Sunday, June 30, 2013

Lucky Stars QA at Quilt Story

I made two star blocks this weekend for the Quilt Story Lucky Stars QA.  It seems like it took all day for these two blocks, but I do think they turned out awesome.  There's nice points, nice seams, nice and square to 10.5".  Yeah!  I'm taking my time to make these fabrics work.



Saturday, June 29, 2013

Aiming for Accuracy - Lesson 1

Here's Unit C1 in the Aiming for Accuracy Lesson 1.  The background fabrics are scrappy neutrals.

Follow along with Michele Foster at Quilting Gallery here.


Aiming for Accuracy Quilt-Along

Friday, June 28, 2013

My Big Ole Quilt Bag -- Friday Finish

This Friday finish is a little bit different than the usual quilt finish.  This is my big ole quilt bag.  I fell in love with the bag when I saw it at one of our local quilt guild functions.  Several members have these big bags and use them to bring their projects or show and tell items to the meetings.  Loretta was kind enough to give me a copy of the pattern. 

My bag is made from 2" strips that were cut from upholstery samples that were given to me by a local quilt shop owner.  I lined them up on my 2" strip cutter and quickly made perfect pieces with my Accuquilt GO! Baby.  I sewed them together in random lengths like a lego quilt block.  The sides of the bag are old jeans.  Soft, worn, repurposed.  The inside lining was drapery fabric also given to me by the same local quilt shop.  The handles are supposed to be dowel rods, but I liked using the wedge and corner pieces of trim molding instead because they fit together when I squeeze them.

The handles are 22" wide.  I put a pop can in front of the bag to give you an idea of how big it is.  I'm a happy camper!  I can see myself making more of these bags for the beach and camping.  Love it!

 
I didn't get fancy by putting any pockets in it.  THIS bag is just for quilt stuff.  There is a key fob string and ring sewn inside so that I can hook my phone and keys to it.  But that's it.
 
I'm happy to link up with Richard and Tanya Quilts for the Link-A-Finish FRIDAY.

 
I'm also showing off this finish by joining the linky parties on:
Finish It Up Friday

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Oh My, Scrappy Stars QA

As if I don't have enough to do this summer with QA's and waterparks and such, but thanks to Jules, another quilt along has struck my interest.  It's scrappy, it Accuquilt GO! Baby friendly, it will use up a lot of stash.  What more does a girl need?  Check out Lorna's blog.

Sew Fresh Quilts

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/



First blog post - June 14th - Announcing the upcoming quilt along.

Second blog post - June 21st - Official Commencement: Fabric requirements and Cutting instructions.

Third blog post - June 28th - Construction Step #1 & #2 - Easy Pale Star strip piecing and HST Monotony.

Fourth blog post - July 5th - Construction Step #3 - Strip piecing Neutral background.

Fifth blog post - July 12th - Assembly Begins

Sixth blog post - July 19th - Quilting

Seventh blog post - July 26th - Binding and Showing Off

Crazy Quilt Blocks

Here's two more crazy quilt blocks.  I don't know if I'm really that in to crazy quilt blocks.  They are not as easy as they seem.  I realize that I need foundation to make a better block.  I like using all the decorative stitches that I normally wouldn't use for anything else.  But it's still hard to get a nice, flat block.  It's easy to get your block to the right size.  Maybe I'm getting lazy using all my Accuquilt dies.  Hmmm.

 
Saw this recipe on facebook today.  LOOKS YUMMY!
 
Crockpot Ranch Porkchops: 
package of boneless pork chops
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

In crockpot layer porkchops, add the cream of chuicken soup, then sprinkle dry Ranch dressing all over.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR Low for 6 hours.

This is a favorite at my house. The porkchops come out very tender and the flavor is amazing! You also get a good gravy for mashed potatoes :)

✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿
For more recipes go to Sherry's Skinny Friends
Crockpot Ranch Porkchops:
package of boneless pork chops
1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

... In crockpot layer porkchops, add the cream of chuicken soup, then sprinkle dry Ranch dressing all over.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours OR Low for 6 hours.

