Hand Pieced QAL Update

I'm cutting it close for the link up party but I did finish my Hand Sewn QAL top. It's a very bright and sunny day here in Florida so it might not be the best picture. I used a textured white fabric and the rest is all batiks. I love batik fabric. 

I really enjoyed working on this project. I've wanted to try hand piecing a quilt for several years and it's nice to be able to cross that off my to try list. I will be hand quilting this quilt also. I find hand quilting very relaxing so it will be fun. I like working on this project early in the morning before I start my day.

A little bonus picture of one of my mini flower beds. When they tore up our road to put in city water and sewer I found a bunch of sea shells. These are a handful of them. Both bunches of orange flowers are marigolds that I planted from seed. They're supposed to be dwarf marigolds. The flowers that are only green leaves right now are dwarf sunflowers that I started from seed. I bought both seeds from The Dollar Tree. I wonder if they have a thing for dwarf flowers??

December's UFO

Over on Quilting Around the World  I've been participating in a year long UFO quilt along. This grey half square triangle (HST) is my December project. It's been a top for a few years at least but by the end of the year it will be a finished wall hanging or doll quilt or stroller quilt or whatever. Once this quilt is finished then I will have finished at least 12 old UFO's. I'll have to go through the forum and see how many projects I did get done this year. I don't normally keep up with BOMs so I'm very pleased that I've kept up with this UFO along this year. Stay tuned for the finished quilt before the end of the year.

Mystery quilt along

Over on Quilting Around the World  I lost my mind and joined a mystery quilt along.  I say I lost my mind because I do not like mystery quilts generally. I already have a hard time choosing colors and fabric placement so when you add in the fact that I don't know what the end quilt will look like it gets very hard for me. For this mystery QAL we are secret agents, I am 006, and we're supposed to interview witnesses (pick fabrics) and arrest suspects (make blocks), etc. So I joined.

So each week I have been cutting fabrics and sewing them together as directed.















We made lots and  lots of 3.5" hsts.

We made lots of 4 patches and these blocks where you stitch 2 rectangles together. Then we were told to stitch some of the hsts to the stacked rectangle mini blocks but not all of them.

The triangle in a square I had to paper piece because there was no way I was going to get those triangles cut and sewn together and have them be the right size. This kind of paper piecing I don't mind. It's only three pieces of fabric so it was easy. I think I made 72 of these.

Then we all got stuck on these blocks. It took a couple blog posts and a video or two to get these figured out.

Mystery quilts are hard enough but I think this was the first time our leader headed up a mystery QAL. Or the blog/website she got the info from didn't do a very good job with the directions. With each clue there seems to be a little bit of info missing that would make things easier. Little things like finished block size. It's helpful to know what size to square up each block. Some I could guess or figure out on my own but the triangle in a square or that square in a hst? I need all the numbers lol. I know how hard it is to keep 50 or 60 quilters corralled so I'm honestly not complaining. I'm just grumbling cuz I know better than to participate in this kind of mystery quilt.  No matter, I'm sure I will love it when it's done.

Working on WiPs

Several years ago I joined a quilting forum called Quilting Around the World. I was really active and joined in the conversations and did a few swaps but I got a little lax last year. On this forum if you don't post each month you're considered inactive and your membership is closed, so I accidentally went inactive last year. They send out emails to remind you but I guess I missed it. No worries, I just rejoined again. The only thing is you start back at the beginning.  This forum like most gives you a rank title based on how many posts you post. Oh well.

Anyways... One of the quilt-a-longs we are doing this year is the year of UFO/wips. You list 12+ projects that have been forgotten and you want to finish them this year. Each month 2 numbers are drawn (one main project and a bonus project) and based on your list those are the two projects you work on. You can win prizes (I've won twice woohoo) if you show progress or finish one of the drawn projects each month.

One month my main project was this apple core quilt that I made using Thimbleberries fabric. I made the top years ago when I was trying out the new Go! cutter apple core die. It's put away at the moment but it is a small quilt good for a table runner or a baby stroller. There's a few wrinkles but overall it turned out alright. I am much better at sewing curves now so I think I might need to make another.

Here's the back. The binding is just a gold that I found in my stash that seemed to match. The back might be a Thimbleberry also but I'm not sure. I bought a mystery box of scraps and all these fabrics were in there. I remember the apple core pieces had the selvages still on them.

Another UFO I finished was these placemats. If I remember correctly I was making bags with these black and white fabrics but my daughter saw them on my design wall and wanted them for placemats. I can't argue when one of the kids (okay grown children) want a handmade item for their house, right? The backing fabric was something my daughter fell in love with when I found it at a thrift store several years ago. I bound them in red because red is her favorite color. I made her a black, white, and red quilt about 8 years ago that she absolutely loves.

A Year of Schnibbles Parade

In no particular order, here are the twelve quilts I made as part of The Year of Schnibbles. All of these are quilts except one. The star quilt in the upper right corner is only a flimsy. That is Plan C from last month and I haven't had a chance to turn it into a completed quilt yet.

Posse BOM almost finish

This is my almost finish from our first BOM over at the Posse. I say almost because the pattern calls for another row of green around the outside but I ran out of green and wasn't sure if I could get anymore. I found some more today so there will be one more border and then I can call it a finished top.

Orange Sorbet

This month's Schnibble was Joy Luck. I had some orange fat quarters and decided to use them on this project.

I made my rectangles larger and used my Go! to cut them and the 2.5" black squares. I also put mine together sideways 'cuz that's how I roll (quilt) lol.

It's hard to tell in this picture but I used bright orange thread to quilt it. I love how the orange thread pops out.

The back, binding, and sashing are all the same fabric. It looks like an orange camouflage.

I actual managed to get this one posted in my shop.

January's Schnibble was Madeline....

I was way too busy in January to even think of making it. This month I had some time to whip up a smaller version.

I skipped the setting triangles because I always struggle with them and I didn't feel like fussing with it right now. With this fabric and layout, Madeline isn't even recognizable. Leave it to me to take a perfectly good pattern and change it all up.

I will use this little beauty on a small side table as a table topper. Perfect size for the top of a little filing cabinet I have. I have officially made a Schnibble each month for the Year of Schnibbles. I feel much better now :)

Lost my sewing mojo...have you seen it?

*** I'm featured over at Stitchin' Heaven today. WooHoo!!  Pop on over and say Hi ****

I can't seem to find my sewing mojo. It has got up and gone all of a sudden. I have a few projects I can work on and several more I would love to start but I'm not "feeling" them at all. Oh well. I have "forced" myself to sew a bit each day hoping to get back in the groove.

This is the mini quilt I made for the July door prize for the YOE swap. It's a Michael Miller fabric panel.

The back is a red with white polka dots....

I also made the last two blocks for the Patchwork Posse quilt along.

We just received the instructions for the background fabric and finishing instructions. I need to get going on this so I can call it done.

Off to go force myself to do some more sewing. HoHum.....

Boy's Brick quilt

I made this quilt as part of the "On the Road to Spring" quilt a-long over on Flickr. I finished the top awhile ago but finally got it quilted and bound.

More house fabric. I'm trying to work through more of my stash. I'm doing pretty good too. This one measures 36.5" X 39".  Weird size but it works.

I am slowly going through my to be quilted pile. I thought I would start with some of the smaller items and work my way up to the bed size quilts.

State Fair

This month's pattern for the Year of Schnibbles is State Fair. I really enjoyed making this one. The pattern was simple especially since I only chose the two colors. Most of these fabrics are left over from Mandy's quilt. I'm not a big fan of the piano key borders for all the Schnibbles though. This one needed a simpler border to calm the quilt down. I will be using black for the binding.

A mystery revealed

This is the gorgeous results of the first quilt mystery that I have ever done. I am so happy that I participated. This beauty will be staying at my house! With the Fourth coming soon I'm sure I can find some nice star fabric for the back.

I learned a new technique for making the flying geese. It is a quicker way to do them but I need more practice because I lost a few points. This quilt looks more complicated than it really is. I liked doing it in little bite size pieces...lots of little pieces lol.

McGuffey has a growth spurt

This month for The Year of Schnibbles we were able to choose any Schnibble pattern. My daughter Mandy (19) needs a new quilt so I let her choose from the patterns I had in my stash. She chose McGuffey and wanted to use red, black, and white for the colors.

Mandy chose all the fabrics. As I was working on it I wasn't sure if I liked it. Once I started putting the rows together it started looking a bit better. Now that the top is done...I really like it. It measures 72" X 84". A nice size for a double bed.

Mandy was questioning if it was going to be big enough for her though. So after we had it all spread out on the front lawn, I had her lay on it to test out the size. I wrapped her up to show her that it was plenty big enough. Here at my house we don't need any rulers or measuring tape. Just lay on it and see if it is big enough lol.

