GEESE

I'm taking a very brief leave from my Puddle Jumping project.  I pulled out my Carrie Bloomston scraps from her Paint and Story lines to play with.

This guy arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon, and I just had to try him out.  I have several Bloc Loc rulers.  They come in several different sizes.  This one is 4" by 8".  They are wonderful and make the most perfect flying geese.  I also have a 2" by 4" to make the smaller geese.

This is the pattern that prompted me to purchase this new size ruler.
It is a 36" by 40" wall hanging.  I only intend to make a table runner using the top two rows and adding four more small geese on the end to make it 16" by 40".

Here we are so far.  The large geese are done, on to the smaller ones later today.  Not a complete finish, but the large geese are done.

I'm linking up with

Amanda from Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

PUDDLE JUMPING

I am on a quest to finish some long ago started projects.  This past week I finally finished all the blocks on another project, so this one was next on my list.

This stack of pieces and parts was facing me.

Plus I laid out these pieces and parts on my design wall.  Somewhat of a mess of confusion.  

And at last the blocks began to come together.  OK three done thirteen more to go.  I'm on my way so I am linking up with

Brooke from Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Susan at Mid Week Makers

QUILT SHOW SHOPPING & INSPIRATION

I attended a major international quilt show this past week in Santa Clara, CA.  I'm not sure what I like best the shopping or the ideas I get from the quilts.  The shopping is very fun.  I love thread, and Wonderful 12 wt. thread is one of my favorites.  I scored these lovely additions to my collect.

These fabrics and pattern were another just for me project.  I do love appliqué, but it is time consuming.  I just could not resist this runner to do for myself.

Last of my shopping spree these yarns.  Not sure what I want to do with them, but I see a nice artsy wall hanging in my future.

Now the inspiration, These are only two of the many pictures I took.  They sure make one want to get in there and create something wonderful.
Well last Sunday finished off this fun adventure for another year so I am linking up with.

Amanda from Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict

RED LETTER DAY

This year I have been using The Quilter's Planner for 2016.  I is pretty much a weekly planner for the whole year.  It does have lots of room for adding in quilting project information.  However, it turned out to be much more of a calendar planner, which I already keep both at work and here at home for all those daily appointments and such.  As I saw 2017 fast approaching I decided to try this Scrappy Project Planner instead, from the Fat Quarter Shop.  I love it.  When it arrived I sat down and started through my stacks of unfinished projects and began to enter them to see if I could get a handle on finishing up some of them.  

This is the first project in my planner.  I had three blocks complete, these two ready to lay out and sew together, and the last four in varied stages of ready to cut out and start lay out. 

 So here is the green set.

And the aqua set.  The fabrics are all Bonnie and Camille, and the pattern Red Letter Day by Thimble Blossom.  I hope that Red Letter Day is a good term to start my process in getting some of these projects done and the this new planner the help I need to organize working on them.

So I am linking up with

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle andThread Network

Susan from Mid Week Makers

FISH STICKS

I took some time this past week to get my fish ironed on to my placemat backing.  

I also got this guy appliquéd on and the quilting done on the background.  

The pattern called for sewing the appliquéd fish on with several straight stitched rows around the pieces in black.  I decided to use a dark purple thread and a small serpentine stitch.  I have three more placemats to go and each fish will be different.  

I was in Las Vegas for a week earlier this month and many of these fabrics came from a quilt store there, but I can't resist showing a couple more pictures of the wonderful Bellagio fall garden display.  This will get you into the fall season mood.

This pretty well finishes off my first Fish placemat, and the end of my vacationing for the year so I am linking up with.

Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Busy Hands Quilts

HERRINGBONE COTTON AND STEEL

I know you have heard me say it in several posts.  I have Cotton and Steel fabric overflowing everywhere.  In an effort to finally rid my self of it I stumbled on a tutorial for a herringbone quilt by Maureen Cracknell this past week.  Perfect I'll cut it up into more   2 1/2 inch strips and go for it.  

I got these three rows complete by Friday, and there might even be hope for getting the next two done before Monday.  They go together really easily.  They are sewn on to the batting.  I cut 9 1/2 inch wide strips by 45 inches long, then marked 45 degree angled lines 2 inches apart across the batting strips.  Then just sewed the fabric strips on and flipped them over and sewed the next ones on from top to bottom of the strips.  I sewed each panel together with the standard quarter inch seam and ironed it open.  So easy, once done I can spray baste them onto a back and quilt myself, or take them to my quilter.  It should end up 45 inches by 45 inches.  A bit small so I may add a border or a smaller herringbone row all away around.  

Still a work in progress, both quilt and using up those Cotton and Steel fabric scraps so I am linking up with.

Brooke from Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Mid Week Makers

THE THIS AND THAT FINISH

Its done, well at least the top is done.  After weeks of what seems to be just frustrating stops and starts I have finally accomplished some finishes, well almost finishes.  My creative slump seems to be finally working itself out.  

So I am linking up quickly while it lasts with

Amanda from Crazy Mom Quilts
Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Busy Hands Quilts

LAS VEGAS FUN

My husband and I spent this past week in Las Vegas, Nevada.  We are not gamblers, but they do offer all sort of fun show, museums, sight seeing and shopping. 

 One of the big casinos had this wonderful fall garden display.

Isn't this guy cute.

This new attraction gives you a 45 minute view of the entire Las Vegas Casino strip both day or night.

Did I mention shopping.  Oh yes, I picked up these additional pieces to start my new set of placemats.

They got added to these pieces I had set aside for this project.

Now to get going on this project.  They look like they will be fun.

One vacation finished and one new project in progress so I am linking up with

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

The Needle and Thread Network

Mid Week Makers