A Little Bit Biased

Summer House Hexagon Quilt - Finished

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:41:00 +0000

We're into our second full week of summer around here and I am loving it! And to be quite honest, I'm actually surprised to hear myself saying that! Usually after a few days of the kids being home all day, I'm sick of listening to fighting and my house looking like a tornado. But, my kids are growing up (they're 8 and 10 now) and they're finally starting to pull their own weight around here :)

I think this Summer House hexagon quilt is fitting in perfectly with our summer so far - bright and happy!

I decided to make this quilt a few weeks ago so it could be a display in the quilt shop I work at. We have a Shop Hop going on this week and I thought it would be fun to showcase a project using the Hex N More ruler by Jaybird Quilts. I also thought it would be nice to make a quilt using a black background. I've done it before (HERE) and the quilt ended up being one of my favorites. Plus, a lot of the quilts we feature in our store use white and I always think it's nice to mix things up a bit.

So. Here are my two cents on the Hex N More ruler:

It's a little pricey but I think it is worth the $24 dollars. I plan on doing another project with it again soon and it made cutting out the hexagons and triangles - a breeze! And for a little cost comparison - the cute hexagon pre-cuts that Moda has put out recently are around $17 US dollars so I think the cost of the ruler is definitely worth it. You can cut several size hexagons, half hexagons, jewel shapes and triangles with it AND you can use your own fabric so the possibilities are endless! (These are just my own thoughts - not getting paid for this little promo :)

Anyways, it was a fun, easy to use ruler and the project went together really quickly!

I chose for my quilter to do my favorite little swirl all over it (in a happy yellow thread). My backing is black minky - so soft and cuddly.

So, it's confession time.

I tried to do a machine binding on this. It was my first time ever. Seriously - I've never even attempted a machine binding before! So I Googled, "Machine Binding Tutorial" and Cluck, Cluck, Sew's tutorial was the first one to come up. Since I love Allison's blog, I read through her tutorial a couple of times. It seemed easy enough so I decided to give it a go. Yeah. I suck at machine bindings. It's definitely something that takes time to perfect. I ended up ripping it all out and sewing the whole thing on by hand.

Yuck. Props to you people that can do it. I need your tips.

Fabrics used: Summer House collection by Henry Glass, Lime Bunting from Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille for Moda, Ta Dot (color: Lips) from Michael Miller, plus a few other ones thrown in just for fun. The black dot background is an Essential Dot from Moda.

Kits are available. Just call 801-492-7929.

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

The World's Fastest Teacher Appreciation Gifts and a Flimsy

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:28:00 +0000

It's been a great school year and I couldn't have asked for better teachers for my kids. I'm so thankful for the teaching and love they received every day. Their teachers really gave 110%! Today is the last day of school and as always, I waited till the last second to put something together to show my appreciation. So last night I ran down to our local smoothie shop and got them all gift certificates (2 teachers, 1 teacher's aide and 1 bus driver).

With a little graph paper and Washi tape, I attached a little note that says,

"You've been a real 'SMOOTH' teacher this year!"

and

"Thanks for giving us a 'SMOOTH' ride to school this year!"

(Both of my kids commented on how cool the tape was!

What can I say, Washi makes everything cute :)

There isn't a gift that could sufficiently thank their teachers but I hope they'll enjoy a yummy treat on us :)

I also finished this flimsy last night.

I've been working on lots of different projects lately (that I can't share pictures of quite yet :) so it was fun to squeeze in some time to make something for the quilt shop I work at.

This was a fun little project to try out the new Jaybird Quilts Hex N More ruler. I used Summer House fabrics from Henry Glass + a few random pieces. I really loved working with the Hex N More ruler! It was easy to cut with and the pieces went together quickly and easily. It was a little pricey (about $24) but I splurged because I figured I'd use it time and time again. After finishing this flimsy last night I started itching to make another quilt with my son's collection of fat quarters! So I guess that's a good sign!

Well, I'm off to the school now to catch a little of

the end of year festivities!

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

Today

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:09:00 +0000

I am quilting.

Not pebbles.

Not swirls or circles or flowers.

Not feathers or clam shells.

Not headbands (although those are really fun).

Not leaves or bouncing bananas.

Just some little stars.

I'm not perfect. I'm just a beginner. But I'm having fun trying.

My little folk artsy flag is all basted (sorta - I'm too lazy to go to the store to get real basting pins so I'm using straight pins). It's a small project so I think it'll be okay.

Time to dive in.

Wish me luck :)

~ Amber

P.S. What are YOU doing today?

TO YOU. FROM ME.

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:05:00 +0000

I wanted to let you know that I have changed my price on my Sew Classic Sampler. It's now $29.99 (instead of $40 - that's a big savings!) AND everything in the shop is 20% off until Sunday!

"Why?" you may ask.

