)

Well mine is not perfect but I truly enjoyed how therapeutic embroidering these designs were. Remember don't stress...take your time & enjoy what you love even if it's in "moderation" like me!

Talk soon,

Cat