Quilters ADD

I had a bit of quilts ADD this week.  Didn't have much time to spend sewing so when I did I just fluttered from project to project. Hmmm maybe if I get a little done here and a little done there, one of this days I'll have a big bang of finishes!!  Seriously look at that design wall, someone really needs to find a bit of focus huh???

From left to right - Common Bride, yep it's back out, and I actually worked on it.  Shirtings QSTs, Black Sea, Old Friends BOM.  Common Bride I got back out.  It was stalled on the applique.  I really wanted to do "real" applique, but turns out I don't like it so much.  I do like fusible applique so I decided fusible it is.  Done is better than waiting until I get in the mood for "real" applique. Which turns out can be quite a long time....

I'm trying to tone down the shirtings QSTs with the same color all the way around.  They are all stripes and this just may not go the way I want it to, but I'm trying.

And then there's Black Sea (Aegan Sea done n black and grey).  See that big star?  It's wrong, but I really like it.  No idea what so ever what I will do with it, but it's there just waiting for inspiration.  The three smaller ones are just the right size.  Three down, six more to go.   Remember that one lonely little twosie?   Well it's got some friends and some bigger friends.  Making progress on those too.

Last is the Old Friends BOM from Calico Girls, Block 5 done, I'm almost 1/2 way there.  Block six just came out but didn't get to that.  I've started on those cute little nine patches too, half of those are done.

Check out all the linky parties, lots of inspiration out there.  Wonder if I'll find some focus checking out the linky parties, I sure hope so!

Design Wall Monday - 1/6

Well Happy New Year everyone.  They say what ever you do on New Year's day is what you'll be doing the rest of the year.  I was quilting - woohoo, looks like 2014 is going to be a good year.  I worked on some of the Common Bride blocks and a couple of baby quilts.

Common Bride Blocks

Jelly Roll Tube quilt

Jelly Roll Star Quilt

 I had some jelly roll strips laying around so I used them up on a couple of baby quilts.  Here's the link for the Summer in the Park tube quilt you tube video, so easy so quick.  The star was a block from Sunset Star Quilt by Edyta Star.  She used little strips, I used Jelly roll strips, added a border and done!!

Cathedral Windows Coaster

Cyber quilters have Cathedral windows for their bucket list this month.  I made a coaster, might try to make a couple more.  I used this pin cushion tutorial and just didn't stuff it.  I'm terribly happy with the center.  I'll give it one more try and will most likely use a smaller square.  This one is 5 inches which is a bit larger than I want my coaster.

I've added a few new linky parties to the side bar.  Lots of inspiration out there, go check them out and see what everyone else is doing. Happy New Year! 

Sums it all up...

That's what I'm calling this one.  I saw the black and white version of Graphic Cross Quilt  in Modern Patchwork magazine and that is what inspired "Sums it all Up".  A few solid charms laying around, add a solid background and a border to hold it all in and I got this one done in no time.  Santa did drop off a copy of Judy Madsens' "Quilting Wide Open Spaces" and it's bursting with all kinds of goodness just waiting to be tried on the wide open spaces of this quilt :)

Sums it all Up

And a few more blocks done for Common Bride - 20 of the HST blocks and the flower stem blocks are done.  Ok I cheated on the flower stem blocks. They are suppose to be pieced, but I just appliqued that stem on a nice even square.

Common Bride

The last thing that I threw together is a panel that I've want to quilt for quite some time.  Isn't this the cutest panel?  I put a border on it and called it done.  Can wait to get this on the frame too!

Lollipop Panel

Linking up with Sara, go check and see what everyone is Whooping about over there, lots of inspiration 

DWM Finally!!!

I can't believe my last post was on 10/23.  My how time flies!  Work has been keeping me plenty busy these days but I've found some time to get some much need quilting therapy.

I've been making baby quilts :)  I LOVE baby quilts.  The husband hasn't been working for a while, and I though hey it doesn't cost me anything to make these as I have it all right there in my sewing room so why not get busy and see if you could see a quilt or two.  I know I'll never get the cost of the materials and the time. But hey, I won't get anything at all if it sits in the closet all nicely organized!  Also thinking about quilting services too.  Quilting is my favorite part of the whole process.

So, here I have 3 finish and 3 tops done.  The first three are Jelly roll quilts.  All there were based on the Strip and Flip Tutorial which can be found here.

This is the left overs from my Budding Nine Patch (seen later in this post).  Simple, quick and fun!

Contempo Pantograph - Urban Elements

Baby Jelly Roll - Rainbow

Baby Jelly Roll Rainbow - back

Next is  little girl quilt, I had a jelly roll and add a couple of solids and was able to get two out of all that.   This one uses one of my favorite pantographs - Splat by Anne Bright.  This Jelly Roll sat in my closet for well over a year and finally put it good use!  Love the colors.

Splay close up

Splat Front

Splat pantograph

Splat Back - cozy flannel

And the second one from the same jelly roll.  I did a free hand  all over swirl on this one.  The quilting goes so fast with free hand.

