Try It Challenge - June Island Batik Ambassador

Note:  All products in this post were given to me by Island Batik as part of their Ambassador program.

It's once again time for the Island Batik Ambassador monthly challenge.  June's challenge is:  Try It!

Have fun going outside your box to try a technique that is new to your sewing toolbox.

I received two yards of Island Batik Spring Sunflower -- a soft rayon.

I decided months ago to make a piece of clothing, but I didn't decide until the last minute on what to make.  But then, I hit a road block.  The top I wanted to make was a free online pattern.  I splurged and paid to have the pattern printed on large paper at Staples to save the time and effort taping sheets of paper together.  I cut out the pattern pieces and laid them out on the rayon.  Ummm...not enough fabric.  I seemed to have missed that you required 54-inch wide fabric.  Back to the drawing board.

I then remembered a pattern I had in my stash -- New Look #6527 by Simplicity.  Unfortunately, the pattern didn't call for rayon, and I didn't have enough fabric to make the size I needed in the style I wanted.  But I decided to go for it.  I made the size in the style for which I had enough fabric.  I figured the top didn't actually have to fit me...and besides I didn't have time to figure out a new project.  LOL

I had a late night consult with @goldenanddelicious on the finer points of reading patterns and laying out the pieces.  I cut the fabric one night and then made the top the next day.

Step 1:  Stay stitch - Really???  It couldn't have started with a simple step.  The pattern did have explanations, and I was able to figure out what to do.

Step 2:  Edge finish - Ummm...what???  I'm definitely knee deep into the try a new technique at this point.  But I kept sewing.

I figure at this point, it's gotta be smooth sailing.  That would be a no.

Step 3:  Layer seam and understitch.  At this point, I have flipped back and forth on the instructions so much, I figure I was going to wear off the printing.  I had to read and read...and then read again...but then I figured out what I was supposed to.  Or at least I convinced myself I had figured it out.  I used Aurifil thread #2886 Light Avocado.

I also learned narrow hem and ease stitch.  I will definitely make this pattern again.

Disclaimer:  I tried on the top before adding the sleeves...it was a tight fit, but I was able to get it on.  I knew there was no way the sleeves would fit, so I sewed with a 1/2-inch seam, rather than a 5/8 inch.  I am so glad I did because the sleeves just barely fit me -- I can't cross my arms.  I noticed a tiny sewing error from attaching the bodice to the bottom.  So I redid the seam, reducing the seam allowance.  This gave me more room in the bust, so the top more or less fits.

The back is longer than the front.  I'm debating re-making the sleeves in the right size by piecing some of the leftover material.  I do like the top, and I want to wear it.

I learned a lot from making this top.  I'm sure there are ways I can improve (aka do correctly) when I make my next one.


If you have a finish this week, consider linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Storied Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

WIP Wednesday - Summer Sampler 2019

I'm participating in the Summer Sampler 2019 hosted by Lee @ Freshly Pieced (with others).  I decided to play along because my friend Andrea @ 3rd Story Workshop designed one of the blocks.

To make it easier, I purchased the Kona kit from Mad About Patchwork.  It was so nice to see collaboration with a Canadian quilt shop.  When you add in the exchange rate from US to Canadian dollars and a high shipping rate (and possible customs charges), it's really not worth ordering from the US.

I got behind before it even started.  LOL  But I'm now caught up.  All blocks are 12.5 inches.

Block 1 - Spring Fever
Technique:  precision piecing

Block 2 - Pixelations
Technique:  half-square triangles

Block 3 - Curious Crossing
Technique:  improvisational piecing

Block 4 - Victorian Tile
Technique:  nested seams

Block 5 - Rope Twist
Technique:  foundation paper piecing

There's still time to join in if you're interested.  A new block is released every Monday.

What are you working on this week? 

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

TGIFF - Yonder Pillow

Did you follow the Yonder Quilt Along hosted by Briar Hill Designs?  There have been a lot of great finished quilts appearing on Instagram.

I was able to stay on top of things and finish my top by the deadline.  I shared my finished quilt top here.

As I made the baby size, there was an extra block.  So I decided to make a matching pillow.

It's an 18-inch pillow.  I keep making 18-inch pillows, but I only have 16-inch forms in my stash.  So I had to steal borrow one from another pillow.

I wanted to practice free motion quilting on my domestic Singer (which does not like free motion quilting).  I have discovered that it works best with Gutermann thread, so I've decided to stop experimenting and only use Gutermann thread.

I'm always hesitant because I want it to look nice.  But this time, I decided just to let go and let things unfold as I went along.  The thread matched too well in the green and orange sections, so it's hard to see.  I did loops in the green.  In the orange, I quilted a pinwheel with tiny wishbones inside the pinwheels.  I attempted feathers in the corners.  Some looked more like hearts, so I put a heart in the outer corner.

When I look closely at it, I'm not totally happy.  But in the big picture, I am pleased and glad that I just let myself play.

Now to decide on a quilting plan for the quilt.  Thankfully, it's only small (four blocks).


If you have a finish this week, consider linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Kathleen McMusing

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

Medallion Magic Quilt Along

It's time for an update on the Medallion Magic QAL hosted by Leanne @ Devoted Quilter.

My pile of 20 paper-pieced flying geese blocks.

I'm loving my fabric choices:  Kona Nightfall, Royal, Tangerine, Torch, Orange, School Bus, and Tiger Lily.

You can follow my progress here:

• fabric cutting
• centre star block
• tiny piecing border

What are you working on this week? 

