A Girl In Paradise

Time For Something New

2014-04-01T06:39:00.000-04:00

You may or may not have noticed but it has been very quite here at A Girl in Paradise.

There has been a lot of changes in my life recently, some good, and some bad, but changes all the same. Change can be good though, it gives us a chance to take inventory, and decide where our priorities lay. For me it has been my health and my family. Now I feel refreshed and ready to start something new.

I have been blogging here at A Girl in Paradise for 3 years now, and it has been great. I have learned so much from this awesome community of bloggers and I will be forever in your debt.

When I created this blog, oh so many years ago, I didn't really have a plan, I just wanted a place to share the things that I made. Now I have a better vision of what I want to say and it is time for me to create a new space where I can share more of my life, and not just my quilts. (Although, quilting is a big part of my life so it won't be left out.)

This blog will remain here, so you can still refer back to anything you have pinned or bookmarked. I just won't be actively posting here anymore.

Please join me at my new blog www.agirlinparadise.com.

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Hooray! The kids are back to school!

2013-08-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

I know that sounds awful but yesterday was the first day of school for us and I can't wait to be on a normal schedule again. This year is also the first time in 12 years that I will have all my kids in school and a little freedom during the day to get stuff done. I don't know what I am going to do with myself. Just kidding, I know exactly what I am going to do with myself.

Sew. Blog. Exercise.

There may even be a 5K in my future, we will see, but all I know for sure, this year is going to be all about trying new things. I must admit though, I have missed the kids, and the best part of my day is picking them up at the bus stop in the afternoon.

For now I have been working on my to do list and getting all those unfinished projects done. The first order of business was my Hello Sunshine quilt. It has been neglected for far to long and it feels great to be working on it again.

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A Little Christmas Sewing...

2013-07-24T16:21:00.002-04:00

How cute are these? A couple of weeks ago I saw this tutorial for Tree Trivets over at Stitching and Bacon and I have been itching to make some ever since. So, since yesterday was dark and raining, I took some time to make a few. They were easy to make and took me no time at all. I think they are adorable and plan to make a few more for Christmas gifts.

You can find the Tree Trivet Tutorial here.

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Negative Space Challenge Quilt

2013-07-14T15:14:00.001-04:00

The Tampa chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild had a negative space challenge and yesterday was the big reveal. I entered this quilt as part of that challenge. The rules were simple, make a quilt top using negative space. This quilt went through many changes through the design process but in the end I am very happy with the results. I definitely had to step outside my comfort zone for this one, but isn't that the best thing about a challenge, pushing yourself to try new things.

Here are some of the other quilts that were part of the challenge. Truly, I am inspired by them all.

Georgia chopped up a quilt she wasn't happy with to create her entry.

Katie's quilt was inspired by a Corgi legend and she was the winner of our little challenge. You can read more about her quilt here.

Ellen's quilt was inspired by lanterns from the movie Tangled. I can't wait to see what she does with the quilting.

In the mist of packing for a move Elizabeth managed to put together this quilt. Don't you just love the pixilated aqua background? You can read more about her quilt here.

Before this design even took shape I knew I wanted to use this line of ombré solids by V and Company. I liked the idea of having many shades within the same color palettes.

Again, here are some pictures documenting the process. This quilt also contained a few firsts for me... strip piecing on the 45, which I have done before, but not using this technique. Also, I tried out a new type of thread and a new pair of quilting gloves. You can read more about what I thought about them here.

The details:

This quilt measures about 36” by 58” pieced together in chevron strips. For the fabric I used the Simply Color collection by V and Co for Moda and kona white. The was binding was pieced using the remaining fabric and the back was a single piece of kona white. The quilting is a straight line that follows the flow of the quilt, using Superior Thread's Rainbows color #837 called Spring Fling.

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Now Available on Craftsy - Modern Folded Star

2013-07-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have received a couple of emails of late that people are having a problem downloading the PDF instructions to my Modern Folded Star via Google docs. I not sure what is going on with Google docs, things look good on my end, but since people are having trouble with it, I decided to offer it as a free download through Craftsy. Enjoy!

You can read more about this project here and here.

You can download your free PDF pattern here.

You can also download a free PDF pattern via Craftsy here.

