Guess Who?

...is going to play Strip Poker again?!
Me!

My night guild is hosting a Games Night in April since Spring Break and the Chicago Quilt Show are both happening the week of the guild meeting. Our color scheme is red, white and blue 2.5 inch strips. I think once my fabric order arrives, I'll be able to add a few more blues so that I have three yards to play with!

This guild has also picked Quilts of Valor as the Special Project for this year. :)

I'm thinking about making a quilt similar to this one but with red and blue blocks and cream sashings. I've seen the pattern at the Ben Franklin but can't remember who the designer is...I'll have to look the next time I go to town.

can you say, "Deja vu"?!

I'm starting to feel like Bill Murray in 'Groundhog's Day'!
(scroll down a bit to read what this movie is about, in case you don't know...*grin*)

Stash Busting Report Week #13

An easy week for me...no fabric added and no fabric used. I did complete two more tote bags but I had counted the yards out last week. I also finished sewing the potholders, but really, they didn't use very much yardage. In the coming weeks, when I need to round up to the even yards...I'll count it then, okay?

I did give into the temptation to 'push buttons' so fabric should be arriving to the snail mailbox this coming week. I followed Fabric Mom's blog to On The Farm Quilting where the blenders were on sale for $3.50/yard! That is almost 'at cost' for Moda Marbles and down right a good bargain for the Fusions.

My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: 25 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: -76 yards

Net Fabric for the year: -51 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• finished two tote bags and four comfort pillows
• binding on Bunny potholders

Goals

• none...that way if I feel better and sew~I'll be a happy camper :)

Two More Bunny Potholders

I finished hand sewing the binding on the last two bunny potholders...
now I have four. My table is very spring-y looking!

I dug out my bluework snowmen the other day. The snowmen patterns were a gift from LindaJ when I first started blogging last year as I had commented on how much I liked the set she was working on! Hopefully I can make some progress on those blocks while I warm my aches and pains under the heating pad. :)

A Friday Finish

DD is home with a headache and temperature. She helped to stuff the comfort pillows and I sewed them closed.

Here are my four completed tote bags for the local Breast Cancer Hospital Center. I thought maybe the fabric choices were too light and would show the dirt but this fabric has been in my stash for awhile waiting to be used. I originally received both 2 yard cuts when I completed quilts on Dana Jones' Quilt Index site many years ago...she has long since stopped her website. Dana used to offer free patterns and had online stores 'sponsor' each pattern. I used to snail mail her pictures of my completed quilts using her patterns and 'free' fabric would arrive back in my snail mailbox! What a deal! I wonder whatever happened to Dana and her Mall Crawl?! Her site was one of my first introductions to the wonderful web and all that was available! :)

WIP Wednesday

Slim pickings here at Bell Creek Quilts! I finished hand sewing back the binding on the brown bunny hotpad. I had machine sewn the paisley bunny last week and decided I would rather try the hand sewn look. I should have made the binding wider as I have two layers of batting and Insul-brite inside. At least they match the quilt hanging by the kitchen table...located in my side bar now! Two done...two more to go. I set-up a TV tray table next to my chair in the family room and hope to sew the others while I let the heating pad warm my aches and pains.

The Doctor's report was that my back and leg x-rays are normal. Most likely I have a pinched nerve in my lower back and a soft tissue injury to the muscle in my lower right leg. The x-ray of my right foot revealed my heel spur (which has been there for about 10 years now) and arthritis in my big toe (which is new). I happy that my back is okay and time will heal this injury~I'm just a tad impatient...that's all!

Thanks for stopping by and checking in on me...more when I can do more! :)

Stash Busting Report Week #12

I accomplished a few things, others went un-done.

Here is my report:

Fabric added this week: 2 yards
Fabric added this year: 25 yards

Fabric used this week: -8 yards
Fabric used this year: -76 yards

Net fabric for the year: -51 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced 6 Easter/Spring Table Toppers
• Sewing Machine Thingee
• made 2 Totes

Goals for next week:

• finish the remaining totes

My leg is hurting again, so this week will be spent resting/rehabbing it. A return to visit to the Doctor is probably in order, too. Last fall it took a few weeks before I was mobile without pain...hopefully this time around will be shorter since I know what to expect and do. I'll be the one with the heating pad...just in case you are looking for me. Sew some for me, okay?! :)

Sew Happening Thursday

Ten ladies from Day Guild attended the Sew Happening. Four with machines, one was cutting fabric and the five others shared the tasks of pressing, pinning and stuffing the comfort pillows. I was a presser/pinner today.

We finished a total of 12 bags. Pretty impressive for 2.5 hours worth of work! Two ladies each took home a bag to finish up and bring back to April's Guild meeting. I had taken 5 kits and came home with 4...think I better be sewing up my kits before I *forget* exactly what they are suppose to be or how the totes are assembled. :)

One gal was giving away blocks and I snagged these paper pieced kids! She had thought the blocks could be pieced into bags but I'm thinking, maybe a quilt?!

I could see framing around the blocks to bring them to 9 inches then maybe 9 patch connector blocks (with a 9 patch in the center) and a border. This would be a smallish quilt...maybe only 36x36.

Any ideas on how to set 4 blocks? Sometimes one idea settles into my brain and I can't *think* of anything else. :) Does that ever happen to you?! :)

WIP Wednesday

Today is a 'mix and match' kinda day here at Bell Creek Quilts.

First: I finished the Spring table toppers yesterday.
I was able to find two different egg prints and yardage of little chickens *hatching* out of decorated eggs. I was orginally going to use the yellow/green color combination for the borders but then the cream/pink were on the cutting table. I thought, "Why not?" and bordered a few with either cream or yellow/ pink combination!

I found this long forgotten pansy and violet in the bottom of the floral yardage. Each said, "Spring" to me...so on the back it went. After Easter, I will flip the table toppers over and enjoy the florals then. :)

Second: I've been thinking about making one of those sewing machine pads for when I take my machine 'on the road'. I had found this tutorial last year and decided to try it today.

Here is Bella the Janome Jem.

Looks just about right.
Here is Baby Brother.

Uh-oh...looks like I'll need to make one in Baby's size! :)

Third:
I made a loaf of Cinnamon Quick Bread to take to the Guild Sew Happening tomorrow. A group of ladies will be sewing to replenish the Patient Cancer Bags that I blogged about here and here. Sad but the Hospital supply has dwindled down to just a few bags. I did cut fabric for 4 bags, also.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Stash Busting Report Week #11

Well, my *sewing train* derailed this week! Lots of other activities besides sewing. I did manage to make a few table toppers with shamrocks to enjoy for St. Patrick's Day.

My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: 23 yards

Fabric used this week: -3 yards
Fabric used this year: -68 yards

Net fabric for the year: -45 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• finished hand work on binding for Blueberry Cheese Spread
• made 6 table toppers

Goals for next week:

• start piecing Hollywood BQ
• make Easter/Spring table toppers

Wow! It's been awhile since I had so many *other* things to do besides spend time in the sewing room. Think this next week I should be back *on track* before Easter break *derails* me!

WIP Wednesday

When Pam asked if I would save my selvages for her, I was more than happy to save for her. *Another friend* asked if I could save 1.5 inch novelty type fabrics for her calender quilt so, I said yes! Both of these piles were getting a tad unruly in the sewing room, as you can just imagine. As I cut one or the other, I would just toss it in the general direction of the pile.

Enter ModaLissa to the rescue and her selvage ball idea! I just love all the creative-ness out in blogland. So DD and I wrapped pieces of fabric around golf wiffle balls tonight for my WIP. She stayed on target with the calendar strips and has a fairly even ball. My selvage ball is more abstract and undulating...just a fancy way of saying that it is crooked! but we sure did giggle and laugh alot when we were winding the strips. One just never knows, what will tickle one's funny bone :)

Table Toppers

I decided to tackle a smaller project before I jumped into the next bed size quilt.

Here are my Valentine's Day/ St. Patrick's Day table toppers. The way I cut the pink paisley focus fabric, I had enough for six medium size toppers. Four will go in the family room, one on the shelf by DD's room and one under the clock radio on my night stand. All are pieced the same for Valentine's Day, pink paisley with the cream swirls then pink/yellow polka dot for the outer border. Four have the plaid shamrocks on the back as in the left side and the remaining two have shamrocks with ribbons that I found in my stash. :) I have about a week to enjoy the shamrocks! Do you think I will get the Easter set done before Easter?! maybe if I go to work on them right now! not!

Pattern is Genii Lehmann's Quick and Easy Table Topper and Runner. You know what?! They were quick and easy! :)

Are You Interested in Selvages?

Moda Lissa is having a Give Away where you could win her selvages she has been saving!

How cool is that?!

Hop on over to her blog for a chance to win one of her selvage balls she's been wrapping!

Blueberry Cheese Spread Finished...

...and DD approved!

Cheese and Crackers quilt pattern by Atkinson Design.

Stashbusting Report Week #10

Continuing work on the Blueberry Cheese Spread with the hand work on the binding, so I'm going to count it out in this week's report. I also pieced a dresser and nightstand quilt-let for in DD's room.

My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 5 yards
Fabric added year to date: 23 yards

Fabric used this week: -16 yards
Fabric used year to date: -65 yards

Net fabric year to date: -42 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• finished piecing and quilting Blueberry Cheese Spread
• pieced and quilted 2 dresser quilt-lets

Goals for next week:

• finish hand sewing on Blueberry Cheese Spread binding
• start piecing Hollywood BQ

I have an all day class on Wednesday (non-quilting) and Guild meeting on Thursday. Kay from the Wisconsin Quilt Museum in Cedarburg is presenting a trunk show and bringing quilts from the Museum. Should be an interesting lecture!

Quilt-lets and Roscoe!

With a new color scheme of blue/cream in her room, DD's pink/yellow Hello Kitty quilt-lets just weren't working in her room!

So I made her blue/white checkerboard quilt-lets.

One for her night stand.

One for her dresser. She put away her pink/yellow Hello Kitty lampshade and pulled out the blue penguin one. Looks pretty good on her dresser....maybe I should have pulled out the penguin quilt, too?! just kidding! :)

Now I need to do the hand work on Blueberry Cheese Spread binding.


Look who we were LUCKY to meet last night at the Milwaukee Admirals game! Roscoe came and spent some time with the group we were with at the game. He is a very funny character when you meet him 'in person' (or whatever 'thing' Roscoe is!). :)

WIP Wednesday and a Give Away

I started the quilting on Blueberry Cheese Spread aka Cheese and Crackers from Terry Atkinson Designs. DD wanted Inkblot in light blue thread. I've made two passes and probably need to make seven more.

Check out the cute pincushions FabricMom made! Hop on over and enter to win one of those cuties...can't have too many pincushions, can we?! I'm heading over to FabricMom's blog right now...see you later!

March 1st View and Blueberry Cheese Spread Flimsy

Sunday was March 1st when I snapped this photo but I just now down loaded it from the camera. It was sunny but cold. Some of the grass is starting to peek through the snow pack and the ponds are still frozen...seems like a long winter...sigh...

Here is my Blueberry Cheese Spread completed to a flimsy. I had a little trouble with the pieced border as I thought I could mindlessly sew the units and flip to get the correct orientation. Wrong. The seam ripper and I spent more quality time together. :) Before I ripped out a lot, I did notice that the left border/bottom border are sewn the same as are the right border/top border. I think I will stay stitch around the perimeter to help stabilize all the border seams.

Next I need to piece a backing for it and DD has already chosen Inkblot for the quilting. Plus I need to root out some more blue for the scrappy binding as I didn't think to cut the binding when I was cutting for this quilt. Oh well...live and learn. :)

In any event, I am very happy to be at this stage with this project!

Stashbusting Report Week #9

A finish early in the week really worked for me! My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 1 yard
Fabric added year to date: 18 yards

Fabric used this week: -7 yards
Fabric used year to date: -49 yards

Net fabric for the year: -31 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• bound Panel QOV
• sent the QOV's/pillowcases to Alycia's
  

Goals for next week:

• continue piecing Blueberry Cheese Spread
• piece backing for Blueberry Cheese Spread

This past week, I didn't spend as much time in the sewing room as there were household chores to do. Hopefully, this week I will spend more time sewing.