A New Project

I am up to my ears in workmen, sheetrock, and tile and wood floors being torn out.  Home remodeling is stressful.  The only thing left to do is shut ones self in their studio and start a new project.  I saw this cute little table mat by Amy Smart for Art Gallery Fabrics.  She provides a tutorial to make it on line.  This project is so easy and fun.  Of course, I modified the size a bit so I could use it for a wall hanging over my china cabinet.  But, it is easily modified to any size you desire.

A New Wall Hanging for over the China Cabinet

I have told my husband, if we ever had to do any remodeling to our home again we would sell it.  I just did not want to go there again.  It is such a mess!  Well I have decided to take a wall out, make my kitchen, dining room, and living room into one large great room.  This past weekend we move the dining furniture away from the wall that is being taken out.  Once my china cabinet moved to a new wall my area for hanging a quilt has drastically been reduced in the length of what can be hung there.  Opportunity:  Make a new quilt to hang there!  Need this to be about 45 inches wide by 24 long.  Each three rows equals 12 inches, so have a bit to go yet.  I do like the idea so far.  What do you think?

Rock N' Romance

At Fall Market in Houston in October 2012 I purchased at Sample Spree some half yards of Rock N/ Romance.  I fell in love with it and ended up purchasing additional pieces from http://www.intrepidthread.com .  Love Julie's shop, she has fabulous fabric!  Earlier in my blog I showed some of this fabric off, with no idea what I would do with it.  I found a pattern I love.  Saw this pattern in a Quilting Daily free patterns issue on line.  Just one more block to finish.  It will be 12 by 36 inches.  Would love to keep it for myself, but it has a new home waiting for it.  One of my staff ladies that work for me has a birthday coming up at the end of this month.  

A Happy Quilt

I just love this quilt, and it was so much fun to make.  No real rules, and it used up lots of scraps.  Now just to figure out how to quilt it.  Have to admit that I stopped at 20 blocks rather than the 25 the book suggested.  I didn't run out of scraps, like that could happen around here, I just couldn't come up with 5 more color combinations.  I think its a perfect size too, just 60 by 75 inches, plenty big enough.

Another Sunday Morning Quilts Project

I must say this book is just wonderful.  This is my third project out of it.  I have successfully used up lots of scraps too.  I now have all but four of the twenty five 15-inch blocks done.  Above is just a sample of 4 of them.  I can't think of a nicer way to use up all those old scraps, some were at least 20 years old.

A New Project

I have to say that this British Union Jack Flag quilt project is turning out to be a bit of a challenge.  This is the first block of 15, done in non traditional colors. I am using black prints in place of the normally blue, and tans and beiges in place of white.

                             

I will be doing one in blue, red, and white traditional colors with just 12 blocks too.  Both have homes waiting for them.

Before I finished this first block I ended up un-sewing several strips a couple times and actually had to toss the first four diagonal corners and remake them.  It pays to read the directions really well before beginning a project!  I finally managed to finish this first block, and also have another done too.  The second block went a bit better, only had to un-sewing a couple strips once.  I think I finally have it down!      

Benny's Quilt is Done

Such a simple pattern, but tons of fun.  Benny loves it.  The quilting on it is police cars, fire engines and fire hydrants in red thread.  SOOOOOOO Cute!

Look What the Mail Brought

These little treasures were dropped off today with the mail.  I have a 4 year old grandson, that in the last month or so has moved from a toddler bed into a twin bed.  He loves fire engines, and lets face it how cute are these.  So I am off to start a big boy quilt, for the new bed.

Fun Scrap Projects

Last year, 2012, sounds like a long time ago doesn't it?  I purchased this Sunday Morning Quilts book at the suggestion of my VBF Brooke.  I fell in love with several of the patterns in it.  It is a wonderful book on how to use all those left over scraps we all have taking up space in our studios, but we just can't seem to throw or give them away.  I actually started two quilts out of the book.  One really is scrappy (pictures of that next time), and well this one is not.  It is all the same line by Free Spirt called Boho by Annette Tatum of Westminster Fabrics.  This quilt is going to be huge, 100 inches by 100 inches.  That's right 100 blocks each 10 inches finished!  All my blocks are complete and it is almost half sewn together now.  It might be time for you to consider a resolution to do something with all those  leftover fabrics.  

The New and the Old

My last 2012 purchase of the year is a Riley Blake Designs fabric called Flutter by The Quilted Fish.  I am not sure what I will do with it yet.  I have been thinking about making two new runners out of it for my two youngest daughters' birthdays.  It sort of makes me think about Valentine's Day.  With one birthday on the 16th of January and the other on February 10th that actually sounds like a good idea. One of my resolutions for the new year is to finish up some of my old projects.  Over the holiday I decided to clean out and organize my studio.  I found all sorts of interesting UFO's in there.  This apron pattern and fabric was one of them.  It is all cut out, sewn together, the pockets are almost ready to sew on, and now just to cut and apply the blue bias binding.
I hope you all enjoy a safe and peaceful end of 2012 and welcome the year 2013 with goals and accomplishments in abundance.