Hands 2 Help Mini-Tutorial

 I love working with panels when a quick and easy quilt is needed.   But it isn't always easy to know what to do with them, especially when the panel is not a typical panel.  This quilt started out with me buying a bunch of squares that had been cut from a panel several years ago from a quilt store in Texas.   Then in the last year at a quilt store here in the Phoenix area I found this remnant panel that matched the squares I'd found in Texas.

Yup, I had to buy it so that I'd have enough full squares from the panel to make a quilt out of

The second panel I used in my quilt was actually a remnant of one of the cotton dress fabrics that has the multiple rows of elastic thread at the top.   This piece was about 34" wide and I got it for a great price.  Had it for several years and then realized that the colors were the perfect match for the panel shown above.   I took out the elastic (just a chain stitch) and then washed the fabric to tighten the holes up.

Because this is cotton it works great in a quilt, so don't be afraid to use something that is not a traditional quilt fabric.

And don't be afraid to use non-traditional panels for the basis of a quilt.  This panel is one that was meant to be made into a pillowcase that a child could color on if desired.    The panel originally was just in black & white.   I took pieces from my scrap stash of pre-fused fabric and cut pieces to fit the letters of the word 'Dream' to highlight it.   I'm still debating on whether to add a border to this top or not, so it isn't finished.

5/27/21 -- The giveaway is now closed -
For Hands-2-Help this year I'm giving away these two panels from my stash to one person.   To enter, leave a comment on this post with the number of how many panels I'm giving away and which is your favorite.  If you are an anonymous poster and want to enter the giveaway, make sure that you put a contact email in your comment.


Gratitudes:

1. For my stash which gives me lots to work with

2. For good friends who are there in times of sorrow and need.

1000th Post, Wool Ornaments and a Giveaway

I've needed to do a little something for myself in October and November because I've been so busy with commissioned sewing.    I've been designing and making some wool ornaments the last couple of weeks and have several more that I want to design - a nativity, the wisemen, a cardinal, a Christmas puppy....and who knows what else I'll decide to do. 

I'm having a lot of fun doing them and love that the felt doesn't ravel.  =)  Now mind I don't have a tree anymore so I might have to actually buy one or figure out how to hang them if I keep them all....lol.....

Two questions for you, my readers -

1. Would any of you be interested in patterns for them? (If free/or for a price I still need to figure out where to upload them to....)

2. Any other ideas for possible ornaments that you'd be interested in?

And this is my 1000th post, and to celebrate I'm holding a small giveaway featuring this pincushion.   To enter leave a comment answering question #2 from above.   And make sure that I have a way to contact you in case you're a winner.

This giveaway will end on December 15th. 



Gratitudes:

1. For having a wool stash that let's me do things like this (altho I have bought more colors from J's)

2. For the possibility of commissioned work through the posts that my friend has put on FB.

QuiltMaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 16 Blog Hop Winners

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the giveaways on my blog during the blog hop!

The three winners have been drawn and emails have been sent out to them telling them and asking for mailing addresses.   If I get no response from any of them, then I'll draw a another name and try again.

The three winners are:

       Tricia L - Rose Fabric and coordinates
       Karen T - Set of Green FQ's
       Nancy B - The copy of the magazine to be sent from QuiltMaker

Congrats everyone!


Gratitudes:
1.  For all those who take the time to read my blog.

2.  For all the blessings that I have in my life.

Giveaway - Just because.... =)

Still working on cleaning up here in my sewing room and I'm in the mood for a giveaway.

The magazine in question are is Volume 14 of Quilts from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks.   (nope, this issue does not have one of my quilts in it.)

I will choose two people to win a copy of the magazine.















To enter the giveaway, complete one or both of the options in the Rafflecopter giveaway below.   This giveaway starts on 8/30 at 12 AM and will end at 12 AM on 9/06.   You can enter up to two times by leaving separate comments on the following subjects -
--- when was the last time you did any major cleaning in your sewing room, and
--- do you follow my blog, if so how (by email or?)

And it is open to those outside of the US.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If the link above doesn't work for you, then click here to go to Rafflecopter page.

Gratitudes:
1. for having goodies that I can share with others
2. for no rain today!

Giveaway - Now Closed

I've been trying to clean up my sewing room (always a work in progress!) so that I can get to my thread without trying to do the splits as I reach for various totes.  And in doing so I found a copy of this magazine that I've never made anything out of and am unlikely to ever to do so.   So I'm offering it as a giveaway for my blog readers.

I'm also trying out a new to me way of holding giveaways at the same time.

To enter click the link below to enter the giveaway.  The giveaway will stay open through Saturday the 15th.

Felted Magazine Giveaway

Good luck!


Gratitudes:

1. For those that read my blog and give wonderful feedback!

2. For friends around the world.

Winner's of the 500th post giveaway -

Jan H and Lorri Schuller were the winners of my giveaway.  

Emails have been sent to them to confirm mailing addresses.  

Packages will be sent off.



Gratitudes:

1. Safe travels this weekend to the Dallas Quilt show.

2. The sun is out after a cloudy weekend.

200th Post - Thinking about the next year of designs and a giveaway

This last week I've been working on getting the next two blocks made for my BOM and getting the patterns written so that I can send them to my pattern tester with plenty of time.

And in realizing that I'm now half way through the year for the BOM, I started to think about what I want to design next.   Current options include the following:
           1.  A new Block-Of-Month, but a smaller version - maybe a toddler sized quilt.
           2.  A Mystery quilt that would be completed over 3-4 months
           3.  Maybe some other choice I haven't thought of yet, lol

I'd love to hear back from anyone reading my blog to hear which of the options that I've listed, or other ideas that you might, would be most interesting to you.   So if you'd leave me a comment letting me know your thoughts I'd love to hear what you have to say!

And in honor of my 200th post, I'm going to be giving away a pincushion made with a couple of orphan blocks to the winner of a random drawing from all those who leave comments on this post.   Leave me a comment by May 10th to enter the giveaway.  And be sure to leave me an email if your blogger id does not have a means to contact you!

Gratitudes:
1. For the opportunities I have to work with my quilt designs and all the fun I have with it.
2. For the possibilities to have my designs published.

Thread Giveaway

Nancy from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shop is offering a wonderful giveaway on her blog of hand-dyed embroidery threads. I love using hand-dyed threads in my CQ work and these look lovely. Check them out by clicking "here"and enter her giveaway, tell her I sent you there. =)

Gratitudes:
1. todays weather was a little warmer
2. for my upstairs neighbor's son who shoveled the snow from the sidewalks here at the house.

Thread Giveaway

One of my quilting buddies, Susan, is hosting a giveaway of some of her hand-dyed embroidery thread. It is wonderful! If you're interested, click the button below to go to her blog and see how to sign up for the giveaway -

Gratitudes:
1. Warmer weather relatively speaking!
2. God's control over everything that happens in our lives.