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New Fabric Friday - Pearl Bracelets

2013-07-12T14:09:00.000-04:00

Lizzy House for Andover Fabrics has come out with 2 new color ways in the Pearl Bracelets print, Luster and Vivid. They are perfect for stash building and why I just had to have them.

The Luster color way has to be my favorite. It comes in 12 different low volume shades that just make me happy. The colors in this line open a whole new world of color combinations for me. Just imagine the pinks and greys in this line paired with some low volume text prints... The quilty possibilities are endless.

The Vivid color way was also a must have because if you have been following this blog for any length of time you know I love bight cheerful colors set against a white background. I was happy that this color way included some of the colors that I am always looking for in my stash but never seem to have on hand like the purple and brown.

I am linking this post to Love By Hand's New Fabric Fridays.

Have a great weekend.

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Good Fortune Quilt

2013-07-11T13:15:00.000-04:00

Originally I designed this quilt as a Moda Bake Shop tutorial but because of poor communications on both sides that never came to be. I am not terribly upset by this, I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, this quilt was just not meant to be a Moda Bake Shop quilt. It now can be whatever I want it to be, I am just not sure what that is right now. Instead I am just enjoying the moment of a job well done. I am very proud of this quilt for many reasons, the main one being the design.

I designed this quilt to efficiently use 2 jelly rolls with very little waste. It is a modified Bright Hope quilt block that uses the traditional robbing Peter to pay Paul setting, meaning that both blocks are the same but they are pieced together using opposite color values, which gives the quilt it's positive and negative appearance.

I am also very proud of this quilt because when I use pre-cuts I look at it as a personal challenge to use as much of the pre-cut fabric as possible. The biggest challenged I faced in the design of this quilt was that I didn't want it to look like a string quilt. How do you do that if all you have is strips? In the end it required a lot of quilt math but I figured it out and I love the results.

For the backing I used a single print that was pieced together. Usually I like to incorporate my scraps into the back but because there was very little left over in the way of scraps, so I made this pillow instead.

Here are some of the pictures that I posted along the way. I find the process just as important as the finished quilt. If you are on Instagram or Twitter and want to follow along you can find me at @agirlinparadise.

The details: This quilt measures about 64" by 82" with 154 bright hope blocks pieced together in a 11 by 14 layout. For the fabrics I used a jelly roll of Good Fortune by Kate Spain for Moda and a Bella Solids white jelly roll also by Moda. For the backing and the binding I used coordinating prints, that were also part of the Good Fortune line by Kate Spain. The quilting is a basic straight line that follows the quilt block, using white Aurifil tread.

Thanks for stopping by, and for all your continued support. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great day!

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The New SCHMETZ App!

2013-07-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

As you know I have been doing more and more research on the different threads that are available to quilters and how to use them, I have found that is just as important to find the right needle to go with the different threads that are out there on the market. So, in the process of doing this research I found the new SCHMETZ app.

It just came out last month and I am very excited. It has everything from the different needle types, trouble shooting, a link to their blog for all the latest news, and how to order all their needles.

I am still in the process of experiment with some different threads, but I want to share this with you. It contains a wealth of information that you can use to make informed decisions, and it doesn't hurt that it is mobile. I think we both know if you are standing in front of the notions wall at Jo-Ann's and have a question there isn't anyone there that can help you, trust me I have been there.

You can find the app here.

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A Reveiw - Grab-A-Roo's Machine Quilting Gloves

2013-07-02T16:43:00.001-04:00

Last week I shared with you that I was trying some new threads and a pair of Grab-A-Roo's gloves for machine quilting. I had a chance to try them and was pleasantly surprised. I also finished my negative space quilt that I am very excited about. I wish I could share the finished quilt with you today, but I think I will wait till after the big revel at our next guild meeting. Thanks to all of you who commented and shared your suggestions. You played a big part in how this quilt evolved.

First up are the Grab-A-Roo's gloves. They are made for machine quilting, sewing, scrapbooking, and general crafting. They claim to keep hands cool and comfortable with a unique snug fit. Which is the exact reason I bought them. I have tried quilting gloves in the past, but have never been happy with them for one reason or another. Grab-A-Roo's come in several sizes, are seamless, and have grips on the tips of every finger.

