2016 UFO Challenge Prep

I love this time of year!  The New Year is upon us ~ a fresh slate, new energy, looking forward, a great time to take stock, and set some goals in action. 

As a quilter, I have a few UFO's (A Stack of Un-finished Objects), and pieced tops to be quilted.  I'm a "Starter"...I admit it...I love to pick fabrics, and start a new project ~ that's my favorite part of quilting.  I used to be a "Finisher" too, but about twelve years ago I started working in a quilt shop, and that hampered my Finishing Powers.  Don't get me wrong, I do finish a lot of projects, just not as many as I start.  There are just so many wonderful projects that come to my attention and inspire me to start them :)

...But I do love to hold up a Finished Quilt, and announce, "It's Done!"

...So to help in that endeavor, we've decided to have some fun at the shop in 2016 and get some quilts  finished at the same time!  

We're having a Get It Done UFO Challenge!  Let's have some fun and get some quilts finished at the same time...

If you want to play along, here's what to do and how it works: 
 

1. Make a list numbered 1 to 12, and beside each number write the name and short description of a UFO or project that you'd like to finish in 2016.  

2. Turn a copy of your list in to us at Spring Water Designs by January 5th.  Include your name, email and phone number on the list.  You can bring your list in to the shop, or email it to us at springwaterdesigns@gmail.com  It's that easy! (If you miss the Jan. 5th deadline, you can still turn a list in throughout the year by the 5th of the month to jump in and play starting that month.)

3. Each month, around the end of the first full week, we will choose a random number between 1 and 12 and announce it on our Facebook Page and post it in the shop ~ and that number will correspond to a project on your list that you will work on completing. 

4. If you get that month's project finished, bring it in and show it to us (or snap a photo and email that to us, or post it to our Facebook Page), and you'll be entered in our monthly Get It Done Drawing for some nice prizes!

Note: even if you don't get the entire quilt finished and bound, if you turn that month's unfinished parts into a quilt top, still bring it in to the shop, and you'll receive a coupon for a discount to purchase your backing fabric and batting :)

The above list is mine.  I'm posting it for an example of a list ~ some are tops that just need to be quilted and bound, and some are full projects that are currently just pieces that want to be quilts someday :)  
...I know I'll get some of them finished...but no pressure, my goal is just some fun Quilty Finishes in 2016!  

Enjoy the day!

~ Dawn 

Home for the Holidays Blog Hop Winner!

We drew a random name from the comments left on my post in the Home for the Holidays Bloghop, and the winner of the Peace on Earth Fat Quarter Bundle from Fabri-Quilt is:

Michele T!

Congratulations Michele, and Merry Christmas! 

~ Dawn

Home for the Holidays Blog Hop ~ It's My Day!

This week I've been playing with these Peace on Earth fabrics by Ro Gregg, and I'm participating in a Blog Hop on the Inspired by Fabric's blog!

Hop on over there and check out my tutorial on how to put together my Snowy Day Table Topper!  It's quick and easy, and can be made up as a quick item to decorate your home, or as that last minute gift :)

And Fabri-Quilt is sponsoring a Give Away!  Leave a comment here on this blog post and you'll be entered in a random drawing for a Fat Quarter Bundle of Peace on Earth fabrics!  Make sure you leave a good email address with your comment so I can get ahold of you when you win!  You have until the end of day on Saturday, December 19th to leave your comment.  I'll draw the name on Sunday, December 20th :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Our Shop Little Quilts Show

I've asked the members of our Jo Morton and Kim Diehl Clubs to share some of the Little Quilts that they've made over the last year or so...

A few of them have responded, and we are now displaying in the shop a Little Quilt Show of some of their small pieces of art :)

 Come in throughout this Holiday Season and view these sweet little treasures while they're here.

 If you've already come by to check them out, stop by again in the coming weeks as more are arriving ~ every few days someone else brings in another :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

A Folded Star Demo for the Holidays

 

Today at the shop I shared a demo on how to make this cute little folded fabric star.  It's a great use of scraps and can be a little ornament or quick holiday gift.  My friend, Heather Kojan had taught me how to make it a couple of years ago, and I thought it'd be fun to share it. You can find a really comprehensive tutorial on how to do it at the Betz White Blog ~ check her post out, it has great photos and nice descriptions of what to do.  Instead of re-creating the wheel, I'm just going to give an over view of what I did, but refer you to her blog for a better tutorial :)

Start with a 3" strip of fabric from four different fabrics, each approx. 14" long.  Fold them in half lengthwise and press to get a center line.  Then fold the two raw edges in to that center and press again.  I used a little spritz of Best Press to help it hold it's shape to work with it.

 Then fold each of these strips in half.

Weave the four strips together by having each strip wrap around the outside of one strip and go on the inside of another. Then pull them tight together to look like the photo above.

Fold each of the strips back over the center.  I worked in a counter clockwise direction starting with the lighter gold strip, folding it from the right to the left side, and I finished with the green strip folding it up.

