Happy 2016! Word16 begins!

Welcome to 2016!

I wish you a year of health and happiness filled with family, friends and fabric!

Word16 officially begins now!

Want to join in?

• Choose one word (or a small phrase) that will become your focal point for the year.
• Make a mini quilt - as simple or as fancy as you want - so that you can place that mini quilt somewhere for daily inspiration. (And to keep it simple - as long as there is a word on fabric it counts.  You don't have to stitch the word on - you can write it on.  You don't have to quilt your finish - maybe it is a small embroidery project.)
• Share your mini and a few words on why you choose the word and join the linky party.  Then officially enter the giveaway here.

Many options for sharing - Instagram, Facebook, blog or via email.  All the details are here.

Terrific sponsorship from Chalk Lots and Green Fairy Quilts with prizes to be awarded (randomly) to participants!

    

Now before you link up, let me tell you about my word for 2016 - Discover.

In August of last year, I retired from my corporate job after well over 30 years.  I wanted more time for family before my youngest headed off to college.  I wanted more time for me.  I wanted more time to write.

So why discover?

I want 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

Your turn now - share and then go visit others.  The linky will be open for the month of January.  During the month, I'll also share word quilts I made for family members as well as highlights from participants.

After you share, officially enter the giveaway here.

An InLinkz Link-up

2016 - I'm ready for you.  A year of Discovery!

Happy New Year!!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Word16 Kickoff!!

2016 is less then a week away.  (Hard to believe!)  A new year is an opportunity for a clean slate, a chance to focus yourself on a goal - a resolution of sorts that will guide you and keep you grounded and focused through the new year.

Elm Street Quilts Word16 officially begins on January 1, 2016.

Want to join in?   You'll need to choose, make and share!

• Choose one word (or a small phrase) that will become your focal point for the year.
• Make a mini quilt - as simple or as fancy as you want - so that you can place that mini quilt somewhere that you will see it every day.  (And to keep it simple - as long as there is a word on fabric it counts.  You don't have to stitch the word on - you can write it on.  Or, you could stitch the word and put it in the frame.  Make it your own, something you will be happy to display to keep you inspired!)
• Share your mini and a few words on why you choose the word and join the linky party which starts January 1.  You can share on Instagram #elmstreetquilts, on Facebook or on your blog.  If you want to play along but don't have a blog, Instagram or Facebook, you can also send also email a photo.  

The linky party will open on January 1, 2016.  Prizes will be awarded randomly on January 31.   I hope that everyone will take the time and visit and encourage each other.

We've got two great sponsors for Word 16!

Green Fairy Quilts is our first very generous sponsor for this event and is offering a $30 gift certificate to a participant who will be randomly chosen.   Green Fairy Quilts is a wonderful online quilt store that offers precuts, patterns and notions at prices that just can't be beat.  They are my source for precuts!  I've been shopping with Clint and Judi for years.  Shipping is quick and selection is terrific.

Chalk Lots is our second very generous sponsor for this event and is offering a set of Chalk Lots to a participant who will be randomly chosen.  Chalk Lots is a terrific product - amazing placements that allow you to send a daily message to your family or keep the kids entertained until dinner is ready.  Check out the Chalk Lots facebook page to learn more.  I've been a blog follower of Leslie's for some time at her A Friend to Knit With blog and was thrilled when she agreed to be a sponsor.

Hope you are going to play along!

Throughout the month of January, I'll offer a tutorial on a mini, share some of these minis I made for friends and family.

My word?  Discover.

I'll explain why next year!


Please help me spread the word - grab the button!

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<a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com/" rel="nofollow" title="Elm Street Quilts One Word 2016"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOp3Sn-l7pqGixXOhN6IB5uDe1yt0XcZXaVAIYcYHqKYlqClh45jNCiYEVGxukXBW5fRO-b2t60LEsUkH08ju7jCSjrbbOtXq3S9lLOWmg34c1-eCo-VKhL8CJ9q_iKlXSUJFXhXPSdXE/w300-h200-no/ESQ+One+Word+Button.jpg" alt="Elm Street Quilts One Word 2016" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Winter begins!

Winter begins tonight (11:48 pm US EST).  No snow here (yet) in NC so I made my own.

Remember snowflakes made of paper - exact same idea.  Before I cut fabric, I practiced with paper first.  Hadn't made one of these for awhile and my skills were rusty!

Want to make your own fabric snowflake?

Prepare a white piece of fabric with iron on light fusbile adhesive.  I started with a 8" square.

Fold in half.

And in half again.

Fold into thirds.  (This takes a little bit of fiddling to get things to line up.  I used a Clover Wonder Clip to keep things secure.)

Cut off extra.

Create your snowflake.  I used my favorite paper one as a rough template.

Unfold the magic.

Behold - snow!  Since I was cutting through so many layers, it was hard to get a smooth cut while everything was folded together. Once the rough cuts were there, it was very easy to partially unfold and trim things more neatly.

Iron onto backing fabric.  All those folds you created disappear easily under the heat of the iron.

Quilt. I made mine into a hot pad by using a layer of Insul-Bright batting along with a layer of batting.  (The shinny metal layer is faces up when you make that quilts sandwich.)

Fun and fast to make.  We typically get a little bit of snow here in central NC at some point during the winter.  Until then, my snowflake hot pad will have to do!


New visitor?  Please check out One Monthly Goal - share a quilting related goal each month for a chance to win great prizes from awesome sponsors.

I will be linking this tutorial up at Quilt Shop Gals' Night Before Christmas party.

Have a wonderful day! Patty