For the Love of Charm Squares

I love fabric charm squares!  

I confess  (yes...here's another confession from me) that I was one of those old  traditional quilters who just had to make complicated blocks with lots of triangles and a jillion pieces to each block.  NO MORE!    Quilting should be fun....not difficult!

And.........along came Moda with charm packs and Jelly rolls!  Hurray!


While on a recent Shop Hop (everything I bought is in a previous post) with my sister and niece, we saw several Sudoku quilts and all 3 of us bought Moda charm packs.  Now, I don't do  Sudoku puzzles or like the idea of having to arrange the squares in a certain way, but the colorful simplicity of the 9 patch  layout for the blocks just called  to me.  There is nothing more simple for making quilts than the square shape, and the simple 9 patch layout for blocks has been a favorite of quiltmakers for decades.   No complicated blocks ......fun to sew!

The Giddy line by Sandy Gervais for Moda is a winner!  I bought the turquoise for the borders, and already had some red that is perfect for the narrow sashings. 

Let the sorting begin for each block!

My "system" is easy....just number each block.

Since I'm using Giddy turquoise for my borders, I'll put a square of turquoise in the middle of all my blocks.

but, not all the same turquoise print.

Gosh....even my corners match on this block......(yay! no complications).

Stay tuned later to see the finished quilt top.



Thanks for visiting!

Look What I Got!

I confess......cotton fabrics are my obsession!

When I was on vacation in IN, my former DIL brought over her huge collection of feedsacks and just left them at my daughter's for me to feel, admire, look, touch, drool, check, imagine, be nostalgic.......(you get the picture..right?)

She told me to take my time, go through them and take a few that I really liked.  Can you imagine??   Whoo Hoo!  I was in hog heaven!  I didn't count how many she had, and now wish I had.  Oh well, doesn't matter.   She had  them in a special storage box for fabrics and they were wrapped in acid free paper....totally protected.  She was so generous to share them with me. 

Here's what I selected.

Four......totally different feedsacks and four different colors and patterns.

There's no way I can use them or cut them up like some sellers on Etsy.   These are intact and still have the holes at the top where the heavy threads were sewn to close the sack and hold the feed inside.  Of course, the fabric is coarse compared to today's fabrics........but I just love them.

If you want to learn more about the marvels of them...read about it  here.

And it just makes me wonder how many of my blog readers have even heard of feedsacks, or seen one, or felt one.... or had a little flowered dress made from them that was made by your mother??     I had a red tiny flowers dress that had puff sleeves, a little white collar and buttoned up the front....all the way down.  I loved it and thought it was wonderful and that I felt so special when I wore it.


What about you??




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My Declaration!

I, Sew Fun Quilts, (aka Judy) do solemnly swear and declare as of today that I am on a FABRIC DIET.

Now...just what does that mean?    (Silly me....whatever I want it to mean.)        Only fabric that is protein?    Restricted buying of fabric??  Oh No!    Only fabric that is veggies and fruit?   mmmmmh.  Perhaps,  that's a good one and just might work for my "Fabric Diet".

I've been trying to keep my fabric closet shelves tidy, neat, organized by colors (for my jelly rolls and quilt charm squares I sell in my ETSY Shop) and I keep increasing the number of colors I am offering.  Here's the latest....browns & dots, that have been added to my shop.

When you have so many stacks of at least 10 different fabrics in each colorway on your selves,  it becomes a S  P A C E problem.   Then.....I'm forced into slowing down on just buying fabrics 'cause I like them, hence my "Fabric Diet".  So, I'm not GOing to buy any more fabric for the rest of April and GO on a Fabric Diet.

Well....what's a quilter to do when "healthy fabrics" are given to her....like these?   These were given to me when I was in Indiana visiting my daughter and we went to one of her quilt groups that makes quilts for foster kids.  I bought several yards of fleece to donate to them for the backs of their quilts and they gave me these. 

