Sunday, March 30, 2014

2014 Finish Along for Q1 -- FIVE Goals Completed!

Finish Along 2014

I'm excited to post that I actually met my 2014 Q1 goals (yes, all five of them)!  Here they are:

1.  My 2nd Split Decision was completed 3.28.14.  I quilted this one with Circlelord swirls.  It's called "2nd" Split Decision because these blocks were left over from a baby quilt that I made around September or so in 2013 for a co-worker.



2.  2013 BOM at Quilt Doodle Designs quilt was finished 1.20.14.  I custom quilted (longarmed) each block according to block design.



3.  Baby name quilt was finished 1.31.14.  This one I longarmed with Circlelord Swirls.



4.  Giant Starburst QA at Canoe Ridge was completed 1.10.14.  I quilted this one with the Tickle panto I got for Christmas.  I need more practice.



5.  The hand pieced Irish Chain quilt was finished around 1.8.14.  I quilted this one with the Tickle panto I got for Christmas too.



I'm linking up these Q1 Finishes with Katy at The Littlest Thistle blog.  Check out what everybody else did!
Finish Along 2014
Finish Along Q1 Is Nearly Over...


Triangle QA, Week 2 -- Cutting

Triangle QA Week 2 -- Cutting
The triangles are cut for the Triangle Quilt Along @ The Sassy Quilter blog.  I really like all of the orange colors with the purple.  I'm not sure about that teal and chartreuse color in there.  The grey should be okay.  I am going to be a little out of my comfort zone again and throw the triangles in a bag and sew them together.  Hopefully I have enough mix to make it interesting.



The Sassy Quilter
 
 
And now for a yummy camping recipe I found on my friend's page on facebook...
 
 
Bonfires mean camping food... which means it's time again for the ONION BOMBS!!! Easy, simple and absolutely DELICIOUS-- you just can't beat that combo!!!
(hee...hee-- -and they are LOW CARB!!!)

Ingredients:
large onions
ground meat (I prefer turkey!!)
seasonings to taste ( could use any good seasoning blend!)

Directions:
1. peel your onions and cut them in half as equally as possible.
2. Prepare your meatballs how you want them-- I used Italian seasoning, oregano, chili powder, minced garlic, ketchup, worcestershire sauce and some bread crumbs
3. Size your meatballs so that they can be squished between two pieces of onions. Some meat will push out the ends and that is okay!!! Just make them as compact as possible!!
4. wrap each onion bomb in tinfoil-- might want to double them since they'll be tossed in the fire! Make sure not to poke holes in the foil!!
5. toss in the fire and try to get them in the coals.
6. cook for about 10 minutes, flip 'em around and cook another 10 minutes or so!!!

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Scrappy Saturday -- Teal

This is the last Scrappy Saturday of the month for teal.  I decided to make more underpants blocks.  I love them!


If you want to make some underpants Accuquilt GO! Baby style, here's the link.  These blocks were inspired by a tutorial for panties by Penny from Sew Take A Hike


I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrapy: ScrapHappy blog.
Soscrppy

Friday, March 28, 2014

2nd Split Decision Quilt Complete

My 2nd Split Decision Quilt is finally complete.  It's been on the to-do list for a long time.  It turned out really cute.  I quilted it with the Circle Lord swirls because that is such a requested quilting pattern.


 
Here's a nice close-up picture of the swirls quilting.  This pattern is so versatile.  It gives it motion!
 

I'm happy to link up today's finish with Richard and Tanya Quilts for the Link-A-Finish FRIDAY.

 
Check out Richard & Tanya's blog today for a special giveaway and celebrate their daughter's 2nd birthday.  Happy birthday, Julia!
 
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I'm also linking up with Elizabeth at Such a Sew and Sew for the January Finishes Linky Party.
 
 
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I'm also linking at Michelle's Romantic Tangle today Let's Make Baby Quilts!
 
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Just in the nick of time this quilt also completes my Q1 goals for The 2014 Finish Along!!!  I'm so excited that I met this goal!


Finish Along 2014
Check back Sunday, 3/30 to see all of the completed projects for Q1!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

WIP Wednesday 3.21.14

Still chugging along.  This week is Spring Break.  I'm busy hanging out with my almost 7 year old!  But I still managed to get a few things done this week:
I finished my Star Surround QA at Happy Quilting quilt.  This was my March goal for 2014 Lovely Year of Finishes.



I saw a tutorial for panties by Penny from Sew Take A Hike.   It was just too cute to pass up.  I decided to mess around and use my Accuquilt Drunkard's Path die and make these.  Click here to see how I did it.



I picked out my fabrics for the Triangle Quilt Along that started this week at The Sassy Quilter.



I threw my blue/green with a little orange scrappy jelly roll race quilt on the quilting frame and used a new template called Ribbles from Circlelord.  It quilts it loose and makes the quilts fluffy.  I finished the quilting on this quilt and now need to trim and bind it for the H2H charity, Happy Chemo.



Confessions Of A Fabric Addict

I made another Star Chain block for the March Block Lotto during FNSI.

 
Then I made some more underwear...  (something I never even planned to do)
 
 
 


New Projects This Week 
1.  Triangle QA
2.  Underpants Project
3.  Super Mario QA (nothing cut yet... I don't even have all the fabric...)

Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn
1.  Herringbone OSU quilt
2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)
3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt
4.  Picadilly Circle
5. ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)
6.  MSBHQAL (Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt Along)
7.  Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Celtic Solstice Mystery (Still working on chevrons; others done).
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Quilt Doodle Doodles Designs 2014 BOM
10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA (still no block for March posted)
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA
13.  Pat Sloan Globetrotting BOM 
14.  Notions Mystery QA (not really sure if I'm doing this one)
15.  Beaquilter -- Pattern Tester Project 
16.  Triangle QA
17.  Underpants Project
18.  Super Mario QA
 
Blocks Still Need to be Made
1.  NY Beauty
2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Red Frosty & Friends quilt #3
5.  Maroon Star Sampler Quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt (started working on this again 2/14)
12.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #1
13.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #2 

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Butterfly Blocks (that I won)
3.  Orange/Blue Fish Blocks (that I won)
4.  Split Stars (blocks won from Block Lotto; October, 2012)
5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired) (worked on these blocks this week.)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)

Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)

Ready to longarm
1.  Dutchman's Puzzle

Quilted, needs binding
1.  2nd Split Decision baby quilt (trimmed, needs binding)
2.  Jelly Roll Quit from Scrappy Trip scraps (for H2H)

Completed this week:
 1. Happy Quilting Star Surround QA

  My WIP count has been bumped up to from 40 to 41..   My WIP goal for New Years Day 2015 is 19.  Highlighted items in the Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn section above are done for the month.  These are 2014 BOM projects.   Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!
 
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Sunday, March 23, 2014

A couple pair of underpants

Today I played around and made a couple more pair of underpants.  This block is so addicting for me.  (As I'm not addicted to quilting enough.)  It's a fun, quick, great use of scraps block for me.  I'm pretty sure that's why I like it so much.  Here's my two pair for today:



If you want to make some underpants Accuquilt GO! Baby style, here's the link.  These blocks were inspired by a tutorial for panties by Penny from Sew Take A Hike

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Scrap Saturday 3.22.14

I'm still working on my strips that I pulled from my green/blue bin.  I added some orange to make this quilt.  It's a scrappy jelly roll race quilt.  As you can see, I have some teals in there, but not a lot.  I do have a lot of blues and greens (just not a lot of the in between.)  I got this quilt quilted this week.  Hopefully next week it will be my Friday Finish.  I will be donating it to the H2H 2014 Challenge for Happy Chemo.




As for the pink 2.5" strips that I made during the February RSC14...



I found it!!!  Here's the pattern I wanted to use my pink 2.5" string strips!  Building Blocks with Friends is what the block pattern is called.  Whohoo!!!  I'm so excited I found this in my "old" favorites tab!

I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrapy: ScrapHappy blog.
Soscrppy
 
I'm also linking up with Sarah at FairyFace Designs for the March Scrappy Finishes linkup.

Friday, March 21, 2014

FNSI Results 3.21.14

I only got one Block Lotto block sewn during the FNSI. 





Grab the Friday Night Sew In (FNSI) button Join me on the Block Lotto Blog

Star Surround QA Link-A-Finish Friday

Today I finished the binding on my Star Surround quilt that was part of the Star Surround Quilt Along with Melissa Cory at Happy Quilting blog.  This quilt measures 68.5" x 68.5".  I quilted it with Circlelord swirls.  The back is one fabric that I also used for the binding.  I like the contrast with the binding.  This is the third QA I have done with Melissa at Happy Quilting!  They are always fun.


 
 
 
Today being March 21st (3/21) I'd also like to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.  It is recognized each year because those who just happen to have Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome attached to the 21st set of chromosomes (Trisomy 21 or T-21). Owen rocks his extra chromosome! We are so proud of him!
 
 
 
Here's my little ball of sunshine -- He's almost 7 now, but this is one of my favorite Spring pictures.
  
I'm happy to link up today's finish with Richard and Tanya Quilts for the Link-A-Finish FRIDAY.
 
 
I'm also linking up with Elizabeth at Such a Sew and Sew. for the January Finishes Linky Party.
 

I'm also happy to mark this one off my list as it was my goal to finish it for March in the 2014 A Lovely Year of Finishes Challenge at Sew Bitter Sweet Designs and Fiber of All Sorts.

My Button

Fabric Selection for Triangle Quilt Along @ TheSassyQuilter

Here's my fabric selection for the Triangle Quilt Along.  All of these fabrics came out of the scrap bin from our LQG.  All are solids except for the orange gingham fabric.  When the quilt is finished, it will be a small charity quilt for our guild.



TriangleButton800
 
Here's the schedule that I copied from The Sassy Quilter.

When do we start?
Not until March 21st! So you have got plenty of time to get your thoughts and fabrics together.
Schedule
Triangle Quilt Along Announcement and Fabric Requirements- February 14
Official Sign-up and Share Fabric Selection- Week 1, March 21
Cutting- Week 2, March 28
Piecing Rows- Week 3, April 4
Joining Rows- Week 4, April 11
Break week! Giving you some quilting time here:) April 18
Triangle Extravaganza! Week 5, April 25

Thursday, March 20, 2014

New Toy on the Frame

 


I recently bought a new toy for my longarm.  I just love Circlelord boards.  This one is called Ribbles.


 
This is my jelly roll race scrappy quilt.  I decided to leave it as is, put a stash buster back on it, and quilt it with the new Ribbles.  It is not a dense of a quilting that I normally do.  I used polyester batting for this quilt so that it is puffy.  This combo did the trick.  Here's another pic:


This quilt will be going to Happy Chemo as one of my contributions to H2H14. 

Confessions Of A Fabric Addict
 
Make sure you check out Confessions of a Fabric Addict blog so that you can get involved in the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge this year.  It's a lot of fun to see all the quilters working together to help others -- that's what quilters do!  Join in on the fun!
 
 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Look at my Underpants! Accuquilt Drunkard's Path Tutorial

Every once in a while it just happens... you're going through the blogs you follow and BAM -- You see something you just have to make RIGHT NOW!  Today I was reading Kim's Blog called My Go-Go Life and she showed an adorable paper-pieced bra.  Kim posted that the pattern was free at Paper Panache.  I printed it out right away and thought I would add it to my to-do pile.  Then I went further in the post and Kim showed a paper-pieced shirt quilt that was just adorable.

Then... down a little bit more she showed another free pattern and tutorial for panties by Penny from Sew Take A Hike.   That link is from earlier this week.  You can see it here.  Penny, those panties were so cute I just had to make them right then so I could have some myself.  I made mine just a little different.  I was able to use my Accuquilt Drunkard's Path die to cut the pieces!  BONUS!!!  It takes a little strategic folding, but aren't they adorable?





My blocks are a lot larger than Penny's.  Mine measure roughly 11" x 8" (unfinished).  To make them I made a few marks on my Accuquilt Drunkard's Path die #55070.

 
The line close to the center of the die is about 1/4" shy of where the cut would be.  The line marked above the curve on the two edges is 3/4" from the curve.  For two pair of coordinating underwear I started with two pieces of fabric that were roughly 6" x 11".  I folded it in half so that the large piece would not get cut by the die down the center and be all one piece.  I lined it up with the mark I made with the sharpie near the center of the die.
 
I then sewed the opposite pie pieces to the main part of the underwear.
 

After these were sewn I wadded my panties up in a bunch (literally)!  I folded the sewn piece in half and then folded the edges so that they would not be cut by the die and hit it with my iron.  The pin that shows through in this photo is only there so that I could take a picture.  I wouldn't suggest running pinned fabric through with your Accuquilt die. 

 
After it is cut, it looks like this:
 
 
Next I made a waistband.  I added a little piece of yellow to make it different.  My waistband is 1" wide.  The little tag piece is 1.5" long and the last part of the waistband 1.5" long.
 
 
I attached it to the underpants.
 
 
Next I sewed on two pieces of standard die cut pie pieces from the Drunkard's Path die.  (No photo.)
 
I added 2.5" strips all around.  Whohoo!  Underpants!