2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

Hello! Today is the start of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop!

The blog hop is set up so you can have a chance to meet and welcome new bloggers into the wonderful and encouraging online quilting community. Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl, Beth at Cooking Up Quilts, and Leanne at She Can Quilt are hosting the blog hop. Be sure to check out their pages for AMAZING giveaways!!

The 2017 New Quilt Bloggers have been connecting through Slack and learning new things for the past month. We have all been doing behind the scenes work on our blogs to make them even better! The bloggers were "sorted" into three "hives," and each week during the blog hop, each host will highlight 4-5 of the bloggers in their hive. I am part of the Blooming Quilters hive (hosted by Yvonne), and I got to design the button for our blog hop!

For the blog hop, we are to share a few things so you can get to know each of us better. I love connecting with new people in the quilting community, so I am excited for the next few weeks!

Machine Quilt Binding Tutorial

I used to hate binding quilts! I had a stack of quilts bigger than I will admit just sitting in the corner awaiting that one final step. Then one day I decided I needed to bite the bullet and get them done. Since that day, I've made over 50 quilts! I have figured out a binding method that works for me and now I enjoy it just as much as the rest of the quilt-making process! I know there are already a lot of tutorials out there for how to bind a quilt by machine, but if you're like me, none of them seemed to work just quite right. Please use what works best for you! Most of the choices I make when binding a quilt are to make the process as quick, easy, and painless as possible. I hope this tutorial helps you find joy in the final step in the quilt-making process too!

Sew Many Colors

Aurifil thread is celebrating it's 10th year in the US! As part of the celebration, Sheri of Whole Circle Studio created a paper-pieced pattern of Aurifil thread spools. Then Aurifil and Robert Kaufman partnered to host a quilt challenge. And you know I can't resist a challenge!

Sewing Machine Laser

Have you seen the new and fancy sewing machines that come with a built-in laser beam? You can use the laser to line up what you're sewing before it gets to the needle. It's extremely helpful for quilting straight lines or sewing half-square triangles without drawing the lines. But what to do if you don't have a new and fancy sewing machine??

Mini Madness!

This year I have the incredible opportunity to work as an ambassador for Island Batik fabrics. Each month, all the ambassadors have a challenge to create something with a common theme. Last month, we made Galentine mug rugs and kennel quilts. This month, the challenge was to make a paper pieced mini quilt.

  

It's Time for Pi

Happy Pi Day!

If you haven't figured it out by now, Pi Day is an official holiday in our house!

Before being a stay-at-home mom, I was a middle school math teacher. (Yes, "nailing Jell-O to a wall" is exactly what it's like. And I loved it!) Also, our last name is Piland. (Pronounced Pie-land.) So combine these, and the tradition of celebrating Pi Day was born! (In case you're lost, the mathematical term "pi" stands for the approximate number 3.14. So Pi Day - a made-up holiday celebrating all things related to pi - is March 14th.)

Spring Hexie Table Runner

Is it just me, or does it seem like spring? Here in Missouri, we've had sunny skies, warm days, and my yard is full of blooming spring flowers. (I'm completely ignoring the forecast of snow coming this Saturday though!)

I grab hold of the first sign of spring and run with it. I'm always eager for the bright colors and sunshine that spring brings, plus that means Easter is fast approaching. I like to pull out my spring and Easter décor early so I can enjoy it for as long as possible.

When I was packing projects for the quilting retreat a couple weeks ago, I grabbed an old bag of hexies I made last year. I thought it would make a bright table runner to set out for spring, and if I got time at the retreat, I'd start it.