Orca Bay Step 6

I'm glad Orca Bay Step 6 is complete.  What a disaster!  It started in the middle of the night with a phone call from the nursing home where I recently had to put my 80-year old mother.  It's has not been a pleasant experience.  I couldn't sleep and saw that Orca Bay Step 6 was ready.  I sewed and sewed and sewed through the night trying to get my mind off of the tough decisions I need to make for my family regarding my mom.  Well, apparently sewing didn't get my mind off of things.  This is what happened to Step 6:

The Ohio Stars were all wrong!  I had put the wrong color in each corner!  Yes, four of the nine patches were wrong in each block.  I was 75 percent finished before I noticed.  ...back to the drawing board.  Yes, I ripped them all apart!

Tonight I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish Step 6.  I'm not sure if  I'm happy with the results.  I think the range of my neutrals are too broad and they do not contrast enough with the yellows.  (I am using yellow in place of Bonnie's blacks).  I think next time I better stick to the color choices.  We'll see how this all shakes out.  Here are the yellow backgrounds with the neutral Ohio Star points and then the neutral backgrounds with the yellow Ohio Star points:

I like the ones with the yellow stars better.  Maybe once they all get spread out in the quilt it will all be okay.

I'm still calling my quilt Summer Sunfish Pond.

Twelve UFO Challege for 2012

Judy at Patchwork Times is having a UFO challege for 2012.  I'm in.  This is right up my ally for my 2012 goal.  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012-ufo-challenge/



Here's my list of the things I want to finish for 2012:

 1)  May 2011 Block Lotto Pineapple Blocks 
 2)  August African Violet Block Lotto baby quilt
 3)  Drunkard's Path Quilt Along
 4)  Oh Susannah! Mystery Quiltalong - California King
 5)  X's and O's baby quilt
 6)  Jelly Roll Race - Lap quilt
 7)  Dutchman's Puzzle Vintage Sheet quilt
 8)  Charity Quilt for our local quilt guild (2 cut)
 9)  Bluepatch Quilter Mystery Quiltalong
10) Crumb Along with Jo's Country Junction (still making crumbs)
11)  30 x 30 quilt -- Must be finished by June, 2012
12)  Chasing Chevron's quiltalong

 

Cat Patches New FO Challenge

It's not like me to start a new challenge each other month... each month...  week...  So I am going to link up with Barbara at Cat Patches the end of each month to show something new I have planned.  She's got a linky party going on right now.  Here's the link:  http://catpatches.blogspot.com/2011/12/whats-on-your-2012-newfo-to-do-list.html

1)  If you look at Barbara's list, she listed White Birches--pattern appeared in the October, 2010, issue of Quilter's World.  Well, after seeing her post and how pretty the quilt was I just had to run to eBay and order that back issue of Quilter's World so that I could have the pattern too.  I know I have fabrics like that in my stash.  I feel the need to make a quilt for my sister.  This could be the one for her.  We'll see.  Look at it!

2)  I MUST save a spot open in November, 2012 for another Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.  Orca Bay is my first of Bonnie's Mystery quilts.  I am very happy with it and wish to continue this each year.

3)  By the end of May I need to finish a 30"x30" quilt for the June Quilt Show with our local quilt guild.  I have my plan for this for the most part... sorry, Brandy, I'm not telling you what it is.  Tee hee.

4)  If I ever win a fat quarter bundle I would love to use Amanda Murphy's pattern Garden Jewels.

5) I'd love to make a triangles scrappy quilt like the one Judy from http://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-quilt-top.html  made after she saw Julie's quilt.  It would be a great scrap basket buster and I could use the dies I already have with the GO! Baby!  This might be something that I work on as I visit my mom in the nursing home.  My mom's nursing home experience doesn't seem to be pleasant.  I'm not sure yet if I want to tie a quilt to the memory of it yet.

6)  I love the raw edge circles on the quilt I saw at Marg's blog, Sunshine in Paradise.  (  http://sunshineparadiseplease.blogspot.com/2011/12/ta-dah.html )  Marg's colors are JUST beautiful!  You can see the great tutorial of it at Cluck Cluck Sew ( Raw Edge Circle tutorial by Allison).  I could use my stash to make an adorable baby quilt for our annual charity quilt for the Local Quilt Guild.

Hmmmmm.  Are you seeing any pattern to my wish list?  The problem is that several of them are quilts that I just saw today... (But I have also seen the patterns before and really liked them.)  I'm sure there will be more that I just LOVE and have to have.  This is my list to start.  We'll see where 2012 takes me.  My goal is TWELVE finished in '12.

Happy New Year!

This is kinda funny.  I got this message in my e-mail today while I was trying to join Fabricaholics Anonymous (Yahoo group).

" I  am sorry, membership of this group is closed to new members until
February 1st.  Your membership will be denied, but please come back
later to join us later.
Thank you."

We Can Do It Skill Builder Block 20 - Circle Applique

Happy holidays.  I hope everybody had a great Christmas. 

Here's my block for the We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler.  It's Block #20 - Circle Applique.  I used the applique method where the circle is sewn to the interfacing, and then the interfacing is ironed to the foundation square before it is sewn.  I used a page of the phone book behind each circle for extra support.  I like it.  It worked and kept my block nice and flat.

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Check out the End of Year giveaway at A Desert Quilter!!!

http://adesertquilter.blogspot.com/2011/12/end-of-year-giveaway.html

Nichol is  giving away 20 Fat Quarters! I'm not sure what line this is from but it was so much fun! Very bright and cheery, just what is in order for these next few cold winter months ahead. Along with the fat quarters Nichol is also going to give the winner a $40 discount on the quilting..... You'll get 20 fat quarters and you'll get the quilt top quilted for the cost of stitching only! This is an incredible savings and Nichol can't wait to see what these beautiful fabrics become!

Again, that's at http://adesertquilter.blogspot.com/2011/12/end-of-year-giveaway.html

 

Block Swap Adventure - December

For December I tried a new block that had Y-seams.  I hope my partner likes it.  It doesn't lay perfectly flat, but it 's really really close.  I like the way the reds and blues played nicely together.  My block partner from Austin, Texas (Sara) requested a block in red, white, and blue.  She likes stars and triangles.  Here it is:

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Cluck Cluck Sew Tutorials

This has nothing to do with this block, but have you ever seen all of the amazing tutorials at Cluck Cluck Sew?  I have been wanting to do an hour glass quilt with all my scraps -- forever... but their tutorial looks so easy peasy.  I was wondering how to do that.  Here's the link...

http://www.cluckclucksew.com/p/free-quilting-tutorials.html

No, there's no giveaway or anyting... just the awesome tutorials.  Actually I put this in here so that I could find it!

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Sunni at Love Affair with my Brother is giving away a $50 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop.  Hurry and enter her giveaway at:

http://loveaffairwithmybrother.blogspot.com/2011/12/giveaway-50-gc-to-fat-quarter-shop.html

I'd spend it on a Kate Spain FQ bundle of Terrain!

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WIP Wednesday 12/21/11

What's different about this quilt block?  Can you tell by looking?  Is it the cat in the window?  Is it that the roof doesn't look like it's lining up with the sides correctly? Hmmmmmm.....

Why is it so blurry in the picture?  Did you figure it out yet?  I'll let you think about it for a moment.  Scroll to the last picture if you can't wait... Otherwise keep reading about what else I did this week...

I finished Step 5 of Orca Bay.  All of my little blocks are all in their baggies waiting for the next step.  I learned from this Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt that it's important to stay neat and organized from step to step.

I finished and mailed my December block for the Block Swap Adventure.  I'll post pictures once I know my swap partner, Sara in Austin, Texas, received it.

New Projects - 1
Completed Projects --  4

Completed Step 5 for Orca Bay-Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

Completed December Block Swap Adventure Block

House blocks complete this week - 1

Currently in Progress:  7

Chasing Chevrons (need to make the pieced back)

Dutchman's Puzzle (awaiting border decisions)

Orca Bay (completed step 1-5 - currently caught up)

Bluepatch Quilter Mystery Quiltalong (need two stars and one braid)

Victorianna Fabric Party Quiltalong (need one row that was released this week to catch up)

Summer Series Quiltalong (stilll need 4 more random blocks)

We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler (need to do this week's circle applique block)

30"x30" Quilt for the June 2012 quilt show -- Secretly started working on this again!

Quilt Tops to be quilted:  5

Jelly Roll Race - Lap quilt
Oh Susannah! Mystery Quiltalong - California King
Kaleidoscope Quiltalong
X's and O's baby quilt

Projects on Hold: 5

Flower Basket Quilt

Charity Quilt for our local quilt guild (2 cut)
May Block Lotto Pineapple Blocks to be put together
August Block Lotto African Violets baby quilt to be put together

Crumb Along with Jo's Country Junction (still making crumbs)

Drunkard's Path Quiltalong

Stop by and see who else has what else going on with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

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Now let's look at that "little" block in the first picture again.  Here's another angle of it next to Abe.

Duh... I have my ruler backwards in the photo.  But just for the record, this block is 3" x 3"!  And that is without the tiny little border/sashing that it will get.  I feel that my quilt blocks just moved to a new level.  This will definitely be a challenge.  I don't think it will be a real scrap buster.  Check out the blog to find this quiltalong at:

http://www.jeanneke.com/#post142

Here's the link to the blog instructions:

http://buildinghousesfromscraps.blogspot.com/

There are a like 1000 people doing this QA!  The instructions are written in four languages.  Jeanneke does her blocks by hand.  Luckily Jantine e-mailed me the paper-pieced version.  Whew.  That saves a lot of headaches.  LOL.  The QA is to make one house a day for 364 houses for 2012 leap year.  Are you in?

Here's one of Jeanneke's houses:

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Giveaways

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Nichol is giving us a chance to win her OWL quilt!!!  She's over at A Desert Quilter.  Check it out!

http://adesertquilter.blogspot.com/2011/12/owl-quilt-giveaway.html

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Win a copy of the book One-Yard Wonders at Patchwork Duck Designs

http://www.patchworkduck.com/2011/12/one-yard-wonders-book-giveaway.html?showComment=1324460826513#c1830790186458995743

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Orca Bay Step 5 Complete

Yeah!  Orca Bay Step 5 is complete for the week.  This step wasn't so bad.  If you noticed in the previous pictures, sometimes I proudly dumped my pile of blocks out for the photo.  I wondered why some people didn't seem to show their blocks and just showed piles of blocks.  Now I know!  Don't do that.  Keep them neatly oranized and stacked all the same way, tightly packed in ziplock baggies!  They are a lot easier to do the next step that way.  So here's this step all counted (350) and piled:

And here's what they look like with their friends from the other steps awaiting Step 6:

And just for fun here's my happy 4 1/2 year old...  He's so happy and excited about Christmas!

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Today's Giveaways!

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April at KoolBeenz is giving away a $25 credit for fabric or patterns at the Fat Quarter Shop!  Check it out!

http://koolbeenz-blog.blogspot.com/2011/12/give-away-23-who-wants-to-win-25-shoppe.html?showComment=1324288219228#c2862262747649341949

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Block Swap Adventure - December

Sneak peak for Sara in Austin, Texas

Here's a sneak peak for Sara in Austin, Texas.  Sara likes read, white, and blue.  She also likes triangles and stars.  Hope she likes it.  Happy holidays, Sara.

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Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is having a giveaway.  You could win a  True Cut TrueSharp Electric Rotary Blade Sharpener!  Not only did Sarah hit 500 followers, but adorable Lilli turned 4 years old!  Check it out!

http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-giveaway-time.html?showComment=1324207420593#c453421419855863981

Giveaway ends 12/22/11.  Good luck!

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Michelle at MALT Designs is having a Giveaway: Race to the Finish Line to celebrate the end of the year.  You could win a fat quarter bundle of Cabbage and Roses.  Giveaway ends on 12/31/11.  Check it out!

http://malt-designs.com/2011/12/17/giveaway-race-to-the-finish-line/#comment-21

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WIP Wednesday 12/14/11 -- And GIVEAWAY

See the bottom of this post for the giveaway information!  It's worth the wait.  But here's what I have been busy doing this week between blog hops...

Orca Bay Summer Sunfish Pond

Orca Bay Step 4 is complete.  Here's a picture of some of the greens:

Here's a better picture of the colors...

Here's the other steps so that you can see my color choices to make
Orca Bay Summer Sunfish Pond
Step 3:

Step 2:

Step 1:

I also am caught up with the We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler by completing block #19, Orange Windows:

And I've gotta chow  you my Chasing Chevrons quilt top that I am very happy with:

I'll get all caught up with the stats next week...  I'm not sure what happened to Lee at Freshly Pieced.  She didn't do WIP Wednesday last week, and hasn't posted for days.  She must be blog hopping!

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...and now for that exciting giveaway information copied from Jeanne's post at The Learning Curve...
The Amazing Blog Race......It's ON

The Amazing Race Is On.............

The Learning Curve~Quilts and Such and BeaQuilter are in a race to see who can reach 200 followers first. The winner will receive a gift from the loser and those that want to enter just for the fun of watching the race will be entered into a random draw for a gift from both racers!  How do you enter you ask?  You have to be a follower of both blogs and comment that you joined or are already following.  Then spread the word either by email, facebook, twitter, blog, some type of media hype with a link to your "spread" and you're in like Flynn.  Simple as that.

