Layer Cake Block Three with Sarah Vanderburgh

I think this post might be late.  I am having too much fun looking at our flickr pool. 

-- tearing myself away --

Block number three is brought to us today by Sarah Vanderburgh, or Sarah Vee, as she goes by on her blog http://sewjoy.blogspot.com/  Sarah is from Canada.  I have enjoyed meeting Sarah, and I'm sure you will too.  Here's Sarah --

I’m really excited to be participating as a designer in the Layer Cake Quilt Along! I’ll tell you a bit about me first, then more about my block.

Quilting has brought me joy for 14 years. I started as a newlywed, anxiously dealing with fertility issues. I discovered quilting through my husband’s granny’s old quilt magazines. I never looked back! Self-taught, I started by designing wedding wallhangings and baby quilts for family. I am fascinated by the names of quilt blocks and enjoy reading about the history of women’s lives sewn into quilts.

After purchasing a book by Barbara Brandeburg in 2008, I discovered the online world of quilt blogs. I started my own quilting blog, on my birthday, in 2009. In 2010, I released my first pattern for sale, “Eat with Joy! Placemats”.

I enjoy working with traditional blocks and bright, contemporary fabrics. I began as a patchworker, but have slowly come to love appliqué and, more recently, free form and liberated piecing.

My 9 year old daughter has just begun her quilting journey and my 3 year old son likes to pick out fabrics. My husband is patiently waiting for 2 queen size quilts to be finished for our bedroom - the first one started almost 10 years ago! I am fortunate my family shares my joy of quilting with me, and to live in Northern Ontario, Canada, where I am constantly inspired by the blue sky, green trees, and friendly quilters.

To get ready for writing this blog post about myself, I asked my blog readers what kind of questions they would ask a designer. One question that came up was – what comes first? The fabric or the pattern? For me, it can be either one! I really love the layer cake I picked to use for the quilt along – it’s Prayer Flag by April Cornell. I wanted to save it to make a special pattern for it – something that would feature all of the prints. When Konda put out the call for designers for the Layer Cake Quilt Along, I knew I had found my design! Sampler quilts are a great way to feature many different prints from the same line of fabric. I am really happy that I chose to use my fabrics to make these blocks – and really happy to have the chance to design a block for it!

For the Layer Cake Quilt Along I made a basket block. Basket blocks are pretty traditional and usually include some appliqué – not this one! The challenge here was to cut the pieces from 10 inch squares. I’ve included some pretty detailed cutting photos to help you make sure you get all of your pieces from your chosen fabrics. I hope my fabric tips help you in creating your own sampler baskets – it’s a great block to feature one of the large prints from your line.

I’ve challenged myself to make 2 quilts for the Layer Cake Quilt Along! Other quilters have too – you can read about them in one of the discussion threads at the quilt along Flickr group. For my second quilt, I’m using fat quarters and I’ve included separate cutting instructions for using fat quarters. You also have the opportunity to use only 2 fabrics with the fat quarter option.

I’m looking forward to seeing your blocks!
With Joy,
Sarah Vee

Thanks Sarah!

CLICK HERE for the instructions to Block Three.

Sarah made two versions of the block.  One for layer cakes:
 

And one for fat quarters:  (If you are using fat quarters, you can make either version.  If you are using layer cakes, you can make the fat quarter version only if you use more than two fabrics.)

And here's my block:  (Maybe I should have warned my designers that sometimes I don't follow directions very well -- on purpose -- even when the directions are my own.  I know lots of you have personalized these blocks as well.  It's all good!)

So what happens next?

Well, any pictures posted in the flickr group by tonight will be entered into the first drawing. About 10 ish tonight (Mountain Time) I will post my Block TWO. All blocks BEFORE mine are those entered into the first drawing.  It doesn't matter which block - just the one's posted before mine. If you post your block AFTER mine, then it will be entered into the next drawing.  I will post the winners tomorrow.

What's up for grabs this time?

Sarah has graciously donated a Pat Sloan book called Fast-Forward Quilts.  The quilts in the book are made using precuts!  Perfect for our quilt along!

I also have a couple charm packs that need to find a new home.  So get your blocks posted, and I will see you tomorrow!

The First Winners of the Layer Cake Quilt Along!!!

We have two -- no THREE winners in our first drawing for the Layer Cake Quilt Along!  This drawing came from the comments of those of you who have signed up to participate. 

On the flickr group, I had misprinted the deadline for the next drawing.  The correct date of the next drawing is:

November 16th

Any block that is posted between now and the 16th will be entered in that random drawing.

Now for the winners. . . .

