Picnic Worthy Patchwork from Robot Mom Sews

We love Kim from Robot Mom Sews...she's awesome in person and on her blog! :)  She creates the sweetest little quilts that I want to sneak away from her :) Today we're featuring a couple of her new Picnic Quilts.  Make sure to stop by her blog, see some of her finished quilts and tutorials.  Thanks Kim!!

I recently bought up some Country Girls fabric and mixed in a little bit of April Showers.  Just because.
The two play nice together.  I was able to make up 2 patchwork baby quilts using my FQ's I got and some blue Lakehouse polka-dot print.  YUMMY.

Before I got my Babylock, I was sewing on a Brother Innovis.  This was my 'transitioning' machine.  She worked really well, for what I needed, until I wanted to go big time.  Haha - well big time in my mind.
My Brother (Penelope) did not enjoy straight line quilting.  She would cause puckers everywhere and this would give me major anxiety...which led to me hating straight line quilting.  Interestingly enough, she relished in the stipple.

I have been getting to know my Babylock, whom I have lovingly named Betty, after Betty Draper in Mad Men.  I named her after I saw Betty sitting at her kitchen table sewing one night with a cocktail by her side. This fits me perfectly, so Betty she is! ;)  That is where my similarities with Betty Draper end.  Moving on...

As I have been getting to know Betty, she LOVES to straight line quilt. NO Puckers!  NONE!  It's amazing. I read somewhere that your walking foot could be to tight, thus causing the puckers.  I never tried to fix it on my Brother, because at that point I was just annoyed and threw in the towel.  Well, I can happily say, I have retrieved the towel and am back to doing SLQ!

I quilted around the border, then cross-hatched the inside.  I ♥ cross-hatching.

 

This one I used the green duck walk print from Country Girls for the outer borders.  Aren't they so sweet?

And I echoed the patchwork lines.

These quilts are ready for a picnic!  Let's go!

♥

Fabric Tuesday #191

Welcome friends!

Fabric Tuesday here where you can link-up anything creative using FABRIC!!

Awesome week last week, hard to narrow it down.  Here are some goodies to see :)

AMH Honeycomb Quilt Top from Maryse Makes Things

Supernova Friendship Block from Leigh Laurel Studios

Fireworks Quilt Blocks from lea & lars

Colored Pencil Tote from Simple Sewendipity

More is More Charity Quilt from Knotted Cotton

Pickle Dish Quilt Top from Steffi's Candy Quilts

Georgetown Wreath from Cora's Quilts

Your turn!

Fabric Tuesday #191

Amber's Farmers Wife quilt finish...AMAZING

We have a sweet friend Amber from A little bit Biased that Megan and I met years ago at the SLC Quilt Market. It was all or our first time (actually our only time, and I think Ambers only time so far too) Anyhow, we have been quilting friends since. Attending a few quilt retreats together as well. Anyhow, I had to feature her Farmer's Wife quilt. Love it! I like all the shades of the red. Amazing!  Also, Amber has just released some new quilt patterns. LOVE them! Make sure to check them all out here....

About a month ago I finished my Farmer's Wife quilt top 

and I'm excited to finally share it with you!  

 

My trip on the Farmer's Wife Express started back in January 2012 when my bosses and I decided that we would start a Farmer's Wife Club at Just Sew (the quilt shop I work at in Highland, Utah).  We taught a different technique each month, including basic piecing, paper piecing, template piecing and applique so that by the end of the year we would have all 111 blocks complete. I learned a lot from teaching and participating in the club.  I learned that I like template piecing (I had never tried it before).  I learned about new tools for paper piecing.  I paper pieced really intricate blocks and I made dozens of new blocks!  I learned new methods for making half square triangles.  I tried Y-seams for the first time!  And I found out that tiny stuff - is actually really fun to make!  It was a great experience overall and I'm really glad I was a part of the club.

  

Originally I planned on making all the blocks but somewhere along the way I decided that I really didn't need another queen size quilt so I decided to stop at 83 blocks for a twin size quilt.  I feel good about my decision and still feel like this was a BIG accomplishment.

 I decided that I wanted bigger sashing than what the book called for so I cut my strips 2" wide.  I decided to go with the off-white sashing and setting triangles because I really wanted to keep the focus on the blocks.  And, to be honest, I didn't know if I could handle any more red at that point.  Let's just say that although I've always wanted a red and white quilt, I may be a little tired of it and have tried to keep my distance from it ever since :)

For the inner border I used a red tone-on-tone gingham print from Sweetwater's fabric line, Wishes.  I liked that it had a dark and a light red 

on it - to pull in all the different shades of red from the quilt center.  

