Herringbone Progress

I pulled out my half square triangles the other night to see how I wanted the layout to look for this herringbone quilt. Well, then I just started sewing.  Didn't have anything else to work on.  I managed to get half of the top sewn then I decided to take a break.  

I have the other half organized and ready to go though.  

Maybe after I get the second half pieced I will switch back to the postage stamp.  

I bought my backing and binding the other day.  I think we are going to be snowed in this weekend so I may get a bit of this one quilted.  I'm getting excited about seeing this one completed!  

Current WIPs

 These two quilts are moving ahead towards completion!  The last two on my horrible list are actively being worked on!  

My three year old postage stamp is a finished top!  I skipped a column and two rows though because I was worried about buying a backing since I need to be better with my quilt allowance.

I'm very happy to have this top in the cabinet waiting for a backing.  I think I may have seen a print or two of this line in the discount room at my LQS so I'm heading there on Saturday to take a look.

And for the changed 'plums' quilt project which will now be my herringbone, I started laying it out this afternoon.

I don't think I'll start sewing right away.  I just wanted to see how many of the half square triangles I have needed to be pressed and trimmed still.  

This quilt pattern is supposed to be 16 x 18.  I am looking forward to seeing it all laid out.  

I cannot even tell you how thrilled I am that I have the motivation to work on these quilts!  When I made that dreadful list I really never intended to ever work on them or finish them.    Now I'm feeling giddy that I will have and hopefully keep a much more manageable number of projects in the future.

Apple Jacks Baby Quilt

 I just got word from my friend Bri that she received the baby quilt I made her so I can share!

Bri is a quilting friend and she and I went through a 6 month deployment together, so a soon as I heard she had conceived I knew I must make the new baby a quilt.  I had an Apple Jack charm pack in my stash and thought it would be perfect.  

The twisted four patch is such a snap to put together.  I used different solids for the border and added the red corners to make it even more colorful and bright. 

I found the backing online and I was so excited I was able to find the print I wanted! 

I had a spare four patch so I used it to mount the label and I think its pretty adorable.  

I'm so excited for her and her family to welcome another sweet baby boy into their family.  I hope he gets lots of use and fun from this quilt.

Finished Blueberry Patch Sampler

I am so flipping pleased to announce I am done with my sampler! Quilting it was a chore and I was reminded of why I love the large throat on my Juki....I appreciated every square inch of that space as I turned the quilt around and around.  

  

I did fairly loose quilting in the ditch so the quilt came out lovely and pillowy from the dryer. 

I made a mathematically bad decision to quilt my borders this way, but I don't want to talk about it.... its done.

Here he is!

Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is to photograph quilts in the South Dakota 'breeze'?

This happens alot.....

Sometimes this happens a few times....

I just wait...

.... and consider a shot like this 'good enough'  

So now for this exciting part!  

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- DONE
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- DONE
8. Scrumptious- DONE
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along-DONE
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- Changing it to the Herringbone Quilt Along -starts 3/3
13. Postage Stamp- Sewing strips
14. A gift quilt- DONE

That's right folks my UFOs have nearly been destroyed!

I decided to take the 'Plums' quilt which I was going to leave alone, and I'm going to use it in a Herringbone Quilt Along my online group is going to start next month.  The great part is I already have all of the HSTs sewn so I'm ahead!

And thanks to some sort of  three year old WIP miracle I picked up my Postage Stamp. I'm still in patchwork and I have to sew eight more strip sets.  I'll keep you updated :)

Mod Pop

I finished my Mod Pop quilt this afternoon.  I'm so happy its over!  The pattern is striking and easy enough, just a bit time consuming.  But I love this finished quilt.

  

The backing I picked up at JoAnn's really is perfect.  

The color idea came from a design-seed.  I still love that site for new ideas.

Hopefully I can get motivated to quilt my Blueberry Patch Sampler.  I'd like to get that one finished up too! 

For a New Camper

A friend of mine is expecting and I can share the quilt I made for her upcoming spring baby. 

I was at the fabric store looking for something entirely different when I saw this lightening bug fabric. I thought it would be great for Julie's baby quilt.  They aren't finding out if the baby is a boy or a girl so it let the quilt stay neutral, but still fun.  

I did a zig-zag pattern with a few other prints and solids I thought made the quilt cheerful. You can see in the top photo the print of animal prints, and in the photos below you can see the tree rings print.  I thought they made for a really cute fabric combination.   

Isn't this backing adorable?  I know!  

I'm so happy for my friend Julie as she starts her family.  

I know she is going to be an incredible mother and I am so excited for this new adventure she is embarking on... its no Appalachian Trail, but she is going to love it.  

