July 29, 2017

Summer Star Scrappy Sew Along Progress

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I'm participating in the Summer Star Scrappy Sew Along hosted by Diane at Butterfly Threads Quilting.  I make a rainbow whenever I can, so my quilt is planned rather than scrappy.  


Here's my colored 9 patches.  Each colorway has 9 Kona cotton solids in it, and there are 11 9-patches in each pile which is enough for the star and the border sections.  I worked it out in EQ7 to see how many of each block type are needed.  This week I'll be working on background blocks.  Stop by again to see the quilt come together - it will be stunning!

Save 30% off pattern downloads at Annie's on Sunday with the code SOAKUP.  Their Jelly Bean Dreamin' pattern is on my to-do list to use up some Bonnie and Camille scraps!

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Linking to:
Finish It Up Friday ♥ 

July 28, 2017

Twin Rosewood Lane Quilt | Finished or Not Friday Linky Party

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Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My finish is a Rosewood Lane Twin XL quilt in Strawberry Fizz.  This is a quick pattern for an "organized" scrappy quilt.


This is a twin XL at 98" long.  Lands alive!  I made extra blocks and intended to use them for a baby quilt but just kept adding rows to the quilt without counting. I realized my mistake before quilting it, but forgot to take them off and even made the batting in the larger size without noticing.  So twin XL it is!


Aren't the tiny strawberries and flowers just adorable?!?  I love the mix of tiny checks in there as well.  This is Strawberry Fizz, one of Craftsy's new fabric collections.


Quilt Stats:

Pattern:   Rosewood Lane, pattern available here.
Size:  Twin XL (extra long), approx 70" x 98"
Fabric:  Strawberry Fizz from Craftsy.
Quilting:  Loopy daisies on Gratitude.
Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 100% Cotton
Backing:  Extra wide tiny pink/red circles on white from Red Rooster.



This quilt is for sale in my quilt shop!


I have some exciting news to share with you!!  I have begun purchasing quilt backing at wholesale by the bolt for quilts I make and am now selling the extra in my pattern shop at excellent prices!  Here are the fabrics listed so far.  Check it out HERE!


It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  
  • Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread.
  • Projects from this week only.
  • ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  
  • LINK BACK with the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link.
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts



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July 27, 2017

Rainbow Picnic Blanket Sew Along

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I recently participated in the Rainbow Picnic Sew Along hosted by Rachel at Stitched in Color.  From the stash I pulled a Kona Cotton New Bright layer cake and a canvas print that I accidentally purchased years back, thinking it was quilting cotton when I ordered it.


Quilting is a doodle design with many different design elements merged together and is done in black thread.


Oh my, the backing, just delish!  You can imagine my disappointment when I opened the package and it was canvas instead of quilting cotton!  I'm so happy to use it up!


Quilt Stats:

Pattern:  Rainbow Picnic Sew Along
Size:  58" x 65"
Fabric:  Kona Cotton New Bright layer cake
Batting:  None
Backing:  Canvas print from Connecting Threads.
Quilting:  Doodling design, edge to edge, done on Gratitude.

This quilt is for sale in my quilt shop.


Save 30% off pattern downloads at Annie's through Sunday!  Their Jelly Bean Dreamin' pattern is on my to-do list to use up some Bonnie and Camille scraps!




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Linking to:
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July 21, 2017

Star Crossed Rainbow Lap Quilt | Finished or Not Friday Linky Party!

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Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Finish is a lap size Star Crossed Rainbow with a white background!


This quilt is made with one half of a Kona jelly roll.  The pattern gives the layout of each color to create this exact quilt and utilizes strip piecing for quick assembly.


This quilt top laid on the stair rail for quite awhile because I couldn't figure out how to quilt it.  It wasn't asking for feathers, swirls, or flowers, and I ended up choosing interlocking loops for a more modern look.


The Benartex Gradation Rainbow backing is simply amazing.  It's a shame that it doesn't photograph nearly as beautiful as it is.  I'm sure this also makes it hard for online shops to sell.  It's one of those fabrics ya gotta see to really appreciate.  It just glows.


Here's Craftsy's picture for reference.  But cry me a river, they're all out ... I bought every yard they had.  ;)  I plan to list some of it in my pattern shop soon.


