Saturday, July 30, 2011

VQF Blocks - 4.5 more done....

Don't you just hate when you cut something wrong... and don't have enough fabric to fix it?

I got 4 more of the VQF blocks done over the last week. The .5.... well, that one used the stripe fabric and I cut like they said... but when I went to put it together the lines are going the wrong way for 2 of the sides..... so I am holding off on finishing that one until I find it and order some. Arrgghhh.

On to good news.. I did get these pretty ones done.

From Traditions at the White Swan...


From Quilter's Confectionery


From Country Quilt & Fabric in Castleton, VT was Country Flower Star.


and this last one didn't have the quilt shop's name on it but it was pretty.



I had to pop out today and found my $25 gift certificate to Joann's Fabrics. Since I still have those 2 tops that need quilting... I got 2 fabrics for backings. They are in the washer now and I hope to get them ready for pinning tonight after kids are in bed. I think I can get them quilted this week around naps. One will be easy... just straight line quilting. We'll see what mood I am in for the pink top... it may become an 'easy' one too depending on how much time I have.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Something quilted and almost done!!!



Sunday, while everyone napped I decided to try quilting this yellow/blue log cabin quilt again... after picking out a bunch that I had already quilted. I was getting frustrated with thread breaks with the King Tut and the Bottom Line thread combo. I had picked up a Superior Thread for the top last weekend (which is a combo that always works for me) and decided to give it a try. With the limited time I just did a meander on this quilt and then applied the blue binding to the front while Daddy got one kid up from his nap. The other woke up once the binding was finished... yup, my girl has good timing. It finally cooled down at night so I will work a bit more on finishing up the binding in the evenings after the kiddo's are put to bed. I hope to have it done with a label on by Wednesday night so I can drop it off to the library on Thursday for Story time. I am donating this one to the 'Friends of the Milton Library' for their fall raffle in November and December. It is a beautiful library that was just enlarged and remodeled and has a great kids section and story time. The librarians are all wonderful and have been great to talk to over the last 3 years. They also didn't mind me taking a baby or two there so I could have some adult conversation during the day in the freezing winter months while they cuddled a baby. I hope it raises a few dollars for them to use on the library and their programs.

I also finally finished this mug rug a few weeks ago.

This is a close up of the quilting.....

I really need to practice on feathers since that was my attempt here. Need to grab the practice piece and play a bit before attempting the pink string quilt. I've been putting my ice water on it in the afternoon's while I sew and it is great at wicking up that water from the outside of the bottle. Just one more to go and those challenge ones will be done... just a few months late.

Friday, July 22, 2011

VQF Booth Hop block - 5 done!

I just finished this little one. It is called Nine Patch Star from Country Treasures in Chester Vermont. Very cute and so easy to make.

One more 9 patch was made with this one as my leader/ender. I hope to make another of these VQF blocks this evening after the kids are in bed for the night.
Stay cool!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

VQF Booth hop blocks.... 2 more done!

Little Miss decided not to nap yesterday but I still managed to get one block done before I had to kick us both out of the sewing room. Lets just say she is a few months late but is really being '2' with tantrums the last week or so. This block is from Great Pond Quilts. The yellow outside of the block doesn't show well on the light table.



This one is from Maplewood Quilts in Northfield,VT called 'Vermont Evening Star'. I really like this one and think it would be pretty in a controlled color scrap quilt - maybe creams, pink and greens? The previous 2 patterns did not mention the name of the quilt shop that had them in the Booth Hop but if that information is listed on the directions I will post the information when I show the block.


I also got 3 more 9 patches as my leader/ender project with this quilt. I just cut out scraps for about 5 more so I'll be ready to go tomorrow during nap time.

Dinner is prepped - Kansas Cucumber Salad and Chicken Fajita's. I guess I'll go start the rice and check on the kiddo's who I think are just waking up.
Have a great evening.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Sanity sewing...

To keep my sanity today I decided I needed to sew. The kids cooperated (for once today!) and actually napped and are still sleeping. No nap yesterday as we went to the family's camp on the lake for the day and had a reunion. I turned off their AC's last night when I went to bed... and they both were awake at 5:30 this morning. Crankiness was the order for the morning.

I decided to put blue borders onto the 'patriotic' wall hanging. Of course... not enough of the blue used in the quilt but I found something similar and it will work.



Then..... I just needed something easy.... so I pulled out one of the booth hop blocks from VQF. I knew the one sent to me later was a little shy of the yellow with blueberry fabric so I grabbed a different kit - Star Burst. This one had lots of leftovers and I was able to use some leftover yellow with blueberry fabric to complete 2 blocks this afternoon. 2 of 12 are done! Very pretty fabrics. I'd like to get all 12 done in the next 2 weeks and then I need to call the store in Northfield, VT who had a pretty finishing kit with greens and the dark blue for the outer border. If she doesn't have the kits... I did find the fabric line - Wild Rose II and can come up with my own setting to finish the quilt. I do have something in mind... but I'll wait and see which way to go with it once the blocks are done. If the kits are gone it was 'meant to be' for me to finish it how I picture it in my mind.


As I don't have a leaders and enders going right now... I have in my mind something with 9 patch blocks so these two got done as the leader ender along with this pretty 4 patch and these extra HST's from one of the blocks.

Not bad for a couple hours of sewing and I am much more relaxed.

Hope you all had a happy sewing Monday.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Progress...

I got the 2 blocks redone this week and trimmed the 4 down to match the other connector blocks. I was able to sew them together during nap time today. I thought it needed 'something' so I added a 2.5 inch white inner border.



Now, I need to figure out what it is wanting for the outer border. I was thinking something plain.... now the debate of the red fabric with the stars in it or the blue. Just checked and I don't have enough of the red fabric with the stars used in the quilt. I did find a red fabric with white stars printed on it that might work.



What do you think?

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Scrap Happy Progress.....

While everyone was napping yesterday I worked on some blocks and completely changed my thoughts on this. I am now going to do a little wall hanging that I will hand quilt. (Much smaller as a start project!). I made a few connector blocks and then looked at it and pulled apart 2 of my blocks to rework with the same blue fabric in the other ones.... I had a lighter blue and it stood out too much....
This is where it is heading....



On another note.... you know when you are doing something and just wish you had a camera to capture a moment? I have that feeling when we take walks and AT and Daddy are walking ahead of us holding hands. This is one of my favorite sights. I remembered my camera the other day and both of them were walking with Daddy..... Priceless.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Red white and blue.....scraps.

I picked through the bucket and found a little bit of red and some maroon but I put that back.

For the scrap happy month of July, the patriotic colors were chosen. I am thinking of making some blocks with red, white and blue and putting them together with some leftover stars from January and maybe making a QOV quilt. We'll see if I have enough red to pull this off. I may have to go get a couple of fat quarters..... or move things around in the closet so I can 'find' the rest of my red fabrics hiding in with the pinks and maroon.

This is what I have come up with so far.....



Still haven't pinned the quilts for quilting. I really must get one pinned today.... lets hope the kids nap today... as they were wide awake before 5AM this morning for some reason.

I have been the treasurer for our local programmers group here in Vermont for at least the last 7 or 8 years. I have decided to step down this year as I have not worked in the field for the last 3 years while I have been concentrating on being a SAHM. My brother has decided to step up and take over for me (thanks David!.... now I don't need to write all the instructions up as well right?, cause you can just call me with questions??) A couple of weeks ago I received a nice card in the mail signed by all the officers of VTMUG and some from our NH group which we do a joint meeting with every year in June. I also got this nice e-mail with a gift certificate to Mad River Quilting in Waitsfield, VT. I am looking forward to the drive down there to pick out some fabrics for a special quilt for me with this nice gift. I'd like to offer a big thank you to everyone I have worked with in the group. I have enjoyed my time with all of you and wish you the best of luck with the future of the group and the fall conferences. Lets hope our conference numbers are up and the conference runs smoothly again this year.

Time to pack up the kids into the car and head to the gym for my morning reading... I mean workout. They love the day care there and I love the 1.5 hours of 'me' time to read from my kindle and get a bit of a workout. I think a Costco trip is in the picture for after.... something about being out of milk and the milk loving girl will not be happy with that if she finds out.
Have a great quilty day everyone.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Scrappy Saturday recap for June - yellow


This is the scrappy log cabin I made using the scrappy log cabin technique found over at maryquilts.com. I decided to use some blue with my yellow scraps and I hate to say that I still have tons of blue scraps in the bin. Oh well, we'll see what I can come up with in July with some red and whites mixed in to use up some more.
This is just the top, but the backing is pieced and it is on the boards and ready to pin for quilting. I still need to make the binding... I think there are some leftover blue's from previous bindings that I will be putting together for the binding of this one.
I haven't decided on a quilting 'pattern' yet but probably a meander with loops and maybe some flowers thrown for that happy yellow color. I just need to make 2 more backings and I hope to get the blue and purple nine patch top pinned for machine quilting... I'm thinking simple utility lines with the walking foot for this one and I'm thinking of hand basting the pink scrappy one and trying some hand quilting...... the non-marked technique of the fans that Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville.com uses. That one is 48x48 and I think a manageable size for my first all hand quilted project. No time frame on this one but I'm sure I'll be working on it into next year.
Enjoy the holiday weekend.