Spools-Along Sew-Along Parade . .

I just LOVE a parade, all kinds of parades.  Last weekend was homecoming weekend where I live which comes with the traditional homecoming parade.  What's better than cool weather, bands playing and marching down the middle of the street, kids on the back of flatbed trucks sitting on bales of hay, and football players and cheerleaders throwing candy to the crowd?  

Today you get our on-line Spools Parade,  you'll just have to picture me sitting on the back of a convertible wearing a crown and sash, smiling, and throwing you candy with a big banner that says, "Welcome to our Spools-Along Sew-Along.  

Just in case you were born yesterday, Spools is a pattern by Camille Roskelley for thimble blossoms and is available here.

This pattern is for the quilter in all of us!

I almost forgot Cindy's quilt! She moves up to the beginning of the parade with this adorable, summery quilt that she just got back from the quilter.

Here's what Cindy had to say about her Spools, "This quilt represented a lot of firsts for me.  It was the first time I used a Thimble Blossoms pattern and the first time I purchased a pdf pattern.  It was also the first time I used a coordinated line of fabric (Pam Kitty Morning), the first time I purchased fabric that wasn't on sale, and the first time I ordered from Shabby Fabrics.  Most importantly, this was the first time I started and finished a project so quickly (just over a week)."
Great job all around Cindy!

The next entry in this parade is mine!

My Spools is back from the quilter and hanging in my sewing room!  I  made a bigger version but it folds perfectly to hang and look like the smaller version!  Between my sewing machine cover and now my wall hanging, I sure have jazzed up my sewing room this year. My Spools is made using Marmalade and Bliss by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.

This entry is by Annette at Sunshine Yellow.

Annette made this quilt in no time flat using scraps.  It's quilted and hanging in her yellow and red sewing room, it's as cheerful as Annette is.

Here's Sherri's quilt from A Quilting Life, her Spools is  finished and brightening her sewing room too.  The fabric is Marmalade.

Sherri says this quilt puts a big smile on her face every time she sees it.  Sherri just announced yesterday that she will have a book out in March, her first, I'm guessing that's putting a big smile on her face too.  Congratulations Sherri, I could not be happier for you and look forward to hearing more about that book and hope it's the first of many.

Next up,  from Pink Pin Cushion, is Sinta's Spools made with Hideaway by Lauren and Jessi Jung for Moda.

My quilt was already done and at the quilter by the time Sinta finished her version.  After seeing hers I wished I had tossed in a checked inner border and lovely outer border, they add so much to this project.

The next entry in this parade is by Cathy at Quilting on Main Street.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but Cathy made a smaller version of Camille's pattern, this wall hanging is 28" x 30" and was made using one California Girl by Fig Tree charm pack!  ONE!!  Plus some background fabric and tan for the spool toppers and bottoms.  Very clever, and cute!

Darlene at Quilting Daze also used some Fig Tree fabric for her Spools,  California Girl with some Strawberry Fields.

Darlene just finished quilting her project this week.  Thanks for getting it done before the parade Darlene!  It looks great!  The quilting design reminds me of bobbins, all wound up and ready to play with the spools.

Next we have TWO Spools quilts from Susan at Cozy Little Quilts.  

This Spools is made from Fig and Plum by Fig Tree.

And this one from Petite Odile, by French General for Moda.

I love the looks of both of them and wonder how Sue decides which one to hang when.  Did you also notice that Sue went with the neat stacked spool blocks for both of her projects?  I'm guessing Sue is a very neat and very organized person.

And bringing up the rear of the parade is Lisa, Stashmaster, who also joined in the fun with this lovely Spools.

That Marmalade sure makes a pretty quilt top.

Nicole, Sister's Choice, has the other half of the parade at her blog, be sure to check it out.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the Spools-Along Sew-Along, sewing is fun, but so much more fun when done with friends.  Thanks also to you for following along.  Every parade needs an enthusiastic crowd lining the streets, you did good!

