May Minikins Challenge ✅

Sara at Sew Sweetness is having a different challenge each month with her Minikins patterns. The Minikins are 12 patterns, with step-by-step videos, of small bags that are fun to make and use, or give as gifts. 

Sara's Minikins challenge for May is the Grab and Go Sleeve, a custom sized sleeve with handles, for a device or book.

I made mine for our iPad, using Tula Pink's new All-Stars "Tail Feathers" print, with Tula's orange "Pom-Pom" for lining. I quilted the exterior fabric on my longarm with Soft & Stable before cutting it out. 

I'm glad I put the optional Peltex in at the very end--it holds its shape so nice!

You can find sew many cute, inspiring Grab and Go Sleeves on parade at Sara's blog. Sewists come up with so many great variations and different fabrics. Check them out here!
   
Grace & peace!!! ~Nancy
   
Linking up with N&TT, TGIFF, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Busy Hands Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts, Friday Foto Fun, Sew Can She, Cooking Up Quilts.

Ruby Tsunami 🌊

This year is the 40th anniversary of Minnesota Quilters. The traditional 40th anniversary gift is ruby. My small group decided to commemorate the event by each of us making a red and white quilt to be entered in the special exhibit category of the Minnesota Quilters quilt show in St. Cloud on June 14-16. I was happy when I finished the last stitch on Wednesday!

This quilt started about a year ago as this pile of 9-patches:

Charity Quilts 14, 15, 16 & 17 of 52

How sweet is this little girl! I'm making 52 quilts in 2018 for Jack's Basket, where babies with Down syndrome are celebrated. This photo featuring Hannah, with my quilt number 6 as backdrop, is from their Instagram feed on March 31. 


In April I worked on quilts 14, 15, 16 and 17:

What To Do With ½ Yard of Fabric...

My small group is doing "secret pals" this year. We drew names and are giving our secret pal a different small gift every month at our meeting. We're doing this anonymously by putting the gifts in brown lunch bags. This month I received a half yard of Alison Glass fabric in my favorite color, fuchsia:

To me, fuchsia is warm, feminine, colorful, vivid and friendly. Next, what to do with a half of a yard...

April Minikins Challenge ✅

Sara at Sew Sweetness is having a different challenge each month with her Minikins patterns. The Minikins are 12 patterns of small, quick and easy bags that are fun to make and use, or give as gifts. 

Sara's Minikins challenge for April is the Desktop Cubes. 

Chain Gang Snowstorm

On Saturday, April 14, 2018, we got 15" of new snow here in Minnesota. There was a "No travel" alert out. I was traveling across this quilt:

This is Sandi Irish's quilt, of Irish Chain. Sandi is also my co-worker at Quilt Cove. She is getting ready for Spring Quilt Market, with her many patterns and her Quilted Jewel templates.

Grace & Peace Update

Here are some projects coming out of my own studio recently. First off, I'm doing a Gypsy Wife sew along with two groups. I'm making the blocks in the order that they appear in the book, using Japanese fabrics. Here are the 10 blocks I have so far:

Last Saturday I joined a class at The Quilting Grounds in Norwood Young America, and made a barn quilt! I did a Bear Paw block, which is the logo I use for my quilting business.

Checkerboard Pipeline 🏁

Paula made this fun checkerboard 16-patch quilt!

With it being a bit traditional, I quilted it with Baptist Swirl:

Minty Riptide

My dear sister, Quilter Bonnie, made this beautiful jelly roll quilt top! Aren't the colors gorgeous?! This jelly roll was hand picked from stock and cut at Quilt Cove, the quilt shop where I work. It's a variety of fabric lines.

The colors remind me of these pastel mint patties:

Charity Quilts 10, 11, 12, & 13 of 52

Here are four more quilts for Jack's Basket, where they celebrate babies born with Down syndrome by delivering a basket full of newborn goodies to the new parents.

Quilt 10 is quilted with "Heatwave", a free design from Urban Elementz: