Tip toe through the tulips

I was lucky to win a layer cake from Stefanie of Little Lady Patchwork.   I got to choose my own prize - isn't that just sweet of Stefanie?  She has beautiful fabrics in her store.  (Thank you Stefanie!!!)

Within days of its arrival, I was cutting into the layer cake.  I had just the project.  Lori from Bee in my Bonnet has been hosting a row-a-long for several weeks.  I've been watching progress on a number of blogs and regretted not joining in.

Never too late to join!

The tulip row was the row that tipped me over the edge - I just love tulips!

However, I have decided not to make the whole quilt.  Instead of 11 blocks across, I am going to make 7.  This means less rows overall to keep the dimensions right.  I will pick the rows the fit a spring theme - butterflies for sure!   


Happy Stitching!

Sea Glass quilt top is done!

My goal for March was to assemble my Sea Glass quilt top.  I started the month with all the 12 inch blocks complete - so I needed to assemble the quilt top and add the border.  This was my March goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes.   

The blocks are from the 2012 In Color Order HST BOM.    I really liked the blocks set together without any sashing so I set out to make a border.  (Rainy day didn't yield the best photo.)

I did audition a bunch of different borders on my blog but decided this simple border was best and didn't detract from the blocks.   

Now the dilemma.  This quilt measures 48 by 60.   It is slightly smaller than I would like it to be.  If I had more white, I would probably add another 3 inch white border all the way around the quilt.  But, I don't have any more white and I've tried unsuccessfully to find the exact shade of Moda white that I used.  I would have purchased the original well over a year ago.

So, what do you think?  It is a present for a guy who I think is roughly 5'10" (or maybe slightly shorter.)    My husband tried it - he is over 6 foot - and said it was fine but could be slightly bigger.

I made the quilt from a delicious pile of Kona fat quarters  that I won in a giveaway from Lily's Quilts.

Happy Stitching!

Votes for Women - Block 30

Interesting history about this weeks block from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  This is block 30 and called Broad Arrow and is about how clothing was marked when women were in prison for suffrage related offenses.

This one was extremely easy to assemble.  I really need to start assembling the blocks together.  I am going to put them on point and can't decide if that means I should take the easy way out and just assemble them in rows - first row has 1, second row 3 blocks etc. or  put triangles on each side of the block.  The first method is much easier but the second method would allow me to deal with the variety in block sizes.  They are all not a perfect 8 1/2 inches!




A big thank you to  Natasha from Skye Reve Fabrics for this beautiful half yard bundle that I won.  The prints are from Riley Blake Design's new collection called Maritime!  Thanks also to Maureen who hosted the giveaway on her blog.

Now to plan something wonderful.

Happy Stitching!

FNSI results

My mission for FNSI was to finish the border on my Sea Glass quilt.  (See this blog post.)  After considering all options, I made a major change in the border design and decided to frame it with strips of white and color.

I purchased the Bella solid white for this quilt  well more than a year ago so when I now needed more white for the border I was in big trouble.  I had no idea what particular shade of Bella white it was and my attempt to order what I thought it was resulted in a white of a different shade.  In order to get the border done, I had to steal fabric I had already cut in strips to lattice another set of quilt blocks in my WIP pile.

So I still need to find the matching white but I am able to finish this quilt which is a gift.

Whew.

I also put the binding on my Tulip quilt.

Doesn't it look cute on my hall table?  (Trying to encourage spring to actually get here.)  Pattern for bunny  was free and can be found at The Purl Bee.   The tulips come from  the tutorial at Bee in my Bonnet.

Happy Stitching!

Blogger Girls block 3

Finished the March block for the Blogger Girls Block of the Month.  There are 6 blocks in total and you can choose to make each block twice using very different fabric placement.  

I am using a Mama Said Sew layer cake plus some extra yardage.   

Here are the 3 blocks so far.

Friday Night Sew In tonight - I hope to work on the border for my quilt.  Go sign up on Heidi's blog.

Happy Stitching!

Spring!

Happy Spring!

I pieced these cute tulips using the tutorial at Bee in my Bonnet from Lori's row-a-long.

I stitched an outline around the flowers and than FMQ in the background.   This is roughly 12" by 26".  I still need to attach a binding.

