Zinnie's Choice Update

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday on our way home from the cabin we stopped at a little park in Murphys for a photo shoot for Zinnie's Choice.



 

It's a cute little park with a stream, gazebo, and picnic tables.  I knew it would be the perfect spot to showcase this quilt.

The flag was already there in the planter.....karma.

Right before we left the cabin, I read a comment on my prior post from JB.  She said,

"Hi there. Just a question on your quilt pattern... when flags are hung the way the image appears in your last picture (i.e. with the long side vertical), isn't the blue field with the stars hung to the top left?"

JB is absolutely correct!  This is the picture I posted of the quilt.

 

Mr. Joe and I immediately searched to find out the proper way to display the American flag.  We learned so much and we have JB to thank. With a little copy and paste, below is the correct way to hang a flag vertically. The blue field with the stars (the union) should be displayed in the upper left hand corner. 

 

When the flag is hung vertically, say from the ceiling in a gym, you have to have the union on the left after deciding where the viewers will be when they first see it.  Those sitting on the other side of the gym will view it backwards, like my quilt! 

 

All the way home from the cabin we looked at flags, of which there were many along the route.  The majority were displayed the correct way. The union must always be on the observer's left.  Thank you JB for bringing this important information to my attention. Now I'm going to include this same information in the pattern.

 



I'm also going to suggest this layout as an alternative if you want to hang the quilt vertically as well as horizontally.

My quilt will always be displayed, and fly proudly horizontally from now on.

Thank you JB for educating me.  I'm so glad you posted your informative comment.

Soon,
Lynn

Remembrance Day

Hello Everyone,

 

This is Memorial Day, but I prefer Remembrance Day.  It doesn't sound quite as sad to me.  When I hear the word Memorial, I always think of funerals.  I don't want to think about funerals.  I want to remember and reflect about the valiant men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. 

 

I've spent a lot of time remembering over the past few days while writing the pattern directions for Zinnie's Choice.  This quilt is named after our Golden Retriever, Zinnie.

 



 

I was making this quilt when Zinnie passed away very suddenly at the age of 5.  That was three years ago at this time......Memorial weekend.....Remembrance Day.  This is the only quilt that Zinnie touched when it was laying on the floor.  She walked around all of the other quilts, but she would curl right up on this one.  Here is a picture of Zinnie at her favorite Elephant Lake.  We won't be going there this year as there is probably 8 feet of snow and the dirt road into it is impassable.  

 

While I've been writing the pattern directions, I've been remembering Zinnie.  It has taken me three years to even think about writing the directions for this quilt.  I guess I'm just to emotionally attached to this quilt. 

 



 

Since we've never been without a dog our entire marriage, we soon welcomed Mazey into the family.  She's a loveable holy terror!  She walks over all of the quilts and steals quilt blocks every opportunity she can!  She used to be such a little puff ball of fur.

 



 

This quilt is made up of components from my Patchwork Math book.  There are only 7 different quilting components in the entire quilt.  Flying Geese, Double Flying Geese, Parallel Geese, Half-Square Triangles, Y-squares, Square in a Square, and HST in a Triangle.

  

You will become an expert and master the components while making the quilt.

The new Ann's Arbor fabric from Minick and Simpson for Moda would work perfectly in this quilt. It will be available in August.  It has just the right mix or red, white, blue and yellow.

My friend Jeanne is proofreading the pattern right now.  This pattern will be hot off the press and ready for the Wine Country Quilt Show next weekend in Santa Rosa.  I'll be teaching this quilt at In Between Stitches on July 12th.

 

Have a good and safe Remembrance Day. Don't ever forget.

 

Soon,

Lynn 

 

Half Square Triangle in a Triangle

Hello Everyone,

 

This post is a couple of days behind schedule.....my bad.  This should have posted on Wednesday in conjunction with The Quilt Show post of my Patchwork Math class HERE.  Today I'm going to show you how to enhance the square in a triangle into a half-square triangle in a triangle.  What is this you ask?  It is the component located in each corner of the block.

