Splendid Sampler Blocks 32 & 33

Block 32 - Constant Needle

This was an easy one to appliqué.  I'm still doing fusible raw edge machine appliqué even though its not my favorite.  Best way I can think of to stay up to date on these blocks!

Block 33 - Selvage Saver

I chose to use just a few selvedges instead of all selvedges.  I am using two fabric collections from Fig Tree & Co - Farmhouse and Strawberry Fields Revisited....so used those.

I will be working on block 31 for a while.  Its another all embroidered one.  This sampler has had a lot more appliqué and embroidery than i thought it would.  They are cute blocks but they really slow me down!

Splendid Sampler - an extra block

Remember the dress block I made?  The original pattern actually had more to it than just the dress.  But I wanted to feature just the dress and use the other elements for an extra block.   Here's what I made:

Cute, huh?   The spool and needle were to the right of the dress in the original pattern.  I just added another spool.  I like it!  

Since I occasionally skip a released block this will have a happy spot! 

Splendid Sampler Blocks 26, 27, 29 & 30

Block 26 - Dreaming of Dresdens.  I haven't made a dresden block in years.  This was fun.

Block 27 - Sewing Machine

Back to raw edge appliqué for this one. 

Block 29 - Happy Scrappy Heart

This one was paper pieced.  I'd like to say its a good way to use up scraps but since you waste so much with paper piecing I don't think its really true.  :)

Block 30 - Simple Surprises

Splendid Sampler Blocks 11 & 28

I was out of town for a little bit and 3 blocks were released - all applique.  I'm not fast with applique so those are going to take a while to get done. 

 In the mean time I did finally finish block 11.

Block 11 - Crocheted Thoughts.  

The original design had a crochet hook and thread that wound around the block but I like the simplicity of just the center.   

Block 28 - Stitching Fashion.

This one also had a spool of thread, needle and thread.  I chose to do just the dress.  The yellow trim fabric doesn't show up too well in the photo, hummm.  I have a different plan for the spool and needle. 

This is one of my favorite blocks so far.  I really love it.

If you are on Instagram check out the #thesplendidsampler hashtag. So many beautiful blocks being made.

Splendid Sampler Blocks 20 - 24

I'm all caught up now. At least till Sunday.  :)

 Block 20 - Natures Walk.

This one was suppose to be all embroidery in the middle but I knew I'd never finish that much handwork so opted for a floral print.  I did stitch one of the butterflies from the original design.

Block 21 - Sweet Candy

A nice easy one!

Block 22 - Goose on the Loose

Block 23 - Hand in Hand

This one had interesting construction for those long pointed bits.  They are 3 dimensional! 

Block 24 - Inspector Sidekick

Looking forward to what's next.  

Splendid Sampler Blocks 17 - 19

Block 17 - Family Stars

Gosh I love this block!  I love stars and whats better than itty bitty ones!   The 4 stars represent my 4 grand kids.  Oh...did you count the number of pieces in this block?  57!  Yes, you read that right.  57 in a little 6 inch block.

Block 18 - Lena's Gift

This was a nice easy block after the last one!   :)

Block 19 - Measure Twice, Cut Once

Isn't this a clever block?  The original pattern had you embroidering the numbers on fabric but I had some tape measure fabric.  I had to turn fabric over and then upside down so it'd look like a real tape measure laid out.   :)   

I love seeing what block is coming next.  Come join in the fun if you haven't already. You can catch up with blocks at the Splendid Sampler site.

Splendid Sampler Blocks 14 - 16

Boy am I behind in showing my blocks here on my blog!

Block 14 - Flying High

 I'd been doing needle turn with the applique blocks but decided these birds were too little to fuss with it.  So I fused and raw edge appliqued.  With 86 blocks to go I didn't want to be behind by adding more hand work.  

Block 15 - Family Affair

This was the first paper pieced block.  I had one boo-boo but decided to fix and not re-do it.  I really like this design.

Block 16 - Pieces of Friendship

Vacation

 I love these women!  Love doing life with them.  We counted and this was our 17th vacation together.  So much fun.

   It was our first time vacationing on Whidbey Island. The house we rented was right smack dab on the beach.  Gorgeous views.

The weather was amazing. A lot of time was spent on the deck soaking in the sunshine.

I didn't really get much sewing done this year.  I was thinking I'd do tons without the puppy around but....girlfriend fun is just as distracting!   :)

I had hoped to finish up the Norway quilt but I only managed to get a few blocks done. I still have two left to do.  

We often do a group project.  This year we all made a Simple Little Pouch from Bloomin' Workshop. Its a decent sized pouch - 12 inches long.  

Thanking God every day for the love of good friends!  Couldn't imagine life without them.

Splendid Sampler Blocks 7, 12, 13

I finished block 7.  Its called Snug as a Bug.  The original design was embroidered only but I decided to applique the quilt. I also enlarged it a tad. 

I'm still working on block 11...another embroidered one....lots of embroidery so I think it'll be while.

Block 12 - Checkerboard

The designers block was just two fabrics but I had to go scrappy!   36 different squares in this one.  :)

Block 13 - Scrap Star

I veered a lot from the designers on this one.  Hers had a two borders and corner squares....I went with just the star middle.

I was on vacation when blocks 14 & 15 were released.  I've been either too tired or distracted this week to catch up and then block 16 was released yesterday.  Ugh.  Hopefully I'll get caught up this weekend.

