a block of this, a block of that

I've signed up for several block exchanges / bees this year and it's fun when I just have a little bit of sewing time to make block. Instead of needing to finish an entire quilt, I can just finish a block and feel completely done. And I love getting blocks in the mail - almost like the "olden days" when I used to receive letters! Of course, putting all those blocks I receive into quilts is a project for another day...

These wonky log cabins are for Ebony in the Coast to Coast quilting bee - she selected the fabrics and I love them! I'm looking forward to seeing how she puts them together.


These blocks are for Carol in the 2010 Quilt Block Round Robin - this envelope of blocks will be sent around to each member for 12 months, each recipient adds one or two blocks. Carol made the top 3 to give an idea what she'd like, I added the bottom 2 blocks.





And these last 4 blocks are my February Quilt Block Exchange blocks - I asked for r/w/b blocks in return and will be working on a quilt for American Heros Quilts when I add some more blocks of my own.

pillowcases and more

It seems this post is my mid-month progress report since I've been creating but not blogging much. This quilt top is my pink and green swap blocks from the flickr quilt block exchange. I requested 9" blocks in pinks, greens and white and received a great variety of 10 blocks over several months. I made the other 10 of the blocks to make it a large throw size. It's fun to get blocks in the mail, and fun to have other quilter's inspirations to add to a top - my daughter is thinking this will look great on her bed!


My kids and I made these fabric kites as a practice for a kids workshop I am teaching in March. I was inspired by this tutorial, but I needed to figure a way without sewing machines since there will be 10-15 kids and me. We fused the fabrics onto fusible interfacing, then used duct tape to fold back the edges and hold in the poles. While I can't guarantee they will fly, they look really cute!


The Heartstrings online group is inspired to join the 1,000,000 pillowcase challenge, and they inspired me to clean out some of the fabrics that were no longer my favorites and give them a new home. These pillowcases will go to several charity groups.


These star blocks are being given a new home in a cheery quilt for a family friend's new baby. It's not a traditional baby quilt, but I think the bright colors will and the cute birds and flowers in the fabric will make a cheerful addition to the baby's nursery!

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone joy and peace in 2010! As others have commented, I, too, cannot believe it has been 10 years since we all worried about Y2K! Time really does fly ...


I was playing with free-pieced houses and my daughter wished for this one on her wall. She chose the tree fabric, although in retrospect I wish there was more contrast with the background. Guess we'll just have to imagine the tree is lost in the snowstorm of the background snowflakes. I hand quilted it while traveling to and from my grandmother's birthday in November, and added a few beads to the tree for holiday sparkle.



I also finished up two more comfort quilts for the year. The second quilt shown was made from a salesman sample pack featuring all the fabrics of the Cranston Fabric line "Rain Dancing." It was fun to work with all the prints, but I only had a little bit of each. The pieced binding used up the last little bits.


Our comfort quilt group met last week and had a wonderful time visiting and working on whatever struck our mood. Several of us made little felt pins, inspired by one woman's creations, buttons in a button box and also by "fanciful felt pins" in Salley Mavor's book Felt Wee Folk. My 10 yo dd joined us and made a wonderful gingerbread pin. She wants to skip school and join us again next time we meet.

Birthday Celebration Quilt

Last month I traveled to eastern Washington state to celebrate my grandmother's 100th birthday. How amazing, to live 100 years! She always told me she wanted to live to 100, and she has, and in reasonably good health. At her party, I asked everyone to sign a fabric rectangle with the idea of making her a signature celebration quilt. I got right to work when I returned home. I added triangles to the 2.5" wide strips to make 5" finished squares. My inspiration was this quilt, but since I just had 48 signatures, I alternated the signature blocks with a delicate rose print. I just sent the finished quilt to her for a Christmas present. Most of the fabrics on the front are from her fabric drawers, and all the fabrics on the back are kettle cloth fabrics she purchased in the 70's. I hope the signatures and the fabrics bring her good memories!

Just wanted to post a few pictures of things I've finished lately ...

Pillowcases for Hole in the Wall Gang Camp ... thanks, Jackie for donating them through your guild!


A Linus quilt top using up every last bit of the racecar fabric; I like how the cars race around the pinwheel and it works well for my 9th block!


My Christmas mini quilt for the Four Seasons Holiday Swap - I can't wait to see what I receive! This little tree quilt is about 17" square.



Front and back of my QAYG charity top - I like the scrappiness of the front in a limited color range, but next time I might try to get the back square fabrics to be more scattered.

I am also excited to have joined an online quilting bee - we're starting in January and I can't wait to see what we create together! There is lots of excitement and many quilting bees starting through blockparty and the flickr group here.

sewing, not computing!

I've been getting lots of sewing time, and have chosen to sew more and blog less. I finished the quilt for my cousin and it is on the way to him for his birthday. I finished the Halloween costumes, but dd and ds don't want to model for photos yet, although they have worn them around the house often. Finishing touches to be added this weekend.


I made a small quilt for my MIL who admired the work of Sandi Garris ... it is 12" by 12" and doesn't have all the beautiful hand-dyed fabrics Sandi uses, but I liked the bright colors and hope it brightens a spot in my MIL's home.



I have finished blocks for the flickr block swap - it's been fun to get great blocks in the mail! My Holiday Swap quilt top is together - I hope to get it quilted next week.

I also make 35 QAYG blocks in pinks, reds and purples for a girly comfort quilt - I will put them together at our comfort quilt day next week.

I was given a huge bag of kids fabric and have made 9 pillowcases for Jackie's Guild and Hole in the Wall Gang camp - I have 6 more prepped, then I will send them on to her. This seemed a better use of the many chunks of fabric I received since it would be years before I got it all made into quilts. I love a cheerful pillowcase on my bed, and I'm sure these kids at camp will as well. Our guild also supports this camp, and it's a wonderful place.

Finishing Steps

My cousin's quilt is quilted and the striped bias binding is machine sewn ... I just need to sit down and finish hand stitching it to the back. There is unfortunately a lot of family drama going on at the moment, and I hope this quilt will promote some greater family peace - one can only hope.


I've been busy making Linus tops, especially some simple Halloween tops for delivery to the local hospital this month. We like to try and have some holiday themed quilts on hand when appropriate. My Linus tops are tied by the ladies that meet weekly, but other comfort quilts that I finish are machine quilted - the meander I did on this sailboat quilt finished it off nicely. I love the shark and sea turtle fabric I found for the border - keeps with the theme of the sea!


Finally, our bi-annual guild show coming in 2010 features lavish baskets filled with items of a certain theme. The basket chairwoman asked that each basket be accompanied by a mini-quilt representing the theme. I chose to do the "puzzles" basket and made a small, unsolved sudoku puzzle on the quilt - it measures about 18" by 24". Even after carefully checking and rechecking before I sewed each square, I got one section sewed together in the wrong orientation. Arghhh ... now it's been corrected, and the puzzle can be solved. My kids think it would be fun to have placemats with these puzzles - more fun to solve the sudoku than do their homework!

Next on the agenda are Halloween costumes - a leopard princess and a native American are soon to reside in our home!