I couldn't resist this picture. When the kids were little I always took pictures of there little piggy toes. So cute! Now that she is a "Big girl now" (that's what she always tells me anyways) I guess I should switch to the other end of the body lol. Next week she is off to Alabama for a vacation to spend some time with her best-est friend. Then in August she is off to the Army. Don't know what I will do without my shopping buddy lol.

May mystery

I've been working on the May Mystery over at Patchwork Posse.  In July we will be doing a show and tell with the chance to win wonderful prizes :) This was clue one plus the bonus HSTs. I have a nice collection of bonus HSTs now. Whenever I work a block that has the opportunity for them I just sew them up and toss them into an ice cream bucket I keep on the top shelf of my sewing table. Eventually they will become a quilt.

Part two was to make a million and one flying geese. Or, at least it felt like that many. I believe there are 80 block #1s and 80 flying geese. Not sure, didn't count them. I just kept cutting, sewing, and ironing, and ironing, and ironing some more. I found out that I really don't care for the ironing part of quilting. I do love flying geese though.

Posse Charm A-Long

I finished the last three blocks for the Patchwork Posse Charm A-Long. Block #9 is a signature block. I had some extra fabric so I made a second not so perfect block. Next month we will be adding the background pieces and finishing it.

Playing Catch Up

Over at Patchwork Posse we are doing a charm-a-long Quilt. The new blocks come out the first Wednesday of the month. I was behind by 4 blocks.

I like how the red and blue give the block some movement.

This one is my favorite so far. I like the blue star. Another one of those square in a square blocks again. Eventually I will be able to make these the right size and without losing any points/corners.

I've been having fun playing with color placement. I like having just a handful of colors to work with. Makes it easier to decide where to place everything.

Now I am all caught up with this quilt a-long. On to the next project...after a day of rest. I over worked the shoulder and it isn't very happy with me. The sewing part is easy now, it's just the iron and the rotary cutter. I don't have much strength in the shoulder yet but I just couldn't sit back and not work on any quilts. I could hear my sewing machine calling my name. "R o b i n...come out and p l a y. Just for a couple minutes." Yea right, I've spent at least 4 hours a day for the past 3 days "playing" :) It felt great to get things done though.

March Schnibble done!

I was able to finish up the quilting on this month's Schnibble Roundabout before surgery.

I actually finished hand sewing the binding on just a couple hours before we left for the hospital.

I didn't find the exact number of green thread that I was using but it is so darn close you can't tell.

I found this fun frog fabric at JoAnn's and thought it would be fun for the back of this quilt.

On The Road To Spring

I'm a push over for quilt-a-longs! I joined the On The Road To Spring over on Flickr hosted by i have to say a few weeks ago. This is the top I put together. I grabbed a few of my I Spy fabrics  and some left overs from a plain white sheet and ended up with a baby size quilt. I keep using those I Spy fabrics but the pile doesn't seem to be getting any smaller lol.

Eventually it will be quilted. I was interested in the process of making it but not in finishing it. Oh well, another top to add to the needs to be quilted pile. 

You can find the links to each week here.

Pinwheels go round and round

The latest quilt-a-long over at the Old Red Barn Co. flickr group is pinwheels. I had some black and striped charm squares left over from two different charm packs I used recently. I decided to go for a dramatic look to my pinwheels.

I haven't sewn all the hst together yet. I wanted to see how dizzy-ing the effect would be before I stitched them all together. I kind of like it...from a distance lol. I only have enough for a small baby quilt. I think I might hold off on this one for awhile until I can pick up some more of both fabrics. Or, I might just add some fun borders and call it finished. This is one of those quilts that just hasn't decided if it is done yet.

No green thread means no quilting

I started and finished making this month's Schnibble this past Wednesday (my day off). When I went to quilt it on Thursday I ran out of matching green thread. It looked like the spool was half full but I only had enough to quilt a 1/4 of the quilt.

It's hard to get a good pic of the true colors in this quilt.

I think the colors are fun for a baby. I found some thread that seems to be close enough to the same shade that looks like it will work. I'll probably finish up quilting it sometime this week. I want to have it finished before the surgery date (March 24th) since I won't be able to do any quilting for a few weeks.

Sunday Best is a Sunday Finish :)

 

Sorry for the dull cell phone pics but my daughter borrowed my camera yesterday when she went to the hockey game. Then she decided to stay at her Aunt's and bring my camera back in time to take nice pics. Doesn't she realize that today is the last day of the month? The LAST day to post pics of a finished February Schnibble! lol 

I'll add some better pics tomorrow once I have my camera and some daylight. 

  

OK...camera is home and here is a sharper picture :)