One Monthly Goal - November Goal Setting Link-up

Welcome to November!  We had 104 projects linked up in October - let's see what this month brings!

New to One Monthly Goal?  Welcome!  To join, share a photo of your project, some words about what you want to accomplish in a blog post, an Instagram post (tutorial) or a post on Flickr and add that photo to the link-up.  Return at the end of the month and share your results.  You can read about the event and the rules on the main event page.

We have wonderful sponsors this month - three (3) winners will be randomly chosen from those that link up in both the goal and the finish event.  Plus anyone linking up will earn an entry for the bonus prize.  (Bonus prize to be awarded in January - you can earn up to 3 entries by joining the link-ups October through December.) 

Fat Quarter Shop offers a tremendous selection of fabric, notions, books and just about anything you will need for your project. Consider their Sew Sampler box to receive a monthly surprise delivery of fabric and fun.  Fat Quarter Shop is offering a $25 gift certificate to one lucky participant.

Make Modern is a digital magazine launched by a collaboration of quilters based in Australia. Their magazine is filled with modern quilt designs and a wonderful source of inspiration. Make Modern is offering a 6 month subscription to one lucky participant.

Aurifil is home to a beautiful rainbow of thread in all weights, perfect for any of your sewing and quilting needs.  My favorite product is the designer collection boxes which coordinate with various fabric lines.  Aurifil is offering a thread set for the fourth quarter bonus prize.

I'm very excited to introduce our featured designer for November - Michelle Wilke of Factotum of Arts.  Michelle is an award winning talented modern designer and teacher.  Her quilts have been featured in multiple magazines and hung in shows, including QuiltCon.

Michelle loves creating modern designs and turning the designs into quilts.  She shares her passion for design daily as the co-administrator of the QDAD (Quilt Design a Day) Facebook group.  In QDAD - founded by Anne Sullivan - participants create a quilt design based on a provided color palette aka a design seed or photo from a member of the group.  Michelle is also a teacher with classes scheduled at QuiltCon as well as quilt guilds and quilt shops. Michelle is currently working on a book about quilt design.  Based on the recent sneak peek she has shared of one of the projects, the book will be awesome.

Michelle is a member of my local Modern Guild (Triangle MQG) so I have the pleasure of seeing her work in person.  These pictures do not do the quilts justice - in person, they are incredibly striking and invite the viewer to stand in front of the quilt for hours.  (Sunday Best - lower right corner below - is my favorite and I'd love it to live at my house.)

Quit and photo credit: Michelle Wilke 
Fetured: Altitudinal Ecosystem, Phased Circle, Rails and Sunday Best

Michelle is offering one lucky winner a copy of her latest pattern Phased Circles.  You can visit Michelle at her website, Factotum of the Arts, on Instagram, on Facebook and her pattern store.

My goal for November is to finish my challenge quilt so I can enter it into QuiltCon by November 30th!

Now it is your turn to link up - what is your goal for November?  (A goal could be to finish a quilt but it could also be to attach a binding.  Whatever it takes to help you move forward and make progress on your projects!  And as long as the project involves making something with a needle and/or fabric, you can link up!)

Make sure you visit the One Monthly Goal event page for the specific requirements for links and social tags.  Your blog post (or Flickr post) must contain a photo of your project, a clearly stated goal and a link back to Elm Street Quilts.  Your Instagram post must include a photo of your project, a clearly stated goal and the tag #onemonthlygoal.  (Entries which don't contain the required information may be disqualified.)

And remember, to be eligible for the prize(s) by random drawing you must linkup at both the goal setting and the accomplishment linkup in a given month.   (The One Monthly Goal accomplishment linkup will be available on November 24.)

Make sure you add a link to this OMG post so others can find the OMG link-up from your blog.  Let's make that easy -  just paste this into your post:  

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal November Linkup.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for linking up!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Maple Leaf Table runner

(Click here for the One Monthly Goal October Finish link-up)

Fall is here!

Cooler temperatures, walks in the woods and falling leaves are reasons to make a new table runner.  The free block pattern is from Fat Quarter Shop Jolly Jabber and shared again today as part of their Classic and Vintage series.  (Opps - looks like their post got delayed - I'll update my post once the pattern for the block is live!)

I used 3 blocks on my running and offset them to make it look like they were tumbling across my runner.  I quilted the runner with organic wavy lines.

