January! Two blocks complete!
These are paper pieced. Busting my fabric stash! I’m doing a rainbow of brights on a batik background. And I’m using a variety of whites. I have run out of the batik, so I’ll have to purchase another in the same color way. This is Amy’s Creative Side Dancing Star Quilt Along.
Here we are at the end of January. How well have I done on my self imposed ‘to do’ list?
1. Work on Monkey Baby Quilt (applique monkeys in place) I was pinning applique in place when I realized I had skipped the outer border. oops! But I did work on it!
2. Work on Dr. Seuss Baby Quilt (sandwich & start quilting) Top and back complete! I’ve decided to send it to a longarm quilter.
3. Start a new baby quilt (could be the train, or the polar bear) I’ve started the polar bear quilt. Fabric pulled and zig zag pieces sewn.
4. Pick any WIP and proceed with it! (Oh! there are so many to pick from! Could be applique, piecing, crochet, I’m leaving this one wide open so I can work as the mood hits me!)
I guess that means it was not a perfect month by this list. But when I look at all the other quilting and sewing accomplished, I am still feeling pretty good! If you have been reading my posts, you know I took on a project (20 panel quilts for a school donation) this month. That not so little project took up an entire week!
I also cut fabric for the Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along. And made two blocks for the Dancing Star Quilt Along. I’m soooo happy about both of those quilts!
For February, here are my four to do:
1. Monkey baby quilt, finish top and back.
2. Polar bear quilt, finish top and back.
3. Denim quilt, work on star blocks.
4. Pick any WIP and proceed with it! (maybe I’ll get to one this month!)
I’m also continuing with the Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along and the Dancing Star Quilt Along.
The past 8 days have been very busy. Here are 9 of 20 small panel quilts my daughter and I assembled. Someone else cut the fabric, we sewed, and others are going to tie the quilts. They are all to be donated to a local school group.
Next up, Texture Magic. Fabric on the right has been textured. Hard to see in the photo, sorry.
I’m thinking Valentines Day and used the textured fabric for an applique heart.
Another way to construct a heart is with the Lil’ Twister Template. Start with 5″ squares and put a 3 1/2″ border around them. Use the template to cut and then twist. Follow the directions, super easy!
And you end up with this!
The date on the Lil’ Twister package says 2008, although it is new to me. But, here is a Twister made without the template, probably 10 or more years ago! I made it back in the day when we cut out our own cardboard templates, and marked the diagonal lines on them. I’m sure my homemade template is around here somewhere!
I made several of these for Christmas gifts for relatives way back then and one for myself. I am still using mine as a table topper.
I heard yesterday was Ditch News Years Resolutions Day. Ha! How about that!? We have had 17 days to make good on those resolutions, and if some aren’t going to work out, ditch them without any guilt. That has to make you chuckle, right!?
In my quilting life, I’ve been thinking about some of my goals and am realizing they are too big for this month. So instead of ditching, I’ll revise them. One yearly challenge that I’m thinking of ditching is Back to Square One Mystery Quilt. I really thought I’d follow along with it, printed out instructions & started to pull fabric, but then I came across a few other challenges and quilt alongs and am drawn to them. I have already started the Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along so that is now on the front burner.
I think I’ll keep Judy’s Back to Square One Mystery on a back burner and perhaps get to it – but if not, no biggie for me this year. I’m also doing Amy’s Dancing Stars.
Along with all my other plans and ‘work’ & family life, I think I have a full year ahead of me! I say ‘work’ because as many of you know, I work for a quilt shop! Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe, Roanoke, IN. Best job ever! Paid to play with fabric!
Judy of Patchwork Times has a new game to play! The Get it Done Challenge! It is a new twist to a UFO challenge. Here is in part, what she has posted about it: “On December 31, post your list on your blog. Be as detailed as you’d like to be about what you’re working on, the current stage of completion, the pattern you’re using . . share anything you’d like to share. List four things. These can be as simple as you’d like or they can be as complex as you’d like. I encourage you to challenge yourself.” Here are the complete details if you would like to look in to the challenge and perhaps play along.
I’m playing along, so here is my list.
1. Work on Monkey Baby Quilt (applique monkeys in place)
2. Work on Dr. Seuss Baby Quilt (sandwich & start quilting)
3. Start a new baby quilt (could be the train, or the polar bear)
4. Pick any WIP and proceed with it! (Oh! there are so many to pick from! Could be applique, piecing, crochet, I’m leaving this one wide open so I can work as the mood hits me!)
So there you have it! It will be interesting to see how this new challenge works for me in getting projects completed!
I also plan on doing Judy’s Mystery Quilt. Perhaps that should have been one of the four. And also I think I’ll do Amy’s Dancing Stars Quilt Along which might have to be one for the four listed for next month. I’ll get it all figured out as the New Year progresses!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Here we are at the last Color Palette Challenge of the year sponsored by Vicki and Judy. I’ve enjoyed the year using Vicki’s color palettes and also Joined at the Hip’s 2000 Basket and Blooms Block of the Month. Vicki chose to have us use a monochromatic palette for December. Each participate deciding on which color to use. I waffled around for a bit on what color to use, but since the last basket pattern included holly, I settled on greens.
Thanks for the fun year Vicki and Judy! I think I’ll join you in the Mystery Quilt for 2013 and perhaps the Get it Done Challenge. If you would like to see what other ideas Judy has up her sleeves, check out her Group Projects page!
I’m also considering the Dancing Stars Quilt Along hosted by Amy’s Creative Side. I think it will be a good one to use fabric from my stash. And a friend just told me about Merry Mayhem’s Mystery Quilt Case # 135. But I don’t want to over commit or anything. 
After all there are the several classes I signed up for through Craftsy. Are you familiar with the on-line courses offered through Craftsy? If not, take a look, I highly recommend them!
Still playing with the chalk board fabric. Here is another table runner using traditional reds and greens for Christmas.
I inserted the chalk board fabric into the outer border. You can write a message on it, or use to label food served!
And here is a little hostess gift for a party my husband and I will be attending. Wine in a homemade gift bag.
Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, IN recently received a bolt of Chalk Board Fabric. Play time! I used the fabric in a table runner and on a mug cuff. The table runner could be used at a buffet or carry-in dinner. Write the name of the dishes served right on the runner using chalk. On the mug cuff, write the name of the beverage, or a message, or the owner’s name! Fun!
Here is my pattern for the cuff. Mug Cuff Pattern, using chalk board fabric
Aren’t these colors just great from Vicki Welsh’s November Color Palette? I have participated in this color palette challenge offered by Judy Laquidara and Vicki during this year. And I have truly enjoyed each palette and the challenge of using the palette presented each month.
Here is my basket and bloom block of the month using the November palette.
December’s palette challenge is to pick a color and make something monochromatic. That will be interesting!
I love this fork/spoon/knife fabric! I’ve wanted to make something from it since I first saw it! When I was asked to make a casserole carrier – I went right to this fabric. It turned out well. But I tweaked my plans for the second carrier.
For this carrier, I used pre-quilted fabric and simply added a Moda single-fold bias binding. Then I made the handle and loops from a Moda Marble. I shortened the length of the handle and loops for this model and like the dimensions better than the first model.
The fabric for the body of the carrier is cut at 22″ square. I used about 3 yards of the single-fold binding with mitered corners and mitering the ends together. I used a 3″ wide strip of Moda Marble folded with batting in the center for the handle – 24″ long. And 7″ long loops on two opposite corners.