Tuesday, June 26, 2012

My day on the Hop



Hi, I'm Beth.  Welcome to my day on the Blog Hop!  I can't remember exactly when I started quilting - it was in the past two years - but I didn't get "addicted" to it until last summer and now I'm at my sewing machine most every day.  

Favorite Quilting Tip:  Enjoy the process AND what I hear myself telling my daughters when they are sewing - take it slow and steady.  Oh, and try new things - you never know what you are going to like until you try it!

Favorite Blogging Tip:  Blog because it is fun and don't be afraid!  I started my blog in late February and I really didn't realize what an awesome experience it would be.  I have made so many great blogging friends and am so happy to be part of such a fun and supportive community.  And just like in quilting, don't be afraid to try new things with your blog.  When I thought about organizing a blog hop for new bloggers, I was hesitant to put it out there - thinking no one would be interested - especially since I had only been blogging for about two months.  But as you can tell, the response was amazing!  Same with the advice series - my email to the guest bloggers bordered on being apologetic for even asking but as you can see, I got a very positive response to that as well.  So, my tip is just go for it!  

Book I am currently reading:  The Invisible Bridge  (I love giving and receiving good book suggestions so I try to keep my reading list up to date on goodreads.)  

Favorite children's book:  Too many to list but the first to come to mind:  The Phantom Tollbooth, From the Mixed-Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler, Harry Potter, and anything by Mo Willems and Oliver Jeffers.

Favorite music to listen to while quilting:  I usually just put on Pandora - the station I have on right now is Josh Radin (but like some other bloggers I follow, I've also been known to listen to Glee.)  And I listen to audiobooks.  

Favorite TV show to watch while hand stitching: Like so many other blog hoppers, I love the Big Bang Theory.  I also like Modern Family, Parenthood, Downton Abbey - oh, and The Walking Dead (seriously - LOVE that show!)

One more thing about me?  I'm married to a supportive man who is like an enabler to my fabric buying habits - as he often can be heard saying "Yes, honey, you should take advantage of that sale and order another 10 yards of fabric - you've only received three fabric packages in the mail so far this week!" (Um - yes, he proofread this post for me and wanted to know why I didn't mention him so I'm adding this in last minute but really, he doesn't even say that sarcastically!)  Oh, and we have three daughters - ages 9, 7, and 9 months.  And, actually, they encourage my fabric habit as well.  Hm . . .  

Okay, onto the tutorial.







Supplies:

16 5in square charms (including a few novelty prints fussy cut to 5")
20"x 20" piece of white fabric (middle fabric)
24" x 24" piece of batting (I used warm and natural)
26" x 26" piece of fabric for backing
fabric for binding (120" x 2.5")
thread in pink, blue, and neutral
stamps, fabric markers, or fabric paint



Start by laying out your charm squares and middle fabric on the batting to determine your preferred layout.  Trim your middle fabric so that it just slightly overlaps the charm squares on all sides.  I knew that I wanted to use the stamps to add some words near the typewriter so I added a plain aqua charm under the typewriters (not shown here) and I added some light fabric to make the little clock measure 5".


Piece together the following into strips:  5 charms for the top row, 5 charms for the bottom row, and 3 charms for each of the side columns.  



Take your top strip and place it on the batting right sides together, stitch using a 1/4in seam, flip, and press.  Do the same for the bottom strip.


Place your middle fabric on top of the batting and strips (baste if preferred.)  I angled mine slightly.  Note - now that I am looking at all the photos I took, I notice that the bottom fabrics really show through.  I don't think it looks so glaring offline but if you would rather not have this happen, I would suggest either using  a darker fabric for the middle (maybe a linen color), using two pieces of fabric for the middle - either both white or a darker piece underneath, or covering the batting entirely in patchwork and placing the white piece on top of that.  Or, you could just cut the top and bottom patchwork squares to allow for them to go around the middle fabric.


Using the pink thread, stitch a vertical line on the white fabric.  Switch to the blue fabric and stitch horizontal lines.  Since I was going for a scrappy look, I just stitched random lines but if you want more precision, you can mark them first.  Also, since I am still using my old sewing machine that does not have an auto-thread cutter, when I get to the end of a line, I lift my pressure foot and my needle and rotate the fabric around to sew the next line (not sure if this is a common or even a proper technique but it works for me.)



Lay your backing fabric wrong side up and center the batting/quilt top on it right side up - thus, making a quilt sandwich.  Take each of your side strips and place them so they overlap the middle fabric and the previously placed strips (make sure no batting is showing around the middle piece.)


 Using a zig zag and neutral thread, stitch all the seams and the edges of the middle piece.



Add in the hanging corners (Nicole from Mama Loves Quilts did a great tutorial on this for her blog hop day) and bind the quilt (I attached the binding to the back of the quilt first, pressed it to the front and then used a zig zag to attach by machine.)  And seeing this photo, I realized I missed a bit with the  zig zag on the edge under the clock - fortunately, with this type of style and quilting, I was able to go back and stitch over that line - my kind of fix - no seam ripper!


