Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop: The Staggered Strips and Squares Tutorial

Are We Hoppy? Today is Day 4 of the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop hosted by Calico Joan of MooseStash Quilting where bloggers are sharing their favorite freebie project found online--either their own or another bloggers. This is really a fun and great blog hop and I am loving the projects posted so far. Here is the list of the participants:

Monday August 20

Just Let Me Quilt

Seams To Be Sew

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Days Filled With Joy

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

Quilt Fabrication

Tuesday August 21

Life in the Scrapatch

Songbird Designs

Samelia's Mum

Vroomans Quilts

Wednesday August 22

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Creatin' in the Sticks

Just Because Quilts

Hazel's Daughter

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

BeaQuilter

Thursday August 23
Sew Many Yarns
Words & Stitches

Patchouli Moon Studio

something rosemade   You Are Here

Sew Golden A Chance

Clever Chameleon

Friday August 24

That Fabric Feeling

Selina Quilts

Quarter Inch Crafter

Yanicka Quilt

MooseStashQuilting

I am happy to be sharing my Staggered Strips and Squares Tutorial which I originally posted back in January.  I love making quilts with lots and lots of fabrics and joining the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop was a wonderful reason for making another Staggered Strips and Squares quilt. The name of my quilt may be a bit of a misnomer because there are rectangles in this quilt but I originally had planned to use just squares but realized the focal print needed to be more than a 4.5" square.  My latest quilt, Smiling Sloths, which is made entirely of Cotton + Steel prints, old and new and you can see the Sloth print needed to be showcased.

The tutorial was based on a baby quilt I made, The Hinto Minto Baby Quilt and both of these posts will give you an idea as to how I came up with this idea for this quilt and the tutorial.  Since I've made this baby quilt, I have made two lap-size version and in the process of making another one.  What I love about this pattern is that the 2.5" strips were cut from my stash using my die cutter and it's a wonderful way to use up some of the wonderful focal prints I have; also this quilt sews up quickly. 

Over thirty Cotton + Steel prints were used for the The Smiling Sloths quilt; some of the prints are from the first C+S collection by the original five designers who are sadly no longer a part of Cotton + Steel so making this quilt was a little bittersweet.  If you've read any of my previous posts, you will know that I am a big fan of Cotton + Steel fabrics and sometimes have to challenge myself to use the other fabrics in my stash.  

I originally intended to make a baby quilt but because I love the Smiling Sloths with the neon Iguanas so much, I decided to make it a lap size, 56"x72" (approx.).  The Staggered Strips and Squares pattern is very flexible and can be adjusted to any size depending on the amount of fabric you have.  The quilt is based on the pattern I drew up once again on graph paper and my patches and strip blocks are based on increments of 4".  Here are some details of the number of cuts which are in parentheses and the sizes:

• around 100 strips, 2.5" x 20" were used and then half of these strips were subcut approximately 10" (you may not need all of these and I like to have extra)  Once the strips were sewn together in one long strip and then sewn together, as detailed in the tutorial, the strip sets were then cut as follow: (25) 8-1/2", (12) 12-1/2" and (17)16-1/2".  You can always cut more if needed.
• the Sloth patches were cut (13) 4.5" x 12.5" 
• the Accent patches (the navy, gold and coral plaid) were cut (14) 4.5" square

Here's a photo of the patches and blocks laid out on my big design board. As mentioned in my tutorial, the pattern drawn on graph paper is just a guideline and you can always change it around, just make sure the patches and strip sets measure the width of the quilt you decide.  Adjusting the rows is easier when it is made wider than if it's made an inch or two narrower. Also, as you can see by the red arrows, it's okay to have strips sets with the same fabrics next or above each other to create "globs" like I call them to add to the improv look of this pattern.

Here are some close-ups of the horizontal, wavy and straight quilting I did using Coral thread, nice and easy.

The backing is the Alexa Abegg, C+S Hatbox print which I fortunately had yardage along with the gold print for the binding which is a newer print.  I really wanted to use the Navy Add-It-Up print which sadly did not have enough of and couldn't buy more since I am observing an August fabric fast.

The Smiling Sloth Quilt is now the third Staggered Strips and Squares I've made; you can see my second one, Big Cat Crossing here.  I have the fourth one ready to sew now, the patches and strip sets have all been cut. I'm looking forward to making this one because I love the combination of the teal and peach prints which is one of my favorite color combinations this year thanks to Susan of PatchworknPlay who used it for her beautiful Delilah quilt.

