Happy Blocks for Betty C. Jan 2011

Finished up Betty's Happy Blocks today!

Design Wall Mondays (1/31/2011)

Here's what is on my design wall today! Trying to get a good layout, and figure out what sashing I'd like. I received all these lovely blocks made by my friends in the group Quilt Block Exchange on Flickr!

A good day to quilt!

Today is a good day to hunker down in my sewing room and work on some projects! It is sleeting, and the ice is collecting on everything! We are in for lots of snow also, so going out unless absolutely neccasary is not an option.

I did some work on updating my blog this weekend, and giving it a new facelift, hope everyone enjoys the new layout!

Yesterday, I joined a scrap challenge so will be working on a monthly project along with others using a specific color of scraps.

Also will be participating in Design Wall Mondays. So every Monday I'll be posting about what is on my design wall and what I'm working on.

Tentavily I will also be joining the 2011 UFO Challenge and working towards getting all my UFO's done in 2011, so be watching for my progress reports!

String Blocks I made for Quilted_With_Love Yahoo group swap

I have finished the string blocks for the Quilted_With_Love Yahoo group swap that I am participating in. I'm swapping 3 sets of 4 blocks, and will receive 12 blocks back.

Next week I will need to start on the string blocks for Stashbuilders Yahoo group swap that I am also doing. In that one I am swapping 2 or 3 sets of 12 blocks. So will either get 24 or 36 back, depending on how many sets I end up doing.

More January Happy Blocks done

Finished Teresa T's Happy Blocks last night! I love her Valentine's Day themed 6.5" centers and had to go dig through some of my Valentine fabric to border them! Also, thought the earthy toned 4" centers were pretty cool!

Green Bargello (Update 2)

Wow, after 28 months of sitting in a ziplock bag, in various stages of completion, this project can now be considered a "flimsy" instead of parts of a top, waiting to be finished! Although, it will probably remain a WIP (Work In Progress) for awhile until I figure out if I want to add borders or not. It sure did feel fantastic to sew that last seam together!

Today I was able to get Teresa T.'s 15 Happy Blocks done for January, and have been working hard on the Green Bargello UFO.

I'll post pics tomorrow, but, now I need to finish a little more sewing before I hit the hay!

Bee Pieceful Jan 2011 Block for Jennifer

Bee Pieceful Jan 2011 Block for Jennifer, originally uploaded by ScrapHappy-Quilter.

She has collected bug fabric for a long time, and chose a Spiderweb block for us to make this month. We added a few of our own scraps also! This is the first time I have made this block, although I've sure thought about making it many times. We used this tutorial String Spiderweb from Bonnie Hunter to construct the block. I like the outcome, and could sure use up some more of my scraps!

Green Bargello (Update)

I started this quilt top way back in Sept 2008. Shortly after I found Bonnie Hunter's website Quiltville.com When I first seen this pattern, I had to make it! Her method of making it seemed like something I could do, and so I printed the pattern off, and went shopping for fabric. I got all the strips cut, 1 set of 28 strips sewed together and one set of six subcuts sewed together for the first panel. Then frustation took over the feeling of happiness. I soon figured out that, it sure wasn't going as easy as she made it look. I had trouble matching all the seams, and kept having to rip out more stitches than it seemed like I was even sewing. And then, I found other patterns that was easier and more fun to make, so I grabbed a big Ziploc bag, gathered up all the fabric, the instructions, and all the parts I had been working on, stuffed them in there, zipped it shut, and labeled the contents. Without realizing it, I had just started something that would soon turn into a very bad habit! Yes, I had just officiolly aquired my first UFO! (Unfinished Object)

How was I to know, that it would be months before I even looked at that bag! And, in the coming years, many other bags and boxes also joined it in the back of the closet.

In the years since then, I have learned many things about making quilts, that I didn't know back then. Some of those techniques, helped me drag that ziplock bag out several times, re do a lot of the work, the right way, and up until today, had brought the quilt top to atleast 1/2 done!

This week Stashbuilders a Yahoo group I belong to, started a week long sewing bee. I chose to work on this quilt top. I have gotten a lot accomlished today! I started the day off, with 2 completed panels consisting of six subsets of 28 blocks. Another six subsets cut but not sewn together, for the third panel. And, 28 3" X 20" strips to sew together, cut into 6 subsets and then sew them six together for the last panel.

