What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

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It is good that this quilt didn’t end up as an eternal UFO or in a scrap bag.

It was worth the finish.

Funny thing is that Daughter (Sparkle Jane) sort of planned on donating the quilt, but now that it is finished…

You know how that can happen.

Back in April, I had gotten to a stopping point with my scrappy Jingle Bell Square blocks since I had exhausted my stash of neutral fabrics. Since then, I made and completed my Christmas Churns quilt for Moda Bake Shop using the Little Tree line -- now I have new piles of scraps to work with for this project.

I made a batch of five blocks that used the Little Tree fabrics exclusively, with the exception of the black and cream dot fabric in the bottom row of blocks.

My pink scrap bins were overflowing!

Spun Sugar 70" x 78"

Spun Sugar (backing and binding detail)

Spun Sugar (detail)

Have you ever just wanted to sew, sew, sew?! No complex cutting, no pinning, and especially no thinking! That’s exactly how I felt a few days ago.  I dug through my charity quilt bin and pulled out pretty strips that a reader donated last year. They were not full strips, some really short, some half strips and the full length ones I cut so I would have all varying sizes.  I wanted some sort of accent in there so I cut 2 x 2 1/2″ black and white blocks to put between each strip.

And next?  I sewed ...

Hi everyone! When I went out walking this morning at 6:30, it was already 74 degrees.  I know it's July, but holy cow, that was unusual.  And icky, too!

I just wanted to drop in with a short post today because I've started something new.  I can hear you now--what? Don't you have enough stress?  Yes, but this is not stressful.  This is making me feel really good and giving me a small challenge and something to do.  Because I don't have enough to do, you know?  We're kind of in a holding ...

I have a finish for the rainbow scrap challenge this week. I found the pattern in a magazine, and it was called rainbow baby, but, I recognized the name of the designer of one of my favorite bloggers, Cynthia Brunz. She has the pattern called wiggle time, and can be found here at quilting is more fun than housework. I really like it in rainbow colors. This was my first machine only binding. I could use more practice, but it will be fine for a baby. This is my 9th finish for the year.

I finally got some photos of the work I've been doing.

*****

Donation Quilts

I cut flannel scraps to make donation quilts. You can see the first batch HERE. They were kid size and made with kids' prints. The next ones were for adults.

Two with many florals

Three with plaids, stripes, and more

Sometime ago I emptied my fabric scrap bin and had cut everything into various sizes (posted here).  I took all the 2 1/2″ squares and started putting them together as a leader/ender project. After putting together 24 sixteen patches, I bordered each with 1 1/2 inch strips. It was all finished off with two rows of the 2 1/2 inch squares for a border. I loved all the crazy mixed up color and patterns! The scrap squares were now just about gone!

I laughingly said that there were just enough left to make a potholder

Voila ...

Industrious wouldn’t exactly describe my quilting progress this past month. There have been some big house chores, like power washing, and truthfully, I have been in a relaxed mode with my sewing this past month.  There’s surprisingly has been quite a bit of progress, though.  I got a quilt back from the long armer and did get it bound.  I’ve been working on a quilt for our bed – bigger than I usually do and although I love it and it’s exactly what I’ve wanted, it’s a bit boring (all 3 1/2″ squares). I ...

Recently I wanted to send thank you notes and somehow a store purchased card fell short of how I wanted to express my gratefulness. I was also feeling a bit restless about my sewing – time to break out the scraps and do some improve! I chose various brights and just had to add some black and white and just began to piece.

The heart shape on this one below was a happy  accident! There was a fair amount of sewing with those narrow strips, but it was fun.

Basically a wonky log cabin, the one below is my favorite.

Each ...

Hi all!  Is it unbearably hot at your house? Right now my handy dandy weather station says that it's 96 degrees. That's a bit extreme, don't you think? It's supposed to rain tomorrow and break the heat, and for once I'll be thrilled to see rain around here.  In our ongoing housing saga, we think we've found another house. Hurray! Send all your good thoughts that they accept our offer.  Every finger I have is crossed!

So, if you remember, I somehow packed my favorite quarter inch foot when I was packing up the ...

I've been quiet, but I'm still here. I need to take a bunch of pictures to show you what I've been up to, but for today, I thought I'd show you what is under the needle right now.

I've been intimidated by Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay quilt, but I finally decided that I could do it. Here are some of the friends who are helping me:

Waldo (Just in case you have been looking for him.)

Napping Santa and Napping Santa Flamingo

Cardinal

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Several years ago, more like many years ago, I started collecting metallic fabrics. Many had an Asian theme and I loved them.  It took me a couple of years to decide, but finally I decided to do a hexagon star pattern.  I cut the hexagons on my Sizzix – I cut, and cut, and cut.  Rather than cut the individual triangles, I sewed the hexies to strips of fabric and then trimmed.

I found this black with gold dots fabric and a friend suggested that I scatter a few black stars about. Had to admit – a good idea.  It also meant ...