Times are a-changing...flowers in the snow

With the time change here in Ohio this weekend,
there comes to me, not just a 'spring forward' on the clock,
but a change in perspective, too...

Whilst there is still snow covering the landscape,
drifted high against the wrought iron fence that is my rose trellis,
I feel that there is the warmth of Spring coming:

Snow drops, a rambling rose (or three), daffodils and tulips,
fruit ready to bloom and birds ready to chirp...
all kinds of signs of the Spring-to-come in the melting snow:

Winter IS slowly melting away, and though I don't have the hanging-sleeve stitched down to the backing, I feel that I've a finish for the coming season.

 Even the local wildlife came to inspect,

when they saw flowers in the snowy garden:

Our Flower Garden: a Hot Pad Quilt

The backing fabric was the main inspiration for my design...

 isn't it gorgeous??

I just fell in love with the 
faded pink and coral colors of the large floral print, 
which then made me think 

I NEEDED TO MAKE A QUILT FOR. THIS. FABRIC. !!

So, with the fabric of Rouenneries by French General in my mind,
for my own pattern design, 
I took inspiration from both
the blocks of an 1850's New York album quilt,
and the block setting style of Sally Post in her 1854 New York quilt
(Sally Post quilt pattern available from Gay of Sentimental Stitches) .
I came up with my own garden of faded, pink flowers, 
finished in the Hot Pad method used in Civil War times, 
and it all started because of that WONDERFUL French General floral!!

I designed the four-part pattern (of three blocks each) for this quilt
for a beginner's four-month quilting class,
The first two classes were methods of applique,
followed by accurate piecing techniques, and finally
with the finishing method in the Civil War Hot Pad method 
(The Hot Pad method is finishing each block individually, 
including binding, then whip-stitching the finished little quilts together).
The gals in the class were so taken with 
the finished little quilts of the Hot Pad method,
that I designed a fifth, bonus pattern (of four blocks) 
so they'd end with 16 blocks.
Each block measures about 14 inches,
so this sixteen block finish is 56 inches square.  
I designed it so that if the student wanted to make a queen quilt, 
they could make each block of the pattern
(in different colorways) twice plus 4 blocks, to end with a 96-inch finish
(or make the pattern three times, plus one block,  and end with a king-sized, 112-inch quilt).

If feels good to have the last of the stitches 
in this quilt as the time changes.
Springing forward, 
flowers in the snow!

Thanks for visiting, and
Happy Stitching!!

Lucy Boston: My block layout template as prep for stitching & travel

I've shared and shared about my Lucy Boston adventure 
over the last year and a half,
but a friend reminded me the other day 
that I've never shared my
method of auditioning & prepping my  
English Paper-pieced Lucy blocks.

Here's a picture of one of my prepped blocks,

partially laid out and ready to travel/stitch: 

MyLifeIsAStitch.blogspot.com
My Lucy EPP layout template

This template paper has been used multiple times, as you can tell by the fabric strings stuck to the tape pieces; my needle is stuck into the honeycomb piece that I'm stitching next  (I removed the eight outside pieces so you could better see how I did the layout).

AND, the 8.5"by 11" paper is just big enough to fit the center 24 ONE-INCH-pieces of the block - just right for these wonderful blocks!!

Here is the 'blank' layout template:

MyLifeIsAStitch.blogspot.com
My Lucy EPP layout template

Here are the quick and easy steps:

• print this (above) or trace the honeycomb block layout onto a piece of paper to make the layout template  (make multiple copies for multiple block prep)
  

• place a piece of double-sided tape into each traced honeycomb on the paper 

• as you baste each fabric honeycomb, press it onto the taped/appropriate space on your paper.
  

• When your block layout is finished, just slide the layout template paper into a clear (photo) sheet protector.

  Here are the Sheet Protectors that I use:

MyLifeIsAStitch.blogspot.com
My Lucy EPP layout sheet protector/sleeves.

You can put two of the prepped-block layout templates 
into a sheet protector sleeve (back-to-back),
and drop into your work basket or project box.
 (and, yes, you can get these in smaller quantities than my box of 225!)

The paper templates are reusable, 
but I have replaced the tape strips a few times.
And, if you have no pieces ready to layout, 
just put the taped side of your template against the outside of the sheet protector/sleeve
and it will stick there until ready to peel and use again. 

Two little warnings with this layout method: 

1. when you remove the taped honeycombs to stitch, you do have to grab the piece by the paper to peel off, not just by the top point of the fabric, as it can cause the paper to pop out... 
2.  if you leave these prepped blocks on the tape for months and months and months in hot weather conditions/trunk of your car, the tape will adhere to the paper and could ruin your paper-pieces.

This layout method really worked well for me as it is great for take-along stitching...
hope it helps you out also! 

Please feel free to use and share this method, 
just please credit me & my blog if you share it publicly!
Thanks, and Happy Stitching!!!

Quilt Crackers, of the patriotic sort

I recently needed a wedding shower gift and
could not think of a single quilt pattern that
was 1) fitting for the bride-to-be, and 2) quick.
(Oh, I knew the shower was coming, and I could have made this gift eons ago,
but I like to think I work better under pressure :)

SO, me being me, and on the perpetual time-crunch,
I remembered that I had recently come across
the block pattern called Crackers
from the early 1900's, that I just loved.
Though the 'cracker' reference is probably
from the staple of flour-crackers sent to soldiers during wartime,
I liked the patriotic spin of 'firecracker'
so I made the vintage block in red, white, & blue.

Here's the finish, ready to head to the shower:

The table topper, unfurled:

It measured about 34" by 42" after washing.

the 'Crackers' block

I quilted with a variegated (King Tut) red/white/blue thread
on my Sashiko machine.

and here's the back:

(I always like to look at the quilting from the back of a quilt.
Do you also?)

Here's my pattern for

my Patriotic Firecrackers:

2 1/2 inch by 6 1/2 inch strips, and

5 inch squares cut in half diagonally for the corners (these are a little over-sized for squaring up).

(I do pre-starch (Best Press-unscented is my fav!) all my fabric pieces that are going to be cut on the bias, so there is less stretch apt to happen when piecing.)

I made my blocks all from scraps, with about 15 different cream fabrics and 12 or so each of the blue and red fabrics.  Though scrappy, I did still keep each block of the red/cream strip-sets with blue corners, and all the blue/cream strip-sets with red corners.  I think if you wanted, you could really mix it up and have a beauty of a quilt.
Pretty, simple, and a great stash-buster!!

I LOVE how it turned out, 
and so did the Bride-to-be.
Now I want to make another for myself!
Maybe I can squeeze it in right before the wedding quilt?? :)

Happy Stitching!