#02 Wake Up To Kona Blog Hop!!

Thanks for dropping by...for those of you who are first timers here at my blog, my name is Sandy. I've been quilting a little over 2 years now and blogging for about 6 months!! I'm a mother of 3 grown kids and have been married to my farmer for 28.5 yrs!!

 This is my second Blog Hop as a contributor and it has been so much fun!!

List of Today's Participants

January 10

Life in the Scrapatch

Vroomans Quilts

Bumbleberry Stitches

Upstairs Hobby Room (that's me)

Sew Many Yarns

Easy Patchwork

Beaquilter

Link To Complete List of Participants

Don't forget to read to the end of the post so you don't miss out!! I have two wonderful prize sponsors, 

Check it out here!

Check it out here!

I want to thank Carol of Just Let Me Quilt for cheering the Wake Up to Kona Blog Hop, and allowing me to participate!! And of course Madame Sam and all the sponsors making this Blog Hop possible.

I knew I had to be a part of a Blog Hop that was all about Kona Solids,  especially since I finished a quilt top this year during the  Virtual Quilting Bee I joined over at Diary of a Quilter with Kona Solids!! The background is Kona White and each block is various shades of one colour. 

My first quilt in solids!! Got to love Kona!!

Just needs a border and backing!!  

Of course that wasn't enough for me to post about and I wanted a project that featured one of the new lines from Kona. I found an Atkinson Pattern I purchase a few months ago called "Hot Stuff"and placed an order with Mad About Patchwork for the Kona Sunrise Roll-Up, and here's what I made!!

 A Casserole Carrier

 BUT.......I had another Roll-Up, Kona Dark, and the pattern comes with 2 sizes. The above is for a 13X9". So I also made this.....

This one is for a 3 Quart Casserole!!

When you are making the casserole carrier you trim it down and them angle the ends....

So with the extras that were cut off, because I don't like to waste anything if I can help it (I'm sure you feel the same way!!), I made these...

Some Coasters.....

and a couple of hot pads to bring with your travelling casseroles!!

I hope I have inspired you to get creative with some Kona Solids too!! 

So here's the deal,

 I'm going to help a couple of you get started creating with Kona with the help of my fantastic prize sponsors... 

Mad About Patchwork

 is donating a Kona Roll Up of either Sunrise or Sunset (winner's choice)

and

Atkinson Designs

has donated 2 of the "Hot Stuff"  patterns. 

So if you want a chance to win, leave a comment below, telling me your favourite Kona solid or the last project you made with Kona solids, and if you follow me on any social media...my blog or instagram... leave me a second comment letting me know how you are following me... for a second chance to win one of the prizes!! I will contact the winners, by email, at the end of the Blog Hop (Jan 22, 2014). Please ensure your are  not a non relpy blogger, or I will sadly  have to pick another winner!! 

Good Luck everyone!! 

#40 Wake up to Kona Blog Hop

 Starting Soon

January 7-21 (not including the weekend)

List of Participants 

I post on January 10th! I can't wait!!

Come back and see what I've been up to with Kona Solids and a chance to win a prize from one of these awesome prize sponsors

Link Here

Link Here

 Featuring projects with:

#37 I Had So Much Fun This Week

I participated in my first Blog Hop as a contributor and what a blast I had!! It was so much fun coming up with a project to share, and all the new people stopping by, was amazing! You all left such great and encouraging comments, and I loved reading about your favorite parts of Christmas. While some made my heart hurt, it was very uplifting to hear most was about family and sharing all the special things about Christmas....church, lights, music, decorating, etc. with the ones we love.

The Winners Are: 

Quilty Box has been claimed...Congratulations to QuiltingGranny

And Teresa Nance wins the Mystery Prize

Winners have been contacted and prizes will be mailed ASAP

Next Blog Hop for me and what is keeping me busy, getting ready for the Wake Up to Kona Blog Hop in January. So check back in regularly to get updates!

What I've Been Up To:

As promised a pictorial of the Chalkboard Table Runner:

The Chalkboard fabric I purchased was approximately 47.5" wide. I used that as the length for the table runners I have made. Cut the width keeping in mind the final size you can accommodate or want to achieve remembering to add your borders into the calculation.

Once you have cut your chalkboard fabric to size you will know your measurements for the borders. For this one I cut 2" x 4" pieces to do a scrappy border at the small ends. I folded the chalkboard and fabric  in half and pinched to find the centers and trimmed the ends.

 Press and measure for the long side borders. I sewed (3) 2" x 4" pieces together and added a 2" wide by ? on each end to make a border a bit longer than you need for each side. Then repeat to find center of both fabrics and sew in place, trimming extra off both ends. Measure for backing fabric.

Now I have finished with and without adding batting. When I added batting I stitched it to the backing fabric to make sure it stays in place and the batting won't bunch up eventually if it comes loose from the seams.

I flip the fabric so I sew left to right and then right to left, in case I pull or my machine pulls.

You can make a quilt sandwich and bind, but I put the backing and chalkboard right sides together and stitch around 1/4" seam, leaving a generous opening for turning. Trim corners, and turn. Chalkboard fabric is very stiff, and if you try to scrunch it up to much to turn you can damage it. 

Using a press cloth press border. Press a 1/4" under to create seam where the opening is and topstitch all around the border at 1/8".

I also stitch in the ditch on the chalkboard by the border.

City Sampler:

Final Sugar Block Club Block:

And I bought a panel to make new Christmas stocking, and buttons to embellish. (had to sharpie the eyes and mouth of the creepy snowmen!! lol)