Giant Rose Star Quilt Finish

Good Kite Weather!

What a blustery week we've had! Snow, thunder, rain, and even barefoot days. The weather blew in with heavy winds each time, and I was lucky to have a day with both sun and calm skies to get a picture outside. I wanted you to see the true colors of this quilt at least once. I was shocked at how hard it was to photograph the color violet inside, and this quilt has the full range.

Make It Happen Monday

My work is play.

I need some color play every day--especially those that the sun won't shine. Some 60 degree diamonds cut 2", and some 1" scrap strips made a few interesting tumbling block variations. I really like the look of the weave in the intersection. I'm not sold on whether they would look better with a solid for the block, or some value changes between the block and strips, but they were fun nonetheless.

Moda Modern Building Blocks Quilt Porn

"Moda Modern in Print"

The Moda Modern Building Blocks came off the frame nearly 2 weeks ago. I needed to assess and mark the areas requiring more quilting, turn it 90 degrees, and put it back on. While it seemed simple, I was researching behind the scenes. I'd run out of my standard blue fabric markers, and was fairly uncertain I wanted more. I'd had a run in with one that refused to come out in this Costa Maya project, and wondered if there was anything new on the market.

Moda Modern Building Blocks Off the Frame

First Round Done

Yesterday was a challenge to get through the last pass on this Moda Modern Building Blocks. I was pretty excited to finally unpin, and evaluate its progress.

Longarm Quilting "Moda Modern in Print"

Loaded Lengthwise: The Starting Block

"Moda Modern in Print"

Long on my list to quilt, Moda Modern Building Blocks is finally in the frame. You can see above that I was all "anti-solid" fabrics, and substituted my beloved prints. 90% were from my stash, but a few odd ones were picked because they matched the shade in the pattern. You can read about individual block construction (and errata) below. This was a fun quilt, but shockingly begun nearly 2 years ago to the day!

Clementine Flying Geese and More Traditional Longarming

All the Geese Ready to Sort

There has been a great deal of juggling this fall in the quilting studio. Both hard and soft customer deadlines, emergency jobs, and ongoing long term projects meant no linear progress anywhere. So frustrating!  A part of me wondered if I had anything to show you. As a quilter and a blogger, I sometimes lose my perspective. I see it all everyday, and it becomes old hat. But then there is a moment when a project comes together, and I say, "Wow. I like that!" That's when I know I have something you will enjoy, too. I think this is one.

How to Talk to Your Longarmer & Eerie Nights Hop

"Quilt it however you decide."

Those are five words that stop me in my tracks as a longarm quilter. It's like telling your beautician or barber to cut off as much of your hair as they choose. How much is too much?

I will tell you it is often just as hard for a longarm quilter to make a decision about the quilting as it is yourself. Being able to share some ideas--even if they are what you don't want, will go a long way toward a good plan. It is likely you have some kind of idea about what you think your quilt needs or what you value most in fine quilting. Do not be afraid to tell your longarm quilter your thoughts.

Secret Sewing Becomes Secret Quilting

Can You See the Loose Threads?

Obviously, I could not before I took the picture or I would have removed them. They were from the first round of stitching that I did in the morning, and ripped out in the afternoon. I've had a lot of indecisiveness while designing this project.

Can I say up front that I don't do well with this Secret Sewing concept? I'd love to show you more, but the Hop isn't until January. If you're going to the Fall Market, this piece will be there. I've let a few dear friends see what I was involved with, but other than that I've been mum. This is the first quilt I've made entirely out of batiks so let me pass on a few things I've encountered.

Patchwork Carry All Tote Kit from Craftsy

Which one would you pick? 

Patchwork Carry All Tote Kit

Skill level: Advanced Beginner
Time to complete: One Weekend
On Sale NOW for just $21.78!

Occasionally a company will ask an affiliate blogger to make a product, and review the pattern and process. I've agreed to do this bag for Craftsy, but I will share with you, dear Reader, my honest opinion.  

Costa Maya Longarming & Marker Staining

Costa Maya

One of my friends asked me to quilt her Costa Maya a few weeks ago. I like to turn quilts over within two weeks, but this one had me a little stumped as to how to quilt it. I admit I had a few ideas in mind before I started, and had even doodled some markings in the center with a curvy ruler. More about that in a minute. But sometimes the quilting just comes to you as you go, and this one was exactly that way.

The Farmer's Wife 1930s: Week 5: Blocks 41, 45

Jenny #45

I've begun to really look forward to my Sunday sewing. I try to take the day a little easier, and enjoy the time I work on my Farmer's Wife blocks. Maybe in part because I love the fabric, but also because they frequently put my skills to the test. This week I printed off the templates, and cut all the pieces of both blocks from paper templates. 

Pop Top-Pop Stars Mishmash & Friends

"Pop Stars" for Halloween

Tonight is a full moon, or more specifically a Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Hunters made use of the moon's light to build their food supply before winter. Can I blame that for this strange post? 

How to Quilt a Vintage Log Cabin

How do I quilt a vintage log cabin pattern while 
staying true to the era?

How do I give the borders each a unique pattern from the central part of the the quilt, but still be able to quilt them as I work?

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Baby Quilt Finish with Minny Muu from Lecien Fabrics

Such a big story behind this little quilt! I'm not sure it would all fit here. Shall I give you the condensed version? 

Cheer On the Makers & Bento Box Blue

My quilting friends have gotten phone calls lately asking if they had anything that needed longarming. No charge. Free. Please, I just needed practice. I didn't realize it would be hard  to rustle up quilts in the middle of summer, but it seems to be a slow time. 

Work In Progress & Creative Space Tag

The Wrens & Friends quilt was loaded Sunday evening, and I started work on it. A pass or two, and I was off to bed. Monday afternoon I was back at it, but imagine my shock at how fast the looping went. By the time I was really relaxed and on a roll, it was over!

I didn't want an edge-to-edge on this quilt so I did straight lines on the border. It was loaded horizontally in the machine so the longest sides were at the top and bottom. With those done, I had to unpin the quilt from the machine, and turn it. Re-pin the quilt again at the top and bottom, and a quick finish. I didn't mark anything, but instead eyed the spacing by the flower print. Minor adjustments at seams kept things even.

On final inspection here below, I found one place I had 'pin tucked' the fabric. It will stay, but I know how to prevent it the next time I have to turn a quilt. My daughter won't mind. She's just thrilled it's almost ready. 

I'm tickled at how sweet the backing turned out. What do you think? Have you ever worked with a border print before?

I hope your works in progress and UFO's piles are getting smaller. Remember the end of the second quarter is approaching for any Finish Up link ups you may be involved in. I'm hoping to have this off my list by then, too.

Today's Creative Space Tag comes to you by Ruth at Charley & Ben's Crafty Corner. I loved her post today! Do visit. I'm so thankful for all of you that have joined in on this. So many have said they had no idea it would be so fun! Let me know if you're interested by sending me an email or using the contact form in the sidebar.

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up today with~

Quilting Jet Girl

My Quilt Infatuation

Sew Fresh Quilts

Freshly Pieced

Pet Project Show #25

Thank you for all the warm wishes on my longarm acquistion. I've laughed out loud reading the names you've given to yours! You are some creative stitchers.

In honor of the Pet Project Show, I stylized a couple of our pets in thread up above--a llama and a dachsund.

 My first finish is this little test run. The front looks pretty good, but the back has some lingering issues with tension. It's time to dig deeper into my manual and online, and fine tune before I start a real piece. 

Black fabric with red thread is not the most photogenic. Close up you get a decent picture, but stand away and you have problems. Anyone have advice to offer?

I'm off to a talk by a ruler designer for Creative Grids today. I'm told she'll have a little trunk show, too, and I'm looking forward to meeting her. 

Linking up with~
Free Motion Mavericks

Show Off Saturday

In the meantime, on with our party! I invite you to add as many links as you've posted over the past week. If you've posted 3 times since last Saturday, you can link all three. You're not limited to just one, so show them all off! And I've enabled voting, so we can all vote for our top 3 choices. I think it will be fun to see the 3 winners next week.

Thank you to each one of you who link up with the Pet Project Show. I love to see your work here!
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Come on, Doxie Girls.
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday-Monday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, June 20th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies and my
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 

blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up