Friday Night Sew In

Last night was Friday Night Sew In!

It snuck up fast as April is flying by! 

I did join in the sewing fun! 

I have been working on quilting the T-shirt quilt! I am about 3/4 done! I am finding that my machine doesn't really like sewing over the screened prints on the t-shirts. I must go very slow over these areas. It is also a heavy quilt so I must take breaks from quilting as it is hard on my hands.

I'm quilting it with meandering swirls and I'm pretty pleased with the results even through the quilting difficulties. 

I also put together my Temperature quilt! 

I sew the rows together after 18 blocks are made.

It is now 6 rows complete! As you can see, our Spring has been much colder than expected.

And since the Chicago Cubs were playing a late game last night, I decided to switch gears and knit this baby hat while watching the game! 

(and what a great game!)

I adjusted this pattern from an adult size to a baby size. I really like the swirl through out and especially looking down from the top. The self striping yarn shows it off beautifully! 

This will be donated to the hospital to be given to a newborn baby!

I'm linking up to Show Off Saturday @Sew Can She.

Did you join the Friday Night Sew In? 

Friday Night Sew In

I recently came across the virtual FNSI...again! 

I used to participate pretty regularly when it was hosted by Heidi and Bobbi but when they were no longer hosting I thought it was dead. 

The last time I participated was in July 2013! 

While browsing through the internet, I randomly came across the familiar chalkboard for FNSI. 

I clicked on it and sure enough it is the same FNSI but being hosted by Wendy @Sugarlane-designs. 

I checked the old link on my sidebar and it links to Sugarlane-Designs! 

Who knew?

I'm joining in this Friday night! 

Won't you join in too?

FNSI

It has been a while since I have participated in the Friday Night Sew-In (FNSI.) Thanks to Wendy at Sugarlane Quilts for sponsoring! 

I have been trying to put together a 60° triangle quilt to be used as a picnic quilt (in between wedding quilts.The first finished earlier this week! Posted here.) 

My Friday Night started early and I was able to finally finish sewing the center of the quilt top. 

The plan is to make a border all around with white triangles/half triangles. So I cut out 48 full triangles and 42 half triangles from Kona white. 

I then started sewing together one of the side borders.

That's how far I got before my DH came back in town...a bit delayed but a least before the storm hit.  

Visit here to see what all the participants did on their Friday night. 

I also submitted my Scrap~yard Picnic Quilt to Quilting Gallery's Show and Tell.

 I would be honored if your voted for it! 

Go here to vote and see some wonderful scrappy quilts!

Catching up and FNSI

Work has been very busy most of the fall so I haven't spent as much time as I usually do in my sewing room. 

So I took a little time off of Blog Hops to do some catching up. 

I had fallen behind in both the Craftsy BOM and the BOM with Quilt Story. 

For the FNSI, I made these 2 blocks that I will use in place of the April Craftsy BOM blocks. 

Disappearing 4-patch

Disappearing 9-patch

The April blocks were supposed to be English Paper Piecing. Since I am already have a long term paper piecing project in process, I decided not to do those blocks and replaced the blocks in the quilt with these. They are the last of the blocks I needed to make!

After sewing the blocks, I started knitting this scarf.

This will be a scarf, hat, and mitten set that will be donated for a 5 year old boy. One of the schools that I work at adopts families for Christmas and this was one of the needs. The pattern is very easy and goes fairly quickly. 

 Between Hops, I managed to complete these Craftsy BOM blocks.

October blocks were paper piecing.

September blocks were curved piecing.

I am now working on sashing and the borders!

I also worked on the BOM with Quilt Story blocks. 

October was Pinwheel. 

November is Log Cabin. 

Each month has a theme but you could choose any block that fits the theme. My blocks are also half the size...measuring 6". I do have a plan...hope it turns out like I envision in my head. 

I have the week off for Thanksgiving Holiday! I hope to get a few more things done as well as joining in the fun of the Holiday Lane Pillow Blog Hop! It starts on Wednesday! Check here for the schedule.

Friday Night Results

If you are looking for my giveaway, check here. There's still time to enter!

Friday night results are in and although I didn't get as much done as I hoped, I pretty pleased. I sandwiched 2 quilts and now they are ready to be quilted.

