Festival of Strings

Back in December I quilted my first string project (that was FULLY made with fabric I had on hand).  Here is the post, but I am adding the pictures here again.

It's the string X pattern that I found on Quiltville, Bonnie Hunters website.

I love how it turned out! I didn't get as much of a pattern as I would have liked with the backgrounds, but I was proud of myself for not buying anything.  I used whatever I had.

I had fun playing with the long arm on this project. One of my favorite spots was here where I "drew" straight lines.  I did waves in all the X's.

Here I made a flower

And you can see the waves here.

I am still getting to use to the long arm, and I forgot that even if the backing is the same size is the front, it won't fit with on the long arm because of needing extra to attach it.  So I had a border I had to finish up myself.

I have been saving bindings from projects I have been making for years now, I attach them to each other once the project is done, and that was the perfect binding for this

Now I know my original post was in December, but I didn't get this bad boy bound until February of this year.  And then I was really bad and I never took pictures of it finished! but I shipped it off to a friend.  But she did take some pictures for me:

I am entering Stitched in Color's Festival of Strings 

I am linking up to let's get acquainted.

200th post

Today is my 200th post!! I am so excited!! I can't believe I have written that much! It's been 3 years since I started this blog.  Most of my posts have been in the past year.  I have recently decided that I don't care if anyone else reads this, I love going back through and seeing all that I have accomplished this year.

I decided a while ago that for my 200th post I wanted to have a giveaway.  I have been saving selvages, and I know that there are people that have used them for projects, but it has never been something that interested me.  I thought they would be a good give away item :)

Here they are! (This is not all of them!) If you would like a chance to win, please leave me a comment by Next Wednesday June 5th, telling me what you want to make with selvages!

Block swap - April

I was SO bad with my April block swaps, I feel really bad, but the ladies I talked to were more than understanding!

My first partner was Lynette at What a Hoot.  She asked for the block a mothers dream.

Here is the block I sent her.  Finding enough fabrics that looked like thanksgiving was tough!

Here is the kitty she sent me.

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And my second partner was Carol.  She didn't have a block request, just that it was to be purple.  I found these fabrics, I thought they would go together nicely.

And they were ok. I am not sure how much I love them.  I am not sure there is enough contrast.

And here is the lovely kitty she sent me!!

Pillows

I found a panel of fabric that I thought would make lovely pillows.  So I long armed the fabric, just practicing. 

I have finished two of them. 

And a close up of the stitching

Pebbles and lines. My pebbles need lots of practice. 

Trying to do waves. Hard in the small space. 

Yearly goals

Wow! It's May 13th! I'm not sure where the time went!  I know I was sick toward the beginning of the month. But how is the month half way over? These were my original goals, you can also use the tag goals 2013.

1. 51 posts for the year.  49 to go.  I believe this is my 198th post, and I am going to have a giveaway for my 200th post, so stay tuned!!

2. I have finished 2 quilts this year!! (Kitties quilt & my quilt for my FIL) woohoo!! I haven't been in my sewing room lately, but I do have some Christmas presents that I am working on.  So that's five.  So I think I am good!!

3. So far I have my string quilt, and once I get it started my Lorax quilt.

I had also posted about my goals for April

* I didn't even start my Lorax quilt.  Well I guess that's a lie, I started some test blocks (I don't want to cut into that lovely fabric and mess something up).

* I didn't bind my long arm projects from last year :(

* I have thought about the stockings.  Does that count :p

* And I did finish two quilts (Kitties quilt & my quilt for my FIL)

I am not going to make goals for May, because I know I won't get them finished.  I am not sure when/if I will have time to sew, I am busy this weekend, and I am not sure what we are doing for memorial day.

Apology and travel stash winner!

I am VERY sorry I did not post the winner to the traveling stash on Monday (or the rest of this week).  I went out of town, and knew I was coming back on Monday and thought I would have plenty of time to post, which I would have, if I would not have gotten sick!  Today has been the first day I finally feel human again (and can breathe through my nose!).

So without further ado, the winner of the traveling (leap year stash) is :

Handmade by Rebeckah!!!!

Congratulations!

School has gotten busy and I haven't been able to sew.  But I did get some sewing time in tonight, so expect some posts in the coming week with progress on projects!