Organic Quilting and Few Announcements

A lot has happened since my last post. I know most of you are familiar with my blog The Root Connection. The book tour is in progress with Day 4 over at Blue Mountain Daisy. She has generously decided to give away one extra copy to international bloggers. Here is your chance to win a hard copy if you are not a U.S. resident.

While I am not busy marketing my book, visiting other blogs, I am working away slowly on my zigzag quilt.

Here is the big announcement!

I will be on Pat Sloan's radio show on Monday December 8 at 4:00 pm EST. You can find the details here.

Please join me for my very first interview!

Here is the complete list of the blog tour. You have many chances to win my book.

Tuesday December 2 Sujata Shah @ C&T Publishing  Open thru12/12

Wednesday December 3 LeeAnn Decker @ Nifty Quilts Still Open

Thursday December 4 Victoria Gertenbach @ The Silly Boodilly  Still Open

Friday December 5 Rachaeldaisy @ Blue Mountain Daisy Today

Saturday December 6 Lori Dejarnett @ Humble Quilts
 
Sunday December 7 Casey York @ The Studiolo

Monday December 8 Malka Dubrawsky @ A Stitch in Dye

Tuesday December 9 Sherri Lynn Wood @ daintytime

Wednesday December10 Bonnie Hunter @ Quiltville's Quips and Snips

Thursday December 11 Jake Finch @ Generation Q

Friday December 12 Jan Burgwinkle @ Be*mused

Saturday December 13 Janet Treen @ Quiltsalott

Sunday December 14 Lindsay Conner @ Lindsay Sews

Some Scrappy Eye Candy from the Houston Show

Not much to say when pictures can do it all.

I had a great time at the show. If you missed my posts about my trip to Houston, visit http://therootconnection.blogspot.com/

The Christ Collection

Couple of weeks back I went to the Hershey Quilt Show with my friends. There were some amazing quilts there.

I did not take many pictures of the quilts in the show. The quilts I was most inspired by were the from the Christ Collection called American Pride - Eagles and Stars. Although, photographing those antique quilts was not allowed, I have to share these beauties with you.

I took some shots from the show book.

I hope you enjoy them. It made me want to make a traditional star quilt. When and how? I am not so sure!
I am still waiting for one more quilt to appear in the blogland soon. May be that will do the trick!

They were also selling some of the re-created patterns. You can find them here: www.thechristcollections.com/

Nine Patch Swap

Barb organized a nine patch swap and shared this really fun way of making the blocks.

http://funwithbarbandmary.blogspot.com/p/9-patch-swap.html

I had never made nine patches with this method. If you are looking for making a scrappy nine patch quilt, this method is very effective.

You need 2 - 4 1/2'' x 4 1/2'' squares of contrasting colors. 

Each pair of fabrics makes one set of nine patch blocks.

Kelly has chosen her fabrics very carefully and did not repeat. I was having more fun swapping fabric and seeing how different colors and textures react with the same fabric.

 

After first few, I realized I should keep them attached so I have easier time keeping track of them.

Way too much fun!

Few more! 

I am all done with my brights. Total of 100 for the swap and few extra just for fun.
Are you tempted?
I sure hope so!

There are enough people signed up for the swap but that doesn't mean you can't have fun. Go visit Barb's blog for the tutorial. Make some for yourself and your friends.

Distractions

For many months I have been cleaning my closets..Yes, my cleaning/purging lasts for months since I don't really stick with it. Little distraction comes my way and I am off to something better than that closet.
I found few old jeans and decided to cut them up. Not knowing what I would do with them, best thing was to tear them into strips.

And this is what it led to.

Here is how I made it.

Tear the strips 2 to 3 inches wide.

Make log cabin or house top blocks by layering the edges of two strips about 1/2'' and top stitching as you go. This avoids all the bulk on the seams on the back side of the block.

Also remember to back stitch front and back end of the stitch line. 

Make them roughly the same size. Now you don't have to sit with a ruler. Since they are all made form reasonably similar size strips, it isn't hard to keep them the same size. You can use filler strips when it comes to final piecing of the quilt.

Start arranging them next to each other however they fit. Sew the blocks into rows.

At this point you may want to pin the blocks. Denim is bulky even without those seams in the back, once you have sewn a few pieces, it gets heavier and difficult to manage.

Because there no seams, there is no right or wrong side. Have fun piecing them without worrying about the sides. Finished piece will end up with good character added to it.

Here is the completed top. I am still considering on how to finish the quilt. I made it during the dead of last winter. Cold and Gray with the touch of Gold!

Don't you think it was a good distration from cleaning those closets?

These days I am busy working on this quilt.

Click on the picture to read all about it on my other blog.

Hope you all are working on something scrappy and fun!
Sujata

Pi Day!

 

 

Happy Pi Day, you all!

Read this wonderful post about the Pi day here.

This looks like a good challenge to me. So many possibilities!

Are you in? Leave a comment. I am excited!

New beginning and first finish of the year

More scraps are being put together, this time with a specific color scheme in mind. Will it still be as much fun? I guess I will find out!

Confetti, 16 1/2'' x 18 1/4''

This is my first hand quilted finish of the year. Small projects have carried me far during this winter.

Read more about this confetti quilt here.

I have taken a long break from this blog but I will be back with a challenge soon. If you have nay ideas, throw them my way. I would love to hear them.