Blogger's Quilt Festival

I seriously love the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  I spend weeks cruising through the entries getting new ideas and finding new quilt blogs to follow.  So GO take a lookie.... but wait until after you see my entry.  

This is my quilt sampler.  It almost made me quit quilting all together. Not really, but I had my moments.  I learned a million things while making these blocks.  I also learned how to fix problems... big problems.  

My cousin and I decided to make a sampler. She chose 21 of the blocks and I chose 21 of the blocks.... it always seemed like her blocks were harder, but then when I would talk to her she would mix bad word in on how she was enjoying the blocks I picked.   We used Judy Hopkins' Around the Block and Around the Block Again.  Sometimes we said a few bad words about Judy... but we didn't mean it of course.

My cousin's quilt turned out totally different, and really awesome.  I love how the same pattern will give you totally different quilts!   

I cannot count the number of times I put this quilt away because I was so frustrated.  It took me almost four years to finish. Now of course its my favorite quilt, and I dont say mean things about it anymore.  I'm really proud of this one!  

It lives on our guest bed.  Sometimes I just go in and pet it.

Quilt Measurements:  76 x 88
Quilted by:  Me
Best category:  Bed quilt, Home Machine Quilted 

Okay thanks for stopping by my entry.  Have fun cruising through the awesome quilts!!  

More Stars

I have more stars going on over here!  I'm making little wall hanging quilts for the girls that are doing a fun swap in our quilt along group.  I bought these Hungarian blue fabrics when I first moved to South Dakota, planning to make a quilt, but nothing was coming to mind so I thought I would just make these mini quilts.  Now seeing them laid out together I think these would make a pretty fine quilt.  Go figure!  But I'm sticking to the plan.  I need to quilt and bind them.  They are about 16 x 16, so nice little sizes to have fun with.    

 I have this stack eyeing me from across the room.  I need to bind one, quilt a couple, and take care of this heap!

This is a bad photo from my phone, but these are my finished dresdens.  I need to pick a background and mount them.  I am thinking a light gray.  But getting my hind-end to the HOLO to get the background has been my issue.  I think they are very pretty though.   

 I started this project with some charm packs I bought recently.  I think I want to buy another pack and make it large enough to use as a throw.  I'm still meditating on this though.  It will be a Christmas gift...if I finish meditating in time. ;)

 It snowing a bit today.  We are supposed to get about an inch and temps will be chilly, so I should find myself inside sewing more. 

Maybe not today though, since the monster is home sick from school.  Although he has been quite a smart Alec for his state of health.  He looks pretty happy here watching the first snow of the year flying outside. For a monster he is pretty cute.    

Working at home

Last year I went to the Sewing Summit.  It was a really exciting experience for me. I had never been to Salt Lake City before, and I got to take classes from bloggers I had followed for years! YEARS!  

This year I didn't get to go.  Something about blowing my allowance on fabric every month, and buying a house, and take a week long vacation to Hawaii.... it just wasn't going to happen this year.  Its okay though, amylouwho(who I met last year at the summit, eee), has organized a pity party via her blog and on Instagram for all of us not attending this year.  We are all working along at home, pretending we don't feel super left out.   

Left out or not I have been pretty productive lately!  I have my 20 dresden blades assembled (I need to blow my allowance on my background fabric this month).  I also assembled a couple of quilt backings yesterday.

 Which led to the Big and Bright Quilt finally basted.

 My wonky nine-patch top was basted also....  

While I'm not sewing late in the Baby Lock room this weekend  *sniff *sniff... I am really enjoying my sewing room in our new home.  The hubs made me a big cutting/pressing table and I am seriously in love... with the man and the table.  The top still needs to be painted, but the unpainted surface works just fine for now.  

 It is a dream.  It is huge.  It will be pretty once the top is painted.  It makes a little carport for my quilt rack. 

*Please pardon my basted quilts heaped at the machine.

The other side has mucho storage!  Hidden storage if someone is just walking by.  

The end cabinets have mucho storage also.  Seriously.

 Seriously!

Okay imagine the top white, but please notice ALL OF THAT ROOM!   That is a 24 x 36 cutting mat!  There is plenty of room on the table top (which is a door by the way) 

Okay I'll quit going on and on, but it helps me feel better about missing the Baby Lock sewing room.  Ill be working this weekend.  Hopefully getting those two quilted.  Maybe starting a new project, or perhaps starting a Christmas gift... maybe.  We are going to a Rapid City Rush hockey game tonight.  I will be cheering but no doubt thinking about my sewing plan for Saturday!  

Finally Finished!

 I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to have this quilt finished!  I bought these fabrics in 2008 in Japan, and since there was a serious language barrier I bought a meter of each.  That's a lot!  I made a wall hanging with the fabrics.  Then a couple years ago the week of Halloween I was inspired to start cutting out these tumblers, but I didn't get far.  I worked on it a little last October, but didn't get far. It was just something I kept putting away!   However I have been super motivated to clear out these old projects hanging around in my cabinet.  So this year I knew I was going to get it done!

 I am so pleased to have this quilt finished. 

 I had to piece the backing to make it work.  It held me up about a week while I waited to have the patience or motivation.

Its now in the place of honor when you first walk in the door. This banister is right behind the sofa, so it is really easy to grab this quilt to cuddle up with, which is good since it has been chilly here!  

Things seem right in the world now.  

Dresdens

 I was so in love with this dredsen quilt that I made last spring.  And it was a gift.  So I cried a little and sent it off to its new home.  It was so simple using a charm pack to make a purdy little wall hanging.  

I had some precuts in my stash with no plans so I figured I'll make another.  I decided on a layer cake I had of the Buttercup line.  I started cutting and was surprised to find a layer cake wasn't the equivalent of four charm packs as one might think.  Actually its like having 5 charm packs!

My Buttercup layer cake.... aaaahhhhh she is so pretty.

 I cut the layer cake in half to get two 5x10 inch pieces

 Then go back and forth with my dresden ruler.  

 Five blades per half.  That makes 10 blades per piece of cake. Woot Woot.  

I really love making dresden blades.... they are so fun to me.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.  I'm sure you will be dying to know right?  Hehe.  

In my cabinet I have 4 quilt tops needing to be basted and quilted.  What is my problem?  I would rather sew 420 little blades than get to it. I think I am approaching my procrastination period which leads to my Christmas sewing craziness.  Its a little early though.  Maybe its just an I'm not in Hawaii anymore and it stinks, funk. 

Seeing Stars

I LOVE quilt alongs.  I participated in Old Red Barn Co's rounds One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Eight, and Nine!   The skills I learned opened up my quilting world, and even though I was alone quilting in New Mexico I felt connected to other quilters.  Quilt alongs inspire and motivate me!  I love them.  

So when my local quilt friends and I made Snowball quilts together last winter I loved it extra to be sewing along in real life. We decided to do another quilt pattern together, but Bri was moving to Italy and we would have to share pics online.  Then I thought, man we should do a virtual quilt along with a bunch of quilters, then Bri wont be the only one getting instructions online.  I starting asking quilt friends, and I was honestly shocked at how many joined right up! We ended up with 13 quilters making saw-tooth stars.  It was wonderful and so fun to watch the stacks of fabric they picked turn into these quilts.  

Erin in GA

Julie in CO

Becky in CO

Tineke in SD

Val in OH

Jamie in MS

Erica in CT

Kristen in SD

and Me in SD... hey that rhymed  

Everyone has been doing an insanely great job.  We have 5 finished quilts now, one that is still being hand closed on the binding, two or three assembled tops, and I heard a fourth top was being assembled today.  I am so pleased!  Of course Bri has moved to Italy and cannot find her stars, go figure!

Monster Free Mornings

My little boy started preschool this week.  Its three mornings a week, two and a half hours a day.  That's quite a lot of alone time for me!  I've been enjoying it.

postage stamp

I decided to pull out these jelly rolls, which were stuffed in a box.  I had to press them.

I watched a morning show while I did.  Then I started assembling them.  While drinking coffee.

I also got my newest quilt student's fabric ready.  I always get most of the fabrics cut ahead of the time so they can get to practicing that 1/4 inch seam allowance faster ;)  

The three mornings I had this week were nice.  I spent my time drinking coffee in the quietness of my house. Even with the today show on its still quiet.  I feel like I just have a little bit of time to get ahead! (and my hair has not been in a pony for three whole days!)

Amy did really well.  She didn't seem overwhelmed, and her seam allowance is perfect!  All of her points are perfect!

She managed to get her top sewn in just a few hours!  I am extremely proud.