Barn Quilts

I don't seem to blog as much as I like.  One thing that is holding me back is I'm remodeling my sewing room and things are really hard to fine let alone sew.  So hopefully I'll get back to being organized and start sewing again.

Wanted to share another couple of Barn Quilts that I have completed.  This is additive!  My sister and I have set up classes to show how to paint a Barn Quilt and have had a good response.  We're hoping to have quite a few registered here in our county so it will bring tourists.  This is an up and coming thing now spread throughout the USA and we want to be part of it.  Other counties in Kansas are really big right now.  Check out your library and see if you can find books on Barn Quilts and read about them, how they got started and where some of them are.  You can also find alot of Barn Quilts on "Pinterest" if you are a follower there.  I have quite a few under a board "Barn Quilts" in my Pinterest section.  Check it out!

This one to the right I put a dark blue border around the outside to make it stand out.  I have a picture with the border but its laying down and doesn't show it off as well as this one.

I hope to get these 2 barn quilts hung this weekend and then after I get the wheelbarrow decorated for Fall time I'll show you the finished picture.

I hope you enjoyed my pictures and want to go and do some research on "Barn Quilts."  Even my sons have noticed them and tell me where to look for them.  They wouldn't even have thought anything about them if I wouldn't be painting them. They don't have to be hanging on a barn.  I have mine on my chicken/garage shed.  Some people are hanging them in a patio area, side of a front door, on a garden shed, any building.  So watch the side of the road and see if you can find any!  You'll be excited if you do find one or two along your road trip.

So either keep painting if you're painting these or keep stitchin, which I hope to be soon.

Connie

Here Puppy Where Are You.....................

Well I decided to sew something other than a quilt.  I had seen this pattern for an apron on one of my little shop hops that I did not long ago.  Thought it was so cute. So bought the pattern and made it for my 3 year old Granddaughter, Mariah.  She just loves to play in her kitchen and wear an apron.  The pattern is from Cotton Ginnys called Cute Friends.  The pattern has the puppy pattern which I made, a bumble bee and a lady.  I thought the puppy pattern was so cute and it went with Mariah and she loves her puppies.

Along with giving her the apron I had bought a Mommy and Daughter Cookbook to try there cooking skills out. She loves to help Grandma in her kitchen so why not have her own apron and cookbook. Well here's to trying something different. I really enjoyed making it and it went pretty fast. So look at patterns and see what you can make! Keep on stitchin, Connie

Chopsticks

This quilt was really a fun quilt to make.  The name of it is “Chopsticks” designed by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts.  It consists of large and small triangles weaving a festive Asian flair with this crisscross.  This could be a very scrappy quilt if you’d like to get rid of scraps.  Here I used ¾ yard of 7 different fabrics and then black and white to frame the triangles in some cases.   It is using the 12” creative grid Equilateral 60 degree triangle ruler.  The ruler number is CGRT12560 if you wish to look for it.   If you do not want to purchase the ruler there are template patterns provided in the pattern.

I apologize for the picture.  I’m doing some changing in my sewing room which doesn’t allow me to lay it flat on the floor.  Also the edging of the quilt needs to be cut so there’s only ½ a triangle and without my cutting table again it makes it hard to do this step.

Well on to the next project!  Wonder what that might be….

Until next time, keep stitchin!

Connie

Barn Quilt...........................

Took an interesting class last weekend that involved quilting.  Well maybe not quilting like with a sewing machine and material but another kind of quilting.  The latest fad in Kansas now is Barn Quilts.  Barn Quilts can be painted on the actual barn but most of them are painted on a board any size you want to paint.  If you're really interested in this go to your library and check out the book "Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement" by Suzi Parron w/ Donna Sue Groves.  It has a few USA states with different barn quilts and pictures to go along with the stories.  It's a fun book to read and look at the pictures.