Very fun to put together!

Happy Stitching!

Two blocks - V4W

Two blocks to share from the Votes for Women  block of the week.  

This first one - block 28 - is called Ocean Waves.  It was fun to assemble.

The second one - block 29 - is a 7 pointed star for Australia.  I took the easy way out and appliqued the star onto the white background.

Happy Stitching!

Happy Quilting Day!!

I spent some happy time in my quilting corner today organizing and petting fabric and getting some things together for some projects.

I don't know about you, but quilting brings me much satisfaction and an opportunity to relax.  Give me fabric and needle (in the machine or in my hand), and I am happy.

Tonight, I'm going to hand quilt this little runner (about 16 " by 5 ") while watching a movie.  

Hope you spent time with fabric today!


Come join us at SewCalGal's International Quilt Day Celebration!



Happy Stitching!

Ribbons

After a thrilling ride through 2012 FMQ with SewCalGal, she has decided to continue to offer challenges in 2013, although not monthly challenges.

This was the first one.  Isn't this a cool effect?  It (hopefully) looks like a ribbon floating through dark space.

I may make the FMQ around the edge of the ribbon a bit denser, still decided what I might use this for.  Even my son thought it looked cool!

Learned a great new technique and can't wait to try it on a larger project!

Happy Stitching!

Bunnies

Still waiting for Spring weather to settle in so I made myself some bunnies.

This guy is going to live on my front hall table for awhile (although I think he wants to take off into the woods behind him!)

This guy was made with a print from Moda Marmalade.  Both of the bunnies are flannel.   I still need to add the eyes and nose.

The pattern was free and can be found at The Purl Bee.

Happy Stitching!

Seaglass - Need your help on border decisions!

I am working on border options for my quilt Seaglass.  The blocks are from the 2012 In Color Order HST BOM.  I really like the look of the blocks all set together but I want ithe quilt to be bigger.

To grow the from its current size (36 x 48) to desired size (48 x 60), I made a bunch more HST and then assembled this block:

This is where I need your help.  Which layout do you like best?

Choice 1: The Letter M  (not to be confused with a W - see the bottom row)

Choice 2:  Big Diamonds

Choice 3:  Big W  (not to be confused with the M, again see the bottom row)

Choice 4: All mixed up.  Border, what border?

Choice 5: Around the edge.

The last one is my current favorite.  What do you think?

Happy Stitching!

Happy Women's Day!

First, thank you to everyone who left such nice comments on my Nancy Drew is the Clue blog hop entry yesterday.  I was very honored to have gotten most creative by the queen of blog hops herself, Mdmn Samm.   The full schedule for all the other sleuths can be found here on Carol's blog Just Let Me Quilt.  Do check out Carol's entries - she outdid us all on the creativity scale!  Thanks for Mdmn Samm and Carol for organizing a fun hop!

I am working on setting options for my  Votes for Women  blocks.  I am considering putting them on point in an arrangement that won't use all 49 blocks.  The advantage is that I can drop some blocks that I'm not so happy with.  

Today - March 8th - is International Women's Day.  Hope it is a good one!

Happy Stitching!

The Sign of the Twisted Candles

"Oh, Nancy! I'm afraid to go any farther, and I'm afraid not to.  Won't you speed the car up?" Nancy Drew smiled grimly to herself, despite the awe-inspiring situation with which she had to battle. "Which shall it be, Bess?  Shall we stop or shall we try to go faster?"  Nancy asked the girl beside her in the sporty little roadster.  

I have read every single Nancy Drew book several times over.  Now this was a looooooooooong time ago but the memories are so strong and so good that I had to participate in the Get a Clue with Nancy Drew blog hop!

Bess's answer was drowned out by a peal of thunder which followed a blinding flash of lightning.  Nancy cast an apprehensive glance at the sky, where black and lead-colored clouds writhed and twisted, although not a sign of breeze fluttered the tree leaves along the country road up which the automobile was running.

I lined the bag with another print - showing the silhouettes of Nancy, George and Bess.

l also fussy cut Nancy and appliqued her to a small pouch.  The reverse side is the bookshelf fabric.

"Look how yellow the sky is getting in the southwest," exclaimed the third occupant of the car, George Fayne, who, despite the name, was an attractive girl of about the same age as Nancy and Bess Marvin, her cousin.

