build a barn blog hop...

My turn for barn quilt construction pictures based on directions from the book....

Build a Barn

No pattern construction

http://thefreepiecedbarnproject.blogspot.com/

The link brings you to the books blog. 

[click here] for the blog hop schedule. 

It seems like forever ago that I made this, but here I go.....

The first thing I did was go through fabric and scraps to see what would work for my barn. Found some cows that seemed suitable for peeking out a window and strips of red already sewn together.

We have mostly red barns around here. It is a good, classic color and my favorite.

Grabbed some tractor fabric to build around.

The sky would be night when I found the black and white stars and one little moon piece....well, I called it a moon.

Laid out what I had to see where this was going. I was surprised at how big it got without even trying. I had pictures in my head of a silo and fence, but there wasn't really room. 

saving that for next time!

Somewhere along the line I messed up and sewed too soon.

My barn has no overhang along the roof. This is when I was going by what I had read in the directions....which were in the computer. I read them, closed the computer, and started sewing.

Maybe if I had a book, laying there, ready to consult for the next step!

I think this is where I will tell you that there is a giveaway. You can win a copy of the book, Build a Barn No Pattern Construction! It will come autographed from the author, Julie S.

 Leave a comment and you are in the drawing! Make sure you aren't no-reply, so I can get the mailing information for Julie. I'll do the drawing on Sunday, May 22, 2016.

Having the book right next to you may save you from the same fate!

I made my black sky fabric by adding black to what I had, the stars and moon.

If I had added background before adding the roof line, I would have had overhang.

Live and learn.

It was put together in sections. 

The finished block....what I mailed to Julie. 

She gave it to [Chris Ballard] who does the most amazing quilting. 

For more pictures of the block go to the books blog....[click here]

I am looking forward to going to Des Moines this fall for the AQS quilt show. All of the SSOBB  barns made from the book will be there! I get to see them all in person! I am looking forward to that!

I do not remember how I first met Julie Sefton. Through our blogs, for sure, but when?

I honestly don't remember! I do know she has always been a source of inspiration and encouragement. I see her stuff and think, WOW, she's so good!

Saturday....

So, I got [THE BOOK] this week and spent part of the day reading. I found Julie's story of it creation quite captivating. The story is about her process and how it all worked.

I was a little disturbed by the 1960's Beautify America Campaign. A lot of barn advertising for Rock City was lost because of it. So sad. 

Then there is all the detailed directions. If I learned one thing, it is....don't hurry through the steps.

Let it happen, but don't rush. No matter how excited you might be!

I started another long term project at the end of January.

It is a temperature quilt. I got the idea HERE at live a colorful life. I am doing pretty much the same thing as far as the colors go. Blues are on the cold side. Reds are on the hot side and white is my freezing zone. I did the first 8 days of April, but they aren't in the picture. Living here I get a nice variety of temps. I'm liking it so far.

a book, a mess at home, and some blocks.......

Me and My Quilts-Exploring the Possibilites

Julie Sefton has a book! A long time ago she asked me to make a barn block from the book directions. I did. Sent it off to her to get quilted, binding, and hanging sleeve!

And I was sworn to secrecy.

Hold right hand up.

I promise not to breath a word of this adventure and what I have done.

I was officially a SSOBB. 

Here is a link to the books blog.....

thefreepiecedbarnproject.blogspot

Here you will find links for all the other SSOBB members and snippet pictures of their barns.

They are all totally awesome!

Slowly each one will be revealed. 

So, while still working on the house, I have made a decision....

Someday when the kitchen is done, I'll hang that quilt on the new wall area above the fridge. Only it won't be a fridge, it will be a closet door there. All this house stuff is taking up so much of my life right now. It is a good kind of stress, at least it will be worth it when finished.

I took a picture of the block lotto mystery blocks that I have done so far.

Old McDonald Mystery QAL

There will be 99 blocks when we are done.

So I am sewing a little bit too.

2 snow days.....

I was home for two days and went to work on the tula pink blocks. First I put rows together.

I staggered them. I thought I could match up the stagger easier than actually lining them up vertically as I put the rows together. 

It is way to big to get a decent picture of it on the floor. This will have to do for now.

It was nice sewing while it snowed outside. The day before the big storm our new living room window went in too.

We always disliked this window. The center pane was always fogged up and you couldn't really see out. The drapes were hung when we moved in. They were in pretty bad shape after 16 years or so.

Wow, is this really my house? I love these new windows!

Block Lotto blocks...

These are for the February drawing.

And these are for the Old McDonald Mystery at Block Lotto. The color cue was "ground cover" and I went with green.

the latest stuff.....

I'm in a block exchange again. 

My blocks are called Maple Star.

My 12 Electric Fan blocks.

I needed to make one more 6 inch block for my layout and I added some red to the corners of one of the other blocks. 

We made 12 inch star blocks and a 6 inch block that could be any block we wanted. Our exchange blocks are all red and white. I'm adding this blue fabric. There was some discussion on the "rules" for the quilts. 

Were they ONLY red and white quilts? Several people said they had already started adding another color, me included. In the end it was decided that they were our blocks now and we could do anything we wanted with them. It will be fun to see how they all turn out.

Last morning to get January's Block Lotto blocks posted. This year all the blocks will be 6 inch blocks. There is a mystery sampler too. I decided to participate. Sophie dubbed it old McDonald. The name alone made me want to do it.

I went scrappy with mine. We needed 6. 

Two of my sisters came down for Christmas. We went painting and made snowmen. They could be personalized to what ever team we chose. Jane and I did the Minnesota Vikings. Jenny didn't do a team. She took hers home to finish. She wanted leopard spots on her scarf and hat.

And I won!

These are the wonky strip blocks from December at Block Lotto. The majority of them have arrived! I'm thinking they will be laid out in horizontal rows, as I can't think of anything better right now and I like this. The fabric between the block will be a bright green. Sort of a lime color.

We are in a BLIZZARD watch. Not a storm, but blizzard. It is expected Tuesday. 

tula pink goal met for today....

I am part of a group making the blocks from Tula Pink's 100 modern quilt blocks.

Today I wanted to get the january group done, and I did!

Only 8 more to go.

I had to lay out what I had so far.

I'm liking it a lot.

Plan right now is to get some medium gray to use for sashing and border.

Lets go back to October....

 I went on my first retreat ever in October.

It was pretty nice for sewing. I got a lot done.

There was lots of room to spread out for cutting and sewing and pressing. I worked on my row by rows. I haven't worked on these since. I pulled them out one Saturday, looked everything over, but was overwhelmed by it all. I didn't know where to start back up. It sat out all day and I ended up packing it all back up.

There were 10 of us. Some were sewing, some were scrap booking and my mom was knitting.

She was making mittens. But she kept telling everyone that came down to the kitchen that she was making warmers for a certain male body part!

Really Mom?!

Fast forward.....

I sew at a machine behind the sofa. It is a 1948 Singer. I like sewing here, right next to the kitchen. I can easily go back and forth when cooking. Not that I cook that much, but it is handy.

I was finally putting on some binding for a Christmas gift. There was pressure to get it done and close up the machine. A lot of work was going on behind that wall.

We are taking out the door in the kitchen so a new "front" door was needed. The door in the kitchen was rarely used and this one will probably get the same amount of traffic.

I closed up the machine and they started cutting out the wall. And then they hauled the cut section outside through the.....

new front door! The space! The light! It was all so wonderful!

I asked them to put an outlet in there.

Because....

Well, you never know.

But just in case....

I wanted to put the ironing board in there if I am sewing a lot.

Tractor joe just shook his head. 

I made this some time ago. I'm not sure I have ever shown it.

The strips are 1 1/4 cut.

I wanted to show the quilt that was getting its binding at the last minute, but now I can't find it.

I found this one and can say.....

Merry Christmas to all of you!

My pictures are all so disorganized. I'm going to go see what else I can blog about!