New York Beauty Quilt-A-Long

What have I done now?!?! I just commented on a blog post - (Teje, it was too tempting!)  I won't have time for this, but... then I thought;  one block per month is manageable!

Kim over at gogoKim is hosting the New York Beauty Quilt-A-Long - and I have joined... :)

What about you? Want to join?

  

For more info: New York Beauty Quilt-A-Long



Working on UFO's

I haven't really been in the 'UFO-mojo' this year, but finally - about one week ago - I decided to start thread basting one of the two 'Colorado Star' quilts. It was already pinned basted, so it was just to get started. I had two excuses for not to work on it earlier; I was busy with a couple of new projects and I wasn't in the mood to clean the table - lol. Last weekend cyclone 'Giovanna' paid us a visit so there was no chance I could do anything in the garden. 'Class 3' warning was issued too, which means 'don't go out if you don't have to'... More about 'Giovanna' here.

Yes, UFO's... CS quilt #1 is thread basted and ready to be quilted. I should get the thread by this or next week. I need backing for the second one and for the matching table topper, but I don't feel for shopping these days; too hot...

Sunday last 'Giovanna' gave us wind from all directions, so this is what I did the entire day; thread basting the 'Postage Stamp' quilt I did last year...  The top and backing were already done, just to sandwich it. Not the best photo, hope to have a better one when its finished. I have used 2.5 inch charms in yellow, green and brown and I really love how it turned out.

After I finished basting the PS quilt, I pulled out the Christmas/Winter UFO's too and thread basted 6 table mats and 5 table toppers/runners. All ready to be quilted! :)  

 

As you may remember from an earlier post, my childhood friend Johnny turns 50 this October, and I'm working on a sampler quilt as our gift. He knows about it - no secret! :) I haven't done as much as I intended to, because I have in mind the quilt should represent our childhood, which needs some deep thinking at times.... This block has been in the 'thinking-box' for some weeks, because I couldn't figure out how to add all the pieces together. When I started working on it some days ago; no problem at all... :) Not very happy about the two top corners - the 'clouds' is not horizontal - if you have noticed?! I had to do it like that, because that is what I had left of the fabric and it didn't work the other way... I believe it won't be that visible sewn into the quilt. The block is from EQ7 and measures 12 x 12 inch. 

I have a few more blocks for 'Johnny's Quilt' ready to be sewn and hopefully I'll do them over the weekend - if I don't get sidetracked - as usual! :)

 

 

Easter bunnies, piecing and squaring up...

I'm a bit confused these days.... I can't decide which project to work on.... It doesn't make it easier after these cute Easter bunnies landed in the mailbox today... Aren't they cute?! :) I see an Easter table topper or runner here.... I'm already looking for matching fabric in my stash! :)

(photo from www.equilter.com)  

Since this post, I've been piecing and cutting, piecing and cutting - phew! :) Now I have approx 400 four-patches I have to square up to 4.5 x 5.5 inches.   

Not much to share today, just thought I would share those cute bunnies. :)

Earlier this year we went to the sacred lake Ganga Talao, which you can read more about here.  

 

Blogger's BOM #5 & (I've) Got the blues

As mentioned in my previous post, I've done Blogger's BOM #5. If you don't know by now, Blogger's BOM is hosted by Jackie over at Canton Village Quilt Works.

Block #5 is designed by John Adams over at Quilt Dad.

Quite a cool block, isn't it? A great way to use up 1.5 inch strips.
The February block will be designed by Amy Smart - Diary of a Quilter.

I was a bit surprised by the cutting instruction though, but didn't notice until after I had made the first block. (I make two blocks of each, for a bigger quilt). The background fabric pieces is said to be cut 4x6 inches, but according to me that is waste of fabric. It's OK when only one block is made that way, but imagine the waste making a queen or king size quilt! When making the second block, I cut the pieces 3.5 x 6 inches, which is still a bit too much. As you can see, still 1/2 inch too much, so I believe 3 1/4 x 6 inches is sufficient. No offense to the designer, I was just thinking BIG! :) Fabric is expensive, so I believe we all want to save where it is possible, don't we?

  

I wonder if I'm pre-senile??!! I had already forgotten about these blocks, which I sewed in the beginning of January! The fabrics I've used are swatches from the box I received last year - remember my friend Johnny and the old lady? :) The fabric line is 'Just wing it' by MoMo for Moda. The plan is to make a baby quilt, but even if I've added white tone-on-tone, I don't have enough even for a small baby quilt... and you know what that means?! SIGH! :) Yes, made a purchase today! :)

What's going on in your head when you are quilting? If you are like me; all sorts of thoughts, new ideas etc. I came up with the idea to do a bedroom makeover! Our bedroom is old fashioned pink with a darker shade on the focal wall. I loved it when it was freshly painted, but now - after almost 5 years - I'm a bit tired of it! :) I got the idea to repaint the walls, the bed and bedside tables and... here it comes; quilted curtains and bed spread in blues and white!

I have been into repainting, restoring and all that for many years, so I know it is a lot of work, but this is something I really love to do. It's too hot and humid for painting this time of the year though, so I'll have to concentrate on quilting... :)

Here's the beginning of either the bed spread or curtains... I've made only four blocks so far.

 Navy blue is not really my color,  but this is the color I started with. I'll use blues from my scraps so each block won't have the same blues, they will vary from light to darker blues. I know what I already have of blues won't be enough, so I have already sinned! I had to purchase some fat quarters from Hancocks of Paducah! :)   

I hope I won't be tempted to start yet another project!!! I think these - in addition to the UFO's - should keep me more than busy the coming months! :)

Stash cutting, new project and UFO progress

Yesterday I was going to sew Blogger's BOM #5 - and so I did (that will be the next post). It was a hot day - +31C / 87F - no venture out for me in that scorching sun. It's quite comfortable inside, even if we don't have A/C.
I have some Nancy Halvorsen fabrics and had a bag full of 'Love is' fabrics; most of them are half yards, smaller pieces and the cute panel. I got a brand new Olfa cutting mat a couple of days back, changed the rotary cutter blade - it was a real pleasure to cut! Cut! Cut! Just like a knife in room temperated butter! :)
I put aside some 1.5 inch strips for the BOM and began cutting. I manage to cut all the fabrics into 2.5 inch strips! Not very good at calculating, but by adding white or cream tone-on-tone to those strips, I think it will be a good size quilt.

Before I started cutting, I played a little bit with the fabrics. This is going to be a drawstring bag - at least that is the idea! I got stuck, because I don't have the right color quilting thread. You may remember I never have the right color - lol! :) The yellow/blue/green fabric is backing for the Colorado Star quilt. It's a good quality quilt cover I got from an old lady. I'm quite sure she hasn't used it more than a couple of times, it looks like new.

The colors on this photo are a bit too dark... hopefully a better photo when finished.

Progress on the Colorado Star quilt; one top is layered and pinned, ready to be thread basted before quilting. And YES, I don't have quilting thread for this one either - lol! It's on its way from the US!

The plan was to thread baste the Colorado Star quilt, but.... I got too lazy... As I mention above; I already have backing for one of the CS quilt, but not for the second one and the table topper... Perhaps I'll purchase the needed yards from this fabric line - I shall see... Seems like I'm into blues nowadays! :) I'm working on another new project too - always and forever hopelessly in love with what I'm doing! :)) I'm going to take pics for the next post...