Organization

 Organization

As of late I haven't actually spent a lot of time sewing in my new sewing space but I am taking the time to get things organized.

I purchase cards used to keep comic books in pristine condition as mini bolts to hold my fabric stash. Carding my fabrics on these mini bolts has been both fun and tedious. Fun because I am finding fabrics I completely forgot that I had and tedious because there is a lot of pressing and folding of said fabrics. Only now am I realizing how extensive my fabric stash actually is ...

I am also coming across fabrics and notions that have been gifted to me over the years and my heart is full.

Needless to say organizing is an eye opening process for sure ...

I am blessed and humbled by the process of organizing my sewing room.

4 of 365

4 of 365

2 more blocks are now complete

#3 Gingham

#4 Cross Weave

Sewing my stash, I'm really enjoying this block a day that I have challenged myself with.

 

2 of 365

2 of 365

My friend and fellow quilter, Jo, has let me borrow a book that has 365 quilt block patterns in it. Jo has made many of the blocks and the one who gave me the inspiration to do the same. This will be a nice way to continue sewing through my fabric stash.

There is a glitch though, this copy of the book has several pages missing. Instead of 365 blocks there are only 346 block patterns in this copy of the book. So if I want to make 365 blocks ... I will have to either make 19 of the patterns twice, or ad lib 19 blocks from other books I have. 

1 of 365 - harlequin triangles

2 of 365 - hexagons and hourglasses

Sewing My Stash #22 Red/White Checkerboard Quilt

 Sewing My Stash #22 Red/White Checkerboard Quilt

It has been a hot minute since I finished this quilt top, but recently I was able to get it machine quilted. Again, my very talented longarm quilter and friend Jo, worked her magic yet again and I have yet another quilt that now needs to be bound. 

2.5 inch squares - for a 60 x 60 inch quilt

The machine quilting is just amazing and I love how it turned out.

I am so happy with this quilt project for a number of reasons

1. It is a sewing my stash quilt project

2. It is a red and white quilt project ... my obsession continues

3. The machine quilting is amazing

4. My very talented friend Jo quilted this quilt and I gave her free reign on the quilting design(s) and I love it!

New Sewing Space

 New Sewing Space

New house, new sewing space ... it's all beginning to come together. I'm looking forward to many happy hours in our new home and my new sewing space.

Not the final configuration of notions but getting everything visible for some serious organizing. There is still a lot of work to do but, I'm looking forward to every moment of it.

I'm Still Obsessed

 I'm Still Obsessed

... with Red/White Quilts ...

How it usually begins ... I'm making binding for a red/white quilt that is ready to be bound or I'm sorting through the red/white scrap box of orphan blocks.

Just 11 more blocks to go.

This pattern is called Lilac Breeze by Amanda of 

WestwoodAcresFabric.com

The finished quilt size will be 56 x 74 inches

The Red fabrics are from my fabric stash and the low volume fabrics come from previous quilt kits by Amanda that I have made. 

Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show

 Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show

Week before last I took a couple of days of vacation and over that weekend the Expo Center hosted the Smoky Mountain Quilter's 44th Annual Quilt Show. 

This quilt show is near and dear to my heart, in years past I have entered quilts in the show and won a couple of ribbons. The Smoky Mountain Quilter's Quilt Guild do a wonderful job putting on this annual quilt show with quilts on display and quilty vendors with amazing fabrics, patterns, kits, machines and notions of all sorts. This year's show was no different.

Mountain Top Fabrics and More

A friend from my hometown and her husband have a quilt shop that had a wonderful booth at this year's quilt show. It was great to see her and browse their booth.

I purchased a quilt pattern by Lori Holt called Millie's Dresses and a beautiful stack of blue fabrics.

I think I am entering my "Blue" Phase.

GO Navy!

 GO Navy!

Anchor's Aweigh!

As a young woman I served in the Navy ... fast forward a few years 😉 and I come across a quilt pattern called Anchor's Aweigh, by Tula Pink, which is FREE on her website. I knew that if I were ever going to make a quilt for myself it would be this one.

Well, this chilly, overcast, and rainy Memorial Day weekend seemed the perfect opportunity to begin this quilt project. I've made more than a few quilts over the years but I have never made a quilt that was specifically made for me.

I am using mostly fabrics from my stash but purchased the Freedom Edition fabric bundle by

Art Gallery Fabrics

I made this purchase via the Fat Quarter Shop which happens to be having a Memorial Day Sale if you are interested.

I liked the patriotic colorway but I also like the floral and geometric designs of this fabric bundle.

It took a bit of time to get the fabric requirements cut and sorted before I could begin this project but I was excited to get this quilt project started.

The piecing of these blocks is exactly like putting a puzzle together. 

This quilt project is going to be a fun one.

Still Obsessed

 Still Obsessed

I do believe that red/white quilts will forevermore be my obsession.

This week, two of my finished red/white quilt projects were masterfully machine quilted by my master machine quilter and friend Jo.

This quilt pattern is called Bear Paw

A vintage quilt pattern that I had wanted to make for several years.

