How They Shine Quilt!!!

Thursday and Friday,  I shared with you two of my quilts from Martingale's newest compilation book Fat-Quarter Favorites, and today I am sharing my third and final quilt in the book called How They Shine!!   And you all know, I love a good Star Quilt :)

How They Shine was so much fun to design.  The block is pretty basic with a simple star in the center and a great diamond shape border to frame it.  But I just love how the Simple really shines!!!   And the positive-negative block scheme  really added that extra wow to the overall design ;)   It uses 20 Fat Quarters that are divided into 2 piles of 10 for the positive and negative blocks.   The blocks are made with some HST's and a few Stitch and Flip corners so it really does come together fast and is much less piecing than it looks like ;) 

I used Fat Quarters from Corey Yoder's  Flower Mill fabric line for Moda.  I just love how the design really lets you play with a variety of scale in the fabrics.   You really could grab any Fat Quarter Bundle and pick out 20 Fat Quarters that will be great, just be sure to grab the ones that have a good contrast from your background color and you are good to go!!!  (and as always, you don't have to use white as a background ;)  

When it came time to quilt, I decided to try something I don't use to often but I just love it!!!  I call it L and E because it looks like cursive lower case L and E's repeated.   The reason I don't use this as often is because you have to have a quilt that is piecied with basically horiztonal line guides.   They help you keep your rows of Land E straight.  Luckily, these blocks are easily bisected into 8 lines, which made it easy to keep my lines nice and straight and oh so cute!!!   Aren't those little loopies just so adorable!!!   It really was the perfect design for this quilt ;)

Double Dutch finishes at 64" x 80" square so it makes for a fantastic lap size quilt to wrap up in :)    And of course, you could easily add more blocks to make it square if you prefer!!   It really is just a fun one to grab a favorite Fat Quarter Bundle and get sewing!!!   And like I said in the beginning, you just gotta love a good Star quilt!!!!

And that is How They Shine!!!    I hope you all love it as much as I do ;)  And if you make your own How They Shine quilt, I would love to see it!!!    The pattern can be found in Fat-Quarter Favorites (I have a few copies available in my Book Shop that I will be happy to sign, just FYI :)  and  you can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to my flickr group here or post it to social media with  #happyquiltingwithmc ;)  I can't wait to see your How They Shine quilts!!!!   

And that finishes up my quilts in Fat-Quarter Favorites!!!   Just in case you missed it, you can see Double Dutch here and Red Cross here, and more on the release of Fat Quarter Favorites Here :)

Thanks for popping in today and each today to share my quilts with me!!!  It truly is such a blessing to have this space to share my passion for quilting with each of you!!!  

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Weekend!!! 

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Red Cross Quilt!!!

Yesterday, I shared with you my Double Dutch quilt from Martingale's newest compilation book Fat-Quarter Favorites, and today it is on to quilt 2 that I have in the book.   And it's called Red Cross, and I think you can see right away, where it got it's name from!!!

Red Cross was a super fun quilt to design.  I started out with a basic idea of wanting to take a large block and then just cut it up in different sizes but only using squares and rectangles.  I played around for a bit until I came up with this and just loved the way it had a slight 3-d effect making the eyes move in and out of the block.  And I especially loved the little plus sign in the center!!!  The design uses 16 Fat Quarters and it really uses up practically the entire fat quarter, so not to many scraps created with this quilt :)

I obviously used an assortment of Red colored Fat Quarters in this quilt.   And I love the way all of the shades of red blend together to make the design just pop!!!   Prints that are red/white almost read as pink, but still look awesome next to those bold tomato reds.   This is one that you can really have fun mixing and matching fat quarters with and burn through some of your Fat Quarter Stash!!!   And of course, you don't have to use Red, I am already wanting to make a  Purple Cross quilt ;) Or what about a Yellow Cross with a Navy Background, no one says you have to use white :) 

When it came time to quilt, I wanted to emphasize the piecing all the more so I did single arches in all of the squares, and used red on the red piecing and white on the white piecing.  I just love the way it makes each little bit of fabric pop and adds more piecing to the design then there actually is.  So fun!!!

Double Dutch finishes at 74" square so it is a great size for wrapping up in and of course, would make an awesome picnic quilt!!!      And it really does come together quick as you can chain piece all of the blocks!!!   Just grab 16 Fat Quarters and a Background color and your ready for some fun!!

