Thursday, November 29, 2018

Splendid Sampler 2 It's My Day!

Hello everyone, I'm so happy to share with you my block for the Splendid Sampler 2. Today we are showing 4 blocks by 4 designers. 
I have lots to tell you and lots to show you and finally an opportunity to win a grab bag of some of the fabrics I'm using to make my blocks.

My block, Piece in Chaos pretty much exemplifies my quilting life, at it's best.  Like many of you, my love of quilting centers around my love of fabric. I'm constantly busy, working on deadlines  and then life interrupts, with a new idea, a new project and yes, new fabric and chaos ensues. 
I love the excitement of starting a new project, the variety of tasks and fabrics, but  then when things are due at the same time, it is just crazy. 
I've often times found my best ideas come when the clock is ticking.

Here is my block, Piece in Chaos on Page 49.

Imagine the beginning of a project as the center pinwheel, all the parts assembled, then framing it, and calm surrounds. Then, out of the blue, the 4 corner triangles represent 4 new ideas or deadlines.  LOL.  Are you a finisher, or would you run to start the new project.?
  Welcome to my world as an author and fabric designer. Add juggler and pattern designer. 
And I love it ALL!


All kidding aside, this block was super fun to make. So I made a few more...


and sewed them together.  I love the secondary design that is created!  Four blocks with different fabrics and you have a cute little 12" x 12" table topper.

For all the blocks I've made, I have selected a warm palette of rich reds, creams, tans, browns and dark blues from my different lines with Moda Fabrics.
Many of the fabrics are from my newest line with Moda, Harriet's Handwork.
For each line I design for Moda, I select a woman's name and give a little of her story to add to the fun. I select prints from my antique quilt collection to go along with the time period. Here is a little bit of Harriet's story....

Harriet Hanson, at age 10, began working in Boott Cotton Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1835. To help her widowed mother and family, she took a position as a "doffer". As a "doffer", Harriet replaced full bobbins with empty ones. For 15 minutes each hour, Harriet raced back and forth along the loom alley carrying a bobbin box almost as big as she.  In her free time, she could read or play, passing time until needed.  She held this position, working 14 hour days at $2.00 a week for a number of years until she was promoted to "drawing - in" girl. This position was a desirable one which required steady hands and nimble fingers to draw-in the warp threads to prepare the beam for the loom.  With this position, Harriet worked at her own pace and was paid by the piece.  Harriet continued to work in the mill until she married at age 23. 

Below are a few photos of the blocks made so far.  I LOVE this palette.




I'm still trying to catch up and get the blocks done in a timely fashion.
I did not get to make the other 3 designer's blocks for to day, unfortunately.
Please go to their blogs or websites to see what they have made. Links below.

As a thank you for being with me today, I'd like to host a little giveaway.
If you will, please leave me a comment and using a random number generator, I'll select a winner for a grab bag of Betsy fabric and send to you.

Please click on the name to visit Jane Davidson, Patrina Jahnke, and Pat Sloan to see their blocks.


 In stores now, if you don't have a copy.


I'm so happy to be a part of The Splendid Sampler 2  design team!

Thank you Pat, Jane and Martingale!

Don't forget to leave me a comment before you go.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time,
~ Betsy

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

It's my Week for Moda BlockHeads, Block 32 X Quartet

Hello everyone...Happy day before Thanksgiving!
Happy Moda BlockHeads Wednesday!


I'm so happy to finally sit down at the computer and write a nice long post!  It's been way too long and I'm thankful for your patience.

I saw on Lisa Bongean's post yesterday, she's been trying to catch up and said how we have no idea how crazy her life has been.  Believe me Lisa, I totally understand and I'm with you all the way.
My favorite thing right now is how I plan the day and then there are emails to do this, phone calls to do that, husband - enough said lol, cat throws up, plumbing issues....just stuff everyday! No emergency, just stuff that has to be done 'NOW'.  CRAZY.  

And, I just want to sew!  

