Progress

Thanks for the encouragement and advice regarding my LOVE blocks yesterday.  Many of  you liked the two-tone blocks and even suggested adding more.  So glad to hear that because when I went to finish that missing block I realized that one was also a I-ran-out-of-solid-fabric-have-to-improvise-block as well!

I think I'm going to stick with the 4 by 5 block layout especially since I have been reassured the two-tone blocks work well.  Plus this means I don't have to make any more for this quilt and can move on to other projects...

....like our guild's ugly fabric challenge.  Above is the ugly fabric I have to work with.  

I don't really think it's ugly, but it's what I have to work with ;-)  Now it is strips sitting among other strips waiting for inspiration, which better come soon as it is due next week!

I went ahead and finished quilting my bird house and sewed on the binding.  Today I'm  hoping to find some cool bird buttons to sew on.  If not, then I think I'll embroider some.  This little mini really needs a little something.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have an improved birdhouse picture to share ;-)

Have an amazing day!!!!

Lots of Love

You know, I really thought these Amy Butler LOVE quilt blocks would come together much more quickly.  Here's what I have so far.

It's not the greatest picture, but it's the best I could do.  The original layout calls for five blocks by five blocks, but I'm not crazy about making this a square, so I'm considering four blocks by five blocks.  We'll see how it goes.  The missing block just needs one more strip sewn.  I just threw (well not literally) the blocks on the floor to take a picture...this won't be the final layout.  

 For one thing, I'm not sure about the "two tone" blocks shown above and below.  I just sort of pieced as I went, and then ran out of those particular solids.

Whether I keep these two or not will depend on whether I get tired of sewing solids to LOVE blocks before I get enough blocks to finish....chances are I will keep these two ;-)

The finished block size is 15" by 15".  As usual, I would love to hear your suggestions!  

Have an amazing day!!!

So Much Fun

My son and I  had a great adventure flying and driving to various places looking at colleges!  I was good (Eric even said so)...I didn't ask any embarrassing questions....I kept my opinions to myself....and I didn't google one quilt shop!

The highlight of our trip was definitely the time spent in New York City.  We had an awesome tour guide who took us on a walking (can you say five bandaids to cover the blisters) tour of Times Square and Central Park, gave us a how to on riding the subways, dined with us at the most amazing sushi restaurant and recommended an awesome place for dinner before the show!

Of course, I would have been happy to spend the entire time with our tour guide at her loft.  I could stare at her design wall for hours oohing and aahing over all the blocks she has up for her Ragamuffin quilt, but I had to remember this trip wasn't about me;-)

  Thanks Victoria for spending the day with us!!!!!  When can we do it again....when it IS all about me?

Have an amazing day!!!

Leave of Absence

In a few hours, my son and I hit the road (and the skies) for a quick college tour.  We will be visiting three different schools in three different states.  Whoo Hoo!!!!

Wasn't it just yesterday that he was learning to walk??!!!

Ironically, my one year blogiversary is while I am away...we'll just have to celebrate next week when I return.  See you then!

Have an amazing week!!!

Amy Butler LOVE

I have started and rejected so many quilts with my Amy Butler LOVE fabric, you wouldn't believe.  So with Amy hosting the Amy Butler Sew and Tell Challenge this Friday, I thought this would be a great opportunity to try again.

These squares represent one of those rejected projects.  I'll still use this in some future project, but

for my most recent attempt at cutting into my LOVE fabrics, I chose this Kaffe Fassett quilt as my inspiration.  

I bravely cut these 8 inch squares from my Amy Butler stash, and

now have a nice pile of selvages to put in my selvage basket.

I plan to use various shades of teal blues, greens and purples around the blocks.  These three are all I have completed, and it doesn't look like I'm going to finish in time for Friday, as my son and I hit the road tomorrow visiting college campuses.  At least Amy's challenge inspired me to cut into my fabric instead of just looking at it on the shelf!

Have an amazing day!!!

Sew & Tell Friday #40

I worked on several different quilts this week, none of which would qualify as a Friday finish.  

So I took a break from the big quilts and made this mini bird house quilt.  I was inspired by this little red bird house while browsing  Flickr.  

I started with this little bird, which I cut in a wonky shape, and added scraps I had on hand.  Many of the scraps are from Plume by Tula Pink.  The border is Nest from Valori Wells.  I love that there is bird theme fabric in my bird house quilt.  

The bird house looked like this at one point.  I thought it was too tall, so I chopped some off the bottom.   I added an inner border and then the Nest outer border.  I still plan to add some cute bird buttons once the quilting is complete.

I am hoping the bird buttons will help it look more like a bird house.  My daughter thinks this is cute, but she doesn't think it looks like a bird house.  Maybe a bird button on the roof and one on the base?

Luckily I've learned to take pictures of the quilt top before I mess it up with my quilting.  Here is the beautiful Anna Maria Horner Garden Party backing.  I had the brilliant idea to quilt around the gorgeous patterns on the back.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well it looked....until I looked at how the design was placed on the front.  I spent quite a bit of time with my seam ripper last night!