This is a favorite at my house. The porkchops come out very tender and the flavor is amazing! You also get a good gravy for mashed potatoes :)

Monday, June 24, 2013

LQG Swap Blocks for Debbie

Debbie in our local quilt guild requested crazy quilt blocks.  I don't have much experience in these.  It is fun to use those fancy stitches on your sewing machine.  Here's my two:

Sunday, June 23, 2013

MMMRR13 Sneak Peek

I couldn't wait to rip open the package from Heather this week.  I knew it was my Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin 2013 quilt returning to its home.  This is gonna be some fun experimentally cautious quilting on the longarm!  I'm not sure when I'll fit it in this summer.  I'd like to get it done before Michelle does the linky party, but I don't know if that's feasible with a big quilt (Scrappy Christmas QA) on the frame and going to the waterpark twice a week (or more) and thinking about getting my Tumbler Charm quilt done this summer.  Whew.  That's a lot just typing it.  But here's a sneak peek at my amazing MMMRR13.  Thanks, Ladies!


Mini

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Christa Quilts String of Pearls QA

Still working on my String of Pearls QA blocks with the Christa Quilts QA.

All of the "squares" are done.  Now on to strip piecing.  I thought I would make a lot more progress on this during the week, but this is as far as I got.  Waterpark times!



Christa's Quilt Along

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Drunkard's Path Baby Quilt Finished

I'm excited to finish this little quilt.  It is for my son's speech therapist.  She is AWESOME!  Their little guy is due July 16.  His dad is a high school football coach.  The colors in their nursery are greens and brown.  Something was telling me I better get it done and get it to her.  I love it when I finish a quilt a month before the deadline.  This is one of my favorite quilts that I have made so far.




Details:  The Drunkard's Path Accuquilt die for the GO! Baby was used.  Fabrics are from JoAnn Fabrics.  Circle Lord Swirls template was used for the longarm quilting (done by me).  This little quilt measures a nice 40" x 50".  Serge-Well cone (serger) thread (the cones that are regularly priced $2.19 at Joann Fabrics) was used on the top and bottom of the longarm.  There was little thread breakage with this yellowish-white color.  I am still impressed by most colors of this thread for longarm quilting.

I linked up with Let's Make Baby Quilts at Michelle's Romantic Tangle.

Let's Make Baby Quilts!

I'm also happy to link up with Richard and Tanya Quilts for the Link-A-Finish FRIDAY.
 
I'm also showing off this finish by joining the linky parties on:
Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Finish It Up Friday


This was also part of my 2013 Finish-A-Long goal.  Check out what the others have finished at:
http://shecanquilt.blogspot.com/2013/06/time-to-link-up-your-q2-finishes-in.html

she can quilt

Here are the other projects that I finished for Q2 for the Finish-A-Long:

Chasing Chevrons (view finish post here.)
 

Buckeye Beauty -- Mystery Quilt with Made by Love with Mary's blog (blogged here.)



I also finished my three bird Block Lotto blocks for April (blogged here.)



2013 Finish-A-Long Q2

This also completes my June Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes!
Check out what the others are doing with their Lovely Year of Finishes!
 
My Button
 

Deadline Baby Quilt on the Frame

I have a deadline for this little quilt.  The baby isn't due until 7/16, but I just have a feeling that I better get it to her sooner.  Here it is with the quilting almost done on the frame.  Can't wait to see her face when I give it to her.

 
Check out the cool BATMAN booster seat up for grabs at this giveaway:
(http://www.modparent.com) or our homepage (http://www.kidsembrace.com).

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

WIP Wednesday 6.20.13

It's been a busy summer week!  But I did get a few things done:

I received this HAPPY MAIL as a prize for my quilt donation to H2H!  Aren't these five batik fat quarters gorgeous?  It was great being part of this charity drive!  Thanks, Sarah.



H2H 2013 logo

I finished this little panel quilt with pieced back for charity for my LQG.



I completed the two blocks for this month's swap within my local quilt guild.



I made a hide-a-key beach towel.



I only got as far as ordering the Accuquilt die that I needed for the rectangles for Aunt Reen's Jelly Roll QA. 




