Whirlgig/Buzz Saw Quilt Progress

See, I actually do sew with the fabric I purchase. Sometimes. :)



Finished sewing these 12 whirlgig blocks (different than a whirl-i-gig block) together this afternoon. Still need to add a border but I'm not completely sold on the stripped border shown in the pattern picture. It depends on how much fabric I have left over, but I thought some type of applique might possibly look nice. :)

Edited to add: I found this block in a back issue of McCall's Quilting, though it is difficult to find on Yahoo! by looking up "whirlgig quilt block". It is sometimes called buzz-saw, and I even found a tutorial for the block if anyone is interested. http://happyvalleyquilter.blogspot.com/2007/03/its-all-buzz.html

Fabric Shopping

**Just a warning for those who skim, I've got no progress to show, I'm only posting to gush about fabric, show of my purchases, and blab about my pup. Sorry! I'll try to post actual progress pictures next time around! :)


I started babysitting last October, to earn some extra fabric money. Well, you know how life goes, and of course, I hadn't really had a chance to use any of that money earned for fabric! Something else more important just always seems to come up. So this time, I thought, I'm going to just go have fun! So, I did...



My Mother and I took a drive to Jo-Anne's Etc. and stopped at a nearby quilt shop. I bought 9 half yard cuts of fabric from the Kansas Troubles Quilters line Garden Inspirations, a few civil war fat quarters, and two yards of a beautiful bright red fabric, with linen white butterflies and white roses all over it that I thought would be a great border for a redwork quilt.

*Edited to Add: Just a note regarding my interest in fabric quality - after looking through the selvages of my newly purchased fabric, I found Alexander Henry and Windham Fabrics were among the batch I'd purchased. I specifically looked for fabric that looked familiar, or felt like the quality that I find at quilt shops. (You all know the general rule, right? To avoid see through fabric?) I read today on Fabrics.net that sometimes you can find last years (or older) "designer" fabrics at chain stores, and also "second" prints. Great news for those of us who love designer fabric, but are on a budget! :)


Notions/supply wise I finally picked up a bottle of Mary Ellen's best press, something I've just heard raves about. I also bought a Quilt in a Day flying geese ruler. I'd seen it when Pat Knoechel visted the guild last month, and thought to myself, "hey, I need that!" Oh happy day! What fun we had shopping!

One last picture, for fun. This is my third child, lol*, Yogi...he's growing up to be big and chunky! Lol* He's my little cutie toot!

Remember these?

When I started making blocks for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, I was just tooting around, and more or less experimenting with blocks I'd never made before. Now, I'm feeling the pull again to try and complete all 140 blocks! Of course, I hadn't printed all the patterns off before they were pulled from the web site, so I will just have to pick up the book next spring so I can complete the top. :)

From the beginning I have been tracking the time it has taken me to make each block from start to finish, including the time taken to make the paper piecing templates if needed. I started in May, 2007, and including the newest block I've made, Mariner's Compass, I've spent 24 and 1/2 hours on this quilt.

Here is the Mariner's Compass I finished last night, after some motivation inspired by the quilt guild meeting I attended...

There are a few accuracy issues, after all, I didn't finish until nearly midnight. I say, imperfections add character. :)

P&B Textiles at Jo-Anne Fabrics?

I popped over to Jo-Anne Fabrics this evening to shop the big sale. I really didn't have anything particular in mind as for fabric, but I love to pick up fat quarters for 99 cents, and I was happy to find some Fons & Porter rulers I'd been wanting were included in the sale. I picked up only two fat quarters, as our local store has a pretty small selection. (Many o'prayers over the years have been sent up to heaven, to ask for the end of world suffering, and if at all possible, to bring a Jo Anne's Etc. to town.) Anyhow, this isn't the first time I've noticed this, but the first time I've thought to take a picture of it...

I found P&B Textiles printed on the selvage of the fabric. How is that? Does anyone know? If you've known me long, in "real life" or through my blog, you probably know the whole chain store fabric vs. quilt shop fabric issue is fascinating to me. I take no official sides, only to say that I find for myself that I buy both, but try to get the best quality I can afford or find. I do always perk up and listen when the subject comes up in conversation or print, and it's almost like a mystery that I can't help but want to get to the bottom of! The date on the fabric is 2004, so could it have been some sort of warehouse overstock type of thing? It even says on their website that the fabric is only available at quilt shops, and that they don't sell to chain stores. Though, this is not the first time I've seen P&B Textiles on the selvage of a fabric I've purchased from Jo Anne's. So, how, (to my delight!) did I score a P&B print this evening? Oh - and do I get any points for having a good eye!?! Lol*

Prim Cottage Mini Quilt

It has been such a struggle to get to my sewing machine lately! There are so many things that I would like to accomplish, but just not enough time. I really don't know how I found the time to make this...but it helped that it took only about 2 hours from start to finish. (That's while keeping after two small children too. Just think how fast it would have gone if I'd had the house to myself!)