Some Finishes

 

Feelin’ good.  Got some projects finished.  Every project done takes a weight off my shoulders. It will be a long time before they feel weightless!  Hopefully I’m headed in that direction.

First finish:

Bonnie Hunter’s latest mystery “Grand Illusions”.  I’ve named my version “Karate Stars”  My lovely granddaughter, Lydia wanted in on the picture.

This is the back of the quilt.  I had a large piece of one of the blues I wanted to get out of my stash, so decided on a pieced back.  Also kept me from having so many left overs to cut up into usable pieces. I’m going to try to make it a habit to piece more backs, especially since I’m running out of large pieces to use for backs.

Next project done:

Not quite my style, but I wore it last night when I took Lydia to her ballet class.  I was so layered up due to the cold, that it didn’t show.  I bought this iron on chrystal motif several years ago to put on a T-shirt for my daughter.  She was into the skull and crossbones thing at the time, but not the bling.  So it never got done.  Came across it Saturday while looking for something else and decided to do something with it, just to be done with it. Another weight off my shoulders. If worse comes to worse, I can always donate it to Goodwill.  Maybe someone would come along that liked it.

Jammin’ jars.  A nice little Sunday afternoon project.  They just need to have fat quarters put in them and then two of them will be part of my Christmas in March gifts to friends.  We are just slow about getting our projects done for gift giving.  There is just too much else going on at the Holidays.  They were fun to do and am considering making them for Christmas for bee members, depending on what we decide to do for our Christmas exchange.  We have been doing fat quarters and this would be great packaging.

This week I’m working on finishing the M for Murder Mystery BOM.  

Slowly Making Progress

 

 

If I get any slower, I will be standing still.  Some days it seems like I’m doing that now.  I am seeing a little progress in getting caught up on my current sewing projects.  I’m glad to see some of them reaching a conclusion. 

The EVQG Mystery Top is completed.  Yeah!  I’m quite pleased with the way it turned out.  I did scrappy with a color scheme.  The pattern is  from the Nov. 2007 McCall’s Quick Quilts magazine.  I haven’t looked to see if I have that magazine or not.  Sure would like to see what the original quilt looked like.

All the Purple Sage blocks are made.

It will be an on-point setting.  I’m impatiently waiting on the finishing directions to be posted. I had hoped they would be ready today.  The blocks are on my design wall and I would like to finish the top before moving on to something else.  The last thing I want to do is take them down this close to the end, so my hands are tied as far as working on something else.  No room on the design wall for any other projects. 

 

The four patch blocks for the 2nd border on the Delightful stars top are all made. Just have to sew them together, but would like to but them on the design wall to try to get an even distribution of color.

Here it is with the 1st plain border.  I want to get the 4-patch border on before deciding what color to use for the other pieced border.  I’m not doing it scrappy.  That was just a little too much for my mind to grasp.  Just couldn’t see it turning out well.  I’ve really enjoyed this quilt a-long and hope Michelle will do another one next year. This is the 3rd one of her quilt a-longs that I have done.

 

Almost forgot to take a picture of the September Saturday Sampler block when I finished it this afternoon.

I’m ready to go get the October block.

May BOMs Finished

 

Can’t say the same for my Quilt A Longs.  I’m behind on them and getting further behind by the minute.  I didn’t make it into my quilting studio for the past two days.  Today a lady is supposed to bring me a quilt to quilt for her and the Quilty Fun quilt is still on the frame. I’m waiting for more fabric for the “Never Enough Chocolate” quilt A Long and I’m two weeks behind on “Delightful Stars” because of issues with Comcast email.  It seems they have taken a dislike to the Quilting Gallery and won’t let the emails through.  I requested a change of email address for the emails to be delivered to and now have my missing patterns, but haven’t had time to even think about making them. 

Still deciding on fabrics, but getting close.  Think I will go with the fabrics in the blocks on the left, but waiting on another with black background to replace the one with the green in the blocks on the right.

 

This is clue (month) 5 of the M for Mystery.  I especially love the blue paisley fabric that came this month. I want to add some to my “paisley” stash.

 

After nine blocks I really am regretting some of my purple fabric choices.  That’s what comes from working from my stash and refusing to buy more fabric.  Use what is in my stash or forgo the project.  I’ve lighten up a little on that plan.  Although I still think it is a good way to operate. 

 

May Vise Versa blocks.  I so am loving this BOM.  It may be partially due to the colors I picked.

 

So far the May block is my favorite.  This is another scrappy project.  So far I’ve been able to dig through my scrap bin for fabrics. 

 

These plastic molded chairs sure have held up well.  Think I’ve had these for around 20 years.  The one Lydia is sitting in was here mother’s when she was little. 

Moving On Along

 

 

The Quilty fun top is done.  I’m hoping to get it quilted this week.  The backing is being washed.  Maybe I can get it on the frame today as well.  Still need to decide on the quilting design to use.

 

All up to date on the Delightful Stars.  This is the Lesson 11 block. I’m going to have to open up the design wall soon for this one.  That means finishing the UFO on it. 

 

I just couldn’t resist doing the “Never Enough Chocolate” Quilt Along.

