2011 in review

23 quilts for the year, a billion pillows and a few smaller projects.  The quilts range from 3 feet across to 7 feet across.  I made 3 queen sized quilts.  I've come so far since the beginning of the year.  I can't wait to see what the next year olds in store for me.  Have a Happy New Year!

Missed projects

I am working on a year end wrap up for tomorrow and realized that there were 2 projects I never blogged about.  I made this lap quilt for my son in February.

 It is mostly improv log cabin blocks made from scraps from his bed quilt.  I sashed them in the yellow stripe that I used for the backing for the big quilt.  I tied the quilt and put a gorgeous aqua with black pokka dot minky on the back.  It is so soft and snuggly and he has never used it.  Damn!


I made this pillow for my daughter back in July or August, when I was on my pillow kick.  It is mostly scraps from her bed quilt with a stripe of that fun scooter fabric across the middle.

I think I've blogged about every 2011 project, so this blog is fulfilling my original purpose.  come back tomorrow for a recap of all the year's projects.

Monday Bucket List

Since my Christmas to do list did such a good job of keeping me organized, I thought I'd continue with my quilting bucket list.  I don't know about you, but I always have a mental list going of things I want to make or ideas I want to try.  Sometimes I forget what is on my mental list, so now I'm writing it down.  I'll keep this updated with projects I have in mind and what I'm working on.  My goal for 2012 is to do fewer quilts, but more complicated ones.  I need to cut down on fabric usage and up the amount of time I spend on each project.

Winter tree quilt-  I want to do something like Little Forest by Purl Bee, but with a few different variations on the trees.

Postage Stamp Quilt-  I found out about P.S. I Quilt's Postage Stamp QAL, shortly after I discovered quilt blogs last year.  I got the materials, but never made the quilt.  Now, I'm going to do the quilt along, just one year late.

HST-  I haven't decided what I want to do, but I want to play with some of the fun patterns you can create with just HSTs

Drunkards Path-  I think I'm ready for some small curved seams.

Improv stripes bed spread-  I'm about 3/4 done with this project.  I need to finish it off.

Interlocking wonky stars wall hanging-  I just love the wonky star blocks I did in November and the Christmas pillow didn't get the wonky star love out of my system.

Dutch windmills-  I want to use my collection of DS Fairground fabric in a Dutch windmill quilt

Rainbow charm squares- I participated in a couple of rainbow charm square swaps.  I have in mind something with frames of charcoal and a rainbow gradation.  It works in my head, we'll have to see what it looks like in person.

Flying Geese-  Something with Flying geese. I'm not sure what at the moment, but I want to do geese.

Perfect the zippered pouch-  I'm expanding my horizons of sewy projects.  The zippered pouch is on the list.

New Patterns- I have a few ideas for some new patterns.  I need to work on my patterns generally.

Made in a Flurry Christmas Quilt

I had a charm pack and a jelly roll from Flurry, by Kate Spain.  I wanted to use my fabric efficiently, have a lap quilt size final product and be able to whip it up quickly, so it would be done by Christmas.  I framed out each charm square with one strip from the jelly roll.  This is where things should have matched up perfectly.  The packaging said each had 42 squares, only when I got to the end, I had 2 extra charm squares for a total of 43.  So not only did I have an extra charm square, but I was short one jelly roll strip.  It all worked out in the end.

Doing the math, I realized I could make a lap quilt that was 7 x 7 blocks, if I could come up with 6 more blocks.  I chose to do plain white blocks for the extras, so I could use up another idea for Christmas crafting that I wasn't going to be able to do otherwise.  I have ton of cute Christmas embroidery patterns, so I stitched those up on my extra white squares.  It turned out beautifully, except that my embroidery machine became possessed immediately upon starting the project.  I basted the assembled quilt top to the batting, to use the batting as stabilizer.  Every single square I thought would ruin the quilt, and I'd have to take the whole thing apart and start from scratch.  It worked out ok, in the end, but it was stressful.

I just loved this fabric.  It was more like a heavy voile, than a quilt cotton.  It was unbelievably soft.  This quilt ended up being a generous 61 inches on a side, which is great for snuggling under.

On the back I used a big piece of Alexander Henry novelty fabric with Santa and the reindeer hanging out at the beach.  I forget where I got it, but it reminds me of Christmas in San Diego and I had to have it, even though I didn't have any idea what I would do with it.  As soon as I saw the blues in Flurry, I knew it would be a perfect match for the backing.

I added some chunks of coordinating, but non Christmas fabric to bring the back up to size.  The blue and the red are Grunge by Basic Grey.  I love the whole Grunge line of blenders.  The green on the right is a dark green on green pokka dot from Connecting threads.  It is also really silky.  If you haven't checked out Connecting Threads, do it.  Their fabric ranges from decent to great and the a lot of it can be found on sale for $2-3 a yard.

I'm happy to report that this quilt is yummy and warm.  It is keeping me warm right now.  Have a Merry Christmas filled with love and laughter and quilts.

To Do List Review

This to do list really helped keep me organized and on target.  I can't believe I pretty much got everything done.  I might start a quilt bucket list and keep that going.  Since I don't like to let unfinished projects linger, the bucket list might be more helpful for me than the WIP list.  I started this To Do list with 47 crafting days until Christmas.  Let's review what I got done in the last 7 or so weeks.

Must make

embroider shirts for my mom- embroidery machine is malfunctioning, so these will have to wait until machine comes back from the shop

I'd like to get the following done
1 Christmas tree quilts for listing on etsy, the top is already done, I  just need to quilt it

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

FINISHED

1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids

1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders

1 quilt for my dad

1 Advent Calendar

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

1 Wonky Star Pillow

3 pillows for teachers

1 rail fence pillow using leftovers from advent calendar

24 ornaments (I didn't make very many, but I pulled together 24 ornaments and I'm declaring it good)

7 blocks for 3x6 bee

10 embroidered dish towels (I know I said 16, but I have more than enough)

2 batches of jam, I made ginger apricot and lemon blueberry

1 something with Flurry Charm pack- made a lap quilt

1 Christmas tree quilt for listing on etsy, except by the time I finished, it was too late to sell it for Chirstmas

Rail Fence pillow

In my searches through my scrap bins, I found a stack of tiny rail fence blocks I had made with leftovers from my first christmas tree quilt.  I whipped them into a quick square and only had to make a few more to get 7x7 blocks, for a generous 20 inch pillow cover.

 It's quite low contrast, being mostly olive greens, so the block pattern doesn't stand out, which is fine with me.

 I quilted it with aqua thread in a sort of zig zag following the piecing.  You have to put your nose to it to see the quilting.  I guess the 15 minutes I spent debating the thread color to use was wasted.

In stead of binding, I just did a flange edge.  This was so fast and neat, I'll definitely do it again.  And all the raw edges are encapsulated, so it should wash just fine.  I put the right side together and stitched all around then turned it right side out and top stitched a half inch from the edge.

3x6 Bee blocks

It took me forever to decide what block to make for the 3x6 bee.  I guess felt like I had used my best idea on the 4x5 bee and everything else felt 2nd best.  Eventually I came across this idea, which is pretty much a  mini version of Happy Hour that was my first quilt.

 I whipped up all the rest of the blocks this past weekend and am shipping them off this week.  There are a few internationally hive members and I want to make sure they get their blocks on time.

The other issue in picking a block was that 3 of the hive members had limited color schemes.  There were two monochromatic schemes and one member who requested yellow and green, which isn't the highest contrast.  I had to pick a block that would work with all the parameters.  One member just said bright colors.  that one was fun to pick for and I ended up picking all fabrics with circles, the lower left one.  I know it doesn't look every bright, but it is in person.  I need to stop taking pictures at night.

Manic Monday

I'm just blitzing through this list.

Must make

embroider shirts for my mom
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts (one batch done)


I'd like to get the following done
2 Christmas tree quilts for listing on etsy, the tops are already done, I  just need to quilt them.
1 something with Flurry Charm pack (I've got the top pieced and need to buy more batting)

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

FINISHED

1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids

1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders

1 quilt for my dad

1 Advent Calendar

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

1 Wonky Star Pillow

3 pillows for teachers

1 rail fence pillow using leftovers from advent calendar

24 ornaments (I didn't make very many, but I pulled together 24 ornaments and I'm declaring it good)

7 blocks for 3x6 bee

10 embroidered dish towels (I know I said 16, but I have more than enough)

teacher gifts

I always feel conflicted about teacher gifts.  On the one hand I don't want to spend too much money, on the other hand, these people TEACH my children.  Then there are all the peripheral people, bus driver, reading specialist, school secretaries etc.  I've finally decided that making gifts strikes a good balance.  Spending my time feels more significant than spending my money.  Plus, then I get to enjoy making something and place it in a good home.  Last year I did two embroidered dish towels and two jars of jam for the preschool teacher and her aide.  This year I did Christmas pillows for the kindergarten teacher, preschool teacher and preschool aide.  I'm also going to give them a jar of jam.  All of the other folks will be getting a dish towel and jar of jam.

Here are the pillow covers.  I appliqued the center words and did quilt as you go to make the pillow tops.  They all have envelope backs.  Ordinarily I wouldn't resume to give someone home decor items without specific preferences, but it's a Christmas pillow cover.  Everybody does some version of red and green at Christmas and they only use it for a month a year.  I figure I'm safe.  I just hope they like them.

Christmas Tree Skirt

I've been having such fun my the little quilt group I helped start.  We've gotten 3 women interested in quilting.  Two of them are very good friends of mine, so it's even more awesome.  In November and December we made Christmas tree skirts and learned how to do applique.  

You might notice that I skipped two panels.  My Christmas tree is in a corner of living room.  I decided no one would ever notice if I skipped the back two panels.

I added ball trim around the edge.  So cute and such a PITA.  Oh well, I learned things and it's all good in the end.

Here is something else I learned.  Don't applique white over a darker patterned fabric.  Fortunately it will never show from the stage as my mother would say.

the best thing is that I got to say good bye to the large piece of white felt that was my previous tree skirt.  Thank goodness I never got around to making that needlepointed one.

Manic Monday

Must make

16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift (9 done and one ruined)
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts (one batch done)
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (1 block done)


I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for listing on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar (I've made a few and bought a few)
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

FINISHED

1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids

1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders

1 quilt for my dad

1 Advent Calendar

1 Christmas Tree Skirt 

1 Wonky Star Pillow

3 pillows for teachers

Wonky Star Christmas Pillow

Since I've been kicking tush on my to do list, I took some time to work on a project for myself.  I made an eight by eight wonky star pillow.  Each square is 2 inches finished.

I used scraps from my other Christmas projects and put a border on it to bring it up to size.  For a fast finish I french seamed the the edge.  I might do that on pillows more often.  I quilted it in the white areas, just inside the seam line.  I think it gives a bit of definition to the negative spaces, which look sort of like flowers.  It might be interesting to do solid stars on a scrappy ground to make flowers instead of stars.

I don't think I have this pattern out of my system yet.  I need to do a scrappy wall hanging, but that's a project for next year.

Advent Calendar

Two years ago, I had this idea for an advent calendar.  It would be a Christmas tree with buttons to hang ornaments from.  Every day the kids would put a new ornament on the tree until it was completely decorated.  There was a problem.  I didn't know how to make it, or where to start to learn.  I decided that I would quilt it and then proceeded to teach myself to quilt so that I would eventually be able to make the vision in my mind.

I finally finished the advent calendar.  I'm so proud of how far I've come in 2 years.  I give you the advent calendar.

 The Tree is my Christmas tree pattern that won a 3rd prize at the quilt show in September.

 Originally, I was going to run the pockets down the sides, but then I realized I would have to make them too small to hold the ornaments.  I think putting them at the bottom worked just fine.

I made the pockets way too complicated and I wish they had some negative space horizontally, as well as vertically.  When I make another one, I know just what I would do differently.  I used some fussy cut number fabric to applique on for the numbers.  I think the fabric was part of the Authentic by Sweetwater line.  Don't quote me on that.

Harvest Pillows redux

It's a good thing no one in the family reads my blog, otherwise I'd have nothing to talk about for the next month.  My mother in law decorates with what I like to call harvest colors- orange, yellow and brown.  Since I got her name in the Christmas draw, I knew what I was going to make her.  She had admired the set of harvest pillows I made for a friend, so I made her a set of her own.

 The two pillows on the right started off as orphan blocks leftover from the framed squares quilt I made my mother in law over the summer.  The top left incorporated a pillow top I trimmed too small for my friend's harvest pillows.  I added more batting and made it bigger and square to match the others.  the bottom left was all new.

 I tried new quilting ideas on two of these.  I just sewed random straight lines all over the pillow.  I just picked a starting point and when I hit the opposite side, I bounced off on a new angle until the whole thing was quilted.  I like the way the quilting is in juxtaposition with the rectilinear piecing.

This is the pillow that started off as another pillow.  I do love the quilt as you go techniques I learned over the summer.

Manic Monday

I'm really plowing through this list.  Go me!

1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
3 pillows for teachers (2 done)
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift (9 done and one ruined)
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts (one batch done)
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried 2 test blocks and am liking block #2)


I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room (one top almost together
2 Christmas tree quilts for listing on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

FINISHED

1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids

1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders

1 quilt for my dad

1 Advent Calendar

Pillow cases

A year ago, I learned how to make pillow cases so they look professional.  No exposed raw edges anywhere.  It'a lot easier than it sounds.  The technique is variously called the magic burrito or magic hotdog technique.  I won't reinvent the wheel, there are a ton of tutorials out there like this one.

You need a yard total of fabric, a 3/4 yard cut and a 1/4 accent for the cuff.  There is no waste, you use the whole width of the fabric.  You can do a little trim or ric rack if you like, but it's not necessary.  I thought it was a great way to make something easy for my nephews for Christmas.  My LQS had some great super hero fabrics, so I bought some of that and some cute dinosaurs for the youngest.  I added their initials so they don't get mixed up.  Plus, wasn't it the coolest thing ever when you were a kid to have your initials on things.  I'm so glad I figured out applique.

Happy Thanksgiving

We're having a low key Thanksgiving.  Since we only have 3 adults and 2 kiddos for Thanksgiving, we tried to simplify, the fewer dishes the better.  Obviously, we're having a turkey.  Last year we followed the recipe for a roast turkey in the America's test kitchen cookbook.  It was the best turkey ever, so we're doing exactly the same thing this year, right down to the brand of turkey.  Clearly, gravy is a must.  I love mashed potatoes, so they made the cut.  Hubby has to have homemade noodles and broth.  His family pours the noodles and broth over the turkey and mashed potatoes.  Then we needed a veg.  We recently had good luck with roast brussel sprouts, so we're trying them again.  We originally decided to cut out the stuffing, because neither the hubby nor I really like it.  However, my mother is visiting and stuffing is very important to her, so it got added to the menu.  We're rounding out the meal with cranberry jelly, a pumpkin pie and some dinner rolls.  I'm guessing the kids will only eat the rolls and a bit of turkey.  Yeah, I think I have the only kids who don't like mashed potatoes.  They have NO idea what they are missing.  I usually use an entire stick of butter.

I wish we had more people, so I could also have baked mac n' cheese and a mocha whiskey cake.  Those aren't traditional Thanksgiving dishes, but they got added to the roster thanks to my uncle's kids, who we used to have Thanksgiving with.  I once asked S how he made his mac n' cheese so good.  He started saying something about a can of macaroni and cheese that he used as a base and I decided I didn't actually want to know what was in it.  And I think mocha whiskey cake speaks for itself.  Oh yeah, there's a lot of whiskey in the frosting.

What dishes make it Thanksgiving for you?

Manic Monday

1 Advent Calendar (mostly done, a little bit of quilting left and binding)
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers (2 done)
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift (4 done)
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried 2 test blocks and am liking block #2)

Added
3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders (3 done, 4th started)

I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

FINISHED

1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids

1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

3x6 Bee block

I made another test block for the 3x6 bee.  I love it, but I'm afraid it's too simple.  I love that it shows off the fabrics and that it looks like 4 little blocks put together.

It's pretty much a tiny version of my first quilt and Happy Robots.  Both quilts followed the Happy Hour pattern.  I think that's the first and last time I followed a pattern.

This brings up an interesting question.  Do you follow patterns?  I was talking to the woman cutting my fabric at the LQS yesterday.  I was telling her about my plan for the fabrics I was buying.  She asked what pattern I was using.  I was momentarily confused, "pattern, what's a pattern?"  I told her I was making it up as I went along.  She looked just as confused as I had felt a moment earlier.  I make up everything as I go along, mostly.  Do you?

Another Christmas finish

This is the pillow I made for the holiday swap at the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild on Thursday.  After demonstrating my quilt as you technique at last month's meeting, I thought that would be an appropriate thing to bring to the swap.

I machine embroidered the center using a pattern from Urban Threads.  I love Urban Threads.  Their patterns stitch up really well and their prices are good.  I pieced the first 4 pieces before doing the embroidery so that I could hide the top of the ornament strings under the fifth piece going across the top of embroidery.

I got my new tags from GutenTags on etsy.  They turned out perfectly.

I love that stripe/dot combo I used on the back.  The binding was a diagonal stripe, so I didn't have to cut it on the bias to get the diagonal effect.

