Saturday, December 31, 2016

2016 Finishes - Happy New Year!


It is always fun to pull together a collage of finishes as the year comes to a close.  This is most of them for 2016.  I'm missing some minis, the pillows and (of course) all the bags I made!

The top row are my big quilts - bed sized or couch sized.  Three were gifted and the other two live on a couch or rocking chair in my home.

I made at least ten wall hangings - all roughly 30'' square.  Most of these have found a home on the walls of my home.  (I haven't blogged about two of them yet - need to write them up!)

Then, there were the minis!  I so enjoy making and in many cases, gifting the minis.  I was working on matchstick quilting four new ones just last night.  No bindings yet so they will likely be 2017 finishes.

I've got some exciting things planned for the blog for 2017 and hope that you'll join me.

As this year closes and another looms in front of us, I wish you all the best -  health, happiness and time for quilting every day.

Happy New Year!!

(Looking for the December OMG Finish Linkup?  Visit this post.)


Have a wonderful day! Patty

Thursday, December 29, 2016

One Monthly Goal 2017 - Sponsor Announcement!!!

One Monthly Goal will be back for 2017 - with some awesome sponsors and new surprises!



The basics of One Monthly Goal for 2017 remain the same -


  • link up your quilting goal* at the beginning of the month
  • link up your finished goal at the end of the month
  • make sure your post has a link back to Elm Street Quilts and social tags are used with Instagram

You can read the specifics about linking up and the social tags on the main event page.

(* As long as your goal involves a needle and/or fabric, you can link up.  And your goal doesn't have to be 'finish a quilt'.  It could be 'get 15 blocks made.')


I am very excited to announce the amazing and generous sponsors who have lined up to support us each month. Each month, there will be two (2) randomly selected participants who will win prizes from the sponsors.

Fat Quarter Shop will sponsor every month with a gift certificate.  Bag Maker Supply, Green Fairy Quilts, Clothworks and Make Modern Magazine will each sponsor three (3) months.  And Aurifil will be one of the sponsors for the Grand Finale.

Surprise!  

We'll have a grand finale this year!  Essentially, the more you link up, the more chances you will earn for the grand finale drawing.  No extra goal setting required or goal finishing required. Participate every month, you'll earn 24 chances to win in the grand finale.  Set a goal in a month but not finish? No problem - you'll still earn a chance for trying.

Thanks to these amazing sponsors for their support!






Fat Quarter Shop 
sponsoring each month plus Grand Finale

Bagmaker Supply   
sponsoring January, February & March

Green Fairy Quilts  
sponsoring April, May & June

Clothworks
sponsoring July, August & September

Make Modern Magazine
sponsoring October, November & December

Aurifil   
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)
sponsoring Grand Finale



In addition to the chance to win a prize each month from those amazing sponsor, One Monthly Goal will also feature one designer each month.

Surprise!

Each of these amazing women were excited to sign up and support each of you in your goal setting.   The monthly goal setting post will highlight a designer and we'll learn a bit about them and their work.  Then, one (1) lucky randomly chosen participant will win a pattern from that designer.

I'm very excited to share the work from some of my favorite designers:

Juliet van der Heijden, Abby Glassenberg, Leah Day, Jeni Baker (top row)
Pam Cobb,  Lynn Rinehart, Cheryl Brickey, Melissa Corry (middle row)
Amber Johnson, Sam Hunter, Lorna McMahon, Alyce Blyth  (bottom row)







If you don't already follow their work on their blogs or Instagram, check out the links below.  You'll enjoy!

Juliet 
van der Heijden of The Tartankiwi   -  sponsoring January

Abby Glassenberg of While She Naps -  sponsoring February

Leah Day of Leah Day Designs -  sponsoring March

Jeni Baker of In Color Order -  sponsoring April

Lynn Rinehart & Pam Cobb of The Stitch  -  sponsoring May
Blog  |  Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Pattern Store

Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs -  sponsoring June

Melissa Corry of Happy Quilting - -  sponsoring July

Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble -  sponsoring August

Sam Hunter of Hunter's Design Studio -  sponsoring September

Lorna McMahon of Sew Fresh Quilts -  sponsoring October

Alyce Blyth of Blossom Heart Quilts -  sponsoring November
Blog  |  Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Pattern Store

Patty Dudek of Elm Street Quilts -  sponsoring December
Blog  |  Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Pattern Store (Craftsy)


Excited?

