Tag Archives: quilting

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.

9781607050087_p0_v1_s260x420

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.

Quilty distractions: Stitch and Flip Quilt

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Q: Where am I on the pushme, pullme quilt top you might ask.
A: Nowhere, no progress

However, my week has been full of quilty distractions, which have led to a finish:

  • Attended a free quilting class at Spoonflower. Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts taught a stitch and flip class which was fantastic. She does a great job teaching and is passionate about quilting which makes it a fun class.

    Instead of doing individual blocks, like I did in her last class, I decided to co-ordinate all the blocks in hopes to do more with it. You can check out her blocks that she taught from, here. Here is a sneak peek of what may be a block…I struggled with this block. I did not want it to be so regular.
    IMG_0996

  • I got a lot of orders for the chevron hexagon reusable coffee cup sleeves that I have been selling on my etsy store. I spent the week getting the first orders out.
    IMG_0989
  • NOW THE BIG NEWS…..Yesterday, I took what I learnt in Nicole’s class, played with my blocks some more (fixed the block above into what is now my favorite block of the quilt), split the flying geese into two separate rows/blocks, added some improv borders and it resulted in a finished quilt top!!!

    Stitch_and_FlipQuilt

Name: Stitch and Flip
Design/Inspiration: Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts + Improv Style
Fabric:  Madrona Road + Kona Ash + Kona Bone or Oyster (??)
Size:  ~40 x 40″

The Madrona Road fabric were from a fat eight bundle that I had won from the Patchwork Please, Zakka 2.0 QAL. I wanted to make sure as they were gifted that I used then to make a good finish. I think these worked really well with the two Kona choices.

That was my finish for Friday. I am linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts for “Finish it up Friday”.

WiP Wednesday + November Goal

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This week is the Triangle MQG retreat. I am so excited and have been preparing for the trip.  What am I focusing on during the retreat??? You guessed it, the blue Pushme Pullme Quilt (previously known as This way, That way).

I am thinking that I need 24 blocks – 6 rows. I have one row complete, and have now cut out 3 additional rows worth of blocks. Blocks Cut out

My goal is to complete at a minimum the top of the quilt by end of month. This is my “Lovely year of finishes” November Goal. I know, I know the same goal as last month but I really think it is possible this month.

I have been doing a lot of project planning at work this past week, so I created a mini one for my quilt. I am hoping to obviously finish more than just the top.

11/08/2013    All 24 blocks cut
11/16/2013    Finish sewing all blocks
11/21/2013    Finish sewing blocks together into rows and add sashing
11/30/2013    Finish Back, possibly basting complete

Using the same block I am also hoping to finish this mini quilt this weekend.
PushmePullme_Block1

So that is my WiP today and goal for this month.

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WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced