Sea Breeze Mini QAL

I had so much fun making a mini quilt (to be shown soon...once I know my partner has opened it) in my colors that when I saw the Sea Breeze Mini QAL post I decided I'd make myself a mini in my colors.  I quickly kicked out the blocks before I went on vacation. I made mine a tad smaller than the pattern.

But see that light colored block up at top?   Not liking it.   These are all fabrics from my Circular Reasoning quilt.  They look great together in that quilt.  I think its a case of "more is better" - the reason I love super scrappy!  But with only 9 different fabrics that light one sticks out....and not in a good way for me.

I tried various layouts to see if I'd like it.  But no.  And I want to love it!

I do like when 4 blocks are together.  Considered putting it together like this and making it into a table runner.  But no. I wanted a mini not a runner.  I want to love it.

This was the day before I left for vacation. I just got back late last night and will be leaving again in 4 days.  No time to make new blocks or make decisions.   So I won't finish in time for the quilt-a-long.  The finish will just have to wait till another time when I'm feeling the love.  :)

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts Lets Bee Social.

Its my birthday!

Today is my birthday!  I searched through my pictures for something new to post on my day....but I haven't been working on anything new.  Still working on getting these two projects done.

I have all the segments paper pieced now for my secret swap mini quilt.  Time to sew them together, sandwich the mini and get to the quilting.

I finished the hand quilting on my Circular Reasoning quilt.  Yippy!!!

Next I will machine quilt a spiral around to fill in the background.  I've never done that before so I'm really really hoping it looks good.  My goal is to finish this baby quilt by the end of summer.  Sounds easy but with vacations and sunny days, it may not happen!   :)

Off to see what movies are playing at the theater. Dinner and a movie sounds like a relaxing night.

Linking up with Let's Bee Social.

A little this...a little that

I've been working on a couple of swap items this last month. I'm making little envelope blocks for the Bitty Block Committee group. Aren't they cute? I've gotta make 12 and they will each be a different color. I'm making them entirely out of my scrap bins. Woo hoo!

 Those flying geese wedges are for a mini quilt I'm making for my partner in the Mini QT Swap group.   Its still in the secret stage so no more info for now!  

This is my fabric pull for the mini I'm making.  My partner likes the same colors as I do which meant I had tons to choose from in my stash....no shopping needed.  

I took a break from my hand quilting to put the binding on my Suburbs quilt.  I have about 18 inches left to do.  TV time tonight will take care of that!   My local quilt shop is going to hang it as a sample, which is why I am hurrying to get it done.

And that as they say, is that!   :)

PS. I just noticed this is my 400th post.  I had no idea!  

Curlicue Crush

I finished my Curlicue Crush top about a month ago but never got any pictures of it.  Pink Chalk did a blog post of it the other day so I was able to grab a couple photo's that Diana took so I could share here.  :)

This was one of those quilts that took years not because I'm that slow but because I kept changing the fabrics.  I started with a complete collection that included hot pinks and browns.  Had it all cut out and on the design wall (you can see it in this post) but it never "sang" to me.  I pulled out the browns first.  Still didn't "sing".  Hot pinks came out next.  Nope.  Eventually I pulled it all down, ordered more fabric, cut and re-designed till I got a lay out and combination that I loved.  Then the sewing of all those curves began.  

I think I did pretty well!  

It is at the machine quilter now.  I chose a super thin batt and voile for the back cuz I want a summery weight quilt.  Can't wait to get it back.

Happy sewing everyone!

Perfect Picnic Blog Hop

I'm participating in another blog hop hosted by Madam Samm of Sew We Quilt.   She comes up with the best themes for hops.  This one was "Perfect Picnic".  

Well, my "perfect" picnic isn't so perfect!   In fact, its the picnic that wasn't.    I wanted to recreate the first picnic I had with hubby when we were dating.  It would have been a simple meal - salami and muenster cheese and bread.   It would have been in a park.  We would have just talked like we did over 34 years ago. Would have.  

Instead I grabbed the picnic quilt I made and enjoyed some fleeting sunshine  in my own backyard!

Yup...that's my meal!   Had some iced coffee too.   :)

I had been collecting food fabrics for years.  Its so fun to look at all the different fabrics....no two are alike!   I had seen the pattern "Yellow Brick Road" (by Atkinson Designs) years ago too and decided that would be just right for my collection of yummies.  I also found a great gingham fabric with ants on it that I used for my border.  So cute.

I'm sorry I don't have fab pics to show you of a fab location or fab food.    My "perfect" picnic will have to be some time later this summer.

But I do LOVE  my quilt!  

Be sure to visit the other gals who are sharing their picnics today:

Monday June 9

Cherry Blossoms

The Quilting Queen Online

Mad Quilter's Disease

Daisy Days

Buzzing and Bumbling

From My Carolina Home

Sew We Quilt

Thanks again, Madam Samm.  And thanks Mary for being a great cheerleader.

Hand Quilting

I decided to hand quilt the middle portion of my Circular Reasoning quilt. Once done I'll machine quilt a spiral around all the letters.  Its going fast for me!!!  :)   Helps that I let go of how my stitches look.  I'm simply enjoying the rhythm of stitching.

