Saturday, July 14, 2012

We have a winner -- or two!

Won't let the missing blog header keep us from our fun!  Mr. Random gets to pick TWO winners today.

Since the giveaway is for two goodies, I think it's only fair that the first winner drawn gets to choose.  And that would be:




























Susan and Chelsea, watch for an email from me asking for your mailing address.  As soon as I hear from you, the goodies will be off in the mail!

 



From the desk of your
auntmartisignature

Ooooh Noooo!

My blog header disappeared!  And my co-author is out to sea, can't be reached to repair it.

Just so you know, you ARE at "52 Quilts in 52 Weeks" and the pretty pink header will be back as soon as My Little Sailor receives my panicked email!


From the desk of your
auntmartisignature

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Sunday Scraps

Do you "Leaders and Enders?"  This clever technique was popularized by Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville's Quips & Snips.

Many quilters use a scrap of fabric to sew onto at the end of a row of stitching.  This allows the quilter to avoid holding thread tails at the beginning of the new seam.  Bonnie, however, stitches onto two small squares of fabric, right sides together.  These are then stored until there is a big batch of them, when they are put together in a variety of quilt patterns.

I use 2 1/2" squares for my "Leaders and Enders," and here is a mini-tutorial for my latest scrappy quilt block. 

Sew two 2 1/2" squares together until there are six, then add one square at the end of each row to make a nine-patch.


Next, add a 1 1/2" by 6 1/2" strip of background fabric (I use Kona Snow) to opposite sides of the nine-patch:


A 1 1/2" by 8 1/2" strip goes on the top and bottom:


Now add a row of four 2 1/2" squares on the right and left:

(Didn't really need to show you how to do this, I just wanted to show off my Independence Day manicure!)

And finish with a row of six 2 1/2" squares at top and bottom:






The block finishes at 12 1/2" raw-edge-to-raw-edge.  As you can see in the first photo, I have enough 2 1/2" squares to make many, many of these blocks!


Remember to comment to win my latest giveaway here.

From the desk of your
auntmartisignature