2015 - Page 3 of 5 - QA Creations

June 1, 2015September 18, 2015

Rainbow Mini Swap

I have to admit I’ve gotten caught up in the mini quilt mania that is going around, and also gotten caught up in a few swaps. It’s not like I really have extra time to be devoting to swaps, which is why I’m probably not going to participate in any more big swaps (until the next amazing opportunity comes up that I can’t say no to), but I really enjoy that they push me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to come up with new designs and color palettes that I wouldn’t necessarily come up with on my own.

The latest swap was the Rainbow Mini Swap. Rainbow is a big trend right now that I am embracing, albeit as a late adopter. I made this mini quilt for @SGThings (Instagram).

At my recent Carolina Longarm Association meeting, one of the newer members was surprised that I put small things on my longarm. I think she felt like it wasn’t worth the effort to load or didn’t make very many small items. I put everything on the longarm, big or small!

I used a light yellow thread throughout the quilt to blend with all the colors, but it may have blended a little too well because you can’t see some of the custom quilting I did at all! The text on the white background has ribbon candy in it.

My partner mention that Anna Maria Horner was one of her favorites, so I tried to incorporate several of her fabrics. I made a coordinating zipper pouch as well, using the tutorial from The Busy Bean.

This is the mini that I received from @SewGiddy. I love this block, but it’s on my never-ending list of blocks that I haven’t gotten to making yet. At least I have it look at in the meantime! My daughter is going to have a field day with those fabric markers when I let her loose with them.

Linking up to some of the following: Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Scraptastic Tuesday @ She Can Quilt, Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion by the River, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation, Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, TGIFF, Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Ft. Worth Fabric, Show off Saturday at Sew Can She

May 28, 2015September 18, 2015

Bamboo Quilt

I recently finished this quilt for Heather at A Reformed Heath’n. She had created this Bamboo quilt from her month in the Stash Bee in 2014. She has a tutorial to make these blocks here.

We talked about how she wanted it quilted, and decided to go with this leafy panto that would bring out the bamboo look.

I enjoyed giving Heather sneak peeks of her quilt all day on Instagram while it was on the frame.

This is a pretty dense design, but it adds a lot of motion to the quilt, and evokes that leafy bamboo jungle feeling.

Here’s the completed quilt! I am happy to report that it arrived safely back to Heather a few weeks ago, I just haven’t posted it yet. She’s better than me, and has the quilt completed and entered into the Blogger’s Quilt Festival!

If you would like to finish up one of your UFOs, let me know! I am full prior to the move, but once I am set back up there will be no wait. We are supposed to get into our house on July 1st, so I’m hoping to be back at work mid-July. I’ll let you know as it gets closer!

– Heather

May 26, 2015September 25, 2015

Easy Patchwork Placemats Tutorial

Bright and cheerful quilted placemats update your dining room or make a great gift for a loved one.

This month was a quick and easy project tutorial for Fort Worth Fabric Studio… some Easy Patchwork Placemats!

I feel like a placemat machine lately! My more modern placemats – Squared Away Placemats – were in Make Modern earlier this month, and now these are a more traditional set of placemats. These bright and cheerful colors make a perfect birthday present for a special person.

I quilted a feathery all over design in light pink that is an even design that will wash well. Unfortunately, my long arm is going to be packed up soon and I am going to miss it!

Linking up to: Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation, Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, TGIFF, and Show off Saturday at Sew Can She

May 16, 2015September 18, 2015

Baby Square Dance

I’ve shown some pictures of this quilt in progress, and as just a top (between Instagram – QA Creations and the blog), but it’s finished! This is the 10″ block version of my Square Dance Quilt pattern (available on Craftsy).

This quilt is my entry for the Spring 2015 Blogger’s Quilt Festival – Small Quilt group. This quilt is about 40″ by 40″.

Many of the blocks in this quilt were made by members of my Quilting Circle – a wonderful group that I was a member of here in North Carolina. I did a paper piecing demo for the group, and then we all started work on these blocks.

