I have signed up for a lot of Craftsy classes. It is just too easy – video access to some great designers, sewists, quilters, and so much more. But when we moved overseas I had a hard time accessing the videos because of internet issues. The apartment we are in was built in the rush to build the city back up from it’s almost completely destruction during World War II, and so I am fairly sure the building is made of concrete infused with something that makes wifi turn and run the other way. Okay, it’s not that bad in all of the rooms, but it’s really not great. We recently bought a wifi booster so I am hoping I can watch videos in my sewing room. Unfortunately for me, it’s just about the farthest away from the router one can get in the apartment.

Anyway, the most recent class I’ve been watching is the Dot to Dot Quilting Class by Angela Walters. I have a handful of quilts that I need to finish and I really want to expand my quilting. So far I do a lot of straight lines, and that’s fine of course, but I would love to do something just a little more. I love this class because Angela shows you how to quilt without having to mark your quilt. I admit it’s the marking of quilts that holds me back from extensive quilting. I like simple designs and I want my quilts to look awesome with those designs. I can’t wait to baste a couple of baby quilts and practice!

Which Craftsy classes have you taken? Do you have a favorite?

(Disclosure: The links above are affiliate links, this means I may profit when you take action on my recommendations!)

Yay I was able to join a bee! I am glad I found this since living overseas makes it a little difficult because of the mail. I am now a member of the Euro Siblings Together Bee. I met Betty at the Fat Quarter Retreat this past summer and she asked if I was interested in joining. I’ve only learned what Siblings Together is at the retreat – a place for siblings to be together when they are separated. I’ve been told that the children that attend pick a quilt for their sibling, that they each pick for the other.

I love this and am happy to participate. I didn’t volunteer to be in charge of a month just yet, but we’ll see what the future brings!

The block that Betty requested this month is a quick one. I picked these blues and light fabrics, and it came together quickly.

I think this is my first time posting for Fresh Sewing Day, hosted over at Lily Quilts and I wanted to highlight a couple of projects. The first is a St. Louis Sixteen that I made using solids, Denyse Schmidt, Ana Maria Horner, and Alison Glass fabrics. I have the first two rows completed and will have the top done in the next few days. I have a handful of quilts at this end stage and I’m excited to complete them!

Next up is my Tula Pink Color Blocks quilt! This is section number thirteen in the quilt and I have two more sections to go before I’m finished with the top. I’ve had this one partially complete for a while now, getting the last few solids were a little bit of an issue and this blue is actually a substitute. It goes with the fabric perfect though so I’m very happy with it!

Finishing up quilt tops makes me feel a twinge of sadness that I live overseas (I said just a twinge!) and it is so expensive to mail to the US, and then have the completed quilt mailed back to me. Hhmm, I am expanding my network of people I know here, maybe there is a long arm quilter in France somewhere.

I haven’t forgotten about my hexies from last week – all three panels are sewn together, the inside hexagon papers have been removed, and I am buying zippers today. I think I will make extra large boxy bags. I like being able to give the teachers something they will use. JW has two teachers (that I know about) so hopefully they like the colors.

But I also got out these hexies to finish.

It only took me a few seconds to realize I had a panel almost large enough to make a sewing machine cover (you can see the panel – it’s the top right of the layout, the hexies with no basting thread). A quick measurement and laying out of the rest of the hexagons and yep, it will work! So far I’ve finished three of the four additional bottom rows, and after I sew them together I’ll finish the few side columns. I have a lot of 30’s/reproduction/I’m not sure what these are actually called fabrics and still need to pick the backing and binding. Oops, just realized I also need to pick something to put the hexies down on, I have no interest in figuring out that crazy binding.

Linking up with Show and Tell Tuesday

I have a stack of quilt tops just waiting for backings and to be finished. I decided I would just get to work on finishing them rather than waiting for the quilt fairy to visit! I already left a stack of quilts in the US with my Mom, she had them quilted and they are all done now. But since I’m overseas, I need to be a little creative with how I am finishing things.

One thing I rarely do is label my quilts. I just make them and give them away. Since I am waiting on making backs (or waiting to get the mail – I’m ordering some wide backing fabric asap!) I thought why not make some quilt labels so I can just easily label things.

I used Julie at Jaybird Quilts label tutorial that she wrote up, part one and part two, which includes a template for photoshop! The hardest part was picking a font. I have a collection of fonts left over from my early days of building websites, so it took a bit of picking and choosing before I liked what I designed.

I love these. I’ve used only one so far, on a quilt I finished for one of the teacher’s at the end of the school year. I cannot wait until I can use more, I ordered backings for four quilts and have two baby quilts I am also working on finishing. I need to find a better permanent marker/pen to use with the labels. I highly recommend checking out Julie’s tutorial if you need help getting some quilt labels made.