I Felt Burned Out...

I felt like I lost my focus.  So I took it easy for a day and no sewing.  I read and read and watched movies.   It wasn't much time away from sewing but it helped.

I guess I spent so much time with the block with Y seams that I felt frustrated and unproductive.  So I put the block up.  I haven't given up, but I need to work on other things.  I will definitely get back to it and you will see the most stunning block.  Until then.....

I finished my Floribunda Quilt Top.

I kept the red block because I feel the focus of the quilt is on the yellows and golds.  I rearranged the blocks and started the design in the upper left corner.  It is different...still not sure how I feel about this quilt...but the top is finished and it will be a picnic quilt when all is said and done.


DH and I went to JoAnn's today.  I was looking for some backing fabric for this quilt.  I fell in love this fabric.

For some reason I have been choosing large florals for backings.  This was a little more than I usually pay. Regular price $9.99 a yard.  I had a coupon but couldn't use it as this was on sale.  I ended up paying $6.99.  Now I need to wash it and get this quilt finished.


I also finished the quilt top for my Baby Trip Around the World.

I made it using Bonnie Hunter's directions.  However I cut my strips at 2" wide which made a 10" block.  Instead of making it scrappy I used the same 6 fabrics for each block.  I love how it turned out.  While at JoAnn's I looked for a backing fabric but couldn't find anything I like.  Will look again another day.

A few things I've been working on but do not have anything to show are:

1.  Pat Sloan Quilt from her new book "New Ideas for Applique" has a quilt that is excellent for a BOM.  She is starting it this month with Aprils block.  I should have it done in a day or two.

2.  I've been making quilt labels and sewing them onto the back of recently finished quilts.  I had so many small finishes the last couple of months that they are starting to stack up.

3.  I chose the quilt I want to make for the Small Quilt Talk quilt swap.  I've been in touch with the quilter I am swapping with and I have chosen an appliqued quilt with scrappy blocks.  All I have done is traced the applique pieces to freezer paper.  I have until the end of May to finish it.


As I sit and write this post I am watching the Tigers play the Blue Jays.  It is cold, it is raining and the Tigers are winning.  Let's hope it lasts.  

My son posted on facebook a picture of a weather map.  He lives in the Upper Peninsula.  The map shows they are expecting snow....like 1" - 2" an hour.  Last week he still had 3 feet of snow.  So I guess I won't complain too much about our 30 - 40 degree weather and rain.

Hope you have sunshine where you are.  Thanks for stopping by and spending some time.

Hugs, Cathy

P.S.  I want to thank everyone for their suggestions for the Y seam block.  I will use each and everyone of them when I decide to try it again.

Is Spring on its Way...

They say it is.  I even saw a Robin.  However, the weather is not being very cooperative.  Cold, rain, then snow, sunshine, then gray skies.  I am so ready for some warm tropical breezes.  But until they come, let's sew.

I finished my Small Quilt Talk March Challenge Quilt.

The challenge was to use some ugly fabrics.  It's funny...what looked ugly on it's own doesn't look ugly in the quilt.  This is my first challenge quilt with the group.


My second finish is a project that I made about 4 years ago but never quilted.

It is a table runner I made using leftover block from a quilt I made my son Michael 6 years ago.  I finally pin basted and machine quilted it.  It is approx. 4 feet long.  I am slowly getting some older projects finished.


I also got the top finished from my EQ7 BOM.

Now I need to get it pin basted and machine quilted.  It is on my UFO Busting list for March.


And then there are some projects that weren't on the horizon....but I just had to start.

Last year my granddaughter Ashley asked if I would make her a quilt.  We chose a design, a plaid quilt, and she picked out colors.  I had her go to the paint store and get paint samples for the colors she wanted.  I took these to the fabric store and chose fabrics that matched the chips.  Then I got chosen for the Scrap Squad and was not able to start the quilt.  The other day I was digging for fabric and came across the fabric for her quilt.  I decided I had better start working on it.  I plan on making at least 1 block a day.

Notice anything funny about the top left block.  I didn't notice until I put it up on the design wall and took a photo.  I took it apart yesterday and resewed it.  
The dark fabric is navy with a lighter blue running through it.  Probably not the colors I would have chosen but the colors an 11 year old would.

The second project is a Bonnie Hunter free pattern, Scrappy Trip Around the World.  I have seen so many people working on it and I just had to make one.

I'm using a jelly roll I got from Connecting Threads and a jelly roll of Moda solid neutrals.  It won't be as scrappy as some I've seen but I like my first block.


I forgot to tell you....My son's girlfriend commissioned me to make a photo quilt for her friend.  She wants it in autumn colors.  I designed a quilt on EQ with Maple leaf blocks and log cabin blocks.  The photo's would be in the center of the log cabin blocks.  I just started working on it and really don't have anything to show you yet.

I just got the March patterns for the Sentimental Stitches Applique and Pieced BOM's.  The applique is a house with a shamrock on it.  The pieced is going to be fun...lots of y seams.

I finished the row for my Patchwork Posse Winter Wonderland quilt.  I need to do some embroidery on it before I can show it to you.

And I have another little quilt that I made 2 years ago in the quilting frame.  Hopefully I can finish it this week so I can share a photo.

Well, I guess I had better get going.  Putting on a pot of Cabbage Soup for dinner and then off to the sewing room.  Wonder what I will be working on today.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Cathy