Plus, who can resist gingham on the bias? :)  

 

Mitering the outer border was a first for me.  I'm just glad that the stripes were small and relatively subtle so that if I was off it wouldn't be too noticeable (and I was off - pretty much on all 4 corners :)  Unfortunately I don't know the name/designer of my outer border and backing but they both have a vintage feel that I couldn't resist.

I really want this to be hand quilted, but I know myself and know that will NEVER happen.  So I am going to take it to a local group of ladies that hand quilt for hire and all the proceeds go to buy materials for patients at the Utah State Hospital.  I think it will be a win-win situation but it takes 6-8 months to get it back so you won't be hearing any more talk about this quilt for a long, long time!

Happy Quilting!

~ Amber

Fabric Tuesday, Come Play!

Hi everybody! I hope this week has been treating you well so far.  I've got family visiting, a niece and nephew.  We're heading out to explore some of DC's museums this morning!

Let's jump right in with some features from last week's Fabric Tuesday.

(See here to know more about what Fabric Tuesday is about!)

Bohemian Triangle Quilt from Ms. Midge

Right Round flying geese from Random Thoughts...do or di

Union Jack Liberty Pillow from PatchworknPlay

Earning Your Cross from Ties That Bind Quilting

Baby Booties and Pacifier Clip from lea & lars

Nested Churn Dash from Material Girl Quilts 

Fabric Tuesday #190

Please link up some finishes and/or WIPs you've got going on!

 

WIP finish! YAY

I had this quilt top in my closet for several years now. ...

normally I don't get to the point of the finished top. I normally have several blocks done...

But this was done, just sitting there. My nice Mother in Law took it home and finished it. 

baste. quilt. bind. She is so nice to me. 

Not sure what I am going to do with it yet. But it makes me happy. A finished darling quilt just sitting there. 

The back. Love pieced backs. 

Fabric Tuesday Folks...

Hello friends. Heather here. I think most of you are finding yourselves as busy as I am. First day of kids home for the summer today, 2 basketball camps, water park, friends, dinner with my mom, and outing to buy new basketball shoes for two kids. Day 1 done.  

I don't want to be one of those Moms who hate summer break. I look forward to it for so many reasons, relaxed schedules. Just hanging out. But to make this a nice fun relaxed summer, I need to be on the ball, which isn't my best quality. Balance right? 

Anyhow, here are a few favorites from last week. Link up, look and comment on each others projects. We all love feedback...happy summer!

Awesome Curved Log Cabin quilt from Fabric fulfilling its destiny. Beautiful!

Summer Activity Basket from Robot Mom Sews, love this idea!

Diamond Delight quilt from Cross Quilt, love this. Happiness.

Rainbow over the Seven Sisters quilt from Im Working on a Project. Awesomeness!

ABC quilt from Happy Quilting Melissa. Cuteness!!!

From Lisa in Port Hope, Easy Street. Prettiness!

Cake Baking in the Sewing room, from Porch Swing Quilts. Because come on! Adorable!

First Friday Giveaway Day

Happy First Friday!  Take a look at some goodies from your sponsor and just one comment and you're entered into all the giveaways.  Enjoy!

Southern Fabric

Southern Fabrics is giving away a $25 gift certificate!!  

You are free to choose any darling thing you'd like!  So many pretties to choose from!!

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Patterns Only

Patterns Only stock a huge selection of PDF ePatterns and paper patterns by all your favourite designers and offer a fabulous rewards points system, so everytime you shop you earn points to use against future orders saving you even more money!

Patterns Only is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a $25 voucher to spend on their website.

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1 Choice 4 Quilting

Giving away a Solstice Layer Cake!  

Get a head start on your Holiday Projects with this beautiful Kate Spain Layer Cake.  Also in stock FQB, Jelly Rolls and Charms of Solstice as well as other holiday collections.  Also until June 9th Solstice is on sale!  No coupon code needed!

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There you have it!! I would LOVE to win any of these prizes!  Hopefully you do too! :)

If you've got some shopping to do, please check these shops out!

What's on your summer sewing list (or winter for our friends down under!)?

Leave a comment with your answer, you'll be entered into ALL the giveaways.

Entries accepted through Monday 11:59 PM MST.

Winners announced Tuesday.