Sampler Block Shuffle

It's been a long time since we offered new tutorials or patterns here on the blog, but that is all about to change! We have a fun new series for you that starts up this Saturday and runs until the 4th of January to get you fired up, get your pattern collection expanded, and to learn some new techniques.

Who can participate?

• Anyone! There is no subscription or purchase necessary. 

What is this?

• This series is the Sampler Block Shuffle, created by Moda Fabrics.  
• Each pattern creates a 6"x6" pieced square. This may seem small to some, but they are designed to teach piecing skills and to learn new techniques! 

Where? 

• The Patterns will be posted up here on the blog. Near the top of the right hand menu bar you can see the "Sampler Block Shuffle" button. This will bring up the Sampler Block Shuffle Page with links to all patterns. 
• We will post up reminders on our Facebook page, but patterns will not be posted on Facebook. Those are only available here on the blog! 

When? 

• Each week we will post up 2-3 new patterns. Saturdays at 7am MST the new patterns will go live! 
• The first pattern will go live on Saturday, October 31st. 
• New patterns will be available weekly through January 4th, 2016. 
• Patterns will only be available for 2 weeks! You'll need to be sure to visit the blog every week to be able to collect the entire set of patterns. 
• We do recognize that this is a busy time of year. Some of you may want to participate, but not have the time during the holidays to make the blocks. Come visit the blog each week to collect the patterns, and save them for later when you can actually make the blocks! 

Why? 

• Why not?! 
• Because this is going to be incredibly fun! We can't wait to see everyone's colors and creations. 

How? 

• Fabric Requirements
• For the sampler squares it is suggested to use either 2 Jelly Rolls, 2 Layer Cakes, or one of each. Having lights and darks will make this quilt more dynamic! 
• Additional fabric will be needed to set the blocks if desired. Moda has provided a great setting pattern to create an entire quilt. The fabric yardages and instructions for the setting pattern can be found by clicking here. 

• As you follow along, be sure to share photos of your finished sampler blocks with us! You can post them to the Facebook Page, email them in, or even post them on Instagram! 
• If posting on Facebook or Instagram don't forget to include #modasamplershuffle and #auntjudysattic in your caption so the photos are linked to the event! 

So be sure to come back this Saturday to get the first 2 patterns in this fun new series!! 

New Baby Flannels!

We have 9 new baby flannels in the store! They are so soft and cozy! 

2015-2016 Block of the Month

Registration is now open for the new Block of the Month class by Claudia Toenies! I love these beautiful mini square home blocks! Such a beautiful design!

The class starts Friday, November 13th, at 10:30-2:30 and runs each 2nd Friday of the Month for a year. 

Interested in joining? Call the Store for more information

October 2015 Show and Tell

We always love when Terrific Tuesday comes around and we get to see all the amazing work our clients have done. The color combinations, quilting, designs, and hard work is just phenomenal! Here are yesterday's Show and Tell projects: 

Paco Rich with her 1st paper pieced project, the Dragon.

Paco Rich with her watermelon wack and stack quilt. Paco has agreed to teach a class on this technique after the 1st of the year.

Bonnie Davis with her pink and Jean quilt. 

Bonnie with a pink and Jean dog blanket made from the left overs of the big quilt.

Bonnie Davis lovely little quilt.

Maria Garica nativity quilt also got a blue ribbon at Gila Fair. 

Lawana Beem with her Mystery Quilt. 

Myrleen Hunt with her oriental girls donation quilt. 

Myrleen Hunt with her Quilt of Valor quilt, gorgeous piecing and quilting.

Marnie Stewart with her Minion quilt.

Jillyn Dille with her Tonka Quilt.

Jillyn Dille with her Mystery Quilt.

Barbara Guber with her donation quilt. 

Using my Basting Spray to Help Stencil

I found another use for my basting spray! It's not really what it's made for, but I thought I'd share this project with you anyway!

Our house has two doors, just around the corner from each other. Everyone gets confused as to which door to use and usually go to the door that opens into my kitchen/laundry room (which is not normally the room I want to bring them in through). We're trying to get the living room door designated as the door to come to and slowly it's working. The wreath I showed in the previous post helps, but I came up with another idea (from Pinterest!) to help as well. I saw an idea for spray painting welcome onto the porch in front of the door. I definitely wanted to do that here! I almost pulled out my coral spray paint but decided to go with something more neutral for whoever moves in after us.