Read more

Spools-Along Sew-Along . . . .

The Spools projects keep rolling in!

Sinta at Pink Pincushion finished her Spools with a flair, adding a checked inner border and floral outer border.  I love it and wish I would have thought to do something similar.

Sally at Chocolate Chip Addict has doubled her Spools production.

I think they all look wonderful.

When Nicole, Lisa, and I talked about asking folks to join in our Spools-Along, we figured we would wrap things up the end of Summer, around Labor Day.  Well we still have some folks working away so we've decided to extend the Spools-Along until later in September, there's still time to join in the fun if you've not started!

Hey, thanks for all the great wool comments, links, suggestions, and tips!  As with most things I'm finding out the more I learn the more I find out I don't know!

It's looking good that my Dimestore will be in the Schnibbles Parade, stop by tomorrow for a look at my finish.

Read more

Spools-Along Sew-Along Updates . . .

First we've got another Spools-Along Sew-Along finish, 

mine!

I started making blocks and couldn't stop so my Spools has an extra row of spools.

Then I thought it needed a little something more, so I played around with some little spools blocks and threw a few of those in for fun.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 92

The pattern is Spools by Camille Roskelley for thimble blossoms.

The print fabric is Bliss and Marmalade by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.

The background fabric is Moda Bella Solid Number 9900-97, Bleached White

The quilt finished at 59" X 66"

It has approximately 891 pieces.

And next I have an update, from Sinta.

When Sinta was finished connecting all her spools she thought it  needed a little something something too, but instead of changing the inside of the quilt she decided to work on the outside of the quilt.  She's added this little inner border and is not done yet.  But I LOVE where she's going.  I think she could quilt right now and have an adorable finish.  I can hardly wait to see what else she adds!

There's still plenty of time to join the fun, I bet you could whip out the small wallhanging, 16 block project, this weekend!  

Read more

Spools Progress . . . .

Ta Da!  I'm working away on my Spools blocks!

One thing that was continually annoying me with my blocks was that little corner where the spool top or bottom met the thread.  

This is how it should look.

Trouble was, on a block with four of these intersections, I was only getting 3 perfectly aligned.  I would then take the bad corner,  un-sew it, fiddle with it, sew it again, and get it right.  After doing this for four or five blocks I got to thinking there must be a way to get all 4 corners perfectly aligned on the first try, and there is!

Using my Pilot FriXion pen I measured a quarter inch from the edge and marked the front of this seam.

Then I measured and marked a quarter inch down this diagonal line, on the back of this piece.

I then ran a pin through the line on the back, then the line on the front, to get the proper placement.  Then I would pin and sew.

Now I'm four for four on those corners, every time!  The pen marks disappear when I press the seams.

I've not heard anyone mention that they struggled with this part of this block,  some folks probably were able to sew their corners more accurately than I and got it right the first try.  So if you make this block and have no issues with those corners, don't worry about the marking and pinning, but if your blocks are off a little give this a try!

Read more

Another Spools-Along Sew-Along Update . . .

So here's what my design wall looks like, I'm back to working on Spools.  (Spools was designed by Camille Rosekelley for thimble blossoms)  My plan is to keep working on this project until it's done, no more interruptions!

hmmmm, I seem to be a little heavy on the pinks and reds . . . .

Here are some more Spools projects.

This is by Sally at Chocolate Chip Addict.

I love that dark background, those spools really pop!  I also like how Sally varied the size of the "thread" strips.  She plans to add a few more spools, I can't wait to see it all done.

Sue at  Cozy Little Quilts has finished TWO Spools projects.

This one is made from Petite Odile by French General for Moda.

This one is made from Fig and Plum by Fig Tree for Moda.

I love them both!

Lisa, Stashmaster, finished her Spools, did you see it?  Nicole, Sisters Choice,  has the same issue as Sue, one is not enough!

Have you caught Spools fever yet?  Come join us!

Read more

It's July 25th!!

