Birdie Sling

I know I'm a little late to the Birdie Sling party; just about all my crafty friends have made one or two.  Here is my version.  I made it at 75% size, since I like a smaller bag, and I used a Good Folks print and shot cotton.  I wish I could find more of that fabric.

I used two layers of fusible fleece as interfacing, which turned out to be overkill (unless you want your bag to stand on its own).  Next time I'll use just one layer and include a magnetic closure. I've already picked my fabrics for Birdie number two.

Good Folks Baby Quilt

I finished up the baby quilt made from the trimmed HST from this quilt.  With the quilting, I emphasized the zigzag shape in the solid, and I tried a free motion design within the diamonds.

I love the colors against the gray and that I get to showcase every fabric from my treasured Good Folks collection in one place.

 

This was my first time binding a quilt with shot cotton, and it is perfect for binding - so lightweight and soft.  The color is Lipstick.

Another first for me with this quilt was a flannel backing.  For some reason I thought flannel would be hard to quilt, but it was no different than quilting cotton.  And it feels so great!  Very cuddly for this baby quilt.  It is another Anna Maria Horner fabric, from her Folksy Flannel line.  I really like how many of her fabrics, from various lines, coordinate well.

This baby quilt finished at 39 x 39.

In Progress

I finally finished trimming up the HSTs leftover from this quilt top.

I arranged them simply into a baby quilt.  I'm planning to quilt it to accentuate the zigzag that is formed in the negative space.

This is now the fifth quilt top I have awaiting quilting.  Better move these WIPs along.

Good Folks Shoo Fly

I finished piecing the top. This is a big, twin sized top (60 x 90), so I'm pondering how to quilt it.

A Whole Handful

96 bonus HST blocks and all 24 modified shoo fly blocks done!

I guess it's time to start piecing a couple of quilt tops.

Halfway

I have made twelve modified shoo fly blocks from my prized Good Folks collection. I'm halfway through my fat quarter set, and I've paired them with Kona medium gray. I'm making four blocks at a time, which works well for me.
And this is my pretty stack of bonus HST blocks!

Modified Shoo Fly Block

I've made this block 15 inches, finished size, to show off larger scale prints. Each enlarged block makes a bold, modern statement. The idea of a large shoo fly as a modern spin on tradition is not mine though - Malka Dubrawsky created a 35 inch block! The tutorial for that giant is here. It requires a whole yard of fabric!

I designed my block to use fat quarters. I think it will be the perfect way to use my Good Folks fat quarter bundle, allowing each print to shine on its own, while still showcasing the whole collection. And my twist - I modified the traditional pattern to use four fewer pieces and save myself four seams on each block! Instead of using squares and half square triangles (HST), my version uses two large rectangles along with squares. I make the triangles with the stitch and flip method. And there's a bonus of four HST at the end!

Shoo Fly Test Block

I've found just the right use for my Good Folks collection. I wanted something that would feature the large scale florals and let each individual print sing. This is a variation on the shoo fly block. I've put my own little spin on this traditional block. Back soon with a mini tutorial!

A Beautiful Sight

My completed Good Folks collection:

As usual, I didn't really discover with this fabric until after it was out of print and hard to find. See fantastic quilts made with the fabric here, here, and here.I scoured the internet for all 24 of these prints designed by Anna Maria Horner. Several ladies have helped me on my way with swaps - thank you! I was still able to buy a few prints at some online shops, but the smallest increment I could purchase was 1/2 yard. I only aspired to a fat quarter set, so I have some extras listed in my shop. I have 14 FQs of the 24 prints, if you now want to start your own collection. :) Update: these have been sold.