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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Jackpot!

I had a charm pack from Moda's Chocolate Wovens line (from when I went way overboard and thought I had to have name brand quilting fabric) and really wanted to do a framed 4 patch with it.  Problem was, I didn't have enough coordinating fabric.  I was in a quilt shop yesterday and found about 9 of the prints and bought some of each!  I am soooo excited for this find!  This quilt will be on the to-do list for awhile but I can't wait!  I really love the Chocolate line from Moda and it was one that I just had to have.  I have a sampler quilt made out of it and am planning another one with my "leftovers".  I think a "Turning Twenty" might work well.

My 9 patch was coming along nicely and I was able to get all 7 rows done this week, but one row doesn't want to match up with the one above it. They looked just fine hanging on my "design curtain" and matched up nicely but that one row seems to have grown while hanging there! I need to do a little adjusting and hopefully will have the top done on Wednesday.  I'm going to have some really long days with school - Mondays I will leave the house at 4 am and get home between 6 and 6:30 pm.  I sure hope the girls can make supper cuz I'm pretty sure I'll be ready to crash when I walk in the door!

And just because pictures are nice and I don't have any new ones to show you, here's my favorite little sailor, Liam.  The caption that goes with this picture is:  Deadliest Catch?  Heck, my fishing pole is also a gun!  

Thursday, August 26, 2010

I heart scraps!

Scrap quilts are my absolute favorite!  It might be because I don't have to match any colors - the scrappier the better!  I've always struggled with what to do with my scraps so I'm going to do a few posts about scraps.  As I stated in my last post, I am working on a flannel 9 patch.  I picked out large scraps that would yeild at least 5 3x3" squares.  Each 9 patch has only 2 different fabrics, one scrap fabric and a cream colored flannel (because I had a lot of that on hand).  I am using another flannel that I had quite a bit of for sashing.  This pattern is especially easy and quick becuase you can chain piece all the squares.  Since my quilt will be a lap size quilt, I went with 49 blocks (7x7) and 2" sashing.  I hope to finish up the quilt top this weekend and I will post pics then. 

Until next time!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

busy busy

I started school yesterday and it looks like I'll be pretty busy but I think the 2nd quarter will be even busier.  I'm forcing myself to make time to quilt which is a good thing because it relaxes me.  The kids are going full swing with their social lives and I've been doing a lot of running from here to there.  Today I'm working on my flannel 9 patch with only 19 blocks to go.  Sometime today I will take Liam to the park so he can burn off some energy.  Don't you wish you had the energy of a 2 yr old?

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I've been busy with quilting!  I finished two more baby quilts and have been working on some adult sized quilts.  I think I need to take more stretch breaks, my back is killing me!  It's been pretty hot here so it's been nice to stay inside and sew!  Next week I start back to school, I think this is seriously going to cut into my sewing time but you can bet I'll find the time!  Here are the pictures of my two new quilts Baby Bow Ties and Lil' Miss Priss.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Things usually don't turn out the way I plan

My friend Dee told me she makes Bow Tie quilts out of old shirts for "boy" quilts.  I thought I would try it with some of the homespun plaids and stripes that I had.  I started in and then realized I didn't have as much fabric as I thought.  So I improvised with borders.  This isn't at all what I planned but I love it - I'm not so sure the picture does it justice.  One block is going the wrong way, but that just adds character.  I sent this picture to my husband and he said one of my corners is off.  Ok, first of all, it's hanging on a curtain!  Second, when did he become such a critic?  Truth is, he's my biggest fan and his input is always appreciated!

Time to clean

Today I am working on cleaning/organizing my sewing room.  I sew in the "sunroom" in our house so I have NO wall space and everything is crammed into the corners so visitors can't see it from the living room (this hasn't been too successful).  If I need a design wall, I pin stuff up on the curtain covering the sliding glass doors (which how I take a lot of pictures of the quilts too).  We had an old computer and desk in one corner and I decided to clean the desk off, get rid of the computer and set up my other machine.  The girls want to help make pillowcases for the troops so this way, they can have their own machine to sew on and the desk provides more storage space.  Yay me!  Time to get back to work!

Until next time!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

My first blog

Hello!  This is the first time I have ever blogged.  I am hoping this will help me keep better track of my quilts.  Quilting is my passion, though I don't do the actual quilting.  I usually stay with pretty simple patterns but I am beginning to expand my horizons some.  I am really drawn to scrap quilts.  Maybe because at first they seem so unorganized and almost ugly, but as soon as they are done, they are beautiful!  I'm trying to get into selling quilts but we'll have to see how that goes.  It would be nice to bring in some money while I'm in school and not working.

I have several projects in the works right now.  I am binding a Dick and Jane baby quilt, making a graduation quilt for my niece Tayler, doing a BOM following the book "The Farmer's Wife", I have a yet to be named pink baby quilt that needs quilted and about 4 scrap quilts in the works.  I almost forgot, I have one at the quilter's that just needs binding, my son's big boy quilt (just needs to go to the quilter) and my English Paper Pieced hexagon quilt.  Wow!  That sounds overwhelming now that I read it!  Yet, there are so many more I want to do. 

Joann's had their novelty fabric on sale so I just had to go.  I ended up buying some really cute Debbie Mumm fabric.  One group had a pirate theme and the other was a really cute owl fabric.  True to my nature, I overspent, but I did get some of the sale fabric too!  If I get this blog thing figured out, I'll post pics tomorrow.

One last thing.  I am following http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/ 1million pillowcase challenge.  I am donating mine to the local mission and to soldiers in the Nebraska National Guard who are serving in Iraq.  If you have time, go to the website, check it out and make a few pillowcases.  They have several patterns but I follow the basic pattern.

Until next time!