WIP Wednesday - Finishing up Quilt Alongs

 This past week I have been working on some long overdue WIPs.  The Star Surround Quilt Along which I started almost a year ago and the Quilty Fun Sew Along which began back in November.

I have completed the top for the Quilty Fun Sew Along and am almost finished piecing the backing.

However, I am putting that aside today to work on my Star Surround.  I completed the backing already and just need to sew the rows of blocks together.  I would like to get it "sandwiched" today so I can begin quilting on Thursday.  We are going to a St. Louis Cardinals game on Sunday and if I can be done quilting on Saturday that gives me six hours to hand sew the binding in the car.  Off I go....

I will be linking up with:
Lee from Freshly Pieced
Esther from Esther's Blog
Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts

Friday Finish - Giraffe Crossing Tumbler

Well I finally did it!  I finished the "boy" quilt for my friend that had her baby June 1.  I call it Giraffe Crossing  Tumbler because I used the Giraffe Crossing line from Riley Blake.

This quilt has been a long time in the making.  I pieced it way back in April, but then stalled because I was afraid to try the applique.  I finally overcame my fear and I think it turned out beautifully.  I hope Rhys likes it...

Thanks for letting me share.  Linking up with:

My Quilt Infatuation
Pretty Bobbins

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Crazy Mom Quilts

SewCanShe

Stitch by Stitch

First Finish of the Month - Monster Polka

I am happy to report I finished my first quilt for the month.  I am hoping to complete at least 5 UFOs during June.  It's a lofty goal, but it's summer and I have 12 weeks looming in front of me before I have to "officially" go back to work.  I will do some work before then, however, I usually try to take the month of June off.

Anyway, back to my first June finish - Monster Polka.  This quilt is for some friends of ours that are having a baby boy in June.  I used the Monster Mash line from Michael Miller.

I love this quilt for two reasons:

1. Polka Dots!!!!!  I adore polka dots!

2. It was easy.  I adore easy!  

Thanks for letting me share.  Linking up with:

My Quilt Infatuation
Pretty Bobbins

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Crazy Mom Quilts

SewCanShe

Stitch by Stitch

June Goals

I have several goals for June.  However, I also have a lot of spare time.  I teach preschool and school is out!!!!  I also take online classes and the one I am currently taking only has two weeks left and I get the rest of the month off before starting the next one. That leaves a lot of hours to sew...

1. Finish my Monster Polka baby quilt - this is an easy finish, just a little bit of hand stitching to secure the binding and it will be done.

2.  Finish my Giraffe Crossing Tumbler - the giraffe appliques need to be blanket-stitched.  Then it needs to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.

3.  Finish my Quilty Fun Sew Along sampler - the blocks for the top need sewn together.  The label block for the back needs to be made and it needs to be quilted and bound.

4.  Finish my Star Surround quilt - it is for my bedroom. It needs the bottom row sewn to the top and to be quilted and bound.

5. Make bedroom valances - I have the pattern and the fabric and would really like to get these done.

6.  Finish the Snug as a Bug Super-sized Nine Patch #3 - it needs to be quilted and bound.

Snug as a Bug Super-sized Nine Patch Quilts #1 and #2

I have set some lofty goals, but I really want to get all of these finished during the month of June.  Off I go to get started ...

Linking up with:
Fiber of All Sorts

350 Blocks Project - May Update

In March, I started participating in the 350 Blocks Project at Prairie Moon Quilts.  I completed a total of 60 blocks for March and 76 blocks for April.  Our May Goal is a total of 30 blocks.  Here's how I fared:

For the Great Granny Sew Along I completed 21 blocks.

I completed 1 block for Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.

For my Monster Polka quilt I completed 6 blocks (I am counting each row as a block).

That gives me a grand total of 28 blocks for May.  I was 2 shy of the May goal.  Luckily, I should have time in June to make those up. 

May Goals Update

It is time to share the progress made or not made on my May Goals. Back at the beginning of the month I linked up with the Fiber of All Sort's A Lovely Year of Finishes.  I was #27 on the May Goal Setting list.

I did not have as much time to sew in May as I would have liked. My middle daughter graduated from high school and I always end up putting in more time into work at the end of the school year, which left me with very little sewing time.  In fact, I hardly got anything done until the very last week of May.

Anyway, I had three goals that I wanted to accomplish in May and I accomplished one, made quite a bit of progress on one, and barely touched the other.

1.   Finish Goldie's Fading Charms Memory quilt - DONE!

Blogged about here, here, here, and here.

2. Finish June baby boy quilt - ALMOST DONE
This quilt is now being called the Monster Polka.  It is literally less than an hour from being done.  I only have a little bit of binding left to hand sew in place.  

3. Finish the Giraffe Crossing Tumbler - NOT DONE

Blogged about here and here.