I sure am!

Maybe you should tell a friend and encourage them to join!  The support and encouragement that everyone gives each other is wonderful!

Sign up to receive email notifications when the linkup is open.  Think of it as a helpful reminder!


Happy New Year!

(I used five exclamation points in these last couple of sentences.  I am so excited about this event for 2017 that lets add a few more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


Have a wonderful day!



Elm Street Quilts

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

My Best of 2016



Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs is hosting a best of 2016 linky party to highlight our 5 best blog posts of 2016.  I've using a 'fuzzy' definition of posts to sometimes be a series of posts about a single project!

It is such a fun idea to revisit 2016 as we wave goodbye to the year.

My blog is important to me.  It documents my quilting journey and it also has helped me find many friends all throughout the world.

I am so glad you've come to visit!

My favorite tutorial and as well as my go-to gift for this holiday season - the Purse Pack.  I just love making these!  The tutorial was very well received and has earned lots and lots of pageviews.


My favorite quilt finish (hands down) is the quilt I made for my daughter's freshman dorm room. (I just made a matching pillow for Christmas!)  I've gotten so many wonderful comments from people about this quilt which I am truly grateful.  For the photo shoot, I took advantage of our beach vacation and sent my son up the lifeguard chair in order to capture this photo.


The quilt I've blogged about the most isn't quilt a quilt yet.  It is my Farmer's Wife 1930's blocks that I've been working on for well over a year.  I blog about them on my A Stitch in Time blog and this post is the last of the blocks.  Figuring out how best to set the blocks - some will go on the back - will be a project for 2017.

Farmer's Wife 1930s blocks
Farmer's Wife 1930's blocks from 1 through 99

My favorite try something new is my very first attempt at improv.   I used scraps from my American Made Brand Solids stash and had great fun building this quilt over a series of days.  I also submitted this to QuiltCon 2017 but, alas, it was rejected.  It was the first time I've ever submitted a quilt to a show.

I am going to be hosting an improv QAL in the March/April timeframe.   There are fantastic sponsors lined up and the best part of an improv QAL, is you get to do your own thing.  I'll supply the encouragement, hopefully some inspiration and you bring your creativity and imagination.  (Sign up for my newsletter or follow my blog to get updates.)


Finally, in 2016 I hosted two QALs this year and my favorite QAL was repeat.   Once the repeat QAL was done, I finished designing the rest of the alphabet and published my Chunky Alphabet pattern introduced it on this blog post. .  I've incorporated these letters into lots of different projects including a quilt not yet blogged.


2016 was a good year for me and quilting and my blog.  Thank you, my blog readers, for being such an important part of my quilting journey.

Bring on 2017!   Happy New Year!!!



Have a wonderful day! Patty

Sunday, December 25, 2016

One Monthly Goal - December Finish Link Up

Now that all the gifts have been unwrapped, it's time to share your December finishes from our  December Goal linkup.

One Monthly Goal will continue in 2017!!  I've lined up great sponsors and can't wait to share!  All will be announced on January 1, 2017.

Sign up here to receive email notifications each month when the linkup is open!


My December goal was to make a pillow for my daughter to match the quilt I made her for her dorm room.  I just love the way it turned out.  I used the bits and scraps left over from the quilt and added in some aqua to brighten things up.  This is a big pillow - 24'' x 24'' x 4'' .  I put a zipper in one of the side panels to make it removeable.  

Once upon a time this pillow was coverd with Disney princess fabric.  It (and my daughter) have grown up!  (After I had made the pillow cover but before I shoved it placed the pillow form gently inside I decided it would be a good idea to wash it.   Before it was a true flatish rectangle, 4'' tall.  When it came out of the wash, everything had redistributed and now it is big a puffy!  Thank goodness it all fit.)




Make sure you visit the One Monthly Goal event page for the specific requirements for links and social tags. 

And remember, to be eligible for the prize(s) by random drawing you must linkup at both the goal setting and the accomplishment linkups.