I chose to go ahead and sew all the strips together first, then got them subcut.
Next I started sewing the 6 subcuts that I had done already together. Lots of seams to butt together, pin, and align properly. I did grow weary a time or two, and had thoughts of going on to another one of my goals that I had listed for the sewing bee.
But, then, I decided that I really needed to stick with this until I got the panel done. And I am really glad I did.

I now have 3 completed panels, and the six subsets to sew together for the last panel of the top!

I took some pics of what I started with, and some of my progress today as I sewed.
the first several pics are of the first two panels, the sub-cuts, and the 3" X 20" strips. The rest is what I did today!

Stashbuilders January Sewing Bee

My Yahoo group Stashbuilders started their January Sewing Bee this morning at 12:00 AM. All week quilters thrughout the world, will participate in the week long event! Everyone works on their own project, at their own pace, when they can. We posted goals that we want to complete during the week. The goals didn't have to be actual sewing, as long as they were sewing related. There are lots of prizes for participation also! I have already won one of those, for being the first poster on the board for the sewing bee! Now the anticipation starts as I wait for the mailman to bring me my surprise!!

Mine goals that I chose to work on were three of my UFO's "Green Bargello", "Scrappy Double Irish Chain", and "Purple Passion". To sort, cut, and put away, heaps of scraps that have accumulated in the 2 drawer stand under my cutting table, and go through my huge bag of batting trimmings, cut some down into usable pieces for little projects, etc.

This morning, I plan on working on the "Green Bargello". I have two panels of the top done, 1 set of 28 strips sewn together and cut into tubes for the third panel, and 28 strips to sew together for the fourth panel.

Because of the bitter cold, and lots and lots of snow we got last night, during a major winter storm, that was more like a blizzard, our Church services were canceled this morning, which means I can get more done today, than I thought! So, I'm off to sew!

Been busy making January Happy Blocks

Monday and Tuesday I was busy making Happy Blocks for my Stashbuilders group! This month, there are quite a few swappers signed up, so that means lots of Happy Blocks to sew, and to also receive!

So far, I've done 10 blocks for Nancy H. and 20 blocks for Barb W.!

10 Minute Block

In the yahoo group Quilted With Love that I belong to, we talked about a neat YouTube video featuring Suzanne McNeill of Design Originals and her fabulous 10 minute block!

I just had to try this, and it was indeed, just as quick and easy as she said it would be! Here's the pic of the block I made.



And while watching some of the her other related videos I found another technique I'd like to add to this block. I think it will make a darling quilt for one of my Quilts For Kids quilts. But, since this is a 16" block, I had to do some of that dreaded math stuff, to re size it to a smaller 12" block. Be watching for an update on the smaller 12" block and see what I do to it!

Cuddle Quilts

Our local Quilts for Community project featured "Cuddle Quilts" at a workshop that was held Jan. 15th. at the International Quilt Study Center and Museum here in Lincoln. Some of the members of LQG (Lincoln Quilters Guild) met to assemble quilts and demonstrate how to make the quilts to visitors. Tours were also available of the beautiful historic quilts that are on dislay in the museum.

These "Cuddle Quilts" are distributed to our local hospitals, shelters for battered women and their chidren, and the City Mission that serves meals and provides shelter for the homeless.

The quilt kit that I worked on that day, was a scaled down version of Turning Twenty. A pattern that uses 20 different but coordinated fat quarters. In the scaled down version we used 12 different fabrics. My kit contained many shades and prints of greens and pink.

We sewed while we chatted and answered questions about the community project and the quits we were working on from the museum guests.

Here's a pic of the top I got done while there, it was a fun pattern, and sewed up quikly. I brought it home with me, to sandwich, and quilt, because they ran short of backing fabric that day, and I didn't want to go clear across town to the place where we hold our guild meetings to get some.

Bonnie Hunter's visit to Lincoln, was fantastic

Most of the day was very cold, it was snowing, and the roads were very ugly. And I was praying that our LQG meeting would not be canceled! Usually, I'm not quite this excited about going, but, tonight was special. Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com was going to be there and give a lecture on Leaders and Enders. Plus, I had to see all those beautiful quilts she brought for her trunk show! And, because there were so many others that had waited forever for her to come to our neck of the woods, and was just as excited as I was, and would have done anything to get there, we still had it. She is such an inspiration to me. She loves scrap quilts probably more than I do, if that's possible! I was able to meet her personally and chatted briefly while she signed my copy of her book Leaders and Enders.


