Spools

I love antique spools.  I think it started when I was little and had a jump rope with handles that were spools.  My "Aunt" from England brought them to me when she came to visit us in Michigan.  I'm sure that I still have it in my childhood memories tote.  When the weather gets warmer, I will have to look for it.

Anyway, the reason that I brought it up is because a customer of mine found 2 spools for me (I'm counting it as a Christmas gift).  They were quickly added to my little collection.

Thanks again John!

Rainbow quilt top finished

Shhh.  It's a Christmas present for my 10 yr old son.  He loves rainbows.

I had to go hide in my room to get a picture.  When I'm finished, I will get a better shot of it for you.

I need to piece the backing yet and get it quilted.

It is made with 2 1/2 inch strips and I randomly shifted the colors from side to side which was good because I screwed it up twice and I don't think it's noticeable because of it.

I slacked off and didn't pin any of it so...it's a bit crooked but he will love it anyway...I'm just worried about what it will do when I quilt it.

I made it extra long so that I can tuck it in and maybe not have to make his bed every night (his other quilts are too short but he loves them).

It's been a while since my last blog because my computer was in the shop...and it's still not sounding so swell.

We've had this one for around 10 years or more and I am still trying to baby it for a little bit longer.



Red & White BOM #11

Only one more to go after this.  Woohoo!

I hope finishing this quilt goes as well as all of the blocks.

I have already gotten behind on my Halloween block of the month.  It seems kind of strange to be working on it when Christmas is right around the corner.  And it really wouldn't be right if I didn't add a project to my UFO list this year.

448 HSTs

I've finished 448 half-square triangles...616 sewn and ready to be cut!

My shoulders are begging me not to.

But, they are sooo addicting.

I'm using Laundry Basket Quilts HST sheets.

My sister and I will be exchanging half of our HSTs so we can get a variety.

Tomorrow I will be taking a trip to JoAnn's for more green thread (for my applique leaves).

Slow progress days

I went to one of my quilt guild meetings the other night and this is what we made while we were there.

I have used up some of the fabric that I purchased the other day.

Now I have 22 of these HST sheets to sew and cut.

I am also working on stitching around my leaves and berries for my tree quilt.

That is a very slow process!

Maybe it just feels slow because I want it finished so bad.

A little bit of fabric

I had an itch to do some fabric shopping.

I tried not to buy fabric just because I liked it.

I was on a mission to get fabric for projects that I'm working on.

These bundles were not really MY kind of fabric but, I need fabrics for HST and they need to be scrappy.

Found them at Fanna's Mercantile in Hesperia, MI.

I also needed more lights for those HST and Fabric Quilt Scissors shop in New Era, MI had just what I needed.

It's a little bit early for Halloween but, I have been admiring this fabric for a while and want it for borders for my BOM.  It was 20% off...How could I resist?

The purple one here is going to go in a Christmas present.

Okay, the brown is not planned but I just liked it.

This is backing for my tree quilt.

I also bought fabric for the borders for my house wall hanging but I had already put it away.

Hopefully, I will have some finished projects to show you soon.

House update

Okay, the applique was the next step on my mini house quilt.  I've managed to get the pieces fused and now it's time to stitch around them.  (Hummm...sounds familiar...that is the same step I am on with my tree quilt.)  Then, I need to add the borders.  I'm having a tough time deciding on the final floral border...I may have to go shopping...darn.

New house on the block

Okay, I guess this house thing is like a real house...the first one was my starter house...one that you realize doesn't have everything you want until it's too late.

This is the second and final house for this project.

I am much happier with the colors in this one.

Kathy at the quilt shop helped me pick out new fabrics.

I was excited to find out that they were borrowing an AccuCut machine from a friend.

And, she had a die for 1 1/2 in. strips!

So, I got all of my strips cut quick, easy and accurately.

And then, I realized that I needed 1 in. strips not 1 1/2 in.

So I trimmed a few down and kept the rest for another project.

Aren't they happy? 

On to applique!

Sometimes...

...you just have to call a do-over!

In my last post, I started this project.  But, when I saw it on the computer, something just wasn't right.  The next day, I saw my sister and told her that I was thinking about redoing the block and she said that she didn't like it either (I still love her just not as much lol).  Anyway, I thought I would give it one more shot since it is a little better in real life.  So, I stitched some black around the windows and thought that once I put the border on that it might tie it together a bit more.

Well, here it is with the borders set around it.  There is still suppose to be applique around the house.  I do like it a little better but, I'm still not in love with it.  So, I AM calling it a do-over and we will see how the next one looks.  Wish me luck.

The start of a new project

I think I get a rush from starting new projects.  It's kind of like getting new school supplies...oooooh it gives me shivers!  Today, I started another pattern from Edyta Sitar's book Friendship Strips and Scraps.  It's just a small wall hanging.  Here is the center block ready for the pieced border and then some applique.

Blue birds in my quilt forest

I have added blue birds, twigs and berries to my forest.

They are really cute!

Now for the part I'm not going to enjoy...stitching around all of those leaves and berries!

This is my first big quilt with applique and that is a lot of turning in my machine.

I am waiting to trim up the quilt until I'm done with the applique.  Hopefully the edges won't be so frayed.

I love Edyta Sitar patterns, they are always so adorable.  I'm planning on doing a couple more at least.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

At my neighbor's house

I have a favorite neighbor.

I'm going to be just like her when I grow up.

She let's me come over and bother her.

Her quilting machine just might love me more than it does her.

(She would have to use it again to find out!)

Here is a picture of a friend's quilt I was working on quilting.

I also get to enjoy looking at my neighbor's antiques while I'm there.

I am in love with her 15 gallon crock.  I think quilts will look adorable rolled up in it.

She shared some of her old quilts with me.

I love this quilt!

This block just tickles me with it's mismatched pieces.

Crazy quilts are right up my alley too.

So, on top of using her machine and enjoying her quilts, she sends me home with the yummiest goodies!

This time was chocolate chip cookies.  Yum!

She makes THE BEST strawberry jam (that I try not to share with my family!)!

I do hope that some day I will grow up to be just like her.

Leaves quilt finished

FINALLY!  This quilt was started in Oct 2009 and finished in Oct 2011.  I knew I wanted to have it done by a longarmer and it had to wait.  My dear Mother gifted me the quilting for a Christmas present.  Gotta love Moms!

This quilt was a leaf pattern by Thangles.  I just love my wild color choices.  I think that is the great thing about leaves...their striking color...now, I know that there isn't blue and purple leaves but I love it anyway!  In my perfect world there would be blue and purple leaves.

The binding I did by machine which I tend to do on bed quilts now because it takes so much less time.  And besides, when I'm in bed close to the binding, my eyes are shut!  I do still like to do a lot of my throws by hand.

It was a little windy trying to get a decent shot.

I'm off to work on some more quilty stuff.

Olde World Style quilt top finished

 

This is a pattern designed by me to work with this fabric line (Olde World Style by Monique Dillard for Maywood Studio).  I love the tiled look on this quilt.

I started this quilt in May and am happy to be back to getting it finished.  I started it as a sample for my friend's shop and just before I got the borders on it, they told me they were out of the border fabric (which is where the circles were fussy cut from).  So, it got pushed to the back burner.

I also have the backing done (sorry, no picture) and the binding has been ready to go since the cutting stage.

Summer House postage stamp quilt top finished

I have finished the quilt top out of my Summer House fabric by Lily Ashbury for Moda.  The postage stamp pattern was a free tutorial at  P. S. I Quilt.

The colors are right up my alley.  I have another layer cake and some extra yardage of this fabric in my stash for later...I'm still trying to decide on a pattern for it.

The backing is also finished.  It's not my favorite pieced back but it will do.  The stripe binding is all cut and ironed and ready to go too. 

A little bit of sewing

Last night...

I finished the backing for my Terrain by Kate Spain quilt.  I know it's wrinkled but that big box of magazines was there and I didn't want to move it...it's really heavy.  I love pieced backings but, sometimes I wish it didn't take extra time.  I had to use up the extra charm squares because they were so cute.  Guess it's time to get a hold of my favorite neighbor so I can get this baby quilted.

And, a third of my blocks for the Summer House postage stamp quilt are finished and waiting to be ironed.  Since it was 2:30a.m. I thought I should go to bed but, I'm looking forward to working on the rest of these block today.  Hopefully, I will have time to sew some binding on another quilt too. 

Is this good or bad?

I'm just not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  These were gifted to me the other day.

There are a lot of really nice magazines here.  I think my husband is going to kill not be very happy with me for bringing more junk crafting stuff into the house.

I would hide them out of sight but...nope....they are going right beside my lazyboy for me to look at in the evenings...because I NEED more to do...NOT!

There were also some old calendars with the pattern booklets...can't wait to look at these.

And, some paper piecing patterns and other quilt templates.

Anyway, it will be fun to check them out and pass them along to the quilt guild.

BOM Red & White #10, WIP BOM Halloween

Just 2 more months to go on this before we get our finishing kits.

This is the Halloween block of the month that I'm working on.  Can you tell that her face is wrong side up?  I had half of my fabrics done before I realized that I had been putting it on the wrong side.  Thank goodness that her hair was a batik so it didn't have to be changed.  I fixed them all except for her face because I couldn't find any green in my stash that would work.  Wondering if it looks okay enough to leave it.

Elizabeth Rose UFO Finish

I have finally finished my Elizabeth Rose quilt.  It is the one that I fought with to get the borders on.  I didn't have a pattern for this, I just made it up as I went along.  My original idea got tossed in the process but I like how she turned out.  It reminds me of a garden trellis.  My stash has more of this fabric because I want to do one without the border but bigger of course.  I already have it cut into strips.  It's on my UFO list.

I took her to my favorite neighbor's house and did a quick meander last night.

After I came home, I trimmed it up and cut the binding.

This morning at about 7am I was sewing and ironing the binding so I could come home and put it on the quilt after I took the kids to school.

It was a nice quiet day today.  I didn't have to go to work so, I stayed home all day and worked on projects.

A Little Forest Progress

It's getting closer.  I was up until about 2:30am working on getting my trees put together.  Today, I should have time to trim it up and start on the applique.  I think I may make a run to the quilt shop and get the applique templates.  It's all about having the right tools!  I think it may be time to pick up a block of the month too.  Bonus.

My little forest

Oooooo they are so cute!  I am just about ready to cut my setting triangles.  I do have to admit that I'm getting a little nervous about the applique.  Vines are new to me but learning something new is part of what I enjoy about quilting.  Bring it on.

Here are 17 of the 18 trees.  I'm surprised that this quilt is covering my queen size bed but then I didn't really pay attention to the size other than I wanted it bigger than the wall hanging.

This is the trunk for the 18th tree.  I think I got a little tired last night and had to finally give up.

Just keeping it real!

Today, it was unsewn.

I didn't have much time for more sewing today.  Sometimes, I have to pretend to be a good wife.  I've done laundry, dishes, made beds, cut son #2's hair (yesterday's pics of him really bothered me), swept (not mopped which still needs to be done), took out the garbage (in the rain and I didn't melt), scrubbed the sink and stove...and many other things that no one but me ever notices...like picking up the clothes on the laundry room floor!  Anyway, that is a whole other blog story.

Happy quilting until next time!