Leftovers!

Cleaning out the stash... As I pulled out all those orphaned blocks for the kitchen sink quilt, I took out the leftover blocks from the 9 patch gather quilt we all made last year.

I think these are a few of Dee's Blocks and a few from Susan. I think they work well together!

Today, I put the last blocks together for one more quilt for Donations
to go with the Sis Boom Pow kids blankets...

Good for wee lad don't you think?
Can you tell I am married to a Scot? wee lad... ;-)

Funny how the On POINT blocks fit so well with one of my favorite fabrics....
I guess it's subconscious thing!

Also, another yardage batch of another favorite fabric is going for backing on the Kitchen sink quilt. The green and red floral building blocks by American Jane... (bright green and red...like the cross quilt...I see my themes emerging again) completely by accident of course...

I also added some appliques here and there, with a few more leftover blocks...

Now I think I am ready to get it quilted and on my bed...

Happy Sewing!

Whippin'

Shelly from shelly quilts and I are doing our 5th project together.
Paula Prass donated some fabrics for another donation quilt project, So we decided to divide the fabrics, and Shelly would do half and I would do half, I'll then piece it, She'll quilt it, and we donate it...
We decided on these little snowball blocks, and we would add whatever we wanted for the corners.... her blocks are in the mail to me so I thought I'd better get on the ball and get some of them done... I have 25 here, probably another 25 to do.
You can see hers here (click), The ya re so bright and fun! They go together pretty darn quick too...
Shelly actually kept her clipping and sewn together the tiny triangles you cut off... I'm sorry to say, mine went on the floor!
You should see my floor! Thank goodness I sweep every night!

*****

Here are the 8 kids quilt tops for Sis Boom POW! gather DONE! (click here for more info) Pheew! I recv'd some more fabrics from Jennifer today, so I ripped open the box and started piecing them all together... Some are pretty scrappy and I will have to piece back also, as I am using up every scrap she sent me. Thanks Again Jennifer!

I was playing with my scraps as I was attempting to clean off my cutting table today, I like the block but not the colors, so guess what?

It know lives in the Kitchen sink quilt! (click)


It's sort of Where's Waldo thing, Can you find it?
;-)
It sure filled that space in nicely! Less crazy piecing!
The funny thing is I am running out of places to fill! And I keep finding more old blocks, or making something, not liking it and adding it into the quilt... Will it ever end?
I need to start a pile of ones made from this year to start the 2010 quilt...that might help.

Happy Sewing!

Thankful.

Here are all 8 of the Kids quilts for the sis boom Pow project(click here)... I have to finish putting borders on the 5 here that don't have extended borders...

I have to say, I got a little choked up sewing these together...


They are so Beautiful.

And I hope they brighten the lives of the children who will receive them, just a little bit.

You guys did an amazing job with your blocks...and you with your hearts.

And Jennifer, your a doll for donating. I know I've said this before...
But really, these are special quilts, thanks to you.

Let is SNOW!

The snow has started! It looks like we will have a white Christmas after all!

12-16 inches predicted... we'll see... We are ready to play, fridge is stocked,

And I have enough firewood and sewing projects to keep me busy!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, let is SNOW!

but for now, I'm going to take a nap by the fire! (under one of my quilts!)

Happy weekend!
Happy Sewing!

V

HAPPY FRIDAY

Ok, Family quilt top done.
My indecisiveness came from my daughter wanting just the opposite of what i wanted yesterday.
Darn Mommy guilt.
I wanted one big family quilt, she wanted one for each of us...
I also want just the log cabins... Mom is winning this one... ;-)


MOST of the Sis Boom POW! Blocks are done and in! I think I am just waiting on two people's blocks... Can't wait to find a good home for this Charity quilt.

Don't they look Fantastic! I look forward to putting these quilt together.

CLEANING, CUTTING, DE-CLUTTERING....

I've gone through two more bins in my de-clutter my scraps binge...

I have a nice box full of larger pieces that I have a lot of scraps for.

not really crumbs.. fat 1/8ths and strips mostly.

Any takers?

send me an email today only.

I'll draw a name at 9pm tonight.

If more than one wants the box, I'll pick a name out of the hat...

(the photo is not the box in reference)

Have a great weekend!

BOO!

Charlie Chaplin would like to say, Happy Halloween!

A Busy fun day!
Getting a few quilts bound... My scrappy Christmas star quilt is done.

Trying new things and still working on getting stitch length the same in my machine quilting...
Patience, V, Patience...


And Here is a picture of My new Obsession quilt on the left...
They are sooooo fun to work on one block at a time!

and the Sis Boom POW! Blocks on the right...
See some of the other recent cool blocks being done over at the Sis BOOM Blog

Have a great Saturday!

Tuesday rambles

I put together a new website for the new block gather project.
Please head over there to show, inspire, ask questions and to stay up to date on the project.
I sent invites to all participating so that you can post,
if you have not gotten the invite for some reason please shoot me an email.
I did notice one person's email, whom I email regularly has come back for some unknown computer issue.



I thought it was humorous when I posted this quilt the other day that several people commented, they liked the "Chopsticks" quilt.
I thought, that was a clever name, then it was pointed out that it wasn't so unique!
go figure! I guess I don't read enough quilt magazines. ;-)

My inspiration came from two sketches I have here in the studio.
The blue and green one, was for a mural painting I was going to do in my new
kitchen at my house, but it never came to be..
So it has been hanging here for a good 5 years, and looking at it every days,
I thought, hmmm, that might make a nice quilt.
I'm thinking the mural still needs to become a quilt that actually resembles the sketch... the whole blue green thing is indeed very "me!"

Just below the above sketch hangs this black and white sketch.
Same concept, different mediums, simple, yet striking.
(match sticks, chop sticks, counting by 5's, etc. etc.)
I need to pick a nice name for this quilt...


which goes to show you: Nothing is original... But hopefully authentic.

One particularly great thing I picked up from Shelly this past weekend,
was when machine quilting, put on its undergarments before you start quilting it!
This, first I thought very funny, Shelly does have a fun sense or humor.
And second, it made a lot of sense.
She said stitching in the ditch does two things.
one, sets up the quilt in a way you can take out the basting pins
which will make it easier to quilt,
and two, gives the designs more refinement.

So don't forget your quilts undergarments!

I finished up these two little projects with her theory.
I think it will help me a lot and give me more patience in machine quilting larger pieces...

And lastly,
The PIXIE DUST BLOCKS go together today! Yippee! I just made a few adjustments to the layout, after I took this image. And now will begin sewing them together, and decide on a border choice... I am still amazed at how lovely this quilt looks already.
You guys are talented & awesome!

what fun!

Busy Little bees!
Shelly, me and Andrea made a fabulous mess this past weekend.



We had some machine quilting lessons from Shelly. She made me some geese for my blue green quilt! Love them!We made improv tops to practice our machine quilting skills, and made some improv tree blocks too...



We worked on some Sis Boom POW blocks with Jennifer Paganelli fabrics.
this is my second block, Again trying something I've never done before, a dresden and will applique it down on the block.
I will be cutting up the fabrics this week, to be sent out by Friday! (fingers crossed)


It's going to be one colorful quilt!

I've never had a big sewing weekend like this before. I highly recommend it! Picking each others brains about how to do things, or what works and doesn't has already made me feel like a better quilter... And who doesn't like some good old chatty time!

So, if your making the Donation applique blocks, try something new! get creative! It's good to try some new things, when you are making just one or two blocks, instead of getting overwhelmed by a huge quilt...

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

We had such a great time.
Thanks Shelly for schlepping your sewing machine up to NY!
And you too Andrea! up and down subway stairs is no easy feet either!

Happy Sunday!

I will be putting together the Pixie Dust blocks this week. Yippeee! They look so great!

quick note

We are full for the Sis Boom Pow block gather!
thanks everyone! this is going to be fun!

If you've recvd a email from me confirming then you know your in.

You can take the button if you'd like to add it to your blog.

Gotta go sew!

Playing with fabric

Playing with the SIS BOOM DAY fabrics!

For all those who think they can't do applique, This new to me too! My first attempt in 20 some years, was that stones quilt, and I had fun stitching those circles, so that is were this challenge for the new donation quilt, Sis Boom, POW quilt came into play.

I ordered this book above, Applique outside the lines, just because I loved the quilt on the cover. Indulgent right? well, the whole book is filled with lovely things.
A lot of great ideas...


For those of you who are new to my blog. This will be my third gather quilt for donation.
You can see the original Quilt here:
9 patch gather
One in the works now here:
Pixie Dust

And sign up for this one:
SIS BOOM, POW!
I have room for about 10-12 more people as of thursday a.m.

I took only a few minutes to play with the above square, and weather or not it stays this way, I think it's a good Happy start.

You don't have to Applique! It's not a requirement.
But I dare you to challenge yourself, Like I am with this project.
Why not learn something new?

Come play with me!

I will send scraps, and 2- 10.5" white squares.
You, create.

Please have them returned to me by Novemeber 14th.
That way its done and out of the way of the holidays, and it won't get los in the bustle.
I know it will be a busy time, but, it will be somethign fun.


**


UPDATES:
the Pixie Dust quilt is up on my wall, And I will begin putting it together next week.
I'm working on the layout, and overall designof the quilt. (and taking a better picture.)
my camera was beign difficult adn wouldn't load my images... so I had to use my phone.


***

The 9 patch gather, Nothing But Kisses Quilt.
The money from the 9 patch quilt was donated to love without boundaries.
little baby Dessie, has had her surgery and well, here's the latest update!



Dear Victoria,
We have checked on Dessie, and I am happy to report her recovery from surgery is going well. The update indicates she has been more active, more adventurous, and has a greater curiosity about the outside world since her heart surgery. Her foster parents report that Dessie is attached to them and gets upset if they are separated. The update also noted that Dessie is very interested in cameras. When someone takes her picture, she insists on inspecting the camera to see her photo. I attached a recent photo of her for you. She is precious!!

We will continue to check on Dessie periodically, and I will update you whenever I receive new information on her.

Thank you so much for giving Dessie the gift of a healthly heart!

Anne Little
Heart Surgery Coordinator
Love Without Boundaries Foundation
http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/
"Changing the Lives of Orphans in China"

How sweet is that. Yep, my eyes get teary every time... You all made that happen!

HELP!

remember this box?

Sis Boom.... POW!

Do you know what I love?

Jennifer Paganelli fabrics.

Know what else I love?

Charity quilts and all my helpers!

For more info on my charity quilts see post from first quilt
here. all the posts from the 9 patch gather here
and yet to be completed, pixie dust quilt here.

Ok, so who wants to help?

This project will be slightly different.

We want a theme here...
FIESTA!

POW! factor a must.

I want knock your socks off kind of blocks.
Ones that make your skirt fly up!

I'd like to invite you applique folks to sign up.
It's not a requirement, but I'd like lots of applique in this quilt.

We're talking stars, flowers, leaves, some real zingers with this beautiful lot of fabrics that Jennifer Fabulously donated!
(in fact go tell her how fab she is! here)

We had a lot of beauties in the last batch for Pixie Dust and I was really taken with the great applique work, so I want this next Donation quilt to push the envelope with applique.

there are so many great books out there right now on fun applique projects, and knowing I probably won't ever make one. I'm enlisting you all for help.

I will take up to 30 people,
2 blocks each


I'll be making two quilts,
one for donations and one for me.
Hey, the last two were a lot of work, and selfishly, I'd like to be able to keep one!
Do you blame me?


IF you can not complete the project, please don't ask to join to group.
It takes a lot of time to cut mail and send, and then not to get them back,
is a real bummer.

So if you want in.
Leave me a comment by Friday.

OOH! what fun this will be!

Thank you Jennifer!!!


FYI:
THE PIXIE DUST QUILT: I will start putting that together October 5th. If you still plan on sending in your block, please have it to me by October 3rd.. or it won't be included. thank you
Stay tuned for a post about choosing a charity for that quilt.

***

How long do you think this will last?

It's clean! Shelly comes tomorrow. Can you imagine the mess we will make in here?
(SHE THINKS SHE WILL HAVE A PLACE TO SLEEP!)
I doubt we'll be able to find the sofa by tomorrow night!

And Amy and Andrea are stopping by friday...

ooh! let the wild rumpus begin!

**
Magazines. Old lovely magazines....

After all the cleaning, I am left with a stack of magazines that are about 10 years old. craft mags, Martha Stewart kids and baby, domino etc.. they are tied up and ready to be thrown out tomorrow on collection day.

But I am having a HARD TIME LETTING GO!!!! sigh. So many wonderful ideas. no time...

I'm biting my nails....anyone else relate?