"Chubby Chicks Quilt"

Shame, shame on me!  I've started another quilt before finishing the Hanging Basket quilt pictured in an earlier post.  But I could not resist this one.  It's called "Chubby Chicks" and the pattern is from Black Mountain Quilts.  A word to the wise here... If you are going to search for this pattern online, Google "Chubby Chicks QUILT".  If you leave out the word "quilt" you will see more in the way of really big girls in various states of dress and undress than you ever wanted to see.  Seriously!

Although I liked the colors on the pattern photograph, GREEN is my most favorite color...I wanted to vary the colors from the ones pictured on the cover of the Black Mountain pattern posted below. I chose Moda’s “Sophie”, by Chez Moi. I bought a charm pack and two yards of the red fabric for the patchwork pinwheels and the border fabric, all from the same line. These are such fun fabrics in great colors! Elizabeth and I (remember, she’s my Bernina 440QE) did a blanket stitch around the outer edge of the chicks. The feet were done with a very narrow zig-zag stitch and the eyes are hand embroidered. The top is nearly completed, just need to add the final border, and then I’ll be finishing it up. Backing and binding fabrics are on order and should be here in a few days.

"Chubby Chicks"
by Black Mountain Quilts

http://www.blackmountainquilts.com/

The backing and batting have arrived and I've been busy pinning the quilt at the breakfast table

The backing is another fabric from the Moda "Sophie" collection and it almost looks like little chicken tracks. 

Making New Things

Our Quilters' Guild member, Linda G., led us in a work group to make the coolest bag for our tools. This is her very practical Peekaboo Bag. I am completely and totally captivated! This bag is large enough to hold all of the items that we need to carry to workshops and classes. Mine holds scissors, a rotary cutter, thread, feet for my machine, my Mr. McGoo sewing glasses, needles and anything else that I need to take to class. The clear vinyl window lets me see all that is in the bag. Thanks, Linda! You are the best! These are going to be great sellers at our Quilt Show!

And More New Things...

I've been having tons of fun working on projects for the Guild. I think that I have mentioned that I am a member of the local Quilters' Guild. We are 110+ members strong and we have SO much fun! We put on one of the largest Quilt Shows in Oregon, second only to the renowned Sisters Quilt Show.

 We have a booth at our show, (which always occurs on the third weekend in April,) where we sell sewing and quilting related things that we members make. This item is the very practical Thread Catcher. It is the perfect receptacle, prettily perched next to our sewing machines, ready to receive threads, clippings and cuttings. We have done other designs, but we feel as if we need to change it up from time to time. We can't expect our customers to buy the same things over and over, now, can we?.

 So this is one of the designs that I have put together for this year. Instead of the usual 4 inch tile, we are using a ceramic tile as the weighted base for the pincushion, which is made lattice style (think pie crust...) with woven strips put together to form the top of the pincushion. The pincushion also includes an emery pad, the center of the flower, for sharpening needles. The pincushion attaches to the tile with Velcro so it can be detached for portability if desired. I have two more pincushion designs to complete, both attach to the same tile/bag design, but are not quite as cute... Some ladies don't do "cute". Go figure...

I recently posted these photos on one of my Pinterest boards and have had TONS, seriously, TONS, really, I'm not kidding, TONS! of hits for this item here on my blog.  I am thinking that I need to produce this pattern for sale!