Ok, so the first thing I did was quilt a couple of lines with bare hands as I usually do to get a feel for the quilt, and the machine. As you can see, in the picture above, starting and stopping with bare hands without a good grip of the fabric, sometimes creates these skips. Not cool, and why I need a good pair of gloves.

Then, I put on the gloves to quilt the remainder of the quilt. First, the fit is amazing, a unique snug fit is a good way to describe how they feel. They are made out of nylon and spandex so your hands are able to breath. I don't know if I would say my hands stayed cool, but they definitely were not sweaty or clammy when I was done.

The gloves only have grips on the finger tips not the entire hand. I wasn't sure if that was going to be enough grip but it was, giving me more control to move my hands around without sticking to the fabric.

I am glad I tried them and think they will help with my machine quilting, and I would recommend these to others. I bought mine at my local quilt shop but here is the link for Grab-A-Roo's if you are interested in trying them out for yourself.

Next up is the variegated thread. I used Superior Thread's Rainbows color #837 called Spring Fling. It is a 40wt. high sheen trilobal polyester thread with one inch color change. I also used a #90/14 topstitch needle in my machine.

I liked it a lot. I didn't have any trouble with breakage and because of the high sheen if glided through my machine effortlessly. As a rule, I almost always use cotton threads when it comes to quilting, but I think that is another antiquated rule that needs to be broken. Today, we are lucky enough to have so many options and I look forward to trying more threads and learning how to use them efficiently.

This has been another topic that I have received a lot of reader response. Thank you for sharing what threads you use and why. I am excited to try some of them out.

*all opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review in any way.

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Sew Sew Modern 3

2013-07-01T13:24:00.000-04:00

So, have you heard? There is a amazing swap that is just about to start it's third round, Sew Sew Modern 3. It is being hosted by Lee and Karen who I met at the Sew South Retreat. This is just what I need for some fun summer sewing. Sign ups are now till July 5th and the mailing isn't until September.

Here is the inspiration mosaic that I put together for the swap. As you can see I am inspired by bright, clean lines and modern patchwork. I hope my partner is inspired by my board and gets a good sense of what my likes are, but if she still needs a little more inspiration there is always Pinterest.

1. Retro pouch spring 2008, 2. quilt no. 3 of 4 basted., 3. & mini quilt top done /// #freshminiquiltclub, 4. #freshminiquiltclub march 2013 using @artgalleryfabrics pure elements, 5. Pillow Talk 10 Front, 6. New York Beauty - Circle of Flying Geese Quilt, 7. Wannabe Feathers mini (1), 8. Mug Rug for Modern Mini Contest, 9. Modern Mini, 10. Hexie Mini-up, 11. Pillow Swap Round 2 - Full View, 12. the pillow talk {swap} 10, 13. Pillow Talk Swap 9 - Done!, 14. Pillow Talk Swap round 10, 15. Modern Quilted Pillow Swap, 16. Pillows Gone Wild - Tutuorial, 17. Pillow Talk {Swap} R.5_Finished Outside, 18. Super Tote Pattern, 19. Aeroplane Bag, 20. Sew Sew Modern Round 2

I am so excited to part of this swap and I can't wait to be assigned a partner.

Happy Sewing!

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New Fabric Friday - Love By Hand

2013-06-28T12:35:00.001-04:00

There is a new weekly feature over at Love By Hand that I wanted to share with you. It is called New Fabric Friday. It is a weekly link up where you can share the new fabrics that you have added to your stash, because let's face it we all love fabric just as much as we love sewing it together.

I meet Christen last year at Sew South and was instantly impressed. She has such a passion for life and for what she does I couldn't help but think that this girl is going places. She has already been featured in a few publications and has teamed up with some other bloggers to host The Christmas in July Sewing Challenge presented by Sew Lux Fabric.

After the thread crisis I had this week I didn't add any new fabrics to my stash, but I did add some new threads. I purchased some cool variegated threads by Superior and a pair of Grab-A-Roo's gloves for machine quilting. I thought the variegated thread would be a nice addition to my negative space quilt that I have been working on. Also, I am in the process of doing some research and comparing the different threads to see what I like and what I don't like. I will keep you posted.

Of course, I did place an online order for some more Aurifil, but it hasn't come in yet. In the meantime I purchased a few spools of my faithful Gutermann to make it through till my order comes in.

All this talk has of thread has made me wonder... What is your favorite thread? and would you like to see a comparative review of some of the threads that are out there?

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My new to do list...

2013-06-24T18:50:00.002-04:00

So, the unthinkable happened yesterday... I ran out of thread. Not just my fancy new Aurifil thread that I love so much, but all thread. When I tell you that I have used up every last bit of thread in the house, I mean every last bit, including last remnants of Coats and Clark that I had left over from my days when I use to garment sew, and that was pre kids and ages ago.

How does this happen to someone who sews almost everyday?

I was so upset I almost put the kids in the car to go buy some more, but thought better of it when I realized 3 kids in the car, and torrential rains probably wasn't a good mix. Instead I decided to clean out my sewing room and to make a list so I could get everything that I needed all at once.

1. Thread. Can't do anything without that. Place an Aurifil order online, but will still need to buy a spool of Guttermans in the meantime to curb off the withdrawals.

2. Buy a yard and half of white kona to back my negative space quilt.

3. Measure and buy enough batting for my Hello Sunshine quilt top that has been done for a while and is ready to be quilted.

4. Again with the thread, I was actually quilting this one when I ran out of the thread. This quilt top has been sitting in the unfinished bin for a while now, and the thing that frustrated me the most was that I finally got off my tush and ordered the backing fabric that I needed and almost couldn't find any more. Thank goodness for the Etsy seller that still had the 2 yards that I needed.

5. Fusible fleece and a zipper, then this cute little pillow I made with a Noteworthy charm pack will be done.

I am off to the store, list in hand, but wish me luck, I am going to have to bring all the kids to the store with me...

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New Fabric Friday - House and Garden

2013-06-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

You may or may not have heard that there is a new line of fabrics that is now available at Jo-Ann Fabrics, it is House and Garden by Cloud 9 Fabrics. One of the things that makes this line so special is that, like all Clould 9 Fabrics, it is 100% organic cotton. A first for Jo-Ann Fabrics.

My local store here in Tampa is carrying 8 of the 12 prints that were designed exclusively for Jo-Ann's, and I was very excited to pick some up yesterday and that I got the first cut off of each of the bolts. It is of good quality and weight, though not as soft as most designer fabric. The only major downside was the price tag. I am not use to paying $14.99 a yard for fabric at Jo-Ann's but I had to remind myself it is organic and I would expect pay that price for organic at a quilt shop. At least at Jo-Ann's I was able to use my 30% off total purchase coupon.

The prints have a fresh modern feel especially the yellow mod flowers but I am obsessed with these chevrons. The color range is current and what I want to see more of in my stash. I know exactly what I want to make with these fabrics and I can't wait to cut into them this weekend.

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Negative Space Challenge Quilt - (Progress in Pictures)

2013-06-17T17:03:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a quilt just evolves and you end up in a completely direction than you originally though you wanted. I am currently working on a quilt for the negative space challenge we are having as part of the Tampa Modern Quilt Guild and I am becoming a big fan of my design wall. They really were not that common when I started quilting oh so many years ago. As was evident in some of my earlier blog posts. I use to lay out my blocks on the living room floor and look at it for a few day, move some things around, and then when I was happy with the layout, I would start sewing things together. Now, it is all about my design wall. It is nothing fancy just a 4' by 6' piece of foam board covered in batting and stuck to the wall using some command Velcro strips, but I love it. Especially now that I am old and don't want to crawling around on the floor anymore.

The other benefit to a design wall is when I am having trouble deciding on the direction I want to go in, I can arrange my blocks, take a picture, and then try another option. Of course, that always leads to some more obsessing, but it does make it much easier to make a decision when you are just scrolling through pictures.

My original thought for this quilt was a horizontal chevron panel with a lot of white space for quilting, but the more I looked at it the more I thought, it looks so predictable. So, I put some space between the rows, but still I wasn't feeling it. Then I thought how about a vertical panel? But still I wasn't feeling it.

Finally, this arrangement has formed and I think I might go with it. What do you think?

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New Fabric Friday - Inspire Quilting and Sewing

2013-06-14T14:51:00.001-04:00

One of the things on my summer bucket list this summer is to visit more of my local quilt shops and last weekend I made it out to Inspire Quilting and Sewing in Plant City, Florida. Our local chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild was getting together for a sew day so it was the perfect opportunity to meet up with the girls, get some sewing done, and get a little shopping in.