These blocks were made from red/white scrap fabrics from my red/white orphan block box.

Machine quilted with soft white thread in a continuous cat motif.

The quilting is so stinking cute!

I love it!

This red/white quilt is comprised of string pieced blocks.

The red fabrics are all scraps from previous red/white quilt projects and the white fabrics are all various shades of white to off white to tone on tone white fabrics from my stash. The machine quilting continues the diamond shape theme and it is STUNNING! I had originally planned to hand quilt this quilt but I'm so very happy I decided to have this quilt machine quilted.

I am so happy with both of these quilts.

Now to get them trimmed and bound.

For the last few years I have been making an intentional effort to use fabrics from my fabric stash before buying more fabric. I won't lie I have fallen of the "no buy fabric" wagon a few times but seeing these two quilt projects make me feel good about working through my fabric stash. 

Quilt Shop Hop Tennessee

 Quilt Shop Hop Tennessee

Now that there is no longer a Joann Fabrics I hit my GPS for fabric shops nearby where ever I go. It's been a fun little adventurous exercise for me.

That being said, me and Jo, my friend and fellow quilter spent Saturday on a little quilt shop hop of quilt shops in my hometown of Crossville.

I never leave a quilt shop without a bit of red/white fabrics for future Red/White quilt projects and Saturday was no different.

Fabrics from both Mountain Top Fabrics & More and Little Blessing Quilt Shop.

One of these fabrics will be the lining for a crochet Easter Basket that I am presently working on. I haven't decided the use for the other one yet.

Fabrics from Little Blessings Quilt Shop

These Bella Solids will be for a future quilt project and some for my stash. I am trying to build my solid color fabrics stash as well.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

I needed this batik to complete the binding for the Mermaid quilts.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

I love fishing around in fat quarter bins ... I can always find some inspiration there.

I was drawn to these fat quarters and I just couldn't leave them behind.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

Fabri shopping, then pizza at Gondola, it was a great day.

Glow Ya Little Glow Worm ... Shimmer, Shimmer II

 Glow Ya Little Glow Worm

... Shimmer, Shimmer II

A progress report

Blocks completed from the first Shimmer quilt that I made.

At this point every surface in my sewing room is covered in every piece of Tula Pink fabrics that I own.

It's magical!

Sorting through my Tula Pink stash. Sorting and coordinating fabrics into colorful block combinations.

One of the happiest places on earth for me is in my sewing room with fabrics scattered about. I can do this for hours and hours.

49 blocks are required for the size of quilt that I am making, so I have spent quite a bit of time cutting the fabrics needed for this project.

This makes my brain feel good and my heart very very happy.

Shimmer II

 Shimmer II

I made this quilt for my daughter a few years ago, in Tula Pink fabrics. The pattern is written by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew.

Since then I have dreamed and planned to make a Shimmer quilt in Tula Pink fabrics for my own personal quilt collection.

In May when I purged and cleaned my house and sewing room, I found a few blocks that I had cut out but had not needed to finish my daughter's quilt.

That is when I decided that it was time to start working on my own Shimmer quilt.

I love how this block comes together and it looks more difficult and complex than it really is. Allison's pattern is written beautifully and is very easy to follow.

As it turned out I had 5 blocks cut and ready to piece from the making of my daughter's Shimmer quilt. I actually love that my quilt will have blocks from my daughter's quilt incorporated into it.

Red/White Jacob's Ladder

 Red/White Jacob's Ladder

This is a quilt pattern I have wanted to make for more than a few years. A red/white Jacob's Ladder has been on my list for awhile and finally made it to the top.

I'm working through my stash of red fabrics and this quilt project has made a small dent.

Yesterday, I spent the day in my sewing room finishing this quilt top.

7 rows of 7 blocks

84 x 84 inches

These Jacob's Ladder blocks make a beautiful pattern. I am so happy with how this quilt project turned out. It is even more stunning than I imagined that it would be.

Red/White Jacob's Ladder

84 x 84 inches

#quiltsinthewild #gibbygirl63 #gibbygirldesign

Design Wall 08/08/2024

 Design Wall

For many years I didn't have a design wall and looking back I wonder how I ever got anything accomplished. Back then any flat surface would do, table tops, the floor, or the top of the bed.

These days however I do have a design wall and I love it.

It is a place where I can play around with blocks and decide on just the right placement or design. For a quilting nerd like myself ... having a design wall provides hours and hours of entertainment! hahahaha!

There are many different elaborate and expensive design wall products out there on the market but mine is made of a queen size flannel sheet that I purchased at a yard sale years ago. I have it thumbtacked to the wall in my sewing room and it works beautifully for me.

Some blocks I found going through bags and boxes that I rescued from the storage unit that I cleaned out and the English Paper Piecing project that I am currently working on.

Some red/white half square triangles that I found and wonky star block that was in my Red/White box of curiosities.

Red/White 9 patch blocks that I made from scrap fabrics in my red/white box of curiosities. The lost and found blocks that have become SMS Quilt # 23 Half Square Triangles.

Girl Power the English Paper Piecing project that I am currently working on.

#gibbygirl63