a shooting star mini

A mini post for a mini quilt...

This is a pattern from Freshly Pieced.  I ordered it as a kit from Drygoods Design.  It was good paper piecing practice. 

I chose a different backing than came with the kit.  This is my first attempt at quilting swirls.  I think I read somewhere they are all supposed to be swirling in the same direction but I just couldn't work that out.  The winds around here swirl in all different directions.

Do you wish on shooting stars?


 

progress

These two quilts have been a year in the making.

Last summer I was inspired by this post from Twin Fibers.  So I started making bowtie blocks.  I learned a little about chain piecing and a lot about pressing, mostly by trial and error.  When I had two blocks of each print I decided that was enough and last fall put one of each into each quilt top.

The backs are (imitation) Minky.  (Note:  The orange from Hobby Lobby is much softer than the pink from Joann's.)

I quilted them last winter.  One with an all-over loop, the other with meandering.

This spring I finally got the bindings on.  I used this multi-color, odd-shaped stripe for both.  And just this week I finished sewing down the binding (with my new Aurifil thread...no twisting...yay!) 

Lots of trial and error went on in making these.  Originally I had intended to give them away.  But they are not worthy so I'm going to keep them as a reminder of how far I've come.

With still so far to go... 

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday.

yay!

I learned to never say never many years ago.  Here's an example of why... 

I won the Aurifil Designer Block of the Month giveaway hosted by Pat Sloan!!!  I know, I can't believe it either!  Aren't they beautiful?  Seriously, this is the best thread and the greatest giveaway ever.  It took a few weeks for the thread to get here because it came from Italy.  I mean really...does it get any better than that?

I'm actually using the thread, not hoarding it, and just made this block to donate to Anna from Life Sew Crafty.  She's collecting pink blocks For Pinks Sakes.  (This block looks purple on my screen but it's pink.  I promise!)  You can read all about it here.  If you'd like to help her you have until August 2nd to donate a block.

I've been busy cutting this week as well.  I finally have a plan for this Tula Pink fabric. 

 Stay tuned!

mending fences

I've been participating in the Scrap Basket Quilt Along hosted by Crazy Mom Quilts.  When I read about the need for quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest I signed up immediately.  Here's my finished quilt.

Amanda posted an excellent tutorial for a simple rail-fence block.  (Although you could make any pattern quilt you'd like for the donations.)  My scrap basket is not as full as some and I had mostly oranges and grays.  Since they are especially in need of quilts for boys I decided to add some blue.  (We were watching a Detroit Tiger game!)  

I didn't have enough navy so had to add some additional blue.  Out went the Tiger theme but I think they all go together here.  Besides, whoever gets this quilt may not be as big a Tiger fan as those in my house!

I put all the solid blues on the ends so I needed to make a pattern. I started with this:

It wasn't working for me so I  rearranged (only once!) then stuck with it.

I quilted it with my go-to...meandering.

I pieced the back with a few leftovers and a big piece of Kona gray.

 All washed and ready to be mailed.

Feeling blessed to be a blessing. 

Linking up today (for the first time) with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday!




 

more block playing

I been playing with blocks again and have some new ones to share with you.

 Here are the next three months (April, May, and June) of the Aurifil Block of the Month club.  

That makes six months completed.  No, I haven't won any thread yet!

These are "economy" blocks I've started making with red, white, and blue scraps.  I have joined the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild and they donate quilts to veterans made with these.  I'll be keeping my red, white, and blue scraps separate to make these up a few at a time.

 

Here are some classic "churn dash" blocks I made as part of a quilt along with Amy Smart.  She has just published a book, "Fabulously Fast Quilts."  I'm enjoying it!

Finally, this is a "nested churn dash" block that was designed by Quilt Jane.  She has a contest going on that I'm not involved in.  I'm planning to use this on the back of the quilt I make with the blocks just above.

We are half way through 2014 now.  Just six more months till Christmas!

aMAIZEing

I made this quilt for one of this year's amazing graduates.  She's pretty much one of my favorite people on the planet and she's off to U of M in the fall.  I wanted to make something original for her so I created my own pattern for the (almost) accurate Michigan Block M.  For the background I chose a fabric from the Glimma line that I think looks like the net found in almost every sport the Wolverines play.

Here's a close up of my maize and blue "Block M" block.  This was my first attempt at creating my own pattern. (The color in the photo is off here.  I have so much to learn regarding picture taking and editing.)


The back is mostly fleece with a stripe of maize and another M.  I think I like it better than the front.  The quilting is a pretty close meandering loop.  I can't believe I missed taking a picture of the binding.  It's also from the Glimma line.

Congratulations to all this year's amazing graduates!

picnic time

This is the Basket Case pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew.  I started this quilt in January.  I had to refer to the pattern for every single block.  For some reason my brain just wasn't able to sort it out.  In the end it all worked though.  If there's a mistake in all the "weaving" I can't see it.

I quilted it with a free-motion loop.  When I took it outside to photograph I discovered this.  Not sure why it only happened with one loop or what went wrong but it doesn't matter.  It was easily fixed.  (Yes, I need more practice with loops.)

The fabrics are all from the DS line at JoAnn's.  (The wine was from a marathon in France - but I'll save that story for another post!)

The back is just two big pieces from the front with a row made from the scraps.  It went together in no time.

A few more pictures because I was having fun playing with my camera. 

Plus, picnics are more fun in the shade!

I'm so happy with how this quilt finished up.  I guess kinda like a marathon - if you keep plugging along the end is so worth it!