4x5 Bee Blocks

I got all my blocks finished and I couldn't be happier with they way they turned out.

Here are the last two blocks.  Garnet, lilac, and baby blue with coal as the background on the left.  Teal and green with ash as the background on the right.  That green pops more in person.

Here are all 6 blocks together, including my test block.

It's fun to see how far I've come in the last year in terms of technical skills.  Every point lines up and these blocks are all within a quarter of an inch.  My cutting and sewing have all come along way.  The blocks should be 12.5 inches for a 12 inch finished block and everyone of them is between 12.5 and 12.75 inches.  For 6 seams across each direction and being made up of 36 2.5 inch squares.  I call that a job well done!

I'm crazy enough that I'm thinking about making a wall hanging with this design.  It might be a good leader/ender project.  I am surprised that despite using scraps for almost ALL the stars, I don't notice any particular dent in my scrap bins.

DSMMQG

Come on out to the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild meeting today.


We have a change of location and we are meeting at:


At the Heart of Quilting
315 5th St. (Valley Junction)West Des Moines, IA  50265


We are having a holiday swap and yummy munchies.  Come out and join us!

WIP wednesday

I don't have any in progress pictures because I'm working too fast to take pictures.  I can show you something I've finished recently.

First up, the Grinch blanket.

The front is mostly a panel with borders.

The back is pieced flannel.  I did a pillow finish on it and top stitched around the edge to hold everything in place.

 This was another one of those panels the kids saw at the store and had to have.  I just wanted to use it up quickly and make something they might use.  Now we have a Christmas blanket, that hopefully someone will use.

I found a project that isn't finished yet.  I'm making a tree skirt with my MOMS Club quilt group.  We started it in November and will finish it at our meeting in December.

This is my first time doing applique.  I have no idea why I was so afraid of it.  It's easy.  I'm printing out the words from my computer and then tracing on to the fusible web.  I found a great free font that is nice and chunky, plus it automatically makes most of the letters touch, which is just ideal for this use.  The font is called, and I kid you not, whoopass!  I didn't do any applique on the back two panels, because they're in the back.  My tree is in a corner and no one will ever, ever see the back two panels.

I love the ball trim, but my goodness it was a pain in the tush to use.  I sewed it to the top and batting then laid the back on top, right sides facing and sewed around again.  The ball were big enough, that the backing would not lay flat on top.  I was constantly smushing and pulling to make use I didn't end up with a big bubble on the back.  I think I was mostly successful, but I haven't quilt yet, so we'll see.

Here is a close up of the applique.

That font is Whoopass!  Hee hee,  I couldn't resist.

Manic Monday To Do Update

I'm going to try and keep this updated every week until Christmas with my to do list as it grows or shrinks.

Here is the list from last week.  I'm giving myself the deadline of Dec 16th, as that is when we will be leaving for the in laws Christmas.  Things like teacher gifts could be later, but won't I feel wonderful if everything is actually done by the 16th.  I now have 35 days to complete the following:

1 Advent Calendar
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers (2 fronts done now need, backing and binding)
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (due Nov 17)
1 gift for my mother in law (fabric gathered)
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids (FINISHED)
Added:
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts
6 blocks for 4x5 bee (4 blocks done, 2 to go)
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried one test block and am back to drawing board, but I have an idea)

I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

Paper Piecing

I'm still trying to decide what block to do for the 3x6 bee.  I'm in a star mood, what with the wonky stars I'm doing for the 4x5 bee.  I've seen some paper pieced stars recently and I picked the Star from the Summer Sampler Series to try.  I've never done any paper piecing before, so I knew I definitely had to do a test block before committing to make 6 for the other bee members.

Faith from Fresh Lemons wrote a great tutorial for this block.  The template printed out in the correct size and the directions were very clear, for someone who had never done paper piecing.  My block turned out quite well, but I don't think I'm up to make 6 more.  I don't think I've ever ripped so many seams in one 12 inch block and when you are talking about 1.5 length stitches the frustration factor is magnified.  The other problem is that 2 members of my hive have monochromatic color schemes.  This feels like at least a  3 color block.

I think my color choices were spot on.  Blue is the dominant color and everything pops against the dark brown ground.  I'll definitely use the block in my quilt, but I'm still on the hunt for a block for the bee.

Bee Blocks

I'm in 2 bees this quarter.  I've never been in a bee before, so why not jump in?


I've completed 4 blocks for the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee and have 2 more to make.  I'm counting my test block as one that I need to make.  I'm so pleased with my blocks.  The last two I'm having trouble with the colors, but I think I've figured it out.


