Friday, April 30, 2010

cleaning up


My idea of cleaning my studio....
I've been running around here all morning, trying to clean up,
Then I find a box of scraps from a project, and think,
hmm, well, the best way to clean that up is to MAKE IT something!

OK, so I get distracted.
But I count it as my 15 minutes of play!



Minnesota fever quilt

Last week, I did the same thing... And now I have a lap quilt...
gotta love those 15 minutes + 15 +15 minutes of play!
this was fun to play with, not a straight line in it...

Back to cleaning.... sigh.
I feel like I am getting a few things done around here!


We have the NYC METRO MOD QUILT GUILD here tomorrow.

And I hope to see THEA this weekend!
She emailed me to say she'd be in NYC, and I said,
we're are you staying?
turns out I am looking at her hotel right now.
exactly behind my building!

Pop over to her blog, It's one of my all time favorites...
Snippets of fabulous!

Speaking of Fabulous, I am off to PURLsoho
to see there new store,
and pick up a donation for the Bumble Beans BASICS Quilt project...
you all will want to find a quilt to donate...
;-)

Stay tuned.
I am hoping to launch that on Wed, May 5th,
please follow the blog

please be patient with me and the info. on the site.
I really need it to be a website, I need some help with that..
and more time! anyone?


More thank yous!!!
Hope C.v Carolyn W, Glenda, Summer, Fran, Emilee,
And Maria G!
She made the entire top!
And will drop it off with Jackie to quilt it with the other 10 I am sending her....
Fantastic!!
Your awesome Jackie! I can't wait to meet you!

Tomorrow afternoon, I at 3pm I will draw the winner of the AMY Butler scraps.
And the winner of the scrap bag from your guesses... I wonder who will be the closest!
I'll wait for Saturday's mail to arrive,
as I know a few of you scrambled to get them in this week...
So check back tomorrow afternoon


And here is the group photo from the BASICS Kids day...
I so enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind doing more of that!

Have a fantastic weekend!

exhale.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

scraps galore!


Kids and staff helped make up all these blocks for two
more quilts for Donations for BASICS inc.
Please click the image to see it larger,
there are so many great things to look at!

I can't tell you who had more fun, the grown ups or the kids...
ha! let's just say it was the grown ups who had to be
ushered out at the end of the day...
OK, folks, time to go! No more playing! ;-)

So much fun,
Such good people.
Wish you all could have been there to play.





My new friend from the metro mod quilt guild, Kim,
came along to help!
She was a huge help, as was my daughter, B.
Thanks to both of you!




And Miss Erica was pleased as punch with her 4 blocks she made!

Everyone pitched in, worked together, and we got the job done.

One gal, Suzie, we discovered, was very good at cutting out butterfly shapes,
so she was delegated to cutting butterflies...
hearts, birds, tea cups and cars, oh my!

I need to get the group picture...
what a lovely afternoon!


**If anyone has SIMPLE quilt tutorials they care to share a link to,
I would like to add a link to several for people looking for
quick simple quilts to make for the new quilt blog project.
please email me.
bumblebeansinc at gmail dot com

Got QUILTS?



This little runner has found a nice home! (HELLO DALLAS!)

I'm packing up my stuff to head up to BASICS to work with the kids and their blocks
for two more quilts for their fall auctions... I am so excited...
B is coming along to help, and show them her little quilt to inspire, and also my pal Kim.
Tomorrow I should have some good pictures for you of all the fun!

Speaking of FUN...

GOT QUILTS?
Since this Basic house Block project has been so successful and I
will be able to contribute way more quilts than I had originally thought,
I have been working with BASICS PROMESA
to turn it into a program to continue to gather quilts,
COMPLETED quilts this time...
Quilts to be sent directly to BASICS, for families.

I need your help.






New Project coming soon...
with prizes from a few familiar places!








Sounds intriguing right?

If you have an old top you can finish to donate,
or quilt you want to Donate,
Soon,
the new program will be up and running...
and yes there will be raffles and prizes...
(& prizes for the the early birds to donate!)

stay tuned.

Be ready to donate a quilt or two...


please bookmark & join to Follow the new site, and check back often...

http://bumblebeansbasics.blogspot.com/

I'm hoping in another week or so, things should be up and rocking...

NOTE*
Quilts do not get sent to me.... please see site for details




Tuesday, April 27, 2010

peaks


Doing some machine quilting today... perhaps I 'll have a finish this week!
I have some many in the works, and our quilt guild this weekend,
I thought I better get something finished!



