Circle of Geese, Storm Signal and One Cute Cat

First the cute kitty.

From Carol Doak's site. http://www.caroldoak.com/index.php  I'm still working on improving my paper piecing skills and signed up for Carol's course on Craftsy. 

Circle of Geese was last week's block from the Stash Buster QAL hosted by Linda's Quiltmania.  http://lindasquiltmania.blogspot.com/  It's all paper piecing and took some time to make. 

Storm Signal is the 15th block of the Ben Franklin QAL hosted by Erik Homemade Coffee Break ezine http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/ 

 

This is the fourth set of 4 small blocks we've made for this quilt, and I'm curious how we will be using them in the layout.  Block 16 is next so I won't know any time soon.  It's a mystery:)

 

This weekend is the Christmas QAL here on my blog.  That means we have this month and next month and that's it.  December we show off our stuff.  Hope you will be joining in at some point this weekend. 

Hello World

The thing about working on UFO's is that there isn't much to post except the bits of progress so I 've let my blog rest for awhile.  I've reached the point on my America the Beautiful quilt where I am auditioning fabric for the binding and that makes me very happy.  I just have a few pictures of the FMQ I've done.  Look at the difference a little stippling makes.

 

And I've enjoyed making twinkly stars because they look nice and are easy. 

 

 

I am surprised at how long finishing this quilt has taken.  I am just not a fast quilter. 

I made the 10th block in the Ben Franklin qal http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/files/our-editor-block-10-benjamin-franklin-mystery-quilt-page-1-3.pdf  It is called Our Editor.

And I put together a body pillow cover using Blank Textiles' Bora Bora.  These fabrics transport me from my very sedate home to daydreams of the tropics. 

 

I finished the mini quilt I was making during SewCalGal's International Quilting Day.

 

I have won some nice things as well.

This is from the Worldwide Quilting Day site.  They had a whole month of giveaways.  I've never tried Aurifil thread so now I have the chance.  Thank you.

This I won from Judy Chain of Sew Fun Quilts during SewCalGal's Golden Quilters Awards.  I love that I have the makings of project already cut and ready to sew.  Thank you, Judy and SewCalGal.

And also from SewCalGal is this collection of batiks from Hoffman Fabric.  I hope you can see the pansies, daisies, ferns, leaves graphics and in the upper fabric the shells. There is also one with sea horses.  I had just purchased a Bali Snaps pack of Hoffman Fabric and as you can see it blends well with the other pieces.  This will be another fun project to put together.  Thanks again SewCalGal.

Is that it?  Think so.  I did put together another I Spy quilt for my sister's grand kids and my day was made when my nephew posted a picture of his little one and in the background was my quilt on the floor.  It's being used. That warms a quilter's heart. 

That's where I am.  Hopefully America the Beautiful will be a finish this week.  I hope you all had a blessed and happy Easter.

 

God Bless You. 

Philadelphia Pavement and Real Progress

This is the eighth block in the Benjamin Franklin QAL.  http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/  I love how this block turned out and think I got the balance just right in the colors and prints. 

What really pleases me is that I have reached the point of sewing the binding on the Quilt of Valor I'm making for my brother.  That's what I'll be doing for the next few days. 

Moxie loves this quilt.  When I was quilting it she would get on the fabric that was in the hoop and try to nest there or else crawl under it for a nap.  I had to put it away in a plastic container to keep her off of it.  Too funny.

 

God Bless You.

London Roads Block

This is the latest block from the Ben Franklin QAL at Erik Homemade Coffee Break http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/   It's called London Roads. 

Sometimes when I see how many colors I'm using and how different each block is from another I get nervous, but I think this quilt will be one I love. 

 

Have a great day.  Too bad about the Pats, but as they say, there is always next year.  And the Sox are waiting in the wings.

 

God Bless.

Market Square and Pennsylvania Blocks

I made the two blocks that I was behind on for the Benjamin Franklin QAL with Erik Homemade Coffee Break ezine http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/ . 



Market Square Block

Pennsylvania Block

 

And I have been faithfully quiilting the QOV and see progress in that quilt, so I think that my New Year's plans for completing projects is coming along nicely.