But why stop with just 3 blocks when these are so much fun to make?  So I turned the 4th into a trivit / hot mat but adding a layer of Insulite with a layer of batting.

Check out today's Jolly Jabber post for more examples of this great block!

I'll be linking up at Brag about Your Beauties,  Freemotion by the River,   WIP Wednesday's,  Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers.  Needle and Thread Thursdays, Finish it Up Friday and Finished or Not Friday.


Have a wonderful day! Patty

Hand Pieced QAL - What's in my Sewing Bag?

(Click here for the October One Monthly Goal Finish Link-up)

I've been hand-piecing up a storm and Kristin and I thought it would be fun to share the tools that we love to use everyday.  (Read more about the Hand Pieced QAL announcement which will start in January.  Want to make sure you don't miss it?  Join our Hand Pieced Quilt Along Facebook Group.  We'll remind you of new posts as they go live and you can share photos and chat about your experiences as we all build this quilt together.  Subscribe to our newsletter so you'll be among the first to know about the latest QAL news.)

The Basics

Lighting by Daylight, Thread by Aurifil, Needles by Clover, Snips by Famore

All you really need for hand piecing are the basics - needle, thread and snips - plus good lighting.

• Your choice of a needle is really a personal one - I like a short needle while other quilters like to use longer needles.  The key thing to look for is a needle that you can thread without issue and one that feels comfortable in your hand.  Needles are inexpensive - experiment until you find one that feels right.   
• Regular 50 wt quality quilting thread works well.  
• Snips (or scissors) are also key - you want something smaller to trim any dog-ears and snip the thread.
• I like to sit and stitch at a table where I can mark seams, finger press and sew with ease.  Great lighting and a quality lamp is critical.  I love, love my Daylight lamp.

Cutting and Marking Fabric

Perfect Piecer by Jinny Beyer, OLFA Cutting Mat, 28 mm Rotary Cutter & Ruler

For cutting fabric and marking seams, mats, rotary cutters and rulers are the key tools.

• A small cutting mat can be very useful as a portable surface for marking seam lines.  It is easily rotated if you are, for example, cutting a piece of fabric in half on the diagonal to make  triangles.
• I really love this smaller sized 28 mm rotary cutter for trimming up smaller blocks
• Basic rulers are important for marking the 1/4'' sewing lines.  This specialty ruler - The Perfect Piecer -  makes marking sewing lines on triangles a breeze!

Making the Experience Enjoyable

Clover Leather Thimble & Metal Tip Thimble, Applique Pins, Clover Wonder Clips, & Robot Mom Sews Thread Conditioner

Finally, there are several notions that will make the task more enjoyable.

• For some people, thimbles are critical while hand sewing.  I wear a thimble on the middle finger of my right hand while sewing.  I've tried all different thimbles and am enjoying the leather one pictured above.
• Pinning seams is important.  The type of pin you use is one of personal preference but I love using short pins designed for applique because they don't get in my way while I am sewing.
• Clips to keep pieces organized are wonderful - I just love these binding clips. (The mini ones work really well!)
• Thread conditioner keeps your thread tangle free - I just love the conditioner from Robot Mom Sews - it does the job and smells so nice!
• Listen to a favorite podcast or audio book.  I'm loving Friendship Album 1933 by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Sew Anywhere

Elm Street Quilts Travel Mesh Bag Tutorial

Perhaps one of the reasons I enjoy hand piecing so much is you can take it anywhere. 

• My travel case (tutorial here) folds open to give me a work surface and the center serves as a mini pin cushion.
• Travel with a bobbin wound with thread instead of a spool.  (A great way to use up those almost empty bobbins.) 
• Small case which holds a few pins and needles.  I always worry about loosing needles so a piece of fusbile fleece taped to the top of my case holds the needles tight.  If I am traveling by airplane, I bring along a tiny cheap pair of snips just in case TSA decides to confiscate my scissors.
• Pieces cut, marked and kitted together is the key

Most of the items featured can be purchased at Fat Quarter Shop, one of the awesome sponsors for the Hand Pieced QAL!

Please note this post contains affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission if you purchase an item.  This does not increase your costs in any way.  The Daylight Company, OLFA, Robot Mom Sews, Famore and Clover provided product for my personal use.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Have a wonderful day! Patty