Free hand Swirls front

Free hand swirls detail

Love the texture of the swirls

Swirls Back

And then there are a few tops together waiting to be quilted - On the frame right now, without a single stitch in is is Budding 9 patch.  I have the eq7 file that I'll post in the next week or two on the tutorials and EQ7 tab

Budding 9 patch.  

And of course there are baby quilts - the first two are from Kate Blakesley and can be found here  Super quick, super fun and looks great!!  A boy and a girl version

Girl Marmalade Squares

Boy Marmalade Squares

And the last one is my favorite :)   I used the left overs from this one for the Boy Marmalade Square.  This is New Port Beach pattern from Judy Martin. I've made this quilt, twice before and I just love. Quick easy and makes such a statement! I LOVE the colors in this one.  I'm actually making two of these.  15 fat quarters, a little background fabric and you get 3 quilts, nice!!

New Port Beach

Well those were a lot of bright and more modern looking fabrics eh? How about this one for some more traditional quilting.  I finally finished the last of the 8 pointed starts !!!  WooHoo!  I honestly don't think I will ever make a 7 inch unfinished 8 pointed starts and put little tiny 4 patches in it!  Nope, not gonna happen with me ever again :)  But I like it so far.  The last border is really suppose to before all those 8 pointed stars, but mine came out a little bit smaller, so swapped the placement of the border and all is good again.

Common Bride

And there we have it, ahhhhh.  Linking up with the usual sources of inspiration and quilty goodness.

Design Wall Monday - Common Bride Update

All the applique is sewn down.  Just need 7 more of those 8 pointed stars and I can finish that last part up before moving to the next.  I was starting to day dream about how I'm gonna quilt this one when it's done.

Applique Tuesday - Common Bride progress

Woohoo I have something for Applique Tuesday.  Got everything glued down on the center block, just need to stitch it.  So what's best for the stitching of the applique?   Mono filament thread or a thin thread of similar color like bottom line?  This is my first time doing the freezer paper applique.

Stop by and Angie's to see what others are doing - she's doing Love Entwined, and it looks awesome!!

Common Bride Progress

I'm doing the freezer paper Applique technique for the first time.  I have the first 1/4 glue and ready to stitch. And I have a few more of the 8 pointed star blocks completed.

I have a bunch of hexies all prepped but no further progress on this one.   Just got back late last night from IN, what a wonderful quick getaway.

Linking up with Judy, Connie and Fabric Tuesday, stop by and see what everyone else is working on, lots of inspiration over there. 

Twinkle Twinkle Feathered Star

My first Feathered Star ever - not perfect but good enough for me.  Here's my progress on Common Bride - The center feathered star complete - I don't think you can even tell that center block is an inch shorter than it should be.  I just made the border around it a tad bigger and all was good. 7 of 24 8 Pointed star blocks completed, each one of them is an inch smaller than it's suppose to be.  It must be the center stars and the way I sewed them together.  I much have used a very generous 1/4 inch.  I did use a new 1/4 marking tool which I think I should have lined up the edge just outside the ruler, and perhaps used a thinner marking tool, all that can lead up to be an inch off on a block.  They were suppose to finish at 7.75 inches unfinished.  I was just under 7.  So I think I'm going to add 4 blocks, one to each side, and then adjust the border that comes before those blocks and all will be good.   Then after all that, the feathered star block is 1/4 in too big - ughhh.   I'm thinking I can ease in a 1/4 over 22.25 inches with no problem, I hope :)

I have 2 weeks of vacation and hoping to make some good progress on Common Bride.  Oh and we are starting our search for places to retire.  I want IN, cuz that's where I'm from.  My husbands want CO but I told him we were staying closer to the kids, so then he want IL, cuz that's where he's from.   My only require is that property taxes must be less than 500/ month.   We are paying outrageous property taxes here in McHenry, IL.    So we have a few explorations planned in both IL and IN, if you have suggestions I'd love to hear.  The requirement is 4-5 hours driving from Chicago.   We have a few years before we can both retire, but it'll be fun looking around and seeing what's out there.  Looking at things with a little bit of a different perspective.

Linking up with 

DWM - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - 8/12

Ok now I feel like I actually started Common Bride.  25  - 8 pointed stars.   Seems like a few of them have a bit more twinkle than others.  I made 28 and picked the best 25.  I think I should have made a few more!  Now I just need 200 4 patch units to start setting in those cute little stars.  The dreaded Y seam is not too far away.

Common Bride beginning

A little more done on the flower blocks, not sure where this is heading, but we'll see.

Flower blocks

My daughters friend is having twin girls, she wanted one boy :)  Have to get these quilted pretty soon, nice soft polka dot minky for the back.  Picture for some reason is really dark, that's a pretty purple at the top.

Baby Girl 1

Baby girl 2

And a few more hexies done.  I really want to create some type of border around the blue so that I can get a star going or something.  Not sure where this one is going either

Linking up with