KISSED!!!

Do you remember your first kiss?  I can close my eyes and not just picture it, I can relive it.
The moment when every fiber of my being was fully focused on the kiss. That was a lifetime ago.

Completed KISS

The KISS (Keep it Simply Strippy) Quilt that started two years ago is finally complete. I know I should have waited till Valentine's Day to share it...but I could not keep my lips compressed any longer :-D

Vibrant Kaffe Fassett

The pattern uses 6" strips

Alphabet Soup BAcking

This simple pattern became popular, in part, due to the Craftsy Blog Hop. Kat Scribner of Scrapbox Quilts also played a part in directing readers to the tutorial, every single time she made a quilt/flimsy with this pattern.

Labelled

I chose a black border and black binding.  Sewing the black binding using back thread really did a number only eyes. I need to get them tested. Maybe I am getting old.

Black Binding+Black Thread

The finished quilt measures 43" by 52". Now that it is finished. I am relieved.

Finished

Kid Appropriate

KISS!!!

It was time to celebrate my first finish of the year.

And celebrate I did with a piece of good news.
The quilt I made for Paul - Paulitiks - was featured in Top 100 Projects on Fave Quilts website.

Paul with his quilt - Paulitiks

And I am on Cloud Nine that Sew Preeti Quilts also made it to the Top 25 Blogs.

I feel giddy, maybe like the newbie actress who is nominated to the Golden Globes along with the likes of Judi Dench and Meryl Streep.



While I could lovingly linger over the KISS, there is another project that I must pursue passionately. It is a quilt for the victims of the Thomas Fire in California. Here is a sneak peek.

Perkiomen Valley Block

The block was designed by Scott Griffin of Ventura Modern Quilt Guild to make as relief quilts for the Thomas Fire Victims.  I have made 27 so far. 15 to go.

Design Wall

42 blocks will be arranged 6 by 7 to make a quilt measuring 72" by 84".
Here is the backing I have chosen. What do you think?

Backing - Amish Village

The goal is to complete it by the end of the month.  I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties, see sidebar. I'd love to hear from you.

KISS - Keeping it Simply Strippy

This post is modified from the original to remove dead links. The tutorial is unchanged.

Here are the steps to the tutorial.

1. Choose eight strips (6" by WOF) that you love. Arrange them (on your design wall) in a way that adjacent strips have some contrast. For example, you may not want to put yellow next to the white. Alternate light and dark strips.

Fabric Selection - 8 Strips

2. Sew the strips together, along the length, alternating sewing direction.  Stitch Strips (1 and 2), (3 and 4), (5 and 6), and (7 and 8), starting from the top.  Iron the seams to the dark side.

Piecing the Strips

3. Stitch strip sets (1+2) with (3+4), starting from the bottom.  Similarly sew (5+6) with (7+8) starting from the bottom.  Press seams to the dark side.

4. Finally, stitch (1+2+3+4) to (5+6+7+8), starting from the bottom. Press the closed seam in place.  Do not turn it to any side. We want to keep it folded in half, at this time.

Pieced Strips, Folded.

5. While keeping the strip set folded in half at the middle seam, using your rotary cutter, straighten the top and bottom edges. After trimming, you should have at least 42".

Straightened top edge

6. While still folded, cut across the sewn strips into seven sections of 6" each.  See picture below.

7. Now, you can press the central seam to the dark side. Place the cut section on the design wall. See picture.

First Cut Section

8. Place the next cut section, offsetting it about 3" from the end of the first section.  See picture below.  Place all the sections on the design wall, as shown in the picture.

Seven Cut Sections

9. Cut a 3" by WOF strip from black yardage. Cut this strip into seven 6" by 3" rectangles.

Solid Yardage, cut seven 6" by 3" rectangles

Place a 6" black strip at the right end of the top row.  Now keep adding the black strips, alternating the location with each row. The last row will have the black strip on the right.  See picture below.

Offset rows with black rectangles

9. Sew the black rectangle at the row ends, as placed. Sew the seven rows together, once again alternating the sewing direction.

Almost done

At this stage, I turned the quilt top by 90 degrees, to make it fit better on my design wall.

10. Add a 2.5" black border.

Top and Bottom Border added

Finished Flimsy!!!

The finished quilt top is 44" by 52.5".

Step back and enjoy your handiwork!!!

Backyard Picture 

The colors are so bright, they light up my sad backyard.

So pretty

It is a very simple, fast and easy to follow pattern.  And you can make it your own. Use large prints that you'd hate to cut up. Use animal or baby prints for a fun, cute quilt.  Trust me, you can put together this quilt top in one afternoon.

I am in love!!!

Sharing with Mari's Hands to Help Linky Party.  As usual, I'd love to hear your comments.