QOV

A Signature Squares QOV quilt, pieced by Sharon, Robyn and Dawn of the Oconomowoc Quilt guild. It is a very interesting set with some Signature Squares set on point in the center section alternating with rail fence blocks. Also, one of the borders is made up of the Signature Squares then a piano key border.

Well Done Ladies!

I quilted it with Popcorn from Willow Leaf Studios. This quilt has a lot of fabric with stars in it and the backing is also stars so I thought the 'Popcorn' would give a nice texture without taking away from the WOW of the quilt, itself.

The Start of Something New

I started cutting the strips for my Bento Box quilt.

While I was cutting, I also re-loaded the 2.5 inch squares of red/blue.
Bonnie of Quiltville has been an advocate of the Lenders/Enders lifestyle for a spell so I thought I would give it a try. I was lucky to be able to take classes and attend lectures with Bonnie in November 2008. I'm just a little tardy jumping on the 'Lenders and Enders' Bandwagon! :)

Stash Report Week #13

A mixed week last week. I added some fabric and use some fabric. My report follows:

Fabric added this week: +4.5 yards
Fabric added this year: +61.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -3 yards
Fabric used this year: -111.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -50 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• made spring and summer purse
• made 2 wonder wallets
• pieced the cupcake apron
• pieced a spring pillowcase

Goals for next week:

• piece and quilt a Bento Box

A short week is planned in the sewing room as DD's Spring Break starts on Friday April 2nd and we fly out on Tuesday April 6th to visit our Dallas friends! woohoo! DFW! my ultimate favorite destination to shop for fabric :)

I stopped at JAF yesterday to look for a M'Liss Rae Hawley book~I'm looking for her Portuguese Tile pattern~ and 1/2 yard cuts of reds and blues followed me home. This can only mean one thing...more QOV's in the works.

More ME Sewing!

My spring pillowcase using Apple Blossoms from Northcott~a few years back, I believe.

A Four Corner's Apron from Vanilla House Designs. I found this cute cupcake fabric in the closet but onlu 22 inches of it. I'm not sure I'm grooving to the polka dot ties~but time will tell if I change it out for the yellow for a more cohesive look.

A Little Sewing for Me!

I decided to make my Spring purse from the book, 'Simple and Sensational Purses from Placemats by Ricki Bremer'. I also made a couple of Wonder Wallets~a little worried that the yellow will show dirt but if they do~I'll make more in a darker color. lol.

Since the book was out, the walking foot was on Baby and all the fabric for the 'Fish' purse was out~I decided to go ahead and make that one for summer. I'm going to look for a better way to close it though. The 'Pansy' purse placemat is a little bigger and more flimsy~so I'm not real happy on how it closes. Will need to give it some thought on a better closing system...I'm debating on trying to put a zipper in...gasp!

Stash Report Week #12

I had four finishes~ woohoo!~ two baby quilts, one lap quilt and one QOV. Although my number is big this week...I only count fabric out once the quilt has been bound. I started 'Tent Flaps' aka 'Freedom's Breeze' three weeks ago. :)

My report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: +57 yards

Fabric used this week: -32 yards
Fabric used this year: -108.5 yards

Net Fabric for the year: -51.5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• bound 'Freedom's Breeze'
• bound Baby Mermaid
• bound Baby Cars
• pieced, quilted and bound Friendship

Goals for next week:

• select fast projects from the Spring 2010 *To Sew* List

Spring 2010 *To Sew* List

There are a few carry-overs from Winter 2010 and a few new items to sew. Some are easy and fast, others will take longer to finish. In no particular order~here is my list~

Spring 2010 *To Sew* List

• messenger bag
• DS's MSU
• rainy day wall
• cancer recovery totes and comfort pillows
• spring purse
• summer purse
• 2 wonder wallets
• DD's poodle
• Ben Franklin Challenge
• Lake Country Ugly Fabric Challenge
• flower pillowcase~family room
• rwb Bento Box
• glad Grad
• piano
• baby Lego League
• apron

ummm...that ought to keep me busy~hopefully I won't find myself on any sewing tangents this quarter! :)

Spring is Here!

Mother Nature had a bit of a hiccup overnight and gave us here at Bell Creek Quilts just a little taste of snow and cold for Spring!

I only accomplished 5 items on my Winter Projects list out of 11 but I did sew off in a few tangents over the course of the Winter. So, all in all, not too bad of an outcome. I'm happy with the time and projects I did complete this quarter. :)

I'll be back with a Spring Project list~when I prioritize and change (!) what projects I need to focus on.

In the meantime, Happy Spring and Happy National Quilting Day! :)

ps. Miss Daisy left her tennis ball on the deck so now it is a *frozen snow ball*...lol...

West Suburban Quilt Show 2010

On Friday I took the day off (from the house!) and went to The West Suburban Quilt Guild Show. The guild had over 300 member quilts on display. While this is not a judged show, the quilts were stunning and inspirational. The only prize given will be Viewer's Choice at the end of the show.

First:

This is what I came home with...the Fire Escape Pattern from Terry Atkinson~I just love her patterns! and a felted coffee cup pincushion. I did attend a lecture on Nellie's Birds that was really interesting to me. When seen in person~it looks so easy to create and very cute, too!

Second:

The eye candy...sorry I didn't get names to credit each quilt maker. This is only a sampling of the quilts and I tend to be drawn to patterns that I feel will work with the r/w/b color scheme of Quilts of Valor. :)

Final Finish of the Week

I finished the binding on Tent Flaps, a pattern by Pat Sloan.

I was thinking about naming it 'Summer's Breeze' as suggested by apat2 in an earlier comment but I am thinking maybe 'Freedom's Breeze'. I don't normally 'name' quilts but this one just seems to 'want a name' :)

I quilted it with Ebb and Flow from Willow Leaf Studio.

I love the texture this big, flowing pantograph gives. I can almost hear the waves gently washing ashore....ummm....must be spring fever!

Two More Finishes

I finished the binding on both baby quilts today!

First: The Mermaid.

I quilted it with the Ebb and Flow panto from Willow Leaf Studio.

Second: The Race Cars.

I quilted it with the Happy Times panto from Willow Leaf Studio.


Sunny and 66 F today at Bell Creek Quilts allowed for picture taking outside~please excuse the shadows! :) Just a little taste of spring as we have snow in the forecast this weekend! At least the snow won't be hanging around long this time of year!


One more binding to sew back and then I will be all caught up. Time then for a new project to start! :)

WIP Wednesday

I finished the binding on my friend's quilt this morning and at lunchtime, I delivered it.

She was very surprised by my visit and delighted with the quilt. You see, my friend is DS's ex-girlfriend and she is very sick. She was so very excited that I made her a quilt because she feels that the blanket in the hospital is just too warm and the sheet alone is too cold and,of course, quilts are just right!

I'm glad that I made this quilt for her. It is a little splash of color in her otherwise drab hospital room.


I quilted it with Happy Times panto from Willow Leaf Studio.

I pray that there will be Happier Times for her when she recovers.

Quilt pattern: Just Can't Cut It by All Washed Up

Design Wall Monday

I started piecing the quilt for my friend in the hospital. The colors are bright and cheery~more spring time colors!

The alternate block is wait/kitchen staff as she is a wait-person and part time chef.

I'm using the pattern 'Just Can't Cut It' by All Washed Up.

pattern jacket picture from The Fat Quarter Shop.

Stash Report Week #11

I didn't accomplish my one goal this week as I was off on a *sewing tangent*. You see, my niece, who I haven't spoken to in about 20 years, sent me a birth announcement for her second child. Can you see the *tangent* I followed?! yes! I am in the process of making two quilts~one for the baby and one for the older brother. I also found out that a friend of mine is in the hospital~she is expected to be hospitalized for three weeks. So I was thinking about visiting and taking flowers or a plant then I thought, why not a quilt? and another *tangent*! :) I added backing fabric this week for my friend's yet to be pieced quilt.

Here is my report:

Fabric added this week: +4 yards
Fabric added this year: +57 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: - 76.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -19.5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced and quilted Mermaid Baby
• pieced and quilted Cars for Big Brother

Goals for next week:

• bind Tent Flaps, pattern by Pat Sloan
• bind Mermaid Baby
• bind Cars for Big Brother
• piece, quilt and bind hospital Friendship

I only have another week then Spring will be here. Looks like I will have a few carry-over projects from my Winter list...I guess that is only fitting when one experiences *sewing tangents*!

pass the IBF, please~for all that binding work! :)

WIP Wednesday

I did a few different things today for WIP Wednesday.

