I've been challenged!!

A few days go, Pat from A little of this, and a little of Pat sent me 45 tumbler pieces she cut with the Accuquilt GO! that she was lucky enough to win from Accuquilt. She has issued a challenge for me to create something with these pieces. In the pic there are 9 of the 45 pieces, these are the colors I have to work with. In her note, she said I'm to turn them into something fun. Since she didn't give a deadline, I've got all the time in the world! ( I'll have something completed by this weekend.) Maybe add a border and turn it into a quilt for either Quilts For Kids or Project Linus .

Whats YOUR opinion???

I need your help. My mother-in-law is looking at buying a new sewing machine. She wants to try her hand at quilting. What would you look for in machine for beginning quilting & embroidery. She's looking for something in the $400 to $500 range.

I promise...

I follow upwards of 75 different blogs. Its really hard to keep up with each and every one. But I have determined that some of those 75 are no longer active, meaning their last post was over 6 months ago. I will be weeding those blogs out and focusing on those that are currently active. With this and the new direction of Flat Out Quilting , I promise to read your posts and to leave at least 1 comment a week. All to often, I read a blog and not leave a comment. I do enjoy all the blogs I read and want to make sure each author knows I'm still here and still reading. The inspiration and ideas I get from each blog is greatly appreciated.


Greg

A give away... not mine but still COOL!!!

Lee over at Quilts By Lee is giving away a yard of fabric from here Etsy store... Go and enter and tell her I sent you!!!

If you've missed the 2 links above click HERE, Here, here or hErE

A new direction....

I noticed this evening that in less than 30 days my little piece of blogland here at Flat Out Quilting will turn 1 year old. In the spirit of all things bloggy, watch for a new and improved FOQ. I promise to bring you more WIPs, some completed projects, a ton of WTHWITs, more humor and of course sarcasm (you know you like it!) and a give away or two.

Until then,

Piece!

Ready....Set...GO!!!

Barb over at Bejeweled Quilts By Barb is having the greatest give away of all time.. She's giving away an Accuquilt GO!!!! What you need to do to get in on the fun is go there, read the rules and tell her I sent you... Or you could increase my chances and not go there, not leave a comment... More chance for ME to win!!! But I know you'll go check out Barb's blog and comment and tell her I sent you... On a happy note, Gene Black will not be entering, the lucky guy has already won a GO! cutter from Accuquilt.. So theres even a greater chance for you, me, us to win!!! Go see Barb now and enter!!!

the ugly side of Kansas City

It seems yet again the ugly side of the Kansas City quilting community shows its ugly head. I'm not good enough for an elitist group of quilters or their guild. About a week ago, I suggested we (the guild) make a quilt for a member's daughter. It was all well and good, made a post about it on the guild site, and had a great response. As of today, I have no clue the status of this project. All discussion has been removed from the site, someone else has 'taken over' and all the decisions were made when a few of the members attended a sewing day (I couldn't attend due to work scheduling). Fine... I requested I be kept in the loop and I'd make a block to help out. Fast forward to today. I received a piece of fabric in the mail, I thought cool, I can make the block... After measuring it, and with the block they want to make I'm a few inches short. The piece looks like a left over. And its not even cut straight not to mention that to make the block they want, I'd have to use the selvage.

After discussing the quilt project with another member, she invited me to join a VIRTUAL quilting bee. I agreed to join and even made arrangements to attend the next guild meeting (and meetings following in order to meet the obligations of the bee). So late Tuesday evening I get a message saying I was removed because they wanted to make the bee for people who were committed to the guild. Fine... Take your bee and well you know...

Shall we ice the male quilter hater cake? Some of the people who are in the guild were also friends on facebook. Guess what??? of the 6 that were on my list, one remains, but I figure after she reads my reply to her "you're out of the bee" message, she'll unfriend me too. Thats okay, she's apparently stopped following my blog as well. It's her loss.

Some free advice from me:
If you're a guy and you make quilts, stay the hell away from Kansas City.

I'm not the only male quilter in the area who has been treated this way.

Completed Projects!!

I'm back with yet more completed projects!!! And for you my lucky reader, you get to read about and witness the awesomeness that are my COMPLETED PROJECTS!!!!

A quilt...

I finally got this one done and delivered...
(sorry about the pic, it was a windy day!!)
AND.....

You remember this guy don't you?

Well, I finally cut a 6 inch wide strip off of him, sewed a few seems... and got this...



The Back


The Front

Whats on the inside you ask????