 

 

If you watch the video first then this will make much for sense to you.  I turn Piece A into a HST using the HST technique HERE.  Because this component is going to finish at 3", I know the HST is going to be trimmed to 2" unfinished.  When it is sewn into the component it will finish at 1 1/2".  I know it may be confusing.....but 3 divided by 2 = 1 1/2".

 

So I line all of the pieces up in the correct order.

 



Stitch the HST to the rectangle.  Press toward the rectangle.  This is IMPORTANT!

Take a look at the back.  In the video I show you where to clip through the seam so it will lay flat.

Place this section directly on top of Piece C.

Line your ruler up along the 45 degree line on the bottom of the component.  See how the ruler lines up running through the stitches of the HST.  Mark along this line. 

The line is NOT going corner to corner.

Rotate the component and mark the other side.

After you stitch directly on the line, cut it apart.

Look what you get!  Aren't they cute.  The Patchwork Math book is available HERE and it won't be on sale much longer.  Don't delay.

Here is a practical application of this technique in my Harvest of Hope pattern.  The entire border is comprised of this component.

It gives me a great opportunity to add another color into my quilt.

On an entirely different note, we caught this duo on our critter cam last night.  I think this picture is stinkin' cute!  I should Photoshop a little thought bubble over Wylie Coyote.  Gee, I wonder what he is thinking?  Go ahead, add a caption in the comment section.

Soon,
Lynn

Sew'n Wild Oaks Class Was In Session

Hello Everyone,

 

What a fun day yesterday in the classroom at In Between Stitches with my Sew'n Wild Oaks girls. Paula is working on Lil' Orphan Scrappy and has all of the blocks made.

 
 I love this pile of scrappy triangles she has prepared for the randomly planned corner squares.

 

 

Irene worked on this beauty throughout the day.  

 

 

The classroom was so full......

 



.......that we had to put up a couple of extra tables for the overflow.  This little room was our caboose.

 

Speaking of a full house, Karen is making great headway on her Journey's End houses by Kim Diehl.  They are just a cute as they can be.

 



 

 Here's another example of beautiful Kim Diehl fabrics for Walk in the Park.

 

Laurie is working on my new Huckleberry Hill pattern and is anxiously awaiting me to finish my blocks.  Laurie is an excellent pattern tester for me.

At the start of the class, I taught a half-square triangle session and Patty put the knowledge to work immediately in a little basket.  She has lots of little HST waiting in the wings.

Mary has a good start to a Lucy Boston block.

The geese are going to be flying south in Janie's October Magic. Love those plaids!

Meike is making a Grammy Squares quilt.  This one is going to be striking!

Rose is assembling all of the parts and pieces for her beautiful quilt.

 

Mary is making her first English Paper-Pieced flower for Summer's Blush.

 



Now I'm poking some good natured fun at Mary.  This is her contribution to the design wall at the end of the day.  I heard her say the back is a "hot mess".  But Mary, the front is perfect!

 

 I hope you all have a perfect day.

Soon,
Lynn

Patchwork Math Was In Session

Hello Everyone,

 

It's been a busy couple of days with a lecture to the Flying Needles Quilt Guild in Woodland on Thursday, and a workshop on Saturday.  Here are a few pictures from the creative quilters at the workshop.



 

I present the formulas and techniques for one component at a time.  You can see everyone taking good notes while I'm presenting.  Then they go off to their machines and make the designated component for that hour.

Once they've made several of the components, they start playing on the design wall.

From beginning to advanced quilters, there is always something new to learn in this class.

We had a few "aahaa" moments, and there were light bulbs going on in the class.

This was an absolutely delightful group of women.  Gail and I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with this quilt guild.  You were good quilters which made our job an easy one.

I really enjoy spending good, quality time with quilters.  I love to hear their stories, see pictures of their quilting style, and watch them add new knowledge to their quilting toolbox.
  

Gail and I were so warmly received by the guild members.  We look forward to a return trip to the Flying Needles Guild in Woodland.

Soon,
Lynn