September Do.GoodStitches Nurture Circle

This month our circle is following this tutorial for Crosscut Blocks. The tutorial can be found here. I started the blocks using the tutorial and cut the background for the first three blocks. As it turned out they didn't mention in the tutorial that you needed to cut the background fabric larger than 9.5 inches to end up with a 9.5 inch block in the end. So my first three were cut too small. However this block has some overages so I was able to save the blocks. I ended up cutting my next three larger and then cutting down the blocks to 8.75" which was the ending size of the smallest blocks. 

After the first step you sew the blocks together and then cut out 12 5.5" blocks. I ended up slicing the 1st stage fabric into 5.5" strips and then cutting 3 squares from each strip. Once you have your 12 blocks then you sew then into 3 10.5" blocks. Here is how my final squares turned out. 

I don't know how I feel about this block. I like a more patterned traditional block. The random improv blocks always make me a little twitchy. I am interested to see this come together. 

Y do the seams hate me

The Nuture circle of do.good.sitches this month was a supersize castle block. The original post was from Amy from the Badskirt blog for Sew Mama Sew. The link can be found here. It is my first adventure into Y seams. I have avoided many quilt blocks with Y seams. It seems like it was a wise choice on my part. 

I have been working on this block for about a week. It has been a long process to get the one block finished. There was alot of seam ripping and cursing. I had some trouble getting the block to lie flat. In the end it got as good as it was getting with much starch and alot of cursing.

The request for colors in this block are below

Here are the color/design guidelines:

1. Outside corners should be solid, true, white

2. Inner square ring should be a gray / neutral 

3. Fussy cut center octagon if it makes sense with the fabric you're using (see hints and tips below on how to do this)

4. High contrast between diamonds and outer ring of trapezoids. (My sample block is good, but I'd like even higher contrast). 

5. Trapezoids and center octagon should be in the same color family

6. If the outer ring is directional fabric you will need additional fabric - otherwise your trapezoids will alternate directionality.

7. I'd like to keep the diamonds cool colored, and the trapezoids and octagon warm colored.

I dug out some very funky print for the center. I think it is Robert Kaufmann. It looks like a crazy Hawaiian shirt. It is one of those prints that is really better suited for large blocks. On  the down side we usually make 2 12" blocks and this month we made 1 jumbo block that was almost 21". It ate up alot more fabric that normal. Here is the finished block, I could have kept fussing with it but it wouldn't have ended well.

I hope the quilt turns out awesome but I can't imagine making a whole quilt of these blocks. If I were to make it again it would be one block for a pillow or a baby quilt. I am glad its done!!!!! Crossing this one off the list!

And just for a dash of cute here is a picture of my doodlebug in her 4th of July finest.

May Quilt Nuture circle of Do.Good.Stitches

Finished up the May quilt for the Nurture circle of Do.Good.Stitches. Technically I am not yet done with the March quilt but I got stuck on this one. You know how it is when you get focused on a project and can't do things in the order you know you should. So here it is!

I used a chunk of fabric for the backing that I have had for 5 or 6 years that reminded me of the pattern on the front. I finished the back with a Kona solid called Lagoon which I have most of a bolt of. I happened upon it at a yard sale. Technically I think it was the estate of a quilter that had gone toward the light. I took it as my mission to use the fabric in her honor. So this is one of the many projects its has made it into. 

For the binding I used a fun mix of bright prints from my scrap bin and a few jelly roll strips. 

I love how it turned out!

Hollywood Squares Flimsy

My dear husband was baby wrestling this weekend and playing video games which gave me a chance to do some sewing. I haven't yet been able to baby proof my craft room to the point where she won't kill herself. So all baby containment has to be in other areas on the house.

I was able to finish the quilt top for the May Nurture circle of Do.Good.Stitches. I blogged about it here and also here. I have been calling the quilt Hollywood squares but once I got it together it reminds me of these God's eye crafts that we used to make at summer camp.

So here is the quilt top as it is hanging on my all. Even thought it doesn't want to hang flat.

I also found this fabric in my stash that I have had for quite some time. It reminds me of the pattern of the quilt top. The selvage edge says 2010 so I guess I have been lugging this around for at least 5 years. It isn't the fanciest quilting fabric but I think it will go great with the quilt top. So whenever your husband says why do you keep buying fabric here is the reason, some day I will have just the right project for it!

Pictures of the finished top to follow.

Sewing Saturday

My sweet husband was in charge of baby wrangling this evening so I was left to sew sew sew. I decided it was time to put together the May quilt for the Nuture circle of Do.Good.Stitches. 

I started playing around with the layout a few weeks ago and came up with this rough idea. 

Pardon the messy bed and I was waiting for a few more blocks to come in the mail. 

I decided to sketch up a layout that would use all the blocks but discovered that I needed a few more to make it happen. I hit the scrap bin and whipped up two more with black centers and two more with black boarders. 