If you like making Jelly Roll Race Quilts or making quilts with 2.5" strips, I think you would like making the Staggered Strips and Squares quilt.  It is a great stash buster.  Just like challenging myself to use other fabrics besides my Cotton+Steel stash, I'm doing another challenge to make other quilt patterns besides the Staggered Strips and Squares, of course, after I finish my fourth one.  You can't always make easy quilts, can we now.  

If you haven't already, please visit the other Bloggers' posts; they're fun, inspiring and filled with great resources.  Good Blog Host, Calico Joan has created a Pinterest Board where you can find all of the Fabulous Freebies posts there.  It's nice to be able to have one spot to find all of the Fabulous Freebies posts. 

Thank You Joan for hosting the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop!

Linking up with: My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday 

The August Gotta Do List is Almost Done

I've been laying low in Blogland for the past few weeks with the continuation of cleaning up and reorganizing my studio.  I can now say that this phase is over because I have finally handled the elephant in the studio--the batting scraps which have been accumulating in several areas in my once tidy and organized studio of years past. They are now contained and organized and it involved a purchase of a brand new 45 gallon waste container with a lid and wheels and a huge sign taped on the outside stating this was not garbage to prevent my hubby from committing a crime in my book.  It is safely ensconced in the utility room and good vibes are back in the studio just in time to finish most of the "gotta dos" for August:

Cubbie Baby Quilt #2

This is purely coincidental, but I had to make another baby quilt for my Fitness Center friend, Andrew, who recently had a baby boy.  I already made a Cubbie Quilt for one of my best peep's son who is expecting his first baby and his name is also Andrew.   For the #2 quilt, I changed the pattern from having checkerboard sashing to a four patch layout.  I'm still not sure if I like this pattern as much as the original one because this one involved having to pin my blocks since all of the seams needed to be pressed open and for me it's hard to sew accurately without nesting seams.  Unlike Andrew #1, Andrew #2 is not a Chicago Cubs fan but instead a Chicago White Sox fan; fortunately for the baby, his mother is a Chicago Cubs fan so I was more than happy to welcome another new Chicago Cubs fan with a quilt.

Classic Meets Modern QAL hosted by My Quilt Infatuation

My August Blocks, Dutch Pinwheel and Chevron Diamonds, both 10" are done and have been added to the layout.  It's nice to be able to see how nicely this quilt is coming.  I've only been using Zen Chic's Figures fabric line by Moda and my stash is slowly dwindling.  Thank goodness the filler blocks and  sashings of flying geese and square in the squares are scrappy because I may just have scraps left after the remaining  four blocks are made.

Fireburst Mystery hosted by Tish Adventure in Wonderland

The four 10 inch August blocks are done and there is nothing more maddening than to sew is a mystery quilt  for the inpatient quilter, moi.  This is the first month we actually sewed blocks and with the other units already sewn, I still have no idea what the final quilt will look.  It's a good thing I have other projects to distract me until next month's blocks.

Flags for Sue Block Drive hosted by Alycia Quilts

I've made eight flag blocks and now ready to mail them off to Alycia who is collecting them in memory and in honor of Sue, a fellow quilter and volunteer who recently passed away.  You can read about this block drive by clicking on the link above.  Blocks are due by September 1st so there is still time to make some if you would like to contribute to this very worthy cause. These blocks are easy and sew up quickly and it's now one of my favorite flag blocks.  Thank you Alycia for hosting this wonderful block drive.

Last but not least, next week is the Fabulous Freebie Blog Hop, August 20-24 hosted by Calico Joan of MooseStash Quilting.  Bloggers will be posting their favorite free patterns either their own or one from another blogger. Here is the schedule of the featured bloggers and I am sure there is going to be a lot of quilt inspirations:

Monday August 20

Just Let Me Quilt

Seams To Be Sew

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Days Filled With Joy

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

Quilt Fabrication

Tuesday August 21

Life in the Scrapatch

Songbird Designs

Sew Many Yarns

Samelia's Mum

Vroomans Quilts

Wednesday August 22

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Creatin' in the Sticks

Just Because Quilts

Hazel's Daughter

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

BeaQuilter

Thursday August 23

Words & Stitches

Patchouli Moon Studio

Something Rose Made

Sew Golden A Chance

Clever Chameleon

Friday August 24

That Fabric Feeling

Selina Quilts

Quarter Inch Crafter

Yanicka Quilt

MooseStashQuilting

I will be participating on Thursday, August 23rd with my latest Scattered Squares and Strip quilt which I have just started quilting this week.  Binding has been chosen from my Cotton+Steel stash even though I was tempted to buy another print but I had to stick to my August fabric fast. Part of the reason for my studio reorganization was the fabric binge buying I did in June and July and so far during the first half of August, I have not bought any new fabric.  Hopefully, I can stick to my resolve and have plenty of projects which already have the needed fabric, I think.  See you next week with my Fabulous Freebie post.