My test block- my colors are robins egg blue, green and yellow

 Block for Sukie80-her colors were tomato red, corn yellow and grey.  I had to use my precious tufted tweets scraps

Block for hehehe922- her colors were purple, orange and grey.  I thought the purple would make an awesome background for the orange and light grey to pop against.

Block for Nydia-colors were aqua purple and lime

 These are the fabrics I pulled forLaineybug-  She wants teal, green and grey.

I don't know why I'm so indecisive about these colors.  I'm just completely unsure I know what teal is.  I thought I knew what color teal is, but when confronted with fabrics that aren't quite what is in my head, I'm lost on this one.  I'm planning on using ash as the background.

Organizing idea

I love to be able to keep important papers, bills to pay, coupons etc all visible so I don't forget about them.  Unfortunately, they aren't very nice to look at. Why not take advantage of an untapped surface area in you kitchen.  The inside of your cabinet doors is available, easily accessed, but best of all easily hidden.

I picked up these magnetic boards at Target for a few dollars.  They are even dry erase and the black circle are for pins.

I added my favorite Command strips.

Voila!  Hidden organizing space taking advantage of previously unused space.  What more could you ask for.

40 crafting days left

Don't have a heart attack.  I only have 40 days left, the rest of you have 47.  My husband's family is getting together early this year because of scheduling difficulties.  Since I'm also making teacher gifts this year, I have to have everything done before Christmas break.  So 40 days it is.

In that time I have to complete the following
1 Advent Calendar
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (due Nov 17)
1 gift for my mother in law
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids (top is almost done and this one will be tied)


I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar

That doesn't seem so bad written out.

B's Bento Box

The quilt I made for my friend B is now on her bed.  I heard from her this weekend that it arrived safely.

I love a pink and chocolate color scheme.  It makes me think of candy.

 I did a 3 inch binding and it definitely made it easier on a quilt this big.  The binding is a stripe, that was actually our inspiration fabric.  All the other fabrics were pulled from that stripe.

I made a coordinating pillow from scraps.

The not so common rainbow quilt

I got my mom's rainbow quilt all finished up.  I hand sewed the binding so I can enter it in a show if I want.  It was also nice to have some hand work to take around with me.  I got a ton of compliments, even from the guys at the car dealership.

This quilt is so long it's almost impossible to get pictures by myself.  Fortunately, a new friend, Paula Reeves, came and took pictures for me.  She took pictures of most of the quilts I've made this year.  I think we're going to get together in the future so I can teach her how to quilt.  I love teaching people to quilt.

I've gotten a few good finishes recently, so I'm going to try and get those blogged, before I forget.  Without further ado, the not so common rainbow quilt*.

 I just love the way the dark border frames the rainbow.

 The quilting by Lana Corcoran is just a work of art.

All photos by Paula Reeves.

*I thought this was a good name, considering it started off as a Boston Commons quilt.

Quilt bees

I joined two flickr quilt bees the 4x5 modern quilt bee and the 3x6 sampler bee.  I only meant to join one, but I didn't hear for so long and the posted list of members kept being updated without my name, so I joined a signed up for a second one.  Then I found out I got into both of them.  That's ok, I have 3 months to make 9 blocks.  It won't be a problem.

I have a plan in place for the 4x5 bee.  I'm making interlocking wonky stars.  Here is my test block.

I'm ridiculously pleased with this block and it took me a couple of hours to make.  Most of that time was digging through scraps and walking back and forth across my kitchen.  I've been sewing in the kitchen for the last week because I had people over for a sewing night and I never moved everything back to the basement.

Here is my test block and the first block for the bee on the left.  Nydia asked for aqua, dark purple and lime.

These bees are highlighting some serious holes in my stash.  I'm really light on the jewel tones, dark purple, garnet, sapphire etc.  I'm even having a hard time finding them.  The two dark purples are a kona solid (berry, I think) and print from Connecting Threads.  The Central Park prints aren't dark, but they do have dark purple and aqua in them, so I used them.  The next few blocks will have grey as the background, I hope they turn out as well.

I'm thinking about trying paper piecing for the 3x6 bee.  One of my hive members doesn't like wonky and someone else is doing a Christmas quilt, so I think a paper pieced star is in order.  I feel like I'm on a star kick.  Ironic, I'm doing wonky for the first time and paper piecing for the first time, for the first two bees I've joined.