I liked that they had a lot of the modern fabric lines by Moda, Free Spirit, and Riley Blake and it was also an authorized dealer for Brother sewing machines. I also liked that it had an open layout and had good lighting. It is located in the historic district of Plant City amongst the quaint little antique shops and cute little eateries. Perfect if you want to make the day of it.

While I was there I picked up a few fabrics to add to my stash and since I can't resist buying polka dots, these were a must. The yellow and green are from the Small Dots line by Riley Blake, and the blue is from the Marguerite line by Cyndi Walker for Riley Blake Designs.

And these adorable prints by Aneely Hoey were also a must have. They are from her Sew Stitchy line for Moda.

All in all Inspire Quilting and Sewing in Plant City, Florida, is a shop that I will probably visit again even though it was an hour away. It was definitely worth the drive.

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Solid as a Block Quilt

2013-06-06T19:47:00.000-04:00

Have you ever made a quilt just so you could try new things? A couple of months ago I pulled out this old unfinished project. Something I just wasn't feeling it at the time so I packed it up and put it away. Fast forward a year, a fresh pair of eyes, and you have a finished quilt. It is completely different than my original vision but sometimes it is fun to see how a project can evolve.

I struggle a bit with how I wanted to quilt this. I wanted to experiment with a few FMQ designs but ultimately ripped them out for my tried and true straight lines. I don't know what to say I love my straight line quilting and I think it goes perfectly with bold, bright look of this quilt.

Here are some of the work in progress pictures I posted along the way on Instagram.

I jumped out of my comfort zone for a second time with this quilt and tried spray basting. I know some of you may be shocked that I haven't tried this before, but I am resistant to change. I liked my blue painters tape and safety pins, but I am getting old and my tile floors are killing my knees, so I gave it a try. I wasn't sure the added cost was going to be worth it, but is was, my knees and my back were thanking me over and over again.

Here is how the back turned out. I think stepping outside my comfort zone with some improv piecing definitely paid off. I like the use of scraps on the back and because of all the piecing I was careful to line up the front with the back when I sandwiched this quilt. With all these straight lines it would be very easy to see if the back was crooked. For the binding I used the left over large scale print. I really dig how it looks pieced but is not.

The details:

This quilt measures about 40” by 55” with 48 blocks pieced together in a 6 by 8 layout. The blocks were strip pieced with a black solid then cut into squares.For the fabrics I used a large scale print Two Young Street, made by Prints Charming and matching Kona solids. For the binding I also used the large scale print Two Young Street, made by Prints Charming. The quilting is a basic straight line that follows the quilt block, using a black cotton tread.

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Pinterest Party

2013-06-03T15:05:00.000-04:00

Last Friday night my friends and I got together for a Pinterest Party. A Pinterest Party you ask? Yes, a Pinterest Party. Over the course of several e-mails the host of our Girls Night In ask us to pick a dish that we would like to bring, and a craft that we would like to make. The catch, they had to be pins from our Pinterest boards. Once all the e-mails were in, we voted on the craft that we wanted like to make, coordinated the supplies that we needed for those crafts, and made plans to get together.

The food was amazing! I am a huge fan of these pot luck type get together. It makes the work load lite for everybody involved, and it is a great way to try something new. Satisfying my sweet tooth, I made the Rolo Brownie Bites with a Carmel Cream Cheese Frosting, and in a word they were amazing. I will have to warn you though if you make the Cookie Dough Dip, make a lot of it, because it is definitely a crowd pleaser.

Here are some of the links for the recipes.

Strawberry Champagne Punch
Quick and Easy Blender Salsa
Baked Ravioli
Mozzarella and Pesto Poppers
Cookie Dough Dip
Rolo Brownie Bites with Carmel Cream Cheese Frosting

The first craft we made were Fabric Covered Crate Seats. Super cute, but since my kids are kind of big for these, I helped make one for my friend Angela. She needs four of them for her classroom next year.

