pinwheel sampler quilt along: block two.

yayyy!!!
here are the instructions for block two!!!

we HAD to have the pinwheel block that started it all.
:)



yall will need:
one 6 7/8" x 6 7/8" square of focal print fabric {mine=red/yellow floral}
one 6 7/8" x 6 7/8" square of secondary print fabric {mine=yellow}
two 6 7/8" x 6 7/8" squares of solid fabric {mine=cream}



using my hst tutorial, use your 6 7/8" squares to make 4 hst blocks.

this is our block layout.
easiest pinwheel block EVER.



sew row one together, pressing seams to the right.
sew row two together, pressing seams to the left.
{this will ensure perfect seams.}



sew you two rows together to construct your block.
cute huh???



to tackle those pesky bulky seams...
with your block folded in half, seam rip the first 2 or 3 stitches.
{as pictured.}
do this for both sides of the fold.



your seams are open, now finger press them in opposite directions.
it'll look somewhat like a mini 4-patch block.



now make one more block in a completely different color scale.

my advice:
i choose fabrics that were the same hue or really coordinated well.
play with your fabric placements before you commit to cutting.
although it's a ubber simplistic block, it makes a strong statement.

so that's 4 blocks down. 12 to go.
& next week we are gonna do one of my fav pinwheel blocks.

i can't wait to start seeing all of yall's blocks show up in our flickr pool.
last weeks blocks are looking great!!!

{pdf version of this tutorial can be found here.}

o is for owl.

before & after: mister owl edition.

i made this little guy for miss jessica.
{for the hoop up! stitch & send swap.}

is it bad that i want to hold mister owl for ransom???

i guess i can give him up.
but only because i know he's for jessica's adorable son.

speaking of jessica...
yall HAVE to go check out her & jennifer's blog: twin fibers.
you'll thank me for it later.
seriously inspiring stuff.

{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out crafty girls workshop.}}

sponsor giveaway: designer blogs

{{{comments closed.}}}
winner = jane's fabrics and quilts
email me: rachel{at}psiquilt{dot}com



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p.s. i quilt even had a little work done.
notice that fancy smancy nav bar up there.
or that awesome special "rachel" font on my post titles and sidebars.
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designer blogs is going to give one lucky p.s. i quilt reader a bloggy makeover.
{a $50 value.}

so who wants one???
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pinwheel sampler quilt along: block one.

yayyy!!!
here are the instructions for block one!!!



yall will need:
two 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares of focal print fabric {mine=red}
two 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares of secondary print fabric {mine=aqua}

four 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares of solid fabric {mine=cream}
four 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares of secondary print fabric {mine=aqua}

four 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares of solid fabric {mine=cream}



using my hst tutorial, use your 3 7/8" squares to make 8 hst blocks.



this is our block layout.
easy peasy.



sew row one together, pressing seams to the right.
sew row two together, pressing seams to the left.
sew row three together, pressing seams to the right.
sew row four together, pressing seams to the left.
{this will ensure perfect seams.}



sew all four rows together to construct your block.
cute huh???



now make one more block in a completely different color scale.

my advice:
make one block in one of your fav color combos,
then make the next block in a combo that's just okay to you.
if yall start using all your fav fabrics from your layer cakes now,
i'm afraid you'll regret it come block 6.

so that's 2 blocks down. 14 to go.
& next week i'll teach yall a trick to reduce the bulk in your pinwheel seams.

i can't wait to start seeing all of yall's blocks show up in our flickr pool.

{pdf version of this tutorial can be found here.}

inspired by stitcheries.

so my good buddy john had this amazing idea around the holidays.
the idea was to have a stitch & send swap.
brillant if you ask me.

it was an invitation only swap {thanks john} and we all were immediately stoked.
the excitement was contagious. really.

we we're all broken down into small groups and we all picked a theme.
i went back & forth on a theme...
irish. twilight. friends the tv show. matryoshka dolls. something baby{ish}.
i just couldn't decide. at all.

well then morning sickness hit me like a truck and yall know how that went.
i started getting everyone's fabric and floss.
i didn't mail out my stuff on time. still hadn't picked a theme.
i was SO disgusted with myself.

so here i am...a month late picking my theme...but i finally picked something.
{all along i think it's been in the back of my mind, but i'm southern so i'm stubborn.}

easily enough...i made a mosaic of my favorite stitcheries.

after much deliberation...
i decided to have each swapper stitch something using my mosaic as inspiration.
as yall can tell, i like all colors and themes.

when the pieces come home, they will hang in hoops on my quilty room wall.
{to be enjoyed & inspired by them ALL the time.}

are yall inspired my stitcheries???
i know i am. alot.

p.s. to see all the resources to individual stitcheries, click the pic.
it'll shoot you over to flickr for the links.

{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out reannalily designs.}}

half square triangle tutorial.

the math part:
add 7/8" to the desired finished size of your hst block.
example: 3" finished hst block will start with 3 7/8" squares.
{to make 3 1/2" unfinished hst block.}



the making part:
cut two squares of fabric...one light, one dark.
yall will cut these according to your desired finished hst block size.



draw a line on the wrong side of your light square of fabric.
with right sides together, stitch 1/4" seam on both sides of your drawn line.



cut apart on your drawn line.



press to your darkest fabric.



trim your dog ears and you're done.
this will give yall 2 hst blocks.

for those inquiring minds:
fabrics are simple abundance by bonnie and camille for moda.

questions.

i get emailed an insane amount of questions.
everything from my blog music to prewashing fabrics.
so because of that i'm working on a faq page.

if yall ever had a chance to ask & for me to tell...
now's the time.

with that being said...let the questions begin.

{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out connecting quilts long arm quilting studio.}}

mojo rising.

so i finally made something.

i made this cake.
{with help from the griffith kiddos.}

i know it's not the most amazing creation of all time...
but at least i made something.

my mojo is on the rise.
i'm gonna spend some one-on-one time with my sewing machine this week.
i HAVE to. seriously.

in other news: look for a sponsor giveaway soon!!!

and for those inquiring minds...
my cake plate came from target.
{it was a pressie from julie.}

{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out the twiddletails store.}}

you are what you eat.

okay so when i'm not preggers, i'm a chocolate freak.
{especially during "that" time of the month.}

i'm normally not a "candy" person per say.
the extent of me eating candy is horking down a bag of twizzlers at the theatre.
{and yes, i eat the whole darn bag by myself. every. single. time.}

well it's a whole different ballgame when i'm growing a baby.

i want candy.
and not just ANY candy. i want sour candy.
specifically sweet tarts. the chewy ones.

when i was prego with melanie, i wanted the giant, chewy ones.
now they have these fantastic mini chewy ones i'm addicted to.
{both pictured above.}

so yeah...
if you are what you eat, i'm a walking willy wonka sweet tart.

i know my dentist is going to read this...
don't hate on me for eating these sugary candies.
remember: it's ALL for the baby.
*wink*

p.s. chewy sweet tarts might be the devil.
just sayin'.

{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out the quilt shoppe.}}

still here.

so i'm starting to get those "are you okay" emails left & right.
yall are too sweet.

i have not dropped off the face of the earth. promise.
i just decided to take last week off from my laptop. i needed it.
maybe a "taking the week off" blog post should have been posted.

we had a little scare this past week.
long story short: i spent a day in the hospital.
no worries though.
everything is fine & dandy. promise.

i still haven't touched my machine. *ewww*
mount washmore is still in my basement. *gag me*
hubby is still ubber amazing. *swoon*
and i'm able to hold down more than graham crackers & gatorade.
{more on that later.}

oh and to prove hubby is ubber amazing...
aren't these tulips beautiful???
he surprised me with them the other night.
{along with some candy & a quilting magazine.}

p.s. siggy blocks are landing on my doorstep like crazy.
:0)



{{my sponsors rock!!! yall should check out fat quarter shop.}}