I Finished Part 5 of LE!

April Fools!  Don't I wish!!  I did get farther along though.
Those leaves were so small - not as small as the stems  - grin, but close, so I chose to do them another way rather than individually.  As you can see from the photo below - those leaves were down to 3/4" long and 3/8" or less wide.  No way was I going to do them individually.
I decided to do them in pairs as they would sit under the stem. Some have probably done it this way, but it was a lightbulb moment for me - hehe.
Much easier.  What have you been working on?  Please leave me a comment, so I can go to your blog or photostream, and see what goodies you are working on.  I'm linking to Esther's WOW and Connie's Linky Tuesday Party - lots of goodies there, and to Judy's Design Wall since this part is still up there.

Bye for now!

Finished Eying the Line

Finished eyeing the line FMQ on this baby quilt.  Click here to see more of the quilting. I used warm and natural that says it can be quilted up to 10" apart.  All the squares that were formed by the quilting are less than that.  My question is when is quilting enough quilting?

I'm linking to Leah's FMQ Project and Sarah Whoop, Whoop.  Get inspired!

Hexie Weekend plus Template Giveaway

Finally (and actually I wanted to make some progress to show you - see why Hexie Weekend is so vital to me), I was brave enough today to tackle mitering the corners of Soupçon's Part 5 border. Thanks to Karen's directions and Judy in her video of self binding a receiving blanket, they turned out okay! In fact, I found a trick to making sure I was sewing the seam in the right direction - the seam and the folded center make a flying goose:
 See the goose?  The folded center is under the border piece on left and the seam is on the right.
Once I had all four mitered corners done, I placed my  four hexie flowers on the border - more to come.  I'm liking what I've done so far.
Show us your progress - hexie or otherwise.  We like to see any eye candy - old, new or a pattern you just bought. Linky below. Ends Monday, midnight.  Oh and for linking you have a chance to win 100 paper hexie templates (3/4" sides) so you can try EPP. Thank you Mary Huey for telling me about this! I saw it on her blog.  I was able to buy the Fiskar hexagon punch - I got the large one - (found in the scrapbooking section at Jo-Ann's) for 65% off. Woohoo! It's so easy to make them with my new tool and the blow in cards from magazines.  Remember any post or photo link will work.


I'm linking to Richard's Link a Finish Friday (since I did finish those flowers) and TGIFF. Off to bed, goodnight!

Applique Tuesday

Yes!  Got to do some applique - I'm so glad things are getting back to normal. Praise God!

I finished block 2 of the Benjamin Biggs wedding quilt - which is good as block 4 will be out next week.  I hope to at least start 3 later this week.
This is not sized yet - I'm waiting til I have made all of them.  Will be 16" square when finished.

And ---Ta Da!  I even did a little on my Love Entwined.
May not look like much of a difference from when I showed it last, but I was able to add seven flowers, four leaves, and four stems. Phew!

What are you working on?  I'm linking to Connie's Linky Tuesday Party and Esther's WOW. I would love to see your eye candy of any kind.  Leave me a comment and I'll come on over to your blog and check it out. Thanks for stopping by!

Design Wall Monday

First the stash report - nothing used, nothing added. That doesn't mean I haven't been using up fabric.  It's just the one I used came out of St. Anne's stash.  Here's what's on my wall:
Top row is the African Triad quilt I began at Saturday's guild workshop.  We had Sylvia Davis come and show us how to do this interesting design of her own making.  To learn more go here and here. She has a very creative map to make it easy to put together this 31 piece block. It was so much fun. Sylvia was a treat to have as a teacher.

Last night my DH and I watched a movie and I was able to finish my hexie flowers for Soupçon - yeah! That's the second row.

Lastly, I've made my first row of the next frayed edge rag quilt (it's upside down). Here you see the back.

What's on your design wall?  I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away. See you there!

FMQ or Eyeing the Line

I'm quilting again.  Got my mystery quilt fixed.
I had washed the flannel back after I had cut it down (bad girl) and it shrunk on two sides.  Since I was doing this QAYG, I didn't notice till I had three rows on (the batting was bigger so I couldn't judge by that).  So I added a pink border all around it to make the back big enough.  Here's what the front looks like:
While I did assemble this using QAYG and row by row - I didn't quilt a lot of it because, surprise! - I can now more easily quilt a 42" top.  I'm making progress!  Because this had so many strong diagonal lines, I decided to quilt it on those lines.  The top picture shows my first line - a diagonal from corner to corner.  

I call this eyeing the line because I'm not going to mark the lines with Frixon pen or chalk lines.  I'm going to eye the line ahead of the needle to the next small block.  Even though I'm using my walking foot, I'm guiding it, so to me it's sort of like free motion.  I wouldn't have been able to do this if I hadn't watched Leah's video on straight line (or SITD) quilting.  To me that is still harder than stippling or a meander.  Hope you got a chance to quilt today!  I'm linking to Leah's Free Motion Project on Friday and Sarah's Can I get a Whoop Whoop. Congrats, Leah, on your finish,  and to Sarah for getting her longarm back running.

Hexagon Friday

Got another flower made for my part 5 Soupcon and some more prepped.  Thought I'd have a lot of sit down time, but I didn't.  So the only one I got made was one at the Opthamologist office while I waited for my mother. That took 2 hours, but the time flew as I was doing hexies.  I've decided to change threads when I sew different parts and I like the finish better. Takes a little more time, but worth it.

I stumbled on a blog post about using a hexagon punch to make the templates out of insert cards in magazines.  I checked Jo-Ann's and Michaels and they both have it - just not willing to pay the price they want for them.  So I went to Geta Gama's blog and found templates for my next hexie project.

I looked through a couple of magazines and pulled out those insert cards - they're just the right thickness for hexagon pieces.  I printed a page from Geta's free pages and cut out a template and then used it to cut one from thin teflon.  I  got five hexagon pieces from one card!  I love recycling.  Now whenever I go through a magazine I'll be saving those cards to make more hexies.  Maybe when that punch is 50% off and I have a 15-20% off total purchase coupon, I'll buy one. 

What have you been up to? Would love to see your eye candy - hexie or otherwise, new, old or in dreaming stage. Linky below.  Ends Monday, midnight.
I'm linking to Richard's Link A Finish Friday and TGIFF. Have a look.

Applique Tuesday

Lunch break from Jury duty saw me get to here:
It pays to have some parts done. Now have to pick a different green and red for the center.

And a pause from the rushing to admire my husbands latest bouquet:
Isn't it beautiful!  Love, love cactus flowers.  This is Echinocereus adustus.
What are you doing right now? Please leave a comment so I can come to your blog/photostream and check out your eye candy later tonight when I'm home. I'm linking to Esther's WoW and Connie's Linky Tuesday.  Also click here   to see this linky party.  More flowers there.

Bye, for now - onto the next to-do on the list.

Design Wall Monday

Stash Report - too miniscule to bother - numbers stay the same.

Such a busy week ahead!  Spent the weekend trying to prep for at least some progress during the week in those few minutes between things.
A new pile of flannel squares to start another rag quilt for St. Anne's.  Applique pieces  for my Block 2 of Benjamin Biggs quilt.  Hexies and leaves for my Soupçon row.  What's on your design wall?  More at Judy's Design Wall Monday and Lyn's BOMs Away!

Hexie Weekend

Soupçon report:
   Well, I still don't know if I'll be on a jury or not.  Hopefully, I'll know by next Tuesday. And hopefully my cough will be gone by then.  In the meantime between naps and coughing I've been thinking about my Soupçon project.  Karen will be releasing part 6 tomorrow and I wanted at least to have started part 5 before then.  I have some ideas and this is part of them.
I'm liking it, so I'll be making some more.  Have you been working on your hexie project?  Would love to see it (done, in process, or dreaming of)!  Linky below. Closes Monday, midnight.

I'm linking to Richard's Link A Finish Friday and Sara's Can I get a Whoop Whoop.

Applique Tuesday

Jury Duty - enough said. May last 5 weeks. It's a civil trial. Today we met the 6 lawyers.

Tonight I'm going to start to stitch these leaves. Oh so tired.

Design Wall Monday 3/10/14

Posting early - have the possibilty of Jury Duty this week.  And it's my busiest week of the month!

First my stash report.  I used about .12 yard to make 4 BOM blocks for my Guild's 2014 BOM.  It's a mystery this year.  Then I used another .1 to make leaves for the Hexie piece.  Still to sew those on.  I used another .12 to finish my bead on a string blocks for Block Lotto.  Then, I used a yard's worth of nine patches to finish a charity top.  Finally, I donated 3/4ths of a yard to the Thrifty Corner. This weeks total is 2 yards out and zero in.  Year totals on right sidebar.

So once the beads were done, I was able to put together my first module for the Mod Mod Qal at Block Lotto (button on left sidebar).  It will be on my design wall for most of the year as I make the other three modules to complete it.
Wish now I"d made the beads with all white backgrounds, but done is done - at least for now.

What's up on your design wall?  I'm linking to Judy's Design Wall Monday and Lyn's BOMs Away!

Hexie Weekend

Feeling a bit better - thanks to all who sent prayers, good wishes, and concern.  I appreciate each of you!

Before I got too sick to sew, I got this far on the hexie piece:
I still think it needs something, so I toyed with the idea of some embroidery around the flowers as we were to do for the Soupçon QAL.  But came back to this - appliqued leaves:
What do you think?  These are just pieces laid down to see the effect.  I'm considering the lighter green you can see on the top right and left flower.  Not sure.  I'll be interesting in hearing what you think.

The linky is below - would love to see your eye candy, hexie or otherwise.  Closes Monday, midnight.

And look what I found visiting Mary's great link this week. Another linky party! It happens every second Saturday of the month:
splish splash stash

And the Winners are

of my
 
giveaway:

1.  bundle of 1/4 yards Christmas fabric:  Bonnie 58

2.  Charm packs - Gladys Wahl

3.  Fat Quarter Friendly patterns and thread - Robin

4.  Three half yards of fabric - Wendy

5.  Book - Liberated Quilt Making - Beth

6.  Winner of the $25 FQS certificate - Cheri - the Quilting Nanny

Thank you to all of you who left comments and good wishes.  It was interesting to see what parts of the process you like the best - We had answers all over the quilting steps.  We just like quilting!

All the winners have been sent an email and as soon as I hear from them , their prizes will be on their way to them.

Hugs!
Angie

Applique Tuesday is Sick Tuesday

First, if you're here for the giveaways for my 5th Blog Year Annivesary, go here.  Five great giveaways end Thursday, midnight.

Here's what I started last Wednesday - and didn't get far due to picking up a bug from one of the grands. At least I'm thinking it was one of them as their Daddy is sick with the same thing, too.

I'm making baskets for my hexie flowers project.  More on that Friday.  Back to lie down and use the inhaler, antibiotics, cough surppressant, and fever reliever Kaiser gave me.  Please leave a comment so I can enjoy your eye candy.  Stay healthy.

Design Wall Monday

First, if you're here for the giveaways for my 5th Blog Year Annivesary, go here.  Five great giveaways end Thursday, midnight.

On my design wall is my mystery quilt from the guild retreat.  As you see it I still have to attach the top and bottom rows and the top will be done.  And yes it is sandwiched as I'm doing this quilt as you go.
 Now for the problems .  Looking at the photo below, you can see the back is too small on two sides.  This is because of two things. When I laid the center row on top of the batting and back I seem to be almost two inches too to the right of center.  What they say about measure twice and cut once also relates to this.  But the biggest problem is that when I cut the flannel back I did so before I washed it.  I though I had left plenty around each edge - 2 1/2 to 3 inches more. Well, it shrunk and I'll never cut backing from flannel again if it hasn't been shrunk.  

I'm hoping St Anne's cupboard has another piece of this to sew on three sides (after I've washed it that is).  If not, I'll have to add a piece of something else all around to finish this off. Until then no more work can be done on this piece other than sew the two rows on.

What's on your design wall?  I'm linking over to Judy's Patchwork Times, Esther's WoW, and Lyn's BOMs Away for now.

Stash Report and Octopus!

First, if you're here for the giveaways for my 5th Blog Year Annivesary, go here.  Five great giveaways end Thursday, midnight.

Octopus?  Octopus agave that is.  Coming home a recent Sunday from mass, my DH and I noticed that the   octopus agave planted stree side was sending out a stalk.

We were both quite surprised because his older brother isn't showing any signs of doing so.
This one really looks like an octopus. He's twice the size of the other.
I've been inside the better part of the last two weeks. Imagine my astonishment this morning again coming home from church, I see it's grown to near 12 feet.  We believe it will have yellow flowers and then maybe bulbils (small plantlets). Then DH will dig it out as that's the end of them, once they bloom.
And here's a bouquet from my poor neglected garden:

Maybe next week when it's suppose to warm up and this cough is gone, I'll be able to go out there and do something.

Now for my stash report.  Used a fat quarter for that napkin you saw in the Applique Tuesday Post, and another for this month's Block Lotto block (that's really a dark green in the center). 

 I also used 2 1/4 yards for that receiving blanket and a 1/2 yard for the background of the hexie piece I'm working on  for a total of 3.25 yards out.  I'm linking to Judy's Stash Reports on Patchwork Times.  See you there.  Oh and new numbers on right sidebar. Not bad for week 9 of 2014.

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...