Only a Week Late

So, last Saturday was National Quilting Day. Things came up and I didn't get to quilt very much. I made up for it this weekend. I stayed up until 1am last night to finish piecing the quilt top that was the NQA's project for last weekend. I only made a wall hanging instead of a lap quilt and I changed my block size from 3 inches to 2 inches finished. Still need to decide on a border (thinking green?) and then quilt it. Thought I would keep this but thinking I may give it to my brother to hang in his house. He goes to Afghanistan in May and it might mean more to him and his family. And I can always make myself another one.

A Finish and some other stuff

I finished this baby blanket last night. You can find it in my etsy shop.

Got some quilt stuff done this morning. Put together the first basket block.

And the second one, too.

Got all the bargello strips cut last night. I had been working from a pattern, as this was suppose to be a gift and not for sale. I have since completely revised it and would have to say this is my own creation. It will probably still be a gift, but I will use the pattern again and try to sell the finished quilt.

Here are the first 3 rows sewn together. Three of the fabrics I used are vintage and I am wondering if that was the wrong decision. They have a lot more stretch to them but so far most seams are matching up nicely. Can't wait to see it finished.

My Quilty Weekend

I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but it was a weekend, full of weekend errands and such. Here is most of what I did.

Remember a few weeks ago I showed you the fabrics I had picked for a bargello quilt? Well, I finished sewing together the fabric sets. There are 4 of these. The fabrics are cut into 3 inch strips. Still need to iron seams and then it will be time to cut them.

Picked my fabric for the Ribbon Tree quilt. Cream and brown are all cut out. Some yellow and greens have been cut from fabric that was ready to be cut but waiting for the right project.

Here are the ironed greens and yellows waiting their turn at the cutting mat.

I started my first basket block. Will add link later. Just need to sew all the pieces together.

Picked and ironed the fabrics for my second basket block.

I got a couple other things done but didn't take pictures. I got the last 4 blocks for the teacher's quilt all cut, now they just need to be sewn together.

Time to go... I smell lunch burning.

Weekend Project?

Some of you might know that tomorrow is National Quilting Day (although some places have it listed as Sunday; I figure we get the whole weekend). I always find this out, after the day has happened. This year I came across The National Quilting Association and discovered they have a project for National Quilt Day. Anyone interested? Go here and download the pdf pattern. Their quilt this year is to remember the troops. With my brother going to Afghanistan in May it feels like a good project to do.

This is the picture on their homepage and is what I am going to make (1 square =2 inches). Their pattern is for a bigger quilt that has this tree and 2 yellow ribbons beside it, making the quilt 60 x 60. I guess I will need to go through my stash today so I can start it tomorrow. Hope everyone has a Happy Quilting Weekend!

String Blocks!

Once I finished my mother's birthday quilt (see previous post), I rewarded myself with string blocks (and some other stuff I'll update with later). I decided to add a row on the side and bottom of the quilt to make it a little bigger. This was suppose to be 1 block a week and I would end up with a quilt top at the end of the year. Now I am thinking 1 row a month (1 row is 7 blocks), with September being the last month and then finish it sometime between October and December (because you know quilters can always find extra time then - not). So far I am really liking the string blocks and using up some of my stash. My scraps for this quilt now fit nicely in a shoebox (all flattened out and grouped by length). Once I finish the March blocks I think I will go back through my overflowing scrap drawer and add some more to the shoebox. I noticed that I have a lot of blue and green fabrics and only a few reds. The blocks are roughly 8 inches finished, with quilt top being 56 x 72 before borders. I think it will end up with 3 borders, the middle border being a piano key border.

Mystery Quilt Revealed!

My mother's birthday present arrived at her house today so I can finally show off what I made her. A Family Tree quilt. When my mother had spare time, she use to work on genealogy. Somehow with no kids at home she's busier than ever and never gets to work on it. Thought this quilt might help.

My mother is at the top of the trunk with her brother and sister to her right and left and their parents above them. My father is in the trunk of the tree. I also wrote in their initials on the trunk with a heart around them as though they had carved their initials in when they were young and in love.

Closer look.

And here are the rest of us. 3 kids, and 7 grandkids (with room for the one arriving this summer). This quilt was a lot of work and some sneaky research when mom wasn't looking. I forgot to measure but it is probably around 50 inches square. I love it and glad she likes it too. Happy Birthday Mom!

Quilt Space Transformation

This is what my sewing space looked like a couple weeks ago. Note the yellow walls.

And this is my space now. The table is in the same corner, just against the other wall. Not all my stuff has been brought up from the basement yet but most of it has. I have moved my cutting mat off the table for now. I used the sewing machine for the first time today and it will definitely take some getting use to. All my stuff (scissors, rotary cutter, seam ripper) is now on the left instead of the right and that is throwing me off a little. However, I can still look out the window and sew in natural light during the day and I can see out the front window to the porch where my kids like to play when the weather is warm. The wall colour is nice but as soon as it was dry some colourful artwork had to go up.

Mystery Quilt Sneak Peek!

Happy Birthday Mom! Here is a sneak peek of your quilt. I'll show more once it arrives. Enjoy.

A Finish of a Different Kind

So, the mystery project is done and is on its way to the birthday girl (my mother). I will post some sneak peek photos on Friday - her actual birthday (and yes, she already knows that the quilt is for her). Once she receives it I will put better pictures up. Until then... here is what else I finished this weekend.

"The Sisters Who Would be Queen" by Leanda de Lisle. It is about the "nine days queen", Lady Jane Grey and her 2 sisters. It's been awhile since I read a historical biography like this and I might get into them. It was very interesting and I think my mother would really enjoy it. I didn't even know she had sisters and it was really interesting to read about them and how Queen Elizabeth I messed with their lives as they were seen as threats to her crown. Who has ever heard of Katherine or Mary Grey? I won't get into all now, but it's all Henry VIII's fault. His life and after his death were such a crazy time. It would have been neat to have experienced it, but I probably would have spent some time in the Tower, so I am happy to be alive now.

Here is a picture, believed to be Lady Jane. She was only 17 when they cut off her head.

And a little aside, I told my husband it had to be good if it had 4 different family trees at the beginning of the book. Definitely helped keep things in order.

No Sew Zone

The living room has become a no sew zone as we paint it. Time to say good-bye to the happy yellow that use to cover our walls and hello to boring colours that will hopefully help our house sell. Above you see my covered sewing machine and the back of the mystery project waiting to be finished. Needless to say it won't arrive on time but I am mailing a card that will (I hope).

The corner where my sewing table usually sits. Now my table holds a few cans of paint and primer. Cream and green are the new colours. The yellow is the old colour.

This added a little colour to my day - my first issue. I decided to subscribe this year as I didn't renew my quilt guilt membership. Not a bad issue but I've seen better.

Best thing was the above kids quilt that has barn doors that open and close. Neat idea. I don't think I would ever make the barn quilt but might use the idea in a different quilt.

Oh, yeah for those who don't know, we are moving to Moscow, Idaho where I will shop here and maybe join this group.