Sewing Machine Put Away

I have put my sewing machine away for a while.  There's so much to do while the weather is nice, and we are also having family visiting, so I really needed some excuses to clear the kitchen table of some sewing projects.  It actually feels good to be able to do some other things.  When my son sleeps, I usually do sewing, but now I am working on a digital photo album of a trip to India that I did in January 2005!  Hopefully, I can get that album done quickly... & then I'll have to make an album for my son.  Too much to do & too little time.

I counted all my sewing projects that are in various stages of work... and I have about 10 in all!  That is a lot of sewing!!

I was due to purchase the last (August) block for the "Two Toonies Thursday" (Star Search) quilt along, but the store has closed its doors... and since there are no notices, I have no idea how I could potentially get the last quilt block.  I think I'll have to improvise & make one myself.  It's so unfortunate to see a local quilt shop close its doors... especially when it carried such beautiful fabrics.  

This is block #4 (of 5) for the Rockin Robin Quilt Along.  I still have to do block #5.  The quilt along is actually for a quilt, but I will put a tablerunner together instead.

I finished off the 12 quilt blocks for the Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along.  It was a lot of paper-piecing, but it was fun & good practice.
Here are some of the last blocks & some of them required 12 templates before I could put them together!

All 12 blocks for the Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along

Here is the August block for the Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.

I made some fun, cute baby bibs.

This week I bought some flannel & cotton & made this cute little receiving blanket.  

Some of my Latest Projects

The past few weeks have been busy with work and family visiting, but also because we've been enjoying the beautiful weather.  However, my father-in-law passed away and we had to travel 700 km to attend the funeral.  

I am now very far behind in my quilt-alongs, but I'm trying to catch up as possible & when possible.

I finished this baby quilt top a few weeks ago.  

A half-apron made out of old pillowcases.

The July block for the Star Search quilt along.  Only 1 more block to go...!!

One of the Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along blocks - just a tad pink, eh?!

Love this little bib.

Block #3 for the Rockin Robbin Quilt Along

Another block for the SSSQA

July block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.
The "original" was 2 birds & fireworks, but it was very American... so I made a Canadian rendition of this block.

Another SSSQA block

Sew Busy

I have actually been quite busy with sewing despite the beautiful weather.  When my son goes for his afternoon nap, I hit the sewing machine & sew, sew, sew.

This week's sewing projects:

• Fandango: quilt top & backing done, quilted, just working on the binding now
• Black & White: quilt top & backing done, awaiting quilting & binding
• quilt top finished in blue/teal/lime/white
• Modern Workshop: cut from 42 layer cakes into 84 squares, re-sewn into 42 4-patch squares; sashing cut & ready for sewing
• started Rockin Robin Quilt Along (orange/green fabrics)
• started Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along (pink/brown fabrics)
• finished a small tablerunner
• waiting to start the embroidery for the July block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along
• picked up the next quilt block (#11 of 12) for the Star Search quilt
• fabric shopping
• I'm still trying to find a fabric to be used on my backing for the Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt-Along.

Here are a few photos of this week's projects:

The fabrics I won from Ali at Alone in the Studio

Block 1 of Rockin Robin Quilt Along 2011

Block 2 of Rockin Robin Quilt Along 2011

This is the backing & binding for my Fandango quilt

First 3 blocks (Week 1 of 4) of the Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along.
From left to right: Virginia Star, Greek Cross, Mosaic

A Busy & Satisfying Sewing Week

Finally... I have had time to catch up on some of my sewing & cross off a few items on my "to do" list.  Oh, that is a good feeling!!

Here's the June Star Search block (Two Toonies Thursdays @ Freckles Quilt Shop)

Only 2 more blocks to go until it gets quilted together!!

I finished off my 2 "Fandango" charm packs by making these 9 Disappearing 9 quilt blocks.  This will be a baby quilt that I will sell.  I have purchased the fabric for sashing, borders, backing & binding, but I have yet to sew/quilt it together. 

The first 6 months for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.

I sewed 2.5x2.5 pieces together that will eventually be part of the backing for the Birdie Stitches Quilt Along quilt.

A photographer friend made a paper mobile for her baby due in October, so I attempted to make a paper mobile as well.  I used hemp twine; I cut each circle out by scissors and knotted each circle to the strands.
I chose the black & white because babies respond best to those colours; red is just for fun.  

Remember the black & white fabric that I won??
Here is a sneak peek of the another quilt that I'm still working on.  

I made this baby hat & the flowers a while back but I just didn't take a photo of them until now.

Another baby hat I crocheted a month or two ago. 

2 dishcloths.  The small one was a sampler one.
I had great intentions of crocheting more dishcloths but my wrists just don't tolerate it too well.    I would rather be quilting anyways.  

I just HAD to add this one... this is my son's craft from his daycare home.    Not bad for a 21 month old. (Ok,admittedly everything was cut, and he had help but he still put the circles on the glue on the paper.)
What a cute little ladybug.

The web photo of Modern Workshop fabric line  - for my next project.

The "real" fabric for Modern Workshops fabric line.
This is the fabric I won from Moose on the Porch Quilts for my Layer Cake Quilt Along.
I will now be using this fabric for another quilt along: The Synchonized Squares Quilt Along.
Quilt-alongs are fun... can you tell I enjoy them??

I also sewed 2.5 x 5 pieces of solid colours together for my P2QA quilt.

My finished quilt top for P2QA (Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt Along).
I'm sure my quilt recipient will be quite happy with this quilt.
Now if only I can find some nice fabric for the backing!!
Quilt top measures 58" x 72".

Orange Zest Win!!!

I had a jaw-dropping moment this evening... I WON more fabric!!  Woohoo!!!   I never won anything... but this year I've had 4 fabric wins.   This is so exciting!!!

I entered a comment on Alone in the Studio's Orange Zest Giveaway... and the Random Number Generator picked me... Entry #6.

This is the fifth Spring Sweeping the Studio giveaway.
 A total of 11 coordinating new fabrics--quarters, fat quarters, two half-yards, and one full yard.

Don't you just envision a lovely autumn quilt with these colours??!!!!!


THANK YOU, ALI, FOR THIS LOVELY WIN!!!

Snippits of a Few Projects

I forgot to take/add photos of a few projects I have been working on, so here we go...

May 2011 block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along

June block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.

The pattern actually was a bird with various words written in different fonts; it was quite nice, but I really wanted a picture... but what does June symbolize or celebrate other than Father's Day???  I thought of a pond with a dragonfly (& the bird of course), and one of my work colleagues mentioned Summer Solstice - ahaah... great idea, Liz!!

I purchased 2 Animal Jungle Panels at a great deal, so I simply added some coordinating flannel on the backside & then I cheated on the binding by using some pre-purchased quilt binding that I had at home.  

The 2 blankets together (the dark spot on the far end is the shadow of the fence in the yard).

I did a meander stitch on the quilt.

A photo of parts of the quilt front & backing.