Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Celebrate International Craft Month & Giveaway


March is International Craft Month!  What a great excuse to craft and be creative everyday!

I've been being crafty on this project for a while now (I was slow on working on it).  My large quilt guild is having it's bi-annual quilt show March 12-13, 2016.  If you are near the Chicago area, please come check us out.  Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild.  I'll be showing off several of my vintage sewing machines in the vendors area, so, come say 'Hi'.

Well, the guild has a challenge for each quilt show.  I decided to participate in the challenge this year.  We had to draw a quilt block out of a bag, then, figure out how to use that quilt block (tiny, to full sized) somewhere in our challenge quilt.  The maximum size for the challenge quilt is 20" square.

The block I drew was named 'Free Trade'.  All the blocks came from Patchwork Square.
Free Trade from Patchwork Square
I liked the name 'Free Trade', since quilters and crafters so often 'freely trade' their ideas to other quilters and crafters.  I decided to just make the block larger, and use my sewing themed fabrics to make the quilt.  This is the finished mini quilt.  It measures 19" square.
Free Trade mini quilt

up close of the hand quilting

showing backing
Since the faux selvage fabric is directional, I had to make extra Half Square Triangles, and fussy cut the squares.  That meant that I had extra HST's left over.  I decided to play around with them, and came up with a coaster and a mug rug.
coaster and mug rug
I have coasters all over my sewing room, and I love to have little mug rugs sitting next to my machine, so that notions don't slide around.  I made these this weekend, and I'm already using them.

For those of you who don't know me, I do most of my sewing on vintage, straight stitch sewing machines.  My favorite machine is my 1959 Singer Spartan (192K) that I converted to a hand crank.  These projects were stitched on this machine.
1959 Singer Spartan (192K) hand crank
Now, for the giveaway part.  Darlene, over at Quilt Shop Gal, has arraigned this little blog hop.  There are at least 19 different prizes, including Aurifil, books, patterns, scarves, doodling books, etc.  The complete list of prizes is on the Quilt Shop Gal blog.

Meanwhile, please check out all the other bloggers.  Everyone is posting today, so, just click thru the links, and see what everyone has been up to.

Marian - Seams to be Sew
Patty - Elm Street Quilts
Cheryl - You are already here ;)
Barb - Bejeweled Quilts by Barb
Vanda - Quilt in Peace
Julie - Pink Doxies
Carol - Fun Threads Designs
Carole - From My Carolina Home
Darlene - Quilt Shop Gal

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Don't forget to leave a comment and enter as many times as you can on Rafflecopter.




108 comments:

  1. I absolutely love you vintage machine, so cool. Your mugrugs / coasters are lovely. Thank you for sharing them. vanda@chittenden.co.za

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  2. I love all your old machines. I have a hand crank and treadle but wish I could learn to clean them up and get them running. Where did you learn to do that?

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  3. I like the block you picked and the fabric you used, it's very striking. I've never heard of the Patchwork Square, what a great resource, thanks for the link I'll be wasting a lot of time over there. :)

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  4. How neat to have that jewel of a sewing machine.

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  5. Lovely mini! Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Cute block, thanks for sharing.
    cork@pa.rr.com

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  7. Your challenge quilt turned out very cute. Love the selvage fabric. I think I have some of that.

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  8. I've been caught right in the end at assembly realizing I have directionality issues, but you figure that one out over time.

    I love mug rugs like you've made, but hate the rings they will occasionally leave. Adding a layer of PUL at the very end makes the waterproof and ring proof.

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  9. I was given a vintage machine and desk but there was no hope for it working again.

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  10. Thanks for sharing your cute quilt block. Thanks!

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  11. I have never seen the faux selvage fabric so I'm off to search it. I absolutely love that quilt!

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  12. I was given a vintage machine and desk but there was no hope for it working again.

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  13. Love your Spartan! How fun to make your little quilt with a hand crank.

