"Kaleidoscope"

     I had no trouble this month picking some fabric for our "AYOS" project.   It was a free pattern with a tutorial at My Rainboots Are Red.  I'd never made a Kaleidoscope quilt block let alone a whole quilt so I was excited to be making this project.  

     I knew I wanted red so I could use it for Valentine's Day (If I'm decorating at the time  PS: doing a kitchen remodel)  so I went ahead and printed off 25 of the paper pieced patterns and got to sewing.
I got 9 done and then somehow my mind strayed and I got nothing else done.....  I know, it's sad, but I get easily distracted by new projects :)    

I started out thinking I'd just do some straight lines..............

BUT, in the end, I put the walking foot on the machine and I decided it needed a circular design.

Now, don't go looking real close at my quilting.  I'm a "straight line kinda gal" but when I get something in my mind that I want to try, I go for it and hope it looks ok in the end.

Here's a picture of the back....I figured I could use a cute strawberry print and flip it over for the spring....double duty!

It finished up to be 12-3/4 X 12-3/4 so I  think the little heart candy dish that I have with some chocolates in it will look nice on top of this on the kitchen island for now......

I'm going to go grab something from the scrap bin for the binding and get it on now so I can tack it down tonight while I watch TV......

I can't wait to see what Sinta at Pink Pincushion Blog has in store for us for February.

Peggy

Randomness

Checking in here today with some random quilting finishes for January so far.

I'm doing the Moda Building Blocks with some girls over at Gooba Designs Blog http://goobadesigns.blogspot.com   Kristin has the quilt broken down into about 5-6 months so each month we can do a few blocks and still be able to work on other projects.  Here are my blocks for the month of January........

I really enjoyed working with these 5 block patterns and I'm thrilled with my fabric picks from my Denyse Schmidt stash.

 Then I pulled out an old project I've been doing with an instagram friend.  These are X & Plus blocks.

We are doing 8 a month and swapping out....which makes the assembly of this go much faster....except when Christmas falls 2 months into the swap and we do nothing LOL    Well, I decided I better do a few before I get sidetracked again so the picture on the right is my 8 blocks for Jean.  I think she'll like them......  I'll catch up with January's next week.

Then, I sent my Bonnie Hunter Mystery off to my favorite quilter Sarah last week and it came home today so I decided on a binding color, got it cut and on the quilt pronto this afternoon!!!

 

I was thinking as I was folding this up for Sarah that I'd most likely use all the blacks from the top for the binding but when it came home I realized it needed one fabric.  I picked a Kaufman grey/black on black dot.  I love how it looks and I think the quilting is great!

I do forget though that these quilts are HEAVY once they've been quilted....it gave my shoulders a working pulling it thru the machine!!!

And it wouldn't be a finished post without a 2 month old picture of Olivia..........

Grandma loves her girl......and we get to spend tomorrow together!!!

2014/2015 Designer Mystery BOM

    I'm a little behind because of the holidays but I am up to date until the mail comes on Tuesday.

    Block # 6 is called "Honorable Jake".  It was designed by Vanessa Christenson of V & Co.
www.vanessachristenson.com     This is what Vanessa says about her block "He's a great husband and a hero to our children".

Block # 7 is called "Dear Marysia".  It was Designed by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts www.figtreequilts.com

Joanna says this about her block "My extraordinary grandmother "babcia" taught me how to grow old with beauty and purpose".

I was actually able to assemble Block # 8 with the leftover fabric from #1-#7.  Fat Quarter Shop is always very generous with their BOM's!  I'm keeping all the extra fabric with the blocks until it's time to assemble everything at the end.  I haven't really looked at the finishing instructions and you never know what you'll need.....

Once again....The fabric collection is called "Snowbird" by Laundry Basket Quilts....Just lovely fabric!

Olivia

No sewing post today, instead a few pictures of Olivia that I just love.............

This picture was taken right after Christmas so she was a little wobbly but I caught her perfectly sitting and almost smiling......

Jen wanted to get a picture of Olivia with her "Fancy Like My Aunt" tee shirt on since her fancy aunt was holding her....  In Sarah's defense, Olivia had just woken up and was in a wet diaper.  She wasn't crying because Sarah was holding her.

All changed in a nice dry diaper and a full belly.

Mommy took this picture of grandma holding her.  She bought the hat for her trip to Florida on Saturday and who can resist red and white sunglasses?????

One Million Pillowcases

         In 2010, American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine challenged the quilting community to make and donate ONE MILLION pillowcases for charity. My local quilt shop, Quilting Possibilities  took on the challenge and has helped donate thousands of pillowcases so far that have been donated to local children's cancer wards.  

          I haven't been able to actually participate at the sew-in  at the quilt shop but when I get that need to clean out my sewing closets I pull any fabrics that I doubt I'll ever use and in between other projects I sew up a few.  Today was one of those days.  I couldn't decide what to work on so I made 13 and cut another dozen or so for another day.  

They collect pillowcases that are age appropriate for ages 2-17 so I think this will be a nice mix.....I did mermaids, mustaches, bird houses, jacks, polka dots, bagels, florals and flamingo's.

Peggy

"Grand Illusion"....it's a wrap!

     Just a quick update on my Grand Illusion Mystery quilt.

     I totally enjoyed (once again) the process of this mystery quilt, and look forward to next year's already :)     I surprise myself by saying this because in the past I was very leery of doing a mystery because I always worry that I will have picked the wrong fabric colors etc....  This was my 3rd Bonnie Hunter mystery and 4th mystery in all.  I did another one with 2 friends a few years back and LOVED that process as well.

Everything went together soooo smoothly....until I got to the last border.  I spent way too much time pinning etc for this trouble!  It got to be close to 11pm and I was getting mad and annoyed that I had such an easy time until then.....and was thinking I was making mistakes because I was getting tired so I walked away and came back, laid it on my floor, pinned, and voile...it all came together.  I hate when that happens, but in the end it all turned out perfect.

I had 3 yards of this 108 inch wide text print fabric in my stash that I think is perfect for the back.  I pressed it up, trimmed it to size and again, voile!  I have a back.  

This print is kind of cool I think because it really isn't animals or locations, it's a mish mosh of everything!   It will be winging it's way to NY to my awesome quilter Sarah this morning......

I can't wait to see how it looks quilted!    I'm thinking a black on black for the binding.....but I have a week or so to think on that.

If you'd like to see some of the other quilts, you can link up here http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

It's 12 degrees here in NJ as I type this.  I hope everyone is staying warm if it's cold where you are, and if not, I hope you're enjoying the nice warm weather!

Peggy

"Grand Illusion"

     I'm not finished but I wanted to link up with what I do have completed.

     I had things to do around the house but got to sewing up blocks on Saturday afternoon.  I made the customary one block so I knew what I was looking at and LOVED it!  I mean seriously, what's not to love with these happy colors?

     After that I laid out a few blocks at a time and got working on them.

     Once I got them into rows I was able to make sure I had all the parts in the right place, nothing was turned and nothing was put where it didn't belong...........

      I'm THRILLED with the colors Bonnie chose and now I'm happy I stayed with her color way because I did see a few girls on the Link Up mention that they had some thoughts about if they did the right thing by going off the grid and changing it up.    I pick my own color way for everything else I make all year.   I've only done 3 mysteries with Bonnie and have done it her way and couldn't be happier with all of them.  I figure she picked the colors for a reason so why not.............

     What do you think.....I think I need a larger design wall!  LOL   Hubby walked past on Saturday night and mentioned the pins in the wall....yeah, I need to either add a section next to the one I have up or just get 1 that's larger......   I'm thinking on it.

       Anyway, here's what I have done so far and up.....the remaining 2 rows of blocks and separator strips are pressed on my ironing board and they may be connected today.  I wasn't planning on sewing today because it's hubby's birthday and we have a little celebration planned for this afternoon but it's been snowing and it's 19 degrees out so I'm not sure it's a smart thing for everyone to travel down....
We shall see though....

If you'd like to see other's finishes, please go here --->

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

   

The Pursuit of Pineapples

     I've noticed on Instagram and blogs that everyone is trying to use their stash and scraps for a variety of projects.

      I have some string blocks that I'm going to work into a project that I posted about last week and I've started working with 2-1/2 inch squares for some scrappy charity tops, but I STILL have way too many strips that need using up so today I went in search of my "Trash to Treasure Pineapple Quilts" book.

     I bought this book for a workshop I was taking with some girlfriends approximately 3 years ago.  I totally LOVED making the ones I made at the workshop but I kind of put the bin of strips away with the book and pineapple ruler and then never did any more.  They have always been on my mind but I have no idea WHY I never made any more than these 6.....   They're cute right????

 I noticed over the weekend that some girls were making a "log cabin block a day" and some were making other strip blocks.....So, I pulled out my bin and got to sorting lights/neutrals with colors and then I hit a snag..........I'm holding the ruler in my hand and saying "how the heck does this thing work?".....   UGH

   OK, have no fear.  Between Gyleen's book and an online tutorial I found on a girl's blog, I was able to figure out how it worked and voile!   I made myself 2 blocks today.....

I'm hoping that I can make 2-4 a week.....  They do go quick and now that I've mastered the ruler, they are pretty easy but I've got other projects in the works so I'll settle for a few a week.....

How are you doing with your scraps and what are you making????



Peggy

Happy New Year 2015

       Happy New Year to you!

       "Use What You've Got".....something I'm going to try to do more of this year.

      We started a tradition about 10 years ago, we go out to eat and to the movies.  Our kids were old enough at that point to go out with their friends which meant neither hubby or I had to do any taxi service.   This year we opted not to make a reservation and just make it easy on ourselves and grab burgers and fries at FIVE GUYS and then head off to see "Big Eyes".  The burgers were awesome as expected and the movie was predictable and cute.....I'd read up on it so I knew what the outcome was so no surprises.....

        My sewing machine is clean, it has a new needle, fresh spool of thread, loaded bobbins and my cutting table is cleaned off and ready to get working.

        I'm going to spend this morning making a big pot of spaghetti sauce for the family and then this afternoon I'll get to the Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  Bonnie posted the reveal at midnight which thrilled me because I've been curious since day 1 as to what it would look like.

         After the mystery is done I'm going to start 2015 off with working on a UFO.  I don't even remember when I started working on this one because I have no record of it either on my blog or Instagram but I know I started it this year because I've been looking at this pile for a while....

         It's the makings of "Lucy" by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.   I had seen another blogger's version and loved it so I gathered up what Halloween fabric I had on hand and started cutting and sewing.
This quilt takes 61  25 patch units  6-3/4 X 6-3/4 and 60 snowball blocks  6-3/4 X 6-3/4.

I've never made a halloween quilt but I thought it was about time to do one.   I have no idea what came up that caused me to set all of this aside but 2015 will be the year I get to working on it and finish it off.



Do you start the year off with a new or old project?  Since I'm going to try and use the "Use What You've Got" motto, I'm starting with an old one and then I'll allow myself something new......A nice balance!