My Favorite Quilt Shops

I love living in Davis County. It's where I grew up and where home truly is. However, one thing I really miss about the almost 4 years I spent in Utah County is the quilt shops. Really, Davis County doesn't have anything great as far as quilt shops go. Utah County has three that I really, really love. We had a family reunion in Spanish Fork this weekend and I got to stop and visit my very favorite quilt shops.

When he saw me taking pictures of the outside of Broadbent's my husband questioned my mental stability. I told him it was for my blog. He asked if I'd be taking pictures of every shop we were visiting. I told him we would be, but then I forgot because I was too excited to get in and swoon over the fabric options not available closer to home. Yes, I did drag my husband and three kids into the quilt shops with me. Don't worry, they love Broadbent's because they have penny (OK let's be honest....nickle) candy. They went to stock up on root beer barrels while I went to see what Broadbent's had to offer.

I needed to look for an idea to make a cute quilt for my new little niece who will be here in January. I always worry when I make quilts for other people. The things I like are not necessarily what my sister-in-law will like. I had also been looking for a pattern to make a tree skirt for my formal tree in the living room. I was going to make a Star of Bethlehem using Quilt Smart, but I found this pattern instead. I think I'll make it out of the Christmas Three Sister's fabric. Broadbent's has lots of QuiltSmart. I had done my Christmas Lone Star Quilt before Broadbent's started selling it and wished shops around there sold more QuiltSmart. Of course just as I was getting ready to move they started selling it. I love traditional quilt blocks and love any short cuts I can find to make them. I had been eyeing this Apple Core pattern online for awhile now. They had the pattern there. I did promise myself I won't start it until my double wedding ring is finished though.

Next I went to American Quilting in Orem. I love all the quilts they have on display there. I also love 30's fabric and they have quite a bit. I really, really wanted to make a cute quilt out of some nursery rhyme fabric. I think the lady said it was called Hey Diddle, Diddle, but she didn't say the name of the company that makes it. They had some in kits, but I didn't want the kit, just the fabric since I already have enough fabric to make the rest of the quilt. They were out of it on the bolt though. If anyone knows which fabric I'm talking about and where I can get it please let me know. American Quilting was super busy as classes were just letting out and just starting. I saw a quilt I wanted to make for my sister-in-law, but wanted to think about it. I loved the quilt, but it was something I am not usually drawn to. I decided I'd come back on my way home from the reunion if that was what I decided I wanted to make.

We headed to Springville to check out Corn Wagon Quilt Company. I love Corn Wagon. They are huge and have a lot of variety. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did get lots of inspiration for the future.

I'm pretty sure my sister-in-law does not read this quilt blog... however, just in case I'll just show the fabric for this cute quilt. I ended up getting the pattern and the fabric to make the one I saw. I made the first block and it turned out really cute. I may need to make one for my baby girl........

One thing I've noticed since I had a baby girl is that there is tons of cute baby boy fabric and patterns out now! When my boys were born there was very little boy fabric and it wasn't that cute. American Quilting had several darling baby boy quilts and lots of fabric. I was very tempted to make another baby quilt for my 3 and 6 year olds! I also loved this Puppy Love pattern. I'm really, REALLY not an animal person, but I think this turned out so cute. I'm going to have to think about it.

Scrappy Double Wedding Ring

I have always loved Double Wedding Ring quilts. I also love any "cheater" techniques. When I found this pattern last spring by Quiltsmart I bought it to use up my scraps. I discovered Quiltsmart a few years ago when I made my Star of Bethlehem quilt and then took a class later that used it for Pinwheel Spin. It came with the fusible interfacing and also the plastic template. I had put this quilt away in the spring, but today I got it back out again to work on some more. This quilt is so easy I thought I'd show you how to make one the easy way. After cutting out slightly over a million wedges you take 6 and sew them together. I'm not sure how big I will make mine, so I don't know how many to cut.

The Quiltsmart comes in a big sheet. After you've cut out the arcs, sew them onto a pieced arc. Quiltsmart even has a line to sew and also a line to trim for seam allowance.

Here is one that's been sewn and trimmed.

Now it's time to turn them right side out. This is why I put it away in the first place. It seemed like it took forever to turn them right side out. Well, a few weeks ago as I was turning out apron strings I realized I could use this tool for that. The lights are now on! I don't know why it took me so long! Now it takes 10 seconds as opposed to 5 minutes per piece!

Now it's time to iron (press) them onto the white background. Quiltsmart fuses right on, not as tightly as fusible webbing, but enough for a temporary hold.

Last, use a small zig zag stitch and clear thread. I like the Sulky. Machine applique the pieces down.

There will eventually be a small triangle piece sewn to the four corners of each block to join them together. I'm not sure if I'm going to use solid fabric as suggested or if I want to use more of my scraps. The package of Quiltsmart comes with enough for a baby quilt or two table runners. I'm not sure what size I'll do, but you can also buy it by the panel and I noticed a store near my house carries it that way so I may make it bigger.

I really want to try the Apple Core, but I'm not sure how it would work. Maybe I'll look for a tutorial online so I can see if it's easy. I know this all sounds like a commercial, but since I'm always looking for easy ways to make classic patterns I thought other people might as well and I wanted to show you how easy this really is!

Pinwheel Spin

I'm trying to stay true to my goal of finishing all my quilt tops before I start more. Here is my pinwheel spin top. I took a class from Broadbent's to make this with my friend Anna back in April. This quilt was made using Quiltsmart, which I talked about in my last post. All the fabric is from Denyse Schmidt's fabric line Katie Jump Rope. Here is a closer picture. Sorry it's a little dark. The dots are also Quiltsmart.

Since this is an older line I had to piece the back because I couldn't easily find the fabric. This is how it turned out.

I still have one quilt to quilt and I need to finish binding Jelly Stars. It has the binding sewn on, but not sewn to the back. I will do one 30's flower and finish my Grandmother's Flower Garden block (notice I said block and not quilt!) before I finish Jelly Stars. I'm having some wrist pain though so it may be awhile.

Haul Out the Holly

This weekend it was time to get out the Christmas decorations. It's always fun to see all our decorations we haven't seen in 11 months. My kids love getting it all out. Here are a few of the homemade decorations. I have Christmas tree skirt I made last year, but it's still buried and I think I posted a picture of it a few weeks ago anyway.
This is a Christmas stitchery sampler I made about 4 years ago. I just got the frame for it yesterday. See, not only am I slow about quilting my quilts I'm slow about finishing other projects too.

Our stockings are hung this year by a real chimney! Caleb is very excited we have one. He was explaining this will be much easier for Santa than using the front door. Also, the reindeer can park on the roof now. I made these two years ago and then one last year. We do have one problem. We can't remember which stocking is Caleb's and which is Jake's. My husband's and mine are the two on the ends.

This is a Star of Bethlehem quilt I made last year. The fabric is from 3 Sisters Roman Holiday. I used Quiltsmart for the main star and figured out the outer stars on EQ5, which I happen to like better than EQ6 for most things.

If you've never used Quiltsmart you should try it. It's sooo easy. This is the easiest lone star you'll ever do. Quiltsmart uses interfacing marked with sewing lines. There are no Y seams, and no sewing on the bias. It's super easy and you can make it in an afternoon. I have another quilt with Quitsmart I am hopefully going to get bound this week. I'll post a picture later. Broadbent's now has Quiltsmart. I was so excited when they got it. Some Joann's (gasp) carry it too. Material Girls has some. I'm also working on a Double Wedding Ring quilt using Quilt smart. They have several different methods. Ok, commercial over.

This is my one and only Christmas quilt. I've decided I need another. I started one in the summer out of a Winter jelly roll, but put it away when we moved and haven't gotten it back out. I'm finishing the last of my Merry-go-Round quilt. When that's finished I'll have to get it back out.

Pinwheel Spin Preview

Here is a preview of the quilt I'm working on the most right now. I have several others in progress, but this is the one that I am working on most. It's made from the Katie Jump Rope fabric line which is reproduction 70's fabric. Every time I work on this I get The Rhythm of Life stuck in my head.