This was the first quilt I worked on and pin basted it without any problems. On to the 2nd one. This is where I ran into a little problem...the back down and taped, batting down and smoothed out, and the top...wait something is wrong...it needs something to make it pop...just to much white space...hmm...just a little border to frame it...OK, top up and in my sewing room looking through stash to find the perfect border...or at least on that will work...cut, sew, press...ready...back upstairs. Now I knew that the backing was a little tight and would just make it before...now about an inch to short...can't squeeze it...take up top, batting...untaped the backing...back to my sewing room to piece the back...look through stash, cut, stitch, press...done. Start again...backing, batting, top, pin baste and ready!

yellow gingham border added

pink checked piece added

I still had a little time to play with this before saying good night around 11:00pm. *Smile*

I've been pretty busy today but I'll be checking what everyone did tomorrow...unless I get a chance to sneak a peek tonight. 

I'm linking to Quilt Story.

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

It is that time again when Amy from Amy's Creative Side is hosting the Bloggers' Quilt Festival (button on my side bar). Twice a year, Amy gives quilters a chance to 'show off' a quilt that they made. Thank you Amy! Tomorrow starts the Spring 2012 Quilt Festival.

If your visiting for the first time, welcome! I'd love for you to take your time and browse around my blog. I hope you find some things that you like and you'll come back again. 

For my regular readers, I so appreciate your words of encouragement. Thanks!

I love that this Festival gives me the opportunity to show off a quilt that I made before I started my blog which means, I most likely never mentioned it before or showed you pictures. Oh Happy Daisy is a quilt that I made back in 2008.

The gerbera daisy fabric by Lakehouse was the main fabric in this bright quilt. The daisies were fussy cut and the coordinating bright batiks were set in a nine patch. The black inner and outer border gave great contrast to the brights. In the middle border, I used all the bright batiks pieced in a piano key border.  

This quilt is FMQ with multi-colored bright thread in a daisy pattern. It was one of my earlier attempts at FMQ. 

The daisy pattern seen in the cornerstone (below) is repeated in each nine patch block. 

The backing is a bright green on green stripe and the binding is pieced with the batiks from the nine patches. It finished at 50" x 60". 

I hope you enjoyed my 'show and tell'!

Tomorrow, head over to Amy's blog to find the link to many beautiful creations. Go ahead, get inspired! 

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Tomorrow night is also the FNSI sponsored by Heidi, Handmade by Heidi, and Bobbie. Button on my side bar. Sign up on Bobbie's blog Crafty Vegas Mom and join me in a night of sewing! 

FnsI Results!

Another Friday night enjoying sewing with all of you. ♡ 

I actually had most of Friday to sew. Lucky me! 

Remember this quilt? 

My day started with sandwiching it. I had previously pieced the backing but hadn't gotten around to sandwiching it. Sew now it is ready for quilting.

In the late afternoon, I spent some time hand quilting this mini quilt. I can only show a peek as it is a surprise gift to someone.

I have a few more cups to hand quilt and it will be ready to bind!

After dinner, I decided to work on another mini quilt that I have been wanting to try. A book shelf...

All the books are sitting on the shelf but I need to add the titles to the books. I did rummage thru my selvages and choose the ones I want to use.  There was some picking out going on last night...not my favorite thing to do. 

I used this tutorial for this project. 

What did you do on FNSI? You can find out what others have done here.

I also have added a few more flowers to my hexi garden this week.

And some beautiful tulips to brighten the day!

Have a wonderful day!

I'm joining...

...the challenge with Jennifer over at Ellison Lane Quilts.  You can head over here to get the details or find the button on my side bar.  

Last week and this week are inspiration weeks. There have been many guest bloggers showing their mini modern quilts to help the creative juices.  

Next week starts the creating and sewing weeks and finally the date to enter your mini into the contest. 

Yes, of coarse their are prizes but even so, everyone is a winner if they tried and created something new. That is my 'word up' word for the year...challenge! 

Stayed tuned for my Modern Mini Quilt!

I also found this group on Flickr that makes Quilts for Kids in foster care. I joined in to make a block. The request is for an asterisk block in the colors purple, chartreuse, and grey. I used this tutorial from Carla at Lollyquiltz. Here is my block. 

I had a lot of fun making this. I may have to make some more!

And don't forget FNSI is this Friday night. Won't you join the fun! Check out my side bar to find the link.

Friday Night Sewing

Yep! Last night was the January FNSI! I was able to get a bit of sewing done :D

Did you? 

Last week I showed you this:

My cut squares for the Sew Scrap Along at Pleasant Home.

Since my husband was out of town this week I was able to sew them together into this:

Sew last night I began ironing the blocks and organizing them onto my design wall, trying not to over think the placement of the scrappy blocks. I arranged them into 10 blocks across and 12 blocks down. 

[The whole quilt will be 10 across by 18 down but I was running out of room.]

Then I marked them to keep them in order and began sewing the rows together. I got several done before I called it quits for the day night.

The bottom 5 rows are sewn together.

And this is what I have left to arrange.

60 scrappy blocks!

Now I'll be heading over to check out what other sewing was accomplished that night. Join me here.

FNSI Results!

Sew I didn't get very much done for the Sew In! It has been an incredibly busy week for me. It is collection week at my church for this...

and I am proudly on the committee. So far we have collected and packed into shipper boxes over 1200 shoe boxes. The energy is great and the enthusiasm is catching. Operation Christmas Child is such a great project for everyone...young to old, teens, families, friends, etc and it reaches needy children all over the world with the love of Jesus. We have 2 more days of collection and the boxes will be shipped to headquarters and sorted for the country they will be going to. If you haven't heard of this project, find the Operation Christmas Child collection site near you or go online to pack a box!

Sew back to FNSI...I managed to finish up my November Birdie BOM. 

and I sewed these little HST. 

As you can see they are pretty small...1"

...I did cut out a bunch more but don't have a picture of them. 

This weekend will be very busy but I'm thankful that school is closed for Thanksgiving Break and I will have all week to relax and catch up (even with the holiday.)

Hope you all had fun on FNSI! Check out what everyone was doing here.

Work seems to get in the way...

Once again it has been a long time since my last post.  Since school has started, my time has become sew limited.  I have been sewing some but nothing to show quite yet. Several WIP's but no finishes.

I also needed to take my beloved machine in for a cleaning and tune up.  I was aghast when they said that he (the repairman) was 12 days out in his workload.  What was I going to do? Yes, I do have another machine but nothing like my Elna! I love it sew!! My second machine is a Husqvarna...not a shabby machine but in comparison...oh how I miss my Elna!  And yes I have a third machine and a serger but...

A couple of things of note...I have joined the Ghastlies Blog Hop! Watch for some great project from this wonderfully disturbing line of fabric by Alexander Henry.  Madame Samm over at Sew I Quilt is our host. Here is my Ghastlies signature.

Secondly, this month's Friday Night Sew-In is September 16th. Won't you join us?  Hope over to Heidi's blog and sign up. It's a great excuse to stay in a sew. 

Finally, I signed up for a swap on Flickr called Little Quilt. This is round 2 and I'm joining (if they want me.) I'm new to this so hopefully will figure out all the technical things...which is not one of my fortes. 

I leave you with some pictures of wedding sewing/crafts that I have not shared. What's a post without pictures?

I spent many hours [they were kinda addicting] making these fabric flowers for the headbands/barrettes/veil for the bridesmaids, flower girls and the bride. As well as the flowers on the flower girl dresses [which I also made.] 

I also hand stitched this pearl and lace cuff for my daughter.

in progress

Last weekend, we were camping in WI for the long weekend...an annual event with friends! This weekend is a 'bees and honey' weekend. We (not I, but my DH and friends) will rob the hives today and Sunday is the day we harvest this year's honey. YUM! 

Well, I'm hoping for some quilty finishes soon! In the meantime...

Remember this?

 A while back...in fact way back in February, I posted about my Happy Camper Too quilt. You can read about it here.  I had finally finished piecing the top but wasn't sure what to do for the backing.  

I search the internet for a backing that would be camping related yet go with the main camping fabric, Happy Camper from Clothworks,  
(this fabric was no longer available.)  

I decided on the Happy Camper fabric from Moda in blue however when it came, I wasn't quite sure if I liked it.  So it became a MUF (masterpiece under fermentation) a while longer.  

It wasn't until after the wedding and related sewing were finished that I was able to pull out this quilt to finally finish it.  

I decided to go ahead and use the backing fabric I purchased.  I did not piece the back because the front and back fabric were so different.  I started quilting it earlier in the week but was determined to finish the quilting and binding for FNSI.  Here it is... 

almost all finished

I still need to hand stitch the binding and then add a label...but I'm pretty happy.  It will be ready for our camping trip over Labor Day weekend!

For those interested...the quilting is stitched in the ditch as to frame around each of the campers. In the yellow border, I free motioned quilted the names of places we have camped and the outer border is quilted in a diagonal pattern. I bound the quilt in the blue bandana print. 

This week I took a little break from quilting the above mentioned to make this little tote.  

With the help of the students at school, I collected quite a few of these juice bags.  Thought it would be a fun idea for a beach tote.  

Cute don't you think? 

Can't say too much more as it is a gift for someone special.  I think I'll make some more!