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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Swoon 7&8

I have finished Swoon blocks 7 & 8.
Swoon 7
Not the best combination. What was I thinking?
   
Swoon 8
I really like #8. Not much sewing time left before my trip to Ireland. Tomorrow, DH and I are going to 'practice pack' to make sure we have everything we need and that we will have enough space in our luggage.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

More Swoon

Here is Swoon block #5.
I stopped sewing early today. I got bee block material in the mail and made that block. It will be in the mail tomorrow, Elise.

I won't be having as much sewing time coming up. There is a gathering of co-workers on Friday; surprise b'day party for my brother on Saturday; a baby shower on Sunday (the Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt that I have posted before); leaving for Ireland on Tuesday. I am very excited about each of these events. Time to put sewing on the back burner and get myself organized. I will try to post a link to Travel Pod for any who are interested in following my travels.

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Two more Swoons!

Another great sewing day. DH has been working outside all day. I almost feel guilty. I completed another two Swoon blocks. I have the next three cut out.
Swoon #3

  
Swoon #4
Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

This Weekend's Progress

I have been having a lot of good machine time again this weekend.
I completed the fourth installment of the Amish with a Twist BOM.
I finally got a start on my Swoon project. I have learned a lot from the Craftsy class with Camille Roskelley. I had no trouble sewing these blocks.
I have been sorting through my Denyse Schmidt fabrics. I am loving how these fabrics work together. Two down, seven more to go.

I am linking up to the Anything Goes Linky Party found here and also the WIP Wednesday Linky found here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Butt Ugly! Get it out of here.

How could I be so absent minded? I put the outer border on my Designer Mystery 2012 quilt top and didn't get a picture of it on the design wall before I folded it up to send out to the long armer. Duh! Sorry about that. I'll share a picture when it gets back.

I also finished the Great Granny quilt backing. Wait until you see the fabric I am going to use for the backing.
Is this ugly, or what? I bought six yards of it years ago because it was on sale. Of course, I thought it would be perfect for a quilt back. In the last 20 (or so) years, I have never chosen to use it as a back for any of my quilts. There is a message there. It is butt ugly. It isn't even 100% cotton. I am going to use is as the backing for my Great Granny Squares quilt. It seems appropriate, even if it isn't beautiful, to go along with other fabrics that have lived way too long in my stash. This ugly green fabric is going to be out of my stash and transformed into a useful quilt back.

I have two quilts boxed up and ready to send out to the long armer (2012 Designer Mystery BOM and Great Granny Squares). I am on a roll.

I have also added the border to my Hashtag quilt (design by Camille Roskelley).
The fabric that was my first choice for the border was not available at the quiltshop, so I chose a different one. Do you see that darkest hashtag in the quilt? That was my first choice.  I could have searched the internet and found what I really wanted, but I am at the point where I want to get things done. Can you tell my semester has finished and I now have sewing time? I am loving it.

I have cut out the blocks in the next Amish with a Twist BOM. I will be sewing those tomorrow. I still have to get the binding on my Blue Ridge Beauty. All in good time.

Thanks for stopping by.


Thursday, May 23, 2013

2012 Designer Mystery BOM top

I have been working on the last block of the 2012 Designer Mystery BOM and have begun the finishing kit.
I love these blocks, but I especially love the Vintage Modern fabrics by Bonnie & Camille. I have also added the first two borders.
It isn't quite straight on the design wall, but it is really coming out right on target for size. My borders are actually fitting! I think I am getting more and more accurate with my piecing. Practice helps. Tomorrow I will make the pieced border and be ready to send this out to my long armer. Whew. Another finish for 2013.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Monday, May 20, 2013

Great Granny Top

I have happily continued piecing blocks for the Great Granny Quilt. I have completed 30 blocks (5x6) and begun to add sashing.
This has been such a fun quilt to piece together. I have other things in the works, but I just couldn't seem to stop working on this one. I have some detail photos.
These are the main fabrics that made up my 'precious' stash. I just couldn't seem to cut into them because they were being saved for a 'special' project. Duh!
Don't we just all love green and pink? Have I grown up yet? Apparently not. These were also in my precious stash.
I got the light blue fabric from DIL. I really love it. There is a touch of green in there that really makes this fabric span the 90's with new, fresher fabrics. I combined this blue with some DS fabrics that I am currently hoarding in my new 'precious' stash. I need serious therapy.

I will be finishing this top ASAP so I can move on to other projects that are on my 'to do' list. Thanks for stopping by.








Thursday, May 16, 2013

Back from New York

DH and I returned from NYC last night. Have I mentioned before that I hate dealing with airlines? If not, make a note of that. I won't mention it again. On a brighter note, I had a great time with the grandsons. They are growing so quickly.

Anyway, I returned to find: Blue Ridge Beauty back from the long armer, Amish with a Twist BOM installment, and the last block in the Designer Mystery BOM installment. I really intended to get the binding on the Blue Ridge Beauty, but I sat down to sew more Great Granny Squares and just couldn't stop. These are really fun blocks.
Twelve done so far. Look at what I found in my stash as I was digging for fabrics to cut up for this project.
I don't know how to turn this around. Can you read that selvage? 1978. What is wrong with me? I think I have some kind of sickness. I probably need therapy. I have now cut it all up and whatever I don't use in the Great Granny project will go in my drawers of precut pieces for another project. I also cut up the remainder of some of the fabric I used in the Double Wedding Ring that I finished in 1993. I have one fabric remaining from that project. I could just cut it up, but I probably won't use it in this project. I don't want to OD on greens.

Lots of projects to work on. What project will I work on tomorrow? I will decide when I get to the sewing machine.

Thanks for stopping by.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Great Granny Blocks

I am so behind the times. I have started Lori Holt's Great Granny Along (see the link in my sidebar), but the 'along' has been finished so long ago that I am doing it by myself.
These fabrics have been in my stash for about 20 years. Seriously. The peach/green/beige fabrics were kept aside for a very 'special' project. I just never decided on what project. The blues and pinks are just old. It is definitely time to USE these fabrics. This is a fun project. I intend to make this big enough for a full sized bed.

Leaving for NYC in the morning. I'll have lots of grandson time. Can't wait.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Hashtag on the Design Wall

Look at what I have been up to. The Star Struck quilt top is packed up and will be mailed to Missouri Star Quilt Company tomorrow. I have been taking a Craftsy class from Camille Roskelley. This is such a cute design, I just couldn't wait to work on it.
She calls it Hashtag. I am really enjoying learning some tricks from her, like the way she makes sure that the Hashtags all line up. It sounds like a simple thing, but I have made many quilts with sashing strips and then found that my blocks didn't line up well. If you have been on the fence about taking this class, I highly recommend it. I have to get border and binding fabric. I want to get fabrics from this line instead of winging it like I usually do. I don't want to order it yet because we'll be out of town for a few days. I will order it when we get back.

I am pulling together fabrics for Swoon. She covers that one in this class too. I never get tired of seeing Swoon blocks. I have never seen one that I didn't like. I hope I can put together fabrics that will look as good as some of the finished Swoons I have seen.

DH's b'day today. I am cooking. I'm making salmon. No cake. We never eat it fast enough and end up throwing most of it away. We'll have a birthday cookie for dessert. We really are old farts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Looks done to me

It's the first of May. Rabbit, Rabbit.

I put a border on my Star Struck top.
Despite my plan for a narrow solid navy and a wider, dark print, I think it looks finished as it is. I purchased some $5/yd fabric for the backing. I will get this sent off to a long-armer soon.

Thanks for stopping by.