Tuesday, April 30, 2013

/FacePalm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWh90tXr7g4


The link above is to a video of the easiest way to bind a quilt... ever. I can't believe I've completed 11 quilts before knowing this. My life has changed.

While watching this video I did a major face palm... I've been doing it all wrong.

Oh well, you quilt and learn! That's how the saying goes, right?

This week I'm working on the super duper secret surprise mystery quilt and unfortunately, I can't post any more pictures of it because I can't give away what it is!

So, instead, here's a picture of my dog sleeping with her tongue out. Enjoy!


Quilt on,
Hoppi

Monday, April 29, 2013

Hoppi Monday!

Happy Monday, friends! Monday is probably my favorite day of the week, it's the day I feel most motivated and energized after a relaxing weekend - though, this weekend wasn't super relaxing!

I'm very excited to share with you Hands 2 Help! It's a charity event in which quilt bloggers from all over make a quilt for two different charities, Happy Chemo and Quilts Beyond Borders. I will be making one quilt for one of these charities. Here comes the hard part, which charity do I choose as both of them are close to my heart.
Heres a little background information. Many of you know that D's youngest cousin Vanessa has cancer, therefore making a quilt for someone who is undergoing chemo is very special to me. I already have an idea of what I will make, a quilt for a boy (child) fabric and all is picked out in my head!!!
The second charity is special for a reason many of you may not know. D and I will be adopting a child in the future. D has his mind made up that he wants to do an international adoption, more specifically a child from Africa. Therefore, Quilts Beyond Borders, which gives the quilts to under-served children, mainly orphans, across the world, is so special and close to my heart! These quilts need to be durable and hold up well over time, so it would be a challenge... something I'm always up for!

It's tough to make that decision, so I need your help! Please comment on which charity you think I should donate to!


Here's what I was up to this weekend.


The super secret mystery quilt, of course! I cannot wait to share with you what it is! Soon, friends, very soon you will find out! 

I also took a trip to Home Depot with D (due to a broken closet shelf...) and bought some terracotta pots to line with fabric. I found the tutorial on Pinterest. As you can see it's not done because Suravi, my preggo friend, came over for dinner while the boys (D and Taylor) were out disc golfing... We got to talking and before we knew it they were back. We had a lot to catch up on as we hadn't seen each other for two whole weeks! Hehe. 

I'll be posting a picture of the pot when it's complete!

I hope you all have a very happy and productive Monday! I know mine will be!

Quilt on,
Hoppi


Friday, April 26, 2013

Give Away and huge announcement!!!


I've been FMQing these mug rugs like crazy!!! They're super fun and a satisfying project to complete because they're so quick!

That being said, I want to give a set of 4 of them away!!! In order to enter the give away you must first "like" me on facebook and then share my facebook page. To get to my facebook see my sidebar!

Now if you don't have facebook, fret not... there will be a great give away coming soon, which leads me to my huge announcement!

June 17th will be the Hoppipolla Quilts online store Grand Opening. Of course, you can't have a grand opening without a week long party... right? Am I right??? Of course I am!

The party starts Friday, May 31 and doesn't stop until the 17th! Okay... you caught me, it's more than a week, but hey, who doesn't love a good party!?! There will be give aways, a linky party, and much more! Details on that will come Friday the 31st of May!

Today I'm linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop, Off the Wall Friday,  and FMQ Friday, please visit their blogs by clicking the links in my sidebar!

Have a Hoppi weekend!!!


See what I did there?

Quilt on,
Hoppi

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Mug Rug Tutorial

"Jumping on the Pay it Forward 2013 Bandwagon ;0) The first five people to comment on this post will receive from me, sometime in the next calendar year, a gift.

Perhaps a book, or handmade item, or a candle, music – a surprise! There will likely be no warning and it will happen whenever the mood strikes me.

The catch? Those five people must make the same offer in their FB status."

That was my Facebook status on my personal account January 9, 2013. 
The very first comment I got was from my friend Julia, whom I stole this status from! 

This is what I'm making for her. 


I'm very excited to announce that these little 'mug rugs' will be my very first (of many) tutorial! 

 
When I bought this beautiful fabric a few months ago I wasn't really sure what to do with it. Today while drinking coffee and reading some blogs a light bulb went off in my head: Mug Rugs!







You're first going to want to cut your fabric. I chose to do 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" squares.

















Cut out some batting that is a bit wider and longer than the fabric and make your quilt sandwich by basting with pins. This just means pin a sandwich of fabric, batting, fabric with quilt pins or safety pins. 



Then, wham! I got a great idea! I remembered the "pay it forward" I had decided to do in January and thought this would be great for Julia!

After basting free motion quilt (FMQ) all over that mug rug! I also thread painted the words "trust in God," because I knew this would be special to Julia.                                                      From here you're going to either bind it or leave the edges raw with a zig-zag stitch. I personally like the raw edges better, but I'm going to send one raw and one binded edge to Julia. 
To get a great tutorial for binding visit Diary of a Quilter's blog!
    


