The Amateur Quilter

Sewing During a Pandemic

2020-10-31T11:42:00.002-04:00

I want to start out by saying "Hi, Alex!" You know who you are. Thanks for still reading/following my blog (lol). I updated My Finishes page today. Man, there was a lot to do...about a year's worth of quilts to post pics for. I will say I have been making tons of party shirts during the pandemic, but still been making plenty of time for quilts. I've finished a maple leaf quilt top that I found years ago. I finished a quilt from 2012 that was a block of the month. I've also finished some old blocks for a Christmassy quilt found in Virginia. I have 2 quilts that are next to my longarm waiting to be quilted and 3 babies already born waiting for their quilts. Crazy year, but good for finding sewing time. Take care everyone!

Updated My Finishes Page

2018-12-29T08:35:00.000-05:00

Does anyone read blogs anymore? I certainly don't blog anymore lol. I guess Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest have pretty much taken over. I guess if you want to post a tutorial blogging is the best, but for sharing photos etc. you can pretty much go elsewhere. This post will be seen by me and one other person most likely lol. However, I have over 3,000 followers on Instagram where I can share things, pictures, ask questions and will definitely get someone looking! Well, I updated my finishes page today... been awhile. I like to keep it up to date because on the labels on the back I've started putting a link to the blog. Maybe 100 years from now it will still be here and someone will find the quilt and look it up. Here are some pics from the newly added finishes... Links to more photos under My Finishes at the top of the page.

If you are reading this, I wish you all the best!
Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so if you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Making it up as I go along

2017-08-14T07:27:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted on the blog in a while. I've been busy sewing as usual. I've had many customer quilts on the longarm these days. I thought I would take a quick moment to share photos of a few of them. As for the title of this post, I wanted to point out this one that I longarmed for a customer and just made up the quilting randomly as I did it:

In the white space I did "straight" lines without a ruler. Notice I said "straight" in quotation marks! :)

This one is similar to the one above, but it is a different quilt:

This one is just an all over edge to edge stippling:

Until next time,
Mike.

Mike is Great!

2016-04-09T09:32:00.001-04:00

Catchy title for this post, huh? Anyway, what I meant to say is Mike is a Great Uncle (for the first time)! She's quite the looker too! I used an Alphabet panel themed with New York City that I purchased at the City Quilter in Manhattan. Enough talk. Let's get on with the quilt and baby pictures :)

Baby Paizlee

Cutting up the panel. Some were a bit wonky toward the end of the alphabet, but I made it work.

I decided to use yellow brick road sashing with ruby fabric corners.

It gave it a star effect.

P is for... I like to put the baby's name in the quilting :)

All wrapped up and ready to go!!!

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Mike.

Updating the Blog With New Finishes

2016-02-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

Well... just writing a quick blog post since I have not done it in sew long! I've been busy quilting sew today I updated the My Finishes section with about 6 or 7 projects I've finished recently. I tend not to blog much anymore. I've been mostly posting pictures to my Instagram account since it's much quicker and easier to do than to blog. I already have over 3500 followers there! Sew, go check it out! Also check out the My Finishes section of this blog that I just updated. I'll post a few pictures below of the newly added finishes.

Until next time,
Mike.

#hexiefriends Guidelines, Tips & Ettiquette: Beyond the Rules

2015-07-06T21:49:00.001-04:00

I'm writing this post today because I found this great ongoing swap called #hexiefriends. I was introduced to it on Instagram which is actually the social media website that you use to participate in the swap. The original post about the swap can be found here. However, it has very few rules and I often find that swappers might bend them a little or have questions about what is proper swapping with this. I also find that some swappers will go the extra mile and make it really fun!. I thought it might be appropriate to list out some of the things that can really make #hexiefriends fun and super enjoyable!

The main rules are:
1. All hexies have 1 inch sides.
2. The center hexy fabric should be white or light, solid or low volume.
3. The center hexy will have writing on it indicating the person and location of where the hexy flower originated.
4. Send direct messages to other swappers who might be interested so you can exchange addresses and preferences for color, style, etc.