I was auditioning background fabrics for the dark blocks.  Decided I didn’t like the orange.

Here are the fabrics I finally decided on.  The are Kaffe Fassett fabrics, except for the background fabrics.  That was the challenge part of the quilt along for me; finally using some of my Kaffe fabrics I’ve been hording.  It will probably be May before I actually start the quilt.  Need to try and finish the UFO on my design wall.

Almost

 

The Quilty Fun top is almost done.

I asked my granddaughter if she like her quilt.  She told me “not yet” and started putting little triangle scrap pieces on the top.

The top is almost done, just have to add the last border. I think the added rows at top and bottom worked out.  It should be twin size when complete.

Have a Glorious Easter!

Two Projects Finished

 

The Spring Chicks table runner and the Easter Bunny Mug Rug are finished.  Two new projects that I had no business starting when I have so many others that need finishing. 

Both patterns were featured on Pat Sloan’s facebook group.  The bunny mug rug is a tutorial at http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com.  The table runner is my version of a free Pat Sloan pattern.  Now Pat is starting a Quilt Along with a challenge to it to celebrate her first e-pattern.  The pattern is Never Enough Chocolate and the challenge is to use a special fabric you have been saving for a special project or because you just couldn’t make yourself cut it up.  Do I need to start a new project?  Definitely not!  But I can’t resist a quilt along or a challenge and this has both. I down loaded the pattern, now to decide which “special fabric” to use; batiks, the paisleys or the Kaffe Fassett I’ve been collecting. 

 

But first I need to finish the Quilty Fun top.  Or work a little each day on both of them.

I swapped the blocks around on the left side so they are back in the correct order.  The blocks to be added to the top and bottom to make it longer are made.  I just have to sew them together with the spacers to make the rows and finish putting the top together.  I’m hoping to call this project completed by the end of the month.

Working on The BOMs

 

I just about have all of this month’s block of the months done.

Sew Retro Kitchen April block is the tea pot. I’m enjoying doing a little paper piecing every month. Maybe I can hang this in my kitchen when it is finished. I digging through my scrap bin to do this one.  I like doing projects that I can use my scraps to make.

 

The April Aurifil block is the bear paw block.  It seems a little dark because I didn’t use the white background fabric in it.  Think it was supposed to be used as the “paw”.  I’m thinking now I should have used the white where the red is and the red solid for the corner stones.  Well, I’m not going to redo the block just yet.  I prefer to “wait and see” if it stands out too much when more blocks have been made.

 

A star for the Vise Versa April block.  I’m really liking these blocks.  I think the reason is the colors I’m using.

So far so good.  My poinsettias are still alive and have new shoots growing.  It is time to start setting them out side during the day.

April BOMs

 

April has gotten off to a good start.  I’ve complete all but 4 of the BOMs that I’m involved in.  So far I am liking how they are turning out.

The April Purple Sage block from Persimmon Quilts.  Just the center part of the block changes each month.  I think there are 13 blocks all together. 

 

The April Delightful Stars block. This is a quilt along and a new block comes out every week with the exception of a couple of breaks.  So, it is a little more challenging to keep up with.

Michele, the designer of the Delightful Stars quilt, asked each participant of the quilt along to make her a friendship star.  Her is the one I made for her.  She plans to piece them all together for the back of her quilt.

 

Globetrotting with Pat Sloan.  San Juan is the April block. I feel like I should write the name of the city each block represents to help me remember.

 

Clue 3 of the EVGQ mystery is complete.  Still able to do this as my leaders and enders and keep up.  The next clue comes out the 3rd Tuesday. This is definitely a mystery to me.

Will Spring Ever Get Here?

 

It is still in the 30’s this morning.  Will it ever warm up?  Not that I’m wishing for summer, just temperatures above 45 degrees.  I like Spring and Fall weather.

 

The last block is made!  Next week the finishing begins.  This is so cute.  It will be for my granddaughter.  It has been so designated by my daughter, who never likes my quilts, but thinks this one is cute.  I cheated on the antennae, flower and writing.  It was supposed to be embroidered, but I used a permanent marker.    It probably turned out neater that way. Thank you Lori Holt for doing this quilt along.

 

The second memory quilt top is finished.  Now to get the backing fixed and on the frame for quilting.

 

Fat cat.  Who does he think he is sleeping on my bed!

Busy, Busy

 

My legs are sore this morning.  Did pump class yesterday.  We were supposed to go this morning but after three months away from the gym, exercising two days in a row is a little too much. 

So far I’ve been keeping up with my current projects. 

Made spool blocks this week for the Quilty Fun Quilt Along.  This is going to be such a cute little quilt when it is finished.  I’ve been enjoying this project.

This month’s paper pieced block for the Sew Retro Kitchen BOM at Quiet Play is a bowl and wooden spoon.  I’m going through my uncut scraps for this one.  I’m thinking it will be mostly reds and blues.

I met the lady wanting the memory quilts yesterday.  We decided on a pattern for the first one and I came home with a bag of clothing, mostly knits.  I will be sorting through the cloths and planning out the quilt today.  First I will finish the March unit of M for Mystery BOM.  Didn’t quite get it finished yesterday.