Thursday, August 8, 2013

Ho Ho HO!



Today is my turn to share in the Ho, Ho, Ho - Christmas in July hosted by Madam Sam at Sew We Quilt and our cheerleader Carol from Just Let me Quilt!  A HUGE thank you to both! There have been some fabulous projects all week long, and more to come! Please stop by today's posters to get in the holiday spirit and see what they've created!

August 8

As far as far as summers go - this one has pretty much been a whirlwind!  So, I really enjoyed this little project to just break from the little rat race we've got going on :)

For me, Christmas is a time of FAVORITES! So, I started with my FAVORITE block - the New York Beauty.  I wanted a table topper.  So to jump right in and get to work, I popped in a dvd - my favorite Christmas movie - of all time. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!
I mean really - locked in the attic with the home movies & Chevy Chase running up the stairs with that squirrel on his back! Forget it!!







For foundation paper, my favorite is the Crayola Doodle Pad.

It's newsprint, and it rips SUPER EASY!  /The fact that it's only a couple bucks at Walmart is super cool too!




So, I trim it up for the printer like so . . .









I found a couple of New York Beauty patterns online - but they were all 6" or 8".  I don't know if that's because it prints out better on 8 1/2 x 11 paper - or why really, but what I wanted a 12" block, and I've never really been a "fit on the paper" kind of gal anyway, soooo . . . I hop on over to my next favorite - my most favorite Christmas present (thank you hubby) - love, love, love my EQ7!



I drafted up a couple options and played around with some color - wham bam! I got my 12" block :)



Once my pieces were printed, I notched the areas where the lines were to meet, use a little dab of the glue stick, and there it is.





Around here - for us - Christmas isn't so much red and green, but more like LOTS of color
 and and festiveness.  So I just grabbed some of everything and jumped right in!

Zip zip and here we go . . .

About here is where I put on my favorite Christmas music while I sew :)




Once I have one together, just to check it out - I throw some rocks and silk flowers in a glass, light some tea lights to get a "feel" if this is going the direction I want . . .



 Yeah, I'm diggin' it :)

Now, I don't know if you tell looking at this block - but once my blocks were together, I sliced a little extra down - this doesn't exactly make them wonky,


 but it's kind of like turning the end of a kaleidoscope - skews my angles a little when they meet up. This gives a slight star-like effect.

I need to put a back on it and quilt it - I was thinking maybe another design so it could be reversible - maybe a tree or snowman, or something.  On the other hand I really liked the idea of doing some free motion pebbles around the outer gray area - which may not exactly translate with what's going on the back - will have to ponder this some more.  What do you think - what would you do?

Thanks for stopping by!


72 comments:

  1. Gorgeous! Love the colors. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. Hi there!! Great tutorial. You are very talented. I love the colors and your design!! Thank you for sharing.

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  3. I love the kaleidoscope effect. It looks lovely with those tea lights. Beautiful.

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  4. What a great tutorial. Thank you for sharing

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  5. Thanks for your great tutorial. I love the colors and the design. Thanks for sharing you creativity and being part of this blog hop

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  6. Amazing! I love those colours. They make it really festive. I would not make it reversible. This side is waaaaay to pretty to be on the table. You could make another one, though..... in case someone manages to spill something (my house....), then you would still have the reverse side.... Mmmm. Not helpful, am I.....

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  7. I'm impressed ! Great work ! Thanks for sharing :)

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  8. Lovely quilt - and thanks for sharing the process of making it.

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  9. Gorgeous kaleidoscope quilt! Thanks for showing us the process too.

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  10. very nice project and different...the color is wonderful

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  11. Love the kaleidoscope quilt! Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Oh my Sarah - this is gorgeous! blessings, marlene

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  13. Wow, beautiful! I love the colors. I think gray would be a good backing. Why take away from the beauty of the top with another print? Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Beautiful project, it is quite stunning. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Gorgeous! I love colorful Christmases too! Great job!

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  16. How beautiful and the colors are so neat!

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  17. I love what you did. Thanks for sharing

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  18. Love the bright starburst effect! I use children's drawing paper on most of my PP too..... it sure feels like the same product as the "real" stuff at a fraction of the price. Thanks for sharing and good luck with the finishing.

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  19. Just beautiful. I have never used that doodle paper in the copier but will try it now, so much easier for the ripping off part of the paper pieced patterns.

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  20. What a great quilt. Beautiful colors and design.

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  21. I love the colors and design of this piece...it's beautiful! Great idea to use that paper, too. Thanks for sharing your method of putting this together.

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  22. Beautiful! Thanks for the tip on the paper. I have been looking for something better than printer paper. Thanks for sharing!!