Then............. I'm forced to GO and buy some special variegated thread to quilt a table runner I'm making........and what do I find?

Well......it's "healthy fabrics" so it won't count on my Fabric Diet.

I just had to buy a little tiny bit.........can you imagine????  I only bought 1/2 yard of each of those.

Ok...Ok...back to my declaration.  I'm not buying anymore fabric in April! 

(not unless I just HAVE to HAVE a couple small pieces..that is.)

Thanks for visiting.

It Pays to Read the Instructions....AND the winner is?

Thanks to everyone who entered my Giveaway and welcome to all my new followers.   I tried my best to answer and respond to everyone.
I called my "random number generator" ....(my sister).... this morning and asked her to choose a number between 1 and 84.  She chose #33.

You know it's interesting when  I do a Giveaway and just "wing" it as I GO along typing away, thinking on the GO.....no specific plans.  (To my new followers....I won an AccuQuilt GO cutter last year and love it!..so I always make the word GO huge 'cause it's made such a huge difference in my quilting life. )   This time everyone had a chance to enter 5 TIMES by doing 5 different things and commenting each time they did one.   I wondered how many people would actually do the 5 different things and leave me a comment each time.

Well.....would you believe it???.........only 1 person did that....and had  5 chances to win.   Interesting!  Now, take a guess as to which person won my Giveaway?



Did ya guess??






Do you want to know who won??







Aren't you curious who left 5 comments.???





Remember.......there was only one person who did all 5 things and came back and commented each time?????




Well.........who was it??









Congratulations GO to Gene Black....#33!  Gene was the 1st person to leave a comment and said: 

"I am a follower.  I have never made a watercolor quilt.  It looks like fun.  I am in training today.  will try to come back later and do the other things."

and he did.

The #33 winning comment and just one word was:  "Tweeted".  Way to GO Gene! 



I guess it pays off  BIG TIME to follow instructions!


Thanks for visiting.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.....just a GIVEAWAY!

Let's get right to it....short and sweet.   Here's all about my FREE Giveaway for April.

I love to make watercolor quilts and here's one  I made many years ago using  pre-cut 2 inch fabric squares.   I added 3 machine embroidered butterflies  fluttering around in the flowers, with the sun shining brightly over the garden.

Have you ever wanted to 'play' around with doing something like this?    Here's your chance with my Giveaway.


Here's  an example of some of the lighter two inch fabric squares that could be used to make your own watercolor quilt. 

And here's some of the darker ones.....

For my giveaway one lucky winner will receive  200 of these pre-cut 2 inch fabric squares....both light and dark.

Here's the scoop for 5 chances to win:

1.   Become a follower of my blog, and leave a comment on this post.  If you already are a follower, tell me.

2.  For another entry, tell a friend about this giveaway and leave a comment that you did so and you gave them the link to this post.

3.  For another entry, post about this Giveaway on your blog, then leave your comment telling me.

4.  For another entry, post about this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and leave another comment telling me you did.

5.  For another entry, post about this on Twitter adding @sewfunquilts in your post, then come back here and leave another comment.

You have until tomorrow, 4/22/11 at midnight CDT to enter.  The winner will be randomly drawn and announced here on my blog on Saturday 4/23/11.  (Please make sure I have a way to contact you via email in case you're the lucky winner.)

Have fun and thanks for visiting!


P.S.  Just in case you don't win, I'm now offering these same squares in sets of 100  in my Etsy Store here

Chaining my ATM Card to my Panties!

Have you ever been on a Shop Hop?   


There's an annual shop hop in our area of Texas that's called the Bluebonnet Trail Shop Hop and it occurs every April for 4 days. 

My sister, niece and I were able to go visit some of the shops on two of the days.  We didn't make it to all of the shops this year, but the ones we hit loved my ATM card!    I thought I'd share  a few things  I bought.   Don't all of us quilters & fabricholics like to do Show & Tell???   Well, sure we do. 


