Why quilting warms my heart...

Today's project has just meant so much to me.  I got a call from a sweet customer to quilt her new grand babies quilt.  While talking with her, she told me that my great-grandmother made a baby quilt for her oldest son (now grown, married with babies of his own).  There is just something very touching about knowing I am following in my Granny Blacks footsteps.  I hope I am making her proud.

This is a precious, very classy quilt.  I thought the straight lines would help keep the classy look!

Week 4 - Women of the Bible - Lot's Wife

This week we studied Lot's wife.  It was very odd because just before starting the study, I had something personal to happen and it took me way back to my childhood in a not so good way.  I struggled with understanding how after all the hours and money spent on therapy, one little comment could dump it all on me like a bucket of water.  

Reading about Lot's wife helped me to see that God doesn't want us holding on to our "stuff".  He wants us to move forward and follow him.  

Lot's wife, whom we do not have a name for, turned to look back at their town.  I can only imagine that she was thinking about her home, possibly family members that were still there, memories of her children growing up and yes probably of her possessions in their home.

We also make decisions with our family and possessions in mind.  I don't believe that we mean to be doing wrong, I just pray that God will help me to be more focused on Him and less on myself.  It is so easy to think of me and what I want.  I pray that God will open my eyes and ears so the I can see and hear what He wants in my life and the life of those around me.

Still processing all of this and for some reason I am unsettled.  I can not figure out why that is but I am asking God for understanding and forgiveness.

Now my sweet little block.

This is not the layout from the pattern exactly,  I turned a few things wrong but decided I liked it as is.  I love the graduated pink section.  For me it represents our growing spiritual faith and the deepening of God's grace.

One sweet quilt and my new favorite quilting design...

I am not a fan of pantographs but this one has become my new favorite.  It is a design from Urban Elementz.

Sometimes pantographs are great for a quick but beautiful design that the quilter doesn't have to really think about.  That's why I love this design.  Instead of meandering, you end up with this...

Now the quilt top itself was made by a customers grandmother and we have been quilting up all her tops that were found in the attic.  Such an honor to be able to work for this customer.

Well, let's GO! Quilting!

Remember, if you need thread, AccuQuilt products or our new line of Electric Quilt products, please check out our website at www.stitchesnstories.com.

Let's GO! Have A Snowball Fight!

My friend Bea is hosting a AccuQuilt GO! Challenge for 2014 and ask me to be a guest blogger for February.  Hope this blog post can be worthy of Bea and her great generosity and creativity.  Thanks Bea for all you do.  You can check out more of Bea AccuQuilt GO! Challenge post here... http://www.beaquilter.com/

We are going to focus on the new GO! Snowball die.  There are so many variation that this block can be layout out... just play with it and enjoy.  I have to give the credit to AccuQuilt for these directions... I just typed them up so you can enjoy.  :)


Dies Needed:
55330 - GO! Snowball - 6" Finished
55059 - GO! Square - 2-1/2" (2" Finished) or 55018 - Value Die

 

Cutting for 9-Patch Blocks 

–Fabric #1: Cut—20, 3” x WOF Strips
•Sub cut into 160—2 ½” x 2 ½” squares using the Value Die (55018)

–Fabric #2: Cut—7, 3” x WOF Strips
•Sub cut into 100, 2 ½” x 2 ½” squares using the Value Die (55018)
–Fabric #3: Cut—7, 3” x WOF Strips
•Sub cut into 100, 2 ½” x 2 ½” squares using the Value Die (55018)

Sewing the 9-Patch Blocks (Unit #1)
•Lay out
4—Fabric #1 squares
2—Fabric #2 squares and
3—Fabric #3 squares as shown.

•Sew blocks together into rows. Pressing seams in the direction of the arrows.

•Sew rows together to make
1—9-Patch block.

•Press in the direction of the arrows.
•Block should measure 6 ½” x 6 ½”.
•Repeat previous three steps to make a total of 20—Unit #1 blocks.

Sewing the 9-Patch Blocks (Unit #2)
•Lay out
4—Fabric #1 squares
3—Fabric #2 squares and
2—Fabric #3 squares as shown.

•Sew blocks together into rows. Pressing seams in the direction of the arrows.

•Sew rows together to make
1—9-Patch block.

•Press in the direction of the arrows.
•Block should measure 6 ½” x 6 ½”.
•Repeat previous three steps to make a total of 20—Unit #2 blocks.

