WIP Wednesday

I thought I might not have anything for a post today! But wait...

what is this?

My very first ever miter! and it is on a super secret *thing*...check back in August for the reveal! :)


I received a call this morning from a fellow Guild-mate (is that the right terminology?!), asking if I would quilt her group's QOV. Since I had volunteered my services as donation for this project, I went and picked up her quilt and backing. yeah! backing all made and plenty big to boot. :) I was happy to see they choose Warm Wishes as their pattern. She said any panto and any thread would be just fine. I used Popcorn from Willow Leaf Studios as I like the coverage it gives and a tan thread.

Here is the view on the long arm. I wanted to take a few pictures for the journal that will accompany this quilt on its journey and thought I would share them here as well.

Design Wall Monday

I finished the prep for the pattern we are going to be making at the FAB Retreat.

The Strip Twist pattern by G.E. Quilt Designs is the one chosen by LindaJ as she is our Sewing Activities Leader this retreat :) . She co-ordinated the Friendship Blocks and this quilt pattern.

Pattern jacket found at the Fat Quarter Shop.

Here are my 'parts'. I decided to use a Christmas poinsettia print as my center and the surrounds with white and red or/green.

Of course, who could resist sewing a few together to *see* how the blocks will look?!

Stash Busting Report Week #30

I won a Jelly Roll this week from QuilterJan and I had one finish!

My report:

Fabric added this week: 2.5 yards
Fabric added this year: 130 yards

Fabric used this week: -7.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -197 yards

Net fabric for the year: -67 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• quilt and bound Patriotic Strings
• pieced two Friendship Blocks (or parts :))

Goals for next week:

• continue working on summer projects

More FAB Friendship Blocks

I completed my next two Friendship Blocks, or should I say, 'parts of blocks'? LOL

On the left, Pam wanted each of us to make 2 'parts' using a Mary Engelbreit fabric. Pam will then join all the 'parts' together to make one block that she will frame and hang in her studio. Thanks to LindaJ for supplying the cutting instructions for Pam's block pieces.

On the right, is a house/cottage block for Norma. Norma's only request was that the house/cottage would somehow represent me. The roof fabric has different colored circles connected with lines that reminds me of the molecular drawing for water...geeky yes but remember, I am a science person first! and of course, green is Norma's neutral and I am a big fan of green too! Just one more thing that Norma and I have in common. :) I followed Nanette of Freda's Hive for her Cottage Tutorial for Norma's house block.

I hope the 'girls' like them. Only a few short days...like maybe 11 days...and I will be arriving in Portland for our very first FAB 'Everyone In Person' Retreat!

Patriotic Strings Quilt

The binding angels were smilin' on me last night as I was able to sew the binding back quickly!

I followed the Heartstring Quilt Project for the block guidelines.

I quilted it with the Stars and Loops panto from LEQuilters.

Happenings...

Wednesday was DH's Birthday so I baked a cake!

He wanted Devils Food with chocolate frosting, sprinkles and vanilla ice cream...yum, yum :)


I finally sewed the binding onto the samplers from my classes at the Quilt Center.

Sampler 1 was from the class in April 2008.











Sampler 2 was from the class in November 2008.











I also sewed the binding onto the Patriotic String Quilt today. Now onto the hand work.

Patriotic Strings Quilt

I started quilting the Patriotic Strings Quilt today. I wanted to try off setting the Stars and Loops panto from LEQuilters.



I followed the Heartstrings Quilt Project block guidelines, found here.

Fun Mail

I was lucky enough to win QuilterJan's Give Away last week! and this awesome jelly roll was the prize! It is from Moda Woodland Bloom by Lila Tueller and it is beautiful! I'll have to start researching exactly what pattern I want to make from this luscious line of fabric. :) Thanks QuilterJan! Her husband also carves wonderful pens from wood! Check out her blog here.

Stash Busting Report Week #29

I had a finish this week! woohoo!

My report:

Fabric added this week: 2 yards
Fabric added this year: 127.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -9 yards
Fabric used this year: -189.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: - 62 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• bound Patriotic Warm Wishes
• pieced string blocks to a flimsy

Goals for next week:

• quilt and bind String flimsy
• work on Friendship blocks

The summer days seem to be speeding away from me and I haven't made a dent in my summer 'to do' list! well---I guess summer is about a slower pace for everything, even in the sewing room! :)

Warm Wishes pattern here from Quiltmaker magazine. String blocks guidelines found here from the Heartstrings Quilt Project.

I volunteered to...

...demo coiled bowls at guild tonight! I figured I better find the supplies and refresh my memory since it's been awhile since I have made any. Just as I remembered, Bella (the Janome Gem) was having issues doing a zigzag stitch. I only paid $80.00 for her and she has had one check up worth $60.00. I'm seriously debating if I want to spend $$ on another check up or put the $$ into a newer lighter machine for class/traveling/DD.

