Winner Winner

I'm so sorry I was supposed to do this yesterday, but I had the day off and I was a very very bad girl. I slept until 10, something I never do anymore. Then I watched movies, did minor house cleaning, and just vegged the day away.  I didn't even sit down at my computer to read my blogs. It was a simply marvelous day!!!!

But today I've been up since 7:15, and I've got lots to do including announcing the winner of the Sea Star pattern by Meadow Mist Designs.

I had 56 comments and I used random.org to pick a number for me and it picked the luck number 37. Well it was lucky for one person.

Now I used excel to help me number the comments and it showed number 37 to be Liz Horgan. I have emailed her and will be sending her the pattern shortly.

UPDATE: Liz won the pattern on a different site and asked me to pick another winner. So back to the random number generator for #14

So the winner is now Alexis Borsboom. I've sent her an email and will be sending her the pattern shortly.

Now if you love the pattern and weren't lucky number 37, Cheryl has it on sale through July 11th for an awesome price of $6.00.  I can say honestly her patterns a very well written and easy to follow, so you won't be disappointed.  Here are the links to the pattern...Etsy (Here), Craftsy (Here) or Payhip (Here).

Winner and New Giveaway!!!

Happy Friday everyone!!! I wish I were showing another Friday finish, but this week I had too many things on my plate. I did get a little sewing done and some behind the scenes stuff on another project I can't show you yet.  But be that as it may, we still have a very exciting day, because I'm going to announce the winner of the Grande Scrappy Tiles giveaway. Plus the lovely Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is letting me giveaway another of her patterns. So let's get started.

I had 69 entries for the Grande Scrappy Tile pattern. It was so much fun reading about what everyone is working on right now. I will say those who are busy organizing, that isn't fun, but it makes working so much easier. In case you don't remember here is my Grande Scrappy Tiles quilt

And the Random.org generator picked lucky number 4, you know the saying the early bird gets the worm...or in this case the pattern.

I've contacted Tanya and will be sending her the pattern shortly. For all of you who did not win, the pattern is on sale through July 4th for $6.00.  You can find it on Etsy (Here), Craftsy (Here) or Payhip (Here).

Now when I tested the Grande Scrappy Tiles pattern I also had the chance to proof the pattern Sea Star. I really liked this pattern and seriously thought about doing it instead of the one above. I'm a sucker for plus quilts and this one is just so pretty.  Cheryl did hers in solids which is awesome and just screams sea to me.

I have put this on my bucket list to make, but I think I want to mine in shades of purple and grey. I think this would make a great quilt for a guy. I keep talking about doing a quilt for my nephew and this just might have his name written on it.

Cheryl has graciously allow me to give away a copy of this pattern as well.  So leave me a comment and tell me what colors you would use for this pattern.  Also if you are a follower (new or old) leave a second comment letting me know how you follow me.  I will draw a name next Thursday night. Now if you love this pattern and can't wait to get started on it or if you don't win. Cheryl has it on sale for the next two weeks for $6.00 on Etsy (Here), Craftsy (Here) or Payhip (Here).

Also if you don't follow Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs you might not know that she is leading a mystery quilt-a-long called Midnight Mystery Quilt. So far she has only given out the fabric requirements, so there is still plenty of time to join.  She has a Facebook group for the QAL and it has been totally awesome seeing the fabrics everyone is choosing.  We even a few people doing to versions.

Friday Finish: Grande Scrappy Tiles Reveal & Giveaway

I am beyond thrilled to be showing ya'll a finished quilt today. It is my first finish in forever, and it is not only pieced, it is quilted, labeled and bound.  Whoo hoo!!!  In mid April Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs asked if I would test a pattern for her.  I immediately said yes, because I love her patterns, and I loved the preview. She actually had two patterns to test and I loved both, but knew I would only be able to make one in the time frame. So I picked Grande Scrappy Tiles.

Scrappy is something I love, but it is hard for me to execute for some reason. But Cheryl makes it easy. The pattern is written so you can use fat quarters, 1/4 yard cuts or plain yardage.  I knew I wanted to use my stash so I used the 1/4 yard cuts. I used fabric left over from another quilt, and this is what the end results looks like.

I love purples and pinks and so it was fun to pick through my stash and come up with 24 different fabrics. This is the lap size quilt and it was 72 x 72 before quilting and washing, but I don't know what it is now because I forgot to measure it.  The design of this pattern is great for those large scale prints and it goes together super quick. The blocks are 24 1/2" by 24 1/2", so the lap quilt only needs 9 blocks.  I plan to make this pattern again in the queen size for my bed.

Cheryl does a great job on her patterns, explaining everything clearly, and she color coded the block assembly so you can put it together easily.  I think the hardest thing for me was picking the fabrics for each block. I'm just a bit picky and I didn't want the same fabric twice in any one block.  I got down to the last block and had the same fabric three times, so I had to do some switching.  But that is more my problem than anything to do with the pattern.

I had to piece the back, but I wanted it to be pretty simple, so a simple row of blocks worked for me. I started to do a more scrappy back, but I thought with the front scrappy, a simple back would work better.  I am quite happy with how it looks, and this photo shows the crinkly look, which is my favorite part.

The quilting is simple loops.  Since I was out of practice I wanted something I knew I could do, and I like loops. So loops it was, and I tried to make them a mix of sizes.  I used a lavender thread that blended on some blocks and stood out on others, which I thought looked cool.

Now I'm sure you are wondering about the giveaway, well the wonderful Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is letting me giveaway a copy of Grande Scrappy Tiles to one of you lucky people.  To enter leave me a comment and tell me what you are working on at the moment.  If you are a follower, new or old, leave a second comment telling me how you follow. I will draw the lucky winner next Thursday. Now if you just can't wait to get your hands on a copy of this pattern or if you aren't the lucky winner, it is on sale for the next two weeks (until July 4th) for $6.00.  You can find it on Etsy (Here), Craftsy (Here) or Payhip (Here). If you want to see other versions of it, check out Meadow Mist Designs.

Today I am linking up with Can I Get A Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link a Finish Friday @ Richard and Tanya Quilts, Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation and Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Looking Glass Blog Hop & Giveaway

I was given the privilege of testing Looking Glass for Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.  When I saw her call for testers, I rushed to put in my name, because this is my type of pattern.  I am always drawn to squares and rectangles, don't know why but I am.  When she selected me to test the quilt I was so exited.  Then I got the pattern, and just couldn't make up my mind what fabric to use.  The pattern is charm pack/layer cake friendly, but when you get into the bigger sizes, that can be scary (well for me it was).  So after waffling forever I finally decided that instead of using charms or layer cakes I would used fat quarters.  I ordered a couple of different bundles, thinking I would go with black/white/red or black/white pink. I decided to go with the pink. And I love that Cheryl added fat quarter usage to the pattern for the larger sizes.

Now the bundle was a mix of pinks and corals, and I really loved how they looked with the blacks and whites.  Then the next big challenge for me was to pick the background color.  Now in the photo above it looks white, but I decided to used a low volume print that I thought was super cute. You can see it a little better in this photo.

I really struggled to get this quilt finished, it was the first quilt I finished in what feels like forever. But once I started quilting, I just couldn't stop until it was finished. It felt so good to be quilting again.

The blocks went together very quickly, and because she explains everything very clearly and even gives pressing instructions which always help me.  If I was able to make the blocks and piece the top in one weekend.  Then I had to decide on the backing.  Luckily I found a sale of Ansonia Mushroom Medallion by Denyse Schmidt, so that became my backing.

After it was quilted, I was trimming it yesterday (yes I know that is last minute) and I did something totally stupid.  I sliced a one corner, yes I did a nice gash.  I was so upset with myself I thought about just showing the completed flimsy.  I put it aside and just was going to leave it.

But I couldn't sleep with it in that state.  Fixing the front would be fairly easy since it was in one of the sashing strips.  I simply unpicked the quilting and the seam and added a new end piece.  But the back was a whole different story.  I couldn't figure out how to replace the cut section easily.  Then the light bulb when on in my head.I fused another piece on top of it and then did some very simple quilting to make sure it was good and attached.  Then I did this.

I always use a corner label anyway, so I just picked that to be the corner with the label on it. Problem solved...ok if you look below the label you will see the patch, but if you get that close I'm going to hurt you.  Don't you like my dotty binding???

This pattern is fun and fast to make, and it is sized for baby, lap, twin and queen, so it covers a broad range. But the thing I think I loved the most was the ironing diagram, I struggle to figure out which way to iron. Now the wonderful Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs is offering one copy as a giveaway.
To enter the giveaway:

1. Simply leave a comment, if you need a idea of what to write, how about telling me what you are working on these days.  If you are no-reply blogger make sure you include your email.

2. If you want to have a second chance, my followers (new or old) get a second entry, just leave me a comment and tell me how you follow.

The giveaway will run until December 3, 2014, but if you just can't wait to see if you win, then you can pick up the pattern on Etsy or Craftsy and it is on sale through the 6th for $5.50.

And if you want additional chances to win check out the other stops on the hop.

Friday Nov. 21st: Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs
Saturday Nov. 22nd: Lin @ Lin's Quilts
Sunday Nov. 23rd: Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
Monday Nov. 24th: Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty
Monday Nov. 24th: Anna @ Fresh Dew Drops
Tuesday Nov. 25th: Chelsea @ Patch the Giraffe
Wednesday Nov. 26th: Shauna @ Shauna's World (you are here)
Friday Nov. 28th: Shelley @ The Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you pick up Looking Glass, it is a great pattern.