Stars and Stripes Quilt

"Ohhhh....say can you see....."

 In unison ".....by the dawn's early light..."

Yes. No need to ask.  I love this quilt!

  I bought the Hexa go-go book last year and I cannot express my love enough for this book and quilt. It turned out to be better than I imagined!

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I started prepping my hexies at the end of December and had them all finished by the end of January.

The next months consisted of laying out

and hand piecing the blue section and rows together. 

I decided to cut out all fifty stars and raw applique them. I had attempted a few hand embroidered stars but didn't like the direction they were going. 

It was at this point when I appliqued the hexie rows on the backgrounds, that my plans for a Fourth of July throw changed a significant direction.  What I imagined to be a large throw became more.

 It was then, that my darling husband suggested that I hang it in the newly painted/rearranged game room. The boys have sports pennants, posters, and paraphernalia galore in the room.
 Doesn't a flag seem fitting? The one thing ALL the sports have in common?

When I had the "throw" mindset, I was going to skip the pieced borders.

I am SO glad I didn't. 

Love all my neutral "black and white" bits!  Memoirs fabric scraps?  Can I have more please?

I love this bit with the word ducklings, because I have always called my boys ducklings when we go out en mass to the store or zoo.  "Make way for ducklings!" 

The tiny blue paisley border?  A nod to our new home, Texas.


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The quilting. 


I originally thought I would quilt like the book. However, when I loaded it on my machine?
 It begged me to get a little daring. 

A wonky pattern back and forth frames the pebbled and curved frames for the wonky "bow tie" blocks.

A looped-y-loop pattern along the rows.

With reversed curves on the hexies themselves.

A reverse curved pattern around the stars.

Which resembles flowers on the back.

Meandering in blue variegated.   And yes.  That white in the middle does look a little "yellow".
 I ran out of Kona White scraps and popped a few Kona Snow hexies about!  I really like it!

The backing seems to have a way to enhance and hide the quilting on the back.
It's a cool French script by Tim Holtz.

It evokes thoughts of my favorite mini series, John Adams. He wrote his lovely Abigail frequently from Paris. Maybe in French?  If not, they were allies right?

And the binding.  I have had this red ticking in my stash and had just enough for this quilt.
 I liked that it was soft and didn't detract from the quilt itself.

I know I'm no Betsy Ross, but I am so happy to be able to have this hanging in my home, as soon as I get the sleeves in the next few days. I need hubby's help to hang it this weekend. It is QUITE heavy!

Oh, and other than the backing?
ALL SCRAPS and STASH I ALREADY HAD!!!!!!

"....and the la-a-nd of the free........"

God bless America!

(Had to share the blowing in the wind shot. I can't help myself!!)

Linking up to Bloggers Quilt Festival
(Category Wall Hanging) Entry #73
Voting begins today!

Quilt Stats:
Measures 102" x 70"
Pattern: Stars and Stripes from Hexa go-go book
Fabrics:  Scraps, Kona White, Kona Snow, Kona Red
Pieced by:  Heidi Grohs @ Buttons and Butterflies
Quilted by: Heidi Grohs on Avante HQ 18" Longarm Machine

Thanks for stopping by, stick around. I have more quilts to come.
 Christmas is arriving and my WIP list is quite long!

****EDITED TO ADD:  

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT'S FINAL SPOT IN OUR HOUSE, YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS POST.****

Sewing Studio Mini Quilt

My second entry for the

This Spring I decided to work on a Mini quilt.  I was sorta stuck in a commissioned quilt and "large quilts that are still not done" rut.  

I always feel like I need to spice it up.  I trolled my own Pinterest Quilt Inspiration board and landed on this.

This sewing studio block By Charise Creates glared me in the eye.

I adore this block.  I do not necessarily adore my execution!
 I am, however, really happy with my fabric choices.

I chose my fabrics all around the lace fabric from Serenata by Riley Blake.  

I saw the lace in the original block on the dress and knew I had to use my hoarded bundle!

I was really happy with the basic solids that were included in the Serenata FQ bundle I purchased from Knotted Thread!  The gray was perfect for the dressform and the nice stippled color of the beige made for a great background.

This is where I keep it real.  For those who know, me?   I always have to keep it real!

I didn't stay closely to the pattern on the sewing machine and spool.  The original design is actually for freezer paper piecing not foundation, so I had to improv a few things.  

 It's okay. Make fun of my spool and machine.  I say it just gives it more character.

The only fabrics that are not from Seranata line are the quilt on the machine, binding, and backing.  

The binding (and dress belt) is the Orange Tic Tac from Life in the Jungle.

 The backing is a Joann's special that I had no plans for in any near future.  The colors seemed to compliment well enough.

I just loved the notions and tried to get it to look like the tape measure was hanging out of the jar.

The hexagon quilt is a nod to my obsession with English Paper Piecing right now.  If you want to see my other Blogger Festival submission HERE,  you will understand what I am talking about!
  I used the Jungle Hexie Blue!

I started out with just wanting to outline the sewing items, but ended up outlining, and echoing, and echoing, and echoing some more.

I have linked it to the Blogger's Quilt Festival under "doll/mini quilt".

Quilt Stats:
Measures: 14" x 14"
Pattern: Sewing Studio Block by Charise Creates
Fabric: Serenata and Life is a Jungle by Riley Blake
Backing: Sewing notion from Joann Fabrics
Binding: Life is a Jungle Orange Tic Tac
Quilting: Machine quilted on domestic machine by myself.

I'm not quite sure where this happy little mini is going to live, but for now, it is going on my giant clipboard behind my machine!

It already has sent good sewing vibes in my studio.  I have just completed my 16th quilt for the year!

Home Stretch {WIP Wednesday}

I am getting pretty pumped!

I am three quarters of the way done binding my Stars and Stripes Quilt!

I loaded it last week on ole Betsy.  I had planned on following the example from the Hexagogo book. 

But I was carried away and it took much longer than I had anticipated.

Especially since hubby was gone all last week!

I am extremely happy with the dense quilting since it is going to be a wall hanging. And after blinding it with it on my lap the past few days? I don't think anyone will want to curl up under it. It is heavy and huge!

After binding, I have to make hanging sleeves.

My goal is a complete finish by end of business day on Thursday!

Quilted Leaf Potholders {Tutorial}

I was undecided about writing up a tutorial for these, but I received a ton of emails asking me if I would after posting my original leaf potholders two weeks ago.  I had made three for myself, but really wasn't up to making any more.  However, when someone asked me to make them a pair?  I finally had a reason to make some and take some pictures for you!

**********UPDATE*********

 I have finally been able to create a .pdf on Craftsy for this tutorial.

PATTERN HERE

Supplies

Fabric scraps (preferably strips with lengths approx. 14"long)

2 Batting pieces (10"x12")

2 Insul-Bright pieces (10"x12")

1 Fat Quarter (backing fabric)

1/2 yd fabric (binding fabric)

Ruler/Rotary cutter

Thread

Sewing Machine

Leaf Potholder.pdf pattern 

I had some quilter friends that said "Thanksgiving Host gift idea!".  And I totally agree!  Too bad I am the hostess this year?  I also think they would be great as a housewarming party gift if the family was moving in at this time of the year, and there is always the newly married couple!

Please, please, PLEASE do the right thing and tag or link back to me, my blog, or Craftsy site if you post pictures/blog/sell the potholders.

I'm @buttonsandbutterflies on Instagram 

CLICK HERE!

or use #buttonsandbutterflies #leafpotholders #quiltedleafpotholders hashtags

Enjoy!

Puppy Love

This week, my focus has been on our dogs!

They have a cute dog bed, actually, an entire room to themselves.  Last year, I made them a cute cover for the dog bed, but lately it has been looking a little rough and I really would like to have spares so I can wash them really well.  Dogs are gross and dirty and sometimes washing their bedding twice a week can mess up my laundry schedule.

I found two fat quarter bundles at Joann's a few months ago and knew it was meant to be!  Sometimes you can find some really great finds in their bundle area!  Two bundles for two sets!

I did the same style cover for the circle, like the original dog bed.  And also more of the boys' old denim duvet cover scraps.  There is barely any left after making two more.

However, the "bumper" has been the death of me.  At first, I tried to make it a removable cover, but it was quite a bear to get back on all the time.  Then I just threw it in the wash without removing it, but it would get all twisted up inside and eventually all the batting was at one end of the bumper.

This time I decided to just do layers of batting scraps I have. I often have long strips that are 6-8 inches wide from the extra I need when I longarm quilts.  It worked out perfectly for this project.  I layered, quilted, and then did a binding.

Yes, corduroy binding!!  I am so happy with it.  It is QUITE thick, but I like it for this particular project because it almost looks like piping.   I plan on using corduroy again on a future projects, but would make sure that it was a much thinner one for binding.  I also loved the binding idea so much that I am reconstructing the original bed also.

The only thing that I am not super happy about is that the bumpers aren't as thick, but that's okay.  They like their bone throw pillows to rest their heads on, or each other. New bone pillows are in order.  The old ones are pretty beat up!  Hope I can share them with you soon!

All that matters is that Prancer gave me her approval!

 Buttons said, "how could you not?"  He loves it as much as they do. 

 I always catch him in their bed!