Finishing up my New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt

What is the last thing you need to do to finish your New Hexagon Millefiore quilt?  The edge of course.  I decided I would use facing to finish my irregular edge.

 Here is a great video from Marci Baker that I have used before for this type of finish.

I had basted the edges while I was quilting, so I used scissors to cut the excess batting and backing away.

I then stitched a scant quarter inch from the edge with a thread that I could easily see on the back of the quilt.

I cut my facing fabric 1 1/4" deeper than the irregular edge.  I would recommend cutting a little bit bigger, as this was a difficult size to work with when working the corners.  I ironed the edge that wasn't going to be sewn under 1/4".  I pinned the facing even with the outermost edge of the quilt.

From the back of the quilt I stitched just inside my previously stitched lines.  This is the reason I needed to use thread I could see.

This is what the facing looks like on the front of the quilt.

I trimmed away the excess facing, trimmed the outer corners and snipped close to the stitching on the inner corners.

The facing was turned to the back and then ironed into place.  The last step was to hand stitch the facing to the back of the quilt.  I'm not showing the mitred corners, as I'm not terrible pleased with them.  Watch Marci's video in the link above and cut your facing a little bigger than I did.  One added note, the facing on the top and bottom will be a different size than the sides of the quilt, as the offset is different.  Measure the offset, add the amount you would like to have to work with the back, and cut your facing.  It is a little fiddly to make, but a lot easier than adding a binding and having to turn multiple corners at a sixty degree angle.

I was in Valemount last weekend teaching my Lone Star class.  Two of the women finished their tops before I left.

The black top was cut from 2 1/2" strips and the bottom quilt was cut from 4" strips.  Both are stunning!

Linking up with Finish it up Friday!

Rosette # 10 The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt Along

It's October, so it must be time for Rosette # 10.  I went searching through my pictures and I realized I hadn't taken a picture of the Rosette before it was pieced into the quilt.  Therefore, today I am sharing pictures of the rosette in the process of being quilted.

One half of the rosette is made from assorted Halloween Cotton + Steel.  I just love the ghost dresses.

The second part of the rosette has the apple fabric.  As soon as this post is done, I'm going to finish quilting this one.

I love to play with fabric with texture lines, so this is what the lions look like.

The pandas are a little more sedate with a simple outline.

A special friend that likes orange has a birthday tomorrow so I made her a little pincushion/binder clip holder.

Last post someone who is a no reply blogger asked why I filled the pincushion with walnut shells, and where you get them.  Walnut shells add a nice weight, and they won't dull your pins is the why.  The where has a few answers.  Some quilt stores carry them, but my local store didn't have any in.  A gun shop carries them for cleaning brass shells, but I found them a little expensive.  My local "Princess Auto" carries them in a very large bag for sand blasting.  So the my option was Kitty Litter made from Walnut shells.  I bought a brand called naturally fresh from Bosleys.

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday!

Pincushion/Binder Clip Holder

I have seen so many cute little pincushions on blogs lately.  I wanted to whip one up, but I wanted it to do a little more.  English Paper Piecing has been my hand work lately.  I use binder clips to help hold the pieces together, so I wanted something to help me keep track of the clips.

I started with seven 1 1/4" strips of assorted "Hi-De-Ho" fabric by Me and My Sister Designs for Moda.

They were sewn together with seams allowances pressed alternating for each strip.

The strips were sewn together into a tube, bargello style.

Five 1 1/4" slices were cut.

Opening a seam as desired, I arranged the strips into a fun design.

The slices were sewn together, and then a flange was added.  I cut a 2 1/2" piece of fabric and ironed it in half.  The raw edge was basted onto the piece work with a scant 1/4".

A 1 1/2" border was added.  the seam was pressed so that the flange would lay on the outer border.

The process was repeated for the ends of the piece work.

I made a quilt sandwich and quilted a basic crosshatch, stitching on the inner edge of the flange to hold it in place.

A piece was cut for the back.  The back and the piecework were sewn together right sides facing, leaving 3" open for turning.  Corners were clipped and the pincushion was turned right side out.  I filled it with walnut shells and stitched the opening closed.  It is ready to sit beside me on the couch when I'm English Paper Piecing.

Linking up with Finish it up Friday.

Rosette 9 of The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt-Along

Where does the time go?  Rosette 9 has been done for a while, I just haven't had time to blog about it.

I love the horses from the latest Cotton + Steel line.  They just had to fit into my Millefiore.

On the quilting front, I did manage to finish up this lovely scrap quilt of Sylvia's.  She combined fabric from her stash with a little bit of newer fabric to come up with this beauty.

Spurred on by Sylvia's scrap quilt, I dug out my box of 2 1/2" scraps and my latest book purchase.  Hopefully I'll have some results soon.

A local group of ladies asked me to teach them my Lone Star class.  This was the results of their efforts.  They are all currently on retreat and plan on having the stars finished before coming home.

And just incase that isn't enough since last time I blogged, Doug and I squeezed another camping trip in.  This time we went to Radium Hot Springs.  I have driven through this area of B.C. several times, but this was my first time stopping.  Beautiful scenery topped off with a great soak in both Radium and Fairmount Hot Springs.

The local Mountain Sheep know they are quite safe wondering throughout the town.  This was taken out the window of the truck, without a zoom lens.  They might be a nuisance for locals, but a nice treat for tourists.

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Betty's Butterfly

You must stop by Katja's shop and check out Betty's Butterfly from the Tula Pink Pattern.  Awesome!!!!!!!!

The fabrics she used are incredible.  I must make this quilt.  Lol, let's put it on the to do list.

Betty let me do my thing.  I played in the background a lot, and in the butterfly just a little.  The fabrics were so beautiful I ended up quilting in the ditch a lot of the blocks.

I was out to Katja's today, and it is bound and waiting to put up on display.  Woohoooooo.

While I was there, I noticed that Christina Cameli's new book was in.  Her first book was good, this one is even better.  Of course it came home with me, along with a little "For You."

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Kaleidoscope Ruler Meets Zen Chic

Zen Chic "For You" is finally available in local quilt shops.  Yahoo.  I've made more than a few quilts from the fabric, and I love it all.  This quilt uses the Marti Michell Kaleidoscope ruler.  I've used the ruler many times and I still love the results.

The background fabric is from a roll of fat eights available at Katja's.  The quilting is a variation on the orange peel design, stretched a little to overlap.

The Zen Chic trunk show featuring "For You", "Paper" and "Ink" is currently at Katja's shop.  If you are in the area you must stop by and see it!  Amazing.  When it leaves on September 8, the trunk show will be traveling to Summerland and you can see it at Cherry Tree Quilts.

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday!

"So Change It"

Katja has her 16th Anniversary challenge quilts up in the store, ready for your vote.  Drop in if you get a chance and vote for your favourite.

Very creative quilters in Kamloops!  I'm not sure if I can pick a favourite.

The fabric that had to be included in the challenge was unique, to say the least.  Everyone put their own twist on the "so change it" challenge.