But first I had to figure out stencils. I knew ordering a stencil was a possibility, but I hated to pay for something I was sure I could make for cheap on my own. I almost decided to draw it by hand until I realized the printer would be way easier. I pulled up Microsoft Publisher (but Word or Paint would work great as well!) and found a font I liked that would work well to turn into a stencil. I put each letter on a separate page and printed them out. This next bit was the slow part (but not horribly slow, just more than I wanted). I cut the letters out with an exacto knife, saving the little pieces to go in the inner parts of some of the letters (like the e). Next, I gathered my paint, some boxes to use to protect the rest of the porch, spray adhesive, and went to work.

And here is where my basting spray came into play. I needed some way to stick the paper stencil to the concrete step. I had Elmer's permanent spray adhesive, but that leaves and awful residue and I didn't want dirt clinging to the step where the residue was. So in digging around my craft supplies I came upon my basting spray and knew it would be perfect! 

I sprayed the back of the paper and stuck it to the step (lining up the bottom of the paper on the bottom of the step so the letters would all be the same height).

I then did a quick coat of gray, and a quick coat of nickel to make it shiny and stand out better. I was nervous when I pulled off the paper, but it worked great!

On to the next letters. This font has the letters all connected (cursive), so I made sure the e overlapped a little onto the edge of the w when I stuck it to the step.

That worked great. I followed the same steps with each letter, being careful to not get paint beyond the edge of the paper. It turned out just right!

It doesn't stick out huge, but it's a fun little touch on the steps. I might try doing another layer maybe with gold, I think that'd stick out just a little better. But for now I love how this looks!

It does stick out beautifully when the steps are wet from the rain though! 

DIY Autumn Leaves Wreath

The weather has definitely felt like fall lately! I went to pull out our Fall decorations and realized that I gave most of them away when we moved. All I had left were two fall garlands.

http://www.marquettelareeblog.com/2011/09/autumn-necktie-garland.html

http://www.marquettelareeblog.com/2011/09/autumn-necktie-garland.html

So I decided to see what I could come up with from our local Walmart crafting aisle (the home improvement/hardware/crafting store wasn't open yet when I made my shopping run, so Walmart it was).  I found our crafting section is pretty pathetic compared to what I was used to, but it would work.

I ended up going home with a wire wreath form I got for $2.96 (much cheaper than the grapevine wreaths I discovered!), and 3 sets of autumn plants (two bunches of oak leaves and a floral arrangement) which I got for $3 each (ouch! I remember the leave bunches being $0.99 two years ago!). I dismantled the leaves, clipping them into singles leaves rather than pairs.

I pulled out the hot glue gun and just started gluing them on with no rhyme or reason.

And, I found a great use for the Bumbo (Darrow still loves this thing and it comes in handy when we have two toddlers in the house needing somewhere to sit during mealtime). It makes quite the handy little holder for the glue gun between leaves!

I got all the leaves on and decided I did want to put the items from the floral bunch on, so I clipped those off and glued them on as well. I love how it turned out! I probably could have only bought one bunch of oak leaves as I had a ton left over, but I didn't know that before.

I've had a pin on Pinterest saved for forever about using a command hook to hang wreaths (especially on cabinet doors, or if you just don't like the metal over the door hangers). I didn't have a wreath hanger (and didn't want to buy one), but I did remember that pin. So I used some twine out of the craft drawer and secured the wreath to the back of the screen door, only I did this redneck style. You know the little hydraulic thing on top of screen doors that keeps the door from flinging open or slamming shut? This door is missing that I discovered. I was going to use a command hook, but using that bracket meant that there wouldn't be the back of the command hook visible through the glass. So I tied the twine to that and hung the wreath. At least this way I know the command hook isn't going to give out.

It adds some cheer and color to the front of the house (which desperately needs some cheer and color). This picture made me realize just how badly the house is in need of a paint trim job. I'll put that on the list.

So with the supplies used (one wreath form, and 2 floral bundles-I'm saving the other bunch of leaves for another project down the road), I spent $9 on my fall wreath! Not bad!