Design Wall Monday - RRCB Done - completely done - it was a colorful weekend

RRCB is done, completely done and on the guest bed.   I want to make some pillow shams, but that wasn't on the agenda for this weekend.  I think an off white bed skirt would be better as well.

After I finished RRCB and she just came out of the drier I was all cuddled up with her watching a movie with my husband.  I was beaming with pride when I felt something poking me, and I mean really poking me, like sharp, like a pin.  And wouldn't you know it, I sewed a pin in the quilt!!  And where was they pin?? Yep, the HSTs!! I don't know why but it was a pin that parallel to the seam rather than perpendicular and I must have ironed the fabric right over it.  All that quilting and I never saw it.  After about 20 minutes and the help of my trusty point on the seam ripper I was able to wiggle it out between two stitches.  I'm so glad I found it rather than a guest!!  And I'm so happy I was able to get the pin out with out ripping out any seams.  Those silk pins are really sharp!  Someone left a comment saying that's why you sleep with a quilt before it gets used by others to make sure they have sweet dreams and to get all the pins out.

I was also working on something a bit more colorful, a little baby boy quilt.  This is my first french braid quilt.  I'm going to make one in batiks this year, on my list of things to do.  I got my CV (Amanda)  back from the shop on Monday.  Work week was busy so Amanda and I got reacquainted this weekend.   I was in the sewing room all weekend long.  Family members stoppes by every once in a while.  This quilt was definitely a family design affair, two daughters and husband all gave design input.  I think it turned out nice.  Just need to get the backing and quilt it.  21 more days until the baby gets here so I have a little time.

While I was looking for some white fabric I found these little cuties in my stash.  They must 5 years old.  There were 11 of them. Ya, 11?? what's up with that?  Well I also found some more of the same fabric so I can make a few more.  I think it will make a wonderful quilt for project linus.

So it was a very bright weekend.  Amanda is working like a charm.  I have the patterns ready to go as well,  I'll be sending out email to those that said they would like some.  I've got the list.   I also have a few books that I'm ready to part with and hoping they can find a good home as well.

I sewed a pin in my quilt.

That's right.  I finished  my RRCB today.  I was sitting on the couch with it covered up, warm,  cozy and oh so proud when something kept sticking me.  I mean really poking me.  It was one of those really sharp silk pins.  For some reason I pinned a seam along the seam line rather than perpendicular to it.  And I must have ironed right over the little bugger.  I can't believe that with all the quilting and everything in there I never hit it or noticed.  But well, there it was, sewn inside of the quilt.  It was washed dried and ready to go on the guest bed.  I'm glad I found it before a guest did!! I did finally get it out of the quilt, but it took some doing.  I managed to get it out between the stitches with some careful maneuvering and the help of the point on a seam ripper.  That was  a first for me, because I usually don't pin.  Those darn HSTs....they made me pin!! 

Amanda's back home and new fabrics

Not much sewing this week, busy week at work.  But the weekend is here and Amanda (CV) is back after being in the shop for a month.  She's ready to work and we have some catching up to do!!  I hope to finish my RRCB this weekend.  Only 15 more blocks to quilt, binding and then in the washing machine.

I just got some yummy fabrics which I think are great for baby blankets, nice and bright!  I had to take a break from RRCB and play with them just a little.  I need to make a baby quilt for a little boy who will be here 3 shorts weeks.   This is the first time that I've tried the french braid and I kinda like it.  I'm going to applique some boy toys in the white spaces, cars trucks that sort of thing.

I also went through the patterns and have a number of them ready, I'll send private email to those that expressed interest.  I just want them to go to a good home where someone can enjoy them.  Now, back to Amanda, we've got some work to do.

Design Wall Monday - RRCB half way quilted and true lovers knot

Wow, once I finish the quilting on RRCB, I think I'll take a break from the quilting and get back to some piecing.  I sure I wish I had my CV back - I miss Amanda.  RRCB is one big quilt to do on the sewing machine and CV has a little more room than my Bernina.  But I have the patient of a two year old and couldn't wait any longer!  I'm doing the same pattern in all the blocks.  As I do this I keep thinking, there's got to be an easier way!!  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.  It's not in the budget to send it out and pay for it to be quilted so that's not an option.

Here's the pattern that I'm using for all the blocks.  I originally had a more difficult pattern, but as large as this is wanted to go with something a more simple. I marked the hugs and kisses quilt and wasn't up for marking 50+blocks on this quilt.  Those that didn't like taking the paper off the string blocks will definitely not like this methods of quilting!!  Lots of paper to remove.  But if you leave it on while the rest is being quilted, the paper almost falls right off, well almost.   I have all the string blocks quilted and the border. Once the border was quilted I cut off the excess and that helped a little, but no matter what, it's a big quilt!

I also got a few of the blocks together for the True Lovers Knot quilt.  I made a slight design change.  I didn't like the gold going around the blocks entirely (caused it to have a double yellow strip through the middle horizontally and vertically) so I left out a couple of strips and really like it.  What do you think?  Leave it as is or put back the strips as in the original design?   I'm going to stop asking my daughter what she thinks about my progress, (she's the one who has named Hugs and Kisses the "Chase" quilt as it reminds her of the bank emblem).  She said this one reminded her of the Emperor's New Grove or Hercules - oh my it's suppose to be a wedding quilt! Well, lets see how it looks when I add the alternate color blocks. My trip to Korea was postponed at the last minute so I was able to get a little more done that I anticipated.  Ok back to quilting.

I was also going through some patterns that I know I'll never do again.  I hate to through them out.  Is anyone interested in patterns that are used?  I'd gladly send them to you if you will use them.  I hate that they are just sitting in my closet.

Whoop Whoop Friday!!!

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is hosting a Friday linky party for anyone wanting to celebrate their creative accomplishments this week.  And I have my second finish of the year!!  Yep, that's me still trying to avoid the y-seams.

This is a quilt I finished for my husbands, the dogs have claimed his quilt and I just can't bring myself to fix his old one again.  Here's a picture of the old one.  It's over 10 years old and just so worn and cozy, hmmm the dogs thought that too.  This was my first (and only) sampler quilt.  I learned and fell in love with paper piecing with this one.    See the corner at the top?  That was the dogs about 2 years agao.  And the blue block in the middle with the branchy mess - again the dogs and I tried to fix it.    They go t the other corner and then along the side you can see a big gapping hole.  I just give!!   So there was a new mystery starting called "hugs and kisses"  and I thought that was very appropriate so I just started on a new quilt for him.  


And finished it today, ya and it's movie night!!  My youngest daughter calls it the "Chase" quilt because the blue circle blocks reminds her of the chase bank symbol....Well it's a temporary quilt anyway.    His real quilt is only bits and bytes, just a design in EQ7 right now.  But hopefully after I get the roll roll cotton boll and a few y-seams done, I can get started on his real quilt.  I've got all the fabrics for the new one, just need to get in gear and get it started,  it's going to be a longer term project, maybe a Christmas present, or if I can get it done by Oct, an anniversary gift....we'll see.  But you can see the "real" quilt if like here

Design Wall Monday - oh the things I'll do to get out of Y-seams!

I have the day off today, so it's a fun filled sewing day.   The snow if falling and it looks so wonderful outside the sewing room window.  That's Rocco, he wants me to go out and play with him but he hasn't seen the design wall and all the things that need to be done!!

I am almost finished with the black and white string quilt, just a little more quilting and it will done!  I really am addicted to strings now, can't stop thinking about them.  This is the first time that I've pieced the back as well.  My measurements and math were off a bit (hard to believe I have BS in Math!) but I think it's good for my first try.

