December finish goal

My December (and November actually) goal for  Another Lovely Year of Finishes was to finish piecing my Ohio Star quilt and get the backing ready to go.  (Goal setting post here.)

I am pleased to report success!

For the border, I used 2 inches of the white fabric with a strip of many fabric scraps sandwiched between.  I am pleased with the way it looks.  The backing is the blue gingham fabric from the quilt.

I intend to make the quilting of this quilt my January goal as ALYOF 2014 kicks off!

In addition, in early October, I set my finish along goals for October through December as part of Leanne from she can quilt Finish A Long.  How did I do? 

1. Bind my quilt Summer (made with Noteworthy by Sweetwater)
2. Bind my quilt Middle Sister (made with Tapestry)
3. Bind a Tisket A Tasket  (made with moda Flats)
4. Bind Sew Fun (made with Moda Mama Said Sew)
5. Bind New Jersey  - DONE!
6. Make secret holiday gifts for the ladies in my family - will need to make 8!!  - DONE!
7. Participate in Bonnie Hunter's Mystery QAL and get the blocks all made
8. Create a few mini quilts as friend and neighbor gifts
9. Create fabric postcards - DONE!
10. Have a cup of tea and a glass of wine.  (Not sure I get credit for that!)  DONE, DONE, DONE!

I had too much binding to be done on my list.  I actually don't mind the hand sewing part at all.   The part I am not fond of is actually sewing the binding on - so much quilt to push around the machine. 

Wishing you a wonderful new year filled with fabric and good health!

(Image designed by Mdmn Samm.)

Happy Stitching!

Celtic Solstice clue 5!

My first response when I first read Bonnie's Celtic Solstice clue 5 about using leftover HST from a previous clue was 'uh oh'.  I didn't remember having anything leftover.

But I did!  Those cute HST on the left are the 'leftovers'!!

Since I am making half of the number of blocks required for the small, I needed 50 of clue 5. I completed 46!  To make any more, I need to make additional HST so I'll wait until I've gotten to the final reveal before I make any more. 

And all of my piles together - looking so colorful!

Now onto clue 6 on Friday.  I wonder how many clues in all there will be?

Linking up to Bonnie's blog here.

Happy Stitching!

New Jersey gifted

Barbara Brackman's Grandmother's Choice quilt in honor of the women's right to vote was a very fun block of the week quilt-a-long.   I used the Moda Vintage Modern line and made my blocks in reds and aquas and grays.

The quilting itself (done by Cathy Kirk) was done in a modified baptist fan - adding an additional vintage modern twist.

I've blogged about my quilt finish before - and was thrilled to see my quilt posted on Barbara Brackman's blog as one of the finished tops.

The quilt was dedicated to my two grandmothers and I made my label with Spoonflower to record their names and year they were born.   I also made this quilt in honor of my two girls - the oldest of which turns 18 in two months and is excited by the opportunity to vote.

My mom found this quilt under her Christmas tree this year.   I've 6 sisters so as the mom of 7 girls, I couldn't think of a better home for New Jersey.

And just because I wanted to identify each of the blocks - here they all are with the block number in parenthesis:

Top Row (red):

• Contrary Husband (33)
• Amethyst (2)
• Nonsense (38)
• Memory Wreath (20)

2nd row:

.

• An Arc: Bending Towards Justice (49)
• Grandmother’s Choice (1)
• Aunt Mary’s Choice (45)
• Old Maid’s Ramble (19)
• Barrister’s Block (46)

3rd row:

• Endless Steps (39)
• Little Red Schoolhouse (11)
• Cheyenne - Wyoming (18)
• Seven pointed star for Australia (29)

4th row:

• Mother’s Delight (17)
• Cats & Mice (42)
• Mr Roosevelt’s Necktie (32)
• Brick Pavement (9)
• Star of Hope (44)

5th row:

• Granny’s Choice (35)
• Union Square (3)
• Aunt Eliza’s Star (6)
• Gentleman’s Fancy (43)

6th row:

• Grandmother’s Dream (27)
• Girl’s Joy (23)
• Ladies Wreath (26)
• Alice’s Flag (7)
• Capital T (16)

7th row:

• Centennial New Zealand’s Victory (15)
• Bride’s Knot (14)
• Jack’s Delight (22)
• New Jersey (5)

8th row

• Contrary Wife (41)
• Everybody’s Favorite: Universal Suffrage (13)
• Nameless Star (37)
• Ocean’s Wave (28)
• Art Square (40)

9th row

• Broad Arrow (30)
• Tinted Chains (31)
• New York (10)
• A Carrie Nation Quilt (25)

And on the back:

• Parasols and PR (21)
• True Blue (24)
• Coffee Cup - not in my job description (34)

Grandmother’s Choice (1)

Happy Stitching!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family a lovely Christmas.

Happy Stitching!

A slow start to Clue 4

Bonnie Hunter's clue 4 was to create pinwheels and HSTs.  While she offers two sizes this year - large and small -  I decided to start by making roughly half of the small.

With my color substitutions and making half of the small, this means I need 60 of these altogether.  Since I've pedal to the medal to finish my DS quilt by Christmas, I just made 10 of the 60 I will need to make.  You'll see my color scheme choice has gotten me right into the Christmas color mode!  Linking up to Bonnie's blog today.

I actually used these as a starter and ender as I finished piecing the quilt top for my DS.

I need to take advantage of DS sleeping in to get enough quilting time in by Christmas morning.  While he is home from school, he hangs out in the bonus room a lot with his computer / video games.  The problem with that is my sewing machine occupies a corner of the same room.

No one in my family pays much attention to what I am doing while I am sitting in front of the machine.  Here's hoping that continues over the next two days!