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Broken Panes Quilt Along - Sewing and Cutting Strip Sets

I'm actually keeping up with the Broken Panes Quilt Along hosted by Jen @ Patterns by Jen!  Being one of the bloggers sewing along with Jen is a great motivator.  😊

This week, we are sewing strip sets and cutting them into sections.  When I'm sewing WOF strips, I like to pin so I can sew without stopping...it might be that I sew quite fast...I don't want to stop to make sure the fabrics are aligned.

I press my seams open to get a nice flat strip set.  Then I can use one of the lines on my ruler to align along the seam to ensure I get an accurate cut.

All required pieces are cut and at the ready for next week.

We'll be adding background pieces next week.  Head over to Patterns by Jen -- Jen has some tips if you are sewing with directional prints.

If you missed my earlier posts, you can follow my progress during the QAL:

• QAL Announcement
• Cutting Fabric

Beothuk Star Quilt Along - Finished Top

I'm happy to report that I kept up with the Beothuk Star QAL hosted by Sandra @ Musings of a Menopausal Melon.  It started out with a gazillion HSTs, but then everything pieced together quickly.

You can see my individual blocks (one block, two colourways)  here that form the entire quilt.

Here's my quilt top without the border.

And the finished quilt top.

Another quilt top to join my pile of tops that need to be quilted.  I need to find time to get those quilts finished, but I keep starting new projects.  😊

Quilt Designs in the Yard - Review and Giveaway

There's a new style of barn quilt, made right here in Canada.  I'd like to introduce you to Brenda and Quilt Designs in the Yard.  Brenda has adapted traditional barn quilts to suit the Canadian climate.  And to suit the smaller size of urban homes and yards.  The backyard quilts are made locally in Saskatchewan.

Brenda was kind enough to send me a backyard quilt.

Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to install it on the side of my shed.  Needed repairs to my shed have not yet been completed because it has been raining for weeks and weeks.  I plan to use outdoor velcro to install my backyard quilt once the shed has been fixed.

Photo courtesy of Quilt Designs in the Yard

Or you can drill holes in each corner and either use washers and screws or zip ties.

Photo courtesy of Quilt Designs in the Yard

The back yard quilts are 24 x 24 inches and are made of aluminum composite.  UV resistant ink is used, and after 24 hours, each quilt is laminated.

I found it to be lightweight but yet it feels very sturdy.

Photo courtesy of Quilt Designs in the Yard

Brenda has generously offered me a second backyard quilt to giveaway.  Quilt Designs in the Yard only mails to Canadian addresses, so I have to limit this giveaway to those with a Canadian address.  To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment telling me where you would hang a backyard quilt.  Please also indicate that you have a Canadian address.  The contest is open until noon on Saturday, June 15, 2019.  If you are a no-reply commenter, I will have to re-draw for a winner.

I encourage you to head over to Quilt Designs in the Yard to read more about Brenda's backyard quilts and to check out the beautiful designs available.  Here is one of them.

Photo courtesy of Quilt Designs in the Yard

TGIFF - Canned Pineapples

Last month, I tested a new pattern for Andrea @ 3rd Story Workshop.  The pattern, Canned Pineapples, is a mix of paper piecing and embroidery.

Instead of finishing with an embroidery hoop, I decided to do a little bit of quilting.  It finishes at 12.5 inches.

I couldn't resist a trip to my local grocery store for a photo shoot with the pineapples. 😊

I had a sample of Hobbs Tuscany Supreme 100% Cotton batting, which was the perfect size.  It's a wonderful batting.  I would definitely use it again.  I used Gutermann cotton #5322 to a little free motion quilting (stars and loops) just to hold the layers together.

I did a faced binding using a tutorial by Carole Lyles Shaw.

Make sure you get your Canned Pineapples pattern while it's on sale.  Andrea has some embroidery videos on her blog, as well as tips for choosing colours and embellishing the hoop.

If you have a finish this week, consider linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Devoted Quilter

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

June One Monthly Goal - Blooming Wallflowers

I played along with the Blooming Wallflowers QAL hosted by Christa @ Christa Quilts back in January.  You can see the beginnings of my quilt, but sadly I never quilted the finished top.

It's time to make a quilting plan and get this top quilted.  So my June OMG (hosted by Patty @ Elm Street Quilts) is to get this finished.

This is also one of my FAL Q2 goals.

Yonder Quilt Along - Finished Quilt Top

We have come to the end of the Yonder Quilt Along hosted by Briar Hill Designs.

You can see my fabric selections and first two blocks here.

• Kona Snow and Waterfall
• Botanique by Joel Dewberry
• Atrium by Joel Dewberry
• Clementine by Heather Bailey

And here is my finished quilt top...completed on time.

Now to decide on a thread colour and a quilting plan.  This 36-inch quilt will join my ever-growing pile of quilt tops that need to be quilted.

What are you working on this week? 

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Broken Panes Quilt Along - Cutting

Will you be quilting along with the Broken Panes Quilt Along hosted by Jen @ Patterns by Jen?  As I mentioned previously, I will be one of the bloggers sewing along with Jen.

You can see my fabric selections here.  Head over to Jen's blog to get some tips for cutting.

I love this red print.  I may have to go buy some more.....😊

It didn't take long to cut...and now I'm all ready for some strip piecing next week.

There's still time to join in.  You can get the pattern here.

TGIFF - Everyone's Got an X

My May One Monthly Goal (OMG) was to finish my Everyone's Got an X quilt that I made during the QAL hosted by Andrea @ 3rd Story Workshop.

I used Kona Pond, Glacier, and Candy Green.

I did straight-line quilting through the X and echo quilting on the outside edges.  I used Gutermann thread #650 and #7540. 

It took me several days to get these photos because it has been raining and raining and raining.

A bold contrast backing for fun.  😊

This was also one of my FAL Q2 goals.

If you have a finish this week, consider linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Musings of a Menopausal Melon

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting