Basket Blocks

I received the nicest tote from Cathi of Shakerwood Quilts for winning the Christmas Quilt Along quiz.  I love the fabric, the card, and even the mailing label, which was printed in the charming look of Cathi's website.  Thank you, Cathi.  It's going to get much used, I assure you.

The Christmas Quilt Along is so neat.  Next month I'll be better prepared.  I've been thinking of gifts to put together, and if I want to buy Christmas fabric, now is the time as there is still some available at very good prices.  I know for sure I'll have a quilt because I'm making Cathi and Sue's design. 

Now my basket blocks.  I took a series of pictures as I was making my blocks because I was so organized I was proud of myself.  It must have been all of the talk about Eleanor Burns on the SewCalGal site, and my rereading one of her books.

I cut the strips.

I cut the squares.

I matched background squares with  flower squares.

I cut the squares diagonally to make half square triangles, which is how I make them. 

Keep cutting.

Take the hst's to the sewing machine

and sew, sew, sew.

Then on to the ironing board.

Square up.

Repeat the process with the basket fabric.

Start sewing the baskets together.

And keep ironing, as well.

By Friday night I had nine blocks done.  Doesn't sound like many?  Well, there is life away from the sewing machine.  It hit the high 50's Friday, so I sat on the back stairs with my tea to enjoy.  Good thing, because there's snow tonight.

I stepped away from it all Saturday and Sunday, (the newest Charles Todd book will do it), but I played with fabric to try to arrive at the block border color.

The carpet's dark blue. Should I use the carpet?

Not pink.

Soft green is too soft.

Tan.

A different blue. Better? 

A different green.  Better?

I don't know.  I'd like to put a narrow border on the basket blocks to make them stand out, and then use white sashing and the background fabric to give them an heirloom look.  I think I have to keep it soft.  I also thought about cross stitching a center panel of roses, but now I'm getting away from that idea.  Maybe pink isn't so bad.

And guess what!  Janet Wickell announced that the next scrappy block she gives us is...a basket block! 

God Bless You.

A Good Week for Sewing

This must be some kind of record for me as this is my third post in five days, and I never gab this much.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I made a deal with myself to make better use of my subscriptions to quilting (or crochet) magazines and make something from each issue. To really get my money's worth I should make lots of things, but I'll take it one at a time for now.

I received my first issue of Quiltmaker on Friday.

I like basket blocks and decided to try the scrap basket block in this issue. EDIT: Bonnie Hunter is the designer of the block.

I began cutting fabric last night and sewed the block tonight.  It took me quite a bit of time to make one block, but hopefully the rest will go faster.  I know the block is soft in color.  I think it will still work.  There is some contrast in the size of the prints.  And these aren't baskets, but pots filled with flowers.   

I made a mug rug from the little block I made during the Christmas Quilt Along on Saturday.  So let's see, if I make a mug rug every month through November I'll have ten done before Christmas.  Not bad.

Hope you are having a good week with your crafting.

God Bless You.

My Scatty Stars Quilt Block 1

As part of the Christmas Quilt Along that Sue and Cathi are hosting,  the participants can choose to make the Scatty Stars Quilt that the hosts designed.  Two of the first block were called for, and these are mine. 

Since we made two, I varied the backgrounds.  The dark really makes the star stand out, but the light is pretty too.

And lucky me, I won Cathi's quiz contest.   That's so neat.

God Bless.

February Edition of the Christmas Quilt Along Second Post

For me, this is one of those days that isn't going smoothly.  I got up late and wanted to join in the qal so I hurried to get something going.  I have made my little block, but it looks a little wonky.  That's okay, because when it's quilted it will be beautiful!  I don't intend to use it as an ornament, but to incorporate it into a mug rug or pin keep, something like that.

I'll be making another block reversing the colors.   I also have some cross stitch quilt block patterns that I want to make.  And I received the pattern for the first star block so I will enjoy putting it together this week. 

I'm stopping now for tea and to visit the other blogs.  I do have a recipe to share.  These are ricotta cookies.  I made them to use up ricotta, but they are so good, I'll be making them again.  They are not very sweet, but they can be iced, frosted, whatever you would like.  The link for the recipe is http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ricotta-Cheese-Cookies/Detail.aspx

One more thing I want to mention is that Linda from Stray Stitches http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/  is having a Think Spring giveaway of some lovely floral fabric in joyful colors.  The winner will be posted on February 21.   You'll enjoy Linda's blog posts so be sure to visit.

God Bless You.

February Edition of the Christmas Quilt Along

The Christmas Quilt Along that Sue of Quilt Times http://www.quilttimes.blogspot.com/  hosted last year was so successful that she has teamed up with Cathi of Shakerwood Quilts http://www.shakerwoodquilts.blogspot.com/  to host the qal every month starting today.  I really haven't planned my Christmas items yet, but Sue and Cathi designed a beautiful star quilt to share with those who participate in the qal.  So, I will sign in and get my first block today.  But while my computer was warming up I did get to start a small quilt block ornament that I  wanted to make.

I'm making the block on the right.  The pattern is in the book 50 Country Quilting Projects (one of my Saver's finds) published in 1990.  That doesn't seem so long ago (to me at least) but everything is by template, not measurements.  So, I am measuring the templates to know what to cut.  Yeah, I make everything harder for myself:)

Now to get my block plans.

A Chubby Heart, a Mystery Quilt Guess, and Some Questions

If you receive the Sew4Home newsletter http://www.sew4home.com/ then you probably saw the chubby heart coaster tutorial in this week's issue.  (Their website has the best tutorials.) I like coasters and mug rugs because I always have a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of wine, so I have them all over the house.  I made a mug rug using the chubby heart pattern.  I embroidered some hearts on one side and made the rug reversible.

Since before Christmas I've been participating in the Christmas Mystery Quilt qal at Erik Homemade Ezine http://www.erikhomemade.typepad.com/  After this week's sewing I have a guess on what the design is of the quilt.  I think we may be making a quilt with a Christmas Tree.  This is all of the sewing so far:

The picture is dark but the only colors are cream, green and red. 

I think Erik will be leading a redwork sewalong soon.  I'll definitely be joining that qal.  

Late last year I was following the free motion quilting tutorial of Christina from A Few Scraps http://www.afewscraps.blogspot.com/.  I learned enough to give me confidence in doing meandering quilting and I love doing loops.  Well, I made this quilt last year but never quilted it, until now.  I've been working on each block separately, and have only two more to go. 

After this quilt I have another quilt top I made last year that needs to be quilted.  That one I will do in a very simple way. Then I won't have any unfinished projects needing quilting, and that's good because I'm involved in three qal's right now and hope to join in with Sue from Quilt Times in her mystery quilt.  And I'm sure that's not the end of my quilt making. 

+

Now for the questions.  When you are quilting the quilt on your sewing machine, what have you found to be the best way for you to control the fabric you are not quilting?  I have tried rolling it up, and it helps somewhat, but I'm wondering if there's a better way, other than sending out the quilt, which may be my next course.  Does anyone use the roller clips that are sold to hold the fabric together and do they work?  Are there alternatives?  I'm open to suggestions and appreciate your help.

My next question is on binding.  You may have noticed the lump on my mug rug where the ends of the binding meet.  How do I avoid the lump? 

Hope everyone is well.  God Bless You.

Purple Mountain Majesties and a Forest

McCall's Quilting March/April issue has part 2 of the quilt directions for Lynn Lester's design.  I haven't made all of the trees yet so this is just what I've completed so far. 

Katherine Lee Bates wrote the poem Pikes Peak in 1895 after a trip west.  When it was published it was retitled America, and then when it was set to music the title was again changed to America the Beautiful.  It is one of the most loved patriotic songs we have and it's great to sing.   Don't you just love the word grouping "purple mountain majesties"? 

Still plenty more  trees to put together.

SewCalGal http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ has a giveaway of an Accuquilt Go!  which ends on February 14th.  As I'm writing this there are 404 comments so I see my chances of winning becoming fainter, but I'm still trying.  Good luck to everyone who reads this and enters.

God Bless You.

One Down and Many More to Go, Hopefully.

I live in New England, and if you know anything about what the weather has been like for us this winter, you may think I don't do anything but shovel snow and then sack out on the recliner with my blankie and cat to recover.  But I have in fact been sewing and crocheting, as well.
I wasn't going to show this quilt until I realized it is the first completed from start to finish project of 2011, so here it is.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I plan to make something from every quilt magazine I receive.  The February/March issue of Quilters Newsletter has a feature on quilts that were made by inspiration of the Mosaic Tiles of Andalusa, Spain, specifically the Alhambra Palace in Granada.  I didn't want a quilt with a white background, as beautiful as those quilts are, so I used fabric I had on hand to make something I needed, a table cover.  This is the quilt pattern I meant to follow:

My quilt looks like a fifth cousin removed a few times, if that's the correct reference. 

And as in life, it isn't exactly what you thought it would be, but it has it's merits.

I wanted a coffee table cover and I have one. 

And I have an accomplishment.

That's it for now.  More shoveling tomorrow, as another Nor'easter is hitting us right now.  This is the third snowfall this week.  I laughed yesterday when I received a call from the senior citizens group I joined to inform me that the February meeting was cancelled.  Not taking any chances:) 

Hope all is well with you. 

God Bless You.

Antique Tile Quilt Block

Block six of Janet Wickell's Scrap Happy Sampler Quilt is the antique tile block.  http://www.quilting.about.com/

My blocks so far in the order I made them.

God Bless You.

Scrap Block Five

I'm doing well keeping up with the blocks for the Scrap Happy Sampler Quilt from Janet Wickell of  http://www.quilting.about.com/ .  The latest block has the curious name of Swamp Angel.  I wanted to know where the name came from and it is either from the Civil War, or the 19th century name for mosquitoes, or a waterfront gang.  I am tending toward the Civil War and mosquito nickname due to the name given to a battalion that fought some battles in the

summer of 1863.  If you know more about it, please let me know. Here is my block:

So, we are already up to five blocks.

I am crocheting a lapghan that is coming along nicely.  I like the pattern:
1/24/11: This pattern is here:  http://www.happyyellowhouse.com/htm/simplyred.html



I won a book from Pink Chalk Fabrics.  It's called One Yard Wonders, and I look forward to getting it and maybe making a wonder.  I'll show it to you when I get it.  Thank you Pink Chalk Fabrics.  They have a giveaway every week.  Visit their shop and blog to learn more.  http://www.pinkchalkfabrics.com/

God Bless You.

It's My "Fifteen Minute" Time

My blog is listed on the Favorite Sewing Blogs of We All Sew.com http://www.weallsew.com/needle-thread-happiness/ and I'm very happy about that.  It's just a link to my blog, but this is the first time my blog has been chosen for something like this, so it's nice to be found out and recognized. 

Thank you We All Sew.  

What is funny is that I have been getting the feeds from We All Sew for a while because it's a good resource for other craft blogs, and I find it fun to see what others are making.  (We All Sew is sponsored by Bernina.)

God Bless You.  

Winner and Goshen Star Block

Congratulations to Sarah, the thirteenth commenter on the giveaway post.  An email is on the way.  A huge Thank You to everyone who left a comment.  I enjoyed reading each one and sharing my little celebration with all of you.

This is my version of the Goshen Star block, the fourth block Janet Wickell has given us for her Scrap Quilt Along.  The look of this block changed dramatically with where the light, medium and dark fabrics were used.  In my version I love the way the light and medium fabric in the bands look like handkerchiefs, at least to me.  Here are all four blocks so far:

It's going to be a very colorful scrap quilt.

I also made the fields block for the America the Beautiful quilt, so I'm done with that until I get the next issue of Quilting.

From one end to the other.  My block is 57" long.

I've been trying to get a good picture of Moxie, and this is the best I could do today.  She is such a cute cat, but I cannot get a decent picture of her.  I'm just going to keep trying.

Her tent and her tunnel take up a good piece of real estate, but she's worth it.

God Bless You.  Here's to another fun year of blogging.

America the Beautiful

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

Although I love the song we are not singing America the Beautiful today, but you can if the spirit moves you.  The post title refers to the project I have worked on the past few days. 

Around Thanksgiving I subscribed to McCall's Quilting and another two quilt magazines.  I also received a subscription for another quilt magazine from my sister for Christmas.  And as I was trying to put some organization into my sewing area and noticed all of the books and periodicals I have for crocheting, cross stich, sewing and quilting, I decided that I needed to do more than just read my new subscriptions.  So, my goal is to make a project from each issue I receive.  The January/February Quilting issue made it easy for me.  They have a series sampler quilt that will be published in six installments, and I love the pattern so that is what I'm making.  The quilt is called America the Beautiful and it is designed by Lynn Lister.  The first three blocks to do are the Shining Star, the Barn, and The Field or what I think of as The Fruited Plain. 

The Shining Star took me almost all of yesterday afternoon to make. What takes you the most time when you begin a quilt? For me it is choosing the fabric.  I think it's because I like to play with fabric, and so I literally do that with my scraps.   

I still need to applique the star, but after that the Barn Block is done.

I haven't begun the Fruited Plains (Field) Block, but that will keep me busy later today.

The next block that Janet Wickell has chosen for her scrap quilt along is the Goshen Star Block.  So I get to play with my scraps again:)

I mentioned in an earlier post that this month I have been blogging for one year.  I'm having a small giveaway to celebrate being part of a nice community of bloggers.

This is Arianna by Jennifer Young for Benartex.  There are 35 5 inch squares.  This is one of the groups I received as part of Benartex' Preview Pack Club.  It's a pretty collection with pinks, aquas, browns, blues, yellows and khaki.

Leave me a nice comment.  Please don't just say, "Thanks for the giveaway.  Count me in" or  any variation of that.  Would you like to tell me what takes you the longest when you have a project?  Or what you subscribe to?  Or a qal or sal you've joined?  I'm interested.  

The winner will be chosen on Monday, January 10th.

Thanks for visiting.  God Bless You. 

Happy New Year 2011

Thursday I got back to sewing non-Christmas things.  I caught up on the qal I'm doing with Erik Homemade Coffee Break eZine.  Then I made the two blocks I was behind on for Janet Wickell's scrap qal.  And I have a suspicion that Janet is very fond of half-square triangles.  The two blocks we had to make are the Arizona quilt block and the Twinkling Star quilt block.  While I was making the twinkling star today I was very tempted to ditch it and make a block of my choice.  But I persevered and it came out okay.



Road to California, Arizona, Twinkling Star

See all of those little 1.5 inch hst's?  OY!

I will say that I think this scrap qal is challenging and for that reason will probably be an interesting quilt when it's done.   

I began to crochet a lapghan to donate, and I turn to it when the hst's drive me crazy.  I have a few quilts to finish, and I'm determined to do them.  

Hope you are all enjoying the holidays.  God Bless You.