It took me a while to bind my Skipper quilt but it's finally finished!    

I love this quilt and man, I love this kid! 

He requested a new quilt since he outgrew his other one 

and he was totally on board for this Skipper pattern and 

these Sweet Tea fabrics by Sweetwater for Moda.   

I loved working with them.  

Great classic colors and prints; 

you can never go wrong with Sweetwater! 

The fabulous quilting was done by my friend Cathy Barney.  

She used this edge-to-edge design called Diagonal Plaid and 

I think it's a great design for a masculine look.  

Of course, all "snuggle" quilts must be backed with Minky right?

Since I made the twin size quilt and it finished at 72" x 86" I used 90" wide Minky.

That stuff is awesome!  There is no seam on the back of my quilt so it looks fantastic!

I bound the quilt by hand and added this tag for a fun finishing touch! 

This kid is very happy with his new quilt.

I hope he remembers how much his mama loves him every time he wraps up in it!

This is a beginner-friendly pattern that comes with 4 size options.

It's available in paper and PDF versions in my shop.
Click  HERE to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by friends!

Skipper Quilt Along Conclusion + Grand Prize Winner

Thank you, thank you to those of you who participated in the Star Patch Quilt Along!  

I hope you had a fun time quilting along with me!  It seriously was so nice to have you guys along for moral support as I made my 3rd go around with my Skipper pattern - this time a twin size quilt for my son!  I just got mine back from my quilter and am excited to bind it and show it to you guys soon.

 A HUGE thank you to our Skipper Quilt Along Grand Prize sponsor - Barbara Eason from One Sweet Bee Designs.  Barbara has so generously offered to donate edge-to-edge quilting (medium density) to one winner (any size quilt!)  The winner will just have to pay for shipping (she lives in TX.), batting, and thread.  And to all the other Skipper Quilt Along participants she is offering 25% off the quilting on their Skipper Quilts!  I hope you will support her and this generous offer!  Please DM her on Instagram @onesweetbeequilts to make arrangements!

So the winner of the free Skipper long-arm quilting is...Charlene Hearst (@charhearst on Instagram).

Charlene your quilt in Tula Pink fabrics is so beautiful!  I love how it turned out!

Great job keeping up and posting each week too!  Congratulations to you!

 I hope the rest of you were able to finish your Skipper quilt tops too!  Please keep tagging me on Instagram as you finish them up @gigis_thimble and use the hashtag #skipperqal so I can see your progress.

Also, I'd love to hear your feedback in the comment section below on how you think this quilt along went!  Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for quilting along with me!

Happy quilting friends! 

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 8

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!  We had my parents and nephew over for dinner last night and had a great time.  It was a busy weekend getting ready for that so I didn't get a chance to photograph my quilt top until this morning so I apologize this post is a little late.

Can you believe our Skipper Quilt Along is coming to an end?

It's week 8 and it's time to finish your quilt tops!

I will admit I was a little giddy when I finished sewing the last seam and pressing my finished quilt top on Saturday.  I am kind of smitten with it!  Love those Sweet Tea fabrics by Sweetwater!

(I had a little buddy during my photo shoot this morning, LOL!  That's Molly and she's my little sidekick.  She's such a lover and follows me around all day, every day!)

Anyways, the assignment for this week, to be clear, is to add the borders (finish your quilt top) and piece the back if necessary.  So I am off to find navy minky today!

Then, post a picture of your finished quilt top on Instagram by Sunday, April 28th at Noon MST.  Use the hashtag #skipperqal and tag me @gigis_thimble.  I will pick one person to win the grand prize -  FREE QUILTING for their Skipper quilt!  Barbara Eason of One Sweet Bee Designs has so generously offered to donate edge-to-edge quilting (medium density) to one winner (any size quilt!)  The winner will just have to pay for shipping (she lives in TX.), batting, and thread.  And to all the other participants she is offering 25% off the quilting on their Skipper Quilts!  You can follower her on Instagram @onesweetbeequilts.

I will announce the winner on Monday, April 29th here, on the blog, and on Instagram.

I hope to see lots of entries popping up!

Happy quilting!

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 7 with a Change of Plans

Welcome to week 7 of the Skipper Quilt Along! 

Now don't freak out.

I've been working a week ahead of you guys so I can have a post ready each week and as I was doing this weeks assignment I thought, "This is a lot."  Now granted, I am doing the twin size quilt so there's a lot more to it than the baby or throw sizes but with laying out all 84 blocks, sewing all the rows together, pressing all the seams open, then sewing all the rows together with the sashing strips in between, and then pressing the whole thing again, well, it was kind of a lot.

So, I made an executive decision that won't change the overall duration of the Quilt Along.

