The Class Quilt - A Little More Progress

Remember the class quilt I told you about?  I'm helping my daughter's second grade class sew a quilt for the upcoming auction.  We're using Moda's Double Chocolat fabric.  I'm in love with the colors!  Apparently, the kids' teacher feels the same way about the pretty fabric.  She told me that she's been having nightmares about someone else finishing up the quilt and using horrid fabrics that don't go with our pretty Double Chocolat.


The kids finished sewing their stars during our first sewing session.

This week we started work on the sashing, sewing all of the stars together.  I had help this week.  Yes, I called in the reinforcements.  Thanks for coming to help the kids sew, Jenny!  As the kids were sewing, we kept giggling to ourselves. (giggles with a slight bit of a panic) You see, when kids take over the sewing, perfection is not the name of the game.  There were blocks that finished up at a half of an inch larger than other blocks.  We did a lot of scooching as we tried to line the blocks up. In the end, they'll never notice the small imperfections.  They'll just have good memories of sewing their friendship quilt.

One more sewing day and I'll be able to show you the finished quilt.  I can't wait to take pictures of the kids cuddling in the finished quilt!

Happy quilting!

Vintage Rectangle Quilt

In my opinion, there are several different types of quilters.  There are people who like to find a pattern, pick their fabric, and then follow the instructions.  Some people like to fly by the seat of their pants and buy pretty fabric and then just start sewing.  There are also quilters with an eye for design.  They find beautiful fabrics, get inspired, and draft out their own pattern.  I tend to be a follow-the-instructions type of quilter.  Flying by the seat of my pants is just way too uncomfortable for me.  I've tried it, and I just don't like it.  I tend to freeze and then my quilting project ends up looking really pathetic.

I've always admired people who can design their own patterns, figuring the yardage they need, keeping seam allowance in mind, and always creating with an artists' eye.  Over the past few months, I've been trying my hand at designing quilt patterns.  Although I don't think I will EVER have an artists' eye, I've certainly been having a lot of fun creating.  I've been buying fabric, or using fabric I already own, and then designing from there.

Last week I showed this quilt top to you.

I had purchased this Honeybun from the Moda line and really didn't know how I wanted to use it.

It sat on my shelf for a really long time, because as much as I loved the fabric, I just didn't know what I wanted to do and I didn't want to waste it or start something and make a mistake.  Well, I finally got inspired.  I found a Jellyroll pattern that I liked.  I knew it would be slightly different, by using a Honeybun, so I needed to plan it out. (Remember, a Honeybun is a smaller version of a Jellyroll.)

Here's the picture I created to help me wrap my head around the way I wanted it to turn out.


To make this quilt, you need one Honeybun and 1 5/8 of a yard of light fabric.

I started by sewing the Honeybun strips together, in pairs.
Then, I cut the strips into 2 1/2 inch blocks.
By sewing the 2 1/2 inch block to another 2 1/2 inch block, I got the little "block of four".
Finally, it was time to sew the blocks to white rectangles (2 x 4 1/2 inch rectangles).
It always makes me happy to sew the strips together because the quilt finishes up so quickly. A little 2 1/2 inch border on the edge and the quilt top was complete.

It looks like a lot of work, but because I used the strip piecing method, it actually came together very quickly.

Happy quilting!

The Class Quilt

Most of you know I'm a teacher and most of you know I work in a job-share.  I feel so lucky to be able to have a great career and also have one extra day off each week.
(So thankful for great teaching partners too!)

Today I spent the day in my daughter's second grade classroom.  I taught second grade for many years, before moving to kindergarten, and I really do miss the independence and confidence that second graders bring to the classroom.  Well, it's auction time at my kids' school and I'm helping out with our class auction project.  We're making a Friendship Quilt, with Moda's Double Chocolate fabric line.  Oh, how I love those colors!


I pulled out a few of my favorite fabrics from the bundle and precut the squares that we needed for the project.

After a quick introduction in the classroom, I started pulling kids out to the hallway to start sewing with me.  They LOVED sewing!  I've gotten pretty good at sewing sideways.  I let the kids sit right in front of the machine and they really do the sewing.  I just make sure to sit right next to them, looking sideways at the machine, and help guide them when they need support.  No one will  be sewing their fingers into the quilt on my watch!!!

Once we had the triangles pieced, the kids started arranging the squares into the Friendship Star.  

It always amazes me the way some kids just "see" how shapes fit together and others really have to work at it.  I'm one of those that really needs to work at it, so I think I'm a bit envious of those people who can quickly make beautiful arrangements with shapes.  I love the conversations the kids have as they are arranging their shapes too.  Working with these little guys just makes me happy!

Once they figured out how to arrange their pieces, we were ready to sew the small blocks into a larger block.

I'm kind of in love with the colors in this quilt!

Some kids talked about how their moms or grandmas sew, and others had never even seen a real sewing machine before.  Some kids talked about the old fashioned foot pedal machines that they had seen in cartoons, and others talked about family members who own multiple machines.  Regardless of kids' experience sewing, they all had a great time!  There were happy giggles, lots of questions about how the machine works, and lots of kids who were eager to convince their parents to let them sew at home.  One little boy even said, "I'm totally going to ask for one of these for Christmas!"  How cute is that?

Twelve little Friendship blocks are ready to be sewn together.  I'll be spending my next day off finishing the blocks with kids who were absent, and working with kids to sew the blocks together.

The quilt will be auctioned off at the school auction, in March.  I can't wait to hear which lucky child will get to take home a quilt made by all of his or her friends!  I think it's turning out pretty enough that the parents will be excited to have this in their home too!

Happy quilting!

A Quilting Kind of Weekend

I've spent quite a bit of time in my sewing room over the past few weekends.  Two new quilts tops are products of the quality time with my sewing machine.

This one is made from a Moda Honeybun.  (A Honeybun is like a Jellyroll, with strips that are a bit thinner.)  I love the vintage looking fabrics.  I've been inspired by some fun new quilting books and really wanted to add lots of white to these fabrics.



The Salt Air Jelly Roll (also from Moda) has been sitting in my sewing room since Summer.  I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it, so I did nothing.

A few weeks ago I decided to use the Jellyroll in my favorite "go-to" quilt pattern.  I love colorwash quilts, and I'm loving the way this one turned out.

Happy quilting!