Number Five

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014

I cracked into my fifth bolt of batting the other day.  The hubs asked how many I had gone through in the past five years.... and I told him this was my fifth.  Then he did the math I've gone through 160 yards of batting.   But think of the savings!  I've spent roughly $640 on my bolts vs. $1,600 buying it by the yard!  (even if I had scrounged for coupons I still would have spend around $960 buying it by the yard)

That cost difference is like 96 yards worth of fabric I could buy! Friends!  If you are quilting regularly you should be buying bolts!

I'm on FIRE

I have been on fire!  Not little campfire style flames, but like a big 'ol bonfire.

Doesn't this quilt bring happy spring thoughts to mind?  Even when the grass is winter brown, and the trees and bushes are bare sticks,  This quilt makes the photo seem cheerful.  

I made a trip to HoLo yesterday and picked up a couple quilt backings, and some white thread.  I needed a spool of thread to finish quilting this pretty throw.  I always use Coats and Clark 100% cotton 1200 yard spools of thread, and when I ran out I switched to a Coats and Clark  100% cotton small spool, and I was having one heck of a time with the top thread shredding and breaking.  I think it happened 4 times in one evening and I grew so frustrated that I set it aside to wait for a regular spool.  I'd really like to understand why this happens when I use small spools.  The tension stays the same, but the top frays.  I'll ask the shop when I take Jenni Juki in for her first ever tune up.  She isn't ailing, but after 4 1/2 years of hard labor I thought a little check up would be wise.  

As it worked out last night after I was done quilting I used the extra green fabric from my Blueberry patch quilt backing to bind my Scrumptious quilt.  Good economical decision.  Also, I think it looks lovely. 

I actually finished TWO quilts yesterday, but I cannot share this one yet.... soon.  Very soon I will have a bunch more quilts to share.

I am growing attached to the machine binding method.  I'm getting better at it, and I like the way it turns out now.  I'm happy to report the different colored top and bobbin threads continues to work well.

Yesterday was an amazingly productive day.  With two quilts finished and two quilts basted.... THE LAST TWO!  Did you hear me?  My last two UFO's on my list to complete are basted and slated for quilting very soon.  

I'm going to get cracking on the Mod Pop this afternoon.  

Afterwards I will work my way on to quilting my Virtual Quilting Bee sampler, which I've named the Blueberry Patch.

I'm pretty sure my dedication to getting these projects off my list is directly related to my anxiousness to start something NEW!  I have a cabinet full of beautiful fabric patiently waiting to be broken into.... Honeysweet, Sunnyside, April Showers, Honkytonk,  and Simply Style are all calling my name.  

I must succeed!

I WILL succeed!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- DONE
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- Ready for quilting
8. Scrumptious- DONE
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along-Quilting
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it
14. A gift quilt- DONE

If I Had A Front Porch Swing

 This quilt would probably be out there all of the time.  

I'm talking about a classic glassed in porch with a swing, or a wicker love seat.  I wouldn't want it exposed to the elements of course.   

I finished my marmalade quilt last night.  It's so beautiful.  I love the fabrics.  I love the pattern.  I am so pleased with the finished quilt.  

I love the way a quilt looks when it's back lit.  Makes it look like stained glass.  

I used a yellow backing!  How cheerful is that?!

It's so wonderful to have another quilt DONE.

I really only have three other quilts on my list!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- DONE
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it

Nine

I. LOVE. THIS.

Block nine arrived this afternoon and I just happen to have an afternoon open to sew it up.  

Also, I'm banging this stuff out.  I finished another quilt yesterday, but I haven't shared a few of these crossed out projects because they need to be mailed.  I'm going to make it a priority to make it to the USPS tomorrow because I have THREE quilts that need to be mailed out.  That will take a bite out of my quilt allowance, but I should still have enough funds to purchase a binding for my marmalade.  I've got this!

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- needs a binding
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring-DONE
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it

My Economy I-Spy

A finish!  

I really love the scrappy look of this quilt.  It really makes this I-spy so much more fun.  

 The backing is not juvenile, but still fun and pretty.

This project really did clear out some of my scraps.  I may have some more economy blocks in my future.  

This first birthday quilt is done early!  Can you believe it?  I'll set it aside for my sweet niece's birthday in June.  I'm so pleased to have another quilt DONE.

1. Birthday gift for my sister- DONE
2. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- DONE
3. Happy Go Lucky- DONE
4. Cuzco- DONE
5. Economy Block I-spy- DONE
6. Marmalade- Quilted
7. Blueberry Patch Sampler- top is done
8. Scrumptious- Being quilted
9. Baby gift for a friend due in late spring- Attaching the Binding
10. Mod Pop Quilt Along- need to baste
11. Mystery BOM - up to date 
12. Plums- I'm leaving it
13. Postage Stamp- I'm leaving it