Here's the plan for this week:

Do everything that I just listed above - assemble all the rows and sew them all together with the sashing strips in between.  But this week you don't have to do the inner border.

We will do all the borders next week.  If you feel inclined to stick to the original plan of moving through to the inner border - go right ahead.

I do want to share a trick that I used to sew all my rows together.

It keeps everything in order while saving time and thread.

It's called the Spiderweb Chain Piecing Method.  Have you heard of it?

I've done a video tutorial and saved it to my highlights on my Instagram profile page so be sure to check that out.  I know not all of you are on Instagram so for those of you that aren't - I am sorry!  I really want to get a tutorial made for my blog so I'm adding that to my list of things to do!

When you're finished making your quilt center, post a picture of it on Instagram.

Use the hashtag #skipperqal so I can see it.  

I love seeing all of the different colorways you guys are doing!

There's no giveaway this week but keep plugging away and posting pictures on Instagram because the grand prize drawing will be soon!  One of you lucky ducks is going to win free edge-to-edge quilting on your Skipper quilt from One Sweet Bee Designs (@onesweetbeequilts on Instagram).  Thank you Barbara for being our fabulous sponsor!

Speaking of prizes, it's time to announce the winner of last weeks' giveaway for the 6 Prairie Sisters Fat Quarters!  Jennifer (@silverbarnes on Instagram) you are the winner!  Please send me your full name and shipping address via DM on Instagram and I will get those shipped right off to you!

Happy quilting friends!

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 6

Hi friends!  Welcome to week 6 of the Skipper Quilt Along!

How are you doing?  Have you moved ahead of schedule, are you falling behind or are you keeping pace?  This is the last week of block making and I'm so excited to put this baby together next week!

The plan for this week is:

Baby: make 2 blocks.

 Throw: make 8 blocks.

 Twin: make 20 blocks.

 Queen: make 28 blocks.

By the end of this week you should have a total of:

Baby: 18 blocks.

Throw: 40 blocks.

Twin: 84 blocks.

Queen: 132 blocks.

I think you're going to like your little pile of blocks!

And guess what!  I have a surprise giveaway this week:

Just post a picture on Instagram of all your finished blocks on a plate, platter or tray and you will be entered to win these 6 fat quarters from the new line, Prairie Sisters by Poppie Cotton!  Be sure to use the hashtag #skipperqal so I can see it.  I'll announce the winner here on my blog and on Instagram on Monday, April 15th.

Happy quilting friends!

SKIPPER QUILT ALONG: WEEK 5

Hey Hey!  Happy Monday friends!

Anyone else on Spring Break right now?

Ours starts today.  We are having a staycation because we are going to Japan this Summer and are trying to save $$.  Me and the kids are super excited to see that part of the world!  My husband served a 2-year mission there many years ago so he is super excited to go back and show us around.  Also, my sister-in-law is Japanese so we will get to visit her family.  Should be fun!

Anyways, welcome to week 5 of the Skipper Quilt Along!  

How is everyone keeping up?  

I love having a doable schedule (and all of you!) to keep me going!

We're just over halfway done so you should be seeing big progress with your blocks!

So the plan for this week is:

Baby: make 4 blocks.

 Throw: make 8 blocks.

 Twin: make 16 blocks.

 Queen: make 28 blocks.  

(These blue blocks reminded me of our snow-capped Utah mountains!  Love!)

Next week is the last week of block-making before we start assembly the quilt so I encourage you to take time this week to get caught up if you're behind.

Now I'd like to announce the winner of last weeks' giveaway - 

Magee Pitkin (@mageepitkin on Instagram).  

She is the winner of an IronEZ,  a handy gadget I love and use all the time! 

Congratulations Magee!  Please email me your address and we'll get that shipped right off to you.

For anyone else wanting to get their hands on an IronEZ, you can visit their website HERE.

For a limited time, you can get it for $19.99 + free U.S. shipping.  I love having one on my ironing board, no more bottles falling off! 

Well, that's it for now!  

Happy quilting!

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 4 + Giveaway

Good morning friends!

It's week 4 of the Skipper Quilt Along and I've got a fun giveaway for you this week!

My friends at IronEZ reached out to me the other day to see if they could donate one of their Ironing Board Spray Bottle Holders to one of my followers and I knew it was something I wanted to give to my Quilt Along friends!  I've had one for about a year now and love it!

The holder clips onto your ironing board so your spray bottles won't fall off while ironing (#quilterproblems, am I right?!)  The IronEZ comes with a fantastic spray bottle but it can also hold Best Press or a regular starch bottle, whatever you prefer to use!  I also love the fact that the holder twists so you don't even have to remove the IronEZ to put your ironing board in storage. 

  

To enter to win an IronEZ, just post a picture of all your Skipper blocks on Instagram using the hashtag #skipperqal.  I want to see your progress and your fabrics!  Post this picture by Sunday, March 31st at noon and I will announce the winner here on the blog and on Instagram the following Monday morning.  This is a great week to get caught up if you're behind.

So the plan for this week is:

Baby: make 4 blocks.

Throw: make 8 blocks.

Twin: make 16 blocks.

Queen: make 28 blocks.

(The only thing different than last week is the Queen size!  

Is anyone making that size?)

Here are all my blocks thus far:

I'm having fun seeing these blocks come together and I am especially loving seeing your posts on Instagram!  Thank you for sharing friends!  

Happy quilting!

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of the Skipper Quilt Along!  

I've been thinking this past week that one of the things I love about Quilt Alongs is that if I stay caught up I'm guaranteed to have a quilt top in a few short weeks!  I just gotta keep pluggin' away!   

I hope you're finding the assignments in the Skipper Quilt Along doable.

I'm making a twin size quilt and found that it took just an hour or two to make my 16 blocks.

But time is precious. 

So today I want to refer you to a time-saving tutorial that you can use when making your blocks.  It's my Quick Corner Triangle Piecing Method (sometimes it's called the "Tape Method").   You can use this method any time a pattern instructs you to mark the wrong side of your squares with a diagonal line.  It completely eliminates that step!  Check out the tutorial.  There are photos and a video to make it super easy to follow.

So the plan for this week is:

Baby: make 4 blocks.

 Throw: make 8 blocks.

 Twin: make 16 blocks.

 Queen: make 24 blocks.

I love seeing these blocks come together!

Don't forget, there will be a fabulous prize at the end of the Quilt Along for one lucky winner!  Barbara Eason of One Sweet Bee Designs has so generously offered to donate edge-to-edge quilting (medium density) to one winner (any size quilt!)  The winner will just have to pay for shipping (she lives in TX.), batting, and thread.  And to all the other participants she is offering 25% off the quilting on their Skipper Quilts!  You can follower her on Instagram @onesweetbeequilts.

I'll choose the winner from the Instagram hashtag pool at the end of the Quilt Along.  I'll choose someone that posts a picture of their finished quilt top.  But I'm not gonna lie, you might get extra bonus points for every picture you post on Instagram during the Quilt Along!  Use the hashtag #skipperqal to enter.  Plus, we all want to see what you're up to and it's a chance to find and make new quilty friends (the very BEST part of Quilt Alongs!)

Have a great week and happy quilting! 

Skipper Quilt Along: Week 1

Welcome to week 1 of the Skipper Quilt Along!

I'm excited to get this party started!

Week 1 is all about planning and prepping.

Goal #1: get pattern.

If you haven't purchased the Skipper pattern yet, click HERE to visit my shop.

Goal #2: choose fabrics.

Tell me below what fabrics you're doing and what size you're making.  

I'm dying to know!

I'm using Sweet Tea fabrics by Sweetwater.

This quilt is for my 16-year-old son and he's on board with the reds, blues, and tans!  

I personally am kind of obsessed with the light blues in this line.

Oh, and I'm making the twin size. :)

[Note: the pattern calls for 1/8 yard cuts for the bright fabrics.  

I ordered my fabric online and a fat quarter bundle was the easiest way to get the entire line 

so I am making adjustments.  Eighth-yard cuts are definitely the most efficient use of fabric.]

Goal #3: Do all the cutting for your chosen quilt size.

Press your beautiful fabrics (if necessary) and begin cutting.

If you're looking for time-saving techniques, 

I think you will find my Quick Rotary Cutting Tutorial very helpful.

[I had to pull out this HANDMADE WITH LOVE tag that I got from a Quilter's Candy Box that I curated several months ago.  Since I'm making this for my son I want to be sure to use it!] 

Be sure to post on Instagram this week a picture of your fabric selection and cuts.  Use the hashtag #skipperqal so we can all see what you're working on.  Although we're not having weekly prizes in this Quilt Along, I think a little accountability goes a long way!  If you stay caught up and are able to post a picture of your finished quilt top by April 28th you'll be entered to win the GRAND PRIZE -  longarm quilting by One Sweet Bee Designs (@onesweetbeequilts on Instagram)!

In my opinion, one of the best things about Quilt Alongs is the opportunity to make new quilty friends, encourage each other, inspire and be inspired by others!  I hope you'll take a few minutes each week to peruse the hashtag and leave a few comments!

Before I let you go, I want to thank each and every one of you for being here.  Thank you for purchasing my pattern and thank you for coming along on this ride!  Quilting is so much more fun with friends!

*Click HERE for the Skipper Quilt Along Homepage

which includes the full schedule, sign up link and more!*