If you are making this for a gift, you can stop here and gift it with a set of fabric markers and stamps.  However, for this tutorial, I went ahead and wrote in some school rules/sayings.  I just used a fabric marker to color in stamps but you can also use stencils, fabric paint, or even handwriting with the fabric markers. Of course, if you are feeling very ambitious, I think the rules would look great embroidered!  I think another great alternative would be to use fabric for the words "school" and "rules" - either applique or pieced.  



And that's that.  Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check out what Svetlana from Sotak Handmade made today for her blog hop day.  And be sure to visit both Julie from Jolie Maxtin and Lori from Adventures in Fabric on Thursday.  And if you haven't already, stop by last Thursday's bloggers:      Suzanne from SuzClaas and Mina from Kindaquilty.  Actually, I highly recommend catching up on all the great posts and tutorials from the past 6 weeks.  Here is the list.

And, also click here to read my post yesterday that included an interview for the Advice for New Bloggers Series with Angela from Cut to Pieces and a fabric giveaway.

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts (pretty much all my favorite recent projects are in the mosaic), Quilt Story, and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

72 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, Beth, this is the cutest little quilt EVER!!! Absolutely love this! Great post today!

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  2. Looks great Beth!! Love the stamped letters - so 'old school'!! Hanging corners are great aren't they - I'll learn how to do a hanging sleeve one of these days!

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  3. This is so cute - love how you did the notepaper and the stamping!

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  4. I love your School Rules tutorial.
    And I have really enjoyed getting to know you a bit better today.
    you ROCK!!!
    xxxx

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  5. That's really sweet - what a great idea:-)

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  6. Seriously sweet mini! Nice to learn more about you too.

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  7. I love this mini quilt! I have a book list too - we should swap notes. And thank you for doing the Blog Hop, it is great fun and I am reading lots of really good blogs that I don't think I would have come across otherwise x

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  8. Great mini! It was fun getting to know you!

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  9. Super cute! Thanks so much for sharing and for all of you hard work with this hop!!

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  10. Cute quilt! It will look great in a kids' room. I didn't know you had a baby so young.

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  11. This is so smart and cute! Thanks for sharing it!

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  12. That is such a cute idea! It makes me want to make one for my music classroom!!! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. That's a great mini quilt. My sister teaches 4th grade, so I may just have to make her one. :) Thanks for sharing a little bit of you with us!

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  14. Very very clever! I really like it - thanks for sharing and really, thanks for hosting the blog-hop. It's been alot of fun!

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  15. What a cute idea!! So nice to hear a bit more about you!

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  16. Thats a cute mini - I think I may make one for my SIL who teaches kindergarden.

    I'm also a big fan of the Big Bang Theory.

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  17. Thanks for the sweet tutorial.

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  18. What a happy, colourful mosaic you have :) It is great to find out more about the super-organised creator of the LGA Blog Hop, you deserve a round of applause for all your hard work in organising the Hop, and you manage to fit in some sewing too! Amazing!

    Great quilt. My son will be moving into a new home in the next few months, I could do him a "house rules" quilt now that I have seen your tutorial. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  19. This is adorable! It looks quick too! I just love quick projects that look great too!

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  20. Wonderful! As a school principal, you have to know this is right up my alley!

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  21. I love this project, Beth! What a fantastic idea!

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  22. Such a cute quilt! Thank you for the tutorial and for hosting the Blog Hop.

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  23. Thanks for sharing and thanks for hosting!

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  24. Beth this is seriously fantastic! I'm pinning NOW.

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  25. Beth I LOVE THIS! I would have never thought to use blue and red thread to make the lines of the paper! This is seriously amazing. I just pinned it! You should submit this to Sew Can She for a tutorial, they will totally love it.

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  26. Congrats I am honoring you with the Liebster Blog Award! If you don't know what it is check it out here

    http://happymommaquilts.blogspot.com/2012/06/liebster-award.html

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  27. Beth! This is a-dor-able! Thanks for sharing it with us. I LOVE that you created your own writing paper. What a neat idea.

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  28. I'm so gald to be out of school ... but I like the idea of having a small "rules" wall hanging - I really like the way it looks like a sheet of note paper with lines and the way it's not straight and at a 90° angle
    I could use one at the door - keys? planner? mobile? apple? wallet? ... the usual candidates I have to come back for

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  29. Great tutorial. I'm a teacher and I might have to use this in my room.

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  30. Great tute! I love the way you've sewn the lined paper :)

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  31. Beth, this is so cute! I love your school rules. Thanks for the tutorial and for all of your organization on the blog hop!
    Amanda

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  32. This is so cute! I love the "paper" you made! I’d love for you to share this on Tuesday’s Tidbits at Naptime Delights: http://naptimedelights.blogspot.ca/2012/06/tuesdays-tidbits-6.html

    Thanks!
    Sarah
    {http://www.naptimedelights.blogspot.com}

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  33. That's so cute! What a fun and educational idea! =D

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  34. WHAT AN AWESOME QUILT... THANKS FOR SHARING.. I WILL MAKE ME SOME "PAPER FABRIC AND HAVE FUN LIKE YOU DID'""

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  35. This is the cutest quilt! It has given me a great idea for my granddaughter's kindergarten teacher. Thanks so much!

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  36. The blog hop has been such fun getting to know other bloggers. Thanks for all the hard work you've put into organising it!

    Love the mini quilt. Fab idea for teacher gifts :)

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  37. This is so cute! I love how you made the "page". Thanks so much for all your hard work in organizing the blog hop - it is so much fun!

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  38. Wow! This mini quilt is sooo cute! I love what you did with the thread colors to make it look like notebook paper, that is so cool.

    PS I LOVE Downton Abbey. :) And I'm planning on blasting through all of Big Bang this summer, I've never seen it.

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  39. Love it! So very cute! Thank you for all your hard work and effort that you have put into this Blog Hop. I have enjoyed meeting so many great new blogs! Yours included!

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  40. Great post, Beth. It is nice to get to know a little more about YOU this time!! I love the school rules, especially the way you stitched the lines to look like a piece of notebook paper! Thanks for your encouraging advice and of course for organizing the hop - you rock!!

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  41. I agree- the notebook paper effect is awesome:). Thanks for organizing the blog hop and all the other stuff - this is a great service to new quilt bloggers everywhere:).

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  42. Thanks for the great tutorial. I like how you used the Melody Miller prints especially. It's also great to find out more about you!

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  43. Lovely mosaic of quilts. I can't believe you've been quilting for such a short time.

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  44. Hi Beth! Love your stamping! Congrats on the huge success of the blog hop - you've made it so fantastic for everyone!

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  45. How cute! It would also be great for "House Rules" or "Kitchen Rules"!

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  46. Great rules, I could do with one of those on my classroom wall! I love the tutorial too, thanks x

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  47. I love getting to know the woman behind the hop a bit better! Your tutorial is fantastic. I have never used fabric markers yet, but it is on the list. I think I am waiting for Anne to be a little older so we can do it together :)

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  48. I love how you made that notebook paper with the pink and blue stitches. I teach third grade. This is awesome! Have you read Delirium and Pandemonium? Check them out and see if it's something that interests you. I LOVED them and can't wait for book #3. www.paperstarfish.prettyposies.com

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  49. Nice to read about you, Beth! Love the tutorial idea.

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  50. This is such an adorable project, I love the stamped rules and the stitched notebook paper! I love Big Bang Theory! We decided to cancel our cable and use Netflix only and it is one of the shows I miss.

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  51. So so cute! Love the notebook paper look - very unique! Criminal Minds...another lovely show I like too. Funny how lots of quilters like the same television shows. Thanks for your tutorial!

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  52. I LOVE Phantom Tollbooth. I read it to my fifth graders when I was student teaching. Unfortunately, when I got a job as a third grade teachers, most of my students didn't get it. Oh well.
    I'm a relatively new blogger (lets see - about a year and a half now) and I wish I had discovered this blog hop sooner! I have lots of catching up to do!
    Also - as a school teacher, I LOVE your mini!!

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  53. Great tutorial, darling mini : )

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  54. Yay! I love your quilt :-) This is too cute. It definitely makes me want to go cut into my typewriter yardage ;-)

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  55. Adorable. That would be so cute in a classroom!

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  56. Every teacher would appreciate one of these! Especially as a give with fabric markers. Nice job!

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  57. Wonderful quilt, Beth! I really want to make one of these for my granddaughter!! Whoop whoop!!

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  58. That quilt is too cute! I would never have dreamt it, but have said those words so many, many times over the years!

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  59. Great post Beth and your tutorial rocks! I think I am going to have to make one of them for my nieces :)

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  60. Hi Beth, you have done so well to organise the hop, and it's great! I love your quilt too, especially the text :)

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  61. Great mini quilt Beth, so adaptable. Loving the Blog Hop too and how you're doing it all with 3 little ones I haven't got a clue! :)

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  62. This is soooo cute! Love the litte clock and typewriter!

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  63. That is super cute Beth! I love the "paper" and how you created it! Great Job! I'm late in visiting because I've been a quilting maniac this last week.

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  64. Finally catching up with last week. Beth, this is a great little project. I have been stashing some word fabrics for an Idea I have and like the notion of stamping a few words to add to the mix.

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  65. Such a great project! I've never thought of stamping it before. Have only used iron on transfers from special printer paper. I will have to try this for the play room.

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  66. Very cute mini Beth! That would be a great for a teacher or something as a reminder list in a kitchen or bathroom.

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  67. Love the school quilt! Just darling!

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  68. Summer holidays makes me afk from the computer a lot as it seems. So this comment is very late to say the least but I hope it is welcome nonetheless. I really like ur initiative and I hope some of your enthusiasm rubs off on everyone cause I really do like what ur doing both with bloghops and quilts and everything. Thanks for organizing so much fun and thanks for sharing. I hope I'll be more active in the future. (I know I will when school starts again and things go back to normal around here.) Have a great summer.

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  69. This is really cute. I was wondering where you found the fabric with the typewriter and the clock.

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