Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed. The winners are:

Jessica @BeforeTheDawn

Thank you for the wonderful giveaways! I would be super excited if I won North Woods Noah!

Melinda

I love the Christmas Tree skirt. If I win, that is what I choose. Thanks for the opportunity. 

Thanks to all who entered!!!!!!!!

I've got a really busy day tomorrow so I thought I would go ahead and post now. It's finally here... the huge blog giveaway, not to mention my first giveaway. I had a really hard time deciding what to give away and finally came up with two different giveaways. First is a pattern by Art to Heart called North Woods Noah and 10 fat quarters of homespun to get you started. 

Next I thought I would give away my pattern for a Christmas Tree Skirt and 2 1/2 yards of beautiful Hoffman fabric, enough for the background of the tree skirt. Both pictures are clickable for a closer look.

  Now I had to think of what you must do to get one of these giveaways and after much thought I decided to make it simple. Although I was tempted to ask you to follow my blog for a chance, I decided not to (although I would love if you do decide to). What I want you to do is leave a comment letting me know which giveaway you would like. That's all... one little comment letting know which to send to you if your name is drawn.

Many thanks to Debi for sponsoring this giant giveaway! To find more giveaways go here.

Block of the Month Quilt Top Finished

It's taken a whole year, but it's finally made into a quilt top. All pictures are clickable for a closer look.

 Now for an explanation of why a whole year. I joined a BOM group sponsored by a local quilt shop. Each month starting Sept. 2009 we were supplied with a kit for four six inch blocks. We also had a choice of color ways and I chose the thirties reproduction fabrics. The blocks were fairly simple because they have to be suitable for beginners as well as more experienced quilters. As the months went on the block in the kits I was making just weren't coming together in any cohesive manner, so I decided to design a new block each month using the kit blocks in the four corners. To unite the blocks I had the four outer middle blocks form a star and the center block is always a pieced Dresden Plate. Here's another closer picture.

 The blocks are large 18 inches square and then I bordered them with an additional one inch of white fabric so none of the colored fabric would touch the sashing. The quilt is quite large measuring 80 inches by 100 inches. I'm really pleased with my finished top and can't wait to see it quilted. Here's another picture.

 If you would like to see pictures of my block in progress,  feel free to browse earlier posts here. Also, be sure to go to Amy's Creative Side and see how others have met a goal set last Monday.

I've Joined the Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Giveaway!

Yes it's happened! I've joined the giveaway and will be giving away something. Come see what on Oct. first! Also check out all the other giveaways here. 

 Sounds fun, huh!

Last Block Finished

As those of you who read my blog know, I have been working on a year long block of the month project sponsored by a local quilt shop. I am given a kit that makes four 6 inch blocks. Here are August's kit blocks. 

I then go to my computer a design an 18 inch block utilizing the four kit blocks in the corners. This is my concept block for August.

 Then I cut out and sew the entire block. I have tried to unify the variety of prints and colors by having the middle outer blocks form a star and the center block is always a pieced Dresden Plate. Here is my finished block for this month.

This is the final block for this series. Each year's blocks run September through August. I have my quilt made from this years blocks designed and am working on it. Next year's theme is called "What's Your Sign" and is star blocks on a black background. Our first class is Saturday. I'm looking forward to seeing what the shop comes up with...so stay tuned!

Dresden Pin Cushions

Last week was not one of my more productive weeks. I'm not sure why...it just seemed that other things kept getting in the way of sewing. Also there was a little case of I don't feel like cleaning the sewing room and it's way too messy to work in, but I finally cleaned it and went to work. I made a very simple quilt to send to Haiti (sorry I didn't take pictures). I also made two small pin cushions. One is for a basket our guild donates to the Utah Quilt Guild annual meeting and the other is part of an inner-guild exchange at our December meeting. Pictured below are my pin cushions. If you would like to see the others go here.

Summer Song Completed, Birthdays Begin!

I finished my guild challenge quilt in time for the competition last Thursday night. There were 15 other quilts made by guild members. It was fun to see what everyone came up with. Pictured below is my challenge quilt "Summer Song". If you would like to see all the quilts that were made for the challenge go here.

Fall is birthday time here at Apple Avenue Quilts. My daughter-in-law Amanda has the first one. One Day last spring we were shopping at a local quilting shop and found two decidedly fun fall fabrics. When I saw that she liked them so much I grabbed them. They were even on sale! I debated what to make with them and being as they in no way would look good together, I decided to make a two sided table mat for her round dining room table. I thought she could use one side for Halloween and the other for the rest of autumn. 

 She also needed a pin cushion, so I made this one for her. I filled it with crushed walnut shells. 

 She seemed really happy with both gifts.