star cakes quilt.

we're still celebrating with fat quarter shop for their top 10 videos of 2015.
this is the third and final project that i will be sharing for this series.
today, i'm going to talk about the star cakes quilt.

this quilt pattern was designed for fat quarter shop's shortcut quilts series.
there is an instructional youtube video that can walk you through the construction process.
chances are, if you've taken a class with me, you have heard my dislike for constructing HSTs (half square triangles) using this method.
when i was asked to do this project, i mentally groaned at the thought of making HSTs this way.
BUT don't let that put you off. keep reading!
it definitely isn't my favorite method, but i try to occasionally get out of my comfort zone in order to grow as a quilter.
i'm glad i did this time.

i committed to making a single block.
(i have it placed on one of my design boards, so that's not a border and binding.)
download the FREE star cakes quilt pattern HERE.

although this isn't my "go to" method of making HSTs, i did enjoy the block construction.
almost every single point is perfect.
and as any quilter knows, that's a satisfaction within itself.
like, you want to sing like julie andrews from the sound of music. or is that just me? HA.

i chose to use apricot and persimmon by carina gardner for my block.
i didn't want to use a solid background.
i wanted to mix things up a bit.
i purposely picked the blacks and apricots due to the fact that my children's school mascot is the longhorns.
i'm going to finish it off with the black/grey print as the binding.

even though this is a VERY feminine take on our school colors, i know this will be a perfect mini quilt for one of my cheerleaders.
(miss melanie, our 10 year old lady longhorn.)
i thought she'd love having it hung in her room alongside her spirit and co-captain ribbons from this past season.
and the hair bows! cheerleader bows are like rabbits! they just keep multiplying! am i right? ;)

now, it wouldn't be a celebration without inviting some awesome bloggers to sew along.
hop on over to see their star cakes quilt creations:
shruti of 13 woodhouse road
rachel of PS I QUILT (you are here!)
melissa of happy quilting
tina of emily ann’s kloset
cara of that crafty cara
kim of persimmon dreams
THE one and only pat sloan ;)

we would love for you to share your #starcakesquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on instagram. (i'm rachelgriffith)
oh, and did we mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a fat quarter shop $100 gift certificate?!
this fun contest ends january 31st and the winner will be announced on instagram on february 1st.

good luck and happy quilting!
xo, rachel

hope blooms quilt.

i'm back to continue fat quarter shop's celebration of their top 10 videos of 2015.
this is the second project that they asked me to join along with for this series.
today, i'm going to talk about the hope blooms quilt.

this quilt pattern was designed by it's sew emma for fat quarter shop.
there is an instructional youtube video that can walk you through the construction process.
although, the log cabin block has been done a gazillion times, in a trillion different variations, kim shows you how to make it perfectly!
meaning, no wonky or crooked lines. yes, you read that right.
the trick is using the 8" creative grids non-slip log cabin ruler.
(i could write a whole post about creative grids rulers. and i just might!)

i made a single block to test out this method of making a log cabin block.
(i have it placed on one of my design boards, so that's not a border and binding.)
the FREE hope blooms log cabin block pattern HERE.

i can honestly say, that i enjoy the crispness of my block.
like, it's perfect. (which is typically hard to obtain when it comes to log cabin blocks.)

i chose to use whites/creams as my background and greys as my color/print.
i really, really love my block.

i've had three thoughts:
1) keep going and make the whole quilt
2) finish this as a cutesy mini quilt
3) add this block with my birchen block to make a unique wall quilt
what do y'all think?

now, it wouldn't be a celebration without inviting some awesome bloggers to sew along.
hop on over to see their hope blooms quilt creations:
shruti of 13 woodhouse road
seema of hooks, needles, & brushes
charise of charise creates
sinta of pink pin cushion
rachel of PS I QUILT (you are here!)
julie of the crafty quilter
christopher of the tattooed quilter

we would love for you to share your #hopebloomsquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on instagram. (i'm @rachelgriffith)
oh, and did we mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a fat quarter shop $100 gift certificate?!
this fun contest ends january 31st and the winner will be announced on instagram february 1st.

good luck and happy quilting!
xo, rachel

birchen quilt.

end of the year round ups always tend to be a favorite with we creative peeps.
so it shouldn't come as a surprise that fat quarter shop wanted to highlight their top 10 videos of 2015.
they asked me to join along with a few projects.
today, i'm going to talk about the birchen quilt.

this free quilt pattern was designed by art gallery fabrics in collaboration with fat quarter shop.
there is an instructional youtube video that can walk you through the construction process.
i don't know what i would've done without the video. not even kidding.

i had to step completely out of my comfort zone with this project.
this design called for triangles on a roll, which was new to me. (y'all know how i love my HSTs.)
and on top of that, there were some bias edges to contend with. (which isn't my favorite task.)

i knew that i couldn't commit to making the whole quilt, so i planned to make a wall quilt.
thus far, i've made one block.

i'm thinking that i might stick to just this block, instead of making 4 for a larger mini quilt.
i love the simplicity of this one block with the contrast between the cream and white fabrics.
i think it gives the design a bit more depth.
but seeing as i'm a woman, i could change my mind and make the other 3 blocks. HA.

now, it wouldn't be a celebration without inviting some awesome bloggers to sew along.
hop on over to see their birchen quilt creations:
shruti of 13 woodhouse road
rachel of PS I QUILT (you are here!)
angie of gnomeangel

we would love for you to share your #birchenquilt or any other #FQSTop10 quilts for 2015 on instagram. (i'm @rachelgriffith)
oh, and did we mention for every #FQSTop10 post you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a fat quarter shop $100 gift certificate?!
this fun contest ends january 31st and the winner will be announced on instagram february 1st.

good luck and happy quilting!
xo, rachel