Thursday, January 29, 2015

SECRET REVEALED!


Hello and Welcome to my turn on the Tessellation Leaves blog hop!

Back in November 2014 I happened across Quilting JetGirl blog.  Yvonne was working on a quilt tessellation quilt design  that completely grabbed me up.  I fell in love and when she asked for pattern testers to make her quilt, I couldn't resist!  Tessellations of any shape/design is quite fascinating and looks really difficult and impossible to make.  Yvonne's pattern is fabulously easy to read, easy to piece and moves along as fast as you can sew!

A word of caution though.  The pattern is repetitive and in order not to sew half square triangle blocks  in the wrong positions, I suggest making one whole block and putting it in a prominent position where you will refer to the correct, completed block as each new block is constructed.

                              One misplaced block will not a tessellation make!

Yvonne's pattern is easy to read; provides detailed step by step block construction and finished block layout; as well as a tutorial on an easy method to construct the half squared triangle blocks needed to complete the block pattern.  The pattern includes a Fabric Requirements chart and layout in both the TWO COLOR and FOUR COLOR in (5) sizes.  No guessing (!) NO MATH (!)  There are two different sets of instructions for both a TWO-COLOR and FOUR-COLOR block quilt designs.  Also included are pictures of quilts made in both quilt designs.  The other piece of information that I find is sometimes left out of patterns is the finished SIZE of blocks as they are assembled. The measurements are included in the graphics of the block assembly instructions. 

Fabric selection is pretty important in making this quilt and Yvonne suggests in her pattern directions to choose fabrics that will provide a contrast so that the leaf pattern is easily identified.  I agree and when I made the below chosen fabrics into a block, the leaf pattern was not easy identified. Fabric placement is also a factor.  If you like/prefer a blended fabric quilt, her pattern provides guidance for that choice also in her Additional Quilt Layout Ideas!  Yvonne's quilt is a wonderfully gorgeous rendering of blended fabrics!  

First choice of fabrics for quilt! Kaffe Fassett, just because I love them sooooo!

Here is my second choice
 Allison Glass      Handcrafted collection
and here is what happened.  I did make the "perfect block", but...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SET UP????
If you noticed that in the left bottom block, the half squared triangles are in the wrong position (!), YOU ARE CORRECT(!)  I did not realize THIS until I was ready to quilt!  HORRORS!  What to do????  I am a pattern tester and cannot disappoint the pattern designer (!) Yvonne (!) YIKES (!)  I quickly turned to my stash as time was limited at that point, chose four new fabrics and now running out of time, chose the baby quilt layout option.

MADRONA ROAD by Violet Craft for Michael Miller
White with black dot   BasicGrey for Moda



 blocks cut and ready for piecing!  Don't forget that 1/4 inch seam!


So that I don't get CONFUSED (!), I assemble the block after sewing enough half square triangles for two blocks.  That is good advice, Yvonne!  One at a time!  

Whoohoo!  first block pieced and assembled correctly!


NOW!  I am tessellating!!!

My TESSELLATION LEAVES QUILT - BABY size!
A better picture!

and my favorite picture!


For some reason the BSR, the free motion quilting foot just wouldn't work for me, so I fell back on using a straight quilting stitch manipulating a leaf design.  Yes, perhaps I should have drawn and cut out those freezer paper leaves so each leaf would be quilted exactly the same, but where is the fun in that?  
Anyhoo, thanks Yvonne for allowing me to test your pattern and take part in your lovely blog hop!

Yvonne's Tessellation Leaves Quilt Pattern can be purchase here for the introduction price of $6.00 US Currency for a limited time only, until SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015 

TESSELLATED LEAVES PATTERN RELEASE & BLOG HOP STOPS!

Sunday, January 25th - INTRODUCTION by  Yvonne@QuiltingJetgirl


Tuesday, January 27th - Audrey Dautenhahn@HotPinkQuilts

Wednesday, January 28th - Laurel Rosenberg@DrowninginFabric

Thursday, January 29th - Shauna Trueblood@Shauna'sWorld

Friday, January 30th - Pamela Davis@PBarrettHillFashion

Saturday, January 31st - Wrap-up by Yvonne@QuiltingJetgirl

             Now go make a tessellation leaves quilt!!!









Quilts I designed

Tomorrow is a special day here on my blog, so don't forget to come by for a visit!

So today here are a couple quilts I made:

Members of CRAFT, a yahoo quilt/craft group made various heart blocks and I put them together

This is the Pinwheels 2 quilt.  I've only to make this quilt 98 more times to be perfect!

Amy Ellis BOM quilt along.  This quilt top was made and gifted and finished by another quilter!

This is another quilt using the same Amy Ellis BOM blocks and is still a UFO!
Here is a quilt top that I designed from my EQ5; it was gifted

Quilted and embroidered crazy patch made into a book for my oldest college daughter while I missed her during her freshman year in college

I think she likes her quilt.  A random compilation of Laurel Burch fabrics

Not a quilt but a scarf and hat made for the baby girl!

knitted cap and scarf for oldest babygirl

Okay, some Kaffe Fassett fabric and pattern!


a 4 patch manipulation into a medallion quilt with a machine embroidery taking center stage (Roses by Jenny Haskins),  The second row is a Japanese origami flower form Rebecca Wat's Ribbon Book (?)

Jewel Box by Eleanor Burns!  I loved making this quilt for the gentleman in the shorts and he still has it folded nicely in storage!  Use your quilt Ricky!!!

Ricky loved the center (it is shown below as the original 39 x 39 size) and wanted it for his bed and he also did not want any other pattern in the quilt as I offered to make borders to match the Tennessee Waltz pattern by Eleanor Burns  

No pattern here, just me doodling using 4 patches and rail fence?  I am not sure what block this is.

An embroidered piece made for a Breast Cancer auction!  Used floss and silk ribbons and an "out of my head" pattern!

A Carol Doak stay at home Round Robin!  Still not quilted!!!

Tennessee Waltz by Eleanor Burns

My first Bonnie Hunter quilt! 
A design block 
Using blocks made by myself and other members of CRAFT group, I assembled these blocks into a star borders.  The dear recipient has gone onto Glory now.  RIP Glenys, hugzzzzzzzzzzz
I took a class with Deb Karasik and began to make one of her quilts!  Perhaps this year will see the finish of this!
Pattern by Ann (cannot think of her last name) but not my block pattern but used with her permission to make a 60 x 60 (?) lap quilt for a charitable Auction 
My first time on the long arm.
"Garden Party", my design using 9 patch blocks .  Machine stitched and long armed quilted!!!  The border and backing and the blocks for the 9 patch are Kaffe Fassett fabrics selected by my older daughter!  She hugs this every night!


Playing around with some Seminole piecing patterns!  I love Batik fabrics! 39 x 39 Wall hanging
Thanks for visiting!  Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the SECRET REVEAL!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The On goings!

It's snowing and that is the perfect time to sew and quilt!  I am still working, testing a fabulous pattern.  This week is the blog hop for said pattern.  My turn is Friday!  Yep, this Friday is my big reveal of the secret project that I've been working on and have I got a story for you!

Back in December 2014, I was perusing the net and happened upon this great blog .  It might have been the jet on the page because I spent a couple hours just going through her entire blog.  At that time, she was working on a tessellation pattern. It was a most intriguing article and so when she later asked for pattern testers to test her pattern, I jumped at the chance to make her tessellation pattern and boy has it been a journey.  That is as life goes, whatever can go wrong has gone wrong during the time that I was trying to get my quilt together.  Christmas was a blast, just really busy with all the kids home!  I am bursting to share my quilt and story; well JetGirl's wonderful tessellation on Friday!


Signing off as I've work to do.  Sew crazy!


More Pictures!

So, how about I share some pictures of my dolls!