WHOOMP There IT Is! #19 - A New Pattern & Progress

Just today I learned I can see how many views, links and clicks I've had for each linky party on InLinkz. Thank you...all you hoppers and linkers from last week! It was my biggest party yet!

Don't forget there's still time to enter Craftsy's Giveaway if you have not already done so!  One entry per person until Sunday, Feb 22nd @ 11:59p MST.

I spent this last week working on a new easy pattern for my pattern store on Craftsy.  It's called Easy Microwave Tortilla Warmer and it's FREE for a limited time! Download your copy today!

I also got the queen size rag quilt all sewn together. WOWZERS! It's huge and it's heavy! It's a custom order on my Etsy Shop.  There's going to be a whole lotta snippin' & clippin' going on for the next several days!  It's made w/a bunch of Thimbleberries and 30s repros.

My customer previously purchased a lap size rag quilt that was backed w/a fabric called Civil War Legacy by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Bros.

She wanted a queen size quilt backed w/the same fabric but I only had about 1/2 yd left. I searched high and low and even called the designer herself. It was at this time I learned the fabric was re-released in the Pine Tree Lodge collection however, she didn't have enough for a queen size quilt. I started searching Google for Pine Tree Lodge and hit pay dirt w/Melinda's Fabric Shop in Hendersonville TN! She had an entire bolt!  The fabric isn't exactly the same, but my customer was thrilled that I found it.  Thanks Melinda!

Original fabric on right

I've managed to get these 2-bits done on my Arkansas Traveler quilt.  I'm working on this as part of my 2016 UFO Challenge.

That's all I've got for you today folks. Now let's see your progress!

p.s. Giveaway here next week!  Be here or be square!

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Thank the Host

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Use a direct link to a specific post, not your main blog.

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In your blog post, include a link back to my post/blog and/or grab the WHOOMP There IT Is! button above and put in your post or sidebar. Thanks for spreading the love.

Follow Me ;)

Of course I would love for all you linky-uppers to be followers, but it's NOT required.

Party Hearty! 

An InLinkz Link-up

A Thread for Life
If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner. ― Beth Moore

Friends, Challenges and a Finish

First off I'd just like to say I'm so very pleased to have met all the peeps I have in my new blogging-quilty world. Thank you all for being so welcoming and encouraging. We are one giant circle of quilty love.

I finished Red Chevy Crush a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't blog about it because I really only have time to blog 1x/week. And the last two week's posts were about my blog's birthday giveaway and the giveaway winner . 

This post is a little longer because I have some catching up to do.

Ok, so...I've been free motion quilting, herein referred to as FMQ. In an effort to get good at it...and I DO want to be good, I started the #dailyfmq challenge on Instagram (it goes through 9/22/14).  It challenges me to practice for at least 10 mins/day. I had previously enrolled in two Craftsy quilting classes (one of which I wrote about here) but I haven't really done what qualifies as practice until about 2 weeks ago.

As those of us who have done it know, the biggest challenge in FMQ is making sure your (foot) machine speed is not too fast or slow for your hand speed. (Kinda puts me in the mind of learning to drive a stick shift). I'm guessing it's not something most peeps are good at right off the bat, least of all me.  I've tried meandering/stipple several times and have always ended up extremely FRUSTRATED! But w/the challenge I decided to start w/Chrsitina's woodgrain and I am thrilled!  It's very forgiving and I really like the idea of no curves.  It's not the only fmq I've been practicing, but it's my favorite. I've also practiced loopy flowers and circuit board, taught in Elizabeth Dackson's Craftsy class.

Also practicing w/Paint

I've been doing my FMQ practice on this Autumn quilt top I finished a few weeks ago. I'm quilting something different on each piece w/in a block.

 I don't mean to toot my own horn...but toot toot! I already feel and see a difference in my FMQ.

The other challenge I'm participating in is the #ablockadaychallenge on Instagram.  I've been making Bento Box blocks for a charity quilt for QA .

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a notion or gadget, but a friend told me about Clearly Perfect Angles and how it works beautifully for sewing HST and mitered binding, so I ordered it. It's perfect! And speaking of mitered binding, I found and used this sanity-saving tutorial for a mitered join.

Scrappy Fail

 I attempted to make my first pattern tutorial for something scrappy but I don't like how it turned out at all.  A solid fabric would've improved the look, but I'm still not liking the center either.

Maybe pattern tutorials aren't my thing just yet. In the mean time, I will continue to use other peeps' patterns and tutorials, like the tons of free lovelies I came across on Quilter's Cache.   

