Tag Archives: patchwork

Carolyn Friedlander’s “The Grove” class + Winner of Book Review giveaway

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This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend Carolyn Friedlander’s The Grove class. It is a paper piecing pattern, which was so totally unexpected. The class was well constructed, and the pattern was wonderful to work with. I managed to finish two blocks of the 12 block quilt. I still have a lot of work to do…yes, it means I have another WiP :-).

TheGrove_Collage_blocks

I am using various Kona cotton neutrals for the backing and Collage by Carrie Bloomston for the trees. I am so happy I broke out my Collage fat quarter bundle.

Meeting Carolyn was definitely the highlight of the day. She was so lovely and was open to questions around various topics from appliqué techniques, quilt market, and designs/patterns. She bought along her trunk show and we got to see her pillows and quilts she had made from Kona cottons and her new Botanics line.

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Two things I am now looking forward to since, I took this class:

  1. Buying Carolyn’s new line – it is amazing. You should see Carolyn’s amazing quilts she has made with her new line. LOVE!! I may have to buy 1/2 to 1 yard of the whole line.
  2. Taking Carolyn’s class at Sew Down Nashville next year (yes, I am registered!!!)

I loved the block so much, it made me change the blocks I was sending Cath @ Wombat quilts for her October Scrap-bee-licious blocks (requirement a paper pieced block of low-volume fabrics). I added this low-volume grove block into the mix. The text-based print is part of “Road 15” Fabric line and the grey stripes is from “Just for Fun – Creative Thursday”

Grove_LowVolume_Block

I am linking up with Lee over @ Freshly pieced for WiP Wednesday.

Last part of today’s post….the announcement of the winner of Elizabeth Hartman’s “The Practical Guide of Patchwork”  (last week’s book for Book Review Tuesday) is:

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which is Gill Watson (buntyw). I am sending you an email to get your mailing details. Congratulations!!!

Blocks, blocks, blocks + more blocks

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Do you ever have one of those projects that you initial love but then the more you do it the less fun it is. The Pushme Pullme Quilt in blue is starting to feel a little like that. Luckily, I am almost there.

I made a huge amount of progress at the retreat last weekend and finished lots of blocks. This is my finish for the week. I am going to take the mini win, as I kept to my target for the weekend….sew everything I had cut. I will say, late nights/early mornings where I was up until 1-2 am sewing away.

Pushme_PullmeQuilt

So, what have I learnt so far about me and this quilt process?  I now hate cutting. I know, for sure, I will never make a quilt where I cut all the pieces first again. I definitely need the break in between….cut a few, sew a few. I have found a new appreciation of those that have all the block pieces all cut, photographed and ready to go.

The good news is, once I am sewing, I do like the block and construction. I like seeing how the different fabrics change the block completely. My favorite of the blocks above is that bottom most left block. Which one is yours?

Anyway, two rows to go and then the joining of the blocks and the quilt top will be complete!! I should hit my November goal….I know what I will be doing Thanksgiving weekend ;-).

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Friday @ Crazy mom quilts + the mid check in for November’s goal “A lovely year of finishes”.

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Book Review Tuesday {11.12.2013}

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Welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday. Just some initial details in case you missed last week’s introduction…

When: Book Review Tuesday will be hosted here every second week (initially for 1 year).
Content of the Post: A book review and a project will be made from the week’s selected book.
Give-away: Each post will include a give-away of that book, winners will be announced the following week ~8pm.

Review

Title: “The Practical Guide to Patchwork” – New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker
Author: Elizabeth Hartman
Publisher: Stash Books
ISBN: 978-1-60705-008-7

This was the first book I purchased, last year, when I first started to be interested in Modern Quilting. I was looking for a good reference book, basics for quilting techniques and really just a place to get started.

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The Practical Guide to Patchwork definitely provided the basic information I was looking  when starting out, such as:

  • How to choose machine needles
  • Basic quilting techniques
  • How to make and sew binding

The book project layout is well done. It starts off with beginner projects, and moves projects for confident beginners to intermediate projects. There are several projects I am interested in making from this book, but not all as quilts; Small Plates, Valentine, Kitchen Window and lastly Sunspot.  My favorite part of each project is the last section, which provides alternate ideas and additional fabric options. It offers just that little more inspiration by saying “Hey, what about this or that” and gets you thinking about the possibilities of the blocks provided.

This book focused mostly on quilt designs, that use a single block repetitively. I would have liked to have one or two of the projects, in the book focus on non-repetitive block quilts. As a beginner, this would have provided more introduction options into modern patchwork.

This book is great book, if you are looking for a good reference book for quilting techniques or looking for easy to medium quilting projects. It would be a great Christmas gift for a new quilter or a great donation to a school/local community library.

My rating out of 5 is:
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Project

The project I chose, from the book, was the Sunspot block. I actually started this project last year. It was my first patchwork block for what I was planning to be, a Christmas table runner. The instructions were easy to follow. I enjoyed the idea of making the angles within the block. I really liked how the block turned out.
Rectangle Christmas Block

For this review, I decided to go with my original plan. I re-purposed that block, and cut it in 1/2 to make Christmas place mats for this year. Here are the completed place mat tops, using that one block.

ChristmasPlacemats_Red ChristmasPlacemats_Olive

Fabric: Dear Mr. Claus, Robert Kaufman’s Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Red/Olive, White Kona Skinny sashing.
Size: 14″ x 18″

Do you have projects made from this book? If you have a project link it up.

Give-away

One brand new copy of this book will be given away next Tuesday. All you need to do is leave a comment on why you would like the book. A second chance to win if you are a follower, just leave a second comment indicating you follow. A winner will be chosen at random and posted next Tuesday around 8 pm.

Next Book Review: “Brave New Quilts”.
Upcoming books will include: 500 quilt blocks, Quilting Happiness, Modern One-Block Quilts, Urban Views, Modern Bee.

A disclaimer, all reviews and opinions of the books reviewed will be mine, unless otherwise stated.