A Full Day of Sewing

Today was like going to work except I was in sewing heaven.  I began sewing around 10 a.m. and just stopped for good around 8:30 p.m.  I caught up on the Erik Homemade Ezine Christmas Mystery qal by putting on two borders.  I think these borders just add so much to this quilt top.   That was one accomplishment.

I made the two blocks for the Scatty Stars Christmas qal so I'm up to date on that. 

Last month's star pattern is still my favorite.  But there are plenty more to go.

I finished the Regency quilt top, with one obvious mistake.  I think that  that once this is sandwiched, quilted and had the binding sewn on it will be a treasure.  I love, love this fabric.

My three accomplishments for today.  I also have a flannel backing to put on a quilt top I put together last year.  I have had that project pending for a while but keep committing myself to other things so it isn't done yet.   Tomorrow I plan to get that backing sewn and the quilt sandwich made, and I plan to play with clay.  I bought some polymer clay with plans on making decorative pin heads or scissor charms.  That's probably something I didn't need to get myself into, but I want to try it. I also have to cross stitch this week's pattern for the Easter sal so I can get the next design. 

God Bless You.  Hope all of your projects are going well.



Christmas Quilt Along Saturday March 2011

http://www.quilttimes.blogspot.com/ Sue of Quilt Times is today's host of the Christmas Quilt Along. 

12:03 pm  I've cut the fabric and sewn two of the strips.  The applique needs to be done before I do any other sewing so I'm taking a break, having tea, and will be visiting the other blogs.  I'm a little intimidated by the applique so I'll procrastinate;-)


8:16 am  I'm ready.  Last night I ironed my fabric, and this is what I'll work on today.

It's a pattern and collection for David Textiles that I picked up at Walmart.  I love red.

I'll work on the star patterns when I need a change.  These are from the February qal.

I'm going to sign in and get started.  See you later.

New Scrappy Sample Quilts Blocks

Janet Wickell http://www.quilting.about.com/ gave us the basket block pattern for her Scrappy Sample Quilt Along.  I made two versions because I seem to be going in two different directions with my scraps.

The baskets were supposed to have a different color for the handle, but I used the same color as the basket part.  I guess the flower portion of the basket could be embroidered or appliqued with some flowers to dress it up, but I like the design.

This is step 1 and 2 of the cross stitch sal I'm doing with Carole of Novalee 02.  We get the next step tomorrow.

And speaking of Saturday, it's Christmas Quilt Along day, so I'm making my plans for what to sew.  See you then.

God Bless You.

New SAL

Carole of Novalee02 http://www.novalee02.over-blog.com/ has an Easter 2011 cross stitch sal that I have joined.  She had a deadline for joining, and I just made it.  In this sal the participant needs to make the first pattern and send in a picture of it before the next pattern is sent to them.  That keeps us honest and makes me keep up with the sal.  I worked on this until late last night in order to keep up.  It was pleasant to get back into cross stitch.  This is my step 1.

I also have my 48 basket blocks made.  Because I used the tan fabric for each basket I feel the blocks shouldn't be butted to each other en mass.  If I do that the baskets take over and the pastel fabric becomes secondary.  Well, I just last week received my first issue of Quilt magazine, a Christmas present from my sister, and this pattern is in it.

The quiltmaker is Laura Blanchard.  This is the design I'm going to adapt to my blocks. 

This issue of Quilt just happens to have many patterns that please me so I'll be going back to it for other ideas, like the cover quilt for one.

Today is gorgeous here, and I was outside with Moxie just to see what's up in the yard.  Before I knew it I was involved in the garden.  That's going to be happening alot soon, and I hope I can keep up with my various projects.

Have a gorgeous day, no matter what your weather.

God Bless You.

Not a Tree Afterall

My guess for the design of the Christmas Mystery Quilt along at Erik Homemade Ezine was wrong.  I guessed a tree, but it's a wreath.  That is a complete surprise but it's very cute.

There are still more instructions to come, but I know what I'm making now.  There's a red bow in the upper left that's very sweet, and the dark fabric is green.  I'm becoming one of those people who have Christmas going year round what with this mystery quilt still going and Sue and Cathi's Saturday sew alongs each month. 

I am up to 35 basket blocks.  Still more work to do on that.

In New England the calendar doesn't dictate the weather.  We've had blizzards and nor'easters in April, and a few snowy Easter Sundays that I can remember.  But the flowers are ready to pop.  The crocuses aren't afraid of a little snow, should it show up.

God Bless You.

Good For You To Know

Tomorrow, March 1st, SewCalGal begins accepting nominations for the SewCalGal Golden Quilter Awards 2011.  You may have seen her badge for the event on blogs you visit:

If you go here http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/golden-quilter-awards.html you will read all about it.  Today's post http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2011/02/final-curtain-call-for-2010-golden.html  lists the winners from last year, and I saw two names I've recently talked about on my blog;  Bonnie K. Hunter who designed the basket block I'm making and Eleanor Burns whose books I love and learn from. 
Visit SewCalGal's site on March 1st to read her post opening up the nomination process.  There are many sponsors, and you receive entries for their prizes by nominating and voting. 

Barb of Bejeweled Quilts http://www.bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com/ is celebrating her 32nd wedding anniversary and her son's birthday with a giveaway that increases whenever the comments increase by the amount of 32.  It began simply enough with a pattern for her turtle quilt, which alone is a great prize.  But now Barb has added a small island doll and a card of cocoanut shell buttons (she misses American Samoa where her husband was stationed but now they are in the U.S. again.)  Ends March 4th.

I'm up to 29.5 basket blocks.  I stopped sewing yesterday because I was ripping out too many seams, so time to put it down.  I crocheted instead.

The hosital wants the lapghans to be 40 inches and mine measures 36 now, so it needs more border rows.  I'm afraid the border might be too wide if I keep adding rows.  I may finish it and see if it looks ok, but if not take it apart. 

This antique cactus basket quilt dates from 1930 and was made in Iowa.  The pattern is in one of my Saver's books, Quilts Around the Year by Linda Seward.  What I took note of was that the blocks are not bordered but are sewn right next to each other.  It took 56 blocks. 

This quilt is in Patchwork Quilts Made Easy by Jean Wells.  I like the way the baskets are set.

This is nice too. 

I'm looking for ideas on how to set my blocks, if I ever finish them:)

I did listen to Joanne Fluke's latest, The Devil's Food Cake Murder.  If there are any other followers out there, what's happening with Norman?  He's so nice and Mike is a cad.  Hurry up and write another book, Joanne!

God Bless You.

More Basket Blocks

I've made 28 Basket Blocks and need 48 to make a quilt the size I want, so there's more work to do.

Here is the book I won recently from Pink Chalk http://www.pinkchalkfabrics.com/ .  It's One Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins.  I was surprized that it is a spiral book with patterns included, many of which I plan to make.  Thank you Pink Chalk.  Moxie loves deliveries, too, because it's something new to sniff.

I also won this beautiful pattern designed by Sherri K. Falls of This & That http://www.thisandthatpatterns.typepad.com/  Her blog is Little Bits of This and That.

I absolutely love this quilt and intend to make it.  I might start it now even though I want to complete the Basket Block Quilt.  Thank you, Sherri.

God Bless You.

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.