Saturday, September 24, 2016

Bee Block Experience #2

I was in several bee block exchanges as a new experience in 2015 but for each of the quilts that I used 2 bees each to make sure I had enough blocks in the end to make a larger quilt. My first blocks were for my Kaleidoscope Quilt and the other 2 hives completed scrappy Cross roads Blocks. 
These are the extra 4 blocks that I put together. As these hives were later in the year the blocks trickled in slowly and a few didn't come in at all but I did have enough with the extra blocks that I had made, this was going to be a large quilt. 
So it sat basted for a while waiting for me to quilt it when a friend of mine, Rena (The Southern Bobbin) asked for quilts that she could practice on with her long arm and I thought -- Why not? 
When it came back a short while later I got it bound and all ready for some couch snuggling. 

This is my 4th finish in the 3rd Quarter 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

When Guilds Collide

Earlier this year our guild decided to do a mini quilt swap with the McKinely Texas guild. This was a pretty easy choice since it's just about the mini quilt and we were sending 3 pattern suggestions along with our interests. It also turned out that 3 members of the guild are also in my traveling quilt group, so that's extra fun. 

I got asked to make the rainbow squirrel by Quiet Play as one of my partner's choices.

I eagerly set out on this project by looking for other inspiration -- I didn't want rainbow and neither did my partner but she did like bright citrus colors. With bright colors as my guide I tried to think of an interesting way to make this mini special. I decided I would make multiple squirrels, one in each of her chosen citrus colors. The idea that I was missing something obvious kept nagging at me so I looked online for citrus colored artwork -- and there it was in it's Warhol nature, my future mini quilt. 
I pulled out scraps from the string bins and scrap baskets first. 
These squirrels went together easily and relatively quickly -- i shrank the pattern by 25% and made a 9 inch version of the block. 
 Then there were a pair
and then there were 4 -- I got it quilted in organic circles and ready to ship out. 
Oh, so cute. It will be heading over to live with Ellyn in Texas. 

In return I got this Awesome Cat mini by Martha


This was my 1st finish in the 3rd quarter and my OMG goal for July. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

August Sewing and Stashing

July finished with a lightened stash of 93.5 yards, after a minor splurge early in the month and a minor lack of motivation because of the heat and distraction of Pokemon Go (yeah I'm a nerd like that). I hope that this month's progress makes up for my limited focus on sewing and having a few days off at the beginning of the month really should help. 

I started the month working on my Traveling Quilt project for this month with was Alice's block that had already been added to by her awesome sister Catherine. I gave Alice the option of AMH feathers or Arrows as my addition this month and she choose the feathers. I also added in some plus blocks to fill in the corners and round things out.

I also wanted to get my Bee Hive Swarm block out early this month because Jen is celebrating her birthday before mid month and she wanted these great double star blocks (-1 yard) 

My other hive wanted paper pieced blocks so I got those ready right away. (-.5 yard) 

A while back I signed up for the Star Mini quilt swap and this month I finished these awesome Celestial Stars up to mail out to a lovely Lady in California -- you can read all about that here. (-2 yards) 

I completed my Kate Spain Love Mini (-3 yards) 

I also got my Scrappy Crossroads back from Rena and got the binding attached and then I realized my tension was off so I had to take it all the way back off so this will be a finish next month. (-1 yard)

August started at 93.5 yards lighter so far in the year, this month I added 0 yards and used 7.5 yards making my new total 101 yards lighter this year -- Whahoo. 

I haven't been in a good sewing mood lately and I hope that September changes that cause I have way more things I need to get finished before the end of the quarter and as we hit that downward slide into the holidays.