A Great Project

I'm sure you have heard of the "Just One Star Project" promoted by Moda.  If not let me tell you what it is.   It is a challenge to piece, quilt and bind 100 quilts in 100 days using the "Flag of Valor" pattern by Minick and Simpson.  The deadline for star blocks is May 1, 2011 so they can meet their quilt deadline by Flag Day, June 14, 2011.  They need 1800 blocks to reach their goal.  You can go to http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/ and see a tutorial on making the block and the address to send them.  The quilts will be donated thru the Semper Fi Fund.  So take a few minutes and make a block.   Here are my blocks.

I also got my last blocks for the Thread Head Quilt-a-Long Quilt done.  Today I hope to start sewing the rows together.  I wasn't sure if I could do them

in 6 1/2".  But I drafted them using EQ5 and they worked out

okay, however I had some strange measurements.   I am so glad I joined in on the fun.  Can't thank Joanne enough for the inspiration.

And finally, I wanted to let you know about a great giveaway.  Jilly over at Jillys Happy Quilts http://jillyshappyquilts.blogspot.com/ is giving away to FQ Bundles.  So hope on over and leave a comment for a chance to win some fabric.

Wishing you a quilty day.   Hugs, Cat

As Promised....

My Moose table runner.

As promised by the Weatherman.

Enough said....
                          I'm off to play in my sewing room.
                                                                                          Hope you have a quilty day.

Hugs, Cat

Last Block Posted

Woo Hoo...Joanne posted the last block for the Thread Head Quilt-a-Long.  I guess I know what I will be doing all weekend.  Yep, putting my quilt together.  Thanks Joanne!

Nothing to show today.  I've been doing lots of hand work.  I did get my Moose table runner quilted.  Whenever I finish a top, I cut the binding and put it in a special basket.  I learned a long time ago that it takes a long time to finally finish a quilt, and if I don't do the binding right away I probably would not find the binding fabric or would have used it for something else.  So I went to the basket, pulled out the binding and started sewing in the table runner.  I got to the very end and found I was 6" short (obviously I didn't measure correctly).  I checked 2 fabric cabinets, 4 plastic totes to no avail.  Finally I saw a bag that had some homespun plaids.  I dug  in the bag and finally came up with 2 4" pieces of the binding fabric.  I finished sewing the binding last night.  Tonight I'll sew it to the back and show you a picture tomorrow.

So seeing I have no pictures of projects to show you I thought I'd show some pictures of past projects.  Starting with a closeup of my profile picture.  This quilt is made up of blocks I made and received from block swaps.  For the sashing I made a multitude of black and white 4 patches and 9 patches.  I was quite happy with the way it turned out.

This quilt is my profile picture on facebook.  When I lived up north with Dad, I would sit on the porch overlooking the lake in the morning drinking my coffee.  We had 3 very large pine trees, and every morning there would be a crow at the very top of the pine tree.  I finally did a quick sketch of the crow and turned it into a wall quilt.  I call it "I Can See Forever".

Finally this is my first big applique quilt.  It is called "Rusted Moon" by Whimsicals.  I had so much fun making this quilt.  What I like the most is it is a scrappy quilt. 

Well I hope you liked my little quilt show.  I will be sure to post a picture of my moose table runner tomorrow.  Until then I hope you have a quilty day.


Hugs, Cat

Another One Bites The Dust...

I finished my 20 years in the making Churn Dash quilt.  I made the blocks when I first got serious about quilting.  However, since I was also doing crafting  I had a lot of polyester blends in the house so they were used in the background of the blocks. 

I put the blocks together about  5 years ago while up north with Dad.  He said it looked like a baby quilt.  Well it is the right size.  But this is going to be our picnic table cover quilt.  Terry and I like to go hiking and have a picnic so I think this will work fine.

So I down and many more to go.....

Guess what is coming?  Friday Night Sew In.  I'm signed up, are you?  If not go see Heidi and sign up.
http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/  Hope to see you there.  Remember you can win prizes plus get a lot of sewing done.

Wishing you a quilty day. 

Hugs, Cat

What's Big Yellow Thing In The Sky???

Oh my, I think it is the sun.  It's been so long. 

I've been doing a lot of hand work so there is not too much to share today.  I finished machine quilting my 20 year old Churn Dash quilt yesterday and attached the binding.  I am about half way done stitching the binding down so when I'm done I'll post a picture. 

Since I found my fabric for my Thread Head quilt-a-long quilt, I cut the sashing, border and cornerstone pieces.  There are 2 spaces open for the last block.  Once Joanne posts it I will start finishing sewing the rows together.  I was going to start today but I thought I'd wait.  Besides I keep changing the block placements.

