Are you rowing?

Are you rowing along with Bee in my Bonnet blog?  I'd promised myself that I wasn't going to start anything else until I got my scrappy stars with Terry done, my Designer Mystery BOM and my own scrappy star project but I rationalized it with "it's only 1 row every 2 weeks"....  LOL 

Well, I started last week because I'd lost a week somewhere along the way and the night I finished I saw that Lori had put up the next row.  I cut them out Wednesday but we had a power outage on Thursday so NOTHING got done then.  I worked a little bit on them last night but finished up this afternoon.

NOW, they're just blocks right now.  Apparently I have to make spacer strips, flip every other block sideways and then make a sashing strip for the top and bottom of the row.....

I haven't looked at the Flickr page to see what the others are using for their blocks but I'm desperately trying to use up my 30's fabrics so that's what I'm using along with Kona white.  I did buy a small piece of a grey on grey to use for the butterfly bodies since I really didn't have anything that I felt was appropriate.  Lori used a solid grey but I wanted a little something extra on it.....

I also want to show you what my daughter Sarah  is doing these days.  She paints, I sew.....  She redid an old end table for my other daughter Jennifer in a yellow with a black glaze over it for her bedroom.  Jen had seen a bedroom on PINTEREST and wanted to recreate it so Sarah painted the nightstand and I made the yellow quilt for the end of the bed.  Then, for herself,  she got an old 2 drawer file cabinet and painted that to look like a phone booth.  It will go nicely in her London themed bedroom with her tv stand, which is an old dresser painted too.....

First Off

First off, I want to say right now that I don't like the new Blogger template and if anyone has any hints on how to get things working properly, please let me know. 
I like to use backgrounds for my blog from one of those independent girls but when I try to upload them I lose the dashboard access to my blog.  I end up having to pull the blog up in a new window and reset the blog to one of Blogger's templates....BORING!  So, for a week now I've been disgusted with the look of mine!

Anyhow....tomorrow is my youngest's birthday.  She will be 24!  Coincindentally, my oldest was able to get Yankee/Oriole tickets down in Baltimore so we'll be traveling.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed for nice weather ok?

I decided to put the binding on a recently quilted baby quilt so I have some hand work for the car

This cute pink and yellow bumble bee like fabric is the backing which I bought a while back in the $5.00 room at my local quilt shop.

And here's the awesome quilting Michelle did on it with the cute yellow dot binding.

Lots of Sewing Going On

I have been getting quite a bit of sewing completed although I'm not actually making full quilt tops or runners or anything....really just doing blocks. 

I saw that Terry at "Terry's Treasures" posted that it was time to make our Scrappy Star block so I got mine all made up yesterday.  I'd already made up a lot of star points and center 9 patch blocks so it was really just a matter of assembling the blocks. 

I also took another trip to Delaware to visit Michelle on Tuesday morning and spent some time with her guild ladies making pineapple blocks. These things are addicting!

If you go over to Michelle's blog  you can see her completed Pineapple Quilt....that is surely some gorgeous eye candy!       My blocks are only approximately 8 inch blocks so I'm going to need to make a lot of these guys to assemble a top.    It's one of those projects that I'll keep handy in case I don't know what to work on.     

I am working on some blue and green churn dash blocks today.....  I couldn't decide how big I actually wanted the quilt to be but when I finally got them up on the design wall I decided that I needed 6 more so I whipped them up yesterday and now I'm going to start sewing them into rows today....I'll report back with my progress later or tomorrow.

                                                                           

To Liberate or not to liberate, that is the question!

How soon after you buy a fat quarter or half yard bundle do you liberate it from it's ribbon?

I have purchased quite a few bundles over the years and yes, I've liberated some but not enough....

I bought this Riley Blake "Pieces of Hope" bundle last week with a discount thru Green Fairy's

anniversary sale and then told some teachers in school that I would make and donate a quilt

during Autism Awareness Month, which I think is in April...so I do have to take the bundle apart but I'm having a hard time pulling that ribbon....guess it's like a band aid, huh?  Do it quick and be done with it....

Any suggestions for a pattern to showcase the fabrics?

Peggy

(who's sad that school opens on the 6th....I sure was enjoying work without the darlings LOL)

Are you a Great Granny?