All the best to you.  Merry Christmas.


Happy Stitching!

Give me a T

Got the T done for my Seattle quilt and took a pass at what this could look like.  I've got some 'magic' in mind for the print fabric.  Fingers crossed that it works!

I am doing this from stash and starting to run just a bit low on fabric......

This will be a gift for my son.

Happy Stitching!

Pinwheels and HSTs

Bonnie Hunter's clue 3 was to create pinwheels and HSTs.  While she offers two sizes this year - large and small -  I decided to start by making roughly half of the small.

Clue 1 and 2 meant chevrons and TriRecs.

Clue 3 mean 50 HST and 15 pinwheels.

I've managed to stay quite organized by keeping each clue in a bag with the count inside.

I did my own color substitutions as well.  My fabric is this yummy stack of Scrumptous fabric.  One reason for doing a smaller subset is because I wasn't sure I purchased enough fabric and once we get the reveal, I'll know what additional fabric I may need.  (Another reason is TIME - something in short supply this time of year!)

I'll be linking my progress at Bonnie's blog.


Happy Stitching!

Seattle quilt

I debated last week whether I should take the plunge and make a quilt for my son for Christmas.

This will be a true improv quilt - in other words, I am making it up as I go.  I've a general feeling of what I want to do and my plan is that this is a stash only quilt.  (Somewhere I believe I even have a good backing fabric but need to go on a hunt for that.)

I turned my FQs and some solids into 20 of these blocks, unfinished at 8 1/2 inches.

Now, the next idea is to play off the red in this great print and spell out the word Seattle.  I've got plenty of red fabric to use.   Each of these letters uses 3" squares and will finish at 12" wide by 15" long.

I've got one more T to go and I'm going to do that one on an angle - in theory anyway!  Not sure about the black surrounding the one letter - I think it will work in the overall quilt but doesn't look so good here.  

Those letters sure were fun to make.

Happy Stitching!

Should I or shouldn't I?

My DS is a great kid and is living off campus this year.  With not much time left to go to Christmas, I am debating whether I make him a throw quilt for his apartment.

He loves Seattle and a FQ of this great print.  The rest of the quilt would require me to break into my stash for other fabrics - mainly some browns and tans and likely red for accent. 

I don't have to be done done by Christmas.  Just enough done that the gift can be wrapped without pins.

While I continue with this inner debate, I wanted to share a fun fabric find for me.

I ordered a yard with no plan in mind.  Can't wait for Downton season 4 in January.

Happy Stitching!

Celtic Solstice - Clue 1 and 2

Bonnie's mystery kicked off and two clues have been released!

Here is the Scrumptious pile of fabrics I am going to be using.

My substitutions are as follows:

• for yellow, the orange paisley and solid
• for green, the lime print and solid
• for orange, the red print and solid
• for blue, the aqua print and solid

And I've really no idea why I didn't make this easy on myself and make orange equal orange.  But I didn't and since the fabric requirements are different, I'll just need to deal with it!  (smile)  I am using the ziplocks to keep myself organized.

With my color substitutions, the first clue used the  yummy aqua and red and cream.  I got a bit delayed on getting this one done because although Bonnie recommended the use of the Tri Rec ruler, I never bought one until her clue published where it was clear I really did need that ruler!!  I see many future uses so am glad to have it.

I decided to make half of the of block required for the small.  At reveal time, I can decide it I will make it bigger or not.

Clue 2 is all about chevrons.   These used my orange, lime and neutral.  I decided to make this batch all the same combo of fabrics.  I made 39 of these so far - and have another 11 to go to get to 1/2 of the small block requirement..

You can find instructions to clue 1  and clue 2 on Bonnie's blog.  I will be linking my progress up on her blog.

Are you playing along?

Happy Stitching!

Giveaway Day!!!!

Welcome!

Glad you could stop by!  

Today I am giving away this cute charm pack of Moda Sweetwater Countdown to Christmas!

I'll mail anywhere in the world.

To entry, just a few quick guidelines:

1. Leave a comment and tell me where in the world you live and the weather right this instant!
2. (optional) be a follower of my blog and leave me a comment telling me where you are a new or old follower
3. I must be able to contact you by email to tell you about your winnings!

Giveaway closes Friday, December 13 at 8 pm EST.

Comment quickly and then off you go to enter more and more giveaways!  Here's the link to Sew Mama Sew giveaway page for links to more giveaways!


Giveaway closed - Congratulations #475 Ms Quinn!

Happy Stitching!

More gifts for under the tree!

Last month, I made 8 large size jewelry organizers and gifted them to my mom and sisters. 



I decided to make a few smaller ones and got those ready for the Christmas box to my sister in law and my two nieces.

These are made with sheets of vinyl and a quilt sandwich of lovely fabric.

This smaller one just may be for me!!

Happy Stitching!

Galifrey Falls No More

Dr Who fan here.  I loved the 50th anniversary special !!  How about you?

I enjoyed making this block of Galifrey from the  Whovian-inspired Quilt-Along from Caroline and Soma from Whims and Fancies and the Doctor.   I've skipped a few blocks along the way - here is my complete set of blocks

Galifrey falls no more!

Happy Stitching!

Trying again!

Got busy and didn't quite finish my November goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes.   

So I am making it my December goal!

I did make some progress.    I worked on the sashing and the cornerstones and have the inner border attached.  I am going to put a pieced border next and then the outer border will be solid.

It has grown large enough that I'll need to piece my backing.  And I really don't enjoy that.

Soooooooooooooo.  My goal for December is to finish the borders AND get the backing ready to go!

Happy Stitching!