OUR LATEST SCRAP SQUAD PROJECT: THE REVEAL

Hi everyone,
I was always good at keeping secrets, but for some reason, I was itching to come out with this one:    Our latest Scrap Squad project was AWESOME!   What a beautiful, beautiful pattern!   Designed by Julie Herman of Jaybird quilts (http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/), the pattern is called RASPBERRY DESSERT, all in pink hues.   My seven  partners in crime and I,  the Quiltmaker Scrap Squad, were assigned this pattern to be made with our scraps.   The result is just awesome!   Let me show you a picture of mine:

It was a VERY EASY pattern to make.   I used scraps from my fall/autumn bin, then scraps from my neutrals bin and for the cornerstones, an array of scraps from my reds.   While working on this quilt, we Scrap Squad Girls are in constant communication, uploading pictures of our work in progress... asking advice... giving advice and generally motivating each other.   Jane, one of our colleagues, told me this quilt reminded her of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches we devoured on cold winter days... Such a fitting description!  Warm and cozy!   
The pattern was different from any I had ever made because of the beautiful pieced set-in triangles that improves  the overall effect of the quilt:    Here is a picture of the top BEFORE it was trimmed:   You can see the '' raggedy'' edges.   It is well indicated on the pattern where to trim off and it is actually very easy to do.

Here is a picture of the finished quilt on a bed and then, a closeup picture of the quilting I did on my own HQ16:   not perfect quilting, but I am getting there.

You can find this lovely pattern in the next edition of Quiltmaker Magazine (May/June) which will be out on the newsstands within the next few weeks.

GOOD NEWS:    The designer of this RASPBERRY DESSERT pattern, Julie Herman,  has generously donated one of her latest patterns to each of the Scrap Squad members to give away on her blog.   If you scroll down to my next post, you will read all the details of the giveaway..   You can participate in this contest on my blog or any of the Scrap Squad member`s blog.   We EACH have a pattern to give away.   This is how to connect to their blogs and enter the contest.

Dionne's blog:    http://sewmanyquilts.blogspot.com/
Donna`s blog:   http://www.donnaquilts4u2c.blogspot.com/
Kim`s blog:     http://pokeytown3.blogspot.com/
Linda`s blog:     http://linfer101.blogspot.com/
Carol`s quilting page:    http://quiltwithus.connectingthreads.com/profile/CarolVickers
Jane`s blog:   http://forestjane.blogspot.com/
Ruth's blog:    http://threadsofmine.blogspot.com/


In addition,  Quiltmaker magazine also has a FABRIC giveaway on their blog:

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures

Now isn`t this a FUN week??????    Anyone want to join me in a NINE-PATCH FRENZY Quiltalong?    Just comment on the said post.   I would love to hear from you!

Keeping you in stitches,
Pat

JULIE HERMAN PATTERN GIVEAWAY CONTEST

Yep:   The cat`s out of the bag.   Julie Herman, from Jaybird Quilts, has generously provided a pattern for each of the scrap squad members to give away.   Her patterns are awesome!   You'll want to win this one.... Which one?   It`s a surprise!    Go to http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/ to see all her patterns from the '' pattern'' tab at the top of her page.  While there, you might as well browse her studio, her shop and everything else she has to offer, including very interesting TUTORIALS.  
Now, if you want to participate in this generous giveaway, just leave a comment on this post telling me what it is you like about Julie's patterns.    You have until the 4th of April to sign up, as on the 5th, I will randomly select a winner of the pattern!   You will have to check in on the 5th to see if YOU are the winner.   If so, you will be asked to give your email adress so I can contact you for your address.   Does this sound fair?
PAT

NINE PATCH FRENZY Quiltalong

Hi, My oh my, I have not written on my blog for quite some time.   But I have been busy!  In the next few days, I will post pictures of all my recent finished quilts ( and there are quite a few).   But for now, I would like to tell you about my new Quiltalong.   I recently tried to do a bit of scrap management and I realized how many 2 1/2'' strips I have!   Pastels,  fall , Christmas, kid`s novelty, bright, dots, stripes, plaids, flowers, tone on tones, batiks, and the list goes on and on... these strips are at least 8'' long, and most of them are from selvadge to selvadge.   Here is the picture of one of my bins of 2 1/2'' strips, the largest one...  I put a measuring tape on top so you could relate to the size of the bin.   I will NEVER sew all of these strips in my entire lifetime.  But I will try to make a dent in it once in a while.

What I do every day that I sew, is that I pick two fabrics and cut three 8in(approx)  strips out of each.

Then I make two strip sets like this:

I subcut the strip sets in 2 1/2'' cuts:

And then I sew them back together to make two nine-patches, one the opposite of the other:

It takes about 10 minutes two make the two, and then I put them aside in a small bin.   I have been doing this for about three weeks now.   I counted them tonight and I already have 42 of these little buggers done!   Now here`s the challenge:   Anyone who wants to join me in making these little patches is more than welcome!   Wouldn`t it be great to see what everyone does with 100 or so of these?   How would you sew them together????   The possibilities are endless:   Here is one way I thought I could set them.    When you put them one above the other, it makes for a nice rectangle that could be set with sashing and a cornerstone:

Or I could always sew them this way with sashing and a cornerstone (or not):

Or how about set on point with a background fabric for the squares and the set-in triangles:

Or I could make it completly scrappy and just sew one nine-patch alongside another randomly.   There would be no need to add yardage...  What would you do with a whole pile of scrappy nine-patches??????
If you care to join me in this little quiltalong, please leave a comment.   I would love to know who is in with me....