Rose Star Finish It Up Friday

It's Friday again!  Another week in the can and some awesome sewing time for me!

I think I've spent more time sewing this week than I have for a long time.

Yay!

Crazy Mom Quilts is a blog I have followed ever since I even knew about blogs.  It's been so much fun to watch her as a quilter...learning new things, trying new things, teaching me all kinds of awesome tricks and tutorials.

She hosts Finish It Up Friday every week.  This is a great chance to share what I've been doing this week and to see what quilters from around the world are working on.

Over at Self Sewn there is this tutorial that has had me hooked all week long!

The Rose Star block is so much fun to make.  I've enjoyed picking out my five fabrics and then figuring out how to make them using machine piecing, instead of the EPP (English Paper Piecing) she uses.

Lots and lots of "Y" seams.  I have a whole row of them now with their white background to make the top two edges, but no pictures yet.  Once you figure out the outer, white edging, they go together easy-peasy!

This was the first block I made.  Jennifer Paganelli, Martha Negley and some prints that I don't know where they come from.

lol

Broke out my Flower Sugar to make Block 2.

Marth Negley's Mums, Kaffe Fassett polka dots, Sandi Henderson prints and some Patricia Bravo in this one.

This is one wild quilt, let me tell you!  But I'm loving it and can't wait to get the top finished for hubby sweet's and I's bed.  That will be a queen size top.  Little intimidating, but the blocks are so well worth it!

Wishing you a happy Friday and a weekend that is full of sunshine!

Rose Star Block Love

First off:

Dear Blogger,

Wassup?  I can't comment on posts, see comments from other people on my blog without finageling a bit, and get to other blogs using linkies.

Frustratingly yours,

Dee

Secondly, I should not be left alone to browse blogs while I'm on cold medicine.

Self Sewn has an EPP (English Paper Piecing) tutorial for a Rose Star on her blog that is just...well...amazing!  There's even a Flickr group full of beautiful blocks. 

I'm in trouble!

lol

After looking at other quilters EPPing their blocks, I decided, "Hey, I can do Y seams.  I've had lots of practice from my Jack's Chain WIP."

Hubby sweets asked me what I've been doing...um...um...um...starting a new block. 

I'm terrible at not finishing what I'm working on!

Bad Dee!  Bad Dee!

Out came my stash scraps of limes and greens, purples and aquas and light blues.

So, here is the Rose Star block with a fussy cut center and it's first row machine pieced.

I love this color combination, don't you?

Adding on a lime green and then a soft purple row.

Getting excited!

And here it is finished with the "kite" row added.

Holey Crap Batman, another new addiction!

Arrrrrgh!

I'm linking up with Megan this week for the first time.  You can find her and other linked blogs at Canoe Ridge Creations for Sew Modern Monday.  Oohh...lots of eye candy here for a blah Monday!

Fabric Tuesday over at Quilt Story is another fantastic way to connect with other quilters to share what you're working on and see the scrumptiousness they're working on.  After you look at today's blogs linked up, check out Quilt Story's Monday's post about a mermaid!

Amazing!

Finish It Up Friday Swoon Edition

This week saw a lot accomplished at the farm...lol

I sashed the green Swoon block

and

the orange one.

Whew!  That's a lot of piecing and cutting for sashing.  But "orange" you glad I did!

Here are the pink, blue and orange blocks together.

I started laying them out on the floor with the green one to get a sense of color placement too.

I'm very pleased with all the scrappiness going on here and I'm working on the sashing for the yellow and purple blocks.

Amandajean is hosting Finish It Up Friday and Sew & Tell This is my fourth linky party this week and I'm pooped!  Inspired, amazed and in awe of all the quiltey goodness going on out there.

Head on over and take a look!

Hope today treats you kindly!

WIP "Snapshot"

Lee at Freshly Pieced is hosting WIP Wednesday.

On Monday, she posted an awesome tutorial on her Ribbon Star Block.

WoW!

This is one I'm bookmarking and going to do.

Amazing!

Saturday I took a mental health day and did some random piecing.  I started and finished a new doggie dish mat for our dog, Lady.

Here's the finished dish mat and a woodcarving/burning I got for Christmas that looks just like her.

A week ago or so, I came across a blog where the quilter lamented not getting to "new" fabric to play with until it wasn't "new" anymore because she was working on "old" projects.  I understand that.  I just scored some awesome new scraps and fabrics and wanted to use them before I put them in the stash and they were no longer "new" to me.

So I started a new quilt project (mini? twin? queen? table quilt?) called "Snapshot".

~~an impression or view of something brief or transitory~~

This quilt is a snapshot, an impression and view of fabrics that I like.  Some because they are from popular designers or lines or because of something I'm drawn to in my life.

I think a quilter's stash says a lot about their personality, world view and outlook.

I wanted to capture where I am as a quilter right now.

I cut 3 x 3" squares from my stash of scraps that I love and from the "new" fabrics I bought while in Indy.

100 of them...

...and sewed them into strips of ten.

They are auditioning in what order my ten strips of ten squares should be put together.

Here they all are.  Playing so sweetly and nicely together.  I would like to find some gray, khaki or tannish solid to sash this with.

Thoughts?

I also got to sash another Swoon block.  This time I worked on the pink and was able to sew it to the blue one I sashed last week.

So happy I went ahead with the scrappy sashing.  The white on the pattern was just...well, a lot of white!

LOL

Finished:

Doggie dish mat

Sashing on pink Swoon block

One Snapshot block

Still working on:

Scrappy Swoon quilt

Buttercup Swoon quilt

Jack's Chain quilt

& a score of other projects lurking around the house somewhere!

Hope you head over to Lee's and check out what the other quiltey ladies are up to.  It never ceases to amaze me at the creativity you can find in one small slice of the web.

Today is a treat....enjoy!

Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story

...this week is all about instant gratification.  Microwave quick piecing, quilting and binding.  Pick it out, cut it out, piece it, sandwich it, quilt it and bind it in a just a few hours (while doing laundry, dishes and parenting).

This was such a nice break after working on large projects for a long time.

When Javi was a little boy, this was his placemat.  When he was done with it, I stashed it back because I hated to see it's usefulness be over.  When we got our dog, Lady, I thought it would be a neat thing to use for her dishmat (plus helping me see a reminder of my oldest's toddlerhood).

Needless to say, it's seen better days and I finally threw it away after having it for almost 19 years.

LOL

Yes, I've seen the show "Hoarders" and yes, we're working on it!

(love that owl scowl!)

I searched through my pink scraps to add with some black and white doggie fabric and prints.

The whole time I worked on this, I kept thinking, "What's black and white and pink all over?"  Lady!

She's a black and white Peagle (Pointer and Beagle mix) we adopted from her former owner.

She's my buddy.

Hubby sweets and the boys went with "Dad" (hubby's dad) to a woodworking show late last year.  Christmas morning, this was gifted to me by the men in my family.  This looks almost exactly like Lady.  I need to have it framed.  A man made this carving on softwood and it's just incredible!

By late morning I had a quilt sandwich and was ready for basting.  Have you ever tried curved basting pins?  Totally recommend them!

I just left my 1/4" foot on and sewed straight lines where I felt like sewing them.  Many of these scraps are gifts from my quilting sis. 

The finished dishmat ready for use.

I used to wonder about pet owners who would make mats, beds, quilts, etc for their pets.  I always thought to myself, "Boy, they have waaaaay too much time on their hands."

LOL

But now I get why some projects might be made.  This one was a simple, let your mind wander while your hands are sewing something small, fun, bright and able to be seen every day project.
For a very important part of the family!

Here she is already using the mat for her lunch.  I'm not sure how much she appreciates it, but I sure do love that doggie!

I'm linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.  I just cannot tell you how inspirational these stories are.  And fun.  And sometimes sad.  What an awesome idea for a blog!  Grab your beverage of choice this morning and head on over!

Hope today treats you kindly!

Sack o' Scraps

Right now, you might be questioning my sanity.  I know I'm questioning my resolve, self-control and self-discipline.

This is a large sack o' scraps.

This is a large sack o' scraps so tightly compacted, a vacuum has almost been created.

LOL

I went to a LQS Monday and for $12.95 you get to root through their scrap bin and take home as many scraps as can be fit in a baggie and still be closed.

Yes.  Those are reds in there too.

We're trying to get better acquainted.

Also found were these lovelies.  Same Kaffe Fassett and Patricia Bravo and I'm ashamed to say I didn't happen to catch the names of the other two.  I'm trying to bring gray into my color palette too.

"Have you seen the little piggies...?"

Picked these up for a splash of sunshine.

They are now playing nicely with some Lecien Flower Sugar and waiting for inspiration to hit.

Yummy!

Some yellow and gold to help me pretend it's sunny outside on a gray, wintry day.

Another LQS is new to me.  The French Seam apparently opened up about seven months ago and it's taken me all this time to find it?  The IMQG is having their January meeting there and I found out about the store from our blog.  Sweet!

While I was there, I spied their clearance basket.  Um...yeah.  These are all generous cuts with bitty, bitty prices.  I think the most I paid was for the bottom one.  Thank you.

Now...I just need to go buy more time.  Can you do that?  Kinda like carbon credits?  You know, time credits.  I'd like just an extra two hous, totally free, non crammed with everyone else's business but my own, sit and sew for longer than five minutes at a time, actually accomplish something...time.

I know it's out there somewhere.  Where does your time come from?  Do you squeeze it in between work and home, home and home, school and home?  Steal it while your children are napping?  Hubby already hit the hay?  Lunch break?  Weekends?

I just need more of it for me!

LOL

A book (I think the first of many, sorry honey hubs!) came Monday while I was out  shopping  making sure my child has life enriching experiences paging at the State House. I'm thinking a lot about colors. Color wheels. Combinations. Likes. Dislikes. Loves. You need a color scheme for fabric and I'm gathering ideas.

I'm sketching.  For the first time in a long time, I'm seriously sketching.

And I'm loving it!

And I have a partner in crime now.

Thank you for all the encouragement!  I'd like to be able to share as much of this experience with you.

I pulled these together a while ago and snapped them to remember the combinations that appealed to me. 

There's a lot of advice out there on choosing colors for your wardrobe, home, and quilts.

Lots to learn.

Here is a mosaic I've made of fabrics in a goldish/yellowish color from Hawthorne Threads.  They have a handy little little color grid you can use.  From their website: 

If you are looking for a particular color, this grid is an excellent way to narrow your search. Simply click on the color of your choice to see all of the prints from our shop featuring that shade.

You will then be able to further modify your your search by looking for prints that have a high or low dominance of that color, as well as whether they are very close or only somewhat close to your chosen hue.

This tool is particularly great when trying to mix and match different designers and collections by allowing you to explore different pairing possibilities. You'll be amazed with the different combinations that turn up and we hope you'll find some inspiration for your next project!

 

Erin McMorris, Patricia Bravo, Darlene Zimmerman, and Michael Miller all together for one project.  How fun would this be to play with!

Hope today treats you kindly!



Swoonaholic

WoW!

That's a mouthful, but I'm going ahead and posting on Amandajean's blog to get in my first "finish" for 2012.

I am a Swoonaholic.  Addicted, in love and probably overly obsessed with this block.  Dittoes for scraps and scrappy quilts.

Can't get enough of them.

I'm in the process of making scrappy, large Swoon blocks in pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues and purples and not quite liking a plain, white sashing between the blocks.

Sisters Jennifer and Jessica over at Twin Fibers have this awesome tutorial on a Sun Ray Quilt Block that can as scrappy as you like.  Which I do.

Thought that type of sashing would look great with the Swoon blocks.

This Swoon Blue is the first block I've gotten completely sashed.  The tutorial is super easy to follow and well written.  It just takes a little bit of time to get a strip of scraps long enough to frame this Big Boy.  The finished block is 24.5" square.

It was nice to have college boy home to help me with pictures too!  See him widdle finners!

Thanks Javi!

My personal assistant...ahem...informed me a package had arrived for me.

For me?

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

I just ordered this Tuesday and it's here already!

Long before I thought of getting my Ph.D in domesticity and all things parenting, I was an Art Education major.  I love color, light, shape, form, curves and art.  It's history, it's evolution and it's impact on the world we live in.

A resolution for 2012 is to get up off my tushy and take a stab at designing fabric.  This is the second step for me in ordering this book.  I haven't even opened it yet.  Saving it for a time for intense concentration.

Another package should be arriving any day that is part of the first step to realizing this goal.

Can't wait!

Please stop over at Crazy Mom Quilts and check out the other Finish It Up Friday posts and don't forget to swing by Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday and then there's  Lee's WIP at Freshly Pieced.  Maybe leave a comment or two, or three, or four or more!  lol  You never know what encouragement and inspiration you're leaving for another quilter--and what encouragement and inspiration you'll came away with!