1. I went and had my annual mammogram except I was about 4 months late. The procedure was relatively painless and took about 30 minutes~total time commitment. I'm talking register, change my clothes, have the x-rays, the x-rays read, change back into my street clothes and in the minivan heading back home! I wonder *why* I put it off for so long!? If it is time for your mammogram~just do it!

2. I machined sewed the binding onto the great-niece quilt. I quilted it with Ebb and Flow from Willow Leaf Studio. Now the hand work and labeling remains.

3. I also pieced a quilt for the great-nephew. This car print has been hanging around the sewing room for a long time~another *dinosaur* :) This is leftover from our days as intense Nascar fans...now we are just lukewarm on the sport. Funny how the interests seem to ebb and flow! :)


Well, I couldn't give a quilt to the baby and not one to the older brother, right?!

Design Wall Monday

A little family background will help explained this blog post...I hope.

My second brother has been estranged from his two eldest daughters (from a first marriage) for about 20 years. Last year, my SIL (who is married to my first brother) contacted the elder niece and started communications via email, snail mail and now, Facebook. Fast forward to the end of January 2010. My Mom has been talking about said older Niece and her son (sorry~don't know how old he is) and the fact that she was about to have another baby. I should tell you here, that is was my Mom who convinced me to join Facebook so that I could *see* any family pictures that are posted. In any event, I *knew* Niece #1 had her baby in the beginning of February 2010. (DS insists that I am a FB stalker and just plain creepy). I still haven't spoken to Niece #1 but imagine my surprise when a birth announcement arrived in my snail mail!

So what would you do?! Make a quilt for the newest baby!

One of my goals this year is to clear out *dinosaur projects*. Which I haven't even dug out any, yet. While officially this isn't a *dinosaur project*, almost all of the fabric has been hanging around the sewing room longer than I can remember. Only the yellow is a recent addition. I need to finishing piecing the outer partial checkerboard border and it will be ready to quilt.


Hop on over to JudyL's Patchwork Times to *see* what other bloggers have on their Design Wall Monday. :)

ps Niece #2 is still missing. I thought I had found her on FB before the Holidays but that person seems to have deleted herself from FB.

Stash Report Week #10

No finishes this week and I did buy. My favorite box store has started to clearance out their fabric. I was only going to buy a map panel and backing to re-create a quilt for DD, honest!

Fabric added this week: +14 yards
Fabric added this year: +53 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: -76.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -23.5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced and quilted Tent Flaps, a pattern by Pat Sloan

Goals for next week:

• bind Tent Flaps
• work on another project~not sure which one yet :)

Here is a picture of the 14 yards that followed me home. I'd like to say that I have a plan for it all~but I don't. :)

Blocks for Matt

Pam at Mama Spark's World is collecting red and blue string blocks to be made into a quit for a young man, named Matt. He was recently wounded in Iraq and has been hospitalized since his accident.

I made these four blocks this morning then put them in the post for Pam. Hopefully, she will get them by Monday. Hop on over to her blog and scroll down a bit to read about Matt and his brave recovery.

WIP Thursday?!

I finished piecing my 'Tent Flaps' pattern by Pat Sloan, found here. I loaded it onto the frame and seamed the backing also yesterday.



I was thinking about naming it, 'Sea and Sand' as it reminds me of the beach or maybe 'Beachcomber's Delight'. It certainly has a calming effect on me.

Any other ideas on a name?!

I started the quilting today. I'm using Ebb and Flow by Willow Leaf Studio.








I'm about to the halfway point. Hopefully, I will be able to get back to it today but there is this one little matter of about 150 girl scout cookie boxes that need to be delivered!

oh my!

Design Wall Monday

I finished piecing my 'Tent Flaps' blocks. A pattern by Pat Sloan found here.

I decided to make more blocks for a rectangular quilt. Next I will need to re-arrange so that like fabrics are distributed more evenly in the quilt.