WOW or Work in Progress.

In between doctor, lab and errands, found a little time to work on my bom. I need to have it done for the guild meeting.  Almost there just need to stitch down some applique pieces.  This block represents our city's Art Museum.  It first started life as a YWCA.  Above the door, the ladies played badminton. 

What are you working on?  I'm linking to Esther's WOW and Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday. It's fun to see what others are doing.

Design Wall Monday 10/29/12

On my design wall this morning is the start of my BOM block for our guild.  Didn't get very far:
My first set of out of state company won't be coming after all - flights have been cancelled and she lives in NJ which is shut down right now awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.  Adding to the worries is that my daughter and grandson were scheduled to fly out with her tomorrow, but are now stranded for the hurricane also. Please say a prayer for them.

I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times  and Lyn's BOMs Away.  Do visit for eye candy galore.

Stash Report 10/29/12

Not much sewing done since Thursday, although I did start my block for the Guild's BOM - I hope to post a photo tomorrow.  That will use about 1/8th of a yard of scraps.  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week:   .13 yards
Used/Donated YTD:   164.57 yards
Added/Bought last week: 0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:    36.04 yards
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Net Decrease YTD: 128.53 yards. How's your destashing going? Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see how others are doing. I'd like to know how you are doing, too!

Friday Favorite - Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Amy's Creative Side

Amy at Amy's Creative Side has put together another fabulous online festival of quilts. Here's my entry:
Click on photo to see enlargement

I made this carpenter star to quilt along with Judy Laquidara's tutorial on how to free motion feathers.  It was a great tutorial.  You can go here to see it.  And here is the back (actually a pale yellow) :

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Stats
Finished quilt measures : 38" x 38"
Pieced & Quilted by : Angie Nudge
Best Category : Wall Hanging

I made mine to be a wall hanging.  It was a fun project and all the materials were in my stash. Back in January I decided I would learn to do free motion quilting.  It has been a long process, but I feel I'm making some progress with SewCalGal's 2012 FMQ Challenge and Leah's Free Motion Project.  And then Judy posted her tutorial - Thanks, Judy!  Do click on the button above to visit the Festival.  Enjoy!
PS:  The winner of last week's Applique Thursday Book Giveaway is Sandra. Congratulations, Sanda!  Thanks to all who participated in  Applique Thursday.


Applique Thursday 10/25/12

It's that day of the week and here's as far as I got with Anna's Garden block #5. 
First set of company comes next Tuesday, so I won't be posting much for a while and the giveaways will take a hiatus, too.  I'll try to pick and announce last week's winner tomorrow if I can - a very busy day.

What have you been working on?  Remember even a few minutes a day keeps you moving forward. Link up and show us your eye candy!

Work in Progress

In between cleaning got the flimsie done for the large isolette.  It came out 33 1/2" x 46 - thumbs up!
Found I have enough of the dark blue/star fabric for the binding.  Think it will set it off just right.  Now I just have to sandwich and quilt after I find a dark backing for it.  The purpose of this quilt is to block the light over the isolette for the preemies.

I'm linking to Esther's WOW and Connie's Free Motion Quilting by the River.  Enjoy the candy there.

Design Wall Monday 10/22/12

We've been asked to make larger neonatal quilts for the larger isolettes. The size is kind of odd 33 1/2 x 46.  So I went through some books and found one that was close to it - 36 x 48 - in Nancy Martin's Potting Shed Patchwork book.  Then I had to resize it and simplify it.  I changed the corner blocks from 9 patches to squares and the inner flower block into another square. By manipulating the size of the pieces, I was able to get the 33 1/2 x 46.  Here's a photo of the blocks laid out on my design wall:
Once I've sewn the pieces together, I'll add a 3" border to get the right dimensions.  This will be my NEWFo if I haven't finished it by the end of the month. 

What's on your design wall?  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away to see what eye candy others have for us.  I always enjoy that.  Now back to cleaning for my 2 sets of company coming in November.  Oh, and if you like paper piecing and animals, you still have time to go to my last Applique Thursday post and comment or link or both to win A Quilter's Ark - a great book!

Stash Report 10/21/12

Started another charity quilt.  Used 2 1/4 yards for the blocks.  They'll be going up on my design wall tomorrow.  Finished a rag quilt using another yard (photo below) and culled another 8 1/2 yards from the stash.  Phew! 
Here are my numbers:

Used/Donated last week:  11.75 yards
Used/Donated YTD:      164.44 yards
Added/Bought last week:   0.0   yards
Added/Bought YTD:        36.04 yards
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Net Decrease YTD:        128.40 yards.     How's your destashing going?  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see how others are doing.  I'd like to know how you are doing, too!

