Design wall

One of the things I was so excited about Saturday was their HUGE design wall! I wish I had room in my house for one!! Course I loved that I could see it straight from where I was sitting, so I could put something up and just look at it!

I am linking up with design wall Monday.

I started these in the spring. I loved doing scrappy but in color.  I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to may it out, I had thought about a design like this, but wasn't sure how it would work, and now that I see it laid out I LOVE IT!! And I cannot wait to get it finished! As you can see I have a few more blocks to finish up, but this lets me see them laid out to know how many more I need :)

Sewing day

I'm part of an online quilting group. For quilters in the state of Indiana. Since I didn't have plans today I decided I would join them for their sewing day. 

This is the room we are in. Look at that HUGE design wall!!!

They also have three long arm machines!!!!

I'm so excited! I just hope I brought enough to work on!

Fiskars

I started sewing when I was in high school, I decided in my sewing class I was going to make a quilt.  I used scissors and the fold lines of a pack of fat quarters (I think) to make my squares.  Well I was talking to another teacher (not mine) and she taught me about using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat.

I frequented Jo-Ann's in high school (I received a student discount, and it was near my high school job!)  And since they had sales so often, I was able to pick this up:

It looked almost exactly like this!! grey rotary cutter, orange ruler and grey mat.  (I still have all of it!) But after a few years my cutter got a "cut" in the screw that held the blade in place.  It had been a few years, so I bought another one.  A pretty pink one.

When I worked at Jo-Ann's someone had returned a double sided mat because a corner was bent, and since that was bent it went on clearance, so with my discount I paid about $3 for my second mat! I was happy about that bargain!

A few years ago I noticed my cuts weren't as straight as they had been in the past.I realized that I had been slowly scraping the ruler with my cutter.  So I had to buy a new one, I really wanted a new fiskars one, I like the orange, where all the little lines are and such.  But they only had 6.5" rulers.  And I don't deal well with change.  So I bought an Omni ruler.  I didn't keep it.  It had TOO many lines on it, I couldn't see ANYTHING.  So I returned it, and bought a Olfa ruler.  It's been quite nice.

Now the cutter, I had mentioned I bought a pretty pink one, well I was shopping with my MIL after Thanksgiving at Jo-Ann's and she asked if I wanted anything, Fiskars was 50% off, so I said I wouldn't mind another rotary cutter, just so I had one.  So she bought me another pink one, just a brighter pink.

I don't know how long I have had that one, but I was cutting the other night (with a new blade) and it was missing spots.  So I took it apart and looked.  The little screw that held in the blade had ANOTHER cut in it (where the blade meets it).  I was SO frustrated, I had a lot of stuff I wanted to cut out, but I couldn't due to this!

I ran to Jo-Ann's to see if they were having a sale on Fiskars (never buy ANYTHING full price at Jo-Ann's they ALWAYS have sales or coupons.).  They were 40% off.  They had some colors that I was not too impressed with, but it's something I need for my quilting.  As I was looking at the package I saw their phone number.  So I decided to give them a call.

After waiting a few minutes on hold I got a human.  I explained the problem I have been having with the bolt, and she told me that she would send me some.  FOR FREE!!!! She asked for my address and said they would be on their way!

I am so excited to have my rotary cutter back! I have had so many things I have wanted to cut up, but I have been unable to since my rotary cutter was being difficult.

August Block swap

Sandi was my block partner for August.  I made her a block right when the partners were mailed out.  I made this cute kitty for her.

Well it came time for the September swap and I hadn't heard from Sandi. I asked her if she had received it, and she said no :( so I am making her a second block.  I hope the first kitty gets there!

But here is the second kitty she got!

And since I was on a roll making kitties, I decided to whip one up for myself!  Here is the pattern I used, it's quite easy.

It's not in my colors for the swap, but I wanted to try one "backwards", ie facing the other way.

And here is the block she sent to me:

Heart block

Here is another heart block.  I actually found this one online of someone that had done a block swap.  I like how simple it is.  I plan on making a blue one also.  I just haven't had much time to sew with school starting up!

Bow ties!

I was going through my blog and I noticed I haven't updated about my bow ties in a while.  I am constantly working on them, as my leaders and enders.  I actually quite enjoy it, because I cut up little squares of fabric I have recently worked on.

Here are some of them laid out.  It's hard to show you an update because I am still just making the mini bow tie blocks.  But I have quite a few of them so far.  The last time I did an ironing session for them I put them in groups of 10.

And I currently have approximately 130!!! Although I think Bonnie Hunter mentioned on her post she had about 700 bow ties, granted I don't know how big her quilt is, but I have a ways to go!

Sister swap received!!!

Today I received my sister swap box!

I received it from Tiffany.  It's some blue & orange fabrics for my hearts quilt.  Then a small heart pin cushion.  And some of her favorite thread.

Sister swap sent!

I took part of the it's a sister thing swap this summer.  I have two sisters, and I really love having sisters.  We are all quite crafty (thanks to my mom) but I am the only one that quilts.  So I was excited to be able to meet other quilters!

My "sister" to send to was Rachell. I've been stalking her blog, trying to decide what to send her.  I kind of wish that I could have waited two more weeks to send it, because she is pregnant and will be finding out the sex of the baby then! So without further ado, here is what I sent her (I know I stole her pictures, I forgot to take pictures!)

Since she has little ones I thought a baby friendly ornament would be nice to have.

I also included some fabric, some girly and some for a boy.

This is a Looney Toons apron.  

And lastly a small baby quilt.  Something that I think is kind of gender neutral.

I had fun with this swap! Thank you Michele for putting this together!

Scraptacular!!!

 

So this was what I decided to do with my left overs from the Jacobs ladder quilt.  I have also been cutting quite a bit more.  I think the only "issue" I am having is that I now have a box full of 4 7/8" squares.  So I have started cutting them 5" so that I can use them in other projects. 

I love how this quilt looks so far!! Most of the time when I lay out my scrappy quilts I don't fall in love with them as much, but bam! I sure do love this one! 

I am linking up to design wall Monday

Pieces of a quilt -

I was browsing Fons & Porter magazine September/October 2012 and I found a quilt that I quite liked, called Rootbeer & Bubblegum.  (here is a link). I loved the pattern, even though I just made a triple irish chain (here).  But this one is a little different, it has a design in the middle.  I was not too fond of the pink & brown.  But I thought brown & green would look nice.

Now pieces of this quilt have already been shown!  I showed how to make the three color hourglass blocks here.

I know I used differently measurements for the block, so I had a lot of math to do!  I chose to use 2.5" blocks so that I didn't have to cut AS many, and I could put them with my 2.5" square bin when I was done.  I didn't strip piece this, because I was going for scrappy.

I have a few pieces done now, and cannot wait to get a top done!

Goals Check in

Oops!! I didn't post this for July or August!! Boy was I busier than I thought I would be this summer!

1. Post in my blog 100 times.  I am at about 80.  So as long as I don't drop off the face of this earth, then I should get there :)

2. Finish 7 quilts (that aren't UFOs) I have the kitty quilt and the quilt for my father in law. So 2.  But I am currently working on about 5 :p I do have the black & white log cabin top done.   So 4 more flimsies to make before I can have a total of 7.

3. I have started my string quilt, I would count the heart blocks as a new pattern, and another project I haven't shared yet! (which uses parts of what I have done before and part of what I haven't.)

I think I picked good goals :) I am reaching them all, albeit slowly, but I will get there.

One thing I would really like to do by the end of the year is finish my husband's tee-shirt quilt.

Heart blocks

I think this might be my favorite of the heart blocks so far! And it is not even a heart :)  I found this block here.  I decided to do it a little different, I added a sashing between all the blocks, and I think I will be adding a sashing to the outside.  I might do it a little wonky (like the right wider than the left) but nothing is set in stone yet.)

I am linking up to freshly pieced WIP Wednesday.