Each shop gives a FREE Fat Quarter to each participant and here's a few of mine.  I already have several  plastic tubs full of fat quarters, but a quilter can never have too many.  Right?  I gave a couple of mine to my niece as she was doing a 'color coordinated' thing with hers and she needed certain ones.    A couple of the shops gave out simple free patterns too.....plus always lots of good eats & drinks.....and chances to win a grand prize of a $1500 gift basket, other gift baskets and $25 gift certificates. 

Bought 4 new patterns....always fun!  Why you ask?  I wanted them.....any other questions?

Mmmmmh!  I could just smell the coffee from this panel.

And what am I going to make with it?   Not gonna tell ya!

I bought 3 different quilt kit combinations for 3 different quilt projects that I just couldn't resist.  Yes, my ATM card kept jumping right out of my purse everytime I stopped to look at something.  Darn thing!  I should have chained it to my panties.  Only problem there would be  constantly  visiting the restrooms to unchain it. 


I Love Moda fabrics and this Lilac Hill by Brannock & Patek is clearly a winner.  I do have an idea of what to make with it.   When???...  is the question.

I've been a fan of Sandy Gervais for as long as she's been designing fabrics for Moda, so just had to have some Giddy in my life.  What am I going to do with it?? you ask.  I don't know yet.....just had to have some.  Love the red and aqua combination....what can I say?

I'll probably start with this project first, as I bought it first and it cost the most money....so that  helps justify making it first.  (Yeah..sure!)  The shop had a sample quilt using this pattern and these same fabrics  displayed, and when I walked in it drew me right over to it.  I love Florals and that jelly roll is GORGEOUS!    My ATM card jumped into my hand before I stopped looking at it....(it was so fast it probably would have torn my panties if it was chained to them.)

What a fun 2 days we had and can hardly wait to sew with my new "stuff".


Thanks for visiting.

Great Prizes for this one!

Hey blogger friends.........


             




AccuQuilt is doing it again!  They've teamed up with Aurifil thread and That Quilt Show and  are having an Amazing Easter Egg Hunt with wonderful prizes; over $1520.00 value. 

I've already entered and am sure I'm GOing to win the Aurifil thread prize, (I've already got a GO cutter, and a subscription to That Quilt Show)  so maybe you shouldn't even bother with entering.    Oh well......just in case...........you feel you have to do it.

Click here for more information.




Thanks for visiting.

GO vote!

AccuQuilt's Barn Quilt block 100 best blocks contest is ready for your vote!

There's some very colorful blocks, simple ones, very complicated busy ones.....AND

one of them will be chosen by the most popular vote to be painted and displayed on

AccuQuilt's building in Fremont, NE. 

Go here to cast your vote.    Hurry, voting ends April 19th.

Here's a few of my favorites:








Thanks for visiting.

Help Me With My Research!

Sorry no pictures today.....

I jammed the zoom lens on my HP digital camera while I was on vacation, and don't know if it can be fixed or not.....might have to buy a new one.   This one is about 7 yrs. old, so it's past time for a new one....just not time for my wallet!   Vacations are costly, don't ya know?

I'll be borrowing one in a day or so.....'cause I'm going to be having a Free Giveaway this week.  Stay tuned.

Now, I know ya'll can save me hours and hours of research by telling me what digital camera you prefer.  Won't you please help me with my research??

What model/brand of inexpensive "point and shoot" digital camera would you buy?  Price range under $150.00.



Thanks for visiting.

Have You Missed Me? & Golden Quilters Awards

I've been MIA for a while 'cause I'm on vacation.  It's winding down and I will be back in town in a couple days posting and buggin'  ya'll.     Have you missed me?


Congratulations to all the Golden Quilter Awards for 2011 by SEW CAL GAL.  Great job, Darlene, and my thanks go out to whomever nominated my Etsy Shop.  That is quite flattering to be nominated among some of those great shops.

She just posted about the Spring Shop Hop.......so make sure you GO check it out and visit all the shops for some great prizes.


I'll be back in a couple of days.