Yesterday I read and watched Joanne's tutorial on doing feather free motion quilting.  It is so informative and very easy to follow.  I'm hoping to find the time to try it today. 

I made the latest Barbara Brackman Civil War Block this morning.  I am really enjoying the history  behind the blocks.   My husband is a big Civil War Buff so enjoys ready about the blocks and the quilts also.

The plan for today is to piece the background for the next Henrietta Whiskers BOM.  These are so cute.  After that its more hand work.

Well, I hope where ever you may be that you have at least sunshine and maybe even some warm temperatures.  Wishing you a quilty day.

Hugs, Cat

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY....

But then again it is better than SNOW...

So what to do on a rainy day....why shop of course.  Got up early and headed to the grocery store.  Now where....well, down the street there just happened to be a JoAnn ETC.

Boy did I luck out today.  Usually I get to the store and all the clearance is gone.  Not today.  I bought a new lap quilting frame.  It has 2 size quilting hoops, 10" and 14"  The regular price was $49.99 and I got it for $15.00. 

Once I started looking I found a great ruler for $4.00, glass head pins for $4.00, rotary cutting blade for  $2.00 for 2, and Feather Templates for $4.00.  The funny thing is I just went in to get a light bulb for my sewing machine.  And yes I did get it.

This week has been a busy one.  I got more quilting done on Sunflower Quilt #1, a little more done on my Granny's Hankie BOM. (Nothing to show yet).   I re-did my EQ 7 BOM's.   Each month I did the blocks with different fabrics.  I really liked the way I did this months blocks so I decided to re-do the blocks and this is how I will be doing the rest of the BOM's.

There is only one block left for the Thread Head Quilt-a-Long.  Joanne said she would be posting it next week.  I had to make extra blocks because mine are only 6".  I showed the three rows I had completed in an earlier blog.  Here is what the remainder rows look like.  I decided to start sewing some of the completed rows together.  But as you can see, I needed to cut more sashing, corner stones and borders first.  I put the border fabric up where it wouldn't get lost in my messy sewing room.  Well, I looked high, I looked low, I looked under and I looked over.  But I couldn't find it.   So I decided to start on something else.

I have quite a few quilt tops, wall quilts and table runners that need to be quilted.  Most will be machine quilted, just some quilt in the ditch.  So I pulled out a couple of quilts to sandwich and pin so I could quilt them today.  When I grabbed my container of pins I saw something blue peeking out from behind some books.  Yeah, you guessed it....I found my border fabric. 

But since I already had my sewing table cleared off I decided to go ahead and get some quilts ready for quilting.  I am all set to quilt a wall hanging that was a mystery quilt from years ago, a table runner that I designed while living up north, and a lap quilt made up of some quilt blocks I made about 20 years ago (I could tell they were that old because it has a lot of polyester in it).   So today I will be working on these. 

Today Barbara Brackman posted the new Civil War block and Bunny Hill posted the newest BOM for Henrietta Whiskers (It is adorable).  So this weeks To-Do List will consist of:

1. Finish machine quilting the 3 projects I sandwiched.
2. Cut the borders, sashings and corner stones for the Thread Head Quilt-a-Long.
3. Do Barbara Brackman latest block.
4. Do the Henrietta Whiskers block.
5. More hand quilting on Sunflower Quilt #1.
6. More applique on Granny's Hankie BOM.

Wish me luck.  What are you working on? 

Wishing you a quilty day.  Hugs, Cat

It's a Great Day

The sun is shining, the snow is melting and the Robins are singing. 

And I got the book I won in the mail today.  Spotlight on Scraps by Cyndi Walker is the book I won from Kate, the Quilting Professor.  I couldn't have been happier since I have been making nothing but scrap quilts lately.  There are 10 quilts in the book including appliqueing and piecing.  The directions are wonderful.  Thank you so much Kate I really love it.  I already know which quilt I want to make after I finish up all the projects I'm working on. 

Well since today is the 1st of the month it was time to do the next EQ7 block.  I have decided to redo my other 2 blocks to match this one.  I pulled out my hand dyed and batiks.  I really like the way this one looks.  Now remember you don't have to have EQ7, (I have EQ5) in fact you don't have to have EQ at all.  You just need to download the block pattern each month.  They give you rotary cutting directions, templates, or foundation piecing.  So give them a try.

I also want to let you know that you can see a great baby quilt and get a chance to win a Go-Baby at http://www.pleasant-home.com/.   Good luck.

Hope you're having a quilty day.     Hugs, Cat