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.