A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

A little bit of this and a little bit of that----that's how I feel about what I have been doing the last several days! I've been doing some reading and working on my Polka Dots Girls, but not getting there very fast--only have part of another big block done. The girls are having daffodil tea in the block I'm working on now and they are just so cute!

Also, as shown in the picture above, I have cut out and started on a black and white and red quilt. This was fabric that I got at the Fort Worth Quilt Show. Actually my hubby found it and liked it, so we bought it and I have been looking for a pattern ever since. Finally found this one at Blue Ribbon Quilt Shoppe and started it! It's called "Archipelago" which I can't pronounce, but I knew I liked it anyway!!!! I'm using red where the little blue pieces are. The pattern is from Blue Underground Studios, Inc.

Have been enjoying the lovely fall weather here, too. The roses are taking on a second wind and blooming again--fall roses are so pretty because they are unexpected, I think!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

1930's Sampler Block--Rosebud

This is a block for the 1930's Sampler called Rosebud. This is for the Sampler in the book "Egg Money Quilts" by Eleanor Burns. I'm really enjoying doing this sampler because each block is different and I'm using up my 1930's fabric, but the storage containers are not going down any, how can that be???!!

We are enjoying the most lovely fall weather here in North Texas--it is slightly colder today than it has been, so a sweatshirt feels good while out on a walk, but that's a good thing!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Metro Blues Yellow Brick Road

This is a YBR made with FQs from the Metro Blues line of fabric. I picked these beauties up at the Fort Worth Quilt Show in the $1.00 bin--boy, was I lucky! Debi and I both found lots of great FQs there--what a deal!! That's one thing that makes quilting so much fun---running into bargains like that! I made this yesterday at our Sit N Sew Frayed Edges group--our little group has grown to 28 members and more--if we all decided to show up on the same day I don't know where we'd all sit--even with their new added on room we'd be bursting at the seams, but we sure would still have a fun time. Lots of talking and laughter goes on that's for sure! Plus we get to see all the new stuff--fabric and notions, etc. that comes in when the UPS man leaves off a bundle of boxes---now that makes us feel very special! Quilt Mercantile is the store I talk about all the time and it is in little Celeste, Texas. They don't have a website yet that I could send you to, but hope to have one in the near future. Try attending a Sit N Sew at your local quilt store sometime and see what fun it is!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Two Quilt Tops and A Block

One more block is finished for my 1930's Sampler with Eleanor Burns! This one is called Rocky Road to Kansas and has--- "shudder"--- set-in seams. Oh my! But they went quite smoothly and don't look too bad, even if I do say so myself! Eleanor Burns instructions are so detailed in her book that if you follow everything just real close you can usually get a good outcome.

I also finished two more comfort quilt tops for Project Linus, so now I'll add to the quilting pile again. We do have one on the frame, so that's good! These are both Yellow Brick Road and I made these tops both in one day at Sit N Sew last Tuesday--they sure do go quickly--I got both of them all done except for the border on one of them and that included time spent shopping for border fabric and backings---half the fun---right????!!!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Mystery Charm Quilt

This is a Mystery Charm Quilt pattern that is floating around--I don't know where it came from so I can't give any credit to the author---it came to me as a copy from a friend on a forum and she got it from her guild as a hand out. I posted this awhile back, but thought it would be fun to post it again for some who may have missed it. The mystery is that you sew the plain blocks in a certain position and cut them apart and sew them back together and you will form a border of half triangles!

It takes 123 5" squares and 17 5" squares of one solid color. 5" squares will give you a quilt approximately 51" x 70". Here is what I did:

This is the diagram for the way the blocks are laid out.


These are my piles of charms.

Here are a couple of rows set together.

These are the rows all sewn together--notice where the yellow blocks are.

Here I cut along the diagonal of all the yellow blocks--once the yellow blocks are sewn you can see right where you need to cut. Then you rearrange the pieces and you will see just where they need to go--like pieces of a puzzle.

Here you can see the completed quilt top with the yellow triangles all around the border--sorry the top triangles are cut off, but the quilt is pretty big for my little camera--I couldn't stand back quite far enough!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!


Jan

We have a Winner (October 15, 2008)

I should have posted this yesterday and did post it on the Fall Into Fall Give Away post, but somehow missed putting it here---so here it is now--the winner of the Fall Into Fall Give Away is grammie! She has already sent me her snail mail address and I will get her prize package in the mail today! Congratulations! And a great big thanks to all of you who sent comments for the drawing. It was so much fun to read your comments! I'd say fall was the number 1 season over all that was everyone's favorite! There were lots of good reasons why! This was such fun and mnay thanks to Debi for getting this all going and organizing it. Seems to me I heard about a new one in the winter time--won't that be fun!!??!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!


