Quilt Labels and Blog Hops

 Do you label your quilts? I am the absolute worst at it, but I am working on getting better at it.

This past weekend I actually went to work and started making labels...even stitched them on my projects. LOL!!

What did I learn from all this?

Well, I can sure cut down the size considerably.

I can have the the label ready before I attach the binding. 

(that saves me hand stitching down 2 of the sides anyway)

And I need to add the date on our blog hop buttons.

Yep, that just never crossed my mind, until I printed out my labels.

I will be doing that on future buttons, in case anyone else uses them for their quilt labels.

One of the very first posts on my blog back in 2009 was about printing on fabric and the options that were available. You can find that post here

There have are many new products on the market, but my favorite is still 

"Bubble Jet Set 2000".

It's the least expensive way to do, and it is washable. Jenkins, the manufacturer explains the magic of their product HERE. I use batik fabric, because of the tight weave. Personally, I think it prints a cleaner image. It's so easy to do. Just cut your fabric into sizes that will run through your printer. Mine were 9" x 11 1/2". (later trimmed to 8 1/2" X 11") I laid them in a baking pan and poured in enough "Bubble Jet Set" to cover them. You can stack multiple layers. Let them set for 5 minutes. Allow them to dry and iron them onto freezer paper.

 I use these sheets because they are stiffer than the normal freezer paper and my printer is happier with them. I can use them over and over, as well.

Trim your fabric before putting them into your printer, making sure there are no strings to cause problems. Once printed let set for 30 minutes.  Wash them using a mild detergent or Bubble Jet Rinse, and allow to dry. Your labels are ready to go.

So...that being said

Monday starts our Sew It - Show It Challenge, and this month we are "Green" with envy.

Green Apples, that is!

31 of our favorite bloggers are ready to share.

You don't want to miss out! 

MARCH 20

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilt Schmilt

Quilting Gail

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

DesertSky Quilting

Days Filled With Joy

Kathy's Kwilts and More

Sew Many Yarns

 

MARCH 21

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Quilted Delights

Karrin’s Crazy World

For The Love Of Geese

Vroomans Quilts

Quilted Snail

Homespun Hannah's Blog

The Joyful Quilter

 

MARCH 22

Inflorescence

Ms P Designs USA

Words & Stitches

The Crafty Grammie

Beaquilter

Texas Quilt Gal

Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching

 

MARCH 23

Moosestash Quilting

Patchwork Breeze

Crazy'boutquilts

Selina Quilts

Samelia's Mum

Just Because Quilts

Scrapdash

That Fabric Feeling

Now, if that isn't enough...

Carol just announced a new hop

This challenge must include one or more of the following

Rose/pink fabric

Eyeglasses

Roses

Positive words

Check out all the details on her post HERE and join in on the fun.

There is still space for you on the April Challenge. 

Drop me a line if your interested.

til next time...

Keep on Stitchin'

It's My Day in the Dust Off a Quilt Book Blog Hop

We can all thank Bea, from BeaQuilter for making us pull those books off the shelves and put them to use.

My goal, while I had a couple months off from watching my grandies, was to actually clean up my sewing room. While it may not gone as well as planned, I did manage to go through my bookshelf.

The project I found was this sweet little scrap buster...

This is "Hugs and Kisses"

This pattern did not come from a traditional quilt book, but one of my binders of quilt patterns, I am going to do "someday".

It was on my bookshelf and yes, I did have to blow a little dust off of it!

Years ago, I went to a class on finding your creativity. It was an excellent class that focused on cleaning out the stuff you are not interested in, to make room for what you love. The instructor actually made us all bring a quilt magazine, and tear out the pages we loved and throw away the rest. That was the hardest thing to do, for everyone in the class. She also gave us each a journal that we were to paste the things we loved in. 

 To this day, I still love flipping through that journal for inspiration. It amazes me just how much it does get those creative juices flowing.

The biggest benefit from it once I got home, was I was able to take stacks of quilt magazines, pull out only the pattern I loved and throw away the rest.

Over the years, I've gone through my binders from time to time. I've added some things and tossed some. Just recently I separated them into seasonal, kids, and scrappy binders, etc...It makes it so much easier to find what I'm looking for. All my internet finds are printed and stored in there, as well.

This pattern is from 2007. While it took some searching online, I found there has been a name change to "Hearts and Flowers" and you can still find the free download  HERE.

Please stop by and visit my fellow bloggers today. 

They all have been cracking open the books lately!

March 7th

Quilting Gail

Thrift Shop Commando

High Road Quilter

Moosestashquilting (you're here)

Bea asked us to share our oldest quilt book...

Mine is this Dear Jane book published in 1996, but the quilt is from 1863!

 Have I made this quilt yet???

NO :-)

But this book from 2000 was from the first official quilt class, I ever took. They told me my colors were terrible. So motivating for a brand new quilter. It's funny how you remember those kind of things. I loved what I chose at the time, but in retrospect...they might have been onto something. LOL!!

None the less, I was delighted with my finish.

 "Little Green Apples" challenge/hop is just a few weeks away. We would love to have you visit!

Have you participated in our Sew It-Show It Challenge/hops?  Come on and join in on the fun!

Here are our themes for this year. Sign-ups are announced about 2 months prior to the start. You can read all about them HERE

You can even download the schedule HERE and start making your plans!

April bring us...

There's still room if your interested.

You can read more on it HERE

Just drop me an email with "SAY WHAT" in the subject line and the following information

Hugs and kisses to all!

til next time...

