Friday, May 31, 2013

Hello Moon

A whole lot of cuteness going on here.



I've intentions of playing along in April Mae Design's Hello Moon quilt along and finally got started!

One reason I delayed for so long is I needed a good blue background.  Finally found and ordered one.  Then I wasn't comfortable with the gray fabric in my stash.  As I sat down to assemble, I found this striped gray from a Sweetwater line.  I think it works great!

This one is my favorite.



Come play - it actually didn't take all that long to assemble all 5 blocks and it was fun to add the smiles on the moon, the star and the earth.


Happy Stitching!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tulips - ALYOF May Finish!!!

My May goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes was to assemble and quilt my (smaller) version of the row-a-long from Lori at Bee in my Bonnet.

I am so loving the way it turned out!



The final quilt is roughly 40 by 50" - perfect lap quilt size for summer.  The fabric used was Honey Honey with a little bit of Good Fortune.  The back is one of the flower prints from Honey Honey.  I used a leftover butterfly block to make the quilt label.

I am happy with my quilting.  All over stippling in the center on the blocks and then a long feather along each of the sides.

Happy Stitching!

Monday, May 27, 2013

V4W - A Block Inventory

Easy block this week from th Votes for Women  block of the week.  This one is called Endless Steps and would be an easy block to assemble in an overall quilt.

Now for the block inventory.   I assembled 20 of the blocks into units of 4.   Here  are the five units: 


























I spent time looking at all my blocks and will likely not use these three blocks.  The Umbrella block will become my quilt label.  The other two  - I'm just not happy with the quality of my block.  I could remake but the number of little pieces in that sunflower block scares me.  Maybe I could just redo the center - will play with that a little.

Finally, these six blocks - including this weeks - are in good shape but need some blue blocks before they can be assembled into 4 block units.



Since I skipped Sunbonnet Sue and won't use the 3 above, that puts my possible block count at 45.  Clearly 42 is a good number ( 6 by 7 blocks layout) which means there are 3 blocks out of the upcoming ten that I can skip or I can decide not to use some of these blocks.    Then I've nine blocks finished at something less than 8 1/2 inches so need to frame them to size them up before I put the triangles to get them on point.  While I like the way the tea cup block looks, that is also a candidate for not being included.


Happy Stitching!

Friday, May 24, 2013

V4W - a bit of catchup

Block 37 (last week's block) from the  Votes for Women  block of the week is one of my all time favorite blocks  This one is called Nameless Star and is in reference to women having a choice of keeping their own name after marriage.


Block 38 (this week's block) was called Nonsense in reference to all these various silly claims made about why women shouldn't ride a bicycle or ride a horse astride.



I skipped block 36 which was a sunbonnet Sue block - I've never been partial to those.  This means I will have at best 48 blocks so a nice 6 by 8 setting is in order.

Here are some of my other blocks in what is (sorry) a very dark photo laid out after I attached the side triangles so I can set them on point.  I am going to start assembling them in 3 by 3 block sections, and need to decide if I should alternative blue and red or have all the reds clustered in the center (or visa versa.)







Happy Stitching!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Happiness




This month's AYOS Vintage is the pattern Gentle Art.  This was fun and easy to assemble.




My fabric choice was Honey Honey - I am really loving this fabric line.  I skipped the pieced border and made this 16 blocks instead of the 25 in the pattern.  




It finished roughly at 20 by 20 inches.  (I say roughly because I forgot to measure it before I gifted it!)  I decided to do a basic stipple FMQ on the blocks because I decided not to highlight the blocks.  I did straight line stitching in the border and like the way it frames the mini.  The binding is a bella solid 30's blue color and the backing is one of the prints from Good Fortune.

While I completed the Schnibble long before the end of the month - a first for me! -  I was about a week late in getting to my mom for Mother's Day.


Mom, Happy Mother's Day - I love you!




I really love how this turned out and I think I will make another one for me!  I named this mini Happiness.

Now I have to wait until the end of next week for the parade of all the other Schnibbles at the blogs of  Sinta and Sherri .

Happy Stitching!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Tulips

Thanks to all who left me some suggestions on the border for my quilt.  I decided on lap quilt size instead of wall hanging.  I added a border of the white, of the green (same fabric as the tulip leaves) and then another border of white.  I just love the way it frames the piece.

I basted it Friday night during FNSI.

The colors in this fabric line - Honey, Honey by Kate Spain - are just beautiful.

I quilted it on Saturday - what fun it was!  I think it took me about 3 hrs, perhaps slightly longer.



I decided to do an all over FMQ stipple quilt on the actual blocks.   For the border, I did feathers - 4 really, really long feathers!


Next step is the binding.  I am going with a solid green which matches the darker green in the tulip leaves.  The backing is one of the pretty flowered prints from this fabric line.

I am making a smaller version of the row-a-long from Lori at Bee in my Bonnet.



Hope to get the binding on and sewn by the weekend.


Happy Stitching!