Jan

Polka Dot Girls Block One

Finished the first block or section of my Block of the Month "Polka Dot Girls." that my friend, Debi and I are putting together. I'm liking the way the fabrics that I chose ---Sherbet from Buggy Barn---are looking with the embroidery colors. So far so good! Had a little trouble getting the squares to all match up--part of it was my fault, but part of it I think was the pattern--I'll know when Debi puts hers together and we can compare notes!

Now to think of what project I want to work on next--I have quite a few to choose from and I can't make up my mind--I think I will do another Eleanor Burns block in the 30's fabric, but I have another charms quilt that I want to make of the mystery pattern that you sew the fabric in a certain way putting plain solid squares in certain places and then cut it apart and sew back together and you get a border of triangles--I did a show and tell on that for one blog awhile back--maybe I should do another just for fun!!! I have some bright yellow fabric for the plain squares that should make a nice bright border! Always something to choose from in the sewing room!!!!

Hope you are having a great fall day like we are here in north Texas! Enjoy it while we can!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

A Lovely Saturday

Today is a lovely, sunny day in fall and I have spent some time outside just enjoying the weather. Yesterday I finished the 2 items shown above. The first picture is of the double wedding ring block for the '30's sampler from Eleanor Burns book Egg Money Quilts. I did it using Quiltsmart interfacing where you use interfacing and sew the arcs to fusible interfacing and turn them right sides out and iron them on to the background. Then you use the invisible thread to blind hem stitch them to the background. Very easy way to do them, but I was glad I was only doing one block! Samplers sure are fun that way!

The other picture shows a quilt top that is fire engines, ambulances and dalmation dogs. It will be for a fund-raiser basket for my grandson's school next spring. Just have to get it quilted now!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Another New Project....

This quilt is called Polka Dot Girls and features 3 little (dare I say it???) old ladies with a cat and flowers, and teapots and even a bee hive surrounded by sayings and other things. The pattern is from Australia and is published by Red Brolly. My dear friend Debi and I are doing this Block of the Month together and what fun it is! The characters take on personalities as you stitch them! The fabric I chose to go with the stitchery is called Sherbet by The Buggy Barn. The picture shows the three Polka Dot Girls and the cat.

Tomorrow, Debi and I are going to Quitman to Stitchin Heaven and deliver about 40-45 quilts for Project Linus. They are a drop-off point for PL quilts and we are thankful to them for that! Our stacks of quilts sure did grow fast! Just so happens that they are having a big sale tomorrow!!!! What a good day to go! LOL!! It will be a good day of shopping and visiting with a friend!!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Sweet Pea Quilt

This quilt I call Sweet Pea because some of the fabric has Sweet Peas on it--aren't I just so clever???!!!! LOL!! It's done with the Take 5 pattern--the pattern says to take 5 minutes, choose 5 fabrics, and in 5 hours you've made this fantastic quilt. Well, the first 2 were right, but I think it took longer that 5 hours to make and I just have the top done! There was an awful lot of cutting done for this one and organizing the cut fabric. For scrappy quilts, I usually don't organize the fabric--that way it is truly scrappy to me. Guess I should have timed myself, but now another top is done and ready to go in the quilting pile!

It's a rainy, gray day outside and usually that makes me want to quilt and sew and embroider, but for some reason all I want to do today is read a good book and nap. So that's what I am doing--I guess I did sew some because I did finish the Take 5, but that's been all as far as quilting is concerned. Some days are like that and since I am retired, I can just go with the flow, which I think is very nice and I am truly thankful for that! Tomorrow will be another day!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Pretty in Pink!

Over the last few days, I have managed to make 2 Yellow Brick Roads (they are exactly the same) and a Wickedly Easy quilt. (The Wickedly Easy quilt is shown above.) Both are for Project Linus and are in the ever growing again pile for quilting! I like the Wickedly Easy pattern--it takes 6 Fat Quarters and is fun and goes quickly. Today I'm going to try a Take 5 quilt with some half-yard cuts that I have.

WOW! This is my 200th post! I never thought I'd make it this far! Thanks to my Daughter, Anne for getting me started in this blogging world that I am truly enjoying!!! The Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Giveaway is my Celebration!!!!!

Don't forget to sign up for the Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Giveaway here on my blog and at the main one! Have fun!!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan

Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Give Away!!

And the winner is: grammie --if you will please write and give me your address, I will be sending your gift right away in the mail! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

Here it is October 1st and time for the Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Give Away! This is sponsored by my great friend, Debi and has over 30 participants so far and it's only the first of the month. Leave a comment on my blog before the 15th of October about "what is your favorite season and why?" (Is it fall?) and I will put your name in for a random drawing on the 15th of October for a prize. My prize shown above is for a jelly roll called "Mother Goose" and a little tin that it fits in. Be sure if you leave a way for me to get in contact with you!!!!!

You can see and sign up for all the different give aways at this site: Fall Into Fall Quilter's Blog Give Away. Have fun everyone. Thanks Debi for starting this fun activity!

Let quilting help you make someone smile!

Jan