Here is the link: Fabric Covered Crate Seat

The other craft we made was a No Sew Flag Shirt. A must have for any stylish little girl this 4th of July. This craft was also the perfect example of why our Pinterest Party was so great...we shared some of the supplies. Have you ever seen a craft or project on Pinterest that you wanted to make but didn't want to buy a whole package of whatever for that one little bit or piece. By pitching in and making these projects together we were able to make the most out of our supplies as well.

Here is the link: No Sew Flag Shirt

I had a great time and I can't wait to do this again.

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New Fabric Friday - V and Co

2013-05-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

What can I say am a horrible stash builder. This week the fabric I acquired was for a specic project and not for my stash. What I will say is that I am in love with this line of ombré solids and then of coarse there is my obsession with kona white.

My chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild here in Tampa is having a negative space challenge and I am obsessing a little bit. I have this idea in my head and I hoping that it plays out as I envision.

The line is part of the Simply Color collection by V and Co for Moda. I love the color gradation in each of the strips and if you have seen any of the quilts that the designer Vanessa Christenson has made using this line you know exactly what I am talking about.

Well, I am off to start experimenting with my new fabrics and to try some new techniques. Have a great weekend.

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Stepping outside my comfort zone…

2013-05-29T16:06:00.001-04:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about improv piecing. As quilters we all have our strengths, be paper piecing, applique, or patchwork. Improv piecing is not mine, for me it is definitely patchwork or paper piecing. I enjoy the precision, the rules, and lack of chaos. Trust me I have enough chaos in my life.

But every once and a while we have to challenge ourselves and jump out of our comfort zones even if it only for a brief moment. So, when putting together the quilt back for my current quilt project I decided to make it a personal challenge to only use the scraps that I left over from the quilt top and piece something together for the back. There was definitely some trail and error along the way, and a few choose words as ripped out seam after seam, but I am happy with the results even though my husband response was that it wasn’t my best work. It may not be but that is OK too.

I looked at this whole project as the perfect opportunity to try something new. The quilt top may or may not be considered improv but for me it was all about trying something new. Every once in a while we need that project with no destination or home in mind so we cam spread our wings and see which way the wind takes us.
This project started with a large print fabric that was discontinued that I didn’t quite know how to incorporate into a quilt. I did not have a clear plan when I started this quilt and since I could not buy any more of the fabric or others that were the line, I had to make do with what I had. Ultimately, I decided to pair it with some solid fabrics.
The vision of of this quilt has changed quite a bit over the past year and as I prepare to quilt it I find myself once again unsure of how to proceed…

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New Fabric Friday - Textures by Angela Waters

2013-05-24T11:28:00.001-04:00

So, yesterday I did something that I haven’t done in ages. I went to my local quilt shop in search of some fabric strictly for stash building purposes. There was no looking fabric that would, bind, back or match aanything I already have. I totally jumped out of my comfort zone as well. I usually go for more of the bright and bold colorways.

My LQS only had these 4 prints, I wish she carried the entire line I would have bought more. The quality and feel of these fabrics are amazing.

The line is called Textures designed by Angela Waters for Art Gallery Fabrics.

I am not quite sure what to do with it yet… but I am sure I can come up with something.
Have a great holiday weekend!

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The Confetti Scrap Quilt

2013-05-23T11:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I finally finished my Confetti Scrap Quilt and I am pleased at the results. Weeks ago when I started this quilt my main goal was just to use up the mountain of scraps that I had accumulated over the years. So, I got out my rotary cutter and started cutting, did a little quilt math, and when I was done I was left with a pile of five hundred 5” squares.

As I started piecing the hour glass blocks I wasn’t sure how this quilt was going to play out. Honestly, I really thought it was going to be the ugliest quilt ever, but since it was headed to the family room, and the was going to be at the mercy of the kids, I didn’t really care how it turned out. I just needed a quilt that could be abused and loved. Also, I took the opportunity to practice some precision piecing, taking the time to press and trim, and really concentrating on lining up all my seams.

This was also the first time I used Aurifil thread to piece and to machine quilt. I hate to admit it but I am hooked. I was surprised to see that there is really a difference compared to regular cotton thread. Now we will see how it stands the test of time… and the kids. Like I said before this quilt is headed for the family room and all the punishment the kids can dish out.

Also, I am finding Instagram invaluable when it comes to the work in process. I love the immediate help and encouragement I can get along the way. Above are some of the pictures I took. If you are on Instagram and want to follow along you can find me at @agirlinparadise.

