Time to spill the beans!

 Hello friends, 

Today is finally the day that I can reveal the secret project that I have been working on for Fat Quarter Shop!

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I have been teasing you with glimpses of my fabric selection, but wasn't allowed to show the pattern or the blocks or the quilt, until given the green light by Fat Quarter Shop....

....but now that day has finally arrived~ YAHOO!

First, I will reveal that the name of the pattern is Ribbon Border and it is from the Classic & Vintage Quilt Series that Fat Quarter Shop has put together. You can see all the patterns from this collection by clicking HERE ( click). There are so many fun patterns to choose from, and all at a really reasonable cost. I am not sure if they all do, but the pattern we were given has 4 different size options, which makes the pattern so very versatile!

 Here is a peek at the original pattern that we were given:

I really liked the color scheme in the original pattern, so really wanted to attempt a close copy!

So, without further ado, here she is, MY version of Ribbon Border! 

As I shared before, the fabric is called SUNWASHED and it was designed by Corey Yoder. I knew when I saw the pattern that I wanted to use some happy, summery fabrics, although I have seen the other makers' fabric choices, and they are all great looking, so I don't think you can really go wrong with any color/fabric choices!

If you would like to check out the SUNWASHED collection, you can do so by clicking HERE( click).

This quilt top was pretty simple to put together, and didn't take much time, especially because I chain-pieced!

Obviously the big squares are super simple, and the other blocks are constructed in 2 seperate halves that are then sewn together. I would say the only tricky part of those blocks is that they are 1) cut on the bias, so more stretchy, and 2) they are sewn from the point, and we all know how sewing machines love to "eat" those points when we first start to sew!

 

So here are the tips and hints that I wrote down as I was sewing my top:

• Because of the bias edges, fabric pieces will stretch more easily~ use starch and pins to keep shapes looking proper.
• Trim up each and every block after construction to keep them true to size.
• Trim dog ears.
• Start sewing on a LEADER ( or scrap piece) of fabric, which you can feed through the machine at a straight angle, rather than a pointy corner, which has a tendency to be pulled into the throatplate.
• Lay out your left and right block components as you piece them~ they look very similar and it is easy to place a piece the wrong direction!

One last hint, and I learned this from my mistake ;). DO follow the pressing directions given in the pattern! I thought I knew better and pressed some pieces a different direction and paid for that arrogance later on! Just do as it says, trust me ;).

As I mentioned before, this is just my quilt TOP...I did not have a chance to layer and quilt it yet, but I do believe it is 3rd in  queue~ Ha! Our Spring, Summer, and Fall ( so far) have been crazy busy and I have barely spent any time in my quilt room...boohoooo. Fingers crossed that that changes one of these days!

Here are some more pics of my quilt top in our garden. The day I took my photos it was super sunny, and my colors look a little bleached....or should I say "sunwashed"? Ha!

And p.s. those rosebushes on either side of my arbor produce beautiful blooms, but are extremely prickly! They got a good trimming after I extracted both myself and the quilt top from some of those thorns!

Well, there you have it...my secret sewing finally revealed! I hope you enjoyed the photos and that the hints help you if you decide to sew your own version. Do make sure you go check out all the other versions of this pattern as well! It is really fun to see the various outcomes and just goes to show how fabric choices make a huge difference. You should be able to read all about them on the Jolly Jabber blog, starting today! 

And now I would like to ask for your help! I need a good name for this quilt! Does anyone have any imaginative suggestions? Please pop it in the comments below!

Even if you have no name suggestions, as always, I love it when you leave a comment! It lets me know there are people out there reading my ramblings ;).

 If you are not a subscriber, but would like to receive a notification whenever I publish a new blog post ( which is not very often), just send me an email or use the box at the bottom of the left- hand sidebar and I will make sure to get you added to my list.

Until next time~happy creating!

Monique

February sewalong part 2 ....and a finished project....and a new project( you HAVE to see this one!)

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 Hello again, 

I'm back with part 2 of our February sewalong, plus some other fun projects that I want to share with you today! Aren't we so lucky to have this amazing hobby/ obsession with this quilting craft? Every morning I wake up and consider what I might work on that day, and that brings me so much joy...oh, the possibilities a fresh new day brings ;).

Alright, let's jump right into part 2 of our sewalong ( if you missed the first part you can read about that here (click).

You have cut all your pieces and are ready to start sewing your blocks together. I found it SO much easier to lay the dark and light fabrics that needed sewing together NEXT to each other, like this: 

Remember that all our "logs" need to measure 4.5" after we have sewn them together, so if you have one that sticks out like a sore thumb you will know that it was sewn to the wrong "partner"! 

You can of course sew these chain-piece style, but I chose to do mine block by block so I could control the colors a bit. 

I used my wool mat ( click) to organize my pieces and laid that next to my sewing machine and then sewed the logs for each block together, like this: 

It is pretty easy to mess up and sew the wrong logs together, ( ask me how I know!) so laying them next to each other in a STAIR STEP way is a great way to keep them organized. Press your blocks.

Pressing your seams open makes it easier to sew your seams later, but do what you prefer. Now is the time to square up each block to 4.5"! If you do it now, you will have a much better chance of having a true-sized 8.5" block when you are done. And don't worry if your blocks are off....as long as they are all off the same amount you will be just fine! I love using my rotating cutting mat ( click) and Cute Cuts Trim it Square ruler ( click) for this purpose. So quick and easy! In fact, I own all the sizes up to 10.5 and they come in super handy for squaring up my blocks in all kinds of projects ( because, you know, my blocks are rarely square :P ).

After squaring up the 4 4.5" blocks, I  sewed my block together, like this: 

CAUTION: Pay very careful attention to how you orient your blocks here! Each block  is rotated once as you go clockwise around so that the long log ends up on the outside so please make sure you do just that! I found it easiest to grab my 4 blocks and lay them all the same direction, and then twisted and turned from there. Once I had made one block correctly, I kept that one in front of me, just to make sure I would orient all my blocks the same way.

Trim your block to 8.5" square. Go on and make as many blocks as you need/want for your project. I think that 3 by 6 blocks would make a nice table runner, and 3 by 3 would make a great small wallhanging. Obviously the bigger project you are planning, the more blocks you will need.

For those of you who decided you want to use 2.5" logs instead and make a 12.5" block, the instructions are pretty much the same. Lay your fabric pieces that will make a completed 6.5" log next to each other and sew them together block by block, BUT remember you only need 3 logs total for each block! 

Trim your blocks to 6.5" and them twist them to make a 12.5" block, with all long logs to the outside, the same way as explained in the smaller block above. 

 

Easy-peasy, don't you think? But if anything is not completely clear, please ask! 

As I told you last week, these blocks made with the 2.5 " strips come together very quickly and easily and I was able to make this baby blanket super quickly! Rather than adding appliques in the centers of all the blocks, I added one really soft and cuddly cow applique in one corner. Some quick machine quilting, binding, and one label later, I had completed my sweet baby quilt, and in plenty of time before baby's arrival! 

I definitely see more of these quilts in my future!

Alright, so for this coming week you can start sewing your blocks and next week I'll share some ideas and templates for appliques you could use in the center of your blocks.

But before I go I want to share a new project that completely captured my attention this past week:

My online quilt guild, Meander, had a guest teacher named Karen Eckmeier, who is famous for her Accidental Landscapes and Happy Villages quilts. Well, I watched her class on the Happy Villages and fell completely in love with Karen and her fun method of making these quilts, so I just had to start a village of my own! Here are some photos of my progress:  

I am now in the process of free-motion quilting over tulle around each of the shapes and that will take some time, but I will share the finished project sometime soon! And I will definitely be making more of these quilts! You can find out more about Karen here ( click).

Talk to you next week~happy creating!

Monique

Cold winter days...and a new sewalong!

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 Hello friends!

Back again with another quick update on the kitchen reno, AND a special announcement about a new sewalong!

I hope all of you in North America are staying warm! It has been sooooo chilly here the last week or so! My car really let me know it was not happy being started up at 0* Fahrenheit, but at least it started! And I do love all that sunshine we get when it is so darn cold....makes it more bearable, don't you agree?

This past week we celebrated 2 more birthdays in our house...yep, we really know how to pile things on! But now we are done until July ;). So one of my journal entries was this piece of chocolate cake, to commemorate the cake my hubby bought to celebrate my birthday. 

I haven't yet decided what to embroider for daughter's birthday, but I have until Sunday to come up with an idea!