Thanks to Fat Quarter Shop for supplying a $25 gift certificate and to Bagmaker Supply for supplying a $20 gift certificate.   There will be two (2) winners this month!

This post will be updated to announce the winners.  (See the winner's for November here.)

1/2/17 update:  Congratulations to Sherry and Nann for winning for the December OMG!  
(Winners have been notified by email and acknowledged their prizes.)












Now it is your turn to link up - what is your finish for December?

Make sure you add a link to this OMG post so others can follow where you are linking.   Let's make that easy -  just paste this into your post:  Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal.







Thanks for linking up!


I'll be linking up my finish with  Main Crush Monday's, Sew Cute Tuesdays,  Freemotion by the River,   WIP Wednesday's,  Let's Bee SocialMidweek Makers.  Fabric Frenzy FridayTGIFFFinish it Up Friday and Finished or Not Friday.   
Have a wonderful day! Patty

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas!

Two bindings to attach and then Christmas can arrive!

Have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.  

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Holidays!!





Please note that the December linkup for the One Monthly Goal finishes will be available at 3:30 pm est on December 25th.


Have a wonderful day! Patty

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Bag it Winners Announced

I truly wish I had enough prizes to give something to everyone who participated in the Elm Street Quilts Bag It event.  I do hope that everyone enjoyed the event, made great bags and found new friends by participating and sharing with the event.

I had loads of fun working with Mr. Random to choose the winners for all of these wonderful prizes from our sponsors.

All winners have been notified by email and have accepted their prizes.

Congratulations to everyone!


American Made Brand Solids  - 2 charms packs    
 (Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)    
Winners:  Kari & Nancy




(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Winners: Linda, Lisa & Sherry




Bagmaker Supply - $20 gift certificate   
Winner: Kathy




By Annie.com - $25 gift certificate
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Winners: Danette & Heidi



Green Fairy Quilts - $30 gift certificate  
Winner: Brenda    



Island Batik - beautiful fabric bundle
Winner: Donna





Fat Quarter Shop -  $25 gift certificate
Winners: Terry, Judy & Nancy




(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)  
Winners: Moneik, Diane, Rosemary



Zip It - $25 gift certificate
Winner: Kat





Elm Street Quilts - 2 patterns
Winner: Susan


Congratulations to everyone!!  
Thanks again to our wonderful sponsors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

My tree has a skirt

On my list of would like to do for the holidays once the must do was done was a new tree skirt.

I lost one that I'd made several years ago and didn't want another year of wrapping a towel around the bottom of the tree!   I based my skirt on this tutorial with some minor changes.


I added an extra border of white to make it a bit bigger than the tutorial called for.  I found the instructions on cutting the tree to be very confusing so I took the basic measurements given (8 3/4 wide and 10 1/2 tall) to create a rectangle with those dimensions.  Then I drew a line from each of the bottom corners to the center of the top.  It worked perfectly.

I didn't have enough red in my stash to bind everything in red and I didn't like the idea of an all black binding so I improvised.  There is white going up the center and black around the edges.  I quilted in an all over meander and used gold thread to put garland on the tree and stars on top with my FMQ foot.


I'm thrilled with the way it looks under our tree!  Our tree is filled with handmade ornaments from when the kids were small plus ornaments collected on family vacations.  It is always fun to go down memory lane as we decorate.


I wish you and your families the most wonderful of holidays!! 

I'll be linking up my finish with  Main Crush Monday's, Sew Cute Tuesdays,  Freemotion by the River,   WIP Wednesday's,  Let's Bee SocialMidweek Makers.  Fabric Frenzy FridayTGIFFFinish it Up Friday and Finished or Not Friday.   

Note - the One Monthly Goal finish part will post on December 25th at 3:30pm.


Have a wonderful day! Patty

Monday, December 19, 2016

My December QAL blocks

December and the year are quickly coming to a close.  I'm pleased to share my latest blocks for two mystery QALs.

The first is one sponsored by American Made Brand called My Land.  Block 8 is called Leaves of Change.  


I've downsized my blocks to be 6'' finished and paper pieced this one.  Here are the other 7 blocks.  (It's been too yucky outside to get a group shot.)


