Christmas Sewing at Retreat #2

I went on a second quilt retreat a few weeks ago; I took along my giant bin of Christmas fabrics, with the plan to start some scrappy Christmas quilts.

 

This first one is a scrappy Many Trips Around the World. Usually it is laid out differently, but my family likes the zig zag look. I do too!

 

 

I am making these 6" stars; eventually there will be plain white squares in between each one. I must make many many more for a whole quilt!

 

 

Whoops! This one is sideways. I picked up these Amish-inspired quilt squares at an estate sale for a dollar; I think they were exchange blocks, for they varied in size by half an inch! On a straight setting it was obvious they were different sizes. So I added black to each one, then cut them wonky. Now you would never know they are different sizes! I will add a solid black border to finish it.

 

I have to show my newest carolers! I found them at Goodwill and they made me laugh out loud!

 Look at their faces---these carolers take singing very seriously!

Quilt Retreat #1

 

 

I attended my first quilt retreat! I did not get very much accomplished. I spent the first day and a half working on a flying geese quilt. I assembled the blocks, then fussy cut the borders. I had one miscut, and now I must replan the borders. Grrrrr. I was so disappointed. I don't even have a picture to share.

 

So, instead I machine quilted this one using just straight lines that follow the zigag. Needs binding.

 

I also worked on the Autumn Beauty but it is not assembled yet.

 

I also helped a friend plan a few quilts. This is one top that she was able to complete; the colors are way off, as it is actually purple and teal.

 

Here are a few quilts that others were working on!

 

Grama's flower garden, a class project. The teacher of the class values this one at $1500. It is an amazing quilt with beautiful machine quilting.

 

 A Batik strip quilt!

 

Beautiful pineapple quilt; the borders really make this one special.

 

 Christmas, anyone?

 

 I love the layout of this scrappy strings quilt!

 

 A Kaffe Fassett beauty!

 

I will be attending a second retreat in a few weeks. Hopefully I will have some finished projects to show off after that one!

Three finishes! (sort of...)

First up is this batik Modern Wedding Ring quilt that I made for my brother and his wife, in honor of their 25th Wedding Anniversary. I had a friend longarm quilt it, but I can't find that picture. It is beautiful!

 

Next up are the final three blocks for the Virtual Quilting Bee. I can't wait to see how the hostess plans to assemble these blocks into a quilt!

 

 

And here are all sixteen completed blocks. What a cacophony of color!

 

For more information about this quilt-along, go to

http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/p/the-virtual-quilting-bee.html

 

The final finish is God's handiwork - something from the garden. What a surprise to dig up RED carrots. (I forgot that I planted this color!) They are so pretty to look at, both on the outside...

 ...and on the inside.

 

They taste really really good...

 

I am linking up with Design Wall Monday.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/10/07/design-wall-monday-29/

Catching Up

I have been gone this summer and I got a little behind in the Virtual Quilting Bee. This week I am catching up! Here are five of the blocks. One more to go and I will be all up to date!

 



 

 

This last one is rather wonky. I may have to pull some stitches to try to straighten it out. The blocks are supposed to finish at 8.5", but this last one, well, it is a bit too small.  Oops.

For more information about this quilt-along, go to
http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/p/the-virtual-quilting-bee.html

Church Graduation Quilts

We had five graduating high school seniors this year. We made four quilt tops and the fifth was purchased at a yard sale, beautifully made but never finished. There are three of us women who put the quilts together, then we invite people in the church to help tie the quilts.

 

Here are the three girl quilts...

 Maple Leaf

 

 Trip Around the World

 

Lover's Knot

 

These two quilts were for two boys with specific interests:
...one is a sports kind of guy...

 ...and the other is a car/pickup kind of guy.

 

Sorry for the poor pictures...taken with husband's phone. Next time I will remember to take the camera!

Memorial Day Sew-In

*I apologize for the pictures--blogger is squashing with them....

 

A friend came over today and we did some sewing together.

This first quilt is a jelly roll race that she had finished; she made a lovely backing for it.

 

 

 

This second quilt was finished today by my friend.

 

 She started a third, using the same pattern as before, just different placement of colors.

 

 Here is the one quilt I worked on. I have eight more blocks to make.

We are using all the same fabric to make many different quilt patterns. (The fabric was on sale at Joanns, and we both bought some without the other knowing!)

Post-Op Productivity

I had surgery three weeks ago and recovery is coming along. I have been able to do some sewing. I am caught up with the blocks I am making with the Virtual Quilting Bee.

 (http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/p/the-virtual-quilting-bee.html)

 

I'm using all solid fabrics, playing around with color.

Here are the six blocks so far...

 

 

 

I also put together a quick charm square quilt. It is really bright and cheery, but I can't decide if I like it or not.

Size: 48" square

I used brown for the background because I have a cute brown fabric with flowers that sort of match the flowered fabric in the blocks. But it turned out to be way too busy for borders; it will go on the back.

 

Finally, I made a quilt guild name tag for my good friend. She loves batiks, so this is perfect for her!

Size: about 4"

100 Blocks Blog Tour!

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/

 

This is one of my most favorite blog tours: Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine. Quiltmaker's Magazine chooses 100 designers who create new and exciting quilt blocks. This week I will be visiting all the designer blogs to see their blocks and to try to win a copy of Vol. 7!

Years ago I won the first volume of this wonderful edition of the magazine, and I used many of the block patterns to create this Christmas Quilt (that still needs to be quilted...)

 

Have some fun with me and click on the link to join this really fun blog hop and possibly win a copy of the magazine or a fabric bundle!

Charm Square Zig Zag

A couple of months ago I spied this charm pack at Tuesday Morning.

Take a look at what it is....100 squares.

And the price?   99 cents!!!     SOLD!

 There are five different fabrics, 20 squares of each. I added 20 white squares...

 ...to make a zig zag quilt top! This one is constructed using half-square triangles.

 Size: 42"x50"

It will be another donation quilt after it gets quilted.

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On Friday the third block in the Virtual Quilting Bee was posted.
http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2013/04/virtual-quilting-bee-block-3.html 
Here is mine!

I was afraid the yellow would be over powering, so I added two other very bright solids and I think the yellow fades into the background.

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And how about a few last patriotic blocks?! I was thinking of making this block for the exchange, but I struggled with getting it up to a 12.5" square. These are just shy of that size, so I will keep these to put into my own sampler quilts.

These little pinwheels are 4.5". I made five of each one, and sent four of each along with the exchange blocks. I will get 24 different pinwheels back!

Enough with the patriotic already! I don't think I will do anything more red, white, and blue until the end of May, when my exchange blocks come back in the mail!