I'm doin' it. Are you?

I'm talking about the Nine-Patch Project, of course!

During the course of the summer, grab some fabric - anything - your scraps, some fat quarters, something from your stash, or heaven-forbid run out and buy some fabric at the quilt shop! Then make one nine-patch block every day throughout the summer. Read Karen Montgomery's June 1st blog for more details.

As I understand it, there's no Nine-Patch Police, so even though this whole thing started on June 1st, you really can start any time. You can play catch up and make three blocks today, or make two nine-patches for the next three days and you'll be right on track. Or just start today. By the end of the summer you should have a bunch of nine patches - if you count one for each day of June, July, and August, that's 92 blocks!

You can follow along on facebook, or watch for more information here. 

For my blocks, I went scrounging around in my ScrapTherapy bins and found a bunch of 2" batik squares. I pulled out some cream fabric from my stash and rolled up my sleeves. I decided to make nine-patches within nine-patches, so I cut my 2" square twice to make four 1" squares. Then cut 1" squares from my cream fabric (bet this would also look good with black fabric!) and went to the sewing machine.

Once the mini-blocks were sewn, I added more 2" scrap squares to make a 5" unfinished nine patch. For odd days of the month, I'll do a nine patch with five mini nines, and for even days of the month, I'll do a nine-patch with four minis.

Yep, those are tiny pieces of fabric, but I find that every once in a while, it's good to stretch a little bit. Besides, when you piece something small, you have to be accurate. When you have to be accurate, your overall piecing improves. Kinda like being an average Sudoku or crossword player. Then you try your hand at an uber-difficult puzzle. You fail miserably (or at least I do!), but when you go back to the average skill level puzzles, they are so much easier!!

By the way, my blocks have all the tiny squares. Yours can be any size you want, scrappy or not, lights and darks or not, light centers, dark centers, or not. Here's a simple scrappy nine-patch to show you what I mean.



One simple block each day. Now that's not so overwhelming, is it?

See you on the 'back nine!'
Joan

Market Celebs

You meet all kinds of interesting people at Quilt Market! Last weekend, I snapped a few photos reflecting some of the connections I made in Minneapolis.

I arrived in the host city a day ahead of the show. So I wandered down the Nicollet Mall, a pedestrian mall in the heart of the city. Since Minneapolis is the setting for the classic television sitcom, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," there's a statue of the famous opening scene where Mary tosses her hat into the air. It's located on the Mall in front of the main entrance to Macy's. 


Next it was on to Quilt Market, several authors of recently published books had scheduled book signings. Here's Debra Henninger at the F&W Media booth signing her new book, Hobo Quilts. As a shop owner, she designed blocks based on the symbols depression era hobos used to communicate to each other, almost like a secret language amongst hobos. Fascinating subject!

Laura Hurd was in the Brewer Booth signing her book from F&W Media, The Farmers Wife Quilt Sampler. The book is filled with letters written in the 1920s which inspired some 100+ quilt blocks in the book.

Amy Butler also has a new book, In Stitches which incorporates a full range of projects including garments to home dec, bags and totes.

And this cute little critter with the fancy attire was found keeping watch over the Tina Givens booth. Love her shoes and hat!

The Quilt Market experience can generate all kinds of great contacts, ideas, and inspiration. But it's a long weekend with lots of walking and hard work on the trade show floor. I found these two booth workers, taking a pizza break at the very end of the show while they waited for their packing materials to be delivered. They managed to maintain the spirit of fun while they seemed to channel communications through the thread spools floating above their heads!

Show's over for now!

On to Houston in the fall!

See you there!
Joan

Flamingo!

The weather in central New York has been crazy lately. For a couple of days, it seemed like we skipped past Spring and started right in on Summer!

Then last weekend, we had a little bit of snow on Mothers' Day. So, as long as it was snowing, I decided to linger in my jammies with some tea and some stitching.

I picked up this little cross-stitch kit by Mill Hill from their Spring Bouquet Kit Collection. I purchased the kit at The Village Sampler in Big Flats, NY on a mini road trip recently. The project base is heavy-weight paper with a punched-out stitching grid. The kit included everything I needed to make this little project! Here's what the stitching looked like in progress.

Keep stitching, add beads, trim the paper base, then add the beaded legs.

Next thing I knew, I had forgotten about the snow outside and was thinking 'Flamingo!'

Look! The whole piece is only about 5" head-to-toe. The kit comes with a little magnet to put on the back, but I bet I could fuse a piece of fabric to the back, flannel or wool, and make it into a pin.

Happy Stitching!
Joan

Going to 'Hell!'

Okay, I'll admit I haven't been a very persistent correspondent, have I? I have all kinds of excuses keeping me away from writing blog posts, none of them very juicy. So I guess I'll just have to take my licks and suffer the punishment - in 'Hell' of all places!

