Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Design Wall Tuesday

A little math and two weeks later, here is the Corvette Flimsy. This top really should have taken me about two, maybe three, days max to sew together.

What can I say? Summer is here at Bell Creek Quilts and the sewing time is at a minimum! :)

Believe it or not, I didn't have any fabric that DS wanted me to use as backing. So I ordered more today. We found a *nice police* novelty. :)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Stahs Busting Report Week #26

I knew this week was coming, just didn't know *when* it would arrive. :)

No finishes this week and I went to a fabric garage sale...twice! I have replenished my backings and r/w/b stash. My report:

Fabric added this week: +40 yards
Fabric added this year: +116.5 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: -172.25 yards

Net fabric for the year: -55.75 yards

What I accomplished this week:
  • worked on one summer project (a little)
  • made Friendship Blocks (LJ & Cher)

Goals for next week:

  • continue working on summer projects

I hit a little bump in the road on my current project. DS decided to change the pattern I was following up a bit and wanted a completely pieced outer border--the 4 patches. I have already cut the inner panel piece and need to *think about* how to make it all work. I have a few different ideas swirling around on the changes I need to make.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Garage Sale-ing

I went to a fabric garage sale today. All fabric was $3.00/yard. The seller had a huge inventory of fabric she was trying to liquidate. I came away with 18 (yikes!) yards and I had one of the smaller orders!

The fabric on the left is yardage. 10 for the blue/brown and 3 for the blue/white (but it is 58 inches wide!) This yardage will be backs for QOV's I hope to make.

The fabric on the right is in 1 yard increments. I'm thinking borders on the QOV's but who knows? where the fabric might actually be used!
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

WIP Wednesday

I made a pile of 4 patches today.
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

More Wonky Houses

Construction of Wonky Houses continues. I'm liking the purple house with the purple roof.
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Monday, June 22, 2009

Design Wall Monday

I started this week out working on my Friendship Blocks for the FAB's. (Cher, LindaJ., Norma and Pam.)

This top block is for LindaJ. She sent the directions using EQ6. No~your eyes are not playing tricks on you! The purple and green are closer to 9.75 inches (unfinished) and the pink is more on target at 9.5 inches (unfinished).

The wonky houses are Cher's pick. She had us follow Tonya's link from Quiltville to make the wonky houses. (link here) I would like to see a bit more roof overhang on my block but the purple house is getting closer to what I would like.

Last is my friendship block. These are the wonky stars (link here) that were made and donated from quilters around the world for The Bushfire Quilt Project . My star points aren't as wonky as some but, hey, that is the beauty of the wonky-ness...it all fits together!
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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Stash Busting Report Week #25

Our first full week of summer vacation!

My report:

Fabric added this week: 4 yards
Fabric added this year: 76.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -3.25 yards
Fabric used this year: -172.25 yards

Net fabric for the year: -95.25 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:
  • sewed with the QOV group and completed out top to a flimsy
  • quilted and attached the binding to our QOV
  • gifted three fq's

Goals for next week:

  • work on a summer project

Friday, June 19, 2009

Passing of the QOV Quilt

Well last night, we didn't work on the binding of the QOV Quilt. Carole volunteered to hand sew back the binding while riding in the car to Colorado later this month.

So the baton, the QOV Quilt, has been passed to Carole for the next step in the process. Thank you Carole!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

WIP Wednesday

Not a whole lot is happening here but, I did manage to attach the binding to our QOV group's quilt tonight. The plan is to take it to the meeting Thursday night and we will have an *old fashion bee* where we sit around the quilt and hand sew the binding while the meeting is happening.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Stars and Loops

I quilted *a new to me* panto today. Stars and Loops by LEQ. I think this may have been the first time I used a stacked panto as opposed to an interlocking panto. I really liked the open stars, although my first open stars look more like starfish rather than stars in the sky! :)
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Sewing with Cathy, Cathy, Carole and Pat

maybe I should change my name to 'Cat' for this post? just so I match the other gals in my QOV Sewing Group?! LOL

and I totally stole the name of this post from my friend, Cheryl. Thanks Cheryl! :)

With Cathy and Cathy sewing and Carole and I switching between pressing and cutting, we were able to assemble this top in about 4.5 hours. This is the Valor quilt pattern found in the book, The Giving Quilt . I purchased my copy online at Cozy Quilts a few months back.






This is the second time I have been involved in making this pattern. It is quick and easy with a stunning result...I like it!



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Monday, June 15, 2009

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Cleaning Days

Since I am hosting the QOV Sewing Party, I decided I needed to clean up a bit.

On Friday, I worked on the sewing room.

This is the *before* with all my scraps thrown into paper Piggly Wiggly grocery sacks. At one time, the scraps were separated by color but DD and her friends *love* to play with the scraps and find treasures only 10 year old girls *know about*! :) and to me, it is a harmless way for the girls to express their creativity.
After.

I cleared off DD's craft table to make room for more sewing machines.
I just organized my *dump and run* area to look a little neater. I really should have purchased a filing cabinet for all the *papers* that find their way into my space. For now, I use the plastic totes for files. My two are totally maxed out so a new one will be added to the *someday* shopping list.

As I have been cleaning the rest of the house I have been thinking about summer sewing goals. In no particular order, here is what I hope to accomplish over this summer.

Summer 2009 Quilting Goals
  • DS's bed quilt
  • DS's MSU Tshirt quilt
  • DS's Corvette quilt
  • 6 cancer bags and pillows
  • piece some crumb blocks (to try and tame the scraps!)
  • piece the FAB exchange blocks
  • work on QOV's (Oconomowoc and Alycia's)
  • attach bindings to Long Arm samplers (2)

Stash Busting Report Week #24

I had two finishes this week but I also went to the quilt store. Tomorrow my QOV group is having a sewing party and I needed to replenish the reds and blues! Here is my report:

Fabric added this week: 5 yards
Fabric added this year: 72.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -13 yards
Fabric used this year: -169 yards

Net fabric for the year: -96.5 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

*finished the binding on D9P #3
*pieced, quilted and bound D9P #4

I'm not setting any goals this week as we ease into our summer routine here at Bell Creek Quilts. I'm working on setting some summer goals but nothing very ambitious. One never knows where summer will take one!

And here are my purchases at the quilt shop plus some red and blue that I reported a few weeks back.

When we moved, I ironed interfacing on a whole heap of t-shirts. DS has quite the collection of Michigan State T-shirts so I brought the green with white dots to work on his T-shirt quilt, hopefully, this summer.

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Saturday, June 13, 2009

Appreciation Quilt #4

Appreciation quilt #4 is finished!

Due date: Monday June 15th to the piano teacher.

Worked on the binding during the hockey game last night.

Rainy day here at Bell Creek Quilts so a folded picture of the quilt on the kitchen table. :)

Pattern: Disappearing 9 Patch.

Quilting panto: Trailing Vine from Willow Leaf Studios.
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Friday, June 12, 2009

Something Quilty


I finished piecing and quilting the last of the Appreciation quilts. This is the 3rd Disappearing 9 Patch in the series.

Here it is waiting for trimming and binding.

I quilted it with the Trailing Vine panto from Willow Leaf Studio. This is my favorite block in this quilt. The florals represent the three states we have lived in: Michigan, Texas and Wisconsin. I was thinking perhaps, I should make one for myself as I have enjoyed re-visiting and remembering where the florals were originally sewn.

Monday, June 8, 2009

What's On Your Design Wall Monday?

JudyL is hosting 'What's On Your Design Wall Monday?'

Mine has the beginnings of Appreciation quilt #4. Floral Disappearing 9 Patch as requested by DD for her piano teacher.
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Sunday, June 7, 2009

Appreciation Quilts #2 and #3

Appreciation quilt #2 and #3 are the same yet different.

Same: floral squares, outer border Disappearing 9 Patch pattern and Popcorn pantograph from Willow Leaf Studio.

Different: green sashings, brown cornerstones and backing fabric.

Appreciation quilt #2.

Appreciation quilt #3.

I used the last of the yardage of Angels on #3. This quilt will be gifted to DD's teacher later in the week. I'm both happy and sad to use the last of the yardage but gee, I really loved the Angels and have been *hoarding* it. :)

A Question?

I gifted this Elvis quilt to the piano teacher last June. Is it permissible to gift her another Elvis themed quilt? I have some of the same fabrics and some different fabrics. And I was going to use a different pattern. The natives here at Bell Creek Quilts voiced their opinions~very loudly~I might add. A resounding 'NO'! DD really likes the floral D9P quilts...what do you think?

I think it would be okay...
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Stash Busting Report Week #23

I was busy in the sewing room as the school year comes to an end. My report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: 67.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -15.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -156 yards

Net fabric year to date: -88.5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

Goals for next week:

  • bind Appreciation #3
  • piece Appreciation#4

I'm coming into the home stretch...lol. DS is finished with his high school classes and DD has one week worth of classes! Summer is almost here at Bell Creek Quilts! :)

Friday, June 5, 2009

Appreciation Quilts #2 and #3

I discovered a shoe box that had the florals, greens and browns cut for a Disappearing 9 Patch that I had started last year then abandoned. There were also 6 completed blocks in the shoe box. So I decided to finish it up and it will be Appreciation Quilt #2.

Here is Appreciation Quilt #2. I had the blue outer border in the stash. I think it is a little strong for the inner part of the quilt but as Pam has taught me...IIWII...and it is pieced! (this is a daytime picture in the sewing room)


Since I had more florals cut, I decided to cut a different green and brown for another Disappearing 9 Patch this morning and then worked on piecing it today. I just finished the outer border after dinner and it is ready to be loaded. It is about 51 x 64 and the backing I have is 54 x 72...think in the morning I will add a little wiggle room to the sides of the backing. This is Appreciation Quilt #3 and a quilt top in a day :) (this is my night picture out in the tv area of the basement~not as good lighting at night)
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Did You Want a Bag With That Quilt?!

DS informed me after dinner that he thought it would *be nice* if there was a bag to go with the quilt for his teacher...what?! excuse me?! I still had the label to do yet!

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...

I had printed off a copy of Terry Ann's Fat Sack and thought I would try making one from the decor weight fabric I had *scored* at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store a few weeks back. This was an incredibly easy bag and Terry Ann's direction were very user friendly. It took me about an hour to make this bag from start to finish. :) I had to fold the quilt a little on the creative side and while it is not a perfect fit~or match~it will work. DS was funny as I was trying to figure out exactly *how* to fold the quilt, he came along with the Glenn Beck Book and slipped it inside the bag, too. Now his teacher will have a book to read and a quilt to curl under and a re-usable grocery sack! How cool is that?! Going green in the gift giving :)
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WIP Wednesday

I took the final stitches in the binding this morning during the wee hours~I was too tired to blog at 12:30 am!

Here is Meri's Horses. The pattern is from the Quilters' Cache: Square Within Square 2 block pattern.

The quilting is Popcorn from Willow Leaf Studio. I used Dark Orange Flame Permacore thread and it shows a bit more than I anticipated, but I kind of like the look. :)

Now to design a label and sew it on. DS has two more days of school so this one is going right to the wire! :)
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Monday, June 1, 2009

June 1st View and Design Wall Monday

Spring has arrived at Bell Creek Quilts. Here is the June 1st view of the backyard. The geraniums have been planted and the trees are filling in and turning green.


JudyL is hosting a 'What's On Your Design Wall' Monday. This morning, my blocks for Meri's Horses have been patiently waiting for me to sew them into a flimsy.

EDIT: I realized that I forgot to give credit where credit is due: I followed the block pattern from Quilter's Cache Square within Square 2. The pattern link is here. It really is a fast block to put together once you strip piece all the components.
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