And that is Red Cross!!!    I really do want to make this one again and hope you want to make it as well ;)  And if you make your own Red Cross Quilt, I would love to see it!!!    The pattern can be found in Fat-Quarter Favorites (I have a few copies available in my Book Shop that I will be happy to sign, just FYI :) and  you can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to my flickr group here or post it to social media with  #happyquiltingwithmc ;)  I can't wait to see your Red Cross Quilts!!!  (or whatever color you make them ;)  

And I will be back tomorrow with my Third and final Quilt from Fat-Quarter Favorites called How They Shine :)

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!! 

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Double Dutch Quilt!!!

A few weeks ago, I shared with you one of Martingale's newest compilation books Fat-Quarter Favorites, that I was fortunate enough to have 3 quilt designs in!!!   For the next three days, I am going to share a little more about each of those 3 designs ;)   And today's design is Double Dutch!!! 

Double Dutch is a design that I have had in my head for a long time, and it finally worked out perfect for this book.  It uses 16 Fat Quarters in 4 different color ways.   The blocks are made using the No-Waste Flying Geese method, so it goes together quick and is so much fun to make!!!

I used Fat Quarters from Lella Botique's Farmer's Daugther fabric line for Moda.   I love these color combinations together and how there is a mixture of high and low contrasting blocks.   The low contrasting blocks gives your eye a place to rest and the high contrasting blocks just pop.   Together they make for wonderful movement and flow ;)  And I just love these colors all together, so pretty!!!  And the quilt got it's name for Dutch Windmills and Dutch Tulips, because I can't decide what this quilt looks more like :)   So Double Dutch just seemed to fit!! 

When it came time to quilt, I decided to do an all over Feathered Swirl.  I love adding fun curves in the quilting to compliment all of those pretty points and angles :)  The feathered swirl is just so pretty and a perfect compliment to these gorgeous fabrics.   And it is so much fun to quilt and adds great texture!!!

Double Dutch finishes at 84" square so it is just perfect to take out on a picnic or lay out with a good book :)    And with the easy piecind and large block sizes, it really can come together fast!!!   Just grab 16 Fat Quarters and a Background color and your ready for some fun!!

And that is Double Dutch!!!    I hope you all love it as much as I do ;)  And if you make your own Double Dutch Quilt, I would love to see it!!!    The pattern can be found in Fat-Quarter Favorites (I have a few copies available in my Book Shop that I will be happy to sign, just FYI :)   and  you can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or add it to my flickr group here or post it to social media with  #happyquiltingwithmc ;)  I can't wait to see your Double Dutch Quilts!!!

And I will be back tomorrow with the Second Quilt from Fat-Quarter Favorites called Red Cross :)

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!! 

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Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day so let's have some fun :)

But first, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Seaside Rolie Polie from Fat Quarter Shop is . . .  Number #135 . . .   Congrats Deb!!!   I have emailed you :)      

  

     

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop .    Did you know that Jamie makes a new Lou Lou Bundle every Tuesday . . . this is last weeks and I just love it!!!  Along with hosting the giveaway, Jamie is having a Huge Inventory Sale!!!!  You can shop for fabric marked down to $5.00, $6.00, $7.00 and $8.00 a yard!!!!  

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some shopping goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is offering one lucky reader a $25.00 Gift Certificate perfect to use on anything in the store, including the awesome Lou Lou Bundle pictured above!!  Just perfect!!!!

You have two entry chances, the second being optional, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.   Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me your favorite Garden Fresh Vegetable :) 
  (our garden is just starting to sprout and I am really hoping the Sugar Snap Peas come in good, because I love them ;)  

 ENTRY 2 - Lets show Lou Lou's Fabric Shop some Love!!!!   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.  Or you can follow their blog or  visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Lou Lou's Fabric Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, July 3rd when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

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Clementine Quilt Along - Strawberry Star

It's the 25th and that means it is month 6 of the Clementine Quilt Along hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop!!!! And I am so super excited because this is our last set of blocks!!!  This month's blocks are called Strawberry Star and I have to say, I think they are my favorite of the whole quilt!!!  You all know how much I love making Stars :)  

Again, we are making a 20" and 12" version of the block.  And It was nice that the pieces in these blocks were a little bigger than some of their predecessors.  With the craziness of summer, it was great to have these blocks that went together pretty quick!!  And they are just to cute :) 

So are you joining in the Clementine fun???  If so, you can download the block pattern right here and  then pop on over and donate $5.00  to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital  :) I just love doing these annual Charity QAL's!!!    And were getting closer and closer to that goal ;) 

And like always, Fat Quarter Shop has made an super fun  You Tube video tutorials that walk you through making this month's block.  And I just love the peppy little tune they put the tutorial to, so fun!!