There you have it! My very first tutorial. Mug rugs are great for beginner quilters, or for those looking for a quick satisfying project! From start to finish this takes about 30 minutes! 


I can't wait to do more tutorials for you guys! For those of you who love these mug rugs but just don't have the desire to make them yourself you can find them for sale in my shop (coming soon)! Hoppi Quilts Shop is having it's grand opening June 17th, more information on that to come! 
For now...
Quilt on,
Hoppi 




Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Woah!

Holy cow! I feel as if I need to start off this post with a huge THANK YOU!

Yesterday I started a facebook page just to kind of share my work with friends and family and it totally blew up! As you can see in less than 24 hours the page has well over 50 "likes." I am so overwhelmed and humbled by the love, support, and awesome vibes all my friends and family are sending my way.

Not only do I have that many likes,  but I also have orders! As in like people want to buy my quilts!!! What the what!?!?!?!

You have all inspired me, and there will be new and very exciting things in the near future for Hoppipolla Quilts!

To all my new readers, Wednesday's I like to link up with Freshly Pieced to share my Work in Progress Wednesday.


Not only is my Express Your Love quilt a WIP, but my super secret quilt is as well!


But wait... there's more... my newest work in progress is...





... the Hoppi Quilts Store!!!


Yes! I will be opening an online store and starting a little business out of my big hobby! I will keep you all updated on the progress! 

I want to close this post with another thank you. So, thank you! 


Quilt on,
Hoppi

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Busy Bee

Though I haven't been writing, I HAVE been quilting!
Man, oh man, have I been quilting!

The body is DONE! (finally)


I also finished the final panel of hair, and sketched some McTavishing to get that muscle memory!

Muscle memory, you know, is like a quilters way of working out.



I've been working a lot on my super secret project, and unfortunately I cannot post pictures here! I promise you will see the end result VERY  soon!!! Unlike all my other promises I've made to all my loyal readers... (I'm looking at you Mom, Nonnie, Suravi, and Jahayma!)... this one will not be empty! 

I have some very exciting news as well. I got my first order for a full size quilt! Holy moly!  It happened totally by chance. A woman in my neighborhood knew I was a quilter so she approached me and asked if I can quilt a top that she's had laying around for 28 years... 28 years! More on that to come!

Last week I mentioned my anxiety about moving... man, what a difference a week makes! I am beyond the anxiety phase and on to the excitement phase! Sure, change is scary (even though we're moving less than 2 miles away... seriously), but oh so very exciting! I cannot wait to decorate it how I want, and walk around in my underwear if I want, etc., etc.! So brace yourselves for some interior design posts as well as a few re-upholstery posts to come! 

Work has also been crazy busy, in a very good way! Last week I worked 58 hours, hence the lack of a post! 


Life is sweet! I can't wait to share with you everything our future holds!!!!

Quilt on,
Hoppi


Friday, April 12, 2013

FMQ Friday: Back in the game

Holy moly it has been quite some time, hasn't it.

I'm getting the hang of this work thing and getting into a routine. Recently, however, I've lost myself in the world of GuildWars 2 and haven't been quilting much.

Then all of the sudden at a networking meeting yesterday I met a fellow local quilter... my first. She invited me to join a guild that she is in that meets the first Tuesday of every month. I am so in! They do a "sew and tell" portion to each meeting so I am eager to finish my Express Your Love quilt to bring to the meeting!

Before I go on about EYL, I want to tell you I have a super secret surprise. Now, unfortunately I can't really tell you exactly what it is. It is somewhat quilt related, so here is a sneak peek!


I can't wait to tell you all about it! In one month, I will do so!












I've kind of put my goddess off to the side, and today I've really reflected on why I believe I did so. On May 18th D and I are moving into an apartment, on our own. This isn't the first time we'll be living together, obviously, we've been living together for over 2 years now. However, this will be the first time we'll be living alone, no roommates, no mother. Wow.

I guess I have anxiety over it.

Whenever I have anxiety that I don't want to face I submerge myself in a video game or television show. I thought that quilting might be the same way, but it turns out it's not. I think the reason is this; Express Your Love really brings out the truth buried deep in my soul.

I don't want to have anxiety over this. I desperately want to live with D alone. We've most certainly been dating long enough, and we've been living together long enough. This is the next step in our relationship and it can only bring us closer together, why do I have any anxiety over it at all!?!?!

I'm glad my goddess brought this out of me. It's okay to be afraid of change. Though this is GREAT change, it's still a little scary.

This is my progress with my EYL.







I just want to wiggle wiggle spiral all day every day. It is the most fun FMQ I've done yet!


















I'm still having issues with my goddess' body... but I'm also still having issues with my own body. In time, both issues will disappear!













I won't promise you that I'm going to start blogging every day, but I will promise you that I'll blog more than once a week! It's good for me and good for my quilting! As usual I am linking up with Leah Day's FMQ Friday. Brand new to my blog, and my life, is Can I Get a Whoop Whoop over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. How cute is that name for a linky party!?!

I'm leaving you with this picture of Madison. The weather has been incredible here in Eastern PA. It's like summer!



Soakin' up the rays!







Quilt on,
Hoppi