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.

Two Sewing Tasks this Week

I put the sewing machine away downstairs for a few days because we've been busy with other things, and I also worked a few 12-hour shifts at the hospital.

I managed to add the sashing to my P2QA (Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt-Along) but I ran out of the chocolate brown fabric so I'll finish up the border another day.  

I'm pretty pleased with this quilt so far. 

(Yes, I know... I've obviously not ironed it for the photo.)

Our new kitchen chairs have white padded seats, and they will certainly not stay white for long... especially with our little toddler.  

Off to Value Village I went & I found this tweed fabric for about $6.  

And guess what... I had JUST enough fabric to cover all 6 chairs.  

I think these seat covers look pretty nifty, and we love the colours of the fabric... and I can easily remove them & wash them.  

Old & New Fabrics & a Woolly Monkey

A few weeks ago we visited my husband's aunt who lives a few hours away.  We stayed the night at her place, and she pulled out some quilts that were my husband's great-grandmother's quilts.  

These quilts were ever so carefully pieced together & were so lovely!!

These quilts were sewn with remnant fabrics and were, of course, all sewn by hand.

Quilt #1

A close-up of the quilting & some detail embroidery.

Quilt #2

I received my winning fabrics in the mail.

Here's the bundle of fabric (5 yards total) that I won from Toads U Sew.

Isn't this fabric just lovely??!!

Included with the 5 yards of fabric was also a small pattern booklet.  

I recently have been doing crocheting or knitting in the evenings while sitting beside my husband, and chatting or watching tv.

One of my evening projects: A crocheted sock monkey.

I played around with a few blocks of the black & white fabric...

Nine-patch with white/light in the corners, black in between and red in the middle.

Nine-patch with black in the corners, white/light in between and red in the middle

Disappearing 9 Patch #1

D9P #2

I'm not sure how I'll piece these blocks together: sew them together as 1 large quilt or place sashing in between the quilt blocks.

I also received my 2nd winning fabric pack: 

A Layer Cake, "Modern Workshop" by Liesl Gibson for Oliver + S which I won from Moose on the Porch Quilts 

I have many other projects to finish, so that will give me time to decide how I will use these fabrics.  

The May quilt block for Freckles Scrappy Star quilt-along.

Addicted to Quilting

Found this quilting poem on a blog... love it.

Addicted to Quilting

She Learned to Quilt on MONDAY.
Her stitches all were fine
She forgot to make us dinner
So we all went out to dine

She quilted miniatures on TUESDAY
she says they are a must
They really were quite lovely
But She forgot to dust

On WEDNESDAY it was a sampler.
She says stippling’s fun
What Highlights What Shadows!
But The LAUNDRY was’nt done

Nine Patches were on Thursday
Green,Yellow,Blue and red.
I guess she really was engrossed
She never made the Bed.

It was wall hangings on Friday.
In colors she adores
It never bothered her at all
That crumbs were on the floor

I found a maid on SATURDAY
My week is now complete
My wife can quilt the hours away
The house will still be neat

Well, now its only SUNDAY
I think I,m about to wilt
I cursed,I raved,I ranted
Cause the Maid has learned to QUILT !