I am positively excited that it is time to meet the Beary Colourful Orange Bear!
April 1st. But no fools here…. just us coloured bears! And it is time to welcome another teddy to our growing family…. the Orange Bear of Positive Attitude. Also known as Thumbs Up Bear!
The fourth bear in the Beary Colourful Quilt BOM series is cheerful like his yellow cousin, but it is his enthusiasm that sets him apart. Know anyone who thinks that “Everything is AWESOME, I want to experience it all!!”? Orange bear is just like them. Positively positive!
Hopefully you will give the new bear the two thumbs up!
March already!?! Seriously?! Well, the good news is, it is time for the Beary Colourful Yellow Bear!
I am loving seeing all the bears appearing from in the Monthly Color Challenge link ups at Patterns by Jen. There are going to be some very happy teddy bear-loving quilt recipients out there in time! 🙂
The third bear in the Beary Colourful Quilt is the Yellow Bear of Being Active Outdoors. This bear is cheerful and energetic and is just itching to get out and have some fun. Grab this pattern and your yellow fabric scraps. Let’s add a really lively bear to your Beary Colourful collection.
My One Monthly Goal for February with Elm Street Quilts
The rest of February is looking super at Clever Chameleon. I have so many fun projects to work on that I might even manage not to go chasing too many quilted squirrels this month. Here’s some of the things that will be holding my focus:
February! Time to meet the Blue Bear of High Hopes!
I know some of you have been waiting (patiently?!) since quite early January for the next bear in the Beary Colourful BOM. I must say, I was mightily impressed at how quickly red bears started appearing after the first pattern was released, and I want to thank everyone who shared a red bear with me last month. I think we will need to have a teddy bear’s picnic at some point!
So, without further ado, here is our Blue Bear of High Hopes. I have done him twice in two slightly different sets of fabric, because I like to double-check the pattern for you. At the end of the year I will have enough blocks for two bear quilts. I’m not seeing a downside to this, are you?! 🙂
From the Sewing Room – Valentine’s Heart Quilt Block and a De-Stash Challenge
Do you want ideas and motivation to use up some stash and/or scraps from your craft room? You are not alone! Come join us in the Craft Room De-Stash Challenge – a group of bloggers committed to turning some of the craft supply lovelies we have hoarded into finished items. Of course, my projects are likely to all be fabric related, but this is a diverse group of crafters. So there will be lots of ideas in this hop to deal with whatever crafty skeletons you have hiding in your closet!
Every month a group of bloggers are challenged by C’mon Get Crafty to create a new craft or project from their own stash of goodies! Check out some awesome creations you might be able to make from your own stash! #CraftRoomDestashChallenge
Really Dione, another project?!
Well, yes….. and no……
At the beginning of the year I stated that one of my goals was to reclaim my sewing space. And I have come to realise that part of that goal is going to have to be using up or moving on some of my stash. Like lots of quilters, I have a significant fabric stash, and a similarly rampant collection of scraps.So, joining in with this monthly hop (when I can) is actually one of the tools I am using to make this happen.
I suppose there are faster ways to reduce my stash…… But I bought and collected my resources because I like them. So I’d really rather take things to their intended conclusion and use them. What better way than to make some projects with the mentality of ONLY using stash?
Valentine’s Heart Quilt Block
For my first De-Stash Challenge project, I have decided to make a scrappy-heart quilt block. With Saint Valentine’s Day still a month away, you have time to make this block and turn it into a small Valentine’s Day project…. a pillow perhaps, or a lap quilt. This block with a border added would be a good size for a throw pillow. Or a dozen of these with a little sashing would make a nice lap quilt for someone you hold dear. I intend to eventually make a quilt with at least 12 of these, and probably some scrappy pieced blocks in between, so that the project uses a noticeable amount of stash! Probably not by Valentine’s Day 2018 though…..
Here’s the fabric I am using for my block background. I have just enough in my stash for 12 pieces of 11 inches square.
How to create your Scrappy Valentine’s Heart Block
Step 1
Iron your red fabric scraps. Choose two scraps with straight edges (or trim to straight edges) and sew them together with a 1/4″ seam. Press.
Trim the joined pieces so that you have at least one new straight edge. It doesn’t matter which edge. The less you think about the crazy improv piecing the better!
Step 2
Choose a third scrap of red fabric and sew to the trimmed edge of the previously joined fabrics.
Three red scraps pieced together
Again, press and trim off excess to create a new straight edge. Continue this crazy patchwork piecing until you have a piece large enough to cover the appliqué template.
The red crazy patchwork is growingThe red crazy patchwork is still growingEnough red crazy patchwork cover the Valentine’s Heart template.
Note: you can build the crazy patchwork in several smaller pieces and join these together to get the final larger piece if you wish.
Step 3
Trace the heart shape onto the paper side of the fusible adhesive. Cut out with a little to spare around the outside of the shape.
To keep your appliqué from being stiff, remove most of the fusible adhesive from the centre of the heart shape. Leave about 1 inch around the outside edge of the heart.
Step 4
Fuse the heart-shape adhesive ring to the back of your crazy patchwork as per manufacturer’s instructions. Trim your heart to the outline.
Heart appliqué with fusible adhesive around the edge of the shape but not in the middle to keep the project soft.
Remove the paper backing and fuse your Valentine’s Heart to the centre of your backing fabric square. The minimum size for the backing square is 11 inches square, but you are welcome to make your blocks larger with more negative space around the heart.
Scrappy Valentine’s Heart fused to background fabric
Step 5
Use your favourite appliqué stitch to secure the heart to the backing.
Finished Valentine’s Heart Block
One scrappy Valentine’s Heart block done.
I have enough of the butterflies batik background fabric in my stash for 12 heart blocks. I may vary the appliqué heart pattern between some of my blocks. Then, as I mentioned above, the rest of the quilt top will be scrappy squares.
The backing will also come from stash, and I also intend to use my growing pile of batting offcuts. It will be a bit of a Franken-quilt, but it should be sweet, and very usable, and require no new purchases (with the possible exception of binding, which I can probably obtain within the $10 limit).
You are invited…. Join us in De-Stashing your Craft Room.
April 1st. But no fools here…. just us coloured bears! And it is time to welcome another teddy to our growing family…. the Orange Bear of Positive Attitude. Also known as Thumbs Up Bear!
