Tell Me a Story Quilt finished!

I added a border to my Tell Me a Story quilt

and machine quilted it by stitching in the ditch, 

around the border prints of each fussy cut square 

and then continuing the design around the border.

 The quilt turned out just as I imagined it would :)

 What a great feeling to finish a quilt whose blocks have been completed for two or more years!

I'll pull this quilt out the next time my grandchildren visit

and we can spend hours making up stories :)

The backing fabric is Meadowsweet by Sandi Henderson,

I've been hoarding it for a few years,

and found the perfect home for it.

Thanks for following along!

Tell Me a Story quilt

A few years ago, I joined the "Tell Me a Story" quilt's online swap.

I actually joined it twice, to get a variety of different blocks.

The paper piecing pattern is found in 

"Intentional Piecing" by Amy Friend.

You can hashtag it on Instagram and find loads of pictures!

I sorted my blocks into color sections.

I've had my blocks finished for over 2 years.

My grandchildren loved choosing a block before bed

 and telling a story about it.

For instance, see the block with the cat 

and the cable sweater border?

Once upon a time, there was a little kitten named Tabby.  

Tabby was very curious and loved the feel and texture of yarn.

When her owner knit scarves in the evening,

Tabby watched very carefully....

Eventually Tabby was able to knit a scarf for herself,

using her very own paws and intellect.

Tabby was a very unique kitten who was never cold a day in her life, as she had knit more scarves for herself than anyone could keep track of!

Tabby lived happily ever after...

There are endless stories that you could make up for each block,

provided you have an imagination, lol!

I like the look of the quilt without a border,

but it's too little without one.

I was wondering which grandchild I could gift this to,

but maybe I'll keep it and it can be our 

"Tell Me a Story" quilt when they visit or spend the night.

You can see a sampling of my story blocks here.

Farmhouse Lane quilt is quilted!

I finished my Farmhouse Lane quilt, by Lori Holt!

I have been wanting to make this quilt since 

Lori's book "Vintage Farmgirl" came out.

I'm pretty excited about how my machine quilting turned out.

I machine quilted swirls with petals.

I used the same fabric for my binding 

as I did for the little pink border.

I used a crosshatch machine quilting pattern for the border.

Unfortunately, I was trying to sew one direction

and then tug at the quilt and pull it so that 

I could go the opposite direction.

I didn't realize it, but by tugging at the quilt, I bent something on the needle shaft and had to take it in for a $150 repair!!!

It usually costs $120 for a Bernina update, oil and clean, etc,

but this one cost more.

On the bright side,

 it was repaired in two days instead of two weeks!

When I was sewing the crosshatch design on the border,

on my newly oiled, cleaned and repaired machine,

I just went one direction, cut the threads and

moved it over 1 1/2" to sew the next line.

I bought this fabric about 3 or 4 years ago, and it's very pink, 

not the corral that it shows in the photo.

My next quilt to work on at Farm Girl Chicks,

is the Scrappy Haystack Sampler quilt.

I've got all the Haystack blocks sewn, just

need to sew 13 12 l/2" blocks from the book

Farm Girl Vintage.

Thanks for following :)

Quilt Top Finishes

Here is my Stellar Star quilt.

I love all the jewel toned colors.

The blocks and the flying geese are all paper pieced.

Each of the large (12") blocks had about 24 pages of instructions.

Needless to say, this is an advanced level pattern.

I used fabric from my stash which makes me really happy!

Since I've been going to Farm Girl Chicks, 

about a year and a half, 

I've been working on this Farmhouse Lane quilt.

I finally finished it, yay!

I tried something new, I taped the back fabric to the floor.

It was so much easier the straighten the batting 

and then gently lay the quilt on top.

I safety pinned all three layers together.

I dont think ther are any creases in the quilt back.

 I've been spending my free time machine quilting my

Farmhouse Lane quilt.

I'm excited to see the quilt finished!

Thanks for following along :)

Jelly Roll Race

First, I'm sorry I don't have a photo of my finished Stellar Stars quilt top to show you today.

I'll share it with you next week :)

I participated in a jelly roll race this weekend.

A jelly roll is a 2 l/2" wide piece of fabric, from selvage to selvage.

A jelly roll contains every design of fabric from an entire line.

You sew each strip of fabric until all 40 0f them are sewn together, end to end.

Then you start sewing the strips together, 

until you have the desired width.

If you're really interested, you can google "jelly roll race".

After all the strips were sewn together, we added borders so that our quilt top would fit a twin bed.

There were 8 of us in the race, we each finished a quilt top.

The quilts will be quilted and donated to an organization 

that helps refugees.

I can't think of a better way to spend my Saturday :)

Stellar Stars

I belong to the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild,

and last year I joined their block of the month quilt,

Stellar Stars.

(I don't know why it says 2018!!!)

This quilt pattern is not for the faint of heart...

This block wasn't too bad, I used the Lori Holt applique method.

(of course!)

This block was paper pieced, not too bad...

This block was also paper pieced, a little more difficult.

This block was paper pieced, I really enjoyed making this one.

This block was paper pieced, it was super difficult!

I actually made it twice!!!

This block was pieced, but....

luckily my friend Nedra gave me the measurements 

or I couldn't have made it.

The directions could have been in Greek!!!

I have no idea how it happened, 

but the block measures an inch bigger than it should be!!!

I just can't remake it!

I laid all my blocks out, they really are beautiful.

There are a million flying gray geese, all paper pieced.

I really enjoyed making them.

  The quilt top needs to be finished by this Saturday,

for our meeting.

I think there were only about 5 of us that made this quilt,

and I really want to show it off,

it was an advanced pattern.

 Nedra and I got together monthly to work on our blocks together.  

She was a great help to me, but I got behind quite a few months 

due to extenuating circumstances. 

 The blocks I showed you are ones that I had to make on my own.

Here's a photo of Nedra and I, maybe as far back as July!

Next week I'll have a photo of my finished quilt top.

Have a great week!

Another Tooth Fairy Envelope

Another grandchild had a lose tooth!

I knew I had to act fast, because her tooth was really wiggly!

Isabel drew her version of the tooth fairy 

and I got out my lightbox and traced her cute drawing 

onto some white fabric.

I sewed straight stitches for her hair, 

french knots for her bodice and lazy daisies for her skirt.

Then I chose some 1 1/2" scraps that matched the colors 

and framed the embroidery.

I went through my 2 l/2" stack of squares and found this print.

Since I don't use a pattern, the flap didn't fit in the tooth pocket.

I added a circle of velcro to keep it closed.

Word of warning.....I had a pack of little circle velcros 

that had glue on the back.

I knew the glue wasn't strong enough the hold the flap together, 

so I sewed them down on my sewing machine.

The glue ruined my sewing machine needle and part of the shaft.

Be careful about sewing things down that already have glue on them!

Bonus, I found this fairy button in my button bottle.

Isabel's tooth fell out the day after I gave her her tooth fairy pillow.

She's only 4 years old, I think she may be our youngest grandchild to lose a tooth so far!

She has another tooth that is ready to come out too!