Outlined Plus Blocks - One Monthly Goal February 2016

I completed my February One Monthly Goal of piecing 9 Outlined Plus blocks, but I am glad to get an extra day due to leap year to show them to you.

Outlined Plus blocks

If you have not seen the Outlined Plus pattern by Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs, look at her adorable mini made from Cotton + Steel fabrics.

I am also using all Cotton + Steel fabrics for my blocks.  The backgrounds of all my blocks are from a Cotton + Steel Stash Box which I showed previously in Sunday Stash #4 plus a few others added in for good measure.  I am outlining all my plus signs with a dark navy, Ghost Saltines, from the Cookie Book collection by Kimberly Kight.  The plus signs are 3 different limes/greens.  Two of the prints are from the Mochi collection by Rashida Coleman-Hale in lime, Mochi and Dottie's Cousin.  The other is from the Basics, Dottie in Goldilocks.

I have not yet decided how many more blocks to make.  My design wall was occupied, so here are the 9 completed blocks on the floor.

Nine Outline blocks completed

You can see more of the detail here.

Outlined Plus blocks from Cotton + Steel fabrics

And here, where the plus sign was fussy cut from Mochi in lime.

Outlined Plus block with fussy cut plus sign from Mochi

And one final picture with the blocks clothespinned to a line hanging on the barn.  And you would be right if you count only 8 blocks instead of 9 here.  Somehow I left one behind when I took the picture.

Outlined Plus blocks hanging on the line

I am very happy to have met my One Monthly Goal for February 2016. Head on over to see the other goals met at Red Letter Quilts.  Thanks Heidi for a great link party.

Linking up also with Beth at Cooking up Quilts for Main Crush Monday, Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social and Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

Friendship Star Wreath Mini Quilt and WIN!

When you mention CHALLENGE I get distracted from my current project, much like a dog chasing a squirrel. Just like Izzy at Dizzy Quilts and Cindy at Hyacinth Quilt Designs have mentioned before.

Earlier this month, I shared with you my Five Times Five mini quilt made in celebration of the Electric Quilt Company turning 25 in 2016.  All year long there will be challenges and giveaways, so be sure to follow along on their anniversary page here.

The Fat Quarter Shop helped them celebrate this month by issuing a challenge to make a big block mini quilt and sharing it on Instagram using the hashtags FQSbigblockchallenge and EQ25.  Here is my friendship star wreath mini quilt made using this tutorial. I was fond of Camille Roskelley's pattern Round and Round when it was published a couple of years ago.

Wreath of True Colors by Paige Alexander

I had a charm pack of True Colors by Tula Pink and wanted to use the beautiful colors in my big block.

True Colors by Tula Pink charm pack

I used the Alternative Method for making half square triangles by Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts.  I was nervous with all the edges finishing on the bias so I gave them a good spray of Magic Sizing before sewing and cutting.  I decided to press the seams open.  With this method it almost eliminates fraying and the risk of the colored threads shadowing behind the lighter fabric.

My only dilemma was which way to press the seams when sewing it all together.  I decided to press the seams of the blocks in the same direction alternating from row to row and then pressed all the seams down when sewing the rows together.  It is bulky in some places and will consider pressing all of the seams open next time.  For those of you who have made this block, which way did you press the seams of the half square triangles and rows?

For quilting, I decided to crosshatch going through the centers of each friendship star marking the lines with a hera marker.  The lines ended up being 7/8" apart and I extended the lines across the quilt.

Crosshatch quilting detail of Wreath of True Colors by Paige Alexander

Here it is the before blocking and applying the binding.  I dunked it in the washer (top loader) with warm water, ran the spin cycle and put in the dryer for about 5 minutes before blocking.

Wreath of True Colors just out of the washer and the dryer a few minutes

Good eye if you noticed the slight difference in the background fabric of the half square triangles and the solid squares.  When starting out, I planed to use Cotton Couture in Bright White for the background, but accidentally grabbed Soft White instead.  All of the background fabric is Soft White, but there must be from a difference in the dye lots.  I will be sure to use from a continuous cut of fabric from here out.  It is not noticeable when hanging up.

Slight variation in background fabrics noticeable in the HSTs

One more picture of the quilting detail.

Wreath of True Colors stars and quilting

I made the double fold bias binding from 2" strips of Wisteria Daisy Buds and used Aurifil 2479 Medium Orchid to hand sew it down on the back.  I just love the way a bias binding feels when you sew it down by hand.

Bias binding and Aurifil thread

One more picture of the bias binding with a mitered corner.

And, I was very excited to find out my big block mini was chosen and I won a copy of EQ7 software! Thank you Fat Quarter Shop and Electric Quilt! 