Quilt Stats:

Pattern:   Star Crossed Rainbow, pattern available here.
Size:  Lap size, approx 60" x 60"
Fabric:  Kona Cotton
Quilting:  Interlocking loops on Gratitude.
Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 100% Cotton in white
Backing:  Benartex Gradations in Rainbow

This quilt is for sale in my quilt shop!

Last week's featured project!



If you want your quilt featured here next week, be sure to put a link back to this post in your post or sidebar, or tag @busyhandsquilts on Instagram, AND link directly to your blog post so I don't have to hunt it down.

Bernina is giving away a fancy sewing machine over at Fat Quarter Shop!  Don't miss your chance to ENTER TO WIN HERE!


It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  
  • Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread.
  • Projects from this week only.
  • ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  
  • LINK BACK with the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link.
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts



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July 13, 2017

Hexagon Lap Quilt | Finished or Not Friday Linky Party!

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Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Finish is a lap size giant daisy hexi quilt, made as a graduation gift for a young lady whom I babysat when she was kindergarten age!  It's a happy quilt for a lovely, happy lady!


The quilt is made from half hexies, cut with my Accuquilt Go! cutter which I ♥♥!  I pieced the quilt in strips from top to bottom rather than side to side so the rows could hang on the design wall after the row was pieced.




Quilt Stats:

Pattern:   Hexies, cut with my Accuquilt Go! cutter
Size:  Lap size, approx 50" x 70"
Fabric:  Kona Cotton and Jennifer Paganelli prints
Quilting:  Daisies in navy thread, done on Gratitude.
Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 100% Cotton
Backing:  Jennifer Paganelli print

Craftsy is having a Summer Sale with up to 50% off quilt kits and supplies!


I snagged this Colonial Manor Stash Builder Bundle in black and cream.  I bought the red and cream Colonial Manor bundle on the last sale and pulled it out today to use in the Christmas in July Quilt Along over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  So, of course, I needed to replenish the stash with this type of fabric since I have ZERO fabrics of this type.  'Cause of course I need to have it on hand for the next QAL that comes up!


Kona Cotton Solids are 20% off as the Basic of the Month for July at Fat Quarter Shop, and ya rarely, if ever, find Kona Cotton for a lower price!


Last week's featured project!


If you want your quilt featured here next week, be sure to put a link back to this post in your post or sidebar, or tag @busyhandsquilts on Instagram, AND link directly to your blog post so I don't have to hunt it down.


Congrats to Janice who won the box of scraps in last week's giveaway!!  Follow the blog for your chance to win a box of scraps.  I do not use scraps, so I collect them and give them away when the box is full.

But if you're looking for a current giveaway, Craftsy is giving away this Kaleidoscope quilt kit!  I bought it last year and am repurposing it for a different quilt which is in progress but you haven't seen yet.  Enter to win!




It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  
  • Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread.
  • Projects from this week only.
  • ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  
  • LINK BACK with the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link.
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts



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Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

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Today's Deals | My Works in Progress

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Craftsy is having a flash sale with 11 classes $11 each today only.  Be sure to check it out!


Annie's has an additional 40% off clearance, also today only.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Enter a Keycode and enter the code REDHOT.


This is my fabric pull for the Rainbow Picnic Blanket Sew Along over at Stitched in Color.  The floral backing is canvas, and the size of the picnic blanket is limited by the size of the backing but also makes the perfect size for a Kona Cotton layer cake.  Kona Cotton is the Basic of the Month at the Fat Quarter Shop this month, and it's the perfect time to stock up on your solids.


I'm also participating in the Scrappy Patchwork Quilt Sew Along hosted by Sherri at A Quilting Life.  My fabric selection is not entirely scrappy but is based around Fresh Cut fabrics leftover from my Oh My Darling quilt with a few other fabrics added to round out the fabric requirements.  I'm enlarging it to a twin size from an oversized lap.  All of the units are made and ready to be assembled into the quilt top.  The next step is revealed tomorrow at A Quilting Life.



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Linking to:
Oh Scrap! ♥ 

July 11, 2017

How to Keep Track of Pieces When Making a Postcard From Sweden Quilt

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This mishmash of Kona Cotton happiness is actually very organized.  Have you ever wondered how to keep track of all those pieces without a design wall?  The king with 6" finished HSTs is made with 646 triangles, so organization is essential.  Here's how I do it.  


Layout all of the cut triangles in numerical order in stacks as shown below.  There are 36 colors, so there will be 36 piles of triangles.  Refer to the POS numbered block chart found here.  Label the rows A B C and so on.  Label the columns 1 2 3 and so on.  Reading left to right, in row A, take the two triangles that make up the first block and stack them together with the second fabric on top.  Repeat for the remainder of the row, placing block 2 on top of block 1, offset a bit toward the right.  The block on the top of this staggered stack is the rightmost block in the row.  Label the row by its letter using a pin.  I wouldn't trust a sticker.

The picture above shows all the rows laid out.  I use flat cardboard boxes and overlap the rows on top of each other, usually four rows per box.  This picture has four boxes laid 2 x 2, completely buried by the triangles.  I complete this entire process at one time rather than doing it one row at a time and then sewing the row, because I want my tables to be clear to use and also so I don't feel the pressure of sewing the entire quilt top before I'm free to work on another project.


Remember that the triangles are on the boards with the top block being the rightmost block in the row.  Don't forget this! Nearly all of the time when I sew a stack of blocks, the one on the top is the leftmost block, but not in this case.

Place one of the boards next to your sewing table.  Since my sewing table isn't wide enough for the box, I set up my ironing board at table height and place the box on top of it.  Sew all of the blocks in one row together, not clipping threads between them.  When finished with a row, clip the threads between the blocks, and place them in a pile in the same order they were sewn in.  Turn the pile of blocks over and pin the row letter back on.  Column 1 is now on the top, which means that the leftmost block in the row is now on top.  Press seams open.  Trim HSTs to size if necessary.  Below are the HSTs sewn together with each row in order with a letter label pinned to the first block of each row.  The subsequent labels are hidden in the pile.


Then sew the rows together in the usual manner, noting the orientation of each block on the diagram.  Every other block in each row is turned clockwise, and every other row it's the even numbered blocks that rotate, and on the other rows it's the odd numbered blocks that rotate.  This will make more sense as you sit down to sew and refer to the chart.  Work out a system for keeping track of which block rotates, and the piecing goes quite quickly.  Press seams open.

Here's my 17 king sized rows, pieced and ready to join together!

Download the free Postcard From Sweden pattern today!

Quilty Pencils with sassy quilt sayings are back in stock!  These are the cutest quilt pencils that would make great little gifts for your quilty friends.  Get a set or two today!




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July 7, 2017

Queen Size Falling Stars Quilt | Finished or Not Friday Linky Party!

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Welcome to Finished or Not Friday where you can share your finished {or not} projects!

My Finish is a queen size Falling Stars in brights with a black background.  This was a made-to-order quilt in my quilt shop.  My customer purchased the lap size quilt which I had made for the pattern cover and loved it so much that she ordered an exact quilt in queen size!




Quilt Stats:

Pattern:   Falling Stars, get your copy here.
Size:  Queen size, 93" square
Fabric:  Kona Cotton.
Quilting:  Modern Hourglass quilting, done on Gratitude.
Batting:  Hobbs Heirloom 100% Cotton
Backing:  Kona Cotton extra wide in Royal

Kona Cotton Solids are 20% off as the Basic of the Month for July at Fat Quarter Shop, and ya rarely, if ever, find Kona Cotton for a lower price!




Last week's featured project!


If you want your quilt featured here next week, be sure to put a link back to this post in your post or sidebar, or tag @busyhandsquilts on Instagram, AND link directly to your blog post so I don't have to hunt it down.


And my scrap bin is full, so it's time for a giveaway! If you love scraps, this is for you; but if you're like me and don't love scraps, then this isn't for you.  This giveaway is a Medium Priority Mail box stuffed full.  If this pile doesn't stuff the box, I will add more.  It will barely be closeable, I assure you!  I ask that the winner pay the shipping which will be $13 at the most.  The closer you are, the less it costs with Regional Rate boxes.  US entries only.  Giveaway open until next Thursday.  Enter via the Rafflecopter below.




It's your turn to share your finish {or not}!  What's welcome at this party?  
  • Any in-progress or finished project made with fabric, yarn, or thread.
  • Projects from this week only.
  • ♥ ♥ PLEASE!  Link to the actual blog post, not your home page.  
  • LINK BACK with the Finished or Not Friday button or a text link.
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts



Get a Free Quilt Pattern!

Get a free pattern when you sign up to receive the latest info on what's happening in my studio, new quilt patterns, subscriber-only sales and Giveaways, quilty window shopping, and other fun news!

Click here to sign up!