Splendid Sampler Blocks 8 -10

I am still working on block 7. It is embroidered and applique.....hand work....so slow for me.  I also was sick for a week and hand work is harder to catch up on than piecing. 

Block 8 - Friends Around the Square

Block 9 - Local Quilt Shop

This one is suppose to have an embroidered name above the door but I can't decide if I want to do that. I made it red in honor of my local quilt shop, Quilted Strait.  

Block 10 - Iowa

These blocks really are fun to do.  I find myself anxious to log on and see whats next!

Splendid Sampler Blocks 4-6

I've been keeping up pretty well with the blocks as they are being released.  Just not so good about blogging them! 

Block 4 - Happy Happy

Block 5 - Simple Simon

Block 6 - Focal Point

So fun!

Pouch Swap

The Mini QT Swap group on Flickr that I'm in did a side swap of pouches.  I love making pouches....so no brainer about signing up!  :)

The first pouch I made for my partner didn't turn out like I wanted.  I did some hand stitching on the outside pocket and didn't think about how boxing the corners would affect the placement.  Half of it was pulled to the bottom.  Decided to keep this one and make a new one.

I went a different route and it turned out great. 

I also made a matching needle book as the little extra we were to send.  

 Both pouches are the Open Wide Zippered Pouch (medium size) by Noodlehead.   Great pouches to make....wonderful tutorial. 

I received a beautiful pouch that had so many things I love!  My extra was a matching mini mini.  Cuteness. 

LOVE swapping with this group of ladies.  

The Splendid Sampler

Have you heard about  The Splendid Sampler that Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are hosting?  It began on Valentines day and is a free quilt along.  Two six inch blocks a week for a total of 100 blocks.   I had so much fun making the Women of the Bible Sampler blocks last year that I decided to sign up for this one.  

 Block 1 - Hearts Aflutter

Block 2 - Wings   Lots of tiny pieces in this one! 

Block 3 was called Lots of Love and was a cute block with many pieced hearts (representing the designers family). But I didn't want two heart blocks in my sampler so I substituted a different block.  I liked this one for representing my family...has 4 parts coming together.

  

I am using two lines of fabric from Fig Tree & Co....with a few odds-n-ends thrown in with them.  Love the soft palette. 

I am also choosing to do needle turn when there is applique instead of fusing. I like the softness of it done that way.

This is going to be another beautiful quilt!

Latest Minis swapped

My partner has received her mini so I can post pics now.  :)  This is for the Mini QT Swap group on Flickr that I belong to.  Its my favorite group!  Such sweet ladies who do great work.

Our theme was Monochromatic.  We couldn't tell our partners what color to use but we did give input into likes and dislikes.  My partner said she was loving gray right now so I went with that as I have a nice stash of it.

Here's what I made:

 The hexagon design I got from a Zen Chic pattern called "Hexagon Brilliance" and just sized them down to a mini size using the mini hex-n-more ruler.  

The pattern has the hexies in a random layout going horizontally.  I didn't like it in this mini size so arranged them this way.  I really like how it turned out.

And this is what my partner sent me:

I love it!!!   Its bright and happy and whimsical and small!  I really like my minis to be small.   The quilting is wonderful too.  My skills are all straight lines....someday maybe I'll be able to do this.  

Yay to another fun round of swapping with this group!

Fancy Fox and Urban Beads

Two of my quilts are currently hanging at Quilted Strait where I work part time.  Its fun to see them together.

 I made Urban Beads a while ago.  Blogged once about it here.  Shelly Nolte (Bunny in a Box Quilting) did my quilting on it.  Love how it turned out.

I just made Fancy Fox for the shop.  It sews up quickly.  I made the baby size so it went even faster.

We have this super cute flannel that is on the back and I used it to pull fabrics from my stash for the foxes.

Isn't he cute?  Love the glasses.

I'm working on another sample for the shop but I think its gonna take a while.  Puppy time trumps sewing these days.  :)

My latest distraction...

Long time no post!   I've been a bit distracted and busy lately and here's why:

I got a puppy!!!!

We've been without a dog for over 3 years.  It was time.  

Her name is Miranda and she's a yellow lab. 

  I can't get enough of her. If she sleeps, I like to hold her. She uses an old towel as a binky to fall asleep.  So cute.

Or I'm outside on one of a zillion potty runs or playing.  

She'll be 10 weeks old this week.  Its gonna be a busy year puppy training and puppy loving!

I imagine I'm not gonna have loads of sewing to show.  :)

Bloggers Quilt Festival Fall 2015

Twice a year Amy Ellis hosts the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Its such a great time to blog hop and see some wonderful quilts and read inspiring stories.  I've only entered a quilt once before in 2012. You can see that quilt here.  Mostly I like to just see what others have done.  But I just finished a mini that I'm in love with so decided to enter the show!   

 So cute!  

Its a single 16 inch block from a quilt pattern called "Whirlygig" by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins. From their book called "Quilts with a Spin".

The center is hand appliqued. The circle of triangles is paper pieced. 

I am always saying how I don't enjoy paper piecing (and I don't) but I keep doing it!  Some things are just better done that way.  :)

I quilted in the ditch all around the applique and triangles.  Then did some circle quilting around the entire center.  

This mini is actually for a swap....so yea, I'm giving it away.  I sure hope my partner likes it cuz I really really love this one!

There are 12 categories in the Festival....mine is in the Mini group.  Go check them out:  Bloggers Quilt Festival Fall 2015,