 

Cutting for Snowball Blocks

•Fabric #1: Cut 7—3” x WOF Strips

•Fabric #2: Cut 5—7” x WOF Strips

•Fabric #3: Cut 5—7” x WOF Strips

•Cut the
7—Fabric #1 strips into 164—2 ½” Finished Half Square Triangles

 

 

•Cut the
5—Fabric #2 strips into
25—6” Finished Snowball Blocks

 

•Cut the
5—Fabric #3 strips into 16—6” Finished Snowball Blocks

 

 

•Lay out
1—Fabric #2 block and
4—Fabric #1 Half Square Triangles as shown.

 

•Sew all four corners onto block.

•Press towards the corners

•Block should measure 6 ½” x 6 ½”

•Repeat previous three steps to make a total of 25, Fabric #2 Snowball Blocks

 

Repeat with Fabric #2 block and Fabric #1 Half Square Triangles

Sewing Rows

•Lay out 5—Fabric #2 Snowball Blocks and
4—Unit #1, 9-Patch blocks, as shown.

 

Sew blocks together into a row, pressing towards the Snowball block. Make a total of five Row #1.

 

Repeat to make alternating rows...

Sew blocks together into a row, pressing towards the Snowball block. Make a total of four Row #2.

Sewing Quilt Top Together

 

Quilt Top

 

Again, this is just one layout out of many. Hope you enjoy!  If you would like to purchase this die or any others, please go to Stitches N Stories Quilting.

 

SPECIAL for YOU!

AC2014 - $5 off any mat purchase w/ the purchase of a feature die

AND

FSAC2014 - Free Shipping w/order (not required if ordering over $100 - in that case shipping is already free)

enter the code(s) at checkout on StitchesNStories

 

Now Let's GO! Quilting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a fan of restoring old quilts but this one is for a special customer...

Typically when approached about restoring an old quilt, I quickly tuck my tail and run the other way.  Part of that fear is afraid that I'm not good enough to do what our ancestors did.  :)

When this customer ask me to put binding on an old quilt (possibly 100 years old) I had to really think about it.

This picture is of a relatively good part of the quilt.  After seriously considering it and talking with a few friends, I decided to take the job.  She isn't asking me to restore the blocks, just add a new binding to the edge.

Notice the binding is completely worn through in some areas.  The customer just wants to be able to use her beloved quilt again, not looking or perfection.

So right or wrong, the first thing I did was cut the original binding off which also allowed me to straighten up the edges to receive the new (prewashed fabric) binding.

Another hesitation was I have very little desire to do hand work.  This customer was great with the binding being machine stitches so to the lovely featherweight machine we go...

She is sewing all those layers like butter.  :). Love a good Singer!

And now all finished up....

With all the layers, the binding is a little uneven but I know my customer will cherish the fact that she can now use her beloved quilt again.  This is what I love about what I do!

Be sure and check us out at www.stitchesnstories.com!

Women of the Bible - Week 3, Hagar

This weeks study was about Hagar.  She was the maid servant to Sarah that gave birth to Abraham's baby.

My first thought is how Hagar most have felt when Sarah GAVE her to Abraham.  Notice I used the word GAVE.  This was a common practice in those days but Hagar didn't really have a choice.  Would that have been an honor or would it have been like rape.  Hagar must have been Sarah's favorite maidservant to have been chosen but right after she became pregnant, Sarah was jealous and started being very mean and ugly to Hagar.

So not only was Hagar made to give birth to a child she didn't ask for, now she had lost her best friend.  This situation got to the point of being unbearable and Abraham ask Sarah and the child to leave.  Now she is homeless with nothing but a child she can't take care of.  She was about to leave her son for someone else to find.

That is where the blessing of God stepped in.  God told her that he was with her and he would take care of her.  God was there with her in the middle of her mess.  Not only did God take care of her, He BLESSED her and her son.

In our day, when we are troubled, GOD is still there in our mess with us.  If we can just trust like Hagar did, He will open our eyes to help us see the answer to our prayers.  God never leaves us and never forsakes us.  Thank you Lord.

Snowball Fight Quilt Top Class Was GREAT!

What an absolute PERFECT quilting day... We only had two attend the Snowball Fight Quilt Top Class but they are two AMAZING people.  First let me say a big thank you to The Carpenters Cabinet for allowing us to use this wonderful facility.  What a blessing to have a food bank in our community that is focused on helping people change their life.

Now about the class... The quilt below is the top for our class.  Boy was it easy to cut with our AccuQuilt GO! Cutter.  :)

Here the ladies are just piecing away...



Beth's first completed row...


Darlene's first completed row...

So proud of you ladies.  We got all the pieces cut during class and most of the blocks assembled.  They will have the remaining rows completed real soon and we will be showing off their completed tops.

Thanks ladies for making today such a great day.

Be sure to check out our website to see when other classes are scheduled.  Stitches N Stories Quilting