Design Wall Monday

Yesterday I finished and gifted the Dresden Quilt I showed last week. I know which UFO quilt I want to baste next but wasn't up to pulling out everything to get it started. Instead I pulled out a gallon ziploc bag full of half square triangle parts. In the bag were 10 6" snowball blocks. I don't know who gave me the bag but I know it's been a while because I've moved it from here to there numerous times.

I spent some time in EQ7 drawing this design. Of course it will be super scrappy. I think it will make a nice baby boy quilt. I don't know of anyone having a new baby boy but I bet there will be a new one one of these days.

See what others have on their design walls this week at Patchwork Times-Design Wall Monday.

Finish #5

Today is Miss Estella's 4th birthday. OhMyGoodness, that was fast! I decided the Dresden Plate quilt would be the perfect birthday present for her.

I should have worked everyday so it would be ready for her Saturday birthday party but it didn't happen.

Just like most things I plan, they don't always work the way I plan it in my head.

I love that her Great Gramma gave her this cute frog. Her dress has sparkles in the tulle skirt. I thought it was funny my little Princes with her Frog Prince!!!

The back is flannel and it is oh so snuggly. Sweet dreams Princess!

I wonder what I'll pull out next. This 2016 UFO Busting has been fun!

Design Wall Monday

After finishing 2 little quilts and rosette number 6 for Millefiore this week, I decided to set up the tables and get to pin basting the Dresden Plate quilt. The Daytona 500 was getting ready to start as I settled in to baste. Hubby isn't as big of a fan as I am anymore so it didn't matter that I would be right in the way of the TV. He was deeply into his new book.

By the time there were 8 laps to go, I only had this last little bit of the corner to go. I finished before the race did...good timing. I would have finished sooner if I hadn't taken so many breaks!

So why not go ahead and start ditch quilting. I have a good idea how I want to quilt the plates and backgrounds but the sashings are making me ponder....I love that word!  I think I will practice doing ribbon candy. Debby Brown uses it in almost every quilt she makes. So I want to use it too.

 It's raining pretty hard outside this morning so I'm going to fill my cup and take a little tour around Blogland. I'm starting at Patchwork Times and then on to others that are sharing Design Wall Monday with us. And after a few household chores, I'm going to quilt.

Slow Stitching Sunday

 Rosette 6 from The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt Along 

is now complete.

I haven't been working on this much but now that I have,

I'm pretty anxious to get it together.

Laying all the completed rosettes on the floor this morning helped get my mojo for this back.

Next is rosette 7 which will go in the open center spot. 

I'll be using the fabrics from my Allietare to bring in some red and black.

So this morning was spent sorting paper pieces for rosette 7.

I'll pull the fabric basket  and get those pieces cut and ready to baste.

Maybe I'll get numbers 8 and 9 sorted and pull fabrics for those too.

It's nice to have the picture now so I can decide what colors I want to use next. 

Today's quilt inspector is my little Jessie dog. 

Isn't he adorable!

I'm hoping to have some slow stitching time today during the Daytona 500. 

Visit Kathy's Quilts today to see what others are doing on Slow Sunday Stitching.

Finishes 3 & 4 WooHoo!

Last year I gifted my nieces, great nieces and the little great nephews with quilts.

My youngest sister wasn't coming down for the family reunion so I was going to finish her grands

quilts later and send them to her. 

You all know what happened.

Time slipped away!

The quilting was almost finished and the binding was ready but I put them aside.

Until yesterday!

They are ready for gifting today.

Finishes 3 & 4 for this year.

This bright, happy 9 patch is for little Miss Justice.

This fun little lap quilt is for her brother Malachi.

I couldn't give the great nieces a quilt and not give to the little great nephews.

It just wouldn't have been right.

I don't know if I will ever again do a big secret project like this again.

Number 1, it was really, really hard to keep this a secret.

Number 2, that was a lot of pressure I put on myself.

Now I will finish a quilt and just give it to who I want.

No more big secret projects!!!

No more big secret projects!!!

Now to relieve that pressure,

Miss Polly,  #1 Quilt Inspector.

I should get her a badge.

And here they are with Gramma (Sister Holly).

I think they love them.

I love a good surprise. :)

Design Wall Monday

2016 UFO Busting is full speed ahead.

I finished the Pine Tree wall hanging Friday morning.

UFO #2 started out as 5 Dresden Plate blocks appliqued the background,

2 plates ready to applique.

The background fabric went missing so I used something else.

After playing in EQ7 for a while,

I came up with a plan.

 Friday afternoon I cut 2 more colors and made the plates.

Saturday morning I appliqued the final 4 plates while watching a weird movie.

Saturday afternoon the sashing, cornerstones, borders and binding were cut. 

Sunday I put the top together.

It's amazing how fast it goes when everything is prepared, ready to go. 

I plan to get some lavender flannel for the back and

quilting will be simple. 

This pile of half square triangles need pressed and the dog ears clipped off.

