An Extended Weekend…..

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Adventures with kids

Yup, I got SUPER lucky and extended my weekend, till today!  🙂  It was fabulous, let me tell you.  I was able to have a lovely Easter Dinner with family, get housework done, and yesterday I was able to take my kids hiking.   It was a much needed break for me.  (and my kids)

The kids loved going “hiking in the woods”.   My youngest (18 months) thought he was in heaven….running down the trails.  Before we got out of the park they asked when we could go again!

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Charm pinwheels

As you all know, quilting is never far from our minds…..so I have to show you more things I’ve been working on.

I have always been in love with pinwheels.  The basic, classic pinwheels.  I  have tried to con my Mom into making me a quilt with pinwheels for years, and I just wouldn’t settle on a color selection.  Anyway, I love Sandy Klop and her amazing fabric designing skills and had to use her Wee Play line.  I. LOVE. IT.    It makes me so happy…..like, I almost want to sing out loud happy.  🙂  Anyway, here is a little peak at my blocks laid out that I am hoping to get together pretty soon!  Does anyone else’ kids think it is the best thing ever, to run over `your laid out blocks!?!??!  I caught my little guy in action.  Several times!!  (that is why I put it away to be finished later!! ) HAhahah!

Well, I hope you all are having a wonderful week…..Seriously.  It’s Wednesday, almost to the weekend again!!  Woo hoo!  Go out and enjoy your day!  (or stay in and sew.  you’ll enjoy that too!! )  Oh, and BTW….ALL those kids aren’t mine!  (I went with my sister…..so we doubled our numbers!)  It pretty much looked like we ran a day care!  🙂

See ya,

Sarah

Winner, Winner…

… chicken dinner?

No, not really, but BETTER. It’s time for us to announce the winner of our Fabric Free for All!  This week’s winner is acecraig100! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your favorite quilt block with us (The Log Cabin!) This weeks prize was a Kashmir IV Charm Pack which will be headed your way soon! Thanks again to everyone who played along with us, we loved seeing all of your favorite quilt blocks!And just because we like to share what everyone is winning, last week DanielaK won a Hartfield Charm Pack.Want to win free fabric or patterns? Of course you do! Join us in the forum and play along!

If you don’t know what the heck we’re talking about (you’re not alone,) let us explain!  Each week we have a giveaway for ANYONE who responds to a simple question we ask on the community forum.  All you have to do is be part of the discussion and you’re automatically  entered to win.  Add a pic to your post and you double your chances!

For full details about the Weekly Giveaway, click here.

To learn how to register and use the forum, click here.

There’s a new giveaway up RIGHT NOW, so come join the conversation! See you there!

Beginner’s Log Cabin Quilt Along – Spring 2009

We are starting a Spring Quilt Along!

It’s a Log Cabin sampler style lap quilt.  You know, just something to help you keep that sewing fix in check while the spring bug is biting and we’re spending so much time outside!

Feel free to grab the button and post it on your blogs and spread the word and join us!  I’ll be posting info here on the Cutting Table Blog as well as in the forum’s Sewing Together Far Apart Section (This is open to all things virtual sewing by the way, incase you want to host a swap or bee, etc. this is a great place!), and on my own blog, Designing Happy so pick your place, swing into the forum and let us know if your in, and have a little spring sewing in your life!

We are currently gathering fabric and friends!  I will post cutting instructions April 17th!  Yay!  It’s coming!  Oh, and the plan is to take 2 weeks on each block style & step of this quilt since things can get busy this time of year 🙂 I know we have several new to quilting out here so, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed by this project.

We’re taking it slow and having a good time together!

I’ve posted most of this previously in the forum but for everyone else here you go 😀

– The finished quilt size will be 57×70 approx. (It will likely vary slightly :roll: oh well :) ) with 10.5″ finished block sizes & 3″ sashing

-A log cabin square traditionally uses several fabrics of the same color that change from light in the center of the block and the fabrics get darker as you go out to the largest outside row of fabric or vice versa. Each block uses 2 colors. We will call them our primary and secondary colors. (The primary color will have slightly more of it on the quilt.) You can also fade from bright to deep or however you like it. Just be consistent.

-You need to decide what 2 colors you will be using in your quilt. Each color will need differnet shades of fabric. Such as Dark, Medium, and Light. When you have decided you can start finding what you have and what you will need to complete your color groups

-This Log Cabin Sampler quilt requires 8 Fat Quarters of your primary color and 5 Fat quarters of your secondary color. It will also require 1 2/3 yard of sashing fabric. The back and binding will be in addition but this tutorial will not cover that… unless there’s an uproar and then we’ll figure it out :lol:

Here is our list of how many fat quarters you will need of each color group.

Primary Color – 4 shades
Dark – 4 FQ of the same fabric or 2 sets of 2 matching FQ
Medium Dark – 2 FQ of the same fabric
Medium Light – 1 FQ
Light – 1 FQ

Secondary Color – 3 shades
Dark – 2 FQ of the same fabric
Medium – 2 FQ (they don’t have to match, just both be of the Medium shade)
Light – 1 FQ

Don’t forget your 1 2/3 yd for sashing. I will be using an Amy Butler Slate, really anything neutral usually works great. You might consider getting enough of the fabric for your squares so that you can also use it for your binding. I will be taking extra strips in the same and similar colors from my fat quarters to piece together a scrappy binding. (if you do this you will probably want a couple extra FQ’s or scraps, to the equivelant of .5 yd)

Again, we will not be covering the finishing of the quilt, but depending on how you choose to finish it you will need batting, binding, & backing to 6″larger than the quilt top on all sides.

You can choose to make this quilt larger or smaller depending on your block size and sashing width.  There are 3 variations on the Log Cabin Block in this quilt.  Including the Log cabin, Courthouse Steps, and Square in a Square.  (I will be throwing improvisational guidance for the last block.  If you want to do it that way 🙂 )

You can also use precut honey bun’s or jelly roll’s for these blocks. They will give a very scrappy look as the color changes will likely not be as smooth, they will also change the size of your block’s. My strips are cut 2″ wide. A honey bun is 1.5 and a jelly roll is 2.5 . So, it can be done but my instructions will be for working with FQ’s. Feel free to adjust and share what works for you!

My sister has been participating in a fun quilt along by Elizabeth Hartman at Oh, Frannson! who has agreat discussion of color and color choices if you want to go check it out :)

Something else I read about choosing fabrics on Elizabeth’s site (this is not an exact quote but feel free to go check out her blog she has wonderful insight on all things quilting) is that there is no secret, just choose fabrics you love. You don’t want to work for hours on a quilt with fabrics you can’t stand. So step back and think about what you love. What colors did you paint your house what colors are in your closet are they florals, stripes, solids? Find what you love and you’ll be happy.

So that’s my opening info if you have question’s feel free to let us know we’ll be actively posting progress and pictures in the forum and we look forward to seeing you there with us!