Star Block wall hanging

 I have had fun creating a new quilt this week!  I bought Electric Quilt 8 earlier this month and started working on a quilt right away.  I saw a quilt hanging in a quilt shop and I tried to buy the pattern for it only to find out it wasn't being published any longer.  So I set about making one of my own.  This is the result!  

Click here to download a copy of the pattern!  It's a PDF file, a step by step tutorial and it is recommended for intermediate quilters.  The letter Q would be a bit daunting for a beginning quilter.  If you are a confident beginner I say "Go For It!"

Star QUILT Wall Hanging
by Christine Chamberlain

Table runners

 I've finished 2 table runners and they were a breeze to make.  The pattern is from Missouri Star Quilt Company called Friendship Chain.  The shorter one is for my sister.  She asked for a table runner with a sunflower theme and I found the perfect fabrics for it!  The other one is for my dining room table.

Triangle Star top is done

I took my longarm machine to the shop for servicing and it's going to be 3 weeks before they can get to it. To stave off the withdrawal I'm busy sewing some of my many UFOs.  Today, I finished my Triangle Star quilt top!  It has 560 HSTs and made with scraps along with a background fabric.  All it needs now is to be longarmed.

Triangle Star

 

My latest quilt is called Triangle Stars.  It has 560 HSTs.  In August, my husband and I spent a week in Williamsburg, Virginia at a resort.  He spent some of his time riding his bike on the bike trails and I spent my time sewing the HSTs.  I put the HSTs together last month and now I'm making the applique blocks. There are appliques that go in each corner and then I can assemble the blocks!

Cottage Stars table runner

The Durham Orange Quilters' Guild has a challenge that will be held at our guild meeting Monday evening.  The challenge was given in March and the topic was to be on houses.  We could make any type, color and size quilt with the theme of houses or neighborhoods.  This is my entry!  

Take A Stand tote

 Next on the agenda is the Take A Stand tote byAnnie.com.  This tote will carry my mini-iron and other things when I travel with my sewing machine.  This tote is made to coordinate with Running With Scissors.  Notice in the photo it shows the RWS tote on top of the TAS tote.  This will be handy sitting next to my machine when I'm sewing.

Update: August 28th ~  I finished the Take a Stand tote and it holds a lot of supplies!  I used it while on vacation to Williamsburg.  The last photo is the Running With Scissors tool case sitting on top of the Take a Stand tote.

Running with Scissors tool case

 My longarm robotics is down at the moment so I'm using the time to sew an organizing tote to hold my sewing things when I travel.  This tote is called Running with Scissors and the pattern is from ByAnnie.com.  I've made several of the bags and totes from this website and they come together nicely.  I found the fabrics for my tote while I was on a quilting retreat in Virginia!  

Update: July 30th.  I finished the tool case this afternoon!  It has my most important tools I need to carry plus plenty of room for other things.

Insulated lunchbox tote

 I decided to change from brown bagging it when I go to all day quilt classes and found this kit online.  It's called the Zippity-Do-Done insulated lunchbox tote.  Kit includes instructions, preprinted insulated batting, handle strapping, plastic interior base, and a white Zippity-Do-Done zipper.   The kits are available in different colors.  Here's the finished tote!  

I made one change to the pattern.  The white fabric you see on both sides of the zipper is not in the pattern, the zipper is rather wide and I thought I would cover the excess zipper tape with a pretty fabric.  I like how it turned out!

My latest quilt

I made this table runner over the weekend. The pattern is in a booklet called "Moda Candy Oh Sew Sweet".

Peanut Butter SAL

 

I've been sewing a quick project called the Peanut Butter quilt sew along.  I wanted an easy quilt to feed that need for piecing this time and this project fit the bill!  

The pattern is a free one, found here: 
https://mailchi.mp/thencamejune/peanut-butter-quilt-pattern

Smallest quilt I've ever made

 I wrote an earlier post about finding a book filled with 40 patterns to make mini pincushions.  I spent this gray, rainy day sewing the smallest quilt I've ever made.  It was made with 1 inch pieces and it about killed me.  LOL  For those who didn't see the earlier post, the book is called Pin Pals by Carrie Nelson.  I recommend it!  The patterns are spot on and, while it might kill you to sew 1 inch pieces, the end result is so rewarding!