Linking up with: My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday 

Saying Good-Bye to July

It's been almost three weeks since my last post and part of my reason for this brief respite is because it involved indulging in way too much July Sidewalk Sales, both online and on foot, which resulted in my having to reorganize my studio. I don't dare show photos of my latest acquisitions which also include my winnings of 33 fat quarters from participating in MMM Quilts Plus Playtime QAL (Thank you Sandra and Cali Quilt Co.) or my new storage unit; I'm just glad my studio is once again organized and a fabric diet will be planned for 2019.  I spent the last week of July catching up on some sewing and can post some finally finished quilts.

First up is my Stacked Squares Quilt designed by Erica Jackman of Kitchen Table Quilting and is a free pattern available from Moda Bake Shop.  I first became aware of this pattern through Kelly Young of My Quilt Infatuation and this is the second one I have made.  

I started making this quilt last year when I purchased Lynette Jensen's Quilts with a New Attitude being the Modern Traditional quilter which I am and also in possession of a bit of both Thimbleberries and Cotton+Steel fabrics, both RJR lines. I liked the idea of combining one of Lynette's traditional pattern with the modern C+S fabric so my intention was to make the Sky Blue Waters pattern.  I changed my mind when I realized that I needed a new wall quilt to go with the new blue and green bedspread for our "guest" bedroom (truth be told, I still call this Mike's room even though he hasn't occupied it in our ten years and is only used when he and his family comes to visit) and thought the Stacked Squares patten would make a better wall quilt. However, I did get the idea to combine both Thimbleberries and Cotton + Steel fabrics together since I thought some of the blue and green prints I had in both of my stash would go so well together.

I made these blocks almost a year ago and sadly I didn't feel the urgency to finish this quilt.  It was on my 2018 UFO list and my only impetus to finally finish this quilt is because there is another quilt I want to make similar to the Stack Squares pattern using blue and yellow Cotton + Steel.  Sometimes my UFO list has to take precedent and a DrEAMi project has to wait.  Also, I was really hesitant about cutting up these blocks since cute animal prints were involved and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be--the squirrels sewed up nicely.

My C+S+T (Cotton+Steel+Thimbleberries) quilt measures 60" square. Here are some close-up photos of the quilt.  Can you spot which prints are Thimbleberries and which ones are Cotton + Steel?   I quilted it with curvy lines, about 1" apart, with mint green thread and the funky dot backing is a ten year old print from the backing vault.  I used a green Thimbleberries print for the binding not only for nostalgia sake but also as a way to use up more of the Thimbleberries stash which has been quietly sitting on my shelf.

Now that this quilt is finally finished, I'm wondering why I didn't finish it sooner.  Also, since I've become reaquainted with the Thimbleberries book, I may do a variation of the Sky Blue Waters pattern with the blue and yellow Cotton + Steel prints.  It's funny how quilt inspiration can strike you or is this what you call serendipity?

And speaking of quilt inspiration or should I say impetus, I finally finished my sweet granddaughter, Micah, Fish Quilt which I mentioned in my last post that I had forgotten about it and needed to finally finish it since my claim that every quilt I started in 2018 were all finally finishes was not true because of this top.

The Anne Kellle fish fabric used for the backing was purchased last year when Micah was just months old and the 4.5" squares was pulled from stash but the top was not made until March of this year.  There's no better impetus for finally finishing this quilt than a visit to see Micah this weekend and I'm pretty sure she's going to love it since she's in a Fishie phase right now.  I love the wavy grid quilting with the variegated thread on the top and thankful that I had enough of the stripe fabric for the binding.  I think I'll be using this quilting pattern again for my one-patch quilts, a favorite of mine  for baby quilts.

Some of the other sewing I did was another Staggered Squares and Strip quilt top which I am doing for the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop, August 20-24th hosted by Calico Joan of Moosestash Quilting where Bloggers are presenting their favorite or their own free quilt tutorial.  Here's a sneak peek of the quilt which I will be posting on my day which is August 24th and should be no surprise that it involves Cotton + Steel fabrics.  I'm being very partial when I say I love making these quilts because it's, easy,  a great pattern to use a lot of different fabrics and the quilting comes easy for me.