Because you're awesome :)

Head on over to my ETSY SHOP.

Shop to your little hearts content and then enter:
"20PERCENTOFF" at checkout.
This coupon code is good till Sunday night.

To you. From me.

♥ Amber

How-To Square Up Half Square Triangles

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Most of my friends are not quilters but recently one of them decided to make a quilt for a family member. She chose two fabrics (grey and white solids) and began to make lots of half square triangles (HST's). She planned to put them together to create a simple, modern chevron quilt. After she made all of the HST's she started to sew them together in rows. Everything seemed to be going great until she started to sew the rows together. Then, she called me in frustration. We met up and she showed me how the intersections of the HST's were not matching up, her points were either getting cut off or weren't lining up and some blocks seemed to be bigger than others. She had pulled, pushed and tucked to try to make them all fit but it just wasn't working! I could see she was very frustrated and discouraged. We checked her seam allowances and tried to figure out the root of the problem. While trying to stay positive and remind her that "finished is better than perfection" I could tell she wouldn't be happy until she unpicked her rows and squared up her blocks. That was the only, yet critical step, she had missed. So I told her how to square them up and she went home. She called me a couple days later asking if we could meet up so I could show her (again) how to do it.

For a newbie quilter like my friend, using rulers for cutting and squaring up can be confusing. I work in a quilt shop and I see how intimidated people get by it. Sometimes they'll even bring their blocks in and ask us to square up their blocks for them! :)

But it really is necessary to take the time to square up. Squaring up can help you straighten up (so your diagonal seam goes exactly from corner to corner) and it can help you to size up! Your quilt blocks will be so much easier to put together if they're all the exact same size! It will take a little extra time but squaring up is totally worth it in the end!

Then I got thinking, there are probably others out there that struggle with the same thing as my friend. So I've decided to do a little "How-To" on squaring up HST's. Of course, there are several ways to do it. This is just the method I like. Let's begin, shall we?

First, you'll need a self-healing cutting mat, a rotary cutter and a small ruler that is at least the size of what you want your trimmed size block to be. I am not one to have a million different size rulers but I've found that my 6 1/2" square ruler works well for most projects.

Decide what size you want to trim all of your blocks to. As you can see in the above photograph, my HST was about 3 5/8". I wanted to trim it to an even 3 1/2". So that doesn't give me much room to square up (only an 1/8"). I only need to trim off a sliver of fabric from each side.

Note: You don't need to pay any attention to the grid marks on your mat. We're strictly using it as a medium to cut on. Only pay attention to the marks on the ruler.

Step 1: Line up the top and right edges of your ruler on the HST. Make sure your 45 degree line on the ruler is directly over the seam. You will be trimming both of those two sides first but make sure that the other two sides extend beyond your desired trimmed size (3 1/2" for this example). If they do not extend beyond the 3 1/2" mark then you will have trimmed off too much and your block will be too small.

Go ahead and trim the first two sides when you're sure you have the right ruler placement. Be careful that nothing slips while you're cutting.

Step 2: Rotate the block 180 degrees to the left so that you can trim the other two sides in the same exact way. This time you can line up the two trimmed sides on your 3 1/2" marks on your ruler. Also make sure that the 45 degree line on your ruler is directly over the seam. When everything is straight and lined up, trim off the top and right sides.

Your block should measure exactly 3 1/2" (or whatever you chose to trim yours to). The dog ears will be cut off and your seam will be a perfect 45 degree line from corner to corner!

That's it. It's really quite easy peasy.

I think you'll find that although it takes a little extra time to square up...

it's totally worth it and will save you from lots of headaches in the future.

I hope that helps!

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

It's a Thimble Blossoms Kind-of Day

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:55:00 +0000

Look what I found on my kitchen counter at about 10 o'clock last night. It was a nice little surprise at the end of a hectic day. I'm so excited to spend some time devouring it today :)

And before I even realized it had arrived I had already started petting my new Scrumptious Layer Cake that the sweet ladies at Moda sent to me the other day! It really didn't take more than two seconds for me to start cutting into it once I unrolled it.

Even the trimmings are pretty.

This is the start of a new project :)

And for those of you who haven't seen some of the DARLING prints in this new line...this one's for you!

I love all of the prints in this line and I think Bonnie and Camille really out-did themselves this time (I think I say that every time). Apparently, I'm a big fan :) Anyways, good job (again) girls!

Now, I've been waiting all morning to be able to go back in my sewing room to have at this fabric. The kitchen is clean, some weeding has been done, laundry has been started. Now it's time for me to say good-bye to you.

Have a wonderful day!

~ Amber

Around the Block Samplers

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:30:00 +0000

My little quilt group and I meet together once a month.

We've done some fun projects over the last few years but one of my favorites has to have been the Around the Block Samplers we made.

