Log Cabin Class!

Hi all!

I taught not only a Go Club today but a log cabin class!  We used the Accuquilt Go! Log Cabin die and then assembled a couple of blocks.  Everyone did extremely well and were very pleased with the results.

It was so fun to watch the participants when they saw that HOURS of work was completed in just a couple of minutes of cutting with the die.  I know that this die has a few limitations but overall I am very happy with it and absolutely LOVE how fast and accurate it makes a log cabin!

I don't know what it is about the log cabin block and me.  It draws me.  Maybe it's the history, or the mythology behind it; or, maybe it is the simplicity of it.  Whatever it is I love this block!

Log Cabin on the Go!

Hi all!

I wanted to share this log cabin quilt with you all!  Not only because I love it - but because it has a bit of a story to go along with it.  You know that I have been busy preparing my store samples for my fall classes - but this quilt and I made a little journey together.

Before I get to the story - this quilt was entirely die cut using the log cabin die for the Accuquilt Go! machine.  I love this die and how easy it is to make a completely accurate log cabin block.  They all turned out the same size!  It was great - no discrepancies between the blocks!  It is quilted with FilTech Glide thread in Tabriz Orchid top and bobbin and cotton batting.

We had a long weekend with friends planned in the Finger Lakes region.  Since the forecast was calling for rain I figured I would get a couple projects together to take with me.  Quilt geeky huh?  

4 people packing into a car for over a week away meant that I was going to have to pack small and plan well!  To justify bringing things along with me I had to make it fit a small part of the trunk.

I packed all my sewing gear into a small art organizer.  If it couldn't fit in this tote - it didn't come along.  I had a grabbit with pins, thread, rotary cutter and small ruler, small travel iron, scissors and a thread bag as well as two pre-cut quilting projects.  I was a little ambitious with the two projects but hey!  LOL!  I also had the June Tailor cutting and pressing board to save space.  It isn't my favorite but it's good for traveling.  You can see my little Goiron (a travel iron) it is great for classes or travel - I really like the little guy!  The only thing I didn't pack was a small spray bottle of starch :-(  Next time I will for sure!  I also took over the little kitchen table  that we had in our room - hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

I also took my Pfaff Passport sewing machine.  For those of you that haven't met her yet this is my fourth Pfaff - Paige.  This is a great little machine that is made for being on the go!  It is great for travelling or classes.  It sews like a dream and has the built in IDT.  See my leaders and enders?  Travelling is no excuse not to do leaders and enders!

Travelling also means that you have to make do with smaller quarters!  The blocks had to go on the floor in between already tight furniture but I got the job done.  I wanted to make sure that I didn't use the same print in each block twice so I had to lay out the blocks.

I am so glad that I packed this quilt along for vacation because it was a really fun experience to bring it along and I have a lot of great memories associated with the quilt now (and that the quilt is finished!).  

This definitely will not be my last travel quilt!

Storm at Sea

Hi all!

I have always loved the Storm at Sea quilt pattern.  I love the illusion of curves even though everything has straight edges.  It's so visually interesting and has so much movement!

I posted a couple pictures of the beginning of this quilt  and since I finally finished it I thought that I would post a picture of the finished quilt - ready to hang!

Ta da!  I love the way that it turned out!  I love the Kona solids and I love the quilting pattern!  I used my Loricles grooved board in Egyptian Eye.  I thought that it would give the illusion of waves across the quilt.  I quilted it in 40 wt Glide thread, top and bobbin, in Turquoise.  Love that Glide thread!

This quilt was all die cut using the pattern that comes with die number 55319 the half square 1 1/2" finished triangle.  I made a change to the pattern though and next time I make a Storm at Sea quilt I would make one more change.  I added on one die to the quilt.  The 3" Finished Quarter Square Triangle die - either for the Studio or the Go!  By adding in this die I eliminated pricing together 2 HSTs to make a QST unit, and, therefore bulk in the seams - yey!  There is a lot, and I mean a lot of point to point action going on here and getting rid of seam bulk is pretty major!  Next time I would use my 3.5" strip die to make the diamonds instead of pricing them with 2 triangle in a square units.  Again - less bulk!

I love to find ways to simplify patterns so that I have less work.  Sometimes less is more!

I used a batik wind-back that I had a meter of for the backing.   I love how it picks up the colours in the top of the quilt!

Now onto the next store sample!!