April Christmas QAL Post 3 - Progress

When I visited Hazel's blog, she had made some star cookies.  That led me into my kitchen where I made brownies.

This was Hazel's fault.

Am I easily led or what!

I made the brownies, did some laundry, went to Mass, had supper, and have been quilting the Regency quilt since.  It's almost done, but I just ran out of thread, so it will remain undone for now. 

I sandwiched my striped quilt so it's ready for quilting, but I'm not.

I'm done for now.  It's been fun.  And even though I didn't have a finish, I did make progress and have fun.

God Bless You.



April Christmas QAL 2nd Post - Distraction, Inc.

Things keep happening here to distract me from my plans.  I transferred the embroidery design for one of the quilt blocks and began to sew it.  I don't like my stitches so this block will be for me.  This quilt is a gift so I want the stitching to be better.  I only got so far:

when a package was delivered.  I had ordered five dies from the Sizzix Outlet, and I couldn't resist trying one.

I know that apples aren't necessarily difficult to applique, but it only took a few minutes to put this one together.  I'll stitch it later and thnk about making a runner or cover with a few apple blocks.

As if that weren't enough, I received the latest issue of Quiltmaker, and I'm eager to read it.

Plus, I was outside with Mox for awhile.  Pity the poor bugs:)

The day isn't over.  And every little bit of sewing is progress.  Back later.

God Bless.

April Christmas Quilt Along

10:09 a.m.  I'm still in my pj's and drinking my first cup of coffee, but I have made a few things happen.  Today I will work on this pattern that I won recently.  It's by Sherri K. Falls of This & That Patterns. http://www.thisandthatpatterns.com/   Sherri's instructions state to back the background fabric on which the embroidery is done with light fusible web before transferring the design.  Did I do that?  Noooooo. So my fabric is moving and stretching as I draw. I'm using my new light box for the first time and it's so much better than the "sun through the window" method.. 

So I will fix that before anything else gets done.

I also plan to do some more quilting on the Regency quilt that I began last month so that it can get finished soon. 

Last night I found a video made by  Nancy Zeiman of Sewing With Nancy.  I like her show very much and was surprized to find her video, but I watched it twice and then made myself a checkbook cover using my new serger. 

This went incredibly fast.  As usual, choosing fabric and cutting it took the longest. 

Moxie is doing her in one minute and out the next routine.  She wants to be in two places at once.

OK.  I'm stalling, so I am off to do some sewing.

God Bless.



Keeping Quiet

I'm keeping up with the Easter sal, and this is the latest step.  The next design has bunnies, carrots and bees and is delightful.  After that we do some scrolls and that's the end. 

I did so much sewing for two weeks that I lost interest in it and have stayed relatively quiet this week.  I have done some quilting on the big quilt  I have and keep making progress on it, and I have done a little  quilting on this Regency quilt so I don't have another UFO hanging around, but mostly this week has been sewing-free. 

However, that all changes tomorrow because it is the Christmas QAL Saturday. 

I need to figure out what I'll be working on.

God Bless You.

New Pillows Cases

I did make pillow cases with the Sizzix die flower blocks.  I'm happy with them, but their newness makes everything else look worn.  Time for spring cleaning.

I quickly put together a quilt top from the strips of an inexpensive roll.  I'm making it for the Share the Warmth event that Martingale Publishing is hosting to celebrate their anniversary.  My goal is to finish it this week, but I'm done sewing for now; need a break.

 Happy Sunday.

God Bless You.

More Playing With Dies

This is what I  made with the other flower die I have for my new Sizzix.  I plan to put french knots in the centers.  Then I'm not sure what I'll do with the block; maybe a pillow.  

I neglected to provide a link to Colleen's blog, Lucky Duck Dreams, yesterday and want to correct that.  http://www.cyarnell.blogspot.com/ Visit her blog to see what she has made with her Sizzix.

The votes have been counted and SewCalGal has announced the winners of The Golden Quilter Awards.  The nominees and the votes are submitted by quilters internationally, and SewCalGal hosts this annual event. 

I'm happy for all of the nominees and the winners.  I've only been quilting and blogging for a little over a year, but there are a couple of names listed of quilters who I learned about and who influenced me in the progress I've made with this craft.  That's wonderful.   Here is the list of those receiving awards.

Best Designer    Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs

Best Teacher/Instructor     Bonnie Hunter, Quiltville

Best Author    Eleanor Burns, of Quilt In A Day

Best Quilt Store (Physical)     Mary Jo's in Gastonia NC

Best Quilt Store (online)    Fat Quarter Shop

Best Long Arm Quilter    Judi Madsen - Green Fairy Quilts

Most Innovative product (physical item)    AccuQuilt Go! Fabric Cutter

Most Innovated product (software item)    EQ7, by The Electric Quilt Company

Most influential person in the world of quilting to-date, aka "Lifetime Achievement"    Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day

Best Quilt Retreat    Two Wacky Woman (Southern California)

Many sponsors have contributed items for a giveaway.  The giveaway is open to everyone who nominated, voted and helped with PR (like this post) for the event.   Visit http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ to learn more about the awards and the giveaway.

