A Look Back - My First PDF Pattern

I was updating some listings today in my Etsy Shop and as I looked at my Floral Irish Chain Pattern started wondering when I first listed it.  I was very surprised when I did a search for the pattern on my blog that it was exactly 9 years ago today! I enjoyed looking back at that post, can't believe it's been that long!  I've made quite a few different samples of this pattern over the years, so I thought it would be fun to share them.  Here is the first one:

The second version is my favorite and ended up being the cover for my pattern:

I've made it in greens:

Pinks and purples:

Lovely fall colors:

Bright Pinks and Greens!

As you can see, the quilt looks great in a variety of colors.  This is a great shop sample to sell fabric, it doesn't take a lot of time or fabric to make it, and it really shows a medium scale print to good advantage!  I haven't made one for a while, so I think it might be time to take a look at what I can find and make another one!  

Have you ever made an irish chain quilt?  They are fun and a great beginner quilt.  Someday I'd like to try my hand at a triple Irish Chain.  

Just a reminder - I am giving away some Island Batik fabric!  You have through Monday to enter right here!

Two quilt tops and a pouch

I've really enjoyed reading all the comments on yesterday's post!  I am really loving hearing about what everyone's favorite blocks are.  I feel like the old classics like Ohio Star and Churn Dash are still good solid blocks that many people enjoy making even now.  I don't think they will ever go out of style!

I had an enjoyable afternoon yesterday as my youngest daughter came to visit!  She brought over her new shipment of Young Living oils and I decided she needed a pouch to put them in.  I found an easy tutorial on Patchwork Posse.  I dumped out my scrap bin, had her choose a few fabrics and got to work!

It was fun seeing the fabrics she chose, she's definitely not a little girl any more - her picks were a lot different that what she would have chosen before she left home for college!  It was also fun because she brought a friend home with her and she was really interested in learning about quilting.  I gave her some of my scraps to start her own fabric stash with, and I had fun visiting with her while I sewed!

I was a little frustrated while making this because my thread started breaking, then my tension went crazy loose.  I got through finishing the pouch, and after making a couple of scrunchies for her friend, I shut it down for the night.  First thing this morning I took the time to thoroughly clean and oil my Juki and she was much happier after that!  I got a lot of sewing done this afternoon.  I have two quilt tops all ready to quilt, just have to go pick up some muslin for the backing.

I love the way the vintage embroidery quilt looks with the blue border!  This one is going to be quilted with a double layer of batting, wool on top of a cotton batting.  Can't wait to see how it comes out!

The second one is Cat's Fancy - I made this last year, but had a request to make a second one.  This was a kit I purchased.  

I'm ready to do some quilting, so am excited to get started on these!  After they are done, I have more projects lined up, so am happy to be on a roll, and that my machine is working well.  Now, I've got to figure out an easy table runner pattern for a project I need to finish this week.  Always something, I never seem to get caught up, but at least it's quilting so it's fun!  

Linking up with Connie for Linky Tuesday - lots of inspiration there to check out!

Quilter's Recipe Box - Five month review and giveaway!

I can't believe it's already been five months since I started this!  So far there are 20 blocks, four each month.  I wanted to give you a re-cap of all the months and inspire you to either keep going, or join in.  I am using Dotalicious by Island Batik for this series - they provided the fabric in my Fall/Winter Ambassador box last summer.

In January I started out showing you how to make some basic half square triangles.  The recipe card block was for a Friendship Star Block, and the alternate blocks were Shoo Fly Block, O Block and the Anvil Block.  Here is what they look like all set together:

In February I showed you how to make a split square unit and the block was Churn Dash.  The alternate blocks were Greek Cross, Rail Fence,  and Flitter.  This is what they look like together:

The March blocks all used a four patch block.  I started out with Jacob's Ladder, then added Thrifty, Value, and Chained Friendship Star.  Here they are:

As you can see, the blocks are definitely getting more complex as we go!  The more units you have in a block the more color you can add, which I love!

The featured unit for April was a nine patch.  The first block was a Double Nine Patch.  I made another Jacob's Ladder Variation, Nine Patch Chain, and a Button block.  Here they are all together:

This month I've been working on Quarter Square Triangle units, which add even more interest to a block!  The first block was Ohio Star.  After that came the Swamp Angel, Clown's Choice, and finally Twinkle Star.  Here are those four blocks together:

And if you put all 20 blocks together here is what it might look like:

Or you could add sashing strips:

Fun!  I can't wait to add the rest of the blocks!  Only 32 more to go...but at the rate of one a week, it's really a piece of cake.  Here is a recap of the block list, in order as I made them.  (I'll be adding all of this info to a tab at the top of the page for future reference:

Friendship Star Block
Shoo Fly Block
O Block
Anvil Block
Churn Dash
Greek Cross
Rail Fence
Flitter
Jacob's Ladder
Thrifty
Value
Chained Friendship Star
Double Nine Patch
Jacob's Ladder Variation
Nine Patch Chain
Button block
Ohio Star
Swamp Angel
Clown's Choice
Twinkle Star

And now for the giveaway!  I have some 10 inch squares (13 to be exact!) from the Island Batik Coastal Mist collection to send you, plus a stash builder roll.  The roll has four strips that are 5 inches wide - a couple of them are nice neutrals.  You can use them to make some of the quilt blocks I've shown, or use them any way you wish.  I can only send this prize if you live in the US, but I am also going to give away a digital copy of each of my new patterns for Island Batik!  Alouette and Make Lemonade will be sent to a prize winner as well, so if you are living outside of the US and win my drawing I will e-mail you those.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and thanks for following along!