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  24 1/2" x 24 1/2" (Finished block size 22 1/2" with 1" borders)
• HSTs:  unfinished 3" square, made from charm squares
• Binding: 1/4" bias binding from 2" strips sewn down by hand    
• Fabrics: True Colors by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics and Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Soft White
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Thread: Aurifil 2024 White for piecing and quilting, 2479 Medium Orchid for sewing down binding

Instagram - If you woulld like to follow along on Instagram, you can find me at @QuiltedBlooms.


I am happy to link up to Finish Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Lisa in Port Hope hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whoop, There It Is! and Show Off Saturday.

And I am linking for the first time to Afton @ Quilting Mod for Lessons Learned!  I've learned my lesson about using fabric from the same dye lot!

Quilted Name Tag

A name tag competition was announced at the January meeting of the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild.  I record the attendance at the meetings and was glad to see this suggested.  I can remember a face, but can not always put a name with the face.

I tossed around the idea of using hexagons in my design like Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal recently did in hers, but I could not settle on a layout.

I knew wanted to have the color green in my name tag.  After all we are the Green-ville MQG.  I decided to use Green Shards from the Carkai collection by Carolyn Friedlander and Cotton Couture in Avacado.

Leaf name tag completed

I drew out leaf design and at first thought I would paper piece the leaf with veins.  I ended up piecing the leaf so the seams could be pressed toward the veins and I would be able to stitch in the ditch along the veins.

Leaf name tag in process

After I pieced the leaf, I layered it like a quilt using thin batting and quilted in the ditch beside the veins mirroring the quilting in the solid.  Knowing I could not freehand print my name, I printed it using Century Gothic font and used it as a guide.  I placed it over the fabric and punched through the paper at the start and stop of each letter using a pencil.

I embroidered my name using the only navy I had, a candlewick yarn. And we will not discuss how long that has been around.

Name tag after embroidering

I finished the edge with a single fold binding and fused the backing and a safety pin on with Heat N Bond Lite.

Backing fused onto name tag

And I am happy to say, I won the name tag competition.  You can see the other name tags on the Greenville MQG website here.

Linking up to Finish Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Sunlight in Winter Quilts hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whoop, There It Is! and Show Off Saturday.

Block #7 - Square in a Square

I am participating in the Everything Old Is New Again block and quilt challenge sponsored by Modern Quilts Unlimited magazine and Michael Miller Fabrics which started back in July 2015.

Each month, on the 15th,  a traditional block is announced and the challenge is to interpret the block in a modern way by making a 12 1/2" square block made from only Michael Miller fabrics.  The blocks are uploaded each month by the 10th and voting is open from the 11th through the 14th.  (In order to vote you will need a Facebook account.)

We are 7 months into the challenge and this month's block is Square-in-a-Square.  I am calling mine Minimal Square. For my blocks I am using only Michael Miller Cotton Couture.  My block backgrounds are all made using Cotton Couture in Pluto.  I am also using Azure in each block and adding in Apple, Lava and/or Magenta from time to time.

Minimal Square block by Paige Alexander

Here are my previous 6 blocks.  My interpretations of the traditional blocks are from left to right:

• Flying Geese - Flying into the Sun
• Snail's Trail - Trail Blazers
• Ohio Star - Ohio on Point
• Card Trick - Simple Transparency Trick
• Bow Tie - Bow Tie Bold
• Double Pinwheel - Curvy Pinwheel

There will be a quilt challenge once we have completed all 12 blocks which I mentioned in my 2016 quilting goals. You can read all the Everything Old Is New Again block and quilt challenge rules here.

Linking up to Finish Up Friday, Let's Bee Social, Needle & Thread Thursday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, and Whoop, There It Is!

February One Monthly Goal

Before I share my One Monthly Goal for February, let me share with you what arrived yesterday.

I am so excited I won January's One Monthly Goal and inaugural link party drawing hosted by Heidi @ Red Letter Quilts when I linked up a baby quilt, Sundae Plus, which I barely finished!

Heidi generously sent me this beautiful Valentine's Fabric Roll containing 10 strips, 5" wide, of various pinks, corals, reds.  She has a similar roll of 20 strips, 3 1/2" wide in her etsy shop.

Valentine's fabric roll received from Heidi at Red Letter Quilts

I just love how it looks all rolled up.

Cut end of  Valentine's fabric roll received from Heidi at Red Letter Quilts

Here you can see more of the fabrics.

Valentine's fabric roll received from Heidi at Red Letter Quilts

And look what else Heidi included along with her sweet note, a cute wrist lanyard and a pink measuring tape.

Measuring tape, lanyard and two of the fabric strips received from Red Letter Fabrics

Now, about February's One Monthly Goal...my goal is to finish at least 9 Outlined Plus blocks by February 17th.  That is the deadline to have your Outlined Plus blocks completed in order to be eligible for the great prizes being offered by Cindy @ Hyacinth Quilt Designs and Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs.

Outlined Plus block made from Cotton + Steel Fabrics

Outlined Plus is the lasted quilt pattern by Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.  It is not too late for you to purchase a copy of Outlined Plus from her etsy shop and get piecing.  You can read the most current update about the QAL on Cindy's blog.

