Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to Teach I Go

I am so excited.  I get to spend the next 2 days teaching some of my favorite quilts!!!  Yippee!!!  I just love teaching!!!  It is just so incredibly fun to be able to share this passion I have for quilting.   To spend an entire day talking fabric, design, and free motion.   I spend most of yesterday finishing up everything to get ready.  I got all of the sample boards pinned up, extra sewing materials packed, and  pattern printed.  I even ordered some of the cute little pattern bags to put them in.  It is such a fun little finishing touch :)  So this is it, I think I have everything.  I guess I will find out soon if I forgot anything :)  I will be sure to take lots of pictures :)

Vintage Quilt Revival Blog Hop

This morning I am super happy to get to share with you a little peek into Vintage Quilt Revival, a new book written by the ever so amazingly talented Katie Blakesley of Swim Bike Quilt, Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced and Faith Jones of Fresh Lemons Quilts. All three of these ladies are wonderful friends, amazing designers, and beautiful writers.  If you have followed along with their blogs you have seen this.  So I knew that a book written by them would be amazing and this book is just that, amazing!!!  It is jam packed with wonderful design advice, insightful mini history lessons, fresh layouts, stunning photography, and helpful tidbits.  This book will be a fantastic addition to anyones quilting library :)

As part of the blog hop, each participant was asked to make a block from the book.  My block is the Mosaic No. 19 block.  I know, fancy name right ;)  I had so much fun pulling some wonderful bright and happy prints from my stash.  The block went together quickly and you know how I just love a block with lots and lot of points ;)  

You can follow along with the rest of the blog hop as listed below.   And then, on Friday be sure to check out Katie, Lee, and Faith's blog where they will take this block and a block from all of these super-talented quilty friends and turn them into 3 beautiful sampler quilts for charity.  I can't wait to see them ;)

January 13th (Monday): 
Crazy Mom Quilts - Amanda Jean 
Don’t Call Me Betsy - Elizabeth 
Film in the Fridge - Ashley 
Happy Quilting - Melissa 
Noodlehead - Anna
January 14th (Tuesday): 
I’m A Ginger Monkey - Katy 
Quilting Is My Therapy - Angela 
A Quilting Life - Sherri 
Sew Mama Sew - Kristin 
Tall Grass Prairie Studio - Jacquie 
January 15th (Wednesday):
Christa Quilts - Christa 
Diary of a Quilter - Amy 
Quilting Gallery - Michele 
Sew Take a Hike - Penny 
V and Co. - Vanessa 
West Coast Crafty - Susan 
January 16th (Thursday): 
Bijou Lovely - Holly 
Don’t You Know Who I Am - Sukie
Lily’s Quilts - Lynne 
One Shabby Chick - Amber 
January 17th (Friday): 
Swim, Bike, Quilt - Katie 
Freshly Pieced - Lee 
Fresh Lemons Quilts - Faith

Strips and HST's this Month

This month the bee blocks were on the easy side, which I have to say was so nice for the start of the year ;) For the Beejeeber's group, Colby asked us to make blocks using simple strips.  These went together so quick and easy. And look at the inspiration for making this quilt, it is going to be awesome ;)

For the Bees Knees, Carrie (yes as in Carrie of Miss Rosie's Quilt Shop, can we say a bit intimidating) asked us to make some Half Square Triangle Blocks.  She is making a sampler quilt from Camille's 25 HST Blocks Video, and she even sent some Flee Market Fancy for us to make them with ;)

These blocks were so much fun to put together.  I love making HST's!!!  Especially now that I can trim them super fast and easy with my Bloc-Loc Ruler   (seriously, I don't think I could possibly love a ruler more ;)

There is nothing quilt like a whole tone of perfect points in one block.  So pretty!!!

And now I am super excited because it is Jan 10 and I am finished my Bee Blocks!!  Yippee Skippee for Finishes early in the month :)  And Jan 10 is also a super exciting day around here because my oldest turned 11, my goodness he is practically a little man!!!  I'm off to bake a cake ;)

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Linking these finishes to Sarah's and Amanda's :)

Teaching, Printing, and Winning

I hope you all enjoyed the Quilt St. George Blog Hop.  I know I had a wonderful time popping around to everyone's blog ;)  I can't wait for next week when I get to teach these three classes at the retreat.  It is going to be so much fun!!!

And I have been working on getting all set to jet for those classes.  I am almost done all of the samples for the classes and I have spent a good part of today printing patterns for all of my class participants.  I seems like my computer desk has turned into a mini printing press :)  Oh ya, good times.

And since the blog hop ended today, I need to choose some winner from my little stop along the way.  These three lucky readers will be receiving three of my patterns each :)  And the lucky winners are . . . 

Congrats!!!  Your patterns will be sent shortly ;)  I hope you all have a wonderfully Happy Quilting Day!!!  I am off to get some more ink for the printer and then it is back to the printing press ;)

Star Light Star Bright Quilt-A-Long - It's Coming!!!!

It's Official, the Star Light Star Bright Quilt-A-Long is ready to go!!!!   I am so super excited!!  I just love Quilt-A-Long's and I am so loving this pattern, especially since so many of you had a hand in choosing it out.  We are going to have such a great time.   I have written it up in lots of size options so there is sure to be a quilt that fits you and your time ;)

Just like in previous quilt-a-long's, there will be easy step-by-step weekly directions, stunning Quilt-A-Long kits (which you can see a peek of here and maybe even win one :)  fabulous fabric prizes that include weekly progress prizes and Grand Prizes at the end, and most importantly lots of fabric fun with friends!!!   Here's the schedule . . .

Jan 15 - Intro, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes Announcement

Jan 29 - Cutting

 Feb 5 - Flying Geese

Feb12 - Half Square Triangles

Feb 19 - Building Block Centers

Feb 26 - Building Block Sides

Mar 5 - Building Block Corners
Mar 12 - Piecing Top and Grand Prize Linky

April 2- Star Light Star Bright Parade and Grand Prize Winners

So what do you say??  Do you want to Quilt-A-Long with me???  Grab a button and get ready for fun!!

  

  <a border="0" href="http://happyquiltingmelissa.blogspot.com/p/quilt-longs.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik31iuIOx5j-Ee7SRPUDaK1NlO7WjKWbKG2e4qj0yRGSdaFZc-_7SHFFoFRQAVpLMUVP68DOTIzZawX1CxCs9U1witHdXU0wHFVQ1675V26NRgNrDDB8uCncq7SjKR9Z-09znebKY6bB0/s1600/SLSB+Button.jpg"/></a>

Oh, and for easy access, I will be updating the weekly links on the Quilt-A-Long Page as well as this post ;)

Teaser Post
Schedule, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes
 Cutting
Flying Geese
 Half Square Triangles
Building Block Centers
Building Block Sides
Building Block Corners
Piecing Top and Grand Prize Linky
Parade and Grand Prizes