Before I go check out the creative goodness over at Sew and Tell Friday, I'd like to mention that my middlest turns 18 today!  Happy Birthday sweetie!!!  I can call him sweetie because I know he won't see this ;-)

Have an amazing weekend!!!!

Slightly Off

You notice anything different about my snowball blocks?  I made them slightly wonky.

It wasn't my original plan, but Beth dared me, and I thought why not ;-)

What do you think?  I only made them a little bit wonky.  Thanks to Beth for the challenge idea... I'm really liking this look...and she didn't even have to say I double dog dare you ;-)

In between piecing the snowball blocks, I made HSTs from the snowball cutoffs as well as from the leftovers from the modern siggy blocks.  I'm accumulating quite a pile of these little HSTs.  Bonus blocks!

Have an amazing day!!

Wonderful Wednesday!

Anyone recognize these?  I now have a pair!!!!  I'm thinking these will be great to wear when my toes need a pedicure....like now!

Have an amazing day!!!!

Snowballs in Florida

These are the only kind of snowballs we get here in Florida....snowball blocks.

I thought it would be fun to make them in bright solids.  I have so many other colors I want to cut into.  I took it slow, cutting into a few fabrics at a time, since I'm a novice snowball block maker ;-)

Somewhere recently I fell in love with a wonky snowball block quilt made from solid fabrics.  I spent way too much time yesterday trying to find it online with no success.  If anyone knows which one I am talking about and where I can find it, please let me know.

These little leftover triangles will be used to make mini HSTs.  I've already pieced a few using them as leaders and enders.

Have an amazing day!!!

Sick and Tired...

...of being sick and tired.  I have all these ideas floating in my head trying to get out ;-)

1. City Quilt, 2. Hexagon Moda Bliss Update, 3. love hanging, 4. 30097_1385445128170_1593296060_953091_6747438_s, 5. Untitled, 6. omqgmaysew14, 7. feelinggroovyfront, 8. omqgpics7, 9. omqgpics2, 10. omqgpics5, 11. omqgpic6, 12. omqgpic14, 13. omqgpics1, 14. omqgpics8, 15. Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt by Oh Fransson, 16. Just needs a name...

That's probably because I spent all day yesterday on Flickr.  It's easy to lose oneself there.  I did learn how to use the mosaic maker tool. The above mosaic shows a sample of quilty goodness from our guild's Flickr pool.

1. After 5 Mug Rug, 2. Poppyprint - mugrug pears 3, 3. Mug Rug for my partner- Will she love it?, 4. Hey partner..., 5. Mug Rug, 6. MUG RUG 2, 7. One Done, Many More to Make - My First Mug Rug, 8. scrappy mug swap, 9. Mug Rug for partner....

This mosaic shows some of my favorites from the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap's Flickr pool.  I'm inspired and can't wait to make some mug rugs myself....today!!

Have an amazing day!!!!

Mug Rugs and Fabric

Occasionally I "do the Twitter", but I still don't have a clue.  

Recently, I've seen quite a number of tweets about mug rugs.  Not wanting to ask the obvious, I searched mug rugs on Flickr.  Boy, am I in trouble!

I'm probably the only person who hasn't heard of mug rugs, but just in case I'm not, mug rugs are basically oversized coasters.  These are a great size because you can showcase some cool fabrics and patterns without them being covered up by your coffee mug.  Another cool thing is, I finally found a project for my Blah Blah Blah fabric.

Keep in mind, these are practice mug rugs and WIPs at that.  The binding isn't sewn down on the left one, and there is no binding at all on the right one....not to mention my sewing machine didn't want to cooperate...  I thought the Blah Blah Blah fabric was appropriate as that is how I feel before I've had my morning coffee!

These coffee cup fabrics I've had for a while, and I'm still using leftover binding.  Sweet!

Here's what happens when I hang out in my LQS with time on my hands and no list.

I have zero will power.  At least these fabrics were in the bargain bin marked down 50% ;-)

Have an amazing day!!!

Wonderful Wednesday!

It's another wonderful Wednesday!  

Yesterday I felt better and quilted some of my daughter's quilt.  I took many 15 minutes play breaks.  Click here to see the results.

Have an amazing day!!!

Plans

Hope y'all  had a great Labor Day weekend.  I had big plans for the weekend, but you know what they say about the best laid plans...  My family has been taking turns being sick, and this weekend it was my turn.

I did get a few things done before all I could do was lay on the couch feeling ill.  I got my daughter's quilt basted, and we discussed how she wanted it quilted.

Luckily, she went with my favorite quilting method....grid lines.  I was only able to get about two lines quilted, but at least it's a start.

I'm still plugging along on the charity wheelchair quilt.

I"m planning on quilting some today...we'll see how that goes.  What do you have planned today?

Have an amazing day!!!