Friday, May 17, 2013

TARDIS - my entry in Blogger's Quilt Festival



I am very excited to enter my TARDIS quilt in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

The TARDIS is designed by the time lords of Gallifrey.   (TARDIS = Time and Relative Dimension in Space)  

This quilt, however, is an original design by me.  This is my favorite way to make a quilt - have a general idea what I am going for and then make it up as I go.   Putting the TARDIS 'on point' to imply flying through space (and time) was a bit of a risk as I cut the background fabric but it worked! 




My DD is a big time fan of the BBC show Dr Who.  She has managed to convert me as well.  

This TARDIS quilt was gifted  to her for Christmas - gifted in a very incomplete state.  See the batting peaking out of my quilt sandwich in the photo?  There were no pins - it was all basted - and it took me another few weeks to finish as she impatiently waited (and waited.)  This was by far the largest quilt I have ever FMQ on my home machine.  All the features of the TARDIS were outlined and then I did a basic stipple section by section.



When she opened her gift, her squeals of delight were the kind everyone should hear when they gift a quilt.   My DD loves that can lie on top of the quilt, curl up slightly and 'fit inside the TARDIS.'

I had fun with the quilt label, wishing her well through adventures in time and space!

The quilt measures 48 x 63 inches.  Fabric used was Bella Admiral Blue and Slate Gray along with two panels from Spoonflower, one of them gifted from a new blogging friend Rebeckah.   The background is Kasuri Woven Texture in gray.  The back is a gray flannel.









The Blogger's Quilt Festival is sponsored by Amy from AmysCreativeSide.   The festival begins today, May 17 and nominations are open from May 23-27.  Voting for favorites in each category go from May 28 through May 31 with winners announced on June 1.   This quilt is entered into Bed Quilts category.

And just because, here is the photo of the real TARDIS with my DD's favorite Doctor.




Happy Stitching!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Quilting + Stitching + Dr Who = Quite a LOT of fun!



Look at what I found  - TWO Dr Who Related stitch / quilts along starting this month.

The Dr. Who Stitch Along - starts today!!!  I can't wait for this one - love to sit on my black porch and stitch.  There are 12 blocks in this one - one each week.



And a  Whovian-inspired Quilt-Along from Caroline and Soma from Whims and Fancies and the Doctor.  Doctor Who?

First block was the Tardis (pictured above).
I spent far too much time on this paper pieced block.  The main panels of the TARDIS went together quite easily, no issues.  However, add the bottom foundation, the slanted (maybe if you squint your eyes) roof and the light almost did me in!   I declare it is good enough.  I may write Pull to Open on the small door sign.

Unclear if I will make all 20 blocks but I know I will make some more.  These blocks come out every two weeks.

I don't know what size it was supposed to finish at, but this block finished at roughly 11 x 12 1/2 inches.

Happy Stitching!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Tulip progress

I am making a smaller version of the row-a-long from Lori at Bee in my Bonnet using a Honey Honey layer cake (Kate Spain.)

I finished my row of baskets.



And assembled my quilt top.



I really like the way that it turned out.   I hung up the quilt flimsy to get a photo. 

Border or no border?

If I went with a border, it would be a strip (scrappy) about 1 inch to an inch and then another 2 inches of the white. 

Right now it measures 36" by 48" which is just fine for a wall hanging.

Adding a border could add 6" to each dimension - 42" by 54" - and suddenly I would have a lap quilt.  

What would you do?  Wall hanging or lap quilt?

Border or no border?





Happy Stitching!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Blogger Girls May block

Finished the May 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. 

This is probably my least favorite of the bunch.  It reads too RED to me.  One more block to go and I will make sure to include more gray.


Here are my 5 blocks all together looking happy.


If you have not yet entered my Sew Mama Sew giveaway for 100 pinmoors and a mini charm pack - see my earlier post.  Giveaway closes Friday at 8pm est.

Happy Stitching!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Tropical Birds

Dare


To Be



Different!




I just love flamingos and who would love to spend some time with them on this beautiful island?  


(The conch shell was found by my DH and I on a trip to the Caribbean long, long ago in the time before children.)  My little flamingo likes to be herself!










Thanks to Mary and Mdmn Samm for organizing another fun hop.

I am looking forward to seeing all the lovely creations out in blog land!!




Happy Stitching!

Monday, May 6, 2013

SMS Giveaway Day!!

It's here!  It's here!   Time for SMS Giveaway Day - well week!



I recently discovered a must have quilting tool called Pinmoors.  These little bits of silicone allow you to use any straight pin to secure your fabric.  This made basting my quilt for FMQ a breeze!


Loretta from Pinmoors has graciously sponsored this giveaway of 100 Pinmoors and I've added a mini charm pack of Ticklish to sweeten the prize.


Want to win a package of 100 Pinmoors and a mini charm?




Here are the rules - short and sweet:



  1. Leave a comment on this blog post.   Tell me about your FMQ skills - beginner?  expert? or don't even know what FMQ means!  (smile)
  2. (optional) Follow my blog and leave a second comment to tell me you do so.  
  3. I must be able to contact you by email.
  4. International entries welcome
  5. This giveaway closes on Friday, May 10th at 8 pm est.
Come back and visit when you have more time.  Until then, have FUN, FUN, FUN visiting all the other participating blogs!






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Congratulations Debra Lee!!!  I know this Pinmoors will help to make your FMQ experience a good one!




Happy Stitching!