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  23. Just beutiful projects,design and fabrics.Thanks for sharing!

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  24. Love all the colors! Thanks for sharing!

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  25. Such beautiful colors--It could be used any time of year. Thanks for sharing!

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  26. Looks great!! It does really match your vintage ornament garland perfectly :)

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  27. That is sooooo cool. I wish I could make friends with EQ. It just takes the time to sit down and learn it, and I haven't! Your quilt makes me want to though!

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  28. Oooh, I like it,Sarah! New York Beauty is on my WHIMM list (Work hidden in my mind...) love your colors and the fun starry effect you got when you put it together! Wonderful!

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  29. You did a tremendous job with your paper piecing. Sure wish I could do that. For some reason, I have problems with paper piecing. Guess I must sit and try harder. Beautiful!

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  30. This is really pretty!
    Thank you for sharing with us!
    xo jan

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  31. Beautiful pattern. Great colors, its really cheery!
    cheers
    maggie

    maggiemine42@gmail.com

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  32. I'd love to make that in a 12" block but no EQ for Macs or at least no one has been able to translate the pattern, but I guess that's too small. Thanks for sharing.

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  33. Sarah. I love your New York Beauty block and that it's unique with its colors and shape. That gives it personality, for sure. Great work and I know you're proud of it and that it's DONE! Thanks for sharing your process, too.

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  34. Great colors! Thanks for joining the blog hop...

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  35. Wow! That is gorgeous. And it would look great all year round. Great job. Thank you for sharing.

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  36. Love it as is - quilt it and don't make it reversible.

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  37. That's super. The colors are vibrant and fun.

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  38. Thank you for the wonderful tutorial. I like how you tested your piece part way through the process with the rocks and candle - very clever idea. I appreciate your telling us about the Crayola Doodle Pad - I like that idea. I have heard people say to use the phone book, basically news print for string quilts. Of course that doesn't work for this since it is already printed on both sides. Great idea! Also, great idea for trimming the blocks to give the star-like effect. You are very talented. I just had to look at the rest of the visible page. Do you have a pattern name for your Log Cabin quilt It is phenomenal, too. Thank you for participating in the hop, sharing your amazing design, inspiring us who many live in sweltering heat right now, sharing your creative ideas, and making us feel at home with you.

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  39. I love PP and loved your project. So many colors. it's great

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  40. Sew nice to see how to New York Beauty block. Very cheerful and pretty.

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  41. I like the idea of a reversible. Maybe something very Christmas specific, then you could flip it for a change before and after for extended holiday season? Your piece is a beauty! Love all of the colors...

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  42. Beautiful work! I love the color! Thank you for sharing.

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  43. No opinion on the quilting or making it reversible but I think it is a gorgeous piece. Gotta love EQ but you still have to pull fabrics from your stash to carry out the plan! And you did just that! THX for sharing.

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  44. What a great project... I love paper piecing projects...
    Hugs

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  45. What a beauty! Thanks for sharing with us.

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  46. Oh My word...what an amazing piece of art work...no really ....love to see it all quilted....asking me.....I have no idea..I am a hand quilter lol

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  47. Gorgeous! Not an easy pattern, you did a wonderful job.

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  48. boy oh boy ... you have me thinking I have to find more play time with my EQ7 . I just think it is great how you have shown us what you have been up to and how you did it.
    Doodle pads will be on my next shopping list
    thanks for sharing
    in stitches

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  49. That is absolutely beautiful. WOW. I really love the fabrics.

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  50. What a lovely project! Thanks for sharing!

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  51. That looks great - we love all the bright colours in it. Thanks for sharing.

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  52. Fabulous! I've never tried a New York Beauty!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  53. Great post and pictures, beautiful NYB´s!
    Thanks for sharing.

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  54. Very nice! thanks for sharing!

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  55. Hiya Sarah!!! LOVE IT!!! And I'd just do the back simple, and go for the quilting. It's pretty enough to use all season long. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas, blessed be, hugs!!! Pam

    pamspretties57 at gmail dot com

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  56. Thanks for being part of the fun blog hop. I enjoyed your blog.

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  57. Well, aren't you just the clever one?! Absolutely stunning!

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  58. It's so pretty on this NYB side I'd probably never turn it over so the backing doesn't matter!

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  59. Lovely kaleidoscope effect! You could pebble if you watch where your elements go on the other side. Place them so the pebbling doesn't go over them.

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  60. Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

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  61. Your NYB is just beautiful and I love ll the colors...I am so sorry I did not get to post on your day I was at docs most of it but wanted to check back. Merry early Christmas!

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