Accuquilt Rose of Sharon die

I have done a little more work on my new project with the Rose of Sharon die by Accuquilt. I am always amazed at how quickly you can cut out a project using Accuquilt dies.

For this quilt I decide to try my hand at felted wool applique. Never having done this type of applique I didn't have the proper threads and my local quilt shop "Sweet Home Quilt Co" didn't carry them so I had to order on line. This is always a problem for me because it is so hard to choose the right color. Some of the colors I picked were useable but some were not and so I need to order a couple of more. I wonder how you decide on colors when you order on line?

I used the  Rose of Sharon die and the Stems and Leaves die for this project.  First I fused Steam A Seam Light on the back of the wool and then I cut it into small pieces that would just fit the design I wanted .

I didn't want to waste  fabric.  

When I run the die through my GO I only place the mat over the piece I want to cut.  That way your mat lasts longer .Now I have all these pieces ready to place on my background fabric. 

I am using Antique muslin for my background.  This is a new fabric for me and I really like it.  I did a little stitching last night and found it wasn't as easy as I thought.  It's really hard to keep all those little stitches spaced the same especially when you have old eyes.  Five of these little gems to do.  The stitching may take a while but the cutting was a breeze with my Accuquilt GO.
Happy Stitching
Nancy

Simple Things Quilt Along

I finished this weeks blocks for the Simple Things quilt along.  These are the last of the center blocks.

I put my center together and discovered I don't like how all those little brown bits stand out so much.
They were a part of the fabric group but I really wish I had left them out.  I thought about ripping them out and replacing them with another fabric but decide NO too much trouble.
I do like the little quilt even with the brown.
I haven't made very many blocks this size and they are so cute.  There are quite a lot of seams to match up and which way to press the seams has always been a bit confusing to me.  I never seem to have them in the right direction.


Next week we will work on the borders.

We Have A Winner!

Wow, It was really hard to pick a winner there were so many great comments.
I wish I had enough squares for everybody.
So I let the Random number generator do it for me.

#33

Marcia W:  said...
I follow your blog.  It would be wonderful to win these I Spy charms
as have grandnieces waiting for their quilts.  Thanks for the passing along giveaway.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  I will be having more giveaways in the future.
Happy stitching,
Nancy

Accuquilt Baby GO

You can tell if you read my blog how much I like my Accuquilt GO cutter and now you have the chance to win a baby GO of your very own.
All you have to do is go to "Accuquilt's facebook page" and "like" their fan page.
Every Friday they give away a free Baby GO cutter to one lucky fan.This week they gave away four.

And if you like free patterns just click on this picture on the top right hand side of my page, where it says Get 22 Patterns Free from Accuquilt.
Sign up to receive their email newsletter to get the free patterns.

My latest GO project involves the Rose of Sharon die and wool.


Trying to make something that doesn't look like your typical Rose of Sharon quilt.
Wonder what all these are going to be?

Simple Things Quilt Along

I am  a little late posting pictures of the quilt I am making with the quilt  along over on the Charming Chatter blog.
There are two versions - Large and Small and I am making the small one. Here are weeks one and two.  These are the cutest little 4 1/2" blocks.I have not made many little quilts and that is the reason I wanted to do this quilt along.
If you would like to see more pictures of Simple Things go here.
Happy stitching
Nancy

Accuquilt 4th of July Sale

What would the 4th of July be without a celebration?

AccuQuilt has just begun a huge sale to celebrate the 4th of July. It's happening now through July 5th

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They are offering lots of great deals. Just click here to GO see what all the excitement is about.

I love my Accuquilt GO and I bet you would love it to.

Cleaning Out & Passing Along

How in the world did I ever accumulate so much stuff?   Every time I attempt to clean up the cluttered room I sew in all I seem to do is just move things around.  So I thought I would just give some of it away.

A few years ago - I think it was two - I participated in an I spy 5" square exchange...... Now I have decided I am never going to make an I spy quilt so out they go.
If you would like these squares - there are about 60 of them - all you need to do is become a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post.
Giveaway ends June 30th.
Please someone take them away.
Happy stitching,
Nancy

Accuquilt Dies and Needle turn Applique'

I just read a comment on the Accuquilt facebook page asking if you could use the Accuquilt dies to do needle turn applique.  I thought I would post a little about my method.
Instead of cutting all those little  pieces for the Rose of Sharon quilt by hand I can use my GO and the Rose of Sharon die to cut them.

For this quilt I am using the templet and starch method.  You can either make your templets by ironing several layers of freezer paper together and cutting them with the GO or your can make a set of templets with heat resistence mylar templet plastic.

I didn't worry about cutting plastic with my GO since it's not thick and you only need to make one set.

 Just cut your templet and place it on the wrong side of the fabric.  Trim around it leaving a scant quarter inch seam - put a little starch just on the seam allowance and with the tip of your iron turn and press the seam allowance until it is dry.  Some people also use glue sticks to turn their edges but I prefer starch.  Now they are ready to stitch down either by hand or machine.

If you want to do needle turn without the templets and starch all you need to do is cut out the pattern with a single layer of freezer paper .  Iron it to either the right or wrong side of the fabric - trim leaving a scant quarter inch seam allowance and needle turn them in your favorite way.
I love my GO and the Rose of Sharon die. It makes everything so much easier.
Happy stitching,
Nancy

Quack, Quack

 

I just finished this little quilt for my granddaughter Lillian.   This is the sixth project in my Accuquilt Die challenge.

She loves ducks. I think her first words were quack, quack.

The pattern is in Quiltmaker magazine.  I cut the entire quilt with my Accuquilt GO cutter.  It only took two dies - the Value die that comes with the GO and the 2 1/4" strip cutter.

It seems like every time I look at a magazine now I think...can I cut that on my GO?  You would be surprised how many patterns can actually be cut using  the GO and how much time you save.

Eleanor Burns

Another fun part of my trip to the Accuquilt retreat was getting to meet Eleanor Burns.  She stayed at the same hotel and is such a fun lady.  Eleanor said to say I had breakfast with El when I posted about her.

Simple Things Quilt Along

I just discovered a quilt along over at the Charming Chatter blog.  They have two versions - Large and Small - this is the small one.

If you click here it will take your there.  

I think it is GO friendly.
Happy stitching
Nancy

Accuquilt Quilting Retreat "I am not Oprah"

Check out this video of Steve Nabity giving away GO Babies at the Accuquilt retreat.

Accuquilt Die Giveaway!

Talin's Corner is having a giveaway for three Accuquilt dies.  Hop on over and enter.

Change

Well, I went and changed the look of my blog.  I was getting a little tired of the Pepto Bismo pink but I don't do change well and I am not so sure I like this look either.  It may be a little too much green and this particular templet won't let you change that color.....I tend to lean towards a simpler look.  I may have to go back and just change the colors on my old templet.  Change is not my friend.

"Accuquilt Retreat"

The first morning of the retreat we met at Country Traditions for  a catered breakfast.  Then we gathered to meet the Accuquilt team Steve and Linda and Leslie from Country Traditions.

The CEO of Accuquilt Steve Nabity told us a little history about how Accuquilt began.  He was very nice and quite funny.

The rest of the day was spent sewing and learning about the GO cutter.  Accuquilt  provided cutters for everyone to use and  made all of their dies available.

Every evening there were always lots of giveaways.  This was just one of the great prizes everyone got.  Linda Pumphrey from Accuquilt made the bags and filled them with lots of great things.

Friday evening there was a special giveaway by Accuquilt.  The team of Accuquilt employees came down the ramp and gave all 73 retreaters an "Accuquilt GO Baby"

 After that surprise there was a special event "Sew and Tell party" that was catered by Michelle Kaiser of Alotta Brownies.  Spectacular pastries.

 I don't take the best pictures and if you want to see more pictures of the retreat go to the Accuquilt Facebook page.

More about Saturday and the special die when my box from Accuquilt arrives.

OH--WOW!

And that is the best way I can describe the Accuquilt GO Retreat.  I had such a marvelous time in Fremont, Nebraska..... Accuquilt went way beyond what I expected to make sure everyone had a great time at their first Accuquilt retreat.  I came home feeling like a part of the Accuquilt family.
The Retreat was held at Country Traditions in Fremont and I believe this is one of the largest quilt shops I have ever visited.

Country Traditions is in an old historic building  on Main street in Fremont which has been restored.

It is just lovely inside and I couldn't think of a thing quilting related they didn't have.













All the GO products.

Batiks,  Reproductions, Thirties and more.

Books, Patterns and lots of notions and beautiful quilts hanging everywhere.

The classroom was upstairs but there was an elevator if you needed it.  They had so many people helping you with all your equipment you didn't have to carry anything.  Lots of people brought their machines but Country Traditions had new Pfaff machines setup for everyone if you wanted to use them.

It is a wonderful shop staffed by terrific people. 

Tomorrow more pictures of the retreat and the Accuquilt family
 and don't forget if you click on the pictures they will enlarge for a better view.
Happy Stitching,
Nancy

Wordless Wednesday!

I am not a fan of wordless Wednesday. I like words. Just saying.
Happy Stitching
Nancy

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go---Well sort of---I so excited to get to go to the  Accuquilt Retreat in Fremont, Nebraska this weekend.

I have never been to a local quilting retreat much less one I have to fly to so I am a little nervous about packing all the things I will need.  It is being held at  Country Traditions quilt shop so if I forget something I guess I can always  buy it there.
Accuquilt has a fun weekend planed for us.  Special projects to do and Friday we are going to the unveiling of the Barn Quilt Block Challenge and Eleanor Burns will be there.
They are also giving us an Exclusive Die made just for those at the retreat. How great is that!

We are going to be working on a project using the Drunkards Path die and these are the fabrics I am taking to use.  We will also have access to all of the dies Accuquilt makes but since I will be flying in I am limited on the amount of fabric I can carry to play with. Wonder how many changes of clothes I need?
I am going by myself but am looking forward to meeting new people who also like to quilt with the Accuquilt GO....should be a lot of fun.
Happy Stitching,
Nancy

Accuquilt Parallelogram Quilt

 I believe this is the fifth project in my Accuquilt Die challenge.  I made this little table topper or wall hanging using the 2" finished triangle on the Value die and the 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" Parallelogram die.

 First you cut all the little Parallelograms and triangles.  Be sure you place your fabrics in the same order either right sides up  or wrong sides upwhen cutting the parallelograms so they will all go in the same direction.
Ask me how I know.

Sew one of your triangles to each of the long sides of the parallelograms and then sew all the little rectangle units together.  They fit together beautifully.

Easy Peasy!

Visitation at 2:00

My Machine Died!  I was just sewing along and all of a sudden the screen went blank and that was that.  I hope it's not the motherboard but I think it might be.
Wonder how much this is going to cost?
Just thinking about the drive to the dealer in all that traffic makes me shudder.

So I dug out my trusty old Creative 1471she is over 30 years old and still sews like a dream.  I do miss some of the features on my 2144 like how the presser foot raises and lowers every time you stop and start sewing but it's nice to have a backup machine.  I don't know what I would do if I couldn't sew.  Did you ever think about what you would do if you couldn't sew?