Rockin' Robin Quilt Along - The Prizes

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Do you need a little nudge to join in the Rockin' Robin Quilt Along??  Well, lucky day!  Prizes for 3 quilt top finishers at the end of the quilt along!  (randomly drawn from all those who finish of course)

Here are the prizes and sponsors of Rockin' Robin Quilt Along:

One lucky winner will receive a Robert Kaufman Metro Market Fat Quarter Bundle (8 FQs)

Two lucky winners will receive $25 gift certificates to the Fat Quarter Shop

Now, I have two winners to pick from my Blogiversary GiveAway......  Gen X Quilters t-shirts and 2 FQs.

Congrats to.....

Jen said...55

Happy Blogoversary! Great T-shirts, those are super cute! I love your first quilt. Just because you define yourself as a modern quilter doesn't mean everything you make or love has to be modern :) Thanks for all the great blog posts.

JUNE 24, 2011 5:06 PM 

AND

M-R said...3

Congratulations Anne Marrie, on your blogiversary! I love your profile series and I'm glad you profiled yourself. it's fun to get to know other bloggers a bit and see where and how they work. Keep up the great work!

JUNE 24, 2011 7:38 AM 

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Vintage Table Linens make Beautiful Quilts

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Are you smitten with those lovely vintage sheets finding new life in a quilt?  I certainly am!  It's fascinating that we can make old new again, and absolutely beautiful.

So when I happened along this booth at the National Quilting Associations' Annual Show here in Columbus, my interest was piqued.....

This is Dusty's Vintage Linens and Buttons.  Selling solely at shows, these ladies' booth was amazing!  They collect vintage linen table cloths from the 1940s and 1950s and a rainbow of vintage buttons.

Some of the linens are new and unused with the original labels.  They look fabulous quilted!

After seeing all this, I could not resist.  This is the table cloth I wanted, but couldn't afford.

So while I was lingering in the booth forever, I heard that the vintage dish cloths make great table runners.  Ding!  Ding!  Now that's something my wallet could cover.  Here's the one I picked out...

And here it is finished and sitting pretty on my table....

I love it!  I added a gingham binding and that was it.  Who would have thought a dish towel of all things could be so beautiful!

(email dustysvintage@aol.com for a show schedule or more information)

www.lilysquilts.com

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Rockin' Robin Quilt Along Kickoff

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Well, the day is finally here!  It's time to announce the beginning of the
Rockin' Robin Quilt Along.

What is this QAL, you ask??  It's the fun, turning traditional into modern brain child of Jen of Reannalily Designs.  A while back, Jen asked a few bloggers if they'd be interested in collectively hosting a quilt along based on the Row Robin concept.

History:
In the past, Row Robin quilts were usually made by each quilter taking their turn at making one row for a quilt before passing it on.  In this case, each of the host bloggers will design one quilt block that is then used across the row.

Customize Your Quilt:
There are 5 bloggers, thus 5 rows.  You can customize the blocks to your liking - some tutorials offer several options for the blocks and/or scrappy or improvised piecing.

Decide how many blocks wide to make your quilt.

Repeat rows if you like.  Each quilt will be customized and unique!  Sound fun?

Blog Hop:
Each week, a tutorial for one of the rows will be revealed.  We'll hop from blog to blog as each designer takes a turn designing a row.  Each new row is a surprise, just like a traditional Row Robin.  When the tutorial is released, you'll be able to see each of the 5 bloggers takes on the row.

Here's a sneaky peek of my colorway.....  yep!  Central Park!

Your hosts:
Jul 5     Row 1- Lisa Marie from That Crazy Quilty Girl
Jul 11   Row 2- Melissa from Lilac Lane
Jul 18   Row 3- Heather and Megan from Quilt Story
Jul 25   Row 4- Anne Marie of Gen X Quilters
Aug 1  Row 5- Jen at ReannaLily Designs Blog

The first row design goes live on July 5th and we'll have another one every Monday for 5 weeks.

Fabric Requirements:  based on a 48" x 60" baby quilt
So start collecting background fabric (around 3 yards) and some focus fabrics (2 yards).  This would make a great scrap quilt - but I chose to use a Kate Spain Central Park layer cake.  What fun to play with so many prints!

