July 4th Pennants

I love fabric pennants and they are easy and quick to make!

I made one to celebrate Independence Day :)

Here are the fabrics I chose, I don't have many blues in my stash.

Here they are along the fireplace mantel.

A little color always makes me smile :)

The Quilty Barn Along #7

I'm really loving these barns!!!

Lori at Bee in my Bonnet sure knows how to inspire me :)

My inspiration for this barn is an incredibly happy orange barn from Quebec, my native home and land :)

The quilt block is an easy pinwheel.

Pinwheels are one of my favorite blocks!

I love this block, It is colorful like the French Canadians!

Whoops!!! I did it again.......notice anything wrong with this block?

There we go, I fixed it!  That wasn't painful at all :)

You can find Lori's tutorial here.

A Giveaway from "vintage" Shabby Apple!

Shabby Apple is an incredible website that sells vintage clothing.

They have generously offered to sponsor a giveaway on my blog.

That's right, one of my lucky followers could win this gorgeous vintage dress!!!

This beautiful "vintage" looking dress is called "Heart of Me".

It is a faux wrapped dress, with a big bow in the back.

You can see the dress in different views here.

Take a moment to look at all of their gorgeous vintage clothing.
They also sell shoes, accessories and swimsuits!
I love all of their vintage looking clothing!!!

You can see Shabby Apple's website of vintage clothing here.
Go and look at all of their vintage collections :)

To enter the giveaway, you need to sign up to "follow" my blog.

The link is on the right.

Leave me a comment, telling me that you signed up to "follow" my blog, or that you are already a follower.

For an extra entry in the giveaway, you can "like" my facebook page here.

This giveaway is open until Sunday, June 23, 9:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Good luck, I will announce the winner next Monday, June 24.

Riley Blake Mystery Block of the Month - May

I have a box full of selvages, I love them!

This is the first time I have sewn with them.

It was so much fun choosing which ones to use :)

Making a selvage quilt is on my to do list.

I made this block 3 times!

The first time, my block wasn't big enough.

I didn't print the pattern (actual size), and that ruined the dimensions.

The third time was a charm!

Here are the rest of my blocks, there will be 9 in all.

Amy Butler's Weekender Travel Bag

My daughter Vanessa and I saw Amy Butler's Weekender Travel Bag at a quilt shop and we fell in love with it. 

I told Vanessa that I would make her one for her birthday which was last January!  Vanessa chose the fabric online.  It's home dec fabric and she really likes neutrals.  When the fabric came in the mail, I wasn't sure they went together well.  I posted about it a few weeks ago and got some positive feedback.  That made me feel better :)

I have included a lot of photos of the sewing process, but this isn't a tutorial.  As I was sewing the bag I found it helpful to look at blogs and see photos of the process.

There are only 4 pattern pieces.  It doesn't show in the photo below, but there is a lot of  interfacing.  Peltex is very heavy, like a thin foam.  A woven iron on interfacing was also used.  

Sometimes there were 3 or 4 layers of interfacing on one piece.

There were 5 yards of piping.  It was easy to sew on with a zipper foot.

This is one of the outer pockets on the bag with the piping sewn on.

The outer bag and the handle have many layers of interfacing which make them really stiff.

I basted the pocket to the outer bag.  

So far, all the steps have been very easy.

The piping is thick, and I found it difficult to make the join at the bottom of the bag smooth.

The instructions for adding the zipper were very clear.  

This photo shows the side pocket.

I don't have a photo, but I sewed the bottom of the bag to this piece.  Then I sewed the two outer bags to the top and bottom piece.

That was the hardest part!  I was using a #16 needle but because of the thickness, my sewing machine  made terrible sounds and would make a loud buzzing noise until I turned it off.  I turned it on, began sewing and the needle would jam and  make that bad noise again.  I was getting really upset.  I mean really upset!  I didn't think I would be able to finish the bag......The materials for the bag aren't cheap either.  I went to the store and bought a pack of #18 needles and some long quilting pins.  I kept at it until the bag was sewn together.  The bag was heavy and because of the stiffness of the interfacing, I had to hold it in place really tight. My fingers were sore!

I was so happy when I finally sewed the bag together!!!

The lining was a breeze to sew.

There aren't any pockets on the inside of the bag, so I added some to the lining.  This pocket is the same size as the one on the outside of the bag.  I sewed a seam down the middle to make two pockets.

I sewed a zipper pocket on the other side of the lining, and added one of my labels  :)

I sewed a D ring on the inside of the bag.

The lining is all sewn by hand inside the bag.  
Vanessa loves owls, the D ring tag adds a pop of color.

This is the inside of the finished bag.

Ta da....my Weekender Travel Bag.  I'm really pleased with it :)

Vanessa hasn't seen her bag yet, I'm giving it to her in July when I go to visit her.  

Vanessa just graduated from Salt Lake Community College with an Associate Degree in Interior Design.  In the fall, she will be going to Weber State University to get a Bachelor's in Interior Design with a major in Graphic Design.

Vanessa wants to use the bag for her design books and supplies, at school and on design jobs.

I have a board on Pinterest called Weekender Travel Bag if you want to look at all the other designs :)

I would love to make one for myself out of quilt fabric.

Humanitarian Project

 There is a humanitarian activity at my church every Monday morning.  People make quilt tops, tie quilts, and stuff pillows.  All the fabric and supplies are donated.  

The idea is to make as many quilt tops as possible, in a small amount of time.  It is a different way of quilting than I'm used to.

Usually I design a quilt with little pieces like flying geese, stars, and other blocks that I love.

It would take too long to make quilts like that, so we just piece the quilts with large pieces of fabric out of the bins of donated fabric.

There was one piece that was so intricate, someone had painstakingly pieced a table topper.  No one knew how to use it.

I unpicked the triangles on the outside, sewed the four triangles into  two squares, and added them to the side of the quilt.  I found fabric that matched and pieced my quilt, humanitarian style!

I really like the end result.  Now it's ready to be tied.

The quilts are given to local charities, or sent to Salt Lake City to be sent to people in need, all over the world.  It feels good to help, even in such a small way.

If you really think about it though, if everyone would help a little, it would amount to a whole lot of love :)

Baby Girl Quilt

I have another grand daughter who we are expecting in August :)

It's always a miracle to experience being a grandmother, seeing each special little spirit and who they look like!

I bought this kit at Pine Needles about 5 years ago, I fell in love with it.  So much so, that I bought a girl kit and a boy kit.

I made the blue one for Benjamin, you can see it here.

This is what the main panel looks like without being pressed :)

I think it's so cute and vintagy!!!

Here are the lovely fabrics, there is even a white eyelet.

This is the softest minky!

It will be used for the border and the back.

Aren't these babies darling?

I cut all that fabric into l l/2" strips.

Then I sewed the strips together in pairs, some by fours.

I had lots of these combinations.

In the meantime, I fussycut the baby fabric into 4 l/2" squares.  

I barely had enough, I had to piece one of the squares.

After much measuring, cutting, sewing and pressing, I ended up with these stacks.

Here is the finished quilt top :)

I can hardly wait to bundle up my little grand daughter in this soft, snuggly quilt.  

I'll show you more photos when I get it quilted in July.

These are my favorite little blocks, "soooo sleepy" and "daddy's girl".

"Rub-a-Dub-Dub" and "Peek-a-Boo!"

This quilt is called "Marley Jane" by Remember When Pattern Co.