 

Time to tune in to the Patriots game. 

 

Have a great week.

 

God Bless You.

 

Empire Star Block and Part 2 of Christmas SAL

The fourth block of the Benjamin Franklin Mystery Quilt is the Empire Star block.  http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/benjamin-franklin-mystery-quilt/

It is a good looking block and I'm happy to be up to date on this qal. 

The third block is the Fly Foot block which I posted about here http://needlethreadhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/08/fly-foot-block.html

That block was bothering me because of its brutal associations so today I took it apart and rearranged it so it looks like this now:

I love the other blocks and the fabric I'm using in this quilt and knew I couldn't let it go.  I know, I'm too sensitive.   

 

I also completed the second part of the Christmas SAL with Carole of Point de Croix Novalee 02  http://novalee02.over-blog.com/

Love this project, too.

 

Hope you are all well.

God Bless You.

 

 

Fly Foot Block

The third block in the Benjamin Franklin Mystery Quilt http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/  is the Fly Foot. 

 

Other than this block I've been hand quilting the QOV which at this point looks like it will never be finished.

 

Please read SewCalGal's post about prayer flags.  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2012/08/call-for-quilts-prayer-flags.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InsightsFromSewcalgal+%28Insights+From+SewCalGal%29

  That's something I meant to make when I first saw them on Nina Lise's blog last year I think, but I never got to make one.  It's a nice idea and some of the quilts are quite lovely.

 

God Bless.

 

Boy's Nonsense Block

The second block in the Ben Franklin Mystery Quilt is Boy's Nonsense.  What a cute name.  http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/2012/07/free-boys-nonsense-quilt-block-pattern.html

My two blocks so far. Very different looks although most of the fabric is from the same Robert Kaufman fq bundle.  I love it.

I got half way through making the next Treasure Chest block, Ozark Trail, when I ran into trouble and quit that project for today.  I folded and pressed my prairie points for the Festive Mystery Quilt instead.  So, I 'm trying to keep up with everything. 

God Bless.

Free Motion and A Pillow Resizing

This is my latest exercise from the free motion machine quilting how-to on A Few Scraps.

It may look as if I used the decorative stitches on my sewing machine, but I did this with a darning foot.  Although I did look at my decorative stitches to get ideas.  I have much more practising to do, but I think I do the "L"s pretty well.  

Have you ever done this?  I have a down pillow that was so soft that I never used it because it was like sleeping directly on my mattress.  Before getting rid of it, I decided to try to resize it.

This is the pillow when I began- normal size:

I held the pillow so that the down fell to the bottom.  The pillow is in a zippered cover, and I left that on so feathers wouldn't get everywhere.  The zipper is on the bottom.    Then I measured evenly from the free end to the point for stitching.

I just stitched on my marked line, then cut the excess case off allowing a 3/4 inch seam allowance.  That I folded in twice and sewed to create a closed edge. 

The pillow now measures almost 19 inches square.  I need to find the home decorating fabric I have left over from my slip covers, and then I'll make the cover. It's still a very soft pillow, but now it has more body.

I went to my sister's on Sunday, and she, Katrina, who is nine, and Brenna, who is five, and I did some shopping and then watched Monsters, Inc. and some of Peter Pan.  We had a lot of fun.  Is Monster, Inc. not the funniest movie?   One of the places we shopped in was Trader Joes.  There isn't one near me, so this was my first visit, but I do want to go back. (are your reading this, Ging?) 

On the way home I stopped in at Sears.  I needed a new vacuum, and knew that the Kenmore Progressive was highly rated by Consumer Reports, but the price was high for me.  So, I walked in the store directly to the vacs, and low and behold, what is on the end of the aisle on sale?  The Progressive.  It's a close out sale.  I bought it and am in vacuum cleaner bliss.

I am doing housework this week and got the grass cut today.  But, I do plan to sew.  I want to catch up on my Erik Homemade quilt top.  Next week is the last week.   They are having a Christmas mystery quilt along, and although I said I wouldn't, I am going to join.  I will work with fabric I like and will have a beautiful quilt for Christmas.

A big thank you and welcome to my new followers.  Hope all is well with everyone.  God Bless You.