Tomorrow, I head up to BASICS to make some blocks with
twelve kids in the program, to make two more quilts for the auction...
my daughter B, made the sample above right...
scrappy bits and fun, and don't waste anything...
gotta love that!

From the backings (that you all have sent)
that I have been cutting to back all the BASICS quilts,
I started saving the selvages... Something I have never done...
Not sure yet what will become of them. but I'll think of something!

I thought it would be a nice reminder of all of you who have sent and
donated materials for these quilts...

You guys are some GOOD PEOPLE! Thank you!


I've rcvd more blocks the last couple days! so many thank yous!
Holly, Betty, and
Dr. Marcus G, a Surgeon and quilter from Kansas,
(Don't you love that? Of course he sews!)
got a bunch of ladies together at the local quilt shop to make a bunch of houses...
so I had two big boxes yesterday which included some backings also.
Thanks so much
Terry S, Nancy S,Evelyn A, Marcus G, Louise H

and I rcvd a package
yesterday from CAHILL...New Mexico
but no first name, or email/blog address...
If that is you, could you shoot me an email please? thanks!
Don't want to miss anyone!


Also, Barbara A. again sent another pieced top with backing and binding...
I just had to insert the house blocks. that is the one outlined in YELLOW above.
thanks Barbara! Love the colors!

The one under neath that, is using up a bunch of FROG themed kids 10.5" blocks some of you
have sent.... It was so fun to put it together, all brights, and frogs everywhere!

Ok,
no more dilly dallying,
gotta get back to that quilt...

Toodles!

Monday, April 26, 2010

guess, giveaway


So far here is the "BIG" quilt for the main auction.. this quilt will be QUEEN size,
and incorporates the most BASIC HOUSE blocks...

I'm adding some Flying geese here and there,
and a few "bumble Beans" tweaks... here and there...

It's so cozy, It will be a hard one to give up...
I hope it finds a GOOD LOVING HOME!


Got a bit of sewing done...But mostly spent the day at the beach...
Saturday was spectacular.
So I took my daughter for a short motorcycle ride to the beach,
and we ended up staying there all day...
Mostly because the motorcycle wouldn't start... !!!!

But we didn't mind...
We skipped rocks, searched for shells,
and waited for our neighbor to come tow the bike home...

We were forced to relax and do nothing...

some things are meant to be!
I'm not complaining!



GIVEAWAY:
Don't forget to make your guess on the last post
or click here

for a chance to win some Amy Butler scraps,
just guess how many BASIC house blocks you think I will have rvd by
April 30th!

Friday, April 23, 2010

one more giveaway


I stitched in the ditch quickly today, so I could take the runner from the tutorial,
with me to my house
this weekend to finish it and put it out on the table...
so fun to have a new little thingy!


I also have the last shapes set in place for the middle part of this big applique quilt...
I need to name it... I'm thinking "Garden Gate"...


Nancy V and Sarah C. sent in this cuties...
thanks ladies!

Remember blocks in my April 30th will be in the
Amy Butler fabric giveaway!

We're almost there!

ALSO:

One more Giveaway
of small scrap bag from Amy butlers fabrics...


Guess how many BASICS house blocks
I will have received by May 1st...
closest or exact number will win.

I'll post the answer on May 1st.
along with the other giveaway

Check the comments,
see if your number has already been guessed,
try to not duplicate answers...
(if there is I'll draw only one name...)

have a great weekend!!

OH!
and make sure I have your email!!!


Thursday, April 22, 2010

Runner tutorial




I was playing with some blocks yesterday, with some of the
Amy butler scraps I have, thinking I needed a new runner for my table at my house...
I really liked the block, so I wanted to share it with you...
I made two of the above blocks then changed the color arrangements
for a third block for length and to center it...

my runner has 2 blocks with green stars, and one block with a navy star

NOTE:
Directions Below
are for making only one block



Fussy cut 1 -
4 1/2" block for the center (left above block)

from same fabric
Cut 1 - 5 1/4" block and cut criss cross into quarters like the drawing,
this gives you 4 small triangles.

Cut 2 - 4 7/8" block and cut diagonally only

from the same fabric
Cut 1 - 5 1/4"" block and cut criss cross diagonally, as above drawing.
this gives you 4 triangles.

cut 2 - 4 7/8" blocks and cut diagonally

cut 6 - 2 7/8" blocks and cut diagonally

cut 2 - 2 7/8" blocks cut diagonally







this is the layout for the center block

I sewn these three squares together...
then I added a 4" X 12.5" strip on each end of a matching fabric,

Now it's ready for backing, batting and quilting...




Hopefully I'll get mine quilted and ready for binding today...
Have fun!