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  14. That is such a fun challenge! I'm also a fan of your faux selvage fabric.

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  15. Good job on the challenge project. I like the block, but probably wouldn't have thought of resizing it.

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  16. A delightful little project. I sew on a 1964 kenmore. Not quite as antiquey but still lots of fun.

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  17. What a fun post. Your Free Trade block mini quilt and coasters are truly gorgeous. And fun to see your old sewing machine. I sure wish I could join you at your guild's upcoming show, but logistics won't work for me. Still, I hope it is well attended and I'm confident those that attend will have great fun. Thank you for sharing and helping to kick off our Celebration for International Craft Month. I couldn't do this without your help.

    QuiltShopGal
    www.quiltshopgal.com

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  18. I like that block, and I do a lot of mug rugs too!

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  19. I really like that block for a mug rug too! Free trade is a great name for a quilters block!

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  20. This is a pretty block. I love your creations with it.
    You truly cannot have too many coasters, and they are fun to give as gifts, as well at runners!
    Great fabrics and love your old machine

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  21. Your block reminds me of the blocks designed for each state.
    Rosemary

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  22. Love your rendition of the Free Trade block

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  23. Sounds like a fun challenge! I adore your sewing machine- it's lovely!

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  24. Gorgeous mini quilt, mug rug and coaster! The faux selvage fabric is so much fun.

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  25. Fabulous mini quilt. Love the use of sewing related fabric.

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  26. i love this block and your projects are so fun.

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  27. Lovely block and lovely fabrics. I need to make some mug rugs to stop things from 'finding' the floor, however, that seems to now be my form of exercise - bending over to pick things up!

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  28. cute machine!
    LeeAnna at not afraid of color

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  29. your projects are wonderful. great idea using up the extra hst's in mug rugs and coasters
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  30. I am always amazed at how different fabrics/colors change the look of a quilt block.

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  31. THANKS FOR THE NEAT IDEAS!
    THANKS FOR SHARING IN THIS GIVEAWAY TOO!
    HAPPY MARCH! msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  32. your little Singer Spartan is adorable!

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  33. Your mini quilt is lovely. I like the fabric you chose.

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  34. I give you a lot of credit for sewing on those older machines. I simply wouldn't have the patience. Great projects.

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  35. your sewing machine is so cute!! I have my granny's featherweight that I am just starting to use - the stitch quality is awesome!

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  36. Love the mini - I need to make something like this for my sewing room.

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  37. Great projects and I love the fabrics! Thanks for sharing!

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  38. I don't know which I like more the block or the machine

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  39. I like that free trade block and the sentiment it represents.

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  40. Love the vintage machine - I have the start of a collection going at my house! haha
    jvermunt(at)shaw(dot)ca

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  41. I love the colors Chery. It looks modern but vintage at the same time

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  42. I love seeing your 1959 machine and you converted it to hand crank wow. I have my grandmother's 1904 treadle Singer that I need to get sewing on...

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  43. Great color combinations. Thank you for sharing.

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  44. What a great idea for a challenge. I like the free trade block and your mini.

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  45. Wow, I love your sewing machine ! Thank you for sharing.

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  46. Miniatures, mug rugs, make for a great finish. Nice project. Thank you

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  47. Pride of the Prairie representatives were at our Quilt Guild meeting last week in DeKalb. I hope it wasn't you. I would have introduced myself. I hope to make it to the show. I'll have to look you up.

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  48. Love your Spartan. I have finally gotten everything needed for my handcrank, so I want to start using it, too. Your guild challenge was a great idea, and I like what you did with your drawn block. =)

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  49. My aunt had a sewing machine like yours. I enjoyed using it to sew.
    Thanks,
    Peggy
    peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

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  50. I love your vintage sewing machine.

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  51. Your sewing machine is beautiful, and so is the block! Thanks for sharing!

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  52. Not many people sew on a vintage machine. I have a foot treadle one that I've never sewn with. I do like to admire it though.

