Sunkissed, Birthday & Snow Days...

The weekend is about over...darn.  I had plenty of time to get a few things done today that I really wanted to, though, so it's all good.

I got the Sunkissed fabric cut for the sample quilt for my lqs (Saving Thyme).

I prepped fabric and traced a pattern for a huge project.  Did I tell you about this?  Sharon of MoosecraftUSA & I are embarking on a project.  Together but separately...each will have our own finished product.  But, across the miles, we will be here for each other as we work our way through this project...and try to not become overwhelmed by the immense amount of hours it will take to complete it.  (Me Mum predicts that it will take 194,000 hours to complete it. Sharon did the math and it comes out to be 12 years...24/7.  ha!)

It all started when Sharon mentioned 2 BOM's that she was starting this year.  Applique/quilting projects.  I looked at the patterns she was doing (they're so cool!) and looked further and saw one that I was completely taken with.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, this will sound familiar to you.  That's cuz I wrote about it here.  Sharon and I emailed back and forth about this quilt and we were both so excited...she finally could no longer resist and joined the BOM for that, too!  YAY!  So, my plan was to cheer her on with it.  But, surprise, surprise, she decided to send a pattern of my own to me.  Happy Birthday to me from Sharon!  Thank you so much!  (ohyeah, more about my birthday in a bit.)  So.  We are in this together.  I think she just really wanted someone to feel the pain with her.  This pattern calls for 16 skeins of floss...of the same color...2 strands used for the stitchery.  Look at how gorgeous this variegated floss is...

The pattern calls for over 40 different fabrics, but I opted to cut that number down to 26.  I went to the lqs close by my work (Stitcher's Crossing) and Julie gave me outstanding customer service with help in selecting fabrics.  In fact, she ran around with a skein of the floss and chose fabrics...all I had to do was stand there and decide which ones I could not live without.  There are several batiks...soooo gorgeous!  Lots of textures.  And, of course, all more gorgeous than they show here.

I tend to watch a lot of tv in the evenings...especially now with American Idol on and Dancing With the Stars due to start soon (March 21).  If I have some handwork to do...it's all a good thing.  Keeps me from thinking about smoking and eating.  This project will definitely keep my hands busy!

So.  My first block of stitchery is ready to go.  YAY!  The stitching is all done in backstitch, so it won't be at all difficult.  The challenge is the detail in the stitchery blocks.  

That being said, it is going to be one gorgeous quilt when finished.  Since Sharon's BOM is 14 months long...and I'm not going to rush to get done before her...we should have these ready to cuddle up with for the winter of 2012-2013.  Course, it's always possible that after all of our work, we will opt to hang them on our walls!! 

(you'll have to click to enlarge to see this and even then you may not be able to see it very well.  I would like to point out that this block has the least amount of detail of all of them!)

 

 Wish us luck!

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Yup, I had a birthday this past week.  I think I forgot to mention it.  No big number/milestone...this year.  It was a quiet birthday...nothing special going on.  All of my coworkers brought food...can you say sugar overload?  I received many phone calls & emails,  2 virtual floral bouquets, several happy birthday wishes on Facebook and some very nice gifts.  Thank you all very much!

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I have been thinking about doing a giveaway.  The only reason that I'm not announcing it right here & now is that I haven't made up my mind what to give away.  Any suggestions?

Have a great work week!

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Show & Tell...

I took 1 lap quilt, 2 snuggle quilts (the ones for Joyce's grandkids), 1 doll, 1 doll quilt, 1 tote bag and my placemats from Sylvie in France to work today.  I had told everyone what all I got done on my time off and they all wanted to see.  So.  I obliged.  Wanted some praise and adoration positive feedback...and got it!  Everyone was so nice.  You should know that there are a ton of people who walk through the medical records department, and I hang my quilts where they can be seen the moment anyone walks through the door.  It was nice to hear all the comments.  I may even get a few commissions out of today.  That would be sweet!

Here is Janer's quilt...all done...all soft and crinkly.

Then, on my way home, I stopped at the quilt shop to show off my stuff to the owner...who is the one who convinced me (soft sell) to do the BOM last year.  She was amazed at the quilts...and the quilting!  Proud of me, she was.  That made me feel very, very good...as she must see tons of quilts!

So.  It's Friday.  YAY!  The grandkids are coming tomorrow for an overnight.  In the meantime, I have things to do.

Have a great evening!

What's Goin' On...

I've got some projects going on.

4 major ones...a few minor ones.

I think.

Could be wrong.

In any case...

I got the backing together for last year's BOM.

This quilt will be going to Janer.

Not sure if you all knew that or not.

That corner there, with the red blocks...

that's a signature square.

On the back.

I started putting my Charmed Whirlygig top together.

Bit by bit, it'll get done.

Borders to add once the rows are together.

Backing is a large floral...gonna be very exciting!

I have all of the blocks cut out for Paul & Rachel's quilt.

I am very anxious to get started,

but really need to finish those other things first.

And, I got the backing all sewn together for the quilt top Kelley sent me.

With the backing fabric she sent me.

More than enough.