I brought the quilt on my vacation with my Yaya's. I wasn't the only with a quilt in a hoop!  Melis took a picture of the three of us at work.  First time we've all been doing hand quilting at the same time.  Just had to share.

Linking up with Let's Bee Social over at Sew Fresh Quilts.

Feathers In The Wind

A couple of weeks ago I shared a picture of some paper pieced feather blocks I had made.  I finished the quilt really fast but its been at work (show-n-tell and to be photographed) so I haven't been able to share a picture....till now.   

The pattern is called "Feathers In The Wind" by The Sometimes Crafter.  I used Essex Yarn Dyed Linen (denim color) for my background and just scraps for the feathers.  I've never used linen for a quilt so am hoping it holds up to many washings.  I've heard mixed things.   All that's left is the quilting.  I'm just gonna straight line quilt it. Keep with the easy theme.  :)

Linking to Let's Bee Social over at Sew Fresh Quilts.

Design Wall Monday - Hexies

I finally have something new on my design wall!  

I love hexies and when I saw this tutorial on Crafty Fox blog I knew I wanted to make the quilt.  No y-seams since you add the pieces on the corners to make a square block.  And I love the zig zag that is created.   I bought a pre-cut pack of hexies to eliminate cutting hexies.   It is requiring a bit more pinning than I thought I'd have to do and that's slowing me down.  But I do love how its turning out.  

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday on Judy's blog.  Head over to check out what others are working on!

Suburbs Quilt

For many years now I have gone on vacation with my best gal pals!  Its one of the highlights of my year. 

I go with great intentions of finishing lots of quilts but never accomplish all I think I will!  This year I finished two.  I already showed the Round and Round quilt on this post.  Easy with loads of negative space.

Next up is Suburbs (pattern on sale here) by Cluck Cluck Sew.

This was a fun quilt to sew.  I cut into my stash of Denyse Schmidt fabrics for the houses.  

I used some Botanics Stem Ash by Carolyn Friedlander for my background.  I didn't pay attention to it being a directional print when I bought it so I did have to spend extra time cutting it out so all the trees would be upright!  Totally would have bugged me if they went every which way.

I'm thinking of doing this quilt again but having each house have a solid door so I can embroider little surprises in some....like a cat or flower,etc.

I'm linking up over at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social.
And WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

Feathers

I worked on some paper pieced feathers tonight. I only need 4 for my quilt project but they were fun to do so I'm gonna make more then choose my favorites. 

I'm using a pattern by The Sometimes Crafter called Feathers in the Wind.  Its another one with lots of negative space.   I love how fast they are to make!!!  

Round and Round baby quilt

Just got back from my annual vacation with my best girlfriends.  Totally a blast!!!!   

I got two quilts made while away.  One I'll show today.  

One of the things I love about many modern quilts is their simplicity.  I'm drawn to the negative space and the statement that a simple design can make.  I've always wanted to make a quilt with a single block in it and loads of negative space............and I finally did! 

I made a single Round and Round block (like I wrote about here) and then just added background fabric.  So easy.  

Now the thing about quilts like this is that the quilting is what really makes it sing. You can see good examples of what I mean here,  here,  here, and here.

All of those quilt designs look easy enough that even I could do them!   

Silent but still sewing

I can't believe I haven't written a blog post since January.  Good grief!   I have been sewing but it sure doesn't look like it.  When I went looking for pictures of what I've been doing I barely found any.  My head just hasn't been in the documentation part of my sewing. 

Here are some of the things I did take pics of: 

I made this pincushion for a swap and a matching needle book as an extra.  My partners mosaic of favorite things included squirrels and oranges (among other things).  I used them as my inspiration.

I made myself another Mail Sack bag.  This time I did some "quilt as you go" to make a panel rather than a single fabric.  I also added a magnetic snap to help hold bag together.  

And I got my Penny Sampler back from the long arm quilter.  Shelly did a fantastic job, as usual.  This swirl design is my favorite all over.  I have the binding sewn on one side but still needs to be finished.  I am so in love with this quilt.  :)

That's it. I shall try to get back to taking pictures. 

Happy sewing!

Playing with Pink

I just had a long weekend with nothing on the calendar to take me from home.  That meant lots of time to sew!  I decided I wanted to work on something mindless and easy.  Something that I didn't have to pay attention to details and could just enjoy the rhythm of the machine.  I had just the project in mind.

I started by pulling a bunch of pinks from my stash.

  

I just love the pile of trimmings you get after squaring blocks down. 

And here is the final quilt!  

 I saw this project tutorial on the Dear Stella blog.    Its super fast to put together.   And if you used a layer cake, it'd be even quicker.  I think it will make a fun baby girl quilt...with the baby's name and birth date embroidered on the heart.  :)

Linking up at Sew Fresh Quilts: Let's Bee Social.

Wake Up to Kona

I've joined another blog hop and today is my day.  When Madame Samm announced the theme of Kona Solids I knew I had to sign up.  I've had a pattern and the fabrics for a quilt for over a year and this hop was the PUSH I needed to get it done!   :)

This is the bundle of Kona's I had purchased.  My favorite color palette to work with.  Love. LOVE.