I still own one Nancy Drew book - The Sign of the Twisted Candles - which has a 1933 date inside the cover.  I got the book from my grandmother - my dad's mom - so my guess is my aunt was the first to read.  She would have been just the right age in 1933.  

The three chums had gone for a ride this sultry August afternoon to seek relief from the heat.  Some thirty miles from their home town of River heights, while traversing an unfamiliar cross-road, they had noticed the suddenly darkened sky.

My new bag is the perfect size for trips to the library.  In fact, I took it out for a spin to my local library as soon as it was done!  The bag dimensions are 12" by 12" by 6".  I used a double layer of iron on batting and did some straight line quilting on the bottom of the bag.

"I guess we are in for it," Nancy cried,, as the trees and shrubs bent before a blast of hot wind.  A peculiar yellowish tinge spread over the sky, tinting the landscape with a ghostly pallor.  then, without further warning, as if a gigantic bucket had been inverted overhead, the rain poured down in torrents.  In a second the road was obscured, and a few minutes later it became a stream in which the wheels, sending sheets of water fender-high, skidded sickeningly.

Now pick up your magnifying glass and join me in visiting the other sleuths I am sharing today with:

                                                   Simple Sew

Sewing By Moonlight

Beaquilter

Pat Sloan’s Place

>>>>>>> A Stitch In Time   <<<<<<<

Judith Handmade Treasures

Gingersnaps Fabrics and Quilts

Judy At That Other Blog

Fabric-ating

Melinda Quilts Etc

The full schedule for all the other sleuths can be found here on Carol's blog Just Let Me Quilt.   Thanks for Mdmn Samm and Carol for organizing a fun hop!

P.S.  To find out what happens next, you'll have to pick up your very own copy of The Sign Of The Twisted Candles!  But you had better look for one with an original print date.  The more modern version you can find - see page excerpts here - is very, very different.   Now, I'm off to keep reading!

Happy Stitching!

Kindle Cover

I love to read and find that 30 mins with a good book is a great way to end a day.  I love my public library and usually have a stack of books in my "to read" pile.   Carrying a stack of books while traveling isn't so much fun, however, so I broke down and bought me a Kindle.  I've used it for just a few days so far and I LOVE it.

So I made my new toy a new home.  This fabric is from a Sweetwater line Reunion (I think).  I did a basic envelope fold with velcro using two layers of batting. 

I love that the kindle will fit in my purse!

I have loved to read forever and still remember how I devored the Nancy Drew series when I was young.  So I am excited that the Nancy Drew Is the Clue blog hop starts today!

 The full schedule for all the other sleuths can be found here on Carol's blog Just Let Me Quilt.   Thanks for Mdmn Samm and Carol for organizing a fun hop!

My day is tomorrow - a (very unhelpful) clue of my project is below.

Now pick up your magnifying glass and go visit today's sleuths!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 

Michelle’s Romantic Tangle

Life in the Scrapatch

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Selina Quilts

Meadowbrook

Hilltop House Creative Works

My Sister Made Me Do It

Whims and Fancies

Pieced Brain

Just Let Me Quilt

Happy Stitching!

V4W Block 27 Grandmother's Choice

Block 27 in the Votes for Women  block of the week is called Grandmother's Choice.  The history associated with this block was very interesting - lead all the way to Katherine Hepburn, one very classy lady.  

This block was ONLY y seams but I am pleased to report that I didn't use the seam ripper once!!!

Here are my 27 blocks:

1. Grandmother's Choice
2. Amethyst
3. Union Square

4. Kansas Sunflower
5. New Jersey
6. Aunt Eliza's Star

7. Alice's Flag
8. Rocky Road to Kansas
9. Brick Pavement

10. New York
11. Little Red Schoolhouse
12. Little Boys's Breeches

13. Everybody's Favorite
14. Bride's Knot
15. Centennial

16. Capital T
17. Mother's Delight
18. Cheyne

19. Old Maid's Ramble
20. Memory Wreath
21. Parasols and PR
22. Jack's Delight
23. Girl's Joy
24. True Blue
25. The Carrie Nation Quilt
26. Ladies Wreath
27. Grandmother's Dream


Happy Stitching!