I selected all my fabrics for the Lucky Stars QA at Quilt Story. 







New Projects - zero (not enough time to start anything...)

Pieces still need to be cut
1. Herringbone OSU quilt
2. Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt) -- Gave blocks to LQG Round Robin swap 4.23.13
3.  Lucky Stars QA
4.  Aunt Reen's Jelly Roll QA



Blocks still need to be made
1. NY Beauty
2. Orca Bay
3. We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4. Red/White Flower Basket Quilt
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
12. Christa Quilts String of Pearls QA


Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and 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 (block won from the Block Lotto)
5. African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)

6.  Geese blocks from May 2013 Block Lotto (three more packages to arrive)




Quilt back need to be made (tops are done)
1. Grandma's WIP -- Cameo Rose (this one is a long-term project)
2. Grandma's WIP #2 (this is also a long-term project)
3. Tumbler Charm Quilt
4. LQG Christmas charity quilt

4. LQG Jacob's Ladder charity quilt
5. LQG Ship charity quilt
 
Ready to longarm
1. Dutchman's Puzzle
2. Scrappy Christmas QA
3. Spring Mystery longarmed, but Eyelashes to rip out!
4. Easy Street
5.  XL Quilt Bag (on the frame)
6. Mint Green/Brown baby quilt (baby due 7/16)


Quilted, needs binding
1. Rocking Horse panel quilt

Open ended projects (Blue highlighted items on this list are complete for June.)
1. Block Lotto Blocks (3)
2. Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin 2013 (Received it on 6/1/13!)

3. And Sew On BOM project 2013
4. 2013 BOM Quilt Doodle Designs

Each Wednesday I try to link up with Lee at Freshly Pieced. Sometimes the linky will accept my picture and let me link; sometimes it doesn't. But I try.



WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

LQG Blocks for Flo

Here are the two blocks that I made this month for Flo.  This swap is with our local quilt guild.  These are the fabrics that Flo provided.  Each block was to be 12.5" (12" finished).  Each block was to include the "park bench" fabric.  Here they are:

Monday, June 17, 2013

Beach Towel Hide A Key Tutorial

Welcome to my first tutorial.  This is my simple Hide-A-Key Beach Towel idea.  I don't like to take a bag or purse to the waterpark.  This is where I keep my "valuables":


To make this, you will need a cheap beach towel, about 10" of Velcro (both sides), and a sewing machine and thread.

Cut Velcro pieces evenly for both sides.  In this case these strips were cut about 4.75".  Securely sew Velcro with a zigzag stitch onto the ends of the towel, leaving a small space for where the towel will be folded.

 
Hook Velcro together and fold towel.  Double stitch on edge of towel to make a "hem". 
 
 
Stitch to make pockets on each end.  I made one pocket about five inches long to accommodate a camera, credit card, and key.
 
 
 
I stitched about 10" on the other end to accommodate a bottle of sunscreen.  The center area is void and not used as a pocket.  You could use the whole end of the towel, but I want to be discrete when getting things in and out of the pocket.
 
 
Hope you liked my first tutorial. If this is your first time here, welcome to my blog.
 
I'm linking this post to With Heart and Hands @ Michele Bilyeu's blog.  Happy 7th anniversary, Michelle!  ...and many many more.
 
 




Sunday, June 16, 2013

Aunt Reen's Place Jelly Roll QA

This week I planned on working on the cutting for the Aunt Reen's Place Jelly Roll QA, Step 1
As usual, selecting fabric from my stash is often one of the hardest parts of starting a quilt.  I have enough stash that I shouldn't have to purchase anything.  Just use it up and sew.

Then I fell behind a little more...
http://auntreensplace.blogspot.com/2013/06/last-week-we-cut-out-all-of-our-pieces.html

But my new dies did arrive and I'm thankful for that.  This is as far as I got with this QA, but I still plan on catching up sometime this summer.  This too will be a busy week of doctors and more doctors...

This is as far as I have gotten.  It's a rainy day here in Ohio.  Maybe my six-year-old wants to "sort" fabrics and "crank".

These are the two new Accuquilt GO! Baby rectangle dies.  I really only needed one for this QA, but since I LOVE my 2" square die (after doing a QA with Katrina at Sunshower Quilts) I figured I might as well save on postage, use my points, and get it too.  Endless possibilities for my scraps.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Friday Finish Blue & Tan Panel -- LQG #2

Here's quilt #2 for our local quilt guild charity quilts.  I LOVE how my swirls are looking.  This is a simple panel that was donated.  I made a pieced back for it, quilted it, and finished it up!

 
 


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

 
I'm also showing off this finish by joining the linky parties on:
Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Finish It Up Friday

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Civil War Crossings for Lucky Stars

Here's my fabric selection for the Lucky Stars QA that was announced last week.  I'm using the MODA fabrics that are left in my Civil War Crossings jelly roll and chunks of yardage. The dark blue on the bottom is my background fabric. This will be my first real MODA quilt thanks to a good bargain on this fabric at a garage sale.

 
This quilt is going to be rich in color and GORGEOUS -- I can feel it.
 

http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/2013/06/lucky-stars-qal-join-us.html 


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

WIP Wednesday 6.12.13

Getting projects done little by little.  My main goal this month is to finish this quilt:


I love the way it's looking!  Here's the back that I made yesterday:

(Don't worry about that big chunk hanging on the side.  I leave stuff like that on the sides in case I have to adjust tensions and such while on the longarm.  It will all get trimmed.  You can find a pattern similar to this at Connecting Threads.  I'm a little nervous how it's going to center up with the above quilt top.  But the new mom LOVES the colors above and the dad is a football coach.  I think it's the perfect match.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to quilt it with my swirls pattern.

I picked my fabrics for the Aiming for Accuracy QA at The Quilting Gallery with Michele Foster. This is a new project.  We will start making blocks for it on 6/20.



Here's new project #2 -- I have all of step one (released last week) for Christa's QA (#6).



I have been busy attaching "runways" to flying geese as they arrive from Block Lotto participants.



I haven't cut any fabric yet for the Aunt Reen's QA.  I did order new Accuquilt rectangle dies to help get that job done.  Of course I'm going scrappy with that quilt too.  Can't wait until the new dies arrive!  This is new project #3!

And for new project #4... I have selected my fabrics for the Lucky Stars QA at Quilt Story.  I think some cutting instructions should be released today (6/12). 




New ProjectsFOUR! -- This is a new record for major projects to start!

Pieces still need to be cut
1. Herringbone OSU quilt
2. Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt) -- Gave blocks to LQG Round Robin swap 4.23.13



Blocks still need to be made
1. NY Beauty
2. Orca Bay
3. We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4. Red/White Flower Basket Quilt
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


Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and 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 (block won from the Block Lotto)
5. African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)

6.  Geese blocks from May 2013 Block Lotto

Quilt back need to be made (tops are done)
1. Grandma's WIP -- Cameo Rose (this one is a long-term project)
2. Grandma's WIP #2 (this is also a long-term project)
3. Tumbler Charm Quilt
4. LQG Christmas charity quilt

5. LQG Jacob's Ladder charity quilt
6. LQG Ship charity quilt
 
Ready to longarm
1. Dutchman's Puzzle
2. Scrappy Christmas QA
3. Spring Mystery longarmed, but Eyelashes to rip out!
4. Easy Street
5.  XL Quilt Bag (on the frame)
6. Mint Green/Brown baby quilt (baby due 7/16)


Quilted, needs binding
1. LQG Blue/Brown Baby charity quilt panel

2. LQG Faba's quilt
3. Rocking Horse panel quilt

Open ended projects (Blue highlighted items on this list are complete for June.)
1. Block Lotto Blocks (3)
2. Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin 2013 (Received it on 6/1/13!)

3. And Sew On BOM project 2013
4. 2013 BOM Quilt Doodle Designs

Each Wednesday I try to link up with Lee at Freshly Pieced. Sometimes the linky will accept my picture and let me link; sometimes it doesn't. But I try.



WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced