Sort of WIPs Be Gone & Giveaway

Why do I say "Sort of"?  Well, I have to make some baby quilt tops, so these are really works in progress, not my usual pick a UFO from long ago and make it into a WIP.

Here's three I am working on. I'm using some block techniques new to me. I've gotten the first blocks of each of them finished after my two weeks of hosting.

This block called the Web Block is from Laurie Bevan's book, Lickety Split Quilts for Little Ones.
It measures 15" square so I'll need 3 more plus a 3" border to make this St Anne quilt.

This busy block as well as the one on the bottom were made using the Exploding Block tutorial by Jenny Doan.  The large 25" block you see on the bottom of the first photo was made using her method.  I just added two extra turns and borders.  It need one more border.  When I made that last one, I didn't want any bigger triangles than I already had, so in the second one, I used a pink square bordered with blue to give me a different look for the first step.  

So what are you up to?  I'll be doing some quilting as all my guests are gone for now and no more scheduled for this summer. To celebrate that summer is finally here (they predict 110 for Monday), I'm giving away another book. 

Here's the book.  It has a lot of great summer quilts (14 in all)  and one wonderful "Ships Ahoy".

Leave me a comment for one chance.  Link your eye candy for another. Follow me and let me know for a third. Remember if you don't have a blog, you can always post a photo from a photostream.  Please be sure there is some way for me to contact you. Ends next Thursday, midnight. I'll be linking to several parties. Tab above. Blessings!

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More Guests

Sadly, but after a very nice visit, my DS#2 and DGS#3 are gone.  They were here for 5 days from CO, and are now on their way North to see more friends and family. It was wonderful having them here.

Clockwise here's DGS#3 (standing) DGS#4, and DGS#1 posing at Lego Land.  All three love Legos, but don't most kids like them these days?  Tomorrow, my sister-in-law and her friend arrive for a visit. They've been on a Road Scholar trip to Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon.

Not a stitch done!

WIPs Be Gone Progress

This is late as my company came early. I'm happy to report I got some things done though. Yeah!

The Hugs baby quilt got quilted bound and delivered.

Carolina Christmas became a top.  I may or may not add a border.  What do you think?

Made a quick envelope style isolette cover for our local NICU.  This measures 36 x 46".

Here is the back. Since the purpose of the cover is to darken the area around the preemie - I used a darker fabric. Pieces that I pieced together to make whole again - LOL.  Wasn't quite wide enough.

That's it for now. I'll probably get little sewing done for the time being.  It's so good to see out of state family.  Blessings!

Medallion QAL

Here's my center for the Gwennie Inspired Medallion QAL started by Lori of Humble Quilts.  You can read about it here .

The theme for the first month was baskets.  I've been super busy with company, family and special events. Throw in a few bout of sickness and my sewing time has been very limited, but I so want to do this QAL.  Soo... for this month I very loosely interpreted Gwen's liberating quilting and chose to do broderie perse  for my basket.  It just doesn't have a handle.  I hope Gwen would approve that I used what I had (an old tablecloth) and a pair of scissors, some steam-a-seam, and a 12 1/2" square to make my center. Do go over to Lori's to see all the centers that have been revealed today. Next month's theme is childhood.  I already have an idea - hope I can execute it more "Marston" this time. 

Design Wall Monday

New on my design wall is the 2009 mystery, Carolina Christmas, by Bonnie Hunter. It's now featured in her Scraps & Shirttails II book.  Here are two of the blocks from that quilt. 

Bonnie's beautiful quilts are way too big for me.  I make a fourth of them.  I made nine blocks. They're each 16" square.  What has kept me from putting them together was the odd block I created - the one with the gold squares. You're seeing the corrected block, but I sewed the light squares and the red rectangles wrong on the bottom right section and made the star-like reds reversed.  Yesterday, with no red fabric left, I had to resort to using the wrong side of those rectangles to get the pattern right. It meant taking the whole block apart (except for the two square patches) -ugh.  I had also sewn the bottom left most two square patch wrong.  But now it's all fixed. If you click on the photo, you can see the somewhat dull side of that fixed unit.  

Maybe I can finally get the top done for the next WIPs Be Gone.  Psst - last week's still open to link your eye candy.

And I have a question for you: Which Bonnie Hunter pattern/s have you made?

WIPs Be Gone

I have four finishes - well sort of, and two are in the ready to quilt phase. And my two design walls are empty!  I'll have to do something about that.
First off a design  wall - after such a long time:

I may do a facing on this instead of a bind - but first sandwich and quilt.
Next, the Hugs quilt top is done and I've already started quilting it.  It needs to be done by Sat, evening. Nothing like pressure - LOL.

Lastly, got those two hearts done. One, I made into a mug rug, and the other was sent to a friend.

Darn, I didn't take a photo. They looked just like my splendid sampler block above. One was pink - the other in reds.  It was the pink one that got made into a mug rug.

And this isn't a finish - just wanted to show you what I see out of my kitchen window at this time - it's on my neighbor's front steps - and yes I did walk over and zoom in so you could see it better. Cacti have such beautiful flowers. This photo was taken near noon and that why the centers are a bit blurry.  We had some too, but I missed the peak time to take a pic.

 So what have you been up to?   Link below to share what you're doing .   Remember, if you don't have a blog, you can always post a photo from a photostream or instagram.  Please be sure there is some way for me to contact you.  I can't reply if you're no-reply.  I'll be linking to several parties - Tab above.  Blessings to you all.

An InLinkz Link-up

Slow Sunday Stitching

I've made 8 blocks, so I can add a yard to my de-stashing total. Nothing in.  I finished my embroidery piece from retreat. I now have this Splendid Sampler block

to start on. Lots of slow stitching here.  Maybe I'll applique the hearts.

Are you working on a WIP?  Go to my last post and link up so I can come by and see what you're doing.  Ends Thursday, Midnight.

WIPs Be Gone

Here are some WIPs I'm working on - I havent given them a number yet as they are my most recent WIPs.  This first one I started at the retreat:

I enjoyed embroidering this. I may look for another project to do some more now that this one is finished.  Maybe from Jenny of Elefantz - she always has such pretty ones.  Now I have to pull fabrics to frame it.
Then I decided to make a couple more of this Splendid Sampler heart block:

I did make 3 other blocks but no photo of those.   And here's how far I got on another SS block:

The kidney stone is lieing low, so I'm taking advantage of the relief and getting a bit more done - which is a good thing. I have two sets of out of state company coming in early June. Life is good.

So what have you been up to?   Link below to share what you're doing .   Remember, if you don't have a blog, you can always post a photo from a photostream or instagram.  Please be sure there is some way for me to contact you.  I can't reply if you're no-reply.  I'll be linking to several parties - Tab above.  Blessings to you all.

An InLinkz Link-up

WIPs Be Gone

Well, I moved forward with one WIP - needed it off the design wall.  This one (WIP#6) is ready for the WTBQ pile:

And I needed it off the wall to start putting up the blocks for the sample quilt for this year's Festival at Church at our St Anne's booth.  The kids will be coloring letters this year instead of baby items.

I found a darling dog print to use.  Here's a better view:

And the winner for last week's book is Kathleen Monica.  Kathleen said she is reading books about traditional blocks right now, so that's what I'll be sending her.

What are you up to?  Link below to share your WIP.   Remember if you don't have a blog, you can always post a photo from a photostream.  Please be sure there is some way for me to contact you.  I'll be linking to several parties - Tab above.

An InLinkz Link-up

I've Been Paper Piecing

Moaning all the way, I've been paper piecing some Splendid Sampler blocks, and oh boy, one was hard!  Took me two days.

Now remember - these blocks are 6 1/2" square and take the straps of the bodice - those pieces of background around them were tiny. And I kept putting the fabric in the wrong direction --grrrrrh.  I'm going to make a sign that says check twice, sew once - lol.  Then today's block was posted and guess what - it is paper piecing too!  This one just took two hours - maybe I"m getting the hang of it (even though I used the ripper on this one also:

Phew, done working on SS for now even though I have about six I'm behind on. But I have to deal with this:

before I can sew anything again.  Who would have though PP can be so messy.  Where's the trash can?

Blessings!