For the woman who has everything, its a feminine product pouch!!!
You know you want one!!! If you do, email me, I'll trade you one pouch for 1 fat quarter!

And the Winner is.......

Since this was my give away, we're going to play by MY rules... You'll notice I didn't give a day or time for entries to be in... That time was 10:45 pm Friday April 9th (a few moments ago!). I didn't use Random.org, I went old school and printed all your wonderful comments cut them apart, removed duplicate commenters (it was only fair!) and had my wonderful wife (who has a blog at Disconnected Stitches ) draw the winner out of a big stainless steal bowl. Apparently lightning does strike twice for some people (or more times right Gene??) because Anya was chosen as the winner. Back in October during our anniversary give away, Anya was the winner and received 13 fat quarters, now she's got 2 charm packs plus a yard (maybe more) of coordinating fabric from the Civil War Homefront line by Moda. I may even toss in a little something extra. Congratulations to Anya and thank you all for the great comments.

Greg

A mile stone.... a quilt.... a give away.. and a gripe..

Yes ladies and gents... Tis I, the Flatout Quilter!! I'm back with progress! This is my 100th post.


This is my latest finished quilt... Delivered it to the owner this afternooon!!!


pardon the pic.. The wind was blowing 30 miles per hour!!!

Now the gripe...While digging up information on the upcoming Kansas City Shop Hop I found this blog you'll notice the start of the 3rd paragraph...Apparently only LADIES will be doing this hop.. I've come to the conclusion that the author can BITE ME!!! I know plenty of male quilters, belong to a bunch of male quilter groups, and know I'm not the only male quilter in the world. I'm tired of people thinking that quilting is just a "ladies only" activity... END GRIPE...

The give away... In honor (or is that horror?) of my 100th post I've giving away this..

One lucky winner will receive 2 charm packs of Civil War Homefront by Barbra Brackman for Moda plus 1 yard of coordinating fabric in the blue star pattern. Heres the catch... Leave a comment... thats all... no 'you have to tell your friends about this'. I want to say Thank You to YOU my faithful readers these past 100 posts. Well okay, if you'd like to scoot over to that other blog and tell the author what you think about her "ladies" reference go for it... I may throw in something extra!!!


Thanks again for following, and happy quilting or crafting, or arting or whatever you do!!!


Greg

The postman never rang once!

But thats okay... I enjoy getting a squishy in the mail. My latest acquisition came all the way from Baldwin City Ks. A whopping 1 1/2 hours south of my home.

TheFabricShoppe.com has a great selection of fabric, great prices and FAST shipping using USPS Priority Mail (I ordered this at 11 pm on Wednesday). Go check out what Diane has. You may just find that fabric you've been searching for.



Earlier this year I told my wife I wouldn't buy any more fabric for me... So, more than likely these fabrics will find their way into donation quilts for Quilts For Kids and Project Linus or even 1 of the 2 wedding quilts we need to start!!

Have a great weekend!!

Friday Night Sew-In!

Tonight is the Friday Night Sew-In.. Even though I have to work Saturday I'll be sewing tonight. Will you? More info here

Hi... Remember me?

I haven't blogged in a while but I have been quilting. I've finished 2 projects, including a kit I won in a give away. I've also finished the top to my appliqué project due next month. So tell me, whats new with you?

The kit I won from Carin



A simple scrap quilt I completed in 2 days.

The fabric that just won't go away...

On one of the quilting sites I frequent there has been much talk about the infamous puffer fish fabric. So being the inquisitive guy I am, I asked questions, made inquiries and even found some puffer fish!!!! It's a good thing it was sent in a brown envelope as I think it woulda given the postman a scare, heart attack, and early retirement... So without further ado.....I give you the FUGLY Puffer Fish.





Notice the human like eye and mouth!!! It's enough to scare the crap outta your neighbor.

Stay tuned for a project using this fabric!!!!

When life gives you lemons...

Find someone who's got some vodka.. Oh wait.... Make Lemonade!!!


A few days ago, Stephanie at A Ditchin' Time Quilts nominated me for the Lemonade Award. Thanks Stephanie!

The award is given out for bloggers that show great attitude and gratitude.

These are the rules of accepting the award.
1. Put the Lemonade logo on your blog or within your post. DONE (see logo above)
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude or gratitude. DONE (see list below)
3. Link the nominees within your post. DONE (go check 'em out!)
4. Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog. DONE
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award. DONE (click link above)


My nominees are (in no particular order):

Melissa at Ardea's Nest
Carin at Conceived Without Regard For Reason or Reality
Charlie at It's Just Me
Trudi at Quilting Prolifically
Terry at Terry's Treasures

we're half way done!!!

