Joyfully squaring up my blocks!       

  It seems like I only get up to the sewing room in the late evening, but last night, I was pretty productive.  I don't know about you, but I just can't throw away the little triangles that are left over when you are making a flying geese unit or other similar units.  I have always saved them, sewed them together and squared them up.  I have lots of 1 1/2 inch blocks.  The squaring-up part has always been so tedious on the small ones.

            At the AQS show in Grand Rapids Michigan, I saw a demo of this neat ruler called Bloc Loc.  http://www.blocloc.com/  There is a groove that stops on the seam and keeps the block square as you are trimming.
They had one that was 2 1/2 inch square that works great for the small 'waste' squares.


You can see the line where the printing stops that is the part which will "Loc" on the seam.

After you cut 2 sides, you slide the ruler along the seam and line it up to cut the other 2 sides.









 It is a true joy to square up these squares now.  Last night I sewed and trimmed all the leftovers from the 3 'lasanga' quilts (Also called 1600" quilts) I have made over the last few weeks!

 Now, What am I going to do with all these Squares? ? ?

Road Trip to AQS Quilt Show

         Last weekend, my hubby, Sunshine, (He wants me to refer to him as Sunshine, which is fine because he is my Sunshine!)  and I made a fast trip to Grand Rapid, Michigan to go to the AQS show on Saturday!  The quilts were outstanding, and the shopping even better.  I took lots of pictures, but saw, that they can't be posted on  a blog so sorry about that!  The Tent Makers from Egypt's quilts were incredible.  They used a long needle to needle-turn applique and man were they fast stitchers.   The colors they put together and the  designs were inspiring.  There were quilts from Japan which showed their skills in color, design and needle technique.  While there,  I had 2 surprises.  One was meeting and talking with Alex Anderson from "The Quilt Show".  I have enjoyed all the 'free stuff' on "The Quilt Show", so I decided to join.  The deal they were giving was exceptional.

My other surprise was catching up with Anita Shackelford.

Anita and I met many years ago when we worked together for a local doctor.  At that time she was just starting her quilting journey and was working on a Log Cabin quilt doing it all by hand! I figured I'd never quilt if I had to do it by hand! LOL!

 Anita was giving an author talk at AQS about her new book Teens & Tweens Quilting Fun with Family & Friend.
  What a fun book, to get our young people interested in sewing. 

She had memory quilts that her grandchildren had made, plus one she made in memory of her mother.

 She also talked about the process of making the memory quilts and  attaching  3-D items to the quilts.

She  had "Friendship cards" that kids could make and then write a note on one side.  Recycle jean projects of DVD carriers and small purses. Quilted ornaments for the Christmas tree.  Photo or message board, easy sew Poncho and more. 17 projects in all plus  how to's on collage, rubbings and mosaic to make it unique.    

 ThisMemory Quilt her granddaughter made with a favorite tee shirt, and then pictures, and other items.  In the lower left-hand corner there is a threaded needle, and fabric!  

                

This is a memory quilt of Anita's Mom, Rose.  

A  This quilt is one her grandson made. (sorry it is sideways and I can't get it to load straight)     

     Sunshine was a happy fellow when we left the show, because he got a Supper of his favorite food.  Two pounds Ribs at

Brann's Sizzling Steaks and Sports Grille.   He deserved it!

The Joyful Journey of Quilting's 1st Post

Hello! Today is the day to start blogging about my passion, quilting. I have lots of projects in my head and  started in the sewing rooms.  Yes, I said rooms.  One room has my machines, small table, and a very small pressing center and the other room has my ironing board, and a large work surface.  Both of course have my stash.  I have been sewing for years and caught the quilting bug in the late 90's after I found out about the rotary cutter.  Here are two of my earlier quilts.

This one I made for charity from a very easy pattern from Quiltmaker Magazine. The center of the blocks are full of flowers, ladybugs and flowers!

This quilt I came up with on my own after surfing the web for ideas.  I used a scenic big print and a panel print that matched and  put it together with 9-patches and bear paw blocks.  I made it for my brother.

 
A quilt I am working on now is a string pieced one that I found on Bonnie Hunter's Blog 'Quiltville'.  The pattern is called 'String-X'

Here is one block of the 18, I made.  I can't wait to finish the top and get it quilted.  It is so joyful looking with the pinks, yellows, and the' limey' green.  My goal this week is to get it sewn together and the border on and sandwiched so I can quilt on it next week.

Another on going project, I have been working on is sewing together my grandma's grandmother's flower garden hex's she cut out in the 1930s!  She never got around to making any flowers. The funny thing is,  I knew my grandma sewed as she made me clothes and doll clothes, but never knew she had quilted until after she had died and we were cleaning out her home.   I want to make a quilt with her hexes but give it a new twist.  I will keep you posted on this project as it develops.

      Hope you will join me in my quilting joy as a finish these projects, and begin new ones.  

                                   Marsha