Between Friends

I only have a minute but wanted to let everyone that has been asking about my quilt "Wedded Bliss."

I am totally in love with this pattern.  

It was originally designed by Darlene of Quilting Daze, as Between Friends. 

 She had the original pattern published as a free one on her blog.  

I don't think the link is working any longer.  

I have my downloaded copy of the pattern and I changed it up a bit with how I did my borders though.  I suspect she would send you her pattern if you ask or

 if she gives you permission I am happy to share it with you too.  

I used it as a heads and tails project and had all the pieced blocks made pretty quickly.  

Do you know about heads and tails?  

Here is what I did. 

 I had a lot of these 2.5" squares of blue and green and would sew a pair every time I was finished sewing on my "main" quilt project.  

So at the "tail" of my main project I would sew a pair, clip the thread and 

take the main project to the ironing board.  

When I was ready to begin the next step in my main project my "tail" pair 

would become the "head" pair.  

When I finished the next step in my main project I would grab another set of squares and use them as the tail end of the strip.

This accomplishes two things.  

It finishes a second project with very little effort on your part and it also saves on thread!.  

Some people use a thread bunny but again you are wasting thread that 

you could be using to sew two tails together and get a second project done, kind of for free!!

You can use anything as a heads and tails project.  

Remember those paper dolls?  

I totally cut up a bunch and have used them as heads and tails.  

Want to make a scrap vomit quilt?  A GREAT Heads and Tails project.  

(I'm a Ginger Monkey quilt photo)

How about an X and + quilt?  Totally could do this as a Heads and Tails.   

(My friend Robin's Owl and Pussycat quilt)

Anything you can cut up ahead of time you can use.  

I hope you will send off a note to Darlene if you are interested in a copy of her pattern.  

Please let me know if you make one of these wonderful quilts too.

Have a happy day!!

~XOP~

Japanese X and + Blocks

My friend, Robin has decided to make a baby quilt using the Japanese X and + blocks as seen here. 

The nursery will be purple and gray.  

So she went out looking for those colors plus some aqua and a touch of gold.  

She found some great diaper holders with owls on them in those colors

 so she used that as the basis of her quilt.  

She just took off and went on a shopping spree and her blocks are SWEET! 

 She also decided that since the people have a black cat there should be black cats in the blocks too.  THEN, it became an Owl and the Pussycat theme! 

 It's interesting how these things evolve isn't it?  

She doesn't have a blog and so I asked her if I could share the blocks she has done so far on my blog. 

 You are in for a treat.  

Sit back and enjoy the eye candy!!

This is my favorite grouping of blocks. Especially that one on the lower left corner with all those black kitties!

Love those pearl bracelets

I think the owls in the tree are GREAT!

Loving those Alexander Henry owls, and the gray seed heads too!

Neptune and Nest?  Fantastic!

Tula's snail and turtle look great in there too.

I like that spikey fabric in purple and also in gray.

Do I spy Heather Ross mice in there too??

Owls with clock tummies???

Who  knew there was so much owl fabric out there?

This is the kitty fabric the cats came from in that block I love so much.

There are still a few more blocks to go and some black cat fabric to arrive to make them. 

 I will share the rest, if I can, when they are finished too.  

Aren't these great?? 

 I have loved this block for a long time and 

seeing all these adorable blocks makes me want to stop everything and make them right now!! 

 LOL!

Have you made a quilt using these blocks?  

Maybe we should do a QAL using them.

What do you think???

~XOP~