This little quilt was made into the 3rd pin cushion, I'm making 7 of the patterns as decorations for my sewing room.

2023 Capital Quilters Guild Quilt Show

 

About 2 years ago I began stitching tiny 2-1/2 inch blocks for a quilt called the Circa 1880 Nine Patch.  I knew it would be a long process to make a queen size quilt out of 2-1/2 inch blocks and I needed 716 of them!  I starched the fabrics I chose before cutting into it to help stabilize the 1 inch wide strips the blocks were made of.  Finished, the blocks measure 2 inches.

I've entered the finished quilt into 2 judged shows and it has won 4 ribbons, the last one being awarded last night.  The Capital Quilters Guild Show gave me a ribbon for Viewers Choice!  The quilt was chosen out of a possible 130 quilts.

8 mini pincushions

I found a book called Pin Pals by Carrie Nelson and had to have it!  

It has patterns for 40 mini pincushions and they are adorable!  I thought I would share my progress as I make 8 as decorations for my sewing room.

        

I decided to use Civil War theme fabrics on the first one. It went together quickly and I'm happy with it!

The second one took 4 hours to sew all the tiny half square triangles.  Each was 1-1/4 inch!  

Filling for all the pincushions is crushed walnut shells.  TIP:  Buy walnut lizard or bird litter at the pet store instead of the walnut shells sold at fabric stores.  It's much cheaper that way!  This 5 lb. bag was only $8.00!  

Award-winning quilt!

 I entered a quilt in the Raleigh, North Carolina quilt show held by Capital Quilters Guild. It was held on Friday, and I was pleased to see a special ribbon on the quilt when I visited the quilt show. The ribbon was an award of merit for outstanding achievement in quiltmaking. It was given by the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges. This quilt took well over 100 hours to make over 14 months. It has 7934 pieces and 716 two-inch blocks. 

2 of my customers are so sweet!  They sent a photo of themselves in front of the quilt.  

Starting a new QOV

I bought a new pattern for a QOV top that I couldn't resist.  It uses one charm pack and yardage.    Here's a photo of the center of the quilt.  I'll add more photos to this post as I progress making the quilt top.

Update March 11:  All I have left are 5 borders and the top is finished.

Quilt for Sammy

 My grandson turned 2 months old yesterday!  He is a little brother to 3 yr old Joshua.  I made this quilt for Sammy and now that the binding is finished I can give it to him.

Promenade by Moda Fabrics

 I'm starting a new project, a small wall hanging for my sewing room.  The fabric collection I chose is called Promenade by 3 Sisters for Moda Fabrics.  The pattern I'm using uses recipe cards, something I've never tried before.  Here's a photo of the fabric, isn't it luscious?

The recipe cards are paper piecing.  I'll put 2 charm squares together, place a recipe card on top and sew on lines printed on the cards. Each card will help you create pieces to combine into the blocks shown on the cover.   It's simple really.  I'll add more photos to this post as I begin sewing.

 Update: Jan. 21:  I've stitched some of the star blocks together.

Update: Jan. 26:  Star blocks are finished!  Now onto the other blocks.

 Update: Feb 5th: Assembly has begun.  I'm still deciding on the arrangement for the blocks in the outer border, but the center of the quilt is finished!

Update: April 26th:  I've finished and hung my wallhanging!  It was fun making this quilt, I'm very happy it's hanging in my sewing room.

Superbloom tote travel bag

I bought a new sewing machine!  I found a great deal on an Elna 780+ at my local dealer.  Wow, does this have all the dream features a quilter would ever need!  I especially like the retractable LED light you can pull out over the needle.  It makes sewing in the evening such a pleasure!

 I bought the fabric for this tote last summer and am now starting the pattern.  It's a labor intensive pattern I've discovered.  Lots of prep on the pattern pieces before the sewing begins.  Ironing stabilizer onto some of the pattern pieces and assembling the zippers. 

Assembling the outside pockets is definitely for the more experienced person, it's not a pattern for beginners.

The pattern is challenging, especially the part where you sew on the handles.  But here's what I've got done so far!  I'm going to tackle this tote bag!

Update Tues. Jan 3rd:  The lining is finished.  All that I need to do is sew the lining to the main bag!

Update Wed. Jan 4th:  Finished!  I love this bag and I recommend the pattern.  It's called the Superbloom Travel Bag by SewSweetness.