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  53. This looks like a block even a beginner like me could do fairly easily! Thank you for sharing!
    donnalee1953 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  54. The Spartan you have is a beautiful machine. ;-> Toni Anne

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  55. Your mini quilt is neat. Glad you did not waste the scraps as they do make lovely mug rugs. Thank you for a chance to win. Happy Quilting :)

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  56. I love your color choice. Great block.

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  57. Leave it to you to come up with those fabrics for your block. Love it!

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  58. Hi Love your sewing machines-awesome

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  59. I'm getting where I hate to throw the salvage away now. Yours shows me something fun I can do with them. thank you. Your machine is darling!

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  60. love your sewing machine, I have a 1920 Singer Treadle.

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  61. I loved your free trade block...Your colors are very nice......ps Love your blog page quilt background looks like fall... You need a winter one and spring one...lol happyness04431@yahoo.com

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  62. Your vintage sewing machine is adorable! So is your challenge quilt.

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  63. Just luv how you are sew creative and use those beautiful machines, would be sew blessed to become lucky winner!

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  64. Lovely block and fabrics you chose! Thanks for sharing.

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  65. My grandmother had a treadle Singer. It sewed a great straight stitch! Wish I had it today, even though I love my modern machine.

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  66. I love mini quilts. Dont want to waste any fabric. Yours is so cute. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  67. I love your guild challenge project. So cute. Love the faux selvage print too! Great job!

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  68. I love vintage sewing machines too - they just seem to stitch better and straighter. Thanks!

    Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

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  69. Love your vintage machines. May see you and your quilt at the quilt show. I live in Chicagoland.

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  70. Hi Cheryl! Cute & creative as usual! I always like to see your creative ways using the sewing fabric! Maybe a mug rug would inspire me to get movin again!
    Take care!!
    Viki

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  71. I use vintage Singers, too, and love them. I don't have a hand crank yet, though. Fun!

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  72. I love that you do your piecing on a vintage machine--very cool!

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  73. I love that selvage fabric, so cute. That's a nice Old machine too..very vintage

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  74. Love the name Free Trade, thanks for sharing. I have a hand operated machine too but have never actually used it. I need to get it out and quit looking at it only.
    Carlline, bandcanthony@gmail.com

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  75. Thanks for participating in the blog-hop! I love your vintage machine!

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  76. I believe in Free Trade too. Love your block...

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  77. Thanks for participating. It is such fun to see what everyone is making. I admire your talent!

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  78. Beautiful machine and block. Thanks for sharing. vickise at gmail dot com

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  79. Your machine and your mini quilt are beautiful. lauraluvsloonsatymaildotcom

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  80. Great block. I love vintage machines too.
    Pauline
    perry94022 at hotmail dot com

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  81. I just love mug rugs, and I don't know why!

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  82. A hand-cranked sewing machine?? Now that's a new one for me! What a great privilege it must be to work with it and create beautiful projects knowing how many others loved it too.

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  83. Mini quilts are a fun way to use orphan blocks and try out new blocks, techniques, and color schemes. Thanks for more inspiration!
    reillyr2(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  84. I have 2 vintage Singers but they don't go back to the handcrank. Neat. I like your block. Thanks.

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  85. Thank you for sharing this website as a source of block patterns. I'm sure it will be helpful!

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  86. I just love my freearm featherweight, and now I have ideas for those orphan blocks.

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  87. I loved the mini quilt you made, it is great with those fabrics.

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  88. Love your machine! Really like the selvage fabric.

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  89. Love your machine! Really like the selvage fabric.

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  90. I really like the small blocks. I am basically new to quilting and enjoy learning.

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  91. Your miniature quilt is adorable, but your sewing machine is precious! You converted it to a hand crank? WOW! I have a hand crank machine, but like most of my oldies, they don't get used much. Perhaps I should get one or two out to see if they still work :)

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