Thursday, February 16, 2017

Sunny and Cold

We haven't had much sunshine lately, mostly gray skies.  So it is so good to see the sun and blue skies.

I've been fairly busy but I can't show everything.  I just finished the last of the blocks to be tested for Quiltmaker Magazine.  They are for the next issue of 100 Blocks.  I also tested 2 additional blocks for a different group.  So I made a total of 4 blocks this last weekend for a total of 15 blocks that I tested.

Now for what I can show you.


 I finished 4 more friendship blocks.  I now have 20 made and only 162 to go.  Good thing I'm in no rush.



Last night I finished Sally Post block #11.  I have block 12 prepped and ready to go.



I started working on Barbara Brackman's Yankee Diary.  Here is block 1.  I love how it turned out.  I love working on quilts that have both applique and piecing.


I also quilted another block on my Westering Women quilt.  Again slow and easy.


I was going through all my project boxes and came across a quilt designed by Lee Heinrich called Cross-Terrain.  I didn't realize that I had the entire quilt cut out, a few blocks sewn and just waiting for me to get around to finishing it.


Each blocks is made of 4 units.  The blocks will not be pieced with all 4 units made of the same fabric.  They will be made using 4 different fabrics.  I just layed this out so you can see what the block will look like. 


The blocks are made using a jelly roll.  I am using a Fig Tree Jelly Roll.  I am using muslin for the back ground.


I have pieced enough units to make 16 blocks.  And I need to make enough units to make an additional 20 blocks.

The pattern was first published at Moda Bakeshop in October 2011.  If you would like the free pattern it can be found here.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you have found some inspiration to finish up some UFOs.

Hugs, Cathy



Thursday, February 9, 2017

A Finish

It's small, but it's finished and it's hanging on the wall.

 

Here it is...Temecula's Little Box of Chocolate.  I first saw the quilt on Janet O's blog Rogue Quilter.  She has made 2.  I want to make a couple more for gifts.


Next up....more blocks.


I finished 8 more friendship blocks.  I now have 16.  However I'm not real happy with the bottom 2.  The floral print is what I am using for the final border for this quilt.  We'll see if they make it or not.

I made 2 more blocks for Pat Sloan's Solstice Challenge,


Block 6


Block 7

These are 12" blocks.  She just posted Block 8 and it's going to be 18".  This is going to be an interesting quilt.



And finally Sally Post Block #10.  I also have Blocks 11 and 12 prepped and ready for some evening applique.

Today when I was checking out blocks I follow I was excited to see that Barbara Brackman included a photo of my Westering Women on her blog.  I was so thrilled.  Today I am quilting another block.  When finished I am down to 10 blocks needing quilting.  Slow and steady gets the job done.

Thanks for stopping by.  

Hugs, Cathy

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

It 's Raining....

It's pouring....and my dog is snoring.  Really, she's snoring.  LOL

I've been getting some hand applique done.




This is Sally Post block 8.



And this is block 9.  I am working on block 10, it's almost done.  I have started prepping blocks 11 and 12 and I pulled out the pattern for block 3 for the Red and Green BOM.  Hopefully i can finish prepping them today.


So what did you think of the Super Bowl.  What an outcome.  I'm not a big fan of football but I did like the half-time show.  Love Lady Gaga.  Since I don't care for football I decided to start quilting my Westering Women quilt.

If you remember, I spent almost an entire day pin basting this quilt so I could machine quilt it.  Then I decided to hand quilt it using #12 Pearle cotton and doing a big stitch.




I usually thread baste a quilt I am going to hand quilt.  But I wasn't about to take all those pins out and then thread baste it.  It worked out pretty good with the pins.  My hoop worked pretty good.  So one block done and 11 to go.


Today is the 7th anniversary of my Dad's passing.  It was Super Bowl Sunday and his beloved Steelers were playing.  He didn't get to see the game.  I miss him so very much.  I spent the last four years of his life living with him in the upper peninsula.  I am so very happy to have spent that time with him.  Love you Dad.


Thanks for stopping by.  I hope your week is going well and that you get some time to be creative.

Hugs, Cathy

Thursday, February 2, 2017

A Little of This

And a little of that.  I've been working on a few different projects.


First up my Sally Post blocks.



This is block #7.  I am presently working on #8 and have blocks #9 and #10 prepped and ready to go.


If you remember I started working on the first block of FQ Shop's BOM.  I liked the block so much that I decided to make a quilt with just this block.  I think the block is called the Friendship block.  Well...that's what I am going to call it. I started making the blocks from a layer cake I had ordered from Connecting Threads.


I now have 8 blocks finished.  I decided to do negative and positive blocks.  I sat down at EQ7 and drew up the quilt I'd like to make.  It will be a large quilt and will have sashing with corner stones.  I purchased extra yardage for the sashing, borders and binding.  Then I started thinking that the layer cakes wouldn't be enough for the number of blocks I need to make.  I need to make 182 blocks.  So I went back to Connecting Threads to see if they still had some pre-cuts.   Yes they did.  So I ordered a FQ Bundle.  These blocks are only 5" so I'm sure that will be enough fabric.

I finished 2 of the blocks shown above this morning.


A while back I made up a bunch of small design boards.  They work out great for blocks 6" or smaller.  So after I sewed up the blocks this morning I prepped 4 more blocks.  This way when I get a few extra moments I have blocks cut and ready for sewing.

I went through my quilt tops (which are numerous) and pulled out 2 tops to get ready to pin baste.  I still have to quilt my Westering Women quilt top.  It is already basted.  My goal this year is to get as many tops finished this year as I can.

We have had such gloomy weather lately and snow.  But for the last 2 days the sun has come out and it is cold but beautiful.  The sun chases away the winter blahs.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great day.

Hugs, Cathy