Good gravy where has July gone!

So I've decided on the fabric for my spools toppers and bottoms. I'm going pink and green!  Most folks are using grays and I've seen a couple of taupe versions.  

The spools I literally use are orange but that didn't appeal to me. I thought white toppers and bottoms would look nice against a red background, but was stumped on what fabric would then pop for the threads. I also contemplated going with red toppers and bottoms but the pink and green matches my sewing room so that's what I'm going with.  Whew, I sure made that hard!

  So I made my two inspiration blocks and called it quits, for now!

I need to get my July Schnibbles of the month done!  And this month is quilters choice, I couldn't pass up this month.

Do you remember that bundle of Kate Spain Terrain fabric that I said I was going to enjoy looking at on my sewing room shelf all summer? 

Well it's now officially off the shelf and on my sewing table.

I've decided to make Hubble, can you believe this stack of fabric is going to make that 70" x 70" inch star?  Me either!  But I'm thinking it will be fun to give it a try.  Lots and lots of half square triangles in my future, one of my favorite blocks!

BTW, Carrie named this pattern after the famed astrologer Edwin Hubble.  But I always think of Robert Redford from the movie "The Way We Were" when I hear Hubble, but he spelled his name Hubbel.  Since Robert Redford is a big star, and dreamy,  I'm naming my project Hubbel!

Read more

Hot mess with a side of bliss . . . .

So this is where it ends, at least temporarily, with Free Spirit Medley.

I'm just not happy with my fabric selections for the center of this quilt.  And with so much piecing yet to come with the borders, I don't think I want to risk that I might come around and like this sometime  down the road.

I do think I've figured out where I went wrong.  I'm not crazy about two of my blue choices, but I could live with them, it's the background, it's distracting and looks messy.  I think I need to use one background, not a solid, but something with a little print to it.

I do like the light blue and red geese in the pinwheel blocks and the light brown and dark blue fabric colors for the stars.

It looks better in this picture than it does in real life. 

I was working with fat quarters and a layer cake, but I really need some yardage of the simpler blue fabric pieces.

So while I regroup I thought I would work on my Spools project, have you heard, there's a Spool-Along Sew-Along going on!

I'ved decided to use some Bliss and some Marmalade for my spools. 

I'm so excited several folks have decided to sew along with us, there are going to be some very interesting finishes with some of the creative fabric choices that are in the works.

Mary Caldwell is the Spools pattern winner, Mary, drop me a note with your address, your comment didn't have your email address.

Read more

Spool-Along Sew-Along

I mentioned in an earlier post that the pattern "spools" by Camille Roskelley for thimble blossoms was on my Summer To Do list.  A couple of friends mentioned they wanted to make this adorable quilt too so we thought we would have ourselves a little Spool-Along Sew-Along.

Then Nicole mentioned the Spool-Along Sew-Along on her blog and some folks asked if they could join in.   Ya know what's more fun than sewing with a few friends, sewing with a few more!

Then Camille mentioned our Spool-Along Sew-Along on her blog, and some more folks thought they would like to join in.

So just in case you hadn't heard, there's a Spool-Along Sew-Along going on and your invited to join in too!

Here are the rules, there aren't any!  Just make this quilt and send a note to Nicole, Lisa or myself and we'll blog about it.  At the end of the summer we'll have a little parade and a giveaway of some sort.   We'll blog about finishes and updates every now and then, it's summer, so it's an easy peasy lemon squeezy sort of affair.  You don't need a blog to join us.

So pick out some fabric, get the pattern and let us know how you're doing.

Don't have the pattern yet, I have an extra one, leave a comment on this post to be eligible to win it. I'll announce the winner on Friday.  In your comment let me know what fabric you think you would like to use to make your spools quilt.

Lisa's got a jump start on Nicole and I, visit her blog if you've not seen her spools.

Finally, I've created a Pinterest Spools Board with 3 very cute finished Spool quilts, I hope to add yours to the list!

Read more