The details: This quilt measures about 65” by 82” with 500 blocks pieced together in a 20 by 25 layout. I used this tutorial for the blocks. For the fabrics I used variety of scraps. For the backing and the binding I used a moss green dot. The quilting is a basic straight line on the diagonal that follows the quilt block, using white Aurifil tread.

Thanks for stopping by, and for all your continued support. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great day!

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Scrappy Hour Glass Block Tutorial

2013-05-01T12:31:00.001-04:00

My addiction to scrappy hour glass blocks has turned into a little bit of an obsession, because who in there right mind would turn five hundred random 5” charm squares in to a scrappy hour glass quilt? Apparently the answer to that question is me. There were two things that I wanted to accomplish when I set out to make this quilt, the first, I wanted to use up some of my scraps, and second I really wanted to practice some basic piecing. Taking the time to concentrate on some effective ways to match all my seams precisely and press them all without creating any bulk or knots.

I chose the hour glass block because there are a lot of seams that intersect throughout this quilt and the block itself is quite basic. Really, it is just a double half square triangle, and because you are not using a light and dark fabric like with a traditional hour glass block, piecing is very easy and no two blocks will look alike.

Step one – cut two squares of equal size, and mark a diagonal line on one of the squares.

Step 2 – with right sides together sew on either side of the line, using a 1/4 seam allowance. Then cut along the line you marked earlier creating 2 HST’s.

Step 3 – Press your seams to one side. Take 2 different HST’s with right sides together, with the seams locked into place, mark another diagonal line going in the opposite direction of your seam.

Step 4 – Again, sew on either side of the line, using a 1/4” seam allowance. Then cut along the line you marked. Now you should have 2 hour glass blocks. Press this seam open.

Step 5 – Trim your block square. It helps if you match the diagonal line on your ruler to the diagonal line on your block.

A few things I learned along the way…

Make sure that not only are you using a 1/4” presser foot on your machine, make sure you are sewing a straight line. Seems simple enough but wavy lines can really distort your blocks once you press them. Practice, practice, Practice.

Pressing seams that need to be lined up to one side and in opposite directions helps you to lock your seams into place and prevents shifting when you are sewing. Lining up your seams perfectly and effortless every time.

Pressing seams that do not need to be lined up open helps to reduce bulk.

Trimming blocks is worth the time. Trust me when I say trimming 500 of these blocks was not a fun task, but when it came time to sew together the rows and then sewing those rows together, having all my blocks the same size did make my life a lot easier and made all my seams lined up perfectly.

Whatever your taste, scrappy or traditional, the hour glass block is a great way to use up your scraps or those cute little charm packs we all can’t get enough of. Let me know what you think of this tutorial or if you have any questions.

Have a great day!

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I’m addicted…

2013-04-22T15:25:00.001-04:00

…to scrappy hour glass blocks. It all started with this pillow that I am making as part of a swap. One charm pack of Noteworthy gave me a 20” square that I was looking for, with a few leftover blocks for the back.

Then, I decided that this would be a perfect way to sew through my abundance of scraps and ugly fabrics. You see, I am in need of another throw around quilt that the kids can destroy without me getting upset over. You know the quilt, we all have at least one.

Of course, this has turned into a huge project and I spent the better part of my weekend going through my stash. I didn’t realize how much I needed to do this. I took all of my scraps and unwanted fabrics and cut them into 5” squares, 3” squares, strips, and salvages. If I am lucky I might even get a string quilt out of this too, but I am not sure what to do with the 3” squares… any suggestions?

Anyways, here is what 500 half square triangles looks like. I hope to piece them into hour glass blocks this week, then into a twin size quilt. Wish me luck, it might take me forever.

Have a great day!

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More Patchwork Pillows

2013-04-10T16:11:00.001-04:00

I have been really into making pillows lately. I love the idea of have a variety of them around the house. You know, a few for the kids to toss around and a few that are a little nicer that, dare I say, don’t get used. I hate that it makes me sound like my mother, but with 3 kids blowing through this house like a hurricane everyday it is nice to have something pretty to look at that doesn’t end up on the floor.