This is for my friend who is due to have a baby any day now.  As The Princess stated earlier today, "Mom, she is ready to pop!"  I think I am stuck on this one because I want to applique giraffes to it and applique is not something I have done much of.

Linking up with:
Fiber of All Sorts

Goldie's Memory Quilt

I have finally completed Goldie's Memory Quilt.  I wanted to have it finished for her high school graduation which was this past Sunday, but I didn't quite make it.  I was close though!   I started cutting the 2 1/2" squares last summer and the great majority of it was pieced throughout the year as leaders and enders.  All 846 squares were cut from leftover fabric I used to make her clothing over the years.

I got the pattern from Wedding Dress Blue. I used Free Spirit Designer Solids in Nugray as the background. I thought the gray background would be a good neutralizer (Is that a word?) for the busyness of all the uncoordinating fabrics. The back is pieced somewhat randomly. Either I didn't plan for enough fabric for the backing or I cut it wrong. Since I didn't have enough, I pieced together smaller pieces using leftover squares.

I quilted it with straight diagonal lines. I like straight lines in quilts. It might just be because I am afraid of free quilting, but I really did feel straight lines worked best with this quilt.

Anyway, it's done and I love it! Hopefully, Goldie will love it too!

Linking up with:

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Crazy Mom Quilts

SewCanShe

Stitch by Stitch
Sew Many Ways

WIP Wednesday - The end is in sight.

This is the first WIP Wednesday I've been able to post during May.  I am happy to report that I am finally getting some quilting done.  May has been a very busy month for us and it has finally slowed down.

This week I've been working on my daughter's memory quilt.  You can read more about the quilt here, here, and here.  The quilt is made of leftover scraps from the clothes I made for her over the years.  Anyway, I finally got it sandwiched and have been quilting away.  I hope to finish it completely by Friday.  My daughter has been waiting (not very patiently) for it for some time.

I will be linking up with:
Lee from Freshly Pieced
Esther from Esther's Blog
Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts
Gemma from Pretty Bobbins

May Goals

My goals for May include:

1. Finish the Giraffe Crossing Tumbler for my friend who is due to have a baby this month.

The quilt is pieced, however, I want to applique two giraffes to the front.  Then it needs to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.

2.   Finish Goldie's Fading Charms Memory quilt.

This quilt is pieced, but it stills needs to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.


3. Finish June baby boy quilt - this needs to be completed from start to finish.

May is a busy month (end of the school year, I'm taking a class online, and Goldie's graduation party at the end of the month).  However, I am hopeful I will be reporting all three finishes at the end of this month.  Wish me luck!

Linking up with:
Fiber of All Sorts
Fort Worth Fabric Studio

April Goals Accomplished

I had three goals I wanted to accomplish in April.

1.  Finish the April baby boy quilt. DONE!

Blogged about here, here, and here.

2. Piece and sandwich the May baby quilt. - NOT DONE
This ended being two baby quilts.  One in case they have a boy and the other in case they have a girl.  The girl quilt is complete. 

Blogged about here and here.

 However, the boy quilt is pieced and waiting for me to applique two giraffes to it.  I am kind of hung up on it because I haven't appliqued in over fifteen years.  

Blogged about here and here.

3. Finish piecing Goldie's Fading Charms quilt. DONE!

Blogged about here and here.

I only completed two of my three goals.  But, I did completely finish two quilts in April.  Even though I didn't reach all of my goals, that is something to be proud of!

350 Blocks Project - April Update

Last month I started participating in the 350 Blocks Project at Prairie Moon Quilts.  In March I completed a total of 60 blocks.  I started April off with a bang.  During the first week, I sewed 21 blocks for Goldie's Fading Charms Memory Quilt.

The rest of the month I sewed 16 blocks for my Hubba Hubba 16-Patch baby quilt.  However, I only used 12 in the quilt.

For my Giraffe Crossing Tumbler quilt I am counting each row as a block, so that gives me 8 more.

I completed 4 blocks for Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.

Two blocks were made for the Spring Sampler Quilt Along at Cora's Quilts.

For the Pack Patch Mini quilt along, I completed a total of 24 blocks.

Finally, I made 1 block for the Great Granny Sew Along.

That gives me a grand total of 76 blocks for April, bringing my total for the year to 136!  Not bad, if I do say so myself.

Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts
Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation

Quilt Along Mania

I really, really, really, really LOVE quilt alongs!  I am currently participating in four.  I think I love them so much for two reasons: first, everything is scheduled step-by-step and second, you get to quilt with other people.  I could spend hours on flickr looking at the pictures of what others participating in the quilt along have accomplished.

The first quilt along I am participating in is really a BOM.  It is Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.  It started in January, but I didn't join in until April.  I have caught up though.  All four blocks are done.  One fun part about this is that it's a mystery.  We don't know what the finished quilt will look like.

The second quilt along is Spring Sampler with Cora's Quilts.  It just started.  This week is the first block.  I made two.

The third quilt along is called the Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along from Chase at 1/4" Mark.  We are supposed to be making a mini quilt.  However, I want my quilt to be bigger so I am making four blocks for every one that we are supposed to make.  This is a fun and easy one.  Each Friday, Chase gives you a theme for two blocks.  For example, this week is April Showers and May Flowers.  Below is a picture of my April Showers blocks.

The fourth one is the Great Granny Sew Along at the Fat Quarter Shop.  It is based off of Lori Holt's new book Great Granny Squared (which is awesome). Here's my Filled Basket block.

How about you?  Have you joined or are you hosting a quilt along?  If so, let me know, I could always join one more....

I will be linking up with:
Lee from Freshly Pieced
Esther from Esther's Blog
Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts
Gemma from Pretty Bobbins
Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation

Hubba Hubba 16-Patch

I have officially finished my "girl" baby quilt.  I am hoping to have the "boy" quilt done by the end of next week.

I am naming it "Hubba Hubba 16-Patch."  It's a pretty obvious name since the fabric line used is Hubba Hubba and it's a 16-patch.  I am horrible at naming quilts.  I am curious how other people go about choosing quilt names.

Anyway, I free-motioned the entire quilt.  I am getting better at this, but have a long way to go.  I quilted a simple flower in each square, some people might think they are butterflies.  For the sashing and borders, I quilted wavy lines.

All in all, I am pretty happy with it.  Now to finish the "boy" quilt ...

Linking up with:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday
Richard and Tanya Quilts
Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Crazy Mom Quilts
SewCanShe
Stitch by Stitch
Free Motion by the River

Spring Sampler Quilt Along from Cora's Quilts

I am apparently a sucker for a quilt along.  I love joining them.  Usually, I am too late!  That's the thing about me, I want to do it along with everyone else.  If I'm late I won't join.  So I was super excited when I found the Spring Sampler Quilt Along over at Cora's Quilts.  Even better, I wasn't too late to join!

So I immediately started shopping for fabric to use.  I don't have a large stash of fabric.  I know it's shocking, but I am working on it.  It takes time to build a stash.  Anyway, I started shopping for fabric.   While shopping I discovered the Essentials line by Pat Bravo from Art Gallery Fabrics.  I received my fabric yesterday. Isn't it beautiful?  I can't wait to get started.

WIP Wednesday - One, No Two Baby Quilts

Last week I posted about the new baby quilt I was starting to work on.  The gender of the baby is unknown. It's the parents fourth and they wanted a surprise.  When I planned the quilt I thought I was planning a gender-free quilt.  However, after laying it out, I felt it was too "boy."

Luckily, I had ordered a Hubba Hubba jelly roll from Moda fabrics.  If you know this line, you know it is definitely "girl."  I used this tutorial from Konstant Kaos and started sewing.  It went together very quickly.

I want to applique a few giraffes on the "boy" quilt before sandwiching and quilting.  The "girl" quilt has come quite a way since I took this picture last night.  It is in my machine with one block left to be quilted before binding it.  

However, I don't know if I will get to it today.  I have to do a practicum in a second grade classroom, take my girls shopping for summer clothes (we are going to Disney World at the end of April) and do the lesson plans for my preschool class for the rest of April and the beginning of May.  I am hoping to find enough time to finish the quilting and maybe sew the binding on. Then with any luck I can find some time to do the hand-sewing portion over the weekend.  Of course, I also need to clean my house for Easter dinner .....

I will be linking up with:
Lee from Freshly Pieced
Esther from Esther's Blog
Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts
Gemma from Pretty Bobbins



  

First April Goal Complete - Leo's Baby Quilt

Well, I have completed the first of my April Goals, which happens to be the first of my 2014 Finish Along Quarter Two goals.  The baby quilt I have been working on for the past three weeks is complete.  Just in time too, Leo was born this past Sunday.

I used the pattern Cowboy Baby from the book Material Obsession.  I used fabric from Riley Blake's Boy Crazy line.  I was a little worried at first about how my color and pattern choices would look, but I really like it.  I love the pinwheels.  I will definitely be making more pinwheels in the future.

 When I first started quilting it, I didn't like it, so I stopped and spent a few hours ripping the stitches out.  The second time around I drew lines with a ruler and quilted diagonally through the blocks.  I decided to go one direction on the red pinwheel blocks and the opposite direction on the orange pinwheels.  This ended up in a diamond pattern all over the quilt which I like a lot.

The backing was supposed be the large print in the border; however, there wasn't enough of it left over.  At first I was going to buy more of the fabric, but then I realized I had enough material left over that I could piece the back.  It ended up turning out better than I imagined.

Anyway, I'm excited to have it finished and can't wait to give it to Leo.  Thanks for letting me share it with you!

Linking up with:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday
Richard and Tanya Quilts
Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Crazy Mom Quilts
SewCanShe
Stitch by Stitch
Free Motion by the River