Finally, a chance to sew Block 32, X Quartet 



Now that you have seen this weeks block, I'd like to do a little catch up...Market...Susanna's Scraps and Hope's Journey, some other stuff, then give you details on the block and the link for the pattern.

Market booth, quilts for Susanna's Scraps
Fabric and patterns showing now to shops, delivery in March.




My newest book, with Martingale Hope's Journey is available now.


Lovely afternoon with my dear friend Deirdre on the way home from Market.  I gave a talk to the lovely ladies she brought from Australia on the Happy Trails Tour.  They visited friends, shops and museums in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
What a trip they had! 
Our husbands finally met, sorry we only had one day together. Oceans may separate us, but my dear friend is always close in my heart...and emails! xxx



Home in time for Halloween for the first time in several years.  Raining and cold, but my little Frozen family trick or treated with delight.


So happy to Trick or Treat with them!

 As soon as festival ended, my stitch group hosted Karen Styles, another Aussie friend , for 2 days of a wonderful hand piecing class making her Circle of Sister's quilt.  I had little time to plan a palette, so I grabbed bits of Susanna's Scraps leftover from market quilts and the plan came together.  I hadn't hand pieced in years, and it was fantastic to sit, chat and stitch slowly, no buzzing of the machine. Karen is a really good teacher with great tips. I'd say I'm smitten with the pace, just as I am with hand applique and EPP.
Not to worry though, I still love my Pfaff and sewing at break neck speed, LOL.


Lots of choices left to make as this block isn't finished yet.  There are nine blocks in the pattern.  I might make 4, or just the one for a medallion...stay tuned. You can see my progress on Instagram, and Facebook when I remember to link it.


Madison turned 5 on Monday.  Party was Sunday...pizza, bowling, and a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and as requested, sprinkles. yes, I made the cake. Can you see that cute red kitchen in the background?  I'm hoping Maddie gets the cooking gene. LOL

Monday I made our block. I had a hard time deciding the colors and settled on pink and green.  Where I have the different pink print in the corners, you can easily put a third color print.


I tried reversing the color placement, but went back to my original plan. So, play a bit with placement before stitching.
For the HSTs, I cut 2 1/2" squares, sewed, cut apart and trimmed to 2".  Pattern says 2 3/8" but I like room to trim with a Bloc_Loc HST ruler.  It makes me happy.
Sew in rows, alternating the the direction for pressing by rows.


To download the pattern for the  6" block, X Quartet,


Enjoy!  This little cutie goes together quickly.

Here are all my blocks together, except today's.  They haven't been up on the design wall for weeks. Market quilts took over the space. I need a bigger board.


Every time I put them up on the board, the blocks are in a different arrangement..Who knows what the final placement will be! 

Hope you are enjoying BlockHeads2.

Please visit our other designers to see what they have made.  Links below.

If you need me, I'll be cooking....and sewing.

Take time to be thankful. Enjoy time with family.  Enjoy time with dear friends.
Treasure the moments.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!


Molly just wants a nap.

Until next time, 
~ Betsy



Betsy Chutchian
http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
https://www.instagram.com/betsy_chutchian/

Brigitte Heitland - Zen Chic
https://www.instagram.com/zenchicmoda/
https://www.brigitteheitland.de/blog/

Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts
https://www.instagram.com/corianderquilts/
http://littlemissshabby.com/

Jan Patek
http://janpatek.blogspot.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jan_patek_quilts/

Jo Morton
http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/
https://www.instagram.com/joquilts/

Laurie Simpson
https://www.instagram.com/minickandsimpson/
http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/

Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings
www.lisabongean.com
https://www.instagram.com/lisabongean/

Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles
http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lynnektq/

Me & My Sister Designs
Barbara Groves & Mary Jacobson
http://www.meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog/
https://www.instagram.com/meandmysisterdesigns/

Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life
http://www.aquiltinglife.com
https://www.instagram.com/aquiltinglife/

Stacy Iest Hsu
https://www.instagram.com/stacyiesthsu/

Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique
https://www.instagram.com/lellaboutique/

Carrie Nelson
http://blog.modafabrics.com/