Now I juts have to work up the courage to slice up some of the blocks into halves and quarters. Here goes nothing!!!!

More pictures to come of the finished product.

June Blocks for Nuture Circle

For a variety of reasons I have been slacking on sewing and posting on here. Most likley it is the 11 month old that is cruising around my house and the baby that is on the way. The newest Peach is coming August 2016. I think with the second arrival I should just board up my sewing room and call it quits. I will hold out hope that with the help of my hubby and sneaking away late at night I will get some stitching in. 

Here is my most recent completed project. This month the Nuture circle of Do.Good.Stitches decided to make blocks for the people were effected by the wildfires in Fort McMurray Alberta Canada. The original post of from SLO Studio and can be found here. Although this is wrapping up at the end of the month you can always click on the link if you would like the tutorial to make the Maple leaf block. They requested the blocks in the colors of the Alberta flag (red, white, blue, yellow, and green). The fabrics could be solids or prints. I dug into my stash and found some fabrics from my "how did I end up with these fabrics collection". Great fabrics but for some reason they have been in my stash for too long. Usually fabrics that arrived in a scrap package, yard sale or clearance rack. Fabrics that I had a plan for and it didn't work out or fabrics that were too cheap to pass up. Hopefully these leaves will make the quilt recipients happy and warm. 

Posting at Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts.

March Flimsy Finished

The March block for the Nuture circle of Do.Good.Stitches quilt is called Picnic Pinwheel by Patch the Giraffe. I love her eye for color and quilt designs. This is just one of many of her quilts that I want to make!!! I choose a pallet of teal, magenta, purple and orange. I was going for bright bold colors to create a happy quilt to bring sunshine to the recipient of this charity quilt. The charity that we sew for is called Covered in Love. The original post is here if you wish to go back and take peak.

I finally wrangled up all the blocks and got enough time to sit down and put it together. I took for granted how much easier it was to sew when the baby was in a rock and play and stayed put. Now she is rolling, crawling, trying to pull herself up and flinging whatever she can get her tiny mitts on. Hopefully this will be the only time she is hanging off a pole. She is going to turn 1 year in July and become a big sister in August. I should just close up my sewing room for the next decade. 

Here is the quilt top all sewed together with the blocks from the circle. I love how the top looks all together. It always impressed me when I give the group a color pallet that no one leans towards one or two colors. We always end up with a nice distribution of all the colors. This block looks complex but comes together really quickly, is easy to cut and sew and looks great every way I have seen it. I may have to make one for me! I have a couple teal backing fabrics for this quilt. I never can decide which to buy so I buy more fabric than I need. I blame it on the minimum order requirement for free shipping. But it might be the reason I have a shamefully large stash. 

Will post pictures once it is all finished!

Fantastic Finishes.....

Ok so it's been a hot minute since I posted. Here are some of the things I have finished up in the meantime.

August do.good.stitches Nurture circle blocks. The call was for any star blocks in red with a white background. I went with my favorite block, Scrap Jar Stars found here.

September do.good.stitches Nurture circle blocks. The call was for a block called Granny's front porch from Canoe Ridge Creations and the instructions are here. 

Using this color pallet

Here is how they turned out, I have blue fabrics a plenty!!!Wish I had more of that great purple in my stash.

Here is the finished top from July for the nurture circle of Do.Good.Stitches. The pattern is called Americana Rose. I blogged about it here. I have to quilt it and send it off to the charity group. 

That's all for now, more on the latest happenings will be posted soon.

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts 

Finish it up Friday

January Do.Good.Stitches Block

Well looking at the last time I posted I am the worst blogger ever!!! I have a list of excuses I can provide if you would like. I have been sewing a lot in an effort to get some projects done. Old man winter was keeping me from photographing them. I was able to get some indoor pictures of some of the projects that am kinda happy with. I am hoping to be able to post more regularly in the coming months. 

Below are the picture of the first block for do.good.stitches this year, I had the chance to go and sew at the blanket workshop in Columbus for My Very Own Blanket. They have moved into a new fantastic location. If you have projects or materials this is a great charity to donate to. 

This month we did a quilt as you go block. It was a pretty large block but a good way to use up some scraps. I have way to many scraps and am always looking for a way to squash my stash. The how to link is here if you want to follow along and make your own.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Do.Good.Stitches Nurture August Final Pics

Here are the final pictures of the August quilt for the do.Good.stitches Nurture circle. It has been washed and bound for a minute but the weather has  been less than cooperative in Ohio.

I shared a tutorial for this star here. This will be headed to My Very Own Blanket in good old Ohio.

Here are pictures of the bug happy print I picked for the backing fabric. 

Linking it up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

That's all I have to say about that......

I was the quilter last month for the Nurture circle of the Do. good.stitches circle. I picked this star that has no name as of yet. Summer star, Squash blossom star......It doesn't matter. All the blocks have arrived at my house. I have completed sewing together column 1 and 3, the other two should come together quickly. It needs to get finished and off the floor as we are scheduled to sand the floors this weekend and it will be returned to use as a bedroom.

I also completed my blocks for September do.good.Stitches. Turns out my stash does still need more fabric. It is lacking solids. I almost never buy solids and the ones I do have came from swaps and scrap bags. I am going to redo these with bold colors, red, pink, orange, and purple. To the fabric store! 

Linking up to Freshly Pieced

do.Good.Stitches-Nurture Circle......August Block

Greetings.....Welcome to the Peach Patch if this is your first visit......I've been oftly quiet recently.....

Today I am posting a tutorial which I hope you will enjoy. This is my first month as quilter for the Nurture circle of do.Good.Stitches. I had been trying to get involved with this program for some time and some space opened up. As a bonus the Nuture circle makes quilts for one of my favorite charities; My Very Own Blanket. I have had the chance to make quilts for this charity before and go to the workshop to sew in Ohio. I struggled to decide what block to pick for the quilt. I flipped back and forth from traditional blocks, tutorials already floating around the internet or creating one of my own. In the end I created on of my own, at least I haven't seen it before. As of now I am still working on a name for this block
.....Spider Star
......Crab Star
........Sunshine Star
.....Supernova/Exploding Star
....I haven't figured it out yet, send your suggestions.....

So to get started on this block we first need to select our fabrics. For this block we are going to have three fabrics. For this quilt I would like to keep the color scheme to Blue/Green/Orange. I would prefer bold jewel tone fabrics that contrast well with the background and colors that are complimentary to each other. Please stay away from pastels for this project.

A - Background star points- Blue or Green or Orange
B - Main star - Blue or Green or Orange
C - White/Cream/Low volume background fabric

The fabric cutting for this block is pretty simple.

A - Background star points- Blue or Green or Orange
1 - 8" Square

B - Main star - Blue or Green or Orange
6 - 5" Squares

C - White/Cream/Low volume background fabric
1 - 8" Square
2 - 5" Squares
4 - 4.25" Squares

Once we have our fabrics take the two 8" blocks (A & C) and place them with front sides facing and sew a 1/4" seam around the entire perimeter of the block.

Next cut the block on the diagonal in both directions

Set the seams and press open

 Press the seams open

Line up the 45 degree line on your ruler up to the seam of the block and trim down to 5"

Draw a line perpendicular to the seam of each of the half square triangle blocks as well as on the diagonal of the 2 5" (C) blocks. Pair one 5" (B) block to each of these and lay them face to face.

These lines are used as a guide. Sew a straight line 1/4" from the mark on both sides. Using your rotary cutter, cut these 6 squares along the mark between the two seams.

 You should now have 4 of each of the following

Set the seams and press them open on each of the blocks

Line up the 45 degree line on your ruler up to the seam of the block and trim down to 4.25"

Add the remaining 4 4.25" (C) blocks and you should now have 4 of each of the blocks below

Now to assemble the star yet to be named block
Place the 4 4.25" (C) blocks in each of the corners
Place the 4 4.25" HST in the middle with white facing in

Next place the squares with the accent fabric to the right as shown below

The remaining squares with the accent fabric to the left finish out the layout

Sew each row together and press the seams open
Beware that the intersection at the corners of the inner white square are bulky and should be sewed and pressed carefully

Sew each row together and trim the block down to 15.5" square

Please make two blocks and send to the address below.
Feel free to contact me with any questions :)

Dhia Peach
519 Smith Road
Fremont, Ohio 43420

Do Good Stitches....Nurture

Been sewing here and there......been mostly working on the house. I will keep this short and sweet. I joined the nurture circle of Do Good Stitches last month. Here is my last two months of blocks. Seems like I am unable to just make two blocks per month. I do love to sew!

April blocks

May Blocks

Busy busy bees....

My poor Janome had its first run in with the sewing machine doctor. She got jammed up and something bent inside and the bobbin was sliding around and needles were snapping left and right. I took her in and had her all fixed up, my trusted 100 pound Bernina picked up the slack while she was away.

Despite some set backs with my machine I was able to finish up these projects and get them sent off for Margaret's Hope Chest. The first is a finished quilt for "A Mother Hope". This is for women who are struggling with postpartum depression. I was able to use all fabrics from my stash with the exception on the backing which is a pretty blue flower print that I didn't get a good picture of. 

The next one is a pixilated heart for "Hearts of Hope". I added extra rows to the top and bottom to increase the size some. I wanted to quilt this as well but was up against a time line with a broken machine. This top went to Margaret's Hope Chest as well.

Finally my last project were these "Be good to your heart" blocks for Margaret's Hope chest.

I already have a bunch more projects in the works. I just joined a circle of do good stitches and am working on a baby blanket for a co-worker as well as 100 projects around the new house. Pictures to follow. Hope your weekend was amazing!