(You can see pictures of mine HERE.)

Well this month we all brought our finished samplers to get a group photo. It was really fun to see the different color schemes and layouts people chose. Each one says so much about each person's personality. They're all so different even though they all started with the same 12 blocks.

Here's Jacque's quilt. She really went above and beyond with her sashing and pieced border. She recommends the book, "The Border Workbook" by Janet Kime to help you determine the size blocks needed to make a pieced border.

I definitely want to get this book!

(Jacque also brought this quilt for show 'n tell. It's not a sampler but I have to throw this picture in anyways! It's my Mod Medallions pattern that she finished up recently. She did a fantastic job. I love her fabrics and all the fussy cutting she did for the medallions!)

Here's Vicki's sampler. She had only made a couple quilts before this one and she definitely decided to "go big" on this one. She made waaay more blocks then what the rest of us had planned on doing and probably finished it before any of us. She is a go-getter for sure!

Robin's quilt turned out gorgeous. She made extra blocks too and set them all on point. Robin had only made a couple other quilts before this, as well, and she really out did herself.

Barbara came up with a unique layout for her blocks, leaving room for some custom feather quilting in the lighter colored spots. I think her fabric choices made for a really striking quilt.

We had some good laughs taking this picture (telling each other to "say cheese!") We're easily amused.

Left to right: Barbara, Vicki, Me, Robin and Jacque.

I have a fun time with these ladies and hope there are many more projects like this in the years to come! I hope you too, have some fun quilting friends that inspire you to stretch yourself. If not in your own community then here in Blogland!

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

Quilty things that make me happy...

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:18:00 +0000

Do you ever sit down at the end of a day wondering what the heck you did all day? Well, yesterday was one of those kind of days. I spent waaay too much time taking pictures of things I love and editing them on PicMonkey (a new photo editing site I stumbled across the other day). Neither of those things were on my list of "things to do" but it was fun and fun is good :)

In order to take some decent pictures though, I had to do some rearranging of some of my "stuff". Don'tcha just love your "stuff"? I love my "stuff". I know it's not good to love "stuff" but it kinda just makes me happy and I thought I'd share some of my favorite quilty "stuff" with you today...

Matching pennant banners that my daughter and I made a while ago.

(During one of her mini sewing lessons. I say "mini" because she only lasts about 5 minutes before she's bored. Believe me, I'm treasuring the moments...)

Selvages. For a someday project...

This sewing bird clamp was a gift given to me by a non-quilty friend. It was probably the most sweetest, thoughtful gift anyone has ever given to me. Completely out of the blue. And perfectly lovely.

My somewhat new Ikea cabinets.
Organizing always feels good...

I like quilts and I like stacks of quilts.

A small collection of old wooden spools...

A sturdy, level place for cutting...

Thank you Martha Stewart and Home Depot :)

So these are some of the things I'm especially grateful for right now.

What about you? What are some of your favorite quilty treasures?

~ Amber

Sweet Sugar Swirls {Finished}

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Gosh. It's been a while, eh? Sorry I've been a little M.I.A. lately.

It's Spring Breaks' fault. We headed down south to sunny, St. George (Utah) for some wonderful R & R that our family definitely needed.

But, I learned something about myself while on that trip. I learned that I actually don't do good with too much R & R. So the minute we got back home I got right back into finishing two quilts and starting about 5 more!

Speaking of which, I've got one that I'd love to share with you today. This project has been in the works for a few years so I am really happy to say she's finally finished!!! Yay!!! It was seriously touch and go there for a while :)

So this quilt has a story behind it.

It all started with a contest. Joanna (over at Fig Tree Quilts) was having a contest to see who could come up with the best name for one of her patterns. I won (or at least was one of the winners). I honestly can't remember which pattern it was that I helped to name though. Like I said ~ it was years ago. But as the prize, she sent me some patterns and a cute little Patisserie Honey Bun (remember those pre-cuts that Moda use to sell? Like a Jelly Roll - but smaller 1-1/2" strips). I bought some additional fabric to make this Sweet Sugar Swirls pattern and then the kit sat. And sat. And sat. I sold other kits that I had accumulated but I couldn't bear to see this one go. I loved the fabric and the pattern so much that I hung onto it for years. I worked on it once or twice but just couldn't seem to make any headway on it. Until the quilt retreat I went on a couple of months ago. I was able to get the top finished there and then quickly got it quilted. I got the binding finished last weekend and did a little photo shoot yesterday. Care to see some pics?

You can see the back (mostly a solid cream fabric with a few leftover printed strips pieced in the middle) and some of the quilting here. Can I just say that I LOVE the quilting on this?!? Linda Childs at Just Sew quilted it for me and did a fantastic job! Just perfect for my taste!