I'm calling it a month now and saying good-bye to July.  It's been a busy and fun month for me and I expect more of the same for August except for the fabric buying.  We'll be traveling in September and  hubby saids there are four quilt shops around where we will be staying so I need to do a fabric fast for August.

Linking up with:  Tish Adventure in Wonderland, UFO Busting, Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday 

The Big Cat Crossing Quilt: A DrEAMi and a Finally Finished for the End of June

Last January, when I made my Staggered Strips and Squares Quilt,  the Hinto Minto, and posted the sort-of tutorial, my plan was to make another one showcasing the black and white Cotton + Steel Neon Snow Leopard print and some of my fun prints in my stash.  During the past six months, in between QALs, projects, etc., I only managed to cut and sew the strips for the first round and only found time this month to work on the quilt to finally finish it in time for the June DrEAMi link-up hosted by Sandra of mmm Quilts.

I modified the pattern for the Big Cat Crossing Quilt by:

• cutting the panels of the "Cat" print 8-1/2" x 12-1/2" because I really wanted to showcase this fun print 
• the 4-1/2" x 8-1/2" accent blocks were set vertically along with some of the 81/2" square blocks
• the quilt measures 54" x 72" (approx.)

I machine quilted wavy, organic lines with a variegated gray thread with white thread on the bottom and much to my surprise turned out better than I expected.  I love how these quilting lines look on the "Cat" print; it really gives them some movement.

Once again, there was some indecision on my part as to the backing.  I had some 60" wide black and white print from IKEA which I wasn't completely happy with using and finally made up my mind that I would. But then I decided to take one more look in my stash and found the black and white Cross fabric which I thought would be perfect since the quilt is called Big Cat Crossing. I didn't have enough of the Cross print so I had to make a pieced back, which is not my favorite thing to do, by sewing another black and white print on the sides.  Luckily, since I don't make pieced backs very often, I managed to  center the quilt top  evenly with the backing which I didn't think of doing when I was basting.

The Big Cat Crossing Quilt was bound in the Cotton + Steel black and white Netorious print.   I'm beginning to become a fan of machine binding, not because it's faster than doing it by hand but I like it's another way to accent the quilting by using the same color thread for the binding.

What a wonderful way to end the month of June with a DrEAMi!  If I can toot my own horn, this is a great pattern for the 2.5" strips you can find in your stash.

I'm one of the twenty-two Quilt Bloggers who will be participating in the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop hosted by CalicoJean of MooseStash Quilting. The Blog Hop will be from August 20-24th and Bloggers will be posting their favorite online free quilt patterns.  I will be posting my Staggered Strips and Squares tutorial on Thursday, August 23rd and will include my Big Cat Crossing Quilt and another quilt I have in the works.  Details are still being worked out and there may be sponsor giveaways.

Finally, I like to give one last shoutout for June which is sadly ending too soon.  I am amazed that I was able to finish this quilt in the wonderful month of June which started very busy for me with the projects completed earlier in the month.  I celebrated my Golden Anniversary of my Sweet Sixteenth birthday (another way to say I turned 66), went on a eleven day road trip  and visited my friend Mary Etherington in Iowa, went to the Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE and finally ended up in Granby, Colorado where I discovered, The Fabric Nook, a gem of a quilt shop where I indulged in several fabric purchases.  We also made several side trips to Steamboat, where I met up briefly with a fellow Bee Blogger,  from 2017 and FB friend, Nancy Bekedam of Grace and Piece Quilting, visited the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, where I was able to photograph my two "Colorado" quilts: Whitewater River Rafting (Regatta) and my Modern Neutral Jelly Roll Charm Chase next to a flowing river on a fence with barb wire--ouch, don't think that will happen again and a visit to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden.  Soon after we arrived home, my darling granddaughter, Micah and her mother came for almost a six day stay.  So I think I did pretty well with finishing the Cat Crossing Quilt and my June Quilt, my UFO finish for this month.

There's been enough excitement this month to hold me over for the next couple of months.  I'm looking forward to staying home and planning on finishing up some projects on my never-ending list such as quilting my Plus Playtime Quilt in which the link-up is in early July. Stay cool and dry since we Midwesterners having been experiencing too much rain and heat lately which is good inside sewing weather for me.

Linking up with: mmmquilts, DrEAMi June Linky Party, Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday