A Finish for Q2

I am getting in just under the wire with this one.  I only have finished two quilts for Q2.  I had a long list that I was not too hopeful on getting them all done but I figure if I didn't have them on there I may not have found the knock it off the list mentality.  I am happy on what I did get done.

Easy Street was number 2 on my list.  How appropriate I finished number 1 and number 2 on my list!

I took a few pictures this morning of it completely done.  I finished up the binding on Sunday night.  I really wanted to scope out a cool place to take some photos with my DS#2 (he is a photo bug) but our schedules the last two nights just didn't mesh.  So here is what I did get.

 The front early this morning

The back 

 Close up of the long arm quilting

Here is a close up of the block.

Close up of the quilting.  I had this done at my LQS on the longarm.  Well worth it since I swear this quilt weighs about 10 lbs.




Quilt Stats:

Name:  Green Demon (my husband named it that since it was taking up time especially during the month of December
Pattern: Quiltville Mystery Quilt from November 2012
Started: November 2012 and Finished June 2013
Size:  101 x 101

Linking up to She Can Quilt for the Q2 Finish along. and also to Crazy Mom quilts Finish it Friday.

WIP - 2-20

Well as I was reading blog posts today it seems everyone is leaving for Quilt Con today!  How fun is that.  I love going places and places that involve sewing are even better.  A group of ladies from the MMQG are going and one had to drop out and stay home.  How I wish I had an endless supply of money for my hobby. Ok, I know this is all of our wish.  Oh well, I have some fun things coming up that I can look forward to.


Finished Projects-Summerville Quilt

If you haven't seen the post, it is here. Love it!

I made some progress on my hexie MF that I started last year!  I have all 77 centers done and lots of petals but I finished  7 full flowers!  I am loving them.  Now I just need to keep on them.

I have made progress quilting on my Moda Civil War Quilt.  I have the border to do which I just got the thread for and then the circle feathers. That is really my hang up.  I tried those once and was not happy with how they looked so I have been reading up and need a practice, then it has to get done.  I have set a deadline for March 5-complete.  I want to take it for show and tell and the quilt retreat I am attending.  So I can't let it sit.

I also put the last of the rows together on Easy Street.  I finished it last night at like 9 - still not loving it or seeing the design that everyone but mine has.  So it was really hard to get a photo and it was dark but I am seeing it today and really hope I can see it when I step away from it.  This quilt was on my FAL for Q! but I am pretty sure if I get the borders on it, it is not going to get completely done.  My husband doesn't understand if I don't like it why would I spend any more money or time on it.  Well, lots of times it comes together in that final stage.  So I think Easy Street and I need some time apart and we will revisit later!

Up coming projects

I was convinced to join the bee for MMQG and I volunteered to go early since I didn't want the stress of picking out something to be over my head for months.  Crazy I know but making a decision like that is too hard since there are too many choices.  I picked my block and confirmed my colors now I just need to organize that one up.  Can't wait!  I just hope it turns out as great in my head as in person.  The block is the Depression Block and here are the fabrics.  I just bought the white on blacks since I have now left in the stash and last year I did two rainbow swaps.  I just bought Kona white with a coupon.

I am also going to do the retreat quilt.  My plan is red, white and blue and make a donation quilt for QOV.  I want to donate several this year but have not even started one yet. So all the fabric from my stash, a weekend to work on it and I should be set.

Wow, that really was a productive week.  I have lots to get prepped for my sewing retreat and there is a small quilt show in town here so that is what I will be working on.

Happy Sewing.  Linking up WIP.

What a week

My travels for work were not fun.  My flights were delayed, then missed my connection, stuck overnight in Detroit.  It took me 27 hours to get from Milwaukee to Des Moines!  Then my flight home was canceled!  Really!  So I rented a car and drove home.  I was so happy that I got home the same day I left.  Hopefully, I will not needing to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Nice thing was I did get lots of sewing time over the weekend.  I had a sew day with the MMQG which is always fun.  So last month I worked on Easy Street and since I still needed to piece the 16 A blocks-that is what I worked on.  Somehow I miss counted and did not have enough green squares with me to finish the rows of the blocks.  I did get everything I could pieced together done.   Then I sewed again on Sunday and finished my blocks!  There are a lot of pieces in this baby!  This one is a big one and had to move a chair out of the way to get it laid out on the floor to get a look at it.  Now I need to start piecing those rows together.

I am not loving it as of yet.  I am hoping I do when it is all together.  My hubby took a look and he thought it looked good - his comment was bright.  While he is not a fan of bright, I love bright!  My youngest loved it as well.  May be I was just working on it too long.  I do think that the design of this one will be better served once it is all sewn together.  As my one quilty friend always reminds me "it won't be your last quilt."

I was also able to finish my Summerville quilt.  I am loving this one!  I was not able to get a photo yet so I will have to do that this week.  It was pouring here on Sunday!  Crazy Wisconsin weather.

I am linking up at Bold Goods for the Let's Get Acquainted Link up and WIP Wednesday Go check out what others are working on too.

Happy Sewing!

WIP Wednesday - 3

So here's the Wednesday update.  I have been trying to make an effort to get downstairs after dinner most nights to sew just a little.  Somenights it's hard after working all day but I know I will be happy with a little progress over no progress.

I have finally started quilting my Civil War sampler that is 2 plus years old and has been basted for at least 6  months.  I have started with the pieced blocks and am almost half way.  Maybe tonight I can get a few more done.  There are at least 24 of these and then the alternate snowball block. 



My plan in the alternate block is a feathered circle and my template is a little too big so I may need some practice on those as I think I will do them freehand.  I love doing feathers in the border fre hand so we'll see what happens when I get to that step.

I also finished putting the top together for the solids quilt.  I thought this pattern was very clever.  I am not one to venture completely out on my own to create a quilt so I am always amazed when someone creates one and puts it to paper.  I love the sewing part!  I used a charm pack of the new Kona colors and Kona white.


I found a fun print for the back in my stash not quite enough so I bought two solids to make it work and a binding. My stash tends to lean traditional and not too many big pieces for backing.  So my plan this year is to check the stash prior to buying.  I am really excited to quilt this one and may just finish this one up so I can say I finished something!  I really am an instant gratification kinda quilter! 

This weekend I had a sew day with the my local MMQG (Milwaukee Modern Quilt Group).  That group is a fun bunch!  So I took Easy Street with me and sewed for about 6 hours and did 8 blocks.  I didn't think that sounded like a lot but boy those had lots of pieces! Here they are all together. Now I have the 15 alternate blocks to do.  I did chain piece them so it felt like they went together faster and they are lining up really well considering how many seams there are in there.

When this is done it is going to read very green but I love lime green so that is good!  Looking at this on the wall I wish my teals would read more the same tone/color.  I am hoping once it is all laid out it will work. Now those dark ones are jumping out at me even though they are really not as dark as they look in the photo.

At the MMQG sew day and dinner we did a journal cover swap.  Here is the one I made:


I am planning on making more but I think I will line the next one. Wasn't super happy with how it fit.  It needed to be a tighter fight and I think the Kona's fray a little more so I would prefer not to see that.  I would like to make 5 more before my retreat in March for my roomies.  I love the one that I received as well and since I picked 2nd and people after me could steal. Not too much stealing going on.  I was happy!  I haven't taken a photo but it had the Oakshots in red. Love that too since I am probably not going to be buying that fabric in my near future.

I am committed to making 1 or 2 blocks of the scrap vomit a week so I made one more last week too. No picture I think I need to make a few more and then take a picture.

So hopefully my next week I will have at least one of these quilted and done!  Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.  Linking up:WIP Wednesday and Plum and June.  And also going to link up at Lily's Small Blog Meet to meet other small or newer blogs. 





 

Easy Street and SV Update

I have been working on Easy Street but am not anywhere near complete.  There are completed ones popping up all over and they are so pretty while lots of people went with the colors Bonnie picked others chose completely different ones.  It is so fun to see the same quilt done in a variety of colors. 

Over the holiday break I did get lots of sewing done so I caught up on all the steps but once I went back to work it is a little more difficult to stay caught up. But during the Packer game Saturday night I did all of the set in triangles.  I love that those are done first since normally this is when I would put the quilt aside not sure why, but I do.  I had set up the Ipad with the photo of the blocks to ensure no ripping - I had to rip only once on the triangles.

Then I made one block each of the design and yes same set up and yes had to rip once on each block.  It is easy to flip something. Quick fix and they were done.  I did not get any more done but was happy with what I did get done.  I need to make a few more blocks each week and hopefully have this done soon!  If you want to see more of what people are doing on this quilt, head over to the Link up on Quiltville.





I also did 2 blocks for the Scrap Vomit Quilt that I had cut out last year knowing I wanted to make one this year.  If you have not seen it check out I'm a Ginger Monkey, she has done 5 of them!  I love them all.  I love that you can use up all that fabric and then the black and colored squares just tie it together.  I have a lot of old fabric that I can't part with so I have to sew with it! 


 I did do a a couple of swaps to change up the scraps which was fun but I do love seeing some of the ones I have had forever.  The one with moon, I bought that in 1993-94 for my son and never made the quilt I had in mind.  I still remember what I wanted to do!  Then below the yellow with the cows is a quilt I made for my BF's 2nd baby in 1999.  Cows in very bright colors!  Wow!

It really did only take me about30 minutes to make each block.  I think I can commit to making some each week.




As for the Scrappy Trip going crazy everywhere.  I made that quilt last year.  It was fun and went together really quickly. I used lots of oldies and uglies. This quilt is a favorite of the family now too.  I have always wanted to do a second one with more planning but for now I have too many going and I have not succumbed to the pressure of the fun everyone is having with this.  Here is the scrappy trip link at Quiltville.


Linking up at Plum and June for the Let's get acquainted linky.
Easy Street Update-lots of great progress to look at.
Pippas Patch-Scrap Vomit update

I was having a problem last night getting my pictures uploaded from the computer so I went through flickr.  Not the best at trouble shooting issues like that but I figured something out! 
Can't wait to see what others have been up to and who has finished!  Thanks for stopping.

A list of WIP

I am committing to finishing some things and doing the finish along as well. As I was pulling things out of the cabinets I found a few other things as well but not sure that I even want to work on those so they will just stay where they are for now.  Here is the run down for 2013:

To be Quilted



This one is layered and ready to go.  I started this one in 2010 using all stash civil war fabric and spent 2011 practicing FMQ.  Hopefully, this turns out as I hope it does in my head.  I have a plan I just need to start it. 

This one is not layered yet and I need to get a back for it.  I don't think I have anything that will really work in my stash for it.  I started this one in September and should be good to get it done sooner than later.

Piecing

 Moda Bake shop pattern with all solids.  Used a Kona charm pack and I think it was the new colors and Kona White.  I just finished the blocks over the weekend.  This will be my first all solids project and I am pretty one of my boys will like this one.

1 Swoon block.- I really want to make this quilt.  I know it seems like everyone made one.  I have not committed to the whole quilt but just finish this block.  I bought the pattern and fabric while I was at a retreat and when they say you need to be careful cutting, they meant it.  I bought two fat quarters - love the lime green and grey.  I cut it wrong, of course, called the quilt shop and they sent me the one I messed up.  That was November!  Well I thought I would just put this one together, and oh yeah, cut the other fabric wrong too!  Really!  I cut it 5.5 instead of 6.5.  Now it is January and they were out of the fabric but the store owner checked her stash and had enough for me to finish and sent it to me for free!  Can you believe that?  She said just bring it in when I finish it!  So that was an easy request.  We'll see if I make a block two.

Easy Street from Quiltville's mystery quilt.  The last 2 steps were revealed and I love it! I am anxious to get some blocks together on this one.  I am caught up on all of the steps so it is now just assembling the blocks.


Cut and really want to start sewing:

The scrap vomit quilt!  I have lots of squares cut did a couple of swaps since my own fabric seems to get boring after a while and picked two different centers.  The pink looks more red in the picture (Kona Pomegranate) and then green (pea pod).  Really want to start this one!

I am hoping to stay on task and get a few things done early in the year since of course I have a few things on the list I don't want to start until something gets done.  And of course this doesn't include any of the cool things I will find along the way either.

Linking up at Freshly Pieced!  Have a good week and thanks for stopping.

It was a Very Merry Christmas

We had such a great couple of days.  Not too much running around, definitely a lot of cooking!  Here is a picture of just the four of us.  I have taken a picture of us in front of the tree with the auto shoot for years. And yes I am the one running into the photo so there were several takes to get one that looked okay. We were laughing through it.  

 

Christmas Eve morning my cousin called to say there had been a change in plans and if I wanted to see my grandma we could stop by there house in the afternoon!  Well, we had to hustle to make that happen but the boys kicked in and we were able to make that happen.  I was so happy!  I normally do not see my grandma at Christmas and this year I had made her a quilt so it was perfect to be able to deliver it in on Christmas to her.  However, my plan was to go to her house over the week break so the label still needed to be done and the wrapping! 

Here are my boys with their great-grandma! 

 

Here is the quilt I made her!  She loved it.  I quilted loopy-loops in it.  The close ups didn't really turn out.  I think better photos are needed for 2013!

 

So onto the update for Easy Street!  I have made lots of progress, not totally caught up but getting there.  I am going to sew yet tonight so I should get a little closer.  I still need to do 40 flying geese from step 2!

 

 

 There they are ready to go!

 

 

 

Here are all the pieces I have done in the project box.  I just have to do the 64 geese with the teal.  I really wanted to be totally caught up by today.  I should have some time yet tonight and then tomorrow. 

Tomorrow night is the DS #2's 16th birthday.  So a few errands and the family over for pizzas. This time we are doing carry out.  All I need to make is garlic bread. That I can handle!


Well thank you if you made it to the end of this post.  I am tired from just writing it!!  I am linking up at Easy Street at Quiltville making it just under the wire.  Can't wait till the next step revealed tomorrow! 

WIP and Easy Street

I have been able to do some sewing either I am not finding enough time or things just really seem to take longer than I think they should.  I have always been know by my quilting friends as a speedy sewer but doesn't seem to be working that way lately.  I know that when things become a little too crazy at home or at work sewing always puts me in a better mood.  So on the WIP's....

Progress 

Easy Street, I have finished step 3!  I had all of those cut so watched a sappy Hallmark Christmas movie and finished them all.  I am still working on those fly geese.  I was trying to figure out which method to use but since I had some 2 inch strips cut I am using the Easy Angle.  They are turning out pretty well I just need to sew more of them to get caught up on step 2 and step 4. 

The shaded 4 patch

Here are the pieces in one place.

Completed Projects
Since I had holiday sewing to do and I started Easy Street none of the other projects have gotten much attention but that is ok since I did get the 3 pillows done for three co-workers.  I am very pleased with how they turned out.  Not so thrilled with the pictures since it was very gray all weekend with no sun and it is dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I get home. So a few pictures snapped in the sewing room is all I got!  Here are the three all together.  I really like them.  I gave them to their new owners and each of them loved them.  I had the fabrics nailed for each of them.  A couple close ups as well:

This one was my favorite.  I love that olive green and turquoise together with a touch of red.

I had been saving these fabrics for something special but decided it was time to use it up since I am sure there will be new Christmas fabric to buy next year! 

Now I just need buy a few more gifts and wrap them all!  All the baking and chocolates are done which is a big relief.  A snow storm is headed this way tomorrow so hopefully I can stay in and get those gifts wrapped and sneak in some sewing! 

 Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to WIP at Freshly Pieced and Plum and June, Let's Get Acquainted, and Easy Street at Quiltville!





Easy Street Step 3 Plus Christmas

So this week I am doing a little better on Easy Street I have all the pieces cut. That will make it easy to do some piecing this week. Last week I only have 10 of the fly geese done and I don't have them all cut since I can't decide which method I want to use. It was much easier when I did RRCB and all of my fabric was cut into the strips, this time I used fabric from stash so I needed to cut it all. I watched a couple of movies while I was working away. Here is everything stacked and ready to go! 

I am excited to cut into these fabrics since I just love the colors.  I have a few projects to finish for gifts and then I will be able to devote my time to Easy Street.  Just saw someone post an alternative way to make these blocks.  Really wish I would have seen this Shaded 4 Patch way before I cut everything!  Oh well hopefully it will be happy stitching with those bias edges.

After I finished cutting these I wanted to get the tops for three holiday pillows done for gifts.  I have three employees that I really like making something for each year and I thought a holiday pillow would be fun. 

These two are pieced together and ready for quilting.  The pattern came from Stitchery Dickory Dock and thought it would be fun and most importantly fast and easy!  I had a charm pack of Fruit Cake from Fig Tree.  I had a lot of this line that I keep thinking I will make a Christmas quilt. I think I might still have enough.  I just divided them into two color groups. 

I still need to sew this one together.  This one is an old Moda line I had by Sandy Gervais.  It is called Cold Winter Noses.  One of the ladies is pretty traditional so I thought this would be something she would like.  Since none of them sew at all they really do like whatever I come up with.  I like that part! 

Goals this week:

Finish the pillows

Step 3 of Easy Street

Monday. there was no sewing since my friend and I made homemade chocolates/candies all day!  We make lots of kinds and give them as gifts as well.  Then to top it off a holiday party at night.  I really need to kick this cold I have been hanging onto as well. 

Have a good week and thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to Quiltville and Plum and June

Easy Street Update

I have gotten a little sewing in while doing some shopping, decorations, and cooking. Bonnie's first clue was out on Friday and I was glad it was not too difficult to finish. She has said this is not as piecey as previous quilts but we will have to see.   Just had to make 192 4 patches.  That seems simple enough and it was but always takes a little more time than I think, but they are done.  Yeah, step one complete.  I love grey and used up a bunch of strips from previous projects plus some white, black and grey prints I collected over the last year.  Here is the post with the colors I picked.  I have replaced the purple with orange and am super excited to see how this one turns out.  I love all the colors and fabrics!

Now on to gifts for Christmas.  First up is a sewing machine cover for a quilty friend.  She has a serious love of batiks so I picked a few out and then took the zig zag quilt from Crazy Mom Quilts blog to start on that.  I just down sized it to 1.5 inches by 2.5 inches.  I was able to measure her machine on our sewing weekend. So here is hoping it turns out like I think it will in my head.  I really wanted a bright zig zag.  So far so good!

Next will be 3 holiday pillows.  I am just taking one task at a time and hopefully will keep checking things off the list with out getting too overwhelmed. 

I did get the quilt for my grandma done but totally forgot to take pictures of it this weekend so I need to do that this week yet too. 

Linking up to Quiltville and Plum and June !