Journey

Introducing my contribution to AYOS - Journey:

I used charm packs of Ruby but did a bit of a variation of the Schnibble pattern itself.  The 4 vertical sashing were supposed to be pieced from charm squares but I didn't like the color select so I choose a gray print from the line.

I call this quilt Journey because it represents a couple of big steps in my quilting journey (which I wrote about in my last blog post.)  This was the first time I used templates to lay down the quilting pattern.  I also stitched in the general area of the ditch around the star blocks, something I've not attempted on a quilt before.


I do still need to do the binding and bury just a few more thread tails but with the binding fabric on order, I decided to post this almost finish entry into AYOS.

Happy Stitching!

A Journey

There are many reasons why I quilt.  Certainly because I enjoy the end product hanging around my house or being wrapped as a gift for a loved one.


But I really quilt because I love the process of quilting.  I find it relaxing and a great way to reduce stress.


I also love that I am continually learning.  My piecing is getting more accurate, my FMQ getting more even.


For AYOS, the quilt chosen for February was ISTH.   The image from the Schnibble (pasted here from this website) was 

I chose Ruby as my fabric but was then stumped with what to do for the large area in the pattern photo shown with the tan fabric.  Since my block looked like this:

I decided to make that area white as well and use that blank canvas to advance my FMQ skills.


Scrolling through google, I found a pattern I liked and then traced it on the fabric using a 'light box' and my Frixion pen.  This was the first time I have ever, ever, ever purposely drawn on a quilt.  With a deep breath, I marked it up.

Then I made my quilt sandwich (photo actually taken before the marketing process.).

My accuracy quilting right on the lines left something to be desired but overall, the FMQ is  progressing well.  Since I've usually do continuous line quilting, I've not had to deal with much thread tails to be buried into the quilt.  Since there were over 25 unique areas to quilt, I've got lots and lots of thread tails to deal with.

Now off to bury some thread tails. 


Happy Stitching!

The envelope please....

SewCalGal is hosting the annual Golden Quilters Awards again this year.


It is now time to nominate the best of the best ....  nominations are due March 4.  Please read her post here for more information.


Happy Stitching!

Robots and puppies

Finally finished some small phone size bags in support of nieces and nephews February birthdays.

(Note - I get my swivel clips from Etsy shop: Charsbeads4U  


Happy Stitching!

Q-U-I-L-T-I-N-G

My DH and I like to play SCRABBLE and we often recruit the kids into playing along.  Our scrabble game has quite a few years on it - sometime long ago we lost the bag that holds the letters.   Choosing your letters from a clear plastic bag could pave the way for cheating...

But no longer!  Practiced my FMQ skills on the bag.

Happy Stitching!

The Hunt

Once upon a time, my very favorite local quilt store went out of business. I picked up my share of fabric deals during their closing sale including 1 yard of a Luna Notte by 3 sisters - a beautiful deep cream with print and 2 yards of Rouenneries by French General in a faded red.

Last fall, one of my blog buddies gets a few of us interested in making a Jacobs ladder quilt.  I decide to use these fabrics and test assemble a single block.

I fall in love.   I realize that I need another yard of the cream and after a bit of searching, I find it online and order a yard.  (I was a bit nervous with this purchase because I wasn't 100% certain I had picked the right print from the line.)


I cut a yard of each fabric and stacked it up next to my machine for my leader and enders.  Time passed and then I had this in January.

I fall deeper in love. I decide to call the quilt Romance.


I made more blocks and now it looks like this.

I calculate how big it will be with the fabric I have - 2 yards of each - and decide I want it to be bigger.  


I go back on line.   I didn't recall where I had purchased the 3 Sisters print the first time I needed a yard but I found a store that carried it and ordered another yard plus another print of that line for the backing.  (I've now committed myself to the final size.)   


From a different store, I find the red from  Rouenneries line and order a yard.   (Oh, and since this is one of my favorite on line stores, I managed to order yards of other stuff.  But that is a story for another day...)


Fabric arrives.  UGH.  While the print is the correct one and the color is red, it is a deeper shade of red that I am using.  (The one I am using is on the left, the new one on the right.)

First thought that passes is could I wash it and fade it... or put it in the sun.  But then I think.  The print I ordered was from  Rouenneries Duex.  A bit of a google search later and I figure out that the print I wanted was from the initial release of the  Rouenneries line from 2010 (circa when my local QS went out of business.)   Back to google for a desperate search for an online store with inventory.

Hurrah!  I find some.  I've ordered a yard and it is on its way.

This quilt is now graduating from my leader and ender to my major project.  I want it to deliver it to my FMQer in April.


I cut up the fabric I do have at hand and go on a HST marathon sewing session yielding a pile waiting to be trimmed.

To be continued....

Happy Stitching!

FNSI Results - Ruby Stars

I spent a very productive 2 hrs in my sewing corner Friday evening working on these fun stars - or maybe they are pinwheels - from this month AYOS quilt called ISTH.

The fabric is Ruby.   These stars will trim to 6 1/2 inches.  I also started working on the border - which is made up of tiny squares.  I had quite the assembly line going on this one so it was a lot of fun.  However, by the time this much was done, I needed to walk away from the machine.  There are only so many tiny HST I can deal with!


This is my favorite block.  I am pleased with the red and aqua combination I choose.

Happy Stitching!

FNSI - ISTH Schnibble

FNSI tonight - why don't you join us?  


My project for tonight is this month's Schnibble ISTH from Another Year of Schnibble.


After auditioning several charm packs (note that 3 of those 4 charm packs are Sweetwater - Hometown, Reunion and Sunkissed and that I've a set of Pure hoarded away as well!)....

... I decided to go with Ruby.   What yummy colors - I'll go with red and aqua as the colors for the stars.

Happy Stitching!

FMQ Feathers

Second month of SewCalGal's FMQ challenge - this one is feathers.  The instructions on the blog are incredibly easy to follow and I just love the way Diane Gaudynski feathers look - they are beautiful.


I took a FQ of a fun sewing print and backed it with some solid blue from the stash.  I found this FMQ challenge quite fun to do although it is hard to see the results on the front of this fabric.

Here is the view from the back

Some of them turned out ok although all of then could use much better definition at the top and bottom!  

I decided to turn this month's FMQ practice into something useful and am turning it into a dust cover for my sewing machine - just need to add ribbon ties to each side.  For the binding, I practiced machine binding. 

Happy Stitching!

Love Lives at Home

I finished a small mini quilt this weekend in honor of Valentine's Day.

It incorporated stitching, applique and I even used my newly learned FMQ technique of hearts (or leaves).

It looks great in my kitchen right behind the sink.


Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!


I've linked this finish up to Such a Sew and Sew February 2012 linky party.

Happy Stitching!

Butterscotch

I finished piecing my Schnibble made from Fig Tree Butterscotch & Roses fabric.  

(indoor photo so tough to catch the true color.)


The pattern is the Schnibble Lincoln pattern.


Happy Stitching!

HST February BOM

February block from the BOM from In Color Order.  Flying geese made out of HST.

For this quilt, I am using this stack of lovelies - all Kona solids.

Here was January's block:

Finally, great game last night!

Happy Stitching!

Cracked open my Butterscotch & Roses

Happy times!

Making impossibly tiny stars so needed very tiny squares.

Happy Stitching!