Welcome 2017

Today I am setting a few goals for 2017. 

Many of the quilts I make are a challenge to me as a new technique or pattern. 

It is a rare bird for me to make a quilt over again. 

I can only think of 2 repeat quilts patterns since I started quilting in 1996.

At the end of 2016, I had a few UFOs that carry over to 2017. 

First is my mini blue houses. When I started these little guys, I didn't have a goal in mind...just letting the neighborhood grow at its own pace. At the end of 2016, the population stood at 38!

The houses are 4"

This is the last addition to the neighborhood in 2016. 

In 2017, I will continue to add to the neighborhood until I run out of blues. 

(Ha! That maybe never!)

The second UFO from 2016 is my Sail Away! quilt. This is all pieced and at the flimsy stage. 

My goal will be to sandwich and quilt this nautical quilt. 

Third in line is my Chicago Cubs quilt. I'm using the economy block for this quilt. 

So far I have 10 blocks made. 

My goal will be to start making the alternate block to compliment these blocks. 

My fourth project is this delectable mountain quilt. My goal for starting this quilt was to use some of the fabric that was donated to me and try a new technique. 

(The bright large print flowers that I paired with Kona black.)

When fabric is donated to me, I feel guilty not using it even if it isn't my colors/style. So I use it as an experiment to try a new technique and often donate the finished quilt. 

My goal will be to finish the blocks, decide on a border or not, and get it to the flimsy stage.

The 5th project that I am setting a goal for is to use this pretty scrap piece of flannel (donated) and learn to crochet a border around it 

for a sweet receiving blanket.

And finally I will once again join in the 2017 Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at So Scrappy. January's color is purple! 

I need to choose a block that I will do this year. 

I will also link my scrap quilt progress to Oh Scrap! over at 

Quilting is more fun than Housework.

This year I will also join and link up to One Monthly Goal over at 

Elm Street Quilts. 

For January, I have picked my fourth project ~ the delectable mountain quilt. 

Head on over to see other quilty goals!

Last minute Christmas

It has been a tradition in my family for many years to make a home-made ornament to give to each family. I usually make more than one to try out which one will be my ornament of the year.

Here is this year's ornament.

I used wooden spools and buttons from my mom's collection. I wrapped the spools with colored paper, then overlaid it with musical note washi tape. The little snowy green bottle brush trees were decorated with red beads, a festival word and a star made from 2 sequins that I glued together. 

The button is on the bottom of the spool.

I also made this paper ornament from a pentagon shape. When you fold over the sides a star forms.

I then stamped a sweet little Christmas tree in gold. These are nice gift toppers that can be used as a ornament as well. 

I was so inspired by my creative blogger friend, Annie from Freeze Frame, by her beautiful money gift wrapping that I just needed to add some pizazz to my daughter's money gift. 

I used what I had in my craft room and hand cut the star and swirl. The letters are alphabet stickers and the Christmas saying was left from a photo collage kit. At times like this I wish I had a die cutter. 

It is by far the prettiest money gift wrapping I have done! 

Thanks for the inspiration Annie!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Christmas 2016

While decorating the house for the Christmas holiday, I decided I needed another Christmas quilt. 

What? 

Adding another thing to an already busy time is nuts! 

But...I did it! 

I found a gift block pattern on Pinterest and started making packages from Christmas fabric scraps in my stash. Originally, I planned on just making a 4 x 4  lay-out but as I was playing around, this arrangement immersed. 

I'll try to find the link and edit this post later. 

The quilt is about 56" x 64". 

I straight lined quilted through the gifts to make like a Christmas tree. 

You can see better from the back, below. 

The background is FMQ in stippling. I love the texture that it gives to the quilt!

The backing and the background were larger pieces from my stash which I inherited as was the red and white stripe I used for the binding. 

I just love it when I use fabrics from my stash! 

My stash is quite extensive that I barely make a dent, or so it seems.

I also made a new garden banner from a Christmas panel inherited from my mom's stash.

 

Our annual Norwegian Christmas progressive dinner (we call it the Troll Stroll) was this past Sunday and the usual characters showed up for some festive activities and gift giving. 

Do you have some crazy traditions?

My wish for you is to have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year spent with family and friends! 

I'm linking up at Let's be social.

Finally done!

I have a finish!  

This quilt has been made over the year which makes it seem like it has been around a long time! The Rainbow Scrap Challenge hosted by SoScrappy announces a color of the month. You can choose anything to make or follow along. This year Angela designed a column quilt which I did not do but looked amazing put together. Maybe next year....

I choose to make a blocked based on the Soul Searching block. I changed the bar sizes so each block was smaller than the original. This would allow me to use more blocks hence more colors.

There are 12 colors even though the challenge was for 10 colors. I added an extra medium blue and an extra light green to round out my quilt. The background for the blocks is low volume prints. 

The backing fabric is from my stash. I pieced it with a column of 3 lanterns using printed fabrics that read as black for lantern's background.  

I made a scrappy 'piano keys' border using this technique I found on pinterest. 

I quilted using an organic straight line in the lanterns in the thread color of the lantern. In the low volume areas and in the border, I FMQ loops down each bar.

I'm naming this quilt Lantern Festival because it reminds me of the Chinese lanterns that fly in the sky at a lantern festival. This quilt finishes at 57" x 66".

I'm linking up to SoScrappy!

I have a few more projects hanging around my sewing room that I hope to find time to work on during this already busy time of the year.  

What have you been working on?

Distracted!

Yes, I have been distracted for the last 5 weeks or so! You may ask what could distract me for that long? Well, it certainly wasn't the political campaigns. 

In fact, my distraction was a great distraction from all the political nonsense! 

My distraction was is the Chicago Cubs! 

I have been a Chicago Cub fan since I was a little girl. Players like Ron Santo, Billy Williams and Ernie Banks were my childhood heros!

 Although I haven't personally waited 108 years for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series, I have waited all my life (which is quite long in itself). I still need to pinch myself to remind myself that it happened!

These players are so endearing. They are the good guys. They play with heart. They were very fun to watch (and a bit nerve wracking)!

As you can imagine, Chicago went crazy! 

Everyone was is celebrating...so much so that 5 million people were crowded downtown for the parade and rally. 

The crowds down at Wrigley Field are still there. On Saturday, late afternoon, we drove down to see the marquee but had to settle for a drive by. 

People are still crowded outside!

I did manage to do some knitting while watching my beloved Chicago Cubs and finished this lap blanket last night which will be donated to a local hospital. 

I found this chevron knitting pattern on Pinterest and wanted to try it using scrap yarn. 

Today I managed to finish quilting this baby quilt which has been a UFO for some time. 

My daughter and I made it together. We each pieced some of the row blocks and started quilting it but then she became super busy. I had other projects and so it sat for a while. Now all that is left is hand sewing the binding. 

I also have my RSC quilt ready to sandwich and another quilt that I have been working on almost ready. Hopefully, not to long before I can show some finishes!

Labels

Do you label your quilts? 

I have always documented and labeled my quilts with at least the name of the quilt, my name and the date. If it is a gift, I add who it is for and maybe the occasion. Sometimes I add my location.  

I also keep a running journal and of coarse photos of all the quilts I make and a short paragraph about each quilt, including size and finish date. 

Lately, I have fallen behind in labeling. 

Since I finished a baby quilt made for a gift, I knew I needed to get busy making some labels. 

I used Bubble Jet Set 2000 to set the ink from my printer on the labels.

It is easy to use. I take my muslin (my usual go to label fabric) and soak it in the solution. Ring out the excess and hang it to dry.

Once it is dry, I iron it and then cut it to 8 1/2" x 11". I also cut freezer paper to the same size and iron it on. 

At my computer, I search for free clip art that will go with each quilt. I make my labels with the important information on it and then print it out. Here are the ones I made yesterday.

Once they are printed, I iron them again to set and cut them out. I remove the freezer paper and iron under a 1/4" around the label.

The last thing to do is stitch them on! Here are the quilts I finally finished!

From left to right:

Yes, Baby Bear (Mod Bear Paw), Hunter's Star, Freedom of Expression, Pretty Patchwork, Diamonds in the Rough, and Fall Y'all!

A finish and the final Rainbow Scrap block

It is always exciting to have a finish! I really enjoyed quilting along with Lorna over at SewFeshQuilts on the MOD Bear Paw! Even though this quilt was time consuming with all the little pieces, the finish was so worth it!

I love how the Mama Bear is padding along through the grid of baby bear paws!

One of my favorite stories that I read my 3 girls when they were little was this book, Can't You Sleep Little Bear by Martin Waddell.

It goes perfectly with this quilt as I imagine this Mama Bear padding into Little Bear's room because Little Bear couldn't get to sleep. The illustrations in this book are beautifully done by Barbara Firth. 

Mama Bear is so patient with Little Bear and teaches Little Bear that he does not need to be afraid of the dark. 

The backing is a cute cross print in 2 different shades of pink.

I straight lined quilted around each baby paw and diagonally across the blocks. On Mama Bear, I FMQ stipples to give her texture. The binding is in a slightly darker shade of gray than the Kona silver I used in the sashing. 

This quilt finishes at 39" x 47". 

It is ready for the baby shower (baby due after Christmas) and of coarse, I needed to find a copy of this book to go along with the quilt! 

Thanks Lorna for this fun project! Linking up with Lorna's Let's Bee Social.

Another thing coming to an end is the 2016 Rainbow Scrap Challenge. October was the final month and the color is Yellowish Oranges. 

Here is my final finished block.

I will now be playing with the layout of all my blocks. 

Here are all my other blocks (not in any particular order) 

and whether or not I will add a scrappy border. What do you think?

I will be linking up to SoScrappy tomorrow.