X-Ceptional Finish

Yay! My X-ceptional quilt is finished! At the end of this summer I got some serious sewing done and still catching up on blog posts. With a busy beginning of the school year, it has been nice to have pictures in the queue. This quilt was from the Fat Quarter Shop's Summer Book Tour.  I showcased a book called Quilted Living by Gerri Robinson of Planted Seed Designs. Awesome book, it took me so long to decide which pattern to choose, but in the end I am so happy with the X-ceptional pattern. Here is my earlier post about the project. 

For fabrics I used a bundle of Kona solids called Rhonda Ruth, it's a coordinating bundle to go with the release of Elizabeth Hartman's new line of fabric. The colors were lush, saturated, and amazing. I also mixed in some prints, linen, and low volume from my stash. The binding is done in a Lotta Jansdotter navy print found a Joann Fabrics. The backing in s a Joel Dewberry print. I am in love with everything about this quilt, which almost never happens. 

QUILT STATS: 

• Finished Size: 66 inches x 66 inches 
• Pattern: X-ceptional by Gerry Robinson 
• Fabric: Rhonda Ruth, and stash fabric
• Batting: 80/20 blend
• Thread: Connecting Threads - Parchment

The top is quilted with a dogwood flower. I feel as though it's an easier free motion pattern. This pattern is also one of  my favorites and whenever a quilt as a 4 inch square it's my go to quilting. Also using a blend for the batting helps the quilting show a little more. Now I have been quilting more designs its nice to have them show up! Hope everyone is enjoying some back to school sewing, it's been the opposite for me :(

- Patch & Chels

Shhhhh: Low Volume Charm Swap II

Who's ready for another round of the Low Volume Charm Swap???  This fall Michelle, over at From Bolt to Beauty, and I are are back at it! Clearly from the pile below, one can never have enough Low Volumes.

Sorry, to all my international friends, this is a last minute decision on our part and didn't allow the time for international shipping. One day we are going to get this right for you!

DETAILS: 

Fabric Type: Low Volume

Fabric Size: 5 inch Charms

Participants: 28 Peeps, first come first serve! Don't wait :)

Timeline: Fabrics Due, Friday October 9th, 2015

Fabric Returned: Mailed out, Monday October 26th, 2015

Yield: 56 charms, 2 of each print

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS: 

1. Each person will purchase 1 yard of fabric and cut it into 5 inch charm squares.  1 yard will yield 56 charms exactly, you may want to purchase 1.25 yards just in case of an oops when cutting.  
2. Scale matters, choose prints that will work with a 5 inch square (smaller prints work the best for charms!)
3. Fabric should be designer label, 100% cotton, quilt shop quality fabric. (No Hancock's, Joann's, or Michael's fabrics)  
4. Fabric must be new and unwashed from a smoke free home.
5. Before mailing cut the fabric into 56 - 5 inch x 5 inch charm squares. Press/iron before cutting to ensure accuracy. Unsure how to cut a charm, check out Sarah's Quilts tutorial. 
6. Send your fabric in a Ziploc bag with an index card with your name and email address.
7. Upload pictures of your fabric to swap to our Flickr group and include the name of the fabric, designer, etc. This will help ensure we won't get duplicates of fabric and also, find out more about the fabrics we will be receiving. Or, if you really love one of the prints and just want more, you will know how to get more! 

 SHIPPING:

All participants must include a prepaid self-addressed, stamped envelope along with their charms when mailing. The best way is to include a prepaid priority mail envelope, if it fits it ships :) This will make it faster for us to get your fabrics back to you A.S.A.P! 

Are you convinced yet? Head over to our Google Doc's page and sign up. Remember this is first come first serve. The first five extra peeps will be placed on an alternate list in case anyone drops out. Also check out our Flickr group to see what everyone is getting before purchasing your fabric!

If you really hate low volume, the term, or the fabric, head over to Ellison Lane to find out the details on how to host your own swap. The post is very helpful and includes lots of tips to help make your swap run smoothly :) 

-Michelle & Chels

HST Quilt Along

Well, I finished all the Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks, all 30 of them. Then decided that I hated one of them and pulled it out. The other four are going to get pieced on the back. I also decided that I hate HST's. Wait, I already knew that. Now I just hate them more. 

After laying all the blocks out together, it needed something to break up each block. Each block is different and I wanted to showcase that no two where the same. On the inside blocks, I added the one inch sashing. The one inch sashing is quickly becoming my favorite. 

Now I am not sure how to finish the edges. So far my thoughts are a thicker border in the background color, then bind it. What do you all think?

- Patch & Chels

Picnic Pinwheels: Pattern

This news is super exciting I am releasing my very own pattern, it was part of the New Block Blog Hop called PICNIC PINWHEELS. This little guy is made with scraps, but there are directions to use both scraps and/or Jelly Roll strips. 

If you are interested in downloading a copy of this pattern head over to my Craftsy site. The quilt pattern is fun to make and a great way to get rid of some of those scraps laying around. I did make 4 extra blocks to get pieced into the backing as well! Clearly it was hard to stop.

Thanks for joining me in this exciting news. Hope you enjoy the pattern!

-Patch & Chels