That is basically it. I'll post some pictures at the end so you can see what they look like. Here's one:

Here are some other non-rules that I like to use as guidelines/tips/etiquette:

If the center hexy fabric is not white or off-white, make sure you can easily read your writing. I often request white centers because they work best. I've found also that using a solid fabric is easier to write on. Often prints will make it difficult to move the pen. I would also suspect that the ink from the pen will stay steadfast on a solid fabric better. My "go to" fabric is Kona Solid White. I've had great success with it and any quilter worth their weight keeps a load in the stash (in my opinion only), or at least an off-white background solid fabric.
My favorite pen for writing on the center hexy fabric is Micron size 08, available on Amazon or in Joann's Fabric Stores (and several other crafty stores).
What do I write on the center hexy? Mainly your name, however you want. Some people put first/last, some first and last initial, some instagram name, some a little of each or all! Then where the hexy flower came from, not necessarily where you are from... If that was the case, mine would say Kansas, but that makes no sense because I made it where I live now. I think it makes more sense to put the hexy's birthplace rather than yours :)
Glue or thread basting is acceptable, but I would ask before using glue. Some people do not like it. I'm fine with either. If thread basting, I find it totally awesome if you only basted on the back and not through the template, that way I can leave the threads in and save a step, but it's totally up to you!
Papers: Leave them in for at least the 6 outside hexies. You can take the center one out if you like. Many swappers are planning to whip stitch more hexies that join to your flower. It's difficult to do without the papers still in. I'm planning to applique mine, so it doesn't really matter, but I think I am in the minority. LEAVE THEM IN.
Try not to make your preferences too difficult for your swap partner. Color or general style (bright, novelty prints, stripes) are okay, but something like "anything with watermelons on it" would be too specific! Give more than one option if you are not sure. I find that most will say they have no preference or that they want you to pick whatever you like, or something that represents your taste.
Mailing USA Domestic: I can only attest to mailing in the USA or from the USA. I use envelopes similar in size to mailing a small birthday card. The hexy fits nicely. If this is all you put in your envelope, it only needs one first class stamp because it will be less than 1 ounce. If you are putting anything in extra, make sure it does not go over 1 ounce. If it does, the post office sells "extra ounce" stamps or you can just put on another regular stamp if you don't mind wasting the extra cents. In the past I have put in 7 extra templates, a postcard, and put it all in a Ziploc inside the envelope and it still did not go over 1 ounce.
Mailing International: I use http://paypal.com/shipnow for international. 1 ounce or less is $1.20 to most destinations (not aware of anywhere it is more). You can purchase with your paypal account (make sure you have cash in it; they will charge fees for using a credit card) then you can print out the label and sign the customs form which is on the label. You can then drop them in the mailbox directly. Doing it through paypal gives you tracking information. You can also use first class international forever stamps (I think they are the same price) but you will not have tracking.
Extras: You don't have to put in extras, but I like to do it. I put in some of my fun templates (see link on upper right hand side of my blog), sometimes a small piece of fabric, sometimes a postcard from New Jersey! I think it's fun to get something that represents where the swapper/hexy flower is from!
Looking for #hexiefriends ???: search #hexiefriends on Instagram then leave a comment on a photo that comes up saying you are interested in swapping! That's the best way to find swappers.
Sending direct messages: Most swappers are using the direct message function on Instagram. It's on the home page of the app in the upper right hand corner. It looks like a drawer (chest/nightstand type). You must include a photo to send a direct message. I recommend writing out your address and snapping a photo, especially if it is for someone international. This way they know how to format it on the envelope, or... just use one of your hexy pictures!
Keeping track: I use a spreadsheet, but you could use regular paper to keep track of your swapping. I've heard some say they make a notecard for each and keep them in a small box. I take note of the Instagram handle/name of the person, the real name and address, preferences, the date I sent and the date I received in return.
What if my swapper never sends me one in return? Hmmmm... tough call. If you are keeping track of dates (i.e. when you mailed yours), I would give them at least a month. We know it can take a long time to make one and I know some people have a long list of committed swaps. If a month passes from the date you mailed yours, send them a tactful direct message on instagram saying that you hadn't seen one come back yet and just wanted to get a status update. Hopefully it didn't get lost in the mail. Ideally they will say that they have been busy, but haven't forgot about you! It's also a good idea to notify them when you are sending it out. It serves as a reminder that you are swapping with them.
SHARE YOUR #HAPPYMAIL on instagram and mention them in the comment/caption (@amateurquilter for example) so they know you got it and that you like it! Don't forget to also hashtag it #hexiefriends so others will see it. You may get more swappers this way!

These are just guidelines and solely my opinion. I often get asked, especially from newbies, what is the proper way and how they should do it! Now you know at least how I do it!

Feel free to follow me on Instagram or any other social media (listed below and to the right on the side bar).

Yours in hexiness...
Mike.

Now for the pics:

Until next time,
Mike.
@AmateurQuilter

I have Google+ comments activated, so if you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Twin Rag Quilts

2015-04-16T11:27:00.001-04:00

I'm back! Sorry it's been so long. I'm not sure who's reading my blog anyway. These days I post mostly to Instagram, but I like to blog about finishes. I have finished 4 quilts since my last post!!! I'm going to share one today which is actually 2 quilts made from the same fabrics. I've also updated the My Finishes section of my blog if you want to see photos of the other finishes, although I will blog about them next time.

I made 2 rag quilts using flannel, several prints from Moda and others unidentified. I got most of the fabrics at Marden's in Maine (great prices!) and at some quilt shops along the way. They both measure about 60 x 70 inches so they are great cuddly couch warmers :)... or throws :) I gave one to someone I work with for Secret Santa. I gave the other to my Sister-in-law in Washington state. I forgot to take pictures of one of them finished, so most of the pics are of the Secret Santa one.

This is the link to the full photo album.

Here are some posted for the blog:

Linking up at Link a Finish Friday!

Have a great day everyone!
Until next time,
Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so if you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Scrappy & Low Volume Quilt Fabric Charm Swap (Round 3 & Round 4)

2014-09-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

I know I'm insane for doing this, but I felt bad because I gave my regulars an opportunity to sign up early for the Round 3 of the Scrappy Swap and it filled up before I opened it to the public!!! Sew... I'm doing Round 4 simultaneously. Both rounds have the same exact rules: Scrappy & Low Volume.

Read the rules here

Sign up here

Until next time,

Mike.

If you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Making a T-Shirt Quilt

2014-09-23T08:30:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to share a finish that I have been holding back on because it was a birthday gift. My brother recently had a milestone birthday so I had his wife mail me a bunch of his t-shirts so I could turn them into a quilt. I also sent her some fabric for everyone to sign. Here are the pics:

I loved the note on this. I made a pillow out of this and sent it in the package :)

I also went to a quilt show in Pennsylvania on Sunday and saw some gorgeous projects:

Also, a friend of mine saw a quilt exhibit in Nashville that was cool:

Sorry for the long post... but it was picture filled :)
Until next time,
Mike.

If you are having trouble commenting you can also comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

How do YOU spell Hexy?????

2014-09-07T07:19:00.001-04:00

I saw this post yesterday and it made me wonder... I often wonder about this. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to spelling and grammar. I think it should be HEXY (adjective, noun) and HEXIES (pl. noun). But I often see HEXIE (adjective, singular noun) or HEXI. I thought maybe we could vote on it!!! There is a voting widget at the very end of this post.

By the way... if you like things hexy, you should join this community on Google: I'm Hexy and I Know It!!!

Here are some pictures for inspiration. Most of them were taken on my hexy commute everyday and posted to my instagram and flickr accounts :)

See you next time!

Mike.

