Perkins Dry Goods

When I begin a new project, there is usually a draft of the quilt that I use for guidance.  I like to use Electric Quilt 6 to get an idea of layout, size, value, etc.  The quilt that I end up writing instructions for is often nothing like what I started with!

Right now, I’m working on a project using the Twelve Oaks line by Judy Rothermel from Marcus Fabrics.

I love to make scrappy quilts and you know one of my favorite things are Civil War era fabrics.  Although I try hard not to plan toooo much, I have to plan just a little.

A secret to making quilts that look scrappy without losing your mind is to choose  “sets” of fabric and use them to make repeats of blocks. You don’t have to make every single block different.

Another tip to keep scrappy things organized is to set all the pieces for one block on a paper plate.  You can easily stack the plates and work through them at the sewing machine without getting things mixed up!

I guess this is turning into a tips and tricks blog today!  An extremely useful tool that I discovered while blog surfing one day is this triangle trimmer by Quilt in a Day.  The horizontal and vertical lines that help you align the seams on the triangle (or hourglass) block before you cut.

And that tape that you see, that’s Nexcare first aid tape, it keeps the ruler from slipping.  A tip from Carrie Nelson over at La Vie en Rosie.

Even when you think you are pretty accurate with your stitching you can come up with a good pile of trimmings!

I hope to be able to show you the finished product soon…  now I better get back to work!

I will be teaching my Scalloping Basics class at Silver Lane Quilting in Forest Lake, MN on January 30th from 1:30 – 5:30.  If you are in the area, you don’t want to miss this class.  Contact Silver Lane to register at 651-639-8800.  We will be making a scalloped table topper and you will have the binding on, ready to stitch down by the end of class.  Really!

I was just over at the Fat Quarter Shop and saw that Kimberly is offering my Remember When pattern as a kit! I absolutely love the fabric collection she chose – it’s the Charity line by Howard Marcus from Moda and will be available in February. Click on the image for more info.

For a quick and cute holiday project, head over to Roseann’s blog.  This was her project for the Cross Country Blog Hop that ended last week.  I couldn’t resist!  I added my own touch by chopping off the corners about an inch away from the corner squares. I used Crazy Eights by Sandy Gervais.

I came across this cool little tutorial on making a tissue cozy at Kimberly Mason’s (KimQuiltz) blog yesterday.  She has a project called Share the Love!  Make two – give them to a friend who can keep one and pass one on.  These go together super fast – you won’t be able to stop making them.  Click here for the pattern.  Thanks Kim!~

The number generator came up with four great numbers this morning, I entered everyone who commented this week – thank you so much for visiting!  I’ve email the winners and they should send me their snail mail addresses.

The winners are……

Robin (rnoel57)
Cathy N. (cathyquiltsalot)
Anne D. (batiksbythebay)
Barb (corgitoquiltby)

One of the things I love to do when I’m finished with a quilt is the binding. When I finally mastered making the end and the beginning invisible, I felt that I had arrived! I thought I would try to show you how I do it:

And there you have it.  Give it a try – it’s easier than you thought.  I just know that’s what you’re thinking !

To be entered in the pattern drawing be sure to comment.  I will be drawing four names first thing Saturday morning. Thanks for stopping by!

Congrats to Mindy Peterson – the winner of the issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Collector’s Edition magazine!

I am working on a tutorial for tomorrow that you won’t want to miss.  Be sure to continue to leave comments!  I will be doing another Prize Drawing for four of my newest patterns.  If you comment before Midnight on Friday Nov. 13 you could be one of four lucky winners!

Greetings to all of the blog tour visitors – thanks for stopping by.  Look for Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers, Collectors Edition in your local quilt shop, on newsstands after Nov. 16 or purchase from Quiltmaker.com.

I was approached at market in Pittsburgh about contributing to the issue…I thought it sounded like fun and besides, the block wasn’t due until later in the summer.  Well, summer flew by and the deadline was upon me.  My husband chuckled and shook his head.  I guess I am pretty predictable in that way and somehow am always working against a pressing deadline!

I had just finished a project using the Frosted Memories line by Holly Taylor from Moda.  I loved the soft greens, reds. creams and tans.  I had bits and pieces left from a Layer Cake pre-cut pack, so went to work with that, determined to make it work as a scrappy block.

Here is a setting option using four Four Corners blocks – what a cute Christmas topper this would make!

Four Block Topper Yardage

Sashes:  1/4 yard
4 rectangles 2- 1/2″ x 12- 1/2″

Cornerstone:  Scrap
1 square 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″.

Border/Binding: 1 yard
2 strips 4-1/2″ x 26-1/2″ for sides
2 strips 4-1/2″ x 35″ for top/bottom
4 strips 2-1/4″ x width of fabric for binding

The 100 Blocks magazine has setting options for larger sizes as well.  This is an issue worth having!

Prize drawing! Before you continue on, be sure to visit our website and be sure to leave a comment on this post and you will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers. The winner will be posted here on Thursday morning!

Follow the 100 Blocks Blog Tour daily Nov. 9-13 at quiltmaker.com/quilty pleasures for inspiration, ideas and giveaways galore!

There are some incredibly talented people on this tour – see the list at the Quilty Pleasures blog  for today. I hope you will stop back tomorrow – Wedneday is MY day on the Tour and I will have yardage and a diagram for a cute topper using my featured block.

In addition to that, I will be giving away one of the issues of 100 Blocks to a lucky reader! Be sure to leave a comment on Wednesday’s post to be included in the drawing!