Oh. I also HAVE to mention that while I was working on this at the quilting retreat, I called it my "Don't Look Close" quilt. I was having a horrendous time getting my blocks to lay flat! I tried so hard to make sure that all my points matched up nicely but the centers of most of the blocks kept poufing up! I was stressing big-time but figured it had something to do with all those bias edged pieces. I was really quite embarrassed that that was happening so I told everyone that it was my "Don't Look Close" quilt. I asked around as to what I should do and a few people told me to just starch the heck out of my blocks. So I did. It seemed to work. And then the quilting helped to fix the rest. I honestly can't tell that there was any kind of poufing problem to begin with.

Isn't this a cute little gate? It's in my neighbors yard.

So welcoming, I think (especially with a quilt hanging over it!:)

Well, since it took me so long to finish this quilt, Patisserie fabric had come and gone. I couldn't find any more of it for the binding. But lucky for me, Avalon arrived in stores right before Spring Break so I picked up some of this cute little red polka dot print. It wasn't a perfect match to Patisserie's red but I thought it was a close second choice. As you might be able to tell from some of the pictures, there are a couple different reds in this quilt so I think it works.

I'm so glad Sweet Sugar Swirls is finally done. It's actually one of my favorites, I think. It's a beautiful design. And really wasn't that hard once I got going on it (just wish I could have done something to avoid that poufing problem though). But seriously, that Joanna ~ she sure is genius.

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

Another...Red and White Farmer's Wife Quilt Update

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:21:00 +0000

I was on a roll last weekend and got 10 more blocks finished for my red and white Farmer's Wife quilt...

Here they are from left to right:

Row 1: #10 Bow Tie, #103 Whirlwind, #56 Maple Leaf

Row 2: #38 Four Winds, #107 Windblown Square, #111 Wrench, #102 Whirlpool

Row 3: #46 Hill & Valley, #79 Silver Lane, #89 Steps to the Alter

I'm getting so close to my goal of making a twin size quilt. I couldn't resist laying my blocks out to get a little taste of what she'll look like when she's all finished. I'm getting so excited!

Now it's time to start thinking about what fabrics to use for my sashing, posts and borders. Hmmm.... any thoughts?

I'm toying with a few different ideas for the layout but I'm thinking the red and white color scheme is pretty classic so maybe I should stick with the traditional blocks on-point with narrow sashing and posts.

There are lots of cute ideas out there though.

I'm especially loving this one on my FWQ Pinterest board.

What do you think?

~ Amber

Did You Know...

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:49:00 +0000

that the best part of blogging and pattern designing is when I receive a picture from someone whose used one of my patterns or tutorials to make something!?! It seriously makes my day! So I've had some of these pictures longer than others but I'm excited to finally share these with you!

* * *

This one is from Brandy. It was her very first quilt!

It's a big version of my Square Dance pattern for her 11-year old son's bed. Now she's working on another for her other son. She inspired me. Seriously. Picture coming soon :)

A Candy Hearts quilt by Marie-Etta. It was her first attempt at machine quilting and hand binding! I think she did a fantastic job!

Another Candy Hearts quilt by Lorna. Rainbow colors for her two-year-old granddaughter! Love it!

Nancy @ Southampton Quilts made this pumpkin rendition of my

Fresh Squeezed pattern! It's a versatile pattern and I love seeing the different things you can do with it!

And here's a twist on my Holly Leaf Table Runner by Amber
(a different Amber. Not me :)

Jana from Prague made this Candy Hearts quilt using fabric from Tula Pink -
just like my Moda Bakeshop one! This picture was taken at the International Quilt Show ~ the "Prague Patchwork Meeting" in 2011. Cool huh?

And I'm really sad about these last two pics because I can't remember who sent them to me! If you (so kindly) sent me these pictures (forever ago) PLEEEASE remind me of your name. I feel terrible and really want to give you credit! I know... I need to be a little more organized!

A Candy Hearts quilt with fabric by Tanya Whelan - just like my original one!
I still loooove that fabric line!

And a twist on my Pretty Peppermints pattern. I LOVE the 9-patch sashing!

Seriously. Makes. My. Day.

So, in order to be a little more organized, I have created a Gigi's Thimble Flickr group. Now, you have to understand that I am sooo not tech savvy (I'm learning). So if you find that I've done something wrong in setting up the Flickr group - please let me know. There's not a soul or a photograph in the group yet (ha!) but maybe someday there will be a few :) Hint, hint. I'd love it if there was at least one. or two. or three :)

So if you want to join you can click HERE.

Happy quilting!

~Amber

Spools

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:08:00 +0000

Spools pattern by Camille Roskelley.

Sassy Stitchers (UT) 2013.

We had a fun time making spools blocks for each other and finally got our group picture last night. Now we're onto the next project!

Details about our swap can be found HERE.

Are you in a swap or guild? What fun projects do you together?