Then tuck the last strip (green in this case) under the loop formed by the first strip (light gold in this case).  I used a stilletto to tuck it under.  A bodkin, chopstick or tweezers would work here too.

Next you'll make the star points.  Miter the corners by first folding the green strip to the right hand direction, then again in the down direction.

 Then fold the whole thing in half from right to left. 

Use a clip here so you can let go of your point while you work on tucking the strip in.  Binding clips, wonder clips, a binder or paper clip, or a straight pin can work for this task.

Then gently tuck the green strip under the light gold loop.  You can gently pull the strips that are still sticking out to tighten everything up at each step.  Repeat this process for four star points on this side.  Then turn your star over and repeat the points step for the four points on the other side.

After all the star points are formed and tucked, use small sharp scissors to cut the extra end of the strip that sticks out flush with the fabric it's tucked under for each star point.
 

You can run a little thread or ribbon through it to create a hanger if you want to use your little stars as Christmas ornaments.

Check back later this week as I'll be participating in Fabri-Quilt's Inspired by Fabric Blog Christmas Project Blog Hop with a quick, easy Holiday decor project to have finished before Christmas ~ I'll be using the Peace on Earth collection by Ro Gregg shown Here :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Need to Suppliment your Stash for the Mystery?

Have you taken part in the annual Bonnie Hunter Winter Mystery Quilt before?  If you're looking for some pure sewing fun this winter, check out Bonnie's Blog Quiltville's Quips & Snips!  Every year Bonnie runs a Mystery Quilt project starting with the first clue the Friday after Thanksgiving, and releasing another clue each week for about six weeks until it's finished!  If you sew along each week making the clues, you end up with a wonderful quilt at the end :)

Bonnie has given the color clues out ahead of time, using paint chips as reference to what she is referring to, so you can go through your stash and start gathering up your fabrics.  It's meant to be totally scrappy ~ the more fabrics the better!  You can visit Bonnie's blog post to get full description of the colors and how this all works...and then check back on Friday for Clue #1!

 

 Just like year, we've gathered some fabrics in our shop that coordinate with Bonnie's paint chips.

I'm liking this year's colors, and can't wait to see what Bonnie does with them ~ and of course I'll be playing along ~ I can't miss out!  ...Even if I can't get it all finished soon, I'll print all the clues and have my project box all ready to pull out when I can ~ and of course they make great Leaders & Enders :) 

So if you need to supplement your stash (and I have spied some people in the shop with paint chips lately), come in and pick up a few cuts to go with your fabrics :)

We're closed tomorrow for Thanksgiving Day, but will be open regular hours on Friday & Saturday, and are having a Great Black Friday/Small Business Saturday Sale!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Are You Up for a Mystery this Summer?

We've set aside three Saturdays this summer at Spring Water Designs for the Magical Mystery Tour...aka Mary & Heather's Excellent Adventure :)

Each of these three classes are stand alone classes, each with it's own mystery quilt project to make ~ you can come to one or all of them!  The first Mystery class was last Saturday, and each of the adventurous students started with different fabrics after being given clues about value/colors and such...

They were told what to cut, and given some cool tricks on how to sew and cut quickly...

To make Half Square Triangles eight at a time, and tips/tricks on squaring them up quickly.

 ...Everyone was guided in the construction of blocks...

...And then the Big Reveal!  Heather and Mary each showed their version of the quilt.

Mary even had a mini version to show :) 

And Marcia shared her finish with us from the class!

Everyone had a great time on their "Excellent Quilty Adventure", and after all, that's was a Summer Saturday is for...right!

We have two more classes on the Magical Mystery Tour this summer, one this month on Saturday, July 18th, and the last one on Saturday, August 15th.  We still have a couple spots left, so if you'd like to jump in you can check them out Here or call the shop to sign up.  The classes are from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., but then you can stay and sew on your project all afternoon until we close :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Are you Row Hopping This Summer?

The Row by Row Shop Hop started on Sunday, June 21st, and is well underway!  This year the theme for the Hop is "Water", and there are shops participating from all 50 states and Canada ~ so you can hit shops in all your summer travels! Here's a sneak peek of the Spring Water Designs Row ~ We call it Water Your Row and Watch it Grow :)  

You can stop by the shop and pick up your free Row pattern from us.  And if you use it in a quilt with a total of eight different 2015 row patterns...and if you're first to bring your finished quilt in to any of the participating shops you'll win a fabric bundle... and if our shop's winner uses our row in their quilt, there will be a bonus prize as well :) You can go to the Row by Row website for all the details, a listing of all participating shops, and row quilt ideas.

Along with the free pattern, we'll be offering kits for sale for our Row, plus we have kits for this coordinating Water Your Row wall quilt :)

We also have our personalized License Plate panels available for sale for those collecting plates, and we have kits for these sweet little zipper pouches that use our plates too :)  Stop in this summer and say Hi, we'd love to meet you on your Row Hopping journeys!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn