Questions...

Safety pins removed...

Finishing up a quilt from this awesome Martingale book. Can you guess what's coming?

Which came first?

I made this block for absolutely no reason. What to do with it now?

Anyone need some Black-Eyed-Susans? (Note: the haze is not an artistic photographic technique - it's our air!)
Have a great week!!

Read More

Sew Picture Perfect

If you love beautiful pictures of quilts and all things sewing... head on over to Sew Picture Perfect, a new blog dedicated to sewing related photography.

Read More

New Wave Weekends

My New Wave quilt is done! It uses several pieces from the Weekends line. I just love how Summery it looks!

You can download the pattern from Oh, Fransson here.

I love this bicycle fabric!

It's quilted using a design from "Absolutely Fabulous Echoed Blossoms and Blooms". So easy and I love how it looks. (Sorry, I'm loving too many things in this post)

It may be hot outside, but things in the sewing room are just Hunky Dory.

Have a great week!

Read More

Joseph's Coat

This is my latest applique project. You may be thinking the same thing that my friend Milly said at quilt guild this week when I showed it -"Shoot me!". I may be crazy, but I'm really enjoying a little different method of applique. This uses a Floriani wash away stabilizer instead of my traditional freezer paper. The edges are glued under instead of needle turned. It's very relaxing applique once all the prep work is done and I'm really enjoying that!

If you feel a bit crazy, too - you can get the first 4 steps for making this quilt here: Don't Look Now - Joseph's Coat quilt along.

A couple of readers have made a block from my tutorial on the last post. This is Anne's from Batiks by the Bay. Anne's back in Australia and quilting her little heart out. It's called a cushion in Australia.

Shannon from Pieceful Kwilter also made a beautiful, modern-looking block. The block is awesome. I think she's making a whole quilt out of that one!

In other news Rossville Quilts has kitted up my table runner from the Moda Bake Shop. For $20.50 you can get the whole thing including backing.

I'll be at Jackman's this weekend doing a book signing of my newest book "Flowers All Around". Illinois on Sat. and St. Louis on Sun. Hope to see some of you there! They're having a big sale, too!!

Read More

Winner and the block

The winner of the book chosen at random is - Duff who commented on June 29th at 3:48. Congratulations!

Everyone liked the red and white block so much - I thought I'd share the directions for making the block. My original was a 15" finished square which would be great for a pillow. I'm also including a 12" finished block which is probably a better size for a quilt.

Cutting: (measurements in ( ) are for 15" finished block)

RED:

A - 1 square 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" (3" x 3")

E - 4 squares 2" x 2" (2 3/8" x 2 3/8")

F - 4 rectangles 2" x 3 1/2" (2 3/8" x 4 1/4")

I - 2 rectangles 2" x 9 1/2" (2 3/8" x 11 3/4")

J - 2 rectangles 2" x 12 1/2" (2 3/8" x 15 1/2")

WHITE:

B - 2 rectangles 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" (1 3/4" x 3")

C - 2 rectangles 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" (1 3/4" x 5 1/2")

D - 4 rectangles 1 1/2" x 2" (1 3/4" x 2 3/8")

G - 2 rectangles 1 1/2" x 7 1/2" (1 3/4" x 9 1/4")

H - 2 rectangles 1 1/2" x 9 1/2" (1 3/4" x 11 3/4")

You'll sew the pieces in alphabetical order! Piece A is in the center. Sew the B's to opposite sides and repeat with the C's. You can press the seams any way since none of the seams meet. I pressed toward the dark.

Next, sew piece D between 2 E's (make 2). Repeat with piece D between 2 F's. Sew these units to opposite sides of the block center.

In the same manner sew pieces G, then H to the block.

Now you know how to finish - sew the I and J pieces to the block.

Ta da! Easy, right? This block needs a name other than "the block". Any ideas? If you make it into anything - a pillow, a quilt, a table runner... send me a picture or link to your blog if you post it... cindy@hyacinthquiltdesigns.com

Read More

My Wild Child

I never had wild child, thank goodness. I finished 3 quilt tops this week and this is one of them. Called "Wild Child Argyle". You'll get the name when you see the whole thing.

This little wall hanging is called "Coming Up Daisies" from BHG American Patchwork and Quilting August 2005. The fabric is Wild Flowers by Heather Mulder Peterson.

Here's the original pattern. I made a few changes -First figuring the rotary cutting measurements for all the pieces. I added quarter-square triangles in the inner border to finish out the design, chose a slightly different applique flower and eliminated the applique on the border by using the printed fabric.

Last month I won a $50 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop and bought Weekends by Erin McMorris. I love this line, especially the bicycle print. They also have the fabric line at Jackman's. I'll be there tomorrow, buying a backing for this! The pattern is The New Wave Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman.

Do you think I better do some quilting next week??

Come back on Tuesday for the book drawing! I'll also be posting the directions for the red and white block. Have a happy holiday!!

Read More

The Pillow Story and a give away

Be sure to read to the bottom of this post!

It started with this magazine. I love the pillows, I love the colors. I even saw these pillows inspired by the magazine and loved them.

I made this, similar to the yellow and white. I really like it and think maybe it could be a block for a quilt. What do you think?

I loved the magazine pillow with the off set flower - almost falling off the edge. That was the inspiration for this pillow.

I remembered a book that I've had on my shelf and this pattern was book marked. It made the perfect block for my pillow.

It comes from this fabulous book - Skinny Quilts and Table runners II
I used one block from this awesome table runner design.

I love this design, too!
In fact the book is filled with patterns for 15 table runners, all beautiful and unique. The designs range from traditional to artsy and everything in between. Make a table runner or adapt any of the patterns for your own home dec project like I did. The instructions and photos are wonderful as you would expect from Martingale.

So I thought I'd ask the nice people at Martingale if they would donate this book so I could use it as a give away. They not only said "yes" but promised to donate some books in the future (I told you they were nice!).

So, you read blogs. You know how to get a chance to win. Simply leave a comment and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday, July 6th!

Read More