My grandson was bugging me about sewing so last week I gave him a crash course and helped him make a Tube Pillowcase using this YouTube video tutorial...but I also just found this pdf using a slightly different method.

We went camping over the Labor Day weekend and aside from fear of being mauled by a bear while sleeping, it was fun.

A las, I'm proud and happy to say Ivy is housebroken and using the doggy door like an old pro.

A Thread for Life 

 This life is a journey we walk by faith

And there will always be the mountains in our way

But right here in this moment, may our strength be renewed

As we recall what God has done and how we've seen Him move

Sometimes through the darkness, it's hard to see

So just be brave and follow where He leads

'Cause greater is the one who's in us, than he who's in the world

So child of God remember, the battle is the Lord's

Even in the valley of the shadow when you feel alone in the unknown

Just say Amen, Just say Amen

Even when the storms are raging, Stand and know you're not forsaken

Just say Amen, Just say Amen

If there's anybody here who's found Him faithful

Anybody here who knows He's able, Say Amen

And if there's anybody here who's seen His power

Anybody here brought through the fire, Say Amen

Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow

Just Say AMEN!

Say Amen - Finding Favour

I'm linking up on TGIFF , Whoop Whoop, Free Motion Mavericks, Free Motion by the River AND Let's Bee Social!

Have I gone overboard w/the Linkys? Is there such a thing? I  hope not.

A Fast Break and An Upcoming Giveaway

I officially broke my fabric fast Thursday night. What had happened was, I lost my seam ripper on Wednesday night. I couldn't find it anywhere and had given my backup  to my sis a few weeks ago.  I decided it was a good time to finally visit the new local quilt shop, Sew Much for Quilting, that opened up near me in the Goodyear AZ.  I'd previously met Trish the owner, who is also a member  of QA, but I'd never been to the shop.  Well...I couldn't very well  walk into this HUGE shop, with rows and rows of fabrics and other goodies and ONLY buy a seam ripper!!!  

So...I bought a few yards of fabric, which I know most of y'all will find boring.  I didn't have a lot of time to spend in the store and since I don't really need fabric, I chose a couple of solids and one w/print for a friend, 2 seam rippers, and some clips that should work for binding (though I'm not sure they were designed for that).   If you are local or visiting the West Valley of Phoenix/Goodyear area and have time to browse an extensive selection of quality fabric and other goods, stop on by Sew Much for Quilting.  They also have a spacious classroom and offer several quilting classes for all levels of quilters. It is  definitely a 1-stop quilt shop!

I can't remember where/when I first saw this Tessellation Pattern by Alison glass, but it was love at first sight! I absolutely had to have the pattern and ordered it immediately. When I got it and opened it, the excitement faded a little. It's a paper piecing pattern and I've never done paper piecing. It can't be too hard, right? I found this post encouraging and will follow the sew along when I am ready.  I shall make mine scrappy. 

At this month's QA meeting a new friend gave me all these wonderful magazines. I just LOVE free stuff!  I've added at least 10 more quilts to my To Make list. I'm a maniac maniac oh yeah! 

Outlander Update
Outlander is everything I thought it would be and more! I don't have cable, but a dear friend subscribed to Starz so  we could watch It.  I'm very grateful and looking forward to watching episodes 2 and 3 this evening. 

My Quilty Updates

As you will see, I have a few tops done and really need to start quilting. 

Red Chevy Crush is pin basted and ready for quilting. I really like how this turned out. I used a strip/bricks technique seen here. 

Diamonds and Purples quilt top is complete.I won this kit at a QA raffle and a handful of the diamonds were already constructed.  Since I didn't use setting triangles, I'm thinking about just trimming off the sides and leaving the top and bottom points and making it a quilt w/o binding or a flip or whatever you call it. What do you call it?

The Summer Star Mini top is finished.  It's a QITR pattern. 

In other Quilty News

I am the lucky winner of triangles and squares giveaway! Yay me!! Thank you Christine. 

I was planning on visiting my new friend and fellow quilter/blogger Greta of Material Detachment in Iowa this month until I saw the Dream Studio Giveaway.  I read that the AQS Quilt Week is in Des Moines in October, so I'm making plans to visit then.  I'm looking forward to hanging out w/Greta and going to a quilt show in another state! It'll be a grand time!

And lastly, it's almost GIVEAWAY time! I'll be having a giveaway for my blog's 1st birthday on Aug 29th. I am also working on a scrap buster tutorial.

Stay Tuned and Happy Quilting!

A Thread for Life

Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and “pray to your Father who is in the secret place,” every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God. - Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest