Spelling Bee Quilt: Letter J {Quilt Along}

 Fat Quarter shop is still running a a quilt along to celebrate the Spelling Bee Book.

The Spelling Bee Book is by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet and features complete instructions for 100 letter, number, punctuation and picture blocks in two sizes plus 18 quilt projects!

The Sew Along will feature 88 of the blocks from the Spelling Bee Book! Lasting 44 weeks, the Sew Along will feature 2 blocks from the book each week. I was asked to join and and this is the third project I have made using the book.  See the Fox Pillow and Butterfly Pillow!!!

Today is the Uppercase Letter J.  I will admit I scrambled to grab it since all of my children's names start with the letter! 

I was going to make something with one of their names, but I ended up choosing the word Joy.

It's a word that has encompassed our lives since the loss of our daughter in 2009 and I had to make it!

I used some leftover scraps from the Paperie Fat Quarter bundle I bought from the Fat Quarter Shop.

It made a fun pillow for my chairs in our formal room with the walls the color of the aqua print.  It joined the Butterfly block Pillow I made last month!

I think they are so fun together!!

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 12x25"

Pattern: Letters J, O, Y from the Spelling Bee Book by Lori Holt

Fabrics: Paperie by Art Gallery Fabrics 

Quilted: Matchstick quilting on Babylock Symphony

I just adore it......

CHOOSE JOY this coming new year!!!

The Paperie Patchwork {Quilt}

I enjoy naming my quilts, and Paperie Patchwork just sounded like a good name for a quilt.  However, the word paperie means nothing, in French. But "papeterie" means 'stationery', and the shop where you can buy it.

  And if you are wondering why I pulled that word out of the sky?  I didn't.  It's the name of the line from Art Gallery Fabrics.  Ironically, when I was trying to find its meaning, I DID find a ton of shops called Paperie.  Who knew?   I figure this is a good story for what is, frankly, a rather simple patchwork quilt?

This quilt became an idea when I ordered the line from Fat Quarter Shop to make the Butterfly and Joy Pillow covers.

I had "over ordered" for the pillows, but knew that the bundle wasn't going to be enough for a full size quilt, so I grabbed a Dear Stella Fat Quarter bundle I’ve had in my stash for quite a long time now.

The squares are a simple 8” square each.  I laid them out on my family room floor while we watched the Houston Astros play in the World Series.  Then I pieced it together on my Featherweight while watching them advance to the next game.

I loaded it up on Ole Betsy and chose the pantograph patttern Bossa Nova by Urban Elementz with Baby Pink Omni Thread by Superior Threads.

The backing was leftover blue and pink backing leftovers with oddball widths and I used a super old wide pieced strip from the Micheal Miller Glitz line.

The binding was a cool crosshatch style blue I found at Joann Fabrics.

The quilt label is an embroidery pattern I have had in my files for several years that is a the breast cancer symbols surrounded by encouraging words to make a butterfly.

Quilt Stats:
Measures: 64" square

Pattern: Simple Patchwork of 8" squares

Fabric: Paperie by Art Gallery Fabrics and Dear Stella Fabrics

Quilted:  Bossa Nova pantograph with Baby Pink OmniThread on Handiquilter Avante

This quilt was sent off to my uncle’s home this Christmas.
I figured his wife could use a quilt hug and love.

Spelling Bee Quilt: Butterfly Block {Quilt Along}

"Without change their would be no butterflies..."

Today is Spelling Bee Saturday and I'm introducing another block from the Spelling Bee book!!

The Spelling Bee Book is by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet and features complete instructions for 100 letter, number, punctuation and picture blocks in two sizes plus 18 quilt projects!

This week, I chose a bundle of Paperie by Art Gallery Fabrics from the Fat Quarter Shop.

 I couldn't just make a lonely block.  I had to make a Butterfly throw pillow!!

I actually used the Paperie fabric with another bundle I had of Dear Stella Fabric to make a full patchwork quilt for my uncle's wife.  Stay tuned for that full quilt soon!  

I had a few leftover pieces to make a mini patchwork design for the rectangular pillow.

Many seem to know my "go to" quilting on my domestic machine is matchstick quilting!

I had some old navy corduroy fabric I used for the pillow backing and some Dear Stella for the binding.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 12x20"

Pattern: Butterfly block from Spelling Bee Book by Lori Holt

Fabric: Paperie by Art Gallery Fabrics 

Quilted: Matchstick quilting on Babylock Symphony

I really love how it turned out!  

Stay tuned for a companion pillow I made to go with my butterfly at the end of December!!!

Mini Quilt, Sketchbook Cover, Pencil Roll, and Totes....oh my! {Swap}

I was so excited to receive my partner!  I squealed when I realized I recieved the sweet daughter of the actual founder of the Schnitzel and Boo Mini Swaps on Instagram!

I thought of a million of things to send her....it all of a sudden overwhelmed me because I knew I couldn't send every and all things to her!

So I started with her fabric and bought a FQ bundle of one of her favorite designers, Jen Baker with Art Gallery Fabrics

Geometric Bliss.

Then I scanned through every nook and cranny of the internet for my partner. It had to be special.

"Girl on the Swing" kept glaring at me.

I did mine a tiny bit different than the original tutorial that Aneela Hooey does. 

Instead of overlapping, I left a tiny bit of white space in between. I'm not sure why, but I just seemed "right" for this mini quilt.

I can honestly admit that "sketchy" applique quilting is not my forte.  I did my best to make the girl on a swing with her bunny companion.

The other change I made was making leaves instead of apples. 

And cut some flowers from one of the fat quarters out so that it lived in the border too.

After that, I decided that since my partner liked to draw and sketch, I would make her a journal cover and pencil roll.

Linen and patchwork of the Geometric Bliss.  Tried to keep it simple.

And then a little rainbow inside the pencil roll.  I LOVE this pattern by Joelle Haverson from the book Last Minute Patchwork+Gifts.  I have used it for versions of other rolls more than once before.

I had started another foundation pieced cupcake block in the middle of all the swap sewing because my partner's birthday was this past week.  I had planned for it all to arrive for her birthday, but in the end, I'd rather not rush during this busy family time in our lives.

What to do with the cupcake block? 
I had intended it for the sketchbook cover, but it felt too big for it. 

I decided on a tote.  A QAYG project. Completely impromptu and fun! 

The back I cut a large piece of the big floral and then worked my way around.

 Linen top and bottom edges and handles.

I was asked if I used a pattern the other day and I did not.  I have made so many totes over the year that I rarely refer to patterns unless they require fancy pockets...I skipped those this time!

I stuffed the inside of the bag with some yummy chocolate and Valentine Goodies that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of...

I sure hope she loved it!