Sally Said Sew

Earlier this year, I joined an AnglePlay® group on facebook. "This is a community of beginning through advanced quilters who love to "reach for the unexpected " using Margaret Miller's AnglePlay® templates." I haven't done much with templates and was looking to branch out and add to my quilting skills. I joined the group, bought the templates and started in with the Block of the Month, "Ribbon Rhythms", for 2014.   Oh my! It was quite the challenge for me at first, but the online videos were very helpful. I just completed Block 6 out of 8 and am getting the hang of this now. We make two of each block every month.  I can't wait to start quilting this project when we finish in the next couple of months. Block 6 BOM Project Taking Shape For more information on AnglePlay, visit the facebook group (linked above) or go to http://www.millerquilts.com/.  

My mom got me started on a new charity sewing project. No, I'm not abandoning Quilts Beyond Borders - far from it! I am adding in a new one - TQPM Small Kennel Quilts .  The TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team is a volunteer organization that is available when disasters strike. It is a way to join a larger effort to help our animal friends in times of need by doing what we love. They supply kennel quilts to shelters in times of need. With the recent Carlton Complex fires here in the Methow Valley in Washington State, over 300 homes were lost in the firestorm. Families, pets and livestock were displaced. My community has been severely impacted and was the impetus for me to give back to those in need. These are small little quilts that don't take much material or time to make. I have been able to use scraps from my QBB quilts and one I made for my son. Our local quilt shop is getting in on the action, too. At our Open ...

I recently signed up for a facebook group to exchange doll size quilts. I enjoy participating in swaps including one I already do to exchange 1 yard of fabric each month with a new swap partner. July's theme for the doll quilt swap is Christmas in July. I had fun planning my quilt layout and then making and quilting it. I especially enjoyed the quilting part since I did it all freehand and used it as a learning experience for doing filler patterns. I am pleased with how it turned out and I think my swap partner, Sandy, will like it, too. Christmas in July Doll Quilt

About a month ago, I had the pleasure of traveling two hours each way to attend the Minnesota Quilters' Show and Conference in St. Cloud. Two hours? Each way? Are you nuts, Sally? Uh, yep. But if you were able to see those gorgeous quilts, you would do it, too. The show had a juried section, a non-juried section and another section with various groupings. Plus they had rows and rows of vendors selling fabrics, quilting supplies, and machines. I only had my cell phone with me so many of the photos I took didn't turn out. I will share some of the ones that did. Under each photo, I will share what was written on the information card for the quilt. Juried Quilts This was one of my favorites. The details were simply amazing! Look closely. "Breaking Wind" by Peggy Kragnes - Felton, Minnesota Pieced by Peggy Kragnes, Quilted by Peggy Kragnes. Not necessarily a Sunbonnet Sue fan, the idea for this quilt was born during a sleepless night. I enjoyed every aspect o...

After the massive mudslide in Oso, Washington occurred on March 22, 2014, The Quiltmaker's Shoppe , a local quilt shop in Arlington, wanted to do something to give back to the community so  the Oso Heirloom Quilt Project was launched. I used to live not far from Oso and worked in Arlington for many years. I am friends with a family that was affected by the upstream flooding as a result of the slide. I decided to sew up blocks to donate. This is my way of giving back to those who lost everything and to thank those who responded to help in the aftermath. Twenty-six Churn & Dash Blocks for Oso For more information on the project, visit the store's website or the Oso Heirloom Quilt Project Facebook page.

I wanted to leave a little thank you gift for my soon to be ex-landlord since I am having to move from the condo. It was just a winter rental.  Here is what I made for her. The pattern is called Churnover by Pieced Tree Patterns. Fabrics are mostly by Moda.

The month of January turned out to be very busy with my job so not much quilting time was available, not even on weekends. I made up for it last month sewing up two more quilt tops for Quilts Beyond Borders and then quilting them on my trips home. I finished up the binding this week. Hard to believe I have completed seven quilts for QBB now! As I have said in prior QBB posts, I love the practice on my longarm machine I get, but I am finding I enjoy the creative side to coming up with new patterns. I use my EQ7 software to do this. Who wants to make the same quilt over and over again? Not me! For this quilt I cut 3" strips and sewed them "jelly roll race" style. It went together quickly. I am not thrilled by the lack of randomness I was hoping for but I know some child will enjoy the bright colors.