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We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler

Here's the We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler block #19 -- Orange Windows.  This week Leila walked us through making a block using raw edge applique.  I am glad that she just didn't give us a template to cut and sew.  She actually had us get a compass and make our own "orange peel" pieces.  I was lucky that the remnant of iron-on sticky stuff that I bought in the bin at JoAnn Fabric worked for this project.  I didn't get the instructions for it, but I thought it was a deal for 44 cents.  Here's my block:

I didn't get much sewing done this week due to all of the blog hops.  Boy, there are a lot out there and I'm not even half done.  Happy hopping everybody!

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To win a charm pack of A Walk In the Woods, stop and celebrate Kat's blogiversary at: the blog Diary of a Flutter Kat.

http://mummastimetocreate.blogspot.com/2011/12/favourite-thing-friday-giveaway-edition.html

Good luck!

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Check out the giveaway Shannon is having at Fabrics N Quilts:

http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-party-and-giveaway.html

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Occupy Your Sewing Room - Friday Night Sew In Results

Check out Cat Patches at:  http://catpatches.blogspot.com/p/occupy-your-sewing-room.html for more details on this challenge.

I spent about four hours in my sewing space last night.  My husband surprised me and came home early from working out of town.  Yeah!  so here's my progress on Step 4 of Orca Bay Mystery Quilt with Bonnie Hunter.  I can't believe that I only got 18 blocks complete.  Oh well... gotta keep sewing.  Geez, I hope my husband doesn't miss the random pages of our current phone book that I ripped out so that I could have extra foundation paper.  Tee hee.

If you so desire you could jump on over to the Friday Night Sew in page and hop around and see what other have been up to. There right now 156 people who signed up to join.

Chasing Chevrons QA Quilt Top

I spent over five hours in my sewing room today!



Check out Cat Patches at:  http://catpatches.blogspot.com/p/occupy-your-sewing-room.html for more details on this challenge.


Sweet!  I had time to catch up my Chasing Chevrons quiltalong quilt top.  I love this pattern that Jennifer from That girl... That quilt... created.  Now I need to decide to border or not to border.  I kinda like it like it is.  It measures 74" x 74" right now!

And here it is in the sun.  Looks like a picnic blanket to me.

I'm always touched when someone puts one of my projects on THEIR blog!  Thanks, Jennifer.  Check out my minute of fame here:  http://www.thatgirlthatquilt.com/2011/12/chevron-party.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FTwON+%28That+girl...+That+quilt...%29

There's still time to join this no-pressure QA!

WIP Wednesday 12/7/11

Wow, another week and I did not take on any new projects.  That seems like a new record to me.  Today I am working on my Chasing Chevrons QA.  I am happy with my color choices.  I started with the fat quarters that I won from Leila at Sewn.  They are the four  fat quarters of Robert Kaufman's Treasures & Tidbits.  The rest (except the background) were pulled from my stash.  Here's half of the quilt:

I'm happy to be caught up with Bonnie Hunters, Orca Bay, Step 3. 

I am thrilled that I completed Block #18 of th eWe Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler.  I have been intimidated by this block for quite some time.  But when I really concentrated on what I was doing, it turned out great!

Here's all of the We Can Do It Skill Builder blocks so far... Half way there!  There's still time for you to join.  We're just getting to the more challenging stuff.

 

New Projects - 0

Completed Projects --  4

Completed Step 3 (350 half square triangles) for Orca Bay-Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt

Completed the rest of the Chasing Chevrons quilt

Drunkard's path blocks completed this week - 0

Circle of Geese - We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler

Currently in Progress:  7

Chasing Chevrons (need to make 30 more chevron blocks)

Dutchman's Puzzle (awaiting border decisions)

Orca Bay (completed step 1& 2 & 3 - currently caught up)

Bluepatch Quilter Mystery Quiltalong (need two stars and one braid)

Victorianna Fabric Party Quiltalong (need one row that was released this week to catch up)

Summer Series Quiltalong (stilll need 4 more random blocks)

Crumb Along with Jo's Country Junction (still making crumbs)

Drunkard's Path Quiltalong

We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler (currently caught up)

Quilt Tops to be quilted:  5

Jelly Roll Race - Lap quilt
Oh Susannah! Mystery Quiltalong - California King
Kaleidoscope Quiltalong
X's and O's baby quilt

Projects on Hold: 5

Flower Basket Quilt
30"x30" Quilt for the June 2012 quilt show
Charity Quilt for our local quilt guild (2 cut)
May Block Lotto Pineapple Blocks to be put together
August Block Lotto African Violets baby quilt to be put together

Stop by and see who else has what else going on with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

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