Adding Frames to BOM: an Update

I took my sewing machine to get serviced.  It's been a year since I bought it and it still makes me happy.  I know that Janome has a new version of the Horizon, but I like mine, thank you very much.

So, my machine is back.  And I started piecing the frame to the blocks for Amish with a Twist.  It's very exciting and I'm glad to know how to do frames.  I will try to do one frame a day for twelve days and get this thing put together.

I think this will be a gift, so you might not see it for a bit, but I enjoyed doing this particular pattern very much.  Practice, practice, practice is good for this girl; and I really like doing samplers.  I might make one for us, but I think in cream.


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Skittle Quilt and Green and Grey Pillow

Quilt fabric companies have a great marketing plan.  They have contests and have professional quilt bloggers make scrumptious quilts with pre-released fabric.  It gets a girl wanting more fabric.  Always wanting more fabric.  This scenario played out last fall when V & Co came out with the Simply Color line.  It's yummy isn't it? And speaks to my style completely.

So, I bought a fat quarter bundle and gave it to the hubba-hubba to wrap and give me for Christmas.  I didn't know what to do with it, but I knew I'd be inspired.

I was inspired by this Skittles Quilt and pinned it as soon as I read the blog post.  I ordered the fabric and let it sit on my TBQ pile until I had time to work on it.

In the meantime, I needed to learn how to applique.  Circles.  I recommend not learning how to applique with circles.  Not fun.  I took an Anything Goes class at our local quilt shop and the lovely Barb R departed her skills. And slowly I made circles using the Perfect Circles method. (Mine were less-than-perfect.)

In May, I had a week where I was allergic to the outside.  I took the opportunity to applique these circles on the grey panel.  It was scarier than it sounds. First, I had to take the ombre fabric and find the perfect spot and r-r-r-rip the fabric.  It's a scary process...and if it doesn't make any sense...read the instructions.  I will say the color match where I had to rip was pretty spot-on.  Whew!

After I finished ... and it took all week, I contacted the lovely Elvira and arranged for her to quilt it.  She did a great job.

While I was waiting for the quilt to come back, I continued to work on the bom Amish with a Twist.  After lesson 12, they had a beautiful pillow project and thought it would be a great accompaniment.  I quilted that myself and I think it looks spectacular.  The grey really makes the green fabric go POP!

I finished it in time for our trip to coastal California to give to my husband's brother and family.  Happily, they love it.  It looks great, doesn't it?

 My take away? Appliqueing isn't for me.

Amish with a Twist: Sawtooth Star

I guess I thought I was showing each block as I did them... turns out i haven't been. I'll work on it.  Today we worked on half-square triangle.  I think one can never practice half=square triangles enough.  This block is a four-patch constuction with two half square triangles.  Do you see it?

Amish With a Twist: Rail Fence

I finished  my first block for my block of the month project.  The colors are bright and cheery.  Looking forward to this coming together.  Compare it to my first rail fence...  Reading that entry I see that the sewing was left difficult this time around.  My 1/4 inch seam has improved greatly.

Amish with a Twist: Block of the Month Project

The first time I saw the quilt pattern Amish with a Twist. I wanted to make it. I love the big, bold graphic colors.  The quilt top was just hanging in a store.  I didn't know anything about it, I just knew I needed it.

I went back to that quilt shop and it was gone.  I had a little panic, but found it as a  kit.  I was still taking my basics class and knew I wasn't ready for it.  Not then anyway.

While I was looking for a new project to start, I searched Block of the Month projects. I wanted to start a block of the month project to get in the groove of having projects in various stages of completion.  We'll see if I can stay organized ...

In my search, Amish with a Twist came popping up.  It was fresh and new about two years ago, but there are still several online shops that still offer it.  I elected to do the original black pattern, though there were other options (I really like the grey one...).

There are twelve blocks plus sashing and a lesson in applique separated in five parts.

Amish with a Twist

My first month's packet came last weekend. In the packet were the first three blocks and the fabric.  I started my first project: rail fence.

Here are the little strips all lined up and ready to sew...

I'll post a picture of the completed square.