Wait! It's not what you might be thinking! Spring Quilt Market, a huge trade show for the quilting industry, is just a couple of weeks away. This spring, the host city is Minneapolis, so I'm headed there to take part in the show. A few short steps away from our hotel is Hell's Kitchen a breakfast, lunch, and dinner eatery where they serve 'damn good food!' Janet Lutz, owner of Calico Gals, is my travel partner, and we've been to 'Hell' before, and we're so glad to be going back. Hey, if you're in town for the show, why not join us in 'Hell' . . . you'll love it there.

While at the show, I'll be spending lotsa time in the Brewer Quilting and Sewing Supplies booth taking about the three programs I author: the ScrapTherapy program, Snap Sack Small Quilt Kits, and Skinny Minis. Meet me at the Brewer booth if you're headed to market and I'll fill you in.

Series 11 ScrapTherapy patterns are in progress, and they are oh-so-cool! The quilt is almost all quilted and ready to go. It's a really easy throw-together project and has great 'guy quilt' potential depending on color direction. Here's a mini sneak peek! The full quilt will be at Quilt Market and patterns will start shipping during June.

See ya soon!
Joan

Continuous Binding

I am aware of at least a half-dozen variations to attach that last bit of binding to a quilt with a smooth bias seam. Some are easier than others to remember.

I don't remember when I learned to finish the binding so that it appears 'seamless.' But the method I learned has stuck. For some reason, it makes sense to me. I've tried other methods, some of them with fewer steps, some with more, and I always come back to my old stand by.

Here's how it goes.

1. After trimming the batting and backing even with the quilted top, sew the binding 1/4" from the edge of the quilt, leaving about 24" of the binding unsewn, that's at least 12" of 'unattached' binding on each end. Place the unbound section of the quilt flat on your work table. Lay the binding ends evenly along the raw edge of the quilt and fold the binding back on itself so the folds meet and 'kiss.'

2. Make two marks on the top binding layer one half the width of the binding from the fold. In other words, I've cut my binding strips 2-1/4", so one half of that is 1-1/8". I have two lines on the binding, each 1-1/8" away from the fold. Let's say you cut your binding strips 2-1/2" wide, then half of that is 1-1/4" - half of a 3-1/2" binding is 1-3/4" - half of a 4" binding is 2" - works for any binding width.

3. Fold the quilt onto itself, and pin the quilt layers creating some slack allowing you to work with the binding ends easier.

4. Bring the binding end from the left above the quilt onto the work table and open the fold. Place the binding so you can see the marking line, right side up.

5. Open the crease, and fold the right binding end, wrong sides together, at the marking line,

6.  Then place the fold from the right binding aligned with edge of the left binding. At the same time, align the marking on the left binding with edge of the right binding.

7. Open the right binding fold, then draw a line, parallel to the quilt top, from edge to edge as shown. Secure the binding with pins on both sides of the drawn line.

8. Sew on the line.

9. Trim about 1/4" away from sewing (un-pin the quilt to test it first, if you like!)

10. Pin and sew to quilt edge.

11. Seamless!

Whatever method you choose to create a 'seamless' continuous binding, you'll never have a 'lumpy' edge again!

Bound to quilt!
Joan

Spring!

Central New York finally got a clip of nice weather this past week. Happy flowers seem grateful for the sunshine. Soon lots of flowers will burst forth and the earth will smile again!

With splashes of color arriving one little patch of flowers at a time, it seems appropriate for some uplifting quilted projects!

"Chunky Elizabeth" is another in an on-going series of original 'chunky' quilt kits made from big bold prints matched with only the slightest bit of piecing to keep things interesting.

I just love the fresh, spring-like combination of blue, green and yellow. And this project is no exception. The fabric collection is "Elizabeth Anne" by Alex Anderson for P&B Textiles and the kits are available for purchase from Calico Gals in Syracuse, NY.

The lap-sized quilt is so fast and easy to sew together, you can have yours all ready - quilted and bound with an extra-wide binding - in time for the cool spring and summer evenings to come. . .


Welcome Spring!
Joan

Distractions

It certainly has been a while since my last post. My, how time flies when things get busy!

"Busy doing what?," you might say. The next two ScrapTherapy patterns are due to arrive in quilt shops very soon, and it seems there's always a frenzy of activity just as the patterns are about to be released. Here's a 'sneak peak' of the Series 10 patterns, Dog Gone Scrappy and Framed! Take a look at the ScrapTherapy website for more details.

Both projects are just too much fun to make. Dog Gone Scrappy is a machine applique pattern, based on a traditional Scottie dog motif. Use the new Dog Gone Scrappy printed interfacing by Quiltsmart to make the scrappy-dog applique. So cute! Tons of scrap fabrics disappear into this quilt.

Are you headed to a graduation party this spring and need a gift? Maybe you're invited to a summer wedding and you're scratching your head trying to think of something unique to bring. Perhaps you'll enjoy making Framed! This scrappy picture frame uses Texture Magic to make the puckery-framed border. Perfect for a special occasion! You can even use the scraps from the grad or wedding quilt to make this perfect go-along.

As always, you can find ScrapTherapy patterns, classes, and gadgets at participating quilt shops listed on the website!

Enjoy the new projects!
Joan