Want to play along??  Join us!
If you'd like to join in, grab a button from my sidebar (at the top of the page), join the flickr group and tell everyone if you're as excited as we are!  We'll all be adding photos to the group as we go along.  Please join us! Pin It

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Sunday Update from the Farm

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FWQAL Week #2

#1 Attic Windows

Would you believe that I traced my templates backwards?  I hadn't even realized it was possible.  Just day dreaming along tracing and cutting.  Then when I went to piece the block together, my argyle templates were the reverse of the diagram.  Grrr.  I only had one charm of that fabric and it was all cut up.  So I just flipped things around a bit.  I do like the block!  It's just backwards from everyone else's.  No one will notice when I put the whole quilt together.

#2 Autumn Tints

Easy peasy.  Good thing after the mishap above.  The blue sea print is from the Japanese Imports Swap.

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A Blogiversary GiveAway Follower Friday: Me - AnneMarie of Gen X Quilters

Pin It Today is my very first blogiversary!!  Wowee!  What fun this past year has been.  I look back and cannot even fathom how much I have grown - and I entirely attribute this growth to finding the quilty blogging community.  I am always SO inspired by the creativity shown here.  It keeps my to-do and wip list long!

My mom came up with the idea to feature myself on my anniversary - and lucky for me, it actually does fall on a Friday!  So here it is, a little peek into who I am...

AnneMarie - Columbus, OH

Occupation: Stay-at-home mom, aspiring quilt pattern designer, ESL tutor, and former mechanical engineer

Significant Other/Kids/Pets:  My husband and I have 2 boys (almost 5 and almost 2).  We have no pets.  I believe that pet fur would drive me nuts if I was constantly lint brushing it off fabric.  But 4 y.o. is starting to ask for one.  We'll see.

# Years Quilting: 5+ years

How you learned to quilt:  I am completely self-taught.  I received a sewing machine for Christmas the year I was pregnant with my first son.  I wanted to make a "quilt" for my baby, but had no idea how to begin.  My pregnant brain - although an engineer - couldn't even figure out how to thread the machine!  After my MIL and SIL showed me how, I was off and running.  Consulting no one, I started cutting squares of flannel with scissors and pieced together the first one.  After finishing one project, I decided to try another, this time taking some guidance from a Quilts and More magazine.

I looked at a lot of magazines and a few books from my library to generate ideas for my own designs.  It wasn't until one year ago that I discovered all the creative crafty blogs.  I blame it on the fact that my boys wouldn't let me surf during the day, and I was too tired to get on the computer at night.

Favorite Completed Project:

Although this quilt is not really modern and is made up of entirely Joann's fabric, I still have to say that it is my favorite.  I made up the design and enlarged the firetruck from the print fabric to make the applique.  This quilt is on my 4 y.o.'s bed and gets used and snuggled with every single night.  I know that he will out grow it's cuteness eventually, but for now, it's the perfect little boy quilt for him.

Quilting workstation setup:  

Ok, people.  I have to be honest.  THIS is clean with the exception of the batting piles.  I debated cleaning - or showing my workstation as it really is.  A giant scatter of usually 8 wips, stacks of fabric, and empty decaf coffee cups.  Cleaning won out - but maybe sometime I'll show you how the real artist works over here.  It's a disaster.

Lucky for me, it's in the basement.  So most of the time, I just shut the door at the top of the stairs and the mess is gone...  I don't know how some of you operate in your dining room.  It would consume my entire house!  The negative side of the basement is the lighting.  It's horrible and I struggle daily trying to get good shots without having to run upstairs every time.  That would be good exercise though.  Also, on the negative side would be the cold - hence the pink Mr. Rogers sweater hanging on my sewing chair below.

Hubby bought me this lovely hutch to store my fabric in for Christmas last year.  Haven't decided what color to paint it yet...  half yards and up.

FQ storage.  Someday I'll get to those comic boards to organize all of this.  But for now, this is it!  P.S. I love Niagara Spray Starch.

Machine(s) you sew on:

Janome MC 4900 QC.  Last year I upgraded from my beginner machine about a month or so before starting this blog.  The extension table was this year's b-day present.

Your favorite notion/tool in your sewing room:  The Niagara Spray Starch shown above.  Love it!  Makes everything so crisp for piecing.  Really helps with my accuracy.

NOW - do you want to know the best part about Follower Friday Blogiversary Edition???

check THIS out!

When I ordered some new business cards, there were all these fun merchandising coupons to play around with.  I wanted one shirt for myself and picked up a couple extra for my extra special readers.  Might be fun to wear to a sew-in or something.  Of course, I'll be wearing mine everywhere!

Each winner will also get one FQ of each Bees Knees print shown above.

To enter to win one of these shirts and FQs, simply leave a comment here on this post.  Tweet, blog or Facebook it for an additional entry.  I'll pick 2 winners on Thursday, June 30th.  The t-shirts are size Large.   This GiveAway is now closed.