Our kitchen reno is coming along so nicely! I was able to get the paint we need for our final top coat, so hopefully that will go on this weekend, along with the rest of the hardware. It has been a little tricky opening drawers without handles :P.  And happily we were able to settle on some new and very affordable countertops and a new sink....I am SO excited, especially about the sink! Now comes the hard part of waiting for the company to come out and template and measure....everyone is so busy and the wait is quite long, and have I mentioned that I am not patient?? You will have to wait and see the countertops, but here are some of the samples that we were looking at...

Other than work on the kitchen, I did manage to complete at least one of my projects for January! I started this one a few years back. It is very simple, made up of half-square triangles, all done in reds and whites, but I really like it. I machine quilted diagonally between the rows and then hand-quilted a scallop pattern with a big stitch in the borders. 

See that bright spot in the bottom left corner? That would be the sunshine streaming in! Now it's time for my next Christmas quilt to get finished, although it might have to be delayed a bit because as I mentioned above, I am hosting a new sewalong!

This one is based on a pattern by Lori Holt and will be a great scrap buster! 

( image via Lori Holt)

Isn't it the cutest block? I will be sharing all the instructions right here on my blog in the next few weeks. This is a simple block and I think anyone can join in, no matter what skill level. I will be sharing a few tips and hints along the way, AND will also share a bigger option, for those that would like to use bigger-sized scraps. 

I have been busy sewing up some test blocks too and will share some information about those next week as well. 

Even though there is nothing for you to get ready yet, IF you don't have scraps, you might want to purchase a 1 1/2" strip roll ( click here for some options or here for more options), OR, if you want to make a bigger, alternate version of this block, a 2 1/2" strip roll ( click here for some options or here for more options).

Alright, that is all from here for this week! I hope you will join in on this newest sewalong...I always enjoy seeing everyone's versions at the end!

Until next time, stay warm, and, as always, happy creating!

Monique

Falalalala.....

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Hello friends, 

I'm back with some more Christmas cheer! Last week I promised to share some more pics of my decorating so here goes....

Our front door is decorated with an evergreen wreath. The wreath was nice, but pretty plain, so I added some ribbon and that Gingerbread girl, as well as dried clementines ( that's what I had on hand!) and some anise stars...it smells so good when you open the door! 

Our banister is decorated with a garland that I stuck little wooden spools, as well as metal bells, little toadstools, and fairy lights in ( I found my items here  and here) . If I could only decorate with a few items I would always choose greenery, fairy lights, and toadstools, because they are easy to get, not expensive, but super hygge! 

In our hallway we also have our stocking hanger. It's a funny place, I know, but one that is not accessible to chewy bunny rabbits or curious puppies! And do you notice the finished stockings for the girlfriends? They turned out pretty cute! I found the pattern in the Night Before Christmas book by Art to Heart, but this one has some of those same style of appliques ( all her books are cute!) .

( and p.s. we know we need a bigger hanger! ;) )

In our living room we have a beautiful antique mantle that surrounds a fake fireplace. These items have moved with us a few times now and I will never give them up! They add so much warmth ( figuratively and literally) to any room we use them in! Plus it makes for a great place to add some Christmas decorations! Our daughter decorated this one in a woodland theme. 

Our living room is also decorated with some quilts...of course! 

This one was so much fun to work on, with all those different colors. And I bought the kit in Montana so this quilt will always bring back memories of living there.

This quilt was made with Bee in My Bonnet Christmas templates and it was super fun to make ( as are all Lori Holt quilts!) and if you are looking for a project that is not too complicated I can highly recommend any of her patterns. ( If you are especially interested in Christmas patterns, check out this book!)

Now onto the family room, where we have a REAL wood burning fireplace, and ahh, how I love that! When we moved into this house the walls were brown and there was no mantle, so I painted the bricks a creamy white and we added a mantle Actually a surprisingly easy thing to do...says she whose husband is very handy ;). But all kidding aside, the mantle we ordered online and it was delivered to our doorstep and all we had to do was drill some holes into the brick, hang a cleat and install the mantle, so in reality it was super easy. And of course it gets decorated for Christmas, with some green garland, candlesticks, fairy lights, pinecones, and some other fun Scandi inspired finds! And little red toadstools, can't forget about those! The quilts on the ladder were both made by my quilty friend Colleen, and I think they go perfectly with my Scandinavian theme!