Will use the rest of these 3 for a scrappy binding.

Maybe.

I also have a large rug hooking order that I've been working on.

Almost done.

So, that's what I've been up to.

How about you?

Fabric Galore!!

I said last night that I had lots of fabric to show you.

Feast your eyes!

Remember this photo I showed you of the sample quilt
of this year's BOM I am doing?  

Not sure who took the photo and printed it out, 

but her ink was apparently running low...

the alternate blocks are light yellow.

After much thought, I decided that if I was going to 
put as much work as I will be putting into this, 

I wanted it to be something for me.  

The colors of the sample quilt are pretty,

but just not my colors.  Ya know?  

So.  The owner of my LQS & I put together
a wonderful collection of fabrics for MY quilt.

I am so excited! 

Here are the fabrics that will be used in the blocks.

(there's another green one that I didn't photograph... 

it's the same fabric as the border on Julie's quilt.)

Here are the fabrics for the alternate blocks, borders and binding.  

Don't you just love that bias stripe?  I sure do!
It's for a small inner border and the binding.
(the background of this big floral is actually a dark brown, 
like the dark floral in the photo above.  Looks purple on my monitor.)

My good friend, Jane (from here), sent me a box of fabric.

Here are the photos.  Holy Schmoly...

I kept taking out piece after piece after piece!

It is all wonderful!  
Thank you, Jane!

I finally started picking up fabric for my son's quilt.

Paul & Rachel got married in December
and asked me to make them a double wide lap quilt.

Here are 3 pieces of the au.then.tic. fabric collection...
6 more are on the way to me.
I'm going to need at least 10 more fabrics...
which means that I get to go to the PRIM quilt shop
to select some wonderful blacks, reds, & purples.
Cannot wait!

This is going to be a fun quilt to do.

Last, but certainly not least, here is the fabric for my doll quilt swap (DQS8).

It's a MoMo Wonderland charm pack and 2 pieces of yardage.

I know exactly what I'm going to do 

and I think (hope) my partner will be very happy!

That's it for now!

BOM - Pioneer Sampler Quilt 2009

The top is pieced...YAY!

I used only 9 of the 12 blocks we received.

I totally messed one up...not once, but twice.

That made 11 blocks finished.

One I don't like much.

The other is a signature block.

They will go on the back.

This looks so much richer in person.

Started a new BOM today...Pieced Applique.

Here's a (really bad) photo.

I'll try to get a better one. 

This was taken by someone else whose

printer was apparently running out of ink.

The quilt is pretty, but definitely not my colors.

 I think it looks nice and fresh, though.

Reds, yellows, soft greens & aquas, black & white.

It'll be challenging, but I think a lot of fun.

Done.

I finished the final block for the 2009 Pioneer Sampler Block of the Month quilt.  I really like this block pattern, but I sure didn't do such a good job with it.  I cannot redo it, so this is the way it will stay. 

Why am I not completely thrilled with it?  Cuz my points aren't where they should have been to start with, so they didn't end up where they should have.  See below...I have the worst offenders circled.  (click on the photo for a larger image)

And, my center is fussy-cut.  Obviously, I didn't do a very good job.  The flowers should be on point.  {sigh}

That's all the sewing for today.  Time to read or watch tv. 

By the way...snow day...it snowed a bunch!!!  And, it got  warmer, so the roads are very slippery underneath all the snow.  I saw several cars in front of my house trying to slow down for the corner...and ending up moving forward in a sideways position. 

YIKES!  I am not going anywhere!

BOM 10

This is the latest BOM...one more month to go.

That's all for today!

Small Projects.

Hanging out...
reading, watching a movie,
& working on small projects today.

Here's the September Pioneer Sampler quilt BOM block.

Here are the wonky stars I made for
Brioni of my Bee Addicted 3 block swap.
They were fun.

Cannot wait to see what we'll get this next month!

Block Party!

Nothing but blocks today...so far, anyway.

Here is my first block for the Bee Addicted 3 group. A wonky house in a forest clearing.

This quilting bee is so much fun already and we're just in the first month. Here's how it works: There are 12 members in this bee...it started this month and goes for 12 months. Each of us chose a month. At the beginning of each month, everyone (whose month it is not) gets a package (from the one whose month it is) with fabric and instructions on what that person wants. For example, September is Becca's month. She sent many different fabric scraps and stated that she wanted wonky houses and/or trees. We are to make one or more blocks. By the end of this month, we'll all send our completed block(s) to her and she'll have several blocks, including whatever she made herself. It's going to be a great experience!!!

Did you catch the lady bug in the window...the window with gingham curtains? I thought it was a great idea!!! Makes me smile!!

April 2010 is my month...I'm going to use either the Authentic or Kashmir III collections of fabric. Love them both! Thinking blocks with stars or whirlygigs, but there is lots of time to change my mind.

Also completed my next BOM...this is block 8. I had 2 to do this month and completely messed up the first one. Since I'll only be using 9 of the blocks for a lap size quilt, I will still have 11 to choose from. This block is much prettier in person...and that paisley? It's also a border fabric.

Time for lunch and then back to more sewing. More to show later.

BOM 7

I finally got my July BOM done. How frustrating this one was. Only because, for some reason, I couldn't get the points to match the seams. Redid 2 sides 3 times! Each! But, I'm gonna pull the 'I'm just a beginner and learning' card. haha. No...not really. I finally decided this was good enough. And, ya know, I probably am not going to put this one in the quilt. The colors are too Christmasy, or something. Will have to see how it works with the others before I make that decision, I guess. Here it is.

Next on my to-do list...Erin's mini quilt. Seriously! I know she's waiting and waiting and wondering what in the heck is taking me so long!?! After all, I've been enjoying the mini quilt and other little gifts she sent me for several weeks, now! I've got everything ready to send...just waitin' on the quilting/binding/laundering.
After that? Well, I have several choices. And, I am not sure which one I'll do first. I think I'll have to put them in order of when they need to be done.
Something fun is coming my way in about a month. I hope, that is. Not that it's not coming...it is. But, I hope that it's everything I think it is. If it is...watch out everyone! ~grin~

Here's How It Is...

I called work (yesterday) as soon as I found out that Ray's surgery was rescheduled. Instead of today and tomorrow, could I have off Monday and Tuesday? Well, since someone was already scheduled to take my place these 2 days, the answer was no. Bummer. I actually could have gone in and worked on other things that I am seriously behind on. ohwell. So. I'm not excited about having 2 days off that I don't need to take off...BUT! I decided that I had best be productive. I cut strips out of the Iced Mocha...was thinking of doing another strip quilt, but then decided that these fabrics would be better showcased with another pattern. So, that's what I'll be working on.

I made my June BOM block...not really liking those fabrics. No doubt, this will NOT be one of the 9 I use of the 12 we're making. May not even end up in a pillow. And, I see that I didn't do such a great job matching seams on one row. I'll probably redo it.

Just so you all know I'm NOT perfect, I'm gonna show you a big mistake. big. HUGE! (remember Julia Roberts in 'pretty woman'???) I knew better...but...hmmmm...still went ahead doing what I was going to do.

Remember the swap goodies I showed you from Erin? Well, I had made my mini quilt to swap with her...Kansas Winter charm pack...gorgeous fabrics. As I may have mentioned before, my machine is giving me fits, so I am not able to do free-motion quilting...I'm stuck doing wavy lines or straight lines with my walking foot. I decided that a rectangular spiral would be really cool. Okay. Stick with me here...don't fall off your chair laughing...or hit yourself upside the head with a 'duh' so hard that you hurt yourself. Obviously, starting on the inside is the best way, so that any excess fabric would move to the outside. Right? Well. I wasn't sure I could do it and come out with all sides of the rectangle spiral on the edges of the mini. Ya know...figured I'd end up with 2 inches of empty space on the end of the mini. So. I started on the outside. It was going very well, mind you, until the last 4 times around. Well, here...take a look. See how the center is skewed? I didn't notice until I was done...thought about taking alllll the quilting out, but just couldn't make myself. So. I finished it. I love it. Skewed center and all! But, I don't feel that I can send it to my swap partner, so I am in the process of making a different mini for her.

I love this charm pack, kinda prim/rustic looking. (yoohoo...kelley!)

Look at this back...are you able to see that the quilting is done in a rectangle? I love how it looks. Best get moving on that Iced Mocha fabric. I'm hoping to get the quilt top done today.

Have a good day!

BOM 5

I finally put together the May block for the Pioneer Sampler Block of the Month club I belong to. I've had the fabric/instructions since the end of May...just now got to it. Thought I had best get it done because we meet this Saturday. Hey, at least I didn't wait until Friday night...been there/done that. This block is called Rocky Mountain Puzzle. It went together very easily and I am very happy with it. That's all I have for tonight.

BOM 2

The BOM club met this morning...what a nice group of ladies. All very serious about their quilting...and really, all levels of experience.

Here's the second block...a signature block...I think I did pretty well matching seams...

Procrastinator that I am...the last meeting was 4 weeks ago and we have a 4 week period to sew our block. So, guess when I did mine? Last night. LOL...really.

Next month's BOM is a log cabin design. I'm hoping I get to that sooner rather than later.

After that, I think most of the blocks involve triangles...(gulp).

Sewing Today...

I finished my first BOM quilt block. It's not perfect, but it'll do. (I squared the image, so it looks a bit uneven...it's really not...just couldn't get a square/head-on photo.) That brownish color is really green, the cream is gorgeous and the red is different than it shows here. I'll have to try to get a better photo. Cuz, it's much prettier in person...very rich looking.



Stopped at Hobby Lobby today...picked up 1/2 yard each of these 2 fabrics. I found the cutest free pattern online...will show you when I get done. It's 'seasonal' fabric, so you know it must be for something special that will get done this week.

And, here's another song I like very much. The message is very similar to the song I posted about yesterday. The lyrics are actually printed on the video screen. The main theme is about going through the motions and not really giving everything...

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And, here's Tango

- who is in bad need of some grooming again -

snoozin' away...