If you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Rescued Quilt Top - Leaf Applique

2014-08-10T11:40:00.001-04:00

When I was up in Maine last week I stopped at a ton of antique stores. I found an awesome quilt top that basically in a pile of blankets and old quilts at a place on Post Road. The tag on it said $395.00. I went to the owner and asked if she had any other unfinished quilts. She wanted to know what I meant. I showed her this one and she said name a price. I said $35.00, she said "sold." :)

I have no idea how old it is but if you want to venture a guess please let me know. I was thinking 1980s, but I'm totally clueless on these things. It has a few small stains that I will try to get out before I quilt it. It's about a queen size I think. The applique zig zag stitching is not very good, but I think it will be fine. There are also some penciled lines on the green. I think he/she was planning on quilting it, but never did for some reason.

Anyway, hope you are having a wonderful day.

Until next time,
Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so if you are having trouble commenting you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Vroooom, Vrooom!!!!

2014-07-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

Well, the Scrappy Quilt Fabric Swap (Round 2) is finally over :) I'll probably do another one in a few months.

I wanted to get some sewing in today, but I realized I had not really blogged in a while (besides announcing the swap, etc.).

Sew... here is a finish that I have not shared yet. It was commissioned by a friend of my husband. It's for her boyfriend who is really into NASCAR and specifically Tony Stewart. I know. It is seeew not me :) But I schooled myself really quickly. There were a couple of licensed fabrics out there with his number and signature sew I started with that. I then went to ebay and picked up some Tony Stewart Tshirts (new ones!)...Picked up a little NASCAR fabric and some blenders to go with that. I then got some black and white fabric to do some tiny patchwork like checkered flags. I know you can buy checkered fabric, but I thought it would be more cool to make the patchwork. I quilted it in a flame like pattern :) It's very srappy looking and there is not much focal point going on. But, that's my favorite kind :)

She loves it. As for the boyfriend he gets it next week on his birthday :)

Hope you all are sewing this weekend.

Until next time,

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Scrappy Quilt Fabric Charm Swap (Round 2) Sign up is open!!!

2014-06-14T16:03:00.002-04:00

Round 2 for the Scrappy Quilt Fabric Charm Swap has started. The deadline is July 19th. The link for sign up is in the "Rules" discussion thread in the Flickr Group. If you do not have a Flickr account use this link to the form and put "N/A" for you Flickr name: Google Form Signup I will then email you the rules. If I do not hear back after I email you the rules, I will assume that you are okay with them.

Until next time,

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Scrappy Quilt Fabric Charm Swap (Update)

2014-05-24T10:54:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to update everyone on the status of this. I posted this in the Flickr group today:

The mail man just came (today is 5/24/2014). These are the ones I have not received:

(I have not marked off Roberta from Louisiana. I got her 2 spots, but I don't know her Flickr name.)

SeeLifeMarvels (2 spots)
karennie34 (2 spots)
Malinis Quilts
Boopsi52 (2 spots)
ladynredd (2 spots)
judy.purman
Scotlandmom
someone5456 (2 spots)
sewreadytoquilt
LJB Jones

Sew, I'm missing 13. Some of you on this list have already contacted me to say it's in the mail. I'll keep updating the received list as they come in.

I had one package that was opened and arrived in a baggy! Anyway, some charms were missing from it, so I am going to replace the missing ones. Good thing this is scrappy! So, you may not all have the same! Thank you everyone for the little surprises I found in some of the packages too! I've tried to send a personal thank you, but I may have missed a few in the madness :) I didn't realize how stressful hosting the swap can be. I'm thinking on the next one, I might change some rules a bit :) make it easier on me!

Happy Memorial Day!

MIke.
PS: if you need to communicate with me... send me an email: amateurquilter at gmail dot com
Flickr communication really sucks.

I'm thinking of doing a round 2. I'll keep you posted.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Scrappy Quilt Fabric Charm Swap - Sign up is open!

2014-04-19T12:14:00.000-04:00

**UPDATE** After 3 days we have 29 swappers signed up! Spread the word!

I'm doing a charm swap! Sign up on Flickr here.

It's going to be a ton o fun!!!

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Twin Secret Santa Quilts

2014-04-19T10:18:00.000-04:00

Ok, I'm trying to catch up on some finishes. These were made with a pattern from Moda Bake Shop called Scrappy Avalon Summer. It called for charm packs etc. as usual (that's what they want you to buy) but I went to my local quilt shop (Joann's) and bought several 1/2 yards to make my own scheme :) Each quilt took about 10 hours to make. The HSTs took the longest. I used the draw the line method (my favorite) and my Bloc Loc ruler (love it!) The instructions on the website were just okay. Sometimes it wasn't too clear for me, but I made it work. I would have done the 4 patches differently since I wasn't using charm packs. I would have just cut them to size rather than trim down. It's a great and super easy pattern to do... and it has a great scrappy quilt effect!

Anyway, you are probably wondering why the post title says Secret Santa. I made these for 2 office Secret Santa parties, so they were given away to unsuspecting co-workers: 1 in my office and 1 in my husband's office. I have to say that they ended up with 2 very deserving people!

Here are the photos:

Until next time,
Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Baby Elephants in the Room ....

2014-02-26T10:49:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to catch up on a few finishes from last year that I never blogged about. I recently did the Peacock quilt post and the Squirrelly quilt post. Now I am posting about a baby quilt that I made for my cousin's first born. He was born last year and he has since been snuggling up in it quite often :)

I was fortunate to be given a huge pile of flannel scrap squares all about 3 to 4 inches in size from the Onlinefabricstore.net. I took those squares and just squared them down to about 3.5 inches where possible and sewed them all together (with a good eye for placement).

Here are a few pictures:

The pile of scraps.

Sewing the rows together....

Adding the elephant border :)

Long arming it.... (stippling)

I wrote his name in the quilting :)

The back was all owls with a scrap of elephant (ran low on the owls)...

And... Voila! ... Baby quilt :)

Here is a link to the full photo album which is also under My Finishes at the top of my blog.

My next posts will be about the Blue & Orange Scrappy twin quilts and then I will do one about my Oven Mitts that I have been listing in my Etsy store.

Until next time!

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

The Blue Peacock (and the one that got away...)

2014-01-05T17:13:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful 2013 and finished lots of quilts. I took a look back while I was updating my "finishes" page: I counted 8 lap size or larger quilts (2 oversized twin/full), 2 baby quilts and several other small projects that I finished in 2013. It seemed like it was a lot more!

Anyway, here is another finish that I have not officially blogged about yet. You may have seen a picture here and there, especially on my instagram account, but here goes.

A friend/neighbor commissioned me to make this quilt. He picked out the fabrics. I designed it on EQ7 then whipped it up :)

It measures about 72 x 84 inches. I spent a total of 33 hours working on it.

I was planning on doing some fancy quilting on it but after I showed the client some options he insisted on a stippling. I was fine with that as it's the easiest and I think the most quilty looking design :)

Here it is about halfway quilted on the long arm.

Some nice outside pictures before all the snow arrived.

The border had very large printed blue peacocks on it. I could not make them fit without making the border over sized. Sew, we decided that one of them should come off the border and onto the quilt blocks. I got the idea at my Quilting Club meeting from one of the members.

This was the first time I had ever done any "in depth" applique. I used wonder under, then cut one of the shapes out and appliqued him on top of the one peacock head in the lower right hand corner. I added some extra batting for added texture then stitched around all the feathers and such, not just the edge of the shape.

This is the under side of the quilt top.

Overall he and I were very pleased with the outcome.

I have a few more finishes to share, but I will save them for another post. They are already on my finishes page.

I'm going to link up at Link a Finish Friday. They are having their 100th Friday finish post this coming Friday! You should stop by!

Happy 2014!