Next week I will share some photos of the different trees in our house...yes, you read that right! We usually have 1 real tree, and then I add fake trees in lots of other rooms, ranging in size from a few inches to 6ft tall. The more, the merrier, in my opinion!

I hope you are enjoying decorating and doing all the other special little things that can make us so busy these last few weeks before Christmas. Just don't forget to take a break once in a while, make yourself some hot cocoa ( with whipped cream!), and just sit and enjoy the twinkling lights while listening to some Christmas carols!

Until next time~ happy creating!

Monique

Flowers and quilt blocks ( please click here to view this post in your browser)

 Hello friends, 

Although there has not been a whole lot of quilting going on at the farmhouse these past few weeks~ with our two older boys having graduated and spending a lot more time hanging out at home ;) ~I do have a few fun updates that I want to share this week. 

Remember those GIANT hexies I have been working on in the evenings? I have mostly been sewing them into flower shapes, but this past week I just needed to start sewing those flowers together. I don't know if you have sewn hexie flowers together, but it is a bit of a tricky process. I suppose I could have sewn my flowers into rows, but that's not how I roll. So instead I am working from the center out. The fabric is all flannel so I think it is going to be quite heavy and hot as well. This sewing together might just have to wait until Fall or Winter just for that reason :D. 

Just to give you an idea of how big these are, here are some laid out on our coffee table!

The other quilty project that I got back to this week were my happy little tulip blocks ( you can read the original post by clicking here). I was down to my last few blocks to hand stitch so made myself a fresh supply :). 

These blocks are so much fun to put together, because every one is a little different, plus  I get to pull out all my blue scraps. The original pattern used more Delft Blue-like colors, but the day that I wanted ( NEEDED!) to start this project I really didn't have many of those kinds of blues. So I decided to stay with the blue theme, but include every shade of blue. 

 I did question my decision a few weeks later and asked fellow Instagrammers their opinions about whether to start over with the Delft Blue color or to keep going. The majority of people told me to keep going with my current color scheme, and when Susan Smith~ author of the book and designer of this pattern~ said she hoped I would keep going, that sealed the deal for me! So stay tuned for updates on this project, because hand stitching all these little tulips is going to take a while!

Apart from these few quilt projects, I been spending a lot of time in the garden, planting, weeding, and watering. I can honestly say that that is very HYGGE for me.

hyg·ge

/ˈh(y)o͞oɡə,ˈho͝oɡə/

Learn to pronounce

noun

1. a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).

So, of course I have to share some of those pictures:

( we have some nesting Chickadees in this little birdhouse)

( bunnies love to sit in the middle of this Sweet Woodruff patch!)

( a little bee habitat)

( yay, I have a Columbine blooming!)

( one of our new apple trees, being totally overshadowed by the showy bush!)

( isn't the teacup watering dish so cute? Made by a local girl)

And, as I mentioned at the start of my blog post, our two oldest boys graduated from college on Mother's Day weekend. It was a proud moment for us and we are excited to see their futures unfold! 

( our middle son and his girlfriend)

( our oldest boy and his girlfriend, who also graduated from Engineering)

(I made a pillow with PSU colors ( and all recycled materials) for our son who was heavenly involved with the climate group while in school, and a t-shirt quilt for our son who was an RA ( resident assistant) for many years while  studying.)

(Our oldest boy graduated with 2 degrees: His undergraduate and his Masters in Architectural Engineering, that  is why he has the colorful hood)

Are you still with me after that photo-heavy post? I am impressed! 

And now for some final words.....

For quite a while now I have published blog posts on Saturday mornings ~ some "expert" somewhere suggested that a consistent blog schedule was paramount to success ( They also recommended putting out blog posts 2 to 3 times a week....what would I possibly have to write about 3 times a week?). Anyway, I have decided to do things MY way from now on. So my blog posts will be appearing when I have something fun to share. If you are subscribed to receive my blogs via email, no need to do anything at all~you will automatically receive each one when published. If you are not a subscriber, but would like to not miss out on posts, send me an email with the address where you want blog posts sent ( I promise not to do anything nefarious with your info! It will only be saved by me and will never get sold or send to anyone else!) Here is the email address and please put in the title "blog sign up": farmhousequiltsinlancaster@gmail.com. Thanks, and until next time~ happy creating!

Monique