Monday, March 31, 2014

Sunday Stash on Monday

 A whopping 27 yards of fabric has entered my house in the past week. Yikes! There is a plan for all of it, so it will be used soon. My LQS had a sale on Friday, then I went on a shop hop bus trip on Saturday.

The shopping started online with the blue and orange floral from Kate Spain's Sunnyside line. It will be the border fabric on the 4th in my series of wedding ring quilts for my nephew and his bride. The other blues and greens are possibilities for the arcs. Lots more shopping to come for this quilt!

These 1/2 yard cuts of batiks will become guitar straps using this tutorial by Amber at One Shabby Chick for an upcoming craft fair.  If you are local, come see me at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Charlestown, RI on April 12, 9am-2pm.

 These sweet florals will become table runners or mug mats.

These amazing Phillip Jacobs prints had to come home with me. Garden Party (on the left) has been a favorite of mine and I love the bold colors of Gertrude. One or both of these prints will become a One Block Wonder.

I picked up a few fat quarters just for fun!

 These fat quarters will become a gift. I'm thinking about jumping on the churn dash bandwagon.

 I bought this Fons & Porter ruler for squaring up half square triangle units and the polka dot scissors were a free gift for completing the shop hop.

And the sneakiest of peeks at a birthday gift.

The wooden checkerboard was made by Pete last year in wood shop class. We're praying for him today as he starts the Basic Reconnaissance Course. It has been his dream and goal to become a Recon Marine for several years, and now he is 3 grueling months away from completion. OOHRAH!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

WIP Wedensday- Table Runners

 I'm getting ready to vend at a Spring craft show in April, so I'm trying to get some work done. This week, I'm focusing on table runners.

This one is done and measures about 11 X 24". It was inspired by Ryan Walsh's quilt, but I pieced it with squares and rectangles.


These two are pieced from DS Quilts fabric that I picked up on sale last weekend at JoAnn's. They might get borders before quilting. The pattern can be purchased here.


 And this sweet little square was pieced together with hourglass units left over from Mollie's quilt. I'll be looking for a coordinating Springy print for the border while I'm on a shop hop this weekend.


Linking up, then back to work!
http://www.freshlypieced.com/

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Sunday Stash

This luscious Free Spirit voile arrived in the mail yesterday. These pieces will soon become Spring infinity scarves. I was so lucky to find them on sale at Stash Fabrics.

Anna Maria Horner Field Study Voile, Mind's Eye in Tambourine and Samba; and Tula Pink Birds and Bees voile, Bees Knees in Lapis
 

This fun pile is for an upcoming guild class with Jackie Kunkel. I purchased the Riley Blake florals not too long ago and found a bunch of coordinating solids in the stash. They will be perfect for a Spring/Summer table runner.
 
Riley Blake Flutter by the Quilted Fish & Kona solids

I'll have lots to show you next week. I ordered some Kate Spain fabric for the next wedding ring quilt, and I'm going on a shop hop next Saturday. That could be dangerous!

Linking up today with Work-In-Progress Girl.

Molli Sparkles

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

WIP Wednesday

I have three finishes to report this week, only 2 with pictures. I hemmed Julia's gown for the ROTC ball. I'll show you a picture after she attends the ball with Fred.

Class 2 of the 46 pocket bag project was last Saturday. I love my new bag, but I'll never remember where I put anything!


I also finished this 9-patch class sample. I decided to donate it to the school band boosters' raffle. My kids gained so much from the music department, I'm happy to continue to support the program.

9-Patch Swing, 58 x 70"

The musical prints had been in my stash for a few years.


It was fun to use them all up! I just needed a bit of solid red to fill up the back.


The blue jazz combo print is my favorite. I need to print a label and then this quilt will be ready to go.


Linking up...
http://www.freshlypieced.com/

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Quilty Bucket List

 I have enjoyed seeing other people's quilty bucket lists, so I thought I would join the fun.

Very soon, Julia and I will start working on a New York Beauty quilt. We have wanted to make one since we met Karen Stone in 2005 and bought this book. I love these blocks. I grew up in New York State and I have a thing for the Chrysler Building.


When our LQS started selling NYB BOMs a few months ago, I knew we had to have them. I was hoping we would start piecing at the retreat last weekend, but we were not that ambitious. It might be our summer project.


I have been intrigued by One-Block Wonder quilts since this book was released. Someday, the right print will scream "buy me!" and I will get started. 

http://www.amazon.com/One-Block-Wonders-Fabric-One---kind/dp/1571203222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394761207&sr=8-1&keywords=one+block+wonders+by+maxine+rosenthal

I made a Giant Dahlia in 1990-91as a wedding gift shortly after I started quilting. The center looked like a volcano! As a beginner, I was excited and fearless and stitching way above my skill level. I'm sure lots of you did, too. Anyway, it might be time to revisit this classic pattern with modern fabrics.

http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Dahlia-Sewing-Machine-Needlework/dp/0486245012/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394761121&sr=8-1&keywords=giant+dahlia+quilt

What quilt patterns are on your bucket list?

I'm linking up with The Tilted Quilt.

The Tilted Quilt

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

WIP Wednesday- Quilt Retreat Edition

After a wonderful weekend away at a quilting retreat, I have lots to show you!

Start & Finish: I made a little quilt to enter in the weekend quilt challenge. The theme this year was "Things we Bring to Quilt Camp." My first year at the retreat, I didn't bring enough thread. I won't make that mistake again!


I got to use some tiny scraps and my favorite Kate Spain print for the border. I used some silly fabric on the back.  The triangles are pockets for a hanging rod.


Of course, it was pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread.  I like the way the tiny quilting in the background and no quilting in the spools makes the spools pop. My little quilt is called "Going, Going, Gone."


New: The Saturday workshop started with a jelly roll race. Here are our yummy supplies.


I was so excited to sew on my Featherweight all weekend. She did great, with just a minor bobbin winding issue.


Here we are with our latest WIPs. The first time I attended this retreat, I was pregnant with Julia. Twenty years later, she was there with me again!


Someday, we will be inserting circles into these tops using the Piec-lique technique. Our fabric and design have been chosen, we just need to find some courage and time.


Ongoing: I finished 12 more blocks in the past week for my Farmer's Engineer's Wife quilt.


This is what happens when you try to sew after midnight!


Enjoy the rest of your week!

http://www.freshlypieced.com/

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Jelly Roll Race

 Julia and I joined 55 of our closest quilty friends for a weekend retreat at the W. Alton Jones Campus of the University of Rhode Island. Pat Harrison of Ocean Waves Quilting Company led the Saturday workshop of her Easy Peasy Circles design. 


The background of the quilt is a 1600 quilt top, so we started the day with a jelly roll race. Erin (Quilting in RI) won the race! Yes, there were prizes.


Judy finished in 2nd place,

  
and Bernadette was third.


Jen picked the wrong day to wear black. Those Moda jelly rolls are messy!


And now for the parade of tops...
 
Margaret
Rose
Pat, Norrene, Serafina, Nancy
Rita, Rosalie, Laurel (circles are pinned on)
Sue, Sara Jane
Jen, Bev, Diane
Serafina, Nancy, Pat, Donna
Noreen, Judy
Chris, Lynn
me, Julia

After lunch, Pat taught us how to sew inset circles by machine. Here are just a few test blocks.


Rosalie proudly announced, "You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!"
 

Julia and I picked out our fabrics for the circles, but that's as far as we got. No one was brave enough to cut into their jelly roll top just yet.


I have more pics to show you, but that's enough for today.