I posted about our HST triangle exchange last night on Instagram.

Yeah, I'm finally on (don't worry - I'm always behind the times when it comes to things like that). But it's addicting. And fun.

You can follow me at amberleighjohnson if you'd like :)

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

Red and White Farmer's Wife Update

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Wish I could find some more time to farm.

I did these a few weeks ago...

From left to right:

(85) Square Dance, (83) Spider Web, (97) Waste Not, (32) Spider Legs, (26) Cut Glass Dish, (96) Tulip and (86) Squash Blossom

All the blocks were paper pieced except for (26) Cut Glass Dish.

I didn't meet my deadline of having all the blocks done this month (I've only got 61 done). I've decided to make a twin size quilt instead of a queen but that means I still need to make 22 more. I guess I'll keep pluggin' away at them. Wish me luck!

~ Amber

Sew Classic Sampler Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Wow. You guys really know how to make a girl feel good. Thank you SO MUCH for your sweet words about my Sew Classic Sampler.
I'm so glad you like it :)

So before I announce the winner of the Sew Classic Sampler awesome giveaway prize I need to first announce a new winner for the apron pattern giveaway I hosted a few weeks ago. I never did hear back from the winner of the Lime Ricky pattern (which was my favorite of Eva's patterns). So I decided to pick a new winner, which is, Erin from the blog, Sew at Home Mummy. Sounds like she likes to sew... so go Erin! I sent you an email!

Now. The winner of the Sew Classic Sampler quilt pattern
and 10 Mama Said Sew fat quarters is...dunh duh nuhhh ~

DJ Shorti who said,

I follow your blog. I really love the new pattern. I think the row of dresdens really set it off! My favorite quilt block has to be the log cabin.

Thanks DJ Shorti! I sent you an email so I'll get this off to you as soon as I hear back from ya.

Thanks everyone for playing and again ~ I really appreciate all of your comments. It was fun hearing about your favorite quilt blocks. You've inspired me to incorporate some of them into some upcoming patterns!

For those of you who didn't win but still want to get your hands on a copy of my Sew Classic Sampler, you can hop on over to my Etsy shop to purchase your very own copy.

Thank you! Thank you!

Have a great day!

~Amber

Sew Classic Sampler - A New Pattern and [AWESOME] Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:45:00 +0000

I am so thrilled to finally announce the release of my newest pattern!

Ever since I saw these fabrics I knew I wanted to design a quilt with them. I fell in love with them when Sweetwater first posted about them on their blog HERE. I mean, what could be more perfect for all of us quilters than fabrics that are named and designed after sewing and quilting motifs?!?

With fabrics called "Sewing Guide", "The Bias" and "Pinking Shears" I knew that whatever I designed needed to be classically quilty.

Thus ~ my "Sew Classic Sampler"!

It was a blast to make and I think this pattern is perfect for all skill levels. It's Jelly Roll and Layer Cake friendly (whoot whoot!) and focuses on some of quilting's most classic quilt blocks. Instructions are included for using pre-cuts or yardage so you can do whatever works best for you!

This pattern teaches three kinds of piecing (regular, paper and template) as well as a little applique! And seriously, it's a great pattern for you beginners out there! Trust me :)

I've designed the pattern to be a 12-month Block of the Month pattern but you can go at whatever pace you'd like if you're doing it on your own. If you're a store owner and looking for a new BOM ~ shoot me an email for wholesale information.

The blocks in this pattern are some of my favorites ~
Dresden Plates, Granny Squares and Pinwheels (just to name a few).
I hope you like it as much as I had fun designing it!

So without further adieu~
I want to announce a FANTASTIC giveaway!

The prize package retails at a $70 dollar value!!!
It includes one copy of this 12-month Block of the Month
Sew Classic Sampler
pattern and
10 Mama Said Sew Fat Quarters
(donated by the super sweet girls of SWEETWATER!!! Thanks girls!!!)

Here are the rules:

1. First, you must be a follower of my blog.

2. Second, you must leave contact information or have an email address connected to your blogger profile.

3. Third, leave one comment only - telling me what your favorite quilt block is (generally speaking). And, if you care to tell me what you think of my Sew Classic Sampler you might just get a few extra brownie points :)

4. The giveaway will end Wednesday night and the winner will be announced Thursday morning.

So. I think that's it. Thanks for playing everyone.
And good luck.