I also feel like I don’t have enough quilted things around the house representing my work. Quilting is such a big part of my life I thought it would be nice to have a few conversation starters laying about to share with friends or family.

The first one here I pieced with the leftover scraps form another quilt I am working on for a Moda Bake Shop project, using a jelly roll of Good Fortune by Kate Spain and a Moda white jelly roll. I had a small pile of scraps left over and I couldn’t bear to just toss them out with the trash. Then I added a decorative stitch to the straight line quilting for some added visual effect.

For the second one I pieced together 1 1/2” strips of coral and white and cut them on the 45 degree line, then pieced the panels together creating a herringbone or zig-zag pattern. I then used the same decorative stitch for the quilting. The fabric is Clementine by Michael Miller from his Cotton Couture Solids line, which I am totally crushing on right now.

Currently, I am working on a pillow using a Noteworthy charm pack and I not quite sure how I want to do the back. I am not trilled with how these zipper closures came out, so any suggestions? Or do you know of a great pillow tutorial I can use to learn something new?

Have a great day!

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The Duffle Bag

2013-04-05T16:13:00.001-04:00

So, I finally finished the StudioCherie duffel bag we made at the Sew South Retreat. Truthfully, I wasn’t at all excited about making this duffle. I am not a duffle kind of girl so, I decided since I did want to be part of the class, I would make this duffle for my niece, hence the ugly cat fabric. Sorry, I am not a cat person either, she is, I like to vicariously live through others when it comes to cats.

I realized once it was finished that is way to big for a 8 year old that is 60 pounds soak and wet. It is so ginormous she could probably climb in and zip it up behind her. So, back to the drawing board, because once a promise is made, it must be keep.

I modified the pattern making it smaller and making it easier to use the fabric I already had in my stash. You see like most quilters I buy my fabric in either fat quarter, half yard or one yard lengths, and when I make a decision to make something I like to pull from my stash because it could be a while before I get out to the quilt shop.

This version took a total of 3 yard, one yard of the feature fabric, one yard for the lining and one yard for the handles, and because I don’t keep jute on hand I substituted some Pellon interfacing, like Lindsey taught at the retreat.

If you already have this pattern and want to make a smaller one for yourself here a few of the changes that I made and a couple of tips that made things easier for me along the way.

First, out of the featured fabric and the lining fabric I cut a 23” strip, sandwiched and quilted as she instructed, then I marked my measurements. Out from the center mark 5”, 10”, 5”, and 1 1/2” from the end, repeat along the other side. If you own the pattern you will know what this means.

After marking my measurements I then trimmed my large quilted piece to a 22” by 43” rectangle. Why did I do it this way? Because at the retreat I like some other people had trouble marking our large quilted piece because it wasn’t perfectly square. If you mark your measurements first you are able to use those measurements as a guide while trimming. Make sense?

You will also need two quilted and finished 11” squares.

The the raw edges. This is probably my biggest complaint with this pattern. I don’t like raw edges, it is the perfectionist in me. In her pattern she recommends that you either stitch all the way around with a serger or bind with double fold bias seam binding. At the retreat I was able to use a serger and finish the edges of the cat duffle, at home I used an overlock stitch with an edging foot. Then I used some bias tape and finished the two shorts sides on the large quilted piece, because that is that side that get hand sewn on the inside of the bag and I hate hand sewing raw edges.

Needle breakage and zippers. Because you are using a heavy duty or metal zipper you must be really careful when sewing them in or you will break a few needles. I learned this on my first duffle. On my second go around, I pinned my zipper so the zipper or metal stopper parts would not be in my seam at all. This worked out really well for me, making this side of the zipper really easy to put in, on the other side go really, really slow over that zipper.

I was completely lost when it came to the Zipper Stop Tabs. So, I gave up and used some of my leftovers from the straps with none of the interfacing. Two 4” long pieces folded in half and sewn into the seam.

The end pockets. Though, I really like the way she did the zippered pockets in her pattern, and would probably do them that way for myself, for my niece, I did simple, lined, reach in pockets on both sides. That way there she can stick in her Barbie's or stuff animals with out any problems.

Did you make any changes when you made your duffle? What did you think of the changes I made to mine? Please share your tips or tricks. I am eventually going to make one for myself. Once I decide on the fabrics or if I am going to QAYG, decisions, decisions, decisions…

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