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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Row Along Flimsy

I LOVE the fabric that I ordered on a whim for the Row Along border.
Cute, no? It goes great with the greens that I have included in my Row Along quilt top. I have assembled the whole top.

It has now been added to my pile of quilt tops waiting to be quilted. I hope those waves and ripples that I see in this photo are due to the way it is attached to the design wall and not a ripple-y border. I chose not to make the bumble bee block as my label for this project. I actually made a red mitten block that I didn't include in the quilt because I thought it made for too much red in that row. I originally thought I might make something for Little Missy with it. But...I think it will make a great label block for the back of the quilt. I have also made the scrappy binding.
It is all now waiting for me to get to the quilting phase.

Now that the Row Along is finished, I am moving on to my top priority for 2014...quilting on my Lucey. I started with this 'woven' design that I go from Moda Bake Shop.

I got one pass finished today. The rest will have to wait for another good sewing day.

I am linking up to WIP Wednesday. You will find it here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Doll Quilt from Bonus Triangles

I had some sewing time today, but had no direction. I am still waiting for that border fabric for my Row Along quilt to arrive. I didn't feel like hand work. What to do?

Ah hah! I have a bag of bonus triangles that accumulated while I worked on the 2013 Designer Mystery BOM.
I decided to make a doll quilt for 4-year old (yesterday!) Little Missy. I played around with some of the triangles and decided on a pinwheel design.

I had intended to wrap the backing around to the front and sew it down instead of binding the quilt. Wouldn't you know it. I accidentally cut the backing when I was trimming. Darn. I made some polka dotted binding from more of the leftover fabric from that quilt.

Here it is all finished. Such a small project, but it gave me some fits.

Thanks for stopping by.



Monday, January 20, 2014

Lori Holt Row Along

I know, I am very far behind the rest of the western world, but I am thrilled to finally be working on Lori Holt's Row Along. Last year, I watched the Row Along progress while I was working on other projects. As ever, I wouldn't let myself start a new project until I had finished my in-progress projects. When her wonderful Quilty Fun book went on pre-order, I immediately got on the list.


Whoop-de-doo, the book arrived, and I was ALMOST ready to get started. I had to finish a few more projects. Once I finished the Under the Stars flimsy, I was ready to go on the row along. Yes, I know that there is currently a Quilty Fun Blog Tour going on, but I can't get into that yet. I have been waiting too long to make this quilt. I never seem to be working on a project when there are prizes to be won. I am so out of the loop!


I put little bunnies in each house. Too cute.

I love the mugs.
I really love Lori's directions. My pet peeve is to purchase a pattern that doesn't include instructions about which way to press seams. Come on. If I was smart enough to figure that out for myself, I'd be selling patterns, not buying them. Lori consistently includes specific directions for the pressing of each seam. I love you, Lori.

 This project has gone together without a hitch.


I had a great time with each design. I can't pick a favorite. I love them all. OK, maybe not the one-inch four patches. Other than that, I love them.

I have now added the inner borders.
I don't have enough of any fabric to do the next border. I really went wild and ordered fabric that I "HOPE" will go with the rest of this quilt top. Since my first inspiration fabric was the Apple of My Eye design from Riley Blake, I hoped that another Riley Blake fabric line would go with this color palette. Fingers crossed. Since this is MLK day, there was no mail delivery. I am waiting.

When I got to this point, I switched up to a different project. I completed block #8 in the 2013 Designer Mystery BOM.
I enjoyed the extra sewing day. Tomorrow, it is back to my real job. Sigh.

Thanks for stopping by.






Sunday, January 12, 2014

Gen X BOM

I am so thrilled that I stumbled on this BOM program. While I am certainly not Gen X by age,  I am really attracted to the modern look.  This year's Visa Versa blocks have been chosen for their polarity. Positive and Negative. You can read about the Gen X BOM for 2014 here. It is not free, but it is still very reasonably priced at $15 for the year. Monthly posts are delivered to your email.

I had a hard time chosing my color palette. I had DH drive me to several places in Lexington so I could search out a nice selection of solids. To no avail. He was very patient, but I had no luck. As a last resort, I went to our little Hobby Lobby and surprise, surprise, I found the color palette that pleased me. Note to self, check out the closest places first.

Here is the palette that I chose for this BOM project.
These are all Kona Cottons. I chose Sand as my background and sashing color. I am using my favorite, go-to white, Kona Snow as the white for the project. The other colors are (L-to-R) Espresso, Cinnamon, Caramel, ?? (no idea what this red is called), and Lagoon. I am pretty pleased with these fabrics.

I completed the first installment Shoo Fly or Churn Dash. Here is my traditional setting:

And here is the negative of this same block:
How cool is that? If you haven't heard of the Gen X BOM, you should consider joining in. I am already in love with this project. Here are the two blocks side-by-side:
I am linking up with Anything Goes Mondays found here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Under The Stars

I have finally finished the Under the Stars quilt top that I bought through Craftsy. I have complained about this one before. First, I was disappointed to find out that it was nothing but written instructions and no video as with other Craftsy classes. Then I complained because it was such a boring block to put together. I think the reason I found it to be so boring is that I couldn't be happy with a star as I finished each block. I like to check my blocks as I go to see if I have done a good job or not. I just couldn't do that with this project. The stars didn't appear until the rows were assembled.
Anyway, here it is. It is my first completed flimsy for 2014. It has now been added to the pile of quilt tops waiting to be quilted.

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, January 10, 2014

A Look Back and A Plan for 2014


Here is a review of the projects that I laid out for myself last January. My final results are in red.

Sewing Priorities for 2013

Deadlines:
            Megan’s quilt – Jan. 15 Done
            Baby quilt for Angie – March 15 Done
            Baby quilt for Nicola-shower August Done

WIP’s:
2012 Designer Mystery BOM Done-waiting to be quilted
Amish BOM Done-waiting to be quilted
Bee’s Bee All installments done. I don't think I will plan to join another bee. It was a good experience.
Table Runner – Swirling Leaves Done
Farmer’s Wife Done-waiting to be quilted
Blogger BOM – Purple/green Done-Quilted on domestic machine.
Star Struck – begun at Bonnie Hunter workshop Done. Gifted to my brother
Blogger BOM – Christmas – needs quilting Done. Quilted on domestic machine.
Merry, Merry Snowmen – needs quilting Done. Quilted by Natalia Bonner. Currently hanging on wall
Leader/Ender: Blue Ridge Beauty Done. Quilted by Missouri Star Quilting Company
2013 Designer Mystery BOM In progress

UFO’s: (Top priority to finish)
Pine Tree Wallhanging Done. Hanging on Master Bedroom Wall
Strawberry Marmalade quilt – needs quilting Still waiting to be quilted.
Pansy quilt – needs quilting Still waiting to be quilted.
Bear Hollow – make some repairs – needs quilting Still waiting to be quilted.

Ready to Go (have fabric/pattern):
Oakshott wallhanging Done Hanging on wall
Woven (Kissing Booth fabric) Done-waiting to be quilted
Great Granny Square QAL Done-waiting to be quilted
Row Along (w/Lori Holt) Currently working on this one. Begun January 2014
Hashtag quilt Done-waiting to be quilted
Jane's Baskets kit- In progress, Some cutting has been done

Small Projects:
Wine Carriers-Completed one as a gift, January 2013
Scissor holder- Completed Jan. 2013, gifted to Ginny
Coin purses
Sewing table organizer (Oh, Franson pattern)
Spray bottle cover (pattern from Lori Holt)
Pillows (Tula Pink pattern)
Purse
Sewing Tote (pattern on Moda Bake Shop)

Someday Wishlist:
Blogger Girl BOM
Holiday Lane Pillow
Reindeer - paper pieced pillow
LynneBob Square Pants quilt
Rainbow project

I think I accomplished a lot in 2013. Now it is time to think about my priorities for 2014. 

My top priority for 2014 is going to be machine quilting all of the tops that have accumulated in my sewing room. As my followers know, I received an APQS Lucey quilting machine in August. I have been practicing and it is now time to put a real quilt on the machine. 

Quilt tops waiting to be quilted 2014:
 
Strawberry Marmalade quilt
Pansy quilt
Bear Hollow 
2012 Designer Mystery BOM
Amish With a Twist II
Farmer's Wife
2013 Designer Mystery BOM (when all installments are finished)
Woven quilt top (Kissing Booth fabric)
Great Granny Square quilt top
Lori Holt Row Along (when finished)
2013 Medallion wall hanging
Swoon quilt top
Under the Stars quilt top

I will also be working on several BOM projects:
2013 Designer Mystery BOM
Visa Versa BOM project
Park Bench BOM (Fat Quarter Shop)

I have also preordered a kit from Fig Tree Co. (The pear quilt)

That is how my year is looking right now. I will try not to be distracted by squirrels or bright shiny objects that will get me off track. However, as I have experienced in the past, some of those projects are not only fun, but also quite rewarding. I will try to stay on track. 

Thanks for stopping by.