Earlier in the day, she had taught a class on her Scrappy Bargello, unfortunately the class filled fast, so I was out of luck getting in to that. I started one of her scrappy bargello quilts about two years ago, and lol, its still a UFO! I chose to make mine in greens, and have two panels done, and two more to go. I have since dug this out of the back of the closet, and am determined to finish it!

Her lecture was awesome, and her quilts, even more beautiful in real life, than what they look like in pictures. And I so need to get in the habit of using this system while I sew. I hate having to trim all those threads, and am constantly checking my clothes when I leave my sewing room, to make sure I don't have any clinging to me. I also would save so much on thread too! And yes, unfortunately my scrappy double Irish chains which I started as a leader ender project, is in fact, still a UFO! But, hopefully not for very much longer!

Brrr, It's cold!

With almost six inches of snow on the ground, and temps in the single digits, its definatly cold here!

When the snow started falling Sunday, it didn't seem to accumulate much. But, by yesterday (Mon) it was coming down thick. I sure didn't want the nine inches, called for in the forecast! I had plans to go see one of my favorite quilters Bonnie Hunter at our local quilt guild meeting! But, despite all the snow, some very brave quilters decided that the show must go on!
Her lecture on leaders and enders was awesome, and her quilts in her trunk show incredibly beautiful! I was able to chat with her for a few minutes before the meeting, while she signed my book Adventures of leaders and Enders! About a year and a half ago, I started a scrappy irish chain quilt, using her leader and ender system. I seriously need to get that back out of hiding, and get busy getting it finished.

I now have two (top and bottom) dog tooth borders sewn onto Purple Passion. And will work some more on the third ones later today.

This morning I got all my Happy centers cut, and mailed to those participating this month in the Happy Block swap in the group StashBuilders And, now I need to get busy on getting some string blocks sewn!

Since it is snowing, I've kept busy sewing!

The forecast says we could get up to 9" of white fluffy stuff! There's some on the ground now, and its coming down thickly!

This past weekend, I participated in an online sew-in with one of the yahoo groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Quilted_With_Love/ I belong to. Had a lot of fun chatting, and working on some UFO's.

Sari, my friend, is getting ansy for her Purple Passion Quilt, to be completed. So, that was one of my primary goals for the weekend. I now have the center part of the quilt top done, and the first diagonally pieced inner borders sewn on. And the top part of a dog tooth border that goes next to the diagonally pieced border.

Today, I got 16 more blocks added to the Blueberry Drizzle UFO. And, pieced some more of the second dog tooth border for the bottom.

Also, this weekend, I have cut all my January Happy centers to mail out to the ladies in Stashbuilders Yahoo group, for the January Happy Block swap!

I'll be doing string blocks for two groups this month, and also Bulls Eye Blocks.

Two of the Bee's I belong to ended in Dec. Quilt Block Swappers, and Bee Crazy, so now I only have one block due each month for sewing bees. I'll miss sewing all the neat blocks each month for everyone, but, hopefully we'll still stay in contact with each other, and start another one sometime.

Purple Passion Quilt Update

Well, nothing like taking one step forward and two steps back, especially when it comes to sewing! Remeasured the center, and needed to take the 1/2 row off the width. So now, there will be three large blocks across and four large blocks down! It's such a relief though to have the center part done.
Today, I cut purple fabrics for the pieced 1st. inner border! Will post pics soon!

Another Purple Passion block done!

Today, I spent some time, going through my UFO's and trying to figure out a plan to finish these up! I started way more projects, than I finished last year. Hope to change that in 2011!
I pulled out the box with the Purple Passion Quilt for my friend Sari, and got 4 blocks done, which are sewn into one large block. There are 3 1/2 of these large blocks per row, in the center of the quilt. Will try hard to get the other 2 1/2 blocks for the last row done this week. Then,I can start working on the 1st inner border, which is many different purple 2" X 8" strips sewed together to make up the border.

Dec. 2010 Block for Carol in 'Bee Pieceful'

She made it super easy for us! All we had to do was sew her strips together. She will trim the blocks in to desired sizes for her quilt!

Block For Sleepsideways in "Bee Crazy" Quilt group

She wanted Wonky Blocks!

QBS Dec. 2010 For Sandy K.

Happy Blocks for Jacqueline V.

She sends me centers, I sew borders on, send them back, and she does the final trimming!

Happy Blocks for Barbara W.

She sends me centers, I sew borders on, send them back, and she does the final trimming!

Happy Blocks for Betty C.

She sends me centers, I sew borders on, send them back, and she does the final trimming!