My goal is to spend a couple hours (at least) a week on my older projects and then that will still leave me some time to work on new things also. Because its so hard not starting new projects!
Last week I finished my Joyful Meadows Quilt top! This pattern will be in my shop November 30th! This week I hope to get it basting and quilted! I’m going to use a Red marker on my list this month and a purple marker on my list next month to see how much I am accomplishing since I started this challenge!
I founds some beautiful Rainbow Stars Hearts fabric by Andover Fabrics. I think this will be the perfect backing to this quilt!
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
So it’s that time of year that I start looking a my ever growing pile of unfinished quilts and decide, hey I need to finish those!! I know I’m not alone….I’m talking to you! A lot of quilters are SO excited to start a new quilt, their previous quilt tops get thrown into a pile.
Last year I had set up a Finish Those UFQs Challenge in my quilt along group. I thought it might be fun to do it again this year! I know it helped motivate me to finish some of my quilts. I hope it helped you too!! This year I’ve made a PDF Quilt Project tracker with 20 spots for projects (5 more slots that last years pdf). If you have more than 20 unfinished quilts, just print more than one sheet!
You can download the FREE Quilt Project Tracker here
To accomplish my goal, I plan to spend at least 1 to 2 hour each week on my UFQ’s. This way I can still work on new projects, but I’m still chipping away at my unfinished pile.
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
Each Monday morning I will film a LIVE Check in video in my Facebook Quilt Along Group to let you know what I’ve accomplished and see what you guys are working on!
Finish Those UFQs 2019! Nov. 2st – Week 1 – Write your list and share your list in the Quilt Along Group or on Instagram! Nov. 9th – Week 2 Nov. 16th – Week 3 Nov. 23nd – Week 4 Nov. 30th – Week 5 Dec. 7th – Week 6 Dec. 14th – Week 7 Dec. 21th – Week 8 Dec. 28 – Week 9
Follow me on Social media to see what project I’m working on! Facebook or Instagram
Last year I had 8 quilts on my list to finish. This year I only have 6…that may be because I haven’t been sewing as much this year. Since the pandemic hit and the kids have been home, its harder to find time to sew. I have 2 quilts on my list this year that were on last years list. Hopefully I can get most of these finished!
This post may contain Affiliate Links. When using the link, you pay the same amount for the items, I just receive a small commission.
Wow! That Quilt along went by so fast! We are on WEEK 5 of the Starlight Mountains Quilt Along with the National Quilters Circle! We have all these beautiful blocks, now it’s time to turn them into a comfy quilt!
This week you can download the Finishing instructions. These will give you instructions on how to sew your top together, add your borders and how to turn your quilt top into a cozy quilt!
Things you will need to finish your quilt: Backing Fabric (at least 6 inches wider and longer than your quilt top) Quilt Batting (at least 6 inches wider and longer than your quilt top) Basting Spray or Basting Pins Binding Fabric These are helpful but not necessary: Hera Marker to mark out your quilting lines Walking Foot (Helps pull your quilt from both the top and the bottom)
Finishing our Quilts!
Quilt Sandwich: First you will need to make your Quilt Sandwich. You will need to cut and sew your backing fabric to make it fit under your quilt correctly. Make sure it is at least 3 inches wider than your quilt top on all sides (quilt top size + 6 inches). Trim your selvage edge off after joining your pieces.
Make your quilt sandwich by first laying down your quilt backing, wrong side facing up. Tape down to a hard surface, making fabric taut. Next lay your batting on top. Smooth out with your hands, do not stretch. Then lay your quilt top right side up, smooth out with your hands.
Basting Your Quilt:
Spray baste: My favorite way to baste my quilt is by using Spray Baste! It makes basting so much easier. If you have allergies, this is probably not a good option for you. Find a place where you can lay out your quilt. Make sure to tape the backing fabric taut to the floor (or large table). Here’s great spray baste tutorial by Emily Dennis of Quilty Love. Spray Baste Tutorial
Pin basting: You can use safety pin about 3 to 4 inches apart (about the width of your hand). I like to use the large curved basting pins. This takes a little longer than the spray basting, but is a great option.
Quilting your Quilt: This step is totally up to you!
For my original quilt I used my walking foot and quilted about 1 inch apart. I used my hera marker a 6×24 inch ruler to mark out my line on the borders and larger finished pieces in my quilt top. I used my seams as a guide. I like to sew about 1/2 from the seam, this helps avoid the bulk of the seams.
Hand Tie your Quilt: Some prefer to tie there quilt. Suzy Quilts has an cool way of tying quilts. Check out her Tutorial!
Hand Quilt: Here’s a wonderful video tutorial by Suzy Quilts all about How to Hand Quilt.
Machine Quilt using your Walking Foot: Emily Dennis from Quilty Love has a great tutorial on how to Zig zag quilt your quilt with a Walking foot. Click here I love this method of quilting, it give your quilt great texture.
Free Motion Quilting: Free motion quilting can give you great texture and if you aren’t great at quilting straight lines, this would be great for you. Suzy Williams from Suzy Quilts has a great Free Motion Quilting Tutorial. Click here.
