Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along, READY!

{Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along} started back in April and have completed the quilt along last Friday. To be so honest with you, I am still overwhelmed with the friends who joined and quilt along with me last ten weeks! I can't remember well why I decided to start the quilt along when our life was in between times! You probably don't know, there were many Fridays after I post the themes I quickly started packing for our Friday travel to search a permanent place to live. Indeed, it was exhausted between travel and life, unexpected events! Then on Saturday when we returned; I log in {Pack Patch Mini} and I see so many new blocks pop in the pool already! They really made me smile and glad you have enjoy this quilt along! This quilt along has giving me many opportunities to meet new friends and reconnect with some older friends.  Fresh energy to think the new themes right after I post. Giving me opportunity to share some of thoughts with you and thank you for joining me! Within 10 weeks, we completed 20 different themes and new challenges in seeking colors and giving more in-depth thoughts of their own color choice!  

In this mini quilt,  it comes with 20 blocks and each block has a theme to go behind it! My favorite block is the Cheddar block! It was a great reading about Cheddar quilt back in 1940's! I shared a little bit of the reading in the post. While I was reading the article; a quick lighting though of  Cheddar/bright yellow is either a "loved" and a "oh my goodness" color responds! So, the themes got changed the last mintues! I love how cheddar block pops up from the mini quilt, but also gets tone down by the other blocks. I'd say it highlight the mini quilt and give a focal point! 

My biggest challenge about this mini quilt along is that I am not able to visit everyone's block each week. Sometimes the day just fleet away and I've wished that I could have manage to get a day and  visit through the pool and visit with everyone! What I love about this quilt along is that I love reading your conversations in the posts! Indeed, I check on them daily and read through them! I try not to interrupt your conversations! It feels like hosting a tea party in our dinning room and everyone is having a great time! I wish you all can come to have some pie and tea/coffee with me! It would be real fun to play and brainstorms together~ 

Oh.. I am sure you are ready for the assembling tutorial now!  Let's get start it! 

Arrange blocks: I arranged the blocks by weekly themes, so I can see the change of the blocks from week to week and look into colors I've used. If you've remember that I mentioned in week 3,  I used too much greens and blues. Towards to the end of the blocks, these two colors "almost" eliminated!  However, you can decide on your block arrangement.

Sashing Fabric: You would need 1/2 yard of the sashing fabric. I used Kona Bone for the mini quilt. The options are open. You can try linen fabric that would be blend the colors down and give natural look to the quilt.

 - Cut 15 pieces of  1.5"x3.5" from the sashing fabric between each block
 - Lay the 1.5"x3.5" between first row of the blocks; as arrangement of ab ab ab ab
    ; a (block) b(sashing fabric)
 

-Set 1/4" seam allowance
-Join the blocks and sashing fabric together and make them into {Block Row}

 -Repeat for the next 4 sets of {Block Row}

 -Cut 4 pieces of 1.5"x 19"
  {Measure your joined {Block Row} width before cutting the sashing length, sometimes it might be  0.25" off}
 - Sew 1.5"x19" sashing stripe to the bottom of Block Row 1 piece

 - Bring the Block Row 2 piece out and join the top of the Block Row 2 piece to the 1.5"x19" sashing

 - I prefer sewing with open seam allowance in the back to avoid the thick seam allowance. I wish I have {fork pins} to avoid so many small pins, but pinning always help stabilized the pieces together

 -Repeat for all rows; press seam allowance open in the back

 -Cut 2 pieces of 2.5"x 21" {measure the length of your quilt block top, it might be 0.25 off; adjust the length according to your finished/press size}. Sew the sashing pieces to the right and left side of the quilt top.

 -Cut 2 pieces of 3"x 22" {measure the width of the press quilt top piece, it might be 0.25 off; adjust the size according to the finished size}. Sew the sashing pieces to the top and bottom of the quilt top.

- Use iron, press the seams open in the back! 

- Select your backing fabric; backing and batting pieces need at least 25"x25"

 -Sandwich the batting between quilt top and backing fabric

 - Hand-quilting or machine quilting would be personal preference.

 -Machine quilting goes really fast for this mini quilt!

 -Use 1/8" seam allowance and machine baste around the mini quilt after quilting the quilt.

 -Trim off the excess batting/backing pieces/ square the quilt

 - Cut 3 stripes of 2.25" WOF for binding

 -Attache the binding to mini quilt

 -Backing quilt detail

 - My favorite part of quilting... hand-binding the quilt! and you?

 { the wind pick up the quilt then a quick snapped of this photo} 

 {the backing fabric is from IKEA and it really is lovely}

 This mini quilt will be hang in the sewing space to be！

Thank you again for this fun quilt along journey with me! And you know that I will start the second quilt along after our next move, which is coming up in 2 weeks! This move will be permanent and I will share more later with you!! For the second quilt along, I have gave some thoughts already and putting ideas in the sketch book! It is still not too late for the {pack patch mini quilt along}. Thank you for making me feel amazing in hosting this quilt along and you are all so amazing!

xxc

Weekending

This week we have had a few thunderstorm warnings/watches, so we've paid extra closed attention to the sky changes and weather reports. It is beautiful in most of the days and the animals near by the farmhouse is pretty lovely; lots crickets, birds, and cows "singing".  Indeed, it reminded me of my childhood summers spent in my grandparent's house; in the rural countryside. Where we used to pumping water out from the pumper, walking barefoot in the mud, running like no one is around, picking guavas from the neighbor's backyard, picking sticks making bird houses, playing house with Fifi.  There was a little creek ran by grandparent's house and we used to catch fish, crabs, shrimps there. Oh, I do miss that rural country house that I spent most of my summer time as a child. It has been great that S is able to experience the summer in the farmland and take her time to enjoy the outdoor.

Do you remember your very first quilt? Um, my very first "colored" quilt was made in 2007 summer. You might need to stand 3 feet away from the screen to view this quilt, it is not a perfectly made quilt. Back in 2007, I made a few red and white mother goose quilts then slowly I started purchased remnant fabrics from one of the quilt shop. You know back then, I didn't know how to read a quilt pattern or wanted to spend money buying quilt patterns. I simply just want to make a quilt and I did! I cut the small fabric collection that collected from the store and the thrift stores.  I think at the time, I was thinking a simple patchwork square quilt. Each square was cut into 2.5"x2.5" then sewn together in strips. Um.. then I quilted by myself without any knowledge of HOW to do it. I used the poly type of  batting;very stretchy because I didn't know about cotton batting at the time. The quilt top shifted during the quilting process, so did the backing piece. Few of the quilting lines are missed! It was machine binding and lots spot got missed, so there are repeat sewing lines on the binding. This quilt has been using to cover the seat in the back of the vehicle ever since then.  We loved how this quilt travel with us from place to place. I'd say it started looking like a quilt that passing down from family after years of wash and uses.

So, the stash that I pulled out for S' birthday quilt is ready! I have decided to go with another design. It will be a simple quilt for S to cuddle up then trying to make the quilt complex for her. She is starting loving things simple and maybe anything from this mama is great and will be loved! Yes, it is another over though quilt in my head for her.

Our thrift found lately have been fun! Last year before we moved away from ND. I decided to give up lots of the vintage sheets. Then when we go on thrift hunt this summer it is hard to pass by completed set and good condition vintage sheets. There are a few sets that I saved for bedding and a few sets for sewing.  It would be lovely to discover more this summer!

The sampler finished this week and I did the happy dance around here. I've started looking at some other patterns already, but haven't decided on the pattern. I do need to finish the "welcome" piece still, maybe next week.  It has been a nice project around here.  Do you have any idea how to frame it? I have been thinking using old picture frame for it. It might be easier than trying to have it custom frame.

I've been going through the fabric stash and reorganize them in colors. There are few prints are repeated; I must really liked the repeated pieces. It is nice to tidy up the space a little and getting ready for S' quilt cut, piece, and quilt! I've added a few more garment patterns into my notebook. I am so inspired by Kerry's aka {verykerryberry} garments making and all the lovely patterns that she uses. I might sew like an owl again very soon!

This weekending has been quiet around here. This morning, I have accomplished a few tasks around here. This afternoon will be sorting fabric, watching movie, drinking coffee, and making banana cream pie here. May you have a wonderful weekending, my friends~

xxc

June Summer Days

Come on in, my friends... Yes, you've landed in {quarter inch mark}! In case you wondered, no sewing? no fabric here. I've taking a little sewing time off last two weeks. Do you cross stitch? I've just started it over this past weekending. I've always though I'd pick up stitching again and there was never a good timing to do so. Years ago, I used to make embroidered dish towels and sale them in the {shop} and local stores. At the time, there was not budget for fabric, sewing supplies, nor able to afford a sewing machine. I loved how DMC thread cost was inexpensive and the dish towels were were affortable in the local hardware store. Later on, as everything started running for us, I started patchworking, sewing, and stashing fabric. From time to time, I still embroider from S' drawings, but just skip the idea of making embroidered dish towels anymore.

