Raspberry Swirl and Trinket SAL

It is said that every end is a new beginning. Well, I have both a finish and a start to share with you. Plus a bit of bragging :-)

1. Raspberry Swirl
2. Trinket SAL
3. Meet Cute is on QI

First the finish.  Meet Raspberry Swirl.

Raspberry Swirl

Raspberry Swirl is the finished quilt resulting from my workshop with Debby Kratovil.

First quadrant

Two done, Two to go

Completed center

This was my first workshop and first time working with my Dresden ruler.  I am sure the ruler was feeling bereft and was thrilled to come out and play :-)  I completed the four quadrants in class.

Corner Squares pinned

Finished Top

Quilting

The center circle is a bit wonky but I still love it.

Faux Piped Binding

Labelled

I used invisible thread for appliqué and quilting in the dresden blades. In the corner triangles with paisley fabric, I switched to my normal ivory thread for quilting.

Hearts Backing

The red of the paisley corner triangles matches the red solid perfectly.
And the faux piped binding adds a nice touch.

Yes, I am happy :-)

 And one last look...because it looks like a spiral but it is really a circle!!!

Hello Wonky - I love you!!!

Since I am no longer a Dresden virgin, I will try more Dresden blocks/patterns.
What is your Dresden experience?

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I have decided to join the Trinket Sew Along with Alison Glass.

Pattern Booklet

Trinkets

Inspiration

I bought the pattern from Fat Quarter Shop.  There are 97 blocks and each one of them is paper-pieced. I know I know, paper-piecing is not my thing, but I am sure this is the only way to get rid of my PP fears. One small block a day, progressing from the simplest to complex.

Suggested Fabrics 

Although the sample quilt uses Alison Glass' Kaleidoscope fabrics, we can use fabrics of our choice.
There are prizes to be won and the sew-along suggests that blocks are made (and posted to IG) every day. Yes, Every. Single. Day.  I plan to.

Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons

Here is my fabric pull.
I had bought these Kaffe Fassett shot cottons in 2014 and I am thrilled that this TrinketSAL will be the perfect way to use them and show them off.  They do not match exactly with Kaleidoscope fabrics, but I am sure we will do just fine.

Can I really cut you up?

Too lovely to use?

Oh but I must...

I know I got a little too carried away with photographing my fabric pull.   But then there is no such thing as too many photographs, especially when it comes to pretty pet-worthy fabric :-D

40 Fat Quarters

Which picture should go on Instagram?
All of them :-D

Pattern - check
Fabrics - check
It is time to print the templates.  Nope

I am going rogue..FP rogue!

I have chosen to go the freezer paper route. No sewing on paper, no pulling paper, no mess and no waste. The reusability of FP templates is a huge plus for me.


The sew along begins March 10 and ends on May 20, 2019. I will be posting regular updates.

Promise, this is the last one!

Are you sewing along?

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Meet Cute was one of the several patterns mentioned on Quilt Inspiration's Jelly Roll Quilts.
That my pattern is on Quilt Inspiration makes me want to rock and roll. Pun intended :-D
The complete tutorial is on Moda Bake Shop.

And with that I complete my bit of bragging.

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Hope you are staying warm and keeping busy. As usual, I'd love to hear from you.

Meet Cute

I am thrilled to present Meet Cute. This is my second project for Moda Bake Shop and I am very happy about it.

Meet Cute

Unlike Esmeralda which was not for the faint-hearted, Meet Cute is easygoing and very adaptable.

Simple Block - 17.5" square

Large and simple block finishes at 17.5" square. This means that you only need 4 blocks for a baby quilt (36" square).  This lap quilt uses 12 blocks and finishes at about 53" by 70".

There are no seams to match, which makes it a an easy beginner project. Or a speedy one for more experienced quilt makers.

Backing - Moda Grunge Hits the Spot (Pool)

You can make it from charm squares, or jelly rolls, or layer cakes, and scraps too.

Have I sold it enough?

Well then, go check out the complete tutorial here.  

Here are some more pictures.

Bright & Cheerful

Turquoise Binding

All done

Walking Foot Quilting

Does this look familiar? Of course, it does. It is the same pattern as Playing Footsie, but made with Moda (Grunge Hits the Spot) fabrics. 

Don't  think so

You are in

Of course, some fabrics did not make the cut. Fabrics that were too light were set aside, because they would make a poor contrast against the white background.

ooh Texture!!!

Labeled

I wanted to call it Playing Footsie, but that is too risqué a name for the gentlefolk at Moda, hence the change in name - Meet Cute.

Sweet Meet Cute

I even managed to borrow some super-cute models for the photoshoot.

Thank you, dear model!!!

Isn't she a natural?

When I showed this quilt to my quilt guild members, there were oohs and aahs but when I mentioned the name Meet-Cute, most ladies had a question mark on their face. I had to explain.


If you are wondering what is Meet Cute, here is Wikipedia to the rescue.

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This post won't be complete without an update on Axel.

Little Superhero Axel

I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support. Your generous donations have put us over the goal, but you are still welcome to donate. The giveaway is updated (new prize added) and will close on Sunday, April 1, 2018.