I had brought the fabric pre-cut so that the group could concentrate on learning paper piecing. This was all fabric from my stash that was begging to turn into something cute and useful.

I was very impressed by how good these blocks turned out considering many of the ladies had never paper pieced before. I took the blocks we made together, and added a few more so that I would have enough to create the top.

I quilted the Bauhaus panto all over using blue thread. I love this pattern for masculine quilts.

I was a little rushed finishing this quilt! Sunday is my last meeting with the Tarheel quilt guild, so I was under a deadline to finish it and turn it in. I may be stitching the label on during the meeting… we’ll see if I get it on in the next 18 hours or so.

This quilt is going to the Fayetteville Tarheel Quilt Guild and will be donated to the NICU at the hospital. I hope that a family really cherishes this quilt, and that it brings them comfort during their stay with the NICU.

– Heather

Also sharing at Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Scraptastic Tuesday @ She Can Quilt, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, TGIFF, Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Ft. Worth Fabric, Show off Saturday at Sew Can She

May 12, 2015

May 2015 SMS Giveaway Day Winner & Gift Suggestions

The winner of the Square Dance Quilt Pattern is lucky #9.

Congratulations to Jen Beatty! She won a copy of my Square Dance Pattern. I hope you like the pattern, and please share what you make from it!

She is a follower by email, and I agree that the best gifts are the ones you want but don’t buy for yourself.

For those of you that want to get gifts for the sewers and quilters in your life, below are some of the great suggestions I received. There are some gifts on there I would love to get!

Time!
Extension table for sewing machine
Quilting Supplies: batting, thread, rulers, new rotary cutter and mat
Quilt Retreat
Fabric or Gift Certificate for fabric, quilt kit
Craftsy or in-person class
Sewing machines: Singer Featherweight, Longarm, embroidery machine, serger
Grown up coloring book
EPP set
baskets or nice storage for sewing items
Thimble
Sewing Books
EQ7

And for anyone:

Jewelry
Clothing
Plants
Composter
Spa days: Manicure, Pedicure, Facial, Massage
Fancy Coffee Machine
Speakers
Macarons
Sunglasses and scarf
Day or weekend away
bike
camera
Pajamas
TV shows on DVD

May 6, 2015May 12, 2015

May 2015 Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

** GIVEAWAY CLOSED **

Welcome from Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

If you are new to my blog, I’m Heather. I’m a mom to a busy 2-year old and quilt obsessed!

I am a longarm quilter, and I also design patterns. My Squared Away Placemat Pattern was in the May issue of Make Modern Magazine.

When I’m not quilting, I also sew clothes for my daughter and myself.

Today, my giveaway is my newly released pattern: Square Dance. It is a paper pieced pattern with three different block sizes (6″, 8″ and 10″) and instructions to make quilts from crib/lap to King sized. I also include a detailed photographic tutorial on how to paper piece.

This pattern is available on Craftsy here! It is on sale for $7 through Mother’s Day (May 10, 2015).

Today you get several chances to win this pattern!

My birthday is coming up, and I need ideas because my family is asking what I want! What would be your perfect birthday present? It doesn’t have to be sewing related, but preferably somewhat realistic…
Follow my blog! If you already follow my blog, please leave a comment saying that.
Like me on Facebook (leave your Facebook name).

If you would like to see my work in progress, you can also follow me on Instagram – I’m QACreations.

Post your comments by Sunday, May 10th and I will determine who wins by the magic of the Random Number Generator on Monday. If you have already purchased this pattern, I will refund the purchase price and send you a copy of my next pattern for free!

Good luck!

– Heather

May 4, 2015September 25, 2015

Square Dance Quilt Pattern

Paper pieced pattern includes photographic instructions and offers three block sizes and six quilt sizes for maximum value!

I have been working on this quilt pattern for over a year, and I’m really excited to be able to share it with you today! The Square Dance Quilt Pattern is now available in my Craftsy store.

This is a paper pieced version of a traditional block – one of the traditional names for this block is Square Dance, and I thought it was the most appropriate name for the quilt once you see the overall movement created by the blocks.

I experimented with many different sizes of blocks, and the result of that work is that this pattern includes 6″, 8″ and 10″ versions. I also tried a 4″ version, but it’s not practical for a quilt of any size! The instructions include fabric requirements to make 6 quilt sizes (Baby/Crib, Lap, Twin, Double, Queen, and King) from all three block sizes.

This paper pieced block is a great introduction to paper piecing! I used this pattern to teach a group to paper piece and was very impressed by their results in a couple of short hours. A full color photo tutorial on how to paper piece is included with this pattern, so if you are new to paper piecing this is a great way to get started.

The cover quilt uses the 8″ version of the block.

I had help making some of the blocks from my bee last year – the 2014 Stash Bee Hive 12. For this version, I custom quilted it and entered it in the North Carolina State Fair, where it earned 2nd place in the competitive Group category.

Sharon of ShaShaLaRue Quilts also made a Frolic Square Dance Quilt. She can also be found on Facebook or on Instagram @ShaShaLaRueQuilts. Her playful version demonstrates the versatility of this block because this is perfect for a crib or baby’s playroom!

The 6″ version is also great for Sampler Quilts or bee blocks because if you make 4 of them, it results in a 12.5″ unfinished block, which is what so many samplers or bees ask for!

I made the block above to add to my “real world red & white” quilt.

My guild, the Tarheel Quilter’s Guild in Fayetteville, NC makes quilts for the NICU. Our local hospital likes the quilts to be approximately 40″ square, so I used 16 of the 10″ blocks and made the little boy version of the quilt below. This quilt is made up of blocks made by my Quilting Circle – most of whom had never paper pieced before!

In order to create variation like the cover quilt, a variety of fabric should be used. This quilt would also look amazing in just two colors, or invert the color scheme. Use any combination you can dream for your own look!

You can make any of the block sizes or quilt sizes using fat quarters, half yards or full yards so this quilt is stash friendly!

The pattern is available in my Craftsy store – Quilts Actually Patterns. It is on sale through Mother’s Day (May 10th, 2015) for $7.50.

If you make this quilt, please share it with the hashtag #squaredancequilt or by tagging me @QACreations. You can also email me pictures or a link to your blog post at quilts actually(at)gmail.com. I would love to see what you make!

– Heather

Linking up to some of the following: Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story, Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts, Scraptastic Tuesday @ She Can Quilt, Let’s Bee Social Wednesday @ SewFreshQuilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation, Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, TGIFF, Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Ft. Worth Fabric, and Show off Saturday at Sew Can She.

May 1, 2015September 25, 2015

Squared Away Placemats

Modern and colorful, the Squared Away Placemat set was published in the May 2015 Make Modern issue.

I’ve had a secret project in the works for a few months now, and I’m really excited to share the good news!

My first pattern was published in Make Modern‘s May issue! If you would like to purchase the issue, it is available here. My project is in home section, and is called the Squared Away Placemats.

I made these placemats based off a design I first came up with for the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap last summer. It was one of my early attempts at a more modern look, and I was so grateful for signing up for that swap because it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I would not have come up with this design without that push, and I still really like how it turned out!

You can see the inspiration from the mini quilt in the finished placemats. One or two of the fabrics have even made an appearance in both items.

If you follow me on instagram (@QACreations) or Facebook (Quilts Actually), you’ve seen a preview of the quilting on these. I love the wave panto for a modern look.

These are a simple, quick project that is great for using up some of those precious scraps you’ve been hoarding of your favorite fabrics… I know you have those tiny scraps saved! It is also perfect for that mini charm pack you picked up at the store because they are cute, and then you get home and realize, what am I ever going to use this for?

We’ve all been there, it’s ok! Use those bits to make a placemat so that you can see those beautiful little bits everyday. My daughter loves this rainbow version because she gets to point out all the colors.

If you make set of these placemats, please let me know! I would love to see what you do with my pattern. Send me a picture, direct me to a blog post, or share on instagram with #squaredawaytable.

Also, these smaller quilted items are great to practice quilting on your machine, but if you just don’t have time or want to make a bunch as gifts you can always send them to me to be quilted. Use one continuous length of fabric for the back, and send me the placemats to use as the top. It’s an even better deal if you have another quilt – make the backing extra long and I can quilt those extra smaller pieces on the end of the backing below the quilt. Contact me if you are interested!

– Heather

April 29, 2015September 25, 2015

One of Those Days Mini Quilt

Challenging free pattern tutorial will test your accurate seam allowances to make a mini quilt with 448 pieces.

We all have those days… and those projects! This project is the front of the mini quilt I showed yesterday in my mini quilt hanging tutorial. This mini quilt was my design for the Fort Worth Fabric Studio Mini Quilt Mania for the month of April.

To see the other mini quilts designers this month, visit the following links:

April 1st : Lindsey – FWFS

April 2: Melissa – My Fabric Relish

April 6: Nettie – FWFS pattern tester

April 8: Afton – Quilting Mod

April 13: Amanda – The Cozy Pumpkin

April 14: Trina – Will Cook For Shoes

April 22: Wendy – Sugarlane Quilts

April 27: Paula – The Sassy Quilter

April 28: Heather – Quilts Actually

It’s a challenging little miniature quilt. The blocks are 3.5″ finished, so each of those little squares and HSTs finish at 1/2″.

I really like the secondary design that is created by this block, and really wanted to try the block out, so it seemed like a good idea to try it out really small. Ask me again in a couple weeks if it was a good idea or not!

Not to scare anyone off, but there are 448 tiny pieces in this quilt.

If you are careful and precise, it is a do-able project, I promise!

I called it one of those days because as I was assembling it, I was making pretty good progress. Then, I noticed that one of these things was not like the others. So, I seam ripped, and pulled the offending section out and resewed it in place correctly.

What I did not notice, was that a second thing was not like the others. Not through pressing, adding borders, or until I was about 2/3 of the way done quilting and it was too late to tear it out and redo it because I had quilted too close around it. Like I said, one of those days!

At least my test to see how this block looks as a quilt was successful! Now to move on to the full sized version!

Linking up to: Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Quilt Addict, and TGIFF

April 28, 2015September 25, 2015

How to hang a mini quilt

Tutorial shows you a quick and effective non-permanent way to display your growing collection of mini quilts.

If you are visiting from Fort Worth Fabric Studio Mini Quilt Mania, Welcome! I have a quick tip on an easy way to hang mini quilts.

If I am making a mini to keep or give away, I generally do the corner tab hanging method.

When I first started making mini quilts, I didn’t add any sort of sleeve or tab to hang it with. As a result, I never hung them up. This is an easy way to make it easy to hang your mini quilt up. You made it, enjoy it and show it off!

To do this, I cut two squares from scrap fabric. In this case, I cut (2) 4″ squares. Fold them in half diagonally, and press with wrong sides together.

I then use a very small line of Elmer’s Washable School Glue within the seam that will be covered by the binding, and glue the triangle in place with the raw edges flush against the raw edges of the quilt. Press to heat set.

This will keep those triangles in place so that they will be sewn down when you sew the binding down.

So, why on earth you would let a wire cutter get near your hard work?

To hang, I cut the bottom part of a wire clothes hanger to match the width of the quilt. I used a wire cutter to cut the hanger.

The wire clothes hanger fits perfectly inside a Command Clear Mini Strip. Depending on the size of the mini, I will use one or two of the Command Mini Strips, and gently press the hanger into the gap.