Are you on the Great Granny Block Bandwagon? I wasn't but yesterday I was cutting up fabric in my scrap basket about the same time I saw yet another Great Granny block on someone's blog so I thought I might try one....YES, they're addictive! I thought I could make one and then set it aside...I couldn't I made 3 and cut out a fourth. Then, I got up for work this morning and had a little extra time so I started sewing yet another one......

When I got in from work today I finished that one up and cut 2 more.

I'm going to spend an hour or two now assembling those 2 blocks.....

Trimming, trimming, trimming

Yes, trimming half square triangles.  I hate trimming half square triangles but it happens that every project I've chose to work on lately has had tons of them.  Guess I better put a new blade in the rotary cutter and get to trimming.....

"Weather Vane"

The August block for the 2012 Designer Mystery BOM is called "Weather Vane".  In keeping with my promise to do my block within 5 days of receiving the kit so it doesn't sit and sit...I am 3 for 3 on getting them made up! 

Fat Quarter Shop is awesome with giving you plenty of fabric to work with.....no fear of cutting wrong and not being able to correct it.  I almost have enough left over to make another block each month...and the fabrics are to die for!!!  If you're not doing these, you're gonna be sorry  :)

It's absolutely gorgeous here in New Jersey today.  We've had windows and doors open and as I look at the weatherbug it says it's 77 with zero humidity,  My kind of weather!!!!!!!!!!

Off to work on cutting scraps for some more scrappy star blocks.

Peggy

Scrappy Stars

Before I left for vacation I jumped on the "Terry's Treasure's Scrappy Star" bandwagon

http://terrytreasures.blogspot.com/

I should have been packing but I was making these...

Have you joined yet?
I want to make more but I have other committments for the next week or two....and besides, it's only supposed to be 2 a month!

Vacation was wonderful.  I did a lot of eating, reading, resting, eating.....you get the picture  :)  BUT, isn't that what vacation on a cruise is all about?

Peggy

Cruisin

It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it so I guess it's all me.... :)   I'll be taking this baby out for a spin in the morning and will be gone until the 11th.  Yeah, it's not going to be easy but I'll take one for the team.

We love the Royal Caribbean cruises, don't you?

Have a good week everyone....see ya next Saturday.

Peggy

Green and Blue

Since I finished my 2 projects this weekend and I'm leaving on vacation Thursday morning, I didn't want to jump into a big project but I started something new anyway...... 

I pulled out my bin of green and blue fabrics which were inspired by Amy Smart's blog "Diary of a Quilter".  http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2011/11/new-pattern-and-shop-update.html  She made her churn dash quilt both in reds and green and blue. 

 When I first saw the blocks I was able to pick up some of the same fabrics she used in hers (yes, I'm a copycat) and along the way I've gone thru my stash and come up with some additions to the pile....

Anyhow, I cut up some Kona Snow and got to making some churnies in the 9-1/2 inch size....

I made 14 the past 2 nights but I'm going to have to stop here and get some stuff ready for vacation. 

One Day Retreat

On Tuesday I attended a sew in with some of my friend Michelle's lady friends from her guild.

The theme of the day was working with the "twister" templates.  I've done multiple twisters in the last few months but it was an opportunity to spend the day with Michelle and sew.

I chose Halloween fabrics from my stash and cut my own 5 inch charms. 

Here is the topper once I cut my charms up with the twister .

I was able to get the border on while I was still at the meeting place and even had backing fabric with me....but did I remember batting?  Of course not....so I had to wait till I got home.  Well, I had other things to finish first so this kind of got put on the back burner but tonight I did some cross hatching on it and got a black/green/purple dot binding on it and voile!  I have a finished table topper.  I just love the purple spider and spider web border fabric!!!

OH, and I just had to show you the wagon I bought last year to transport all my project "stuff" when I go to these sew ins.  I was able to put my sewing machine, all my tools, fabric, show n tell, lunch etc. and the bag on top is 3 quilts I picked up from Michelle that she quilted for me.  It's so nice to be able toget everything in 1 carrying  wagon to get it inside!

Hometown Christmas

I purchased this kit in 2004!  Yes, that's right 2004.......Every fall I'd tell myself to pull it out and get working on it but every year something else would come up and it would sit. 