Be sure to share all of your Clementine progress on social media with #clementinequiltalong and check out these fabulous bloggers who are quilting along for some Strawberry Star block inspiration :)  

*April of April Rosenthal (@amrosenthal)

Bonnie of Sunset Family Living (@sunsetfamilyliving)

Cara of That Crafty Cara (@thatcraftycara)
Carrie of Moda Cutting Table (@modafabrics)

Denise of Pieced Brain (@piecedbrain)

Elise of Elise and Emelie (@eliseandemelie)

Gina of Carpe Quiltin (@gina_tell_carpequiltin)

Heather of A Creative Pursuit (@acreativemama)

Hilary of By Hilary Jordan (@byhilaryjordan)

Jan of Cocoa Quilts (@cocoaquilts)

Jen of Heritage Threads (@heritage.threads)

Joanne of Quilts by Joanne (@turtlequilterjo)

Kairle of Kairle Oaks Handcrafted Goodness (@kairleoaks)

Kendra of Good Starter (@good_starter)

Kristen of 3 in the Nest (@threeinthenestraleigh)

Kristina of Center Street Quilts (@centerstreetquilts)

Leah of Ponderings from My Heart (@ponderingsfrommyheart)

Melanie of A Bit of Scrap Stuff (@mellierc)

Melissa of Happy Quilting (@happyquiltingmc)

Pat of Pat Sloan (@quilterpatsloan)

Pat B. of Life in the Scrapatch (@scrapatches)

Patty of Elm Street Quilts (@elmstreetquilts)

Rebecca of One Wee Bird (@oneweebird)

Sarah of 123 Quilt (@123quilt)

Seema of SSK Craft Shop (@sskcraftshop)

Sherri of A Quilting Life (@aquiltinglife)

Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts (@sondradavison)

Stephanie of Quilt 'n Party (@quiltnparty)

Tanya of Tanya Quilts in CO (@tanyaquiltsinco)

Teresa of Aurea's Kitchen (@aureaskitchen)

Vickie of Crocheting Vixen (@crochetingvixen)

And this final block of the Clementine Quilt Along means only one month left, where we will get the setting instructions and put it all together!!!!   I can't wait!! And there are still instructions available for all of the previous blocks, just go to the Clementine Quilting Along page for all the details ;)  

Thanks for popping in today ;)  Have a Happy Quilting Day!!

Snowballs Short Cut Quilt!!!

I am super excited today to share another Short Cut Quilt finish!!!  You all now how much I love to make the Short Cut Quilts so when Fat Quarter Shop asked if I wanted to make their latest Short Cut quilt called Fat Quarter Snowballs, it was an absolute yes!!!    And how fun is this quilt!!!

Snowballs goes together super fast and I actually up-sized the pattern a to make it even faster and Layer Cake friendly ;)  You can find the free pattern right here  and as you can see, it calls for Fat Quarters that are cut into 6" squares.  But like I said,  I went ahead and used Layer Cake squares making my quilt finish at 66 1/2" x 76", so it's a great large lap size quilt.  And I also used 2 background solids, instead of just 1 and alternated them on corners of the blocks and nixed the border.  I know, I'm always changing things, tee hee hee :)

 And you all know that I love to make quilts for my Alma Mater, SUU, and Homecoming is coming up so it was time to make a new Red, White, and Black quilt.   But I was super excited to use Low Volume instead of solid white!!!  I am on a low volume kick as of lately, and I had tons of extra Layer Cake pieces in my scrap box from lots of different projects that worked perfect for this.   I just love how the low volumes pop against those beautiful red and black solids.  So fun!!!

When it came time to quilt it, I opted for a combination of 2 favorites, swirls and paisleys!!! And I did them more on a medium size scale and just love the awesome texture it gives the quilt :)   And I just love seeing all of those wonderful curves on the quilting on all of the straight lines in the piecing, it's just so fun!!!

And this quilt was all scrap busting, even down to the binding that was leftover from a previous quilts backing, and the backing which is made from all black and white pieces leftover from 4 other backings.   Gotta love using up some of those bigger scraps ;)  And I just have to say, these little Happy Quilting labels just make me smile every time I put them in a quilt, and especially in a quilt that I know will be given away.   Why did I wait so long to start labeling my quilts :)

And that is my Snowballs quilt!!!   And I just have to say again how much I love, love, love those low volumes!!!   And did you notice how the black and red solids come together in the background to look like little thread spools.  Double Bonus!!!     Thanks Fat Quarter Shop for another great Short Cut Quilt!!!   And be sure to pop on over to the Jolly Jabber for lots more Snowball quilts, a you tube video, and of course, lots of quilty inspiration!!!

Thanks for popping in today and I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Weekend!!!  I am thrilled that no one has to be taken anywhere for the next 2 days and I am just going to sew and sew all weekend ;)

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Dessert Sampler - Block 1

Don't you just love how a good little quilting session can brighten your day!!  It has been "a week", so yesterday afternoon, I decided I needed a little something to cheer myself up.  So I pushed aside all of the "deadline" projects, and ignored the dirty dishes and laundry, and just sewed for fun!!  And since I just choose Moda's new Dessert Sampler for my new Long Term, No Deadline, All Fun Project, it was the perfect thing to work on!!!   And I finished Block 1 ;)   And boy oh boy, does it bring a smile to my face!!!!

And as soon as I was done stitching it together, I immediately wanted to start working on another block!!!  But I decided, I wanted to do a little organizing first.  I don't want to let myself sit and cut out all the blocks, as that will take out the "one block at a time" feel that I am going for with this project.  But I did go through my Layer Cakes and slice them all in half and then sort them in 6 color ways so I can follow the 6 color ways layout in the Dessert Sampler pattern.

And I also saw that in the beginning of the Dessert Sampler pattern there is a list of strips to cut for the Background Fabric to make that go faster as well ;)   So I cut all of those strips.  And now with my Cupcake 1 and 2 Mix arriving, I am super set for Dessert Sampler block goodness!!!

In Fact, I even had a little time to cut out Block 2!!!  It's all set to sew :)   And I am super excite to see all of these happy reds and corals come together.  So pretty!!!

 Don't you love how everything just seems to fall away when you are Happy Quilting!!  I know I sure do ;)

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!

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180 More Doodle Quilting Designs!!!

I am so super excited to share the newest book in the Doddle Quilting.   You might recall back here when I shared a similar post on 180 Doodle Quilting Designs well, this is it's Sister Volume, 180 More Doodle Quilting Designs and it is jam packed with amazing Free Motion Quilting Designs to help you discover even more quilting goodness!!!

This book is set up just like the last book and has a wonderful "How To Use This Book" guide that will walk you through Tracing, Doodling, and Quilting all of the fun designs found in the pages of 180 More Doodle Quilting Designs .  And I had to squeal a little bit when I found that one of my free motion designs, Loopy Daisies, was the sample they used for the instruction page.  How fun is that!!!!   I love loops for learning Free Motion Quilting, they just flow and are great for beginning, and then throw in a flower here and there and super cuteness :) 

Each design in the book is shown in three layouts.  A square, a triangle, and a rectangle.  This really allows you to see how the design will look in different parts of your quilt, whether you are using it in a block, a border, or a setting triangle.   And of course, a lot of the designs work for an all over or edge to edge design as well ;)   This is my Wild West design, and again, it has you practicing those fun loops but add a star instead of a flower.   This one has you practicing loops and straight lines, which will add to your free motion quilting toolbox as well!!  

And there is one other design I have in the book, and it is one of my all time favorites for borders!!!  The Wavy Peel!!!  It is just a slight change on a double arch, but the wave adds so much fun ;)  And isn't it great to see how it actually looks in a quilt.   This was my Sun, Sea, and Sand quilt and the Wavy Peel was the perfect border design for this beach inspired quilt ;) 

Those are my three designs that can be found in 180 More Doodle Quilting Designs but there are so, so, many more amazing Free Motion Quilting Designs found in the pages of this awesome book.  You will find a bevy of designs from 15 different designers in all styles and skill levels.   And all you have to do to practice is trace, doodle, and quilt!!!   

I was absolutely thrilled to be a part of the original 180 Doodle Quilting Designs and am equally excited to be a part of the second volume 180 More Doodle Quilting Designs!!!   What an honor indeed.   Both of these books are just amazing resources for free motion quilting resources and something you will want to have in your quilting library!!! 

 And it wouldn't be a book reveal, without a giveaway!!!  For your chance to win a copy of  180 More Doodle Quilting Designs pop on over to Martingale and cross your fingers that you get lucky!!!  Your going to love this book!!!

Thanks for stopping in today and each day ;)

I hope you all have a very Happy (Free Motion) Quilting Day!!!!

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