And then there is the cyberquilters monthly challenge.  We started out with Y-seams - oh my.  I gave it try, not my favorite thing to do, but we are trying to improve our skills right??  My block was anything but square.  I tried the Kaye Woods way with ironing the seams open and doing the pivot thing.  I had a few puckers that weren't horrible, but not as nice as I would like.  I'm going to try leaving the seam open a 1/4 inch and see if that works better for me.  I have a honey bun (is that what those 1.5 inch strip rolls are called?) that I'm using for the stars with alternating string blocks (yep more strings, I just can't stop!).  They are pastels which is really not like me, but I just love the colors.

And I'll do just about anything to get out of Y-seams so I've started the True Lovers Knot quilt for my nephew's wedding this year.  And I have the hugs and kisses marked and ready to quilt, same with Christmas lights without the Christmas.  I have the batting and backing for RRCB spray basted, haven't decided if I'll mark the quilt top or just do free motion.  And I pulled out the Baltimore Album quilt.  I'm going to finish it this year before June.  Hmm, the good thing about the Y-seams being first on the monthly list is that I'm getting a lot others things completed, just not the Y-seams ;)

I need a wedding quilt - any ideas?

I just found out my husband's God son is getting married in Sept of this year.  You know what that means, I need a special wedding quilt.  I really like the True lovers know pattern and I haven't done that one yet.  Any ideas out there from all you talented quilters?  And remember I like a lot of little pieces in my quilts ;)

Now that is one big quilt!! RRCB top done - YIPPEE!!!

wow, that is really one big quilt!!  And I'm thinking about adding one more cheddar border on the last edge - but we'll see!!  I think the yellow will border the dark border so it doesn't just kinda fall off.

I have to wait for quilting until Amanda gets out of the shop, but I have a few things to get me going.  So not bad for my first mystery ever!!

The reds in the border are a bit brighter than what the picture shows, they sparkle a little bit through out.  The greens in the border are a bit dark and would go lighter if I had to do it over again, but I like it as is too.

My first finish of 2011 and design wall Monday

Well Motorola gave us Monday 1/3 off rather than New Years' Eve, so guess what I did today....yep I sewed.

I have my first finish of the year.  Ok, so it was an easy one, a baby blanket but a finish none the less right?  I'm pleased with this.  This my first EQ quilt that transformed from bits and bytes into a tangible quilt!

And that's not all!!   I also had some fun with string blocks, working on my son-in-laws quilt.  I'm really liking it so far. After the pastels on the baby blanket (normally I like bright fun colors for baby quilts, but that was  a nice change of pace) and the more traditional RRCB (scrappy traditional piecing) it was good to get back to something a bit more modern and out of the ordinary.  Still have a bit to go, but like the progress so far.  I'm trying to see how I can work the Y-seams into the border....I still have a few rows to go and then at least 3 borders.  I have fallen in love with string blocks. (yes I see the one block that is not in the correct position, but they aren't sewn together so I'll make sure I fix that for the final design)

And that's not all.....I put all the blocks together for RRCB.  I have the picture below but have not sewn the center together yet.  I want to wait and see what the border looks like.  I may make two quilts, one with the pieced blocks and one with the string blocks., it's still growing on me and not sure which way I'll go.   As is, it's one big quilt!

Ahh, why can't all Monday's be like this???

A little bit of sewing to start the New Year right!

I tried sewing a little on New Year's Eve, but I think I was just too rushed.  I kept sewing things together wrong in my attempt to get as much sewing into 2010 as possible.  But I didn't want to make a record for tearing seams out either so I gave up.  Got to do a little bit today and made much better progress.  I've been working on putting the blocks together for RRCB part 7.    I like how it's turning out so far.  One of daughters said "it's a very vibrant quilt", hmmmm.   I was surprised a bit by how "vibrant" it is, but I like it.   I think I'll finish this one for my brother for Christmas.  I also did a little work on some string blocks for my son in laws red, black and white quilt.  I just really like the black and white.  Can't wait to get this one done.  I hope it turns out as good as I have it pictured in my mind!!