Until next time,

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Gettin' Squirrelly

2013-12-24T10:25:00.000-05:00

I have had sew many finishes in the last few months, but I have been sew busy making last minute quilts and projects that I have not posted any of them (although you may have seen a post here and there on my instagram, facebook or twitter accounts). Today I am going to show you one and hopefully I will get the others blogged soon!

This quilt was commissioned by some very dear friends for one of their family members that was turning 60 in November (on Thanksgiving!). The only stipulation was that it had to have a squirrel theme :) Sew, we scoured the earth (even Seattle, Alaska and Canada when we were there on a cruise) looking for anything that might work. We bought online from fabric.com and ebay as well. I designed the layout on my EQ7 and then pretty much winged it from there. Here are some pictures:

As usual I used leftover fabrics for the back of the quilt. They also let me keep any of the leftovers, probably about 3 yards in total.

I quilted it with a leaf motif and viny loops :)

Although it was technically a twin size (72 x 84 in.) it just fit on top of this queen bed. In total I spent 16.5 hours from beginning to end. It was easy and fun, especially working with such crazy prints! And, the pattern was perfect for large, medium and small prints!

Anyway, the recipient was just "nuts" about it :) I hear it was a great birthday celebration. And to top it all off, I got paid to do something I love. The money I made will definitely help me support my habit.

On a side note, the winner of the Blog Hop Party Giveaway from last month was Tami C. She chose the colors red and green. She has already received her prize in the mail.

Hope all is well my friends! Happy holidays to you all!

Until next time,

Mike.

Blog Hop Party & Giveaway! (Fabric)

2013-11-21T06:41:00.002-05:00

Yes! It's that time of year again :) Let's make this short and sweet. First, one fun picture then onto the giveaway!

I'm giving away 6 fat quarters from my stash.
Leave a comment (read the note below, you can comment on any of my social media pages) telling me your favorite color combinations and I will put something together. My stash is so large, I'm sure I can accommodate :) I will only count one entry per person. I will announce the winner after Thanksgiving :) Have a nice Turkey Day everyone!

Don't forget to check out the other giveaways! Link in right hand sidebar at the top!

Until next time,

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

I'm bringing Hexy back...

2013-10-25T13:46:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been too long! Did you miss me? My last post was almost 6 weeks ago! I have to say... I've been a very Hexy boy since the last time :) I always say, if I'm not blogging, I'm sewing, sew that's a good thing :) If you follow me on Instagram, you definitely know what's going on. It's like my little microblogging tool :)

Sew anyway, I thought it appropriate for this post to mention that I started a Google+ community quite awhile back called "I'm Hexy and I Know It!" We've got quite a few members and so far it's been a blast seeing all the awesome Hexiness :) Come join in the fun!

Now, wanna see some pictures from the last 6 weeks?

I hope that was a yes, 'cause here goes:

I've been getting very hexy on the train... These are 1 inchers (sides as always) using scraps from the bin :) Yay! Scrapbusting!

These are 2 inchers and it has 20 double ring flowers with an inner border, 4 x 5 rows of flowers. It's gotta be a queen size. I have 4 rows of 5 sewn together, now I just have to sew the 4 rows together. They are just too big to take on the train now, sew I will have to finish this quilt top in another setting.

Here is the back of the 1 inchers.... I'm just randomly picking from my stack of flowers... no rhyme or reason except to keep similar fabrics from touching each other.

Here is me busy working on it :)

Oh, and here is where I am headed to everyday :)

I just got this one loaded on the machine. I hope to have it quilted this weekend sew I can take it to my quilting club for show and tell on November 2nd.

Here is the top on the design wall, which I may have posted before. It has the appliqued peacock in the lower right hand corner.

Well, that's all I have for you today! Wait, I wanted to say that I did pick a winner for the giveaway for the Grandma's Lawn Chair blog hop. It was Paul B. He already received the pattern and the fabric. I threw in some die cut hexies too. He was quite happy. I was surprised that the random number generator landed on him because we had already met in cyberspace. He's a hexaholic too :) and a member of the "I'm Hexy and I Know It!" community :)

Until next time,

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Grandma's Lawn Chair Blog Hop & Giveaway!!!

2013-09-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Grandma's Lawn Chair Blog Hop!!! I would like to say thank you to Diane at ...from blank pages for allowing me to be a part of it, and to test out such an awesome pattern!

I want to start off by telling you how I met Diane :) I was browsing through some quilting/sewing blogs one day and came across hers :) she was giving away a zippy pouch for any commenters on her blog. I entered and I won the pouch! And, I use it everyday for my hexies on the go! Sew, I consider her officially my bloggy friend :) Hopefully someday our paths will cross in real life. After following her blog for the past two years and interacting through emails and blog comments, I can tell she is a delightful person and a good soul! I recently started following her on instagram, which I LOVE! That is where she was asking for pattern testers, sew... I volunteered (even though I was on a tight schedule)... and as you'll see, I ran with it!

On first glance, the pattern looks like it will be tricky, but in reality, it's very simple and it produces a great weave effect! It has 3 sizes, baby, toddler and lap size, but in the end it's very flexible. You can add more rows or columns and make it any size you want! There are cutting diagrams, notes on cutting from different sizes of fabric including fat quarters, fat eighths and yardage. She even goes further with tips for using directional print, plenty of diagrams and great details on construction... even a diagram you can color so you can see your layout first!

I'm so excited that I finally get to share this! I have been keeping it under wraps for the blog hop. Nothing worse than not being able to share a finish!!! At least with this one I can tell you it has already been used and it works great! ... lol. Here's my finished product:

I used some really brightly colored "batik looking" fat quarters that I found in the bargain bin at a local craft store :)

Didn't have a lawn chair to throw it over :)

I quilted it with a variegated rainbow colored thread in the pattern of rainbows. I also picked out the backing fabric at my local quilt shop (Joann's... lol). I had seen that "love" fabric many times and just always wanted to use it. I think I paid only $3.50 a yard for it with my coupon :) The pattern had instructions for using fat quarters, but I had enough of each color left over to make a scrappy binding! This was the first time I had ever done that!

Anyway, Diane is offering up a free pattern to one of my readers! Yay! And, I am throwing in these 5 fat quarters to get you started! All you have to do is comment on this post and say anything about lawn chairs :) I'll pick a winner after the blog hop ends.

In the meantime, check out the other blogs on the hop!

Mon 9th - Diane @ from blank pages...

Tues 10th - Julie @ Jolie Maxtin
Wed 11th - Ginny @ Fishcreek Studio
Thurs 12th - Kelleigh - guest blogging at from blank pages
Fri 13th - Sara @ Sew Sweetness

Mon 16th , Diane @ from blank pages...
Tues 17th - Hilary @ Young Texan Mama
Wed 18th - Mike @ The Amateur Quilter
Thurs 19th - Rachael @ imagine gnats
Fri 20th - Courtney @ Mon Petite Lyons

Mon 23rd - Jamie @ Sunflower Seeds
Tues 24th - Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts
Wed 25th - Krista @ Spotted Stones
Thurs 26th - Cristy @ Sew Much Like Mom
Fri 27th - Diane @ from blank pages...

Here are links to the pattern in case you want to buy your own copy:

Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/project/view/grandmas-lawn-chair---baby-size-quilt/128241

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/162213292/grandmas-lawn-chair-quilt-pattern-3

Until next time!

Mike.

I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I will still enter you in the drawing if you mention this giveaway! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Quilts in Action!!!

2013-08-20T08:28:00.000-04:00

Nothing says "Thank you!" like seeing a gifted quilt in action! :)

I love getting pictures of people using my quilts. It's the best feeling! Even when I am at home and my honey bunny is sleeping on the couch covered with one of my quilts, it says "Thank you!"

Sew, here is a picture I received from my office mate with his new baby boy on the quilt I made for him!

Isn't he just cute as a button?!!! You can see the full album of pictures for making this quilt here.

I also wanted to share with you this awesome stuff I got at my Quilting Club the last time we met. It's a fusible tape for joining 2 pieces of batting together. I always have medium to small pieces left over when I square off my quilts. Especially since I use the large 40 yard roll (90 inches wide). If I have a lap quilt I usually don't need all 90 inches so I save these pieces that are usually about 20 inches wide. Well I took 2 of those pieces and joined them. It worked like a charm!

I hope all is well in your life!

Until next time,

Mike.

Note: I have Google+ comments activated, so you can only comment if you have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account (and don't really want one) you can comment on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Flickr, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! ...On any of my photos or posts!!! I love getting comments! You can also email me at amateurquilter at gmail dot com! I will always respond! Thanks for stopping by! .... Mike.

Quilting, Sewing, Gettin' My Hexy On...

2013-08-14T07:15:00.001-04:00

Well, another month has passed. I decided another blog post is way overdue, so this is just basically a catch up post for what I have been doing since the last post.

This one is still on the frame right now. This is the backing. I see this fabric all the time at Joann's and I finally decided I had to have it for this quilt. I am not showing the quilt top yet, as it was a pattern test for a bloggy friend, and I think she might do a blog hop, so I didn't want to spoil it.

The pattern called for fat quarters and I had leftovers, so I made the binding scrappy.

The colors are very vibrant, and I did not wash them first so I hope the new dye catchers I bought do what they are supposed to do!

I finished a baby quilt for my office mate. He had his first. It's a boy! I didn't have this information when I made it :)

I quilted it with a loopy ruffly looking pattern.

And, of course, I still been getting my Hexy on.... on the train commute in the mornings. There are about 50 flowers in that pile!

Last weekend I went to a thrift shop for which I had seen an ad in the paper saying fill a paper bag all you want for $5. When I showed up I found out I was a week early. I then proceded across the street to another thrift store and hit a gold mine for fabric! Boxes upon boxes of quilting fabric, most from the mid 1990s. There was Moda, Michael Miller, Timeless Treasures to name a few. Most were 2-3 yard cuts. They were all marked as $2 per yard!!! But.... that day was 50% off everything in the store! Thats' right! I paid $34 for what I bet is 40 to 50 yards of great fabric! Jealous???

Oh, and I went to the Kenny Chesney concert last Saturday. We were in the Sandbar! Jealous???

Hope all is well on the quilting front!

Until next time,

Mike.

Did you miss me?

2013-07-02T07:43:00.004-04:00

I have not posted in over a month! I did not blog at all in June! Sew, housekeeping time! I hope I can keep your interest. I have to say though, I look at one hand and say "I really need to do a blog post." Then I look at the other hand and realize it's not sewing anything, so I go for the latter :)

Let's do this with pictures.

First things first. Melinda C. won the thread from Above and Beyond Creative Sewing in the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day (back in May!!!). She already has the 11,000 yards of thread :)

Here we go:

"Lana in Pink" is finished. My Aunt has it now and she loves it!

Go here to see the photo album.

"Green & Hexy" is finished. Go here to see the entire album.

This is what I have been working on during my train commute. SSSSSuper Hexy!!!

This is one block from a quilt I've been commissioned to create. I've been spending most of my time on this one lately.

The following pictures are not my finishes. They are from a show I went to:

I went to the New Jersey Quilters Guild show in Morristown (Garden State Quilters' Guild). These are all pictures from the show. The last one is very Hexy. It was my viewer's choice vote. English paper pieced and quilted by hand!!! The fabrics were fussy cut to make cool designs! And, it was her first time! She won a ribbon! Love the guild show too, because these people quilt my style!...like an amateur who is lookin professional!!! :)

Lastly, I was on an Alaskan cruise while I was out. Here you go:

On the boat...

On a train on the side of a mountain in Skagway, AK. I stopped at a quilt shop in every port!!!!

Thanks for sticking with me during my hiatus!

I will link this post to WIP Wednesdays at Freshly Pieced and Link a Finish Friday at Richard and Tanya's Quilts.

Until next time,

Mike.