I won some fabric in last month's linkup including a cute little charm pack - happy dance!  I immediately opened up and cut into that FQ stack as it had PERFECT colors for the gift I'm making my son for Christmas.  More on that once it is done - busy quilting it now.


Next up with the Meadow Mystery QAL from Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs.   For this mystery QAL, all I had to get started were really excellent directions on which fabric should be light / medium / dark and some advise on what fabrics would sit next to another fabric so you could validate contrast.

I've downsized such that these HST are 2 1/2 '' unfinished.  (The pattern calls for 4 1/2 ''.)   Here are my December blocks.


I love seeing how others are playing with these blocks and the other's we've made to try and guess the final design!

All the Bag It winners have been notified about their prizes.  I'm just waiting for one last person to acknowledge the email and then I'll be share on the blog!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Reflecting and welcoming 2017

The end of a calendar year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the year behind us and set our focus for the year ahead.

relection

I choose the word Discover to frame my 2016.  My goals were to:

  • Discover a balance for my day of friends, family, exercise and my writing
  • Discover whether I have what it takes to become a published author
  • Discover how to grow the community around my blog

Discover was a good word for me.  I am very happy with the progress I made on the first and third goal. Both will continue to be areas of focus in 2017.  

I stayed away from the second goal.  I did make progress on my writing but I was also very good at finding reasons not to focus on it.

As a result, my word and focus for 2017 is to be brave.

Fortune cookie message from January 2016

Brave to really focus on my writing with some serious goals to make a book draft real this year.   Brave enough to sit and stare at my keyboard even if no words are flowing.  Brave enough to seriously edit what I have already written.  Brave enough to seek feedback on what I've done.

Ok, it's out there.  Saying it out loud makes it harder to ignore, right?

Besides the writing, my quilting and my blog will be big parts of my day.

My blog goals for 2017 are -

  • Motivate others to participate in the One Monthly Goal  linkup event
  • Inspire others to try new things with two QALs. 
  • Encourage handmade for the holidays with the annual Bag It event.  
  • Share what I've learned by publishing tutorials monthly



My quliting and design goals for 2017 are - 

  • Explore paper piece block pattern design
  • Improve my FMQ skills and make a mini each month
  • Challenge myself to explore color
  • Improve my skills with Inkscape 


Finally, I want to be 'needle ready'.  Whether it is knitting, binding or an applique project, I'd like to always have a bit of handwork waiting for me at the end of the evening.  I find it a wonderful way to relieve stress and rest my mind after a long day.

What about you?  What are your goals for 2017?  Have you chosen your word for the year?

I will be joining the linkup at Yvonne @quiltingjetgirl.


Have a wonderful day! Patty

Friday, December 16, 2016

The clock is ticking - Bag It ends today


Today is your last chance to link up your bags as part of this three month long Bag It event.

This weekend, I will pool all the entries and invite Mr. Random to help me choose the winners.

Please watch for emails from elmstreetquilts at gmail dot com this weekend.  If you are lucky enough to find one in your mailbox, make sure you respond back.   If I don't hear from you in a few days, I will pick a new winner.

I thank each of you who entered bags, commented on my tutorials and cheered others on.  You've made the event enjoyable.

I also thank our FABULOUS sponsors who cheered us on and supported us with so many fabulous prizes.







These sponsors are just awesome!   


American Made Brand
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Aurifil
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Bagmaker Supply
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)
   
By Annie
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Fat Quarter Shop 

Green Fairy Quilts

 Island Batik
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Warm Company
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)

Zip It
(Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram)


Linkup below!  Check out the FAQ post to understand just how easy it is to participate in Bag It!

If you've shared your photo in the Elm Street Quilts QAL Facebook group, you can also enter here instead of uploading your photo.

If you are having difficulty linking up a photo from Instagram, you can enter this way instead of linking up.

If you don't want to post them because they are gifts then send them to me as an email!  Just fill in this form and instead of pasting your link just put a message that you sent them by email!!  I'll keep your secret, promise!


Please review Bag It Participant Guidelines before linking.  








Have a wonderful day! Patty