Binding Your Quilt:
Binding is the fabric strip that goes on the edge of your quilt. It covers all of the unfinished edges and rounds out your quilt.
You will want to make sure to square up your quilt before you attach the binding. Cut off the extra batting around the edges and make sure your sides are straight and corners are squared.
Most quilters will cut 2 /12 inch by width of fabric strips and then sew them together at the ends at a diagonal. Then press the strip in half, so that you are wrapping 2 layers of fabric around all of your edges.
You can machine sew the binding to the front of your quilt and wrap it around to the back and hand stitch it down. Or some prefer sewing the binding to the back of the quilt, wrapping it around to the front and machine stitching it down.
One of my favorite binding tutorials is by Suzy Williams of Suzy Quilts. Go check it out!
I’m so excited to see everyone finished quilts!
How do I participate?
Make sure to Post your finished quilt top photo in The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
Yay!! It’s the last week of blocks and then next week you will get the finishing instructions!
This week we will be making 3 of the Large Star blocks! If you are making a larger size make sure to check the cutting instructions located in the Quilt Along Group!
Make sure to join The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
This week we will be making 6 Mountain Blocks for the throw size quilt! If you are making an alternative size, make sure to check the fabric requirments to see how many blocks you will need to make!
Make sure to join The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
This week we will be making 6 Small Star #2 Blocks! This block is similar to last weeks block, but it had a different center and made up of different colors.
I’m going scrappy with this quilt. So I will be making 2 of each of my color combos this week. Each color combo is different than last weeks combo.
I’m so excited to see your blocks this week! Make sure to post them in the The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
Welcome to the NQC Block Challenge Quilt Along using the Starlight Mountains quilt that I designed! This will be a 5 week long quilt along. So you will have a finished quilt in no time!!
Fabric Requirments My Blog – Explaining this Quilt Along September 7th – Week 1 – Small Star Block #1 (Make 6) September 14th – Week 2 – Small Star Block #2 (Make 6) September 21st – Week 3 – Mountain Block (Make 6) September 28th – Week 4 – Large Star Block (Make 3) October 5th – Week 5 – Quilt Borders and Assembly
I’m going scrappy this time!! So I will be making 2 of each of my color combos this week.
I’m so excited to see how your quilts turn out!!
Make sure to join The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
Join us up in the Mountains where the stars shine bright!
This quilt was inspired by memories of camping in the mountains where the bright shining stars reflect in the lake below.
I’ve partnered with the National Quilters Circle to bring you this FREE Quilt Along starting September 7, 2020!
JOIN FOR FREE – TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FABRIC REQUIREMENTS AND COLORING PAGE!
QUILT ALONG SCHEDULE:
Now – Go download the Fabric requirement and post a photo of your fabrics September 7th – Week 1 – Small Star Block #1 (Make 6) September 14th – Week 2 – Small Star Block #2 (Make 6) September 21st – Week 3 – Mountain Block (Make 6) September 28th – Week 4 – Large Star Block (Make 3) October 5th – Week 5 – Quilt Borders and Assembly
* Post your photos for the current week in the The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group
OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
This post may contain Affiliate Links. When using the link, you pay the same amount for the items, I just receive a small commission.
This Pot Holder pattern was inspired by the Friendship necklaces that were popular when I was a kid. 💔 You give half of the heart to your friend and keep the other for yourself.
With this pattern you will make 2 heart pot holders that are similar but different. You can give one to a friend or loved one and keep one for yourself.
I know it has been pretty difficult to stay home and away from our friends and families. This is quick and fun project we can make to show our loved ones we are thinking about them and love them! ❤
You can also use these 8 1/2 inch unfinished blocks in a quilt, table runner, or throw pillows! This pattern is a great way to use up those scraps!!
The directions show you how to make one side scrappy and one side solid. I had some large scraps, so I make a couple blocks using the solid half heart on both sides.
I’m so excited to see what you make with your blocks! Make sure to tag me in your photo’s on Instagram.
The Summer time always reminds me of camping and going to the Mountains. When designing this quilt pattern I was trying to echo a geometric design on both corners of the quilt. When I stood back and looked, this design looked like to mountain ranges with a canyon in between. This is where the name Cobalt Canyon Quilt came from.
I have been wanting to make beginner friendly quilt for awhile and this quilt is great for beginners! It is made up of squares and rectangles. So it goes together super quickly!
The pattern comes with directions for a Baby, Throw, Twin, Queen and King size quilt.
I remembered there was a super cute line of fabric called Hello Bear designed by Bonnie Christine for Art Gallery Fabrics. This line has been around for a while and I have always wanted to use it. I thought it would be perfect for a baby boy quilt. I bought my fabric at Stash Fabrics. They had all the ones I wanted!!
I decided to quilt this about 5/8 in from each mountain top seam.
For binding, I love using a dark color. So it frames the quilt. One of my favorites is navy…I may have used navy on too many quilts, but I love it! So I say use what you love.
And isn’t that backing fabric too cute!!!!
I hope you love this design as much as I do!! I would love to see your versions! Make sure to tag me in your photo or use the hashtag #HappyCloudCreations