Then they will be pinned in groups of 10 and put in the Jamestown Landing bin.

I love how fast they add up when I don't pay attention. 

To finish off Sunday evening/night,

I had to make the Hearts Aflutter block for 

The Splendid Sampler.

This morning I'll be hanging around Blogland

via Patchwork Times-Design Wall Monday.

2016 Finish #2

I am bound and determined to reduce my UFO count substantially! This is 2016 Finish #2 and my first UFO busted this year!

It's nice to walk by the bedroom and see this hanging on the wall. Too bad the picture is so dull with the crappy florescent light and the pale yellow wall, the phone camera just doesn't do it justice.

This Pine Tree Round Robin was started in September 2002 and I honestly don't know why it was put away. Maybe I had intentions of making bigger. The truth is, I have no clue. ;)  I'm happy to have it finished. I had fun quilting it and even did a few feathers. I have to admit, they aren't as scary as they once were.

Next!!!

2016 UFO Busting

I've started quilting the next UFO. This one is a round robin from WASIQ  (Washington State Internet Quilters) Yahoo group that started in September 2002. I found it pretty amazing that I still had the original letter and label that I sent out with my starter package.

Three of the ladies signed the label but the maker of border number two is unknown. I guess it will remain a mystery.

I am making good progress on this. The tree, checker board and flying geese are quilted. I have an idea for the 9 patch/rail border but I'm still thinking about the green and cream sections of border two. I'm hoping to have this little quilt hanging on the wall by the end of the week. Darker brown fabric has been chosen for the binding.

The next UFO project to be worked on will be my Dresden Plates that haven't seen the light of day since July 2013.  That's not too bad. wink, wink!  I need to pick up some solid background. I used white for the 5 blocks that are appliqued already so I think I'll use cream for the last 4. Oh boy, that means I only have to make 2 more plates, I already have 2 that need appliqued down. That just made me smile!

I posted the pin basted picture on Facebook and my sister asked about the little colored things. I love those little colored things!!! They are called Quilter's Delight Safety Pin Grip Covers. Previously I had bought a bag of them and needed more. JoAnn's had a good sale so I bought them the other day. Now I need to get one more bag and should have all my pins covered. It sure makes a difference to my arthritic fingers when I use these. Who would have thought that little bit of grip could help so much....probably the makers of these pin grips. 

Have a great Wednesday. I'm going to spend part of it with my Binding Friends.

Design Wall Monday

I heard a rumor there was a big football game on Sunday.

Hubby watched, I sewed.

I've had Swoon Nora cut out for a few months.

I knew she would take up a bit of time,

 so on Saturday I did all the prepwork

and on Sunday I sewed. 

The fabric was a gift from my friends Marian and Sharlene a couple years ago.

(I'm glad I saved it for the perfect project.)

And vinyl! 

I learned quite a bit about vinyl.

I had to call my daughter for tips on sewing/gluing.

She's used a lot of vinyl in her bag making.

My machine sewed right through it.

Nora is a nice size traveler bag.

Included in the pattern are 2 smaller sizes. 

Before I started Nora and after finishing Pineapple Crazy,

I decided to make my log cabin blocks for a swap with a group of friends.

The last log is medium blue under the yellow.

These things are like Lays Potato Chips,

you can't make just one.

Soon there were 30 blocks ready to trade.

Are you planning to participate in The Splendid Sampler?

This block is a bonus block or can be used in a design/pressing station.

I'm using mine as a bonus block.

I've decided to use lime, black and white for my fabrics. 

I'll be linking up with Patchwork Times.

Pineapple Crazy, The Finale!

Here she is.

2016 Finish #1.

The last stitch was taken Wednesday, February 3rd.

I love her so much more now. 

My friend Mel has a fabulous dog named Gordon.

I've never met him but she posts pictures of him on Facebook.

Here's to you Gordon!

Design Wall Monday

 
I'm so thrilled that the quilting on Pineapple Crazy is complete. 2 days of intense concentration! I did nothing fancy, I just quilted a medium meander and the texture that it gives is amazing. The red binding strips are cut and today I they will be sewn on. That is, after I finish trimming it. I used wool batting and a wide back that I was in my stash. Did I say I was thrilled?!?!?  (Thanks Jo for the shoutout!)

Next up, I pulled out more blue and neutral strips for Jamestown Landing. I cut my fabrics into 7" chunks so I can do a good mix up of blue and neutral. I used up quite a few chunks that were left from other projects. 

The neutral strips mostly came from strip swaps with friends at retreats and the a lot of blues came from an online swap. Whenever I cut fabric for something else, I try to cut for my strip boxes--2 1/2", 2" and 1 1/2". 

These 2" neutrals are what I had left from Allietare. I am cutting off the half square triangle ends-they will go into the 2" HST bin and the remaining pieces will be cut up for log cabin blocks that I am getting ready to start for a swap with local friends.

I'm going to go over to Patchwork Times and go Blogland cruising this morning for a while and see what my friends are working on.  I love Monday in Blogland!