...the early bird...

...I didn't mean to be so early with my July blocks...

(and Julie has hers done already?!?!??)

it's just that July

is 

such a busy month

It's summer in Cali

Summer International Quilt Festival

and all that

BUT

 so many of you were kind enough to help me select a color scheme

so many of you were so fond of this color scheme

so I thot I'd share

(after all, I did cut all of the strips for twelve peeps)

You're just going to have to visit again some time in August

to see the finished quilt

Thanks to Denyse Schmidt's quilt for inspiration

and thanks to all of you for your input

it's nice to know I can rely on you

all of you

natalie.

July is Natalie's Month

I'm just so excited it's my month!!

I will keep the tealturqgreygreen for another day - after all, it's all cut and ready to sew!!

Thanks to Julie, once again, for this inspiration.

Or Tallgrass Prairie Studio.

Or quiltville.com

Or Quilt-it

There are a lot of different techniques out there - this one is foundation pieced, flip and sew.

Your toolbox - rotary cutter/mat, square ruler, basic grey thread & loaded bobbins, scissors, straight pins, iron 

 oh, and patience.

In your package - special beyond the reef foundation paper, strips and extra fabric - I hope enough fabric...

I suppose the key to the accurate points is placement of the first grey piece - centered on the foundation paper.

So, step one, center grey on center of paper and secure (I sunk a straight pin in the grey)

Trim your strips to a length that covers the paper, starting a pile of smaller pieces to use on the points.

With scant 1/4" seam, sew first strip to grey, right sides together.  

That's it, I think, for accuracy.  That, and getting that first fabric all nice and centered.

At this point, I am a chain stitchin' kinda girl.

It's right sides together, check strip length and trim, sew.

strip, trim, sew...strip, trim, sew.

My favorite part of a project.

the fabric, the machine, the tools

the peaceful rhythm

See, I forgot a step - finger press, or for me, I use a wooden ceramics tool

to flip those strips over and get them nice and flat, ready for the next strip.

Repeat peaceful sewing of strips until paper foundation is covered.

Trim block to paper - I used a large square ruler to be sure things were - ahem - square.

Leaving foundation paper intact, sew two 'half square triangles' together.

I used those pins to line up the points - you all have your own technique. 

And that's why you're making these blocks, not me!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Miscellaneous

Make one, make two, either way I'm a happy girl.

Siggy block...how about a 4-6" 'Stella's Punch Drunk Love"?

Add fabric? Denyse Schmidt, just a strip or two to personalize it, if you like.

Embellishments, stitching, stuff?  No thanks - next time.

Finally, if there are strips left, please make an Ami Simms Priority Quilt for auction.

If you don't have time for this part, just return unused/unwanted fabric with the block; thanks.

NEXT

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Summer International Quilt Festival

July 23-25

Hey, wait a minute...

that's right around the corner!!!

Girlfriends...the tool for getting your points to match!!

I can't get my points to match.

And since next month - July - is my month

I thought you could help?

(sorry folks, this post is all about me)

I would never ever in a million years make these blocks for myself.

But I fell in love with Julie's new spider-whatcha-call-it quilt.

And being a part of a bee means that one month a year, you get someone

to sew with on the project of your choice.

Actually 11 other someones.

I love Denyse Schmidt fabrics.

And thanks to Audrie I have a collection of the new Denyse Schmidt fabrics

Grey is my new black.

Grey/aqua/teal/acidgreen is my favorite.

I'd love to have 12-1/2" blocks, but I think I would like to have you practice

my sharp piecing

on some specialty product I am developing.

(shhh, it's a secret...)

Which means 7-1/2" blocks for now.

Now, all I have to do is decide between teal, grey, green

and

Denyse Schmidt

Whaddya say?  Please weigh in...the fabric'll be sitting in your in box, so I figure you should have a say.

Truly, the key to sharp piecing and getting your points to match?

GIRLFRIENDS

natalie.

To Julie with love...

These are not my colors.

This is not my fabric.

It's hard to work with OPF sometimes.

I know, you've heard me say, it's such a treat to work with OPF.

But.

Now you all know I love Julie.

She's one of my peeps.  She is a great help in the booth at beyond the reef.

She is a fabulous quilter, designer, she has a great 'style' of her own too.

So.

I just gotta go with this project - in I go...

I cut the fabric - well most of it.

I start sewing.

I have to cut more fabric.

.....daaaang.....

These blocks are looking pretty great!

(the colors, you guys - not the blocks, well, the blocks are coming along too)

But, daang, Julie!!!

These are coming together!!!

So I decide to keep sewing.

Then I think - wait.

"Punch Drunk Love"

Hmmmmm.

Now I'm not sayin' anything here - not promoting the use of any distraction while using heavy machinery...

But I just couldn't stop sewing!!!

I did a partial punchdrunklovewithpiecedcenterblock

just because at this point

I'm lovin' this project - I'm lovin' the tulapink fabrics

I'm thinking,

Yep.

this Julie knows her stuff!!

Thanks for letting me out of my box.

Out of my comfort zone.

Again.

Natalie.