The first winner is Suzanna who said:

Yippee! I am so pumped. The JRS quilt along was great and now I'm ready for another. Perfect timing Konda. Thanks!
I'll be using a fat-quarter set of Moda's Blush by Basic Grey. (No blog, so nowhere to add a button.)
October 7, 2010 3:17 PM
 
The second winner is Laura who said:
 
I have never participated in a quilt-a-long before, so I am really excited about this one. I am using Moda Tweet-Tweet. Not sure about my accent or border yet.
October 5, 2010 9:49 PM
 
And, just for fun, we will have a third winner!  The third winner is Leah who said:
 
This looks like fun. I like the first block

November 2, 2010 11:56 PM

Please email me at kluckau@moosequilts.com with your mailing address so GENE and I can send you your prizes!  (Sorry Gene for mixing up your links.  At least they both went to you.)

Happy stitching!  The flickr group is looking great!!!

Layer Cake Block One with Gene Black

To start us off, we have a fun block designed by Gene Black.  I "met" Gene through the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along.  Many of you also "know" Gene this way.  If you don't, you will.  He -- yes, he -- is very friendly and generous.  I was excited when he offered to design one of our blocks. 

Now from Gene,

Hi, my name is Gene Black. I live in Northeast Alabama. The town I live has the World’s Largest Office Chair as a “claim to fame.”

Everyone always wonders how a man started quilting. What I have discovered is that each man has his own story, although some are similar. My earliest memories of quilting go back to my early childhood. I sat on the porch under my grandmother’s quilt frame that hung from the rafters and played while “the ladies” quilted.

In high school, I took “Family Life” as an elective. We learned to cook, but before that we learned to sew and made an apron. That was my introduction to using a sewing machine. I liked it! A year after I graduated I got a used Kenmore sewing machine in avocado green. Yes it was the seventies! I still have that machine and it still works.

Fast forward 30 plus years. A co-worker had seen lots of my artwork and thought I should start quilting. She was teaching a class on Foundation Paper Piecing. She begged me to take the class. She even let me take it for free. I knew NOTHING about quilting or piecing. She told me that I would need an acrylic ruler with a quarter inch mark on it. Ha, I got a clear school ruler- not what she meant. So for the class she loaned me a ruler.

I made the block perfectly and was the star of the class. Everyone else in there was already skilled in quilting. So I signed up for the advanced class and made a table runner.

After that I started working on my own and reading blogs. I was already writing my art blog so it became my quilting blog also. I soon let my artistic head take the lead and designed my own ideas. What I have discovered is this: There is nothing really new that you can design in a block. What you have to do is add your own spin to it. This block is called the Alabama Spinner. It is a star type block that I added my spin on. I hope you like it.

I am happiest when I am creating. Besides quilting, I also paint and make jewelry. One of my desires is to use my artistic talents to design fabrics for the quilting community.

Blog -- http://www.geneblack.com/

Art Website --  http://artbygene.blogspot.com/

Thanks Gene!
 
CLICK HERE for the instructions to Block One designed by Gene:
 
Note:  From time to time I get an email saying there's problems with the file.  If you get mumbo jumbo when you click on the link above, try "right-clicking" on the link and clicking "Save Target As."  Then save the file to your computer and try to open it.  It isn't the file that is the problem, it's the download process.  If it doesn't work after several tries, just send me an email -- kluckau@moosequilts.com -- and I will email you the file.
 
It's called "Alabama Spinner Block,"  appropriate since Gene is from Alabama! 
 

Here is my version of Block One.  Notice that I reversed my medium and dark fabric.  I knew the pink was darker, but I thought there was such a good contrast between the green and the pink that it wouldn't really matter.  And I wanted a green center star!  Well, sometimes you get just what you asked for. 

I think I would like the block better if I had followed the directions.  Then the star would have stood out more.  It stands out more in the photo than it does in person.  Oh well, that's what happens you experiment, sometimes you like the results, sometimes you don't.  I love the block, and I love the colors, so I won't sweat that it could've been a little better. 

After you make your block, upload a picture on our new flickr group HERE.

Why do you want to post your picture? Because we all want to see YOUR block! Okay, another reason is because that picture enters you into the next drawing. So there is one rule about posting pictures:

Rule 1) Post only one picture of each block.

That's the only rule. Any blocks posted before the deadline will be entered into the next drawing. Any blocks posted after the deadline will be entered into the next drawing.

Are you ready for the first drawing?! I will post winners tomorrow. 

We have two great prizes for tomorrow (for anyone who has sign up to play along by today):

Prize 1) A couple Dandelion Girl charm packs courtesy of Gene.

Prize 2) A quilt book, Simply Charming Fun, courtesy of me.

Yeah! Start sewing today and stay tuned tomorrow . . . .

Layer Cake Quilt Along 2010

You know a quilt along is almost here because the blog button has appeared!

Layer Cake Quilt Along

2 Nov 2010 to 3 May 2011

Starting November 2nd, every other TUESDAY, instructions for a new 12" block will be posted.  All of the blocks will be made from a layer cake (10" squares) and yardage.  Links to all of the blocks will be on this post, but instructions are first posted on my blog (click on the header at the top of this page).

Each block will be designed by a different person.  Every two weeks there will be a guest blogger on my blog introducing himself or herself and his/her block.  At the end you will have made a fun quilt

64" x 80."

Here's the information you need to get started:

Fabric Requirements:

1 Layer Cake (or 12 fat quarters)
1 1/2 yards accent fabric
1 2/3 yards outer border
4 yards backing
2/3 yards binding

Size of Quilt: 64" x 80"

FAQ:
There have already been some questions, so here's some answers. . . .

1)  Will linear quarter yards work?
They should work just fine.  I have told the designers that they have 10" squares of fabric to use in their designs.  Some of them will have pieces that are 10" long at most.  I was at first thinking this was a problem because you only have 9" of width with a linear yard, but you have 10" in the other direction. 

2)  What's up with the accent fabric?
The designers are not given liberty to use the accent fabric like they were with the last quilt along.  They were told they could use a small portion in small amounts if needed and it couldn't be along the outer edge of the block. 

The accent fabric will be used to frame each block as well as a stop border for the entire quilt.  The fabrics I am using are on the blog button.  I am using white as my accent fabric.  Everyone should NOT choose white.  Choose the fabric like you would choose a stop border.  (The stop border is that first narrow border that stops your eye as you are looking at the quilt.)

3)  When is the first drawing?
The first drawing will be on Tuesday, Nov 2.  To be entered in this drawing comment on this post.  If you know what fabric you are using, add that in.  If you don't know yet, that's okay.  Drawings will always be held Tuesday night after the posting of the block.  Winners will be posted the following day on my blog.

4)  How do I get entered into the block drawings?
You get entered into block drawings by posting your block on a flickr site.  Here is the link to the flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1527403@N20/
I'm sure I have forgotten something.  If you have questions, let me know.  FYI, if you post anonymously, then I can't email you a response.

Grab a button, and join the fun!!! 

(If you need help grabbing a button, check out my Blogger 101 post.  The link is HERE or in the sidebar under Tutorials.

HERE is the link to Block One
HERE is the link to Block Two
HERE is the link to Block Three
HERE is the link to Block Four
HERE is the link to Block Five
HERE is the link to Block Six
HERE is the link to Block Seven
HERE is the link to Block Eight
HERE is the link to Block Nine
HERE is the link to Block Ten
HERE is the link to Block Eleven
HERE is the link to Block Twelve
HERE is the link to the Finishing Instructions

A New Quilt Along?!?!

I had a productive couple hours waiting for children in the dentist's office this morning.  I made some decisions and came up with what I think is a fun idea for the next quilt along.  This is just preliminary information for those who want to get started thinking.  A formal announcement will be made along with more information when I get everything more formalized.  So for now. . . .

Layer Cake Quilt Along 

2 Nov 2010 to 3 May 2011

Fabric Requirements:

1 Layer Cake (or 12 fat quarters)

1 1/2 yards accent fabric

1 2/3 yards outer border

4 yards backing

2/3 yards binding

Size of Quilt:  64" x 80"

There will be 12 sampler blocks with a fun new layout and new designers!  Boy, I can't wait to get started myself! 

Why wait until November?  Well, I still have to round up a few designers and give you some time to get your fabric.  Then there is this little thing called Quilt Market the end of October that designers are all very, very busy with.  So we will get started right after Market. 

P.S.  More quilts are being added to the Jelly Roll Sampler Flickr group.  Fun, fun, fun!!!  All of your creativity inspired some creativity of my own with the layout of our quilt, but it will be a while before we get to see that!

A Layer Cake and some Selvages

I was inspired by this blog:
http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/

and all that she and others were making with selvages. (I have always spelled it selvedge, and I have since learned that both spellings are correct.)


I ordered her book on Amazon,

but couldn't wait for the book to get here. (Oh--I have since received the book, and I do like it. Lots of good pictures.)

First I tried making a half log cabin with the square in one corner instead of the center. I had a bright center and was putting selvages on two sides of the square. Two blocks later, and I wasn't loving it. It was going too slow. Often when I experiment with something I want quick-ish results.

Many of you know me and my love of precuts. Well I grabbed a layer cake. (This one happens to be 9 by Sanae.) and started sewing. Two blocks later, and I was loving it this time. It was fun. Something that made it more fun was responses I got from other quilters. I had a few blocks done and showed them around and my friends started giving me their selvages. So now not only is the quilt a selvage quilt, but it also like a signature quilt -- my friend's "signatures" are there in their selvages. TOO FUN!

Here's the picture:

Not the best picture. It is smaller than it looks because it is on a toddler bed. It is a good throw size.

One of these days I think I will have to make a selvage bag, but that project is definitely for another day.