Rosa at Rosa's World
Christina at icandy
Chris at Mad Creek Designs
Brooke at Disconnected Stitches
Raymond at Nacho Grandmas Quilts

PROJECT: PPW. DAY 9

Today got off to a late start. Bed time came at about 5:15 AM. I had been up for ALMOST 23 hours. Late this afternoon, I attempted to cut my templates out of a piece of Plexiglas. Things did NOT go well. I used a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade (finer teeth than a wood blade). I got a few pieces to come out in 1 piece but the edges were not smooth, a little sanding should have fixed it, but no, sanding just melted the Plexi. Another thing I found is that if I used a slow speed the plexi melted and if I went fast the plexi cracked. There was NO happy medium. I now have a floor full of cracked plexi and melted plexi chips!! Got any salsa?

Back to the drawing board on that. May find some sheet acrylic (thicker than the Plexi)and try again with a fine-tooth band saw.

I then decided if I print my foundations on my printer by ironing freezer paper to the back side that would be quicker than creating the foundations by hand. STRIKE TWO!!! I still have muslin and freezer paper stuck in my printer.

Argh! I think I need to go sew for a while... That'll make me feel better..

Until next time.

Questions and comments welcome.

PROJECT PPW: Chapter 8.

Hey you... Stop copying me! Tonights chapter involves mirror image blocks.


These two blocks are mirror images. They're created by cutting 2 shapes out of the fabric, one right side up and the other upside down( folding the fabric and cutting two shapes at once speeds this along!). There are numerous designs to be made with the mirror image blocks. Here are a few, you can still create stars and "eyes"



I have not incorporated these into the other blocks I've made, but will probably do that this weekend. Look for a few extra posts on this. I'll also be cutting new templates out of a sheet of acrylic

Thanks for reading. Comments and questions always welcome.

Project: PPW. Day 7

To catch up any late readers....

I'm 7 days into my first ever foundation piecing quilt. I'm using a system invented, designed, thought up, and refined by Raymond K. Houston. If you'd like to read what has gone on so far, there are links on the right side from start to current post.

Tonight I completed 3 more "tiles". I even made a small 'design wall' so I could see the blocks as I finished them. I currently have 8 blocks done and the designs I'm coming up with are varied.


Heres a 4 patch using 2 tiles of each color combination


Heres all 8 blocks, notice the squares that emerge between the dark stars.

Notice how each block has a matching color touching. This in itself could lead to a different star pattern, or depending on the rotation of the block a totally different design.

When I get more blocks completed the design will no doubt get more complex. And much more AWESOME!

Project: PPW Day 6

So tonight I made more foundation pieces and cut more fabric and even created this block.



I'm finding on some pieces that even with a 1/4 inch seem allowance on all sides of the pieces, I'm almost coming up short when I sew down the edges . For example, the dark purple in the upper left corner, just caught the needle as it was sewn down. I'm thinking of increasing my seem allowance to 3/8ths of an inch just to be on the safe side.

After finishing this block I paired it with one of the others I've made. No matter which way the blocks were turned at least 1 color on each block matched up. I'm itching to get more blocks done with different colors to see what I can create.

I've also realized I have to have an appliquéd quilt done by March. I may be doing double duty and working on both projects. Who knows....

As always questions and comments are welcome.

Chapter 5.... Cutting Day.

So actually it was cut and sew day. Having the day off really helped in getting the fabric cut. Although I still have more fabric to cut, I did manage to get 4 blocks together. I just couldn't cut 'em out and not get a few together could I?

I cut strips off of my FQ's measuring 3 1/8 x 18 inches (2 of each strip). Again, I'm using Twilight Frost from Connecting Threads.

I then cut around the template adding 1/4 inch to each side for seem allowance (Shameless plug for Aunt Sadie's Quilt Shop.Located at 208 Winchester St. Winchester Ks.)

Following Raymond's directions for foundation piecing I attached my pieces to the muslin. After attaching all the pieces tothe muslin I got this..

I rinsed and repeated 3 more times (total of 4 so far). With 4 "blocks" I can make any number of designs...

This is just one of the designs I came up with. To create a different design all I have to do is rotate any one (or all) of the blocks for a different look.

If you're just joining me on my journey, please be sure to read my other posts. Links to them are located on the top right side of this blog. Comments are questions are always welcome.