This past weekending with helps from our dear friend, S and I learned how to count and cross stitching. It already became a loved "stitching" activity around here! For years, I've fancy a cross stitch sampler on a wall space and a little greeting sign "welcome" somewhere closed to the entry way. You know all the simple touches around the home.  While most of the sewing material are still packed up; start cross stitching has been a great for me. While S reads books I could sit by her quietly and work on the sampler. Indeed, I've missed count on two alphabets, can you tell?

June Summer has been pleasant in many ways. The weather has comfortable all week long until the summer storms arrived. The windows were open up during the days and the lights shine into the house each morning and bring much new energies to us! Our summer schedule has been running nicely daily; without much hiccup times between S and I. We have both agreed to manage this break like a summer camp. Beginning of the summer, we sat down and set a schedule for activities that we like to take part in. We each set small goals for what we like to accomplish before school starts for S this late summer. It seems like the older S gets the less detour we take!

I have started the next quilt last week. Indeed, it is S' belated Birthday quilt that I have postponed! She has been waiting nicely and perhaps will let this mama take her all the time she needs to dig in the fabric stashes. I did manage pull out 30 different prints, but haven't get the chance to finalized the fabrics that got pulled out. Indeed I have been procrastinating over the weekending about the pattern that I designed; allowed me to keep this quilt pattern unreveal for now. I am afraid I'll change it again in next few days.

For the second quilt idea is the quilt from Patchwork Tsushine June edition {the left quilt} in the photo. The scrappy quilt is always fun and personal! It will be for the living room space and probably will be cuddle up during the Friday movie nights. I'd say, it is going to be a quilt that will be use up the most once it is made and ready to be loved! I plan on a queen size, so we each can get a corner for the quilt.  I've start pulling fabric out as well, mainly blues, greens, yellows, and a little fuchsia.
Kona white would be the white for the sashing and adding some solid colors to cortinate some of busy prints.

While everything start falling together. I started to bake again! Yes, these scones are gone now! They are much appreciated here! The next sweet dish is {banana cream pie}! Have I mentioned that we missed the apple pie making last Fall, but I think a cool sweet dish for the June summer will make it up! The pie crust will be extra thicker, since we love it so much. I'll share with you how the pie turn out next time!

Oh, I have been keeping this secret for so long! Back in one May day morning, I received a phone call from the local Button Design committee. After a 5 minutes conversation, I was still surprised S won the Button contest. She spent a few nights to make the drawing. When she first received the design paper we did brainstorming together then off she hid herself in the room! The night before the submission date, S proudly presented her drawing to me and did you see herself portrait in the drawing? hint: the girl in blue shirt . Then follow that she had an interview from the local newspaper! This mama is very proud! Indeed so proud! Her drawing has been printed on the buttons for sale now. I will need to purchase some and send them to friends and families soon!

Onto the {mini quilt along}, we just finished our week 8 last Friday. We are getting closed to wrapped up our mini quilt along! It has been truly an amazing experiences to share and meet many quilters/sewers. I've wished that I could spend more time in the day to catch up all the blocks in the pool. Each day,  there are new blocks being upload in the pool and I am loving seeing so many ideas and colors every week! This fall, I plan on hosting another mini quilt along with a little twist. The plan has not been finalized, but I will start working on the details during the summer.  

The limited edition zippered pouches for the {shop}  has been updated. For the new pouches, I used one piece cloth to keep the large scale print and added the leather for the embellishment on the side of the pouch then added the copper domed rivets to make simple touch. I love how these prints turn out great with the zipper pouches. If you are looking for some simple style pouches you can find them in the {shop} now~

I can't really describe this summer cold that we've been fighting. It needs to end sooner or later for us. This caughting seems not quiet ready to leave us. I am not sure what to drink or eat to stop the late night sleep caught. I've been hearing S from the next door caught during the middle of the night and I am getting up to get water as well. Maybe another week will be better!

{THANK YOU} for all the sweet comment on {Fifi's quilt}. I will share your comments with her once she opens the box.  The package is still traveling since she hasn't mentioned to me it arrived this morning. Did I mentioned, I made Lucky, the pup two new patchwork mats? I didn't get the chance to take photos. Um, I'll ask Fifi to take photos while Lucky is on them.

xxc