Home from Retreat

What a great time we had! Viña de Lestonnac is a wonderful place to meet with friends and quilt. Mom had a great time and so did I.  One of the things we had to bring was a quilt that exemplified our quilting journey.  Here's what Mom brought:
She loves to embroider.

We did make and takes. One was a journal cover. Another is a stitchery - very appropriate for a quilter's journey. Also had a sewing mat/cover  (free) to make:

We also made accidental landscapes - the first photos are the grounds outside - good ideas for our pieces.  

Here are a few of the landscapes created:

These are going to be great wall hangings!  We also had time to work on our own projects:

a scrappy quilt

beautiful grandmothers flower garden

more hexie blocks and a fab heart quilt emerging

Isn't this a gorgeous tablet cover!

I love retreats!

WIPs Be Gone to Retreat & Giveaway

Had to finish that baby quilt top, so no progress on my WIPs.  And tomorrow I'm off to a retreat.  I'm taking a WIP or two along, so maybe I'll have some progress to share at next week's WIP post.

Before I say anything else, let me make known to you the winner from the book giveaway for April 24.  It is Paula from Paula B Quilts.  She chose a Patrick Lose book.  I'll be sending it to her just as soon as I can find a moment to package it and get to the PO.

Here's a photo I found on the NET that I'd like to make someday into a cityscape quilt. I can dream,
can't I?

 Link below and you'll have a chance at another book. I'll be sending the winner a list of three titles from which one can be picked. Remember if you don't have a blog, you can always post a photo from a photostream.  Please be sure there is some way for me to contact you.  I'll be linking to several parties - Tab above. Blessings!

An InLinkz Link-up

Some of This; Some of That

On one of my design walls (I have three now -hehe) is a baby quilt for St. Anne's. As you can see in the photo I have one border at the top left to sew and this top will be done.  It's a disappearing hour glass pattern from Jenny Doan .  I like it, but  it's a lot of seam abutment and pinning, so I probably won't be using the pattern again anytime soon. I did like how quickly one can make the hour glass blocks by sewing all around the two squares and then cutting twice on the diagonal.  I may do that real soon.  I call this a mod baby quilt because of the prints used.  I know again why we quilters like to use 100% cotton.  These two prints have some nylon(?) in them and they are easily stretched which isn't a good thing when you have so many seams on the bias.  Hoping it can be quilted out.


This used up 1.37 yds of stash which includes the border.  YTD total de-stashing now is 18.61 yds. 
But! I bought some fabric - couldn't resist these text patterns - and it was just a yard total.

So take a yard off my YTD and I'm at 17.61 yds. Sigh - I'll have to purge a pile to get near the goal I have for the end of June of 50 yds.

Lastly, and even though I have a ton of WIPs, I made the first block of Barbara Brackman's Morris Hexathon.

I machine pieced this one - it came out too small and not enough contrast between the diamonds. I'll make another. I'm trying machine piecing to save my hands from another bout of arthritis.

As for Splendid Sampler progress - I haven't made any more while my company is here. However, I'm going to a quilt retreat this Friday. I'll take all 8 I need to catch-up on for then.

What are you up to?  Would love to hear. Leave me a comment and I'll come by and see your goodies. Blessings,

WIPs Be Gone

Done with WIP #2 - see last two previous posts.  Hoping to get the last borders finished on 3 and 6. But life is very busy with my sister-in-law here and my cousins from Texas also, so not sure I'll even have time to go in the studio.

Here are garden flowers that were hiding in plain sight. 

The first two months after we moved into our house 47 years ago, there were torrential rains. Come dry and spring weather, a two foot deep by 40 feet row of these came up all along the front side of the house. They were spectacular.  After all this time we still have a few left.  I love them.

What are you up to?  Leave me a comment and I'll come by to see your WIP progress.
Blessings,

The Signature Quilt

My cousin who is staying with my mom sent me photos of the quilt ( since I had forgotten to do so).  Thanks Lucy!

 Here is the quilt with Mom's photo in the center. Text is in the four surrounding white spaces around her photo.  They say:  Mary P Matos, 90 Years Young; Happy Birthday; Feliz Cumpleaños; April 29, 2016.

Here you can see the quilting although it is upside down.  She likes it.  So WIP #2 is done.