Thanks for being a part of Gen X Quilters!  

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Japanese Imports Fabric Swap - UK and Ireland

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A little while ago, Cindy from Fluffy Sheep Quilting emailed me asking if it would be okay to replicate Gen X Quilters' Japanese Imports Fabric Swap for Irish and UK quilters.  I said "Absolutely!"  The swap was a huge success, and unfortunately due to cost and mailing logistics, I can only manage swaps for the US/Canada right now.

So an FYI for those in the UK and Ireland, Cindy is having sign ups for this swap right now.  There are only a few spots left, so hop over to Cindy's asap to get in on the fun!  They've already posted some fun prints in the flickr group. Pin It

wip wednesday - 06/22/11

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Oh boy.  March was my last wip wed update.  Wow.  Although I'm not regular wipper, hope you'll let me join in the fun!  I'm trying to keep it short - other wise we could be here forever!  Where to start....

Nicey Jane EQ Quilt

 This chick is queen sized....  what started out as a throw turned into a queen sized quilt for my bed.  I've worked off and on on it since January, and the top is finally done!  We've painted our master bedroom that lovely shade of Kona Maize yellow.  Now all I need to do is book my rental time on the HQ Avante at my LQS.  Can't wait!  This quilt has been a time vacuum for the past month.

Supernova QAL

Has everyone else finished this??  There's a long story behind this one, but nobody really wants to read tons of text.....instead let's look at this pretty stack of fabric!  Blocks are cut and in baggies.  Just waiting for me to find the time to love them.

{Sew} Beautiful Bee

For Angela - complete design freedom

For Cara - House blocks

Commissioned work - Lumbar Pillow, Boppy Cover, Contoured Changing Pad Cover for Mom-to-be of triplets

I've been working on a pillow piping tutorial that will be posting soon using this project.

Quilt Alongs

Rockin' Robin - Coming soon to a blog near you!

Several blocks in...  I showed those here.

Hopefully, I'll be posting wips again before another 3 months pass!

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Fun New Quilty Project

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Well, I've been up to something....  And it's in kahoots with some other fun modern quilty bloggers!

One way to cure my late quilt along reputation is to get involved in hosting one.

Check back on Monday, June 27 for all the details!

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Oversized Oilcloth Beach Bag

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For years, actually ever since I had kids, I have never been able to find a beach bag big enough to accommodate all that is needed for trips to the pool.  The suits, change of clothes, towels, beach blanket, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, swim diapers, floatie vests, toys,  snacks….  Anyway, you know what I’m talking about.

I took matters into my own hands.  Here it is.  The largest beach bag I have ever seen.   And I LOVE it!  Worked perfect for a visit to the lake this weekend.  It's 21" x 16" x 4".

I took this green floral oilcloth print I bought last year and made this oversized bag simple.  It’s pretty on the outside.  And since it’s only going to store soggy bathing suits and towels, it’s unlined on the inside.  Yes! A simple and straight-forward project.

I was forewarned about working with oilcloth, but if you use your walking foot, both sets of feed dogs grab the material and easily feed it through your machine.  Have you ever tried oilcloth?  I made a few cosmetic bags with it last year.  It’s inexpensive (around $7 per yard) and perfect for beachy applications like this.

*again the disclaimers*: any photos that include me are taken by my 4 yr.old


I'm linking up to some fun linkies again...

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Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Yet Another Farmer who's Wife has decided to make 111 quilt blocks

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I tried to resist..... but it was no use.  Too many of these cute blocks showing up everywhere!  It's official.  I have begun my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along.

I feel like the worst quilt-alonger ever.  I am notorious for not keeping up with the schedule.  I've finished 2 QAs, both late (this one and that one).  But I have Supernova blocks cut and not single stitch stitched.  I recently bailed on my friend Elizabeth's Kaleidoscope QA because I promised myself I'd finish SuperNova first.

NOW, I go and buy this book!

The thing that really intrigues me is the learning aspect of this quilt.  A chance to try so many blocks (111!), learning from the experience of each one.  Plus, using modern fabrics on traditional blocks....so cool.  So cool.

So I'm thinking Sunday is going to be my FWQA block day.  Maybe I'll have blocks to show every week?  Or continuing in my QA normal mode of operation, maybe I won't.  Whatever.  I'm just going to enjoy going slow on this one.

#21 Contrary Wife

#84 Spool

#41 Friendship Star

Warm up for Dear Jane??

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