Keep on Stitchin'

Dust Off a Quilt Book Hop starts Monday

Bea over at 'BeaQuilter' is hosting her annual "Dust off a Quilt Book" hop

 starting Monday.

If  you are like many of us, you have books sitting on shelves with dust on them too!

So come on and join in on the fun and maybe get a little inspired to blow the dust off one of your books and see what's inside!

March 6th

Quilting at the Farm

Lemon Tree Snippets

Creatin in the sticks

The Morning Latte

March 7th

Quilting Gail

Thrift Shop Commando

High Road Quilter

Moosestashquilting

March 8th

Kathleen McMusing

Words & Stitches

Isabella's Whimsy

DesertSky Quilting

 

March 9th

LC's Cottage

Cynthia's Ark

Ms P Designs USA

Just Let Me Quilt

 

March 10th

Beaquilter

Karrin's Crazy World

Quilting Patchwork Applique

Julie's Quilts and Costumes

I will see you on Tuesday!

til then...

Keep on Stitchin'

Which Way to Witchville BOM - March

Marching on with "Witchvillle"!

Carol is getting us all dolled up for the "Witchville Gala Night"

You can find it at "Just Let Me Quilt"

Carla is teaching us all a new trick with her

"Flying Lessons" block

You can find it at "Creatin in the Sticks"

I am sharing the flying geese units you need. 

This pattern will be a free pattern for the duration of the BOM.

You can download it HERE

You can also find the download for these patterns on our Cackling Stitches Facebook group page

HERE

All pattern are easy to find at the top of the page, in the Featured Posts tab.

This BOM runs from Jan 1st through September 30th. As with years past, on the first day of each month, we will release block patterns on our Facebook group page, that will be free for that calendar month. They will then go into our individual ETSY shops, where you can purchase them for $2 each block.  We have had emails and fielded many questions, so what is "new" this year, is that the entire pattern is now available in each of our ETSY shops for $15.  You no longer have to wait until it's over, to be able to purchase the pattern. It's also an option for those of "us" who just can't wait for the next months release. LOL!! 

We hope you appreciate the time we put into creating this BOM and understand that we are keeping the costs to a minimum for you. We ask that you respect our copyrights and do not share this pattern. Your welcome to direct your friends to our Cackling Stitches Group Facebook page HERE, or any of our blogs and Etsy shops

MooseStashQuilting ETSY Shop

Just Let Me Quilt Blog - Just Let Me Quilt ETSY Shop

Creatin' in the Sticks Blog - Create in the Sticks ETSY Shop

February Blocks

Witchville Bakery 

Blog - MooseStashQuilting

 ETSY - MooseStashQuilting

An Apple a Day 

Blog - Just Let Me Quilt

 ETSY - Just Let Me Quilt

 January Block

Town Square

Blog - "Creatin' in the Sticks"

ETSY - Create in the Sticks

Now fire up your machines and start sharing your blocks with us, on our Facebook page!

til next time...

Keep on Stitchin'

Sweet on You Day 4 in Review

It has been a week for the record, with so many "Sweet on You" treats! 

Today...

• Carol shared her "Hugs and Kisses" quilt done with Benartex's fabulous "Be My Gnomie" line of fabric. It really puts the heart into Valentines day and her Gnome quilt was icing on the cake!
• Sandie delighted us with her Love Notes. (Make sure you grab the free pattern she linked for you)
• Denise dazzled us with her sweet mug rugs and a strip quilt that she took to another level, with color and die cuts and her famous flying geese. 
• Melissa took us on a trip to the strawberry fields and shared a fabulous tutorial on making your own sweet stitchery! Thanks Melissa. 
• Julia shared the sweetest pouches that she designed, done in such fun fabrics.
• Kim gave me a good laugh today, between Anarchy and Noah leaving the ark. You have to check out her sweet quiltie!
• Arnorina made us all hungry with her sweet donuts!

I say this at the end of every hop....but it's true! I just hate seeing it come to an end. My fellow bloggers are the most creative and inspiring bunch there are. I do hope you all have enjoyed "I'm Kinda Sweet on You" as much as I did. A big thanks to all for making these challenge hops the best!

One of our sharp eyed readers posted this comment, and I wanted to share...

Vroomans posted a project with cross stitch patterns. The blogger stated that the designer disappeared. The designer was Ms. Velda. Ms. Velda was diagnosed with cancer and has died, but her patterns are offered for free at Cyberstitchers.com. Her patterns are under Angelic Stitches by Velda. Ms. Velda design many awesome smaller patterns and she made certain the patterns would be available for free after her death for all to enjoy.

A big thanks to whomever it was. It came across as anonymous in my comments. You can find Angelic Stitches by Velda HERE. Make sure you check out the website though, if you love cross stitch. There are loads of fun designs and they all are free.

If you missed any of our challenge posts this week, you can find the entire schedule HERE

Don't forget you can find all the "Sweet" treats on our "Pinterest" board HERE.

Next month Carol is hosting 

After all the "Sweetness" of this hop, we thought a little fruit might be good for the diet!

LOL!!

April, I will be hosting the 

You can share a story, or show us a project or technique that you can't believe you tried. Or how about a quilty word project. 

There are so many different ways you can interpret this hop.

We would love for you play along, so if you want to participate,

Send an email with "Say What" in the subject line. Your name, your blog name, 

your blog address (https://...) and a date preference, if you have one. I do try to accommodate.

til next time...

Keep on Stitchin'