Virtual Quilting Bee - Eren

I am trying to finish up my blocks for the Virtual Quilting Bee.  This one is for Eren, who sent the leafy print on the bottom left and the yellow and white print on the top left, as well as the off white solid.  I took a good look at the our flickr group and picked some other prints that I thought would go well with the other finished blocks.  I didn't have enough of the off white to put it in the center so I chose this aqua out of my stash.

This was my first attempt at paper piecing.  I used the great instructions found here by Christina at The Sometimes Crafter.  It was easier than I had anticipated and now I wonder why I waited so long to try it.  I can totally see this block done in three monochromatic solids - wouldn't that be cool?

Happy Monday!

Sarah and her ranunculus

My friend, Sarah, is an amazing photographer.  Many of you know this already.  Her use of light is wonderful and when paired with her polaroid, it's magical.  I was very excited when she decided to sell some of her prints.  I was over the moon when I found that they were all of ranunculus.

I had a hard time choosing because they are all so beautiful.  In the end, I went with the one above.  It arrived yesterday and I love it.  It's 8 x 10 and I love how it looks like a gigantic polaroid.  Today, I'm off to find a frame - I am thinking simple and white so the photo will really shine.  Stop by Sarah's shop and see the rest of them.  I bet you have a hard time choosing too.

And because I have been thinking about Sarah, I finally made my square for her month of the Virtual Quilting Bee.  Sarah sent the two darker solids and asked that we make something with texture.  I struggled with this assignment, mostly because both of my original ideas were used by other people in the VQB.   But in the end, I went with something I know we both adore:  ranunculus.

There is a high possibility that Sarah will not like this one bit.  She is not a ruffly kind of girl and I know that.  But she does like flowers and I had the idea so I made it.  I like it, but if she doesn't, that is fine.  I have lots of fabric left over.

Squares and Rectangles for Morgan

Morgan sent the brown print, the green polka dot and the white fabrics for her month of the Virtual Quilting Bee.  I really love how this one turned out.

I hope she likes it too.

The pie crusts are made!  I'm off to slice and then dice bread for stuffing and make a lasagna for tomorrow night.  The house is a mess - gotta get on that.  I am not stressed - I am not going to let myself be.  And if I were, it'd be Caroline's fault.  She convinced me(and really, I didn't much convincing) to play hooky and go see Twilight today.  A mid-week, daytime, teenage love movie is such a guilty pleasure.

Back to cooking.....

Virtual Quilting Bee - November

For this month's round of the Virtual Quilting Bee, Alicia sent us the white fabric and the teal vine print.  She gave us very specific instructions which was a blessing.  I liked that I didn't have to think too hard about it.

Easy enough, huh?  I am almost finished with Morgan's block for October, too.  Back with that sometime soon.

Ok, time to make the pie crust.  That just didn't happen this weekend.  It might have something to do with a very fun 40th birthday party and a little too much wine.  I'm just guessing though.  ;)

Happy Monday

A tree for Melissa's forest

This is my block for Melissa's month in the Virtual Quilting Bee.  She asked for trees.  I was definitely inspired by this tree Liesl made.

I'm happy with how this came out.  I hope you like it, Melissa.  And I hope you still like me when you see the back.  The geometry was a smidge tricky in parts.

3 solids, 1 stripe, 1 gingham and a whole lot of dots

Well, hi.

I was going to show you all my new bag and tell you about how much I adore it, but the camera battery is dead.  I don't use a card reader so it needs a charge before I can get the photos off.  Tomorrow, ok?

Instead I'll show you a happy little fabric shot.

Melissa asked for trees for this month's Virtual Quilting Bee.  She sent the light green solid at the top of the photo and some white.  She said we could add prints from our stash so I played around in the studio yesterday, making piles of green fabrics.  I was really surprised at how many different green dots I have.  Anyhow, I have a plan - and I am pretty excited about it.  I just hope I can make it work out.  I think I will have lunch and then give it a go.  I always sew better on a full stomach.

Virtual Quilting Bee - My turn

We made it to Telluride in a respectable time, unlike last year.  Phew.  There was a flurry of activity at our house the last couple of days before we left.  I mailed off something like twenty-eight packages, some of which were for the Virtual Quilting Bee.

I chose these Denyse Schmidt prints from my stash because I have always wanted to make a quilt from them, but just haven't gotten around to it.  I sent the other 11 ladies each one fat quarter and kept the floral in the top right for my own square because I only had a small piece.

I asked the others to make me a nine patch square using the fabric I sent for the middle squares on each side.  They can choose a second fabric that contrasts or coordinates for the corner pieces and a third print or solid for the center.  I'm going for a look similar to the ones in this photo.  Mine still needs some work - I will take it apart when I get home and change the center square to a third print.  When I have all twelve squares in my hands, I will probably sash them together using white and maybe add some other prints where the corners meet.  I am looking forward to seeing what these ladies come up with.

Thanks for the packing list love....I am going to work on a master list that will be available for download in the next couple of weeks.  Also, although I will be posting on the blog while on vacation, I am going to take a break from responding to comments.  Please know that I read them all and really appreciate every single one.  Thanks.

Back tomorrow with news on what was in fifteen of the other packages I sent.

Quilting news

Phew!  You guys really came to a lady's aid.  I have managed to reattach all four of the borders.  Numbers 1, 2, and 3 went on fairly easy.  The last one did not.  It took about 5 tries, but I did it.  I went with the stay-stitching suggestion.  It was great.  I think if I ever make a quilt like this again, I might even stay stitch each square before I piece them together.  It would only add a minute or so and eliminate a lot of the bias stretch.  Anyhow, the whole thing is laid out and about 85% basted - I ran out of pins.

In other quilt news, I finished my June square for the Virtual Quilting Bee this weekend.

Anina sent the floral in the middle and the pink polka dot surrounding it.  She asked for a scrappy log cabin square.  I dug through my scrap box(es) and this is what I ended up with.  I hope she likes it!

OK - I need to go pack up some embroidery or something.  We are off to our first swim team practice.  See you all later.

Virtual Quilting Bee :: May

This quilt block is for Courtney.  She sent the teal, russet and off white solids and asked us to make a square bordered in the off white.  I added two plaids from some of Fatty's repurposed work shirts and the strip of polka dot.  I really like this square - I think her quilt is going to be a knock out.

OK - it's Monday.  I've got a lot to do.  See you later.

Sky Scrapers

I know I said siesta.  It's coming, just not quite yet.

We arrived home on Saturday evening.  After a quick dinner, and because my bag was missing and I couldn't start the laundry (too bad, huh?), I made my April Virtual Quilting Bee Block.

Amanda Jean sent us red and white solids and as soon as I saw them, I knew what I wanted to do.  I used the same basic strip piecing that I did in the pillow.  I am really pleased with how it turned out.  I like the wonky squares and am planning on doing something like this on a larger scale.  I need to remember that it really takes a lot of fabric, though.  I had a small panic moment when the square was just shy of 12.5" in one direction because I didn't have much white fabric left.   A quick survey of the scraps and a few ripped seams later, I was in business.

I thought it looked like a wonky window pane, but when I showed the finished square to Fatty, he said it looked like sky scrapers.  I took another look and now, sky scrapers it is.  I think it will play nicely with the other blocks that have been finished.

My bag arrived yesterday.  Off to finish the laundry.  Have a great Monday.

Virtual Quilting Bee::March

Before we get too far into April, here is my Virtual Quilting Bee block for March.

Kathy asked for log cabin blocks and she pointed us to Gee's Bend and Nancy Crow for inspiration.  She sent the gray and blue polka dot fabric as well as the aqua, blue and brown diamond print.  I am happy to say that all of the other fabrics came from my stash.  I wish I had more gray, but I used my only scrap from the elephant quilt and it was from squaring up the edges!  Funny enough, I didn't piece the block with this orientation in mind.  If you rotate it 90 degrees to the left, you'll see how I pieced it.  When I was finished though, I liked this orientation better.  Quilting just seems to be full of happy accidents for me.

To get an idea of how this quilt is coming together and see more of last month's blocks, check out the flickr group.  I think both quilts are going to look great!

All in fifteen minutes

Today is just one of those days.  You know the kind I mean.  It's rainy and gloomy and crawling back into bed seems like the best idea.  Until I remember that there is physical therapy to do, groceries to buy, help needed at school, miles to run (most likely on that awful contraption known as a treadmill), laundry to fold, a house to clean.  So what do I do?

Play with fabric for a bit, ponder choices, wonder why there is no grayish blue fabric in the stash.  Find a spot next to a window, take some photos, rearrange the fabrics, think of the different possibilities.  Look at the clock and snap back to reality.  On with the sneakers and the rain coat, up with the hood and out the door.

What are you doing today?

Friday

It's a Friday in February...ho hum.  Just think in two more weeks it'll be March.   That gives me hope.

Not much happening over here.  I've been making x's like crazy.  Well, not too crazy - I have three done.  They each take me a little more than an hour - an hour and a half if I obsess about the random factor.  So really, they take an hour and a half each.  Who am I kidding?  I hope to finish the entire quilt top by next weekend.  If I make an x a day that is entirely do-able.  If I stop obsessing about pattern and color, it will be a piece of cake.  Wish me luck.

Jennifer has received my quilt square.  I love it and she likes it so all is well.  Pop on over to the virtual quilting bee group on Flickr.  I love how it is coming together!

Tomorrow looks promising - I have a sewing class to learn how to use my Bernina Stitch Regulator (woo hoo!) and a date with my man  (yippee!).   Hope your weekend holds just as much promise.  Enjoy!

The s word

I printed my goods for the gocco swap today.  It was trial and error to find the right mix of yellow and brown, but in the end, I think it turned out good.  I am a novice at this thing, for sure.  It makes me nervous to be sending my item out knowing it is a bit, er,  rough around the edges.  I'll be interested to see what people think.  Fingers crossed.

I am working on my first quilt square for the Bee.  Jennifer sent the print in the background and the yellow chenille for inspiration.  I just hope it goes together like I have it in my head.   And that it goes with the other 11 blocks, too.  And that she likes it.  Once again, nerves.

Up this weekend....finishing our handmade valentines for Sarah's swap, working on Miniswap and trying to get one very very very overdue package in the mail.  Thank goodness that recipient is patient and kind and sweet.  Oh, I just wrote thank goodness.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Happy Friday.