~Amber

I'm back

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Well, I just got back from the most awesome-est quilt retreat EVER. I loved every minute of it! The retreat was held in a HUGE, luxurious cabin/house - that even had a slide in it! It was located in the back of scenic Hobble Creek Canyon, UT (a short 45 minute drive from my house). It was hosted by the amazingly talented and wonderfully witty Emily Herrick of Crazy Old Ladies quilt patterns. There were about 30 of us sewing till the wee hours of the morning. The food was delish. Just the right amount of games and make 'n takes. Swag galore. New friends and a beautiful snowy setting surrounded us. And guess what! I took absolutely NO pictures! I'm sorry! I've been hunting around blog land for some and haven't come across any yet. But I shared a sewing table and a bedroom with Heather from Quilt Story and Amy from Diary of a Quilter so I'm hoping they'll pull through for me! Also at our table was Kathleen from Quilt My Phone who hooked me up with an awesome new quilty phone case! Thanks Kathleen! I LOVE it!

So before I left I worked frantically on making this weekend traveler bag. I had the pattern for a long time and thought it was the perfect excuse to actually make it. It came down to the day before the retreat and I hadn't started making it. But, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I was able to get it done and I LOVE how it turned out!!!

The pattern is called My Paris Traveler's Bag by Fig Tree Quilts.

It was the perfect size for a three day trip. I felt like Mary Poppins when I was packing because of how much stuff I was able to fit in there!

I hope I'll be able to use it again soon.

Like maybe at a Cabin Fever 2 retreat?!?

It was a fun and productive weekend and I got two quilt tops done.

Stay tuned. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to share soon.

~ Amber

Apron Pattern Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:47:00 +0000

If I call your name...you are the winner of your favorite pattern!

Debbie P said...

I love the colors an look of the Lime Ricky pattern!! It is soooo cute!!

hueisei said...

I like the Punch and Cookies

Barbie Mills said...

I think I like the strawberry licorice one! Cute ginormous rick-rack!

Margaret said...: I love the Blue Daiquiri. She has some awfully cute projects and patterns.

Renea said...

Jade's Ruffle Skirt is the pattern I would pick although all the patterns were really cute. Thanks for the great giveaway.

Ladies, please send me your snail mail address and we'll get these patterns right off to you! Thanks for playing everyone and a special thanks to Eva over at Sew Much Good for generously donating these patterns!

Have a great weekend!

~ Amber

Finished Apron and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Apparently I have been in a non-quilty mood lately!

This is the second apron I've made in the last few weeks and I feel like I stretched my beginner seamstress skills with this one. It felt kinda good! You'll have to please excuse the lame picture though. Although I am excited - you might be able to tell that I feel extremely awkward having my picture taken for all of YOU to see?!?

I love the girly waistband and the full skirt and these darling pockets. I also love the scoop neck. There are lots of fun little details on this one!

This pattern is called Lime Rickey and was designed by my good friend, Eva Garlick from the blog and pattern company called Sew Much Good.

Eva has so generously offered to giveaway 5 - count that FIVE - of her patterns to my blog readers! All you have to do to enter is stop by her blog, check out her apron and skirt patterns, decide which one is your favorite (that will be the hardest part) and then come back here and leave a comment telling me which one that is! Take a minute to do these 4 little steps and one of these patterns could be yours!

Be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger.

BONUS POINTS:

If you are a follower of my blog, A Little Bit Biased - leave another comment saying "A Little Bit Biased". If you're a follower of Eva's blog, Sew Much Good, you can leave a third comment saying "Sew Much Good!"

This giveaway will end Thursday night. The winners will be announced Friday morning. Good luck!

~ Amber

One Project Down

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:44:00 +0000

I finished up this apron last night:

The pattern has been around for quite a while but I've always liked it.

It kind of says I'm-not-pregnant-but-I-could-be-and-you'd-never-know (and what girl doesn't like to wear clothes that fall into that category?!?)

It was a super easy pattern to follow and make (which is really good for a girl like me since hemming, ruffling and gathering are a little out of my comfort zone). It's also super comfy to wear. Did I mention that?

And what woman can't appreciate two giant size pockets? You could stash a million spools of thread in these things! Or Lego's... Or hair bows...whatever!

It was fun to take a small break from quilting to whip up this apron.

This was a great pattern for a beginner and I had so much fun with it, in fact, that I decided to make one more for a friend.

I hope she likes it!

This pattern is the Lilly Apron by Busy Bee Quilt Design.

Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 04:34:00 +0000

Right now I'm working on two different aprons.

One of which involves these little ruffly pockets. Aren't they just the cutest? Check out the Lime Ricky Apron over at Sew Much Good to see what they're going to be when they're all grown up.

Right now I'm loving these prints (as you can see) from the Indie Chic line by Riley Blake Designs. I love them so much so that I'm making the apron, a baby quilt and some pillows for my new sofas. I'm even tempted to make a throw quilt. I just can't get enough of the gold and blue chevrons and big florals right now.

Right now I'm finishing up a sewing room makeover. It looks like it's going to be bye-bye to this little baby (she might get a new paint job and move into our guest room but there's no room for her in my sewing room anymore).

