It's here! The blog hop started Monday, and today is my day for posting the book I chose and the project. Thank you Bea at BeaQuilter.com . You'll find all the participants listed there. This is my second time
joining this fun hop. Since I have over 200 books, time to start using them. This year I picked
This is not an old book. Published in 2006. I bought this book because of the quilt on the cover. I saw a quilt made and published by Bonnie Hunter in her String Fling book. Here's the one:
and thought it looked enough like the lily in Bonnie's. So I thought I would make a sample block into a table topper and see if I liked it.
I've already put it to use in the living room.
Here's the back after I quilted it and before binding. I'm going to bring the back fabric to the front and bind it that way. I usually do all my wall hangings and table toppers that way unless I make them reversible.
This was an interesting project and I learned a lot. First I got to practice paper piecing - not my favorite piecing technique. I also practiced making bias stems and string blocks. In putting the block units together I figured out a way to keep seams facing the direction they should while sewing. Here's what I mean:
There were a lot of seams to keep track of. It would have taken a heck of a lot of pins to keep them correct.
After some thinking, I decided to lay the units right sides together and then pin a piece of paper to the string unit.
Turning it over, I sewed the seam from the flower unit side so I would be sure those seams laid straight.
Then I folder the paper over the seam to crease it and make it easier to remove.
The block finished at 15" square. I'm glad I made it because it taught me several things. The main thing is that I don't want to make this quilt any more. Way too much work. But then Bonnie's pattern might be easier to make those lilies. It could be a leader and ender project. Also, this book was a surprise.
The subtitle is Quilting with Treasured Fabrics. It shows you how to use repurposed fabrics from clothes you own - such as wedding and bridesmaid's dresses, late grandmother's day dresses, old flannel shirts, dress shirts, and men's ties. There were two quilt examples of each type of recycled garments. I found the uses creative and colorful. So is there someone out there who'd like to have this book now? Free to whoever wants it for the $3.50 price of shipping. If more want it, I'll have a drawing.
Be sure to visit all the other blog hoppers. Thanks for coming by! Blessings,