So making a Barn Quilt is simply transferring a pattern from paper to the board.   Just like if you were designing a quilt block.  Then taping off and painting the squares.  It does take a little time to do especially the taping off for painting and then waiting for your paint to dry in between coats.  Depends on your pattern if simple or complicated.  I sure enjoyed the class and want to make more of these.

I mentioned hanging them on a barn but some people don't have barns!  I'm going to hang mine on a chicken house and then I have an entry way on my house and I'm going to hang another one on the outside of it.  It seems that a few people are starting to put them somewhere on there house.  In the book, I mentioned at the beginning, it shows them hanging signs and hanging on fences.  Cool ideas.

So check into it!  It is a lot of fun and then watch when you go on trips to see if you can find any BARN QUILTS!

My barn quilt hanging outdoors!

In the mean time, keep on stitchin,

Connie

Purple Wave

This quilt turned out awesome.  I received this pattern and material from the quilt shop I sew for.  I thought there is no way I can do this.  Taking the challenge I decided to try it.  The pattern name is "Torque" by Jessica J. E. Smith.  It includes full color instructions and shows you how to put it together for 5 different sizes.  I was reading through the instructions and I was overwhelmed.  So I decided just start and make one set of blocks and go from there.  So now I have all these blocks on my table, 18 of each, some big blocks and some small blocks.  Finally got all the pieces sewed together and starting arranging the blocks to look like the pattern called for.  Thank goodness for a flannel board.  I don't think I would have been successful in getting it put together right if I wouldn't have had one.  I did 1/2 the quilt at a time than the other half and sewed it all down the middle to finish it.  Was I surprised when I laid it out on the floor and everything worked!  I was so scared that I'd have to rip apart because I got one or more blocks going the wrong way.  I apologize for the wrinkles but you get the idea.

I wouldn't suggest this type of quilt for a beginner.  I'm not sure I will make another one in the near future but will probably try different colors sometime.  I really loved the purples.  It was hard to give it up all the time I spent on it but knew that going into it.  Oh well sometime I'll brave it again and try it.

If you've made one of these let me know what you thought.  Would love to hear from you.

In the mean time,
Keep Stitchin,

Connie

Anyone can color on the floor now - You Can't Resist....................................

Found this chalkboard fabric and thought it would make awesome presents for Birthday, Christmas, etc.  This is chalkboard fabric that you lay on the floor and give them sidewalk chalk and let them color away when they can't go outside.  Then you can just wipe it off with a wet cloth and start over.  I'm giving this one away for a Birthday present and the 2nd one I'm giving away to my granddaughter for Christmas.  I tried the new way of making borders by doing it the potholder and tablecloth way.  This is the new cottage (House) ruler that you see and hear about now.  Check it out it is really neat how it works.

Want to buy some more of this fabric and make potholders to set on a table and then write on them.  Maybe a wall hanging of things to do or your grocery list.  Reminders for the rest of the week.  Even thought about doing some little wall hangings for my grandchildren to hang on there walls for notes.  The ideas are endless.

So keep on stitchin'
Connie

Pillowcases made SEW EASY!!!!

Some more Christmas presents that I have been working on.  These pillowcases are for each of my grandchildren.  They are so fast it's unbelievable.   I've got a present to go in each of the pillowcases and this is going to be the wrapping paper and I will tie it together with a matching ribbon.  Not sure if they make camo ribbon or not but am going to try and find some.  For instants the ladybug pillowcase will hold the ladybug quilt I made. The blue turtle pillowcases has a set of Blue Turtle books and a rolling turtle toy hard carved.

If you'd like to see how these pillowcases are made go to "You Tube."  There are several tutorials on how to make them.  Just watch and see how easy they are.  Mine was made with all the material in a tube made out of the band (edge).

So watch a tutorial and find the material you like and try one!  Bet you'll end up making more than one.

Note:  The pillowcases have been given to each of the grandkids now and everyone of them were so excited.  My 2 year old granddaughter, Mariah just loved her turtle pillowcase and it can hardly be removed to wash it.  She reminds me that its her turtles.

Keep Stitchin'
Connie