Right now I'm finishing up a new pattern. Should be ready any day. It's a Block of the Month pattern. I've literally been working on it FOREVER. Here's a sneak peak (eek!)

Right now, I'm trying to finish up my Gigi's Thimble taxes.

And right now (well not literally right this second - but today) I dragged my kids around town while trying to gather up my quilts for a trunk show that I'm doing tomorrow. That was fun. Isn't it amazing how much kids looove to run errands with their moms after school? They love to sit in a car for hours on end. Separated from all that matters in their little worlds. Can you sense the sarcasm? I tried to bribe them with treats from the Blue Lemon but the sweet bliss only lasted a few minutes before whining and fighting ensued. So then we sang "25 Bottles of ~~Beer~~ Milk on the Wall" to pass the time - which did distract them for a minute but then they were right back to realizing how terrible their lives are :(

Man, I just reread that paragraph and I sound like a really terrible mom...don't judge...please? It was a lesson in counting...

Ahhh. Life is busy but good.

I always have a million projects in the works but I thought I'd share a few pictures of some things I actually did finish. A few farmer's wife blocks...

[#85 - Square Dance]

[#83 - Spider Web - It's not perfect but I like this one.]

[#26 - Cut Glass]

[#86 - Squash Blossom]

That's 58 FWQ blocks completed. I've decided to do the twin size quilt

(which requires 83 blocks) so I've got 25 more blocks to do. Our quilts are suppose to be finished up in March so it's time I start kick things into high gear. Does anyone care to join me in say, a 30- day FWQ marathon?

Let me know!

~ Amber

Funky Pinwheel Table Runner

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:59:00 +0000

Many moons ago I received a little gift from my blogging friend, Jodi (over at Pleasant Home). I just love her. And her blog. And all the quilty goodness that goes on over there.

I always loved Jodi's Funky Pinwheel Table Runner (you can see hers HERE). So I was super excited when she sent me a set of her Funky Pinwheel Templates. Thanks again, Jodi!

I finally got to making one of my own Funky Pinwheel Table Runners recently ~ to give to a different super sweet friend! I delivered it today but was sure to snap some picture before I did. The colors matched her home perfectly (I'm so relieved!) She literally has a red leather sofa right off her kitchen.

Jodi's runner was super fun to make. I love the big blocks and it was really quick to put together. I made mine a little shorter though (mine has 5 blocks compared to Jodi's 7 blocks). And I think I made my borders just a tad bigger (like 3" instead of 2-1/2").

And look, I even stippled it myself!

It was my first time doing any kind of free motion quilting and I loved it! It only took me about an hour to prep it and quilt it and get the binding sewn on the front. My quilting isn't perfect but it sure was fun trying! I'm hoping to do a little more of my own quilting now that I got myself a new sewing machine with a proper free motion quilting foot.

Most of the fabrics I used are from Sweetwater's Mama Said Sew line.

I just love that line...don't you?

Birds of a Feather Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:20:00 +0000

I have been wanting to make this quilt for years.

You may have heard me mention it before.

The pattern is from American Patchwork and Quilting (April 2009).

I've been collecting fabrics for the past few months.

And I think I waaay over shot what I needed because I bought enough fat quarters and used a little from my stash to use a different fabric for each bird and feather.

I've made lots of progress on it this week (ironing and such). Today I am glue basting all the pieces in place and then I'm good to go! My little hands have been itching for a take-along applique project for quite some time. I think this will keep me busy for a little while.

I also got a little itch to start something new so I whipped up some blocks from my Square Dance pattern the other night out of the leftovers. I need some quilty goodness to go with the new colors in my family room. I'm planning on making it into a big throw.

I always get these itches when I finish up a big project. I've got a new finish I'll be sharing with you soon. I'm really excited about it (and have kept my mouth shut about it for far too long). I hope you'll like it. Stay tuned!

~ Amber

Red and White Farmer's Wife Update [Paper-Piecing]

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:18:00 +0000

Hello. Hello.

Happy Monday Everyone.

Hope you all had a nice weekend. I've got some sick kids home from school today. And I, myself, have been in my pajamas for 24 hours. I was feeling a little worn down Friday afternoon and have been taking it easy ever since.

I did happen to make some more headway on my Farmer's Wife quilt last week and thought I'd share my progress with you. I've got 11 new blocks that I'm really excited about. I really enjoyed making them this time around! Imagine that :)

Maybe it's because I got to do some paper-piecing!?! I heard about the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Along Group on Yahoo. You have to request to be a member but once approved you have access to paper-piecing patterns for all 111 blocks! Have I told you how much I love paper-piecing? I really was on-a-roll one day last week and busted out 6 PP blocks! And I'm itching to do more!

The blocks featured above are the ones I paper-pieced. Some of them are quite easy and I probably would have been fine to use templates for them but you don't waste as much time cutting out each piece (you do waste more fabric this way though).

One new thing I tried with these blocks was using sandwich paper instead of regular printer paper. It's so much thinner and easier on your needle. And, you can print directly onto the sandwich paper. I've printed out 9 patterns so far and haven't had a problem with it not feeding through my printer. You just have to trim it down a little because it's a little bigger than your standard 8-1/2" x 11" paper. You can buy a big box of the sandwich paper at Costco.

This block below was probably the hardest of the bunch. Not because it has tiny or intricate pieces but because it has slight Y-seams. It was fine once I got over the shock that I still would have to do Y-seams even on paper-piecing. But the lines on the paper show you exactly where to pivot. And it all laid flat once I took an iron to it.

[#47 Homemaker]

[#65 Peaceful Hours]

[#77 Seasons]

[#66 Periwinkle]

[#74 Ribbons]

[#59 Night and Day]

The next four blocks I used the template method.

[#19 Checkerboard]

[#57 Morning - this one was a little trickier than it looks.]

[#49 Honeycomb]

[#8 Bouquet - I like this block]

And for this block (below) I just used the half-square triangle method where you sew zig zags on two strips of fabric (RST) and then cut the zig zags apart. Press open and trim to the correct size. Don't know what that method is called...but it's a fast way to get lots of HST out of the same two fabrics.

[#87 Star Gardener]

I think I have about 54 blocks finished so far. I know, it feels like I should be getting close to finished by now but I'm only about half way. I'm starting to second guess my plan to make all 111 blocks. Any thoughts? I could probably use a little motivation right now. I always need a little extra when I realize just how many I've made and how it's not even close to the 111 blocks in the book.

Oh well, I've got to focus on the positive and how much fun these last few blocks were to make! I really want to get back in my sewing room and sew a few more! The goal for the FWQ-Along that I'm in at work is to be finished in April so I really need to get my butt in gear and finish the last...fifty-seven. Oh crap. That's a lot.

Cabin Fever Quilt Retreat

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:20:00 +0000

Oh my gosh. I'm so excited!

I really haven't been on too many quilting retreats before but I am sooo ready to get away and sew!

Emily (from Crazy Old Ladies Quilts) is hosting her first ever

in the beautiful Hobble Creek Canyon, here in Springville, Utah.

Thursday, February 21st - Saturday, the 23rd.

You can stay for all 3 days/2 nights for just $200 or 1 full day for $100.

I think that's a steal of a deal. Especially because it includes lodging, all meals, classes and tons of swag!

Check out these accommodations:

This place is beautiful. Imagine it (covered in snow most likely).

And in here - all warm and cozy

(with the soft purr of sewing machines going crazy!)

Emily asked me if I would be willing to do a trunk show (eek!) and I couldn't turn her down. Natalia Bonner from Piece and Quilt and Kati Spencer- From the Blue Chair will be doing trunk shows, as well! It's going to be so much fun! I can't wait! I do hope you'll join us.

There are just a few spots left, so hurry to EVENTBRITE to register!

You may also want to check out Emily's blog for more details.

~ Amber

Norma Jean Quilt (Finished)

noreply@blogger.com (Amber) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:30:00 +0000

This quilt was a gift to a family that we are REALLY good friends with. You know, the kind of friends that are practically family? The ones you have a million memories with. The ones you go on trips with. The ones you entrust your kids to (the one and only time that you need to leave them for a few nights. I know my husband and I really need to get away more:)

So ever since they watched our kids for us a couple of years ago, I had been telling them that I was going to make them a quilt. So last August when we were on a trip together in St. George, UT. I took Lisa fabric/pattern shopping. Lisa was immediately drawn to this pattern by Basic Grey (called Norma Jeane) featuring Basic Grey's new fabric line called Little Black Dress.

We bought a few cuts from that fabric line and then I filled in with a bunch of other fabrics from my stash that I had actually been collecting for their quilt (glad we were on the same page color-wise!)

Lisa really wanted black minky on the back so that's what I did! However, since I used a really light sashing (Odds and Ends Vintage 37048 11 by Moda to be exact) and a solid cream fabric for the border the black showed through a little bit. But I think it looks o.k.!

I added an extra row of pinwheels onto the side and bottom of the quilt so it ended up being a nice throw size. I think it measured about 56" x 72". There were forty-eight 6" pinwheels. 192 half-square triangles. I trimmed and squared up each one so it'd be extra purdy :)

We were able to deliver this quilt to our friends last Saturday during our annual night of pizza, bowling and dessert with the kiddos. (FYI - the restaurant we went to is called The Rusted Sun and it's definitely a favorite, yet very small pizza joint that I highly recommend - yum yum!) Our friends seemed sincerely excited and so appreciative about the quilt. And I enjoyed every minute of working on it and LOVED giving it to such wonderful friends!