God Bless You. 

It's Been a Pretty Nice Day

I haven't won the lottery or anything else for that matter.  And it has been raining most of today.  But I read something inspirational this morning that just made my day.  I ended up going to Stations of the Cross and then Mass, which was a funeral for a 24 year old father of two. I didn't know him but the funeral preempted the regular Mass, so those of us who did the Stations went to the funeral mass.  It's sad to die that young, but faith tells us there is more. All in all, it was a very positive morning.

Then the sewing took over.   I admit that I have coveted and hoped to win an AccuQuilt GO! since it came out a year ago.  I've entered too many contests and never won.   I don't win even the weekly contest when there are only 100 or so entrants.   So, I bought a Sizzix Big Shot because the price was right.  I have read Lucky Duck's posts on the uses she has found for her Sizzix and was impressed.  I had also been doing quilte a bit of researching on the Sizzix.   Although I hope to get the  Westminster dies for quilting in the near future,  the dies I bought with my cutter were two flower dies and a fan.  This is my first project with one of the flower dies.   

Patsy Thompson has a video on how she uses her Sizzix to add enhancements to projects.  She backs her fabric with fusible facing before cutting which makes the narrow strips more stable.  I was too enthusiastic and eager to do that, but I will next time.  I zigzagged the edges of the flowers. 

Granted, these are not the quilting dies, rather dies for scrapbooking, but they work on fabric. 

I made one more mug rug.  Umbrellas can look very cute in crafts, and I loved this design when I saw it.  This is really my take, not what the designer called for.

This Madness is over.  Most of the designers were young bloggers who seem to be fearless when it comes to quilting.  They come up with an idea and make it happen.  I think I was like that at one time;-)

God Bless You.  Hope your day is pretty nice, too.

Rugs for Mugs and More

This is the fifth mug rug I've made from the designs being shown during the Mug Rug Madness.  There are 4 more designs I plan to make and few more to go until it finishes.  I'm loving it.

I followed the quilting method of the designer, Jeni http://www.incolororder.blogspot.com/ , and used two different colors of thread on the front. 

In use.

Step 5 of the Easter sal and not much more to go. 

God Bless You.

Still Mad About Mug Rugs

I had to skip one of the mug rug designs because it used those hezagon paper templates and I don't have any.  I'm going to try making some, but that's on hold for now.  I did make yesterday's design which is so sweet - kites.

There was one design I skipped that I will go back and make and today's design which is a star pattern.   And I am not tired of making them, yet.  It's a break from having projects that take weeks and months to complete.  Click on the Mug Rug Madness button on the right for the link to the Madness.

I have been working on things that are in process, like sandwiching the Regency quilt and beginning step 5 of the Easter sal.  I had to order red fabric to make the final border on the Erik Homemade Mystery Christmas qal.  I'm also still quilting the large quilt, but I am also ripping out stitches galore as I go, so very little progress there.  I'm thinking of just tying it.  I've not tied a quilt yet and that could be my first.

Next month in nearby Providence is the Machine Quilters Expo.  I plan to attend, and if so, it will be my first quilt show.  Have any of you ever volunteered at a quilt show? 

God Bless You.

I'm enjoying  Mug Rug Madness organized by Erin of Two More Seconds http://www.twomoreseconds.com/ .  I've made two of the patterns given; the Time For Tea and the Cottage Mug Rugs.  Here are my versions:

Time For Tea in fabric I love.

The cottage is cute.  I might add a little something to it.  It's so easy to get carried away.

There are no rules when making mug rugs except maybe for having fun with the design and fabric.  

I have completed step 4 of the Easter sal.

All of the designs have a certain charm to them.  I'm happy I joined in on this sal.

God Bless You.

  

Step 3 of the Easter Stitch Along

I finished step 3 of the Easter SAL with Carole of Novalee02.  Is that a cute Easter egg or what?  Step 4 is a purple iris, and I began it today with hopes of having it done by Tuesday.  This is a very sweet project.

I have been working on quilting the largest quilt I've made so far, it's 77 by 90, and it's a challenge.  Not because of the sewing/quilting, but because I had no idea how heavy it would be after the flannel backing and cotton batting were attached.  I actually get tired from moving it around.  Who knew quilting would be such good exercise;-)

If you notice I have a button for a Spring Giveaway by AMKreations.  http://amkreations.blogspot.com/   The giveaway is for a book and six Moda fat quarters in beautiful colors.  Join in welcoming Spring by visiting her blog and entering the giveaway. 

 Sunshower Quilts http://www.sunshowerquilts.blogspot.com/ is having a giveaway of an Accuquilt Baby Go!  which I want to win.  If you want a chance at winning MY Baby Go!, then visit Katrina's blog and enter.  At some point Karma has to kick in and my sharing of this good news has to be good for me.  Right?  Right!

Good luck to everyone in the giveaways in blogland.  I'll be happy with a wonderful week ahead and only problems I can handle.

God Bless You.

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.