Hometown Christmas is a Thimbleberries kit comprising of 4 booklets.  I promised myself back in 2011 that I'd do a booklet every 2-3 months and get it done....well, that didn't happen, although I did work on it here and there, just not on a regular basis.  In May of 2012 I made the decision that it was getting done come hell or high water so I got working on it in between other projects. 

Last week I put the finished center up on the design wall and when hubby saw it he made sure I knew he liked it and would love to see it on our bed this winter. 

It's so big I don't have a single spot where I can lay it out and get a good picture....(hence the wrinkles in the border)

Here's a closeup of some of the blocks...

I am prepare for it being quilted too....I purchased the backing last week so it will be mailed to my favorite quilter on Monday!

It is a bit small for a king size bed, and I'll show hubby that it doesn't fit quite right so it might have to be for my son's room.

If there's anyone out there in blogland that would like the patterns for this quilt, leave me a message and I'll mail it out to you Monday.  First come first serve!
It was a fun quilt to make but I doubt I'll ever do it again.

Peggy

Redesigned Room

I woke up to a very sunny day today but by the time I had lunch, it was dark as night, we'd lost power and it was POURING!  That was the perfect opportunity to get hubby to take the doors off the sewing room closet and move a heavy duty shelving unit from the wall that partly blocks the door into the room from opening all the way and move it into the closet.  Here's the result of that rearranging..... That meant that I could put the ironing board up against the wall and still have plenty of room to walk around the room.

While rearranging, I found a bag of fabric.....what a surprise (not).  While in Indiana back in May I saw a quilt on display in Backdoor Quilts so I bought the book and kitted it up myself....

I also bought some red white and blue fat quarters and some other assorted pieces......
I love re-shopping and not spending any money  :)

2012 Designer Mystery BOM Block #2

Keeping my promise of doing the block for this block of the month within 5 days of getting the kit....

This block is called "Mint Julep" and it was designed by Lisa Bonegan of Primitive Gatherings.

Snowflakes

I actually assembled this quilt at a retreat back in mid November and has had it quilted for quite a while but I put it away while I was reorganizing my sewing room (I think) and never pulled it back out.  Last night I opened the quilt room closet door and lo and behold it fell out at me so I decided that before I did a single thing today that I'd trim it down and get the binding on....but what to use as binding? 

The back of the quilt is the blue snowflakes, but when I threw it up on the design wall I realized it really needs red...so in search of a nice red I went and came up with something I think will work.  It's not actually a polka dot although thats what it looks like from far away, but when you get up close to it the "dots" are actually small hexagons I think.  It's from Karen Snyder "Anna Lena Designs"....

Here's a picture of  the quilting up close.  Michelle did a snowflake in it and it's soooo cute! I'm guessing that because the design is on the larger side that the quilt is already fluffy!  I can only imagine how much fluffier it will get once I finish and wash it.

I don't know what it is with me this year but I have 3 winter/christmas quilts going.....that's like unheard of for me :)

It's another rainy day here at the Jersey Shore...guess I'll sew  :)


Peggy

Another Finish

Gotta love a rainy vacation day....  I'd been working on this Gail Pan Designs project called "Busy Little Elves" for years and then a few months ago I pulled it back out, finished assembling the units and got the top into 3 units and then I don't know what happened or what I started working on, but it sat and sat and sat...............I finally pulled it out on Tuesday I think, got the units connected and then started working on the borders.  I finished it totally after dinner tonight and LOVE how it came out.

I'm going to assemble the back from all the left over fabrics that I used in the front....And then, I get to see my quilter Michelle on Tuesday and will drop this and the yellow/black/grey quilt off with her for quilting!

Below are two upclose pictures of the embroidery blocks.. aren't they cute?

New Embroidery Project

I have not finished any of my recently started embroidery projects but I'm going on a cruise in August and NEED a portable embroidery project to take with me so I pulled out this one.  You may have seen over at Michelle's Blog
that she too was starting it so I pulled mine out and will trace it and bring it with me to work on. 

 I kitted 3 of these up for Michelle, Robin and Myself when we went to Indiana back in May so it's not like I'm being a copy cat LOL  

Do You Kit?

Do you like kits?  I know girls that don't because they like to use from their stash, but me...I like them.

I think it comes from not being secure in picking out which fabrics go with what.  Like this bundle of fabric 

Robin worked with a pattern called "Salt Air Crossing" this week so I thought I'd collect up some fabrics and kit it mysef.  I think this bundle would work nicely with some kona snow.....what do you think?

I am also teased a LOT about a cabinet I have that Michelle and Robin call my "MAGIC CABINET".  Jelly rolls and honey buns go in and bundles magically appear  :)   That's not really what happens (obviously) but on occasion I will say to them "while I was looking in the cabinet I came across this kit or fat quarter bundle or whatever and they just laugh at me....Most times it's neater than this but you can see what they laugh at.    I did find a few kits in the back of these bundles just this week that I KNOW either I kitted or bought but have no idea how long they've been in there.  I guess I can say I'm a serious fabric/kit hoarder....just ask the girls, they'll tell you that all you have to do is mention a Thimbleberries kit and I probably have it.  I went on a serious kit buying BOM spree for about 4 or 5 years so I have a LOT!!!!!

Here's the couple of kits I found that I would like to work on this summer......

A Couple of Finishes

Yes, I do have a couple of finishes....2 way overdue.

I got the yellow/black/grey quilt assembled in record time I would say and it looks great.  I was going for Queen size but alas, I did not have enough fabric so it's approximately twin/full.....Good enough for a throw at the foot of my daughter's bed, which is what she wanted so it will be perfect.  I also found a great yellow marbelized 108 wide piece of fabric for the backing from Backside Fabrics, which is exactly what Jen wanted so I done good this week  :)    (this isn't the best picture, especially since the sewing room walls are yellow and the sun was shining but it is what it is for today)

I also had gotten back a few quilts from my favorite quilter Michelle back in May....yes, you heard it, May.  I was like I was obsessed when I got them, making bindings and getting them sewn on....but then I got sidetracked with other things and there they sat.  Well, I finally bit the bullet the last 2 weeks and got them bound  The top one is an Ohio Star quilt and the bottom is a Laurel Burch top that my friend Robin assembled from a bag of LB blocks probably 3-4 years ago.  

They'll go into the  cabinet until they're needed for gifts....

I had a nice surprise yesterday too!  My friend Michelle in Dover, Delaware kiddingly suggestedthat Robin and I come to Delaware for a"Twister" class she's doing on the 24th.  I looked at my summer work calendar and lo and behold I'm off that day and hubby will be on a business trip so I told Michelle to hook me up and I'd drive down.  YES, it's a 3 hour drive and the class starts at 9 but what's a lack of sleep when I get to sew with a friend, possibly meet some nice new ladies and get outta town?  I'll do a post on that after I go....
      I've got our Handyman extroadinairre putting some flourescent lighting up in my sewing room this morning so I'm doing the dreaded laundry........

I just found this picture of what the "Snapshots" quilt will look like when finished.  I did this one in 2010 in black/white/turquoise and it's still one of my favorite finishes!

Do you like yellow?

I've never been big into yellow but as I read blogs and other quilt related articles in magazines etc. I see that everyone says that yellow belongs in every quilt....REALLY?  Well, back in 2011 I did assemble an entire quilt in yellow and white for a friend (Hi Abby) and then back around Easter my oldest daughter sent me an email with a picture of a bedroom that she is trying to duplicate and it's in all yellow, black, greys and white. 

She wants a quilt for her bed and here are the chosen fabrics.
I decided the other day it was time to add some solids and more yellows from my stash and get the quilt going. 

I picked the "Happy Hour" book by Atkinson Designs and the pattern is "Snapshots".  NOW...I'd have loved to make the 14 inch blocks but somehow buying fat quarters does not insure that you get an exact 22 x 18 inch piece of workable fabric, especially after washing it.  So, I've had to settle for making 9 inch blocks which means to make a queen size top, I'll be making about 80 blocks or so..... eek!  

I assembled a few last night......

Yeah...the yellow looks much brighter in these pictures than it really is and this is not the real layout, I just threw them on the floor so I could take a picture.....

OH...and coincidentally, at retreat back in May, my friend Laura was working with these exact fabrics.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA (you firecracker). 
I wish I'd taken a picture of her project but somehow that slipped past me.

I guess over the next week or two I'll get these assembled and a final picture posted.

In the meantime, Happy 4th of July!

Peggy

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July to everyone !!!!

Checkedy Stars

Back in February Amber Johnson of "A Little Bit Biased" blog posted a link to a Scrap Jar Star Quilt

http://alittlebitbiased.blogspot.com/2012/02/scrap-jar-stars-quilt.html .  I immediately knew I had to do that quilt.  Leanne from the blog, Lizzie the Quilter, was doing hers in I would say "pretty" scraps, florals, jewel tones etc.  I knew I was going to copy cat hers and do mine the same way.  I did start collecting scraps as I worked on different projects and then last month I decided after seeing Amber's red white and blue quilt that I needed to start mine.  So, the cutting and assembling started.  I was connecting the center pieces as leader/enders and then when my bin runneth over, I started pressing and assembling.  So...tonight since I had the house to myself I did some more work on the stars and here's what I have......

I have 16 blocks done and to get an 81 x 93 quilt I need 20 more plus separator strips.  This is my 2012 summer project. 

I have another project I need to concentrate on next week so this one will be set aside for a bit.....

This is one project where I used up quite a bit of scraps but as everyone says..."will I ever use up my whole scrap bin?"   Probably not  :)

Only 2 work days next week!!!  YAY!

Block 1 Finished

This is the 2012 Designer Mystery Block of the Month-Block # 1.  I think this is the quickest I've ever cut and assembled a block.......

The Vintage Modern fabrics are gorgeous and wonderful to work with.

Guess I have to wait now almost another month for block 2 but I shouldn't complain...Maybe I can finish some other projects. 

I did hear from my friend Vickie in Texas and she's doing this BOM too so I'll have some company and someone cheering me on!

Peggy

2 Finishes and a New Block of the Month

All of a sudden there are prospective baby notices going around and I knew I'd get at least 1 or 2 requests and I was right.  No sooner did I start a coin quilt that hubby came home from work asking for something for his boss's new grandaughter.  The week before I'd put the last stitch in the binding on one so I washed it up and we gave it to the new baby.  I started another boy coins quilt and a baby girl 30's quilt in a Bricks and Stepping Stones pattern.  Finished them both up and went to my local shop (Quilting Possibilities in FR, NJ) and bought the backings from their $5 room.   The boy quilt has already been claimed by my sister for a neighbor's baby.  I don't know how long the girl quilt will last in the finished cabinet but it's going to be ready when it's needed.

I also signed up for a new Block of the Month.  It's the 2012 Designer Mystery BOM thru the Fat Quarter Shop.  I got my first block kit today, It's called "Laundry Days" and it's designed y Anne Sutton of Bunny Hills Designs.  We're using the new "Vintage Mondern" fabric line by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.

Talk about yummy fabrics.....

Sunny Sunday

It's absolutely GORGEOUS out today here in New Jersey, not a cloud in the sky!  After reaching about 93 earlier in the week and to see that it's 55 right now, I'm in heaven!!!!

I've been sewing a little bit here and there since I came back from retreat and made a baby quilt for my sister to give as a gift for a good friend's daughter that's expecting a boy in October.  I used the chinese coins pattern from Maryquilts which went together in no time!!!  I found some blue Humpty Dumpty fabric the other day at my local shop in the $5 room so now all I have to do is get it quilted and it's ready to go.  
I'm also in the process of assembling a Bricks and Stepping Stones baby quilt in 30's fabrics to have set aside in case I need another quilt in a hurry.  This one would be for a girl for sure but since I cut a ton of coins in boy colors, I'm ready to make another boy top once I get a few more projects out of the way.
   Yesterday I pulled out my "Hometown Christmas" kit and got back to work on that.  I only have 1 more unit to do on that so I'm going to try and get that done today.
   Once I finish the Hometown Christmas and prep the backs for the baby quilts, I'll do some more blogging with pictures... and hopefully that will be today!

May QSQA

OK, I did my block this month and it was done on time!

And actually, I brought a box of fabric from home since almost all the girls at retreat do the QSQA blocks monthly, and we all made our blocks....