Applique Thursday Giveaway 10/18/12

This is as far as I got (which wasn't much, but a start) on the next two applique blocks.  I hoped to have more done, but yesterday, I went on a train trip - gone from 9-7pm.  More on that tomorrow.
As you can see, I only have the photocopies made, a couple of fabrics pulled and one freezer paper template cut out.  The forget me not copy was a bit of a struggle to print as the pattern was drawn on A4 and I only had 8 1/2 x 11 paper.  First I asked why I was having so much trouble not getting all of it and  a kind member told me it was designed on A4 - thank you, again!  Then I went out to buy some 8 1/2 x 14 paper to print it on.  A4 is slightly larger than our paper (in length) and is used in Australia where Esther generates these gorgeous flowers.

On Anna's garden block 5 I am going to do my freezer paper method, a little different than most.  I iron the template to the fabric on the right side.  Then I cut out my fabric piece leaving a 3/8th's seam allowance around the template. Then I remove the paper from the fabric and center it with the dull side to the back, shiny side showing, and turn over the seam allowance fuse it to the freezer paper.  I then place the prepped piece on the background and fuse it in place, then stitch it down. Then I cut out the background from the back of the piece 1/4" from my stitch line and remove the paper.

Last week's winner of the book, Quilts for Ice Cream Lovers, is Robin!  I've sent her an email and hope to hear from her soon.  Here is this week giveaway book for all you paper pieceing lovers: 
I bought this book for the elephant pattern and don't need it any more.  I did make a few others - the loon, the pelican - they are very nice paper piecing patterns.  To win this copy, all you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) - I love all sorts of eye candy.
I'm linking to Melissa's TNT also. Go see what others are trying, too.

Fabric Tuesday or Wow! - I finished them.

Well, all the assembly work is done and now to some more stitching, but I'll do that as I have quiet time watching NCIS or Antiques Roadshow.  Here is Anna's Garden #4
 And here's my Forget Me Not block #4  Phew I'm glad that's put together.  Sue sent me a link for some star sequins so here's hoping they will work for the flower centers.  I'll check them out.
I need to order some smoke invisible thread for some of the darker areas.  What have you been doing?  I'm linking to Esther's Wow, Connie's Free Motion by the River, and Fabric Tuesday by Quilt Story.  Go check out all that eye candy!

Design Wall Monday 10/15/12

Up on my wall is another Vet lap quilt.  This will be my fifth and last one for this year.  I've also put together another baby rag quilt for St. Anne's.  Since we don't use batting between the two layers of flannel, it isn't very heavy.  All I have to do is sew an 'X' on the pairs, assemble the rows and send onto the next member to clip it. I may post a photo tomorrow if I get it to the next stage. 

Has any one seen star shaped sequins?  I'd like to use them on my forget me not flowers if there is such a thing.

What's on your design wall?  I'm heading over to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away to see what people are posting.  I always like to see what other quilters are up to. Such eye candy!  And speaking of eye candy, you still have time to link yours at my Applique Thursday post (see 10/11 post) to participate in the book giveaway.

Stash Report 10/14/12

Hello! Back to a sort of normal week(I did enjoy the DGKs, just don't like it being so busy days on end), yeah! And although my Applique Thursday post was almost late, I do have a giveaway this week also.  You can still link or comment until midnight Wednesday by going here.

 I hope to get more quilting done in between the housecleaning for company here at the end of the month. So far pulled 2 1/4 yards for a St Anne's rag quilt.  Another 2 yards for another VA quilt. 

Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week: 4.25 yards
Used/Donated YTD:   152.69  yards
Added/Bought last week:  0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:    36.04 yards
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Net Decrease YTD:   116.65 yards.  It's nice to be seeing some empty spots in my stash again! 

How are you doing destashing?  Really pays to go over your fabric and give some away.  Bet there's a local charity near you that could use a few yards.  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see how others are doing.

And just because we had a cold spell for a few days and roses like to second bloom in the fall, here's the first of my roses coming back for a farewell bouquet: 

Applique Thursday Giveaway - Barely!

It's approaching 10pm and I'm barely getting this Applique Thursday post in on time.  What a busy week it has been.

This week I did have a few moments to begin to assemble my 4th block of Esther's Forget Me Not mystery.  Here is the bare bones going onto the background.  I decided to color this bird as if it was a hooded warbler.  Have quilte a few pieces to go.


The winner of last week's book, Reverse Applique, is Billie.  Congrats, Billie, and thank you all who participated. 

This week's giveway is for a book with projects that are  pieced blocks and applique.  Again I fell in love with the lovely quilt on the cover. 


To win this copy, all you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) - I love all sorts of eye candy.  Since I will be trying
the reverse method from last week's book (I really haven't had time to try it in the past few days), I'm linking to Melissa's TNT also. Go see what others are trying, too.

Design Wall Monday 10/8/12

This is a very busy week for me (and this always happens on the second week of the month!).  Two days of babysitting - two sets of DGKs, a funeral to go to, a St. Anne's Sewdality to plan for and moderate, a dental appointment and pulling books for a Saturday Sale and watching DGKs on Saturday, too!  So not much sewing will be done. So languishing all this week on my design wall unless I do some today is:
Do you recognize this , Bette?  I squared it up and added borders. Now just needs to be quilted. 

Here's a few units I've fused together for the Forget Me Not block I'm working on. Does it look like a Hooded Warbler to you? - LOL.  I'm way behind!!  If life would slow down, I might get more applique done.

Now what's on your design wall?  I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times, Lyn's BOMs Away , and Esther's WOW - those are always fun.

Stash Report 10/6/12

Got the second charity top finished.  Not my fabrics so it doesn't count toward stash reduction.  Did use 3 1/2 yards for three other charity quilts - two of those were backings.  The other 1 1/2 yards were square I cut for a rag rug.  And then I used some scraps to continue on my two applique blocks. I did buy two 1/4 pieces for one of the blocks.  LOL - spent $5 for a two six inch pieces I need, but they are batiks, so I know I'll use the rest somewhere.   I'm in the tedious stage of tracing and cutting the various pieces needed for those blocks. Takes time!

Here are my numbers: 
Used/Donated last week: 3.75  yards
Used/Donated YTD:    148.44 yards
Added/Bought last week:   0.5 yards

Added/Bought YTD:      36.04 yards
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Net Decrease YTD:      112.40 yards.

So how's your destashing going? I'm linking over to Judy's Patchwork Times. Be sure to visit to see what others have done.





Applique Thursday Giveaway 10/4/12

Sorry this is later in the day than normal.  Had a 7:30 AM doctor appointment in Opthamology.  He said I have dry macular degeneration and prescibed special vitamins for it.  Comes with age.  Then DH took me to breakfast and then on the way home, we stopped at the shot clinic and got a flu shot. A busy morning.

Finally made some significant progress on my 4th Anna's Garden block.  Just have two pieces to add.
I love my other applique bom blocks, but the number of pieces intimidate me.  I must get back to Esther's Forget me Not.  Haven't heard from Cassandra.  Wonder if my email went into a spam folder.  I'll email her again, and if don't hear from her, I'll be drawing another name for that book offered two weeks ago.  This week's winner is Amy from Amy's Crafty Shenanigans.  Congratulations, Amy!  I've sent you an email.

This week's giveway is for an applique book.  Imagine that!  Lots of info in this one. Jan is very detailed while letting you create your own projects from the elements she uses to teach the method.  I fell in love with this bright flower on the cover.

To win this copy, all you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) - I love all sorts of eye candy.

And since I will be trying this reverse method, I'm linking to Melissa's TNT also.  Go see what others are trying, too.

WIP Wednesday

This is as far as I got with the first kit for the new charity quilt:

The strips for the fifth row of fabric were missing from the kit, so I've set this aside until I can get replacements from the kit assembler.

In the meantime, I started on the second kit.
I just need the top finished and then I'll hold til January when our guild is having a Free Motion Quilting workshop and  the attendees will practice on the sandwiched tops.

What are you working on?  I'm linking over at Esther's WOW.  Go on over and see all the goodies!

Design Wall Monday 10/1/12

Up on my design wall is the start of another charity quilt.  This one is a flannel neonatal quilt for our local NIC-U.  Nine blocks to finish at 30"x 30".  That's the size they want.

What's up on your design wall?  I'm linking over to Judy's Patchwork Times, Lyn's BOMs Away, and  Quilt are for Giving blog.

Also my book giveaway is still going on.  Go to my last Applique Thursday post and comment or link to win!

SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...