Everyone who makes a $10 donation will be entered to win one the following prizes. If you make a $20 donation, you get two entries. Similarly, a $30 donation qualifies you for three entries, and so on. If you made an anonymous donation, I can still enter your name in the giveaway. Please forward the email (from GoFundMe) to sewpreetiquilts AT gmail.com. Here are the prizes - 21 total.

1. A pattern of your choice from Jeni Baker of In Color Order (1 prize)
2. A pattern of your choice from Kelly Young of My Quilt Infatuation (2 prizes)
3. A pattern of your choice from Erica Jackman of Kitchen Table Quilting (1 prize)
4. A copy of the Blue Skies/Sunny Days pattern from Sandra walker of MMMQuilts (1 prize)
5. A gift card for $20 from Bernie Kringle's Etsy shop - Needle and Foot (1 prize)
6. A pattern of your choice from Cynthia Brunz Designs of Quilting is More Fun than Housework (3 prizes)
7. A PDF pattern of your choice from Laura Piland of Slice of Pi Quilts (1 prize)
 8. A charm pack (5 prizes - Four Lily & Loom, One Sunny Days)

5 charm packs

 9. A Moda Jelly Roll (2 prizes - Color Theory and Rustic Weave)

2 Jelly Rolls

10. Small Fat Quarter Bundle (2 prizes - 9 FQs in each bundle)

Moda Paradiso - 9 FQs

Magic - 9 FQs

11. Medium Fat Quarter Bundle by Michael Miller (1 prize - 14 FQs)

Michael Miller FQ Bundle - 14 FQs

12. Large Fat Quarter Bundle (1 prize - Assorted 24 FQs)

All the colors - 24 FQs

If you are quilter/blogger, you get an extra entry for sharing a link to Axel's GoFundMe page on your blog.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties, see sidebar.


Thank you once again to all of you who helped dispel the darkness.
The giveaway is closed and all winners have been notified.

What a Year!!!

It has been a rollercoaster of a year for me in so many ways.  Paul and I celebrated our 10th anniversary.

As my surprise gift, we went i-flying.

That was an exhilarating experience which I happily repeated.

Quilting wise, if there was an overall theme running through 2017, it had to be scrap vortex.  I completed four of them, including Happy and Lucky.

Lucky and Happy

The Honey Pot Bee blocks were a mixed bag.  Here are a couple of my favorites - the Stripey Stripe Block.

Stripey Stripe Block 

And this leaf block by Intrepid Thread is so striking, I am sure I will revisit and make a whole quilt out of it. 

Feather Leaf Block

I really enjoyed making some of the blocks. Others failed to excite me. It will be a long time before anything can become of those diverse blocks.

I dipped my toes into paper piecing. I definitely prefer the freezer paper method, which I used to make these mushroom blocks.

So cute

Magic Mushrooms

I met quilty buddies from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Germany!!!

with Sylvia in Pennsylvania

with Mari (at the Lancaster Quilt Show)

With Melanie (visiting from Germany)

And I met Bonnie Hunter.

Here are my top five quilt picks of the year.

The most popular quilt was My Twitter Feed.  If I had to describe it in one word it would be Joyful.

My Twitter Feed 

Joyful Birds

It received such rave reviews at the 2017 Quilt Show, I glow with joy every time I think about it.

My entry to the Moda Bake Shop was very well-received. Esmeralda is the most ambitious quilt, I have made so far.

Esmeralda - A queen-size princess of a quilt

A queen-size, kaleidoscope quilt with a thousand pieces, completed in one month (with the tutorial and pictures) is a major accomplishment.

Esmeralda - Close-up

Being published in the Moda Bake Shop was definitely something to dance about.


The Shadow of Light is a small quilt but it packs a punch. The inspiration came from the Honey Pot Bee - the Blended Scraps block. The process included many love hate moments.

Shadow of Light

In the end, I love it so much that I am sure that I will be revisiting this pattern.


The surprise pick of the year is the Playing Footsie Quilt. The quilt design is simple but it is the story of loving and longing that received such an extraordinary response from you.

Playing Footsie

If I had to describe it in one word it would be Soul-soothing or Comforting.


My Parikrama quilt is the last finish of the year. When I was piecing this quilt, it reminded me of spices, Bollywood dance/song numbers, or the hustle and bustle of a busy open air market.

Parikrama

The process was almost effortless, like I was being guided by an external force, where each step just came to me naturally. When it finished it was evocative of the Temple and the Goddess. It was Mystical.

For a year that had no plans, no goals and absolutely no to-do lists, it is remarkable that it brought me Joy, Accomplishment, Love, Comfort, and Mysticism.

Having no deadline/goals allowed me to make fun blocks like these bikini ladies from Sew Fresh Quilts.

Lorna's Lovely Ladies

Made these house blocks for the victims of the Quebec Mosque shooting, requested by the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild.

House Blocks for the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild

And these Doggone Cute blocks for KaHolly.

Love these puppies

I have plenty of deadlines at work, which I consistently meet or exceed every month. Therefore I am going to keep my creative pursuits free-flowing and spontaneous. It worked for 2017. Why not do the same for 2018?
What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I will be linking with Meadow Mist Designs Best of 2017 and all my favorite linky parties. See sidebar.