In the meantime, out came Baby Brother from the cabinet and I will haul her to the guild for demo. She was doing her straight stitch and zigzag-ing on the wrapped clothesline very nicely this afternoon. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to *see* if it all works...lol.

I am following the directions from Susan Breier's book, 'It's a Wrap'. Book here although I used that superstore 40% off coupon (;)) and her website is here to catch up on her other works since she published her book.

WIP Wednesday

I decided to *float* the blocks again with a inner off white muslin border. I didn't have enough of any one blue for the outer border so I settled on two similar values of blue. I followed the Heartstring's method for making the blocks, found here.

Patriotic Warm Wishes

Patriotic Warm Wishes finished!

pattern here from Quiltmaker Magazine.

Stash Busting Report Week #28

No finishes this week but I did receive 6 fq's in the mail from my secret pal. :)

My report:

Fabric added this week: 1.5 yards
Fabric added this year: 125.5 yards

Fabric used this week: o yards
Fabric used this year: -180.75 yards

Net fabric for the year: -55.25 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced and quilted Patriotic Warm Wishes
• pieced 24 string blocks

Goals for next week:

• bind Warm Wishes
• piece string blocks to a flimsy

Saturday Sewing

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself alone for the day?

Sew, of course!

I finished piecing the Patriotic Warm Wishes quilt. Thanks for the suggestion of the small white inner border. I like how it makes the pieced portion appear to *float*.










I quilted it using the Stars and Loops panto from LEQ.










Members of the HeartStrings group (blog and website) were meeting in Nebraska today for a sew-in. I read about it on Lori's blog. So I decided to sew together a few string blocks.

I had cut the foundations and center strips last September, but never did get around to sewing it together. This is how my pile started.



This is after.

No wonder so many people love to make these string blocks! I chained pieced 6 blocks at a time and was done this afternoon. I just made a rough cut to even the edges out. The precision cut to 9.5 inches will wait until I can focus a little better. :)

WIP Thursday

I'm plugging along, sewing together my continents of the Patriotic Warm Wishes.














Yesterday I ran errands. One stop was the local paper where I was able to buy this 'roll end' for $5.00. It is newsprint paper without the newsprint ink. When the rolls are too low to print a run of the paper...they sell them. I have heard that this paper is good for foundation piecing but I am going to try and use it to create a custom pantograph. The receptionist told me that the usual use is for packing for a move.

A Tye Die Day

A few Christmases ago, my BIL gave me a Tye Die kit (similar to this one). Yesterday DD and I decided we would try it out and see how we did. I think we are in desperate need of more practice!

DD wanted a swirl. Here is hers right after she applied the dye. She then decided to twist it again.

Here it is after rinsing but still wet. Where did her swirl go?!









I wanted scrunchies on the top and stripes on the bottom. I realized too late that I should have reversed the colors! LOL Blue on the top, red on the stripes. Oh well, I think we need more practice. This is still wet.

Next I wanted to try a quilt back, still wet.
I wanted to use this with another Mermaid quilt but it might be too dark.



Maybe after I wash and dry it~it will lighten up?!

Design Wall Monday

Over the weekend, I started to piece a patriotic Warm Wishes. I am one rail short (lower right corner), must have miscalculated the number that I needed as I adjusted the pattern to *fit* the suggested QOV size. I'm thinking of using the red with white stars as the border. I wonder if a narrow white inner border would look nice?

Stash Busting Report Week #27

I had one finish but I also did some Internet shopping. This week was pretty even for me, fabric wise. I also received a package from Lori in SD (and NE!) which contained a fq and some noodles! Thanks Lori!

My report follows:

Fabric added this week: +7.5 yards
Fabric added this year: +124 yards

Fabric used this week: -8.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -180.75 yards

Net fabric for the year: -56.75 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced Corvette quilt to a flimsy
• pieced, quilted and bound Mermaid quilt

Goals for next week:

• continue with the summer projects

Happy 4th of July

To all my neighbors and friends in the US, have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Like Kitties?

Like kitties? Then head on over to Sewmeow's blog. She is hosting a Give Away since July is her birthday month and she is adding goodies every day for 18 days! Wowza!

Friday Finish

This little donation quilt was quite the stash buster! It used the last of both pinks (inner border and binding), purple and yellow. Follow this link for the pattern. I have enough mermaids and shells to make one more donation quilt similar to this one. I did the binding by machine...a fast finish but one technique I need to practice.

I'm thinking either Wrap Them in Love or Project Linus for this quilt. It measures 48 x 64.

WIP Thursday

I wanted to practice the stars and loops panto one more time before I put it away so I thought I would sew up a donation quilt. I was either going to make a QOV or a child's quilt.

Since I had the purple/yellow 4 patches made (they didn't make it into another project), this mermaid quilt top was quick and easy to assemble.

July 1st View

Today is cool and cloudy here at Bell Creek Quilts, more like fall than summer. Everything is very green and the flowers are blooming their course. I was happy to see that the pond has cattails and water lilies!



To my neighbors and friends to the North, Happy Canada Day!