Hop on over to Red Letter Quilts to see what everyone else has planned for February.  Thanks to Heidi for hosting One Monthly Goal.

And linking to Sunday Stash #164 and Main Crush Monday since I am crushing on my new Valentine's fabric.

Five Times Five Mini Quilt

We all know 5 x 5 = 25.  And that is the number of years The Electric Quilt Company has been around with Electric Quilt, the leading quilt design software.  I had no idea!  They are having a year long celebration which you can read about here on their blog.

To help kick off  the celebration, Michael Miller Fabrics issued a challenge to create a mini quilt using only Michael Miller fabrics and it must not be larger than 20" x 20".  That seemed doable.  So here is my mini quilt, Five Times Five, measuring 15" x 15".

Five Times Five by Paige Alexander

I only used two fabrics, Quarter Dot and Cotton Couture in black.  I purchased the Pearlized Quarter Dot in black and silver, part of the Glitz collection, when I was working on a quilt for the Modern Quilt Guild's Michael Miller Fabric Challenge.  Here is the half yard cut of fabric with the square cut out for Five Times Time. (And notice how the selvage information lined up perfectly where I cut out the square.)

Quarter Dot where I cut out a block for Five Times Five

The dots were printed at 45 degree angle to selvage so when I cut out the block it was on the bias. The dots did not align perfectly, probably due to me prewashing the fabric, but it was close.  I simply added borders of the cotton couture.  The quilting design worked out fairly well.  I decided to use my walking foot and quilt in a crosshatch grid between the dots.  And when I did that, the quilting lines were exactly an inch apart.  It is hard to photograph black, but here I hope you can see the quilting.

Crosshatch quilting of Five Times Five by Paige Alexander

I thought my idea of the 25 silver quarter dots representing the 25th anniversary of EQ was clever, but my quilt was not chosen as a winner.  I want to congratulate those that won!  You can see the winning quilts on the Michael Miller blog with a link to the winners' Instagram feeds.

Congratulations EQ on 25 years and thank you Michael Miller Fabrics for sponsoring the challenge.

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  15 1/4" x 15 1/4" 
• Binding: 1/4" straight grain sewn down by hand    
• Fabrics: Michael Miller Quarter Dot, Cotton Couture in black, Confetti Border for backing
• Batting: Hobbs 80/20 in black
• Thread: Aurifil 2692 for piecing and quilting

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Devoted Quilter hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whomp! There IT Is and Show Off Saturday.

Throwback Thursday #3: Game Day Baby Quilt

To honor the Clemson University Tigers who almost brought home the NCAA National Championship, I would like to show you a quilt I made in 2013, Game Day.

Game Day by Paige Alexander made from Rookie Quarterback pattern

Game Day was made for guild challenge where the only rule was to make any quilt using Kaffe Fassett's Paperweight fabric in Pastel.  Although the the background is gray, from a distance, it appears almost lavender.

With the challenge deadline approaching, I ran across a pattern, Rookie Quarterback, and thought it would be fairly quick to make and great for a girly football quilt.  I modified the size since I had exactly 1 yard and 1 fat quarter of the challenge fabric

To give the quilt a little more Clemson spirit, I added a tiger paw in the upper left hand corner using zigzag satin stitch applique by machine.

Appliqued tiger paw added to upper stripe

And added 'Go Tigers !' to the lower right hand corner.  I used the font MV Boli and changed the size to 210 points.

I actually finished this quilt on August 31, 2013.  It was a home game in Death Valley and the Tigers beat the Georgia Bulldogs 38-35.  I even made the quilt label in the shape of a football to commemorate the win and appliqued orange stripes to the football.  The label was designed in MS Word and printed on Printed Treasures with purple ink.

Football quilt label for Game Day

I used an all over stipple pattern for quilting in the paperweight fabric and something to resemble stitching in the stripes and lacing.

Quilting detail on Game Day

I was in Clemson earlier this week and took a couple of pictures on campus at Memorial Stadium under gray skies with misting rain.

Game Day at Frank Howard Field

Here is the Tiger mascot holding Game Day.

Tiger Mascot statute just outside Memorial Stadium

And no trip to Clemson would be complete without viewing Howard's Rock.

Howard's Rock displayed in Death Valley at Clemson University

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size: 35" x 45"
• Pattern: Rookie Quarterback by Robinson Pattern Company
• Pattern modifications: reduced in size and added machine applique 
• Fabrics: Kaffe Fassett Paperweight in Pastel, Kona in white and a purple, and an unknown orange print with dots
• Batting: Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Binding: Bias and hand sewn down 
• Thread: Aurifil for piecing and quilting, Mettler for applique
• Completed: Sept. 2013

Linking up with Jenn at A Quarter Inch From the Edge for Throwback Thursday.  Be sure to stop by to see the other fabulous quilts from the past! She has the schedule for 2016 posted here.