And this is the quilt top I made:

The pattern is called "Circular Reasoning" by Carolina Patchworks.  I bought it here.

It is fused and raw edge appliqued.  I used a blanket stitch.  It went pretty fast.

 The pattern makes a 75 inch square quilt but I wanted it smaller to give as a baby quilt.  I reduced the pattern to 75% of its original and made it a 54 inch square.  

As you can see its not quilted yet.  I can NOT figure out how to quilt it!!!  I love how its quilted on the pattern with pebble quilting around all the letters and a secondary circle formed in the negative space.  My free motion quilting skills are sorely lacking so first time pebble quilting is not gonna happen on this one.  And I don't want to do any quilting over the letters.  

Any suggestions?  

This ended up being my favorite pic of all I took.  :)

Thanks to all involved in such a wonderful hop - Madame Samm, Carol and all us hoppers!

Be sure to visit the others sharing today:

January 15

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Daisy Days - You are here!

My Addiction to Quilting

Mountain Mist Designs

Hill Valley Quilter

Malini’s Quilts

 

And thank you for stopping by.

Secret Santa Pouches

I never did share here a fun project we did at work for Christmas.  We had a Secret Santa type pouch exchange. It was so much fun!  

This is a great pic of our wonderful Pink Chalk Team!   Kathy Mack, the fabulous owner of Pink Chalk, is on the right hand side in the green sweater. 

Here are all the pouches that were made:

I made the one in the back with the embroidered girl on it.  

The pouch pattern is "The Essential Wristlet" by Dog Under My Desk.  It was pretty easy to make. Lots of pictures for those of us who love them!   :)

 I got the girl design from the book "Embroidery pour la Maison" by Sylvie Blondeau.   Such a cute little book.  I stitched her on Essex Linen White with regular DMC embroidery floss.

And I added some big stitch quilting in the circles with Perle Cotton. Love doing that.

A peek at the inside.  

I sure do love my job!  

Grocery Bags

I can't believe that Christmas day came and went and nary a picture was taken!   Sigh.

I made this Grocery Bag for my daughter to take presents home. Took a quick picture before Christmas to post to Instagram with the intent to take more of the inside, etc.   Got sidetracked making 3 more bags since I had finished with all my Christmas prep and wanted to keep busy. 

   Like I said no pictures!  

This is a really easy bag to make.  And fast.  Uses a half yard for the exterior, half yard for the interior and scraps for the handles (or more of exterior or interior is you want them to match). 

Oh and its a downloadable pattern so you can just start sewing!  Love that.

Christmas Tree mug rugs

I made these super quick mug rugs for Christmas.  Used this tutorial over at Stitching and Bacon.  They are a good way to use up scraps!   

Penny Sampler top done!

My Penny Sampler top is done!  Woo hoo!!!  I love it so much.  I have taken 3 classes from Rachel and this one was my favorite.  I loved the anticipation of logging in on Mondays to see what blocks we were making that week.  I never got bored.  And I had fun working with a softer color palette than I've been using in the last several years. 

 I decided to piece the back with leftover fabrics that don't work in my stash.

I even pieced in the selvage from the inspiration fabric that I pulled the colors from.  I plan to have it machine quilted professionally so that it can actually get completely done and used. 

Penny Sampler Assembly

I have all the blocks made for my Penny Sampler and three of the borders done.  Its so pretty!  I started assembly and have a little sneak peek to show you.

This is the top third of the middle of the quilt.  

Look at that fun fox block I added on the top left hand side. Its from the book Scandinavian Stitches.  It wasn't in the original quilt design....that space had the second Dala Horse.  But since I didn't want two horses I had to think up something different.  I think the fox is the perfect addition to my sampler.

International Quilt Festival

Going to Houston for the International Quilt Festival has been a dream of mine - and my best friend, Rhonda - for many years and this was the year to go!   

I thought I'd share a few of the many photo's I took over several blog posts.

Rhonda and I.  :)

The convention hall in Houston is HUGE.  I've been to the show in Paducah before but this is much bigger. 

 We started with the quilts in the main show on the first day, then did the special exhibit quilts on the next day. So much beauty and inspiration.  

This is the Best in Show winner.

"Chihuly's Gondola" by Melissa Sobotka.

Such an amazing quilt.  My photo does not do it justice.  All that shading, etc, was done in fabric.  No digital photo's on fabric or painting. 

This was my favorite of the ones that just delight me and make me smile.

"You are what you eat" by Kathy York. Honorable Mention in the Art - Whimsical category.

Here's some examples of detail and texture that is achieved with fabric.

"Cock of the Walk" by David Taylor.  Third place in Art- Pictorial category.

"Did You Wash Your Beak?" by David Taylor.  Judges Choice award.

The machine quilting was phenomenal.  I didn't get too many great pics of it but here's one that shows up.

Close up of "Zen Magpies" by Helen Godden. Honorable Mention in Art - Painted Surface category.

And the only pics of hand quilting that I have were from quilts in the special exhibit.  I'll share some of those in future blog posts.

You can see all the winning quilts here.  Go look.  They are amazing.